MmkMrMackie
Club Legend
WHATELEY: Note to Cats fans - don't keep a lid on it, savour the wins
Gerard Whateley
09Jul07
THERE'S a strange fascination with Geelong right now. You'll have heard it from your workmates, from football experts, maybe even from fellow supporters. They're waiting for the Cats to come undone.
It's there every time you hear a question or comment about the `lid'.
The `lid' is the silliest concept in football. Terribly important people in grave tones tell us we must keep the `lid' on.
We must not enjoy or celebrate victory and achievement. This is far too serious a business for that.
We must remain grim- faced, pessimistic and riddled with doubt. If we shake these trappings we will ``get ahead of ourselves''.
If we ``get ahead of ourselves'' we will start to expect success. Then we will anticipate. We will tip our team to beat all comers. That's when it all spins out of control.
To mention Geelong's success in Geelong's paper will flatten the house of cards. To speak of Geelong's achievements on Geelong radio will inevitably hex the potion. This apparently is a phenomenon particular to Corio Bay.
Such a thing never happened in Perth when the Eagles won two flags as the state's only team. Not in Adelaide when the Crows achieved the same.
Not in every US state that hosts only one baseball, basketball or ice hockey team. Yet every year some gibbering collection of men somehow claims a trophy.
Presumably we would all be better off barracking for Richmond and Melbourne. That way we have nothing to look forward to. Nothing at risk.
ENOUGH!
Geelong is on its best winning run in a decade. This is a good thing. It is two games clear on top of the ladder. It plays the most attractive brand of football.
It has won blending flair and dare. It has won through grit and courage. It has won on the road. It has won with injury. It has beaten the best and the worst. It will lose soon enough.
This started when the players tired of wasting their time at work. Losing stank. They committed to better.
Maybe this will lead where we hope. Where they hope. Maybe it won't. If it does, how sad it would be to have spent the previous 20 weeks racked with suspicion.
If we allow sport to be measured exclusively in premierships then my life barracking for Geelong has been a waste. Maybe yours, too.
I don't accept that.
It's been four decades since the Cats peeled off 10 straight wins. That can be matched against Collingwood on Saturday.
Asked after the Essendon win about the vibe, David Wojcinski answered: ``You don't lose motivation when you're winning. We've been down in the dumps for a long time. It's awesome to win nine in a row. Hopefully we can keep it going.''
Forgive me while I smile. Maybe you should, too.
Go cats!
Gerard Whateley
09Jul07
THERE'S a strange fascination with Geelong right now. You'll have heard it from your workmates, from football experts, maybe even from fellow supporters. They're waiting for the Cats to come undone.
It's there every time you hear a question or comment about the `lid'.
The `lid' is the silliest concept in football. Terribly important people in grave tones tell us we must keep the `lid' on.
We must not enjoy or celebrate victory and achievement. This is far too serious a business for that.
We must remain grim- faced, pessimistic and riddled with doubt. If we shake these trappings we will ``get ahead of ourselves''.
If we ``get ahead of ourselves'' we will start to expect success. Then we will anticipate. We will tip our team to beat all comers. That's when it all spins out of control.
To mention Geelong's success in Geelong's paper will flatten the house of cards. To speak of Geelong's achievements on Geelong radio will inevitably hex the potion. This apparently is a phenomenon particular to Corio Bay.
Such a thing never happened in Perth when the Eagles won two flags as the state's only team. Not in Adelaide when the Crows achieved the same.
Not in every US state that hosts only one baseball, basketball or ice hockey team. Yet every year some gibbering collection of men somehow claims a trophy.
Presumably we would all be better off barracking for Richmond and Melbourne. That way we have nothing to look forward to. Nothing at risk.
ENOUGH!
Geelong is on its best winning run in a decade. This is a good thing. It is two games clear on top of the ladder. It plays the most attractive brand of football.
It has won blending flair and dare. It has won through grit and courage. It has won on the road. It has won with injury. It has beaten the best and the worst. It will lose soon enough.
This started when the players tired of wasting their time at work. Losing stank. They committed to better.
Maybe this will lead where we hope. Where they hope. Maybe it won't. If it does, how sad it would be to have spent the previous 20 weeks racked with suspicion.
If we allow sport to be measured exclusively in premierships then my life barracking for Geelong has been a waste. Maybe yours, too.
I don't accept that.
It's been four decades since the Cats peeled off 10 straight wins. That can be matched against Collingwood on Saturday.
Asked after the Essendon win about the vibe, David Wojcinski answered: ``You don't lose motivation when you're winning. We've been down in the dumps for a long time. It's awesome to win nine in a row. Hopefully we can keep it going.''
Forgive me while I smile. Maybe you should, too.
Go cats!
