I’ve followed the blues for more than a couple of decades and really, this is the first time that I’ve ever felt the fear of the unknown or the excitement of what great things may or may not lie ahead over the next decade for the mighty blues.
I’m trying to work out whether I should be positively excited about what lies ahead of us or fearful of a continued run of failure.

There’s so many questions that are unanswered within the playing group, coaching staff & administration.

With the playing group we basically know what we’ve got with our mid to senior aged players. Apart from a couple of very good players they’re pretty much so-so atm.
But following tomorrow’s draft we’ll have a hell of a lot of youth (22yo & under) that we really don’t know too much about. Sure AB, Simmo & Carrotts and one or two others have shown a couple of glimpses but we still don’t know whether they’re the real deal yet that can consistently handle hard tags and can lead the way to finals victories. There’s so many unknowns like Russell, Hartlett, Raso, Setanta, Aisake, Blackwell, Batson, etc., etc. who can make or break us. They might be stars or they might be duds.
Fear or Excitement?

There’s the unknowns of the coaching staff.
Pagan has admitted on several occasions that he’s never been in a situation like he’s in now at Carlton. He’s never been tested like this. He has to re-invent himself and come up with a unique game plan that suits this playing list. Is Elshaugh, Liberatore, Mitchell, Daniher and Dempsey capable of properly developing our kids into very good to excellent senior PROFESSIONAL AFL players who will confidently win us premierships? We all hope they can but who can honestly say yes without a doubt?
Fear or Excitement?

And what of our administration?
Strong rumours of high profile executives considering standing for board positions which could lead to a major change of the landscape. What can they bring to the table? It could be anything…it could be huge…who knows??
In our time of financial need it seems the average punters have been our main saving grace with membership skyrocketing over the last couple of seasons. Congrats to all the “average Joe’s” out there who did something when needed. You are the heart and soul of this football club. But will the “Joe’s” all stay on board?
Fear or Excitement?

I remember back in the ‘70s & ‘80s it was so easy. Carlton supporters expected and were delivered success….continually. We knew what was going to happen. We all walked tall because we knew….
Right now it just aint the same because I just don’t know , do you? Your thoughts?

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There's so much I could say...

I must admit that I feel a little fear about pick #4 in tomorrows draft. It would be morale crushing if the player picked doesn't make the grade.

Don't know about the rest Budzy but I do know Wayne Hughes puts in huge hours and spends half his life on planes criss crossing the country looking at footy talent. He's lucky to have 2-3 weeks holiday a year and even then I doubt his mobile ever stops ringing. Qantas must love him because he probably has close to 100 flights this year come tomorrow.

Some will say....'Yeah that's what he gets paid for'. But he does more than he gets paid for. He does the 'hard yards'. He is extremely well organised, knows what he wants and leaves no stone unturned in his trade.

He has been around along time in the AFL, is extremely well respected by his peers and his network of contacts across the country is amazing. He's extremely 'street smart' in footy terms and a great reader of people and situations.

You won't see him beating his gums to the media, that's just not his style. He will never be 'Dial a quote' like a few others. The media have just about given up asking his opinion because he keeps them to himself.

Have faith Budzy. I think we're in good hands.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

I think the last few years have been the darkest days in history. All we can do is stick together, have faith in our admin and group of players. All we can do i hope and support our club.

Remember, When we are a force again winning the GF will be so sweet because we would of done it the hard way!

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"Dont count the games, make the games count"

Probably the most thought provoking post i have read on this site Budz.
You have raised some very probing questions that i,quite frankly,would not have a clue about answering.A real mystery.The great unknown.As you say mate,in the old days,WE KNEW.
But one thing i can tell you,sink or swim,im onboard.

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All my dangerous friends

Excited. We are now back in the draft properly and while we are at the bottom, the players you mentioned can only make the club better. Not all of them will make it, but the ones that do will improve our list.

It terms of our history, we had it good for a very long time, and now we are doing the hard yards. One thing is certain, we will get back to the top because of our history combined with the current AFL drafting system.

I don't agree with everyone on this site, but everyone on this site has my respect because we are all passionate enough to post and read while the club is in its darkest times.

What I do know is that the next premiership will be perhaps the sweetest of all, certainly the sweetest for me. Whether that takes 5, 10 or 50 years I am sure that all the people who post here will be still hungry for Carlton sucess whenever it does happen.

17 will be very sweet. Perhaps that should be our 2007 marketing slogan

I'm busting out of my skin....

more kids to add to the list and this list is coming together - not quickly, just easily. Piece here, piece there.

I'm happy.

My soul is bluebagger and my faith shines like the CFC


I'm always happy


'cept whern we lose of course.

In fact this morning in the shower i was daydreaming about our 20th flag.

Shit the irish lads played a blinder that day, though Tex got the norm....

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This type of slight is alien in the more cultured part of the world - Walsh. Its up there with mad dogs, Englishmen and the midday sun!

Respect.

PS. Sometimes a word and an emoticon are not enough.

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"Hence you will not say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks"?

Winston Churchill

On the basis of that I'm already loving our selections today, no matter who they are, whether he drafts tall, midfielders, defenders.

Today we put our faith in Hughesy and back him 100%

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/11/25/1132703377299.html

Interesting article.

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

Having picks 1,4 and 20 doesn't mean the start of the new age.Today's article in the Herald-Sun about the draft is a fascinating read and how there are success stories with low picks and horror tales with top picks.So many factors determine whether a kid will become a top line senior footballer. The recruiters have learnt from their mistakes, but because of their age, whether a player 'makes it' or not is still unknown.

Hopefully we can pick up some quality.Some of our recruiting has been excellent(Fisher) and shit(O'Reilly, Charles,Mansfield etc).Lets hope we make correct choices today.

yeah real tough gig for beveridge when he had pick 1 for about 4 years running, not to mention priority picks as well

Good post Budzy.

For me, I have to remain optimistic, as to see only a bleak future seems pointless. The nature of the competition these days, with the draft and salary cap, means that we will have our days in the sun in the not too distant future. While there are some justifiable misgivings about the administration, and equally reasonable questions about the playing list and coaching staff, the emerging young talent base on its own makes me smile.

The foundations are being put in place for a sustainable, successful future.

Definitely be optimistic.

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"The old believe everything, the middle-aged suspect everything, and the young know everything." Oscar Wilde

Get 4 kids that will be good players today..and it will go a huge way towards turning this ship around.

I have faith ....
We need to have faith.

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Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil....... the Light at the End of the Tunnel has been turned off. We apologize for the inconvenience.

get your heart and mind to embrace fear = excitement