Over the last few days, the temperature has risen in this Northern town, and it feels like summer is already here.

In just 10 more sleeps, the curtain will close on another yet season.

When that final siren sounds in Sydney, the familiar emptiness of another season's end will rise inside, and the prospect of hot and lazy football-less weekends, stretching out for weeks ahead, will be not much to look forward too.

Some will analyse the draft, day in day out, but that's not for me. I care little who we get or how we get them. As long as they're playing and they're good.

But there will be no playing, not for a while. Not for what seems like forever.

Yes, there will be cricket to watch, and bbqs and Christmas parties and a new year to see in, all of which will push the longing for a Carlton game into the back recesses of the mind, but in the quiet times, whilst lying motionless on a balmy summer night, cecads singing out of tune, I will dream of a new season and with it will return the hopes, the optimism and the thrill of expectation.

GO BLUES!

You're making me cry Verbs.

Only 10 more sleeps to go before the season is over for us!

Shite - it has gone too fast!

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

What you have put just makes me think of how I don't want another season of tanking/not winning more then 5 games. A mate of mine who I go to the games with is already talking about finishing low next year and the year after so we can 'work the system'. I don't want this and if the first half of next year is crap I don't think I will be able to put myself through it all again.

Until then though Verbs, get on board the Victory train and enjoy summer football!

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Between our dreams and actions lies this world

I hear you buddy. It's like that great line from the movie Fever Pitch:

"So what are you going to do now?"
"Dunno. Sit around on a park bench and wait for next season's draw to come out I guess"

Couldn't agree with you more - hate the emptiness that the post-season brings. It brings with it the three waves:

1) Loss, despair and gloom over another season come and gone
2) The period of inbetweeness - where Xmas and the New year manage to distract you long enough to push footy to the back of your mind (although every New Year I think back to Fev's 12 against the Pies)
3) The optimism that hits around mid-January, early February of the year to come

2007 is going to be the year of the Blues - top 8 guaranteed (have I gone forward in time to mid-January already?)

Spot on....that's my summer break all mapped out.

Summer isn't all that bad...

The Ashes are coming... That should provide some entertainment.

There's always the Premier League to keep track of over long summer nights. At least I follow a successful team there... (even if they had an inauspicious beginning to the season).

The A-League needs our support, and might actually be pretty good.

And all of this is laced with the tidbits of info that filter our way from the Blues... The optimism and hope that next year... next year might be one out of the box.

My mouth is watering at the thought of that, although I'm willing to settle for last just in 2007 at this stage.

Maybe some of you should consider..........



GETTING A LIFE!!


Go out and enjoy summer. I've had a 'GUTFUL' of winter and football. I can't wait to sleep with the doors open and drink beer outside until 10pm.

The snow's been crap so I have to travel to NZ to get a decent board in before spring, which I'm more than happy to do just to get away from footy finals.

Cricket shits me so I'll enjoy the Draft camp followed by the draft and look forward to seeing a bigger better team in 2007.

GO BLUES 2007!

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end of message

Draft day and the first training session of the new season are sensational.
Come next Sunday night, out with the old and in with the new.

Delistings, draft camp, the National draft, PSD, Rookie draft, that's what it's all about Verbs!

Bring on the future.

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Looking forward to seeing our potential realised.

summer training

a chance to sleep perchance to dream

the bluebaggers always look good in feb

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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!

Everybody looks good in Feb - its the great tan's!

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“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

It's been a loooonnng hard depressing winter, again.
Hopefully the summer will refresh us all. Maybe.

Yeah. I love summer. I love the season. The climate. Hot and lazy.

I don't go much for delistings, draft camp, the National draft, PSD, & Rookie draft. I like to see who we've got but it doesn't consume much of my time or thoughts before or after the event.

It's all about that empty feeling when the footy suddenly stops and it seems like a lifetime before it will be back again.

I know it always goes quickly, but at that point in time it never feels that way.

couldn't agree more! I can't wait to get to Cairns (my end of season trip!!) & spend 4 weeks on the beach, doing absolutely nothing! Bring it!!!

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Witty signature required.

I can't wait to find out who the next #1 pick is going to be so we can all figure out how to tank for him.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

its all about the a-league as of this week.

love it - i have some sort of sport to attend every weekend

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

Great film!

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"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot about puppies." - Gene Hill

Well, trade week was a fizzer. Bring on the International Rules. Until then, I'm having a break from all the shenanigans.

And here I was thinking this was going to be a thread about George Clooney.