Are there any supports of AFL footy, who are more passionate, more Cultural, more multi-cultural, more obbssive with Winning, more proud or More dedicated to their Footy club Than the Carlton Supporter?
Throught out the last 4 years of our Struggle to cope with our awful performances, We had come to throw many accusations, at players, coaches, offcials, we have called in for the Sack of indiviuals, We had come up with excuses such as the Salary Caps, injuries, bad luck, players not performing and so on and on.....
Being a passionate supporter myself for the best of 15 years, i have to come to understand the Real problem of our Club through looking at my own backround and the childhood i grew up in and the culture and environment that i shared with others... Incredibly it all made sense to me... it was like me living twice.... i shall expand and explain what i mean
In my Country of birth, Coruption, killings, betrayal, cheating was all part of my Culture.. I lived in a Culture where success and winning had to come at any cost....If u were devoted through working and showing loyalty towards the Government, u were rewarded in a big way, and were made a God Status where people went to worship you and treat you above all.....Anyone who came to Question the Wrong doing of government offcials faced jail and public Excution.
The Carlton footy Club was no different... it was a Dictatorship of its own.... so full of coruption, cheating the system, yet at the same time so rewarding for those who served it and played to win at any cost... the Rewards were so creat that it virtually Built players to be Gods that we Worshiped cuase they were above all.... Tell any Carlton supporter back in 1995 that Bradly or Silvangi were actually taking extra illegal money which is a clear breach of the law, and u will be Hanged publicly on Royal Parade....
In my Country that i grew in, everyone wanted to be part of the success and the winning team... everyone wanted to say " we are proud iraqis, we have gone to wars and we have given with our blood and soul, and we want to be remebered like that for ever... We want a slice of the Cake....No one wants to talk about the real issues of life.. no one ever wanted to admit the Wrong doings or even admit they ever exsited...Saddam hussien butchered iraqis like sheep, yet the people were so in Denial and fear of the unknown that they seriously convinced themseleves that it was for the good of the country that such horrible things must happen....
In my Footy Club, everyone wanted to be part of the winning Team.. Every supporter wanted to say " i am a proud follower who have sacrifised with my own Blood and soul for this Club and we want to be remebered for that for ever....We want a slice of the Cake.... We dont want to talk about the real issues that affect our club.....Jack Elliot was Butchering us like sheep yet we were so in denial and fear of the unknown, we seriously convinced ourseleves that whatever bad things happened at carlton were for the good of the Club...
In my Country, when Saddam has finally Fallen and gone with the dust, things didnt improve but got worse and worse... People were confused, happy that the coruption is finally gone, they found hope for a new life, YET at the same time, they all declared their inocence, and all declared that they were the Victims....NO one wanted to admit that the Fault lies in Us and within us.... no one wanted to admit that unless we change our culture, iraq was never going to be a peaceful place....Those high ranking officials and officers who once upon a time were treated like gods were back to being nothing.... But that didnt make them accept it.... They formed a terrorist Cell full of criminals and hatred, and they are working over time to Get back what they lost ..... Its not only Money or houses or cars that they lost, but they Lost their pride and their Dignity....Pride is something iraqis Can neve let go of....
In my footy Club, when Elliot was exposed and Carlton penalised, and a whole playing list was abolished, things didnt improve over night, but it got worse and worse...the Supporters were confused, some were happy that we made a fresh start, free of Coruption and a hope for a new beggining, yet at the same time, we all put our hands up and said " hey dude, We had nothing to do with our fall... it was all Elliot and his people.. we all declared our inocence, and all declared we were the Victims..
No one wanted to admit that the Fault lies in us and within us... No one wanted to admit that its Our Culture that needs to change, and NOT coaches or players or officials. Those big name players, the likes of campo, whitnall and lappin have lost all they had.... they were no longer Gods at carlton.... they are now just normal players, but that didnt mean they were going to accept that....Their pride and God like Status isnt something they want to get rid of, so just like the iraqi Generals, they are willing to fight a battle until they do or die.....
In my country, our people have made a commitment that they will Kill everyyyy selfish criminal that ever lived on the land.. they promised that they will be no more GOD-status given to human beings, and that ALL will be Equal, fair and democratic... As one people, we all promised that we will fight Coruption, NOT by carrying weapons and exploding ourseleves but by the WILL to accept to change our sick Culture, and open up to modern democracy, and working hard but fair, and treating everyone the same...
In my Club, i want us all the supporters to do the Same... We Can no longer tolerate players who hold the Club Ransom, Claiming that they deserved their Slice of the Cake..... None of those players deserve a cent of our money when in reality , it was US who were cheated and betrayed and made look like idiots worshiping those players like no tomorrow, forgetting to admit that the status those players built was all based on a corupt regime, a Corupt Club where pride and winning was everything...
I want a change, a promise by all of us that WE will change our Culture, and we will go the Fair way, we will work hard, we will accept that change needs time and time is all we need...
If the people of iraq are going to realistically take 5-10 years for them to begin to understand the meaning of Democracy and fairness, Then there is no reason whyyyy the people of Calrton do the same....
lets begin a new life, a fresh life , full of honesty and dedication to our Great Club.... NO one will ever hold us at ransom... Our Club is above us all, and above any player or Coach or official there is.....
LETS change that culture of ours
