I am 30 years old, born in 1975... My Dad is an Essendon* supporter and he tried to make me one, but at the age of 4... 1979... I chose to barrack for the Blues.

I got my first dufflecoat in 1981 at the age of 6 and had the numbers put on the back. I chose number 11 The Flying Doormat. Bruce, he never spoke, but only because he didn't need to. Every half forward feared him and didn't his mane look magnificent.

I remember going to see us play when I was about 10, 11, 12 sporadically, those are the 1985, 1986 and 1987 seasons. One flag and a losing grand final performance.

I remember how proud I was to wear my scarf and hang it out the back window of the car when we won (and in those days, that was a lot).

I remember sitting with my mate in the same spot at Optus Oval from about 1993 to 1999, as I had part time work and enough money as a student to buy my membership.

I remember beating Adelaide at Waverley with the Sports Minister out running Shaun Rehn down the wing.

I remember losing big games and being heartbroken... no devastated... Geelong with no midfield beat us at Waverley in that final. But now we don't feel heartbroken anymore... It is a sad state of affairs. I know we all still have our passion for the navy Blue, and I know it burns when we lose, but it has happened so much now that it's diluted.

I remember being in the third quarter kicking away from the Legends Stand end and belting in 10 or 12 goals in a quarter and the crowd getting so loud that I thought we had moved to the MCG for 30 minutes. This was a regular occurence too.

I remember walking in from the carpark at Optus, through the practice oval and the arrogance we had
"Who do these Footscray fans think they are..."
"Go home Saints, you are only here to hold up the ladder..."
"Dunstall you are a fat prick and SOS IS KILLING YOU!"

I remember 3 months ago I came home from Japan and went to see us get thumped by Richmond and Geelong. Our supporters were ready for it... In the first quarter against the Cats we didn't cheer even though we looked like winning because now WE are holding up the ladder.

I remember when it burned inside when we lost a game. It hurt so badly that I could be on the verge of tears, or the one game when I did cry when Capper best us with the last kick of the game at Princes Park.

Most of all I remember that we always won... there were some lean years, but they only served to make us hungrier for the flag. I hate this, when opposition supporters are treating us like we are the whipping boys. I also hate that we are playing like it too...

Hope you all remember too, and hope we can keep that fire burning inside so that when we do win again, we can release the biggest serving of @#$%&! YOU to all those opposition supporters...

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What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet
Woody Allen

God bless you Big T.
Opposition supporters are only giving it to us because theyre jealous.
Theyre jealous of a proud history a glorious club ..we will be back!!!

As Denis says the worm turns..




It will be sooner rather than later.....


When it does god help them.....!!!

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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.

Awesome piece, Big T.

The downside is, though, that whenever I put a nice rant together, some other bastard usually outdoes me...

Love the memories you evoked.

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And so while others miserably pledge themselves to the pursuit of ambition and brief power, I will be stretched out in the shade, singing.

Great post Big T! I realise it's going to take time before we get back to where we belong but I'm storing all this up for that time because I will be giving it out to the opposition like never before! They are going to regret not enjoying our plight more and it's the dream of the time when we rise again that keeps me going.

Amen Big T...

I remember, too, Big T.

I'm keeping all the comments from opposition supporters stored in my memory bank and there they shall remain for the next 3-4 years.
And when we come back to cause havoc on everyone else in the AFL, it is all going to come out on everyone 10 fold.

We are like that bear who has just entered hibernation,
Annoy the @#$%&! out of it for long enough and it will begin to murmur.
Keep going and you will cop it.

That's what we are at the moment.

A bear in hibernation.

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

That just perpetuates all the agnst. You should rise above all that.

Nah.

Too many dropkicks over at SS deserve what is coming to them.

I can wait 3 years....maybe even 4 months.

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

The new young side that we eventually experience our revival with is one that I would say has maybe 8 or 9 members that are playing in 2005.

A return to a team that roughly approximates the Carlton we all knew is at least 3 years away.

It will be painful over the next few years, but we will come back.

Including 2004, the first season back in the draft, about 8 first round picks, a couple of very good rookies, 10% of 2nd to 4th round picks coming good, plus maybe a few expeienced imports.

But these are the dimensions of the kind of turnover we will need to make from the 2004 off season to and including the 2007 off season.

That kind of workover would be sufficient to give us a chance at tasting success once again.

Be very patient, our time for revenge will come.

For now, just buckle up and enjoy the ride..

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My Blue Heaven

Thanks Boys, we need all of this in our guts to help us beat the Tigers... I just want to see the team I love more than anything in the workd put in some effort! I want to see some players bust their hump! I want a @#$%&! win...

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What if everything is an illusion and nothing exists? In that case, I definitely overpaid for my carpet
Woody Allen