I Love you all but..

Winmarvellous · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:23pm

I dare say you won't see me back in Vic for a decade. After 2 years of heartbreak, and refinancing the house, I simply can't afford it. Thought this may have been the year, now have to reload and aim for the daughters 18th (she just turned 6). This year and last reaped nil, and to be honest, the players would be feeling the same way. Signing off, will sign as a St Kilda member. Hope those who go next year can get us over the line. I'm concentrating on child time now. Today made me realise how much I've been neglecting my child because of the club. Not any more. Some things are just bigger than footy I realised.

Dal_Santos_Gal · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:29pm

I totally understand what you are saying about your kids. I jdon't go to many games anymore. My Kids come first but my love of the club will never change. I still listen or watch all the games on TV. It does not make me a less of a supporter. My kids are my world and I am there mother and I need to be there for them!

I think it is beautiful that you want to concrete on your kids.

saintsRrising · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:30pm

Yes family comes first.

Maintain the faith as you can afford...and as a WA Member it is obviously a big commitment for you to come over.

Well done on your efforts...but also well done if you are just a ocal WA supporter only for a while as a Sainter is a Sainter!!!!!!!!!!!

widereceiver · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:34pm

Maybe one piece of friendly advice. Don't coerce your children to be Saints fans like I did mine.

I said to my kids they could follow anyone they wanted, but they had to give me the address where I could drop their stuff off! This was in the latter half of 97, when we were travelling pretty well, so they were easy marks.

The sight of my daughter (22), last year and again today, as desolate as I was has also put this loss into perspective for me.

Good luck with your kid.

saint patrick · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:35pm

Seeing my two beautiful girls walking back to the car in St.Kilda in tears made me question everything today

Understand where you are coming from mate and think that the last straw today will challenge most peoples emotional investment levels...

Will also back off a fair bit...

In the end ..family is all that matters ..take care

saint75 · Post: # 1007531Post **saint75** » Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:44pm

Come on you lot. Can you honestly tell me that you will encourage your children to barrack for another team? Seriously? Why? Not like all over the other teams are travelling to well. WE MADE A GRAND FINAL!!!

I know we are all disappointed and financially and emotionally drained, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water! Things are not that dire (even if it does feel that way right now).

SaintDebi · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:49pm

Dal_Santos_Gal wrote: I think it is beautiful that you want to concrete on your kids.

Pretty sure there's laws against that!
I agree its beautiful to want to concentrate on them though!

saintnick12 · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:49pm

saint patrick wrote:Seeing my two beautiful girls walking back to the car in St.Kilda in tears made me question everything today

Understand where you are coming from mate and think that the last straw today will challenge most peoples emotional investment levels...

Will also back off a fair bit...

In the end ..family is all that matters ..take care

I had a few tears at half time today. Didn't cry at all last year until Roo's speech, and only one or two. But had full on tears at half time today.
I couldn't stop it.
Then again after we left and some collingwood feral had screamed at me as we were leaving....they are so gracious in winning - not.

But your comment about emotional investment is so true.
With the GF going the extra week and being so close last week, I guess we've had more time where we really believed we could win.
It's such an emotional investment and a financial one too. Spent so much extra money (that we don't have ) today and didn't get one ounce of enjoyment out of it today. At least last week was a good game.

The emotion bubbled over for me today, and scared me to be honest.
We'll need the summer to recover.
We'll pick ourselves up and move on, but jeez it hurts.

Footy is something I've shared so much with my son and parents, and starting to share now with my younger son and looking forward to sharing it with him more as he gets older.
Totally agree though....family comes first!!

Winmarvellous · Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:50pm

Who said anything about another team? Just no more. Better things to do with my child than this crap. Plain and simple. I love the Saints, but I love her more. And I get a whole lot more out of her emotionally. Sad that it took today for me to realise this.

saint75 · Post: # 1007541Post **saint75** » Sat 02 Oct 2010 10:54pm

Winmarvellous wrote:Who said anything about another team? Just no more. Better things to do with my child than this crap. Plain and simple. I love the Saints, but I love her more. And I get a whole lot more out of her emotionally. Sad that it took today for me to realise this.

Not you Winmarvellous, another poster mentioned it.

I love the Saints, but my children have always come first (except for GF day....

)

All you interstate Saints deserver a MASSIVE round of applause for the effort and the financial commitment that you put in. It's expensive enough just being a member of a club these days, let alone travel and accommodation on top of that. Absolutely AMAZING effort to back it up 2 weeks running!!!

SainterK · Post: # 1007549Post **SainterK** » Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:00pm

Said I wouldn't post anymore for awhile, but felt compelled to comment on this thread.

It's all about balance, my boys (hubby and son) are my world, nothing rates higher.

Footy can also be a very special bond you share with loved ones, Dad and I have done so for years. I hope it's one I share with my son for years to come.

I gave up work to be a full time Mum, l do love SS for the opportunity to interact with adults and excercise my braincells though.

Balance is the key.

SaintDebi · Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:01pm

saint75 wrote:All you interstate Saints deserver a MASSIVE round of applause for the effort and the financial commitment that you put in. It's expensive enough just being a member of a club these days, let alone travel and accommodation on top of that. Absolutely AMAZING effort to back it up 2 weeks running!!!

Have to agree with this.
All we paid for to get there today,(on top of our memberships of course) was standard seats prices, a tank of petrol, $45 for footy records (which will remain forever in their plastic pouches) and a few $$$ for food and drinks..... and that really stretched the budget!
Fantastic effort from those from interstate and overseas who manage to find the funds and fortitude to do it even the once, and for those who backed it up with a second appearance: well I salute you.

georgie girl · Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:14pm

SainterK wrote:Said I wouldn't post anymore for awhile, but felt compelled to comment on this thread.

It's all about balance, my boys (hubby and son) are my world, nothing rates higher.

Footy can also be a very special bond you share with loved ones, Dad and I have done so for years. I hope it's one I share with my son for years to come.

I gave up work to be a full time Mum, l do love SS for the opportunity to interact with adults and excercise my braincells though.

Balance is the key.

Well said! I think the footy offers a great opportunity to spend time with your family.
We all go as a family and have done for years. I went with my parents and grandparents. Now my grown up children come with me. We share the enjoyment of the footy, the excitement of a win and the disappointment of a loss.
As the children get older and spend more time with their mates, it's a wonderful thing to share together as a family. We are also fortunate to share our love of footy with our extended family; cousins, aunties and uncles.

PakenhamSaint · Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:20pm

I guess the best way to put it is a poker machine. We're putting the money in but we're not getting the jackpot. A lot of fans would be questioning "Should I stay at this machine and hope the jackpot comes up or should I go to another one with better odds of winning"

SaintDebi · Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:29pm

georgie girl wrote:
SainterK wrote:Said I wouldn't post anymore for awhile, but felt compelled to comment on this thread.

It's all about balance, my boys (hubby and son) are my world, nothing rates higher.

Footy can also be a very special bond you share with loved ones, Dad and I have done so for years. I hope it's one I share with my son for years to come.

I gave up work to be a full time Mum, l do love SS for the opportunity to interact with adults and excercise my braincells though.

Balance is the key.
Well said! I think the footy offers a great opportunity to spend time with your family.
We all go as a family and have done for years. I went with my parents and grandparents. Now my grown up children come with me. We share the enjoyment of the footy, the excitement of a win and the disappointment of a loss.
As the children get older and spend more time with their mates, it's a wonderful thing to share together as a family. We are also fortunate to share our love of footy with our extended family; cousins, aunties and uncles.

So true! As my girls grew into their teens going to the games was one of the things they still truly wanted to do with their olds.
Now as they emerge as young adults our love of the Saints and attendance at games remains a shared passion.
Today was the first Grand Final any of us has attended, and we did it together. We shared the joy of being there, and the disappointment of shattered dreams.
And the tradition continues as we found out recently that my oldest daughter and her partner are expecting our first grandchild in February.

Family first, football second. But if you can combine the two with a shared love of the Saints its an extra blessing.

Beej · Post: # 1007606Post **Beej** » Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:31pm

If you're neglecting your child because of the footy, then footy isn't the problem.

Just saying.

saint patrick · Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:32pm

Well said Deb..and congratulations ...on nights like tonight its hard to keep things in perspective but you have helped ease the pain just a little..love your work

matrix · Post: # 1007610Post **matrix** » Sat 02 Oct 2010 11:34pm

i guess the money side pisses me off
but
imagine how the players are feeling right about now
imagine how hayes feels

faaaaaaaark

i couldnt even start to comprehend how the players would feel right now, prob 20 times worse than we/i do.

Iceman234 · Sun 03 Oct 2010 12:17am

Shattered.

Only just made it home now.

Left at the 12 minute mark of the last, hang all the s*** you want on me, I wasn't gonna stay and salute those filthy ferals.

Wandered aimlessly for hours, probably upset more Saints fans than Pies. f*** em. And to the Saints fans who brought filth fans in amongst us in M2, f*** you too.

Shattered.

It's more than a game, although here I sit now with the boy and just shaking our heads I'm happy I have him here.

Shattered.

Iceman234 · Sun 03 Oct 2010 12:19am

Great to meet Saintdebi and the family though, a shining light on a dark day...

SaintDebi · Sun 03 Oct 2010 12:43am

Iceman234 wrote:Great to meet Saintdebi and the family though, a shining light on a dark day...

Thanks Iceman.
Have to say it was a mutual pleasure. Just a pity it all ended the wrong way.
We're all shattered, but as ever suffering Sainters we know we will drag ourselves back up and claw our way back again.
When it happens- and it will- the victory will be sweeter. (at least thats what I keep telling myself. Say it often enough and it will be true, right???)

saintnick12 · Sun 03 Oct 2010 12:43am

SaintDebi wrote:
Family first, football second. But if you can combine the two with a shared love of the Saints its an extra blessing.

So true Debi. I feel blessed that this is the case in my family. My little boy is slowly getting on board too. He loves the Saints. When I got home from the game today and saw him, he was still proudly running around in his saints jumper singing the song. It was gorgeous.
It was such a long journey to be blessed with him, and seeing him in his innocence tonight was another of those reminders, as much as this hurts, life does go on. Family comes first.