If they hug, kiss and smile with BJ I give up

[evertonfc]

I have derived more enjoyment from the VFL than the AFL last few seasons. It is a more satisfied feeling.

By trying to make the game more national and beyond the AFL are continuously attempting to make it more exciting and appealing. But they are failing across the board. An essence is being lost.

We are losing our boutique game!

What is with sh*t stadium yank music? Advertising galore? Betting galore? New expansion teams? Constant rule tinkering? Drugs? Rotten stadium deals? Compromised fixtures? Umpire mikes and cams? Free agency? Power agents? Influx of ugly ex-Geelong broadcasters?

What happened to brass bands? Players actually jumping through banners? State of origin? Pies from a van on wheels? Saturday afternoon games? Acceptable commentary standards? The animal enclosure? Street marching to and from the ground? Patting players on the back after the final siren? Four men on the bench and if you get injured tough tits? Goal umpires with coats and hats?

With eighteen teams now in the competition we are absolutely dreaming if we think we are going to win anything for years and years. Absolutely dreaming.

I dream about a St Kilda VFL team playing home games in a boutique home ground with pies and VB on a Saturday afternoon in the mud.

You've tapped into something here. I feel it too.

We're disconnected from our game.

[SainterK]

Honestly, if we'd won on the weekend, I'd have felt pretty connected.

[plugger66]

Honestly, if we'd won on the weekend, I'd have felt pretty connected.

Pretty sure you have got it in one. Funny that everyone enjoyed the footy only 3 years ago and now people posy as if they havent enjoyed it for 20 years.

[saintbrat]

[Sobraz]

I've said it before, and it's mentioned earlier in this thread, but the day Hall got off for a blatant punch in the guts is the day the AFL punched supporters like us in the guts.. And continue to do it over and over..

I support the StKFC, have nothing but disdain for the AFL and their methods.. I encourage the expansion and growth of the game, and understand there's a cost involved, but blatant bullsh1t spin that is behind every decision and action is too much to handle.. The Essendon saga, who are now the victims prevailing through adversity, is the icing on the cake..

In terms of BJ, I respect him and wanted him to stay.. I've grown further fonder of him since the weekend.. Its the system that made him go against his heart... The parasite managers that tear away the fabric of the game... What we saw from BJ on Saturday night was regret like we have not seen it before... Pretty much said he'd prefer we win.. An emotionally conflicted young man due to the increasingly cold nature of the business he is in..

[Simmo2]

Honestly, if we'd won on the weekend, I'd have felt pretty connected.

Pretty sure you have got it in one. Funny that everyone enjoyed the footy only 3 years ago and now people posy as if they havent enjoyed it for 20 years.

The funny part is..... as much as I enjoyed winning 3 years ago, the game itself still did nothing for me.

Was it really fun being 2 goals up with 15 minutes to go and watching us defend the lead, aiming not to kick a goal, but to hang on by our fingernails? I didnt enjoy that. I certainly didnt enjoy not kicking a goal against Geelong in the last qtr of that GF if my memory serves me correct because we were trying to hang on for dear life.

This game changed long ago..... it lacks heart and passion these days. Everything is sanitised..... the grounds/stadiums, supporters, players, coaches, media, everything.

I have always said it- until the day they decide to draft and play 22 St.Kilda supporters, born and bred, no team of ours will really play the 'St.Kilda' way. If I had the talent, I'd die on that field for that jumper. What irks me is that we get young guys now, who might have followed successful clubs, not really understanding what it means to experience the pain of being a saints fan. And they dont immerse themselves in it or our pathetic but proud history.

Money stole the game, and now it rules it with an iron fist.

18-19 year old boys arent ever going to understand the pain of the average supporter who endured 100 point floggings..... and why would they care? They get paid like superstars before they kick a ball, have girls hanging all over them, treated like hollywood actors and everyone bows to them. Footy is just a sidenote in most of their lives.

And we pin all our hopes and dreams on them.............. doesnt make sense.

[ozrulestrace]

I hanker for days gone by if only because that was true fooball and you only have to watch footy flashbacks to see what the game was like in the halycon days of the 60s, 70s 80s.

And the AFL can run their gee whiz 2013 ad but we know, the footage is from days gone by when splayers were allowed to risk taking speccies eg Nick at the Sydney game 10 years ago and then they finish off with the shot of spectators running onto thr ground. So when did that last happen? Many years ago. Anyone wanting to take on the AFL for misleading advertising with the ACCC?

For me I feel for the generation of kids coming through who will never look back to the good, the bad and the ugly days of Moorabbin/Princes Park/Victoria Park or even the Junction Oval and the memorable victories or not so memorable losses as a St Kilda supporter.

We're losing much more of our game than the AFL will admit to.

[plugger66]

I hanker for days gone by if only because that was true fooball and you only have to watch footy flashbacks to see what the game was like in the halycon days of the 60s, 70s 80s.

And the AFL can run their gee whiz 2013 ad but we know, the footage is from days gone by when splayers were allowed to risk taking speccies eg Nick at the Sydney game 10 years ago and then they finish off with the shot of spectators running onto thr ground. So when did that last happen? Many years ago. Anyone wanting to take on the AFL for misleading advertising with the ACCC?

For me I feel for the generation of kids coming through who will never look back to the good, the bad and the ugly days of Moorabbin/Princes Park/Victoria Park or even the Junction Oval and the memorable victories or not so memorable losses as a St Kilda supporter.

We're losing much more of our game than the AFL will admit to.

IMO the game was hilarious in the 60s better in the 70s and better again in the 80s and even better now. Could imagine if they had the bad games live on TV back then. That is what people have to remember, we saw the best games and even then the skills were pretty poor and the game so slow and apart from dirty behind hits there was bugger all hits. Now when you are hit in general play you are really hit and they get straight back uop and go again and again. And we still have great high marks and much better goals than back then. Everyone thinks the past is better but IMO it was no where near as good.