I ♥ St Kilda

[saint3d]

I ♥ St Kilda

There's something special about investing a piece of yourself into
something over which you have absolutely no control. The best
investment I ever made was in the red, white and black.

My parents used to take me to Moorabbin and I'd collect cans while they
stood in the animal enclosure. Occasionally my brothers and I would sit
on top of the players race as they ran through. The only actual football I
remember was a time when Stewart Loewe tried to help a Tony Lockett
shot at goal make it through by wobbling the goal post. It missed anyway
and he gave away a free kick but it was worth a shot.

Once I didn't need parental supervision any more I stopped going to the
footy for a while, until for no apparent reason one day in 1995 I decided
to join the family. It was at Waverley against Fremantle. At the end of the
match, the Saints having been beaten soundly, everyone started packing
up to go home. I stared in disbelief that nobody was visibly gutted by the
loss. At the time I couldn't understand how people could be at all
desensitised to such an experience.

In 1996 I purchased a membership and watched the Saints flog the
reigning premiers in the Ansett Cup. I spent the season on the wing
behind the cheer squad, waving my flag and barracking like a mad man.
My favourite game that year was the win at the MCG against Collingwood
on a Friday night. The umpires handed the Magpies a lead in the first
quarter but we reeled them in. My least favourite game was the loss at
the MCG against North on a Friday night. By three quarter time I just
wanted to see a goal so I could wave my flag once more before I went
home. After ten minutes in the last quarter I would have settled for any
score at all, but we couldn't even manage a behind. To this day my least
favourite score of all is 4.5.29.

Since then I've been through it all. In 97 I queued overnight at the Arts
Centre for Grand Final tickets. Afterwards I walked the silent death
march down Brunton Avenue. I watched the club sack its second longest
serving coach after reaching consecutive finals series, and just when I'd
managed to get over it, they did it again! I was at the AGM when Tim
Watson signed Caydn Beetham's death warrant by describing him as a
cross between Robert Harvey and Leigh Matthews. I once spent three
hours after TAFE playing video games at Harvey Norman waiting for
training to start. In 14 years I've been to every match in Melbourne bar
two because of work and one for my honeymoon.

This year has been unlike any other. For me the lid came off after the
Port Adelaide match. The team had produced 19 quarters of pure
intensity in the first five rounds, and didn't look like stopping. In fact,
the team looked unstoppable. I have enjoyed every minute of the
season (even at quarter time in round one I was still just happy to be
back at the footy).

This is not to say I see the Grand Final as a fait accompli. If the
unthinkable happens... well, I don't want to think about that. People will
only give due credit to the Saints for an amazing season if it ends with a
flag. Quite rightly, too. But people also underestimate how well prepared
the St Kilda team is for this Grand Final. I am bursting at the seams to
see them in action on Saturday. I have no doubt what we witness
will be epic. I can only hope that one day it is considered legend.

I ♥ St Kilda.

[SaintHomer]

Nice read, well spoken.

We all have you stories about our love for the black, red & white.

For you, me and everyone other supporter, lets hope the dream becomes reality tomorrow.

GO SAINTS!

[Ghost Like]

Well written, a great story.