Yep yesterday was pathetic and mentally weak (moreso than physically) but it wasn't that surprising. I was expecting at least a 10 goal loss against a top 4 side. I can think of worse losses so that's saying something. Losing to North by 141 point on a Friday night in 1990, the Geelong loss by 167 or whatever it was, the Bulldogs loss in round 1 2006 by 20 goals, and the loss to Adelaide by 137 in Walls' last game were worse. That last one at the top of the list given we weren't a young side, had just lost to Essendon by over 100 points and we had beaten the Crows earlier that season.
But above all else in light of what the day was supposed to be about it was DISHONEST.
I could argue dishonesty off-field leads to dishonesty on-field. Also throw in the word deluded given comments both publicly and even privately
by senior club officials including many by those still in charge at the Club
.
* Gary March yesterday publicly promising a flag under his reign.
* The Club blaming lack of money for our lack of success. Okay you can justifiy needing resources and money to achieve the ultimate success of a premiership these days so the FTF is important from that point of view. However, we've struggled to even make the finals in a competition where half the teams do each year and where poor club like North, Dogs and Melbourne have played finals on a semi-regular basis over the past 10 years. Sorry it's a cop out to blame lack of money for our lack of finals when the main reason is compounding incompetence - a failure to make smart long-term decisions many of which required no money to make.
* The Club publicly expecting 3 finals appearances by 2014 (3-0-75 plan). Just a total lack of comprehension of where our list is at and its capabilities.
* The Club publicly aiming for 3 flags by 2020. Ummm let's first try to put a team on the park that can have a semblance of being competitive with top sides and reach the finals before talking about even one flag let alone three.
* The numerous times over the years we've had club officials come out publicly in the media before a big game saying we want "respect" and then seeing us get embarrassingly flogged
.
* The Club saying we don't need priority picks
which are a bonus and accelerate list rebuilding. Nah we stupidly win meaningless games against other bottom sides late in the season so we can tell ourselves we ain't really that bad even though we've won just 10 games out of 55 if you just look at the first 11 rounds of each of the past 5 years.
* We've cost ourselves a whole draft's worth of picks since Craig Cameron joined us in 2008 - missing out on two priority picks (4 and 19) for the sake of 3 extra meaningless late season wins over 2009-10 plus throwing away mid-range picks in 2008 on duds like Adam Thomson and Hislop just months after taking over from Greg Miller who got sacked for dumb recycle recruiting (ie. McMahon). Compare this to smart clubs like the Eagles who just 4 years after winning a flag knowing they had a young inferior list incapable of playing finals tanked last year to maximise their draft selections and gain an extra (priority) pick which got them Jack Darling. It doesn't always take money to make smart list management decisions; only smart people who understand how the AFL draft system works.
* A senior club official in 2009 about 4 weeks after the round 1 Carlton debacle telling me at training at Vic Park that we have the best crop of youngsters in the AFL. Remember this was well before the November 2009 (Martin, Griffs, Astbury,...) and 2010 (Conca, Batchelor, Houli) drafts. Seriously how deluded can you get!
The coach and players will cop the blame from supporters for yesterday and fair enough too but those in higher positions connected to the board and footy dept. should be held accountable as well for being deluded and dishonest in their comments and decisions about where our list and team is at which raises expectations well above the capabilities of our current list. As others have said in this thread actions speak louder than words. As many of us on OER have said over the years the Club needs to just shut up with the PR crap!
