Firstly, this has nothing to do
with our travel blog, just some random thoughts I had on the way to the pub to
catch the AFL GF.
And secondly, it may roam all
over the place like a stray dog in heat, so I apologise in advance.
In the lead up to the GF it would
be safe to say that much of my free time (and I have quite a bit of that these
days) was taken up, nay consumed, with reading every article, journal, story,
opinion, tit-bit of information on the big dance.
The day of, I was nervous all
day, and over here bounce down wasn’t until 11.30pm. I would say I was less
nervous than last year because we were the underdogs and it got me thinking to
why in fact was I nervous.
I couldn’t affect the outcome of
the game, no matter what I thought, and really how much enjoyment would I get
out of the game itself? Why was I so attached to this football club? – I don’t
know any of the players, past or present. My connection to the Hawks is Bazil
decided he needed to choose a side back in the late ‘50s and he lived near Box
Hill so naturally he chose the Hawks. This is all that ties us with the Hawks
but for some reason, it now runs in our blood.
That we care so much about this
club is, when you take a step away from it, borderline crazy. Some people
choose their clubs based on geographical position which has its merits but do
you really love your town, or city so much to go through the whirlwind ride of
a full season, with all its ups and downs. Others have family connections which
obviously has more merit than any other but for the majority, we choose a team
based on some divine intervention and for the best and worse we are stuck with
it. You don’t get divorced from your sports teams!
And surely the downs always
outweigh the ups. When your team wins what do you actually feel? – Justification
that you chose the right team. During the game do you ever really enjoy it, especially
when it’s a close one? Although we always say we hope for a close one, when it
comes down to it, you’d rather smash the opposition. And when you do, the
shackles are released and you love every minute of it.
But when the game is over, that
euphoria lasts maybe the rest of the day, maybe the weekend or if you’re like
me, its every time you read about it for the next week at most. Then it’s all
about the next season and all things are even. But when it’s the other way
around, the hurt, that unexplained, irrational hurt, lasts until the next
season. And even then, it’s all about redemption and that can take years. It’s
not until you win that one back that the loss feels fully avenged. And for some
that may mean stealing one from that club that stole yours.
I guess that’s why you always
feel a little less nervous going in as underdogs. When no one expects you to
win, it’s all upwards from there. Yes you will feel devastated if you lose, but
you can reel off the clichéd, ‘the best team all year’, ‘they deserved it’,
etc. But if you are the favourite, those expectations, although faced and aimed
at the clubs and players, not you in your lounge chair at home, weigh in on you
and you feel so very much a part of the failure. The sting of a loss lasts so
much longer than that winning feeling.
It’s crazy, it’s irrational, but
it’s sports! And I wouldn't change a thing!
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