Yes John, been a passionate, proud paid up member since I was delivered into this mortal coil in '75. My formative years from the late 80's to mid-90's blessed me and all other Port Adelaide fans with some pretty good times, as did the early 2000's ( and I hope the near future).
Am I sad at what has happened to my club? Yes, and no. Clearly times have changed and so has Port Adelaide. I will always be very passionate about anything Port Adelaide is associated with, we could become world marbles champions and I'd probably be there to buy the t-shirt!
As I noted above, Magpie games have been pretty benign affairs this year and I do wonder what my dearly departed Grandfather and my much loved and departed Great Aunt would think of the current day happenings, but then I think you know what, things change and the people of the time make of it what they make of it. ( I can image my Grandfather trying to get his head around the "internet" ).
Am I sad at what has happened to the SANFL? Yes, and no. Yes because it isn't what is used to be, but no because times change and evolution of all things can't be controlled or limited. It is what it is. I'm sad that Port won't whallop North or Glenelg at Footy Park in late September anymore, but that was that time and this is now. My Mum might lament not seeing Port beat Sturt in front of 60,000 at Adelaide Oval again, but she was there and that was then and this is now.
I completely understand why so many are so angered by what has happened, but on the other hand I don't truly believe that enough people made enough noise at the time to truly influence the decision. Some admirable "sit ins" at Woodville Oval with some A3 cardboard or a printed banner are, in essence, small fry compared to the riches the clubs were offered.
Again, money talks and it's never been louder in the ears of SANFL club boards than in 2014. They didn't need $40,000 desperately in 1989....
but that was then and this is now.