Some SANFL thoughts...

[smac]

Firstly, I apologise for the length of this. If you lose interest then you watch too much TV and your attention span is buggered. If you read the entire post, I would be happy to discuss anything I have written. Reply to this thread, send an email/pm or chat over a beer at the footy (prefer the last one). Secondly, don’t analyse my spelling, grammar, the number of times I typed ‘I’, the fact that this is Centrals focused or anything other than the intent of what I write (which is obvious). Don’t single out specifics, do take everything in context. This is my opinion about my club and the SANFL. If you want to add your clubs perspective, go for it. Don’t criticise my opinion, debate it if you feel the need.

I have written this in response to my growing discomfort in the direction we are all taking and an ongoing discussion between Trevhill and Borat on FootySA - most recently in the Centrals/Glenelg game thread at http://www.footysa.com/article.php?sid=1617.

I would describe myself as Joe Average – football supporter. I enjoy a hard fought contest on the field and I love a laugh and a beer off the field. I swear. I probably swear too much at times. But I time it – I don’t swear in mixed company (still reckon my Dad would clobber me for that), I don’t swear in front of children and I don’t swear when someone I don’t know is present. I have attended most (90% if I had to put a value on it) Centrals games in the past 10 years as well as going to a large number of games as I grew up. I spent some years playing at the club and since I retired from senior football (Salisbury, Balaklava, Walkerville) I have been involved at many levels in the junior development/underage programs since 1997. I was born in Elizabeth, grew up in Salisbury and have since moved to Broadview, via Golden Grove. My school years started as a public student and finished as a private student in one of Adelaide’s better known schools. I am tertiary educated. I feel that all of this combined puts me in the position to have an informed opinion on this issue.

I have noticed a slow, but considerable change in supporter behaviour over my entire life. I used to come home from the footy every single time with a funny story to remember – usually it related to a bit of banter in the crowd. The end result would be a great laugh by all and many strangers buying each other beers. A lot like what happens between supporters who meet via this and other sites. To take a point made by kevinjohnsdropkick on FootySA in the Centrals/Glenelg game thread, this intelligent, witty banter is almost gone from football grounds around Adelaide for the sake of some entertainment at the expense of others.

When I first started going to the footy (and indeed for many years following) the way to get a reaction from Centrals supporters was “How many premierships have you won”. That eventually wore off with time as we became immune to it. The answer was zero and we knew it!

Next came “Centralink”, “Half-house wonders” and the like. Harmless enough, but starting to depart from football related banter.

Then we progressed to issues of crime, such as “can’t go out there, my car will disappear”. We have now well and truly left the world of football. How is this relevant to the game you have paid money to watch?

I have seen numerous incidents over the last few years that have taken it to a completely new level. The most public of these was the Glenelg oval banner incident. To run at someone and knock their banner down or whatever it was that was done is stupid at best and at its worst inciting violence. I don’t think that the Bays supporter thought they were about to start any incident as I don’t believe for a moment the Bays supporter was thinking. If he was he would have realised the most likely reaction to this ambush was exactly what happened. The Centrals supporter is no angel. Ever heard of standing up and laughing?

To digress from Centrals for a moment, this is matched by comments online about some other clubs. I won’t go into particulars but some comments about Sturt at one point were scurrilous and the individual who posted them is a disgrace.

I could go on about society in general and the lack of accountability for ones own actions but I will save that for another day. But I will ask these questions:

How is abusing someone personally entertaining? It’s not. If you find it funny to laugh at personal abuse then find another place to be.

What was to be achieved by running onto an oval and ambushing someone who is waving a flag too close to your teams huddle? I can’t think of anything positive ever coming from that.

Why go to another teams huddle? If you go on the oval it is surely to try to listen to your clubs’ coach or to kick the footy? Personally, I kick the footy with my son as I can never hear a word the coach says.

If you are involved with the club cheer squad, why start/get involved in a fight with another teams cheer squad? You are representing your club, just like the players – act like it please.

Why do you go to the footy? If objective number one is not to watch the footy, then please stay away. If any of your objectives involve ‘baiting or ‘trolling’ then stay at home. I (and I feel many others) don’t want you there.

To relate this specifically to Centrals supporters, it appears that the belief of many (perhaps rightly so in many cases) has become “They are easy to fire up and get a reaction from, let’s do this to them and see what happens.”

The change has been gradual over time, but I can assure you it has happened. I fear for what the next stage is if something isn’t done.

I am not proposing any dramatic or wonderful solutions, unfortunately. But I am imploring everyone to think for just a second before dragging down your own personal image for the sake of a laugh.

Next time your team plays Centrals, instead of resorting to those tired, old, offensive lines… Organise to catch up during the game, think up something new. Something funny. Make me laugh - I challenge you.

See you at the footy.

P.S. Should I feel like Jerry Maguire with his mission statement now?[/url]

[Mickyj]

Very well written Smac for a centrals fan .No in truth I would agree with many of your statements and as an EAGLES fan I and my other EAGLES fans would also get the usual taunts like merged team for 16 yrs we have heard this and it does get boring just like when we are winning or the final siren is about to be blown some wag starts chanting "you dogs ".but like life we must take it and move on .
Cheers Smac see ya in the finals just not the grandfinal .

[Aerie]

I would have thought "personal" insults would have been around forever? Isn't that the basis of the biggest rivalry in SA football - Port vs Norwood? Both come from different sides of the train tracks. Perhaps it has got worse at Central games because of their success.

As for violence and intimidation, that is not on. Banter is great, but anyone who wants to take it further has serious problems.

Cheersquads are an issue. Most people involved are moronic, or atleast appear that way when they're at the footy. It's a gang mentality. My only thoughts on this is that the leaders of these cheersquads need to be in charge and set a good example. They would probably have more pull within the group than any club official or security guard.

I also can not stand people abusing umpires or players at the huddles at 1/4 and 3/4 time. It's disgraceful behaviour and most of the time is adult men. There are a few Eagles supporters that do it every game towards the umpires and it is embarrassing. Bad language should not be tolerated out on the ground. It would certainly shut many of the troublemakers up as they would be stuck for words. There are already security out there and they need to be doing more to stop these people.

[topsywaldron]

Despite following Norwood football it is, at the end of the day, meant to be fun. Some people seem to forget that. If you're going to call me a Norwood poof, as happens with monotonous regularity, at least do it with some sense of wit such as the Dogs fan who spent the entire day calling me Feargal Sharkey.

[sus]

Unfortunately the world is full of low-life scum. They are everywhere. And wherever a crowd gathers a certain percentage will always expect that they can act like an absolute moral-less twite and get away with it – all in the name of supposedly having a good time. Add in the effect of alcohol (not always a factor granted) and any event that stirs the emotions (like footy), and its inevitable some dill will take good fun too far. Generally the way I cope with the kind of stuff your talking about is just to ignore the source and move on. Actually it happened on Saturday night when I went along to Eliz as a neutral observer just for a look/see. Some uncontrollable supporter with a belly full of grog started mouthing off and going over the top. He was screaming nasty abuse at other supporters, the umpire and anything/anybody else he could almost see – just being an absolute tool. I just shook my head and moved away.

[MagicKiwi]

Hear hear smac. I lost patience once on FootySA with the two main characters that have ruined it the most (in my opinion of course). Since then, I can't even comment without one of them coming on and abusing me followed quickly by the other one backing him up. It's boring and I'd like someone to add up every abusive post they've done.

Anyway, move on.

I married a member of Central Districts by the way.

[CK]

Very good post, smac. I've been a little concerned at the odd thing here and there at some games I've been at this year. There has been the occasional downright offensive thing said between spectators (the two "fans" who delayed the start of a 3rd term at one game with an on-field stoush that the "ground security" made the most token effort to stem, have a fair bit to answer for), and I am very broad minded at the best of times. Agree, by all means barrack your hardest and have some witty banter (there have also been some genuine pearlers this year that have completely creased me right up), but some of the abuse handed out to the umps at the huddles has been phenomenal this year. I'll be the first to admit I can be harsh on the men in white at times during the year, but some stuff hurled at them at breaks is amazing, and beyond common grounds of decency.

Generally, though, it is becoming more "self regulatory". I was at a Norwood game not long ago when a downright racist comment hurled by one spectator was promptly shooshed down by their mates and surrounding fans, so good to see that many, many people recognise the boundaries.

[Rushby Hinds]

I agree with everything above, i hope that was the point i was making on footysa.

For anyone who knows me, i'm a generally easy going guy, who takes his family to the footy EVERY week and would be the last person to be involved in any physical clash. (Allegedly) witty banter i'll give and take with the best of them, but as i've often said i welcome the company of opposition supporters as long as they have a sense of humour as well.

I vigorously and passionately HATE violence off the field. Anyone involved should be banned for life. We all want bigger crowds at the SANFL, imagine what a normally behaving family would think if they saw something happen.

[smac]

I am trying to let the debate come to life before sticking my beak back in, but yes Borat that is how I perceived your position. I must add that I did not intend to slight you or Trevhill by naming you, I was merely trying to point out my motivation.

Play on.

[JamesH]

over the years ive noticed that SANFL crowds have devloped a nasty elelment

Before I go on Im an Eagles supporter... but this isnt an anti Central rant....

Ive noticed that our supporters are no angels.... an example is that at the ANZAC day match a supporter ran to the sideline to abuse Gowans... abuse is part of footy... but this crossed the line with A CDFC trainer restraining Gowans due to vicious nature of the abuse.

My brother (disabled) was spat on at noarlunga oval....

I beleive that Central have reputation of being more fearsome than what they actually are. Most of their supporters are all front and are enjoying the power offered to them from being in a group.

Its a shame these incidents are damaging the game.... There are people who wrongly refuse to go to elizabeth and alberton Oval

[Wedgie]

I don't things have got worse, they might stand out more because of the smaller crowds.
There were a lot more physical confrontations and nastiness in past years as it was a bit more tribal than it is now.
I can understand Central's fans being more aware of it now though as in the old days Dogs fans would have been tolerated and not worried about due to Central not doing anything on the field.
Now that they're successful some people are going to bring out personal insults instead of insults about their club as there's not much you can say about Central as a club.
With my big mouth its amazing I have only been involved in one physical confrontation. And let's just say that the Eagles supporter who threw the first one 4 years ago at Woodville learnt a lesson as did 3 of his mates, I haven't seen them at the footy since, good riddance.
I have a very good memory as far as footy games go and things were a lot "harier" in past days.
There's almost a comradrie these days as most supporters respect each other for still following SANFL.

[FlyingHigh]

Smac, got to say in general I agree with your post. I think it can also be a general reflection of the way society is going.

Also agree with Wedgie about the smaller crowds making these incidents more visible. When crowds were bigger you had more chance of being supported by or gaining refuge amongst other supporters of your team - someone would come up with a witty, non-offensive diffusal.

Then again, maybe being a yound Woodville supporter I either didn't understand, or our on-field efforts didn't upset too many opposition fans!!

Don't have any time for swearing in what is described as "banter". Similarly, some of the examples you pointed out smac are run-of-the-mill, ie not original, therefore not witty - and become plain boring or inciteful. (irony - inciteful and insightful are comlpete opposites in this topic!!)

And agree with fellow eagles supporters about those few who are embarrasing. All clubs seem to have them, but those I am thinking of seemed to go to the footy with the sole intention of swearing, abusing opposition players and with the pre-conceived notion that the umpires have gone out there specifically to stuff us up.

[MightyEagles]

Well written, I thought.

[Mickyj]

I don't things have got worse, they might stand out more because of the smaller crowds.
There were a lot more physical confrontations and nastiness in past years as it was a bit more tribal than it is now.
I can understand Central's fans being more aware of it now though as in the old days Dogs fans would have been tolerated and not worried about due to Central not doing anything on the field.
Now that they're successful some people are going to bring out personal insults instead of insults about their club as there's not much you can say about Central as a club.
With my big mouth its amazing I have only been involved in one physical confrontation. And let's just say that the Eagles supporter who threw the first one 4 years ago at Woodville learnt a lesson as did 3 of his mates, I haven't seen them at the footy since, good riddance.
I have a very good memory as far as footy games go and things were a lot "harier" in past days.
There's almost a comradrie these days as most supporters respect each other for still following SANFL.

And you complain about our crowd numbers at woodville Wedgie no wonder we dont turn up when we do you bash us up ROTFLMAO. And I should add for years I had to promise my port supporting wife to behave myself at the footy for some reason she was worried about me perhaps us fans get white line fever as well .

But in truth you are correct Wedgie with smaller numbers going each year the worse parts stand out like dogs you know whats ,and every team has fans that are problems I saw for myself at the bay the ones calling for fullers head when we lost !!!!