therisingblues wrote:Even if what you say is true, the SANFL once held the emotions, dreams, imagination and vivacity of tens if not hundreds of thousands of people. That the most successful member, the Magpies, is now nothing more than a reserves side, is a sad development regardless of how you view it personally, there is a bigger picture here.
It might be a sad picture for the people left clinging onto nostalgia, but I would say to those people, stop looking at the cocoon the grub left and focus on the Morpho Didius that emerged. When I see 50k Port supporters at Adelaide Oval, I am not thinking how sad it is that we're not singing Cheer Cheer the Black and the White, I am thinking how awesome it is that we're singing Never Tear Us Apart.
Yes, as a Port fan, I am lucky (or vindicated?) and I understand the difficulty that must come with supporting a traditional side in the SANFL. Its just that it does not apply to Port. For obvious reasons.
therisingblues wrote:If you think the circumstances are okay I would question just how invested you are in the AFL? If it is not sad when that competition is thrown away for the next flavour of the masses, then I seriously question if that competition is devoid of the afore mentioned qualities that attracted people like myself to the SANFL.
I've been a member and go to as many games as I can. Not sure how more invested I can be. I wear a scarf and beanie, does that count?
Those qualities are still there. They're just in a different competition. I was never an "SANFL fan" I am a Port fan. I am not an "AFL fan" I am a Port fan. Perhaps a different mindset Port fans have opposed to others.
therisingblues wrote:Just out of curiosity, do you enjoy watching the Magpies just as much now that they are a reserves outfit, as opposed to when they were a stand alone team?
Without knowing what answer you are going to give to the above question, when did your attendance at Magpie games drop off? Was it when they became a clone or when the Power joined the AFL, or are you one of the young people who were more or less raised a Power supporter?
I had next to no interest in the Magpies post 1997. I mean, I was glad if they won, but I wasn't an active supporter. I started supporting Port in the late 80s as a wee tacker. The club had moved to the AFL and the Magpies were just a historical placeholder/SANFL cash cow forced upon us. I am now much more interested thanks to the One Club merger and all the Power players being there - but I would never go to a game such is my loathing of the SANFL and the clubs therein. If they no longer existed and we had an AFL reserves Comp instead I probably wouldn't lose much sleep.
That the thing, The Port Adelaide Football Club are surviving, thriving and playing in the AFL. We've moved on. I feel for those that haven't.