I was asked this question

[BAM! (shhhh)]

After having provided me years and years of entertainment on free to air TV, After the countless hours I've been able to choose to spend with friends, family, and the good folk (!) of saintsational dissecting the results and gameplay of the team, this team clearly owes me.

Actually, I get where the dissappointment crowd comes from on this. I found '05 and '06 that way, got angry in '07... and that gave me back my perspective, oddly enough. While losses tend to be soul destroying, I can enjoy the wins.

Whatever we do, we play an unpopular style that will ensure predictions of our demise every time we trail in a game by more than a goal (of course, if you're there, you don't have to hear it... at least from the commentators) but I suspect that as Mark Twain put it, reports of said demise are greatly exaggerated.

[saint66au]

Whatever we do, we play an unpopular style that will ensure predictions of our demise every time we trail in a game by more than a goal (of course, if you're there, you don't have to hear it... at least from the commentators)

As you and I both know BAMshhh , you very much DO have to hear it at games, but as you say not from commentators, only the self-styled ones lol

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Whatever we do, we play an unpopular style that will ensure predictions of our demise every time we trail in a game by more than a goal (of course, if you're there, you don't have to hear it... at least from the commentators)

As you and I both know BAMshhh , you very much DO have to hear it at games, but as you say not from commentators, only the self-styled ones lol

Family swapped to AFL memberships this year (and added a couple to the fold), and I had to give up my seats (stupid, stupid rule. Happy to pay the reservation fee, more money in clubs pocket, and retain the option to sit in wonderful seats on the MW). The plan is in general to sit on the MW... but we'd been thinking we might distance ourselves from the commentators extraordinaire (though due respect: AFAIK, those guys don't have reserved seats - they roll up and hour early every week to sit there)...

Until this week. Talking to my (now 3 year old) son, telling him we're off to the footy this week...

"Saints man?!" he asks.

(Saints man, for the record, is not the mascot. Saints Man I believe a poster named sonof66... either that or Wizsteppa... the tall guy who leads the singing after goals). Saints man is one of my sons heroes... he can actually now sing the songs for Reiwoldt and Goddard (he could probably do Gwilt too... but he just laughs...)

What have we done?

[St Michele]

I know where you are coming from as have had a few comment the same but I say it is about the journey and we should just enjoy the season and the final game will be what it is.... then the emotion kicks in I can;t wait to see that cup in Saints colours held up for all the world to see!!

[woody]

Yep, I know what you mean. The last two seasons, though two of our most successful in our sad history mean little. I cant watch any of the replays, cause it all led to ...................... nothing but heartbreak.

Maybe its harder for some of us who have been doing it for such a long time. For me its a daunting task to back up again. No question about whether I will, just all the uncertainty and this summer we have had so much shyte to take. It makes me worry how the boys will cope. But most of all, when we win the bloody thing, I know I wont enjoy it the way I would have had we of won in 09.

Spot on. It is absolutely daunting and if you've been watching the team since the 70's, without winning a flag, you can't envisage how it will ever happen.
Yes we will continue to turn up regardless. At the end of the day following the saints is a part of life.....I just don't know any different....and don't want to know any different.
But with every grand final loss you can't help but feel a little more jaded.

[SinCitySaint]

Every year I look forward to the first game with a real buzz about the season ahead. I am not a johnny come lately either I have been doing this since the 70s, but always that sense of anticipation that butterfly in the stomach is there.

Every year except this one. I don't have the normal excitement about the start of the season. I have my membership and will go to the majority of the games but it won't bother me to miss a big game here or there. I think the last two years have left me drained, I just cannot picture us bringing home the big one. I could not take another losing Grand Final that is for sure.

Maybe it is losing the two grand finals? Maybe it is the off-field dramas week in, week out. Or maybe it is because the club appears to care less and less about the supporters as each year rolls by, so long as they get their money. I don't know why but I do know that my level of interest has waned, that may well change after a couple of good wins and maybe the old belief will return but right now I just don't know.

[Teflon]

Every year I look forward to the first game with a real buzz about the season ahead. I am not a johnny come lately either I have been doing this since the 70s, but always that sense of anticipation that butterfly in the stomach is there.

Every year except this one. I don't have the normal excitement about the start of the season. I have my membership and will go to the majority of the games but it won't bother me to miss a big game here or there. I think the last two years have left me drained, I just cannot picture us bringing home the big one. I could not take another losing Grand Final that is for sure.

Maybe it is losing the two grand finals? Maybe it is the off-field dramas week in, week out. Or maybe it is because the club appears to care less and less about the supporters as each year rolls by, so long as they get their money. I don't know why but I do know that my level of interest has waned, that may well change after a couple of good wins and maybe the old belief will return but right now I just don't know.

Im not being a smart arse but could that also just be age?

I often read people who follow footy clubs closely later have the emotion creep in of "ah well if I miss a game or three so what..." unthinkable when they were younger.

I get the fatigue thing. But Id stress remember this: WHEN (not if) we decline....we will IMHO be a long, long time in the football wilderness...waiting for another N Riewoldt to come through the door. We will again get to experience going to a game (aka Richmond for past 10 or so years) expecting a loss...praying for a "good showing".

FORCE yourself tp get up - find a way, cause what we've been used to for the past 7-8 yrs is the 'Haley's Comment' as far as the St KFC goes.

As a supporter make that count.

[iwantmeseats]

Very we ll said Teflon. I said essentially the same in my post earlier in the thread. Its easy to take it for granted, Guilty myself. The fall will be hard and fast.

[I Love Peter Kiel]

The lovely lady at the ANZ Bank at Werribee Plaza who I usually go to on a Thursday evening to do some banking knows i'm a passionate Saints fan.
She asked me if I was looking forward to the football season?
I actually had to think taking into account the results of the last 2 seasons and replied, ask me again at the end of September, though technically I should have said after the first Saturday of October.
I'm sure I will enjoy our wins, hopefully starting this Friday night, but in reality, until we win that last game of the season, I can't see myself really enjoying a season after the agony of being so close two years in a row.

Great posts all.

Some of you have confessed to anxiety about the coming season....we all feel that. But ask yourself: do you have a choice? especially for those based in Melbourne...would you seriously consider deciding NOT to go to this Friday's game (unless you're unable due to work or family commitments)???

I've got 5 brothers...two of them can't get to many games but the rest of us are there just about every week. They bring their kids, sons' girlfiends, daughters' boyfriends. All are welcome into the St Kilda family!

The six of us have very different political views and beliefs but the ONE thing we all have is an undying love of the Mighty Sainters! My little siss also just loves the boys and we sat together at the '09 Grand Final....I'll never forget it!

OK we've had a bit of heartbreak the last few years but how much joy have the boys brought us?

This is my 34th season of seriously going to St Kilda games(besides a few as a little kid).

I was there when we thrashed Carlton in the last game of '78 at Moorabbin. Other memories too many to list (but I will)...beating Collingwood at Waverley in late '82 to get off tg get off the bottom of the ladder. Plugger's goal to sink the Blues in '89. I remember crying as the boys ran out for that final in '91 'cause I'd thought I'd never live to see it.
Similar experience in '97 at the GF. 2000...I went to almost every game even though we got pummelled. Glimmers of hope in '02, some joy in '03 followed by those magnificent 10 straight in 2004. Countless wins at Docklands over the bully boys of the old (unfair) VFL...Carlton, Richmond, Collingwood, Hawthorn and Essendon. And now our status as an AFL Powerhouse where we're really feared.

Quite simply, I love the Sainters and always will! Barring injury, mishaps and acts of God, I will be there this Friday night.

GO SAINTAAAAAHZZZZ!

[BAM! (shhhh)]

Every year I look forward to the first game with a real buzz about the season ahead. I am not a johnny come lately either I have been doing this since the 70s, but always that sense of anticipation that butterfly in the stomach is there.

Every year except this one. I don't have the normal excitement about the start of the season. I have my membership and will go to the majority of the games but it won't bother me to miss a big game here or there. I think the last two years have left me drained, I just cannot picture us bringing home the big one. I could not take another losing Grand Final that is for sure.

Maybe it is losing the two grand finals? Maybe it is the off-field dramas week in, week out. Or maybe it is because the club appears to care less and less about the supporters as each year rolls by, so long as they get their money. I don't know why but I do know that my level of interest has waned, that may well change after a couple of good wins and maybe the old belief will return but right now I just don't know.

Im not being a smart arse but could that also just be age?

I often read people who follow footy clubs closely later have the emotion creep in of "ah well if I miss a game or three so what..." unthinkable when they were younger.

I get the fatigue thing. But Id stress remember this: WHEN (not if) we decline....we will IMHO be a long, long time in the football wilderness...waiting for another N Riewoldt to come through the door. We will again get to experience going to a game (aka Richmond for past 10 or so years) expecting a loss...praying for a "good showing".

FORCE yourself tp get up - find a way, cause what we've been used to for the past 7-8 yrs is the 'Haley's Comment' as far as the St KFC goes.

As a supporter make that count.

Great post Teflon.

Been a point of discussion with a few of my friends over the weekend. 2nd place really, really sucks - but it sure beats last.

[jroberts:)]

The lovely lady at the ANZ Bank at Werribee Plaza who I usually go to on a Thursday evening to do some banking knows i'm a passionate Saints fan.
She asked me if I was looking forward to the football season?
I actually had to think taking into account the results of the last 2 seasons and replied, ask me again at the end of September, though technically I should have said after the first Saturday of October.
I'm sure I will enjoy our wins, hopefully starting this Friday night, but in reality, until we win that last game of the season, I can't see myself really enjoying a season after the agony of being so close two years in a row.

Totally agree, its such a long way to the grand final, so long to wait, so long to agonise over it!

[saints4ever]

I am with OP too I think... just can't get into it all yet. let down from last year still raw....

Though, I am sure (or at least I hope) once we get out there tomorrow night I will move on and enjoy the season.... I hope so anyway... just don't feel it yet....