How to cheer for d***heads

[tookey]

Carmen Electra - I can't think of any atrocity she could commit that would see me stop cheering for her

I heard that is currently transitioning to be a bloke

Would that stop you or interest you more?

 

[Seagles68]

I heard that is currently transitioning to be a bloke

Would that stop you or interest you more?

Shocked maybe.

 

[mosto]

Great read @SeaEagleRock8. Some very valid points made. I wouldn't say my support of Manly has changed at all over the years, however the amount of Rugby League I watch in general has. I used to watch every game I could along as tune in to the various tv and radio shows about League, but now if it wasn't for my sons watching pretty much every game I doubt I would watch many games at all outside of Manly. The Matty Johns Show, NRL 360 etc hold little interest for me where once I wouldn't miss them.

I get pretty vocal when watching Manly. I've had people ask why do I keep watching when they're playing badly as it appears I get quite angry and worked up, which I do. But it's kind of a soothing anger. I'm generally a pretty unemotional person, so losing myself in a Manly game allows me to bring out all my emotions, anger, happiness etc in that two hour period. Origin is another that gets through to me that way and in the off season it's the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles. They all act as a kind of emotional therapy session for me and I don't see that changing. I hope not as I am the kind of person who will bottle up emotions otherwise so despite how it looks to others when I screaming obscenities at the tv it's actually quite healthy for my mental wellbeing.

As for cheering for dickheads I realised probably in my mid teens that not all Manly players (as with a lot of people in general) aren't necessarily particularly nice people, but I guess that just gets pushed to the side in my mind with a lot of other things once it's kickoff. Any player who I may lump into the dickhead category simply becomes a Manly player fighting for the greater good, although they do get a shorter rope re mistakes etc so are usually the first in the cross hairs for a spray (currently Aloiai is target #1 much to my 16 yr old's amusement).

As for Lodge I've softened my opinion after reading Seibold's comments. While his behaviour that resulted in criminal charges was unacceptable, he has been dealt with as the justice system saw fit. He has also settled down with a family and completed a university degree. To me these are indications of someone that has made a genuine attempt to atone for his mistakes and turn his life around. I don't believe he's done anything out of line in the 8 years since his conviction, although I'm sure someone on here will correct me if that is not the case. Despite all this he is still known for something that happened 8 years ago. If he suits up for us this year I'll be cheering him on while reserving the right to hurl abuse at the tv if he makes a mistake.

 

[bob dylan]

Pretty weird how everyone just assumed Fainu was innocent and were more than happy to blindly back him but no one is willing to give Lodge the time of day.

I give him a razzing here but I will cheer him on once he dons the maroon & white.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Very well written piece, and an excellent thread all round (not just for the original post, but also for the respect and thought gone in to the responses thus far).

I agree there's been a lot of really interesting and thoughtful posts here, and they're helping me process my own inner conflicts about all this. Silvertails psychological support group rules!

 

[Brookie Bob]

On a lighter note with a Joke ......

Have you read the report on circumcisions?​

Yeah, a number of dickheads were exposed.

It's no skin off my nose....

But you could take a tip from them.

I'll see myself out.............nyuk, nyuk, nyuk........

 

[voicefromthehill]

I heard that is currently transitioning to be a bloke

Would that stop you or interest you more?

A quick Google search later.....

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

Very interesting post SER8 and pretty much hits my issues with Manly post-rainbow gate on the head…

Cheering for a team that I love versus cheering for a bunch of guys that I (largely) do not respect…

My off-season ideas about transferring my support to the dolphins did not survive Round 1 - yet I am not nearly as passionate for Manly during games anymore (probably good for my health really)…

I still cannot miss watching a game but I sort of watch in a stunned silence with the occasional “what the hell was that” or “what a load of crap” (generally ref related)…

Some of it is attributable to changes in the game, some of it is attributable to poor referee stock, it is likely partially related to diminished hope of success…

But a LOT of it is attributable to putting so much emotion into last season only to be robbed of any chance of success when a large part of my team refused to play and, resultantly, my feelings towards those players - who are likely to remain in the side for years to come…

I have tried to “get over it” but I just cant… so, in summary, F*CKED IF I KNOW THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

Thanks, SER8… do I pay the receptionist on the way out?

I feel you, frank - I really do. Last year was very much a tipping point for me as well. I grew up a Manly supporter, and in 50-odd years, it never once occurred to me that I might not want to be a Manly supporter. That changed last year, and it is now very easy for me to imagine my life without this team being a part of it.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I feel you, frank - I really do. Last year was very much a tipping point for me as well. I grew up a Manly supporter, and in 50-odd years, it never once occurred to me that I might not want to be a Manly supporter. That changed last year, and it is now very easy for me to imagine my life without this team being a part of it.

 

[The '47ers]

I feel you, frank - I really do. Last year was very much a tipping point for me as well. I grew up a Manly supporter, and in 50-odd years, it never once occurred to me that I might not want to be a Manly supporter. That changed last year, and it is now very easy for me to imagine my life without this team being a part of it.

For me the game is to blame also, it used to be gladiatorial, the ol blood sweat and tears. Last man standing etc etc. These days with their HIAs, absolutely corrupt "6 agains",soy lattes instead of beers, athletes playing football instead of footballers playing footy. All Instagram and mascara instead of stitches and scars.

 

[eaglebuzz]

Pretty simple, be a rugby league fan. Plenty of dickheads to cheer for.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Pretty simple, be a rugby league fan. Plenty of dickheads to cheer for.

Loads of them.

 

[patorick2010]

Yeah there's been a few of them over the years. Been supporting this club for 30 years and have long accepted that you're never going to totally agree with what the club is doing and who they are employing.

A lot goes on behind the scenes (good and not so good) that we don't know about either. It's just life following a sports team though. And or a business. We don't know the logic, intention and thinking behind a lot of the decisions that are being made at an administrative/coaching level and it's probably for the best.

All these guys have bills and mortgages to pay. Family to take care of as well and friends to look out for. They are also human beings with complex emotions, feelings and thought processes. Just trying to do their best to be productive and successful.

It's frustrating and stressful just thinking about the club sometimes. Reading the stories on the club website as well. We're on the outside looking in though. We only get to see a certain slice of who these people are for 80 minutes each weekend. We don't see the group dynamics involved with the club at the moment though: who brings people together, the personal relationships, who causes drama and all that sort of group stuff. Who's feeling left out and or unappreciated. Who's been playing with an injury all season so they don't lose their place in the team, all that sort of stuff.

They are playing a very competitive contact sport (with high risk of serious injury) and sometimes the ugly side of their personality comes out when things don't go according to plan.

End of the day it's just a game and it doesn't ruin my day. There's no certainty in sport. That's what makes watching it so captivating. We don't know when our next premiership is going to be or if we're ever going to make a grand final again. Someone (or realistically probably several people) involved with this club has made a decision. Time will tell how it turns out. We don't know for sure what's going to happen and all we can really do is sit back and observe what happens.