It has been 10 years since the greatest football club gave us ANYTHING to cheer about... absolute rubbish. Significant blame should be put on that [edit] Ian Collins who screwed us over with his telstra dome deal and [edit] on the day we lost Goddard and Wells and a crap load of money.

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Why are the Blues such a frustrating side!??!?!

Don't you have another home you like better?

Regards Cazzesman

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Ricky Gervais - “Everyone has the right to hold whatever beliefs they want. And everyone else has the right to find those beliefs f***ing ridiculous.”

This was the first game I took my now wife to. After Alessio kicked the goal in the last term to put them 17 points up I stood up and went to leave. My missus couldn't understand why we were leaving but I was just too devastated to watch anymore. Anyway, the entire walk down the stairwell (level 3 Ponsford stand) my wife was doing her utmost to convince me to stay. We got to the bottom and I decided to take one last look and sure enough Kouta was lining up to put us 5 points down!! We watched the rest of the game in the standing room and still to this day I remember the crazy atmosphere of the game and roar as Justin Murphy bust through the midfield with seconds to play. I've never enjoyed other people's utter devastation before but gee was it good to see those Bummers fans hurting so bad.....made it oh so sweet!!

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You want the flame? Give us the marbles!!

Whoa. I used to know a Slyuss from TBV that was a decent, 'reasonably optimistic' fella.

So it's been 10 years.

Making the finals didn't register as anything for you!?

For me it was the start of the end of a time I'd rather forget... so what will it take for the greatest club to "give you anything"... a flag?!



Wow. A prelim final.

And you were walking out on the team?!

WOW.

Guess I could picture you doing that.


I only ever walk out if the opposition side hit over 100 points up. With 2 minutes to go.

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Cheap Bike Insurance
Selling Baseball Cards

Agree !

Time to let go.

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Scott, things aren't as happy as they used to be down here at the unemployment office. Joblessness is no longer just for Philosophy majors - useful people are starting to feel the pinch.

An incredible match.

Like most, in the lead-up to the game I never really thought that we would actually win. But I remember sitting at the MCG hearing the PA System playing Eiffel 65's song "Blue" before the start of the game and for some reason I felt more confident, as if it were perhaps an omen. My new-found optimism was heightened when Glenn Manton, of all people, kicked the first goal of the game (he only kicked one other goal for the season). It's the sort of little thing that many would overlook but it just made me feel that this game might not go to script.

I remember seeing many Carlton fans giving the team a standing ovation at half-time, to which point we had had one less scoring shot but led by 24 points and had held the all-conquering Bombers to 3 goals in a half and a goal-less second quarter. I remember being slightly concerned about this; while we deserved acclaim for our first-half performance, perhaps we had been slightly premature, as Essendon* would surely hit back (and would surely not be as inaccurate in the second half).

I remember seeing Essendon* completely overwhelm us in the third quarter, my earlier optimism gradually eroded and replaced by a near-hopeless resignation to the feeling that natural order, though it had been delayed, had been brutally restored. However, I remember feeling boosted by Scott Camporeale's goal just before three-quarter-time, which got us to within 10 points. For all Essendon*'s dominance during the quarter, I reasoned, they continued to be wasteful (they kicked 7.7), and we had kicked the final goal for the quarter to bring the margin inside two goals. Manageable, but unlikely.

We all know what happened in the last quarter. I admit that when Alessio goaled early in the last quarter to make it 17 points I couldn't see us winning. But we remember about Kouta's inspirational final term. I remember turning away, not being able to watch as Mercuri's snap in the dying minutes bounced agonisingly towards goal but thankfully through only for a behind. I remember groaning as the ball landed in Wallis' lap with 30 seconds left and just hoped that we could repel one final Essendon* attack. But of course Brown's heroics are legendary and spared us from facing this daunting prospect.

I remember the sheer ecstasy felt in the immediate aftermath of the game; strangers hugging, jumping all over each other and people generally just going berserk. They were amazing scenes at the conclusion of an extraordinary day.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

In any other normal event, I would agree with both of you. However, with so much on the line, this game remains one of my most cherished footy memories, for the following reasons:
* The angst Essendon* had caused us in previous seasons, namely '81 to '85;
* Their unbelievably cocky and recklessly optimistic supporters (nothing's changed on that score!);
* Essendon* are steadfast in their belief they've would have won '99; they conveniently forgot North were a pretty good side also and would've have given them a run for their money;
* I rang my mate who was at a wedding in the country (in the middle of the ceremony!) and he proceeded to sing the "Lily", followed by everyone else!;
* And, it propelled the legend of Kouta- he continued that quarter into the most dominant 2/3rd of a season I 've seen from anyone in the AFL since.

The funny thing, most Essendon* supporters I've met when asked about '99, either wince, are close to tears, or are in outright denial about it....not once have they conceded they underestimated their opponent on the day- which I believe they did. Thanks Bummers for the memories!!!

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Be positive to all those @ TC- the wait is almost over!

Pretty much sums up my own memories of the day. Right down to the hugging and kissing of strangers...had a long shower when I got home.

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

I was pretty pissed that day but I know we won because I was born and raised in Essendon* and went to the game with about a dozen Bomber mates- and went home alone. Remember Lily of Laguna getting a blast on most platforms of Flinders Street also.

Make that 20 years....

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#DonTheStash

And the club is creating a highlights package on the website.... Times HAVE changed!

Cheers

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“Every single element of the Club has to be the best in the league, meticulously and methodically, and only by doing this will we be elite and challenge for number 17.”
Greg Lee

The club has a website now!

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I never did get around to telling this tale...

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WADA medical director Dr Alan Vernec describes Essendon* FC drug case as biggest scandal in team sport the world of sport has seen. #WC2WB

#GUILTY

EFA?

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Let slip the Blues of war (with apologies to William Shakespeare) (and Sir Francis Bacon, just in case)

One of the greatest days of my life. I don't think I have lost my mind like that.. pretty much lost my mind at the 2013 Elim final against Richmond as well.

Damn we get into some seriously good finals that verberates through the AFL no wonder pundits like Gerard Healy is pumping our tyres to play finals right now....

mens sana in corpore sano

BTW is anyone else yelling out Go Blues to the TV whilst watching the finals of other teams or have I completely lost my mind?