You know one of the things that pissed me off the most about today's result? A post match phone call in to Fox's Saturday Central from an apparent Carlton supporter by the name of Steven.

It was clear by his call that he was filthy with the loss, and fair enough too. We played like crap and deserve to be held accountable for our poor performance. However, the first point to his call was to mercilessly bag Ryan Houlihan, he used terms like "he's a disgrace" and the "worst league footballer I have ever seen" and got stuck into Hoops for being a receiver and asked "what has happened to Carlton Football Club" there's no in and under players. Fine, criticise Houlihan's performance, but do so with some sense of reality, or showing at least a basic understanding of the game. A guy like Houla, while not perfect, would sit comfortably in any premiership side IMO.

As if that wasn't bad enough, he then said why shouldn't I take my membership to Carlton on Monday morning, and the memberships of all the people I've brought to the club, to cut up our memberships.

Firstly, don't trip over your ego there fella, "all the people I've brought to the club"! And mate if you're willing to cut up your membership like that after one bad loss I reckon the club would be better off without you. I have no problem with him wanting to ask some serious questions of the team after today's effort, but to me at least, membership is the fabric on which the club is built. Without membership there is no club.

In my opinion, one supports the club and general finances willing they buy a membership, a membership that should be bought unconditionally. If you're going to be preapred to rip up a membership 7 games into a season, then don't buy it. Have the guts and commitment to stick by the club for the whole year, win, lose or draw.

I can hear Tyrant complaining about quantifying different levels of acceptability, or suitability, for supporters and to a point I accept that criticism of what I'm writing here. However, and maybe it's because of the irony of losing to Richmond, cutting up memberships is a pretty weak sign IMO.

I didn't like what I saw today and I want answers too, but my heart will always beat Navy Blue and I'm in for the long haul. Who's in with me?

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yep - i dont have much time for supporters that carrying on like that.

do what i do camel - ignore them.

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

And that's why, as a rule, I don't really like to sit with Carlton supporters.

Well said Camel, but...

If you sit in a stadium with 25,000 richmond supporters, the mentality will rub off on some.

Perhaps.

Agree though, never ever have I thought of cutting up my membership. For a start I pay too much for it (well, maybe not as much as I should..."concession" ) but it's just not what supporting a club is about.

Carlton's given its fans plenty of enjoyment over the years and it will continue to do so.

Starting with next week. Fev to kick a few and be very very angry.

Saturday's over, sydney are charging down the bummers, and that annoying rash I have is showing signs of clearing up.

Positives the lot of em.

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Congratulations CK95

Got my vote Camel

Although Carlton do owe me money for a new TV and Laptop after i was forced to smash them both halfway through the first quarter.

Also "Fairweather Steve" owes me $550 to replace the hole in the window i punched after his insipid call - What a tosser.

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

bh - we got a chant already made up for Setanta as well.

I lead with

"ALL HAIL O'HALPHIN"

then every stands up and says

"HAIL"

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Got to love the stare Down by Setanta on Llyod

I must admit I swore like a trooper at him, but couldn't muster the energy to bust a window!

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Yep heard that to Camel, and much the same on talkback as well on the way home. You really want to reach into the TV and grab them by the throat and squeeze real hard. But you know what I wish people like him would really hand in thier memberships and just @#$%&! off, the club would be better off without them.

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A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty" -Winston Churchill

L.M 35-06

It will be great... Do I hear a HAIL.... (hail!) Oh yeah, I can feel it y'all!

Here here camelboy.

See my post

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

These were my thoughts on another thread....minus the comments I made on teknodeejay

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

I think this is the key.

People can be too optimistic and also too critical.

I heard the Steve call on Fox as well and was garthp'ing all the way through it.

Houla had a shocker today, but his positives far outweigh his negatives at this stage. Yeh, sure if he made the mistakes he made today for the majority of the season then he is up for criticism. But one poor performance after being in pretty good form for the year is just reactionary. Like it or not individual supporters have their own players that they dislike for some reason or another and will pounce at every opportunity.

Not sure what this Steve guy realises he does to the club with calls like that either. That call by itself may have discouraged several people from getting memberships, costing the club precious money and making the next premiership that little bit harder.

The Carlton Football Club is a team and every supporter is a part of it, criticism is great, but it should be handled in the main by the football department, not the supporters.

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Haven't had the heart to watch the tape yet camel, but I'm with you.

Maybe Steve should try following a club like Richmond or the Doggies year in year out. At least we have a history of success and an expectancy of success in the near future. What do they have?

Nice Post

But far too level headed to have been posted today - might have fitted in better tomorrow

:garthP:

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*(grow - fun - gah)

Yeah but whatabout your whataboutism.

Pretty harsh singling out Houla. Was hardly the only one to have a poor game today. Would he have said that 2 or 3 weeks ago when he was BOG? I don't think he could have said that every time we got thrashed last year because he was ususally one of our few good players. And would he have ripped up his membership after the WC? OK so we had a bad game today but we've been pretty competitive up till today and even the best sides have the odd thrashing. Just as the best players have the odd poor game. It's not as though we (or Houla) have played like that every week.

Great post Camel. We all hate losing but f*ckwits like Steve make it that much harder for us all.

Gees if these Steve guy is a poster here would love to see his face right about now

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Richard Pratt - A Carlton legend.

Was it steveb from the official Carlton forum way back in 2000? (All the old-timers like 7dom, Elwood and Frank would know who i'm talking about) hehehehehe

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