[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wpkuFw4_CXA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wpkuFw4_CXA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[youtube]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_ttgYeosySI&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_ttgYeosySI&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/youtube]

[youtube]wpkuFw4_CXA[/youtube]

_________________
29 different attributes,
And only 7 that you like;
20 ways to see the world,
Or 20 ways to start a fight.

Never liked Bruce Ruxton.

_________________
“It is a state of mind, a system of belief, a way of seeing the world, a deep faith that, because you are Carlton, you belong to something great.” - Mike Fitzpatrick articulating what Out of the Blue means.

Tina Arena rocks up to a Carlton Grand Final wearing Essendon* colours.

_________________
Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

I believe she is a Carlton supporter too

15 years though. That's depressing

Also, those stories just go to highlight why I hate those red&black flower so much. Wilson says the memories of 93 were erased, they certainly weren't. And in highlighting how awesome an achievement it was to win the flag with only two losses, those pricks had to trump us again by doing it with one win (and equalling our 16 flags to boot). GRRRNYAARRRGGGHH!H!!!!

_________________
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

Don't worry about it man. Carlton were the first team to a 16th flag. Essendon* didn't do it until another 5 years later. Just as long as we win another one long before they do, I'll be happy.
How sweet it will be aswell, for the first time in years we'd be able to brag again about which club has the outright most premierships.

_________________
Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

It wont blow out to 20.

_________________
My Blue Heaven

17 years No.17

_________________
NG
S M C , S F L

15 years is a long long time - it was actually the first decade we hadn't won a Premership since the 1950's. In fact, in the 1950's we didn't even win a final.

From the Blueseum

_________________
Check out www.blueseum.org for all of your Carlton information needs.

I think it might end up being the third longest time period between premierships for Carlton.

Not as bad as 1915 to 1938 or as bad as 1947 to 1968 - but bad emough.

_________________
My Blue Heaven

http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php? ... t=droughts

Those sage-like qualities coming through yet again blueman....it already is!

I'll stick to the past, if you stick to the future?

From the Blueseum

_________________
Check out www.blueseum.org for all of your Carlton information needs.

Quite correct - I guess what I am saying here is that the current flag drought wont extend beyond the second worst in our history - It will remain third on that dubious ladder of Non achievement.

There seem to be many TCer's that have expressed fears that the current flag drought will extend beyond the worst or second worst in our history.

But I suggest that this unhappy future outcome will not eventuate at all.

Instead, a far happier and pleasant football future awaits us.



You will see that the bad times and the fear of football bad times - will be all forgotten soon enough...

Because there could well be a couple of flags coming from this group - in this decade.

The first one will be the most memorable - a glorious triumph.

Some will rank it with 1970.

The second will be a solid 'grind them down' kind of win.

Both set though - against the extremely unfortunate backdrop of a totally insane, yet murderous global conflict.

_________________
My Blue Heaven

As crazy as it sounds, winning just one premiership is not enough to extinguish the 2000s. Don't get me wrong, winning a premiership is special and all, but I think we need two or even three.

Don't know what I would prefer though...winning them in a three-peat, or over a period of say, 5 or 6 years with finals/GF appearances in between.. so something like this:

2012- Premiership
2013- Finals appearance
2014- Premiership
2015- Finals appearance/GF
2016- Premiership

OR

2012- Premiership
2013- Premiership
2014- Premiership

The first one looks like we have a more sustained period of being a major threat in the competition, but then the second option puts us up there with some of the greatest teams of all time, and maybe even miles ahead of the competition for that three year period. Don't know which one I would rather to be honest.

_________________
Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

Carlton supporters will have the painful memories of the lost decade wiped away in the 2010's.

No two teams are the same - but for the sake of a comparison - Carltons trajectory will be a little bit like that of Geelong's premiership window - which of course is coming to an end - but with the difference of a much more dramatic start to our flag window than Geelong had..

They were just happy to break their drought - I didnt matter how it happened - just win the cup for the town. But with Carlton - there is a bit more emotioal score settling involved..We know who we are and what our place is.

I have always seen our 17th flag as being a totally unexpected win in a teambuilding year - during a time of war and economic hardship.

The war is not surprisingly - one that involves the Middle East and Oil. The economic hardship is because of our excessive oil dependancy at a time when oil will be harder to buy. Improper relationships betwen government and oil companies will have made things far worse than they need to be in Australia.

There is also a distinct possibility that the war will broaden - depending on who Russia sides with. They havent made their mind up on this.

If we are in the cycle where there is to be a war involving 'the bear' - then Sarah Palin could well be the woman president who vexes Russia during such a conflict. Not sure if she needs any more ballpoint notes on her hand in order to do this thouigh..

The feel that I have for the Carlton flag at this time is one of great excitement and shock of a victory in these circumstances.

It will be followed - quite naturally - by a massive and unrestrained outpouring of joy.

No one at all will suspect that we will win a cup in that fateful season.

Right now, Carlton's premiership window has a few very early morning rays of sunshine coming through - these rays will grow more numerous and stronger as we go forward. Our time in the sun is just beginning - but for others - it might not even start.

Essendon* is destined for a long period of mediocrity - punctuated by occassional elimination final appearances - which they will always lose.

This will go on for a long time. But despite their plight - they will be always thinking that 'this is their season' - only to have their false hopes repeatedly consigned to the mothballs each year. There's a lot of foolish arrogance at Essendon*.

It will be 18 cups to 16 - and they will feel that things are getting away from them. But it will be extremely irritating to still have them beat us more often than not during our time of success.

_________________
My Blue Heaven

This alone would almost be worth war with Russia. But I'm not a fan of them beating us more often than not, you'd think if we were premiership material we could finally get the wood over those flowers.

_________________
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

If we win another flag before they do, I couldn't care less if they beat us twice in the same year in a season we win the premiership. Because at the end of the day, those two losses would mean nothing when compared to winning a premiership and once again becoming the outright premiership leaders in the competition again. Don't get me wrong, I hate them more than any other team, but winning a flag and claiming #17 sticking it right up those arseholes would be far sweeter than winning a home and away match.

_________________
Premierships: 1869, 1871, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1877, 1887, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1914, 1915, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1987, 1995.

"GIBBS."

I hate Essendon* a great deal too - I'd love us to get the wood over them.

But I do sense that they will still be a very irritating thorn in our side - even though they never win a flag themselves during this period.

But getting ahead of them in cups won will hurt their pride a great deal.

I think that this kind of thing might become a sort of motivational factor for them during the home and away matches.

Im not sure how long Matthew Knights contract is for - But I think that he will be around for a fair bit of the time that I am looking at here. Eventually they will tire of his empty rhetoric and sack him.

Collingwood - thereabouts but never getting the chocolates. Buckley will be an admirable if not excellent coach - but fortunately for us - a coach that never quite has the right players.

I think that the difference is that they havent really got a reliable matchwinner

Our edge will be Judd - who is a matchwinner but will be an ageing one of course - as well as three up and coming matchwinners in Gibbs Murphy and Krueser.

Having this many dangerous players in the team to contain - especially in the midfield and at CHF - any one or more that are able to turn a game - is of course - what will win us our cups.

A strong CHF that can take punishment - as it has been in the past - is a critical future ingredient to success.

But the new young coach will also have a bigger emphasis on the development of the bottom 6 players in order to create a more even team.

Nothing is really new in Football - There might be new plays developed - but it is in a way just recycled with a new name - a new coat of paint and a new set of mag wheels.

_________________
My Blue Heaven

Given that their whole reason for existing is to be 'a thorn in our side', I guess it's not surprising.

_________________
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