xanderalexander
Kennel Participant
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2020
- Messages
- 153
- Reaction score
- 354
A wise kenneler (I’m sorry but I cannot remember who, nor find the thread) said this the other day:
“I love the club, but I hate the current team”
This comment resonated so hard with me, even though I wouldn’t go as far as to say ‘hate’.
My love for the Bulldogs can be compared to my love for this country. Quite some time ago, the ‘love it or leave’ movement was big, yet incredibly narrow minded. Because if you love and are proud of something like a country, then surely you want it to change for the better, and you want to speak out about issues that you feel are wrong, inequitable, unjust and so on. Loving your country or your football team because you have to, or feel you should, is silly.
Being angry at things that are wrong with your country or your football team and calling for change is actually love and loyalty.
You can criticise/get mad at a loved one like a partner or child for something they’ve done without them assuming you no longer love them.
Right now, our club has a lot wrong with it. In fact, it’s been that way for years. I think those who speak out about what’s wrong and what needs to change are not being traitors, rather they’re showing their loyalty and fierce dedication to see the best of the blue and whites again.
Things suck right now but they will get better. I’m not proud to be a supporter at this specific moment in time, but nothing will ever change how strongly I feel for the doggies and I will stick by this team through the highs and lows. I’ll call out players I don’t think are performing, decisions by board and coaches that I don’t think are right, and the behaviour of fans that let the rest of us down. But it will never ever mean that my love for the doggies is diminished whatsoever.
This forum is a democracy where people should feel they have a voice. Criticise if it’s constructive.
But don’t ever let anyone tell you that you’re not a true supporter, or that you should ‘love it or leave’.
“I love the club, but I hate the current team”
This comment resonated so hard with me, even though I wouldn’t go as far as to say ‘hate’.
My love for the Bulldogs can be compared to my love for this country. Quite some time ago, the ‘love it or leave’ movement was big, yet incredibly narrow minded. Because if you love and are proud of something like a country, then surely you want it to change for the better, and you want to speak out about issues that you feel are wrong, inequitable, unjust and so on. Loving your country or your football team because you have to, or feel you should, is silly.
Being angry at things that are wrong with your country or your football team and calling for change is actually love and loyalty.
You can criticise/get mad at a loved one like a partner or child for something they’ve done without them assuming you no longer love them.
Right now, our club has a lot wrong with it. In fact, it’s been that way for years. I think those who speak out about what’s wrong and what needs to change are not being traitors, rather they’re showing their loyalty and fierce dedication to see the best of the blue and whites again.
Things suck right now but they will get better. I’m not proud to be a supporter at this specific moment in time, but nothing will ever change how strongly I feel for the doggies and I will stick by this team through the highs and lows. I’ll call out players I don’t think are performing, decisions by board and coaches that I don’t think are right, and the behaviour of fans that let the rest of us down. But it will never ever mean that my love for the doggies is diminished whatsoever.
This forum is a democracy where people should feel they have a voice. Criticise if it’s constructive.
But don’t ever let anyone tell you that you’re not a true supporter, or that you should ‘love it or leave’.