Get what you mean but it sort of sends the wrong message EB (whether it be internally or externally). Pick the best side every week and plan to beat everyone, if they are ready, they are up for selection. Anyone, anywhere, anytime, we want to beat GWS, StK, CheatsFC and any one else we play.
The competition is fierce, but Cornes would have to be the pits as far as AFL media is concerned.
One of the very real risks in having a deep bottoming out / rebuild is that the "forgetting how to win" prolongs the amnesia and means it takes longer to get that winning feeling back. On the other hand, maybe forgetting how to win is yet another brainless footy cliche, and we lost simply because the opposition has greater depth, greater experience, better composure, and better at getting the momentum back and getting the game back on their terms.
I think both your scenarios are right/valid.
Losing can become ingrained and habitual and difficult to break - especially after years and being virtually accepted by the club for so long/part of the process of the rebuild. You said it well, IMHO. But it can be done, and once broken can only be eradicated by a succession of wins... close and comfortable.
Your second scenario had me thinking of observations from the commentators... that they always felt Rottingwood had 'another gear' and when the chips were down they found that gear and we folded under that increase in pressure from our opponents.
The coaching staff will have their work cut out for them this week. Dealing with the hurt of a close loss to a credible opponent, especially after bringing your best would be deflating but from that hurt can come a mongrel resolve... hopefully we find that against GWS. For a young group to find the 'fed up' button will be a challenge, all they need to know is that, collectively, they actually have what it takes.
I thought Elliott touched it, Bolton handled the umpiring question well in his presser and chose his worlds well about how tough the job is and how important umpires are and hopefully the umpires get it right next time its close and remember how kind he was when they know they screwed us over.
Couldn't agree more. Big picture perspective. In fact his entire media conference was classy and real. Good gear.
Liked BBs media conference. Handled the question re Eddie with class. Also continue to like the fact he doesn't lean on cliches any more, you get more of the real person... which is good. Bravo.
The thing is, we find a new way of losing each and every week. I get that.
But, with these losses (last week aside) we are looking more and more confident, and competent.
Against Gold Coast, we lost after leading most of the game.....but it was ONLY Gold Coast. Against Hawks, a more fancied, battle harderned opponent....we dominated early....yet couldn't match them late.....and lost by 2 seconds. (Team wise, a harder opponent and more dominant performance) Against Pies, we went toe to toe with them. And did so with 1-arm behind our back courtesy of the umps....but even then, we were up to our eyeballs against about as good of a side as there is in the comp....and we matched it with them.
So yes, there is a trend of losing the unloseable games, but we are doing so against better and better opponents. When we come up against some weaker opponents from here on in, if we bring the same effort, we will smash them. Just like we did with the dogs.
In the long run, it will be treated just like last weeks efforts. A 'loss' in a long stream of other losses.
I don't think the majority of supporters are much interested in the different shades of losing we demonstrate. Hang on, if we keep going like this we could release a book... '50 Shades Of Losing'. Kidding. Hey, you gotta laugh, because if you don't...
Just a pass? He should get a fricken the Gold Star of coaching!
10 goal loss against 18th. 6 days later Was robbed against flag favourites by the whistle blowers.
All he gets is a 'pass'?
But the point remains....weeks from now, people won't think he'll get a pass for the pies game, the hawks game, the gold coast game. He'll get 3 more losses in a long line of losses....and little more.
No we weren't.
Look a little deeper. We conceded the last 5 goals.
We were 2 goals up in the last qtr and threw it away. Why? Same old, same old... don't know how to win (the game was there for the taking, we had it) and when fierce, uncompromising pressure is applied we do poos and wees.
Remove last week as an aberration and you're left with what we find a way to do, our chronic condition... losing bravely. It's even the headline on the AFL website, "Magpies break brave Blues hearts in MCG thriller." Just about every week we are described as 'brave'... or 'honourable loss'.
When the whips started cracking at the end our midfield got smashed. 26-5 inside 50’s in the last quarter. Cripps played a lone hand in the middle but he can't do everything.
Again, when serious heat comes, we fold. But, like all our honourable losses, there was plenty to like.
Just don't know how to win. That psychological barrier is still there.
Please, BB, please don't pump up everyone's tyres for doing so well for much of the game. This loss, in some ways, should hurt more than most this year.
Kidding. Hey, you gotta laugh, because if you don't...