Kissing the Lipless (Goodbye)
A week is a long time in footy, apparently. And a few things of note have happened since my last… Ok, forget it. Essentially the Geelong Football Club is falling apart and I’ve been quieter than Leon Davis on Grand Final day. Terrible job by me and I vow to do better over trade week, the draft period and even during the Ashes.
But for argument’s sake, let’s say I was suffering ‘burnout’ and that after four highly successful years I was unsure if I wanted to continue Big League Little League next year. You, as readers, would probably be likely to think, ‘thank you, but we’d like someone who actually gives a shit’. Perhaps you’d make more ‘mailing it in’ comments, perhaps you’d encourage me to lift, but eventually you’d stop reading.
Yes, I’m no longer talking about me. And yes, Mark-Bomber-Lips-Thompson ‘not knowing’ if he wants to coach again next season is as good as not wanting to.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not calling for his head. However this plays out, he will go down in history as not only Geelong’s greatest coach, (doing what so many before him failed to do, including another BLLL favourite Malcolm Blight) but possibly as the man behind the most dominant team and game-style in AFL history. Not only that but he was likeable, refused to play idiotic media games, gave birth to one of Mrs Watson’s more memorable nicknames and was at one stage rumored to be sleeping with half the housewives in Geelong West. Good times. But if his heart is longer 100% in it there will be more lost than gained by him staying around.
The Cats are at the most interesting of crossroads. Their record against top four teams this season was woeful. Against lesser opposition they were still able to turn it on for a quarter or two and put games away, but the kamikaze handball, play-on at all costs game-plan that produced 2 flags is no longer holding up against the best. Lips Thompson has only one more year to run on his contract, the country’s best player is on the verge of leaving and an extremely important trade and draft period are almost upon us. And now the coach is saying maybe he doesn’t want the job?
There’s no time for the club to wait and see any more. Change will come with or without their plans and they may not have a better opportunity to add a few new faces, lose a few old ones, implement some wrinkles into the game plan and find a new voice to yell at Andrew Mackie.
Some hard decisions need to be made and this is the time to make them. ‘Lips’ won’t be around to do it. Gary Junior either. But don’t worry, not everyone’s leaving. The Cats haven’t quite burnt me out just yet.
A week is a long time in footy, apparently. And a few things of note have happened since my last… Ok, forget it. Essentially the Geelong Football Club is falling apart and I’ve been quieter than Leon Davis on Grand Final day. Terrible job by me and I vow to do better over trade week, the draft period and even during the Ashes.But for argument’s sake, let’s say I was suffering ‘burnout’ and that after four highly successful years I was unsure if I wanted to continue Big League Little League next year. You, as readers, would probably be likely to think, ‘thank you, but we’d like someone who actually gives a shit’. Perhaps you’d make more ‘mailing it in’ comments, perhaps you’d encourage me to lift, but eventually you’d stop reading.
Yes, I’m no longer talking about me. And yes, Mark-Bomber-Lips-Thompson ‘not knowing’ if he wants to coach again next season is as good as not wanting to.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not calling for his head. However this plays out, he will go down in history as not only Geelong’s greatest coach, (doing what so many before him failed to do, including another BLLL favourite Malcolm Blight) but possibly as the man behind the most dominant team and game-style in AFL history. Not only that but he was likeable, refused to play idiotic media games, gave birth to one of Mrs Watson’s more memorable nicknames and was at one stage rumored to be sleeping with half the housewives in Geelong West. Good times. But if his heart is longer 100% in it there will be more lost than gained by him staying around.
The Cats are at the most interesting of crossroads. Their record against top four teams this season was woeful. Against lesser opposition they were still able to turn it on for a quarter or two and put games away, but the kamikaze handball, play-on at all costs game-plan that produced 2 flags is no longer holding up against the best. Lips Thompson has only one more year to run on his contract, the country’s best player is on the verge of leaving and an extremely important trade and draft period are almost upon us. And now the coach is saying maybe he doesn’t want the job?
There’s no time for the club to wait and see any more. Change will come with or without their plans and they may not have a better opportunity to add a few new faces, lose a few old ones, implement some wrinkles into the game plan and find a new voice to yell at Andrew Mackie.
Some hard decisions need to be made and this is the time to make them. ‘Lips’ won’t be around to do it. Gary Junior either. But don’t worry, not everyone’s leaving. The Cats haven’t quite burnt me out just yet.
posted by the captain at 12:10 pm
5 Comments:
It's good that you are sticking around Captain, I had a feeling, when the other day I heard Brad Johnson saying his fork was way bigger than yours, that you had at least another season in you. And for the record, fuck Brad Johnson, he is 50% better than most of the Bulldog gimps that won brownlows, but he never got one.
I will take no satisfaction in watching us and the other 15 clubs clobber GC17 next year. I'll still enjoy seeing the little champ play out of his skin. In 25 years time I won't be so happy about the Gold Coast when they Father/Son his offspring
Interesting that the price of no more premierships and no place in the Hall of Fame has been set at $9.5m over 5 years.
Not a bad deal really.
For the record I think that Lips will walk away from the game entirely, I'm fairly sure he has had a gutfull of the circus that is Kommandant Demetriou's AFL Inc. and the scribes that infest our great game Aussie Rules like fleas on a Poodle.
A sad day perhaps, but Geelong supporters should know more than most, that the sweetest success is born of hardship.
Again I ask is Travis Varcoe elite midfield material?
I look forward to your analysis Captain, just like in the golden BLLL era of 2006-2007.
Go Cats.
...fustercluck...
Fuck you, Ablett.
Fuck you, Ablett x 2!!!
And fake me, send me an SMS, lost the mobes numbers.
With all this shit going on it's great timing for some positive publicity for the club with the announcement of your commitment to BLLL.
SO Lips is gone, Hinkley, Scott, Sanderson or Neeld?
I guess a lot depends on whether we have another crack at a premiership or 'freshen up' the list. I say freshen up because there will be no 'rebuilding phase' - the foundations are already there. We could be back in strong premiership contention without even dropping out of the eight. When I think about it that way, maybe it was for the best the Gary left (note 'maybe').
If we are having another crack, give Sanderson or Hinkley the reigns.
If freshening up the list, Neeld or Scott.
Generally I'm a bit of a believer in bringing in someone who has worked in another system and comes in with a fresh approach and fresh ideas. If Sanderson or Hinkley coached the Cats, would it be the same exercise as the last few years? Would the players respond well or do they need some new thinking?
I think all would be worthy coaches but I'm leaning towards Neeld or Scott.
-Tee from Vancouver
Pies are asshatting the Saints and looking like the Cats circa 2007, we are 30 minutes from seeing Nick cry for the second year in a row, Ross Lyon getting found out for the genius he is not, Kosi useless, Zac Dawson redifining the word "Chump" and Milne virtually statless (enjoy your date in court, Rapist)
Dare I say it "good times".
Look for Didak's gigantic head-wobble at the end of proceedings. Darren Jolly for the Norm Smith Medal for mine.
...fustercluck...
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