The Enemy Approaches || OldDarkNavys.net - Unofficial Carlton Blues news and views

The Enemy Approaches

By Rick Latimer September 27 2002
I recall debating a year ago in various forums that Collingwood were still Carlton's number one arch rival despite years in the wilderness and the omni-present Essendon threatening to steal away our premiership record.

In my estimation it had taken the best part of two decades for the Bombers to be given credence as a team to be feared and a threat to Carlton's superiority. In 1985 they joined us with 14 flags, in 1987 we edged ahead. In 1993 they joined us with 15 flags, in 1995 we edged ahead. In 2000 they again joined us with 16 flags and the stale mate has existed ever since with the Bombers looking more likely to win again ahead of us. This has created a real sense of loathing as Essendon fans rejoiced in their lofty status in the AFL community. It was deemed that Collingwood with 1 flag in more than 40 years were a team of yesteryear and no longer worthy of being our greatest adversary.

Well in my estimation the Magpies have recaptured in just one season, what it took Essendon 20 years to accomplish..... our unbridled loathing. With one foul swoop, a grand final appearance to match our most devastating season in a century of blood, sweat and tears and the Magpie faithful have demanded we turn our attention back to them. Almost every Pies fans has rejoiced in the Blues downfall almost as much as they have celebrated their own achievement in 2002. Apparently we are to believe that our one bad season is imminently more telling than their 8 seasons in the finals free football wilderness. Conversely one good season from them has apparently returned them to superpower status while we languish as an AFL joke. Sure those sentiments have been echoed throughout the football world but from where I sit, they have a Pies fan sitting somewhere at the front delighting in the delicious irony of it all.

The problem is, how do you argue about the future? The future can only be surmised based on the present and our present is as bad as it could possibly be. You are only as good as your last game or at least your last season and we lose big time on all counts. Financially we find, we are also behind the eight ball. As a club, we seem to be getting mismanaged to the point of oblivion. What about rebuilding? For the first time in our lives, we have the chance to take advantage of draft picks that were truly earned and lo and behold, even that is under a cloud of uncertainty. It all adds up to the Blues requiring a great deal of luck to immediately reverse the disturbing truth staring us in the face.

You see there is no arguing with a Pies fan, they are as tribal as they come. Where I have noticed a trait in many Bomber fans of becoming a little quiet and accepting when their team is not a premiership candidate, the opposite is true of Collingwood fans. They have been at their annoying best when they have absolutely nothing to be happy about and nothing can beat the logic of a Magpie fan because there is absolutely no logic to speak of. I mean have you ever tried to argue with a 4 year old? Much the same! Statistics have no affect on these people because they believe in their club. Many of them have never seen success but the belief is still strong.

They also know that Carlton is the sworn enemy. They let their hatred fester where as Blues fans have their minds firmly planted on whoever is the biggest threat to their status at the time. To use an analogy, we are rowing along happily in our Navy Blue boat and keeping an eye on a Bomber storm cloud in the distance while all the while a great (black and) white Collingwood shark is circling down below. So while we are afraid of getting drenched by the Bombers, we are oblivious to getting eaten by the Pies.

Can you imagine a Collingwood supporter supporting Carlton in a grand final? Doesn’t seem likely does it? But by all accounts there are a few Blues willing to lend their support to the Victoria/Collingwood cause tomorrow. I ask you, who loathes who more? I have a Magpie supporting colleague at work and as far as Pies fans go, he is probably the nicest I have met. Doesn’t mean I will want to go to work on Monday should the Woods get up. It goes against the grain to see them succeed and I don’t think I can bear to see any of their fans happy. If they are happy, it means that somewhere, somehow, the Blues have failed and we are unhappy.

Another work colleague is a self proclaimed Blues fan though she has been fairly quiet this year. She also has given serious thought to buying a Lions membership so she can watch football every second week. Perfectly valid reasoning I would think. But, in the name of all things sacred why would this Queensland based, Lions watching, Blues supporting football fan decide to barrack for Collingwood tomorrow? There is no logical answer and this is where the Pies fans have it over us. Almost to a man they are passionate about their cause. It is part of their biological makeup. Maybe they all realise that in the old days, Carlton’s affluent effluent used to flow down through Collingwood streets? Maybe those old haves versus have nots stereotypes are so deeply ingrained, they will never lose sight of them?

Maybe our revered Carlton arrogance has blinded us to the threat? It is apparent that our success has caused some Navy Blue lethargy in some quarters and no doubt that Essendon and Collingwood fans are more focussed on us than we are on them. We revel in that, let them have their jealously we cry, we’ll just keep rubbing their noses in it.

You think you have seen some insufferable Bomber arrogance that was a tad to hard to swallow in recent years? I am here to tell you that if the Magpie multitudes have their over inflated egos fed any more ….. well, you ain’t seen nothing yet! I think it is high time that we show them what Carlton spirit is. I think it is about time the resurgent enemy experiences fear and loathing as they never have before.

Blues fans unite, we have a fight on our hands!