Back from the AFL Wilderness, aka China
July 24th 2008 02:53
Regular readers of this blog will notice that it has been quite a while since I posted anything, and yes, there is a very good reason for that. You see, I've actually been in China for the last few weeks.
Now China is an incredible place to visit - I mean, that place is absolutely pumping in the lead up to the Olympics - but let's just say that AFL is not exactly a priority for the national newspapers and television networks over there. It's just about the only thing you can't get in China.
As it turned out, I apparently missed some of Essendon's best football for the season while I was in China. In fact, you can actually calculate the dates of my trip based only on the Bombers' win/loss record.
I left on the back of Essendon's disappointing 51-point loss to Hawthorn in round 11. The slight glimmer of hope from the narrow 5-point loss to Adelaide the previous week had been crushed out of existence just in time for me to leave. Incredibly, it was their eighth consecutive loss and the Bombers were in sorry shape, languishing in disgrace toward the bottom of the ladder.
When I arrived in China it was just about time for the Bombers to take on the West Coast Eagles at Telstra Dome. Fortunately, the game was honestly the last thing on my mind, because I certainly had no way of watching it or even finding out the score from my remote location. Which was ironic, because as it turned out, Essendon won its first game in nine long weeks, defeating the Eagles by 22 points. But that was only the start.
The next week, I have now discovered, the Bombers defeated traditional rival Carlton by 35 points in front of a lively MCG crowd. Like most Essendon supporters, there's nothing I like more than watching the Bombers defeat the Blues at the MCG. Of course, I wasn't there to see it.
Then it was Fremantle over at Subiaco. Not the happiest hunting ground for the Bombers in recent years. But, you guessed it, I was over in China, and as I read when I arrived back in Australia, Essendon had a thrilling 4-point victory over the Dockers in the West.
Finally we come to the last match Essendon played while I was in China - Essendon v Brisbane Lions at Telstra Dome. The result? Another solid Essendon victory 155-118, making it 4 in a row since I had left.
Which brings us to Saturday's match against Richmond, the first match that I was genuinely able to watch back in Australia. And wasn't it magnificent. Truly magnificent. Great stuff. A real thriller. Oh, yeah, but we lost.
And by now I'm thinking I'm definitely on to something. I have single handedly discovered the key to Essendon's success or failure in the Australian Football League. It's not the players. It's not the coaches. It's not the opposition. It's not even senior management. It's me!
Maybe I should go to China more often...
Now China is an incredible place to visit - I mean, that place is absolutely pumping in the lead up to the Olympics - but let's just say that AFL is not exactly a priority for the national newspapers and television networks over there. It's just about the only thing you can't get in China.
As it turned out, I apparently missed some of Essendon's best football for the season while I was in China. In fact, you can actually calculate the dates of my trip based only on the Bombers' win/loss record.
I left on the back of Essendon's disappointing 51-point loss to Hawthorn in round 11. The slight glimmer of hope from the narrow 5-point loss to Adelaide the previous week had been crushed out of existence just in time for me to leave. Incredibly, it was their eighth consecutive loss and the Bombers were in sorry shape, languishing in disgrace toward the bottom of the ladder.
When I arrived in China it was just about time for the Bombers to take on the West Coast Eagles at Telstra Dome. Fortunately, the game was honestly the last thing on my mind, because I certainly had no way of watching it or even finding out the score from my remote location. Which was ironic, because as it turned out, Essendon won its first game in nine long weeks, defeating the Eagles by 22 points. But that was only the start.
The next week, I have now discovered, the Bombers defeated traditional rival Carlton by 35 points in front of a lively MCG crowd. Like most Essendon supporters, there's nothing I like more than watching the Bombers defeat the Blues at the MCG. Of course, I wasn't there to see it.
Then it was Fremantle over at Subiaco. Not the happiest hunting ground for the Bombers in recent years. But, you guessed it, I was over in China, and as I read when I arrived back in Australia, Essendon had a thrilling 4-point victory over the Dockers in the West.
Finally we come to the last match Essendon played while I was in China - Essendon v Brisbane Lions at Telstra Dome. The result? Another solid Essendon victory 155-118, making it 4 in a row since I had left.
Which brings us to Saturday's match against Richmond, the first match that I was genuinely able to watch back in Australia. And wasn't it magnificent. Truly magnificent. Great stuff. A real thriller. Oh, yeah, but we lost.
And by now I'm thinking I'm definitely on to something. I have single handedly discovered the key to Essendon's success or failure in the Australian Football League. It's not the players. It's not the coaches. It's not the opposition. It's not even senior management. It's me!
Maybe I should go to China more often...
| 65 |
| Vote |
