It was really great to finally see Melbourne and Richmond finally get some points this weekend.
Unfortunately for Melbourne they were playing against my team of the week Adelaide on Saturday so i have been forced to obliterate it from my memory. But i came home and caught the last quarter of Richmond’s thrilling game with Brisbane on TV on Saturday night. I have to confess that i was cheering Richmond on, screaming at the TV and hooting and hollering like it was no one’s business and trying desperately to get Richmond across the line. The game ended with a very empty feeling – a 73 all draw, but i suspect that Richmond would have taken that over, say, the 172 point flogging i witnessed a month or so ago.
While not fully committeed, I was enthusiastic enough to initiate a little text message banter with Terry (who took me to see Richmond) late in the fourth quarter:
Me (before the siren): Go Richmond!
Terry (after the siren as the shock wore off): We’ll get there yet. Was very quiet after the game, as no one knew whether the sing the song or not. Have we won you over yet?
Me: Haven’t won me over yet but i was cheering!
Terry: U didn’t cheer hard enough!
And therein lies the one issue that could be holding me back vis-a-vis Richmond: Why is it my bloody fault?
Now Terry and Faye are very lovely, and i am definately happy to share their pain. However i am a bit reluctant to take too much responsibility for it. Richmond were going pretty bloody average before i took any interest in them and i would like to think that i am somewhere well behind Terry Wallace, the club management, whoever’s been making their draft picks, their groundsman, the guy who cuts the oranges, whoever does the laundry, whoever books the bands at The Corner Hotel and Dennis Cometti on the people you might randomly blame for Richmond’s woes list.
I didn’t cheer enough? I am not even a fan yet! Was watching on TV! I am not sure that i can take this responsibility on for THE REST OF MY LIFE. It already feels like a heavy burden to carry.
Having said that. After nine weeks i still haven’t witnessed a big come from behind win and it feels a lot like the tragic losses have stuck in the memory a little more than the good wins or the average losses. The sheer “what should have been” nature of the Roos loss to Collingwood in Round 1 and the magnitude of Richmond’s record smashing loss to Geelong (where the Richmond team got accidentally substituted for the under 10 Auskick kids from half time) that i witnessed have both left me with a strong feeling of really wanting those teams to win as i have followed them from afar throughout the year.
Read into that what you will.
