Eddie McGuire has done it again. He’s picked another fight. It is bad timing. There is nothing like a McGuire stoush and a Collingwood loss that brings out the howlers. It doesn’t matter who the Magpies lose to or who Eddie is fighting with.
At the weekend, a 64-point thumping by Essendon and McGuire’s stoush with John Longmire lit up the howlers.
Clearly, Collingwood polarises society. There is no grey area; they’re either hated or loved. Anyone who follows football who doesn’t follow Collingwood hates them. People denigrate Collingwood supporters more than any other club. People who don’t follow AFL hate Collingwood.
Inane jokes are told about the intelligence of Magpie fans. Emails are splashed around the country featuring overweight women as pin-up girls for Collingwood.
For a club with two premierships in 56 years, the abuse is unfounded. If you don’t follow Collingwood and you hate them, ask yourself why. What has the club done to you? A level of hatred is understandable for Essendon and St Kilda fans, but few others could adequately explain where the rabid dislike abounds from.
Collingwood has hardly done anything to upset anyone for decades. Since 1958, every time they’ve made the grand final, with the exception of 1990 and 2010, they’ve lost each time, ten of them; 1960, 64, 66, 70, 77, 79, 80, 81, 2002, 2003 and 2011.
It is an appalling record.
In 1970, Collingwood led Carlton by 44-points at half time and lost. In 1977, they blew a 27-point lead over North Melbourne at three quarter time and eked out a draw. In 1979 they kicked the first five goals against the Blues and lost.
In 1981 they led by 21 points late in the third quarter and got overrun by Carlton. Ten minutes into the last quarter against Brisbane in 2002, they led by ten points and lost.
Collingwood has played in 44 grand finals, more than any other club. They’ve also lost 28, more than any other club. With 15 premierships, they have a rich history, something to look fondly upon if you’re 130 years old. For everyone else born beyond 1950, there’s been too much heartache.
Many AFL fans write off their revulsion with simplistic reasons, citing Collingwood’s army of disparate faithful. Magpie supporters are labelled as uneducated bogans, a lack of brains, teeth and parentage.
The notion is nonsensical. All clubs are supported by people fitting the same description.
People’s antipathy towards Collingwood could be based on tradition, of hearing a father, grandparent or brother complaining about the Magpies in seasons long ago. The scorn might be learned behaviour.
Anyone born beyond 1970, with the exception of Essendon and St Kilda fans, has no conceivable reason to hate. Similarly, people who are recent devotees of AFL have no reason to hate the Magpies.
Why not hate Hawthorn? They have won ten premierships since 1970. The Hawks have a lot of reasons to be hated by a host of clubs and their fans, yet no one is writing articles denigrating them or taking delight when they lose.
McGuire is just like Collingwood, people either love or hate him. I admire what he’s done for his club and the competition. He is the mouth of opposition, the man other clubs go to whenever an issue needs addressing.
He is a loud mouth according to everyone who doesn’t follow Collingwood. But he’s courageous and forthright. It doesn’t make me hate him. I just don’t watch his television shows.
I don’t hate Collingwood. I feel sorry for them. Tommy Hafey helped spur my sympathy. With the exception of games against North, my allegiance is always with the Magpies, no matter who they’re playing.
Given Collingwood’s history since 1960, I cannot understand the objection. Ask yourself a simple question, who would you rather play in a grand final?
I’d love to beat a lot of clubs on grand final day, but I’d like to play Collingwood. They are more likely to lose a premiership than any other club.
For a club this prone to losing grand finals, we should be hoping Collingwood keeps winning, because they are the only club with a cursed grand final moniker, the Colliwobbles…
The Colliwobbles has to give opposition fans confidence.
In an era where there is more to hate, like the cost of living allowance, Essendon’s drugs issue and the fortune afforded to the expansion clubs, surely it must be passé to hate Collingwood now.
So why, in the absence of sustained success, do people hate Collingwood???
Coz they’re cunts
GO THE MIGHTY PIES , 2018 the flag is ours
