Why tradition is not a dirty word
3:58:25 PM Wed 16 June, 2004
Tony Greenberg
richmondfc.com.au
It amazes me that there are people in the football world (members of the Tiger faith and those who aren’t of the persuasion) who believe Richmond’s proud history and tradition has somehow weighed the Club down over the past couple of decades and contributed to our lack of success.
The theory is that Richmond is stuck in the past and there’s too much pressure on the current players to live up to the mighty deeds of the ‘Tigers of Old’.
Nonsense!
As the old saying goes: If you don’t know where you’ve come from, how the hell can you know where you’re going . . . Rather than being perceived as a negative, the Tigers’ past should be seen as a major positive for the Club and everyone who supports us.
The most famous and successful sporting clubs in the world – the New York Yankees, Manchester United, Arsenal, Celtic United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, etc. – are built on a foundation of strong tradition. Those clubs embrace their history and use it as the base of their winning culture.
In many ways, Richmond’s rich history has sustained the Club through the lean times of the past 20-odd years. It gives hope to those Tiger supporters who have lived through a dominant Yellow and Black era, that we are capable of being the competition’s pacesetters, as we have done so previously. I’d say it’s also why, when Richmond is battling down the bottom of the league ladder, that we are the focus of such media attention.
Although the Tigers have seriously under-achieved since the early 1980s, our legion of fans have steadfastly refused to wallow in mediocrity. They know that historically Richmond is a great football club – and will be again in the future. This is why they turn up the heat when performances aren’t up to scratch. The media subsequently feed off this Tiger fan frenzy because of its newsworthiness. End result is enormous coverage of virtually any Richmond-related story that could be construed as a crisis, turmoil, ‘Tigers eating their own’, etc. etc.
Other league clubs who haven’t enjoyed the ultimate success that Richmond has so frequently throughout its 96-year league football history, do not cop anywhere near the same amount of media scrutiny as the Tigers. Admittedly, such attention is frustrating, annoying, even bordering on the ridiculous at times, but let’s not lose sight of the reasons behind this, as stated above . . .
The Richmond Football Club will continue to endure because of the passion of its loyal army of supporters, and because it has such wonderful tradition to turn to for inspiration.
When I was a kid just setting out on my ‘Magical Yellow and Black Mystery Tour’ (in 1965), I devoured every single word the great Jack Dyer wrote in his autobiography ‘Captain Blood’. I loved reading about Jack’s on-field exploits, as well as those of other famous Tigers such as Max Oppy, *smile* Harris, ‘Skinny’ Titus, ‘Mopsy’ Fraser, Georgie Smeaton, Joe Murdoch, the Strang brothers, Maurie Sheahan, Jack Baggott, Alan Geddes, Bill Morris and Basil McCormack. That was my initiation into the ‘Tiger Tribe’, if you like and, even at the tender age of seven, it made me appreciate what was so special about the Richmond Football Club.
Over the next 15 years, I indeed was blessed to witness first-hand the bravery, boldness and brilliance of the likes of Hart, Bartlett, Bourke, Barrot, Clay, Sheedy, Green, Stewart, Balme, Weightman, Wood, Roach, Rowlings, Cloke, and so on and so on . . . I thank my lucky stars that I was there on that last Saturday in September 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1980, to see us take out football’s ultimate prize. Guess that’s made it a little easier to suffer the pain of the past couple of decades, although, there’s also a school of thought which suggests having experienced such highs has actually made it more difficult to cope with the lows.
Sadly, there is a whole generation of Richmond fans out there who have basically never known anything other than a struggling Tiger side in their lifetime. I urge them, however, to add a decent dose of pride to their current mix of anger, frustration and despair.
Be proud to be a member of the Yellow and Black faith because as sure as night follows day, the wheel will turn – and you will experience that nirvana-like feeling like so many did in 1967 when the Tigers broke a 24-year premiership drought.
All of us with Yellow and Black blood coursing through our veins will regain our bragging rights, and the Tiger again will be the most feared foe in the AFL jungle.
Eat ‘em Alive!!!
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=opinion&spg=display&articleid=155173
3:58:25 PM Wed 16 June, 2004
Tony Greenberg
richmondfc.com.au
It amazes me that there are people in the football world (members of the Tiger faith and those who aren’t of the persuasion) who believe Richmond’s proud history and tradition has somehow weighed the Club down over the past couple of decades and contributed to our lack of success.
The theory is that Richmond is stuck in the past and there’s too much pressure on the current players to live up to the mighty deeds of the ‘Tigers of Old’.
Nonsense!
As the old saying goes: If you don’t know where you’ve come from, how the hell can you know where you’re going . . . Rather than being perceived as a negative, the Tigers’ past should be seen as a major positive for the Club and everyone who supports us.
The most famous and successful sporting clubs in the world – the New York Yankees, Manchester United, Arsenal, Celtic United, Real Madrid, AC Milan, etc. – are built on a foundation of strong tradition. Those clubs embrace their history and use it as the base of their winning culture.
In many ways, Richmond’s rich history has sustained the Club through the lean times of the past 20-odd years. It gives hope to those Tiger supporters who have lived through a dominant Yellow and Black era, that we are capable of being the competition’s pacesetters, as we have done so previously. I’d say it’s also why, when Richmond is battling down the bottom of the league ladder, that we are the focus of such media attention.
Although the Tigers have seriously under-achieved since the early 1980s, our legion of fans have steadfastly refused to wallow in mediocrity. They know that historically Richmond is a great football club – and will be again in the future. This is why they turn up the heat when performances aren’t up to scratch. The media subsequently feed off this Tiger fan frenzy because of its newsworthiness. End result is enormous coverage of virtually any Richmond-related story that could be construed as a crisis, turmoil, ‘Tigers eating their own’, etc. etc.
Other league clubs who haven’t enjoyed the ultimate success that Richmond has so frequently throughout its 96-year league football history, do not cop anywhere near the same amount of media scrutiny as the Tigers. Admittedly, such attention is frustrating, annoying, even bordering on the ridiculous at times, but let’s not lose sight of the reasons behind this, as stated above . . .
The Richmond Football Club will continue to endure because of the passion of its loyal army of supporters, and because it has such wonderful tradition to turn to for inspiration.
When I was a kid just setting out on my ‘Magical Yellow and Black Mystery Tour’ (in 1965), I devoured every single word the great Jack Dyer wrote in his autobiography ‘Captain Blood’. I loved reading about Jack’s on-field exploits, as well as those of other famous Tigers such as Max Oppy, *smile* Harris, ‘Skinny’ Titus, ‘Mopsy’ Fraser, Georgie Smeaton, Joe Murdoch, the Strang brothers, Maurie Sheahan, Jack Baggott, Alan Geddes, Bill Morris and Basil McCormack. That was my initiation into the ‘Tiger Tribe’, if you like and, even at the tender age of seven, it made me appreciate what was so special about the Richmond Football Club.
Over the next 15 years, I indeed was blessed to witness first-hand the bravery, boldness and brilliance of the likes of Hart, Bartlett, Bourke, Barrot, Clay, Sheedy, Green, Stewart, Balme, Weightman, Wood, Roach, Rowlings, Cloke, and so on and so on . . . I thank my lucky stars that I was there on that last Saturday in September 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1980, to see us take out football’s ultimate prize. Guess that’s made it a little easier to suffer the pain of the past couple of decades, although, there’s also a school of thought which suggests having experienced such highs has actually made it more difficult to cope with the lows.
Sadly, there is a whole generation of Richmond fans out there who have basically never known anything other than a struggling Tiger side in their lifetime. I urge them, however, to add a decent dose of pride to their current mix of anger, frustration and despair.
Be proud to be a member of the Yellow and Black faith because as sure as night follows day, the wheel will turn – and you will experience that nirvana-like feeling like so many did in 1967 when the Tigers broke a 24-year premiership drought.
All of us with Yellow and Black blood coursing through our veins will regain our bragging rights, and the Tiger again will be the most feared foe in the AFL jungle.
Eat ‘em Alive!!!
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=opinion&spg=display&articleid=155173
