Remember, It is Just a Game...

[DanielTurbo888]

I used to let performances like these ruin me. Ruin my day, my health (mental and physical), my mood, and even relationships to some extent.

I gave up the cigs (again) recently. I almost let this stupid pathetic performance trick me into going down and buying a pack of tobacco.

But then I remembered. It is just a game, entertainment, a hobby, a thing to do (watch).

Most of these guys, the higher payed ones in particular eg. DCE, Tom, Brooks etc, you would be surprised just how easy they will sleep tonight on their pillows filled with $100 notes. It is just a game for them also. Except they even get rewarded in times like these.

It is the loyal fans who suffer. But we don't have to. We can just switch off too like they do, and move on and focus on what really counts.

I will probably watch us play Parra on CH9 in 3 weeks, but no way I will be paying for a subscription in a hurry to watch this pack of pretenders.

I feel sorry mostly for the young boys and girls who live and breathe Manly. Their 'Hero's' have let them down Big Time. No Hero goes down like that.

 

[LeonardCohen]

It’s just a game but then you go on to mention our suffering and that the team is not worth a nickel?

 

[DanielTurbo888]

It’s just a game but then you go on to mention our suffering and that the team is not worth a nickel?

But that is where I leave it. I have already moved on. I will let you guys do the bitchin'

 

[Super Manly Bros]

Invest in chivalry 2 (PC or Playstation game) and go swing an axe into someones skull

 

[Ranga]

I agree with the sentiment, but I do not think the likes of DCE and Brooks necessarily sleep well after a game like today’s. They are competitive and have to deal with substantial scrutiny for their performances. It’s not an easy job…

I have some really sh&t days at work, where my performance is no where near what I’d like it to be. I’m almost 20 years into my career and still trying to work some things out. I really care and get frustrated with myself and others.

You know what my “strength” is, according to others? Apparently, I am calm under pressure! If only they could listen to my internal monologue…

So it’s important not to make assumption about people’s “care factor”.

 

[KNUCKLES]

I always think about the scene from a bronx tale where there's talk about the yankees, and the moral of the conversation is don't be silly enough to support and care about these sport stars and teams. When at the end of the day, deep down they don't care about the supporters. I only seen it for the first time recently and it definitely makes you think

 

[LeonardCohen]

But that is where I leave it. I have already moved on. I will let you guys do the bitchin'

No bitchin, was just trying to understand the conflicting sentiments of ‘it’s just a game’ but ‘I’m switching off and not paying to watch these pretenders’

 

[Ranga]

I always think about the scene from a bronx tale where there's talk about the yankees, and the moral of the conversation is don't be silly enough to support and care about these sport stars and teams. When at the end of the day, deep down they don't care about the supporters. I only seen it for the first time recently and it definitely makes you think

I think many players do care about the supporters. Just not as much as what many fans want or expect them to.

 

[KNUCKLES]

I think many players do care about the supporters. Just not as much as what many fans want or expect them to.

So what happens when the fans stop caring about the players or clubs as much as they want us to????

 

[bob dylan]

I will probably watch us play Parra on CH9 in 3 weeks, but no way I will be paying for a subscription in a hurry to watch this pack of pretenders.

Another fair weather fan?

I hope not.

 

[Eagle 1]

I used to let performances like these ruin me. Ruin my day, my health (mental and physical), my mood, and even relationships to some extent.

I gave up the cigs (again) recently. I almost let this stupid pathetic performance trick me into going down and buying a pack of tobacco.

But then I remembered. It is just a game, entertainment, a hobby, a thing to do (watch).

Most of these guys, the higher payed ones in particular eg. DCE, Tom, Brooks etc, you would be surprised just how easy they will sleep tonight on their pillows filled with $100 notes. It is just a game for them also. Except they even get rewarded in times like these.

It is the loyal fans who suffer. But we don't have to. We can just switch off too like they do, and move on and focus on what really counts.

I will probably watch us play Parra on CH9 in 3 weeks, but no way I will be paying for a subscription in a hurry to watch this pack of pretenders.

I feel sorry mostly for the young boys and girls who live and breathe Manly. Their 'Hero's' have let them down Big Time. No Hero goes down like that.

Well said, i usually don't get emotionally invested in the team until after Origin. Mainly because I've seen a lot of Manly games just like today.

 

[Ranga]

So what happens when the fans stop caring about the players or clubs as much as they want us to????

Interesting question and I’m not sure I know how to answer it. I guess it’s always a risk in the day and age of professional sport but the focus is now on entertainment. If it’s entertaining, people will still part with their hard earned. And if you love sport, you naturally follow a team.

I look at the NBA and wonder how it can be so successful. Private ownership, players traded on a whim, and yet it gets bigger and bigger from a fan engagement perspective. Perhaps America is simply a different beast, but maybe player commitment to the fans just doesn’t matter as much as we think??

 

[KNUCKLES]

Interesting question and I’m not sure I know how to answer it. I guess it’s always a risk in the day and age of professional sport but the focus is now on entertainment. If it’s entertaining, people will still part with their hard earned. And if you love sport, you naturally follow a team.

I look at the NBA and wonder how it can be so successful. Private ownership, players traded on a whim, and yet it gets bigger and bigger from a fan engagement perspective. Perhaps America is simply a different beast, but maybe player commitment to the fans just doesn’t matter as much as we think??

It's definitely a bit of conundrum. Maybe the commitment to the fans doesn't matter as much as we think. But that's the point I'm getting at.. but I'll bet my bottom dollar without the fans commitment there isn't an entertainment. The Americans on the other hand yes are on a whole other level, and without going to much down the rabbit hole, let's just say their education system has been failing them for years. At the end of the day, the NRL is a workplace just like every else for the most of us, and if most of us were to look inside ourselves would we care what other people thought about our imput or output at work?? I'd say no

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Well said, i usually don't get emotionally invested in the team until after Origin. Mainly because I've seen a lot of Manly games just like today.

Many times over the decades it has seemed like Manly’s form lasts as long as their suntans.

Luckily we had blokes like Terry Randall and Ian Martin, who had year round tans.

 

[Ranga]

It's definitely a bit of conundrum. Maybe the commitment to the fans doesn't matter as much as we think. But that's the point I'm getting at.. but I'll bet my bottom dollar without the fans commitment there isn't an entertainment. The Americans on the other hand yes are on a whole other level, and without going to much down the rabbit hole, let's just say their education system has been failing them for years. At the end of the day, the NRL is a workplace just like every else for the most of us, and if most of us were to look inside ourselves would we care what other people thought about our imput or output at work?? I'd say no

Perhaps the answer is staring us in the face: has the importance of fan commitment has been replaced by gambling revenue? Tribalism adds the specactle, the entertainment, but in a sport where the bottom line matters most, gambling trumps all.

 

[KNUCKLES]

And we all know what comes with gambling...