CSM: Chapter 3.
3. Some ruminations. I was still too young to truly appreciate where Collingwood stood in the grand scheme of things – that they were coming off another grand final loss, and what that meant, or that it was their second loss in three years (or third failure to win a grand final in three years, if you include the 1977 draw). I knew these defeats existed, but was just a stupid kid too young to understand their significance. There’s something to be said about innocence. And stupidity. If I was older, I would’ve understood that the 1970s marked a decade of the grandest failures. The 1970 grand final wasn’t just…
CSM: Chapter 2.
2. A collection of memories. When you’re growing up, there’s three stages of awareness in regards to football. Stage 1: you know football exists, and generally there’s an inclination toward one team or another, (although at this stage, allegiances are still malleable, unless you’re born into a family who program you early). Stage 2: having that casual interest in whether your team’s won or lost, and if they’ve won, even asking by how much. At this point, there’s a knowledge of a few players and an inkling of your favourite, (although your favourite might, in reality, be a spud, but he’s become your favourite because he’s signed your footy or…