Prior Opportunity and Incorrect Disposal

One thing I LOVE seeing on the footy field is a beautifully laid tackle.  Unfortunately, 90% of the time there's no way in hell that tackle will be properly rewarded.  It's very annoying, and makes it harder to introduce people to the game when the rules are applied inconsistently.

In the game of Australian Rules Football, there are only two ways to dispose of the ball legally.  That is a) holding the ball in your hand and striking it with your fist a.k.a handballing or b) kicking it.  You are also allowed to punch the ball away from you if it's in the vicinity.  Disposing of the ball by any other means should incur a free kick.  However, this is almost NEVER the case.  Players are constantly dropping the ball in tackles in order to avoid getting pinged.  As far as I am concerned, a drop is as good as a throw - blow that whistle umpy!

The OTHER issue is a little thing known as "Prior Opportunity".  It refers to how long the player had between receiving the ball and the tackle being completed.  If a player takes a mark, ops to play on and is then tackled, that should be a free kick to the tackler, as the tacklee had the opportunity to dispose of the ball in a legal fashion and didn't take it.  If a player is given a 360 spin in a tackle with both hands free, then he deserves to be pinged - he should have handballed it off while he was swinging around. 

Finally, it seems to location of the tackle has a bearing on whether it gets paid or not.  It doesn't.  The rules are the same in the centre square as they are in the goalsquare.  There should be no bullcrap about "the flow of the game".  There is simply a black and white rule that clearly states what the infringements are, and if an umpire sees an infringement upon the rules, then he blows his whistle and a free kick is awarded.  It's time to reward players who do the right thing, and punish the players who break the rules, whether intentionalyl or through their own stupidity - they're professionals, and should know the rules by now.

Top 5 Brisbane Lions Moments

What a NIGHT.  Just got back from the Brisbane Lions Hall of Fame ceremony, an unbelieveable night where THE greatest players our combined teams have ever seen have been honoured accordingly (Mr. J. Patfull still not believing me when I informed him he was one of them and would one day be honoured himself.  I'd hate to see his tipping every week).

The most amazing part was saved for last when the truest Brisbane Lion of them all, the great Michael Voss was elevated to Legend status.  They called him a "Leader of Men", which in my honest opinion is a gross understatement - Michael Voss was and always will be a Leader of Lions, and even though he said he'd eventually end up at another Club, I honestly believe it will never happen because if it does then it means that the Lions have lost their greatest icon and leader.  If anything, I hope he makes it to the Board.

Anyway, off the back of the amazing high that was the Hall of Fame ceremony, I'm going to come right out and list my Top 5 Favourite Brisbane Lions Moments.

5. Elimination Final vs. Carlton in 2009


The first time the Lions had made finals since '04, and Vossys first year as the Coach.  Just about everyone who was there that night (including myself) will easily list that in their Top 10 moments, it was an amazing effort, especially those last few goals by Daniels Rich and Bradshaw, and the most celebrated behind in Lions history from Travis Johnstone (Yes, I'm leaving that sentence as is, you perverts).

4. Round 21 vs port 2009

Because fuck you port.  Best part was the port supporter in our section.  In the beginning of the game he was up and about swinging his scarf around certain of a win.  After the game he was all arms folded and stony faced.

3. The Miracle On Grass 2013

Oh. My. Fucking. God.  From being 52 points down and my hero kicking the goal that started the landslide, to the last charge that led to Ash McGrath kicking the goal of his career to seal the game, to Joel finding me after the game to give me the signed footy, it was beyond anything anyone could have ever imagined.  Anything's possible after this!

2. Joel's Hard-Running Goal, Round 20 vs. the Dogs 2008

The epitome of why Joel Patfull is my hero and favourite player.  Constant hard work that is nearly never seen by most people.  He deserved this goal, amongst many others.

1. THAT goal in the 2003 Grand Final

If you want a 10-second summary of the 2003 Grand Final, this is it.  Everything going right for the Lions, and everything turning to shit for the wobbles.  Cop that shaw you flog!

Remember when I wrote about Words?

I remember writing, and I quote:

Think about your words before you use them.  They are your main way of representing yourself, and if you use those words to hate or mislead, don't be surprised when people then turn around and have a negative opinion of you.

I was thinking about that blog when I heard about a young giants player by the name of Toby Greene, who stuffed up by going against team protocols leading to an assault charge and is now looking at appealing his punishment. It made me think of what I believe to be the most common lie told in the world.

"I'm sorry."

Saying you're sorry implies that you feel remorse over your actions and that you are prepared to work towards restoring the damage. By appealing his suspension, it makes whatever apologies Toby has made to his team mates sound very hollow indeed.

One thing that disturbs me though is that Greene will be backed by the AFLPA.  I hate the AFLPA with a passion, because every time the AFLPA gets involved in something it makes players look like even bigger brats than they do currently - not really a hard task mind.  Let's be fair, being paid millions of dollars to chase a piece of dehydrated cow around a paddock seems a bit unfair given those who willingly serve their country are paid considerably less and there are some who have lost their lives in the name of Australia.  I certainly feel pretty bitter towards the players sometimes, especially when I book a seat on a plane only to be forced out into an inferior seat because my team are on the same flight and they take priority over me.  I certainly feel bitter when I go to a Club function and the players, while lovely, don't make any secret of the fact that they're checking their phones and can't wait to get out of there.

Then again, I can't really complain given I give a fair chunk of money to these brats every year.  However, in exchange for me contributing to their rather wieghty pay packets, I do expect for them to behave like civilised human beings and not break any laws or bring their Cllub into disrepute.  Perhaps it's time the fans reminded these punks who foots their bills, and who can easily take that away if we don't like what we see.

So, let me get this straight...

If you accidently trip someone, it's more serious than deliberately trying to elbow someone in the head.  I'm gobsmacked.

The full AFL MRP report can be found here. What I'm worried about is:

Contact between Essendon’s Paul Chapman and the Brisbane Lions’ Jack Redden from the second quarter of Saturday’s match was assessed. The force used in the contact was below that required to constitute a reportable offence, with a free kick paid at the time for the high contact. No further action was taken.

 So, the MRP was happy to put Viney through the ringer for this:


Where it's plainly obvious that Viney's going for the ball, but is completely OK with this:

Where Chapman is clearly playing the man and not the ball.

I reckon Chapman (who I hate with a passion equal to my loathing of port adelaide) has gotten off purely on the back of the Viney incident (not to mention Redden doesn't play for a Victorian team so he doesn't matter). Personally I reckon both players should have copped at least a week for their efforts.  The only consolation is that Chapman is going a week anyway because of his dog hit on Zorko.  As I said in my earlier blog, these players need to be protected.  They're human beings too remember, not just cattle for us to enjoy getting slaughtered.  How hard is it to bump someone cleanly between their shoulder and their knees?  The MRP and the Tribunal are nothing more than a Court of Public Opinion, hang the rules!

In other news, after a horrible night that I'd rather not talk about, this afternoon I got into the garden to see how my plants are doing.  I won't be getting a bumper crop of snow peas and tomatoes this season, but at least most of my plants have survived and started flowering.  The rookie mistakes I've made include being a little neglectful and overplanting, but I'll know better for next season.

Overreaction much?

If you believe social media (hardly a reliable source) or even the regular media (even less reliable) then the bad news is that Aussie Rules is dead as a sport.

Wow.  Really?  A game over 150 years old can be killed because one idiot from the demons gets suspended?

Yeah, no.

For those who are unaware, here is the incident for which Viney was suspended:



I'm flabbergasted with the overreaction to him getting suspended.  Players get suspended for stupid shit like this all the time and the bump has died so many times it might as well be a character from Dragon Ball Z.  Apparently it died last year too, and that didn't get nearly as much of a reaction as this has.

Is it because Melbourne-based Clubs and their supporters are so precious? If a Brisbane Lion, geelong cat, or sydney swan got suspended over a bump like that, the world certainly wouldn't be ending - if anything, they'd probably deserve it if you ask the Melbourne fans!

The fact is, we are only given one brain each (some people don't get any!) and we know so little about it.  What we do know is that damage to the brain can be long-lasting, hard to heal and have devastating effects on the life of the victim and those who care for them.  I fully agree with the AFL doing what they can to protect the interests of the players. Accidents happen in a contact sport, sometimes bad things happen, but if we can minimise that risk to our fellow human beings, then surely it's the right thing to do.

Poor management of satalite Clubs will kill the AFL long before the MRP and the Tribunal will.  Let's try to keep some perspective can we?

What a great day!

Got a lot of ground to cover today - what a blast!

First off, it's ANZAC Day.  Through all of the scandal that plagues our Defence Force in recent times, you can't ignore the fact that these people have put their hands up saying they're ready to die for this country.  They're willing to give up their futures, their hopes and dreams, family and friends, they're willing to stand in front of a gun and watch it disappear in the blink of an eye to protect Australia and her interests.  We all have a say in protecting this country, whether it's reporting something or someone suspcious, donating to institutions like Legacy or even signing up to the Military ourselves (I tried once and got told I was too immature...sigh).

Secondly:

ALL HAIL PATFULL!
Lions rise again!
Obiliterating everything that's not your friend!
Nothing can stop you now!
Riewoldt can't get you down!
When there's nothing left to lose,
YOU WILL WIN!

SUPERMAN FLIES AGAIN!!!!!!! We won!!!!!!!!!!  At first I thought it would be another bad game from my sponsored player, but boy did Joel Patfull stand up!  I knew he would!  Trust me, the player that Joel is, this form will stick and he will be the 3-time Club Champ. Absolute legend.  I loved the ANZAC Guernsey too, shame you can't buy them.  LIONS FOR PREMIERS 2014!!!!!!!!!!! :3

Thirdly, I tried something new today - I went to my first live NRL game at Suncorp Stadium.  The atmosphere was a cross between a T20 Cricket match and a footy game - and very loud.  I'd LOVE to get 44, 000 people to the Gabba (well...yeah, good point, there isn't enough room).  For some reason though Suncorp felt smaller than the Gabba, a bit more intimate.  It was good to see the Rabbitohs get up over the Broncos too, while I won't be watching NRL on TV (because it's so fucking boring) I will definitely be seeing the Rabbitohs the next time they're in Brisbane.

And Norf won.  WTF?

(Interestingly this is my 24th blog post.  Huzzah for the number 24!)

The Score Review System.

If the scums had lost today, especially by less than a goal, I reckon they would have had cause to despute the result.

The Score Review System that the AFL thought they were so smart bringing in is a complete and utter failure.  How many times has the umpire gone to the review, only for it to be sent back "Inconclusive - goal umpires decision".  WHAT WAS THE FREAKING POINT?! Especially, ESPECIALLY, as we saw in the demons/scums game, the umpire was WRONG, and it's plain with anyone who has half a brain cell.

It's almost as if they have some guy sitting up in his cushy little box thinking "Brill, free footy game!", when suddenly he gets summoned to do his job and it's like "Crap! Whatever, wait a minute and a half and then come back inconclusive, I can't be bothered making a decision."  It's not good enough.  There should NOT be an "inconclusive" option - the AFL should have taken the time and the effort to bring in a system that would be definitive and accurate.  If it meant more money for more cameras, then so be it.  If it meant trialling cameras in different positions around the goalposts and the ground, then so be it.  Bringing in this half-hearted bullcrap has only brought in more angst and speculation.

If you're going to do something, then do it properly.  Don't bring in something that only causes more problems.

In other news, my cat likes eating footy players.


Weird animal.

My favourite book(s)

I love reading.  My two favourite books of all time are "Little Women" and "Good Wives", which are both usually lumped together under the "Little Women" title and are by Lousia May Alcott.  Most girls LOVE these books -they're well-written, they're romantic, and they're good to snuggle down with.  But they are also filled with lessons, many of which still apply today (remember Meg going to the Moffats? Jo nearly losing Amy because of her temper? Lessons about being true to yourself and not letting your temper get the better of you are lessons that most people would do well to remember today).  However, the thing I notice about the people who love these books (particularly the younger girls) are two things which I think are important to address:

1. They worship Jo and often discount her sisters.
2. They think Laurie and Jo should have been together.

Let's look at the first point.  All four March sisters are incredible women, who each had to grow into themselves and into the people who were fit enough to live out their hopes and dreams. Meg had to learn not to be so precious and to work hard, Jo had to learn to come down from the clouds and realise that she has duties and responsibilities, Beth had to learn courage to overcome her shyness, and Amy had to learn humility.

Meg was the oldest, and could still remember a time when her father was rich.  As such, she still yearned for the trappings of rich society, such as silks, servants etc.  She soon learnt that hard work is it's own reward, and married John, a man who would never be rich but who would keep Meg comfortable.  All Meg had to do was learn to pull beside him.

Jo was wild, stubborn and untamed.  She didn't gel well with other people, and it cost her a trip of a lifetime to the "Old Country" in Europe.  She had to learn to carry herself with dignity and grace, how to keep her temper, and how to interact with people.  She learnt these lessons so well that she not only became a better author, but became a teacher in her own Bhaergarten.

Beth was so shy she wouldn't even go to the Laurences to play the beautiful grand piano that she so longed to play until promises were made that she would never see anyone in the house.  While never become a social creature, she soon worked up enough courage to make old Mr. Laurence a beautiful pair of slippers which not only won her a piano of her own, but a dear friend she had all her life.

Amy was spoilt rotten, and would have been a snob if not for having to learn humility the hard way.  One of my favourite scenes is where she gets shafted by the Chesters at the fair.  What does she do? Turn the other cheek, and wins the respect of many.  She even gets to go to Europe because she has learnt to refine her manners so that she can still be polished without being stuck-up.

Each of the sisters has something special to offer us, and had their own demons to overcome.  So while I can understand where the Jo worship comes from, I think that by focusing only on Jo you lose the good qualities of the other three.

The second point is the Jo/Laurie pairing.  I'm sorry, but anyone who thinks these two were a good match is either a complete nitwit or has never experienced a relationship where you were too similar.  My ex and I were both prone to flash tempers, and anger tends to feed off anger.  It's easy to be scathing and mean when the person you are arguing with is also angry.  Next time I think I'll try and find a man who is more mellowed out and less prone to being angry - much like Jo and Laurie did.  Laurie found Amy, who was far too well-bred and classy to lower herself into an argument, and Jo found the Professor, who was too wise for a temper.

Just two things I have noticed about the fandom of my favourite book.

I was also looking at the team selection for the Lions game against Port on Saturday, and I was thrilled to see Nick Robertson listed.  I can't wait to see "Robbo" make his debut, hopefully his hardness at the ball is something that will translate from the NEAFL into the AFL - we desperately need it! 

I was born on a Monday

This morning on the train to work I was listening to the AFL favourite "Hunters and Collectors", more specifically a song that embodies the hope and passion of our beloved sport.  The lyrics at the end made me feel like there was hope, and that these past three games were just an aberration.

                         I followed orders.
                         God knows where I'd be.
                         But I woke up alone,
                         All my wounds were clean.
                         I'm still here.
                         I'm still a fool for the Holy Grail.

We're all still here.  We're all still fools for the great Brisbane Lions, and they're still fools for Premiership Glory.  They won't give up so easily, and nor should we.

Of course, then the rest of Monday happened.

First off, the Undertakers Wrestlemania Streak was ended by Brock Lesner, who IMO is the LEAST deserving person to end it.  It should have been the new creepster Bray Wyatt who did it if it was going to be done at all, and then the Deadman could hand over the mantle.  But no.

Secondly was Dan Rich and his ACL.  Like I said yesterday - FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We really didn't need that, and neither did he.  But "Bam-Bam" is a tough little cookie, hopefully he'll come back bigger and better than ever.  Of course, we now have a gaping hole in the middle of our already woeful team, and things aren't looking very bright for the Lions.

And just to put the cherry on the cake, Mickey Rooney passed away.  RIP Mickey, you are and always will be an acting legend.

It wasn't all bad news, it looks like the Big Sauce Dan Merrett is only going to get two weeks for his stupidity on the weekend (personally I would have given him 3, but we all know how pissweak the MRP are) so we shouldn't be in that much pain for too long.  Still, I have no idea how our backline is going to function, given that thanks to our dopey midfield they're already under more pressure than the Titanic. But miracles do happen, so I'm not about to write my boys off just yet.

Plus although one of my snow pea plants was stunted, it still tasted pretty good!

Although I did listen to another song on the way home today by Tears for Fears...

                   There's a room where the light won't find you,

                   Holding hands while the walls come tumbling down....

A dying form of communication.

Unfortunately in this day and age where the focus is more on ourselves and getting things done quicker, we're losing touch with each other.  We're not communicating as we should, and quite frankly it's dangerous.  Important forms of communication are being lost, simple forms, and none of these more so than the simple indicator.

For those who are unaware of what an indicator is, it's the yellow flashing light on your car, and there's usually 3 on each side - one on the front, one on the side (or on the side mirror) and one on the back of each side of the car.  They are primarily used by drivers to signal intent - whether it's to turn a corner, pull over or merge into a lane.  It's a vital means of communicaton, and is capable of saving lives and keeping people safe.

Unfortunately this form of communication seems to be going out of style.  I'm seeing more and more cars that are obviously not built with indicators, as their drivers never use them.  It's a worrying trend and could very well be a dangerous one.  I can see a world where you're driving along and then suddenly someone just merges in front of you, giving you no time to act and causing an accident.  I beg car companies to install this critical device on all cars they manufacture, and I beg our driving instructors to make sure that people are trained to use these vital forms of communication.

TL:DR? USE YOUR FUCKING INDICATORS!

Ahem.

So, my team lost again.  All because we simply can't keep up the heat when it's required.  Hopefully we don't lose against the Suns, because my dignity couldn't take it.  Part of me is still a bit sore about last year, not just about the Voss sacking, but all the factors that combined to turn our Club into a warzone.  It was supposed to be an amazing year for me, going to all 22 Lions games in the season and finally living my dream and moving to Brisbane, but unfortunately the PTB had other ideas.  If it wasn't constantly hearing about Essendon, it was the fight between the Lions Members and the Lions Board.  If it wasn't that, then it was Vossy under the pump.  Speaking of which, I've been watching Vossy on Fox Footy and he looks 10x healthier than what he did as Coach.  The red in his hair is definitely starting to return (of course, he could be dying it *shifty eyes*) and he looks happier.  Good for you Vossy!

And on the subject of health - Started week 4 of the Coach to 5kms program and managed 4.3kms today.  Hopefully I can keep it up, I surprised myself by being able to go 5 minutes straight jogging.

http://www.c25k.com/ - for those interested in taking up running but don't know where to start.

Games

I don't know if you could classify me as a gamer.  Don't get me wrong, my childhood hero is Sonic the Hedgehog and I still love playing a bit of Alex Kidd and Fantasy Zone, but I don't think I'm really a gamer.  I don't go looking for the latest games and consoles at all, and most mainstream games I probably suck at.

I do get addicted though.  Right now it's "Sonic Dash" on my Galaxy Note.  It used to be "Pokémon Pinball: Ruby and Sapphire".  Before that it was "Plants vs. Zombies".  Before that was "Peggle".  Before that was "Sonic Chaos".  I just get hooked on a game and play it ad nausiem before moving on to the next one.  Mainly platformers and puzzles. I'm looking at "Airfix - Dogfighter" at the moment, so that could be my next addiction!

However, I have started a bit of an institution at work - first it was "Counter Strike", now it's "Unreal Tournament - 2004".  Of course, I don't "play" so much as I simply get my arse handed to me.  I'm still adapting to the controls, but I already have a favourite weapon - the Minigun.  Nothing beats a good rapid-fire, hold-down-the-mouse-key weapon that sprays bullets everywhere.  It's not as powerful as the Rocket Launcher, and needs a bit more precision, but once you let it rip it's bloody good.  Second favourite is the Link Gun, especially it's beam function that lets out a continuous stream of energy.  A bit more powerful than the Minigun, but not quite as satisfying.

Overall, gaming is fun, but I'd rather be outside going for a run or gardening.  Hopefully when the weather is milder I can get the team outside on the grass for a bit of cricket.  I think I might have a bit more of an advantage there!

In other news, port adelaide (deliberately not using capitals) won.  UGH! The only thing worse than a port win is a Lions loss - and hopefully we don't see one of those tomorrow.  I went to training this morning and felt for the players out there in the heat - if tomorrow is anything like today, then there will be some very sick boys coming off after the game from both teams.

After the game is going to be the Ressies, which I am VERY glad to see back at the Gabba.  Hopefully because it's after the Seniors and at the Gabba there will be a bigger crowd than usual.

GO LIONS!

Fears

Anyone who knows me (i.e. all of you) will know I love a good conspiracy - and I love coming up with them.

So, let me unfurl my latest beauty involving Carlton, Collingwood, Mick Malthouse, Eddie McGuire and a 100-year grudge.

You see, Carlton were going places under Brett Ratten, and Collingwood only had a limited premiership window (as do most teams, unless you're Geelong).  Naturally, Eddie couldn't stomach the thought of Carlton getting ahead of the Pies, so he set in motion a plan.  He created the plan where Miserable Mick would leave Collingwood, looking like a very attractive coaching option for Carlton, who would NEVER pass up the chance to get one on Collingwood.  So, now Carlton have gotten rid of a favourite son (I wondered where the Lions got the idea from) for a coach who probably won't do much for them, and Collingwood now have the chance to one-up them.  And he would have gotten away with it, if it hadn't been for that silly Nathan Buckley being a spud.  Actually...yeah, you're right, no Collingwood supporter is THAT smart.

Anyway.  Today I had to deal with one of my worst fears - stairs.  I hate stairs, I always feel like I'm going to fall, and it's 10x worse in bad weather like the constant rain we're having at the moment.  Anyway, I tripped up on some stairs and completely freaked out.  I'm not sure how other people on the Autistic Spectrum deal when they freak out, but I feel it with my whole body, sometimes for up to an hour afterwards, every nerve on edge and stinging, my heart hurting (I'm talking a dull chest ache) and breathing difficult.  It makes it hard to think, which means my well-practised social skills go haywire.  I used to call it the adrenaline ache, as it felt like an adrenaline hit in my knuckles.  Most times I can recover in an hour or so, but there are times when it compounds and turns into a dreaded panic attack or meltdown, which I really DON'T feel like describing right now.  Still, I very, VERY rarely have them nowadays, which I am exceedingly thankful for :3.

The only real cure for these attacks seems to be the most ridiculous thing in the world, but funnily enough it works - footy.  A good game of Aussie Rules Football, especially if my Lions are involved, is a great way to unwind and calm down.  Speaking of which, this Richmond/Carlton game is getting rather spiteful.  Never been a fan of spiteful games, with stupid frees and reports being handed out like lollies.  Give me a real tussle any day of the week where both opponents just want to win.

Essendon again.

The only thing I like about the Essendon Saga (AODgate?) is that it took a lot of the heat off the Brisbane Lions as we went through our own Pinksiergate scandal.  What should have been a simple investigation into an alledged incident of doping at the Bombers has turned into a multiple ring circus with plenty of guilty parties and victims (and some who are both!).  Personally, I think the biggest victims are the supporters who willingly and lovingly tip their hard-earned money into the Club.  They've had to deal with the friction between their Club and a favourite son, they've had to deal with the taunts, and they've had to deal with the uncertainty - has their beloved team been cheating?

As Members of our Clubs, I fully believe that we have the right to hold our Clubs to account.  Whether it's guernsey issues, Board issues, drug scandals, poor on-field performance, players behaving badly, we have a right to hold the people we pay to account if they fail the standards we have asked of them.  I know if I upset a customer at work, I am definitely held to account for it.  When the Brisbane Lions Board went too far in messing with the guernsey (for the record, I am a Paddlepopper through and through, even though I love both logos and have both tattooed on my person), the members stood up and held them to account.  We pay for our say (and to those who say we only pay to get into games, why are some memberships more expensive than others then hmmm?) and for our emotional investment into our Clubs.  The Essendon Members who have been hurt by this scandal (and believe me, they've been hurt) should exercise their right to hold the Essendon Board and the AFL to account.  They've put their hearts and their money into the Club, they deserve to have a say in how this gets handled.  Personally, I'd be calling for a complete clean-out and start again.  Sure it would set the Club back a bit, but what's the price of a well-run Club?

I love my ink.

Anyone who knows me will know my addiction to Cherry Tomatoes.  They are so yummy.  So instead of wasting $4 a punnet at Coles I'm trying to grow my own. Had a look this afternoon after work and found sprouts.  Not only that, but my snow-peas are sprouting too!  Now to decide whether I want snow-pea sprouts or the actual peas, both are sooooooooooooo yummy!

A nice surprise after running in the rain this morning!  I must admit it felt good to go for a run in the rain at 5.30am this morning and seeing all the other people in New Farm who still got up and gave it their all.  Much respect to you all!

Being a Crazy Cat Lady.

It's kind of sad.  I'm only 25 and already a certified Crazy Cat Lady.  I own two cats (three if you count the Beagle back at my parents place - Beagles are simply cats in dogs bodies) named Cheynee Blakeley II (named after ex-Lions player Cheynee Stiller) and Bastet Achilles III (who I would have preferred to have named Joel for obvious reasons, but Bastet suits him just fine) and they are pretty much my life outside of work and footy.

"Cheynee-Brat" or "Chinny" is my beautiful calico princess.  She's a typical tortie with attitude to spare (which she doesn't).  She loves to talk to anyone who will listen (I will admit, she got that from me) and loves to be fussed over - however you have to go to her, not the other way around, and she will yell at you until you come over and give her the loving she wants!

           "Love me!"

"Boofy-Cat" is a black and white menace.  He's a typical bully - loves antagonising his sister and beating up smaller animals/cats, but heaven forbid you take him out of his comfort zone.  While Cheynee likes exploring, Bastet will find the nearest bed/desk/whatever to hide under or behind until he's certain he's safe.  He's also a sook, who will only come over for cuddles if I seem to be busy on my laptop.

"I get it.  You have 'pposable thumbs. Yay for you."

I got them when they were five weeks old from a guy who was trying to get rid of them and their siblings - an unwanted litter. Why people insist on having pets (note I said pets, not breeding animals) when they can't afford to have them fixed so they can't reproduce is beyond me.  

And that is pretty much my family at the moment.  And probably the most my family will ever be - cats.  Or maybe one day a bird.

In other news, poor Tom Rockliff got suspended.  Why? Because trial by media.  Honestly, you see that exact same hit all the time in every game - some players just like to show off their acting skills.  No wonder Buddy Franklin is such a prat if that's what he came up with at Hawthorn.  Of course, if that had been any high-profile Victorian player such as Nick Maxwell, Nick Riewoldt, Joel Selwood, Bob Murphy, etc who had laid that bump on a low-profile interstate player such as Joel Patfull, Scott Selwood, Taylor Walker etc, there would not have been a word said and the media would not have pressured the MRP to act.  IMO of course, but the MRP is far too media-driven and more worried about appeasing the Mark Robinsons and Jon Ralphs of the world than actually adjudicating the game.

Speaking of footy, guess who only tipped 3 wins for Round 1?  Yes, I know I shouldn't tip with my heart.  Speaking of tipping with the heart...maybe I should change my Dream Team captain...

Catch yas later!

The Season has started!

YAY! Footy season is BACK! For anyone who doesn't know me (and I doubt there are too many people who DON'T know me who will be reading this, but if you're one of those people then big hugs!) I am a die-hard fanatical Brisbane Lions fan who last season took it upon herself to go to every Lions game in a season - including flying to Melbourne, Sydney, Tasmania, Darwin, Adelaide and Perth.  And anyone who knows me knows that I can be rather superstitious and believe 100% in the Footy Gods and Karma.  Which is why I try all week to be the best I can be, so hopefully the Footy Gods smile down on my team and I and give us a win.  Doesn't always work, but it's incentive for trying to be good I guess.

Speaking of being good, I just finished week 2 of the Couch to 5kms program.  I tried this earlier in the year before being uprooted from Kangaroo Point to New Farm which completely threw me out of whack, and I ended up giving up at this point.  I still did the International Womens Day 5km Fun Run (raising money for Mater Hill and Breast Cancer research, I got up to $100) and didn't do too badly (IMHO) so I'm trying again to train up.  This time I'm looking at doing the ANZAC Run (6kms) on the 27th April, this time raising money for Legacy, who support the familes of our serving men and women.  So, hopefully this time nothing trips me up and I can complete the program and get fit again (I am seriously overweight at the moment.  It's embarrassing).

Anyway, I'm going to get ready to head to Redlands to watch the Brisbane Lions Reserves boys do their thing (even though I have a bit of a soft spot for Redlands), then I'll either head to Lions@Springwood or head home to watch the senior boys take on Hawthorn in Tassie.  Hopefully my boy Joel Patfull can continue his brilliant form from last year - I've already got him down for his third Club Championship.  Other players I'm keeping an eye on are Justin Clarke, Michael Close, James Aish and Squizzy...and if I ever remember what Squizzy's name actually is I'll tell you.  Close, Aish and Squizzy are making their senior debut today, and Clarke is a young budding defender, and I love my defenders.

ANAZC Run: www.anzacrun.com 

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Join the Joel Patfull Fan Club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/443410375727984/
Join the Justin Clarke Fan Club on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/633337110017412/

Today's Person of Interest: My best friend His Royal Highness Prince Morgan Beaglehoven I.

Okay, not a person, but still the best friend I have ever had.

DOB: 8 August 1997 (Age 16)
Place of Birth: Unknown
Favourite Food: Anything edible
Favourite Pastime: Eating
Best trait: Highly Intelligent
Worst trait: Has a habit of following his nose into trouble