In a recent interview COO of the NRL Bulldogs Dirk Melton reckons "... as fans, we're the best in the biz".
Now I am horribly biased on this issue, but he couldn't be more right !
Ever wondered whether your fandom goes beyond the norms of what is normally considered sane behaviour ?
Ever been accused by friends or family as being "way over the top" ?
Have you ever lost a friendship because you snapped after hearing "don't worry it's only a game !" ?
Well I'm here to tell you "fear not". Chances are you're merely "normal" and a lot like me.
Now I am horribly biased on this issue, but he couldn't be more right !
Ever wondered whether your fandom goes beyond the norms of what is normally considered sane behaviour ?
Ever been accused by friends or family as being "way over the top" ?
Have you ever lost a friendship because you snapped after hearing "don't worry it's only a game !" ?
Well I'm here to tell you "fear not". Chances are you're merely "normal" and a lot like me.
Below are 50 questions for every Bulldogs fan to determine just how much of a "tragic" you really are. Take the test below and together we'll rule on it once and for all.
Simply answer YES or NO, and we'll tally 'em up at the bottom.
1. I own every DVD of the Bulldogs History available from the Bulldogs store.
2. I own DVD's of all the Grand Final's we lost.
3. I own a jersey which pre-dates the birth of my children.
4. I own a jersey which pre-dates my own birth.
5. I still wear them.
6. I own an item of apparel worn by a player, other than a jersey.
7. I attended the last game at Belmore in 1998.
8. Since 1998, I have been to Belmore to watch a game.
9. I still call us the Berries out of habit.
10. I can recite the entire lyrics to the original Canterbury theme song.
11. At least one room in my house is secretly dedicated to the colours blue and white (ie: sheets, cushions, paint, picture frames).
12. I have purchased a car based solely on the colour “blue” it had.
13. I have enquired about the cost of a house in the street nearest to BSG Eastern end.
14. I have been to Terry Lamb Oval AND took a rugby league ball with me.
15. I have been to Turvey Park, took a rugby league ball AND took a pic of the sign.
16. I know the address of the shop in Campsie where Bulldogs were born in the 1920's.
17. I have purchased an unrelated item from there, just so I can say I've been there.
18. My family's history with the Bulldogs pre-dates the grandstand at Belmore.
19. I have named a pet after a favourite player.
20. I have named children after a favourite player.
21. Somewhere on my person, exists a tattoo related to Bulldogs.
22. In my time as a member, I have occupied the same seat for three or more seasons in a row.
23. I am a non-local member of the Canterbury Leagues just because it's our club.
24. Considering I live outside the greater Canterbury/Bankstown area, I have decorated some portion of my living quarters to let it be known to neighbours alike where my loyalties lie.
25. I have cancelled attending a family event because it clashes with a Bulldogs game. (ie: Sorry Aunty Beryl, I cant make your 60th birthday because Dogs are playing Parra.)
26. I can recite the names of our entire 1st grade squad from the first ever match we played.
27. I can recite the names of all our Captains since inception.
28. I can name at least 20 international rep players we have had, off the top of my head.
29. I can recall more than 5 leading try scorers, in the last 20 years, off the top of my head.
30. Friends send me text messages (or emails) asking for statistical clarification on certain arguments they're having elsewhere.
31. I have compiled a tribute video and put it on YouTube.
32. I have created a Bulldogs themed website/web-page.
33. I have a Twitter account and message the current players.
34. I have sledged @robbiefarah and/or @jarrydhayne_1
35. I have manufactured a banner and taken it to more than 3 games.
36. I have manufactured a flag and stitched it to a pattern to make it big, and it's lasted more than a season.
37. Given the chance, I've worn Bulldogs merchandise to work on casual days.
38. My office/truck is decorated in Bulldogs merch.
39. I know at least 12 other people I see regularly at games by their full name.
40. I have a photo of me with “Ace”.
41. I have a photo of me with the actual Bulldog mascot (the dog, not the character in the suit).
42. Reception at head office knows my name/voice on the phone.
43. I openly admit to having be caught dancing along to the sound of Lebanese drums at a Bulldogs game.
44. I openly admit to having worn face paint at a Bulldogs game.
45. I openly admit to turning my back on Willie Mason at ANZ when he lined up for the Roosters.
46. I openly admit to crying when Steve Price left.
47. I openly admit to breaking something when SBW left.
48. Despite what the “records” say – I still tell anyone we would have won 2002 by a lap !
49. Despite what the “records” say – I still tell anyone we were robbed by Steve Clarke and Jamie Soward at Kogarah.
50. I have physically destroyed merch belonging to Roosters, Dragons or Eels with my own hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you answered more then 10 of these with YES : Congrats !!! You qualify as a legitimate, card-holding, DNA-carrying, undeniable Bulldogs tragic !!!
You're annoying to opposition. You're revered by the loyal who wear the same colours.
People have (in all likely-hood) avoided you because they don't want to hear from you after a win !
If you haven't scored above 10, fear not : Simply complete #50, post a pic up on the internet and go straight to the front of the queue.
But don't worry - When people doubt your sanity, and when people cast doubts upon your ability to function as a normal everyday citizen, remember this : You're one more of us, and one less of them !
Simply answer YES or NO, and we'll tally 'em up at the bottom.
1. I own every DVD of the Bulldogs History available from the Bulldogs store.
2. I own DVD's of all the Grand Final's we lost.
3. I own a jersey which pre-dates the birth of my children.
4. I own a jersey which pre-dates my own birth.
5. I still wear them.
6. I own an item of apparel worn by a player, other than a jersey.
7. I attended the last game at Belmore in 1998.
8. Since 1998, I have been to Belmore to watch a game.
9. I still call us the Berries out of habit.
10. I can recite the entire lyrics to the original Canterbury theme song.
11. At least one room in my house is secretly dedicated to the colours blue and white (ie: sheets, cushions, paint, picture frames).
12. I have purchased a car based solely on the colour “blue” it had.
13. I have enquired about the cost of a house in the street nearest to BSG Eastern end.
14. I have been to Terry Lamb Oval AND took a rugby league ball with me.
15. I have been to Turvey Park, took a rugby league ball AND took a pic of the sign.
16. I know the address of the shop in Campsie where Bulldogs were born in the 1920's.
17. I have purchased an unrelated item from there, just so I can say I've been there.
18. My family's history with the Bulldogs pre-dates the grandstand at Belmore.
19. I have named a pet after a favourite player.
20. I have named children after a favourite player.
21. Somewhere on my person, exists a tattoo related to Bulldogs.
22. In my time as a member, I have occupied the same seat for three or more seasons in a row.
23. I am a non-local member of the Canterbury Leagues just because it's our club.
24. Considering I live outside the greater Canterbury/Bankstown area, I have decorated some portion of my living quarters to let it be known to neighbours alike where my loyalties lie.
25. I have cancelled attending a family event because it clashes with a Bulldogs game. (ie: Sorry Aunty Beryl, I cant make your 60th birthday because Dogs are playing Parra.)
26. I can recite the names of our entire 1st grade squad from the first ever match we played.
27. I can recite the names of all our Captains since inception.
28. I can name at least 20 international rep players we have had, off the top of my head.
29. I can recall more than 5 leading try scorers, in the last 20 years, off the top of my head.
30. Friends send me text messages (or emails) asking for statistical clarification on certain arguments they're having elsewhere.
31. I have compiled a tribute video and put it on YouTube.
32. I have created a Bulldogs themed website/web-page.
33. I have a Twitter account and message the current players.
34. I have sledged @robbiefarah and/or @jarrydhayne_1
35. I have manufactured a banner and taken it to more than 3 games.
36. I have manufactured a flag and stitched it to a pattern to make it big, and it's lasted more than a season.
37. Given the chance, I've worn Bulldogs merchandise to work on casual days.
38. My office/truck is decorated in Bulldogs merch.
39. I know at least 12 other people I see regularly at games by their full name.
40. I have a photo of me with “Ace”.
41. I have a photo of me with the actual Bulldog mascot (the dog, not the character in the suit).
42. Reception at head office knows my name/voice on the phone.
43. I openly admit to having be caught dancing along to the sound of Lebanese drums at a Bulldogs game.
44. I openly admit to having worn face paint at a Bulldogs game.
45. I openly admit to turning my back on Willie Mason at ANZ when he lined up for the Roosters.
46. I openly admit to crying when Steve Price left.
47. I openly admit to breaking something when SBW left.
48. Despite what the “records” say – I still tell anyone we would have won 2002 by a lap !
49. Despite what the “records” say – I still tell anyone we were robbed by Steve Clarke and Jamie Soward at Kogarah.
50. I have physically destroyed merch belonging to Roosters, Dragons or Eels with my own hands.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you answered more then 10 of these with YES : Congrats !!! You qualify as a legitimate, card-holding, DNA-carrying, undeniable Bulldogs tragic !!!
You're annoying to opposition. You're revered by the loyal who wear the same colours.
People have (in all likely-hood) avoided you because they don't want to hear from you after a win !
If you haven't scored above 10, fear not : Simply complete #50, post a pic up on the internet and go straight to the front of the queue.
But don't worry - When people doubt your sanity, and when people cast doubts upon your ability to function as a normal everyday citizen, remember this : You're one more of us, and one less of them !