This one came to me today when I was looking at a bit of the VFL on the TV.
I was just wondering what peoples thoughts are when you see images of Barb smeared in Bullants face paint, or Joffa and his gold jacket at Williamstown.
Is it patronising? What do true, long time supporters of these clubs think when they see VFL clubs encourage these 'fans' to get on board?
Whether the likes of Barb and Joffa have a real interest in the VFL is debatable, and I'd also be interested to hear whether they actually pay anything for the club gear they seem appear in. Comes across to me as a clever tactic used by a few desperate presidents.
I hope clubs don't forget the long time club supporters, the ones who have been there through thick and thin, and who will continue to be next year and for years to come. They're the ones I think clubs should be throwing their energy towards.
Reasonable comment or is it not an issue?
I'd imagine someone like Joffa would be 100% pro-Collingwood and would support anything touched by the club, so his Williamstown affections while relatively new and motivated by circumstance, but I'm sure he'd wish the Seagulls well because of his vested interest...a bit like me and Box Hill...could be worse - there have been a few affiliations nowhere near as harmonious or as outwardly supported by the AFL side...a bit of give and take in any marriage, so VFA fans shouldn't be too easily offended if the bigger club seems "patronising" or overbearing before looking at the bigger picture...
Joffa yep . . . Barb no. She's been constant at cramer st. the past few years, and always in red, not blue. I know what you mean . . . but another person through the gate's gotta be a good thing!
I've had a chat with Barb at a few games and she's a genuine person, the media just wind her up to make her angry.
There are not too many Bullants games she misses and she stays around for the aftermatch functions at all home games too.
Well Joffa will be straight off the Seagulls bandwagon when Collingwood stand alone in the VFL next season.
The VFL needs every bit of promotion and marketing it can get.
If a club can gain some leverage off its AFL partner, then isn't that clever?
Isn't that using it to advantage? The Casey Scorpions got national exposure when Kosi ran into the umpire at Williamstown last year. I know it's not the same as the "famous fans" point of the thread, but it's also about leveraging and taking advantage of whatever exposure we can get as a result of our alignments.
Thats true, although walking around Burbank Oval today there were a few anti Joffa comments coming from some of the Seagulls faithful supporters. I don't get the impression everyone's happy with it. Mind you, not every Williamstown supporter barracks for Collingwood - and Joffa is a symbol of the Magpies.
I still feel the Barb's and Joffa's of the world might bring a little bit of exposure but they damage the VFL clubs brand when it comes to showing independence. It also rubs more salt into the wounds of these fans who dislike their VFL clubs alignment.
It's little wonder people have dropped off supporting the VFL when they've been a passionate supporter of a club for 30 or 40 years, only to have a few bandwagon 'fans' gaining recognition as 'supporters' of their club. I'm sorry but I'd rather see the people who have worked in the kiosk at the grounds for 30 years, or the people who have been the property steward at clubs for that length of time gain the recognition publicly as being outstanding club people and supporters - although most of the time those people are there for the club - not for the fame.
I agree with the above comments regarding Barb Carlson and her passion. While she may have come at things initially from a Carlton perspective, there can be no question she has embraced the Bullants fully.
Jeff "Joffa" Corfe, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about. He is on the Collingwood payroll, contributing Williamstown match reports for the Collingwood website, among other things. I'm not just being flippant by saying he is on the Collingwood payroll, he is truly and seriously on the payroll at the club. Thus, I have to question just how passionate he is regarding Williamstown. If he actually pays to get into the VFL, then that's great for the VFL, another paying member of the audience, though I'd be surprised if he did pay to get in.
But, if you think those are big, how's about back in I think it was either 1986 or 1988, when then-Prime Minister Bob Hawke attended the Grand Final and addressed Coburg before the match. Imagine if we could get John Howard to the VFL Grand Final. Now there's a "famous fan" we should be aiming for!!!
When Collingwood and Willy part ways after the season I don't have to put up with any Collingwood morons.
Williamstown in Williamstown colours playing at Williamstown and no wore hideous club song. Also great to see the back off Joffa and other Collingwood tools. In the game against Preston some idiot Collingwood supporter full of amber fluid kept on yelling Carlton scum and abusing Preston players. Typical moron who was told off by Willy G.M Brendan Curry to shut the F### up or get out of the ground.
The poor Preston vfl listed players were abused by this moron and called Carlton scum.
The end of this season means the end of Collingwood.
Williamstown to stand alone in 2008 and the club will be a stand alone team for the first time since the 1999 season.
Looking forward to 2008 !!!!
Barb's great I agree and she actually takes a serious interest in the VFL listed players too, not just the Carlton ones.
As I said in an earlier post, she is a great person and always good for chat at a game. She means well and all the negative stuff about her is just the media winding her up.
Joffa has only just been put on the payroll at Collingwood working with community projects and that sort of thing.
Pretty sure i saw barb with number 20 painted on her face in red and white, the number of vfl listed player josh houlihan! Could you see Joffa with a Brett Johnson badge, or a Dean Limbach poster on his wall!?! Just being stupid, i don't mind having him around, just don't paint him as being someone integral to the Willy footy club!