Hawthorn vs Geelong preview: It’s been a mean dry spell, but I think it’s gonna rain

 

 “It’s been a mean dry spell, but I think it’s gonna rain” (B.Scaggs 2013)

Greetings and I hope the summer treated you well. How about those 13 days over 30 degrees? (Long, low whistle of amazement) Weather records are fun, aren’t they?  Ready for some footy? As a Hawks man, my enthusiasm is curbed. I came through last October’s therapy sessions. The good ‘Doc’ said those ‘Cups’ aren’t the be-all and end-all. They give one away every year. They only have the meaning we ascribe to them (doomed).

Therapeutic summer daze passed in the garden, listening to calming music. Los Angeles punk rock band –‘Bad Religion’ – released their 16^th album and learnedly intone, “The Past is Dead, focus on Easter Monday instead” and ‘Boz Scaggs’ sings blues on his new one, “It’s been a mean dry spell, but I think it’s gonna rain”.

Still, my native skepticism kicks in.

This is because our record against Geelong over the last few – err, 9 – is surprisingly woeful. We’ve led into the final straight in some of those and how about last time? Rallied from 50 points down, led at the final siren and snuffed out by Hawkins kick. I think the ‘Stones sang, “Got to scrape that shit right off your shoe”.

I don’t believe in curses or hoodoos but do believe in a suspiciously U.S-sports-movie-sounding, ‘own the big moments’. It’s what the Swans did and where I think the cats have edged us out as well. Hawks always have moments– but big moments – as my little girl sings in the ‘Hokey-Pokey’, “…that’s what it’s all about”.

It’s mildly mystifying (over to you, Clarko) that 5 of the 9 were by less than a goal and two were lost after the final siren. Credit to the opposition and possibly we’ve been ‘shit out of luck’. 2012 was a good but unhappy season. Catastrophe at the end, shouldn’t devalue the whole, except that it does. Our best win was Round 22, over Sydney, after trailing by 5 goals. It was a win of character and good finishing, 4 weeks before time. Swans deserved the big one, but recent results have been portioned, unlike here. 9’s a mean dry spell.

For a while, I took the dry spell in same spirit as when I run into an ex-girlfriend, shopping. I wave ‘hello’ and she pretends not to see me. I guess, from her perspective I’m a contemptible pig – but when Hawkins put his kick into orbit, I strolled in the backyard and drew a line in my sand pit. Next time, I’m not waving.

Is the mean dry spell going to end? Will it rain? Living in Melbourne, I dress in layers and never predict the weather. My prodigious ability to conjure up song lyrics, only useful in the Tuesday Herald Sun quiz, recalls an old ‘Mentals’ song which goes, “What is there left to do, but to drink and watch the view. I think that it might rain this afternoon”. Perilous title though: “Too many times”.

Reading the book “Boys of Summer” over summer, Roger Kahn writes, “You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat. Losing after great striving is the story of man, who was born to sorrow, whose sweetest songs tell of a saddest thought…. Their skills lifted everyman’s spirit and their defeat joined them with everyman’s existence…”. Nice. Even so, would be nice to feel less love.

If the Hawks do manage a little Round 1 win, while not atoning for recent sporting tragedies, it is going to improve my life.