Tweeting Temptations

By Anne Fedorowytsch

Nothing could disrupt my passion for the Adelaide Crows. No number of non-performances, near misses in front of goal or non-efforts could ever see me change my one-eyed ways. Although not something but someone has got my eye wandering…

It all started on popular social networking site Twitter. An innocuous tongue-in-cheek tweet blaming Ricky Ponting for Collingwood winning the 2010 premiership caught a St Kilda fan’s eye. What can I say but it was love at first tweet.

One thing led to another and I can now call the born and bred boy from Ballarat my boyfriend.

I’ve never pictured myself walking over the footbridge that stretches from Melbourne’s Spencer St to Etihad Stadium hand in hand with an enemy. I was in exactly this predicament one February Friday night headed to the St Kilda, Sydney and Geelong NAB Cup triple-header.

Fortunately for me I had had some practice at this whole supporting the Saints thing before. The early stages of our blossoming romance fell in the tail end of last year’s season. While cheering on the likes of Stevie Milne and Nick Riewoldt took some initial getting used to I managed to be at least happy for their success towards September.

On our way into the concrete dome on a less than typical balmy Melbourne evening any attempts to buy me a St Kilda key ring, let alone scarf, at the merchandise van were met with rolling eyes and scoffs of “I don’t think so!”

Once we were inside and settled in some seats my black, red and white clad partner in crime eventually cleaned off the cobwebs in his vocal chords and his true colours were revealed.

I never quite understood or empathised much with opposition supporters until I grew to care so much for one. Years of expecting silverware and falling agonisingly short have dented Saints supporter’s spirits. It’s through the shared anecdotes of heartache that I’ve come to understand the frustrating hardships felt by the St Kilda faithful.

With my sidekick’s sorrow in mind I managed to muster a golf clap for a classy Milne goal. What? It was a good goal! But in all seriousness I was happy for the Saints to have a largely successful night.

Later in the weekend the roles were reversed. On Sunday afternoon I was the dragger dragging the dragee along to a stadium mostly full of Port Adelaide supporters in Adelaide. He didn’t leave my side the whole time. If that’s not love I don’t know what is!

I found it rather strange supporting the Crows from the stands sitting side by side a Saint. I’m conditioned to gushing over the likes of Kurt Tippett and Taylor Walker to the old bloke on my left rather than trying to talk them up to a youngin’ on my right. But I am convinced that one day I’ll have him cheering for the team for all South Australians. I just think my eyelashes need some more batting practice.

The million-dollar question is will I be able to change my Crowing ways? My answer to that curly query is, at this point in time, a rather firm no. However, I’m finding it harder and harder to keep my eyes from straying.

Comments

  1. eyelash batting, great weapon- you will get your way, try adding a pout :)

  2. Richard Naco says

    Pouting never worked for me, Cuz. And eyelash batting is definitely in the no go zone.

    Nether are probably not the right look for a 193cm tall, 115kg bloke.

    … south of King’s Cross.

  3. Peter Baulderstone says

    Rickie Ponting and Annie Pouting – in the same article!! The diversity of the Almanac never ceases to amaze. Now we have dating advice.
    “How social networking led me to supporting St Kilda”. Thats why they call it twit-ter.

  4. David Downer says

    I approve!

  5. Love the title! Cheers :)

  6. Could never barrack for Milne. Snap out of it!

  7. I know I’m getting ahead of things here Anne but nip this thing in the bud now! For the sake of the children. That’s right, nobody ever thinks of the children. With Mum in one ear about Adelaide and Dad in the other about StKilda, there is bound to be rebellion. You’ll wake one morning to find a Power or Magpies supporter living under your roof and it’ll cost you thousands in therapy over a friendless childhood.
    Part the way as friends now and never stray again.

  8. Nice to have you back Almanacking, Anne! May there be much more of it!

    Too bad it’s not gonna be an Adelaide v St Kilda NAB Cup GF. That would have been a nice early test!

    June 15th should be interesting. ;-)

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