There's Always Next Year...

Last night this white man had to pick up the shattered pieces of both his young son's dreams as their beloved Western Bulldogs took their leave from the 2008 AFL finals series courtesy of the Geelong Cats. It reminded me of a moment in my childhood from the early 1980's when my beloved Hawthorn Hawks played a finals game against the Carlton Blues. Hawthorn also lost that game and bowed out of the finals, much to the delight of my sister and brother (who, incidentally, didn't even really care that much about football) and to my dismay. I remember crying some silent tears of disappointment, wondering if I'd ever enjoy the pleasure of seeing the Hawks ever win anything. Of course if you know your AFL history you would know that no team dominated the football landscape like Hawthorn would do in the late 1980's. My hope, for my son's sake, is that the 'sons of the West' also move on from the disappointments of today to the dreams of tomorrow! And that old proverbial truth still rings in my ears - there's always next year!