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I consider myself to be a reasonable, tolerant person, but last Sunday was the final straw. There comes a time when enough is enough. For example, the day an ex-girlfriend tried to make me watch “The Secret”.
This time I’ve had enough of Adelaide sporting public. Let me explain.
Bruce Djite is a nice guy who played for Adelaide United between 2006 and 2008. He made 20 appearances and scored 6 goals. Bruce then moved to Turkey for Genclerbirligi.
After two frustrating years he returned to the A-League this season to reignite his stagnating career with Gold Coast United.
On Sunday, Bruce scored a goal in an A-League final against his old team. Bruce, being the nice person that he is, did not celebrate his goal as a mark of respect to his old fans. Gold Coast ended up winning the match 3 goals to 2 courtesy of a late penalty. The result signaled the end of Adelaide’s season.
After the final whistle Bruce was approached to make a few post match comments. Bruce’s handsome face filled the Hindmarsh jumbotron. Upon seeing this visage, the Adelaide fans reacted with a cacophonous chorus of boos.
Bruce struggled on with the interview but the look on his face was one of utter, utter disappointment. And it was perfectly understandable.
This was not a bad guy ala Muscat being interviewed. This was not a player that had swapped teams to play with the enemy. This was nice guy Bruce who had earlier paid his respects to the Adelaide fans. In return he received NO RESPECT!
I very much doubt Bruce would have received this treatment in any other major city in Australia.
What is it with the sporting public of Adelaide?
Regardless of code … why are they such bad sports?
What makes their teenagers throw coins at Hindmarsh or their adults dispute every sensible refereeing decision?
What is it that makes them behave as if they have all been reared by Bad Boy Bubby’s mother*?
I have to give to them credit for turning up in good numbers and supporting their teams (take note fickle Sydneysiders) but they seem to bring along some pretty large chips on their shoulders.
I want to get rid of these chips and I think I have worked out a solution.
First, let me categorically state – I don’t have a problem with Adelaide. In fact, there are some very good things about the city. It hosts the wonderful WOMAD festival and a biennial Arts Festival.
It has an excellent art gallery, the botanic gardens, a nice zoo, good pubs like the Exeter and the Grace Emily, great beaches, good food and famous wineries.
All the necessary ingredients, one would think, to create and engender a civil sporting public.
However, Adelaide still feels like a large county town. Unlike Perth or Brisbane, the city has not grown over the last few decades as evidenced by its uninspiring skyline.
This has created an inferiority complex and its most evidently played out in the way Adelaide teams are supported in national sporting competitions. Because of this complex, gaining prestige on the sporting field has become an obsession with the locals.
The upshot is that respect gets cast aside and what we are dealing with is not a few one-eyed supporters but a one-eyed city with bad sporting manners.
So, here is my solution. POPULATE!
That’s right, breed like rabbits. Don’t worry about your sporting teams. Worry about your sperm counts. Make babies and lots of them. If it helps, keep the TV on. When United scores make sure Adelaide scores as well.
Secondly, ask the Federal Government to get as many new arrivals from overseas to live in Adelaide. Whether they come by boat or plane, make them all welcome. Senator Cory Bernadi might not be happy. But, you can also fix that by not voting for him.
In 20 years time the population of Adelaide will be over 3 million. The city will look like a gleaming metropolis, resplendent with steel and glass phallic symbols reaching for the sky. This inferiority complex will be a thing of the past.
Adelaide United will have won 6 A-League titles and 2 ACL titles. They will be playing to capacity crowd in a modern 50k stadium and sorry episodes like the booing of Bruce Djite will be consigned to the pretty full dustbin of history.
P.S. After the huge response to my open letter to the A-League Chairmen, I am now asking the people of Adelaide to help make their sporting public great.
I ask for everyone reading this piece to forward it to their friends in Adelaide. I have sent it to mine. The quicker we can get them into the sack, the better.
* NB … Bad Boy Bubby was made and set in Adelaide.
Art Sapphire is the pseudonym for Athas Zafiris and he can be found on Twitter
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