There is, of course, one exception to this golden rule: gloating after wins against Port Adelaide is completely acceptable. In fact it’s wholeheartedly encouraged. No, it’s more than that. To not boast about a win over Port would be a complete dereliction of duty. It’s as much a part of the Adelaide supporter’s creed as Barossa Shiraz and tartan scarves.
Instead of taking my word for it, let me give you an example of my graciousness in victory. We all know what happened in 1997. But in case you’re visiting our land from Scandinavia and you’ve just stumbled across this website by mistake let me fill you in.
Adelaide won its first premiership: the score – 19.11 (125) to 13.16 (94). St Kilda took out the minor premiership with 15 wins that year. The Saints went into the grand final as toasty favourites and they also had sentiment on their side. Most of Victoria was barracking for them that day. The media loves a fairy tale story and St Kilda was Cinderella, Goldilocks and Thumbelina all wrapped up into one. Their last grand final appearance was in 1971 and their only premiership victory came in 1966.
Against this backdrop the Crows turned it on in the second half. Andrew McLeod gathered 31 possessions and took eleven marks to win the Norm Smith Medal and Darren Jarman booted six goals, five of them coming in the last quarter for dramatic effect. This is not gloating. These are the facts.
My brief that day was to cover the St Kilda rooms after the game for ABC television. Outside the doors I saw a colleague in tears, the “one that got away” written all over his tortured face. I did what any compassionate person would do in that situation. I comforted him. How could I not share a tiny bit of his pain?
Gracious in defeat . . . now that’s entirely another matter. When it comes to that vexed issue I could best be described as a work in progress. I try hard to rise above the taunts but sometimes I just can’t help myself. And this week is testing me out more than any other this season.
Why? Because five mornings a week I have breakfast with 1990 Collingwood premiership player Michael Christian. It’s not like that. We do a breakfast program together in Melbourne. And, as always, we had a bet on the Adelaide-Collingwood game.
By the time you read this I will have stood in the middle of the busiest roundabout in Melbourne during morning peak hour wearing a Collingwood jumper waving a black and white flag. As the cars go round and round a la Chevy Chase in European Vacation, I’ll be drawing upon all my reserves to get through it, the words 'Gracious in defeat, gracious in defeat, gracious in defeat' on high rotation in my head.
So now you know two more things about me -- I’m gracious in victory and I’m working really hard to be gracious in defeat. You may have noticed I don’t like to dwell on losses much either.
Good luck to the Bird Man and Jason Porplyzia. We’re right behind you.
