Brown Ribbon Day 2018: Let's get through this together.

It's Brown Ribbon Day.

Look.

This is what Finals Fever does to you.

Your ability to make important decisions declines.

Rapidly.

You didn't get your brown ribbons this year because of a blunder in the manufacturing process.

Wrong glue.

Wrong ribbon.

Bad decisions.

Disaster.

So today, this Brown Ribbon Day, call someone you care about who is making poor decisions because of their Finals Fever illness.

Or find them, give them a hug and tell them that you're there for them, because Finals Fever is a very real problem.

Let's get through this together. #brownribbonday

Enjoy The Week: 2018 Grand Final Week Diary. Brownlow Tuesday.

It's dragging on and I'm fighting a cold.

Missed the training. It's the first time I've ever missed a pre-grand final training. But work was in the way.

Only 45 footy related messages on my phone today.

Enjoy The Week: 2018 Grand Final Week Diary. Brownlow Monday.

I always post a picture of Greame Teasdale in his suit on Brownlow night.

So I put some money on Brodie Grundy to win the Brownlow and then remembered that I had already done that back in April. $10 each way to pay $1300.

Spent the rest of the day spending the winnings in my head.

He hasn't even come close. Tom Mitchell won it.

Most years I blog the Brownlow votes. You can see the hijinks over there in the links.

Today I got some ribbon for Brown Ribbon Day. Should have made some ribbons but I'm tired and getting a cold. A cold on Saturday could be a disaster.

Okay, the daily phone message stat.

Remember it's Brownlow day so there was a lot going on tonight.

Anyway, here goes...

187 footy related messages on my phone today.

Enjoy The Week: 2018 Grand Final Week Diary. Sunday.

I never thought my life could be

Anything but catastrophe

But suddenly I begin to see

A bit of good luck for me

'Cause I've got a golden ticket

I've got a golden twinkle in my eye

I never had a chance to shine

Never a happy song to sing

But suddenly half the world is mine

What an amazing thing

'Cause I've got a golden ticket

Yes. I got my golden ticket this morning.

Because of my AFL Membership, and much practice in getting the job done, it was quite easy.

Though I wasn't the designated ticket buyer. We split into a two teams to get something like eight tickets. The SMS group made for getting tickets went like a dream. Within ten minutes, everyone in the group got their tickets. The easiest ticket buying operation in my time of going to the footy.

I've had an okay run with grand finals.

1990. Missed out.
2002. Ticket got. Top of the Olympic stand.
2003. Missed out. Had to watch the game at The London Tavern. Awful day all round.
2010. Drawn game. I bought a ticket. Cost a lot.
2010. Replay. Ticket got.
2011. Ticket got.

Each of these times was ridiculously stressful. I'm just happy it's done now and I can enjoy the week.

Back to that 2010 ticket. There was an Age article about high grand final tickets. Here's a quote from it. It's ridiculous.

"Do the maths. One Collingwood fan did. He paid the Western Bulldogs $1100 for such an event, and provided Sporting Life with a picture of what he called his ''$865 breakfast''. With it came a seat in row CC, the top deck of the Ponsford Stand."

Yeah.

That was me.

I was that one Collingwood fan.

117 footy related messages on my phone today.

Enjoy The Week: 2018 Grand Final Week Diary. Saturday.

So here we go again. Another Grand Final week. I've had a few now.

The one best piece of advice to anyone whose team has made it to the Big Dance, is to 'enjoy the week'.

You hear it a lot, so much, it has become a cliche.

But it's true.

The best thing about the week isn't the grand final itself. It isn't even the result. It's the anticipation. Hope and anticipation does lovely things to your brain.

You walk in the spring sun with a dumb grin.

You dream.

This time I don't just want to enjoy the week. I want to remember it.

That's why I'll do this diary.

Saturday, the day after the big prelim. We've smashed Richmond. Look up at that video. I filmed the moment the final siren went. The camera goes crazy as I hug my mates, then some composure to sing the song. It was quite a moment. Nothing unusual. Just standing room we've just made it to the grand final joy.

Today we go to the Victoria Market as we do every Saturday. I have Fred, my little 11 month year old son wear a Collingwood jumper. Usually there's a lot of people wearing the colours of the winning team at the market after a big game like last night's. Not so much today.

Would've been lots more if Richmond had won. It feels like Melbourne is still in a little shock from last night. Not much reaction to Fred. One lady in her Collingwood gear talks to Fred about the game last night. He's oblivious. She doesn't seem to notice. That's cool. She's excited, and Fred, like all 11 month olds, is a cute baby.

Melbourne get monstered in their prelim final against the West Coast Eagles. Relief for my friends I go to the footy with who have MCC memberships. Would've been tough for them to get in to the grand final if Melbourne had made it.

Tomorrow to get the tickets. It's always the hardest part of the week. Wish me luck.

145 footy related messages on my phone today.