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How disappointment tracks the steps of hope. – Letitia Landon

Discussion in 'Queens Park Rangers' started by Rollercoaster Ranger, Jan 28, 2012.

  1. Rollercoaster Ranger

    Rollercoaster Ranger Well-Known Member

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    Disappointment has always been part and parcel of supporting most football clubs, Q.P.R. are most definitely no exception to this, indeed is possibly the ultimate example. Martin Luther King said that “There can be no deep disappointment where there is no deep love”, and at this moment my disappointment is very, very deep.

    Many on here will still have painful memories of our extra time defeat in the playoff final against Cardiff, fewer will remember our Milk Cup Final non-performance against Oxford, some will still be licking their wounds from the F.A. Cup Final defeat against Spurs and some of us still wake up in a cold sweat from Liverpool stealing our First Division title back in 1976.

    In amongst these major disappointments there have been many other dark days, various relegations, administration, the defeat by AEK Athens in a penalty shootout in the UEFA Cup quarter final, Vauxhall Motors, the realisation that Ecclestone and Briatore were looking to make a profit, and many, many more. I should say at this point that I am deliberately avoiding the disasters that have befallen our club, such as Kiyan Prince and Ray Jones, as these events make mere football look complete irrelevant.

    While I’m comfortable with, and thoroughly accept, Nick Hornby’s statement that “the natural state of the football fan is bitter disappointment, no matter what the score”, what I’m not comfortable with is my team not competing. Today we did not compete. I appreciate that we had a number of back up players playing today, and that it was very unlikely that we were going to win, but I cannot accept that we did not even try.

    Expectation levels have been increased by a new direction, but so far there is no equivalent rise in performance. I can accept us trying and failing, as we have many times over the years, but I cannot accept us not trying. Maybe I’m hoping for too much too soon, but, again to quote Martin Luther King ,“we must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope”. Where was the hope today? Chelsea were so comfortable playing us it was ridiculous.

    Evan Esar said that “Hope is tomorrow’s veneer over today’s disappointment”, but what do we have except hope and what the remainder of this transfer window will bring. Mark Hughes good luck. You don’t have the goodwill factor that Neil Warnock enjoyed, you have got to prove yourself from this point forwards. We are all relying on you.
     
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  2. NorwayRanger

    NorwayRanger Well-Known Member

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    Beautiful Roller, just beautiful. <applause>

    Ladies and gentlemen we have a contender to thread/post of the month. :emoticon-0148-yes:
     
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  3. Loveitupthebush

    Loveitupthebush Well-Known Member

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    Fantastic post
     
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  4. QPR Oslo

    QPR Oslo Well-Known Member

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    I just read what Nines read on another thread about paying £73 and feeling we hadn't even tried to win the game. It was really dire. I've been thinking that when we played Chelsea under Neil in October we got right in their faces, and the support got right in their faces too. It won us the game, and if we had done that today we could of won this too.

    But it was a strange one today. For all MH said about putting everything into the Cup it didn't seem like we did, but to be honest would Neil or many other Managers done that? We are 2 places off relegation and have 2 big big games in the next week, hardly makes sense to risk more injuries and nakkered players in our situation. We put out about the best team we had available today but they didn't give it a real go. I'd have preferred a team of real reserves and youngsters who would have given 100% to beat the scum, not the half *ssed approach we got plus apparently an injury to HH.
     
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  5. Sooperhoop

    Sooperhoop Well-Known Member

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    A nicely-written post, but who is Letitia Landon? That does sum up life as an R's supporter though, she could also add that even in glory at the end of last season we were denied a glorious celebration by our oafish owners...
     
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  6. Staines R's

    Staines R's Well-Known Member

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    Award winning post.
     
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  7. Rollercoaster Ranger

    Rollercoaster Ranger Well-Known Member

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    Letitia Landon was an early 19th century poet. She is not very highly regarded but is very quotable, although you may need to be in touch with your feminine side to appreciate some of her work. Possibly not the answer you were expecting, only the title was hers!
     
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  8. Ninj

    Ninj Well-Known Member

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    Great Post
     
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  9. GoldhawkRoad

    GoldhawkRoad Well-Known Member

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    Wonderful post, and now I know whom Letitia Landon is. Must have been highly strung. According to Wiki, swallowed Prussic acid and died at the age of 36.
     
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  10. QPR999

    QPR999 Well-Known Member
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    For some strange reason I missed this post last night. If I had seen it, I might of not felt so angered and bitter about yesterdays lacklustre performance. Good words Roller, a beautiful and well thought out constructed post.
    I wished I could write like that.
     
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  11. acricketer

    acricketer Well-Known Member

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    Well articulated.
     
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  12. BrixtonR

    BrixtonR Well-Known Member

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    Another one up for the classics, eh Roller? Like a few of these thrown in from time to time. Why shouldn't the Rangers struggles be set into such epic context?

    The Luther King quote relating disappointment to love explains much of our sufferings, not just as Rs but football fans in general.

    As for young Miss Landon, Amy Winehouse anyone?!!
     
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  13. rangercol

    rangercol Well-Known Member

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    Nicely written Roller!
    I would only add that the lack-lustre performance that you question could well have been due to the circumstances surrounding the game. I'm glad it's out of the way tbh!!
     
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  14. Rollercoaster Ranger

    Rollercoaster Ranger Well-Known Member

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    Thanks to all for your kind words, I do enjoy trying to write, maybe it will bear fruit one day. You may recognise this piece....

    http://www.thedaisycutter.co.uk/2012/01/farewell-neil-warnock-the-man-who-restored-qprs-pride/

    Nines, a year or less ago I would have been sitting there wishing I could write better. All I can say is give it a go. Take your time and uncover your own style, you will get plenty of support and a sympathetic audience on this forum. It would be appropriate at this point to pay homage to Brixton who has given me plenty of advice and encouragement along the way. Thanks mate. You make a very interesting comparison between Letitia Landon and Amy Winehouse, I wish that I&#8217;d thought of that.
     
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  15. NorwayRanger

    NorwayRanger Well-Known Member

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    Bump.

    Deserves more views, expecially in these nomination days ;)
     
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  16. Chair Nob'll Fallout

    Chair Nob'll Fallout Well-Known Member

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    Cracking post, well done Roller. <ok>
     
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  17. FFS.73

    FFS.73 Active Member

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    As usual, a good read Roller. The bump back up also brings into light how short the average fans' attention span is. For me, the Chelsea game is already forgotten, but for what its worth I disagree with your 'did not compete' conclusion - we focussed on keeping shape against a team where every single position was filled with a better player than we had. Our ambition was disappointing, but read the team sheets again.
    Anyway it's the last time we will see that 11 starting for the R's, and now I am in the traditional manic phase of the football fans bipolar existence. New players, three of whom - Taiwo, Diakite and Onuoha - I am genuinely excited about, the other two I expect to do a real professional job - a sense of confidence about the club, a taciturn and dignified manager, owners who are plainly as excited as I am - brilliant. Now just need to win a few games.
    Of course it will probably end in tears, I'll be back in the bitter and disappointed zone soon, but that's what being a fan is all about, and why we should always remember that the beautiful game is just that - a game.
     
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  18. WBA2_QPR3

    WBA2_QPR3 Well-Known Member

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    &#8220;Perhaps life is just that... a dream and a fear&#8221;
    &#8213; Joseph Conrad

    Which for me sums up being born a QPR supporter.
     
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  19. FFS.73

    FFS.73 Active Member

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    My favourite Conrad line is
    "The horror, the horror...."
    Also alarmingly appropriate on occasion ......
     
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  20. WBA2_QPR3

    WBA2_QPR3 Well-Known Member

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    Hmmm yes thinking about Sheff Utd away under Dowie.....
     
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