I've been a Freo fan since Cpt Stirling landed, and I hear there are blackfellas who've been on Freo since before Stirling was born.

In all that time, I've not heard even Habour Masters say they were embarrassed by our jumper. I've not heard even fans who've been to every game we've ever played — including London, RSA and Bunbury — express embarrassment about our jumper. (I'm not counting the four hippies who voted for Adele Carles, thinking they were exercising a political decision.)

Until the past 6 wks.

Hmmm. The club gives us a bunch of chevrons and a paperclip to barrack for, and tells us our old clobber wasn't cutting it art-wise (because footy jumpers and logos have always been at the forefront of international design innovations) ... and suddenly we've got self-hating fans by the truckload!

I'm fine with folk who like the chevrons and the paperclip. I like black coffee and cigarettes. Big whoopee doodles.

But if you like the chevrons and the paperclip because, for the past 16 yrs, you've been repressing your embarrassment over the anchor and the wharfie ... you probably need to go shove some coconuts down your pants.