The Promised Land ............Brothers & Sisters, I may ...

[BaggyTrousers]

I've long held Martin Luther King Jnr's "I have a dream" speech in high regard. For content, and indeed the place of deliverance in front of the Lincoln Memorial, which is an impressive enough spot on a quiet Washington DC Day, for global impact, for it was immediate news of import back in 1963, and for the emotions it brought in many wishing for a better world, which we're still hoping might come about more than 50 years later and yet it's not striding over the horizon.

I was 9 at the time and cannot claim to have understood it all or even very much of it, but I had a very politically aware father who made sure we all knew that it was very important and that it would/should bring change.

The following short excerpt is probably the best known:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

But Brothers & Sisters, I have an equally valid line that after 8 defeats in 12 games is important in context of Ulster Rugby :

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream.

Though MLK had more serious issues to contend with, in our own way and to us, a shrivelled rump of mainly hard to impress grumpy ould moonhowlers, we have matters of highly serious import.

I have a dream that one day we will see an Ulster Pack of willing souls, some more talented than others doubtless, but all committed, who have been misdirected for far too long by a malevolence in human form. I have a dream that we will see the creative abilities of our talented backs, for too long taught to be impatient, to go wide at all costs, to have white line fever, or if not to bate the leather off the ball, brothers & sisters, I have a dream today that a man will come to Spanners who will use the god given talents of the assembled back division wisely. I have a dream.

I have a dream that none of Ulster's coaches will come from the Greater Lisburn area, brothers & sisters, I have a dream.

I have a dream that Sean Reidy & Chris Henry will share a back row with two marauding big South Africans who can carry with the best of them. I have a dream that a mighty force from south of the border may join them. I have a dream that Ian Henderson will in time turn out to be the soul of Paul O'Connell's rugby being, reincarnate, I have a dream.

I have a dream that somewhere on the planet a mighty Loosehead prop has heard our cries, the rending of our souls, the shrieks of unbridled despair and in his strong and caring heart, he has deigned to become a craggy rock-like Ulsterman and smiter of our foes - I have a dream today.

And my brothers & sisters, I have a dream that Les Kiss free of the shackles of an imposed coaching line up, will be the man that his part in Ireland's squad over six years suggested he may be, I have a dream.

We have seen the "false prophet", the man who would make Ulster great again, gone to a rubbish English club, like a second rate Donald Trump............. and for what? Why did he melt away like a thief in the night? Gone in a flash, like snow off a ditch, no goodbyes, out the door, not a glance backwards. A few dollars more? A king's ransom? Or maybe ................just maybe, in fairness to him, to escape from the restraints that coaching in Ireland below national level imposes on a man of high personal ambition?

Will a non-Ulsterman be the man to bring respectability that we thought Brian McLoughlin had restored but has been squandered by a collective lack of coaching ability?

Brothers and Sisters, there is no promised land, I've been to the top of the mountain, I've had a gleek over the top & there's bugger all to see, nathin', no world domination, no bullshite, no false promises.

But I have a dream, that one day, and I may not get there with you, we will see men in white shirts playing rugby that does not embarrass us, that has a purpose, that reeks of intelligence and understanding of what they are doing as a team, and a bite about it that shouts pride, of all things let us have our pride back that we will stand against the best without looking pathetic. If we are not good enough, so be it, but let us not fail through shambles & mismanagement, through twee false promises and the fu@king Ulster Way.

Let there be iron in our words and thunder in our hearts and the will to fight, fight, fight. I have a dream today.

[justinr73]

Bravo

[Tender]

Baggy, if the opportunity arises before you depart for Iberia , I would gladly buy you a pint. That made me laugh, but had me wondering if you take imipramine? I was persuaded to take it by my NHS pill peddler and suffered similar dreams.

[BaggyTrousers]

Baggy, if the opportunity arises before you depart for Iberia , I would gladly buy you a pint. That made me laugh, but had me wondering if you take imipramine? I was persuaded to take it by my NHS pill peddler and suffered similar dreams.

Cheers Tender I'd reciprocate in a flash Nah, of all the chemicals I swallow each day in a futile attempt to cheat death. that one is not familiar.

Well let's look at what's possible. It appears:

- Clarke out of contract , apparently no new offer
- Doak out of contract, apparently being considered for Connacht, and no new offer at Ulster allegedly
- Arno Botha signed, I prefer to take a positive view of him. Let me offer the case of Paddy McAllister, the epitome of a sick note it would appear, well Paddy played in France and is in his 2nd season at Glaws having played 17 games in his first season, and propping both sides as injury to others demanded. Is it impossible that young Master Botha may be similarly blessed?
- John Cooney signed. I confess to not having been impressed on the few mainly historic occasions I have seen him. Recently saw a bit more of him and ..........well ...............he is not dreadful, his ability to kick goals is an asset, as indeed is his apparent facility to play both half back positions ...............but look, he's no Ruan
- Marcell Coetzee, given he has yet to play for Ulster, I'm happy to buy into Les Kiss's suggestion that Marcell will be like having a new player - no debut, new player, seems ok to me.
- Another IQ backrow to bolster the resources? Well I'm refusing to get my hopes to high, but really, surely a player with international ambitions should not be content to be way down the pecking order elsewhere? Always assuming it's not going to be the new 2MP type signing from the bargain basement of English rugby.
- A new loosehead, hmmmmmmmmmmmm, wonder who would fit that bill? A project or an IQ player? Tough one.

Who knows Tender, that seems like a part of a dream, very much depends on what shakes out over the next few weeks. hugely predictable mind you that UR would spill their guts to the proles after the SDC exit.

[Snipe Watson]

Any chance of an exec summary Baggy?

[damianmcr]

[UlsterNo9]

I have a dream that Sean Reidy & Chris Henry will share a back row with two marauding big South Africans who can carry with the best of them. I have a dream that a mighty force from south of the border may join them. I have a dream that Ian Henderson will in time turn out to be the soul of Paul O'Connell's rugby being, reincarnate, I have a dream.

If any mighty force from Leinster joins us I'll be starting my own personal fan club for him, ensuring he is loved and adored by every fan at Ulster. Put on an absolute pedestal I will.

Conan the Barbarian from the southern hordes has a nice ring to it.

[Loki]

loving your work Baggy. I'll happily take the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune this season if we can look like a cohesive unit with a bit of planning in place week-in, week-out next year. as a wise old soul has as their sig on here, it's the hope that kills you.

[BaggyTrousers]

Any chance of an exec summary Baggy?

Nah, read the unabridged book or feck off

Oh alright ................. things are happening, mainly as far as I can see the right things, we are not bout to win the SDC next year but there is every chance it may get better.

Now you ask, why I didn't just say that? Because I like words, lots and lots of words .................if you don't maybe twitter would be a good place to try. Some folk know the price of every thing and the value of nothing.

[Cornerfleg]

Optimism post Ruan.... I enjoyed the read. Not convinced its Mandelson spin.... Or the Gettysberg address. The question i need to answer is, is supporting Ulster a hobbie or as pointless as politics.... Another year another election and actually expecting or hoping for something different.

[Snipe Watson]

Any chance of an exec summary Baggy?

Nah, read the unabridged book or feck off

Oh alright ................. things are happening, mainly as far as I can see the right things, we are not bout to win the SDC next year but there is every chance it may get better.

Now you ask, why I didn't just say that? Because I like words, lots and lots of words .................if you don't maybe twitter would be a good place to try. Some folk know the price of every thing and the value of nothing.

Thank you.
I'm pleased so far. Notwithstanding the fact that Ruan is irreplaceable.

For me Martin Luther King Jr. was the greatest man of the 20th Century. Will ever we see his like again?

[Snipe Watson]

Optimism post Ruan.... I enjoyed the read. Not convinced its Mandelson spin.... Or the Gettysberg address. The question i need to answer is, is supporting Ulster a hobbie or as pointless as politics.... Another year another election and actually expecting or hoping for something different.

It's our burden Fleg. Lesser men would fall away.

[Cornerfleg]

Lets get behind the supporters Snipe....

[Snipe Watson]

Lets get behind the supporters Snipe....

I plan to be behind some on Saturday........ and far away from some others.