Sometimes people shout back. @AberdeenFCBlog1 did this week, showing off Aberdeen's top ten moments of the season.
"That's a good idea," I thought.
"I'll do a top ten moments of the season list for Hibs."
And here it is.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
...
I could go on but you get the idea. (With apologies to Len Shackleton.)
If Easter Road's recent history has been one of gradual decline, 2014 has been the year of total collapse.
When you spend season after season stumbling about in the bottom six there is always a risk that you'll eventually end up falling through the trapdoor. And Hibs did.
Frankly I've found it all more depressing than is probably healthy.
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| And in the interests of full disclosure... |
And, as a moaner, there's always the temptation to avoid agitating for change because of the satisfaction to be had from moaning about the consequences of the status quo.
But this week I've been warming up my placard carrying arm, resting my vocal chords and waking my militant tendencies from hibernation.
So this morning, when I should be sitting in front of the TV finding out if James Martin's c-list celebrity guest is facing food heaven or food hell, I'll be going to Easter Road to join the protest against Rod Petrie.
And, in the spirit of top ten lists, here's why:
1. The obvious
Hibs got relegated on Rod Petrie's watch. And not for the first time.
This could really be reasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
How did that happen? We had a trophy, we had a training centre, we had a new stand. We had a leader in the boardroom who could turn promising youngsters into balance sheet boosting assets.
What went wrong? Bad decision followed bad decision. Dischord grew unchecked. The man who made a mint on the golden generation suddenly found himself paying off more players than he sold.
The leadership failed and the failure infected the whole club. The endgame was 120 minutes and penalties against Hamilton.
2. The guilt
Since Hibs got relegated Rod Petrie has made no concessions about his part in the fiasco - Leeann Dempster's arrival has been trumpeted but we already knew that was happening.
The last time Hibs got relegated Lex Gold resigned as chairman, thinking it the honourable thing to do.
Lex Gold. A man who many people think would be kicked out of the snake oil salesman's union for being just that bit too sneaky.
Lex Gold. Looking down on Rod Petrie from the moral high ground.
3. The positive
Leeann Dempster's arrival is A Good Thing.
She doesn't need Rod Petrie showing her the ropes.
In fact, for the winds of change to properly blast through Easter Road, her job will be easier if Rod Petrie isn't there. Staff will be free to tell her how the ancien régime failed without fear or favour.
4. The alternative
I wouldn't withdraw my financial support from Hibs. Going to the games, meeting mates before, during and after the games. That's part of my life.
I wouldn't want to change it, despite the horrendous football I have to endure.
Protesting today seem to be a less destructive way of getting my point across than giving up my season ticket.
5. The divide
For years now Hibs have availed themselves of the services of David Forsyth from Benchmark PR.
Is his role to promote the benefit of Petrie-ism? Tache-ism's spin doctor in chief?
Is his role to build a better relationship between the club and the fans?
Maybe it's both. But whatever way you look at it he's failed.
Rod Petrie is held in disdain by many. The divide between the club and the fans and the wider community is huge and growing.
Today the fans will be able to show Leeann Dempster how deeply they care about Hibs. It won't help her if Rod Petrie and his hired buffer stand in the way of her harnessing that passion.
6. The legend
Pat Stanton is backing the protest. That's pretty much good enough for me.
Speak to Pat Stanton for five minutes.
Then speak to Rod Petrie for five minutes.
Only one of them truly understands what Hibs were, what Hibs are and what Hibs could be again.
7. The conduit
Rod Petrie has a stake in Hibs and/or the mishmash of holding companies that sit above the football club. Sir Tom Farmer owns a bigger stake.
Sir Tom needs Rod Petrie as a "conduit"?
Why?
Could a respected figure not be found to take over as chairman of the football club and act as a "conduit" for both Sir Tom and Rod Petrie?
If Rod Petrie isn't actively involved then he can get his information the same way Sir Tom Farmer gets his information.
8. The tipping point
Prime Ministers often lose cabinet minister because they've done something really stupid or really wrong.
But sometimes they lose cabinet ministers simply because the public perception is that they've done something really stupid or really wrong. When that happens the cabinet minister becomes a liability and the situation becomes irreparable.
That is now the relationship between Rod Petrie and large sections of the Hibs support.
Whether you believe he is wholly culpable, partially culpable or not culpable at all (I'd go for greatly culpable) the reality is that he isn't trusted and he won't be trusted again.
Rod Petrie apologises for the situation Hibs find themselves in? Who cares, he's said sorry before. Doesn't change anything.
Rod Petrie is stepping back from day-to-day involvement? Who cares, he's said he's stepping back before. Doesn't change anything.
Rod Petrie promises Hibs will improve? Who cares, he's said Hibs will improve before. We got worse.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, Rod Petrie is now a toxic brand.
For the good of the club - and for the good of his stake in the club - he has to remove himself and allow the rebuilding process to begin without him.
9. The passion
Why are the organisers of today's rally doing it?
Ego? Self-interest? A basic lack of other activities with which to keep themselves occupied? Because they genuinely love Hibs?
I don't know for sure. But I do know that people have been working tirelessly to mobilise fans to demand change. And in the last couple of weeks I've seen more passion from them than I've seen on or off the pitch at Hibs for quite some time.
Do they have all the answers? Probably not. Are they motivated by real concern for the situation Hibs are in? Definitely.
Are they determined to do everything they can to remove the influence of the man they see as largely responsible for the decline of recent seasons and for the malaise that shrouds the whole club? Undoubtedly.
10. The greater good
"Rod Petrie won't leave Hibs because he'd lose his role at the SFA."
So under Rod Petrie's leadership Hibs have become nothing more than a way of hitching a ride to the VIP lounge at Hampden? That's just marvellous, such a positive reason for him remaining at the club.
But I love Scottish football. Rod Petrie's failed my club. I don't want him having any power or influence across the wider Scottish game. In which case #Petrieout is a demand for the whole of Scotland.
That's why I'll be at Easter Road today.
Will I be on my own, will there be 50 people there? 500? 1000? More?
I don't know. Will it make a difference? Maybe not.
Is it worth doing to show how much people care about the club and how deeply they feel the betrayal of relegation? Absolutely.
Recovering is going to be a long, hard slog for Hibs. It will be easier without the man who season after season, bad decision after bad decision led us to the pain of last season.
