For some people it's chasing a fox around a field on a horse, others watching a grown man in pyjamas throw a small hard ball at another man in pyjamas. Others have their favourite english football teams. For some racing over a tryline with an oblong shaped ball floats their boat.

To me, all of these pastimes seem alien and laughable, some even downright immoral and hopefully there's a special corner of hell waiting for the people that support such pastimes.Then you look at your own little addiction and think to yourself following the Dublin senior football team must be the oddest, least fulfilling and most maddening thing in the world.

If I'm pleading guilty by insanity I offer exhibit A "16th August 2008".

Uncharacteristically for the Irish summer this day was to be dull, dank, cold and wet.

And boy was it wet.

Only the week before the capital's roads were to become a swimming pool for those trying to make it home after the Armagh and Kerry quarter finals. Armagh's title hopes were to be washed down the drains by a much hungrier Wexford side, and Dublin's biggest obstacle, the Ulster champions were out of the way. All that had to be acheived was to beat a Tyrone team that was in decline for the past two years.

We all know what happened.

 {rawcontent 12}

The gods were unhappy.

Not only did the skies open but so did the ever accommodating Dublin defence, and with it every shred of confidence, every ounce of self belief, every yard of training over a four year period to get to an AI final. Heroes on many a sunny day turned into mere mortals by an awesome display by Tyrone.

The king is dead, long live the king.

There were weeks of "will he, won't he" whispers going around Dublin. He didn't and the DCB moved on. Moved on about twenty feet down the table to Pat Gilroy.

Greener than a new born baby's first couple of nappies when it comes to inter county management but blessed with the knowledge gained from time studying at his Alma Mater and a serious, SERIOUS right hand man, our new manager is going to have some pretty hard decisions to make and is certainly going to have to mend a few broken egos.

The task is arduous for him. Not only to rebuild the bloodied mess that was left somewhere on the Croke Park pitch that horrible day, but also to go out there and find 5/6 footballers that can challenge the incumbants.

Whether as fans we agree or not, is now by the by. We all have a vested emotional interest in the success of this team. And quite frankly at this stage I'm willing to accept the devil himself onto the team if it means we could have one more day in the sun.

Next year will be 14 years since Dublin's last Senior All-Ireland appearance. Right now, I've a feeling it will be another 14 years before we get back there.

But on a positive note, everyone knows the Dubs always play their best football during recessions (if anything positive can be gained from a recession).