Fifty-five years is a heck of a long time.Things were a lot different back in 1961 -- the last time the Western Bulldogs, or Footscray as they were known, played in a grand final.Australias population was just a tick over 10 million, while the average weekly wage was a measly ￡15. Yeah, thats right; Australias legal currency was the British Pound.Rodney Eade was the only AFL coach alive and the Hawks had just one premiership to their name. Oh, how things change.But on Saturday, the 20,097-day drought will be broken and for some Bulldogs faithful, its a dream they never expected would turn into reality.Its truly surreal and quite honestly one of the most exciting and unexpected weeks of my life, lifelong member and jubilant Footscray fanatic Margaret Graham told ESPN.Every year, you watch on with envy during grand final week and think why cant that be my side?. Finally, its our time, and after 47 years my dream has come true and I can see my boys playing in the big one.Of course wed love to win it, but just to make [the grand final], thats something I never thought Id see in my lifetime.For the fourth time in as many finals, the Bulldogs will start as outsiders, but it wont bother them. Neither will the fact that they will become the first side in two decades to field 22 first-time grand finalists.Why should it? After all, they have thrived on the underdog status in 2016 and repeatedly excelled when written off.The enviable hunger and tenacity Luke Beveridge has instilled into his side has been a major driver behind reaching footballs grandest stage, and surely this will go some distance in making up for their lack of big-game experience.But Beveridges impact doesnt stop there.Hes managed to rejuvenate the likes of Liam Picken -- whos been just about the player of the finals series, and Matthew Boyd -- a 2016 All-Australian in his own right. Beveridge also didnt hesitate in sending a message to his side earlier in the year by dropping an out-of-form Jake Stringer to the reserves, only for him to return a match-winner.Its no wonder he has been voted the AFLs best coach two years in succession.You can see that they want to win and win for Luke, Graham said. Its clear how much respect they have for him, but most importantly the amount of respect he has for each and every player.He has inspired a young group to perform at a level very few, if any, ever would have thought possible. Its a credit to his coaching ability, but it also speaks volumes for him as a person.The rise of the Bulldogs should give hope to fans of other struggling clubs. Many seem to forget that two years ago, the Dogs were languishing near the bottom of the ladder, but some aggressive trading and success at the draft has catapulted them into premiership contention.For the red, white and blue faithful like Graham, a grand final berth is a reward for the decades of pain and hardship.At the end of the day, its only football and life does go on, but [Bulldogs members] have been starved of success for decades. We have stuck by this club through the toughest of times and to now see grown men in tears after [last weeks preliminary final win over GWS] shows just how important this all is,?she said.Its been a remarkable ride and we all have our fingers and toes crossed that it can continue one more week.Whatever the outcome on Saturday, these spirited Dogs will forever be remembered and lauded for bringing joy to Melbournes west, once more.After all, 55 years is a heck of a long time between drinks. Billy Turner Super Bowl Jersey . 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Tony Brown Super Bowl Jersey .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. Darnell Savage Jr. Super Bowl Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. DURHAM, N.C. -- Daniel Jones ran for two scores and threw for another to help Duke upset No. 15 North Carolina 28-27 on Thursday night.The redshirt freshman gave the defense fits all night with his mobility for the Blue Devils (4-6, 1-5 Atlantic Coast Conference), running for 94 yards as part of a ground game that kept moving the chains against the Tar Heels (7-3, 5-2, No. 17 CFP). Shaun Wilson ran for a game-high 107 yards and a score of his own, Duke finished with 227 yards rushing and converted 10 of 17 third-down chances.That formula was on display at the end, as Duke took more than 6 1/2 minutes off the clock with a long drive from its own 1 before punting back to UNC.The Blue Devils then came up with a final stop, with Alonzo Saxton II picking off Mitch Trubisky near midfield with 1:02 left on a night that ended with Duke players sprinting across the field to re-claim the Victory Bell presented to the winner of the long-running rivalry.No. 13 UTAH 49, ARIZONA SSTATE 26TEMPE, Ariz.dddddddddddd -- Joe Williams ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 13 Utahs defense had 11 sacks in a victory over Arizona State.Utah (8-2, 5-2 Pac-12, No. 15 CFP) overcame a slow start with a series of spectacular plays against the FBS worst passing defense to end an eight-game losing streak in Tempe.Troy Williams threw for 296 yards and connected with Raelon Singleton on three of his four touchdown passes. Singleton finished with 116 yards on four catches to help the Utes stay within reach of No. 16 Colorado in the Pac-12 South.Manny Wilkins threw for 309 yards and a touchdown after missing last weeks game against Oregon, but also threw two interceptions. The last one, a 43-yard pick-6 by Chase Hansen in the fourth quarter, sealed Utahs victory.Arizona State (5-5, 2-5) has lost five of six since opening 4-0. ' ' '