Codd brands GAA "tinkers and rogues"

jd

http://hoganstand.com/wexford/2003arts/august/081203.htm
Codd brands GAA "tinkers and rogues"


Wexford captain Paul Codd has reacted angrily to the GAA's stance over players' sponsorship deals with Paddy Power bookmakers.

GAA President Sean Kelly has threatened to sever a three-year corporate box agreement with Paddy Power at Croke Park over what he dubbed “a cheap shot” that saw the company pay three players EUR750 each to use hurls bearing their logo in last Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Wexford.

Kelly revealed that the GAA were looking at the legal possiblities of such a move and did not rule out the prospect of suspensions being imposed on the players involved - Wexford's Paul Codd and Damien Fitzhenry and Cork's Sean Og O hAiplin.

Under Rule 14 of the GAA's official guide, the players could be hit with 24-week bans, but a stern warning is the more likely outcome of the GAC's delibrations when they meet later this week.

However, ace attacker Codd has said that he's “not one bit worried” about a possible ban and has vowed to continue using his hurl bearing the Paddy Power logo in Saturday's replay at Croke Park.

Codd also described the GAA as “tickers and rogues” for complaining about players making money from the game and encouraged supporters to boycott the games if he or any other player using a branded hurl is banned.

“They haven't got a leg to stand on, we earned another EUR1.5 million for them last Sunday and they're still not happy,” he blasted.

“They go around having big meals and travelling in company cars. They can threaten us with a ban, but I'd call on supporters of Wexford, Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary to boycott the games if that happens.”
Codd continued: “I'm not afraid of the GAA, I've lost a fortune as a hurler down the years.

“They're complaining about Paddy Power, but they weren't complaining when they paid out EUR300,000 for a corporate box. I'll be using those hurls again next weekend even if I only get 50 cents.

“We'll keep this up because if it wasn't for us there wouldn't be crowds at the matches. I paid EUR1,750 for tickets last Sunday. I could sell 2,000 of them if I wanted, but I wouldn't do it for the GAA - they're only tinkers and rogues.”

Big Ears

let the players use brand names on there hurls if they want i dont see anything wrong with doing so execpt it could be called making the sport a pro one.

Yavvy

This is a long and heated debate about this, But I think in this case its a good idea. THe only problem I see is that hurls will become gaudy looking with horrible looking sponsor logos.

O2Suck

Fair play to him...he is perfectly honest in what he said...."thinkers and rogues" ...couldn't of put it better myself

cournioni

Originally posted by Alany
This is a long and heated debate about this, But I think in this case its a good idea. THe only problem I see is that hurls will become gaudy looking with horrible looking sponsor logos.

Haha... thats what I was thinking.

On the topic of the GAA giving out bans to players for a bit of sponsorship, I think that they are two faced dickheads. I think it is a shame that Kelly has been chosen as the GAA president. As far as I can see he is still living back in the early 1900's.