BOOING THE FREE TAKERS

DH2K9

In recent weeks we have seen examples of no respect being shown to an opposing free taker. Initially it was just the hill but now it has spread all over the country with just about every set of supporters doing it. Isn't it time we stamped this out. I mean Thomand Park has immaculate silence for both kickers and they say silence puts kickers off more so what exactly is the point?

Kepti

How do you propose stamping it out?

DH2K9

Kepti wrote: »

How do you propose stamping it out?

I don't know but something needs to be done.

deisedevil

I agree fully with that. At Semple stadium at the weekend Waterford fans were booing and jeering Cork's freetakers. It just sounded bloody childish and would only give the opposition players a boost if they score.

In a school game years back a player moved from one big hurling school to another and they were fierce rivals. When they played each other his former school booed and jeered him when he was taking frees, he went on to rip them apart and said afterwards that the boos got him going more so than anything.

royaler83

DH2K9 wrote: »

I don't know but something needs to be done.

Nothing can be done only to ask fans to stop it, end of story!

super_furry

DH2K9 wrote: »

I don't know but something needs to be done.

Such as?

telecaster

cant believe people get so bothered about this. It certainly is not a new feature in the game. Adds to the atmopsphere and its a level playing field if everyone is getting booed.

Get over it, I've yet hear a player or manager complain about it, only pundits filling air.

FastFuse

DH2K9 wrote: »

In recent weeks we have seen examples of no respect being shown to an opposing free taker.

Have a flick around Youtube and I'm fairly certain you will see instances dating further back than recent weeks.

DH2K9 wrote: »

Initially it was just the hill

Here we go. :rolleyes:

DH2K9

FastFuse wrote: »

Have a flick around Youtube and I'm fairly certain you will see instances dating further back than recent weeks.
Here we go. :rolleyes:

But it was just a hill thing but now everybody is doing it.

WallyGUFC

I propose you go to Croke Park the next day and take two 45s...one with a chorus of boos and the other with dead silence. Come back and tell me which is more intimidating.:)

Diabhal Beag

I hate to say it but the fans are well within their right to boo IMO. They pay to see the matches and in part add to the atmosphere. Once no bodily-harm is done to anybody or racial/sexual orientation/other unacceptable forms of abuse all is OK.

I don't mind booing but when I heard Donal Og being called a "******" that pissed me off.

You can't really stop booing.

FastFuse

DH2K9 wrote: »

But it was just a hill thing but now everybody is doing it.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

srfc19

theres noting wrong with it, its part of the game.

DH2K9

WallyGUFC wrote: »

I propose you go to Croke Park the next day and take two 45s...one with a chorus of boos and the other with dead silence. Come back and tell me which is more intimidating.:)

No but it is more intimidating to have 82,300 fans watching you on a pressure kick with absolute silence. You ask any player it is more distracting when suddenly the stadium falls silent for a few seconds.

major bill

booooooooooooooooooo, who cares theres nothing better than a hostile atmosphere nobody remembers the silent games. These same people that give out about the booing also give out about dublin fans singing on the hill get over it.

DH2K9

major bill wrote: »

booooooooooooooooooo, who cares theres nothing better than a hostile atmosphere nobody remembers the silent games. These same people that give out about the booing also give out about dublin fans singing on the hill get over it.

Do you not think that there is something special about Thomand Park when a buzzing atmosphere falls dead silent for thirty seconds or so. It adds to the overall occasion.

major bill

DH2K9 wrote: »

Do you not think that there is something special about Thomand Park when a buzzing atmosphere falls dead silent for thirty seconds or so. It adds to the overall occasion.

ive never had the pleasure off attending a munster game but id say its strange and i can understand the logic behind it but in GAA there isnt really an atmosphere to start with.

Diabhal Beag

DH2K9 wrote: »

Do you not think that there is something special about Thomand Park when a buzzing atmosphere falls dead silent for thirty seconds or so. It adds to the overall occasion.

Ya but that can only happen in Thomond and Croker in teh 6 nations. That is what makes it special.

bodun

Diabhal Beag wrote: »

Ya but that can only happen in Thomond and Croker in teh 6 nations. That is what makes it special.

It's a pile of crap if you ask me, going silent for the kicker. Was at a wedding once in Cavan,there were some munster fans in attendence,while in the bar we were all asked to be quiet while o'gara took a kick,we were approx 200 miles from Limerick at the time. They were told to "filp off" in no uncertain terms.

toiletduck

I have no time for the booing but don't think it's as bad as made out. Silence? Balls to that, I do be roaring on my team

deisedevil

bodun wrote: »

It's a pile of crap if you ask me, going silent for the kicker. Was at a wedding once in Cavan,there were some munster fans in attendence,while in the bar we were all asked to be quiet while o'gara took a kick,we were approx 200 miles from Limerick at the time. They were told to "filp off" in no uncertain terms.

That's a right laugh! They'd seriously want to get a grip.

Diabhal Beag

bodun wrote: »

It's a pile of crap if you ask me, going silent for the kicker. Was at a wedding once in Cavan,there were some munster fans in attendence,while in the bar we were all asked to be quiet while o'gara took a kick,we were approx 200 miles from Limerick at the time. They were told to "filp off" in no uncertain terms.

That is quite weird. I agree in that scenario with ya but at the match I would shut up for the sake of 30 seconds. A sign of respect more than anything according to the rugby fans.

super_furry

bodun wrote: »

It's a pile of crap if you ask me, going silent for the kicker. Was at a wedding once in Cavan,there were some munster fans in attendence,while in the bar we were all asked to be quiet while o'gara took a kick,we were approx 200 miles from Limerick at the time. They were told to "filp off" in no uncertain terms.

Have seen the exact same thing happen in Limerick. ****ing lunacy. I mean fair enough, it's a Thomond Park tradition but to try and inflict it elsewhere and now on other sports is a joke.

Pegasusbridge

I don't think anything can be done about it. it's juvenile but hard to stop. People should focus on supporting their own team and not booing the opposition.

hisholinessnb

People really have little to be complaining about.

Theres far worse going on in the association around the country than a bit of booing.

I'm not into to booing myself but its certainly no big deal, apart from an excuse for people to get on their moral high horses and make themselves feel superior to other fans.

DH2K9

hisholinessnb wrote: »

People really have little to be complaining about.

Theres far worse going on in the association around the country than a bit of booing.

I'm not into to booing myself but its certainly no big deal, apart from an excuse for people to get on their moral high horses and make themselves feel superior to other fans.

Was that aimed at me? I just don't feels its right to boo the other team's free taker. You say you don't do it yourself so what is the problem?

soccymonster

Just annoys me when little kids (usually at league/club/small attendance championship games) do it. But then again, little squeeky voices screaming just irritate me anyways The look of death usually shuts them up though (doesn't work on people older than me though..:().

But yea, booing is part and parcel, ya gotta deal with it. Like it or not.
Unless you'd recommend a sound proof shield placed around the stands and terraces? :P

unknown13

Booing Mc Donnell was needed on Saturday and he miss about three frees. Dublin won by three points, the meath free taker was affected as well against Louth. Mind games by the fans and there is nothing that can be done about it.

chinguetti

I think it something that people saw at soccer games on telly and copied it. And you won't stop it because as each year goes on, its becomes more and more the standard.

I have told people before besides me to stop the booing, the same with rampant bad language, most of it foul and unnecessary. And i do get wrapped up myself at a match and won't pretend to be an angel but some things are too much. Most have shut up, some have abused me but once someone says something, others join in and they quickly get the message.

My favourite was when i told 3 young fellas to shut their mouths at a WD v OY match about 4 years ago in Thurles. The abuse coming from them was amazing and this was during the warm-up where WD were doing in front of us. After ten minutes of drivel, I turned and told them to shut up or get out and furthermore that they were a disgrace to themselves and their fellow countymen which wasn't OY or WD by the way. They didn't open their mouth for the rest of the afternoon, the shame of been pointed out by someone else embrassed them into silence as happens to all corner boys.

Its bad manners, plain and simple but as i'm not 6'4', i'll call Bernard Dunne up from the sideline the next time;).

yahoo_moe

Pegasusbridge wrote: »

People should focus on supporting their own team and not booing the opposition.

This is how I'd think of it to be honest. I personally like to appreciate skill from the opposition just as I would from my own team - I'm obviously hoping for my team to win but I don't hold any animosity towards the opposition unless they do something to deserve it (at which point I'll scream bloody murder).

Oh and as a Dublin fan, I do think there's an element of the Dublin support (mainly football) that's worse than that from other counties. Nor is it a one-county problem though.

DH2K9

yahoo_moe wrote: »

This is how I'd think of it to be honest. I personally like to appreciate skill from the opposition just as I would from my own team - I'm obviously hoping for my team to win but I don't hold any animosity towards the opposition unless they do something to deserve it (at which point I'll scream bloody murder).

Oh and as a Dublin fan, I do think there's an element of the Dublin support (mainly football) that's worse than that from other counties. Nor is it a one-county problem though.

No I just think the Hill do themselves no favours. Completely agree with you otherwise and I even clapped about once when McDonnel got that great point with the left.

DC_Roscommon

Sligo were at it when Donie Shine was taking frees......

Conor_M1990

Bad auld form no need for it at the end of the day

Fandango

telecaster wrote: »

cant believe people get so bothered about this. It certainly is not a new feature in the game. Adds to the atmopsphere and its a level playing field if everyone is getting booed.

Get over it, I've yet hear a player or manager complain about it, only pundits filling air.

Agree, and anyone who has ever got a shock or been put off knows a sudden sound does it. A constant boo shouldnt affect you.

Fandango

yahoo_moe wrote: »

Oh and as a Dublin fan, I do think there's an element of the Dublin support (mainly football) that's worse than that from other counties. Nor is it a one-county problem though.

There is alright. I always go to the Hill with my Da who is from Cork. At the game against Tipp, we decided to move at half time cos of the (cant say it without getting banned) beside us shouting utter nonsense at the Tipp players and at the Dublin players if they made the smallest mistake. There was culchie this and ya country that constantly but my Cork born da is more of a Dubs fan than he will ever be!! Bet the (cant say again) couldnt name 5 players on the Dublin panel. So we moved closer to the Cusack side and a few mins into the second half, some idiot threw a drink at the person in front of us from way back. Gardai came in but couldnt say for sure who did it so just watched the area so they would behave. Against Armagh, a steward way behind us was getting heaps of abuse from a "fan" and eventually the Gardai stepped in again and calmed it. As a Dublin fan, i bloody hate that sh1te. Most of us are there to watch a game and enjoy it, we dont need people like that causing hassle. Only a handfull cause trouble but very annoying all the same.

yahoo_moe

Fandango wrote: »

A constant boo shouldnt affect you.

Surely that's even more reason to agree it's unnecessary then, no?

keane2097

chinguetti wrote: »

I think it something that people saw at soccer games on telly and copied it.

So it's soccer's fault? GTFO tbh.

Fandango

yahoo_moe wrote: »

Surely that's even more reason to agree it's unnecessary then, no?

I fully agree its unnecessary but its part of the game these days so who cares?

Fandango

keane2097 wrote: »

So it's soccer's fault? GTFO tbh.

Agree with ya. Anything bad in GAA is blamed on soccer almost everytime! No chance that its a competitive game where the crowd/players will do what they can to win?? Would love if GAA was pure sportsmanship etc but its not despite what some believe!

DH2K9

It is also creeping into underage level. Sure I saw a minor match a few weeks ago and there was clapping and shouting and all this bull but the referee's don't stamp it out.

Fandango

DH2K9 wrote: »

It is also creeping into underage level. Sure I saw a minor match a few weeks ago and there was clapping and shouting and all this bull but the referee's don't stamp it out.

They cant do anything if the crowd are doing it. Players they can tho.

Daysha

I really don't see the problem with it if I'm being honest. You just can't make the same comparison with Thomand Park, they have a once-off atmosphere that you don't see replicated that much around the world.

In 2003 Celtic were giving a special award because of their fans behaviour when travelling to Seville for the UEFA Cup final. Yet if you watch back on the game when Porto receive the trophy there's probably the loudest chorus of boos you'll hear at any game.

On the list of fan issues in the GAA, what happened after the Louth/Meath game is #1 and booing opponent frees should be around #76.

DH2K9

Daysha wrote: »

I really don't see the problem with it if I'm being honest. You just can't make the same comparison with Thomand Park, they have a once-off atmosphere that you don't see replicated that much around the world.

In 2003 Celtic were giving a special award because of their fans behaviour when travelling to Seville for the UEFA Cup final. Yet if you watch back on the game when Porto receive the trophy there's probably the loudest chorus of boos you'll hear at any game.

On the list of fan issues in the GAA, what happened after the Louth/Meath game is #1 and booing opponent frees should be around #76.

Completely disagree. At the end of the day sport is not a matter of life or death. The main emphasis in sport is RESPECT. Respect referees, opponents, team mates, managers etc. If you can't respect somebody in sport, you won't respect people in real life. People get too patriotic and shout abuse of all sorts to opposing players, managers etc but it all starts by booing free takers. It is a gradual build up before personal abuse starts happening.

Fandango

Here, in every sport in the world it happens. Rugby fans are alot better behaved in general but watch a game in France and its just the same. To say booing leads to personal abuse is crazy! Many fans boo a 45/65 and if it goes over they will clap.

Daysha

DH2K9 wrote: »

Completely disagree. At the end of the day sport is not a matter of life or death. The main emphasis in sport is RESPECT. Respect referees, opponents, team mates, managers etc. If you can't respect somebody in sport, you won't respect people in real life. People get too patriotic and shout abuse of all sorts to opposing players, managers etc but it all starts by booing free takers. It is a gradual build up before personal abuse starts happening.

I hope you're not suggesting that those who boo players at matches are gradually going to turn into those eejits that attacked the ref at the end of the Leinster final. That's like comparing someone done for assault with the 6 year old down the road who had a sneaky jelly in the local grocery store.

Again it boils down to how seriously you take it when you hear of a bit of booing at matches. You obviously feels its a very bad thing for a fan to do, I think it's people just caught up in the atmosphere who care quite deeply about who good or bad their opponents play.

Like I said, there are far worse things the association needs to deal with right now.

rossie1977

DC_Roscommon wrote: »

Sligo were at it when Donie Shine was taking frees......

yes sligo fans were booing heavily during shines frees and it didn't affect the lad at all (nor did i think it would given that this is a guy who was kicking over frees from 50-60 yards in croke park at 17)

again if you are good enough booing won't faze you, ffs in the nba you have booing and people waving silly blown up sticks when the away team goes up to take a free-throw

NufcNavan

What a fuss over nothing.

In the Leinster Final, Louth's boos were deafening when Ward took a free. Didn't stop him from slotting them over though. Don't see the problem.

grenache

I hate it when fans boo free takers. It really is just childish - something you'd expect from a six year old - not to mention disrespectful. As stated by a previous poster, fans would be far better served by giving more vocal support to their own team, rather than putting their energies into booing opposition free-takers. It displays a distinct lack of class.

major bill

jesus whoever is giving out about the booing id hate to see what way ye think at a bohs/rovers derby or a dublin/meath game.....seriously id much rather hostility at a game than see it on the street and by ME booing an opponent does not make me a bad person i do have respect for people but while your on the pitch trying to win against my beloved dublin or bohemians im gonna abuse ye:P!!!!.

btw whats actually worse??? grown men thumping the head of each other on a pitch in front of kids(oh its just passion) or people booing the free taker????

defo not the latter imo some of the violence on the pitch is far more damaging to young kids watching than booing opposition players.

hisholinessnb

DH2K9 wrote: »

Was that aimed at me? I just don't feels its right to boo the other team's free taker. You say you don't do it yourself so what is the problem?

It was aimed at everyone whingeing about the booing.
If booing from the crowd is going to affect your performance you are far too physchologically (cant find the feckin spellcheck on here ) fragile for such a big occasion in the first place.

DH2K9

Daysha wrote: »

I hope you're not suggesting that those who boo players at matches are gradually going to turn into those eejits that attacked the ref at the end of the Leinster final. That's like comparing someone done for assault with the 6 year old down the road who had a sneaky jelly in the local grocery store.

Again it boils down to how seriously you take it when you hear of a bit of booing at matches. You obviously feels its a very bad thing for a fan to do, I think it's people just caught up in the atmosphere who care quite deeply about who good or bad their opponents play.

Like I said, there are far worse things the association needs to deal with right now.

But it all leads up to it. The people who shout abuse weren't doing that when they were kids. They were booing players and it is a gradual increase. It's the same in real life. A drug dealer was dealing drugs at 6 years of age, he gradually increased as he went on. I am not saying that everybody who boos the free taker will become a hooligan but a small percentage will.

hisholinessnb wrote: »

It was aimed at everyone whingeing about the booing.
If booing from the crowd is going to affect your performance you are far too physchologically (cant find the feckin spellcheck on here ) fragile for such a big occasion in the first place.

That's what I'm saying, it doesn't affect any free taker so what is the point.