Why do people love to hate the GAA ?

BnB

I'm a GAA man to the bone. But I'm not blind either - Like any big organisations, it has it's faults.

But one thing that is puzzling me more and more over the last few years is why so many non-GAA people seem to hate it so much ? I don't expect everyone to love the sports. But the normal reaction when you don't like a sport is to just be indifferent towards it.

You even see it in certain sectors of the media. Maybe I just have my GAA blinkers on but I think any story that can knock the GAA in any way is blown out of proportion. Maybe I'm wrong in this, but that's what I see.

You would see it here on boards a lot. Like some of the postings in the current thread on GAA players jobs and a thread a few weeks ago about why the GAA gets so much money from the government despite sitting on a few hundred million in the bank (apparently..!!!). That thread about GAA money was typical of the kind of rubbish you hear from people who hate the GAA.

You don't seem to get it with other sports - People who don't like Rugby, just don't like the sport and get on with it - But you very rarely hear the same hateful kind of tirades about any other sport that you do about the GAA.

What do you think the reason for it is ?......or is it all just in my head

Syferus

BnB wrote: »

I'm a GAA man to the bone. But I'm not blind either - Like any big organisations, it has it's faults.

But one thing that is puzzling me more and more over the last few years is why so many non-GAA people seem to hate it so much ? I don't expect everyone to love the sports. But the normal reaction when you don't like a sport is to just be indifferent towards it.

You even see it in certain sectors of the media. Maybe I just have my GAA blinkers on but I think any story that can knock the GAA in any way is blown out of proportion. Maybe I'm wrong in this, but that's what I see.

You would see it here on boards a lot. Like some of the postings in the current thread on GAA players jobs and a thread a few weeks ago about why the GAA gets so much money from the government despite sitting on a few hundred million in the bank (apparently..!!!). That thread about GAA money was typical of the kind of rubbish you hear from people who hate the GAA.

You don't seem to get it with other sports - People who don't like Rugby, just don't like the sport and get on with it - But you very rarely hear the same hateful kind of tirades about any other sport that you do about the GAA.

What do you think the reason for it is ?......or is it all just in my head

You should go to any GAA specific forum that is looser on moderation and re-evaluate that one.

People don't like what they don't know and pile up prejudices to re-enforce their beliefs. That's all there is to it.

BnB

Syferus wrote: »

You should go to any GAA specific forum that is looser on moderation and re-evaluate that one.

Fair point

nice_guy80

Insecurity

Just like your own

cormac halpin

BnB wrote: »

I'm a GAA man to the bone.

Its phrases like that I'd say. And begrudgery, sure we're a great aul country for the begrudgery.

BrensBenz

Unfortunately, we Irish are renowned for our long memories, leading to endless regurgitation of past "crimes" by whatever baddies are being focussed on. We have an extraordinary talent for ignoring our own "sins" while in pursuit of the high ground. See how quickly other boards threads on, say, Nurn Arn or The Famine, develop from intelligent debate to hair-splitting recitations of biased opinions, many of which should be prefaced with "me Mammy said......"

The GAA is a formidable organisation, facilitating healthy pursuits for tens of thousands of people; enjoying huge support from dedicated and unpaid helpers, etc., etc. but it has an ugly ugly history of sectarianism and small-mindedness, particularly (but not exclusively) at local level. I've heard the GAA being referred to as "our answer to the Orange Order", a opinion which, I hasten to say, I find extreme but not without some truth. The proportion of good and bad aspects of the GAA depends on your viewpoint but, be assured that if there is ANY bad, someone will focus on it, ad infinitum.

munchkin_utd

ach, a lot of it is jealousy especially from the urban soccer crowd.
And in one sence you wouldnt blame them, or at least you can see its understandable.
(from what I saw in the past) they are blessed to have their pitches provided to them by the city councils but the facilities would be bad to dismal to non existant. Kids and adults changing rooms often non existant.
I have to say I was shocked at what my soccer playing cousins in Dublin had to put up with.
And even if it has changed now in places thanks to the celtic tiger, the begrudgery built up over years of looking across the wall at the GAA who have proper facilities would still gnaw at someone who thinks the world is against them.

Now....
The fact that historically GAA pitches and changing rooms were paid for through years of hard slog and fundraising with barely anything coming from goverment (only a few euro from the lotto if youre lucky) is lost on most begrudgers.
Its a simple reality that in the 80s when the government had no money, the GAA decided not to wait for handouts and just get on with improving their lot. Most facilities around the country are in place because of a drive in advance of the 1984 100th anniversary.
(my local club in Cavan trained in a farmers field till then - no council provided marked pitches there I can tell you !!)

So, some people begrudge others because they have worked hard to improve themselves and their situation.
Its actually not a bad metaphor for Ireland in general.

Tom Joad

munchkin_utd wrote: »

So, some people begrudge others because they have worked hard to improve themselves and their situation.
Its actually not a bad metaphor for Ireland in general.

This pure and simple jealousy and begrudery- a symptom unfortunately of Irish life in general. Plus the sheep that are too afraid to have an opinion of their own and rely on stories they heard to justify not getting off their holes to change their lot. A bit like the thread here yesterday about all the GAA players who walk into teaching jobs despite not been able to read or write and poor honest mick who went to Pats in Drumcondra for 20 years couldn't get a job because he doesn't play the GAA!!

robbiezero

BrensBenz wrote: »

Unfortunately, we Irish are renowned for our long memories, leading to endless regurgitation of past "crimes" by whatever baddies are being focussed on. We have an extraordianry talent to ignore our own "sins" while in pursuit of the high ground. See how quickly other boards threads on, say, Nurn Arn or The Famine, develop from intelligent debate to hair-splitting recitations of biased opinions, many of which should be prefaced with "me Mammy said......"

The GAA is a formidable organisation, facilitating healthy pursuits for tens of thousands of people; enjoying huge support from dedicated and unpaid helpers, etc., etc. but it has an ugly ugly history of sectarianism and small-mindedness, particularly (but not exclusively) at local level. I've heard the GAA being referred to as "our answer to the Orange Order", a opinion which, I hasten to say, I find extreme but not without some truth. The proportion of good and bad aspects of the GAA depends on your viewpoint but, be assured that if there is ANY bad, someone will focus on it, ad infinitum.

Wasn't aware of its "ugly ugly history of sectarianism". In what way?

BrensBenz

robbiezero wrote: »

Wasn't aware of its "ugly ugly history of sectarianism". In what way?

While not wishing to resort to "endless regurgitation of past "crimes", I think the attached is a fair summation. Admittedly, it doesn't refer to the hostility shown by GAA committee members and supporters, particularly at local level, to members of minority religions. "Foreign" (aka British) games were played in Ireland (mainly) by genuine fans or members of minorities. The sectarianism was a consequence rather than an aim of The Ban but, in a society where reasons to become polarised were being sought out, The Ban had many, perhaps unforeseen, negative and remembered consequences.

I freely admit to having a deep set disgust for The Ban and, by implication, those who enforced it. For me, it was a ridiculous notion, especially since my grandad, who would tell me that he "fought and died several times for the liberty of this country" (in Bolands Mill in 1916 with Dev) was an accomplished cricketer and later, a skilled golfer.
My dad was visited by a little man in a huge coat and warned that if his son (me) was observed playing a foreign game again, disciplinary measures would be enforced. I was kicking a pebble down the street with a future Irish rugby international and a guy who had trials for English soccer clubs. I couldn't kick snow off a rope but none of us ever played GAA again.

I'm delighted and commend the fact that today's GAA has all but entirely rid itself of these notions but the question was why is the GAA still hated? Well, some of us remember the bad old days and some others remember what we were told.

http://www.crokepark.ie/gaa-museum/gaa-archive/gaa-museum-irish-times-articles/the-removal-of-douglas-hyde-as-patron-of-the-assoc

robbiezero

BrensBenz wrote: »

While not wishing to resort to "endless regurgitation of past "crimes", I think the attached is a fair summation. Admittedly, it doesn't refer to the hostility shown by GAA committee members and supporters, particularly at local level, to members of minority religions. "Foreign" (aka British) games were played in Ireland (mainly) by genuine fans or members of minorities. The sectarianism was a consequence rather than an aim of The Ban but, in a society where reasons to become polarised were being sought out, The Ban had many, perhaps unforeseen, negative and remembered consequences.

I freely admit to having a deep set disgust for The Ban and, by implication, those who enforced it. For me, it was a ridiculous notion, especially since my grandad, who would tell me that he "fought and died several times for the liberty of this country" (in Bolands Mill in 1916 with Dev) was an accomplished cricketer and later, a skilled golfer.
My dad was visited by a little man in a huge coat and warned that if his son (me) was observed playing a foreign game again, disciplinary measures would be enforced. I was kicking a pebble down the street with a future Irish rugby international and a guy who had trials for English soccer clubs. I couldn't kick snow off a rope but none of us ever played GAA again.

I'm delighted and commend the fact that today's GAA has all but entirely rid itself of these notions but the question was why is the GAA still hated? Well, some of us remember the bad old days and some others remember what we were told.

http://www.crokepark.ie/gaa-museum/gaa-archive/gaa-museum-irish-times-articles/the-removal-of-douglas-hyde-as-patron-of-the-assoc

It is well before my time and while obviously I know about the Ban, I was not aware that there was widespread hostility to member of minority religions within the GAA (obviously Protestants is what you mean). I'm not saying that it wasn't the case, just that I don't know about it.

Ando's Saggy Bottom

The most bitter crowd of all are the LOI supporting crowd in Dublin. So much hate. If they spent half the energy on trying to sort out their farce of a league that they do on bitching about everyone else they'd be far better off.

cormac halpin

Pete Campbell wrote: »

The most bitter crowd of all are the LOI supporting crowd in Dublin. So much hate. If they spent half the energy on trying to sort out their farce of a league that they do on bitching about everyone else they'd be far better off.

The Limerick GAA peoples bitterness and hatred towards Munster and Irish Rugby is equal to that.

Tom_Cruise

I know exactly what you mean. I am a prime example.

While i wouldn't exactly say i 'hate' GAA, i try to avoid anything to do with it if possible. I definitely don't 'love to hate it', i just have zero interest in it.

I think it works both ways. i enjoy watching and playing soccer. A lot of people (especially people ive worked with in the past) always had a smart comment to pass when i told them i have no interest in GAA and soccer was my primary sport, as if im some sort of traitor to the game! (usually giving me a lecture on how soccer is a foreign sport and all that). I don't understand the 'foreign sport' argument either, i mean is there supposed to be something wrong with watching sports that aren't Irish?

cormac halpin

Tom_Cruise wrote: »

I know exactly what you mean. I am a prime example.

While i wouldn't exactly say i 'hate' GAA, i try to avoid anything to do with it if possible. I definitely don't 'love to hate it', i just have zero interest in it.

What the hell are you doing in a GAA forum?

Tom_Cruise

cormac halpin wrote: »

What the hell are you doing in a GAA forum?

Classic example.

cormac halpin

Tom_Cruise wrote: »

Classic example.

Of what? Let me quote what you said verbatim

i just have zero interest in it.

So again, I ask the question, what the hell are you doing in a GAA Forum? Did you just stumble in here looking for the toilets?

robbiezero

cormac halpin wrote: »

Of what? Let me quote what you said verbatim



So again, I ask the question, what the hell are you doing in a GAA Forum? Did you just stumble in here looking for the toilets?

He is one of those people who "has zero interest in the GAA", but never loses interest in announcing that fact.

Tom_Cruise

cormac halpin wrote: »

Of what? Let me quote what you said verbatim



So again, I ask the question, what the hell are you doing in a GAA Forum? Did you just stumble in here looking for the toilets?

So i cant post in this thread as i have no interest in GAA?

The thread title is relevant to me, without input from someone outside of the GAA circle then all you are going to get is biased answers, i mean how could anyone who loves GAA possibly know why people love to hate it? (or even if they do!)

Sorry if i came in and spoiled the little gang bang you were having in here, ill just head back over to the soccer forum.......

cormac halpin

Tom_Cruise wrote: »

So i cant post in this thread as i have no interest in GAA?

That's not what I asked, I asked what are you doing in a GAA Forum if you have "zero interest".

Answer the question asked.

GRMA

These GAA haters have a British centric cap tipping mindset - they view anything culturally Irish as twee and backwards - usually they hate the Irish language too. And usually fawn over British soccer.

I talking about GAA haters of course, not people who just don't like (the) sport (I don't like football but love hurling for example). You know the people who mock it.

signostic

cormac halpin wrote: »

That's not what I asked, I asked what are you doing in a GAA Forum if you have "zero interest".

Answer the question asked.

There are many forums on borads.ie that I have no interest in but sometimes I see a post on the boards.ie homepage which I think maybe interesting eventhough I don`t have any real interest in the subject and I will click in to read and maybe post.
I expect its the same with this poster.
you are not trying to stop someone from posting in the GAA forum are you?

Fr Tod Umptious

cormac halpin wrote: »

What the hell are you doing in a GAA forum?

FFS man/woman, give the guy a break.

He is just giving an opinion, people wander into forms that they may not have an interest in but still have an opinion on a topic that is being discussed

Thnaks for you input Tom

Tom_Cruise

cormac halpin wrote: »

That's not what I asked, I asked what are you doing in a GAA Forum if you have "zero interest".

Answer the question asked.

You could say im doing this forum a favour by giving the point of view of an outsider - someone who has zero interest in GAA. If it was all GAA lover/fans posting replies then the discussion could end up becoming very one sided and biased.

Also i didnt think its a requirement to have an interest in a certain topic to enter a forum about it, how do you know im not just bored?

I have already stated that the thread title sounded interesting to me, and i was intrigued to read people replies and thoughts on the topic and thought i would add my own. I also regularly browse other forums on this site that i have zero or little interest in, to try and imply that only the people interested in a topic can enter the forum based on it is wrong.

Fr Tod Umptious

GRMA wrote: »

These GAA haters have a British centric cap tipping mindset - they view anything culturally Irish as twee and backwards - usually they hate the Irish language too. And usually fawn over British soccer.

I talking about GAA haters of course, not people who just don't like (the) sport (I don't like football but love hurling for example). You know the people who mock it.

I think a lot of it has to do with their theory that just because it does not have an international dimension like soccer or rugby then it is an inferior sport.

And a a result it does not deserve the funding or media coverage it gets, and that other sports are loosing out on the funding and media coverage as a result.

I used to feel that GAA was in some way inferior until I realised that the only teams I ever really got passionate about were the Mayo GAA teams, I tried supporting English soccer teams but it never worked.

I am passionate about the Republic of Ireland soccer team but they do not occupy 99% of my head space like Mayo do.

iDave

Theres an unfounded notion that if the GAA were to suddenly disappear LOI attendances would swell, international teams would win trophies, Olympic medals would be so plentiful they could be melted down and fill the Shannon.
Unfortunatley this is an only too easy assumption to make and the GAA acts as a handy scapegoat for other associations failings. They happily ignore the GAA backround of many of our international stars and their own inability to promote their events.
They also fail to notice other countries like Australia and USA who have their own indigineous codes can still compete at international level without blaming the AFL, NFL, MLB etc

cormac halpin

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

FFS man/woman, give the guy a break.

He is just giving an opinion, people wander into forms that they may not have an interest in but still have an opinion on a topic that is being discussed

Thnaks for you input Tom

Woah Fr, I didn't ask you to speak for me.

Wandering into forums is all well and good, we all do it, but he stood back and took the time to make a post in one, he said he has "zero interest" in. Seems he had enough interest to post though. I don't give a damn about his posting, I just found it amusing that he claimed to have "zero interest" and then called it a "gang bang". Not exactly looking for a break is he?

granturismo

GRMA wrote: »

These GAA haters have a British centric cap tipping mindset - they view anything culturally Irish as twee and backwards - usually they hate the Irish language too. And usually fawn over British soccer.

I talking about GAA haters of course, not people who just don't like (the) sport (I don't like football but love hurling for example). You know the people who mock it.

Bull crap, its just human nature.

People will love somethings, hate others and have no opinion on most things in life. Hatred or passion for GAA is noticeable because the GAA is such a huge organisation in this country, therefore anyone who dislikes the GAA are more noticeable.

robbiezero

Pete Campbell wrote: »

The most bitter crowd of all are the LOI supporting crowd in Dublin. So much hate. If they spent half the energy on trying to sort out their farce of a league that they do on bitching about everyone else they'd be far better off.

In fairness to them, they are in competition with the GAA for support/players. but even in their own sport the vast majority of fans support British teams rather than home-grown ones, so they have reason to be a bit bitter.

Tom Joad

cormac halpin wrote: »

Woah Fr, I didn't ask you to speak for me.

Wandering into forums is all well and good, we all do it, but he stood back and took the time to make a post in one, he said he has "zero interest" in. Seems he had enough interest to post though. I don't give a damn about his posting, I just found it amusing that he claimed to have "zero interest" and then called it a "gang bang". Not exactly looking for a break is he?

A bit ironic Cormac considering you tried to speak for us all. The guy is entitled to his opinion and if I for one was looking for a spokesman for the GAA forum, you would be the last I'd vote for..

cormac halpin

Tom Joad wrote: »

A bit ironic Cormac considering you tried to speak for us all. The guy is entitled to his opinion and if I for one was looking for a spokesman for the GAA forum, you would be the last I'd vote for..

I wasn't asking you to vote for me, I wasn't looking to be the one, I was asking the guy a question, nothing more, nothing less. As you'll see, I have no major feelings one way or other on this subject, live and let live imo, the GAA has a lot going for it, and a lot going against it, this guys attitude just seem surprising. I didnt appreciate being referred to a participant in a gang bang either very much.

iDave

robbiezero wrote: »

In fairness to them, they are in competition with the GAA for support/players. but even in their own sport the vast majority of fans support British teams rather than home-grown ones, so they have reason to be a bit bitter.

The LOI were doing quite well in the 50s and 60s in terms of fanbase, coexisting with the GAA. It was Match of the Day and subsequently Sky Sports that killed the LOI. Inter-soccer canniballisation is the LOIs problem not GAA

meriwether

BrensBenz wrote: »

While not wishing to resort to "endless regurgitation of past "crimes", I think the attached is a fair summation. Admittedly, it doesn't refer to the hostility shown by GAA committee members and supporters, particularly at local level, to members of minority religions. "Foreign" (aka British) games were played in Ireland (mainly) by genuine fans or members of minorities. The sectarianism was a consequence rather than an aim of The Ban but, in a society where reasons to become polarised were being sought out, The Ban had many, perhaps unforeseen, negative and remembered consequences.

I freely admit to having a deep set disgust for The Ban and, by implication, those who enforced it. For me, it was a ridiculous notion, especially since my grandad, who would tell me that he "fought and died several times for the liberty of this country" (in Bolands Mill in 1916 with Dev) was an accomplished cricketer and later, a skilled golfer.
My dad was visited by a little man in a huge coat and warned that if his son (me) was observed playing a foreign game again, disciplinary measures would be enforced. I was kicking a pebble down the street with a future Irish rugby international and a guy who had trials for English soccer clubs. I couldn't kick snow off a rope but none of us ever played GAA again.

I'm delighted and commend the fact that today's GAA has all but entirely rid itself of these notions but the question was why is the GAA still hated? Well, some of us remember the bad old days and some others remember what we were told.

http://www.crokepark.ie/gaa-museum/gaa-archive/gaa-museum-irish-times-articles/the-removal-of-douglas-hyde-as-patron-of-the-assoc

Firstly, lets highlight that the 'ban' was abolished in 1971-ish. So, as you said, 'some of you remember the bad old days' - but these bad old days were 40 years ago. Thats a long memory.

In relation to your item in bold, what sectarianism are we talking about exactly?
How did this manifest itself exactly?

I have no doubt that the GAA would be as sectarian, or as racist, or as homophobic, or as misogynist as the make up of its members. However these members are from socierty as a whoile. If Ireland has previously had a sectarian society, its hardly unlikely that the GAA would be immune to it.

Northern Ireland is a sectarian society, and for many years the NI football team, and the NI league was very sectarian - i.e. 1993 world cup play off, Belfast Celtic disbanding, Derry City fleeing to the LOI, and endless Linfield/Cliftonville violence.

Does that mean that association football is sectarian? Does that mean that UEFA is sectarian?

Tom Joad

cormac halpin wrote: »

I wasn't asking you to vote for me, I wasn't looking to be the one, I was asking the guy a question, nothing more, nothing less. As you'll see, I have no major feelings one way or other on this subject, live and let live imo, the GAA has a lot going for it, and a lot going against it, this guys attitude just seem surprising. I didnt appreciate being referred to a participant in a gang bang either very much.

Hmmm - In my world a question that starts with "What the hell..." infers a certain tone so no I don't accept that you were just asking a question. For someone that claims to have a live and let live outlook you do an awful lot of stirring around here. The guy is entitled to his opinion and its very relevant to the question given that he is one of the constituents referred to in the question. And drop the mock outrage - its getting boring at this stage.

DoctaDee

iDave wrote: »

Theres an unfounded notion that if the GAA were to suddenly disappear LOI attendances would swell, international teams would win trophies,........

Very true Dave .... remembering back 30 odd years ago LOI and GAA co-existed quite happily attendance wise, both pulling substantial crowds ... the real demise of LOI was from "foreign" soccer... the support of their local soccer team was replaced with a deifying adulation of an English football team in most cases

WesternZulu

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I think a lot of it has to do with their theory that just because it does not have an international dimension like soccer or rugby then it is an inferior sport.

And a a result it does not deserve the funding or media coverage it gets, and that other sports are loosing out on the funding and media coverage as a result.

I used to feel that GAA was in some way inferior until I realised that the only teams I ever really got passionate about were the Mayo GAA teams, I tried supporting English soccer teams but it never worked.

I am passionate about the Republic of Ireland soccer team but they do not occupy 99% of my head space like Mayo do.

Pretty much describes me.
I had supported Man United and once they won the champs league in 1999 I was left with this kind of anticlimax, that I expected to be over the moon but I wasn't.
So just as easily as the decision to support United was, it was just as easy to drop them for spurs.

But found after a few years that I didn't care too much about them, not in the same way I would for Mayo footballers so gave up the ghost.

I must stress that I am still a huge soccer fan but besides Ireland I can't get worked up about supporting another team so GAA would therefore never be regarded as something inferior.

However, there are some people who like to think of GAA as only for culchies and muck savages.
You hear this in their descriptions of the sports like 'bogball' and 'stick-fighting'.

I remember being on a train to Drogheda after a rugby international last year with a group of young lads about 16 describing GAA as 'gay' and how rugby is way better.
Maybe it is, that's a personal opinion but I think the fact that for some GAA will never be the fashionable sport to follow they feel the need to discredit it.

I suspect that if GAA was played in a different country them same people would describe more favourably.
As someone mentioned earlier some people judge anything Irish as somewhat inferior to everything else that's out there.

Tom Joad

DoctaDee wrote: »

Very true Dave .... remembering back 30 odd years ago LOI and GAA co-existed quite happily attendance wise, both pulling substantial crowds ... the real demise of LOI was from "foreign" soccer... the support of their local soccer team was replaced with a deifying adulation of an English football team in most cases

I love my sport and would happily give up time to support League of Ireland but the product is terrible and needs serious work to make it attractive to wider audiences - that would not change if the GAA disappeared in the morning.

cormac halpin

Tom Joad wrote: »

Hmmm - In my world a question that starts with "What the hell..." infers a certain tone so no I don't accept that you were just asking a question. For someone that claims to have a live and let live outlook you do an awful lot of stirring around here. The guy is entitled to his opinion and its very relevant to the question given that he is one of the constituents referred to in the question. And drop the mock outrage - its getting boring at this stage.

It is my opinion that are very wrong on this point.

meriwether

WesternZulu wrote: »

Pretty much describes me.
I had supported Man United and once they won the champs league in 1999 I was left with this kind of anticlimax, that I expected to be over the moon but I wasn't.
So just as easily as the decision to support United was, it was just as easy to drop them for spurs.

But found after a few years that I didn't care too much about them, not in the same way I would for Mayo footballers so gave up the ghost.

I must stress that I am still a huge soccer fan but besides Ireland I can't get worked up about supporting another team so GAA would therefore never be regarded as something inferior.

However, there are some people who like to think of GAA as only for culchies and muck savages.
You hear this in their descriptions of the sports like 'bogball' and 'stick-fighting'.

I remember being on a train to Drogheda after a rugby international last year with a group of young lads about 16 describing GAA as 'gay' and how rugby is way better.
Maybe it is, that's a personal opinion but I think the fact that for some GAA will never be the fashionable sport to follow they feel the need to discredit it.

I suspect that if GAA was played in a different country them same people would describe more favourably.
As someone mentioned earlier some people judge anything Irish as somewhat inferior to everything else that's out there.

If you told an NFL fan or an Aussie Rules fan that their sport was inferior to soccer because it wasn't popular in Belgium, Britain or Barbados, they would laugh at you.

They don't seem to have the inferiority complex Irish people have regarding our indigenous culture, and/or the need to have foreign approval to feel validated.

Fr Tod Umptious

As I said in another thread on this form a few days ago

Sad really how any meaningful dicussion ......is runied by some posters.

And suprise suprise the same poster is involved here too

Tom Joad

cormac halpin wrote: »

It is my opinion that are very wrong on this point.

veXual

I think some people are put off the GAA by some of the ill discipline displayed in some games. If you compare Rugby and GAA, whilst Rugby is a more physical sport GAA games can be more "aggressive".

There exists a culture where it's seen as necessary to "rough up" an opponent or often you see fairly heavy hits go in after a ball has been released/passed on. I enjoy the aggressive aspect of GAA but sometimes incidents go unpunished and people see this aggressiveness as unnecessary.

I suppose there exists parish rivalry at club level which has on occasions has led to mass brawls which in fairness have been dealt with but it does seem that this happens with a higher frequency with GAA.

The aggressive nature of the GAA can also be interpreted as passion which I agree with to an extent. It's easy to forget that players are amateurs and an awful lot of time and effort is put into training so on matchday it's easy to get caught up in a physical exchange with emotions running high.

I've rambled on a bit but I suppose the rough and tumble of the GAA doesn't endear itself well to people of the fringe of the GAA circle.

WesternZulu

veXual wrote: »

I think some people are put off the GAA by some of the ill discipline displayed in some games. If you compare Rugby and GAA, whilst Rugby is a more physical sport GAA games can be more "aggressive".

There exists a culture where it's seen as necessary to "rough up" an opponent or often you see fairly heavy hits go in after a ball has been released/passed on. I enjoy the aggressive aspect of GAA but sometimes incidents go unpunished and people see this aggressiveness as unnecessary.

I suppose there exists parish rivalry at club level which has on occasions has led to mass brawls which in fairness have been dealt with but it does seem that this happens with a higher frequency with GAA.

The aggressive nature of the GAA can also be interpreted as passion which I agree with to an extent. It's easy to forget that players are amateurs and an awful lot of time and effort is put into training so on matchday it's easy to get caught up in a physical exchange with emotions running high.

I've rambled on a bit but I suppose the rough and tumble of the GAA doesn't endear itself well to people of the fringe of the GAA circle.

I think the media love to show any sort of brawl in a GAA game, sometimes it's justified like last year between Dromid Pearses and Derrytresk.
But a lot of the time it's not and the same sort of carry on goes on in rugby and soccer games up and down the country without any of the media spotlight.

It must be taken into context that there are a lot more GAA clubs in the country that soccer and rugby (more GAA clubs in Cork than rugby clubs in the whole country) so there will always seem to be more trouble at GAA games.

Hidalgo

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

I think a lot of it has to do with their theory that just because it does not have an international dimension like soccer or rugby then it is an inferior sport.

And a a result it does not deserve the funding or media coverage it gets, and that other sports are loosing out on the funding and media coverage as a result.

I used to feel that GAA was in some way inferior until I realised that the only teams I ever really got passionate about were the Mayo GAA teams, I tried supporting English soccer teams but it never worked.

I am passionate about the Republic of Ireland soccer team but they do not occupy 99% of my head space like Mayo do.

Your poor head :pac:

Hidalgo

iDave wrote: »

The LOI were doing quite well in the 50s and 60s in terms of fanbase, coexisting with the GAA. It was Match of the Day and subsequently Sky Sports that killed the LOI. Inter-soccer canniballisation is the LOIs problem not GAA

Was it just Match of the day, or did the FAI take their eye off the ball to an extent also?
Alot of soccer grounds really went into disrepair, whether that was just from English soccer getting more TV here?

The mini series on the history of Irish soccer presented by Dara Moloney had an episode about this iirc

veXual

WesternZulu wrote: »

It must be taken into context that there are a lot more GAA clubs in the country that soccer and rugby (more GAA clubs in Cork than rugby clubs in the whole country) so there will always seem to be more trouble at GAA games.

I never thought of it like that. Law of averages I suppose. Club games do get a lot of exposition in the media in comparison to local Rugby and Soccer clubs.

Fr Tod Umptious

WesternZulu wrote: »

I think the media love to show any sort of brawl in a GAA game, sometimes it's justified like last year between Dromid Pearses and Derrytresk.
But a lot of the time it's not and the same sort of carry on goes on in rugby and soccer games up and down the country without any of the media spotlight.

It must be taken into context that there are a lot more GAA clubs in the country that soccer and rugby (more GAA clubs in Cork than rugby clubs in the whole country) so there will always seem to be more trouble at GAA games.

that's spot on

The Dromid Pearses and Derrytresk game was an All Ireland Junior semi final, which on my reckoning is about 35th on the list of annual GAA games when it comes to profile, yet they are calling live line as if it was the All Ireland final that it happned in and that Obama, The Queen of England and The Pope himself were all there to see it happen.

If someone can point me to a game on the soccer or rugby calendar with a profile similar to an All Ireland Club junior semi-final I'm sure one would find a bit of unsavoury incidents.

overshoot

iDave wrote: »

Theres an unfounded notion that if the GAA were to suddenly disappear LOI attendances would swell, international teams would win trophies, Olympic medals would be so plentiful they could be melted down and fill the Shannon.

il say as a follower of gaa, soccer, rugby
LOI attendance; it may have a slight impact, il say harps went 10 games undefeated this season, which would usually boost attendances but there was zero movement with the donegal run.
any swell of note though just wouldnt happen, most people i know would follow soccer also though the only a few i know would have frequented harps games on an anyway regular basis, plenty in the pubs on a sunday for a premeirship game. and lets face it the LOI used to play winter football and the attendances were still poor. (re pete campbell & the dub lois some of them believe everyone is out to get them, not just the GAA:pac:, the shams/thomas davis/tallaght stadium scrap also didnt help)

also ps cormic, boards is still a public forum... maybe he saw it on the homepage and didnt wander into the forum? relevance of a thread to a person and interest in the forum area dont always have to coincide

to be honest though iv found the ban one of the main reasons why people would be bitter to the gaa but it has moved away from it and plenty wouldnt be as bitter as they once were. when someone is asked to chose by a side thats the one he rebels against. Harps had a donegal flag up for the summer that was in it and it was questioned by some still a bit angry after county board closed the mcCumhail park car park for a big FAI cup qf back in the late 90s (not been many sellouts since!)...
then less than 15 years later you have Harps v Donegal for a testimonial match. times change, people dont

edit-took a long time to write this (walked off inbetween) ro re hidalgo the FAI only became involved in the league in the last 10 years (uefa rules with national side & a domestic league forced their hand, but imo they have done nothing for the league... id nearly argue its been to its detriment)

also people saying the gaa being more "aggressive" than rugby, wouldnt agree, look at hartley throwing digs at stephen best last weekend in the H cup (although he really has form) plenty of punch ups, gouging during games you possible see it more often but it is publicised more in the gaa. it may help that rugby seems to have a quicker and harsher way of dealing with it... in general it stays in the news beacuse x has been cited for ____ so you always get the impression its being dealt with

Dionysius2

There's no rationale for the question asked be it levelled at an organisation or individual. There's a huge percentage of people every one of us encounters in life who either love us, like us. or tolerate us depending on the currency at a given moment. That percentage at best may be as good as 80% when we are surrounded by some of the good karma of life. The living is easy at such times.

The other 20% may like or dislike you at times but generally couldn't give a toss about you or what you represent. Sometimes they have their reasons and those reasons often relate more to their own situation and personal life baggage in the world than it does to anything relative to you.
Your position, achievements, lifestyle, opportunities (beneficial & wasted), and a host of the gimcrack of life as perceived by the other party help to form the views held of you and your organisation by others.

But never forget that nobody is bitchier than some of your own dear friends when it's your turn at the party. The best advice is to try to cling to a largish chunk of the 80%, however you manage it.

In the homeland of begrudgery, it would be astonishing if a successful organisation were not to be picked at each day by detractors.

"As usual, the tenters dogs will bark as our caravan passes by".

BQQ

meriwether wrote: »

If you told an NFL fan or an Aussie Rules fan that their sport was inferior to soccer because it wasn't popular in Belgium, Britain or Barbados, they would laugh at you.

They don't seem to have the inferiority complex Irish people have regarding our indigenous culture, and/or the need to have foreign approval to feel validated.

In fact, the Aussie rules situation is very similar to here.

Where the GAA competes with soccer (and rugby to a lesser extent)
Aussie rules competes with Rugby League (and soccer/rugby union to a lesser extent)

Rugby League is more popular in New South Wales, Queensland, ACT and Northern territory. Aussie Rules is more popular in the rest of Australia.
So, there's a popular rugby league show on tv called 'the Footy show', but to many Australians Footy means Aussie rules.

They compete for players, tv revenue, sponsorship etc. and if you play one you more than likely don't play the other.

Clareman

Right,

ALL POSTERS, attack the post, not the poster and stay on topic, cards & bans will start to be handed out if people continue to blatantly ignore the rules & guidelines.