GAA people = Cavemen?

Dirty Dingus McGee

I have just decided to stop my children playing soccer because of all the spitting,racism and sexism that seems to occur in that game, I don't think I could let my children near such a horrible sport.

anncoates

GerryAdams10 wrote: »

My priest was giving off about GAA training being scheduled for Sunday mornings at mass last week.

I like the GAA but even if I didn't like it I would still like it to thrive as it is a strong piece of Gaelic heritage that the Protestants up here in Northern Ireland despise. If the GAA introduced Scottish shinty to the organisation they would still hate it.

Soccer is a foreign game that clowns up in Derry city and Belfast play. I do watch soccer but it has no place in rural Gaelic communities

Not sure if you are a Waterford Whispers type parody or a real poster.

elefant

I've found this an interesting thread to hear everyone's views and personal anecdotes about the GAA. Criticisms shouldn't be brushed away, but should be considered to try and improve the game and its organisation for everyone. To all who made sweeping negative comments about the GAA in this thread though: Substitute (I'm reticent to use the word literally in case there's a flawless sport I'm forgetting about, but it must be close to literally) any sport for GAA, and the generalization could still be 'valid'.

There is certainly a lot of tribalism and backwards thinking prevalent in many GAA clubs and clubmen/women in Ireland and abroad. I've experienced it, and I'm sure every GAA proponent who has posted in this thread has too. There are also many, many great people who volunteer their time freely for the love of a game, and who positively affect many lives through their work in the GAA.

However, the thread title is an embarrassment. GAA people aren't 'cavemen'. To even consider the possibility that anyone who is a 'GAA person' is a caveman is so small-minded I have a hard time getting my head around it. How sweet life would be if everything could be viewed so simply.

iDave

So we have anti Criket and anti GAA threads on the front page this morning. I thought we were a sport mad country!

OldMrBrennan83

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iDave

Patww79 wrote: »

And not a sign of an anti rugby one. Mind boggles.

A thread on an All Ireland soccer team which was mostly good mannered got shut down very quickly recently. It's ok on AH to lay into the GAA with lazy stereotypes though.

OldMrBrennan83

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iDave

Berserker wrote: »

The amount of GAA coverage on RTE is a joke. I'd like to see minority sports get a slice of that media coverage.

Theres no live GAA on RTE from October to April.

galljga1

Patww79 wrote: »

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All Ireland soccer team? Rugby amalgamation messes? what?

OldMrBrennan83

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iDave

Patww79 wrote: »

I agree though that the GAA always seems to be fair game.

And rightly so. Lobsided competition structures, poor scheduling, inconsistent refereeing. Plenty of reasons to have a pop at the GAA. But why bother when its easier to throw around phrases like 'gahliban'. Meanwhile no lock as decent people who just like some sport get childish name calling thrown at them.

Isn't AH supposed to sport free?

Lt J.R. Bell

Cash Tall Loner wrote: »

Why are some GAA people so blind to reality and stupid?

The typical higher up in a GAA club is a devoted Catholic, acts like every other sport other than Hurling and Football doesn't exist and if someone plays other sports and doesn't play a GAA sport then that sport is for "People who are no good at GAA". In my experience they refer to Rugby and especially Soccer as "The Queen's game" and seem to still be very butthurt over the whose Bloody Sunday event. They have also scheduled GAA training with Soccer training to make people sweat.

I might let it be known that I play both Soccer and Gaelic games and enjoy both thoroughly and I probably spend more time watching GAA matches than Soccer, but in my experience the GAA higher ups are very medieval while the Soccer lads have always been very down to earth. I'm just stating my opinions so if you have any opinions or if you question anything I've said, please feel free to comment.

Soccer and Rugby are genuine threats to the GAA. Each organisation is out to look after their own. Why should the GAA cater to the other sporting organisations? Or soccer rugby cater to GAA. ? The schedules are often on during the same periods. (ie training)

Who is still calling soccer the Queens game. Name these so called people ie their positions in the GA, actually name them (their specific position not their names)

I would agree, in my experience, the soccer group have always been down to earth and you had better opportunities to play. Rugby too are decent as they try to encourage all to play.Rugby clubs tended to actually feed everyone after playing in a blitz or tournament. The best I got after a GAA tournament was crisps and a can of coke, and maybe a few chips thereafter. In the GAA many kids got on the team because daddy was the sponsor or board membe, and we're crap

Cavemen though? A bit harsh

Cen taurus

Like every sport, the GAA has its Gobshytes as well, but as long as they are kept in check and in a minority, and they are in most places, the good will outweigh the bad.

Granted the balance tips in some clubs, and once it does there's not much can be done, but that's life. The good will then leave that club to the festering gobshytes that have overun it.

Lt J.R. Bell

Schwiiing wrote: »

Worst in really small rural villages. The local Gaaliban get real pissy when you don't bow to the local minor county 'star'.

What until that fella get injuries by 21 and can't play for the club anymore or fails to make the grade.He will be tossed out like a bad egg

Choochtown

I won't generalise and group all players and followers of a particular sport together under 1 umbrella as has been done a lot in this thread ... but for my children:

Registration for the local soccer club= €50 a year each
Registration for the local GAA club (2 sports)= free if family has membership or €5 a year each

Soccer club U10s and 12s: Very competitive to the point that a few less athletic players don't actually get any time on the pitch at all if a result is in the balance (disgraceful imo)
GAA U10 s and 12s: Go games only. Small sided games in which everyone plays regardless of ability and the final score is unimportant.

As race was mentioned earlier it's interesting to note that the soccer teams consist only of white-skinned children of Irish origin whilst the Gaa teams have a much more multi-cultural make-up.

As mentioned this is only my experience locally here. Quite sad how some feel the need to put down an entire organisation due to their own personal experiences. My children play both soccer and Gaa amongst other sports but enjoy the Gaa much more due to the excellent coaching received.

galljga1

Patww79 wrote: »

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I have no issue with that. Thats up to the various associations/players but we don't have an all Ireland soccer team and we do have an all Ireland rugby team which is doing pretty well currently.

Lt J.R. Bell

iDave wrote: »

Theres no live GAA on RTE from October to April.

Also, RTE lost the rights to the handful of Premier League English games, the Rugby World Cup, the bloody Heineken Cup (or the new tournament) . Sure RTE coverage of important horse racing festivals is poorish only covering a couple of the bigger races as oppose to the entire racecard for Derby day etc

Let's face it, few people sit down and watch Airtricity league shown on Friday nights

TG4 do a great job. Cover all the club GAA games in winter and many rugby pro 12 games.

No one shows the Ulster Bank All Ireland rugby league games anymore.Shame

OldMrBrennan83

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Lt J.R. Bell

Choochtown wrote: »

I won't generalise and group all players and followers of a particular sport together under 1 umbrella as has been done a lot in this thread ... but for my children:

Registration for the local soccer club= €50 a year each
Registration for the local GAA club (2 sports)= free if family has membership or €5 a year each

Soccer club U10s and 12s: Very competitive to the point that a few less athletic players don't actually get any time on the pitch at all if a result is in the balance (disgraceful imo)
GAA U10 s and 12s: Go games only. Small sided games in which everyone plays regardless of ability and the final score is unimportant.

As race was mentioned earlier it's interesting to note that the soccer teams consist only of white-skinned children of Irish origin whilst the Gaa teams have a much more multi-cultural make-up.

As mentioned this is only my experience locally here. Quite sad how some feel the need to put down an entire organisation due to their own personal experiences. My children play both soccer and Gaa amongst other sports but enjoy the Gaa much more due to the excellent coaching received.

I am from a GAA background, the GAA totally want the foreign kids playing. It looks great for them. No problem.

But don't come and say that foregin kids are not getting on soccer teams simply because of their background. That ain't true. If they are good enough they will play even if the coach begrudgingly does so as its all about winning rather than educating the kids in the skills (as you correctly stated was wrong, kids at Barca learn to play before they compete)

galljga1

Patww79 wrote: »

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I get you now, was wondering where you were coming from. A road too long for me to travel on.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Lt J.R. Bell wrote: »

What until that fella get injuries by 21 and can't play for the club anymore or fails to make the grade.He will be tossed out like a bad egg

Tossed out of where?

Lt J.R. Bell

anncoates wrote: »

People involved with 'soccer' generally have a better sense of self criticism though. Many such people here would be very quick to trenchantly criticize the FAI or junior football structures in Ireland, perhaps too quickly sometimes.

On the other hand, if the aspects of cultural near-fascism, blatant funding disparities and political cronyism, expansionism (see Croke Park residents vs HQ profits) of the GAA is brought up, even reasonable supporters will instantly circle the wagons and start ranting

It's basically analogous to nationalism, perhaps unsurprisingly.

Well, it's a pitty John Delaney doesn't heed the criticism so, which that pay cheque and PR runs to try and get everyone to love him by buying supporters beer while grass roots coaches and staff lost their jobs at the FAI

Lt J.R. Bell

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Tossed out of where?

He will be ignored and not bowed to. Criticised even. He would be of little use to his admirers

Check out the Oliver Callan skit on YouTube on the life of a club hurler. There is a horrible element of truth to it

Choochtown

Lt J.R. Bell wrote: »

I am from a GAA background, the GAA totally want the foreign kids playing. It looks great for them. No problem.

But don't come and say that foregin kids are not getting on soccer teams simply because of their background. That ain't true. If they are good enough they will play even if the coach begrudgingly does so as its all about winning rather than educating the kids in the skills (as you correctly stated was wrong, kids at Barca learn to play before they compete)

I didn't say that kids were being denied games because of their background. The kids who are not of Irish origin around here just don't play soccer. Maybe that's because as you've implied ("if they are good enough they will play") they might not get a game. Whereas with the GAA club they are guaranteed a game due to the Go-games ethos which has been adopted now by every Gaa county board in Ireland(similar to the Spanish idea where competition is not encouraged and developing skills and participation is the important thing).
It's a pity the FAI wouldn't adopt a similar approach.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Lt J.R. Bell wrote: »

He will be ignored and not bowed to. Criticised even. He would be of little use to his admirers

Check out the Oliver Callan skit on YouTube on the life of a club hurler. There is a horrible element of truth to it

What else would you expect to happen.

Nobody forces anybody to play gaelic games they play because they love the game, if a player is no longer playing are the GAA club expected to be all over him "Bow" to him as you say (which doesn't really happen with any player) are they meant to have some degree of reverence for a player who may no longer play because he happened to be a good player in the past or should they treat him like any other person.My experience is anyway that GAA clubs always tend to have respect for their past players and help if they can when they might need it.

Wanderer2010

Did anybody here ever experience blatant favoritism from teachers/principals to GAA students? Its been a few years since I did my Leaving but I do recall that 3 particular lads, who represented the school at county level and played both hurling and soccer, got a lot of extra time for training, and when they struggled in their exams, the teacher was rumored to have passed then anyway! I dont know how true that was but they definitely were allowed to enter late, leave early and get away with a lot more messing than the non-GAA students.

Anyone else experience this?

demanufactured

Nothing worse when im playing s gig in a pub than a load of gaa heads on the piss.. They don't know how to control themselves in a civilized manner.... Apes.

Golaco

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Did anybody here ever experience blatant favoritism from teachers/principals to GAA students? Its been a few years since I did my Leaving but I do recall that 3 particular lads, who represented the school at county level and played both hurling and soccer, got a lot of extra time for training, and when they struggled in their exams, the teacher was rumored to have passed then anyway! I dont know how true that was but they definitely were allowed to enter late, leave early and get away with a lot more messing than the non-GAA students.

Anyone else experience this?

Absolutely! And it's even worse at 3rd level

Wanderer2010

Golaco wrote: »

Absolutely! And it's even worse at 3rd level

IN what way?

Golaco

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

IN what way?

Incentives to 'study' at a particular institution, additional help not always available to other students. Basically dishing out handy degrees in the hope of attracting top GAA players and maybe winning a Sigerson or 2