Unpopular Opinions - OP Updated with Threadban List 4/5/21

Boggles

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377099#Comment_120377099

Yeah we never celebrate any other achievements particularly in boxing.

Or Rowing

🙄

Run Forest Run

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377099#Comment_120377099

Also, what is the actual point of international competition, if you can just go out and head hunt top talent from around the world and put them in your national team or as the coach?

Apparently this is Ireland's best against the rest...? Yet we have 3 New Zealanders and an Aussie in our team, and an English coach?

So we need one of England's top coaches in order to beat the English, and a bunch of All Blacks rejects?

Yeah, that's really Ireland's best all right.... it might as well be a club side ffs! 🤣

I see it as the modern incarnation of sports doping. No principles or integrity, just head hunt talent and hand out passports to anyone who can make your national team stronger... turns me completely off tbh. I'd rather my country win or lose with honour and integrity, rather than effectively cheating to win.

Mal-Adjusted

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377099#Comment_120377099

Because boxing is a scumbag sport

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377099#Comment_120377099

Because to their credit the IRFU must have the greatest Marketing Department around. Being able to convince a lot of pople in Ireland that Rugby is the ''Game of Us''

CGI_Livia_Soprano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120379167#Comment_120379167

It's similar to how the GAA have somehow managed to monopolise community spirit and Irish indigenousness.

This is impressive when you consider that Gaelic Football in particular literally didn't even exist prior to 1884 and was invented only to prevent Irish people from playing foreign games.

And yet it is marketed as this ancient game for the modern day warriors, on the pitch, and church-fete like community-bonding projects off the pitch. Rosy cheeked grannies cheering for Roscommon as they toddle down to Croker with the grandkids. Participation is seen as the difference between being truly Irish and not.

whisky_galore

If it makes people happy, even if it is an 'invented tradition', let them off.

The counties that so many people root for are an English invention. Nothing remotely ancient or Gaelic about them.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120379651#Comment_120379651

Some people just don't like seeing others being happy or celebrating. I feel like it's caused by their own deep unhappiness with their own lives. It's kind of sad tbh.

Jack Daw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120379306#Comment_120379306

If you want to argue Gaelic Football didn't exist prior to it's codification you could argue every single sport in the world is the same prior to it's codification with an organisation and rules.

You seem like a really bitter individual about anything that people enjoy which if course is typical of the whole #bekind brigade .

Jack Daw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377827#Comment_120377827

International rugby is a complete joke and the Ireland team is no exception, James Lowe etc are not Irish, never have been Irish and never will be.They moved here for a career opportunity and essentially represent Ireland because of that had they been first choice for their real countries they'd never have arrived on Irish shores.They're mercenaries pure and simple.

I know other countries do the same thing and it's equally embarrassing, ether there are every strict rules around representing a country in international sport i.e blood ties or being brought up in the country from a young age or there aren't.

CJ Stander probably the worst example of our foreign imports , moved to Ireland to play professionally and then as soon as his career was over he moved back to South Africa. Yet we were all supposed to appreciate him , he received support from people in Ireland after many questioned the legitimacy of him playing for Ireland and then thanked people for standing up for him so you think he might become a converted Irishman decide to live here after retirement but of course he proved every bit of criticism he received for not being Irish was justified as he had no real interest in this country it was just a career opportunity for him.Same applies for all the other foreign imports who play for Ireland , they're not Irish and are mercenaries and their presence on the team removes the legitimacy of the team in my opinion and erodes the legitimacy of international sport.

squidgainz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381280#Comment_120381280

I'd have to agree the rugby international residency rules is pathetic. It's akin to just being a club game, I suppose the saving grace for Ireland is that they are all at it. But still some of our best players aren't Irish , just seems odd.

WealthyB

People on tracker mortgages complaining about interest rates, no sympathy for ye. While everyone else on Standard Variable Rates were paying 3 - 4.5% for a decade, they had 1%. Now with both trackers and SVRs on the rise its the trackers that are complaining the loudest.

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120242438#Comment_120242438

To be fair nowadays most male ones aren't either.

Female comedians just seem to all do the same ''jokes'' It's either about how mad they are for sex, periods, oh how useless their husband is

castletownman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381280#Comment_120381280

Agree 100%.

And the amount of blinkers associated with it among the "rugby set" is outstanding. In the Scotland game, Huw Jones scored a try against us, and some stereotypical well-spoken rugger head next to me said "Huw Jones? Sure that goy is probably Welsh", without a single hint of irony.

And I don't quite see the achievement in winning an annual six-team tournament, when Italy are invariably beaten each week, and at least one of the others are usually in the doldrums (happened to be two this time in Wales and England). I'd still back the latter two to advance further than Ireland come the World Cup though.

joseywhales

When people complain about "looking after our own first", I always think that they are usually the ones that are a drain on our country rather than a benefit and if it was possible I'd love to swap those very people for refugees who at least have the wherewithall and determination to get here and would probably benefit the country more if given the opportunity, than the apparent patriots who live on welfare and Facebook hate groups.

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381260#Comment_120381260

I never understand the argument people put forward when they say football etc where just ''invented'' as if they say other sports weren't'.

squidgainz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120386086#Comment_120386086

Yeah I'd agree actually. The "looking after our own type" is usually the ones that get heavily looked after by the government.

castletownman

Invariably, from what I can see anyway, most people that identify as gender fluid or go by they/them, are usually not the most attractive looking.

Funny that.

Worztron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120384593#Comment_120384593

Even comparing contemporary comedians, I think the guys are still far funnier.

tastyt

Maybe if Irish soccer fans stayed at home at the weekends and went and spent their few quid in dalymount and turners cross instead of old Trafford or Anfield the game might be in a place to rival rugby

Rugby is an easy sell for the marketers now to the corporate sponsors as everyone loves jumping on a successful bandwagon. But it wouldn’t be successful if rugby fans were heading over to watch Exeter or Bath every week instead of going to Thomond and the RDS

cms88

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120386347#Comment_120386347

imo most think they're out there and being ''individual'' despite the fact they're just jumping on a bandwagon

randd1

Irish people can't handle having money. We waste it on stupid things that don't matter.

castletownman

Virtually every October we have the curtain twitchers in the media complaining about the drink culture in GAA when a few lads go a bender after winning a county title (the pinnacle of most GAA player's careers).

But this week we have a 'hilarious' video of the Irish rugby team going drinking for a fourth day in a house party (wonder was Paddy Jackson at it?) and not a peep. After winning a tournament sponsored by Guinness, during which every camera pan to the crowd shows nothing but fans drinking pints in the stand (which isn't allowed in Croker).

It's rugby that has the unhealthy connection to alcohol, not GAA.

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120381305#Comment_120381305

Two of the scorers in the Ireland soccer match last night were not born in Ireland. One plays for Ireland because his grandfather was Irish and one because he’s lived here long enough but was born abroad to a non Irish family. Nothing wrong with that as the rules are the same for everybody, same with rugby.

Loads of sports have ropey international qualification criteria. Look at athletics and how some oil rich countries are buying African athletes’ nationality.

crusd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120377827#Comment_120377827

The English coach is Irish qualified through grandparents (his brother actually played Rugby League for Ireland).

The Aussie has an Irish mother so wasn't "handed" a passport - do you consider Someone with an Irish parent as not being fit to represent the country?

The 3 Kiwis arrived in Ireland before the rules were changed to require 5 years residency to qualify for another country. And the 3 have been been here since 2016 and 2017, so no lack of commitment. It would take some foresight to "headhunt" 5 years out for the national team. If you look at the current squads in the provinces there are very few players who will take that route

squidgainz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120391105#Comment_120391105

Yeah I agree , rugby's is ropier than the footballs tbh it just is , the residency rule of what is it 3/5 yrs is a cod?

squidgainz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120391105#Comment_120391105

Yeah I agree , rugby's is ropier than the footballs tbh it just is , the residency rule of what is it 3/5 yrs is a cod?