Is there a high level of violent behaviour in GAA?

NIMAN wrote: »

I am a casual watcher of GAA.

This last week I have read stories of a guy basically ripping the scrotum off an opponent, and now the Dublin hurling manager getting into a fist fight on the pitch.

Add these to the pitched battles between 20 players at club level you occasionally see.

Why is there so many incidents like this? Is the disciplinary procedures too soft?

When you look at the actual number of incidents versus the massive number of games that are played week in week out the number of incidents is tiny.

Each incident is unacceptable no doubt but in the scheme of things 99.9% of games go off without incident

Dickys Back Garden wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exd7nqV5-cE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgF_jfNnBlo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBXWY9YTd6o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOUN8-9xTw0

Third one is particularly interesting. Is there a problem with violence in the GAA? Its all relative I suppose. Judging by these above, particularly the third video, I’d think not! Rugby violence appears however to be condoned at best, celebrated at worst by the "boys" in independent newspapers whereas GAA fights receive front page coverage-whether its a Wicklow junior B Football match or an All Ireland Hurling final. These clips are more violent than anything I have experienced at GAA games. I'd suggest asking the same question on the rugby forum, reaction might be interesting!

The difference here being, that in Rugby the perpetrators are punished rightfully so in those instances, and alot of those clips are years old, when rugby violence was much more prevalent. It has been cleaned up a lot due to the threat of sanctions, and furthermore there are no instances in your clips of managers or fans entering the field of play and assaulting other managers or players.

The GAA violence is in the here and now. In physical sports like the GAA sports, or rugby or ice hockey there will always be times when cooler heads will not prevail, and players will engage in violence, but when management enters and assaults another manager or coaching assistant, or fans enter the field and assault a player, then that's when something needs to be done.

Even a few years ago the Aussies were being called thugs and all kinds of names when their players engaged in violent conduct in the International series, but now it's GAA players involved in that same behaviour, that attitude changes.

Screams of hypocrisy to be honest.

^^^^^^^ And that incident will be punished accordingly I should hope. I don't mind players sorting out their differences, as I said, in physical sports, it happens sometimes. But when someone off the field of play gets involved, then that crosses the line. I'm not saying it doesn't happen in other sports, I just think it seems to be occurring very frequently lately, or else is just being reported on more often in the media lately with GAA sports.

And many people within the GAA community seem to not necessarily endorse it, but certainly not regard it with the seriousness it deserves.

Firstly - On the two incidents mentioned by the OP..

The Scrotum incident - That is just utter savagery - There is no two ways about it. Not even related to sport. I wouldn't normally be in favour of Sports cases ending up in the criminal courts, but this is one of the rare cases where I would agree - He should have been criminally tried for assault (Although I think he was - and it failed)

The incident in Clare at the weekend - Was wrong - I wasn't at the match, but from what I have heard, the match was an excellent match betwen two minor match teams that was marred by fighting between team mentors & spectators. It was wrong and I do believe that there will be some fairly hefty suspensions dealt out.

To answer the general question - Does the GAA have a problem with violence.... Yes - Even 1 incident like the above is a problem.

Is the problem any worse than Rugby or soccer - No.

I lived beside a Junior Soccer pitch in Limerick and I used to stroll over and watch games at the weekend and I saw plenty of dust ups. They most certainly were not any less regular that I see in the GAA.

I went to see my local Rugby team a good bit too over the years. I'd have to say the level of off the ball stuff I saw at the rugby was probably a bit less than Soccer or hurling. Maybe with the very physical nature of the game, players managed to get their frustrations out within the lines of the law.

But you would never read anything about the Rugby or Soccer Dust ups at club level - Even in the local papers. There wouldn't even be a reporter at it. Particularly Soccer - Sure Sligo Rovers won the League last week and there was hardly a blip about it in the papers - And that's very wrong - But it's a fact. I'd say there was more written in the Irish Papers about John Terry than Sligo Rovers the week they won the title.

On a personal level, after playing Adult hurling (mainly at junior level) for almost 20 years, the first time I experienced it myself was only a few months ago. It couldn't have been a more meanlingless match - Bottom of the table Junior C league clash on a Tuesday night.... The full back out of the blue gave me the butt of the hurley in the neck. I was feckin shocked to be honest. I didn't know what to do to the short little pr1ck.

I though for a sec about hitin' the deck and gettin' the refs attention but decided I'd probably only end up lookin like an awful ape and he wouldn't be sent off because the ref had seen nothing.
Then I though about hittin' him a righ wallop back. But I thought knowin' my luck, I'll end up getting sent off myself - And I was enjoying the match.

So I told him he was short fat !*&@^#~ and I got on with the game. We bate hoors by 2 points.

Fiery mutant wrote: »

The GAA violence is in the here and now. In physical sports like the GAA sports, or rugby or ice hockey there will always be times when cooler heads will not prevail, and players will engage in violence, but when management enters and assaults another manager or coaching assistant, or fans enter the field and assault a player, then that's when something needs to be done.

Even a few years ago the Aussies were being called thugs and all kinds of names when their players engaged in violent conduct in the International series, but now it's GAA players involved in that same behaviour, that attitude changes.

Screams of hypocrisy to be honest.

I believe that GAA violent incidents are certainly more highly-publicised than either rugby or soccer. I would contend in addition however, that one of the main problems the former organisation has is the seemingly lack of willingness of pundits and commentators alike - unless they are Australian of course, to condemn outbreaks of violence, mostly relatively minor, but sometimes even particularly serious incidents.

The amount of times I have seen a pundit defend an outrageous bit of foul play with soundbites such as 'He's generally not a dirty player' or 'That was very much out of character for XY, who is a lovely lad normally' genuinely astonishes me. Plus the same group of people get very hot under the collar if there is any hint at 'taking the manliness out of the game,' I mean how better to show your macho credentials by throwing a blindsight punch at an opponent?

This is something you would very rarely see in rugby or soccer, where although many violent incidents do take place, they are widely criticised. I do not know enough about the GAA to make a clear evaluation regarding why the attitude of 'as long as it happens on the field of play, it's part of the game, just get on with it' exists. Perhaps the relative small world in which GAA participants exist dissuade noted commentators from wanting to be seen as a grass, fearing severe condemnation of one player may lead to an awkward social event the following week, where the two individuals might be sitting opposite each other.

Whatever the reason may be, I have noticed for many years a clear reluctance from those at the top to even admonish foul play at times. I am sometimes surprised the guards do not get more involved than they do, as some of the assaults would not escape punishment normally in a million years.

dirtyden wrote: »

You obviously dont follow GAA.

No to much violence for me

I don't know Clareman. They certainly have more than their fair share of incidents over the years. Their Junior C Semi-final this year against Feakle had to be abandoned.

That siad - I've never had any trouble with them myself. Always found them a sound aul crowd.

hurling people have that extra wildness about them I think, which contributes to incidents such as that in Clare

its a price we have to pay in return for being able to enjoy such a thrilling sport

Only people who are not involved in the sport or who don't attend Gaa matches get excited when they hear about the odd melee. What they don't understand is that a lot less would be thought of a player or mentor if they backed away from a row, rather than defend his team-mate and by extension the pride of his parish. He would probably be banned from his local, ignored for a few days by his mother and have no chance of finding favour with the local ladies if he pulled out of a tackle or put the white flag up in the event of a bit of pushing and shoving. It could wreck his life for a Gaa player perceived as 'windy.' Anybody easily shocked or frightened at the sight or sound of a bit of knuckling should desist from buying newspapers, watching television or bothering with the internet from mid September to the end of October, when the temperature heats up in club games. That'd solve it.