Unpopular GAA opinions you hold

GBXI · 17-06-2014 09:15AM

TCDStudent1 wrote: »

I'd disagree with you on this. But lets say there is nobody tight on him. Surely, that is a sign of just how good a player he is, he can find space. If he is capable of kicking points from 40 yards (which he can do with both feet), then surely the defender would stick tight to him. It is a credit to him that he can find such space.

I agree that he is a confidence player alright. And that really held him back when he came onto the Dublin team first.

What 4 Dublin forwards would you have ahead of him? B. Brogan, P.Flynn. are the only 2 I could possibly have ahead of him.....And in saying that, I find it difficult to put P.Flynn ahead of him because he is a totally different type of player and I dont like comparing players that bring different strengths to the team.

You're talking a lot of rubbish here kid. Connolly's trademark is gliding through space in the half-forward line and clipping points over the bar off either foot from distance. The exact opposite of receiving the ball with a marker touch tight and shooting over his shoulder like B Brogan does regularly.

Paul Flynn is exactly what Connolly should aspire to. Flynn is by a distance the best half-forward in Ireland. All Star 3 years running, excellent tackler, supremely fit, good fielder, can score from either foot, and is a goal threat. Connolly has the ability to do all of the above, he just very rarely shows it.

blue note · 17-06-2014 09:35AM

I don’t actually care all that much about winning. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great and I certainly celebrate a win, but I’d never be too think after losing. I just enjoy playing, whether we win, lose or draw. I actually just don’t get how some guys take it so seriously.

When it comes to intercounty though, I love supporting Waterford and winning becomes very important.

GBXI · 17-06-2014 09:48AM

blue note wrote: »

I don’t actually care all that much about winning. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great and I certainly celebrate a win, but I’d never be too think after losing. I just enjoy playing, whether we win, lose or draw. I actually just don’t get how some guys take it so seriously.

When it comes to intercounty though, I love supporting Waterford and winning becomes very important.

Again, I'm not being a smart-ass but you haven't actually expressed an opinion here, more your preferences and the enjoyment you get from playing!

Amprodude · 17-06-2014 11:53AM

Joe Canning is overrated.

Prop Joe · 17-06-2014 02:40PM

7 a side hurling should be promoted hugely in non-traditional hurling areas.With the finals played at a blitz type weekend ala Kilmacud 7's

blue note · 17-06-2014 02:45PM

GBXI wrote: »

Again, I'm not being a smart-ass but you haven't actually expressed an opinion here, more your preferences and the enjoyment you get from playing!

I think you are however being pedantic. It's a thought / feeling that goes against the way the vast majority in the GAA feel.

Frankie Lee · 17-06-2014 08:23PM

AngeGal wrote: »

McGeeney did a good job with Kildare.

Hardly unpopular for anyone who knows anything about football. Niall Finnegan was good all right.

deadybai · 17-06-2014 09:07PM

John Mullane wasn't all that great

adrian522 · 17-06-2014 09:14PM

Mullane was possibly the best forward of the last 10 or 12 years. His scoring average from play puts him among the best ever to play the game.

MacBizzle · 17-06-2014 09:17PM

adrian522 wrote: »

Mullane was possibly the best forward of the last 10 or 12 years. His scoring average from play puts him among the best ever to play the game.

His average points per game was 2.7 and his average goals per game was 0.3

Fireball07 · 17-06-2014 09:19PM

AngeGal wrote: »

Niall Finnegan was the most under rated forward of the last two decades.

Dublin will not retain Sam this year.

McGeeney did a good job with Kildare.

The 1st one is interesting. Good player alright, but most underrated? Hmm... he isn't talked about much but was he that good? I guess that's why you think he's underrated.

harpsman · 17-06-2014 09:36PM

keeponhurling wrote: »

That's actually a popular opinion , even in Kerry

Not acording to spillane-if thats worth anything. Its a tough call-between 04 and 09 Kerry won 4 and lost 2 finals. 03-08 Tyrone won 3 but werent close the other years, but I think you have to give it to Tyrone for the head to head record.

adrian522 · 17-06-2014 09:46PM

MacBizzle wrote: »

His average points per game was 2.7 and his average goals per game was 0.3

In championship he averaged 3.8 points per game. All from play. For comparison, Shefflin 3.38, Eddie Brennan 3.04, Eoin Kelly 2.96 were all short of that total (In terms of scores from play).

He was a scoring machine.

harpsman · 17-06-2014 09:58PM

intellectual dosser wrote: »

You're nearly there....

The reality is that as a competition the Leinster Championship is redundant because Dublin are so far ahead of the pack. The only way to fix that is to do away with the Leinster Championship

(Going back to my own unpopular opinion of removing all provincials)

Is removing provincial championships an unpopular opinion? I hear it much more than the opinion of retaing them.

And as others have said the provincial championships give nearly every team in Ireland something to play for.
How many people are going to watch a dead rubber group game between say kerry and offaly? about 200, id say.

ciarriaithuaidh · 17-06-2014 10:04PM

harpsman wrote: »

Is removing provincial championships an unpopular opinion? I hear it much more than the opinion of retaing them.

And as others have said the provincial championships give nearly every team in Ireland something to play for.
How many people are going to watch a dead rubber group game between say kerry and offaly? about 200, id say.

That wouldn't happen if a properly structured championship was put in place obviously..

deadybai · 17-06-2014 10:06PM

Wouldn't Mullane have played a good few games in the qualifiers against weaker opposition? I think he was a good player but he just lacked something that made him great like Shefflin and D.j Carey. What was Dj's average from play?

harpsman · 17-06-2014 10:08PM

patsman07 wrote: »

The old championship system of straight knock-out and only provincial winners contesting All-Ireland semi-finals was better. It led to more exciting games imo.

Because the new system gives teams a second chance it leads to more demands on players in terms of training. Teams like Dublin, Kerry/Tyrone can afford to invest excessive time money and effort into their training as they have the insurance that it won't be all over after one game at the beginning of June.

First point wrong-the qualifiers have improved the championship by miles.

Your 2nd point is just irrational gobbledygook. It makes no sense at all. Sorry

harpsman · 17-06-2014 10:11PM

CurryFlavoured wrote: »

McAuley is a little overrated and shouldn't have won POTY last year, Lee Keegan should have.

Marc O'Sé is the best of the 3 O'Sés but he plays the least fashionable position.

Id say Flynn was the best player last year. If McAuley wasnt so greedy and crap at shooting he woulda been poty.

Na, Tomas was the best.

MacBizzle · 17-06-2014 10:12PM

adrian522 wrote: »

In championship he averaged 3.8 points per game. All from play. For comparison, Shefflin 3.38, Eddie Brennan 3.04, Eoin Kelly 2.96 were all short of that total (In terms of scores from play).

He was a scoring machine.

Just out of curiosity, where do you get these stats?

It'd be interesting to have a look at some others

harpsman · 17-06-2014 10:16PM

eigrod wrote: »

As I see it, from the 23 non-Ulster Counties, it is extremely unlikely that any County other than Dublin, Cork or Kerry will win an All Ireland Football Championship in the next 30 years.

Mayo may have a chance, but I think history shows they won't.

Why are you ruling out galway and Meath?

harpsman · 17-06-2014 10:21PM

intellectual dosser wrote: »

My unpopular (Football) opinion:

The Provincial Championships are dead.

This year Mayo and Dublin will win their respective provinces without sweating while the seeding down south means we'll have Kerry v Cork Munster Finals for the next decade at least. Ulster offers a bit more excitement and intrigue but for a long time we had Armagh and Tyrone exchanging titles shortly after the backdoor system was brought in.

I do cite the backdoor system as the critical factor, I think the historically weaker teams will put up a fight in their province but will ultimately fall back on the second chance.

People dont want to change, the provincial championships have always been a cornerstone of the GAA summer, we have our historys, our memories and medals from them, but the longer they continue in the current format the less they'll matter. To fix this, we either resuscitate the provincials by removing the backdoor, or we change the format of the championship altogether. And yes I find it hard to argue against a "Champions League" format complete with seeding. I'm aware that alluding to a soccer institution can be suicidal to my point in this forum.

The provincial championships are alot less dead that the All Ireland championship was 30-40 years ago when the all ireland semis were attended by about 20,000 people and all Ulster and Connaught teams were complete no hopers

harpsman · 17-06-2014 10:41PM

ciarriaithuaidh wrote: »

That wouldn't happen if a properly structured championship was put in place obviously..

Explain this structure youre talking about-cos most people are suggesting champions league style(and then going on to say that each team would have 3 games,which isnt cl format-its world cup/euro champ format,to be pedantic about it!)

harpsman · 17-06-2014 10:45PM

Jim Gavin is a hypocrite, and quite sanctamonious to boot. He constantly bangs on about playing the game in the right way but when it suited his team at the end of the AIF they were rugby tackling like there was no tomorrow.

Also, the evidence would suggest that he condones his players biting opponents, and in my opinion thats much worse than playing defensively.
(awaits ban)

Jake Rugby Walrus666 · 17-06-2014 11:16PM

harpsman wrote: »

Jim Gavin is a hypocrite, and quite sanctamonious to boot. He constantly bangs on about playing the game in the right way but when it suited his team at the end of the AIF they were rugby tackling like there was no tomorrow.

Also, the evidence would suggest that he condones his players biting opponents, and in my opinion thats much worse than playing defensively.
(awaits ban)

There was one, what you might call a rugby tackle, under the hogan stand in midfield. After that the Dublin challenges were robust but nothing out of the ordinary. Mayo were quite happy to play for frees at that stage. And then fell between stools not knowing to go for goal or points.

Also can you link to quote of Gavin claiming higher moral ground for Dublin. Playing the game the right way means attack football versus blanket defence.

CurryFlavoured · 17-06-2014 11:17PM

harpsman wrote: »

Id say Flynn was the best player last year. If McAuley wasnt so greedy and crap at shooting he woulda been poty.

Na, Tomas was the best.

I had a lot of people say that to me about Flynn but I don't agree, the previous 2 years he was better. I actually thought Mackey should have got an all star ahead of him at #10.

Marc's the best corner back I've ever seen, I'd probably go so far as to say he's comfortably the best. I've witnessed him mark an on form Bernard Brogan off the pitch in the league and (supposedly) he gave the Gooch a tough time in a few club matches in Kerry, which is unique.

ciarriaithuaidh · 18-06-2014 12:25AM

CurryFlavoured wrote: »

I had a lot of people say that to me about Flynn but I don't agree, the previous 2 years he was better. I actually thought Mackey should have got an all star ahead of him at #10.

Marc's the best corner back I've ever seen, I'd probably go so far as to say he's comfortably the best. I've witnessed him mark an on form Bernard Brogan off the pitch in the league and (supposedly) he gave the Gooch a tough time in a few club matches in Kerry, which is unique.

Marc was the most skillful of the three, hands down.
Tomás had the most power.
However, none of them single handedly dominated more games than Darragh did. I think people still forget he was barely over 6 foot, but still lorded it in the middle for so long. It depends on your definition of "best"..but Darragh was the most influential in my view.

ciarriaithuaidh · 18-06-2014 12:29AM

harpsman wrote: »

Explain this structure youre talking about-cos most people are suggesting champions league style(and then going on to say that each team would have 3 games,which isnt cl format-its world cup/euro champ format,to be pedantic about it!)

Either a two or three tiered system, 3 groups of 11 or 16/15.

Run it from March to August, each team is guaranteed 10 championship games at least, have 2/3 promoted relegated each year.

Give me an argument against that that has nothing to do with tradition and I'll get back to you.

savannahkat · 18-06-2014 03:01AM

Gaelic Football threads were invented to punish hurling followers for some great unknown sins we must have committed in some former lives because I for one do not deserve it for anything I did in this life.

adrian522 · 18-06-2014 07:16AM

MacBizzle wrote: »

Just out of curiosity, where do you get these stats? It'd be interesting to have a look at some others

A bit of googling threw up an Enda McEvoy article from a few years ago and also a tribute piece after he retired mentioned the 3.8 number.

Hurlingstats.com used to be good but I think they stopped updating it.

adrian522 · 18-06-2014 07:18AM

deadybai wrote: »

Wouldn't Mullane have played a good few games in the qualifiers against weaker opposition? I think he was a good player but he just lacked something that made him great like Shefflin and D.j Carey. What was Dj's average from play?

I guess he would but so would the others I mentioned. Kilkenny blew away a lot of teams in the way that Waterford wouldn't have.

Unpopular GAA opinions you hold

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