Why I hate the GAA

[irishultra]

listen to that absolute gombeen talking on that miriam show now. ''its about the parish' dear oh dear. sorry i don't live in the country but what the hell does a parish mean? to me it represents everything wrong with ireland

[Schumi]

Is this part of a series? "What I hate about comedies" for TV/Film, "What I hate about Macs" for Technology, etc.

[pineapple stu]

Is that a "What I hate about "What I hate" threads" post?

[TheBoss]

The only reason I dislike GAA is the fans that feel they have to support their county without knowing any of the players involved.

[John83]

The only reason I dislike GAA is the fans that feel they have to support their county without knowing any of the players involved.
Yeah, like all those people who suddenly become Ireland fans when a World Cup comes around, or all those Longford fans who appear for a cup final.

What, what was this argument about? :confused:

[centre mid]

Theres a lot of angst in this thread.

[DeLorean]

listen to that absolute gombeen talking on that miriam show now. ''its about the parish' dear oh dear. sorry i don't live in the country but what the hell does a parish mean? to me it represents everything wrong with ireland

What are you saying?

[OneRedArmy]

I hate the GAA because they were founded by people with a chip on their shoulder and through a constant obsession with what other sports are up to, show they still haven't lost it yet.

Football is a b'stardised version of real football and rugby, that smacks of a game designed by a committee. It's had over 100 years to develop a tackle and failed. What we have at the minute is akin to two girls fighting for a handbag in the Brown Thomas sale.

Hurling is a great sport though, so undervalued and underappreciated, and the GAA's ethos of volunteerism (in the lower ranks) is brilliant and a credit to any country.

[Sheridan]

I hate the Gah because their games are crap (yes, all of them) and they're part of the FF-FG-SF-cultural primitivist alliance which keeps this country in the dark ages.

[TheBoss]

Football is a b'stardised version of real football and rugby, that smacks of a game designed by a committee. It's had over 100 years to develop a tackle and failed. What we have at the minute is akin to two girls fighting for a handbag in the Brown Thomas sale.


Look at the game now from 10 years ago, they have introduced yellow and red cards, the additional time been addded, extra-time now rather than replays. The game is relying on 'soccer' to introduce new rules. The founders would be embarrassed now, as the game started is slowly losing its 'Irish roots'.

[DeLorean]

Look at the game now from 10 years ago, they have introduced yellow and red cards, the additional time been addded, extra-time now rather than replays. The game is relying on 'soccer' to introduce new rules. The founders would be embarrassed now, as the game started is slowly losing its 'Irish roots'.

Who cares where the rules originate once they improve the game.

[Umberside]

listen to that absolute gombeen talking on that miriam show now. ''its about the parish' dear oh dear. sorry i don't live in the country but what the hell does a parish mean? to me it represents everything wrong with ireland

The parish is more like the area where a church is. The parish is in the area near the church and a boundary is pretty much where the next church is. However, about every parish in Ireland has a GAA club.

[DeLorean]

The parish is more like the area where a church is. The parish is in the area near the church and a boundary is pretty much where the next church is. However, about every parish in Ireland has a GAA club.

Oh right he actually really wanted to know what a parish is, thought he was kind of joking. But if you didn't know what it was IrishUltra, then how can you think it represent everything that's wrong with Ireland:confused:

[rebus2008]

I hate the Gah because their games are crap (yes, all of them) and they're part of the FF-FG-SF-cultural primitivist alliance which keeps this country in the dark ages.


Eloquent as ever. While you may have a valid point re:football, anyone who can tar the sport of hurling as "crap",must have some twisted view of what makes good sport. MInd you, someone who flogs the sporting dead horse that is Dublin City on a weekly basis must be in it for something apart from the sporting enjoyment. A kind of footbal S&M/Bondage.

As for the FF-FG-SF cultural primitivist alliance, i'd look for an explanation but i somehow think that u wouldn't be sure yourself.

Well done to rovers tonight. Great boost for LOI and fair play to the players who were interviewed on Sky over last few days. Gave good impression of their club, profession and league to a distant viewer.

[paul_oshea]

Theres a lot of angst in this thread.

Theres a lot of sh1te more like

[paul_oshea]

Eloquent as ever. While you may have a valid point re:football, anyone who can tar the sport of hurling as "crap",must have some twisted view of what makes good sport. MInd you, someone who flogs the sporting dead horse that is Dublin City on a weekly basis must be in it for something apart from the sporting enjoyment. A kind of footbal S&M/Bondage.

As for the FF-FG-SF cultural primitivist alliance, i'd look for an explanation but i somehow think that u wouldn't be sure yourself.

Well done to rovers tonight. Great boost for LOI and fair play to the players who were interviewed on Sky over last few days. Gave good impression of their club, profession and league to a distant viewer.

Someone who has never obviously played the sport.

[tiktok]

listen to that absolute gombeen talking on that miriam show now. ''its about the parish' dear oh dear.

I don't see how a GAA gombeen saying "it's about the parish" is that much different to an LoI gombeen saying "it's about the club". I doubt there was a religious slant there, more about the community and locale around a given club.

[John83]

Someone who has never obviously played the sport.
What the hell kind of post is that? I've played all of the sports mentioned, and I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. Instead of making a point, you've come across as incredibly ignorant. Cop yourself on.

[DeLorean]

It's well in keeping with this thread so. A thread that was created by somebody for his hatred of parishes without knowing what a parish even is. I think rebus and tiktoc's post are about the ones worth reading.

[elroy]

Like all sports, hurling and football can produce some excellent games and some awful. Im much more of a fan of hurling than football, althou hurling lacks a sufficient number of genuinely top class teams. Gaa Football suffers from the fact that it doesnt have a defined tackle (as arguably does hurling) and also due to the over-reliance of teams on a hand passing game, takes the skill of kicking the ball out of the game. It amazes me the amount of gaa players who miss straight forward goal chances or penalties in gaelic football.

The gaa has a national competition that I would kill for in football, on the other hand, football has the international dimension that the gaa could only ever dream of.

The attitudes of alot of gaa people towards football has turned me off the game in the past. They almost have an inferior complex that whenever there is a game on they feel the need to come out with statements like "you wont find any entertainment in the world that matches this ger" etc etc. Why not just enjoy your own sport instead of trying to justify yourself that its better than some other sport. At the end of the day, no amount of gaa pundit/fan etc etc praising their sport over another is going to make me follow gaa more than football. Football is my preferred sport, end of, but i watch gaa from time to time during the summer and can see the merits in the game. Everyone to their own. I do think football in this country suffered in the past as a result of a number of factors including the ban, this is partly the reason why GAA has greater structures, infrastructure, finances in the country compared to football.

[max power]

Yeah, like all those people who suddenly become Ireland fans when a World Cup comes around, or all those Longford fans who appear for a cup final.
What, what was this argument about? :confused:

Leave me out of this;)

Coming from a small rural area the parish is all important. Its not the local village or town, its the parish and that means GAA and remember.....the Community Games:D

In rural life your parish defines you as i know growing up 3 miles away from any combined civilisation. I was known from my parish and not townland or village.

[dfx-]

I love the GAA. I think they are the best thing to happen to the planet Earth since the big bang.

[Razors left peg]

I hate the Gah because their games are crap (yes, all of them) and they're part of the FF-FG-SF-cultural primitivist alliance which keeps this country in the dark ages.

dunno how any cricket fan can keep a straight face while calling any other sport crap

[paul_oshea]

What the hell kind of post is that? I've played all of the sports mentioned, and I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. Instead of making a point, you've come across as incredibly ignorant. Cop yourself on.

what are you on about, his post was in reply to sheridan, and i was answering the question he raised!!! i didn't take issue with anything you said :confused:

Which, if you think about it, makes you the ignorant one, and you should cop on :p :D

[eitoof]

It amazes me the amount of gaa players who miss straight forward goal chances or penalties in gaelic football.

I played both all my life and took the odd penalty in both. It's a lot harder to score a penalty in gaelic football. It's 2 metres futher out and the posts are a metre nearer together.
That said, I managed to miss a few in both codes :)

[DeLorean]

I played both all my life and took the odd penalty in both. It's a lot harder to score a penalty in gaelic football. It's 2 metres futher out and the posts are a metre nearer together.
That said, I managed to miss a few in both codes :)

I heard only about 50% of penalties are converted in Gaelic Football (Senior Championship). Like you say it's much more difficult to score. The penalty taker has to hit strike it well and very much to the corner to have any chance, assuming the goalkeeper does not pick a side, which inexpicably they often do.

In Hurling it amazes me how many penatly takers drive it down the middle, the one place that contains a renowned shot stopper.

The majority of times that a penalty is awarded in either code it's because a genuine goal scoring opportunity has been denied illegally, so I wonder if a penalty where you have a 50/50 chance of scoring is adequate reward, especially considering the guilty party generally remains on the pitch. Take the Sligo penalty in Tralee on Saturday for example. Johnny Davey looked to have a certain goal before being fouled by Tommy Griffin (?). Should a professional foul type rule be introduced or would it be too harsh? That could well be the foul that wins Kerry the All Ireland, God forbid.

[Aberdonian Stu]

The problem is that while the rule is practically interpreted in GAA most of the time to reflect a genuine goal-scoring opportunity being denied, technically however there are several offences that could be committed to warrant a penalty that most would deem overly harsh to treat as a professional foul. In essence, were this to be brought in then there'd need to be a clarification as to what is constitutes a professional foul and what is 'just' a penalty.

[DeLorean]

Yeah that would be my thinking as well. It would probably cause more hassle than it's worth.

[OneRedArmy]

Theres a lot of sh1te more likeMost of it from you Paul.

You've denigrated every post that you disagree with without actually coming up with anything to actually back up your point.

Gaelic football is a mish-mash of two or three purer games which takes the worst element of each. There are three unique or semi-unique skills, the solo, the high catch and long kicking out of hand. All three of them are getting less and less prevalent and the game has evolved into wheelchair basketball without the wheelchairs (this isn't an anti-disabled comment btw)

If you decide to respond to my post, can you try and address the points raised rather than childish retorts.

[DeLorean]

Gaelic Football isn't perfect but I am still a big fan. It's like anything if it a good match I'll enjoy it, if not I'll probably watch it anyway. I think saying it's only got three original skills or whatever isn't really that important. If it's a good game it's a good game, doesn't matter how many high catches, long kicks or solos were in evidence. In my opinion the short hand passing game can be quite attractive to watch, when carried out by a team capable of utilising it fully ie.accurate passing with good support play eg.Tyrone. There's nothing more awful to watch than a team kicking long balls to forwards that can't get out in front of their backs. It's fair enough that some people think it's rubbish, that's the same with every sport. To each their own and all that.

[paul_oshea]

Most of it from you Paul.

You've denigrated every post that you disagree with without actually coming up with anything to actually back up your point.

Gaelic football is a mish-mash of two or three purer games which takes the worst element of each. There are three unique or semi-unique skills, the solo, the high catch and long kicking out of hand. All three of them are getting less and less prevalent and the game has evolved into wheelchair basketball without the wheelchairs (this isn't an anti-disabled comment btw)

If you decide to respond to my post, can you try and address the points raised rather than childish retorts.

I didn't say anything on this thread, bar "there is an awful lot of sh1te" and my agreement with what someone else said, therefore I dont see how there was any from me?! :confused:

But, all of the above is your opinion,which of course you are entitled too.

[shakermaker1982]

and the game has evolved into wheelchair basketball without the wheelchairs (this isn't an anti-disabled comment btw)



so you mean like regular basketball? :D

[Sheridan]

One has to chuckle at synchronised knuckle-dragging being compared favourably to the infinitely nuanced sport of cricket. If you don't like cricket it's because you don't understand it, and if you don't understand it it's because you're stupid.

That hurling-as-culturally-significant-pastime which the Irish establishment has attempted to fashion into a truism has really done a number on the populace if even people intelligent enough to appreciate football believe it. Let's have a look at the cold, hard facts.

Football
Origin: England (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Emigration, industry, empire.
Coverage: Universal.

Cricket
Origin: England (codified 18th cent.)
Export vectors: Empire, military, diplomacy.
Coverage: Advanced post-colonial societies in both hemispheres.

Gaelic Games
Origin: Ireland (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Mass emigration on biblical scale, military, industry.
Coverage: Monosyllabic farmhands called Ger on small, rainy Atlantic island.

[pineapple stu]

So basically your argument is that hurling is crap because you say it is, and cricket is good because you say it is?

Bravo.

[ifk101]

One has to chuckle at synchronised knuckle-dragging being compared favourably to the infinitely nuanced sport of cricket. If you don't like cricket it's because you don't understand it, and if you don't understand it it's because you're stupid.

That hurling-as-culturally-significant-pastime which the Irish establishment has attempted to fashion into a truism has really done a number on the populace if even people intelligent enough to appreciate football believe it. Let's have a look at the cold, hard facts.

Football
Origin: England (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Emigration, industry, empire.
Coverage: Universal.

Cricket
Origin: England (codified 18th cent.)
Export vectors: Empire, military, diplomacy.
Coverage: Advanced post-colonial societies in both hemispheres.

Gaelic Games
Origin: Ireland (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Mass emigration on biblical scale, military, industry.
Coverage: Monosyllabic farmhands called Ger on small, rainy Atlantic island.

wtf? :confused:

The GAA has actively sought to impede the "development" of other field sports in Ireland and deserves criticism for this. Whether Gaelic Games are "better" than cricket is a matter of individual taste. Export vectors and coverage is an "unusual" way to compare sports. :D

[elroy]

Sheridan genuine question here, i admit im too lazy to search the answer myself. Not a fan of cricket, watch the odd clip here and there, so understand the basics, but how can a game of cricket end in a draw?

For example i understand the first test of the ashes ended in a draw this year because australia didnt manage to bowl england out before the end of play time on the final day??

[Schumi]

Sheridan genuine question here, i admit im too lazy to search the answer myself. Not a fan of cricket, watch the odd clip here and there, so understand the basics, but how can a game of cricket end in a draw?

For example i understand the first test of the ashes ended in a draw this year because australia didnt manage to bowl england out before the end of play time on the final day??Test matches last 5 days, if neither team has won the match by the end of the last day it's a draw. In the first test, England still had batsmen in at the end of the match so Australia hadn't won. It usually happens when some time is lost because of rain.

[paul_oshea]

Test cricket, is simple, whoever gets bored first loses :D

Bring back the empire I hear you say ;)

[elroy]

Test matches last 5 days, if neither team has won the match by the end of the last day it's a draw. In the first test, England still had batsmen in at the end of the match so Australia hadn't won. It usually happens when some time is lost because of rain.

ok but then on the otherside how come england didnt win if they still had batsmen left, is it because they didnt equal australia's number of runs or ? (sorry for hijacking this thread)

[Schumi]

ok but then on the otherside how come england didnt win if they still had batsmen left, is it because they didnt equal australia's number of runs or ? (sorry for hijacking this thread)
They had scored a few runs more than Australia (about 10 or 20 I think) by the end but Australia had another full innings left to go.

[Gather round]

Sheridan genuine question here, i admit im too lazy to search the answer myself. Not a fan of cricket, watch the odd clip here and there, so understand the basics, but how can a game of cricket end in a draw?

In the long version (ie any game where both sides get two innings, lasting three, four or five days), the winning side needs to both

a) score more runs overall, and

b) take 20 wickets (unless the other side has voluntarily declared, or waived away, some of the remaining wickets, in an effort to win the game themselves more quickly.

Draws in the long game are frequent because often two strong batting teams effectively cancel one another out- a lot less than 40 wickets fall in the game.


Test matches last 5 days, if neither team has won the match by the end of the last day it's a draw. In the first test, England still had batsmen in at the end of the match so Australia hadn't won. It usually happens when some time is lost because of rain

In that game, about 10% of the playing time was lost to rain (rather less than forecast by local fans in Cardiff :) ). The game is designed to allow enough time to ensure a result even with half a day lost.

Also, many drawn games don't lose any time to rain.

PS one source of confusion is the difference between following on (where the team batting second trails the other by more than a set figure- 200 in international matches, and can be asked to bat third as well), and declaring (where the batting team waives wickets). In the first example, the trailing side can still win by making a big score in the third innings then taking 10 wickets in the fourth for a higher aggregate score. Note that in this example the side batting first also bats fourth. Anyone still awake?

PPS I find hurling much easier to watch than G-football, maybe because the lack of a tackle is less of a problem in the former?

[Razors left peg]

One has to chuckle at synchronised knuckle-dragging being compared favourably to the infinitely nuanced sport of cricket. If you don't like cricket it's because you don't understand it, and if you don't understand it it's because you're stupid.

That hurling-as-culturally-significant-pastime which the Irish establishment has attempted to fashion into a truism has really done a number on the populace if even people intelligent enough to appreciate football believe it. Let's have a look at the cold, hard facts.

Football
Origin: England (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Emigration, industry, empire.
Coverage: Universal.

Cricket
Origin: England (codified 18th cent.)
Export vectors: Empire, military, diplomacy.
Coverage: Advanced post-colonial societies in both hemispheres.

Gaelic Games
Origin: Ireland (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Mass emigration on biblical scale, military, industry.
Coverage: Monosyllabic farmhands called Ger on small, rainy Atlantic island.

Cricket isnt difficult to understand and I do find myself watching the odd game of it when there is nothing else on the box,but lets be honest here,test cricket is far from edge of the seat stuff and is quite often extremely boring.So boring in fact that to enjoy a game alot of fans that go to it treat it as a fancy dress party or just a big booze up!
Im far from a big GAA fan and to be honest I cant wait for the Premiership and Spanish football to start back so I dont have to watch GAA on a sunday but a good game of hurling is far more skillful and exciting than any game of cricket Ive ever watched

[bennocelt]

. Gaa Football suffers from the fact that it doesnt have a defined tackle (as arguably does hurling) and also due to the over-reliance of teams on a hand passing game, takes the skill of kicking the ball out of the game. It amazes me the amount of gaa players who miss straight forward goal chances or penalties in gaelic football.

The attitudes of alot of gaa people towards football has turned me off the game in the past. They almost have an inferior complex that whenever there is a game on they feel the need to come out with statements like "you wont find any entertainment in the world that matches this ger" etc etc. .

good post man, agree with most of it
I cant stand the Gah to be honest - but still would look at it all (its a sport after all, with good gambling available on it too!)

I often think why some never go for a goal when they get a free just outside the box (whats the gaa term here?). For the Down game a while ago, the down player had a free only 15/20 yards from the goal and went for the free (like they all do), but why not a chance a goal. Yes i know the goal has 4 players standing to block but they are half asleep and wouldnt be expecting a shot on goal.
If you remember Koeman years ago who nearly always scored from frees from way out, then why not from 15/20
(and i did see it successfully tried once years ago by Down in an ulster match

I also hate the way Gah fans always go on about football - jesus remember the days when they used to go on about "all the diving in soccer". I swear GAA is worse for cheating and diving now than a good football game? :eek:

[Den Perry]

What the hell kind of post is that? I've played all of the sports mentioned, and I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. Instead of making a point, you've come across as incredibly ignorant. Cop yourself on.

Think you're the one who has come across as ignorant here mate. You are so bloody self righteous

[Lionel Ritchie]

Let's have a look at the cold, hard facts.

Football
Origin: England (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Emigration, industry, empire.
Coverage: Universal.
Hmmm ...I've never been very comfortable with the highlighted bit and I can only assure you it's not post-colonial begrudgery not allowing me give credit where it's due. Codification happened in England to be sure and fair play to them -but there were games which are ancestral to football and which informed that codification being played in many, many countries and with many local variants thereafter. Even without leaving the island of Britain the game that was being played in Scotland at the time of codification probably bore more resemblance to modern football than the game being played in England. Though, again, there were lots of regional and town to town variations.




Gaelic Games
Origin: Ireland (codified 19th cent.)
Export vectors: Mass emigration on biblical scale, military, industry.
Coverage: Monosyllabic farmhands called Ger on small, rainy Atlantic island.I can't bring myself to agree with this at all unless you at very least consider placing an 'óg' after Ger.

[razor]

and cricket is good because you say it is?Its not just good, its great, Rico is never wrong (http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/mns/features/damienrichardson/damien41.html). :D

[paul_oshea]

Had an arguement with a lad who played minor for derry and played irish league with coleraine and under age for Norn Iron at the weekend. He is a very good gaelic player(also a boxing champion) and i can only assume he is a good soccer player too. I was saying to those present(a gaelic team), that you get away with a lot less skill in gaelic than you would in soccer, and people of natural ability at soccer or other sports will generally be good at gaelic, if they have any strength at all, but those who are good at gaelic would not necessarily be any good at soccer(mcshane springs to mind as an example of the kind of gaelic fella you would see on a soccer pitch). We agreed in the end that thats probably just the case for the spine of the team i.e. the full back, centre back, half forward and full forward but those on the wings and/or forwards would require a lot more skill. He piked up and said having played both to a high enough level, he found that gaelic was far more skillful than soccer. I couldn't really argue with that because I did neither(relative to him playing for NI and not the very top of soccer and not the very top at gaelic either), and at the end of the day you really can only judge on people who have experience as oppossed to spectators such as most of us here....

[bennocelt]

Paul please you know thats just nonsense - please tell me you dont believe what that muppet said - that Gah is more skillful than football:eek:

i have played the rugby, gah and football and def football is way out on its own in these three sports for skill and general entertainment

[Den Perry]

Paul please you know thats just nonsense - please tell me you dont believe what that muppet said - that Gah is more skillful than football:eek:

i have played the rugby, gah and football and def football is way out on its own in these three sports for skill and general entertainment

I love both hurling and gaelic football, but not as much as association football.The attitude of some GAA heads drives me nuts though. The way some of them will re-arrange juvenile training so that it clashes with soccer training is deplorable...its all about putting the kids in an awkward position. in addition the way GAA heads go on about soccer and "sure jaysus you could have nera score in a soccer match.....". Well at least with two mismatched teams there is a chance of a shock or tight game. Now, if say Kilkenny are playing Offally in Leinster hurling, you know straight away that there is going to be a hammering.In addition, a lot of GAA heads have jumped on the Munster rugby bandwagon over last few years, probably beacuse they regard it as a tough game, not like "those soccer lads diving around the place".

Finally, when it comes to skill, imo soccer is far more skillful than Gaelic football - main reason being that the use of hands makes any sport easier to play. For that reason I rate the skill in soccer higher ithan in hurling also.(though hurling is a lot more skillful than gaelic football)

[DeLorean]

main reason being that the use of hands makes any sport easier to play

I take it Hockey is more skillful than Hurling so by this warped logic.