Originally Posted by
galwayhoop
it's not bigotry. i am a soccer supporter. i also enjoy GAA. read my posts above.
wikiipedia:
A bigot is a prejudiced person who is intolerant of opinions, lifestyles, or identities differing from his own
SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF THE GAA TOP BRASS AND APOLOGISTS THAT I'VE HEARD.
i never said that i agreed with the stand point of the GAA i merely pointed out their viewpoint, as i see it, to allow a more balance view of the debate. some of the uneducated hodge-podge on this thread is at best ill-informed. a lot of people who are involved in soccer, and yes i include some of the previous posters on this thread, feel that the GAA owe something to soccer/FAI. why? are you that blinkered that you can't see they are merely looking out for their own house?
I DON'T THINK ANY FOOTBALL SUPPORTER FEELS THE GAA OWES THEM ANYTHING. WHAT I, AND I SUSPECT A LOT OF FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS FEEL, IS THAT FOOTBALL IS OWED A FAIR DEAL BY THE GOVERNMENT IN RELATION TO THE GAA. IF POLITICAL GAMES HADN'T BEEN PLAYED IN RELATION TO EIRCOM PARK AND THE ABBOTSTOWN STADIUM THEN THE CHANCES ARE THAT THE FAI WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN THE POSITION OF HAVING TO GO TO THE GAA FOR CROKE PARK. as for one sport hurting another. most people i know involved in sport/supporters of sport, support their local soccer team and the national team (and more often than not a british team) but are just as avid supporters of their local GAA county teams. i see no problem with this. none whatsoever. but the people organising sport, be that at league, county or national levels are in the main protective of their sports and concerned at loosing players to another code. while at a young age it is good to play all sports, if you want to specialise in one (meaning at the highest level) the others must go by the wayside. and this is probably at around 14/15 years of age. it is only logical that people involved in the ruling bodies of sporting organisations are concerned about people choosing another sport at the expense of thier one. YET ONLY THE GAA SEEM TO FEEL THE NEED TO TRY AND DO DOWN ANOTHER SPORT "BY ANY MEANS NECCESSARY"