Brilliant Brolly in Gaelic Life

[tieroan]

Joe Brolly gives what is essentially, the reasons why the GPA should be castigated, why our own Sean Cavanagh is a spoilt brat and why we all should get behind the Tyrone County Board in their stance against the GPA. At last someone has said exactly what Donal McMahon is - a sports agent by trade who set up the GPA for his own interests rather than the welfare of the players.

[realredhandfan]

Brolly articulates the view of the common GAA, I thuink hes superb on the GPA.. I want him to speak on behalf of the Northern GAA in relation to the erosion of our founding fathers values, I think its too prickly for him though.

[nrico2006]

Brolly is a good laugh, and I like reading his articles.  But he does an awful bit of slabbering too, calling Cavanagh a spoilt brat - wise up.  An amazing player who is a great role model on and off the field.  Did Brolly mention Brian McGilligan??  Because if he didnt that would be a first.  Maybe McGilligan is fed up listening to Brollys whine as he sticks it up his hole!

[Uladh]

well if brolly says its so, it must be...







It's very unusual for you tyrone folk to be discussing joe and not to be insisting that he knows nothing....

[Mayo4Sam]

Can someone post it here please

[tieroan]

Brolly does not mention big Brain. I would say the shovel handed one would not have been talking like Sean Cavanagh. Brolly does not exactly call him a brat but he does say that Sean is forgetting to mention one thing- he has offered his services and he can stop it at any time if he wishes. No one is making him play Gaelic football. He plays it because he enjoys it. If that was the case, next time i go into McAleers in Dungannon, i should as big Conor for a few bob because i enjoy coming in and having a few bears. The Tyrone players got a holiday to Jamica and £3000 spending each spending money last year. Those who did not go got £5000.

[Hound]

I agree, Brolly is a great laugh. He's very entertaining. But nothing he writes or says should be taken seriously.

Brolly was one of the orginal members of the GPA, but had a falling out, so now he's out to get them purely for spiteful personal reasons. The big shot barrister certainly has no intention of representing the common man of the GAA, and any common ground is purely coincidental.

I wonder how many All Irelands Tyrone would have won if the fate of the county team was in the hands of the county board administrators and they'd no help from Club Tyrone? Or maybe some people fool themselves into thinking Club Tyrone add nothing...

Also interesting is the number of fans in Tyrone who seem to have so little time for their "stars" who toiled to win the county two All Irelands...

[believebelive]

Brolly has a point although the fact that he, or somebody in the Gaelic Life,  cannot spell Sean Cavanagh's name properley (spelt with a K throughourt the article - also had Colm Cooper as Colin Cooper) smacks of poor journalism.
But he has got a point. The GPA only have a large membership because it is free. When they charged the players to join the membership fell dramatically. Also it is a fair point that at their inception the GPA was badly needed as certain welfare issues were not being met but I would agree with Joe that today, and after good work by the GPA, county teams get looked after very well. However the GPA seem to me to be ran by a small band of people who want monetary reward for inter county players. end of story. And in my opinion this would be the single worst thing ever to happen for the GAA. I often wonder why no journalist has unearthed an inter county player who is against the GPA. Because I doubt that the majority of inter county players even know what is going on with the GPA and of those that do I wonder how many are truly in favour.

[tieroan]

Fair point hound but when you read the article you will agree with the points he makes. I wonder how many club players out there agree with Sean Cavanagh. My probing would lead me to believe that they are siding with Pat Darcy and the Tyrone County Board. Every little boy or girl who picks up and Oneills footbal or sliothar has a burning desire inside to play for his county in Croke Park. Those that reach these height, as Brolly states, have put the icing on the cake. I met a Tyrone player in Glasgow and he told me that Sean Cavanagh was not speaking for him. His friends were his club players and playing for his county is a personal goal to see how far he could go in the game, not financial orienated.

[Hardy]

Hound, I'm not sure how you can know that Brolly is castigating the GPA "purely for spiteful personal reasons". What's my motivation, then?

You're right to wonder how many All Irelands Tyrone would have won without the help of Club Tyrone. However, I'd be inclined to wonder what would become of Club Tyrone if professionalism arrived in the GAA at inter-county level. How many ordinary supporters would be prepared to fork out 500 quid to pay players?

Wait a minute. What am I thinking? Sure the GPA has nothing to do with professionalism. They've assured us they don't want pay-for-play. Sorry. Silly me.

[johnjoe]

Brolly is a class act, full stop.

A Brilliant personality, larger than life both on the field and off it.

Like Spillane, he thrives on a bit of controversy. That sells papers, and that is why he is being paid. By a mile the best live commentator too,  - a totally different form of journalism - on the Sunday Game.

And still try marking him as he nears the forty mark.

Personally I`ve nothing but admiration for the guy, even if he raises the odd eyebrow. Dares to be different.

And the best of it is, he still does it for the love of the game. I mean as one of the youngest practising barristers in NI, he dosent exactly need the money.

[full back]

Johnjoe, are you big Brian in disguise or does Joe give you the odd reacharound?

[johnjoe]

FB, Big Brian wouldn`t be on here. If he was it would be under "McGilligan"or something - no back doors with the big yin!

Seriously, Brolly probably woundnt know me if we passed on the street. Dosn`t stop me saying I think he is a class act tho.

[full back]

Seriously, Brolly probably woundnt know me if we passed on the street. Dosn`t stop me saying I think he is a class act tho.

Thats because he doesnt look around

[Judge Kearns]

Brolly is a BOLLOX.