Quote from: dubnut on November 15, 2006, 01:35:53 PM
"I'd say theres a strong proability that it would for kids
esp as they will drink anything they can get , at that age..
because its adult to do so and if you dont drink you are thought of as a bit of a weirdo"
Thats true Lynchboy, but what I am saying is that this is the society we live in.
They will drink anything they can get whether there is sports sponsorhip or not.
If they were going to drink anyway it may encourage them to drink guinness instead of Dutch Gold or the likes but that doesnt make it worse, it doesnt make it better either but certainly doesnt compound the problem.
The whole problem runs much deeper than the GAA sponsorship issue, its a culture thing.
I think blaming the GAA and Rugby for compounding the drink culture is trying to avoid the real issues as to why we have this culture.
Certainly in Ireland I wouldnt say GAA (guinness) and Rugby (heineken) supporting kids drink more than those who follow soccer (eircom).
To summarise I am convinced that people do not drink more because of sports sponsorship.
But I could be wrong!
I would agree with that last statement
but
not so for kids.
The only thing we can do is come out and say that prospective young GAA (and indeed all sports) players should stay away from drink.
A campaign to make it uncool or just to make it unacceptable to youth that drinking should not happen until you are well into your 20's and consuming large amounts , along with smoking, swearing, fighting, unmannerly behaviour is neither smart nor clever
We have had a big success at our club this year- in the team I am associated with.
However there are a couple who I can see already are borderline ready to fall by the wayside.
Our season is now over and we are keeping the training going for fear of losing these lads to bad habit/bad influences/booze.
I agree, society is to blame, and some here have suggested what can be done - booze advertising is great for cash, but eroding society and families. The Celtic tiger has made Ireland an unfriendly selfish place. Those who fall now, fall further.
It never bothered me prev - as I was happy the GAA got any cash injections, but thinking about it we should ban drinks advertising. Not for influencing adults, but for the kids we are trying to bring up in the GAA way.
Rugby was a national joke until they stopped their boozing and took it seriously.
We have to also move with the times, and plenty of GAA figureheads are setting such examples out there - McGeeney for one.The O'Hailpins also.
For the sake of the children, and not making liars out of ourselves