GAA Response to Coronavirus

[supersub]

With all due respect, the view of Colm O'Rourke or any other pundit for that matter is worth as much as you or I. It's the medical and scientific views that are most important. Commentary like this does little to help the situation only create speculation in my opinion.

[five points]

With all due respect, the view of Colm O'Rourke or any other pundit for that matter is worth as much as you or I. It's the medical and scientific views that are most important. Commentary like this does little to help the situation only create speculation in my opinion.

That might be fine if the GAA were a medical or scientific organisation but it's not. The Medical & Scientific Committee in Croke Park never before had a veto on how the GAA runs its business and organises its games. Why should it or any other vested interest, especially one outside the organisation, have a veto now?

[sid waddell]

With all due respect, the view of Colm O'Rourke or any other pundit for that matter is worth as much as you or I. It's the medical and scientific views that are most important. Commentary like this does little to help the situation only create speculation in my opinion.

I can't help thinking that Mr. O'Rourke may not be disclosing some vested interests he may have.

Didn't he come to a cushy little arrangement with NAMA some years back?

What are his current business interests?

[five points]

With all due respect, the view of Colm O'Rourke or any other pundit for that matter is worth as much as you or I. It's the medical and scientific views that are most important. Commentary like this does little to help the situation only create speculation in my opinion.

That might be fine if the GAA were a medical or scientific organisation but it's not. The Medical & Scientific Committee in Croke Park never before had a veto on how the GAA runs its business and organises its games. Why should it or any other vested interest, especially one outside the organisation, have a veto now?

Dunno but it might have something to do with the global pandemic and the fear that returning to games too soon could put lives at risk. However, if Colm O'Rourke knows as much about it as medical and scientific experts, then yeah, you're right.

We all know that but there's also a fear that if we go too long without games, players clubs and communities will suffer. There will always be a health risk to returning to games and that risk won't be going away anytime soon. Every possible decision has its downsides.

[five points]

With all due respect, the view of Colm O'Rourke or any other pundit for that matter is worth as much as you or I. It's the medical and scientific views that are most important. Commentary like this does little to help the situation only create speculation in my opinion.

That might be fine if the GAA were a medical or scientific organisation but it's not. The Medical & Scientific Committee in Croke Park never before had a veto on how the GAA runs its business and organises its games. Why should it or any other vested interest, especially one outside the organisation, have a veto now?

Dunno but it might have something to do with the global pandemic and the fear that returning to games too soon could put lives at risk. However, if Colm O'Rourke knows as much about it as medical and scientific experts, then yeah, you're right.

We all know that but there's also a fear that if we go too long without games, players clubs and communities will suffer. There will always be a health risk to returning to games and that risk won't be going away anytime soon. Every possible decision has its downsides.

Yes, and we should let the experts weigh that up and make their decision, which was supersub's point originally, I believe.

There we disagree. The GAA will be going down a dangerous road if it ever allows  outside vested interest to dictate fundamental policy. It would be like allowing banks to liquidate clubs for an unpaid debts.

By all means be guided by appropriate expert opinion but don't be a hostage to it.

[sid waddell]

Colm O'Rourke is the GAA's answer to Dominic Cummings. With all the same arrogance and entitlement dripping off him.

[Rossfan]

Whatever his other interests seems he has given up on being Meath manager anyway
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/spurned-three-times-orourke-fears-hell-never-get-to-manage-meath-1001678.html

Maybe Croke Park might appoint him and 5 Points to the players welfare Committee

[trailer]

The views of Colm O Rourke

"I would hope that there would be [senior inter-county matches] by late summer,"

"I think that the date of October is much too late. I hope that we will see action in August at the latest."

"I was hoping John Horan would say something different but the only thing I can see is he is saying that, but he has now brought together a medical committee to give him further advice,"

"I would hope that the medical committee will soon report back to him and say that he should be opening GAA grounds.

"Particularly for young people because I think the rate of infection under-15 is less than two per cent and I think that young people should be out playing at the moment.

"I think it would be possible to frame different types of, maybe five-a-side games, where you would have blocking but no tackling.

"Maybe GAA grounds could open up play for ten or fifteen minutes a half for ten [players], move them out and move in another group.

"Then you have the whole issue where you have walking tracks around grounds which are closed, forcing older people on the road to walk.

"I think it's a blunt instrument we have at the moment. I would certainly think that GAA pitches should be open in a controlled manner."

"I was at a club the other night and two older people walked past the gate of the club where there was a beautiful walking track available and they were walking on a very busy road," added O'Rourke.

"I just thought to myself, this is very silly.

"I know that John Horan has made the point that if he opened up walking tracks in Dublin, it would be very, very difficult to control them but I think so-be-it.

"I think we should be urging less caution, not more, and I think young people, in many cases in parts of Dublin, social distancing seems to have gone out the window with them.

"I think it would be much better from a GAA point of view to get them back playing in small numbers.

"The big concern for me would be, a lot of these people won't bother their head going back at all if they're shut out for a long time."

Don't often agree with Colm but has a point.
This bollocks about scientific and medical experts is nonsense. They advise and the government decides. Hence golf courses etc being opened. There's no reason that GAA clubs shouldn't be open. Underage Club football certainly u-16 down should be restarted.

[five points]

Whatever his other interests seems he has given up on being Meath manager anyway
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/spurned-three-times-orourke-fears-hell-never-get-to-manage-meath-1001678.html

Maybe Croke Park might appoint him and 5 Points to the players welfare Committee

The few surveys that have been done suggest that most players want to play this year.

No skin off my nose if they don't but I've said here and elsewhere that walking tracks should be open to save players running on dangerous roads.

[GetOverTheBar]

Walking tracks are open, are they not?

No part of any GAA ground is open for use. Think you can now do construction work and actually cut your field. That's it.

[five points]

They've been making silage bales, Casement Park-style, in Cloone in Leitrim.  Funny old world when track walking is considered more dangerous than cutting silage.

[Rossfan]

Whatever his other interests seems he has given up on being Meath manager anyway
https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/sport/gaa/spurned-three-times-orourke-fears-hell-never-get-to-manage-meath-1001678.html

Maybe Croke Park might appoint him and 5 Points to the players welfare Committee

The few surveys that have been done suggest that most players want to play this year.

Young lads who'll live for ever eh?
The GAA are looking at letting grounds with walkways open but with a "Covid" Officer to ensure whatever conditions are applied are complied with.
Presumably Johnny and Mary bringing in little Trevor and Chloe each with a ball won't be

[five points]

Young lads who'll live for ever eh?
The GAA are looking at letting grounds with walkways open but with a "Covid" Officer to ensure whatever conditions are applied are complied with.
Presumably Johnny and Mary bringing in little Trevor and Chloe each with a ball won't be allowed?
They're looking

And probably a few older lads for whom time is running out. Boys who missed 2019 with cruciates etc must be sick of the waiting.

[johnnycool]

Walking tracks are open, are they not?

No, but that decision is to be reviewed by Croke Park on the 7th of June IIRC.

[joemamas]

Colm O'Rourke is the GAA's answer to Dominic Cummings. With all the same arrogance and entitlement dripping off him.

Why because he disagrees with your thought process.

I think he generally makes a lot of sense.