Are we mad?

[Jinxy]

Any reason not to have hurling and football on the same weekends?
Alternate saturday evening/sunday afternoon fixtures?
I don't think there's much crossover in terms of the fan-bases for the two codes to be honest.
Any floating voters can still go to both if they want.

[seafoid]

Any reason not to have hurling and football on the same weekends?
Alternate saturday evening/sunday afternoon fixtures?
I don't think there's much crossover in terms of the fan-bases for the two codes to be honest.
Any floating voters can still go to both if they want.

There are dual fans in Cork, Galway, Dublin,  Tipp etc

[Jinxy]

There are some, but it's delusional to think it's anything other than a minority.
Ever been to a hurling/football double header involving Dublin?

[Dinny Breen]

Cork and Tipp don't have a big football following , same with the Dublin hurlers..

[commonman]

And the games were competitive and generated excitement because the League is graded.
Bring on the Senior, Inter and Junior Championships on a League basis.

rossfan, i thought kevin and liam hadn't a bit of heed on the league, so is promoting the league to the premier competition going to upset our 3 year plan?

[Rossfan]

I'll have to read it again.
I think he has us winning an All Ireland Qtr Final in 2019.
The "Big 8" thing will be in by then.
So maybe the plan is just a work of fiction or maybe it was done up last Saturday (1/4)

[Jinxy]

There's an inverse relationship between Roscommon's level of performance in the league vs. the championship.
As such, I predict a long summer ahead.

[twohands!!!]

There's an inverse relationship between Roscommon's level of performance in the league vs. the championship.
As such, I predict a long summer ahead.

There's a pretty strong relationship between teams getting relegated from Division 1 and having miserable championships.
The fact that Roscommon conceded the highest number of scores in all four divisions (135) says a world.

[Rossfan]

It tells us we have a crap defence.
Starting the 2nd half last Sunday we had 3 forwards for a HB line with 3   defenders sitting unused on the bench.
So I presume the plan is to play a 3-8-3 formation for the Summer.

[Syferus]

There's an inverse relationship between Roscommon's level of performance in the league vs. the championship.
As such, I predict a long summer ahead.

There's a pretty strong relationship between teams getting relegated from Division 1 and having miserable championships.
The fact that Roscommon conceded the highest number of scores in all four divisions (135) says a world.

What world?

Mars? Oz? Tatooinee?

[magpie seanie]

Good thread and I agree with the sentiments expressed by most. The league is a great competition only hampered by the fact that often it's played in shitty weather. Last Sunday was just brilliant and we won't have anything near as exciting until August at best.

I'd go along with the provincial championships in Feb/Mar/Apr with the league moving to May/Jun/Jul. QF's/Super 8's made up of top 4 in D1, Top 2 D2, and winners of D3 and D4 - like the old days of the NFL. The D3 and D4 winners might struggle these days but I think they'd deserve it more than a team that finishes 5th in D1 or 3rd in D2. We could look at the option of granting the provincial champions half a league point as an incentive?

For hurling also I think a league basis makes a lot more sense. The current league structure isn't all that bad, served up 3 excellent quarter finals to be fair.

[LeoMc]

Days like yesterday are exciting and we'd all like to see more of that but I suppose part of it is because of the unpredictability of it all. A lot of the league teams aren't putting out their strongest teams and there is an element of trying out new players and tactics. So for example in Div 1 most of the teams were going into the final day with something important to play for and the one team who didn't Roscommon won anyway.
I think most of us would agree that you would expect Dublin, Kerry and Mayo take it all a lot more seriously if it led to winning Sam, yet the same two teams end up in the final anyways.

What it does show that the other divisions are a lot more interesting when they don't have to play the big guns

I thought those 2 were only warming up because they do not have to peak until August!

[Jinxy]

Good thread and I agree with the sentiments expressed by most. The league is a great competition only hampered by the fact that often it's played in shitty weather. Last Sunday was just brilliant and we won't have anything near as exciting until August at best.

I'd go along with the provincial championships in Feb/Mar/Apr with the league moving to May/Jun/Jul. QF's/Super 8's made up of top 4 in D1, Top 2 D2, and winners of D3 and D4 - like the old days of the NFL. The D3 and D4 winners might struggle these days but I think they'd deserve it more than a team that finishes 5th in D1 or 3rd in D2. We could look at the option of granting the provincial champions half a league point as an incentive?

For hurling also I think a league basis makes a lot more sense. The current league structure isn't all that bad, served up 3 excellent quarter finals to be fair.

Imagine if last Sunday was the opening weekend of the league instead of the closing weekend.
When the clocks go forward, the weather changes and people come out of their winter hibernation, they're looking for places to go and things to do at the weekend, particularly as families.
You'd get really good, consistent crowds.
There are so many benefits and all it really requires is a change in emphasis.
I don't think the 'It's only the league' mindset really exists anymore.

[AZOffaly]

I think 'it's only the league' exists for teams like Dublin, Mayo, Kerry. The top teams use the league to see if they can find a few new players or whatever.

The remaining counties try to get as high as they can, to help prepare them for the championship. The more time you spend as a D1 team, the better you are going to be, and the better you can perform in the Championship.

[Syferus]

Good thread and I agree with the sentiments expressed by most. The league is a great competition only hampered by the fact that often it's played in shitty weather. Last Sunday was just brilliant and we won't have anything near as exciting until August at best.

I'd go along with the provincial championships in Feb/Mar/Apr with the league moving to May/Jun/Jul. QF's/Super 8's made up of top 4 in D1, Top 2 D2, and winners of D3 and D4 - like the old days of the NFL. The D3 and D4 winners might struggle these days but I think they'd deserve it more than a team that finishes 5th in D1 or 3rd in D2. We could look at the option of granting the provincial champions half a league point as an incentive?

For hurling also I think a league basis makes a lot more sense. The current league structure isn't all that bad, served up 3 excellent quarter finals to be fair.

Imagine if last Sunday was the opening weekend of the league instead of the closing weekend.
When the clocks go forward, the weather changes and people come out of their winter hibernation, they're looking for places to go and things to do at the weekend, particularly as families.
You'd get really good, consistent crowds.
There are so many benefits and all it really requires is a change in emphasis.
I don't think the 'It's only the league' mindset really exists anymore.

Have you seen us recently?