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I would love to know what Tryone game Frank was at when they 'hammered' Down 

it looks like Colm O'Rourke in todays Independent thought they got hammered too

"The traditional view of Down is that they become better players in Croke Park. It did not seem like that in the league final against Armagh back in April, but there is no doubt they have improved a lot since that defeat and since losing to Tyrone, when they were destroyed in the second half"

Some interesting points Hardy, I'd be  curious to hear your thoughts on what aspects of AFL, their supporters treasure, that GAA fans mightn't necessarily treasure.

What I had in mind was all the pseudo-macho stuff - "big hits" and how they're gloried in and all the would-be hard man strutting and posing and the general impression that they value power, strength and hard-chaw stuff more than skill and technique.

I was always put off by the glorification of cowardly blind-side hitting that seems endemic in their game. I don't know if it's changed as I haven't watched it in a good while and I hear they've cleaned it up a bit, but you used to hear their commentators and spectators screaming approval at what they'd call a big hit but was usually some fella being taken out in sneaky fashion when he wasn't looking or shouldered into the front when he was open for it. That kind of stuff is actually some of the most cowardly hitting you can do, as you protect yourself while exploiting the victim's unpreparedness. I'd call a man hard if he exposed himself to hurt - e.g. face his opponent front-to-front. If you turn your shoulder into the opponent's exposed front when he's not ready for it, you're a coward, not a hard man.

Anyway, what I was suggesting was that in as much as you can generalise, GAA people appreciate skill, sportsmanship and technique more than strength, power and hitting and AFL supporters are the opposite.

As well as that, I've always been taken with the contrast in how the Australian and Irish teams in IR conduct themselves. The Aussie players come across as brash, self-absorbed, cocky and bombastic while the GAA player's stock in trade is typically understatement, self-effacement and modesty. It's just an impression, but it's an impression of two sporting cultures entirely at variance with each other.

There's a few cowards in the GAA to I'd say you agree then, like the no. 9 on 2 minutes in this clip
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNAQbp_vRv4&NR=1

or the defender in this clip holding a man down, then standing on his head.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcdB0RCtDe8

The Afl fans love their skill as much as we do, especially a great high mark or a long distance kick between the posts, much the same as ourselves. The similarities in what fans treasure are closer than what you suggest, i think. 

Some interesting points Hardy, I'd be  curious to hear your thoughts on what aspects of AFL, their supporters treasure, that GAA fans mightn't necessarily treasure.

At last a decent tyrone shirt for the first time in ages - ruined by horrible sponsorship - what were they thinking!!

What I can't square is Sinn Fein don't recognise the Wesminster British seat but take part in the vote. It is like they kind of recognise it and are proud to call their members MPs. I think it should be one or other... abstain totally or go into Westminster. Frank Maguire and Bernadette Devlin went to Westminster although I am not sure what the reaction was to that. Certainly they got enough nationalist-Republican votes to get in. If Sinn Fein decided tomorrow it will go in and take their seats thousands who are against it would suddenly agree with it. People need to stop being sheep and hanging onto every word a party says.
Also is not the 26 counties an artificial state imposed by British rule and they recoginse that government by taking their seat...   just seems very contradictory, but maybe life ain't that black and white. (Just thinking out loud...)

There are many reasons for SF to stand for Westminster & abstain.

A unionist bloc of 15-18 MPs as it would have been in previous decades would be much more powerful lobbying group in today's hung parliament environment. The Sf seats lessen the impact of the unionists.

Expenses, secretarial costs, London accommodation .

I would suspect the MP moniker gives greater access in Westminster for lobbying government decision makers on bread & butter issues, as well as the more strategic united Ireland agenda.

Internationally it also adds gravitas to lobbying foreign government for support.

JQ definitely posted on this board. It was no secret who he was either.

well done Michelle ,& in particular to the tireless party workers who lobbied the big east european & portugese speaking community in Dungannon to come out & vote Sf.

Talk of Tyrone's demise has been greatly exaggerated. The Championship is a marathon and not a sprint. Mickey Harte for me is not only a seasoned and prov-en manager he is also a philosopher. A very intelligent human being who will take risks and experiment during the league, to see what will work best for Tyrone down the road. The only thing you can be guaranteed that is in his mind is the Championship. Some people have to be patient and keep the faith and not have such a short memory. This is the time of the year to make mistakes and its only by making mistakes you learn a bout your weakness. Tyrone made the semi finals last year and realized they were a couple of players short against Cork. It looks like they have found four new faces for a least the first 18 places. They will be much stronger than last year and a year more experienced. To look at Tyrone's future you just have to look at their past. Teams that thought Tyrone were wounded and went in for the kill ended up being killed themselves. Tyrone are the real deal.

Can't agree they are stronger than last year because they aren't. At a similar level as last year for me ie last 4 material but certainly not all ireland winning level for me. Just don't see these new players everyone is talking about.
Cork will decide the destination of this years all ireland. Its theirs if they want it.

In post no.170 you profess to only seeing one of Tyrone's 12 or so games this year, so not sure how you are in a position to make too much significant comment on the matter.This may explain why you cannot see the new players, we who have seen all the tyrone games this year are referring to.

Very poor from Tyrone thus far (and very good one from Dublin) and Divisin 2 is beckoning but really we should have learned by now not to write off Tyrone. Claiming Tyrone are finished as a force and that Gormley is done might leave you looking a bit daft at a later date.

IT won't save the post. Tyrone aren't going to contend this year( neither are we). The aura is gone. Cork and kerry are  a different level now.

You might well be right Indiana but I recall very similar talk in 2008. In fact I seem to remember Dublin were going to bury this Tyrone in the AI quarter final of that year. Im not going to write off the team just yet.

Youve no young forwards coming through. The defence is all at sea. Period of consolidation beckons for Tyrone. That team is done and dusted. Been a fabulous football team but bar SON and one or two others that team is done. Had a great innings though.

you wish! wait til you see us in croke park !

29mins
dubs 9-6 up

http://www.q101west.fm/portal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=156

radio here

was at the collingwood match tonight v st kilda. everybody was talking about it. No sign of tommy walsh yet for the kfc. Boys watching training say it could be year or 2 yet til he gets to the level.

Seany, you can change your thread title to focus on the occupied six, and leave the other thread for the UK election.

Or alternatively, 6 counties & Britain, not 6 counties & UK.

Word was James Reilly, all star nominee goalie from Cavan and Gerard Pierson also from Cavan were over in UK too. Are they not involved with London too?

Lads
I really wish you would stop using the term UK - its an explicit reminder to the 6 counties being part of the empire. Why not say Britain or preferably England. Sorry to pick on you Mtl but I see it far too often on this site & it is a term that does not sit well with many of us nationalists on here. Or am I the only one to think this?

When I see GAA men make reference to the UK in a GAA context it always reminds me of the
DUP sports minister's stance on the " international competition" aspect of the Sam Maguire!

more from  same columnist

indeed by my reckoning the difference between winning or losing a match at this stage of the season can mean the difference between lodging 30,000 Euros and 100,000 Euros in the county's back account.

Is it any wonder that nerves are becoming increasingly fraught as we all view the run-in to the league divisional finals?


Points and pounds are very important — points for status and pounds for survival. It is taking more and more money to run county teams so the chance to pick up cash cannot be bypassed if at all possible.


I hope that some of this wealth will now filter into the north and if not, then I hope it arrives in Galway where it will be very welcome!



Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/columnists/joe-kernan/joe-kernan-irsquom-relishing-the-battle-for-division-one-survival-with-galway-14739624.html#ixzz0jBvZ8rY3