Tyone Responds To GPA Regonition

[winghalfun]

Are you serious? Do you think Sean Kavanagh is one of the finest footballers in the country by chance?

No, not by chance, but by a combination of a strong physical gene pool, god given talent, good coaching, encouragement, love of the game, a desire to win, and yes, discipline.
Being inch eye to a grasshopper, shortsighted and unable to take the lid of a can of Mr. Muscle, the strong physical gene pool and god given talent would probably precluded me from ever lining out in Croke Park.
Nonetheless, with some good coaching, encouragement, a love of the game and discipline I can but dream.

I'd wager the man eats drinks and sleeps Gaa as do most county players.

Granted, but within what parameters. The dream of the roar of the crowd on All-Ireland final day or the delight on the face of a 10 year old as he wins his first blitz medal.

Considering the physical abuse they go through not to mention the verbal abuse from two-faced supporters, I wonder why they bother

The dream of that All-Ireland becoming a reality, a few sun kissed holidays abroad, personal adulation, expert physios, use of top facilities, a sports wardbrobe the envy of any asbo spiv and now maybe a few euro.

And by the way, the above is not directed at Sean personally but is a generalised response to the notion of the poor hard done by county player.

[johnjoe]

A very interesting thread - one that goes to the very heart of our ethos.

For the next few hours, what about a quick straw poll.

Who DESERVES the most respect.

A. The voluntary hard working club member, with a variety of roles ranging from juvenile coaching. fundraising, cutting the grass, sitting on the committee, providing transport to the matches, washing the kit etc, etc, etc.( Every club has this type)      or

B. The county panellist numbered somewhere from 1 - 32.

Sorry, but for me its a no brainer. The most important component will be Type A. Without him/her, there will be no Type B.

Look after players welfare Ok, but they must realise they are not, by any stretch, the most important component. Lets put it this way, the association will always cope without the "elite" - but they would not cope without the thousands of Type A across the land who rarely get as much as a decent thank you for their efforts.

[Windmill abu]

But the GPA lashed back last night, saying "perhaps the letter was an attempt to divert attention from a number of on-going player welfare issues in their own county."

Brian McGuigan was injured playing for Ardboe. Any insurance claims with regard to medical bills & loss of earnings will have been dealt with by the Ardboe Committee rather than the Tyrone County Board.

Brian is a member of the GPA and any failings with regard to the players welfare would reflect on them as much as the County Board.

[theskull1]

Well you cannot blame me for holding such an opinion muppet when the GPA is as clandestine as it is.

Skull we are all entitled to our opinions. Its this that I object to ' It will set a legal precedent of players getting financially rewarded ' . That is not a fact but merely opinion. I don't see how at all it will set a legal precedent seeing as the Gaa wouldn't be paying them. Like I said before the Gaa/Government can write whatever they want into the agreement which might end this sorry mess.

I have stated that the players would get financially rewarded for playing Gaelic Games. It doesn't matter whether the money is coming from the Government through a grants scheme or direct from the GAA, they are still getting paid....that would be a fact

Skull the game would be destroyed because the counties with the most money would 'buy' the best players. In a few years we would end up with maybe 6-8 tops teams and a competiton where they would play each other all the time as demanded by those paying the bills, i.e. TV and sponsors. That is why I am against pay for play, it would destroy the game regardless of whether the Gaa can pay or not.

OK muppet fair enough, but I would have thought that we all should be trying to hold up the more nobler reasons before we would get down to that level in the argument of pay for play.

My problem is thus. If the members want an amateur association that is fine. Let's have a vote and if Amateurism is the outcome then we give the paid managers, paid players and paid officers 6 months to wean themselves of the money. All expenses should cease. At the moment we are a long way from being amateur and the romantic notions of our association in the posts above, while tear jerking, are just blinkered.

I totally agree that the whole issue of payment across the board needs addressing, particularly managers and players. Harder to do though if it's not through official channels

[Fionntamhnach]

But the GPA lashed back last night, saying "perhaps the letter was an attempt to divert attention from a number of on-going player welfare issues in their own county."

Brian McGuigan was injured playing for Ardboe. Any insurance claims with regard to medical bills & loss of earnings will have been dealt with by the Ardboe Committee rather than the Tyrone County Board.

Brian is a member of the GPA and any failings with regard to the players welfare would reflect on them as much as the County Board.

Good point. Though considering his role for the county team, it surely would not have taken much for the county board to make sure that cover for such monies could be covered by them to a certain extent which could then be reclaimed through insurance, as most players can tell you it is frustrating to deal with.

[ExiledGael]

Was there a dispute about players not being able to get allocated tickets for the NFL game in Croke Park with Dublin?
Also, what do you make of Farrells comments in IN: "In an amatuer association, such as we are, where there is no money splashing about, the real currency, if you like, is power".

[Fionntamhnach]

Was there a dispute about players not being able to get allocated tickets for the NFL game in Croke Park with Dublin?

The county board have said that they are to investigate it. Apparently the sell-out of the match seemed to take whoever made the offer by surprise. I agree that more than 3 should have been reserved though.

[never kickt a ball]

Fionntamhnach,if the Tyrone County Board had sent a letter to Croke Park in support of the GPA,would you think that the procedures followed were acceptable?

If they were followed correctly, then yes. I have only ever been to one county meeting (and what a county meeting it was!) but there are matters that are brought up at the time and are then decided on if they don't require direct consultation with clubs set on in the regulations. It happens quite often. In your scenario, I wouldn't like it, but I'd recognise that it was a body made up from the membership in Tyrone that would sanction it. I wasn't terribly pleased to see the football leagues revert back to 3x16 but I accept that's democracy. It's a bitch, eh? But we can't pick and choose what we like, you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Must have been some meeting though Fionntamhnach to have come up with such a comprehensive, detailed and articulate stance.

[Fionntamhnach]

Fionntamhnach,if the Tyrone County Board had sent a letter to Croke Park in support of the GPA,would you think that the procedures followed were acceptable?

If they were followed correctly, then yes. I have only ever been to one county meeting (and what a county meeting it was!) but there are matters that are brought up at the time and are then decided on if they don't require direct consultation with clubs set on in the regulations. It happens quite often. In your scenario, I wouldn't like it, but I'd recognise that it was a body made up from the membership in Tyrone that would sanction it. I wasn't terribly pleased to see the football leagues revert back to 3x16 but I accept that's democracy. It's a bitch, eh? But we can't pick and choose what we like, you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Must have been some meeting though Fionntamhnach to have come up with such a comprehensive, detailed and articulate stance.

The meeting in question was in 2002.

[muppet]

Are you serious? Do you think Sean Kavanagh is one of the finest footballers in the country by chance?

No, not by chance, but by a combination of a strong physical gene pool, god given talent, good coaching, encouragement, love of the game, a desire to win, and yes, discipline.
Being inch eye to a grasshopper, shortsighted and unable to take the lid of a can of Mr. Muscle, the strong physical gene pool and god given talent would probably precluded me from ever lining out in Croke Park.
Nonetheless, with some good coaching, encouragement, a love of the game and discipline I can but dream.

I'd wager the man eats drinks and sleeps Gaa as do most county players.

Granted, but within what parameters. The dream of the roar of the crowd on All-Ireland final day or the delight on the face of a 10 year old as he wins his first blitz medal.

Considering the physical abuse they go through not to mention the verbal abuse from two-faced supporters, I wonder why they bother

The dream of that All-Ireland becoming a reality, a few sun kissed holidays abroad, personal adulation, expert physios, use of top facilities, a sports wardbrobe the envy of any asbo spiv and now maybe a few euro.

And by the way, the above is not directed at Sean personally but is a generalised response to the notion of the poor hard done by county player.

Romantic Ireland has been reborn and joined the GaaBoard.....and of course missed the point. I am amazed at some posters easy dismissal the efforts put in at the top level by players. The is no doubt that the clubs are the grassroots of the Gaa and that it's strengths include it's reach into every parish in the State. However if there was no end product like we currently have, no Canavans, Fitzeralds, McDonalds or McDonnells we would have little more than an adult community games.

a few sun kissed holidays abroad, personal adulation, expert physios, use of top facilities, a sports wardbrobe the envy of any asbo spiv

I'd get that if I went on Big Brother and I'd get a lot more money with no talent whatsoever.

At the top end one of the main attractions of the game is the astonishing level of fitness and ability of most of the players. Don't take it for granted that there is a long production line of volunteers able to serve up the same fair, there isn't.

Skull are you a little numb?

   

[never kickt a ball]

Fionntamhnach,if the Tyrone County Board had sent a letter to Croke Park in support of the GPA,would you think that the procedures followed were acceptable?

If they were followed correctly, then yes. I have only ever been to one county meeting (and what a county meeting it was!) but there are matters that are brought up at the time and are then decided on if they don't require direct consultation with clubs set on in the regulations. It happens quite often. In your scenario, I wouldn't like it, but I'd recognise that it was a body made up from the membership in Tyrone that would sanction it. I wasn't terribly pleased to see the football leagues revert back to 3x16 but I accept that's democracy. It's a bitch, eh? But we can't pick and choose what we like, you have to take the rough with the smooth.

Must have been some meeting though Fionntamhnach to have come up with such a comprehensive, detailed and articulate stance.

The meeting in question was in 2002.

Naw I'mon about the recent Tyrone County Board meeting:

I am writing, as requested by the Tyrone County Committee, to put to you as Uachtaran, to An Coiste Bainisti  and to Central Council a summary of a discussion that was held at our monthly County Committee meeting last night.
That discussion concerned the GAA's evident moves towards "recognition" of the Gaelic Players' Association (GPA). Our County Committee is clear that no such "recognition" should be granted.
The main reasons for our clear and unequivocal stance are as follows:

That must have been some meeting to have come up with such a comprehensive, detailed and articulate stance.

[laughinpaddy]

Well you cannot blame me for holding such an opinion muppet when the GPA is as clandestine as it is.

Skull the game would be destroyed because the counties with the most money would 'buy' the best players.

Is this not what is 'allegedly' happening in Wicklow with all the transfer speculation.

[muppet]

Is this not what is 'allegedly' happening in Wicklow with all the transfer speculation.

Exactly. This thread is about defending an amateur association from the ( very real ) dangers of professionalism. But the Gaa is not amateur already. To win anything you at least have to know what game you are playing, staunch defense of an amateur ethos that has already been deflowered is fighting the wrong fight.

[theskull1]

Skull are you a little numb?

>:(1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10....aaaand relax ....I can only assume I must be winning the argument now that you've resorted to attacking my username

grow up you muppet

[ONeill]

For the love of God Ziggy, correct that thread title.