Joe Brolly

[BennyHarp]

Estimator, all I see is a call for loads of people to do loads of talking.
Not a bad thing in itself but HE offers NO suggestions.

For once Joe doesn't seem to be offering all the solutions which is a refreshing change. But he is right that there needs to be a proper discussion about the road the GAA is going down as it is quite important that a strategy is put in place to safeguard the future of association. It might be the case that  people are happy with the rapid movement towards a very commercially driven association and that's fine. But I'd imagine certain things would need to be addressed very quickly such as a shortened county season, more time devoted to the club season, fixture lists integrating all levels and competitions, proper debate over the television rights, restructuring of the decision making processes at congress, a complete overhaul of the rules to close loopholes and stop the trend towards constant appeals, a properly appointed referees board and even a games development board to look at rule changes etc.

People in general are becoming more and more disengaged with the status quo and are growing frustrated with how things are governed in all aspects of life - the GAA is no different. I think that the point Joe is making and although it makes me feel dirty to admit it - I agree with him!

[Franko]

Whatever your feelings on him, he's right on the money (pardon the pun) here.  Everything good about the GAA is built on the volunteer spirit.  People volunteer because they feel they are part of something good.  That's a very delicate thing and IMO we are harming it irreparably in the GAA (and the country in general).  It's only a sense, a feeling but it's a powerful thing - and once it's lost it's never coming back.

Any volunteer looking at that great corporate behemoth in Dublin selling commercial viewing rights to Rupert Murdoch is bound to be asking "WTF is this all for?"

[yellowcard]

Typical Brolly nonsense. He usually starts off with a story about a great GAA man then finishes it off with the comparison with SKY and GPA, or else he just savages something or someone he knows nothing about, or as in this case, he starts about corporate greed and then in his final paragraph compares it to SKY and GPA.  I could take all his stuff about billionaires and their antics and how they are ruining the world and how the common man has no say against them, only for the fact that he is writing it in the paper of Denis O Brien. He is now a caricature of himself, spouting populist nonsense that has no basis in fact whatsoever.

Point out what exactly you disagree with in the article, otherwise you yourself just sound as though you ironically have a personal agenda against Brolly. Your attacking him personally without making any arguments against any of the articles content. I'm no huge fan of him either but yet I'll admit that his is the first article I would read when pulling out the sports pages so there is a contradiction there in itself.

[Main Street]

He spends the whole article slating psychology last week, and quotes a psychiatrist giving a psychological assessment this one 

Also, wouldn't mind seeing the stats re rugby participation, it certainly was growing strongly from 2005 - 2012, the only info I could find online (rose by 50%  ).

Joe has his views, and the evidence will be bent or invented to fit. Its entertaining, but not to be taken seriously.

The quote from Joe's article was  "The theme of the panel was that whereas the audience for rugby has sky rocketed, participation has collapsed."

I suspect what Joe was referring to were the effects  n the traditional club and ÄIL rugby arising  from the emergence of a professional elitism in Irish Rugby and the concentration of resources around that elitism. Not a subject I know much about.

http://www.punditarena.com/rugby/thepateam/irish-rugby-future-ireland-league/
"The growth of the provinces has coincided with the gradual decline of the All Ireland League. This competition was once the pride of Irish rugby, below international level. However, the last decade and a half have seen the AIL withering in the shadows, being choked of any light by the incredible growth of the provinces and the Heineken Cup."

I think this time we can  allow Joe a bit of leeway with his 'facts' and take the gist of the article in good faith. Like when a very naughty child on occasion does something good, we reward and encourage the child rather than remind the child of what a rascal he/she is.

[Jinxy]

My understanding would be that juvenile participation is up in rugby but adult participation is way down.

[Kickham csc]

Whatever your feelings on him, he's right on the money (pardon the pun) here.  Everything good about the GAA is built on the volunteer spirit.  People volunteer because they feel they are part of something good.  That's a very delicate thing and IMO we are harming it irreparably in the GAA (and the country in general).  It's only a sense, a feeling but it's a powerful thing - and once it's lost it's never coming back.

Any volunteer looking at that great corporate behemoth in Dublin selling commercial viewing rights to Rupert Murdoch is bound to be asking "WTF is this all for?"

level
Would it not be the GAA HQ maximizing its value to create revenue that is reinvested into the grassroots level of the organization

[five points]

Any volunteer looking at that great corporate behemoth in Dublin selling commercial viewing rights to Rupert Murdoch is bound to be asking "WTF is this all for?"

It's to ensure that the grassroots are not bankrupted by the costs of a new stadium in 20-odd years time, by which time parts of Croke Park will be over 40 years old and more than likely anachronistic as old stadiums tend to be.

[Main Street]

My understanding would be that juvenile participation is up in rugby but adult participation is way down.

It follows that there is a higher than 'normal'  drop off rate in rugby with the youth. But it's the demise of the rugby clubs and the traditional club competitions which has probably  caught Joe's  (short span) attention, more so than the numbers.

This is not just an Irish issue but also  in NZ, clubs are on the wane
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/provincial/69752802/auckland-club-rugby-facing-crisis-as-player-numbers-take-significant-hit

"A focus on the elite athlete, with money constantly poured into academy systems, rather than participation on the whole, along with a general sentiment the ARU has become complacent, tending to overlook club rugby, were some frustrations"

The thing is though, Joe highlights many concerns with the path the GAA is taking, eg Sky subscription package,  but he doesn't offer any evidence to support his opinion that all these concerns have a negative effect on the clubs, re  their membership and their vital role in the community.
Not a dickeybird, he doesn't even select one club and relate the awful situation they are in with rampant tumbleweed, declining membership, peeling paint and smelly toilets.

[ashman]

Joe's spat with a certain profession is getting very nasty !!

[ck]

Joe's spat with a certain profession is getting very nasty !!

Why what's he said now? He seems to have it in for Enda McNulty

[ashman]

Caroline Currid had an article in IT on Thursday . Serious Twitter spat.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Real low blow from her, hiding her profession from criticism behind suicide and the GPA. Similar to the deflection Lance Armstrong did with his cancer charity. http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/caroline-currid-i-was-shocked-by-paul-o-connell-s-preparation-1.2870537

[Dinny Breen]

I don't see it as low blow just a truth. It's pretty obvious a clown like Joe Brolly doesn't understand psychology or mental health and thinks it's fine to mock and ridicule people from his high horse and doesn't care about the consequences of those public put downs. A sports psychologist creates a bond with a player, invests in the player and if that player can trust the psychologist enough to discuss suicide it's only a good thing. Wolves don't stay awake at night worrying about what the sheep are thinking about, unfortunately males sports are very macho orientated in this country and we have too many sheep not enough wolves.

[Croí na hÉireann]

If you want to attack Joe Brolly, attack away, there are no shortage of things to attack him with. But don't hide your profession from criticism by saying we help guys with depression so don't dare cast a critical eye over here where we are making money from clubs up and down the country with limited involvement and will be out the door at year end never to be seen or heard from again. And don't hold up the GPA as the guardians against suicide when their own social media used to post that if you weren't an affiliated member then not to contact them. And then to compound matters the article gives the number of the Samaritans, if the sports psychologists or the GPA were so interested in the nationwide issue of suicide then their numbers would be up there. It's a straw man argument, designed to pull at your heartstrings and keep the dollars rolling in while not offering any meaningful solution to the rampant problem whatsoever. A low blow.

[BennyHarp]

If you want to attack Joe Brolly, attack away, there are no shortage of things to attack him with. But don't hide your profession from criticism by saying we help guys with depression so don't dare cast a critical eye over here where we are making money from clubs up and down the country with limited involvement and will be out the door at year end never to be seen or heard from again. And don't hold up the GPA as the guardians against suicide when their own social media used to post that if you weren't an affiliated member then not to contact them. And then to compound matters the article gives the number of the Samaritans, if the sports psychologists or the GPA were so interested in the nationwide issue of suicide then their numbers would be up there. It's a straw man argument, designed to pull at your heartstrings and keep the dollars rolling in while not offering any meaningful solution to the rampant problem whatsoever. A low blow.

Has she helped anyone who was at risk of suicide as part of her professional role? If so, then she isn't hiding behind anything. I assume Joe, as per usual, hasn't access to the full facts of the situation before making his assertions.