The State Of Gaelic Football

[blewuporstuffed]

My questions 1 and 2 i mean!

i.e. you would agree that there is an influx of defensive tactics but
No, you wouldn't agree it's affecting the spectacle.

I think there has been a huge increase in defensive tactics and yes it as made the game poorer to watch in alot of cases (but certainly not all)
What i wouldnt do though is look for the rules of the game to be changed off the back of a national league game (largely a dead rubber in terms of importance of result), played in horrific conditions in march.
I know its not the only game to be ultra defensive, but its the one thart has sparked all the debate.
The reaction to it has been magnified by the fact that :
1. it was live on tv
2. dublin where involved

[Keyser soze]

With respect AZ those aren't the issues. It's the level of debate surrounding these issues that is the problem. The weeping and gnashing of teeth may have been replaced by the twitter spat but it's equally as wearisome.

The proposed outcome: a football review committee who need to "DO SOMETHING" is equally tedious.

[oakleaflad]

Last year we were all talking about how great the Kerry-Mayo Semi Finals were. I'm sure this year there will be some great and some poor matches too - as with every year. Some people are really over-reacting here mainly because of one poor game played in terrible conditions.

[mrdeeds]

Stats have showed scoring is at an all time high and fouls at an all time low. Derry Dublin game has caused this and it was played in monsoon conditions. Social media generation, exaggeration and hyperbole.

[AZOffaly]

Do ye think the only dour, negative game this year is the Dublin - Derry game? If so, I think ye are mad. It's obviously the one with a big exposure that's caused the shit storm to break out, but I think this has been getting more prevalent every year, as more and more teams adopt the 'if you can't beat them, join them' maxim.

[Rossfan]

What's the Provincial breakdown between the all is not well and the all is grand camps??
Latter mainly from Ulster I suspect

[mrdeeds]

As I said scoring is at an all time high. And I never said it was only low scoring game but there's being plenty of high scoring games too. People just want to highlight whatever backs their blinkered opinion. And where a team is inferior to the opposition why wouldn't they play defensive tactics. Everyone should just hoof it in and attack and we'll let Dublin Kerry etc.... have their annual procession to all Ireland finals. All suggestions on how to change rules to stop negative tactics but no mention why they were used in first place.

[AZOffaly]

I don't think scoring is at an all time high. I read somewhere that the scoring spiked last year, but has reverted back to roughly the average now. Time of year might have a lot to do with it too. Hard to score on a shitty day.

As I said, I see it as an interesting debate. I think it's undeniable that more teams are adopting the defensive approach, as their go-to tactic, and that will inevitably lead to lower scoring games. It's not this year it has started, but it's spreading.

[mrdeeds]

I agree it's spreading but the gap between the elite and also rans has never being bigger. When more counties have a chance of winning an All Ireland in hurling than football then times have indeed changed. Negative tactics are a result of this. How many full time coaches in Dublin compared to Leitrim? This needs to be adressed in order to marrow the gap and therefore weaker counties might feel they can compete.

[J70]

Armagh v Tyrone in the 00s wasn't in the same parish as what we've seen in the past couple of years.

Donegal have been apart of some classics also.

They have. Miles apart.

What teams are you talking about?

Sorry, a lame attempt at a joke. You said Donegal had been 'apart' of some classics. I said they had been miles apart from classics.

I honestly can't think of a great game involving Donegal of the last few years off the top of my head. Maybe the semi final against Kerry was good. The Dublin game wasn't bad because of Dublin's kamikaze tactics. Not classics though.

Cork semi 2012 was a classic. Arguably one of the county's best ever performances.

Kildare quarter in 2011, after a dour first half hour,  was a superb match.

As for the Dubs game last year, go back and read the comments in that thread to see how people enjoyed it. Doesn't make it a classic, but how many classic games have any other teams been in?

[AZOffaly]

I was at the Kildare game. I didn't think it was a classic by any means. It was my first exposure to Donegal under Jimmy 'in the flesh' and I thought they were so cagey it was unreal. It had a good finish alright, but was a harbinger.

[Zulu]

Armagh v Tyrone in the 00s wasn't in the same parish as what we've seen in the past couple of years.

Donegal have been apart of some classics also.

They have. Miles apart.

What teams are you talking about?

Sorry, a lame attempt at a joke. You said Donegal had been 'apart' of some classics. I said they had been miles apart from classics.

I honestly can't think of a great game involving Donegal of the last few years off the top of my head. Maybe the semi final against Kerry was good. The Dublin game wasn't bad because of Dublin's kamikaze tactics. Not classics though.

Cork semi 2012 was a classic. Arguably one of the county's best ever performances.

Kildare quarter in 2011, after a dour first half hour,  was a superb match.

As for the Dubs game last year, go back and read the comments in that thread to see how people enjoyed it. Doesn't make it a classic, but how many classic games have any other teams been in?

Last years Dublin game was a great game due to how Dublin played rather than Donegal, if Dublin played as Donegal then it could have been awful. Donegal have been involved in some of the worst games of all time too which is unfortunately the way things seem to be going.

[Main Street]

Armagh v Tyrone in the 00s wasn't in the same parish as what we've seen in the past couple of years.

Donegal have been apart of some classics also.

They have. Miles apart.

What teams are you talking about?

Sorry, a lame attempt at a joke. You said Donegal had been 'apart' of some classics. I said they had been miles apart from classics.

I honestly can't think of a great game involving Donegal of the last few years off the top of my head. Maybe the semi final against Kerry was good. The Dublin game wasn't bad because of Dublin's kamikaze tactics. Not classics though.

Cork semi 2012 was a classic. Arguably one of the county's best ever performances.

Kildare quarter in 2011, after a dour first half hour,  was a superb match.

As for the Dubs game last year, go back and read the comments in that thread to see how people enjoyed it. Doesn't make it a classic, but how many classic games have any other teams been in?

Last years Dublin game was a great game due to how Dublin played rather than Donegal, if Dublin played as Donegal then it could have been awful. Donegal have been involved in some of the worst games of all time too which is unfortunately the way things seem to be going.

I'm with J70 on this one, Donegal were superb, if only they played like that more often.
That semi final was  an 'awesome' experience. If you were to begrudge Donegal that performance then there's objectivity serious lacking.
But they were back to type for the final.

[Teo Lurley]

I'm not saying this is everyone that's criticising the way teams play but a lot of the criticism in coming from anti-Northern bias. The truth is that many don't like to see Ulster teams coming down here and beating most teams. It comes from their hated of nordies in general. The style of football is just an excuse.

[Rossfan]

Some amount of chips on showlders there Leo