A Tyrone book

[Gaffer]

Why is it mental?

Mickey is a deeply spiritual person. I would imagine a lot of the people who continually bash Harte for his faith and stubbornness would come nowhere near having the sort of positive effect he has had on many people's live, including some very troubled and grieving souls.

People are entitled to their opinions but I think some of the cheap character attacks on Harte here give you an insight into the kind of person making them.

Not a character attack.  I absolutely respect his deep faith and he has went through things that I can't even imagine and he says himself his faith keeps him going.

However, I don't think it's appropriate to expect others to replicate that in his position.

Replicate what? Faith?

I don't think it causes any problems whatsoever to those who his faith might impact on.

Again it's a bit like the RTE boycott. Players will feel the need to act like sheep and go along with the flock because of the fear of standing out and being dropped. If a player thinks it is ridiculous and doesn't want to participate the simple fact is harte doesn't look on that sort of thing kindly. A lot of these players given free choice wouldn't be near a chapel from one end of the year to the other but here they are saying 5 decades of the rosary before games.

"A lot of those players given free choice wouldn't be near a chapel from one end of the year to the other"

You ve stated this as a fact. What basis have you for stating this?

[lenny]

Why is it mental?

Mickey is a deeply spiritual person. I would imagine a lot of the people who continually bash Harte for his faith and stubbornness would come nowhere near having the sort of positive effect he has had on many people's live, including some very troubled and grieving souls.

People are entitled to their opinions but I think some of the cheap character attacks on Harte here give you an insight into the kind of person making them.

Not a character attack.  I absolutely respect his deep faith and he has went through things that I can't even imagine and he says himself his faith keeps him going.

However, I don't think it's appropriate to expect others to replicate that in his position.

Replicate what? Faith?

I don't think it causes any problems whatsoever to those who his faith might impact on.

Again it's a bit like the RTE boycott. Players will feel the need to act like sheep and go along with the flock because of the fear of standing out and being dropped. If a player thinks it is ridiculous and doesn't want to participate the simple fact is harte doesn't look on that sort of thing kindly. A lot of these players given free choice wouldn't be near a chapel from one end of the year to the other but here they are saying 5 decades of the rosary before games.

"A lot of those players given free choice wouldn't be near a chapel from one end of the year to the other"

You ve stated this as a fact. What basis have you for stating this?

How many young people do you know who go to mass regularly. A high percentage of young people I know have stopped going to mass. Unless the Tyrone panel is an exceptional cross section of the population then I am guessing a good number of those lads wouldn't be too interested in mass. Again This is an opinion based on my observations.

[Gaffer]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

[screenexile]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

[stephenite]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

Jesus wept.

[redhandefender]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

I would say Barton is saying a few decades of the rosary that he has a team to put out against us next year. What business is it of anybody's whether a tyrone player wants to say a prayer or not. It is a great tool for channelling the mind nearly like meditation and that's what prayers and mantras began as. Its gets everyone on the same page and focused. Harte can't make players think a certain way but I am sure he explains they can use those moments to focus their mind in any way they want.

Such craying and moaning again. "Sledging and dicing" - I am pretty sure god is worried more about a lot more serious crimes caused than either of those 2 in the heat of a football match.

Catch a grip

[Il Bomber Destro]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

The apology was about as sincere as your impartiality when it comes to Tyrone and Mickey Harte.

Harte had the death of his daughter used in a radio skit about him and RTE decided no action was appropriate against those who carried out and sanctioned the skit. I can fully understand why Harte felt there apology was disingenuous and how can you forgive those who show no remorse or means to atone.

You act like Tyrone are the only team who dive and sledge, some of your own county men don't come out too well going by recent publications - then again sincerity isn't something that would be associated with you.

[Gaffer]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

Jesus wept.

Why?

[Gaffer]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

You have no idea how many Tyrone players go to Mass yet you announced on this forum as fact that many of them didn't. Why don't you just retract that. Silly thing to post.

[PW Nally]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

Jesus wept.

Why?

There Are None So Blind
As Those Who Will Not See

That's why.

[Gaffer]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

Jesus wept.

Why?

There Are None So Blind
As Those Who Will Not See

That's why.

Wasn't asking you !

[screenexile]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

Who are you to announce that Trone players don't go to Mass?

I didn't say they don't... I'm wondering why you're talking about mandates on an internet discussion board!! There is a good chance a lot of them don't go to mass which is fair enough they probably go along with the rosary thing to not look out of place as well which is no big deal either.

It doesn't mean it's not strange or hypocritical when Harte's teams have a history of cheating but that''s old ground and no point covering it again.

Speak to any Club/County footballer and ask if anywhere else in Ireland or around the world they say even one decade of the Rosary before a match and I'd be amazed if you'd find 5 teams if even that. Only you Tyronie's are the ones saying it's not downright strange!!!

[BennyHarp]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

Who are you to announce that Trone players don't go to Mass?

I didn't say they don't... I'm wondering why you're talking about mandates on an internet discussion board!! There is a good chance a lot of them don't go to mass which is fair enough they probably go along with the rosary thing to not look out of place as well which is no big deal either.

It doesn't mean it's not strange or hypocritical when Harte's teams have a history of cheating but that''s old ground and no point covering it again.

Speak to any Club/County footballer and ask if anywhere else in Ireland or around the world they say even one decade of the Rosary before a match and I'd be amazed if you'd find 5 teams if even that. Only you Tyronie's are the ones saying it's not downright strange!!!

Armagh's symbol, Donegals circle of trust (or whatever it is) Dublin's little blue book, lads not shaving, Romanian players dying their hair during a world cup, lads going off the drink - the list of strange, weird and wonderful things that teams do to form bonds and strengthen unity before games and during championships is endless. I know Mickey is a very avid reader of management techniques from sports around the world, especially American sports where saying prayers before a game, collectively as a team, is very common. Focusing the mind before a big game is very important and if the management team think that saying prayers enables the team to do that then players generally buy into it and get on with it. After 13 years Mickey needs to try different things to keep his message fresh and I'm sure there's things that he has tried which haven't worked and things that he has tried that has worked, the proof is in the pudding and theres not too many people criticising Mickey on here would have one millionth of the success that he has achieved as a manager.

I remember reading about Mickey getting every player to write a positive message about every player on the panel and he collated them all and posted them through their hotel door the evening before and AI final. I thought that this was pretty corny but speaking to two players involved, they said it was a masterstroke and they felt 10ft tall after reading the comments. Putting yourself out there to try new things is the hallmark of a good manager and Mickey tries to do that and freshen things up, which isn't easy after 13 years. I would suggest that is what sets him apart from the keyboard warriors on here and nearly every other manager in the GAA.

[Gaffer]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

Who are you to announce that Trone players don't go to Mass?

I didn't say they don't... I'm wondering why you're talking about mandates on an internet discussion board!! There is a good chance a lot of them don't go to mass which is fair enough they probably go along with the rosary thing to not look out of place as well which is no big deal either.

It doesn't mean it's not strange or hypocritical when Harte's teams have a history of cheating but that''s old ground and no point covering it again.

Speak to any Club/County footballer and ask if anywhere else in Ireland or around the world they say even one decade of the Rosary before a match and I'd be amazed if you'd find 5 teams if even that. Only you Tyronie's are the ones saying it's not downright strange!!!

Was addressing Kenny there. He has no right to come on here and make a statement  that most Tyrone players don't go to mass until he got the go ahead from them to do so which I sure he didn't hence mandate. It's like me saying that you and your friends don't go to mass.

[lenny]

So you were guessing? As I said before you stated it as a fact
You have no entitlement to speak on behalf of the Tyrone players unless mandated to do so.
You have no idea of how many Tyrone players go to Mass or not.
It was a daft assertion to make.

What???

Saying 5 decades of the Rosary before a match is daft and mind boggling when you consider the teams Harte has put out that dive/sledge etc. He still fails to eradicate the nonsense from his teams and has yet to forgive RTE for their mistake even after they apologised... Not very Christian behaviour!

Who are you to announce that Trone players don't go to Mass?

I didn't say they don't... I'm wondering why you're talking about mandates on an internet discussion board!! There is a good chance a lot of them don't go to mass which is fair enough they probably go along with the rosary thing to not look out of place as well which is no big deal either.

It doesn't mean it's not strange or hypocritical when Harte's teams have a history of cheating but that''s old ground and no point covering it again.

Speak to any Club/County footballer and ask if anywhere else in Ireland or around the world they say even one decade of the Rosary before a match and I'd be amazed if you'd find 5 teams if even that. Only you Tyronie's are the ones saying it's not downright strange!!!

Armagh's symbol, Donegals circle of trust (or whatever it is) Dublin's little blue book, lads not shaving, Romanian players dying their hair during a world cup, lads going off the drink - the list of strange, weird and wonderful things that teams do to form bonds and strengthen unity before games and during championships is endless. I know Mickey is a very avid reader of management techniques from sports around the world, especially American sports where saying prayers before a game, collectively as a team, is very common. Focusing the mind before a big game is very important and if the management team think that saying prayers enables the team to do that then players generally buy into it and get on with it. After 13 years Mickey needs to try different things to keep his message fresh and I'm sure there's things that he has tried which haven't worked and things that he has tried that has worked.

Saying a prayer is one thing, 5 decades of the rosary is way OTT.