Meeting of Grassroots to Discuss our Strategy re GPA

[Maximus Marillius]

Is it any coincidence that some of the smartest strategic thinkers withion the GAA are against the opposition to pay for play.
The one good thing about the GAA is we all volunteered to be part of it, so if we no longer like the organisations rules or are not prepared to stay in line with new policy we can always choose to walk away.  Come to think of it Dessie....

Could we limit that to Tyrone and the Derry

[bennydorano]

Bennydorano - respect for the GAA coming from the GPA - sure they threatened a strike in order to bully the GAA inot submission and they will do it again without doubt !

So please don't come out with this dribble about having no respect for the GAA - laughable !!

dribble indeed

[orangeman]

There's more than you will not be too bothered !

[Tubberman]

Quote from: Farrandeelin on Today at 03:02:18 PM
I wonder will anybody stop going to support their county teams now that the GPA have got their way?


I wouldn't be bothered that much after the weekend if I missed a game.

You're going to stop following your county team because the government is giving the players a small grant??
So, do you usually switch off any athletics on the telly for the reason that the athletes are getting a grant?

I really think people are over reacting, and will be supporting the teams as usual by the time the league is in full swing. Sure remember rule 21, then rule 42.
The GAA didn't collapse then, and it won't collapse now

[full back]

You're going to stop following your county team because the government is giving the players a small grant??
So, do you usually switch off any athletics on the telly for the reason that the athletes are getting a grant?

But do the athletes say they are going to strike if they dont get the money?

[rrhf]

Ill probably sit at home and watch them on pay per view.  Holy christ,  What way is the GAA going and what way is it being led? The leadership of Kelly and Brennan may well have finish the organsiation.  Is it ironic that a Kerry man and a Kilkenny man - from the two strongest counties in the GAA have been the 2 weakest presidents in GAA history.  

[Tubberman]

You're going to stop following your county team because the government is giving the players a small grant??
So, do you usually switch off any athletics on the telly for the reason that the athletes are getting a grant?


But do the athletes say they are going to strike if they dont get the money?

Ok, you were against the strike threat. So was I. It was a kick in the teeth for a lot of people and was a terrible decision by the muppet leadership of the GPA.
But that doesn't mean I should be against the govt giving a grant to the players.

[Tubberman]

Just a thought.
Would it be fair enough to say that the main reason many people are angry and disappointed is because the GPA threw a strop with their strike threat, and the GAA leadership gave in straight away.
And that the principle of the govt grant, while it may be seen as an unwise move, is almost secondary to the anger that GPA could hold the organisation to ransom with their strike threat?

[full back]

It was the players who voted to strike
How can anyone who says it was a "kick in the teeth" when this happened show any type of support for them?

[Rois]

fSo, do you usually switch off any athletics on the telly for the reason that the athletes are getting a grant?

I really think people are over reacting, and will be supporting the teams as usual by the time the league is in full swing. Sure remember rule 21, then rule 42.
The GAA didn't collapse then, and it won't collapse now

This whole "other amateurs get grants and that's ok" argument is beginning to annoy me.

Yes other athletes get grants.  They don't have the support of a multi-million pound organisation behind them like intercounty gaelic players have.  They don't have an 80,000 seater stadium built largely through the vision and support of the hundreds of thousands who supported the GAA and willed for such a fantastic venue to showcase their sport.  Other amateur sports don't have groups like Club Tyrone with 500 members paying £500 a year because they appreciate what others in the county give up - that's their small concession.  

Other amateur sportspeople need the grant.  In my opinion, intercounty gaelic players shouldn't.  

This change is personally lot harder to swallow than the two apparently more momentous changes in the last number of years.  In those cases, the changes benefitted (in my opinion obviously) the association as a whole, ie one particular lot of volunteers wasn't favoured over another.  This is different.  

[rrhf]

Well said.  I beleieve the members of the GAA club members should lobby their committees to speak up for them.  Mark Conway was only the start. 

[RadioGAAGAA]

Would it be fair enough to say that the main reason many people are angry and disappointed is because the GPA threw a strop with their strike threat, and the GAA leadership gave in straight away.

No, at least, thats not the case for me.

The strike threat disgusted me, but its not the big issue here.

And that the principle of the govt grant, while it may be seen as an unwise move, is almost secondary to the anger that GPA could hold the organisation to ransom with their strike threat?

Definitely not. I fear this may lead the GAA down the same path as soccer/rugby - that is a far far bigger problem in my eyes than a silly little strike.

[his holiness nb]

See above post for me too.
Spot on radioGaaGaa.

[darbyo]

I fear this may lead the GAA down the same path as soccer/rugby - that is a far far bigger problem in my eyes than a silly little strike.

See above post for me too.
Spot on radioGaaGaa.

Ok so, I've asked this numerous times already and no-one in the anti-GPA ranks has even attempted an answer. If you fear that this may lead to the ruination of the GAA by turning the organisation professional. How can this happen, unless a 2/3 majority of the members of the GAA want the organisation to go professional? And if the vast majority want to the GAA to go professional then that is the democratic will of the members of the GAA.
                  Unless ANYONE (I swore I'd never used caps to make a point, but ye have driven me to it lads) can lay out the path to professionalism for the GAA, then you just sound like a bunch of Al Gores trying to catch man-bear-pig before it destroys the world. (It's a South Park episode for non-fans)

[RadioGAAGAA]

Ok so, I've asked this numerous times already and no-one in the anti-GPA ranks has even attempted an answer. If you fear that this may lead to the ruination of the GAA by turning the organisation professional. How can this happen, unless a 2/3 majority of the members of the GAA want the organisation to go professional? And if the vast majority want to the GAA to go professional then that is the democratic will of the members of the GAA. Unless ANYONE (I swore I'd never used caps to make a point, but ye have driven me to it lads) can lay out the path to professionalism for the GAA, then you just sound like a bunch of Al Gores trying to catch man-bear-pig before it destroys the world. (It's a South Park episode for non-fans)

Definition of professional:

1.
a. Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: lawyers, doctors, and other professional people.
b. Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional behavior.
2. Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career: a professional writer.
3. Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football.
4. Having or showing great skill; expert: a professional repair job.


Question: Are inter county footballers going to be receiving pay for training/playing?


This deal will result in inter-county players becoming semi-professional, you can run around with semantics until your blue in the face but that is the bottom line.




Dress the "grants" up whatever way you want, but it creates a division between the inter-county player and the county board member/the club player/the club member.

They will be thinking to themselves, "why bother?" "Why should I put my time in when I'm not getting renumeration?"

If you honestly think that won't be the case, perhaps you'll explain the changes in local rugby when it turned professional.