Gamesmanship

[Frank Casey]

Fom Hoganstand.com

Edict delivered to county boards
14 August 2007


County Boards around the country have been advised as to their teams' responsibilities with regards gamesmanship and sportsmanship in light of some high-profile on-field taunting among players.

GAA President Nickey Brennan has revealed that an edict was sent out recently to county boards warning players not to inflame their opponents with over-the-top, post-score celebrations.

Brennan said it was pointed out also to referees that the GAA's rule book allows for punishment to be meted out to any player(s) deemed to be making triumphalist gestures.

[Billys Boots]

It'd be more in his line to stamp down on off-the-ball stuff and diving.   

[paddypastit]

I may not have paying paying close enough attention but is this man well on his way to proving himself the biggest muppet of them all? At least Quinn, Boothman, McDonagh, McCague and Kelly all definitely stood for something, even if ye didn't like it, whatever it was.

[Hound]

I may not have paying paying close enough attention but is this man well on his way to proving himself the biggest muppet of them all? At least Quinn, Boothman, McDonagh, McCague and Kelly all definitely stood for something, even if ye didn't like it, whatever it was.

Don't know the man at all, but from early on in his reign I've felt that top of his agenda is for Nicky Brennan to be the most popular GAA president ever, and that everything he has said and done, has always been said and done with that in mind.

[Hardy]

All the same, I think steps need to taken to eradicate the sort of stuff he's talking about. I don't know if this particular step will have any effect, but at least it's an improvement on the traditional approach of "there's nothing wrong with our games, let's circle the wagons and blame the media". I think it's the president's job to give the lead on stuff like this, rather than let things drift. But I'd be more impressed if the action was a bit more robust, with clear directives to referees to clamp down.

[Wispa]

I reckon this whole thing is bullsh*t. I think anyone that has ever played the game knows that in all likelihood, the guys involved in the much publicised "taunting" incidents were subjected to either a little mouthing themselves before the incident or some off the ball shenanigans throughout the game. Now, I don't know what exactly happened to instigate the Dublin Laois incident and I do believe the Dublin lads went too far in roping in the crowd with them but I do know that the likes of Darren Rooney is no saint himself and may well have merited some form of payback for earlier indescretions. I'm not saying this was totally the case here, just that its not always as black and white as the tv shows and anyone who's ever played the game knows this. Similarly, Tommy Freeman reacted after scoring the goal in the Ulster Final where he was being marked by Conor Gormley. Now, I'm a big fan of Gormley, think he's a class act and merits an All-Star this year, but having seen him in action a few times, most recently against Meath where he "man-marked" Bray in the second half, there is no doubt that he engages in an awful lot of pulling and dragging off the ball to spoil his opponent. To me this is a much bigger problem than the so called taunting of players after scoring a goal/point. Sean Cavangh was also mauled off camera on countless occassions when he went to make a run off the ball, all under the eyes of the linesman but nothing was done about it. If these players want to stick it in their opponents faces after burying a goal, then they're well entitled to in my opinion. Anyone that plays the game has probably heard the phrase about how best to deal with constant fouling or off the ball stuff is to beat them on the scoreboard and let them know about it. F*ck it, its a man's game. There are no feelings being hurt here. To hear the "victims" bleating about it after, a la Rooney's "I'll never be able to look at them guys in the eye again" makes me cringe. The off the ball stuff is part and parcel of it (but shouldn't be let run wild either!) and if someone who is getting subjected to it wants to point to a scoreboard or raise their fingers in indication of how many titles they've won then power to them I reckon.

[rosnarun]

i think more worrying from a Gamesmanship point of view is how it now almost obligatryfor a player to feign injury to kill the game after the opposition scores a goal or get a string of pints.
And its not just tyrone that are doing it anymore

[full back]

Spot on wispa.
If a player is getting dragged off the ball or as he goes to make a run there are 2 options he can take
a) Draw back his elbow or fist or b) Hurt the opposing player on the scoreboard and let him know about it. When the referee's, linesmen or umpires do fcuk all about off the ball stuff it is up to the forward to take whatever action he deems necessary

[orangeman]

In all the big games this year, how often have you seen a player whose team is up by 2 points getting booked and wating about 2 minutes ? It happens all the time.

[Hardy]

if someone who is getting subjected to it wants to point to a scoreboard or raise their fingers in indication of how many titles they've won then power to them I reckon.

I don't think so. The proper way to behave is with a modicum of dignity and respect. You can't expect it all the time, I suppose, but at least the rules should require it. Why should we condone idiots aping the lowest common denominator in  the value-free commercial circus that is professional soccer? Just because that money-driven sorry tabloid-fodder nonsense has no relationship to real sport or sporting principles, the rest of us don't have to forget that the real purpose of sport is to promote decent values. If it's "more power to him" to give someone the finger, in full view of the nation, where do we stop? How many fingers are acceptable? Will it be mooning next?

If a player is getting dragged off the ball or as he goes to make a run there are 2 options he can take
a) Draw back his elbow or fist or b) Hurt the opposing player on the scoreboard and let him know about it. When the referee's, linesmen or umpires do fcuk all about off the ball stuff it is up to the forward to take whatever action he deems necessary

No. There are more than two options. Neither of those is acceptable, if "let him know about it" means put your fingers up in his face. The fact that the GAA president has issued a statement about the unacceptability of one of the two "options" doesn't render the other acceptable. It's not either-or.

[Star Spangler]

i think more worrying from a Gamesmanship point of view is how it now almost obligatryfor a player to feign injury to kill the game after the opposition scores a goal or get a string of pints.
And its not just tyrone that are doing it anymore

Its interesting how many people can jump on the bandwagon without having any first hand experience themselves!  I don't think I've ever seen Tyrone do this - simply because up until the last 12 months or so they were usually out of sight on the scoreboard and didn't need to do it.  Can you give me an example of where you've seen it? How many Tyrone games have you actually watched??

[his holiness nb]

I also beleive a player should be reprimanded for grabbing a player after he scores a la Rooney.
The ball wasnt in play and Vaughan was running past him before this happened.

Whatever about what happened before the goal, Vaughan didnt turn straight to Rooney, he was running past him.
Grabbing him inflamed the situation.

This is about good sportsmanship, while Dublin may have come off as bad winners, Rooney in particular came off as an awful looser.

[Wispa]

Quote [If it's "more power to him" to give someone the finger, in full view of the nation, where do we stop? How many fingers are acceptable? Will it be mooning next?]

I'm not condoning raising the middle finger or giving them the 2 fingers gesture either Hardy, I was referring more to Bryan Cullen and his "3 Leinster titles gesture". I don't see much wrong with that as a response to receiving aggro - better than turning round and splitting someone anyway. I agree that Vaughan's 2 fingered gesture was unsightly and wrong but if he'd pumped his fist at Rooney instead (and I don't mean indicating he was going to thump him!) then I would have no problem with that.

[Hardy]

Sorry - I misread you. But I think the three fingers gesture, while not crime of the century, is a bit inflammatory as well.

Not just because he's a Meathman, but see Kevin Foley's demeanour after scoring The Goal of the Millennium  for my gold standard of how to behave after scoring.

[ONeill]

Goddamit. Armagh are always going to have the upper hand here on us. Whilst Ricey can raise the 2 fingers to emphasise the 2 Sams, Clarke can retort with a one-fingered salute.