Unless you're from a county that experiences victory more often than defeat then I'm sure, like me, you find following your own side gut-wrenchingly, stomach-churningly, nail-bitingly, nerve-wreckingly, heart-palpitatingly, soul destroyingly awful. (Oh but how we soar like eagles when we do actually win something) Therefore I fully recommend being a neutral. This way you can sit happily in the midst of all those other poor sods who are going through the above experiences with not a care. You can blissfully enjoy the entertainment all around. Or at least you would have thought. Being the GAA however even us neutrals get drawn to support one or other of the combatants no matter how hard we decided to resist at the outset. And it's all down to him. You know the lad. He'll be a partisan. He only sees one colour geansai. He's loud, he's vocal. He's annoying and he's sitting near you. He'll deride the opposition at every turn. He'll jeer when they strike the ball wide. He'll mock their attempts to hurl or play football. He'll embarrass his own family. Now you're no longer a neutral. You'll want the other team to win so badly that now you're veins are popping out of your head. You're on your feet screaming at the ref alongside their real fans at every decision that goes against 'us'. And it's all because of him. Then just as he's starting to get his come-uppance you become aware of his clone. Damnit if 'my' team doesn't have a lad just as bad but I hadn't noticed him before. He's loud too. He's every bit as over-bearing and annoying...an on it goes.. On second thoughts, being a neutral isn't that easy either. Gaillimh Abú
If only it were that simple. I actually can't enjoy Mayo games at all lately. Nerves are all over the place and I just want the game over. The thought of another generation of players not getting an All Ireland makes me sick.
Replying To Maroonatic: "Unless you're from a county that experiences victory more often than defeat then I'm sure, like me, you find following your own side gut-wrenchingly, stomach-churningly, nail-bitingly, nerve-wreckingly, heart-palpitatingly, soul destroyingly awful. (Oh but how we soar like eagles when we do actually win something) Therefore I fully recommend being a neutral. This way you can sit happily in the midst of all those other poor sods who are going through the above experiences with not a care. You can blissfully enjoy the entertainment all around. Or at least you would have thought. Being the GAA however even us neutrals get drawn to support one or other of the combatants no matter how hard we decided to resist at the outset. And it's all down to him. You know the lad. He'll be a partisan. He only sees one colour geansai. He's loud, he's vocal. He's annoying and he's sitting near you. He'll deride the opposition at every turn. He'll jeer when they strike the ball wide. He'll mock their attempts to hurl or play football. He'll embarrass his own family. Now you're no longer a neutral. You'll want the other team to win so badly that now you're veins are popping out of your head. You're on your feet screaming at the ref alongside their real fans at every decision that goes against 'us'. And it's all because of him. Then just as he's starting to get his come-uppance you become aware of his clone. Damnit if 'my' team doesn't have a lad just as bad but I hadn't noticed him before. He's loud too. He's every bit as over-bearing and annoying...an on it goes.. On second thoughts, being a neutral isn't that easy either. Gaillimh Abú"
Very good post. I generally find my neutrality faltering due to a series of nasty tackles by one of the teams, or a series of poor decisions by the ref against one of the teams involved. It's hard to be humble (sorry I meant neutral).
Great piece Maroonatic. I know the feeling, have even been that fan on occasions, long ago! It's part of the attraction in attending matches. I can be a neutral watching most games, as my own county are sadly not in contention for honours. I live in hope that will change in the future.
The neutral zone is fine for a while but would you really want to stay there too long. You cannot beat that elation when your team comes out on the right side of a humdinger. Alas, it is lousy if you come out on the other side of that as happens all too often but the good days are worth it for me.