If you're going to be talking about the GAA you have to take into consideration that it isn't just a sports organisation, it's a 'community and family-centred sporting and cultural organisation', which none of the rest of them are to the same extent. You can't compare playing or watching the game to see which one is better, from a GAA perspective it's more about the contribution the organisation makes to improving Irish society, which is why GAA supporters put it on a pedestal.

As a hurling snob, rugby's good esp the South Sea running game, football needs to sort out the 5 yard sideways handpassing and the tackle rule, soccer is atrocious as nothing interesting ever happens.

Benandonner (Antrim) - Posts: 459 - 31/07/2009 21:23:09    372197

Brianland09 Brian I think your observation is valid- all Sports have followers who believe their sport is the best and look down on other sports, and all sports have followers who have followers who are open minded on other sports. Personally I would have an interest in almost any sport including many sports that some GAA followers would automatically rubbish. E.g I admire the level of mental toughness, tactical awarness and concentration thats needed in a sport like cricket. However I woudl disagree that the snobbery in GAA is any more or less that other sports. to be honest many of the fans who are obtuse to other sports typically shout fairly inane commensts - Hit him, get it, Kick her long etc. Ive never noticed anything too snobbish in Soccer - there are diehards who follow the team more than the sport and thats their call fair play. The sport where I feel there is a highest element of snobbery is Rugby and I don't mean that in terms of it being mainly a middle class sport. I like going to Rugby matches and would normally make 2 of the home internationals and say one of the Autumn games however Ive never played the sport- I do understand the basic rules and the difference between, a running or kicking tactical set up but other than that I don't understand the finer details and would never pretend to. At any rugby game there is a huge number of supporters who seem to be offering expertise on every technical part of the game- with observations on rucking efffectiveness, ability through the phases, Running good lines and all sorts of waffle that I personally don't understand. These comments and views are often coming from people who to look at have never played any form of contact sport and only go to games if the ticket and Lunch are free. I appreciate that there are people who do understand this but IMO 75% of the rugby fans don't its just snobbery. The proof of this is the REF head set. There is no other sport where the fans will fork out 10 just to be able to waffle a technical view on the reason for a refs call. The other sport where snobbery is rife. The amount of middle aged overweight eegits that cant hit a ball 20 yards that can spend 5 hours in a bar waffling about their new clubs and the refinement of their swing baffles me Anyway enough of the rant - my point there are snobs in GAA but its not as rife as other sports !!!!

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 31/07/2009 21:58:19    372230

well lads, you've answered my question, and i know all sports are arrogant, im not saying gaa is the only one, its not even the worse, rugby is by far the worst, im merely trying to point out that fans of gaa and rugby always say, i hate soccer, yet they would be pretty quick to tell you the results from last weeks prem games, same with the 6 nations or the championship. and whoever said "nothing interesting happens in soccer", i disagree, 100%. you cant say that. plenty happens. everyone loves a bit of conteversy. you can continue the debate.

oh and i know saying i love rugby, badminton and tennis makes me sound like a snob. my apologies. :)

BrianLand09 (Dublin) - Posts: 56 - 31/07/2009 22:53:35    372316

Fair Play brian

By the way for what its worth I think Tennis and Badminton are great sports
Simple enough rules
Pure One on One
No hiding place
Physically demanding
Little reliance on technology/Animals equipment etc
Best man/woman usually wins

Thats what sports about -

ruanua (Donegal) - Posts: 4966 - 31/07/2009 23:37:35    372402

Yep!! And??

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 01/08/2009 00:05:41    372461

I put my Glasses on this morning and I would just like to point out that I believe Gaelic Games are even better than the GASLIC ones

derryman (Derry) - Posts: 3246 - 01/08/2009 11:33:03    372681

I said nothing interesting happens in soccer, and yes, i can say it because it's true. At least in a poor enough hurling match (such as the two QF's at the weekend) there's always something going on due to the GAA formation where every blade of grass on the field is contested by at least two opposing players.

I used to be a big soccer fan until i started hurling 7 years ago. As far as I'm concerned, you give me all the best bits of all the soccer games from all time and I'll give you the last two Munster U21 Hurling Finals, the purest form of hurling. No contest.

Benandonner (Antrim) - Posts: 459 - 01/08/2009 14:51:01    372870

GAA is about where you're from and who you are, soccer is about who you like and 'how much?'.

I won't deny tho that I like soccer... And I don't think we should be b***hing about it on a GAA website as it makes us (the GAA community) look bad...

throw_it_over (Galway) - Posts: 769 - 01/08/2009 16:22:20    372938

derryman
County: Derry
Posts: 711

372681 I put my Glasses on this morning and I would just like to point out that I believe Gaelic Games are even better than the GASLIC ones .

Pearsebro is all for the gaslic games also, is it something to do with young geese

dhorse (Laois) - Posts: 11374 - 01/08/2009 21:03:36    373181

Diving is ronaldos fault???

Samsforthehills (Donegal) - Posts: 1075 - 02/08/2009 00:09:20    373361

I think gaa people have every right to be snobby,its an organisation thats stood the test of time. Its uniquely Irish. What other sports have the same passion. Think of your local club rivalry/county rivalry. Take for example some of the waterford players kissing their crests etc,pure passion and pride, as opposed to the overhyped primadonnas in the premiership kissin different crests every season. I think we should be immensly proud of our heritage and our games,there's nothing around to rival them.

Bon (Kildare) - Posts: 2413 - 02/08/2009 12:55:50    373597

not arrogant just ignorant is what sums up the gaa supporter and i mean ignorant in the dictionary definition not the redneck one, we basically are unknowledgable about sport especially about other sports- the irfu bases its club strategy on what the gaa are doing wrong- and i dont mean doing the gaa thing of changing times to stop lads playing other sports- rugby players get a fixture list and 3 weekends at the end that they are told to keep free in case of rescheduled games- thins is done simply cause its the biggest problem in the gaa and the irfu wants to creat a superior organisation (which they seem to be doing a good job at) why couldnt the gaa do something different - do you think the gaa could have the brains to come up with a tag version of gaa - 8 per team 5 lads 3 girls no tackling caught with the ball i.e tagged and the ball turned over- simple and just look how that bulked numbers attending rugby matchs especially females- its all money- go into any office across the country and they are all talking about the craic they have playing tag- i just wish the gaa had a vision rugby has for all intent purposes taken over the imagination of the irish sporting public if ireland play - its a sell out!! tickets for cup games are like gold dust- the supporters club is busting at the seems- gaa is stuck in a time warp im afraid and i must reiterate the point we def aint arrogant as the association is a mess but we def are ignorant

liathroidboy (Mayo) - Posts: 4921 - 02/08/2009 16:08:10    373713

The popularity of English soccer in Ireland is a joke. It is not a very entertaining game. It has been well marketed and the people thats have bought into it are suckers.
You shouls play handball instead of tennis of badminton.
The EPL and Skysports will be the death of OUR GAMES.

CheFinny (UK) - Posts: 1358 - 02/08/2009 18:56:39    373853