Nope, they did not save the GAA. People will still watch anything, look at Tyrone's attendance figures.


But that Kerry team had about 6 or 7 candidates if you were to pick a "best ever" team and you couldn't say that about any other side in the history of the game.

That Dubs team were wonderful as well, possibly the second best I have seen.

And please, do not come on and say if you watch them now they look slow.

If you watch Jesse Owens now, HE looks slow. For younger posters Owens was what Carl Lewis aspired to.

patrique (Antrim) - Posts: 13709 - 02/02/2011 18:48:37    858958

02/02/2011 18:48:37
patrique
County: Antrim
Posts: 11492

If you watch Jesse Owens now, HE looks slow. For younger posters Owens was what Carl Lewis aspired to.

_________

For younger posters Carl Lewis was a well known track and field athlete back in the last millenium

Omar.d (Cavan) - Posts: 1141 - 02/02/2011 18:59:00    858967

Most definately Armagh and Tyrone over the past decade renewed interest, passion, excitement AND competition into Gaelic football. Without them Kerry would have walked away with SAM EVERY year and as we seen in the 2004 and 2007 finals Mayo and Cork were beaten out the door by fear before the took the pitch. These two finals were a snore fest and were very damaging to the game; no fault on Kerry's part by the way. The two Ulster sides upped the game totally and others have followed since. They brought intensity along with great entertainment and skill with the likes of McConville, Clark, McDonnell, Marsden, Canavan, O'Neill, Cavanagh, Mulligan etc. Gaelic football is now on a crest again.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9817 - 02/02/2011 19:07:57    858981

Terrible thread.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 02/02/2011 19:24:04    859003

No they didn't. Great teams in the sixties. Offaly came along in the early seventies. Things were fresh in football.It didn't need saving. Kerry were the best I have ever seen. Dublin were very good. These two teams were the first to put the emphasis on total fitness and in that way alone revolutionised football. The skill levels of the seventies lag some way behind those of todays teams. You then had the introduction of that awful handpass which reduced the football of the seventies and early eighties to something very close to basketball. The ball could be handpassed in to the net and was, with monotonous regularity. That era is looked back with rosy tinted glasses. Have a look at the scores for the semi-finals between '75 and '84 and look at the number of trouncings handed out. Those semi finals were played in front of crowds of less than thirty thousand . Did that era save football? Most definitely not. I was at practically every semi final from'74 on and I was at every final.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6178 - 02/02/2011 19:52:19    859035

I think the assumption that Kerry and Dublin 'saved the GAA' referred to the culture at the time. Even though soccer had been popular in Ireland prior to that era it was probably at its peak in the early 70's and was more of a deterence to the GAA at that time with many Irish people, especially in Dublin, waving the flags of First Division sides. The media expansion in the 70's provided more chances to view the cross channel game. I think that is the basis for comments regarding the rivalry of these two counties being the saviours of the GAA. And yes in the 60's Galway and Down provided fine football, the 90's and 00's gave many titles to previously uncrowned Ulster sides, great for the game actually, also Cork and Meath in late 80's early 90's. But alas, Kerry were always there spare an 11 year gap 86-97, with Cork being a constant threat. We do need the Dubs to be successful in Football and Hurling, the population in the county alone would guarantee many youngsters playing GAA in the future. Many other counties have had had good runs, Mayo are ever present in the hunt. Since the early ninities we have had many counties make runs to or actually win their Provincial finals, also great for the association. These references are obviously geared towards football. I think interest and competition in football is greater than ever but we do need to work on the hurling. The same 6-7 counties dominate their Provinces and unfortunately we see no threat to their dominance in the Provinces, never mind in the All Ireland series. What a shame, I think it is the finest field game in sport. I am not versed well enough in the handball to add comment.

lostintime (USA) - Posts: 533 - 03/02/2011 12:35:37    859322

Dublin v Meath - O'Byrne Shield Final 2011 - Saved the GAA

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 03/02/2011 12:49:49    859330

Thank god the league starts this weekend and we will have something sensible to debate. Maybe not sensible but you know what I mean

ballybannongael (Down) - Posts: 547 - 03/02/2011 13:25:11    859383

Omar.d
County: Cavan
Posts: 1127

858967 02/02/2011 18:48:37
patrique
County: Antrim
Posts: 11492

If you watch Jesse Owens now, HE looks slow. For younger posters Owens was what Carl Lewis aspired to.

_________

For younger posters Carl Lewis was a well known track and field athlete back in the last millenium

__________

For even younger posters Carl Lewis was what Usain Bolt aspired to.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 03/02/2011 13:47:55    859395

Mikeynora
County: Limerick
Posts: 880

857901
Its often said that the Dublin Kerry rivalry of the 70's saved GAA in Ireland, especially the whole "Heffo's Army" thing

So, how true is that? Do the rest of us owe a debt of gratitude to probably the 2 greatest teams to ever play the game?

Hows Japan?

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 03/02/2011 13:59:19    859404

ballybannongael
County: Down
Posts: 55

859383 Thank god the league starts this weekend and we will have something sensible to debate. Maybe not sensible but you know what I mean

Amen

mikeoc (Kerry) - Posts: 567 - 03/02/2011 14:30:08    859439

I am a Dub with Kerry parents and they always said the 70's was the greatest era for GAA and that the Dublin team was the fiercest and most sporting rival they have ever encountered as Kerry people?

Gerryblues (Dublin) - Posts: 65 - 03/02/2011 14:31:01    859440

03/02/2011 14:31:01
Gerryblues
County: Dublin
Posts: 5

I am a Dub with Kerry parents and they always said the 70's was the greatest era for GAA and that the Dublin team was the fiercest and most sporting rival they have ever encountered as Kerry people?

Presume these are the same people who gave you the full low-down on the tooth fairy and Santy? Not to be trusted I'd say.

RMDrive (Donegal) - Posts: 2202 - 03/02/2011 14:36:36    859445

Gerryblues
County: Dublin
Posts: 5

859440 I am a Dub with Kerry parents and they always said the 70's was the greatest era for GAA and that the Dublin team was the fiercest and most sporting rival they have ever encountered as Kerry people?

__________________________

Just look at the DVD's...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 03/02/2011 14:49:15    859459

jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 7629

859459 Gerryblues
County: Dublin
Posts: 5

859440 I am a Dub with Kerry parents and they always said the 70's was the greatest era for GAA and that the Dublin team was the fiercest and most sporting rival they have ever encountered as Kerry people?

__________________________

Just look at the DVD's...

---------------------------------
Do they come with blue tinted glasses as standard?

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 03/02/2011 14:58:06    859478

Kevin Foley and David Beggy saved the GAA.

Coylers Elbow (Meath) - Posts: 1075 - 03/02/2011 15:35:45    859531

brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 3165

859478 jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 7629

859459 Gerryblues
County: Dublin
Posts: 5

859440 I am a Dub with Kerry parents and they always said the 70's was the greatest era for GAA and that the Dublin team was the fiercest and most sporting rival they have ever encountered as Kerry people?

__________________________

Just look at the DVD's...

---------------------------------
Do they come with blue tinted glasses as standard?

__________________________

I didnt see anyone else putting it up to the greatest team of All time...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 03/02/2011 15:44:43    859548

The greatest team of all time? Okay so Brazil 1970, they saved soccer.

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 03/02/2011 15:53:14    859556

jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 7633

859548 brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 3165

859478 jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 7629

859459 Gerryblues
County: Dublin
Posts: 5

859440 I am a Dub with Kerry parents and they always said the 70's was the greatest era for GAA and that the Dublin team was the fiercest and most sporting rival they have ever encountered as Kerry people?

__________________________

Just look at the DVD's...

---------------------------------
Do they come with blue tinted glasses as standard?

__________________________

I didnt see anyone else putting it up to the greatest team of All time...
---------------------------------------
And blinker attachments too, cool!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 03/02/2011 15:54:30    859559

brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 3166

859559 jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 7633

859548 brendtheredhand
County: Tyrone
Posts: 3165

859478 jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 7629

859459 Gerryblues
County: Dublin
Posts: 5

859440 I am a Dub with Kerry parents and they always said the 70's was the greatest era for GAA and that the Dublin team was the fiercest and most sporting rival they have ever encountered as Kerry people?

__________________________

Just look at the DVD's...

---------------------------------
Do they come with blue tinted glasses as standard?

__________________________

I didnt see anyone else putting it up to the greatest team of All time...
---------------------------------------
And blinker attachments too, cool!
______________________________________

I think you might have got the same box set Brend...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 03/02/2011 16:01:04    859573