Are GAA players selfish?

Mountainlad

Have seen this idea put forward twice now in the one week. First was last night reading John Fogarty's article on dual players. Now, not to be misunderstood, the article was only full of praise for dual players but the phrase was used that players have to be selfish with their time. My assumption is that they commit all their time to the County cause and so have little time for family, friends etc. Brendan Cummins made the same comment when talking about his inter-county career on his 1st blog today on the Gaa website, using the example of how him and the wife hadn't been on a family holiday in 20 years.

I don't agree with the idea. I know what they're getting at, but I think you could very easily and appropriate the word selfish with selfless. What is selfish about making the sacrifice of giving up socializing, losing your evenings, putting your body through hell in all sorts of conditions, taking unending flak, being incredibly disciplined with your lifestyle, putting all your time and efforts into doing something to give you an edge (requires ingenuity) etc.

Sure, you need extremely selfless people behind you to support you, but in reality they give up so much for so little. And all for the County and the people in it. They are not paid for this, they have no obligation, but they go above and beyond to give it their all.

And so, I don't believe they are selfish at all. But maybe we are selfish?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1qbXGuuHQs

Realt Dearg Sec

We might be selfish in our expectations (although Cummins seems not to think so, don't enlist if you won't drill etc) but I took Cummins to mean it was selfish towards what his wife and kids might expect from their husband and father.

robbiezero

I don't believe the "Making sacrifices for the county and the people" stuff for one minute. Every player is in it for themselves. They want the glory, the excitement, the chance to make history, to test themselves against the best, the recognition etc.

Darkest Horse

robbiezero wrote: »

I don't believe the "Making sacrifices for the county and the people" stuff for one minute. Every player is in it for themselves. They want the glory, the excitement, the chance to make history, to test themselves against the best, the recognition etc.

Really? What about a player who plays for Kilkenny's footballers or Cavan's hurlers? I wouldn't totally agree with you there.

robbiezero

Darkest Horse wrote: »

Really? What about a player who plays for Kilkenny's footballers or Cavan's hurlers? I wouldn't totally agree with you there.

Who are they doing it for if not themselves? Hardly for a county and its people who don't give a ****e about them.

thelad95

Thinly disguised 'should GAA turn professional?' thread.

menace404

robbiezero wrote: »

I don't believe the "Making sacrifices for the county and the people" stuff for one minute. Every player is in it for themselves. They want the glory, the excitement, the chance to make history, to test themselves against the best, the recognition etc.

You would be surprised at how much of it has to do with professional advancement in their working careers. If you can put down on your CV that you have won an All Ireland or two then you could almost guarantee you will have the job after the interview.....because it is proof that you are driven, hungry to work hard and achieve the best.

Mountainlad

menace404 wrote: »

You would be surprised at how much of it has to do with professional advancement in their working careers. If you can put down on your CV that you have won an All Ireland or two then you could almost guarantee you will have the job after the interview.....because it is proof that you are driven, hungry to work hard and achieve the best.

I would be very surprised. Particularly given a lot of the best lads I know are farmers or have that background.

Santa Cruz

menace404 wrote: »

You would be surprised at how much of it has to do with professional advancement in their working careers. If you can put down on your CV that you have won an All Ireland or two then you could almost guarantee you will have the job after the interview.....because it is proof that you are driven, hungry to work hard and achieve the best.

Not interested in an employee who wants to be constantly taking time off work for training midweek, holiday trips, pr opportunities on behalf of the GPA, asking others to cover for him. His "fame" is of little use unless he is in a sales role that will bring in customers and even then the hassle exceeds his worth.
At the end of the day not everyone is impressed by someone being a countystar

Syferus

robbiezero wrote: »

I don't believe the "Making sacrifices for the county and the people" stuff for one minute. Every player is in it for themselves. They want the glory, the excitement, the chance to make history, to test themselves against the best, the recognition etc.

menace404 wrote: »

You would be surprised at how much of it has to do with professional advancement in their working careers. If you can put down on your CV that you have won an All Ireland or two then you could almost guarantee you will have the job after the interview.....because it is proof that you are driven, hungry to work hard and achieve the best.

Scutter of the highest order.

The commitment players give is in no way equal to the prestige or monetary benefits they receive, the few that even get a penny in the first place.

It's always been about something more and to try and reduce to what you both have is as galling as it is unbelievable.

robbiezero

Syferus wrote: »

Scutter of the highest order.

The commitment players give is in no way equal to the prestige or monetary benefits they receive, the few that even get a penny in the first place.

It's always been about something more and to try and reduce to what you both have is as galling as it is unbelievable.

So why do you think county players put so much effort in then?
I don't actually agree with the premise that it is for a tangible reward i.e. career or money, but I also dont agree that is purely for the fans and the glory of the county.

Dirty Dingus McGee

robbiezero wrote: »

So why do you think county players put so much effort in then?
I don't actually agree with the premise that it is for a tangible reward i.e. career or money, but I also dont agree that is purely for the fans and the glory of the county.

Because they love the game and love playing for their county and the buzz of playing in front a big crowd in Croke Park must be incredible.

There is very little to be got for playing for your county so any county player must really love the game to obsessive levels.

Poor_old_gill

robbiezero wrote: »

I don't believe the "Making sacrifices for the county and the people" stuff for one minute. Every player is in it for themselves. They want the glory, the excitement, the chance to make history, to test themselves against the best, the recognition etc.

Same as every person who excels in any walk of life- from accountants to engineers to sports people. It's called ambition.

onethreefive

I do know someone who has given me the impression of becoming a bit arrogant/selfish since excelling in GAA but I'd say that's more of a personality thing and that its different for everyone.

STB

The answer to the question is No.

The question should be is the GAA selfish? The answer is most definitely yes.

No other sport has seen such exploitation of these players who play for County pride. Accountants and Marketing idiots are running the game now. Thats were the arrogance lies.

The so called not for profit association has forgotten who they are meant to be serving. When they are not selling off a third of the games to a pay only TV company, they think they are a concert venue.

They dont give a shít about anyone, the fans nor the residents.

Realt Dearg Sec

They are. Prawns the lot of them.

(sorry)

robbiezero

Poor_old_gill wrote: »

Same as every person who excels in any walk of life- from accountants to engineers to sports people. It's called ambition.

Your spot on. Thats my point.