Re: Leix v Offaly, NHL, Saturday February 14th 2015
Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 8:57 pm
I'm on here a good few year now and by far the best post I've read .Lone Shark wrote:substandard wrote:https://m.soundcloud.com/midlandssport/ ... a-disgrace
Agree fully with this.
People need to stand back and say from what base the current squad have come from through schools, clubs, development squads and minor/ u21 past teams. They are doing their best, sacrificing a lot and pushing themselves physically to represent their county, with the odds stacked heavily against them. Realistically, a Leinster final appearance/ win within the next few years would be the pinnacle of their capabilities given their position in the hurling food chain, but make no mistake, they want to improve on that, they are trying to improve on that, and the least they deserve is a bit of credit and support- remember they are looking after the jersey until the next young man who will give the same commitment comes along to take it over.
I'm going to deal with this first, and then come back to the match in a separate post, since they are distinct issues.
I agree with Currams here in the same way that if someone makes an impassioned speech about how those involved in a life of crime would be better served by coming back to the community and doing volunteer work, we'd all be better off. It's not really a disputed position. Similarly anyone who has any interest or involvement in the GAA knows that the sacrifices involved in playing at intercounty level are immense. As supporters, we thank those that are willing to do it and I for one certainly don't blame anyone who isn't in a position to and so walks away. Not everyone can essentially make a sport the primary focus in their lives, and that's what it takes nowadays.
However I can't agree with the idea which he hasn't stated explicitly but has still implied, which is that criticism of Offaly players is widespread and excessive, either on this forum or in general. Now maybe Dan is hearing things that I'm not, and that's entirely possible since I don't live inside Offaly any more, but on this forum or indeed in general, I haven't read much if any criticism of the players that are in the squad. In fact I think the almost universally held view is that they are blameless in this situation, and that they are doing their best.
Yes there has been criticism of the management, but by any metric, and I'd argue that BW himself would agree with this, some criticism has been earned. Ollie Baker wasn't celebrated as a modern day guru or anything like that, but since he left there was a marked decline in the county's fortunes. There were a couple of bad results where Offaly were filleted tactically (Laois 2014 being the perfect example - and I'm not attributing the blame, I'm just saying it happened) and outside of this, there were incidents of indiscipline that led to some players being cut off the panel, while many more walked away or refused to be part of it. No county has declined more than Offaly in the last twelve months in terms of our overall standing, (let's not forget that we were nine point favourites against Laois in 2014 and two point underdogs on Saturday) and it's daft to expect that supporters would not express their frustration at that.
Now nobody is questioning Brian's legacy as a player - in the eyes of the vast majority of people, yours truly included, he'll be remembered as the greatest we ever were blessed with. However his management hasn't been a success so far and it's not unfair to say this, or to question certain things that were done. Nobody has said he's not trying, nobody has said that his heart isn't in it, but just that results are very poor and either those results are a reflection of the level of ability in the county (and very few of us believe this) or they aren't, and so there has to be a reason.
Moreover, Dan Currams in the piece speaks about things that are "said about players" not just management. Now I genuinely don't agree that the Offaly hurlers (or footballers for that matter) get that much of a rough ride on here, or in any online forum. I've heard far worse on the terrace and in the stand than I've read on here. Admittedly there are posters on here that I have great time for, and there are posters that I don't really rate their opinion too highly. However as a general rule, lads crossing the line when it comes to criticism of players get pulled up on it very quickly, far more than they do in the pub of a Friday night, and that's as it should be. Certainly the only criticism I read is about their hurling, not about their personal lives - and again, that's sticking by the rules in my book.
I would also say to players in general who are logged on and reading this post, that this forum is no different to any walk of life, in that you'll have eejitry and most people can see that. Just the same as I'll sit down and read a piece by Enda McEvoy or Dónal Óg Cusack with great interest and expecting to learn something because I respect the source, and I won't even bother reading Martin Breheny because it'll be a rehash of something he wrote five years ago that made no sense then either. Only you can decide what opinions to take on board as being well thought out and considered, and if you don't perceive them as such, you're probably right so pass no remarks.
However I'm sure Dan would be glad to realise that I would never judge Kilcormac-Killoughey as a club by some of the contributors here that think we should have just walked into their dressing room the day of the Ballyhale game and handed them the 15 Offaly jerseys and let them at it, so neither should players judge online forums by the one or two comments that are either outrageous, daft or both. No entity can be held responsible for everyone who associates themselves, either online or in the GAA.
At the risk of repeating myself, I'm an Offaly supporter first and foremost, as well as being in the happy position of being a local writer, and I wholeheartedly appreciate everything that the players and the management do for the cause. I know exactly the level of commitment required and it is truly immense, and I also know that putting in the hours doesn't always result in victories on the field either since the other teams are doing exactly the same thing. Rest assured that whether you win or lose, you have my respect for putting yourself out there and doing your utmost for the county we all love so much.
And if the day comes when I say that Player X had a bad day on Sunday afternoon and that he struggled under the high ball, or that we might have been better off making a few more substitutions earlier, or that we lost the tactical/physical/mental battle, then that doesn't mean that what I've said in the previous paragraph ceases to apply. I write for a living and I've churned out more than a few very poorly written pieces, while I also set odds and consult betting firms and I've made a few very bad calls there too. And just because people take great joy in calling me on it when the bookie gets it wrong, that doesn't mean I interpret their comments as "abuse" or "slander". It just comes with the territory, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Thanks again, f*** the begrudgers, but don't let one or two morons lead you to believe that the vast majority of people, online or otherwise, are anything other than thankful.