Agree with aspects of what is being said but there are a few things nobody mentions. There is no doubt but game skills appear better but If the lads of the 80's had the hurls of today, would they be able to do similar? I absolutely believe they would. There is a lot of dismissiveness regarding heroes of the past and I dont think that is fair. The size of the bas now is as big as what a goalie used back then and in all likelihood is over the actual regulation size in most instances. The pitch surfaces are in a different ball park and the sliotar standards is changed drastically, as has the support structures around s&c and nutrition and everything else in between. The travel distance of current sliotar is ruining our game too as it has eradicated all the contests that once were central to the game. That is the difference, not the calibre of the hurlers. The landscape has changed.joey1001 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 10:23 pmSo what you're saying is that it's more skilful to try bulldoze through a man to get closer to the goal and still miss than sidestep a tackle lay off a ball to a man in a scoring position and score? Seriously??? You think belting a lad with a hurl or a box in football is more skilful than getting hands in on the ball and tackling properly or getting a hurl in and flicking it away? Or you just takin the Mick?? There is more contact in the game than ever before! I'd be pretty sure aswell average match attendances aren't any lower than they were one time, given the amount of games being played, even the underage games have big crowds. We won't agree to differ on the skill levels, it's simply disrespectful to players nowadays who give their whole lives to perfecting their skills compared to lads smokin' and drinking before a game .. it's about time that stuff was called out, comparing lads from back in the 80s who wouldn't get a puck or a kick of the ball today and who simply did not put the same into the game as the players nowadays, it's just disrespectful to current players. They are far stronger, far fitter, far more physical, far more skilful than players of previous era, there is no agree to differ, those are simply facts.. come back to me about the attendances when you have numbersFairplayalways wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 9:50 pmcome back and fuve me an example of where a sliothar goes over the bar now into a terrace full of spectators...or even half full...ok grounds are bigger now i suppose and more avail of 'the stand' in these venues, but for their size, Ulster games being the exception in the main, these stadiums are no where near full or even half full...it will bw the same this weekend...if dodging a tackle and pucking the ball unmarked for a score is a skill well then we are in bother with hurling and where will it end up in another 10/15 years if it evolves to the so called skill levels you say it has, perhaps games will go online altogether and contact will be non existent at all...we will agree to differ, on the skill level, but show me a full house stadium this weekend - even Tipp a nd Limerick will not be full house and no doubt large areas of stadium will be empty or closed...it used nor be like that..something has changed..joey1001 wrote: ↑Fri Mar 15, 2024 12:08 am
Well each to their own but the game is more physical now without a doubt, lads are way bigger stronger and harder hitting, there is actually more tackling and proper skilled tackling, the difference of course is the hitting is fair and skilled.. you're mixing it up, the game wasn't "physical" in the 70s 80s it was just dirty and full of cheap shots! The skill levels now are way way beyond, that's a fact. And what proves that more now is that players nowadays are able to show their skill despite maybe bring tackled by a couple of players.. Higher scoring games despite players being swamped by other players. Your argument about half empty grounds is void because more people attend games now, there are also far more games played also and there is a lot more going on for people to be doing nowadays. Couldn't watch a game from the 70s 80s it's putrid.
I think you could say lots of them may not have the skill set to play the current game, purely due to lack of exposure to the type of game and I also think id be safe in saying many would not want to play the current game either. I'd disagree with plenty of regular statements about the players of the 80s. I think they may not have the fitness to play current game but id also say that many of the current crop would not have the skill set to play the game of the 80's and deal with the physical manly contests, or fellas pulling on the ball in the air. I cant think of any current player that would be able to score goals like Jimmy Barry Murphys over head pull or John Fentons famous goal v Limerick. The game has changed but has the quality as a spectacle really improved all that much? Not so sure...