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After GAA, Your Second Favourite Sport

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Rugby, especially since about 2000, was a big Bohs supporter back in the 70s, went to most matches home and away, great days. Little or no interest in Premiership. Ideal sporting weekend would feature Meath. Leinster and Bohs.

seadog54 (Meath) - Posts: 1432 - 25/03/2020 18:06:48    2274646

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Replying To streaker:  "Well if golf is widely considered a sport, so should snooker as far as I'm concerned.

Darts, in a different setting, would be too. The fact that the crowds are mainly boozers, Instagrammers, day-trippers and those there for the "experience"who haven't much interest in what's going on up on the stage doesn't help..."
Golf is just walking with a stick, isn't it ?

My granda's rule was, if you can smoke while you're playing, it's not a sport.

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 369 - 25/03/2020 18:20:58    2274650

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Replying To Rosineri1:  "once Billy Bingham stepped down?"
Ha ha, aye. But that was just coincidence.

No - I started missing the physical contact in the game.

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 369 - 25/03/2020 18:23:53    2274651

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Replying To lionofludesch:  "Snooker isn't a sport.

It's a skilful game but it doesn't have that element of physical effort to make it a sport."
That's absolute nonsense. Games dont require physical skill . Snooker does. For example in chess you could ask someone to move your pawn to B4 if you were physically impaired . But in snooker , you couldn't ask someone else to take the shot for you. Snooker requires unbelievable hand eye co ordination and physically fitness is important as the games can be long and draining

Malonemagic (Laois) - Posts: 668 - 25/03/2020 18:28:56    2274652

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After GAA it's soccer, also like darts and the horses.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 10339 - 25/03/2020 18:32:52    2274653

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Rugby and Soccer

DuhallowRed (Cork) - Posts: 140 - 25/03/2020 18:37:40    2274654

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snooker horse racing darts nfl

thecraw1 (Meath) - Posts: 101 - 25/03/2020 19:34:34    2274658

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Replying To seadog54:  "Rugby, especially since about 2000, was a big Bohs supporter back in the 70s, went to most matches home and away, great days. Little or no interest in Premiership. Ideal sporting weekend would feature Meath. Leinster and Bohs."
We are Bohs!

Good man seadog. I can't condone your other 2 choices but your taste in football clubs is impeccable.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13145 - 25/03/2020 19:41:00    2274659

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One of my fairweater loves that get me every 4 years is Skicross at the Winter Oylmpics its a mad quick 4 man race to the line and quite different to old style sking comps.

Or for something a little more fun seeing as theres nothing on TV stick Marblelympics or Marbula 1 into youtube

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 25/03/2020 22:58:28    2274681

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Replying To Malonemagic:  "That's absolute nonsense. Games dont require physical skill . Snooker does. For example in chess you could ask someone to move your pawn to B4 if you were physically impaired . But in snooker , you couldn't ask someone else to take the shot for you. Snooker requires unbelievable hand eye co ordination and physically fitness is important as the games can be long and draining"
One could say the same about completing a thesis for higher degree and I do not think it falls within a sport!

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2189 - 26/03/2020 00:06:35    2274684

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After hurling, it's soccer for me. Have a passing interest in Liverpool's fortunes but like others, am turned off by the big bucks in the game and never watch the Premiership.
In terms of soccer my Interest is really focused on the internationals, the World Cup and European Championships. It has that attraction of people actually doing it for their country and not being quite so mercenary about it.

Also I do follow the domestic game. With their exploits in Europe I've become a big fan of Dundalk FC but since I live a long distance from the town I will only get to 1 or 2 home games per year.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1448 - 26/03/2020 09:40:47    2274699

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Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "Sometimes it can be difficult to know what is, and what isn't a sport.

When is a sport not a sport?

What exactly makes something a sport? Does it require physical exertion, a governing body, a high level of skill and technical ability? How does an activity go from being seen as a game or a pastime to being officially classified as a sport?

The Council of Europe charter on sport uses the following definition: "Sport means all forms of physical activity, which through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/what-constitutes-a-sport/z4vfmfr"
It's not a sport when you don't have to change your clothes to play it! Like golf, darts, pool and snooker!!

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1481 - 26/03/2020 10:04:16    2274703

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Replying To wishfulthinkin:  "
Replying To Cockney_Cat:  "Sometimes it can be difficult to know what is, and what isn't a sport.

When is a sport not a sport?

What exactly makes something a sport? Does it require physical exertion, a governing body, a high level of skill and technical ability? How does an activity go from being seen as a game or a pastime to being officially classified as a sport?

The Council of Europe charter on sport uses the following definition: "Sport means all forms of physical activity, which through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/what-constitutes-a-sport/z4vfmfr"
It's not a sport when you don't have to change your clothes to play it! Like golf, darts, pool and snooker!!"
Perhaps there is a distinction to be made between what is a sport and what is a game? In my book golf is definitely a sport because it involves sustained physical activity, but the other ones you mention I would categorise as games.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1448 - 26/03/2020 10:42:49    2274706

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Rugby and Soccer would be the main sports I'd watch, I'd watch a bit of T20 and ODI Cricket, not test Cricket, way too long

DuhallowRed (Cork) - Posts: 140 - 26/03/2020 11:26:31    2274715

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Replying To Malonemagic:  "That's absolute nonsense. Games dont require physical skill . Snooker does. For example in chess you could ask someone to move your pawn to B4 if you were physically impaired . But in snooker , you couldn't ask someone else to take the shot for you. Snooker requires unbelievable hand eye co ordination and physically fitness is important as the games can be long and draining"
Ach - well we all have our own boundaries.

Snooker games might last a long time but the players are sat on their backsides half of the time, sussling water (or something stronger).

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 369 - 26/03/2020 12:50:13    2274725

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "
Replying To wishfulthinkin:  "[quote=Cockney_Cat:  "Sometimes it can be difficult to know what is, and what isn't a sport.

When is a sport not a sport?

What exactly makes something a sport? Does it require physical exertion, a governing body, a high level of skill and technical ability? How does an activity go from being seen as a game or a pastime to being officially classified as a sport?

The Council of Europe charter on sport uses the following definition: "Sport means all forms of physical activity, which through casual or organised participation, aim at expressing or improving physical fitness and mental well-being, forming social relationships or obtaining results in competition at all levels".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/what-constitutes-a-sport/z4vfmfr"
It's not a sport when you don't have to change your clothes to play it! Like golf, darts, pool and snooker!!"
Perhaps there is a distinction to be made between what is a sport and what is a game? In my book golf is definitely a sport because it involves sustained physical activity, but the other ones you mention I would categorise as games."]so when people ask if i fancy a game of football, i should correct them!!

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1481 - 26/03/2020 13:52:01    2274730

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Replying To lilypad:  "rugby, soccer and chokin the turkey"
That'll make you go blind

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/03/2020 14:19:08    2274733

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My first is gaa FOOTBALL, I've never really been into hurling. Don't know why, maybe growing up in a county that it was never played in apart from a few Parrish
2, would have to be horse racing , National hunt over flat.
3, tennis. Went to Wimbledon last year fantastic time.
4, rugby
5, darts.

I use to adore f1 when Prost mansell and the one I idolised senna, then even Schumacher. But it's appeal to me has wained in recent years, it's not what it use to be.
Soccer, something similar loved it years ago, but just really turned off by the obscene money in it, and that soccer players these days are more like pop stars than actual sports men.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 17035 - 26/03/2020 14:25:20    2274735

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For me, it's what I'd have enjoyed doing (or trying) myself. For instance, while I can see the appeal of e.g. horse-racing and judo, I imagine I'd be completely useless at them, so have little interest. I agree that money has ruined pro soccer, but the game, played well, has some lovely moments of passion and magic that make it difficult to ignore. I have no affiliation whatsover to any club soccer team, though will happily watch any decent soccer match. I'm also not a "proper" soccer fan in that I prefer international to club and would watch pretty much every game in a Euro or World Cup, especially when either Irish team isn't in it. Generally, both Irish teams would put you to sleep (Duff apart, they're all afraid in possession - pathetic), and I have little in common with the followers of either team anyway; so from my earliest years in the 70s, from Gerd Müller & co onwards, it was W Germany for me and I always admire their bloody-minded will to win. Soccer heros include: Best, Cruyff, Maradona, Zidane. Other sports I love are downhill skiing (skiing hero: Hermann Maier); car rallying (rally hero: Walter Röhrl); motorbike racing (Joey Dunlop); boxing (Hagler, Tyson). A couple of middle-aged mates, like me with zero interest in golf, have gotten into competitive axe throwing instead, which they say is great crack, especially after a few beers. Could be a good sport when you're self-isolating alright ... I also was reasonable at squash, but find it dull to watch. Whereas I'm rubbish at tennis but find it a more interesting game to watch. Big admiration for the skills of basketball also, and would watch it without being a big follower per se. And I always loved the tension and tactics of middle-distance running. Heroes: Saïd Aouita, Hicham El Guerrouj.

essmac (Tyrone) - Posts: 796 - 26/03/2020 14:49:16    2274738

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Replying To royaldunne:  "My first is gaa FOOTBALL, I've never really been into hurling. Don't know why, maybe growing up in a county that it was never played in apart from a few Parrish
2, would have to be horse racing , National hunt over flat.
3, tennis. Went to Wimbledon last year fantastic time.
4, rugby
5, darts.

I use to adore f1 when Prost mansell and the one I idolised senna, then even Schumacher. But it's appeal to me has wained in recent years, it's not what it use to be.
Soccer, something similar loved it years ago, but just really turned off by the obscene money in it, and that soccer players these days are more like pop stars than actual sports men."
Passion for GAA football, nothing comes close but the next best for me is American Football, then National Hunt Horse Racing, Hurling, Golf, Ice Hockey and Soccer.

madmeath (Meath) - Posts: 44 - 26/03/2020 15:42:22    2274746

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