Jul 02

Media Blackout Does Everyone a Favour

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Silence is Golden - Self imposed media ban since Cork didn't cut the mustard.
Silence is Golden - Self imposed media ban since Cork didn't cut the mustard.
GAA fans the length and breadth of the country have welcomed the GPA’s announcement that their members will not be giving broadcast press interviews ahead of the Munster SHC Final featuring Waterford and Tipp nor indeed for the Leinster SFC Final featuring the Dubs and Geezer’s Lillywhites. It is not known either whether Geezer himself, as a former GPA stalwart will extend a fraternal hand of solidarity and decline media interviews ahead of the game.

He has already broken cover to give the PTB a shoeing over their refusal to let other counties train on the Hallowed Croke soil whilst the Dubs get meaningless training matches against the likes of Westmeath.

On the players media blackout, one prominent GAA supporter said: “Thanks be to Jesus we will be spared the sort of anodyne crap these boys serve up ahead of games. I only wish Cork were in the Final so that eejit Cusack could serve a self imposed ban, save us listening to him blather on.”

“The players think they are discomfiting the public? They are doing us a favour. I have heard enough vacuous nonsense over the last couple of weeks to do me a lifetime. How hard the manager works, tales of legendary training sessions up some backwoods, or in some shady corner of a muddy Junior Club pitch that searches a spotlight into players’ souls. These boys should get a kick up the hole and be told to get on with it.”

The official statement said that players “will not be available for sports programming on the relevant channels or any GAA sponsors promotional activity around these two fixtures. In no other aspect will the staging of the two finals be affected by the actions of the GPA and its members.”??

“The GPA has requested the GAA to fund a series of enhanced player welfare programmes in the critical areas of employment, career development and health and wellbeing services.”

One way round the problem is thought to be a Section 31-style approach that would see players replaced by cardboard dummies and their bland, trite soundbites delivered by actors. Already Colin Farrell has agreed to voice Alan Brogan whilst Kildare Officer and Gentleman Dermot Early will be voiced by Pierce Brosnan. It is thought there will be a line up of volunteers to do Dan Shanahan orally.