Three weeks out from the All-Ireland final so it feels like an appropriate time to do a reminder about the policy that operates here on the site in relation to posting comments.
For the most part, everything continues to work okay in this regard, with most of you well aware of what the rules are here on the site and so what’s expected of you when you contribute to the ongoing debate.
As has always been the case, trouble in relation to comments emanates from a minority who, perhaps because they’re only new to the place, don’t know the rules or else they do and they choose to break them.
The main issue of late has had to do with breaches of the ‘play the ball not the person’ rule. I hadn’t expected to have any trouble, if I’m honest, on the site in the wake of our great win over Dublin but the repeated difficulties I encountered in this area after Saturday was, for me, both infuriating and depressing.
The key issue in relation to this rule – regardless of who you’re criticising – is to focus on the action (or inaction) you have a problem with and not on the person. I think the line is pretty clear in this regard and it still leaves scope for fairly hard-hitting criticism but it requires more thought and effort on the critic’s part. Invariably, the comments that crossed the line in this area over the last week were ones devoid of any considered thought.
While that incident was annoying, I am at the same time heartened to see that the rule about posting unsubstantiated rumours is, for the most part, being observed very well. All manner of stories were flying around about Oisín Mullin’s injury ahead of Saturday but to everyone’s credit his name was never mentioned here until reports about his injury surfaced in the media.
I know some find this rule a bit stifling. However, it’s one I believe in strongly and it has ensured that this place hasn’t turned into a clearing house for all kind of nonsense stories. It’s worth keeping for that reason alone.
Aside from that, all’s well here on the comments front and, of course, you’re all to thank for that. I really do appreciate that the vast majority who contribute here do so in the right spirit, which has meant that more often than not, the tenor of the discussions has been fair and reasonable. Long may that continue to be the case.
For those who want a refresher on the house rules about commenting on the site, you’ll find them here.
WJ
Well done and thank you for providing such a fantastic site, and hours of entertainment.
I avoid almost every other football site because they seem to descend into mud-slinging before you know it.
If these are the rules we must all abide by, then that’s no real price to pay.
Looking forward to the next three weeks, and beyond!
Willie Joe. After all the drama and incidents that went on in last Saturdays game it was always going to be a busy week for you on here. Incredible effort from you.
Anyway are we looking at either Gough or Dublin Joe for the final?
With Mchale Park having the bulldozers in now, where will Mayo’s homecoming victory parade cumulate?
Willie Joe you are doing a massive job. I reckon when it comes to the history of online moderation being written this blog will occupy a unique place for all the right reasons. And when it comes to the history of Mayo football you will hopefully be recognised as a true champion of the cause. Now I am not known for sycophantic bladder or the like so take it from me that your efforts have not gone unnoticed by those of us who truly love the green and red. I first started following online stuff related to Mayo football with a blog “tialtngo’ (there is a light that never goes out) many years ago. It died for some reason but let it be said that you never let that light go out.
Thank you. I’m not sure you appreciate just what you do for so many Mayo people.
Helluva job you’re doing Willie Joe, helluva job.
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours, lets leave it at that and instead focus on the impending frenzy of another all Ireland football final that we’re involved in.
My view of the 4 teams in the semi, ranked, Hill16, Yerras, Mayo, red hands. We know where 1 remains.
Anyone got a plan?!?!
Totally echo what diehard has said Willie Joe. You are doing some job. Hopefully in 3 weeks time we will go on and win the bloody thing and there will be no need for moderation then all.
Watched the Mayo Dublin game again tonight. Have to say when you look back at it both teams were very poor
I would go so far as to say shocking bad. Dublin payed ok in the first half but got a couple of handy frees and in the first half Mayo kicked some awful wide’s. Neither team really played well in the first 25 minutes of the second half. Then Mayo were good from the 65 th minute to half time in extra time.
We will need to have a huge improvement if we are to win the final. Even though we won I think we did miss Cillian. .Aidan needs to see himself blasting the ball into the net in the final. His marker slipped the last day but he did not have the belief in himself and the move came to nothing. He just needs to believe and see himself scoring goals. He has the power. . Mikey Sheehy missed a few 14 yard frees in his day but no one remembers as Kerry won the game. Bye the way Ciaran McDonnel also missed some handy frees . But back to the final. A massive massive improvement required
No harm to keep updated with the rules every year as some of us can go off track unintentionally at times (guilty recently) and post outside the boundaries. Sure they make us truckers do a cpc course every year (total waste of time) and nothing to show for it. Keep up the great work Willie Joe
Got it Willie Joe but it’s beyond me why people on this site and others aren’t compelled to supply their real names and addresses and give honest opinions instead of hiding behind silly names.Maybe I’m old-fashioned,reading letters to the editor on National Newspapers but I think a lot of this stuff is best avoided or ignored as it can upset vulnerable people.That of my chest enjoyed my day in Croker beats 2012 and hopefully September 11 will be better
Don’t know how you keep it up, WJ, and do a day job as well. But this site is a blessing as you know what you are reading is well grounded in facts rather than rumour. I’m quite capable of playing the man as the next, especially if the man is asking for it, but so far I think that in ten years commenting I have avoided any red or yellow cards. That’s how I want to keep it out of respect for yourself.
I’ve never actually read the rules, but as one of Charles Dickens characters said ” I was raised by hand “.
Wj’s print can be pretty loud when the guns are trained on the target. When you hear the gun been cocked, keep quite.
Mayojoe. I don’t hide my real name. I’m not giving it tonight though as I’m currently in a witness protection program. Yes, the great Sam Maguire heist of 2021.
Over a week on and I’m still celebrating the semi final win. Walking on cloud 9. I was on cloud 8 for long enough.
As an individual who loves sport (not just Gaelic football), I’ve been lucky enough to see Ronaldo, Messi, Cantona, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, American baseball, Ice hockey, American football, all in the flesh. Watched the recent Olympics as I’ve watched all Olympics, World Cups, not in the flesh, but last Saturday is my all-time outstanding couple of hours as a sports fan. It was Epic.
I’ve often said to myself and others, I love been asked ” where do you come from ” ?
We are only the torch bearers, this generations gatekeepers if you like. Our footballers have led us so proudly not just this week, but for as long as I can remember. As supporters, we should always make our County proud.
There is something magical about leaving a football ground, after been beat, knowing that these are the only colours I will ever wear. This is my county and this is my tribe. We battle and we heal together.
At the age of 55, I estimate I have squeezed about 4 lifetimes in to those 55.
If Mayo could win in 3 weeks time, that one thing, that one single thing, I have never been able to experience in my life, would be captured.
I’m no different, I would guess, than the tens of thousands who await the fate.
I dream that Someday, I will see the bus carrying our players come through Ballina and Crossmolina and beyond, across the musical bridge to Belmullet. And when that bus passes, I’ll think to myself, at least for me, that bus might have pulled out 50 years ago, but it’s here now.
@Revellino, Currently in a witness protection program.. never met or seen those Stars, met a few big Stars anon, tell ye again.. if I couldn’t get meet Revelliino, … And the greatest of them all, Maradona, unfortunately recently deceased, a trueism we will never see his likes again, the man who introduced Gaelic Football to the 1986 World Cup, (Peter Shilton didn’t realize it was mixed rules for the fixture) the one I would love to meet is Ronaldin”O” , better than Ronaldo or Ronaldo or Messi… And almost as good as McDonald!
@ Leantimes. Might I introduce you to my 84 year old neighbour. A Galway man. Andrew Linnane. A legend in our village. I love him very much. He shook hands on a flight to Bolivia with the great man, Maradonna almost turned away from him and gave him a damp hand shake as my friend was in an English travelling group. God bless clubism.
Congratulations to Lough George, who managed to get two cuts of Silage this year.
Good man Mayojoe. Why don’t you post using your real name so instead of hiding behind “silly names” Or is your real name actually Mayo Joe?
Willie Joe. The pen is mightier than the sword. You clearly acknowledge that and that’s why you must have your rules. I recall meeting a man with a notebook at a Mayo /Kerry league match in Croke Park about 1980. I didn’t know who he was until we enjoyed a few pints later in an OConnell St pub later. He quoted me extensively on the back page of the Evening Press the following day. What I said during the course of the game about the referee was outrageous. Kerry were the better team on the day and I didn’t see it that way during the game . Despite being a Kerryman , Con seemed to understand Mayo fanatism. Revillino,I’m impressed by your list. Mine would include Maradona , Mohammad Ali, morcelli, Ian Thorpe and Sean Flanagan. I’d like to add P Ohara to that list. Keep up the great work Willie Joe. Up Mayo
A little bit of manners goes a long way. Online and elsewhere.
Does anyone know if our game is being replayed on tv this week. I know TG4 played it yesterday but I was en route to Dublin Port and couldn’t record it.
Would love to watch it…. again!
Good article by Jim McGuinness in the Irish Times. Highlighted how our full back line started to mentally and physically dominate the Dublin forwards in the second half, especially when the play was up the other end. Likely to be plenty more of that needed on the 11th!
If Mayomaningalway is reading this, I have to tell him and others, that he/they were correct….Dublin have regressed! And i loved every minute of it. Didn’t give us any chance without Cillian and especially Oisin. No point going back over the games as its all been said on here in the thousands of comments since.
Time to move on to the big one. I’ve been delightfully wrong all year predicting our games, so im not gunna change tack now and put a jinx on them 🙂
Now that the euphoria of the win is dying down – O’Sullivan comments above are on the ball. While we were all delighted with the win the reality is the exciting finish masked a poor quality game and Dublin were clearly not the team they were. A big improvement will be needed for the final. The extra week will help. Can we improve by another 30% to win the final?
It must be that Mayo will win, not can they win, this belief will get them over the line.
I was up in South Armagh yesterday the girls were involved in a tournament, the games played in heavy rain lasted 3 hours.
Yes about 8 or 9 game, a very strict 1 minute for halftime amd about 5 or 10 minutes between the games.
Our girls won their final.
And to my amazement I saw a bungalow house with the Mayo flag as we were leaving the Gaa grounds.
This time Mayo have the necessary tools to do the job.
@rock.you can get the game on YouTube and probably still on the rte player
Mayo88 I’d say the next time a man lands on the moon he’ll see a Mayo flag, they are everywhere and it’s great to see. Here in Kerry the amount of cars driving around with the window flags proudly flapping its as if you were heading to dublin on All Ireland weekend, it’s great to see. At least ye know ye are there as we have to get over Tyrone and that will be a testing game. I’d imagine Pete Harte will pick up Paudie Clifford and that will be a serious introduction to championship football on the edge. Tyrone will bring attitude and an edginess that Kerry haven’t experienced this year, I hope we don’t lose players for disciplinary reasons. As it would be a disaster for us heading into a final should we prevail against a very buoyed up team after putting the dubs to the sword.
Well Dave my name is Joe Kelly and I don’t think Mayojoe is a silly name Just thought it had a ring to it. I don’t condemn people so I have no reason to hide. It’s the nastiness of some people that gets me.
If there was any chance of an increase of the 40k limit at the AIF I think it’s under serious pressure now.
The Limerick crowd went a little mad and I don’t blame them….not sure if we could be as reserved!
My handle was autogenerated by a well know online auction site years ago as my user name. And just as well because I am very, very famous so I couldn’t possibly reveal my true identity.
Still, carrot face watery eyes lame step etc. wins the title.