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Abolishing The Black Card

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I know this is a debate that has been had on here plenty of times, but the rule is beyond a farce at this stage. I was at the Tyrone v Monaghan game, and there were several incidents(if the rule was being applied correctly) that should have resulted in black cards. Referees are either ignoring the rule, or deciding to hand out 1 or 2 a game, which if it's a rule means it has to be applied. Why don't the GAA just admit it's not working, and get rid of it. PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1653 - 13/08/2018 11:04:43 2132605 Link
Should never have been introduced initially but should have been binned following the trial of it. Was obvious from the concept was first talked about that it was a rule which was never going to work given that the rules already in place weren't being enforced in a consistent manner. You would seriously have to wonder who comes up with a lot of the changes and do they not think them through fully before implementing them. Seems to be knee jerk a lot of the time to naysayers. Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 13/08/2018 11:33:39 2132623 Link
And replace it with what? The black card is far from perfect but it was brought in for a reason & until something better is devised then it should stay. MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 13/08/2018 11:46:33 2132637 Link
Punishments for cynical fouling are a necessity, a yellow card is no deterrent. I do agree that the implementation of the rule is flawed as it is all down to interpretation, it needs to be far more black and white. Solution: Replace the yellow and black card with the sin bin. 10 minutes for any foul previously deemed worthy of either card keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 13/08/2018 11:54:02 2132642 Link
Replying To MuckrossHead: "And replace it with what? The black card is far from perfect but it was brought in for a reason & until something better is devised then it should stay." Arguing that there is no better alternative, is not a good enough reason to keep the rule. You have also conveniently ignored the reality that it is a rule, but referees aren't applying it. Can you imagine turning up to a match knowing a ref doesn't want to hand out any black cards(as was the case yesterday) and then the following week having a ref that will apply the rule, you can't have a rule that can be ignored, which is why it shouldn't exist and as i have said before, it is the brainchild of a know it all ex-manager, who wanted to feel important, so he devised a farcical rule, that isn't workable. Eventually a referee will apply the rule to the letter of the law, and there will be 5 or 6 black cards handed out in a game, maybe then it will be an eye opener, that it should be abolished. PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1653 - 13/08/2018 12:01:26 2132647 Link
Replying To PK57: "I know this is a debate that has been had on here plenty of times, but the rule is beyond a farce at this stage. I was at the Tyrone v Monaghan game, and there were several incidents(if the rule was being applied correctly) that should have resulted in black cards. Referees are either ignoring the rule, or deciding to hand out 1 or 2 a game, which if it's a rule means it has to be applied. Why don't the GAA just admit it's not working, and get rid of it." Give a few examples of the incidents yesterday so we can make up our minds. The ref was poor yesterday but both sets of fans would accept they have a few players who will dive if given half a chance, it's hard for the referee to get everything right if players are so well practiced at conning him. Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 13/08/2018 12:14:50 2132651 Link
Stupid rule imo and the vague nature of it's wording means the referees have a very difficult job in interpreting whether or not a certain foul warrants a black card or not. Either clean up the rule, if possible, or get rid as in its current form it puts too much pressure on the referees. MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13709 - 13/08/2018 12:31:31 2132659 Link
It's already gone in reality. The GAA will never come out and say officially it's done with but it's been pretty obvious that it's not being enforced at all really for a reason and that reason being it's being one of the stupidest rules ever brought in to the game. It will just sit there as another unused rule of the game rather than admit it was farce. tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1338 - 13/08/2018 13:02:10 2132683 Link
Replying To Soma: "Give a few examples of the incidents yesterday so we can make up our minds. The ref was poor yesterday but both sets of fans would accept they have a few players who will dive if given half a chance, it's hard for the referee to get everything right if players are so well practiced at conning him." Two incidents in particular stick out in my mind. At the end of the 1st half, a Tyrone player was impeded around the neck, to prevent an attack, this would warrant a black card, but the ref gave a yellow. In the 2nd half, a Monaghan player was attacking and was tripped intentionally, again this is a black card offence. These are only two incidents, and if you looked at the entire 70 minutes, there was probably 5 or 6 times, a black card should have been awarded. I don't blame the ref, as if he actually applied the rules, he would be accused of ruining the game. It's clear across the board, that refs have two courses of action, when it comes to the black card - 1. Ignore it completely or 2. Hand out one or two a game, but ignore other incidents which warrant a black card. PK57 (Louth) - Posts: 1653 - 13/08/2018 13:14:57 2132690 Link
To criticise the black card simply because referees arent implementing it properly is madness. Apply it as it should be applied & it cuts out a lot of the cynical crap that bedevils the game. MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 13/08/2018 13:32:35 2132701 Link
Replying To PK57: "Two incidents in particular stick out in my mind. At the end of the 1st half, a Tyrone player was impeded around the neck, to prevent an attack, this would warrant a black card, but the ref gave a yellow. In the 2nd half, a Monaghan player was attacking and was tripped intentionally, again this is a black card offence. These are only two incidents, and if you looked at the entire 70 minutes, there was probably 5 or 6 times, a black card should have been awarded. I don't blame the ref, as if he actually applied the rules, he would be accused of ruining the game. It's clear across the board, that refs have two courses of action, when it comes to the black card - 1. Ignore it completely or 2. Hand out one or two a game, but ignore other incidents which warrant a black card." I presume the 1st one you are talking about was the booking on Dermot Malone. It was a strong straight arm tackle on the Tyrone man, a clear free and a clear yellow card, there was no way it could have been a black card. This is the problem really, after 5 years of it still so many people watching just don't understand when a black card should be awarded. Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 13/08/2018 13:44:21 2132717 Link
Replying To MesAmis: "Stupid rule imo and the vague nature of it's wording means the referees have a very difficult job in interpreting whether or not a certain foul warrants a black card or not. Either clean up the rule, if possible, or get rid as in its current form it puts too much pressure on the referees." I also think it is a silly rule and poorly worded. A rule that was brought in following a single incident on TV -make for a poor rule. Get rid of it and bring in a 10min sin bin rule. A guy who has trained all year can get a black card when in effect the foul was not intentional-how is the Ref to know whether some incidents are intentional. The rule make for a very difficult Ref decision and most black cards appear to come from an over zealous lineman. browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 13/08/2018 14:12:20 2132735 Link
Replying To browncows: "I also think it is a silly rule and poorly worded. A rule that was brought in following a single incident on TV -make for a poor rule. Get rid of it and bring in a 10min sin bin rule. A guy who has trained all year can get a black card when in effect the foul was not intentional-how is the Ref to know whether some incidents are intentional. The rule make for a very difficult Ref decision and most black cards appear to come from an over zealous lineman." The rule was voted on and introduced before Cavanaghs tackle, not after it or because of it as a lot of people seem to think. The application of the rule may not be consistent enough but the presence of the black card has greatly reduced the amount of 3rd man tackles and blocking of runs that is going on for one thing, as players know the black card might be given. AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 13/08/2018 19:24:35 2132897 Link
Like all rules in the gaa it's down to the officials to implement them as they see it. Unfortunately we have Coldrick and Gough as the only referee who are of a decent standard at the moment. We have a national crisis with referee at the moment. The standard has never been so low. It seem a lot of referees ignore the rule at this stage and only give it if they can't avoid it. shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1928 - 13/08/2018 21:44:55 2132960 Link
Replying To AHP: "The rule was voted on and introduced before Cavanaghs tackle, not after it or because of it as a lot of people seem to think. The application of the rule may not be consistent enough but the presence of the black card has greatly reduced the amount of 3rd man tackles and blocking of runs that is going on for one thing, as players know the black card might be given." Voted by who- We all know it was voted on but that says little. A guy gets up at a meeting and all attendees deliver on his agenda/speech. The rule was brought in because a few guys who pretend to analyse our games on tv pick out some pretty irrelevant incidents and proceed to make a meal of it. I do not think that it has reduced the amount of 3rd man tackles but it has allowed officials (incl linesmen) to make more mistakes which helps nobody. It did not stop the rugby tackles at the end of last years final. browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 13/08/2018 22:09:22 2132974 Link
Replying To browncows: "Voted by who- We all know it was voted on but that says little. A guy gets up at a meeting and all attendees deliver on his agenda/speech. The rule was brought in because a few guys who pretend to analyse our games on tv pick out some pretty irrelevant incidents and proceed to make a meal of it. I do not think that it has reduced the amount of 3rd man tackles but it has allowed officials (incl linesmen) to make more mistakes which helps nobody. It did not stop the rugby tackles at the end of last years final." Voted by who? It's not as though any new rules or proposals only appear on the day of the Congress. All these proposals go out to the county boards around the country months before Congress, and from the county boards to the clubs, so every club committee gets to review this and every other rule, and then vote at county convention level on how their county delegate votes at national level, so in effect we the club members are the one who voted for the black card. AHP (Dublin) - Posts: 323 - 13/08/2018 23:51:43 2133015 Link
Replying To Soma: "Give a few examples of the incidents yesterday so we can make up our minds. The ref was poor yesterday but both sets of fans would accept they have a few players who will dive if given half a chance, it's hard for the referee to get everything right if players are so well practiced at conning him." Mc Geary was shouldered by Karl O'Connell after releasing the ball. That's the one I recall from the game. There's probably some that Tyrone players committed too if anybody cares to point them out. seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 14/08/2018 03:34:09 2133029 Link
May as well get rid of it cos it is hardly used from the semi finals onwards. Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 15/08/2018 01:04:17 2133451 Link
Replying To Killarney.87: "May as well get rid of it cos it is hardly used from the semi finals onwards." Are you being serious? There's been 6 black cards issued in the last four finals alone, never mind semi finals. Kurt_Angle (Dublin) - Posts: 567 - 15/08/2018 12:07:09 2133541 Link
Replying To Kurt_Angle: "Are you being serious? There's been 6 black cards issued in the last four finals alone, never mind semi finals." I think referees are stricter on the use of the black card in the earlier rounds of the championship. Killarney.87 (Tipperary) - Posts: 2513 - 15/08/2018 13:27:20 2133582 Link