Thraw is 29
Didnât know Balbec competed at that elite level.
How do you mean, Kev? Iâm 29, indeed.
What I was saying is that if fellas can hack it, let them do what they want. Other lads canât, they should be told not to drink or theyâll be dropped.
Stephen Nolan never drinks yet my mate, a serious drinker, out-hurled him in a game a few weeks ago. Blanket bans are silly.
Yeah but Stephen Nolan is shite.
Not sure about this. Itâs a fairly daming indicment if giving up the booze for 4 weeks is considered worthy of sponsorship?
Twenty of Mickey Harteâs Tyrone football panel and eight of his backroom team have signed up for the GAAâs new health challenge âOff the Booze and On the Ballâ.
The health initiative with a twist challenges members of the Association to abstain from alcohol for the month of January to give their New Year a healthy kick-start. Those who take up the âPint Sized Challengeâ can seek sponsorship on behalf of their GAA club or team and are also encouraged to engage in some activities during the month that helps them reach their recommended weekly activity levels.
âOff the Booze and On the Ballâ is being driven by the GAAâs Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Programme - a joint initiative with the HSE that aims to reduce the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol and other substances. The initiative had its local launch at the Tyrone County Convention on Sunday where club delegates were encouraged to promote the initiative amongst all their members - from players and supporters to mentors and administrators - by the National Coordinator of the ASAP programme Colin Regan and the Tyrone County ASAP Officer Cuthbert Donnelly.
Tyrone County Chairman CiarĂĄn Mac Lochlainn also gave the boardâs full backing to the initiative and encouraged clubs to take advantage of the fundraising and health promotion elements of the âPint Sized Challengeâ.
Individuals and full club panels can sign up for the âPint Sized Challengeâ at www.gaa.ie/asap where they will receive a sponsorship card and an information pack containing details on health, exercise and diet. All participating clubs will be in with a chance of winning a training session with one of Irelandâs leading high performance coaches or one of the countryâs leading sports nutritionists in 2012.
Clubs are also encouraged to run a health-related event on the last weekend of January to celebrate and promote the club in their local community.
âIf a panel of 30 players takes on the challenge and raises ÂŁ100 each thatâs ÂŁ3,000 for the team at the end of January, not to mention the health benefits they will have accrued,â Colin Regan said at the launch. âThe information pack you receive is a great source of material regardless of your current activity level and will help us get the ASAP message out to our members,â he concluded.
Off the Booze & On the Ball, which is endorsed and supported by the GPA, fully supports the Ulster Councilâs âLive to Playâ programme and participants are encouraged to make themselves available as a designated driver for friends or family during their month of abstinence.
It will indirectly promote binge drinking. Anything in moderation should be fine. Am sure Kev will tell us all the scientific benefits of cutting alcohol completely out of your diet but taking this approach isnât a good idea in my opinion.
Its a promotion, nothing more.
I donât agree with complete alcohol bans Mac, unless a team has a real history of being a âdrinkingâ team.
I agree with âanything in moderationâ, except Irelands concept of drink moderation is only binging every 2nd weekend. :rolleyes:
How do you define binging out of interest?
A glass of wine or two with a meal a couple of times a week and nothing else is hardly going to cause any serious GAA player any issues - or is it?
I was binging at the weekend 
No Mac, it certainly wonât IMO. But one glass is never enough for some, so its all relative.
Ah yeah thatâs fair enough. You could trace a lot of that to peoples upbringing as well but thatâs another discussion for another day.
No surprise to see boozy mac extolling the virtues of alcohol.
:rolleyes:
Predictable enough quip from Runt. I remember a time he used to be funny.
I donât
Starting Thursday I will be binging every second or third day for the rest of the month
Like everything you need to pratice moderation, in moderation.
I know John Kiely encourages nights out for Limerick senior hurlers. He trusts them not to go ape.
Time to do away with these aul yokes lads