Tradition is so strong in the GAA.
When Liam Rushe appeared to be going against the age-old tradition of wearing your team’s socks, on Sunday, in wearing a pair of apparent ankle socks, the whole of the GAA world was sent into meltdown.
The 26-year-old centre-back certainly got everybody talking. They weren’t talking about the game, they weren’t talking about the skills on show, no, instead the attention was focused on his choice of sock.
The Dublin man’s decision came under intense scrutiny, with many commentators claiming that Rushe’s lack of sock visibility was symptomatic of his side’s lacklustre display in their Leinster Senior Hurling first round clash with Galway.
The issue came under discussion during The GAA Hour Hurling Show on Monday.
“If he was wearing ankle socks for a Championship match on television, I’m not sure his mind is in the game,” said host Colm Parkinson.
JJ Delaney claims that if any of his team-mates ever wore ankle socks, he’d be having some choice words with them.
“I think he’s trying to be a bit controversial, alright, but I wouldn’t be having it myself. If I saw one of the guys in the dressing room wearing a pair of ankle socks before, you’d have to call him out and say ‘where is your head at?’
Rushe, on the back of the widespread criticism that was coming his way, obviously felt compelled to explain himself. He took to Twitter to provide a reason for his sporting of the ankle socks.
Calm down lads. The socks were just trying to ease the pain, no fashion statement intended. pic.twitter.com/WDQPBgzJRx
— Liam Rushe (@LiamRushe) May 29, 2017
That’s a gruesome looking blister and it’s not for the faint hearted. You can imagine how sore it would have been during the game.
The blister looks to be situated on the ball of his foot, however. Would ankle socks have eased the pain much more than a pair of normal GAA socks?
Whatever your view on ‘ankle sock-gate’ is, though, one thing’s for sure that the culture of manliness that accompanies the GAA appears to be as strong now, as it’s ever been.
What do you think?
You can listen to the lad’s engrossing sock debate from The GAA Hour Hurling Show here from 0’30”.
