Universal respect for the man who had a universal effect.
There's probably not one being on this planet who would ever deny Colm Cooper his dues as one of the greatest the game has ever seen.
Masterful with a football, tactful with his ambitions, he reinvented a sport that was in the middle of being reinvented in a different direction. With pure gracefulness and elegance, Gooch was a destructive force who tore apart all before him in the most beautiful way.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOE_GAA/status/849223111211929600
As Gaelic Football changed rapidly at the turn of the millennium and everyone bought into the idea that conditioning had a direct correlation with success, Colm Cooper garnered eight All-Stars for himself and five All-Irelands for his county by playing ball.
When guys were off curling their biceps, the man who will go down in history was too busy kicking points and goals and his legacy will never be questioned now because of his decisions.
https://twitter.com/Darransull86/status/849224800090427392
His impact was felt far and wide and loved all over.
https://twitter.com/BrianODriscoll/status/849176475463028737
Even in Tyrone.
https://twitter.com/owen_mulligan/status/849231020314558464
But it was Ronan O'Gara who summed up the man and his genius to complete perfection.
The Irish rugby legend is hardly a stranger to the values of strength and conditioning coming from the background he does but even O'Gara prioritised the skill levels he had with the oval ball over how much he could bench press.
When you're playing sport - especially football - it all boils down to whether or not you can actually play. For Cooper, he excelled above everyone else - probably across the entire history of the game - because of the possibilities he could see in his head and the way he could execute them with his body.
In that sense, he was a trailblazer in the modern game and one which O'Gara appreciated to the maximum.
https://twitter.com/RonanOGara10/status/849211128903323650
Even Cork men can hold their hands up.
Game respects game.
