From a psychological point of view, as you get older the willingness to keep growing and operating at a sustained high level in an amateur sport becomes intolerable.
There is a lot to look forward to in the new GAA season, new managers, new structures and more personalities.
Brian Mullins was a four-time All Ireland winner, an imposing man to face in competitive battle and the hardest of taskmaster’s as a coach but he valued participation above competition during his time as Director of Sport at UCD and it may be where he made the greatest mark of all.
The time a team can find between stimulus and response is the key to managing a big game like Dublin-Kerry. It is the real challenge for Kerry this weekend.
Mayo are driven by a fanbase that is desperate for success but despite repeated failures, their expectations remain high. Paul Flynn has seen at first hand how relentless that craving can be.
The four provincial finals in Gaelic football this weekend will demonstrate the evolution of Gaelic football and how anarchy has given way to organised chaos.
Dublin are struggling for a collective purpose and the anchors that held Jim Gavin's side together no longer hold, but there is still one thing that could make them a force.
Mayo were portrayed as celebrities first and Gaelic footballers second in many quarters, it is a myth that doesn't stand up to the reality Paul Flynn experienced.
Dublin's transition needs to be accompanied by a reality check and an acceptance that their status has altered.
Gary Keegan has been involved in many of the most important developments in Irish sport. As a Dublin footballer, Paul Flynn worked with Keegan and in this conversation they discuss leadership, living in the present and Jim Gavin's endless curiosity.
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