The best of times, the worst of times. There was an era when the GPA (Guinness Peat Aviation) was better known as a leasing company which famously lost former taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald his shirt. Officials at Croke Park are now concerned that the current GPA (Gaelic Players Association) may deliver the same sort of fiscal uppercut to their organisation.

It was a subject Prime Time delved into on Thursday night. For the current affairs programme to have their chins tickled by something so trivial as sport means that the current flux within the GAA is something more than a back page story.

It is, some would argue, an issue of culture and heritage, of the spirit of the association and of the purity of amateurism, which the GAA have prized for over a century.

Watching Prime Time, however, the issue of some players receiving money from a sponsor for turning up at various functions around the country for the next 12 months transpired to be one of money and ultimately power, not one of principle.

"It could be the beginning of the slippery slope," said GAA president Sean McCague alluding to the ghastly spectre of pay for play. "You would have to question when a player seeks an agent."

McCague, who gave his first interview since the GPA announcement, came across as an honourable and articulate man and one who clearly means to initiate more dialogue with the wouldbe revolutionaries. There was more carrot than stick.

"I have met with the GPA. My door is open for further dialogue," he said.

McCague raised a number of hot issues. Amateurism was dear to him and the GAA. He wanted more negotiations. He was sure there would be more money available if players went about it with the GAA rather than as a separate organisation. Exterior forces such as agents are bad, he said.

"I would be surprised if there was not much more our marketing agents can bring to a panel of players than what they're getting now," he said.

The size of the slice of cake was and is the major issue and rather than call the GPA elitist and capricious, as a spokesman for the GAA-sanctioned players body (PAG) did last week, McCague offered the breakaway group greater access to sponsorship by using the powerful machinery that the GAA have at their disposal.

"I don't have a contract with the GAA so I don't see why I can't do whatever I want in my spare time," said Cork's Brian Corcoran reducing the issue to absurd simplicity.

Brian O'Driscoll was wheeled in to give a rugby view. A good idea because there are some interesting parallels which no one has yet explored. Nor did Prime Time. O'Driscoll provided a few short soundbites but he was the wrong man. He's too young.

Brendan Mullin would have been a better choice as he was involved in discussions with the IRFU at the early stages of the game turning professional.

"They've no family life. They have no social life. They should get something out of it," said a Kildare supporter.

After the programme one felt McCague was correct. The GAA are on the slippery slope as the players get a feel for the sort of riches they can trouser for themselves. Either way the process is already clearly traumatic with the current grab-what-you-can mentality of the Celtic Tiger not helping the GAA cause.

As Prime Time went to rugby on GAA, Network Two's Breaking Ball, scripted by Sean Moran and Tom Humphries from this paper and Denis Walsh from the Sunday Times, sought out Munster and Ireland's Mick Galwey on GAA matters.

Kerry was the common link between the two sports which Galwey played to a high level. He also pointed out that Moss Keane combined both as did the Spring brothers, Donal and Dick.

Galwey, still captain of the Munster rugby team, is an endangered species. Not only did he play two codes at a high level but also made the transition from being an amateur rugby player into a playing professionally.

"I tried to mix both at the top level but it wasn't working," he said. Spoken like the amateur most sports people are, Galwey participated in rugby and GAA for the love of the games and the lifestyle it provided.

But because of the commitment involved he had to make a choice. Now players have to make a choice if they want to play just one sport. That's how far sport has moved on in less than 10 years.

Golf in Valhalla, Kentucky. Players who want money for playing in the Ryder Cup were involved in the last major of the year. With $900,000 for the winner of the USPGA, Sky 2 commentator Ewen Murray told us that many of them weren't in it for the cash but the glory.

Maybe not Tiger or Jack Nicklaus who played together before the cut and brought the crowd of 10,000 to their feet on the 18th hole. It was probably Nicklaus' last appearance in this competition.

The five times winner hits an approach iron to three feet while Woods leaves his two putts away. Nicklaus sinks his and the crowd lap it up. Unaffected, Woods gathers himself and drills the ball into the hole. It is perhaps the last time Nicklaus will be seen at the PGA but Woods doesn't mind upstaging anyone. The greatest - already - leaps in the air. Look at me, I Am Tiger Woods.