Off The Ball Official Thread <Mod Note - Post #1, #533, #6651>

Beechwoodspark

I agree with the above

Dislike him personally but he can be entertaining in small doses. He’s always spoiling for a fight.

Regarding his journalism I find him very average but he seems to have a huge opinion of himself.

I can imagine him demanding to be the top paid sports journalist in Ireland and anything else is an insult to him.

Like a lot of bullies though, I’ve noticed a number of times that when ppl stand up to him he backs down.

Tell me how

Deleted User wrote: »

I am always happy when I turn on OTB on a Sunday and Kimmage is doing the papers. As people have said, most of the contributors to this segment are quite dull and never say a bad word about anything that's written as they probably know all the other journalists. With Kimmage, you get the sense that he doesn't care. His contributions are always whole hearted and worth listening to even if like his attack on Dublin last year (or the year before) are silly and ill informed.

However, there is a side to Kimmage that is not very nice. It's clear he has a massive ego and the bull**** he perpetuates (all the time!) about suffering for his craft is grating. I find a lot of his stuff in the Sindo of late are just Q and As or rehashed quotes which he always manages to portray as works of art he has agonised over for weeks. I think a lot of his BS is self serving in that regard.

That and the fact that he is quite clearly a bully. His background as the guy who spat in the cycling soup and became a pariah in the sport and then his training in old school journalism have created a really objectionable and bullying personality. His arrogance at times in telling Joe Molloy he is not doing his job right and outright bullying him live on air is an expression of the culture he has been a part of and probably his personality.

While I do like listening to him, I don't like him.

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I agree with the above

Dislike him personally but he can be entertaining in small doses. He’s always spoiling for a fight.

Regarding his journalism I find him very average but he seems to have a huge opinion of himself.

I can imagine him demanding to be the top paid sports journalist in Ireland and anything else is an insult to him.

Like a lot of bullies though, I’ve noticed a number of times that when ppl stand up to him he backs down.

I can understand both of the above views but I wouldn't quite see him that way. I think the Paul we see now is a product of the environment he has worked in for the latter part of his career.

Rarely has anyone wanted him shining a light on practices or perceptions of a sport. He doesn't make up the facts though, he just points them out. Many of those who ridicule him are those who profess to do what he does but fall short in reality. This is evidenced with the likes of fellow journalists laughing at him as Lance Armstrong tried to belittle him all those years ago. Or sporting administrator groups proclaiming player welfare but not being willing to tackle drug use. This hypocrisy, repeated time and time again has turned him in to the grumpy guy we view him as today.

He is most remembered for being a grump but he also writes positive stories as well but they don't get anywhere near the same attention.
Too many journalists are more akin to paid supporters and write only about the positive. Sport is evermore becoming more cynical, hypocrytical and biased towards potential for money to be made, and those involved in the practices of such traits want less Paul Kimmages if possible.

Kimmage is a rarity but we need journalists like him (and his protege (of sorts) Ewan McKenna).

diusmr8a504cvk

I would rather nail my dick to a ceiling fan than listen to John Duggan.

Aska

Forgive this stupid question, but why does the football show not run after 9 on a friday? I always assumed that with the matches on a Sat then this was the best time to have the show?

I would even be up for putting Johnny Giles out to pasture as he has become annoying and bloody repeditive at this point and offers nothing in his piece. Maybe end thursdays show at 9 instead of fridays?

CatFromHue

I always thought it was that the listener numbers would drop after 9 on a Friday so they put on the Irish speaking show, which I presume they have to do contractually

irishguitarlad

I don't get why Off the Ball don't cover NBA, I'm sure more people watch it than a good few things that they hark on about.

Ol' Donie

There was a glorious time back in the golden years of OTB, when they had both US Murph and Ken Early's football show on Friday nights. (And then Splanc afterwards, which they are obliged to do, but is still a good show).

They dropped it, partially because the team was way smaller then, and the weekend sports shows were not under the OTB banner. So they thought 3 hour shows 4 days a week was enough. It never made sense to me, as pointed out above, surely Friday evening is the best day of the week for a weekend preview.

ButtersSuki

irishguitarlad wrote: »

I don't get why Off the Ball don't cover NBA, I'm sure more people watch it than a good few things that they hark on about.

I see another poster already commented about US Murph so I won’t repest that.

It pops up occasionally. The Ringer’s John Gonzalez was on I would say around October/November and while he’s good (he’s on Yhe Ringer NBA Show Podcast) whoever he was talking too knew as much about basketball as Johnny Ward did hosting Wednesday Night Rugby last night. So it was terrible. Basically NBA For Dummies. I’d rather they did nothing than crap like that.

If you want some good basketball podcasts to listen to, drop me a pm

DEFTLEFTHAND

irishguitarlad wrote: »

I don't get why Off the Ball don't cover NBA, I'm sure more people watch it than a good few things that they hark on about.

They probably have no knowledge of the game themselves, it's tough to cover something when you don't know what you're talking about.

Plus to be honest I don't really think the NBA has much of a market here in Ireland. I'd very rarely come across fellow fans.

ButtersSuki

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

They probably have no knowledge of the game themselves, it's tough to cover something when you don't know what you're talking about.

Plus to be honest I don't really think the NBA has much of a market here in Ireland. I'd very rarely come across fellow fans.

You can take that to the bank re. the current crop for sure.

I know a young Brian O'Driscoll used to attend Killester Men's Games back in the day so he probably knows more about the game than the regular hosts.

WillieMason

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

They probably have no knowledge of the game themselves, it's tough to cover something when you don't know what you're talking about.

Plus to be honest I don't really think the NBA has much of a market here in Ireland. I'd very rarely come across fellow fans.

They Barely cover GAA its all rugby

ballsymchugh

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

They probably have no knowledge of the game themselves, it's tough to cover something when you don't know what you're talking about.

Plus to be honest I don't really think the NBA has much of a market here in Ireland. I'd very rarely come across fellow fans.

sure Joe ****s himself when he has to talk about anything other than golf!

ButtersSuki

WillieMason wrote: »

They Barely cover GAA its all rugby

An awful lot of their rugby coverage is terrible. I listen to Monday and Wednesday night rugby (for Eddie I’Sullicam and Keith Wood) and that’s it, or at least that’s all I seek out. I can’t listen to O’Driscoll as he’s a cliche machine and he’s so afraid of doing or saying anything that would damage his “brand” it’s the personification of blandness.

It seems like from mid-May to September the only thing on OTB is GAA though.

cmac2009

Nathan really is a painful listen, usually switch off when he is on

redbuck

cmac2009 wrote: »

Nathan really is a painful listen, usually switch off when he is on

Disagree

Utopia Parkway

WillieMason wrote: »

They Barely cover GAA its all rugby

There was a 25 minute interview with Colin Fennelly only today.

This time of year is basically peak season for rugby coverage though. For GAA it's the Summer.

Tell me how

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

There was a 25 minute interview with Colin Fennelly only today.

This time of year is basically peak season for rugby coverage though. For GAA it's the Summer.

Pretty remarkable statement by Colin on his 6 year army career.

'There was actually zero job satisfaction,' he said.

'If I had to talk about my years in the army - and I was there for six years - I couldn't tell you one thing I did in it that was in any way beneficial for me or for anyone else.'

Was enough to bring the Defence Forces to issue a statement countering it.

Tell me how

ballsymchugh wrote: »

sure Joe ****s himself when he has to talk about anything other than golf!

He talks with interest about Rugby (he is presenter of Virgin Media Irish rugby coverage) and soccer does he not?

Don't know what he could say to keep some happy.

dominatinMC

cmac2009 wrote: »

Nathan really is a painful listen, usually switch off when he is on

Nathan is the best of a mediocre bunch for me! Really can't stand Gilroy or Adrian Barry (whenever he is on). Joe is fine, that new lad (Eoin I think) is a bit bland too.

Faugheen

Tell me how wrote: »

He talks with interest about Rugby (he is presenter of Virgin Media Irish rugby coverage) and soccer does he not?

Don't know what he could say to keep some happy.

It's only the drama queens exaggerating to make a point about a sports presenter that may or may not have a favourite sport.

jeremyj1968

dominatinMC wrote: »

Nathan is the best of a mediocre bunch for me! Really can't stand Gilroy or Adrian Barry (whenever he is on). Joe is fine, that new lad (Eoin I think) is a bit bland too.

I think the point that was made here before was very valid. Most of these guys are guys who have an interest primarily in radio and sports is secondary. Nathan in particular would strike me as such.

Utopia Parkway

dominatinMC wrote: »

Nathan is the best of a mediocre bunch for me! Really can't stand Gilroy or Adrian Barry (whenever he is on). Joe is fine, that new lad (Eoin I think) is a bit bland too.

I don't mind Nathan. Think he's one of the more likable of the OTB crew. He indulges Giles' nonsense a bit too much though but that's another story.

Tell me how

jeremyj1968 wrote: »

I think the point that was made here before was very valid. Most of these guys are guys who have an interest primarily in radio and sports is secondary. Nathan in particular would strike me as such.

He does the Off the ball show and also does quite a lot of football commentary, some on TV as well as the live EPL games on the radio.

He was also joking recently about how sad he was to be constantly monitoring Declan Rice's social media feeds to see how he responded to the FAI's post wishing him a Happy Birthday which was accompanied by a picture of Rice wearing an Irish jersey.

That sounds like someone with a fairly strong interest in sports.

Howitzer the 5th

dominatinMC wrote: »

Nathan is the best of a mediocre bunch for me! Really can't stand Gilroy or Adrian Barry (whenever he is on). Joe is fine, that new lad (Eoin I think) is a bit bland too.

Nathan is known for his assertiveness and being quick to self-promote emerging from the clinical morgue that is today fm sport to push himself into sports commentary. Irrespective of his actual commentary abilities the sheer frequency of premier league football means he's no daw clearly. Its a constant stream. Having come from making tea in Galway Bay FM to commentating on premier league football games is quite the story all the same especially in the insidious vacuum of Irish sports media. His accent and delivery isnt great. He's full sure that he's great but then again if more people showed similarly ballsy assertiveness than the paucity of the actual present 'talent' might be replaced by someone who's actually talented. Just a thought.

dastardly00

Howitzer the 5th wrote: »

Nathan is known for his assertiveness and being quick to self-promote emerging from the clinical morgue that is today fm sport to push himself into sports commentary. Irrespective of his actual commentary abilities the sheer frequency of premier league football means he's no daw clearly. Its a constant stream. Having come from making tea in Galway Bay FM to commentating on premier league football games is quite the story all the same especially in the insidious vacuum of Irish sports media. His accent and delivery isnt great. He's full sure that he's great but then again if more people showed similarly ballsy assertiveness than the paucity of the actual present 'talent' might be replaced by someone who's actually talented. Just a thought.

By reading your post I get the impression that either yourself or a friend/relative knows Nathan personally/professionally... there seems to be a bit of a chip on your shoulder...

diusmr8a504cvk

What day and time is the Crappy Quiz on?

Tell me how

Brayan Chilly Shoplifter wrote: »

What day and time is the Crappy Quiz on?

Usually Friday and I think any time between half seven and eight.

That's one thing that has never been the same since Parkinson was there.

jam17032010

Howitzer the 5th wrote: »

dominatinMC wrote: »

Nathan is the best of a mediocre bunch for me! Really can't stand Gilroy or Adrian Barry (whenever he is on). Joe is fine, that new lad (Eoin I think) is a bit bland too.

Nathan is known for his assertiveness and being quick to self-promote emerging from the clinical morgue that is today fm sport to push himself into sports commentary. Irrespective of his actual commentary abilities the sheer frequency of premier league football means he's no daw clearly. Its a constant stream. Having come from making tea in Galway Bay FM to commentating on premier league football games is quite the story all the same especially in the insidious vacuum of Irish sports media. His accent and delivery isnt great. He's full sure that he's great but then again if more people showed similarly ballsy assertiveness than the paucity of the actual present 'talent' might be replaced by someone who's actually talented. Just a thought.

I always found him to be a good commentator. I'm not sure what the problem with his accent is?

I also haven't noticed him over using english cliches like "my word". Fine if your english, but irish commentators who use them should be flogged.

Now, the eir Sports commentator with the english accent is grating.

Howitzer the 5th

Howitzer the 5th wrote: »

Nathan is known for his assertiveness and being quick to self-promote emerging from the clinical morgue that is today fm sport to push himself into sports commentary. Irrespective of his actual commentary abilities the sheer frequency of premier league football means he's no daw clearly. Its a constant stream. Having come from making tea in Galway Bay FM to commentating on premier league football games is quite the story all the same especially in the insidious vacuum of Irish sports media. His accent and delivery isnt great. He's full sure that he's great but then again if more people showed similarly ballsy assertiveness than the paucity of the actual present 'talent' might be replaced by someone who's actually talented. Just a thought.

That seems like a very personal attack on the guy. I'm sure he's ambitious but you can also guarantee that he works very hard and has done to get to the position he is in.

In a former life, I did some work in the media, and while many of the people involved would sell their grannies to get on TV/radio/in a paper etc, there are plenty of very good people involved too. And the one thing I took from it is that you have to work hard and make lots of sacrifices to get anywhere, and even at that the pay is not good and the demands are horrible. The best or the hardest workers usually get to the top.

Don't know Nathan personally, but a friend of mine who is a sound judge of character does and he speaks highly of him so that's good enough for me. I also like his commentaries even if I have noticed that he is catching the overly excited and self satisfied bug off Ger Gilroy of late.

Pussyhands

Joe Molloy gives me the creeps on TV. Just a processed presenter and no charisma.

Utopia Parkway

The ginger mini-Gilroy from Kerry is coming in for some stick from the English after Saturday's game. Can't blame them to be honest. Exposed as a spoofer but sure it's all clicks for OTB I suppose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slcehgz2Lhk

DEFTLEFTHAND

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

The ginger mini-Gilroy from Kerry is coming in for some stick from the English after Saturday's game. Can't blame them to be honest. Exposed as a spoofer but sure it's all clicks for OTB I suppose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slcehgz2Lhk

Utterly cringe inducing especially when you consider the result yesterday .

The Irish rugby media remind me of the English national soccer team press to an extent.


Full of arrogance, hype and bluster.

NIMAN

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Utterly cringe inducing especially when you consider the result yesterday .

The Irish rugby media remind me of the English national soccer team press to an extent.


Full of arrogance, hype and bluster.

Let's be honest, these guys are simply tubes, they know little about sport and are just repeating what more knowledgeable folk are saying.

Ger especially has a very slappable face (maybe thats just me?)

DEFTLEFTHAND

NIMAN wrote: »

Let's be honest, these guys are simply tubes, they know little about sport and are just repeating what more knowledgeable folk are saying.

Ger especially has a very slappable face (maybe thats just me?)

The smuggest man in Ireland.

17togo

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote:

The smuggest man in Ireland.

In fairness to Ger in that video he tried to call Eoin out on the smugness and cockiness! Christ I really enjoy it when the rugby team get beaten like that. The media coverage of them has completely turned me off rugby over the last few years.

jeremyj1968

17togo wrote: »

In fairness to Ger in that video he tried to call Eoin out on the smugness and cockiness! Christ I really enjoy it when the rugby team get beaten like that. The media coverage of them has completely turned me off rugby over the last few years.

I lost all respect for Ger Gilroy when he brought on the rape crisis centre the night that Paddy Jackson was found not guilty. The inference being that Gilroy himself had decided that they were guilty and the story should be covered as such.

17togo

jeremyj1968 wrote:

I lost all respect for Ger Gilroy when he brought on the rape crisis centre the night that Paddy Jackson was found not guilty. The inference being that Gilroy himself had decided that they were guilty and the story should be covered as such.

Oh I know, generally he's painful. Just in this case he actually tried to hold a debate by calling out the bull****. The only other journalists/broadcaster I've seen trying to do that is Ewan MacKenna and he gets attacked for doing so.

OldMrBrennan83

17togo wrote: »

Oh I know, generally he's painful. Just in this case he actually tried to hold a debate by calling out the bull****. The only other journalists/broadcaster I've seen trying to do that is Ewan MacKenna and he gets attacked for doing so.

MacKenna was having a field day on Twitter yesterday
Legend.

Tell me how

OldMrBrennan83 wrote: »

MacKenna was having a field day on Twitter yesterday
Legend.

His "Does this mean we aren't World Champions anymore?" was perfectly written to provoke a reaction.

OldMrBrennan83

Tell me how wrote: »

His "Does this mean we aren't World Champions anymore?" was perfectly written to provoke a reaction.

Everything he has written was to do that. And by God he's getting some amount of bites on the line.

Tell me how

Enjoyed the paper round today. Primarily covered the rugby and it just shows that 80 minutes is a long time in sport. From Grand Slam Step 1 before the game to the articles and points highlighted after shows just how things can change.

Stockdale not offloading early enough, Aki's passing being behind players, Henshaw somewhat clueless about full back duties and so on it really can turn quickly. (This was obviously McKenna's point in the Autumn).

I hope it does turn out to be a wake up call that we are not going to stroll to a 6 Nations and go in to the World Cup as second favourites.

Also interesting story at the end of the paper round about Naomh Éanna GAA Club in Belfast and just what they had to do to stay in operation throughout the troubles. Their club house, located in a primarily Unionist area of Belfast was burnt down 13 times throughout the troubles and one of their members was the last catholic killed in the conflict. I bet those players don't have to be reminded what it means to wear the jersey.

Edit
From the club website.
1981 – Liam Canning, 19, shot dead by off-duty UDR member.
1991 – Colin Lundy, 16, burnt alive at home in a sectarian arson attack.
1993 – Sean Fox, 72, club President tortured and shot at his home 200 yards from clubhouse by UVF.
1997 – Gerry Devlin, 36, senior team manager shot dead by LVF outside club gates.
2002 – Gerard Lawlor, 18, senior team midfielder shot dead in the last murder of ‘The Troubles’.

NufcNavan

I heard that Wexford couldn't field the full 15 for a camogie league match and were bet out the gate by Galway. Wonder if the SJWs on Newstalk will be fighting for the equal coverage of this?

Cannot believe that any senior inter county team couldn't field a full 15. Bad enough when it happens to clubs.

OldMrBrennan83

NufcNavan wrote: »

I heard that Wexford couldn't field the full 15 for a camogie league match and were bet out the gate by Galway. Wonder if the SJWs on Newstalk will be fighting for the equal coverage of this?

Cannot believe that any senior inter county team couldn't field a full 15. Bad enough when it happens to clubs.

Apparently Galway had to go to 13 for the second half to even it up.

dr.kenneth noisewater

They chose to go to 13 as they were hammering them in fairness to them. Fairly farcical stuff for a county in the all irelnd final less than 10 years ago!

applehunter

Cliona Foley & Andy McGeady together.

That's dull radio.

Utopia Parkway

applehunter wrote: »

Cliona Foley & Andy McGeady together.

That's dull radio.

Can't stand listening to Cliona Foley. Has me reaching for the off button.

Tell me how

Kieran Donaghy is joining the OTB team. Joe had him on tonight discussing it.
Not a bad selection in my view, he has interest in a wide range of sports (particularly basketball) and he is not afraid to express an opinion. Joe mentioned him being on in the morning and also on a dedicated football show as well as appearing on the night show with Nathan and Joe from time to time.
He also mentioned a Pardon the Interruption type show which is something from ESPN where two guys (Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon) discuss key topics within a specific time frame and roll from one to the next. Be interesting to see how that develops.

OldMrBrennan83

Tell me how wrote: »

Kieran Donaghy is joining the OTB team. Joe had him on tonight discussing it.
Not a bad selection in my view, he has interest in a wide range of sports (particularly basketball) and he is not afraid to express an opinion. Joe mentioned him being on in the morning and also on a dedicated football show as well as appearing on the night show with Nathan and Joe from time to time.
He also mentioned a Pardon the Interruption type show which is something from ESPN where two guys (Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon) discuss key topics within a specific time frame and roll from one to the next. Be interesting to see how that develops.

Sounds a good idea so long as it isn't as shouty as the US version. Good to see Donaghy on too, always found him a good listen.

jeremyj1968

Tell me how wrote: »

Kieran Donaghy is joining the OTB team. Joe had him on tonight discussing it.

the likes of the cliffords, the geaneys, the galways, the dublins, the Mayos the...

I'm not going to listen to that sh1te for too long.

Tell me how

jeremyj1968 wrote: »

the likes of the cliffords, the geaneys, the galways, the dublins, the Mayos the...

I'm not going to listen to that sh1te for too long.

Sure, some hate everything about the show now and still listen....