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

Piehead

Did you smash it wrote: »

Based on?

Based on jealousy that they are doing so well

Did you smash it

Piehead wrote: »

Based on jealousy that they are doing so well

Yes you already said you think he’s jealous. He could be. He could be happy for them. He might not care. Who knows...

Billy Ocean

Second Captains has been behind the paywall for 7 or 8 years now I'd say, would hardly take this long to follow suit if a factor.

As someone mentioned already id imagine the newstalk relationship would be a factor too.

Did you smash it

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Second Captains has been behind the paywall for 7 or 8 years now I'd say, would hardly take this long to follow suit if a factor.

As someone mentioned already id imagine the newstalk relationship would be a factor too.

Being behind a paywall for 2-3 years. It was originally done with rabobank as a sponsor for the first few years.

Second Captains went behind a paywall in February 2017 so four years ago exactly.

Acosta

Wilbury Twist wrote: »

I wouldn't be surprised if Joe Molloy eventually takes over the Pat Kenny slot on Newstalk when Pat retires or decides to hang up the microphone.

I'm not sure if it is because Joe is so good or the fact that the other presenters in the main make Joe look so good by being on a different level. It's like a third round FA Cup match between a Premier League team and a Vauxhall Conference side, it's a shock when the Conference side can match the Premier League side.

There can be a student College FM virtue signalling radio feel about OTB at times in my view. I do think Nathan Murphy is a top notch live match day commentator, John Duggan suited to the Sunday relaxing at end of week slot...would like to see Eoin Sheehan do more anchor main role broadcasting to see what he would be capable of delivering, he currently always seems to be in the side kick/co-presenter role.

The paywall for the Golf podcast - will be interesting to see subscription figures in time - i would rate the golf pod as the most consistently good pod on OTB.

I like him on OTB AM, which for the most part is all I listen to of OTB these days. So I hope he stays put on that. It's become a bit of a pandemic morning routine. However, if Joe Molloy did go to another show, for me he probably would be the one I'd pick to step up.

selassie

The rugby coverage has been going around in circles about who to pick at 9/10 and giving others a go since the wales game.

monstermag

selassie wrote: »

The rugby coverage has been going around in circles about who to pick at 9/10 and giving others a go since the wales game.

Paddy Jackson is playing well for London Irish. Premiership player of the month last December.
How are we all on redemption?

redbuck

monstermag wrote: »

Paddy Jackson is playing well for London Irish. Premiership player of the month last December.
How are we all on redemption?

Too soon brother.

Billy Ocean

monstermag wrote: »

Paddy Jackson is playing well for London Irish. Premiership player of the month last December.
How are we all on redemption?

couldn't see it happening, Carbery getting back to health or the younger brigade Crowley, Harry Byrne best bets for 2023 i think, just don't think ross byrne or Billy burns are up to it.

deisedude

Billy Ocean wrote: »

couldn't see it happening, Carbery getting back to health or the younger brigade Crowley, Harry Byrne best bets for 2023 i think, just don't think ross byrne or Billy burns are up to it.

If you combined Ross Byrne and Billy Burns qualities you would have a really good outhalf

Billy Burns is better at getting the backline moving in open play but bad at goal kicking and Ross Bryne is the opposite

But that's not the way the game works!

Why is there no talk of Ben Healy? Harry Byrne has even less top level experience than him

monstermag

redbuck wrote: »

Too soon brother.

We all know it will never happen, but is that right? I'd imagine if Andy Farrell could, he'd take him back in the morning.
Jackson will be 31 come world cip 2023. Probably a good age for a big tournament like that. He'd have a massive amount of experience under his belt. Imo he's the second best fly - half in the country.

Faugheen

monstermag wrote: »

We all know it will never happen, but is that right? I'd imagine if Andy Farrell could, he'd take him back in the morning.
Jackson will be 31 come world cip 2023. Probably a good age for a big tournament like that. He'd have a massive amount of experience under his belt. Imo he's the second best fly - half in the country.

Yes, it will never happen.

Ireland is too small a country for something like this to happen. His behaviour brought up stereotypical bollocks among rugby communities and bringing him back would ruin the IRFU.

sleepyman

I enjoyed the chat John Duggan had with the commentators.He'd understated and let's his interviewees talk without constantly interrupting.

Billy Ocean

sleepyman wrote: »

I enjoyed the chat John Duggan had with the commentators.He'd understated and let's his interviewees talk without constantly interrupting.

I take it you'd recommend it for listening
on a Sunday morning run?

sleepyman

Billy Ocean wrote: »

I take it you'd recommend it for listening
on a Sunday morning run?

Yeah.They also had a Historian on about Yugoslavian Football.It's on the YouTube channel.Well worth a listen.

Billy Ocean

Nathan is a excellent contributor and usually on the ball on most topics but jeez he seriously had the blinkers on this morning talking about Liverpool.

Howitzer the 5th

Billy Ocean wrote: »

Nathan is a excellent contributor and usually on the ball on most topics but jeez he seriously had the blinkers on this morning talking about Liverpool.

What blinkers? He follows them. He's part of the cult. Probably out looking for Van Dyke's leg at the moment. 'Offended by everything, ashamed of nothing' LFC - the world's biggest collective nuthouse.

Tell me how

Howitzer the 5th wrote: »

What blinkers? He follows them. He's part of the cult. Probably out looking for Van Dyke's leg at the moment. 'Offended by everything, ashamed of nothing' LFC - the world's biggest collective nuthouse.

Every club's fans are the same.

Watching United fans on Twitter these last few weeks makes me think they have amnesia from the way they were posting just a few months ago calling for Solskjaer's head and been outright abusive about their own players.
Now they're laughing at Liverpool players and manager struggling.

And Arsenal fans bless them, they change from before a game where they are full of enthusiasm to after the game where everyone and their mother is to blame.

There isn't a club in existence that has an entirely objective fanbase.

Billy Ocean

Tell me how wrote: »

Every club's fans are the same.

Watching United fans on Twitter these last few weeks makes me think they have amnesia from the way they were posting just a few months ago calling for Solskjaer's head and been outright abusive about their own players.
Now they're laughing at Liverpool players and manager struggling.

And Arsenal fans bless them, they change from before a game where they are full of enthusiasm to after the game where everyone and their mother is to blame.

There isn't a club in existence that has an entirely objective fanbase.

that really annoys me about a certain cohort of soccer fans, their rivals failing seem to be important than they're on team succeeding, I'm a utd fan myself and remember in 2019 when City and Liverpool went neck and neck until the last day for premier league, I was hoping liverpool would win given the 29 year gap at the time but most of my friends that support utd seemed obsessed with liverpool not winning the title, I found it all pathetic.

Alot of supporting premier league teams to me seems to be based around getting 1 up on your mates, work colleagues etc. that support the rival, drives me mad.

applehunter

Billy Ocean wrote: »

that really annoys me about a certain cohort of soccer fans, their rivals failing seem to be important than they're on team succeeding, I'm a utd fan myself and remember in 2019 when City and Liverpool went neck and neck until the last day for premier league, I was hoping liverpool would win given the 29 year gap at the time but most of my friends that support utd seemed obsessed with liverpool not winning the title, I found it all pathetic.

Imagine going that bit further and imagining that you are a Man Utd. fan living in Ireland giving out about other Irish people supporting other British teams.

Billy Ocean

applehunter wrote: »

Imagine going that bit further and imagining that you are a Man Utd. fan living in Ireland giving out about other Irish people supporting other British teams.

????

Feenix

Billy Ocean wrote: »

that really annoys me about a certain cohort of soccer fans, their rivals failing seem to be important than they're on team succeeding, I'm a utd fan myself and remember in 2019 when City and Liverpool went neck and neck until the last day for premier league, I was hoping liverpool would win given the 29 year gap at the time but most of my friends that support utd seemed obsessed with liverpool not winning the title, I found it all pathetic.

Alot of supporting premier league teams to me seems to be based around getting 1 up on your mates, work colleagues etc. that support the rival, drives me mad.

I couldn't care less about either of them but one of the few things that still keeps me interested in modern football is the rivalries that still exist between clubs off the pitch.
Its hard to believe a Man United fan would want the Mickeys to win the league but if your point is in relation to a few thick Paddies down the pub bickering about two cities in England that they've probably never been to then I understand where you're coming from.

Billy Ocean

Feenix wrote: »

I couldn't care less about either of them but one of the few things that still keeps me interested in modern football is the rivalries that still exist between clubs off the pitch.
Its hard to believe a Man United fan would want the Mickeys to win the league but if your point is in relation to a few thick Paddies down the pub bickering about two cities in England that they've probably never been to then I understand where you're coming from.

my point is the final point you're making along with fans been more preoccupied with rival clubs going through a tough time rather than the form of their own team weather its good or bad.

If didn't careless about Liverpool why did you cal them those Mickeys?

Felexicon

Billy Ocean wrote: »

my point is the final point you're making along with fans been more preoccupied with rival clubs going through a tough time rather than the form of their own team weather its good or bad.

If didn't careless about Liverpool why did you cal them those Mickeys?

Pure guess but Mickey Mouse = Scouse?

Ol' Donie

I don't listen much at all any more, but I caught it a couple of times recently. What is the story with the looooong audiobeds?

Am I right in saying tonight's football show was Pat Nevin (who I like), OTB's own post match from yesterday's show, ads and a few mentions of other OTB stuff?

Cartman78

Did anyone catch the interview with Cathal Denehy from the other day about the recent success of Irish women in the indoor 800m??

From the opening intro it was obvious that Joe wasn't really interested in the individuals or their achievements and had a major horn to move on to the juicy topic of shoe technology (yawn).

This could easily have been covered in a separate interview and instead focus of the athletes. Molloy is infuriating to listen to most of the time....sounds like he's spending too much time in the canteen with Pat Kenny

Faugheen

I thought the Dennehy piece was fascinating. Yes I agree there could have been more focus on the performances but the shoe debate is the story really and Cathal was excellent. Would like to hear more of him on OTB.

Cartman78

Cartman78 wrote: »

Did anyone catch the interview with Cathal Denehy from the other day about the recent success of Irish women in the indoor 800m??

From the opening intro it was obvious that Joe wasn't really interested in the individuals or their achievements and had a major horn to move on to the juicy topic of shoe technology (yawn).

This could easily have been covered in a separate interview and instead focus of the athletes. Molloy is infuriating to listen to most of the time....sounds like he's spending too much time in the canteen with Pat Kenny

Thought it was a super piece. Shoe technology is the story in running for the last few years. Yes, Molloy was focused on it, but Cathal Dennehy, who really knows his stuff, pretty much confirmed all of his assumptions.

I think we all knew about the impact Vaporflys had on road running, but I bet loads out there had no idea about the impact that new technology in track shoes was having on times.

Great to have so many promising young athletes coming through - Síofra Cléirigh-Buttner has been the great white hope since she was destroying seniors at 15 years of age - but it also needs to be put into context.

Cartman78

I think it was Molloys sanctimonious tone that annoyed me tbh....he literally couldn't wait to get past the athletes and get to the shoe tech.

Not mentioned in the piece but I'm guessing a lot of the Irish women's opponents are wearing the new shoes as well (??).

And without wishing to drag the thread off topic, would Joe be happier if everyone ran in their bare feet? These spikes and the carbon plate road shoes have indeed raised the bar but that's what people have been doing for decades.... wearing the latest available 'tech' and taking every available option to them to improve.

Denehy was a very knowledgeable on athletics either way...haven't heard him before tbh

Cartman78

Cartman78 wrote: »

I think it was Molloys sanctimonious tone that annoyed me tbh....he literally couldn't wait to get past the athletes and get to the shoe tech.

Not mentioned in the piece but I'm guessing a lot of the Irish women's opponents are wearing the new shoes as well (??).

And without wishing to drag the thread off topic, would Joe be happier if everyone ran in their bare feet? These spikes and the carbon plate road shoes have indeed raised the bar but that's what people have been doing for decades.... wearing the latest available 'tech' and taking every available option to them to improve.

Denehy was a very knowledgeable on athletics either way...haven't heard him before tbh

They're all wearing them, but it's so early in the season and with Covid, the four in the top 20 in the world sounds nice but it doesn't mean a huge pile. We'd be lucky if two of them made it to a world or Olympic semi-final in reality.

Mostly, we are talking about times here rather than Irish athletes going out and destroying international fields. SCB was second in the race in which she took the national record.

I think the point is that all of a sudden, national records that have stood for years - Ciara Everard's 800 indoor record was there for eight years - have started falling left, right and centre. It's not a coincidence. While we have talent coming through, the biggest single factor in this is the new track shoe technology which has been developed very recently.

There is loads of data to show what the Vaporflys did for road running in 2017 and we are now seeing the same thing on the track now.

While shoe technology was always advancing in the years leading up to then, the Vaporfly and now the new track shoes have taken things to a whole new level, and as Dennehy alluded to, it renders comparisons between eras - and many would argue national records etc - fairly redundant.

For what it's worth, Dennehy is well worth following on social media and crops up regularly in alot of the major international athletics publications. Nice guy too.

RugbyLover123

Is Andy Dunne English? Really grinds me when people refer to the Lions as the ‘British Lions’ as opposed to the ‘British & Irish Lions’, and he said it numerous times last night.

Tell me how

The introduction of new technology does sometimes impact records in a particularly advantageous way for those who have access it. Which generally means most elite competitors at the very least.
I've been loosely paying attention to the shoe technology since Nike sponsored the sub 2 hour attempt which Kipchoge ultimately achieved.

Dr Ross Tucker a sports scientist and athletics aficionado who is currently science lead for World Rugby tweeted a lot about the science around them and concluded they 'broke running' because they change the linear relationship between effort input and the output from this.

Sometimes sporting bodies recognize when technology is prohibitive, the full bodysuit was banned from professional swimming competitions previously because of similar concerns but possibly because of Nike's power in athletics, or athletics ongoing marketing department demand for broken records, this technology is going to massively influence.

Felexicon

RugbyLover123 wrote: »

Is Andy Dunne English? Really grinds me when people refer to the Lions as the ‘British Lions’ as opposed to the ‘British & Irish Lions’, and he said it numerous times last night.

You should take a few deep breaths pal. It makes no difference what they're called.

Billy Ocean

https://twitter.com/Lawton_Times/status/1364252055683104775?s=19

Sure to be a topic in the coming days

monstermag

Twitter is a cruel world. Damien Dalaney is trending and getting absolutely slaughtered for his commentary skills. Who'd be a public figure these days?
Begs the question do tv studios pick up on that kind of negativity and act on it by changing and chopping personal? It's a theory I've been mulling over ever since rte sidelined Jim Beglin and Ray Houghton.They both got a fair bit of stick on twitter but nothing like what current pundit Stephen Kelly's gets now. They probably felt they had to get down with the cool kids on social media. I hope Virgin media don't fall into the same trap because they have a good team there in Delaney, kerr and Quinn.

Billy Ocean

monstermag wrote: »

Twitter is a cruel world. Damien Dalaney is trending and getting absolutely slaughtered for his commentary skills. Who'd be a public figure these days?
Begs the question do tv studios pick up on that kind of negativity and act on it by changing and chopping personal? It's a theory I've been mulling over ever since rte sidelined Jim Beglin and Ray Houghton.They both got a fair bit of stick on twitter but nothing like what current pundit Stephen Kelly's gets now. They probably felt they had to get down with the cool kids on social media. I hope Virgin media don't fall into the same trap because they have a good team there in Delaney, kerr and Quinn.

I enjoy Delaney as an analyst, a bit to harsh on utd but has good insights from his own playing days, only saw bits and pieces of the utd game tonight myself, maybe he just isn't suited as a co-comm, wouldn't heed to much on Twitter which has become a cest pool of negativity during the Covid era.

Murdoc90

Damien Delaney is an excellent pundit. No BS calls it as he sees it, which never goes down well with whatever supporters of the club he is talking about.

Murdoc90

Murdoc90 wrote: »

Damien Delaney is an excellent pundit. No BS calls it as he sees it, which never goes down well with whatever supporters of the club he is talking about.

He's very good. Always thoughtful, always considered and nearly always offers an opinion that is original without resorting to cliches. He is also a very fluent in his delivery. So many pundits just go through the motions and trot out meaningless nonsense.

RINO87

monstermag wrote: »

Twitter is a cruel world. Damien Dalaney is trending and getting absolutely slaughtered for his commentary skills. Who'd be a public figure these days?
Begs the question do tv studios pick up on that kind of negativity and act on it by changing and chopping personal? It's a theory I've been mulling over ever since rte sidelined Jim Beglin and Ray Houghton.They both got a fair bit of stick on twitter but nothing like what current pundit Stephen Kelly's gets now. They probably felt they had to get down with the cool kids on social media. I hope Virgin media don't fall into the same trap because they have a good team there in Delaney, kerr and Quinn.

RTE had better get Beglin, Houghton, Whelan and Hamilton back for Qatar next year, its not a world cup without them!

duffman13

Co commentary is always a posion chalice, very difficult to do well. I'm not a huge fan of him as a pundit but he does make calls against the norm. His shout even in the Utd game of Lindelof and Bailly being probably the best two defenders at United is not something you would ever see from most pundits even though there is a good portion of people who would agree.

As a co-commentator I found him a little awkward and clunky to be perfectly honest. Do like the VM set up generally but wouldn't like to see him permanently on commentary

monstermag

RINO87 wrote: »

RTE had better get Beglin, Houghton, Whelan and Hamilton back for Qatar next year, its not a world cup without them!

Ever since Johnny Giles was shown the door they've struggled to hit on the right formula so much so that l rarely tune in for the analysis anymore, whereas when the three amigos ruled the roost it was essential viewing imo.
I thought Stuey Byrne was quite good the other night on co-commentary with George Hamilton, l think that's probably the way to go, a blend of old and new.
Beglin, Houghton, Whelan and Hamilton are all good at what they do. No harm bringing in some new talent just don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. By the way does anyone know if Didi Hamann was axed?

Tell me how

monstermag wrote: »

Ever since Johnny Giles was shown the door they've struggled to hit on the right formula so much so that l rarely tune in for the analysis anymore, whereas when the three amigos ruled the roost it was essential viewing imo.
I thought Stuey Byrne was quite good the other night on co-commentary with George Hamilton, l think that's probably the way to go, a blend of old and new.
Beglin, Houghton, Whelan and Hamilton are all good at what they do. No harm bringing in some new talent just don't throw out the baby with the bathwater. By the way does anyone know if Didi Hamann was axed?

3 Amigos with Bill was a rare perfect mix. Calmness with John, surliness with Liam and drama and entertainment with Eamon. All conducted perfectly with Bill.
Analysis in the UK has moved more in to the entertainment focus than information focus over the last couple of years, at least from what I can see with comments online Micah Richards seems to have gained prominence largely for this reason.

Didi mostly did international cup competitions so maybe would have been there last summer if the Euros had gone ahead.

Billy Ocean

I presume Didi is living in England so can't travel over, same as Souness with VM.

If they listened to that stuff then Kerr would be long gone as I only ever seem to see him get completely slated. Thankfully they haven’t got rid. I really do like that crew as a whole on VM.

monstermag

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

If they listened to that stuff then Kerr would be long gone as I only ever seem to see him get completely slated. Thankfully they haven’t got rid. I really do like that crew as a whole on VM.

Ya VM is very good. Niall Quinn is another one who gets a terrible bollocking on twitter, l'm not sure why as l find him very good either in studio or on co-commentary and comes across as a real likable gent.
We're lucky we have such a good bunch of pundits and commentators in this country. Dave McIntyre is top notch as is Nathan Murphy. If rte got their act together we'd be spoiled for choice.

Billy Ocean

monstermag wrote: »

Ya VM is very good. Niall Quinn is another one who gets a terrible bollocking on twitter, l'm not sure why as l find him very good either in studio or on co-commentary and comes across as a real likable gent.
We're lucky we have such a good bunch of pundits and commentators in this country. Dave McIntyre is top notch as is Nathan Murphy. If rte got their act together we'd be spoiled for choice.

some people just love complaining and ridiculing unfortunately, wannabe Ewen McKenna's although anyone wanting to be that muppet needs their head examined.

rrs

I see Des McAleenan passed away yesterday. He was Colombian goal keeping coach. He done a good interview last year, discussed the high and lows he went through https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIzOiF21dGY

Brock Turnpike

monstermag wrote: »

.
We're lucky we have such a good bunch of pundits and commentators in this country. Dave McIntyre is top notch as is Nathan Murphy. If rte got their act together we'd be spoiled for choice.

To each their own but I don't rate either. Shouting as loud as possible is not my idea of a good commentator.

Piehead

Poor Ger will be crying into his cornflakes now Wales won the Triple Crown