Farewell George - When will we see your like again?

LorMal · 22-03-2015 1:23pm

mfceiling wrote: »

As opposed to a 73 year old man with ugly ties and talks about players and games that took place in the 50's...a real turn on:rolleyes:

What has his age got to do with anything? Completely ageist statement. And vey few on here condemning it.
Ageism is as nasty and corrosive as sexism, racism, or gay bashing.

The Dark Knight · 22-03-2015 1:28pm

Wang King wrote: »

Personally I will be judging tv3 on their absolutely rubbish picture quality.
Its about on par with reception in an Alabama trailer park using a dead racoon with a banjo up its arse as an aeriel

They're suppose to have their HD channel up and running for the WC coverage...... If they do, I may watch it.
All depends on their lead commentator. Reckon it will be Mark Robson or Conor McNamara, who both have done a job for TV3 in the past. (just have to negotiate release from sky and bbc respectively).

ITV studio coverages is never the best, but on a positive note, they'll probably borrow either the Sky or BT Sport commentary team as they've done on last couple of occasions.

Dempsey · 22-03-2015 1:47pm

Billy86 wrote: »

So what you're basically saying is, George Hook is the rugby equivalent of Eamon Dunphy?

Talked to him before, nice guy to be fair, but his time like his football counterpart(s) has certainly passed.

Dunphy just talks ****e with his ManU/EPL is great goggles on.

Hook is playing devils advocate to the happy clappy views held by the other 2 panelists. Nothing wrong with that. Brent Pope is the weakest link in terms of analysis.

Billy86 wrote: »

And when that happens, you can be sure it is more often than not manufactured. That's why I don't like about it, as opposed to when you have genuine differences of opinion and disagreements on panels.

All analysis is manufactured, these guys all talk off air, they all know what they are going to say before they say it on camera

Billy86 · 22-03-2015 4:03pm

The Dark Knight wrote: »

You've hit the nail on the head.
RTE have got caught up in controversy for the sake of it. Fuelled by the likes of Graham Souness saying he was amazed by the way RTE covered soccer. Would take RTE ahead of ITV, but that's not a high bar. They are light years off Sky and BT.
We need balanced, insightful and knowledgeable coverage. Dronefest must end!!
Although I was never the greatest fan of Neville as a player, I absolutely love him as a pundit.

Going off on a bit of a tangent here, but Richie Sadlier was a fantastic pundit during the world cup. So it goes without saying they put him in 'reserve' for matches some of the old dinosaurs are not bothered with.

Swiwi. · 22-03-2015 4:16pm

From an outsider looking in, Hook was awful. Not only negative, but often plain wrong. Add in McGurk and his constant interruptions, and I virtually never watch RTE for rugby. It was BBC or France 2 for the 6N for me. Can't stand the Welsh pundits on the BBC though, Jonathan Davies has the sort of voice which could be piped continuously into a torture cell, it's that sort of grating, and yer man yesterday during the Italy Welsh game was practically creaming himself over the Welsh side.

I think the main guy should be fairly bland but know how to ask the right sort of questions, or at least get the pundits talking. I want the analysis to be aimed at the highest and not the lowest common denominator, if it's too technical for the casual fan - watch more rugby. I also reckon for each match they should invite someone from the opposition.

Luckily for the RWC there will be multiple viewing options, so finding something that suits shouldn't be too hard.

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 7:18pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Why on earth would Conor O'Shea be an IRFU drone, they never employed him in his life?

He's keeping his nose clean for future prospects.

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 7:19pm

MJohnston wrote: »

Nonsense imo, RoG and O'Shea are fantastic pundits, and when they're controversial they can actually back it up with substance unlike Hook.

can you remember when either made a controversial comment in their punditry in the last 12 months?

desertcircus · 22-03-2015 7:20pm

DeadHand wrote: »

If the females in question have forged playing and/or coaching careers at the highest levels of the men's professional game (you know, the thing they would be there to comment expertly on) then I'd agree completely. Until then it's just tokenism.

If female panels are your thing, I'd recommend Loose Women.

In other words, you think it's literally impossible for a woman to be on the RTE panel and deserve it. The RTE panel. And you declared this on a thread about George Hook, of all people.

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 7:21pm

walshb wrote: »

And Hook isn't close to the opposite of that. He's plain anti Irish rugby. That is it. He offers no insight whatsoever. No matter how we play he cannot stomach us doing well.

He is a contrarian. We need more of his typre on out TV's, not less.

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 7:25pm

TheCitizen wrote: »

Not a huge fan of George Hook on his radio shows, but he always spoke his mind on the rugby analysis on RTE. Maybe he wasn't always right, but he gave his own views.

A lot of the more recent recruits on RTE - O'Shea, Shane Horgan and others - sound like insiders looking for IRFU jobs or ERFU jobs.

Spot on.

All Shaggy was short of doing was enthusing over Jamie's quiff.

Absolute drivel.

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 7:25pm

Dempsey wrote: »

The panel will be more sterile in future.

Without a doubt.

Neil3030 · 22-03-2015 7:50pm

I think far too much assumption is being made about Hook's autonomy here. If the RTE producers decide that they want a contrarian on the panel, they'll get one. I have it on fairly good authority from people that have met Hook, that he was playing a part and didn't believe much of what he actually said.

CatFromHue · 22-03-2015 7:55pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

I think far too much assumption is being made about Hook's autonomy here. If the RTE producers decide that they want a contrarian on the panel, they'll get one. I have it on fairly good authority from people that have met Hook, that he was playing a part and didn't believe much of what he actually said.

So you're saying Franno to replace Hook?

Swiwi. · 22-03-2015 7:56pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

I think far too much assumption is being made about Hook's autonomy here. If the RTE producers decide that they want a contrarian on the panel, they'll get one. I have it on fairly good authority from people that have met Hook, that he was playing a part and didn't believe much of what he actually said.

So he lacks Integrity then?

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 8:24pm

At least Franno would give honest criticism when required.

CatFromHue · 22-03-2015 8:27pm

Black Menorca wrote: »

can you remember when either made a controversial comment in their punditry in the last 12 months?

Maybe RTE should hire Roy "Chubby" Brown to replace him so?

Buer · 22-03-2015 8:32pm

Swiwi. wrote: »

From an outsider looking in, Hook was awful. Not only negative, but often plain wrong. Add in McGurk and his constant interruptions, and I virtually never watch RTE for rugby. It was BBC or France 2 for the 6N for me. Can't stand the Welsh pundits on the BBC though, Jonathan Davies has the sort of voice which could be piped continuously into a torture cell, it's that sort of grating, and yer man yesterday during the Italy Welsh game was practically creaming himself over the Welsh side.

It was Martyn Williams, I think. I really liked him as a player and he always came across very well in interviews but he was grating in the commentary box. Every opportunity to speak was gushing praise for Wales. I think he called it the most amazing 40 minutes of rugby he had ever seen.

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 8:36pm

CatFromHue wrote: »

Maybe RTE should hire Roy "Chubby" Brown to replace him so?

I'll take that as a no then.

total former · 22-03-2015 8:36pm

If Hook had any actual underlying insight to his guff and bluster, I'd be sorry to see him go, but he really is very poorly informed and doesn't seem to have any feel for the modern game.

Black Menorca · 22-03-2015 8:37pm

Buer wrote: »

It was Martyn Williams, I think. I really liked him as a player and he always came across very well in interviews but he was grating in the commentary box. Every opportunity to speak was gushing praise for Wales. I think he called it the most amazing 40 minutes of rugby he had ever seen.

Very annoying indeed.

Neil3030 · 22-03-2015 8:57pm

Not even sure they'll use Franno tbh. The model RTE seem to go for is a career troll. Spillane, Dunphy and Hook are the big three. All started playing the troll almost immediately into their media careers before anyone saw another side to them. Franno may see himself as having too much integrity and reputation as a journalist to play such a specific role (whether you agree with that or not is another matter).

If history repeats, the candidates will be the likes of Quinlan and Horgan (though again, their personalities are probably already too established in the media), ROG (coaching career may get in the way of him speaking nonsense though - a job hazard of the professional troll), maybe Jennings? Sheehan?

total former · 22-03-2015 9:16pm

RTE wouldn't touch Franno. He is awful on radio and worse on TV. The slouch, the monotone, the bored intake of breath before every sentence....

Wang King · 22-03-2015 9:22pm

total former wrote: »

RTE wouldn't touch Franno. He is awful on radio and worse on TV. The slouch, the monotone, the bored intake of breath before every sentence....

He'd make a great rugby forum mod though

mfceiling · 22-03-2015 9:24pm

Snickers Man wrote: »

Yes. Your point being?

Well if you'd bothered to read the post, I prefer someone who has a clue about the modern game and doesn't throw out useless sound bites or stupid references to past wars while trying to describe rugby in 2015.

LorMal wrote: »

What has his age got to do with anything? Completely ageist statement. And vey few on here condemning it.
Ageism is as nasty and corrosive as sexism, racism, or gay bashing.

Oh no, somebody call the internet police. He's a 73 year old man who is about 35 years away from what is happening today in rugby. I've no problem with older presenters if they actually understand the game and know what it is going on.

I'll give you all a quick one to suck on. Before the November international against SA, Hook claimed that JS was sending out a team for damage limitation and not to win. O'Shea and Pope pulled him up fairly lively but Hook was adamant that Ireland were going out with no intention of winning. No amount of arguing (yeah O'Shea does give a differing opinion - hope he's still not after that "plum" IRFU post) would convince Hook that he was way, way off and that Ireland would never take to the field with the mindset to lose...

Ireland 29

South Africa 15

http://www.the42.ie/george-hook-i-got-it-wrong-1770296-Nov2014/

Sensationalist bullshít just for the sake of it...

rrpc · 22-03-2015 9:27pm

total former wrote: »

If Hook had any actual underlying insight to his guff and bluster, I'd be sorry to see him go, but he really is very poorly informed and doesn't seem to have any feel for the modern game.

I'd be inclined to join the 'it's what RTE want' caucus. I've heard Hook talking about rugby on his radio show and he's a lot more measured and thoughtful there.

irishbucsfan · 22-03-2015 9:31pm

rrpc wrote: »

I'd be inclined to join the 'it's what RTE want' caucus. I've heard Hook talking about rugby on his radio show and he's a lot more measured and thoughtful there.

I've heard him talking about rugby in person a number of times and he is far less controversial, and he's very witty, however I think there's also a fairly large element of him playing to the cameras on national television there, and RTE are happy to accommodate it, as a mutually beneficial relationship.

vkid · 22-03-2015 9:37pm

Black Menorca wrote: »

Spot on.

All Shaggy was short of doing was enthusing over Jamie's quiff.

Absolute drivel.

He is terrible to be fair. But none of the recently retired players are much good and are still too close to the current players to be really subjective. BOD is poor as well. He is so boring to listen to, and when he gets technical, it makes it worse imo.

rrpc · 22-03-2015 9:41pm

mfceiling wrote: »

I'll give you all a quick one to suck on. Before the November international against SA, Hook claimed that JS was sending out a team for damage limitation and not to win. O'Shea and Pope pulled him up fairly lively but Hook was adamant that Ireland were going out with no intention of winning. No amount of arguing (yeah O'Shea does give a differing opinion - hope he's still not after that "plum" IRFU post) would convince Hook that he was way, way off and that Ireland would never take to the field with the mindset to lose...

To be fair to the man he ate every mouthful of his humble pie and relished it. He made an (incorrect) judgement on a basis that he felt was true and was wrong and admitted it. How bad?

kidneyfan · 22-03-2015 9:53pm

vkid wrote: »

He is terrible to be fair. But none of the recently retired players are much good and are still too close to the current players to be really subjective. BOD is poor as well. He is so boring to listen to, and when he gets technical, it makes it worse imo.

Horgan is an excellent pundit. He knows his stuff. He is very objective.

total former wrote: »

RTE wouldn't touch Franno. He is awful on radio and worse on TV. The slouch, the monotone, the bored intake of breath before every sentence....

That generation of Irish Rugby players infuriate me. Imagine being good enough to play for Ireland and not bothering your hole to be fit enough to play for 80 minutes.

walshb · 22-03-2015 10:09pm

rrpc wrote: »

To be fair to the man he ate every mouthful of his humble pie and relished it. He made an (incorrect) judgement on a basis that he felt was true and was wrong and admitted it. How bad?

Of course he had to admit it. He was so wrong. He was left no option but to admit it. Do you think he was happy to eat humble pie? Why is he getting credit for being anti Irish rugby because he admits he got the call wrong?

rrpc · 22-03-2015 10:12pm

walshb wrote: »

Of course he had to admit it. He was so wrong. He was left no option but to admit it. Do you think he was happy to eat humble pie? Why is he getting credit for being anti Irish rugby because he admits he got the call wrong?

I said that where?

walshb · 22-03-2015 10:18pm

rrpc wrote: »

I said that where?

Well, reading your post you're almost making out that he should somehow be applauded/congratulated for admitting he got it wrong. That's how it reads to me. He had no option but to admit it. So, using words like "to be fair" mean F all. Nothing fair at all about it.

BTW, you honestly believe he relished eating humble pie? How? The guy can't stand us winning.....

mfceiling · 22-03-2015 10:23pm

rrpc wrote: »

To be fair to the man he ate every mouthful of his humble pie and relished it. He made an (incorrect) judgement on a basis that he felt was true and was wrong and admitted it. How bad?

But that's the problem right there. No team ever goes out to lose but Hook claimed that Ireland had that mindset - pure dung.

He always threw out nonsense like that and wasn't pulled up half enough on it. Half the time he barely knew what was going on down on the pitch, so he just fired out whatever nonsense he could muster.

shootermacg · 22-03-2015 10:25pm

total former wrote: »

RTE wouldn't touch Franno. He is awful on radio and worse on TV. The slouch, the monotone, the bored intake of breath before every sentence....

I actually think he's one of the biggest dopes I've ever had the misfortune to put up with, what an utter gob****e!

vkid · 22-03-2015 10:26pm

kidneyfan wrote: »

Horgan is an excellent pundit. He knows his stuff. He is very objective.

Not all about knowing yer stuff. Not a fan personally.

rrpc · 22-03-2015 10:46pm

walshb wrote: »

Well, reading your post you're almost making out that he should somehow be applauded/congratulated for admitting he got it wrong. That's how it reads to me. He had no option but to admit it. So, using words like "to be fair" mean F all. Nothing fair at all about it.

BTW, you honestly believe he relished eating humble pie? How? The guy can't stand us winning.....

No, I'm saying he could have blustered and huffed and tried to justify himself but he did none of that and was happy to put his hands up and admit his mistake. He was happy we won, deliriously so, which puts your contention above in question.

martybike · 22-03-2015 10:48pm

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

It seemed like it by the montage they had at the end alright. A touching one it has to be said regardless of your opinions of George... Rte always do a great montage when it comes to rugby. Anyone know what was the song playing over it?

I was still in a state of delirium after 6 or 7 hours of the most amazing Rugby, but I think it might have been Girls by the 1975

rrpc · 22-03-2015 10:50pm

mfceiling wrote: »

But that's the problem right there. No team ever goes out to lose but Hook claimed that Ireland had that mindset - pure dung.

He didn't say we were going out to lose, he said he thought we expected to lose and Joe was attempting damage limitation in view of the next matches in the series.

Totally wrong of course but he hadn't been drinking the Kool-Aid back then.

Digifriendly · 22-03-2015 11:16pm

exgp wrote: »

He is an absolute genius; why do you think RTE have a higher viewership than BBC in the North for matches. He is controversial and there is nothing wrong with that. He will be sorely missed.

Where do you get the evidence for this?

liam7831 · 22-03-2015 11:17pm

kidneyfan wrote: »

Horgan is an excellent pundit. He knows his stuff. He is very objective.

He is boring as hell, never says anything that would upset his mates on the team

mfceiling · 22-03-2015 11:29pm

rrpc wrote: »

He didn't say we were going out to lose, he said he thought we expected to lose and Joe was attempting damage limitation in view of the next matches in the series.

Totally wrong of course but he hadn't been drinking the Kool-Aid back then.

Joe Schmidt has set this team up to lose, focusing instead on Georgia and Australia so they can go into the 6 nations on a high...

TheGoldenAges · 22-03-2015 11:33pm

Before the new panel we'll have TV3 to complain about during the World Cup

kippy · 22-03-2015 11:40pm

StewartGriffin wrote: »

The great thing about George Hook is, if he read this thread this evening, he wouldn't give a flying f**k about what anyone says about him.

That's a VERY rare quality. Especially in this age of image and online persona.

Very few have that ability.

If ant of us had had as much of a handy number as Hook on TV and radio over the past few decades, with very little life experience or qualifications to back it up, I'd not give a flying fcuk either tbh.

Cant stand the guy, he's the Dunphy of Rugby, but at least Dunphy is entertaining.

22-03-2015 11:46pm

TheGoldenAges wrote: »

Before the new panel we'll have TV3 to complain about during the World Cup

No we wont, because nobody will be watching it :P

LorMal · 23-03-2015 12:18am

mfceiling wrote: »

Well if you'd bothered to read the post, I prefer someone who has a clue about the modern game and doesn't throw out useless sound bites or stupid references to past wars while trying to describe rugby in 2015.

Oh no, somebody call the internet police. He's a 73 year old man who is about 35 years away from what is happening today in rugby. I've no problem with older presenters if they actually understand the game and know what it is going on.

I'll give you all a quick one to suck on. Before the November international against SA, Hook claimed that JS was sending out a team for damage limitation and not to win. O'Shea and Pope pulled him up fairly lively but Hook was adamant that Ireland were going out with no intention of winning. No amount of arguing (yeah O'Shea does give a differing opinion - hope he's still not after that "plum" IRFU post) would convince Hook that he was way, way off and that Ireland would never take to the field with the mindset to lose...

Ireland 29

South Africa 15

http://www.the42.ie/george-hook-i-got-it-wrong-1770296-Nov2014/

Sensationalist bullshít just for the sake of it...

My point is that you are free to dislike George Hook or to disagree with his opinions all you like (I think he is play acting myself) but I object to your inference that he is out of touch because of his age.
We are a very ageist society - it's nasty and mean spirited. Maybe older people have the wisdom of experience to offer?
Your ' Internet police' jibe tells me you lack maturity.

walshb · 23-03-2015 9:54am

rrpc wrote: »

He was happy we won, deliriously so, which puts your contention above in question.

The same way he was so happy that we retained the 6N that he couldn't muster up any actual credit to the team? The same way that when we win he wants to pi%$ on it by demeaning the opposition or making out that we were lucky etc?

You believing he was deliriously happy that we beat SA is bonkers.

walshb · 23-03-2015 9:58am

Black Menorca wrote: »

Clean shaven, image obsessed, not wanting to rock the IRFU boat yes men is the biggest turn off of all.

You make out that being articulate and presentable is something to be scoffed at? Ridiculous. What would you rather, a scruffy hobo (Hook is not scruffy) who is anti the team with next to no actual analysis who juts spouts out contrived and forced nonsense, just so you can say they are anti establishment?

It seems like you are searching for something that lacks style and decorum and class.

total former · 23-03-2015 10:00am

LorMal wrote: »

We are a very ageist society - it's nasty and mean spirited. Maybe older people have the wisdom of experience to offer?

Ah would you stop.

John Giles is older than Hook and he's managed to keep himself up to date with the current state of the game. Dunphy is only a couple of years younger, has the whole pantomime villain act going on but underneath it there is a serious understanding of the game.

Hook's problem is that he just doesn't understand the modern game, or maybe he doesn't care about it, either way, he's not equipped to do any serious analysis. However bad he is for the internationals, his punditry during RTE's coverage of the Pro12 was downright embarassing, he literally hadn't a clue what was going on.

Nothing to do with his age, everything to do with his ability. George's "wisdom of experience" comes from coaching lower-level rugby 20 years ago.

23-03-2015 10:47am

I'll miss George.

I think over the last two years he has been playing the cranky devils advocate card a little too much but all the same he is somewhat unique and gives an alternative dynamic to the panel.

It creates contention when George says something cantankerous only to have the other panellists shoot him down. The cranky older audience get to hear what they like, and the more generalist population gets to hear those arguments pulled apart a little bit.

I don't think there is anyone like George available to fill that role sadly. Maybe Neil Francis...!!!

Larbre34 · 23-03-2015 11:11am

Hook was interviewed by Brendan O'Connor on radio in the last hour and it was the usual Corkonian appreciation society stuff. However, he did say one thing I agree with and the reason I will miss him at times.

He said "our competitors all go to the same barber", and he's right, I do hope whatever RTE do, and TV3 for the World Cup for that matter, that the panels don't become homogeneous, barely warmed down professional players.

Farewell George - When will we see your like again?

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