Newstalk: Off The Ball

Barry_Soweto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123327918#Comment_123327918

Not downplaying it for any narrative.

Not sure how interested anyone is in a 'global star' from 30 years ago and their political views. Not sure there's any real interest in that by sports show listeners.

I doubt you would hear anything about Paul Gasgoines political views on Canadian radio if he supported Brexit or whatever.

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123327986#Comment_123327986

It might not be for everyone, but what is the harm in using one slot out of the many they have in any given year to have a discussion about it?

Sport is overtly political, no matter how many times people try to say 'stick to sport'.

A lot of political and social issues are linked to sport, whether people like it or not. I don't listen to OTB for them to read the scores and just talk about the match at the weekend.

Barry_Soweto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123328068#Comment_123328068

No harm, they can broadcast what they like. I'm just giving my opinion on it when it was mentioned here. Certainly wouldn't have me running to switch on OTB. Have cut way back on how much I listen since Joe left.

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123327986#Comment_123327986

What about sportsman Conor McGregor in the most powerful political office on the planet on St. Patrick's Day offering his opinion on immigration and whatever other crap he was spouting on about.

I bet that was fine?

Jack Daw

Have they had any coverage of Alexander Ovechkin chasing and last night catching Gretzky's goalscoring record?

That would be a genuinely great sports story to cover considering it was considered a virtually unbeatable record and Ovechkin has now done it.

If they want to cover issues linked to Trump through sport fair enough but maybe it's just me but I've had enough of hearing about Trump and I imagine people would like a break from anything to do with him during the sports news and so you can understand why it might turn some people off.

I haven't logged onto ESPN's main page since 2017/18 as I got fed up of the constant stories about Trump appearing on it, I stopped watching Around the Horn as they again keep on continually talking politics during the show.

if they want to talk about issues relating to Trump fair enough but they should also realise that these stories are a major turn off for a lot of people who watch sports to escape the drudgery of everyday life not be reminded of it again. and I say this as someone who thinks Trump is scum, I just don't need t hear it repeated ad nauseum. For some people Trump seems to be their main hobby in life, you'd wonder what they did with their time before h became a politician.

For Petes Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123328386#Comment_123328386

"I've had enough of hearing about Trump…"

Well get used to it, because he's going to spend the next four years making a reality TV programme through the Oval Office and every facet of life will be impacted.

Jack Daw

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123328428#Comment_123328428

That's fair enough, I'll just avoid all the programmes he'll be discussed endlessly on so if sports related programmes want to discuss him I'll just change the channel and find something else to do.It was great when I gave up watching all those American sports talk shows because of their obsession with dragging political issues into them all the time as I just meant I spent/spend more time reading instead.

Pauliedragon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123328439#Comment_123328439

I agree. Sports are a way to forget about the bullshit that's going on in the world. Imagine the Trump shitshow next year when the WC roles around tho. He'll make himself front and centre the whole tournament.

FazyLucker

It is impossible to split sport and politics and the world around us though. The fact is, many major sporting organisations are now controlled by the type of people who think beheading people for being gay is OK and that everybody needs to look the other way rather than challenging that narrative.

I get the logic that "I just want to watch the sport" but the fact is, they cannot simply be divided any more because these people are further increasing their power and their personal wealth through their involvement in these very sports.

All it takes for evil to prosper is for good people to do nothing and that is where some people want us to go to. I much prefer people in positions of fame who stick their heads above the parapet and speak for the common man and highlight these injustices because of who they are.

I'm by no means a social justice warrior or a lefty but you can't always just look the other way or engage in whataboutery.

(BTW - I can't name one other ice hockey player but I sure knew who Wayne Gretzky was…)

BPKS

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123327918#Comment_123327918

There's lots of betting companies associated with OTB that would gladly take that bet.

And when you lost your house, Ger might have you for an interview on the ills of gambling.

Barry_Soweto

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123328332#Comment_123328332

No I'd have no interest in OTB discussing Conor McGregors political opinions.

sub3wannabe

Credit where credits due, the Eoin Sheehan travelling journal thing is class.

The interview with one of the Uruguayan rugby players who survived the plane crash was fascinating.

KanyeSouthEast

find Eoin a very good anchor on the show to be honest. Credit where it’s due and I look forward to hearing these podcasts

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

Richie hogan on now discussing the Munster hurling championship, l like sport and talking about sport but some of these discussion s become tedious in the extreme.Way too deep, Richie Hogan is a hard listen..

cudsy1

Ironically I think hes the best hurling analyst I've ever heard on radio and podcast. Cyril probably just about beats him overall tho!

newhouse87

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123366730#Comment_123366730

Richie Seems to have chip on his shoulder. V moany chap always seems in bad form.

FazyLucker

I don't mind Richie Hogan to be fair, hurling is full of yes-men analysts unwilling to criticise anybody or anything. If you think it, as a pundit you are expected to be honest not just sit there blabbering out tired cliches.

The only other pundit willing to call anybody or anything out is Michael Duignan. Anthony Daly, Henry Shefflin, Liam Sheedy, etc are just toxic positivity unwilling to entertain even the tiniest criticism of the game or the structures.

KanyeSouthEast

Micheal Duignan is Kilkennys biggest fan! A total case of Stockholm Syndrome an absolute dose to listen to. Agree on the rest of them.

keeponhurling

Richie loves to put the boot in on Tipp 😝

He’s a bit different from other hurling analysts, I like him

cudsy1

He reminds of duffs short stints as rte tv soccer analyst. He actually thinks before he speaks. Extremely rare in the media I find.

sub3wannabe

Something odd going on with the Arsenal commentary.

Thought atmosphere sounded weird, just sort of static noise. Arsenal then scored and it didn't change at all.

They've gone back to studio now. I'm assuming this is being done off tube and the lads aren't there live. Bit of a shambles.

dulpit

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123374091#Comment_123374091

I think most of their commentary is done from Dublin now, isn't it?

sub3wannabe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123374190#Comment_123374190

Most of them I think yeah. They do attend in person for the odd big super sunday one.

FazyLucker

Why is it a shambles? Who cares where they commentate from?

If the feed went it is still more likely they were at the match than commentating from the studio, no?