Free State with Dion Fanning and Joe Brolly

Hyperbollix

Had a look at the blurb for the latest episode, basically an investigation into how sport has lost its soul and become a commodity. Right up my alley I thought.....

Lasted about 10 minutes before Brolly was just going off on one about Mickey Harte and raging about how footballers traded in clichés after matches. I skipped thru it at 3 minute intervals and it was just Brolly, Brolly Brolly wanging on about GAA, only tentatively related to the podcast title.

This is a sick joke of a show at this stage. Dion Fabnning must be a sadomaschist who gets off on listening to this dose arguing with himself every week. The money would want to be fantastic to put up with this.

Ps, I thought the sudden jarring transition into an ad for shaving foam or razor blades called "Smooth Sack Summer" was fitting. This pod is a kick in the nuts to the listener.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340175#Comment_122340175

I'm not a huge Harte fan but Brolly recently calling him a c**t was completely unacceptable in my opinion. Fanning must be contracted to a certain amount of episodes. Otherwise it seems inexplicable that he would persist, considering the toxic direction the pod has taken.

It almost feels at this stage that Brolly is engaging in some sort of self-loathing, self-sabotaging process to sink the pod. They must be losing large amounts of listeners if the sentiment on this thread is anything to go by.

Regarding the 'smooth sack' adverts maybe I'm a prude but I find them a bit tasteless. The Second captains lads are it as well. Everytime I hear the adverts I cringe.

NIMAN

He does seem to have a real hatred for Harte. Not sure why.

Shank Williams

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340355#Comment_122340355

I’ve never heard an ad on second captains?

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340380#Comment_122340380

I've heard it a few times recently. Eoin and Murph acting it out. I'm guessing Ken wants no part of it.

Hyperbollix

Editorially it makes no sense. Surely to God, they would be better off covering domestic and international politics regularly, different sports, different sportsmen and women. There is more than enough going on in the world that they don't need to devote multiple hours to club GAA in Derry and ranting about Mickey Harte.

For a high profile barrister and obviously well travelled man, Brolly is as parochial as they come. I get the feeling that Dion is an outward looking man and would like to front a wide ranging podcast but he is being held back by Brolly who "just wants to go on about himself and settle old scores in public" 😂

Westernview

Dion seems much more sophisticated alright. Brolly's childhood experiences in the north seem to be behind his persona. There's an obvious massive chip on his shoulder there.

The way Brolly sneers at soccer whenever Fanning mentions it is another example of his clingy devotion to GAA. It's quite insulting to the many volunteers involved in the FAI underage system.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340408#Comment_122340408

the fuq? That sounds implausible but unless you’re having very vivid strange fever dreams I guess it’s true.

you are not a subber I assume? You are Monday only?

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340538#Comment_122340538

Yes Monday only so those subbing may not hear it. Definitely not a fever dream 🤣

Just checked again - 12mins 45 secs on Episode 2981 free pod on spotify you'll hear it.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340602#Comment_122340602

cheers, I may have to listen to that

Higgins5473

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340378#Comment_122340378

Fanning called him out on it a few episodes ago asking why, he didn’t get any rationale explanation, he just called Harte a “cųnt” and then just went on some rant. It’s fairly bizarre, honestly at this stage I can only deduce from Brollys deep hatred for the man that something quite personal took place, still though it is totally excessive. The only thing it really confirms is in spite of brollys lefty liberal free love and peace for all facade of kindness and amiability, underneath this veneer lies a deeply disturbed, twisted individual consumed by vile hatred and malice. He’s full of shıt.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340602#Comment_122340602

nothing there but gaa chat

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340990#Comment_122340990

Strange. I can hear it on spotify every time. Not sure if anyone else can hear it.

Shank Williams

Harte gone now so he will have to move on- I’m sure he’ll squeeze at least 1 more pod out gloating about it

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355318#Comment_122355318

I'm sure he will. I certainly won't be listening if that's the case.

No doubt Joe will apply himself for the position and get to enjoy the easy job of dealing with player egos, backroom staff, county boards, demanding supporters and acerbic newspaper columnists sniping from the sidelines and devoting entire podcasts to undermining him.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340355#Comment_122340355

I don’t think the sentiment on here is anything to go by. I like the podcast in general although his dislike of Mickey Harte is odd. He’s not the first non Derry man to manage Derry. He might be old and past his best as a manager and it was a strange appointment by the Derry board but he didn’t appoint himself to the job and he must have pissed on Joe’s cornflakes.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355453#Comment_122355453

I enjoyed the podcast until recently myself but the excessive targeting of Harte has put me off big time. If he got it off his chest in 1 podcast fair enough but I can't imagine listeners are enjoying listening to such sustained negativity.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355417#Comment_122355417

I have wondered about that. He’s such a know it all about Gaelic Football why doesn’t he have a go at managing the senior team himself?

He is right about the proposed new rules in Gaelic football. They’re not going near far enough to change the horrible negativity in the game.

Derry v Kerry reminded me of why I stopped watching Gaelic football. I turned it on the day after Galway put Dublin out thinking that it may have inspired the other teams. It was garbage and it’s been like that for years. Why they’re doing nothing about it all these years is unfathomable. Joe should spend more time ranting about that than Mickey Harte.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355534#Comment_122355534

The problem with gaelic football is that it's a flawed game that's difficult to referee no matter how you change it. One of the biggest issues is the tackle. Although it is defined in the rule book it's a grey area for referees. Only one man is allowed to tackle another player at the one time but how often do we see a number of players surrounding an attacking player and a free out given for overcarrying. Very difficult to assess when one player has finished tackling and another starting to tackle a second later. I don't think the new proposals are dealing with that at all.

TheCitizen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122355573#Comment_122355573

That and going sideways and backwards. It’s a game that has been completely ruined and the GAA are so slow about doing anything. They don’t get the same crowds that they used to at football or hurling either and again very little said about it.

These proposals talk about 2 points for a point outside a certain yardage or more points for goals. That’s fine but will do nothing about a team that’s ahead that can just keep the ball between themselves and run the clock down. In rugby there’s ways of getting a ball back with a choke tackle. They need to bring that in, if you can wrap a player up it should be a turnover of possession. They seem to unofficially give that at times and penalise a player for over carrying. They should define it but if it’s too much like rugby’s choke tackle the mandarins in the GAA will resist it.

Hyperbollix

Today's pod - "The fall of the House of Paisley (and Harte)"

Haven't listened yet but my guess is it will be another exercise in mis-selling. 10 minutes on Paisley, 30 minutes of Joe whinging about GAA probably!

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358429#Comment_122358429

Who will replace Harte in the bitter rants I wonder.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358522#Comment_122358522

has he been holding his fire on Jarlath Burns? Kieran Mcgeeney will likely get it if Armagh don’t beat Kerry. Has he already been getting it?

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122358600#Comment_122358600

Possibly one of those. Or maybe NI politics will take over his attention again.

dog_pig

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122340380#Comment_122340380

They've promoted hotels, airlines, beer among other things.

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122360007#Comment_122360007

Just a nodding dog it seems. Any time he offers even the mildest resistance Brollly turns into an indignant adolescent retorting with insults.

Hyperbollix

Latest episode another long, rambling meander for Brolly on the notion of Orangeism. Again, some interesting points made, such as the shared values of the Orange Order and the regime in Israel, Joe surmising that the Orangemen are looking on with envy at the Israeli's as they carpet bomb the civilian "terrorist" population into oblivion.

This show continues to suffer because it's always one long, 40 minute stream of consciousness with rare interruptions from Fanning, which are often loudly talked over. That man should be canonized such is his level of patience.

Higgins5473

listening to brolly now losing his shıt over Doug Beattie and the Armagh police car flag non-issue. Unionism in the north is on life support, leave em at it until it dies out which will be sooner rather than later. But anyway not getting into that, it’s the hypocrisy that gets me, Brolly, who often paints himself as an advocate for love and peace, hypocritically embodies a tempest of rage and bitterness. His long winded tirades, always uninterrupted by that wetwipe Fanning btw, the raised voice and barely contained fury, often dissolve into a spectacle of spitting and spluttering down the microphone, again with Fanning like his lapdog just letting him at it. Brolly more often than not shows a deep-seated anger that undermines his professed ideals. This obvious contrast between his self-proclaimed persona and his actual demeanour shows a glaring contradiction, especially with the sincerity of his love and peace for all waffle. I don’t know if it’s some kind of unresolved trauma or something but listening to him with all the rage, hate and anger, he could do with some serious professional help.

Westernview

He seems to be carrying a lot of repressed anger alright.

I agree - best to let the DUP & TUV dig their own holes. The pettiness they are showing on stuff like the homecoming will only turn off moderate voters. Another chance for them to show goodwill towards a positive event spurned.

Hyperbollix

Still dipping in here when a podcast title looks of interest!

They covered the Oasis ticketing fiasco and it began with Dion ribbing Joe about queuing for hours online to get them. Straight away Brolly goes for the shoulder barge into the brothers Gallagher. Real nasty stuff. He wouldn't be caught dead going to see them. Awful plodding music. Empty, vacuous lyrics devoid of any meaning. Strange wee chaps that had lots of plastic surgery etc etc!

I thought, even for Brolly this was a bit excessive. Then it all became clear. He had been on the Late Late Show at some point and, from the description of "a tiny wee doll like man" I can only assume he meant Noel Gallagher was on with him. A woman Joe knows had asked him to get Noel's autograph and Joe dutifully asked for it in the green room or the corridor before they went onto the studio. Apparently, Gallagher didn't even recognise Brolly had spoken to him and immediately his security and army of assistants swept him away, telling Joe that all autograph requests must be made officially to the office! What did Joe do? He's a senior barrister and piller of the community remember! Well he proceeded to shout abuse at Gallagher and questioned his Irishness telling him he better "run away" LMAO!

Is it any wonder he was black listed off RTE and Tubridy would have nothing to do with him. The man just has no off switch.

AdrianG08

Brolly brought up some pretty disturbing memories from his past during the podcast last week, spoke of his seeing a shrink for a couple of years to deal with it. Obviously didn't go into the details of it

Hyperbollix

Listened to that episode. Kind of fascinating in that he admits he was an awful príck to be around for most of his adult life. Driven, opinionated, combative in every situation. Every day was a war he had to win, kind of thing. Then he says in so many words that therapy…..and maturity, have allowed him to realize all this and now he is a delicate flower who is much more caring and considerate of others!

There's something odd about the way he plays the kidney donation card at every opportunity too. Yes, it was a very good deed that many others would never even contemplate doing. But he does admit in that episode that the foremost thought he had going into it was the kudos and performance aspect of this great deed. And it seems the ability to whip it out whenever anyone questions his motives.

RE his marriage chat and his new wife, I'm reminded of my dearly departed father's oft used expression. There really is a seat for every arse!

Westernview

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122683123#Comment_122683123

He really does need to take down that photo on his twitter profile of the lad he gave the kidney to. It's very unfair to him. Almost like he wants continuous, never-ending praise for donating it. Kind of takes the good out of it.

Hyperbollix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122684531#Comment_122684531

Incredible. On a previous pod he was putting the boot into Roy Keane, I forget why, but I can only assume it was for another perceived slight to His Eminence.

It got me thinking, they have much in common. Both treated their sport like war. Both massively competitive. Both with large chips on the shoulder and a certain amount of grievance and grudges they carry around with them. But whereas Keane is worshipped by his fans and mainly liked and respected by everyone else, Brolly is detested by a great many and receives de facto bans from organizations like RTE (and many others by all accounts)

Who is the shrewder operator? The guy from Cork who hated school and admits he would have struggled in life had it not been for football or the big shot barrister who deigns to the tell the little people of Ireland how they should feel about everything from the economy to the migrant situation. And who believes he should be president, probably.

Christ, he's a top tier ballbag in fairness.