George Hook

FixdePitchmark

"Brian O'Driscoll has gone one Six Nations too far".


Discuss.

Not a Rugby man , but never heard such an emabarrassing opener by Hook.

Shane732

Followed by: "The pass to Zebo is the best I've ever seen".

Max Power

He was wrong. What's there to discuss?

Lobby Con Shine

You're worse for repeating it.

The only way of getting rid of Hook is if the ratings/discussions disappear.

Ignore him.

dmc17

He was talking desperate ****e yesterday. I had to turn it off.

Swiwi

I'm not going to get into a whole debate, but George's modus operandi seems to be as negative as possible, almost as if he's paid to play that role. Would hate to have sit next to him on a long-haul flight to NZ. Probably would chose Conor O'Shea if I was forced to pick a companion. I imagine McGuirk snores, which is really tedious on those long journeys, especially if you've got a window seat, and can't easily escape.

FixdePitchmark

FionnMcCool87 wrote: »

He was wrong. What's there to discuss?

He should give an an apology after yesterday.

durkadurka

That's par for the course for him. Horgan is really beginning to show him up more and more though.

FixdePitchmark

durkadurka wrote: »

That's par for the course for him. Horgan is really beginning to show him up more and more though.

Could be hidden bad blood there - Horgan and O'Driscoll like brothers i'd say.

Maybe not even hidden

sydthebeat

durkadurka wrote: »

That's par for the course for him. Horgan is really beginning to show him up more and more though.

Its a typical 'argumentative' type panel which works good on TV. You have the Nice guy in popey, the analytical ex player, and the misery guts. Personally its entertaining to me. There's nothing as boring as old rugby heads agreeing with everything that's being said (Dewie Morris, Stuart Barnes anyone?)

danthefan

Pretty sure a few posters on here didn't want BOD starting either before the game. So what?

JustinDee

Its just attention-seeking pot-stirring. I tweeted a comment about it but wouldn't grace anyone with the recognition.
Silly thing to say and anyone with an ounce of rugby-nous knows so.

who_me

sydthebeat wrote: »

Its a typical 'argumentative' type panel which works good on TV. You have the Nice guy in popey, the analytical ex player, and the misery guts. Personally its entertaining to me. There's nothing as boring as old rugby heads agreeing with everything that's being said (Dewie Morris, Stuart Barnes anyone?)

Yeah, supposedly he's instructed to be as contentious as possible - not that I imagine he needs much prodding.

TBH, when you don't take him seriously, it's an entertaining panel. My only quibble is that he can sometimes drown out O'Shea who IMO is the stand-out technical analyst on RTE. O'Shea and Dean Ryan are the two best technical analysts on any channel.

Heroditas

If Hook posted here, he'd be accused of trolling!!

Brian

"I'm the happiest I've ever been at half time in an Irish test match"

"... since 1847"

Coburger

To be honest, the RTE crew are pretty terrible. Apart from Shane Horgan (who looks as if he does research) the others aren't great. Pope says what he thinks people want to hear while Hook says the opposite of what people want to hear.

Did anyone else find Nugent and Conor O' Shea annoying yesterday? I do think O' Shea is excellent in the studio but when doing match commentary he gets to my nerves.

.ak

Coburger wrote: »

To be honest, the RTE crew are pretty terrible. Apart from Shane Horgan (who looks as if he does research) the others aren't great. Pope says what he thinks people want to hear while Hook says the opposite of what people want to hear.

Did anyone else find Nugent and Conor O' Shea annoying yesterday? I do think O' Shea is excellent in the studio but when doing match commentary he gets to my nerves.

O'shea is my favourite pundit for commentary. He really gives a great insight of the game from a professional level.

Lobby Con Shine

Coburger wrote: »

Did anyone else find Nugent and Conor O' Shea annoying yesterday? I do think O' Shea is excellent in the studio but when doing match commentary he gets to my nerves.

Jaysus, how many times did O'Shea tell us what a great game it was.

Lobby Con Shine

sydthebeat wrote: »

Its a typical 'argumentative' type panel which works good on TV. You have the Nice guy in popey, the analytical ex player, and the misery guts. Personally its entertaining to me. There's nothing as boring as old rugby heads agreeing with everything that's being said (Dewie Morris, Stuart Barnes anyone?)

That's all very well if the differing opinions are honestly held.

Hook is a ratings merchant. That's why he's on the panel. He's a poor man's Dunphy (and that's poor). He doesn't actually believe a lot of what he's saying he just says it to be controversial.

P_1

The pundits are there to bring in the casual viewer I would have thought. And RTE have their formula for bringing in the casual viewer. Works for football/Rugby/GAA etc...

So we'd have the host who doesn't know much about the sport but can prod the pundits the right way, Tom McGurk/Bill O'Herlihy, the 'controversial' analyst, George Hook/Eamonn Dunphy, the 'nice guy' ex player, Brent Pope/Johnny Giles and the technical specialist, Shane Horgan/Conor O'Shea/Liam Brady/Didi Hamman.

Downlinz

The RTE rugby panel is comparability very good to other fairly low intensity rugby panels and just sports panelists in general. People will just whine for the sake of it.

Irlandczyk

P_1 wrote: »

The pundits are there to bring in the casual viewer I would have thought. And RTE have their formula for bringing in the casual viewer. Works for football/Rugby/GAA etc...

So we'd have the host who doesn't know much about the sport but can prod the pundits the right way, Tom McGurk/Bill O'Herlihy, the 'controversial' analyst, George Hook/Eamonn Dunphy, the 'nice guy' ex player, Brent Pope/Johnny Giles and the technical specialist, Shane Horgan/Conor O'Shea/Liam Brady/Didi Hamman.

This. The two panels are a carbon copy of each other pretty much. I'd have Bill O'Herlihy over McGurk any day though. Nothing grates me so much as when McGurk constantly interrupts Pope/Horgan/O'Shea when they're in the middle of saying something that's actually interesting/worthwhile. Especially when it seems like he has all the time in the world to listen to the shíte that George Hook comes out with!

Thought Donal Lennihan was a welcome change from Hook today, tbh.

shaungil

Hook a panto villian (oh no he isn't) just ignore the noise coming from his mouth. They do it for soccer with dunphy and sometimes in GAA with Brolly or Spillane.
Did anyone see the montage after the Ita#Fra today with McGurk filling the eddie butler role? First few seconds showed all the pundits when playing. more annoying was the fact the music drowned out the voice of McGurk. Sure you might argue that's better. But looked like amateur hour.

mfceiling

Listen to hook on his radio show and you'll know he is the polar opposite of what he "portrays" on tv.

You can hear him deliberately slump the shoulders and speak in a different tone.

But as a panel, RTE p*sses over everyone else.

BBC - "what about england though, they look good"

"yeah, they are playing some great stuff"

"indeed it looks like they are enjoying themselves"

"it's like a new brand of player has taken over from the old guard"

"well the new boys are certainly proving themselves"


RTE - "what about england though, they look good"

"the problem with england is that they are rubbish"

"yeah, george has hit the nail on the head there"

RoutineBites

Don't mind him to be honest, if it weren't for his exuberant mannerisms, archaic comparisons and his signature voice I think people would take him a lot more seriously. Some of the things he comes out with are pure nonsense, some are accurate, like the majority of other pundits. He stirs debate though, which is more than can be said for the likes of Stuart Barnes or Jerry Guscott. I'd take George in a heartbeat over either of those.

Lightbulb Sun

RTE, for all their faults understand a how to put a good panel dynamic together.

Whether it's the rugby or Dunphy/Brady/Giles for soccer or even Brolly and Spillane for the GAA. The arguments and banter make for good TV.

CatFromHue

Lightbulb Sun wrote: »

RTE, for all their faults understand a how to put a good panel dynamic together.

Whether it's the rugby or Dunphy/Brady/Giles for soccer or even Brolly and Spillane for the GAA. The arguments and banter make for good TV.

I watched the rugby today on RTE and I thought the dynamic was wrong. McGurk interrupts people far too often and it just annoys people as opposed to provoking a more informed debate. As the chair he's not there for his opinion but he broadcasts it anyway and so you end up with 4 people trying to give their opinion and then getting defensive as they're not being let talk or not listened to. It just turns into a mess at times.

.ak

Slightly off topic, but I'd love it if Sky covered the 6N, as well as the FTA usuals.

Dravokivich

I love reading threads like this, you can easily imagine Hook reading every post with the broken up speeches he does.

Brilliant stuff!

The Guardian

danthefan wrote: »

Pretty sure a few posters on here didn't want BOD starting either before the game. So what?

really? who are these simpletons?

The Guardian

.ak wrote: »

Slightly off topic, but I'd love it if Sky covered the 6N, as well as the FTA usuals.

coverage starting next year as far as i know
obviously rte will still have rights

maybe sky will sign hook and we'll be finished with him
sign him and lock him in a box every feb for a few weeks

totallegend

The Guardian wrote: »

coverage starting next year as far as i know
obviously rte will still have rights

maybe sky will sign hook and we'll be finished with him
sign him and lock him in a box every feb for a few weeks

No, only the autumn internationals will be on Sky, Six Nations deal has another year or two

The Guardian

apologies if thats correct..

GT_TDI_150

Whats the alterative?! BBC?!

I find it even more difficult to watch those 'homers' - admitingly i missed ghe first half saturday but the commentry team might as well have been wearing welsh jerseys for the bit i saw .... Really annoyed me, more than any of hookies tripe ever could

Lightbulb Sun

CatFromHue wrote: »

I watched the rugby today on RTE and I thought the dynamic was wrong. McGurk interrupts people far too often and it just annoys people as opposed to provoking a more informed debate. As the chair he's not there for his opinion but he broadcasts it anyway and so you end up with 4 people trying to give their opinion and then getting defensive as they're not being let talk or not listened to. It just turns into a mess at times.

Yeah, true. McGurk is terrible for that but he's always been that way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDD8UbN4WCI

Tim Robbins

sydthebeat wrote: »

Its a typical 'argumentative' type panel which works good on TV. You have the Nice guy in popey, the analytical ex player, and the misery guts. Personally its entertaining to me. There's nothing as boring as old rugby heads agreeing with everything that's being said (Dewie Morris, Stuart Barnes anyone?)

The biggest thing that recks my head about RTE rugby coverage is that they edit rugby the same way they edit Soccer. They only show the 3 seconds before the try. In Rugby, the part of the try that is interesting is not the actual score is what it took to make the space, make the turnover or to get clean ball at the last set piece. In Rugby there is about 7 or 8 things that combine to make a score.

In soccer someone can just take a shot outside the box and it's goal. Wow. You don't need to see the kick out from the keeper or the the pass from the full back to the midfielder because it does not need to be that clinical. The clincal part comes just before the goal.

In rugby, the last part before the try should be easiest part. All the space has been made and you just run over.

I'd love if someone from the editing dept in RTE came on. Because watch tonight against the head it gets even worse. They'll show you loads of shots of the crowd - who cares about these? And then the two seconds of the try scoring will be shown from three / four different angles.

As Nigel Owens said: "This is not Soccer".

Neil3030

CatFromHue wrote: »

I watched the rugby today on RTE and I thought the dynamic was wrong. McGurk interrupts people far too often and it just annoys people as opposed to provoking a more informed debate. As the chair he's not there for his opinion but he broadcasts it anyway and so you end up with 4 people trying to give their opinion and then getting defensive as they're not being let talk or not listened to. It just turns into a mess at times.

This times 100. McGuirk is head and shoulders the biggest problem on the panel (probably also in physical stature, met him before, probably around 6"4, 6"5. Though I guess Shaggy is giving him a close run now. Anyway, that's beside the point.)

SebBerkovich

When i was watching the game in Saturday in the pub, there was a lot of cheering and celebration for our defense and of course our first half attack.

But.. up there with the biggest cheers came at Hooks half time talk, when some lad shouted up the barman, "Will ya turn that ****ing shít-hawk off" Roars of agreement..

shaungil

I guess I want proper analysis of games looking at specific incidents (that's why I like Toland, and Horgan on radio) listening to an old windbag talking about 60 years ago blah blah doesn't interest me. He did say Diana Ross was a better prop than Mike Ross.

If you want entertainment of slagging off players and general hyperbole Hook is your man. Everyone knows the score with it there's no suprise. Pity tho.

Roger_007

I think Hooky is just trying to be Dunphy. Not working though, he's trying too hard and it shows.

durkadurka

Roger_007 wrote: »

I think Hooky is just trying to be Dunphy. Not working though, he's trying too hard and it shows.

The funny thing is, he vehemently denies that he's a Dunphy.

locum-motion

Tim Robbins wrote: »

The biggest thing that recks my head about RTE rugby coverage is that they edit rugby the same way they edit Soccer. They only show the 3 seconds before the try. In Rugby, the part of the try that is interesting is not the actual score is what it took to make the space, make the turnover or to get clean ball at the last set piece. In Rugby there is about 7 or 8 things that combine to make a score.

In soccer someone can just take a shot outside the box and it's goal. Wow. You don't need to see the kick out from the keeper or the the pass from the full back to the midfielder because it does not need to be that clinical. The clincal part comes just before the goal.

In rugby, the last part before the try should be easiest part. All the space has been made and you just run over.

I'd love if someone from the editing dept in RTE came on. Because watch tonight against the head it gets even worse. They'll show you loads of shots of the crowd - who cares about these? And then the two seconds of the try scoring will be shown from three / four different angles.

As Nigel Owens said: "This is not Soccer".

You're dead right; RTE do not know how to put together a highlights reel. All you ever see is the scores, complete with the commentary that went out live. A proper highlights reel has a different commentary, that puts what you're seeing in context. Watch this highlights reel that the RBS 6 Nations official Youtube channel has put together. Then watch Against The Head tonight. I predict there'll be a big difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMLgRb4jtCQ

trackguy

durkadurka wrote: »

The funny thing is, he vehemently denies that he's a Dunphy.

"Controversial by conviction" I believe is the term he uses :pac:

little173

danthefan wrote: »

Pretty sure a few posters on here didn't want BOD starting either before the game. So what?

Not many wise ones, even before the event.

Robbo

One thing sorely lacking from the Saorview coverage is the ability to switch the picture to SD for the half time guff. Hook in HD made the milk curdle in my cup of tea.

Lightbulb Sun

locum-motion wrote: »

You're dead right; RTE do not know how to put together a highlights reel. All you ever see is the scores, complete with the commentary that went out live. A proper highlights reel has a different commentary, that puts what you're seeing in context. Watch this highlights reel that the RBS 6 Nations official Youtube channel has put together. Then watch Against The Head tonight. I predict there'll be a big difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMLgRb4jtCQ

Against the Head will likely have longer highlights though. Wouldn't expect longer highlights to have that news report style commentary you refer to.

JohnFalstaff

Threads like these are proof that Hook's approach works, but he definitely needs to be called on his comments re Welsh players 'lacking moral fibre'. He followed this up with something about Welsh players' on the Lions' tours being the first to throw in the towel when games are not going their way.

Generations of players from the Davies' and Edwards of the 70's to modern greats like Neil Jenkins, Scott Gibbs and Mike Phillips come to mind... I'm glad the Welsh side's performance in the second half showed Hook up as the ass he is when it comes to his rugby analysis.

Tim Robbins

locum-motion wrote: »

You're dead right; RTE do not know how to put together a highlights reel. All you ever see is the scores, complete with the commentary that went out live. A proper highlights reel has a different commentary, that puts what you're seeing in context. Watch this highlights reel that the RBS 6 Nations official Youtube channel has put together. Then watch Against The Head tonight. I predict there'll be a big difference.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMLgRb4jtCQ

that's not bad - but I think highlights should always show you what caused the penalty and should include best camera angle to show the offense.

Cienciano

Agreed, there's nothing to discuss. George Hooks opinion is worth less than some troll that's just been banned on here.
In 2008 he said O'Driscoll is finished. 1 grand slam and 3 heineken cups later he's still putting in MOTM performances.
If BOD went to Pres school in cork and played for Munster, Hook would hail him as the best player of all time.

The Guardian

can we close and delete this thread?

sydthebeat

The Guardian wrote: »

can we close and delete this thread?

why?

have you some issue with the thread.... 4 pages of replies in less than 30 hours shows a popular thread.

As far as i can see posters are posting intelligent observations without being rude or insulting the man.