Second Captains

Arghus

riemann wrote: »

If you care to read carefully you'll note I quite clearly stated I could be wrong, and wasn't basing the mood of the nation on my social circle.

Seems to me a lot of MMA warriors moonlight with their keyboards.

C'mon mate - the whole tone of your first post was dismissive disbelief about the event and its level of interest with the general public and you did say this:

I very much doubt that I'm in the minority here

But the thing is: you are. People are getting snappy with you because you're getting snotty with them.

I really honestly don't know how you've managed to avoid the build up to this fight: McGregor's face is plastered everywhere and people who wouldn't know one end of a boxing glove from another have been talking about it - a lot. It's the biggest media circus in sports in the world this year, by miles. It's pretty laughable to claim you've avoided the hype, when it is clearly everywhere.

Raisins

riemann wrote: »

I can't for the life of me understand their coverage of what is for all intents and purposes a glorified WWE match, and Ken is going to Vegas?! Really brings the tone of the podcast down.

Maybe I'm completely misjudging the public discourse here, but I think they have got it all wrong and are damaging their brand in the long term. You can't laugh and sneer at something and then travel half way across the world to cover it, reeks of having ones cake and eating it.

I'd say Ken is going to vegas on behalf of the Irish Times, as he has in covering several of mcgregors other fights. It's not the 5 quid patreon money that's jetting him out there.

It's also an enormous global sports event between two individuals one of whom is from Dublin. McGregor is arguably the most famous Irishman across the globe at the moment and this is the richest boxing fight in history. I'm not a fan of boxing or mma but they had to cover it.

dulux99

riemann wrote: »

If you care to read carefully you'll note I quite clearly stated I could be wrong, and wasn't basing the mood of the nation on my social circle.

Seems to me a lot of MMA warriors moonlight with their keyboards.

Ah lad. Come on. Maybe we're all being expertly trolled but is it not indicative that you haven't found one single other poster to agree with your narrative that this fight isn't a big deal in popular culture? Even on the recent live second captains episode, Ken asked Robbie Fowler if he followed mcgregors rise and he responded "obviously, he's the biggest thing in the world at the minute". Somehow I don't think Robbie Fowler is much of a mma keyboard warrior

Gbear

Really enjoyed that interview from today's pod about the oligarchs. Might pick up yer man's book.

Arghus

Gbear wrote: »

Really enjoyed that interview from today's pod about the oligarchs. Might pick up yer man's book.

"A black hole of arseholes." I nodded, sagely.

JoseJones

riemann wrote: »

From who? Joe.ie?

Only place I've ever heard it mentioned is second captains.

You must live in an echo chamber... Sky sports, bt sport, newstalk, RTE, BBC, Irish times, the times, the guardian, ESPN to name a few.

Ciaran_B

Gbear wrote: »

Really enjoyed that interview from today's pod about the oligarchs. Might pick up yer man's book.

It was a good interview all right but Ken interrupting him and finishing his sentences drove me crazy. I think Eoin is better at those writer interviews.

sheroman01

Started listening to Second Captains a few weeks back, not every epsiode but a good few. With the exception of one episode, it has been just Ken and Eoin. I really want to like it. But it just really feels like the Ken Early show. Eoin offers such little input, and continues to just let Ken talk and talk and talk. Often about non-sporting events (which is fine, but there is too much of it at times) and conjuring up so, so many similes. Every episode. At times, the pod can be good and funny. But I feel it really needs that extra person or two on the show.

Arghus

If you don't like Ken you may as well unsubscribe, because, there is no point lying to you, you will get a lot of Ken. And if he doesn't do it for you for by now, it's not going to get any easier down the road.

Personally, I think he's great. Frequently disagree with him, but I think he's way, way better than any other Irish sports journalist I can think of.

sheroman01

Arghus wrote: »

If you don't like Ken you may as well unsubscribe, because, there is no point lying to you, you will get a lot of Ken. And if he doesn't do it for you for by now, it's not going to get any easier down the road.

Personally, I think he's great. Frequently disagree with him, but I think he's way, way better than any other Irish sports journalist I can think of.

Ha, I've found that alright! I know he's much maligned but was willing to give him a chance. Just, it's a bit too much for me I think. Needs a better balance. In Ken's defence, he was pretty funny at the Football Weekly event earlier this year.

Ivefoundgod

sheroman01 wrote: »

Ha, I've found that alright! I know he's much maligned but was willing to give him a chance. Just, it's a bit too much for me I think. Needs a better balance. In Ken's defence, he was pretty funny at the Football Weekly event earlier this year.

Not to jump on you given the thread but "much maligned"? By who? Second Captains is widely regarded as among the best if not the best sport podcasts around and thats largely thanks to Ken given he dominates the football shows in particular. Theres a lot of stuff he says I don't agree with (Sergio Ramos!) but the discussions he provokes and brings up are always entertaining at worst.

As another poster said though, if you don't like Ken then there's very little point subscribing as he's a massive element of the pod.

Arghus

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Not to jump on you given the thread but "much maligned"? By who? Second Captains is widely regarded as among the best if not the best sport podcasts around and thats largely thanks to Ken given he dominates the football shows in particular. Theres a lot of stuff he says I don't agree with (Sergio Ramos!) but the discussions he provokes and brings up are always entertaining at worst.

As another poster said though, if you don't like Ken then there's very little point subscribing as he's a massive element of the pod.

Most of us around here appreciate Ken, but his style rubs a lot of folks the wrong way. If you're in the soccer forum and you mention second captains or an article he wrote or even just his name, guaranteed in the first two or three replies someone will be in to say how much they can't stand that ejit Ken Early - and we already know Gilesy's thoughts on the matter!

I can understand why some dislike him: he is very opinionated and has his own style, by the simple virtue of those two aspects of his character some people are "not necessarily" going to agree with anything he has to say, about, well, anything. They think he is a smarty-pants waffling loudmouth.

And I don't think they pluck that particular assessment out of nowhere: he is sometimes brash, smug and contrarian. He does have a tendency to talk about events in a certain way because that suits his particular narrative, or he flogs a metaphor or simile to death because it amuses him or he thinks it is clever.

But, I don't mind really. I think Ken is practically a genius compared to the other talking heads that make up the football/sports media landscape. He's got a depth of knowledge about things outside of the world of football that allows him to bring something unique and fresh to the business of talking about it. And maybe there are some more traditional football "men" and journalists who do, pound for pound, know more about the game than he does - their problem is they only articulate those views and knowledge in the form of platitudes and cliche: what can they know of football those who only football know?

Dots1982

Ivefoundgod wrote: »

Not to jump on you given the thread but "much maligned"? By who?

John Giles wouldn't necessarily agree with anything Ken Early has to say about football. Eamon Dunphy thinks Ken is cogent but also that he is wrong.

dulux99

I’m going to have a bit of a Kevin Keegan moment here and say I would love it if McGregor beats Mayweather on Saturday. I know I’m probably in the minority in this thread as an MMA fan, and I love Second Captains, but their disdain for the sport of MMA and McGregor himself is grating. I completely understand that MMA is certainly not everyones cup of tea, and I never try and convince anyone otherwise, but the lads can be quite ignorant towards the sport and it’s a shame, because they go out of their way to respectfully cover the likes of the Irish Cricket team even though nobody gives a bollox about them. We have the world’s most popular combat sport athlete at the moment and I think the lads get a kick out of knocking him whenever they get the chance. Even when he won his second world title last November, they brought Dave Hannigan on to report on it. A man who has openly stated that he detests McGregor and MMA in general. So in summary…I would love it if he wins Saturday, love it!

Seamy Fitz

Say Your Number wrote: »

Anyone else looking forward to more bible stories with Ken?

Not really - but I love that Ken has the audacity to go there!

Seamy Fitz

Murph has been missing for two key GAA Mondays! I'll forgive the first one but two is wreckless. That's his bread and butter.

Ol' Donie

Richard Hillman wrote: »

Well it is the most important issue of our time in Europe. If Boards was around during world war 2 or the cold war it would have been similar.

What does that even mean?

Richard Hillman

Ol' Donie wrote: »

What does that even mean?

That the most important issue of the time is likely to come up in most conversations

Baggly

That's your most important issue, though.

It's not mine.

Climate change and polution is mine.

But that has nothing to do with SC.

Most of the last few posts dont.

Is that how we roll now? I had a lovely chicken fillet roll for lunch. Just so you know. Nothing got to do with anything to do with SC

Cazale

Pter wrote:

Is that how we roll now? I had a lovely chicken fillet roll for lunch. Just so you know. Nothing got to do with anything to do with SC

I hope it wasn't halal chicken you had.

Baggly

Cazale wrote: »

I hope it wasn't halal chicken you had.

It wasnt but apparently the chicken it was made from had a decent first touch and could turn on a sixpence with the ball at his feet.

Didnt help him in the end but sure what can you do

#tenuouslinktosport

Raoul

I think Ken really likes it and sticks up for it. Mark hates it and he is a little bit grating. I think Eoin and Murph have a kind of a neutral opinion on it.

Baggly

Can't wait to hear Ken's travel jingle again.

Maybe tomorrow ill finally settle down.......do do do......

Ol' Donie

Richard Hillman wrote: »

That the most important issue of the time is likely to come up in most conversations

McGregor - Mayweather?

Ol' Donie

Have I missed a recent Murph's Country Pages? Feels like ages since there was one.

Can't wait for the next Fair View.

Ol' Donie

Meanwhile, the Tom Vaughan Lawlor show from Sunday has just popped up on my podcast yoke. Odd.

Why do they never mention Second Captains Sunday on the podcast? Some of them have been great.

jaykhunter

MOD NOTE: Keep discussion Second Captains-related. This isn't your soapbox. Back on topic please

Pter

Pter wrote: »

That's your most important issue, though.

It's not mine.

Climate change and polution is mine.

But that has nothing to do with SC.

Most of the last few posts dont.

Is that how we roll now? I had a lovely chicken fillet roll for lunch. Just so you know. Nothing got to do with anything to do with SC

The reason is it in the thread is in relation to ken's politics podcast in relation to neo Nazis recently.

Baggly

Ol' Donie wrote:

Why do they never mention Second Captains Sunday on the podcast? Some of them have been great.

They give it a plug beforehand sometimes. Is it a temporary gig for the summer so they want people to focus on paying membership instead of promoting free to air? Just a guess really as I agree it's got good stuff in it (the Sunday show)

Utopia Parkway

Raoul wrote: »

I think Ken really likes it and sticks up for it. Mark hates it and he is a little bit grating. I think Eoin and Murph have a kind of a neutral opinion on it.

Yeah I think Mark Horgan is the only one who actively hates MMA/Mcgregor. Remember him hosting the show once when they had a McGregor segment on it and it became apparent very quickly.

The rest I think just see it as a curiosity or in Ken's case a giant sociological study.