Bressie on front page of Irish Runner

NiallG4

First he is on The Voice for no apparent reason but seriously. This magazine is losing credibility at a rate of knots. Obviously the target market is now changing. I am buying the magazine for as long as I can remember but this is driving me away. Publicity seekers should be on some other magazines surely. I am thinking the editor is not sitting at home saying "I really need Bressie on my cover". Do agents pay for this publicity?

Chivito550

NiallG4 wrote: »

First he is on The Voice for no apparent reason but seriously. This magazine is losing credibility at a rate of knots. Obviously the target market is now changing. I am buying the magazine for as long as I can remember but this is driving me away. Publicity seekers should be on some other magazines surely. I am thinking the editor is not sitting at home saying "I really need Bressie on my cover". Do agents pay for this publicity?

Excuse the ignorance, but who is Bressie?

pconn062

Chivito550 wrote: »

Excuse the ignorance, but who is Bressie?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bressie

rom

http://rsvpmagazine.ie/hot-couple-bressie-roz-complete-ironman-triathlon-still-look-fab/

He nearly got chicked recently in a half IM. He is currently training for a full but then again so are a lot of other people.

Chivito550

pconn062 wrote: »

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=bressie

A tongue in cheek way of saying he is a c-lister and that if they were going to sell out then they could have picked somebody better!

Oh and I did have to google who he was. Must be getting old.

pconn062

NiallG4 wrote: »

First he is on The Voice for no apparent reason but seriously. This magazine is losing credibility at a rate of knots. Obviously the target market is now changing. I am buying the magazine for as long as I can remember but this is driving me away. Publicity seekers should be on some other magazines surely. I am thinking the editor is not sitting at home saying "I really need Bressie on my cover". Do agents pay for this publicity?

You are a narky fecker. Seriously though, I did have a chuckle myself when I seen that cover on the facebook earlier, other cover stories include:

Brush Shiels: in the fast lane
Paleo diet challenge
10 tips to resume running
Antarctic challenge: some dude runs a marathon in the cold

It's quality stuff alright. :rolleyes: They have changed their marketing and are now totally aiming for the jogger marathoner demographic, which I suppose from a sales point of view you can't argue with as it's a much bigger market that the athletics fan market. Sad though.

rom

rom wrote: »

He nearly got chicked recently in a half IM. He is currently training for a full but then again so are a lot of other people.

Got chicked? Is that...beaten by a woman?

And he is nowhere near a C lister, maybe in the Q to S bracket. Few chase celebrity as openly and embarrassingly as he does though. Even Georgie Salpa seems to have given it a rest. Hilariously his Wiki page describes him as one of the country's "most in demand stars" but he "eschews the celebrity lifestyle". Oh and of course he has some disorder that he is struggling to overcome but evidently wants to publicise.

Ososlo

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Got chicked? Is that...beaten by a woman?

And he is nowhere near a C lister, maybe in the Q to S bracket. Few chase celebrity as openly and embarrassingly as he does though. Even Georgie Salpa seems to have given it a rest. Hilariously his Wiki page describes him as one of the country's "most in demand stars" but he "eschews the celebrity lifestyle". Oh and of course he has some disorder that he is struggling to overcome but evidently wants to publicise.

The 'some disorder' is depression which he suffers from. Hardly a bad thing to highlight how running can help with this. Celebrity or not.
Not personally a fan ftr.

IvoryTower

There's a great interview where he talks about jumping out of bed during the night, throwing the runners on and running every time he had a panic attack. I found it very interesting

frankeee

Alas, having Bressie on the front cover is probably more likely to persuade the average jogger to part with their hard earned cash, rather than someone like say Paul Pollock Also I'm sure an odd person will buy the magazine having no interest in running but huge interest in Bressie. Whatever makes ends meet from IR's point of view. But it's hardly new, I recall Kathryn Thomas, Tommy Tiernan etc. being on the cover and the magazine is definitely more aimed at the recreational rather than competitive/athletics fan end of the market these days. Thankfully the Jumping the Gun lads have filled that niche, and better still it's online.

RayCun

Is the purpose of a cover to reward athletes, to give them the Irish Runner seal of approval? Or to get people to buy the magazine?
Are all of us serious athletes :pac: so shallow that we'll buy the magazine or won't because of who is on the cover? If there's a great interview with Paul Pollock inside, but sales are up when Bressie is on the cover, who cares?

barryoneill50

Deleted User wrote: »

Got chicked? Is that...beaten by a woman?

And he is nowhere near a C lister, maybe in the Q to S bracket. Few chase celebrity as openly and embarrassingly as he does though. Even Georgie Salpa seems to have given it a rest. Hilariously his Wiki page describes him as one of the country's "most in demand stars" but he "eschews the celebrity lifestyle". Oh and of course he has some disorder that he is struggling to overcome but evidently wants to publicise.

"....some disorder....." :rolleyes:

sconhome

In fairness how many people came on applauding Irish Runner for featuring 'real' runners on the cover?

Their job is to sell magazines and judging by the amount of magazines which I have had left over that had Niall Tuohy, Ciara Mageean, Sean Hehir & co on the cover most people don't recognise them.

Another thing is like it or not the fastest and biggest portion of people running in Ireland at the moment are the Fit 4 Lifer, 5k/10k/half/full progression runners and not the die hard-track-twice a week athletes. If Bressie reaches this audience, increases magazine sales and raises the profile of achievements like Keith Whyte to the national level I for one thing it is a great thing.

Ososlo

Ososlo wrote: »

The 'some disorder' is depression which he suffers from.

Is it?

His wikipedia page refers only to generalised anxiety disorder. It suggests he had panic attacks before going on live national tv.

Perhaps they should amend it if he also has depression.

Ososlo

Deleted User wrote: »

Is it?

His wikipedia page refers only to generalised anxiety disorder. It suggests he had panic attacks before going on live national tv.

Perhaps they should amend it if he also has depression.

Yes and yes. I've heard him speak about depression in quite a few interviews.

walshb

As long as it doesn't come with a free music CD of his I don't see the issue.

walshb

Ososlo wrote: »

Yes and yes. I've heard him speak about depression in quite a few interviews.

He's becoming a bit of a media whore. If he is suffering with depression I sympathize with him, but like lot of media whores, they play it up an awful lot to gain attention and business. Bressie seems like a decent skin.

Ososlo

walshb wrote: »

He's becoming a bit of a media whore. If he is suffering with depression I sympathize with him, but like lot of media whores, they play it up an awful lot to gain attention and business. Bressie seems like a decent skin.

Yeah I'd agree to some extent about the media whore-ism, however I think it can only be a positive thing for him to 'play it up' when speaking about depression and the benefits of running. There are a lot of impressionable youngsters out there who might take something positive away from reading/listening to him speak about it.

menoscemo

Ososlo wrote: »

The 'some disorder' is depression which he suffers from. Hardly a bad thing to highlight how running can help with this. Celebrity or not.
Not personally a fan ftr.

There is no mention of depression or any illness on the front cover, just a quote about how he likes to run without music. So I doubt the idea of putting Bressie on the front cover has anything to highlighting those benefits...

walshb

I don't buy this magazine, but what's the fuss about a known person on the cover promoting running/jogging? If it was every week they had z listers on I could see the point. I haven't read the article. Does he make claims that stink?

average_runner

Deleted User wrote: »

Is it?

His wikipedia page refers only to generalised anxiety disorder. It suggests he had panic attacks before going on live national tv.

Perhaps they should amend it if he also has depression.

And you trust wikipedia????

He suffers from bad depression, its not that hard to google for it

average_runner

walshb wrote: »

He's becoming a bit of a media whore. If he is suffering with depression I sympathize with him, but like lot of media whores, they play it up an awful lot to gain attention and business. Bressie seems like a decent skin.

In fairness, depression among men is something this country doesn't accept. Now if it was a woman, it be a different story.

I am ok with him taking loads of media time to push this agenda, someone needs to.

Netwerk Errer

Ah lads, Am I the only who see's the irony in this thread? Bressie's on the front page of A/R now.

average_runner

walshb wrote: »

I don't buy this magazine, but what's the fuss about a known person on the cover promoting running/jogging? If it was every week they had z listers on I could see the point. I haven't read the article. Does he make claims that stink?

I used to buy it, but stopped. Its just another running mag that repeats the same stuff every year. Very few new things in it for runners

walshb

average_runner wrote: »

I used to buy it, but stopped. Its just another running mag that repeats the same stuff every year. Very few new things in it for runners

I see, so Bressie is the least of their worries!

Ososlo

Ososlo wrote: »

Yes and yes. I've heard him speak about depression in quite a few interviews.

Any clarification of when it was diagnosed?

In 2013 he was talking about anxiety disorder. In 2014 (when talking about depression was "in" because of the very heroic openness shown by a couple of sports stars) he talked about a profound depression that cost him his careers, saw him break his own arm and had a name "Geoffrey".

Look, whether he needs a good medical expert, or simply a good manager to drag him out of the slump in his celebrity, good luck to him.

average_runner

Deleted User wrote: »

Any clarification of when it was diagnosed?

In 2013 he was talking about anxiety disorder. In 2014 (when talking about depression was "in" because of the very heroic openness shown by a couple of sports stars) he talked about a profound depression that cost him his careers, saw him break his own arm and had a name "Geoffrey".

Look, whether he needs a good medical expert, or simply a good manager to drag him out of the slump in his celebrity, good luck to him.

What slump? As far as i knew his song writing was making him quiet a bit of money over in the UK

Ososlo

Deleted User wrote: »

Any clarification of when it was diagnosed?

In 2013 he was talking about anxiety disorder. In 2014 (when talking about depression was "in" because of the very heroic openness shown by a couple of sports stars) he talked about a profound depression that cost him his careers, saw him break his own arm and had a name "Geoffrey".

Look, whether he needs a good medical expert, or simply a good manager to drag him out of the slump in his celebrity, good luck to him.

:eek: Can't believe I'm reading that if I'm reading it correctly!

walshb

average_runner wrote: »

What slump? As far as i knew his song writing was making him quiet a bit of money over in the UK

Ha, the Mrs. Brown's Boys effect!

Netwerk Errer

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Any clarification of when it was diagnosed?

In 2013 he was talking about anxiety disorder. In 2014 (when talking about depression was "in" because of the very heroic openness shown by a couple of sports stars) he talked about a profound depression that cost him his careers, saw him break his own arm and had a name "Geoffrey"

This atitude right here is why there's a stigma still attached to mental health issues. If someone said they had a brain tumour, you'd believe them even though you can't feel their pain so why do you question how someone feels emotionally when you can't feel their pain?

This is why people try and hide mental problems, it's because they are afraid to speak out in case people think they are attention seekers. It's not the 1950's anymore, mental health issues are well documented and studied and are a serious issue among public health. They say that almost 70% of all doctor visits are for mental health issues.

Netwerk Errer

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

This is why people try and hide mental problems, it's because they are afraid to speak out in case people think they are attention seekers. It's not the 1950's anymore, mental health issues are well documented and studied and are a serious issue among public health. They say that almost 70% of all doctor visits are for mental health issues.

Um.

For all you know, I may have depression. Or I may have close family or friends who have it. But thanks for the info.

I do not regard the issue as so taboo that it must be completely accepted without question when raised.

You can accept everything he says, I can be sceptical, we don't have to demand that the other agree.

PaulieC

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

This atitude right here is why there's a stigma still attached to mental health issues. If someone said they had a brain tumour, you'd believe them even though you can't feel their pain so why do you question how someone feels emotionally when you can't feel their pain?

This is why people try and hide mental problems, it's because they are afraid to speak out in case people think they are attention seekers. It's not the 1950's anymore, mental health issues are well documented and studied and are a serious issue among public health. They say that almost 70% of all doctor visits are for mental health issues.

It's a difficult one for me. On the one hand, I think it's good that the stigma of mental health is gradually reducing in society. On the other hand, it pisses me off no end that media whores like Bressie co-opt the same issues to use as publicity for themselves.
The absolute worst thing about this is that the actual issue itself becomes less important than the celebrity-du-jour who is supposed to be highlighting it. It also says so much about society that we cannot actually accept anything these days unless some sort of celebrity is pushing it.

This should probably be in the rant thread...

Ososlo

Deleted User wrote: »

Um.

For all you know, I may have depression. Or I may have close family or friends who have it. But thanks for the info.

I do not regard the issue as so taboo that it must be completely accepted without question when raised.

Why on earth would somebody say they have depression when they don't if that's what you're getting at? I just can't comprehend the reasoning behind that. You think saying he's suffering from depression when he's not is gaining him more album sales and upping his celebrity status?

PaulieC

Ososlo wrote: »

You think saying he's suffering from depression when he's not is gaining him more album sales and upping his celebrity status?

part of me says yes to this.

Ososlo

PaulieC wrote: »

part of me says yes to this.

Why would someone start liking someone's music more because they say they suffer from depression

Ososlo

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

Ah lads, Am I the only who see's the irony in this thread? Bressie's on the front page of A/R now.

Trending on main Boards page now too:pac:

PaulieC

PaulieC wrote: »

part of me says yes to this.

I'm with you. Here is an artists impression of us both...



But scepticism can be healthy, at least that's what I tell myself!

walshb

Ososlo wrote: »

Why on earth would somebody say they have depression when they don't if that's what you're getting at? I just can't comprehend the reasoning behind that. You think saying he's suffering from depression when he's not is gaining him more album sales and upping his celebrity status?

Nothing at all should surprise you in the media/celebrity world. In this case I think Bressie is a fairly good guy. A decent and honest kind of guy. Doesn't mean that I can't be skeptical when hearing these stories from celebrities. It wasn't too long ago that every celebrity wanted to have bipolar. It was the in thing for many of them.

sconhome

PaulieC wrote: »

It's a difficult one for me. On the one hand, I think it's good that the stigma of mental health is gradually reducing in society. On the other hand, it pisses me off no end that media whores like Bressie co-opt the same issues to use as publicity for themselves.
The absolute worst thing about this is that the actual issue itself becomes less important than the celebrity-du-jour who is supposed to be highlighting it. It also says so much about society that we cannot actually accept anything these days unless some sort of celebrity is pushing it.

This should probably be in the rant thread...

I think this is a shocking statement to make to be honest. Do you honestly think people are saying they struggle with depression because its 'trendy'?

So many people, men in particular, suffer and struggle in silence with depression and other mental health issues, far too often resulting in suicide, because there has been an attitude in our society that men should not show weakness.

Because someone visible like Bressie is man enough to admit he struggles with mental health issues is no reason to slate him. Speaking out about it doesn't make him a media whore. That is a position that people have placed him in and if being in that position enables him to promote support structures like my1000hours for everyone else he should be applauded.

Damned if he doesn't speak out, damned if he does.

PaulieC

Ososlo wrote: »

Why would someone start liking someone's music more because they say they suffer from depression

that's not what I meant. It gives him the oxygen of publicity, which is what he has based his career on. I don't know if he suffers(ed) from depression or not, but the cynic in me says that the massive publicity he received after talking about it helped his career no end.

Ososlo

PaulieC wrote: »

that's not what I meant. It gives him the oxygen of publicity, which is what he has based his career on. I don't know if he suffers(ed) from depression or not, but the cynic in me says that the massive publicity he received after talking about it helped his career no end.

well I'd say 'so what'. If it helped anyone out there suffering from depression in any way at all, so what.

johnruns

Saw him at the finish of a triathlon 2 years ago he was in bits after it but stood around for about an hour and a half having his picture taken with every kid(and adult) who came up to him and never once complained have to say he came across as a nice guy.

Netwerk Errer

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Um.

For all you know, I may have depression. Or I may have close family or friends who have it. But thanks for the info.

Pointless comment. I didn't claim anyting about you or people close to you. I didn't know having a mental health problem qualified you to make judgements on other people's mental health.

AKW

AKW wrote: »

I think this is a shocking statement to make to be honest. Do you honestly think people are saying they struggle with depression because its 'trendy'?

I know of people who have no celebrity status at all who claim to have depression and as a matter of fact don't. They just have a need for attention. I know what depression is, I don't accept the "we must accept every claim without question" suggestion.

I am not saying that any of the above refers to this man, of course. I simply asked when was he diagnosed? Was it some time in 2014?

PaulieC

AKW wrote: »

I think this is a shocking statement to make to be honest. Do you honestly think people are saying they struggle with depression because its 'trendy'?

So many people, men in particular, suffer and struggle in silence with depression and other mental health issues, far too often resulting in suicide, because there has been an attitude in our society that men should not show weakness.

Because someone visible like Bressie is man enough to admit he struggles with mental health issues is no reason to slate him. Speaking out about it doesn't make him a media whore. That is a position that people have placed him in and if being in that position enables him to promote support structures like my1000hours for everyone else he should be applauded.

Damned if he doesn't speak out, damned if he does.

be selective, why don't you.

Speaking out about depression doesn't make him a media whore. I said it's a pity that the issue that celebrities speak out about often take 2nd place to who is saying it. It becomes less about the message and more about the messenger.

Netwerk Errer

Netwerk Errer wrote: »

I didn't know having a mental health problem qualified you to make judgements on other people's mental health.

I never made that claim at all.

sconhome

PaulieC wrote: »

be selective, why don't you.

Speaking out about depression doesn't make him a media whore. I said it's a pity that the issue that celebrities speak out about often take 2nd place to who is saying it. It becomes less about the message and more about the messenger.

Most certainly didn't intend to be selective.

You are saying he is a media whore and is using his depression to further publicise himself for his own gain.

I voiced my opinion that your statement as a whole was shocking. That he is using his publicly perceived position to speak out about his problems showing that men don't have to be 'men' and it is ok to talk about problems.

menoscemo

The whole depression issue is a complete red herring in relation to the OP.
If the point of having Bressie on the front cover was to highlight the issue (which I don't think is true judging by the headline) then why Bressie? There is at least one well known elite Irish athlete who has publically suffered from depression so why not ask him to discuss it?

If a football magazine wanted to highlight depression amongst footballers do you think they would ask a professional footballer to highlight the issue or ask a zlist 'celeb' who plays 5 aside once a week to do so?

walshb

Makes business senses for the magazine to have a known face on the cover to likely stop people, make them look and maybe buy.

Ososlo

menoscemo wrote: »

If a football magazine wanted to highlight depression amongst footballers do you think they would ask a professional footballer to highlight the issue or ask a zlist 'celeb' who plays 5 aside once a week to do so?

I know it's only a minor thing and off topic, but why are people saying he's a 'z list' 'celeb'? In Irish terms surely he's A list? Who's more celeb? Twink?

walshb

Ososlo wrote: »

I know it's only a minor thing and off topic, but why are people saying he's a 'z list' 'celeb'? In Irish terms surely he's A list? Who's more celeb? Twink?

Actually, yes, Twink would be more. Twink is an institution in this country. Bressie is literally a blow in.