Newstalk: Off The Ball

Here comes the new thread


"Off the Ball is informed at all times by a high level of intelligence, on the part of men who have read good books… Off the Ball 5, RTE 0."- Sunday Independent

“Brilliant” - Broadsheet.ie

“A Radio Revolution” - The Irish Examiner

“Consistently entertaining” - The Sunday Business Post

Be nice, please - Mod

Ish66

I cant fault it, Presenters are good and very well informed.They cover a wide range of sports too. I would say its far better than RTE's output.

Billy Ocean

Ish66 wrote: »

I cant fault it, Presenters are good and very well informed.They cover a wide range of sports too. I would say its far better than RTE's output.

I'd agree, the toxic side of social media infiltrates this page at times, some people aren't happy unless they're complaining.

BPKS

I used to tune in a lot but since March 2020 when they had no content to fill 5 hours a day I tuned out and might rarely catch a bit of the first half hour these days.

I check up the app and see if there are any interviews that might interest me now and then.

Also, I have never seen an OP on an entertainment forum with quotes telling us how great it is - the cynic in me would suggest an agenda at play.

Donny Patterson

Billy Ocean wrote: »

I'd agree, the toxic side of social media infiltrates this page at times, some people aren't happy unless they're complaining.

But the offtheball team do a fair bit of complaining. Recent examples are djokovic, the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee etc...
Many people complain on all sides about many issues.
But if ya agree with the complaint, then perhaps ya just see it as a point well made?

BPKS

Donny Patterson wrote: »

But the offtheball team do a fair bit of complaining. Recent examples are djokovic, the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee etc...
Many people complain on all sides about many issues.
But if ya agree with the complaint, then perhaps ya just see it as a point well made?

Point well made - OTB seem to be full of people who advocate freedom of expression as long as it agrees with their own opinions.

Utopia Parkway

I give out about OTB occasionally. Especially their tendency to moralise. But the Gaelic football pod with Andy Moran and Paddy Andrews is actually very good. Good analysis and the lads have a nice chemistry together where they can have a laugh at each others expense as well.

Ahwell

Donny Patterson wrote: »

the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee etc...

...and yet again OTB, a mainstream sports program, gets it in the neck for covering the same stories in more or less the same way as all the other mainstream sports media. New thread, same tedious crap.

Billy Ocean

Donny Patterson wrote: »

But the offtheball team do a fair bit of complaining. Recent examples are djokovic, the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee etc...
Many people complain on all sides about many issues.
But if ya agree with the complaint, then perhaps ya just see it as a point well made?

Maybe complaining wasn't the right word, some people aren't happy unless they're slating other individual's from the comfort of their armchair.

Billy Ocean

Donny Patterson wrote: »

But the offtheball team do a fair bit of complaining. Recent examples are djokovic, the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee etc...
Many people complain on all sides about many issues.
But if ya agree with the complaint, then perhaps ya just see it as a point well made?

if someone is trying to condone booing of the knee then that says alot about them, if you think it's a token gesture etc. fair enough but booing it is completely uncalled for.

MrMusician18

Ahwell wrote: »

...and yet again OTB, a mainstream sports program, gets it in the neck for covering the same stories in more or less the same way as all the other mainstream sports media. New thread, same tedious crap.

OTB is meant to be a sports show. I was in the car listening to their football show the day they were covering the England Hungary game. I think they spent 30 to 35 mins discussing racism and maybe 10mins on the game itself.

Donny Patterson

Ahwell wrote: »

...and yet again OTB, a mainstream sports program, gets it in the neck for covering the same stories in more or less the same way as all the other mainstream sports media. New thread, same tedious crap.

I didn't say that.
I'm not giving otb anything in the neck.

My point wasn't tedious crap. You're attacking me without reading what I wrote.
I didn't say otb were correct or not. I was replying to a poster talking about people complaining.

Ahwell

Donny Patterson wrote: »

I didn't say that.
I'm not giving otb anything in the neck.

My point wasn't tedious crap. You're attacking me without reading what I wrote.
I didn't say otb were correct or not. I was replying to a poster talking about people complaining.

You referred to their coverage "of the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee"...as complaining. I may be wrong, but that kind of implies that they are adopting positions on these stories that you yourself disagree with.

MrMusician18

Ahwell wrote: »

You referred to their coverage "of the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee"...as complaining.

But it's a sports show really the place for a long discussion on this? By all means mention it, but really it should be no more than in passing. The topics have been done to death on the the political programmes all day, I can't imagine their hot take is going to add much.

Ahwell

MrMusician18 wrote: »

But it's a sports show really the place for a long discussion on this?

I think it is.

Faugheen

MrMusician18 wrote: »

OTB is meant to be a sports show. I was in the car listening to their football show the day they were covering the England Hungary game. I think they spent 30 to 35 mins discussing racism and maybe 10mins on the game itself.

Because the two issues had absolutely zero to do with sport considering they were occurring at a sports tournament?

If they just read out the scores all the time it would be a horrifically boring show.

Scotty #

Ish66 wrote: »

I cant fault it, Presenters are good and very well informed.They cover a wide range of sports too. I would say its far better than RTE's output.

They do in their...

Rugby 90% of the time. I gave up listening a long time ago, only so much Woods, O'Gara and O'Driscoll reminiscing that I can stomach.

MrMusician18

Faugheen wrote: »

Because the two issues had absolutely zero to do with sport considering they were occurring at a sports tournament?

If they just read out the scores all the time it would be a horrifically boring show.

The two issues did, quite frankly, have zero to do with sport. I didn't listen to the programme to know how long they went on about the stadium lights but they spent at least 2/3of the allotted time if not longer talking about the knee the night they covered that England game.

Maybe I'm unique, but that was a turn off for me

Donny Patterson

Ahwell wrote: »

You referred to their coverage "of the rainbow stadium in munich issue last night. The booing of taking the knee"...as complaining. I may be wrong, but that kind of implies that they are adopting positions on these stories that you yourself disagree with.

Hold on. Read what billyocean said.
He was commentating on people complaining. And I said the otb crew complain too.
Whether I agree or disagree doesn't matter to the point I made to the poster billyocean.

Seems billyocean is correct, the otb thread is toxic, from all sides.

Ahwell

MrMusician18 wrote: »

The two issues did, quite frankly, have zero to do with sport. I didn't listen to the programme to know how long they went on about the stadium lights but they spent at least 2/3of the allotted time if not longer talking about the knee the night they covered that England game.

Maybe I'm unique, but that was a turn off for me

RTE spent a chunk of their pre-match discussion on UEFA, Germany vs Hungary and the rainbow protest. OTB isn't unique. It's not as if all these topics aren't being extensively covered by all the other mainstream sports outlets.

Tell me how

MrMusician18 wrote: »

But it's a sports show really the place for a long discussion on this? By all means mention it, but really it should be no more than in passing. The topics have been done to death on the the political programmes all day, I can't imagine their hot take is going to add much.

Yes. When that sports show is out close to 50 hours of content per week across it's various platforms and when the topics (kneeling/booing and the Hungary/Munich stadium issue) are very much directly sports related.

In fact I think the place to discuss these items in the context of sport and politics and how they do overlap irrespective of the desire that they don't is within a sports focused environment rather than on a straight political show.

MrMusician18

Tell me how wrote: »

Yes. When that sports show is out close to 50 hours of content per week across it's various platforms and when the topics (kneeling/booing and the Hungary/Munich stadium issue) are very much directly sports related.

In fact I think the place to discuss these items in the context of sport and politics and how they do overlap irrespective of the desire that they don't is within a sports focused environment rather than on a straight political show.

I'd agree with that if that it wasn't at the expense of coverage of the actual game.

By all means talk about it, but 2:1 coverage of a <1min protest Vs the actual game of 90 mins, it's a bit much imo.

Tell me how

MrMusician18 wrote: »

I'd agree with that if that it wasn't at the expense of coverage of the actual game.

By all means talk about it, but 2:1 coverage of a <1min protest Vs the actual game of 90 mins, it's a bit much imo.

They've the euros podcast which as much as I gather is 100% focused on matters on the field.

MrMusician18

Tell me how wrote: »

They've the euros podcast which as much as I gather is 100% focused on matters on the field.

I'm not into podcasts, just listen occasionally on the radio while driving.

They also have a habit of going down the fai rabbit hole too.

So much for hoping the new thread wouldn't go the same route as the last...I think the toxicity of this thread comes from the fact that nobody seems to come at anything from the middle ground anymore.

When we are interacting online, everything is so black and white and positions so entrenched when the reality is most of the world functions in the grey areas in between.

Not a huge rugby fan, but have to totally disagree with the post that claims it's mostly rugby.

There's an hour-long football show every night of the week and much of the first hour is often football too.

Tell me how

Deleted User wrote: »

Not a huge rugby fan, but have to totally disagree with the post that claims it's mostly rugby.

There's an hour-long football show every night of the week and much of the first hour is often football too.

Don't think anyone could argue that Soccer, Rugby, GAA, Golf and Horse Racing don't get enough coverage on the show.

Boxing, MMA, Tennis, Athletics, gets decentish coverage but usually only around high profile events. Cycling, motorsport and some others really only get occasional coverage when there is a breaking story. Boxing got much more regular focus when Andy Lee was available on a consistent basis than it did before, or since.

I've thought for a long time that a strategy for them to both cover more sports in depth and to blood new staff would be for to have them specific slots where they cover what is going on in these sports even if only once a week. Hell it could be online or on a podcast to start with if necessary to grow slowly and see what the interest is like.

Cycling is a sport in which there is generally key events happening from March until October every year and given the Irish interest, both historically and modern day would provide that local reference point on most weeks. And it is a sport which has a lot of interest in it, there are several cycling channels on YouTube which bring out several videos a week each of which get ten's of thousands of views. The cycling forum on Boards even is quite busy as another small indicator of the interest.

During an Olympic year for example I'd like to see a weekly slot called 'Olympic Prep' or something which would cover the progress of different athletes from a several months out as they aim to qualify and then go through training and final prep and compete at the Olympics rather than just in the week before they are held. Could focus on a different athlete or sport each week while still touching on how others are progressing.
Same could be done for World Championships whether it be in athletics or boxing or swimming etc.

And now that I've gone this far, I've also thought there's room to engage more with amateur sport and think a slot on senior club championships with a focus on a high profile team each week could be very interesting.

In my mind, these could be done quite cheaply as it would just need someone with a mic and recording equipment or do it over Zoom and so might be a path for young sports journalists to build some experience in creating such content for a podcast or whatever. Shouldn't need paid contributors because those involved might be glad to get exposure for their sport or just to have the opportunity to put their story out there.

But, were they to do any of that, there'd still be detractors saying 'No one is interested in that' or 'I can't believe they only give athletics 8 minutes a week' or similar. There's a reason they focus on what they focus on and I reckon it's driven by advertiser interest and JNLR figures more than anything else.

MrMusician18

Deleted User wrote: »

So much for hoping the new thread wouldn't go the same route as the last...I think the toxicity of this thread comes from the fact that nobody seems to come at anything from the middle ground anymore.

When we are interacting online, everything is so black and white and positions so entrenched when the reality is most of the world functions in the grey areas in between.

Not a huge rugby fan, but have to totally disagree with the post that claims it's mostly rugby.

There's an hour-long football show every night of the week and much of the first hour is often football too.

To be fair the show doesn't help itself at times either. They had someone on about the dangers of gambling. This on a programme that carries gambling advertising at every break. They did acknowledge this though, but that they were ok since their ads said that betting should be responsible and carried a message for dunlewey.net :rolleyes:

Talks about mental health regularly, yet sees fit to have a sneering ad about some footballer having a champions League medal, as if they didn't deserve it.

I really don't know why I listen to it.

Billy Ocean

MrMusician18 wrote: »

I really don't know why I listen to it.

Well don't listen to it then....

Felexicon

Got to listen to most of the show for the first time in a while lady night.

Really good content with I reviews with Jack Regan and Brid Stack.

Football show was excellent with Damien Delaney and Dan McDonnel.

The football pod with Paddy and Andy is excellent. Only 7 shows in and it's a must listen for GAA fans. Think Tommy does an excellent job of presenting the facts and then let's the 2 lads take it on whatever tangent they stumble on.

Tell me how

Tell me how wrote: »

Don't think anyone could argue that Soccer, Rugby, GAA, Golf and Horse Racing don't get enough coverage on the show.

Boxing, MMA, Tennis, Athletics, gets decentish coverage but usually only around high profile events. Cycling, motorsport and some others really only get occasional coverage when there is a breaking story. Boxing got much more regular focus when Andy Lee was available on a consistent basis than it did before, or since.

I've thought for a long time that a strategy for them to both cover more sports in depth and to blood new staff would be for to have them specific slots where they cover what is going on in these sports even if only once a week. Hell it could be online or on a podcast to start with if necessary to grow slowly and see what the interest is like.

Cycling is a sport in which there is generally key events happening from March until October every year and given the Irish interest, both historically and modern day would provide that local reference point on most weeks. And it is a sport which has a lot of interest in it, there are several cycling channels on YouTube which bring out several videos a week each of which get ten's of thousands of views. The cycling forum on Boards even is quite busy as another small indicator of the interest.

During an Olympic year for example I'd like to see a weekly slot called 'Olympic Prep' or something which would cover the progress of different athletes from a several months out as they aim to qualify and then go through training and final prep and compete at the Olympics rather than just in the week before they are held. Could focus on a different athlete or sport each week while still touching on how others are progressing.
Same could be done for World Championships whether it be in athletics or boxing or swimming etc.

And now that I've gone this far, I've also thought there's room to engage more with amateur sport and think a slot on senior club championships with a focus on a high profile team each week could be very interesting.

In my mind, these could be done quite cheaply as it would just need someone with a mic and recording equipment or do it over Zoom and so might be a path for young sports journalists to build some experience in creating such content for a podcast or whatever. Shouldn't need paid contributors because those involved might be glad to get exposure for their sport or just to have the opportunity to put their story out there.

But, were they to do any of that, there'd still be detractors saying 'No one is interested in that' or 'I can't believe they only give athletics 8 minutes a week' or similar. There's a reason they focus on what they focus on and I reckon it's driven by advertiser interest and JNLR figures more than anything else.

Some good points in there. As an avid cyclist (just in the door from a spin!) I'd love to see more cycling on the show. GCN does so well, and The Cycling Podcast is also worth checking out if you haven't listened yet.

I wonder has Andy Lee been sidelined since he started working with Tyson Furey. Either way, his contributions were brilliant.

Tell me how

Deleted User wrote: »

Some good points in there. As an avid cyclist (just in the door from a spin!) I'd love to see more cycling on the show. GCN does so well, and The Cycling Podcast is also worth checking out if you haven't listened yet.

I wonder has Andy Lee been sidelined since he started working with Tyson Furey. Either way, his contributions were brilliant.

GCN is excellent alright, and their GCN+ is worth the money for the films and documentaries alone. Geo blocked from watching the Tour on it where I am though unfortunately. :mad:

Don't think Andy was sidelined but moreso he stepped away when working with Furey. He was very good but I felt his features needed more time for him to relax in to them. First one I heard he was very static and sounded like he was just reading a list of questions.

EmmetSpiceland

Great to hear Gerry Thornley back on the show last night. First time in a long time hearing him, for me.

Scotty #

After someone contradicted my earlier comment I happened to be in the car Friday evening and decided to stick OTB on to see if anything had changed.

Low and behold, it's Brian O'Driscoll rabbiting on about some Lion's game he played against South Africa years ago. Even Brian himself sounded bored by it. Thankfully it was the end of the interview but the presenter thanked him for the last HOUR of chat! Seriously, is there nothing more current they could talk about!

Needless to say, I won't be tuning in again any time soon.

Felexicon

Scotty # wrote: »

After someone contradicted my earlier comment I happened to be in the car Friday evening and decided to stick OTB on to see if anything had changed.

Low and behold, it's Brian O'Driscoll rabbiting on about some Lion's game he played against South Africa years ago. Even Brian himself sounded bored by it. Thankfully it was the end of the interview but the presenter thanked him for the last HOUR of chat! Seriously, is there nothing more current they could talk about!

Needless to say, I won't be tuning in again any time soon.

Good man.

Congratulations

Tell me how

Scotty # wrote: »

After someone contradicted my earlier comment I happened to be in the car Friday evening and decided to stick OTB on to see if anything had changed.

Low and behold, it's Brian O'Driscoll rabbiting on about some Lion's game he played against South Africa years ago. Even Brian himself sounded bored by it. Thankfully it was the end of the interview but the presenter thanked him for the last HOUR of chat! Seriously, is there nothing more current they could talk about!

Needless to say, I won't be tuning in again any time soon.

#thoughtsandprayers

What were they thinking? You'd swear the Lions were about to play South Africa again or something crazy like that.
Lucky you were able to concentrate enough to stay on road while listening to such nonsense on a sports show the day before the Lions first game.

MrMusician18

Tell me how wrote: »

#thoughtsandprayers

What were they thinking? You'd swear the Lions were about to play South Africa again or something crazy like that.
Lucky you were able to concentrate enough to stay on road while listening to such nonsense on a sports show the day before the Lions first game.

OTB descends far too often into this nostalgia. The football show could be looking forward to the championship league final and somehow, inexplicably, they end up talking about Billy Bremner and 1970's Leeds United?

Scotty #

Scotty # wrote: »

After someone contradicted my earlier comment I happened to be in the car Friday evening and decided to stick OTB on to see if anything had changed.

Low and behold, it's Brian O'Driscoll rabbiting on about some Lion's game he played against South Africa years ago. Even Brian himself sounded bored by it. Thankfully it was the end of the interview but the presenter thanked him for the last HOUR of chat! Seriously, is there nothing more current they could talk about!

Needless to say, I won't be tuning in again any time soon.

You proved your point that it's "90 per cent" rugby on OTB by turning on the show once and hearing rugby? I'm not sure your research would stand up to much scrutiny.

If you turn it on again and they are discussing another sport, would that make it 50 per cent rugby?

Faugheen

MrMusician18 wrote: »

OTB descends far too often into this nostalgia. The football show could be looking forward to the championship league final and somehow, inexplicably, they end up talking about Billy Bremner and 1970's Leeds United?

They descend far too often into nostalgia. They cover political issues in a sporting context. Both you don’t like

What is it you actually want them to do? Read out the scores?

MrMusician18

Faugheen wrote: »

They descend far too often into nostalgia. They cover political issues in a sporting context. Both you don’t like

What is it you actually want them to do? Read out the scores?

I dunno, just talk about current sport?

Jayesdiem

Faugheen wrote: »

They descend far too often into nostalgia. They cover political issues in a sporting context. Both you don’t like

What is it you actually want them to do? Read out the scores?

That’s what I want.

“Queen of the South 1, Cowdenbeath 2”
“Raith Rovers and Greenock Morton was postponed”

Tell me how

Jayesdiem wrote: »

That’s what I want.

“Queen of the South 1, Cowdenbeath 2”
“Raith Rovers and Greenock Morton was postponed”

I know you're joking, but I reckon some here thought page 220 on Aertel was just enough sporting information.

Date of fixture, teams, line ups, scores and scorers and time elapsed.

Scotty #

Deleted User wrote: »

You proved your point that it's "90 per cent" rugby on OTB by turning on the show once and hearing rugby? I'm not sure your research would stand up to much scrutiny.

If you turn it on again and they are discussing another sport, would that make it 50 per cent rugby?

I never claimed to prove my point. Do you think I proved my point? It was more opinion than scientific analysis to be honest but I'm sure you know that.

Look, there's obviously a market for people who want to listen to O'Driscoll & Co. extensively review games that were played several years ago. It doesn't do it for me.

Scotty #

Scotty # wrote: »

I never claimed to prove my point. Do you think I proved my point? It was more opinion than scientific analysis to be honest but I'm sure you know that.

Look, there's obviously a market for people who want to listen to O'Driscoll & Co. extensively review games that were played several years ago. It doesn't do it for me.

Good for you. That's what the off switch is for.

Scotty #

Thanks for the info.

Deleted User wrote: »

Not a huge rugby fan, but have to totally disagree with the post that claims it's mostly rugby.

OTB have three verified twitter accounts, one general @offtheball, one for the morning show @OffTheBallAM, and one for...... you've guessed it, RUGBY!! @offtheballrugby.

"Not mostly Rugby".... are you sure you're listening to the right show?

Scotty #

Scotty # wrote: »

Thanks for the info.

OTB have three verified twitter accounts, one general @offtheball, one for the morning show @OffTheBallAM, and one for...... you've guessed it, RUGBY!! @offtheballrugby.

"Not mostly Rugby".... are you sure you're listening to the right show?

Another case cracked by inspector Scotty.

I hear they are changing the name of the show to OTRB.

On a serious note, if you think it's all rugby then you need to listen more.

Scotty #

Deleted User wrote: »

Good for you. That's what the off switch is for.

Deleted User wrote: »

Another case cracked by inspector Scotty.

What's with all the personal digs? It's a discussion about a radio show is all. Calm down.

I'll bow out here! Happy listening.

Scotty #

Scotty # wrote: »

What's with all the personal digs? It's a discussion about a radio show is all. Calm down.

I'll bow out here! Happy listening.

Nothing personal.

There is a long history in this thread of people barrelling in with very negative and often unfounded takes on the show.

Your take didn't hold much water.

If you have a look through the podcasts then you might find some stuff that you like and it'll save you having to listen to rugby.

I don't like rugby much either, but I'm sure you'll find a lot more than your recent posts suggest.

Coillte_Bhoy

Tell me how wrote: »

I know you're joking, but I reckon some here thought page 220 on Aertel was just enough sporting information.

Date of fixture, teams, line ups, scores and scorers and time elapsed.

Ah now 220 was just the index, 221 for Prem League latest, 224 for Scotland if iirc

Patrick2010

Any idea when the interview with Stephen Kenny is on, just loads of talk about Dermot and Dave now for some reason

Ahwell

Patrick2010 wrote: »

Any idea when the interview with Stephen Kenny is on, just loads of talk about Dermot and Dave now for some reason

8 o'clock.

nialler1978

Giles unsure and questioning who England are playing next and then hasn’t a breeze who the Ukraine are managed by and segues straight on to Leeds Utd. This isn’t even barstool talk, it’s embarrassing for the man and anyone listening.