Off The Ball Official Thread <Mod Note - Post #1, #533, #6651>

Tell me how wrote:

Brendan Griffin, junior minister for sport on discussing grants controversy. He was actually very good. Lots of sensible points made. Think Ger was a bit frustrated that he didn't elicit a soundbite out of it.

Yeah he came across very well I thought, hopefully what he says comes to fruition! Ger was trying his best to rile him up and be the man of the people. OTB didnt even know about the lack of facilities in the libertinies area until Paul Rouse was on the other night and are now leading the campaign for it

anthonyjmaher wrote: »

After the mature first half hour of speaking to Frank Greaney about the case, I thought "Well I underestimated Off The Ball, they can do balance". But this is a new low even for them.

I wonder is there ANY situation where OTB would ever stand up for a wrongly accused man in such a case, or are they that afraid of the Twitter machine? Bringing the prude from the Rape Crisis Centre on the show is essentially them holding their own court and finding the four guys guilty. The guys are innocent, guilty of sending a few childish texts, but nothing more. The inference that they are guilty, but it just haven't been proven, is shameful.

You arent even listening are you?

can you not hear the second guest giving the criminal defence lawyers perspective - Phelim O'Neill.

Normally one of Joe's biggest critics here but I would admit that he was good on TV3's 6 nationals coverage.

Whats the difference with his radio persona? Has to be the influence of Gilroy IMO. Ger mentored and developed Eoin McDevitt originally and tried to do it again with Joe after the split. If I remember correctly the was doing weekends at that time and was moved over to OTB the very night the second captains left.

No Ger at TV3. Joe much more comfortable and watchable.

I did hear her saying that, but I missed his response. I actually heard her citing those figures on another NT show before, which she was allowed to say unchallenged! If Joe did challenge her, then fair play to him. My point is that there is nobody in NT to raise the question of how unreliable the evidence of the complainant was. The OTB line seems to be that they believe her side of the story and the real question is how the guys got off.
It's the George Hook ability to ask the same questions that are being as at everybody's dinner table that is now missing from Newstalk. Nobody in Off The Ball would be brave enough to ask the question "was she actually lying? Did she make it up to save face?" as it would make them the target of the usual Twitter groups. But as unpalatable as Joe may find them, these ARE questions that are being asked by everybody except the media. The media are just prepared to put their lot behind her simply because she is a woman who has accused these guys of rape. The truth does not seem to matter.

Tell me how wrote: »

You're being disingenuous.

Extremists calling for her to be named for "unfairly" accusing the guys are matched by those who think she should be believed just because she's an alleged victim.

The complainant believes she was raped, the defendants believe it was consensual, there was not enough evidence for the jury to unanimously believe the charges ergo they were found not guilty.

Real life is not simple black and white. It's various shades of grey.

I think both sides in that court case should be ashamed of themselves.
The level of alcohol consumed was the bit that shocked me the most if I am honest.
How much drink is enough?
Two of the lads are professional athletes
And the woman was going around throwing herself at fellas left right and centre (prior to going back with Jackson and co) after having drank copious amounts of drink.
She was hardy looking after herself.
To me the whole thing is a sad indictment on Ireland's drink culture North and South.
What the f**k is wrong with us as a country?
Makes me ashamed to be Irish.

Patww79 wrote: »

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Of course the country has a drink problem and it is an irrelevance which jurisdiction this case happens to be.
Both the UK and Ireland drink like fish compared to the majority of other nations.
That is why the whole scenario of the court case arose in the first place copious amounts of drink.
But in reports now that it is finished it has moved on to the definition of consent and the level of drink is an afterthought.
Whereas in my view it should be the other way around.

Whether we like it or not Ulster rugby players can represent the island of Ireland.

Patww79 wrote: »

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I know countries don't drink but those people in those countries UK and Ireland drink more Per capita then a lot of other countries in the world.

Is out of control drinking so accepted in Ireland that the reaction is a shrug of the shoulders, and not shame?

The mind boggles.

Then you lead on to the discussion of the binge drinking culture.
How does it even make sense just to drink yourself stupid?

Patww79 wrote: »

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So it is that ingrained in you that you cannot see a problem with it.
If someone asked you to drink 20 pints of milk in a couple of hours you would think that is mad. It would make you sick.
Yet the equivalent in alcohol your a legend?!

It was the major contributory factor in the court case that is being discussed.
I have heard otherwise sane people discuss thier huge levels of alcohol intake as if it is normal, even pride in some cases.
The reality is it should not be normal nor should it be acceptable.
That is what this court case has hit home to me.

I've nit listened to a midweek OTB show in a few months. If I listen to this, will it provoke my usual frustrations?

the first hour isn't up online.

I'm really surprised at Newstalk's reaction to the latest McGregor issue. They seem to be relatively quiet on it (I listened to one or two OTB reports). They seem less angry at this than McGregor's supposed racist remarks which is odd because his behaviour the other day is something that really was actually out of line, as opposed to some meaningless throwaway comments.

They’ve cut down a lot on GAA discussion on the radio show lately. Very little on match previews or post weekend analysis. Might change when championship comes around. They seem to be doin more of this online am show rather than the radio show. Maybe when they lost rights to games they’ve reduced radio discussion of games.

Ya I know they lost live gaa game rights. Just looks like less general discussions on radio show on hurling and football even about games coming up etc. I only found out about the online am show over Easter. Good one with Shane Stapleton yesterday with tommy Walsh.

dastardly00 wrote: »

Joe tweeted this about a minute before Pogba scored the first of his two goals

https://twitter.com/MolloyJoe/status/982671754106687489

He has a point, but the timing of it is hilarious!

Is Pogba code for "Joe Molloy" and Mourinho code for "Ger Gilroy" in that tweet?