Who is/was Ireland's most famous sports star?

Beechwoodspark · 27-03-2019 12:59PM

All island - George Best

26 Counties - Roy Keane.

Honorable mention

McIlroy

Hoboo · 27-03-2019 12:59PM

Who tf is Eoin Morgan?

Beechwoodspark · 27-03-2019 01:00PM

Uncharted wrote: »

An utterly stupid,misinformed and stereotypically narrow minded statement.

Most people don’t even consider it a sport

RocketRaccoon · 27-03-2019 01:01PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Most people don’t even consider it a sport

And those people are wrong. It is a sport, UFC however is not a sport.

27-03-2019 01:02PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Most people don’t even consider it a sport

What do you consider a sport? How would you define one?

Beechwoodspark · 27-03-2019 01:03PM

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

And those people are wrong. It is a sport, UFC however is not a sport.

Ah I dunno. Load of ppl would strongly say it’s not a sport and all involved should be arrested for assault.

Especially after that mma “participant” dying a few year ago in Dublin

citytillidie · 27-03-2019 01:04PM

Hoboo wrote: »

Who tf is Eoin Morgan?

Irish man who captains the England one day cricket team, plays a sport watched by billions, but very poor watched sport in Ireland

27-03-2019 01:05PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Ah I dunno. Load of ppl would strongly say it’s not a sport and all involved should be arrested for assault.
Especially after that mma “participant” dying a few year ago in Dublin

Better cancel boxing so...

RocketRaccoon · 27-03-2019 01:05PM

www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/most-famous-irish-person.amp

www.sportsjoe.ie/amp/us-sports/two-irish-sportsmen-crack-espns-top-100-famous-athletes-160898

Fairly simple research really.

RocketRaccoon · 27-03-2019 01:06PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Ah I dunno. Load of ppl would strongly say it’s not a sport and all involved should be arrested for assault.

Especially after that mma “participant” dying a few year ago in Dublin

But again, they would be wrong.

What about footballers that have died on the pitch? Boxers?

Oasis1974 · 27-03-2019 01:07PM

What about George Best must be up there.

R.F. · 27-03-2019 01:08PM

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

But again, they would be wrong.

What about footballers that have died on the pitch? Boxers?

People die in Motor Sport every year. And this is also considered a sport

27-03-2019 01:09PM

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

What about footballers that have died on the pitch? Boxers?

List of boxing related deaths

xckjoo · 27-03-2019 01:11PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Ah I dunno. Load of ppl would strongly say it’s not a sport and all involved should be arrested for assault.

Especially after that mma “participant” dying a few year ago in Dublin

Do you mean that you don't feel it should be a sanctioned sport? Because it would be hard to deny it qualifies as a sport.

Surely fighting is the oldest sport? Followed soon after by running

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 27-03-2019 01:20PM

RocketRaccoon wrote: »

So let me get this straight...

This man is well known among possibly BILLIONS of cricket fans the world over. But because he's not as well known in Ireland, he can't be all that famous.

Well he's known as an English player. That's enough really to disbar him from being Ireland's most famous sports star.

Sure there's a lot of people in India, but what does that translate to in a meaningful way. I mean Brian O Driscoll has a lot more Twitter followers than him. That at least is some tangible metric.

I mean no offense to Bangladesh, most of their population live on a few dollars a day, so Eoin Morgan being known by BILLIONS of people seems like a stretch to me. I'm not saying he's not well known. But people here are definitely over selling the population argument.

Uncharted · 27-03-2019 01:25PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Most people don’t even consider it a sport

Some people are stupid.

Some people believe the Earth is flat.

Beechwoodspark · 27-03-2019 01:26PM

xckjoo wrote: »

Do you mean that you don't feel it should be a sanctioned sport? Because it would be hard to deny it qualifies as a sport.

Surely fighting is the oldest sport? Followed soon after by running

Just a general sentiment among ppl I encounter (I drive around Ireland weekly-rural and urban locations, encountering retail staff-you can probably guess what I do for a living)

Just general comments like “it’s not a sport, it’s organised brutality” “human blood sport” “why is it not banned?” “One step above bare knuckle fighting out in the bog” “desperate violent”

These are the usual comments. I rarely if ever hear ppl say “mma is a legitimate sport”

facehugger99 · 27-03-2019 01:28PM

I wouldn't call MMA a sport so definitely not that Mcgregor fcukwit - it's more of a blood-spectacle for the mouth-breathers. Sure was't he easily defeated by a retired boxer when he did try his hand at an actual sport?

I'd say McIlroy.

27-03-2019 01:29PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

These are the usual comments. I rarely if ever hear ppl say “mma is a legitimate sport”

Do you know what MMA is? It's an amalgamation of Boxing, Jiu Jitsu, Karate, Sambo, amateur wrestling among others. Some of these are literally thousands of years old. They're not only sports, they're Olympic sports. Olympians have competed in MMA.

27-03-2019 01:30PM

facehugger99 wrote: »

Sure was't he easily defeated by a retired boxer when he did try his hand at an actual sport?

Non-boxer defeated by one of the greatest boxers of all time. Shocking.

Uncharted · 27-03-2019 01:30PM

facehugger99 wrote: »

I wouldn't call MMA a sport so definitely not that Mcgregor fcukwit - it's more of a blood-spectacle for the mouth-breathers. Sure was't he easily defeated by a retired boxer when he did try his hand at an actual sport?

I'd say McIlroy.

Mouth-breathers?

facehugger99 · 27-03-2019 01:38PM

Omackeral wrote: »

Non-boxer defeated by one of the greatest boxers of all time. Shocking.

Sure plenty of journeymen fighters have went the distance with Mayweather when he was in his prime. I'm given to understand Mcgregor was coughing up a lung with exhaustion after a few rounds and Mayweather didn't have to break sweat - despite the fact he's been chillin' out for a few years eating Cheetos.

Like I say, he's hardly a 'sports' star - shouldn't be in the conversation TBH.

Tombo2001 · 27-03-2019 01:39PM

Apparently rugby is more dangerous, when measured by number and level of injury, than MMA.....

pimpmyhat · 27-03-2019 01:40PM

sbsquarepants wrote: »

There's 2 brazillians work here with me - out of interest I've just asked them both do they know who George Best is, not a clue! Neither knew of McIlroy and both new McGregor.

Now, I could use a bigger sample size (5 or 6 maybe:D)

But, statistics don't lie. In a recent poll 0% of Brazilians had heard of Best or McIlroy, whereas 100% had heard of McGregor

Yes but had two Brazilians been asked in the 1960s /70s I'm sure they would of known of George Best then.

If two Brazilians were to be asked in 2070 did they know of McGregor they probably wouldn't ðŸ˜€

salmocab · 27-03-2019 01:42PM

This is great, people don’t like a particular sport so dismiss the people that are in it. Ridiculous statements. Mc Gregor is and whether you like or hate mma that’s not going to change it, why you’d care is worrying. I dislike mma but don’t feel the need to dismiss it.
Also dismissing a cricketer because it’s not big here is silly.

JustJoe7240 · 27-03-2019 01:42PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

Apparently rugby is more dangerous, when measured by number and level of injury, than MMA.....

Hardly surprising considering participation levels?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 27-03-2019 01:46PM

Tombo2001 wrote: »

You wouldnt think you would have to state the obvious but some times you do.

Ireland has 4 million people.

India has 1350 million people.

Pakistan has 200 million people.

Bangladesh has 150 million people.

Cricket is BY FAR the most popular sport in these countries. Cricket is way more popular in India than Gaelic Football is in Ireland, it is way out there in front of every other sport.

Eoin Morgan is Captain of one of the best cricket teams on the planet.

If famous means "how many people have heard of you" then he is an extremely famous man.

Maybe it means something else. Maybe it means how many of the your buddies have heard of him.....in which case he is not famous at all.

I think this is the fairest barometer of how big cricket is in those countries.

The total attendance figures over a season.

Indy Car (Motor racing) - 1,555,772
The Indian Premier League (Cricket) - 1,543,655
Indian Super League (Association football) - 1,477,033
Liga Venezolana de Beisbol (Baseball) - 1,275,317
Big Bash League (Cricket) - 1,053,997
Bangladesh Premier League (Cricket) - 742,000
Super GT (Motor racing) - 278,900

List of sports attendance figures

Cricket is not doing too badly. But not exactly off the chart. Baseball in Venezuela does bigger numbers. 2 billion people does not translate into billions attending games anyway.

Uncharted · 27-03-2019 01:56PM

facehugger99 wrote: »

Sure plenty of journeymen fighters have went the distance with Mayweather when he was in his prime. I'm given to understand Mcgregor was coughing up a lung with exhaustion after a few rounds and Mayweather didn't have to break sweat - despite the fact he's been chillin' out for a few years eating Cheetos.

Like I say, he's hardly a 'sports' star - shouldn't be in the conversation TBH.

You're completely hung up on the notion that MMA is not a sport. This seems to be why you're not willing to include Mcgregor as a sportsman.

This seems to be the crux of your argument.

Now that is out is established,what are you basing your opinion,that MMA is not a sport, on?

xckjoo · 27-03-2019 02:08PM

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Just a general sentiment among ppl I encounter (I drive around Ireland weekly-rural and urban locations, encountering retail staff-you can probably guess what I do for a living)

Just general comments like “it’s not a sport, it’s organised brutality” “human blood sport” “why is it not banned?” “One step above bare knuckle fighting out in the bog” “desperate violent”

These are the usual comments. I rarely if ever hear ppl say “mma is a legitimate sport”

Weird that it comes up so often in conversation. I do jiu jitsu, watch MMA and am probably still (just) within the age bracket it's most popular with, yet it never comes up. I don't think it's once come up in a casual conversation with a relative stranger. Hardly even discuss fights or fighters at training and it's an MMA gym.

Anyway, personal opinion does not dictate if something is a sport or not.

Beechwoodspark · 27-03-2019 02:10PM

xckjoo wrote: »

Weird that it comes up so often in conversation. I do jiu jitsu, watch MMA and am probably still (just) within the age bracket it's most popular with, yet it never comes up. I don't think it's once come up in a casual conversation with a relative stranger. Hardly even discuss fights or fighters at training and it's an MMA gym.

Anyway, personal opinion does not dictate if something is a sport or not.

It came up in general conversation any time mcg was in the headlines in the papers.

I would be in shops where newspapers are prominent and we would chit chat about stuff in the papers.

Who is/was Ireland's most famous sports star?

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