The D4 Media/ Posh Boys and Irish Rugby – Spoon feeding the masses

Frank Lee Midere · 15-02-2014 03:46AM

stretchdoe wrote: »

There's no doubt that rugby is a small, fringe, minority sport in world terms.

It's unknown in the vast majority of countries on earth and is well down the pecking order of sports popularity in the few countries it has any relevance in.

It's also something of a minority sport in this country in terms of participation numbers, number of clubs etc.

People's opinion of the sport is irrelevant as it relates to the question at hand, which is if it gets a level of media attention in this country disproportionate to its popularity.

The answer is clearly yes, and the fact that many of those commenting here consider it a big world sport and seem to think that it's an amazing achievement for the Irish team to reasonably compete against relatively little competition is evidence of that.

That's just to address the question at hand and not to criticise Irish rugby/the Irish rugby team who i enjoy watching and wish well.

You guys keep making your straw man arguments about people(who?) saying its a big world sport. The only people saying that are people on this thread "debunking" it.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 15-02-2014 04:01AM

This is a stupid thread. I don't really follow rugby but why would I devote any energy to criticizing it?

stretchdoe · 15-02-2014 04:01AM

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

You guys keep making your straw man arguments about people(who?) saying its a big world sport. The only people saying that are people on this thread "debunking" it.

The question of its popularity is relevant as it relates to the question at hand, regarding the focus of the media in this country.

Foxtrol · 15-02-2014 04:05AM

stretchdoe wrote: »

There's no doubt that rugby is a small, fringe, minority sport in world terms.

It's unknown in the vast majority of countries on earth and is well down the pecking order of sports popularity in the few countries it has any relevance in.

It's also something of a minority sport in this country in terms of participation numbers, number of clubs etc.

People's opinion of the sport is irrelevant as it relates to the question at hand, which is if it gets a level of media attention in this country disproportionate to its popularity.

The answer is clearly yes, and the fact that many of those commenting here consider it a big world sport and seem to think that it's an amazing achievement for the Irish team to reasonably compete against relatively little competition is evidence of that.

That's just to address the question at hand and not to criticise Irish rugby/the Irish rugby team who i enjoy watching and wish well.

As I said a few posts ago, it is by far the biggest professional sport in the country, in terms of both viewership and attendances, and on that metric the media coverage is not disproportionate.

Depending on what angle or statistic you use you could make an argument that there is too much media attention on any of mainstream sports: Irish peoples attendance at soccer games would be the lowest yet gets the biggest coverage, while if you want to look at how much of a 'minority sport in world terms' they are the GAA is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Rugby gets less coverage than both of these sports so I'm not sure what all this bitching is about. It really feels to me that some posters just have a chip on their shoulder about not liking/understanding the game.

stretchdoe · 15-02-2014 04:06AM

Duffy the Vampire Slayer wrote: »

This is a stupid thread. I don't really follow rugby but why would I devote any energy to criticizing it?

Well you wouldn't clearly.

But this thread isn't about criticising rugby.

The Op posited the opinion/asked the question of if it receives undeserved attention from the media in this country.

So it's a topic up for debate, like any other.

If you've no interest in it, then, fair enough.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer · 15-02-2014 04:22AM

A lot of the vitriol in this thread seems to be directed at the game itself and the people who play it however.

stretchdoe · 15-02-2014 04:24AM

Foxtrol wrote: »

As I said a few posts ago, it is by far the biggest professional sport in the country, in terms of both viewership and attendances, and on that metric the media coverage is not disproportionate.

Depending on what angle or statistic you use you could make an argument that there is too much media attention on any of mainstream sports: Irish peoples attendance at soccer games would be the lowest yet gets the biggest coverage, while if you want to look at how much of a 'minority sport in world terms' they are the GAA is scraping the bottom of the barrel.

Rugby gets less coverage than both of these sports so I'm not sure what all this bitching is about. It really feels to me that some posters just have a chip on their shoulder about not liking/understanding the game.

I'd dispute that in that if you took the attendance of all League of Ireland games played over a season combined with the Irish international games i'd imagine it wouldn't drop far short of rugby attendance.

But Irish soccer, despite that facts that by any metric it's far more popular than rugby, gets far less attention from the media than rugby does.

You also mention 'professional sport', disregarding the GAA which in terms of countrywide interest and attendance numbers outstrips rugby even on your average league weekend.

Yet, it gets little coverage relative to its popularity in comparison to rugby where if you turn on a radio, watch Rte news etc, you're inundated with info even about the injury status of various players no-one's ever heard about in anticipation of a 'rabo-cup', whatever it's called, game no-one cares about.

Foxtrol · 15-02-2014 05:20AM

stretchdoe wrote: »

I'd dispute that in that if you took the attendance of all League of Ireland games played over a season combined with the Irish international games i'd imagine it wouldn't drop far short of rugby attendance.

You're having a laugh right? You don't even know what the domestic league is called and you're going to pull attendance figures out of your ass and try to make me take you seriously. Do the maths, they wouldn't come close. A Heineken Cup weekend alone could bring in between 68k on a weekend where all provinces played at home (that rises to nearly 100k on the week Leinster play in the Aviva).

But Irish soccer, despite that facts that by any metric it's far more popular than rugby, gets far less attention from the media than rugby does.

You haven't proved Irish soccer is far more popular by any metric. League attendances, national team attendances, viewers - nothing. They may have more people playing it at grassroots level but if they aren't going to games or watching them on TV then the media aren't going to cover it. The EPL despite being based in a different country is what is more popular and it gets much more coverage than rugby, check any newspaper, and obviously the Irish media is going to be biased towards covering Irish teams in whatever sport.

You also mention 'professional sport', disregarding the GAA which in terms of countrywide interest and attendance numbers outstrips rugby even on your average league weekend.

Yet, it gets little coverage relative to its popularity in comparison to rugby where if you turn on a radio, watch Rte news etc, you're inundated with info even about the injury status of various players no-one's ever heard about in anticipation of a 'rabo-cup', whatever it's called, game no-one cares about.

I mentioned professional sport because it is the biggest professional sport - it's a fact. GAA gets massive coverage when it's in it's in it's peak season and this doesn't really clash with rugby in that regard.

Love your hyperbole - you've really been 'inundated' with rugby injury info, if you are I'd like you to point to the station you're listening to. Most likely what you heard was a 20 second overview of a squad announcement - cry me a river.

JacquesDeLad · 15-02-2014 05:34AM

I haven't read through 40 pages of the OP reworded and countered vigourously, so I'm not at a point of absolute "clíste", that's a gaelic word meaning the understanding of knowledge, isn't it? At this point someone has lost an argument, nest PAS?

osarusan · 15-02-2014 05:42AM

No problem with rugby and the players. A good rugby game is a great thing to watch.

I do however view as a pet peeve the occasional comment comparing the game as somehow inherently superior to football, and the players as somehow more noble. "You wouldn't see that in soccer" etc. It's mostly from fans, but occasionally from analysts.

GAA analysts (esp Pat Spillane) do it too.

JacquesDeLad · 15-02-2014 06:07AM

osarusan wrote: »

I do however view as a pet peeve the occasional comment comparing the game as somehow inherently superior to football,

I hope every form of football is superior to soccer.

AngeGal · 15-02-2014 08:00AM

osarusan wrote: »

No problem with rugby and the players. A good rugby game is a great thing to watch.

I do however view as a pet peeve the occasional comment comparing the game as somehow inherently superior to football, and the players as somehow more noble. "You wouldn't see that in soccer" etc. It's mostly from fans, but occasionally from analysts.

And refs.

I like soccer but there is some truth in it. The abuse soccer refs is ridiculous, even watching a game on tv you can tell they get told to f off every couple of minutes. I never understand why a ref doesn't just go in the two dressing rooms before a match and say first guy to abuse me gets a yellow, second guy a red. The Italian ref, Collina seemed to take a hardline attitude IIRC and had a much easier time of it accordingly.

Rugby has largely avoided feigning injury too.

There are flaws to Rugby too of course, disregard for player well being was commonplace for a long time albeit that's thankfully improving these days. Stamping/gouging,etc (although not as much these days due to cameras) is obviously far more common as well.

AngeGal · 15-02-2014 08:09AM

K-9 wrote: »

I'd have to agree this golden generation of players has under achieved, I haven't seen any good post to say they haven't, just scoffing and dismissals.

They're not done yet, if they can win three more games most of them will be multiple heineken cup winners and multiple grand slam winners.

Molester Stallone · 15-02-2014 09:37AM

stretchdoe wrote: »

There's no doubt that rugby is a small, fringe, minority sport in world terms.

It's unknown in the vast majority of countries on earth and is well down the pecking order of sports popularity in the few countries it has any relevance in.

It's also something of a minority sport in this country in terms of participation numbers, number of clubs etc.

People's opinion of the sport is irrelevant as it relates to the question at hand, which is if it gets a level of media attention in this country disproportionate to its popularity.

The answer is clearly yes, and the fact that many of those commenting here consider it a big world sport and seem to think that it's an amazing achievement for the Irish team to reasonably compete against relatively little competition is evidence of that.

That's just to address the question at hand and not to criticise Irish rugby/the Irish rugby team who i enjoy watching and wish well.

Do you have an idea of the numbers of players within this island? If you did you would realise it's not a minority sport here

osarusan · 15-02-2014 09:43AM

AngeGal wrote: »

I like soccer but there is some truth in it. The abuse soccer refs is ridiculous, even watching a game on tv you can tell they get told to f off every couple of minutes. I never understand why a ref doesn't just go in the two dressing rooms before a match and say first guy to abuse me gets a yellow, second guy a red. The Italian ref, Collina seemed to take a hardline attitude IIRC and had a much easier time of it accordingly.

Rugby has largely avoided feigning injury too.

There are flaws to Rugby too of course, disregard for player well being was commonplace for a long time albeit that's thankfully improving these days. Stamping/gouging,etc (although not as much these days due to cameras) is obviously far more common as well.

If those running football had the stones to introduce the kind of refereeing aids that rugby has (refs with mics, retrospective action like citing), and used them properly, we'd see so much of what football gets criticized for stop practically overnight. I wish they would do it.

My problem is not with people pointing out football's many flaws. It's the pedestal that rugby gets put on.

The_Kew_Tour · 15-02-2014 05:14PM

I cant be only one who looks at certain rugby players and think they taking something bit stronger then Creatine?

WesternZulu · 15-02-2014 05:59PM

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I cant be only one who looks at certain rugby players and think they taking something bit stronger then Creatine?

I wouldn't be one bit surprised for the only reason that the benefits of doing so in rugby are huge, some people will gladly take the risk if it means gaining an advantage.

Being 'big' is an undisputed advantage in rugby.

Jimoslimos · 15-02-2014 06:13PM

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I cant be only one who looks at certain rugby players and think they taking something bit stronger then Creatine?

Undoubtedly. As a sport I think it lends itself to the temptation of PEDs, especially moving into the pro-era.

However I also think doping is a bigger problem than reported in soccer. Whilst the advantages in performance aren't as clear-cut, the level of competition is so tight any marginal gain will be seized upon. Both sports are well behind athletics and even cycling for drug testing.

I also imagine it happens in the GAA, especially in Gaelic football, although done by individuals privately rather than by a doctor (or team of doctors) at a large European soccer club.

The_Kew_Tour · 15-02-2014 06:17PM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Undoubtedly. As a sport I think it lends itself to the temptation of PEDs, especially moving into the pro-era.

However I also think doping is a bigger problem than reported in soccer. Whilst the advantages in performance aren't as clear-cut, the level of competition is so tight any marginal gain will be seized upon. Both sports are well behind athletics and even cycling for drug testing.

I also imagine it happens in the GAA, especially in Gaelic football, although done by individuals privately rather than by a doctor (or team of doctors) at a large European soccer club.

oh without question its in Soccer and to a degree in GAA I say aswell.

However, it would do far greater harm to Rugby who prides itself on being a sport with no cheating.

NTMK · 15-02-2014 06:21PM

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I cant be only one who looks at certain rugby players and think they taking something bit stronger then Creatine?

Probably happening but tbh same can be said about every sport. They do test extensively now in rugby

A lot of the younger irish internationals were big ****ers as kids too, i know i spent a lot of time trying to tackle them. you combine a natural big build with intensive workouts 5 days a week you'll see results

Drakares · 15-02-2014 06:33PM

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

I agree o.p, cant stand rugby, always was and always will be a protestant to me, a elitist sport followed by mostly west Brit types.

You must be a proud west brit seen as though you're gambling on the sport and posting in the Rugby Forum.

Jonjo the Westbrit Elitist

Pot kettle black and all that.

markesmith · 15-02-2014 06:58PM

Drakares wrote: »

You must be a proud west brit seen as though you're gambling on the sport and posting in the Rugby Forum.

Jonjo the Westbrit Elitist

Pot kettle black and all that.

Haha BUSTED, Jonjo! Although I think you're just a serial gambler :pac:

HooohRaaah · 22-02-2014 06:49PM

What absolute heroes the Irish players were today. They'll get an easy ride from the public.

The Pheasant2 · 15-03-2014 11:27PM

HooohRaaah wrote: »

What absolute heroes the Irish players were today. They'll get an easy ride from the public.

Ha. Ha.

KungPao · 15-03-2014 11:36PM

Have almost nada interest in Rugby, but switched it on with 10 minutes left, expected the usual heartbreak at the end, was pleased they didn't crumble.

Well done lads!

Wompa1 · 15-03-2014 11:45PM

I guess I must be one of the goys...I played Rugby for about 4 years....granted most of the guys I played with were gob****es...I don't like the sport, I just don't find it very entertaining, the crowd it attracts is kind of annoying too.

But then again, I've kind of stopped actively supporting most sports teams.

mike65 · 15-03-2014 11:57PM

The camera fixed on some Irish in the crowd, you could tell immediately they were not GAA girls.

Mal-Adjusted · 16-03-2014 01:04AM

Rugby has been prevalent in the media recently because we're coming to the business end of the league and the big international season is on. One of our greatest sportsmen is also coming to the end of his career. a year and a half ago, the entire Irish media was w***ing itself silly over the soccer team when the Euros were on...This summer (like last) it's all going to be about the GAA. these things work in cycles

As for the whole it being only a south Dublin/Limerick thing...my girlfriend is from the back end of Connemara and she's obsessed with rugby

suicide_circus · 16-03-2014 01:23AM

I focking lev rugger, you goys

Rothko · 16-03-2014 01:28AM

mike65 wrote: »

The camera fixed on some Irish in the crowd, you could tell immediately they were not GAA girls.

What do you mean by that?

The D4 Media/ Posh Boys and Irish Rugby – Spoon feeding the masses

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