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Ireland's biggest sporting embarrassment?

ColeTrain

What do you think is Ireland's most embarrassing moment on the sporting stage?

'Ireland's most successful Olympian' Michelle Smith and her doping gets my vote.

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[Deleted User]

irelandrover wrote: »

Do you really not see why a team that is representing the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland do not compete under the flag and anthem of only one of those countries?

Of course he can.

Anyway here are a few courtesy of thescore
http://www.thescore.ie/live-sport-ireland-897887-May2013/

flas

Billy86 wrote: »

We were deadful in the late 80s and 90s as has been mentioned, but to be fair meanwhile in football we have competed in 34 WC/EC qualifying campaigns over the span of 55 years and finished have top... never.

How many times have we finished top in the rugger world cup?we have played in all off them!?

No big disgrace not winning a world cup in football, a truely international sport!

Dempsey

The most embarrassing thing about this thread for me is that poor performances in competition is seen as a bigger source of embarrassment than cheating or behaviour that erodes the integrity of Irish Sport.

Michelle Smith & Stephen Roche never failed drug tests but you'd want to be very naive to think they werent cheating their way to success.

Cian O'Connor & Waterford Crystal.

John Delaney, the epitome of FIFA on this island. His priorities are all wrong and he continues to fail the highest participation sport in this country by not dealing with the gap between amateur and professional level, which is having a profound effect on the sport in this country.

Saipan, 2 stubborn men putting their own interests before that of the everyone else involved and the country they were representing.

Everyone in GAA making serious money except the players, i.e. the people making the biggest sacrifices.

Neil Horan. Not content with nearly getting himself killed and putting other people at risk at Silverstone, he cost a man a Olympic Gold Medal the following year.

NoMore MrNiceGuy

flas wrote: »

How many times have we finished top in the rugger world cup?we have played in all off them!?

No big disgrace not winning a world cup in football, a truely international sport!

Neither the soccer team or the rugby team have been the greatest embarrassment in the last 25 years.

jmayo

Deleted User wrote: »

Exactly coincides with our "golden generation". It is always going to be cyclical with us (and with Scotland to be fair)

Actually I think Scotland has really slipped in all forms of sport.
Eamon Dunphy has a theory on it regarding their soccer players.
They once had top soccer players, a team that could challenge in five nations, world leading rally drivers, grand prix world championship drivers, etc.

Now they have Andy Murray and ..........

[Deleted User]

The begrudging nature of some of Ireland's soccer fans regarding Stephanie Roche's goal. It was embarrassing to hear the comments about how it was a "low level" and the defence was not good enough.

Smacked of not wanting one of our own to succeed (especially a woman)

NoMore MrNiceGuy

Dempsey wrote: »

The most embarrassing thing about this thread for me is that poor performances in competition is seen as a bigger source of embarrassment than cheating or behaviour that erodes the integrity of Irish Sport.

Michelle Smith & Stephen Roche never failed drug tests but you'd want to be very naive to think they werent cheating their way to success.

Cian O'Connor & Waterford Crystal.

John Delaney, the epitome of FIFA on this island. His priorities are all wrong and he continues to fail the highest participation sport in this country by not dealing with the gap between amateur and professional level, which is having a profound effect on the sport in this country.

Saipan, 2 stubborn men putting their own interests before that of the everyone else involved and the country they were representing.

Everyone in GAA making serious money except the players, i.e. the people making the biggest sacrifices.

Neil Horan. Not content with nearly getting himself killed and putting other people at risk at Silverstone, he cost a man a Olympic Gold Medal the following year.

I don't know much about the GAA but who has become an individual millionaire from it?

errlloyd

jmayo wrote: »

Now they have Andy Murray and ..........

**** loads of Olympic medalists right? I mean compared to Ireland. They have that cyclist dude and some more.

I accept a decent chunk of their medalists were on teams with other GB representatives and may not have won as independent.

Dempsey

NoMore MrNiceGuy wrote: »

I don't know much about the GAA but who has become an individual millionaire from it?

Because earning less than a million isn't worth talking about :rolleyes:

robbiezero

Redmen Rafalution wrote: »

Some of the things that first came to mind:

Keane and McCarthy. Embarrassing for all concerned that they couldn't work together in the WC.

Anything to do with John Delaney.

Whenever someone comes out with a comment along the lines of hurling being either the toughest or most skilful sport in the world.

Don't know anyone who thinks its the toughest sport in the world or anywhere near, certainly since helmets have become compulsory it has dropped well down the rankings in terms of tough sports.
Its certainly a hugely skilful game and I don't know why anyone would need to feel embarrassed for saying it is the most skilful sport in the world, plenty would disagree, but it's a valid argument.

keeponhurling

It can be a bit cringeworthy how when foreign politicans or famous people come to Ireland, we stick a hurley in their hand, and egg them on to tell us what a wonderful game it is.

The Bould Rabbit

washman3 wrote: »

Also remind your 'Aussie friend' that for the Rugby WC in New Zealand one of the stadiums had a grass bank on one side similar to some county GAA grounds 30 years ago. I kid you not.!!
But I suspect this 'Aussie friend' doesn't exist anyway, just your excuse to have a rant and a cheap shot, particularly at the GAA.;)

Whether the Australian friend exists or not, why would he need to be reminded about the state of stadia in New Zealand?

Henlars67

washman3 wrote: »

Both Croker and Aviva are fine stadiums, and the 'unfinished ends' in question are because of planning restrictions rather than an unwillingness of both organisations to complete them.

I would have to disagree that they are fine stadiums, and that is due to neither of them being finished.

As I said in a previous post the Aviva does look good from the outside, but that one tiny end ruins it. Same with Hill 16.

The reasons for neither being finished are irrelevant really. It makes them look awful regardless.

Magico Gonzalez

Henlars67 wrote: »

I would have to disagree that they are fine stadiums, and that is due to neither of them being finished.

As I said in a previous post the Aviva does look good from the outside, but that one tiny end ruins it. Same with Hill 16.

The reasons for neither being finished are irrelevant really. It makes them look awful regardless.

This is a classic definition of Irish begrudgery. We have 2 world class stadiums, with a joint capacity of well over 100k. Not many cities of the size of Dublin can claim that, 2 modern stadiums suitable for international sporting events both accessible from the city centre.

Still, some people would rather gurn about the fact that one end of the stadium is lower than the other.

I'm proud of the stadiums we have.

Stojkovic

The FAI.

Close thread.

Stojkovic

Billy86 wrote: »

Apologies, I missed 1998... so that is once in 34 attempts in football WC/EC qualifying compared to 3 times in 30 attempts (or 5 in 34, one tied with France) for rugby and the five/six nations.

Wrong again Billy !!!
Pick another year.

Henlars67

valoren wrote: »

For me it was the vilification of journalist David Walsh on the Late Late Show when discussing drugs in Cycling.
The smoking gun was the appearance of Stephen Roche's name on the file of EPO guru Prof. Conconni.

A disgusting agenda driven RTE humiliated him with Roche present with a partisan and deluded audience.

Watch the interview on youtube and cringe. Thankfully, he was fully vindicated.

*Lance never tested positive.
*Roche never tested positive.

But now Walsh is going to great lengths to defend another cyclist against doping allegations.

A rider who was unheard of a couple of years before he won the Tour by several minutes and went up the big climbs faster than Lance ever did.

Is that not just as embarrassing?

Henlars67

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

This is a classic definition of Irish begrudgery. We have 2 world class stadiums, with a joint capacity of well over 100k. Not many cities of the size of Dublin can claim that, 2 modern stadiums suitable for international sporting events both accessible from the city centre.

Still, some people would rather gurn about the fact that one end of the stadium is lower than the other.

I'm proud of the stadiums we have.

It's not begrudgery. It's based on what I can see with my own two eyes.

Be proud all you want, but neither were properly finished.

That is indisputable.

The premium tier in the Aviva is also much too big relative to the stadium, and there's only about half the amount of toilets there that are needed. Ever try going for a leak at Half Time. You'll be very lucky to get back to your seat for the start of the second half.

Billy86

flas wrote: »

How many times have we finished top in the rugger world cup?we have played in all off them!?

No big disgrace not winning a world cup in football, a truely international sport!

You are aware that rugby has teams like New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and often times England who are all much more dedicated to the sport, right? The whole "walking over random teams who are no use at the sport is meaningless" argument is kind of undermined when we are getting hammered 5-2 by Cyprus away, only managing to draw with them at home, and needing injury time winners to beat the goliaths of San Marino.

Six nations vs WC/EC qualifying tables is about the fairest comparison of rugby performances to football performances you will get (if anything if favours football due to the presence of minnows like Gilbraltar), and clearly we have performed better in that regard in rugby than in football. Trying to claim "the rugby team are crap because they never won the entire world cup, but the football team don't deserve any judgement whatsoever because it is a more popular global sport" is a cowardly and insecure argument.

jmayo

errlloyd wrote: »

**** loads of Olympic medalists right? I mean compared to Ireland. They have that cyclist dude and some more.

I accept a decent chunk of their medalists were on teams with other GB representatives and may not have won as independent.

Ok I forgot Chris Hoy.
oh and the girls from the curling.

keeponhurling wrote: »

It can be a bit cringeworthy how when foreign politicans or famous people come to Ireland, we stick a hurley in their hand, and egg them on to tell us what a wonderful game it is.

It is still better than forcing them into a pub to drink a pint of guinness (whose brand is owned by a foreign multinational) which does absolutely nothing to dismiss the myth that Irish people can't wander further than a few miles from a pub.

The Bould Rabbit wrote: »

Whether the Australian friend exists or not, why would he need to be reminded about the state of stadia in New Zealand?

Ahh Ozzies, Kiwis ... shure aren't they all the same.

grazeaway

jmayo wrote: »

Actually I think Scotland has really slipped in all forms of sport.
Eamon Dunphy has a theory on it regarding their soccer players.
They once had top soccer players, a team that could challenge in five nations, world leading rally drivers, grand prix world championship drivers, etc.

Now they have Andy Murray and ..........

It's a fair point, I remember one ex Scottish international think might have been strachen put it down maggie thatcher. I laughed when I heard it 1st but he made a valid point. Up to the mid 80's teachers were encouraged to coach kids in school, this was mostly in soccer in Scotland and rugby in wales. What you had then was lots of kids playing so that even the really good kids that went to the clubs were still playing. It also meant that the kids that joined the clubs were already well coached.

When the government pulled pay for teachers out of class actives that was lost. Might be a bit simplistic but I reckon there might be a point there. We are not much different to britan in that we depend on our schools and teachers to do a huge amount of development sports for children, be that gaa, soccer, rugby athletics.

Billy86

Stojkovic wrote: »

Wrong again Billy !!!
Pick another year.

Take a deep breath, scroll down a little bit from that post and you'll see as I said it was a typo.

[Deleted User]

RTÉ coverage of Katie Taylor is embarrassing

gormdubhgorm

Deleted User wrote: »

The FAI have nothing to offer the bid at all. They don't own any stadium capable of hosting a match, which is another embarrassment TBH

Haven't the FAI only leased landsdowne road for 60 years jointly with the IRFU.

But after the 60 years is up the IRFU will have full ownership!

These FAI lads are pure geniuses!:rolleyes:

grazeaway

Magico Gonzalez wrote: »

This is a classic definition of Irish begrudgery. We have 2 world class stadiums, with a joint capacity of well over 100k. Not many cities of the size of Dublin can claim that, 2 modern stadiums suitable for international sporting events both accessible from the city centre.

Still, some people would rather gurn about the fact that one end of the stadium is lower than the other.

I'm proud of the stadiums we have.

Another issue to bear in mind with stadiums is that they need to air circulate around and for light to get to the grass. Many huge stadiums are too closed in to have a good playing surface. Anyone been to wembly, fantastic stadium rubbish pitch.

[Deleted User]

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Haven't the FAI only leased landsdowne road for 60 years jointly with the IRFU.

But after the 60 years is up the IRFU will have full ownership!

These FAI lads are pure geniuses!:rolleyes:

It's bad but not that simple. Lansdowne road was owned by the IRFU in fairness, that is why it will revert back to them

Magico Gonzalez

Henlars67 wrote: »

It's not begrudgery. It's based on what I can see with my own two eyes.

Be proud all you want, but neither were properly finished.

That is indisputable.

The premium tier in the Aviva is also much too big relative to the stadium, and there's only about half the amount of toilets there that are needed. Ever try going for a leak at Half Time. You'll be very lucky to get back to your seat for the start of the second half.

Of course they were properly finished! The work was finished according to the spec and according to the legal framework they had to work within.

Both fulfil the criteria of very good modern stadia, except for the inane "sure lookit, one side is smaller than the other" criteria.

I'd say your eyes need the benefit of perspective.

Dempsey

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Haven't the FAI only leased landsdowne road for 60 years jointly with the IRFU.

But after the 60 years is up the IRFU will have full ownership!

These FAI lads are pure geniuses!:rolleyes:

I think that part is genius actually. It will be falling apart by then

deadybai

Conor Mcgregor is the biggest embarrassment in recent times.

Heard some people calling him Irelands greatest sports person. He is no where near the likes of Henry Shefflin, Brian O'Driscoll or Katie Taylor. What has he won? No class what so ever. Love to see him get his arse kicked so we never hear of him again. Look of the 3 I have mentioned above. All genuinely nice people off the pitch/ring. Mcgregor is an arrogant pr!ck and I cringe every time he holds the Irish tri-colour. Its even more embarrassing given that the UFC is predominately followed in the States, a country that wouldnt have heard of many of our sport stars in the past.

gormdubhgorm

keeponhurling wrote: »

It can be a bit cringeworthy how when foreign politicans or famous people come to Ireland, we stick a hurley in their hand, and egg them on to tell us what a wonderful game it is.

Not exactly, what is embarrassing was getting a Mayo Man (Enda Kenny) to show foreigners how to hold a hurl