Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

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

Options
13567…26

Comments

  • Options
    #62
    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo


    citytillidie wrote: »
    Becky Lynch at the moment :D

    You have to factor in Cricket is the most popular sport in India and the Asia sub continent, so a lot more people will know Eoin Morgan since he has played in the Indian Cricket Super League

    I love Becky. :)

    But like I said, Cricket is a nothing sport outside of pockets of England and some former colonies. It really is only India where it is proper big.


  • Options
    #63
    Amirani
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Amirani


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    But like I said, Cricket is a nothing sport outside of pockets of England and some former colonies. It really is only India where it is proper big.

    India
    Pakistan
    Bangladesh
    Australia
    South Africa
    Sri Lanka
    England

    A third of the world population. It's arguably the biggest sport in all of those bar England.


  • Options
    #64
    is_that_so
    Registered Users Posts: 32,136 ✭✭✭✭is_that_so


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    Sure, but in the context of this thread that doesn't really matter. The simple fact is no other Irish sportsperson would even be considered for those shows.

    Most sports stars have a shelf life, so many can become irrelevant within two years. But he's positioned himself to be around long into the future. 7.5 million followers and your own Whiskey brand goes far beyond that of a regular sports star.
    As long as he remains a free man!


  • Options
    #65
    RollieFingers
    Registered Users Posts: 2,635 ✭✭✭RollieFingers


    It's McGregor, anyone who says otherwise is kidding themselves.


  • Options
    #66
    xckjoo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,344 ✭✭✭xckjoo


    Rows Grower wrote: »
    There is one Brazilian at least who heard of him, a chap named Pele considered George Best to be the greatest football player in the world.


    Don't think we're talking about sports stars that are the most well regarded among their peers though.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #67
    HonalD
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,288 ✭✭✭HonalD


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    I love Becky. :)

    But like I said, Cricket is a nothing sport outside of pockets of England and some former colonies. It really is only India where it is proper big.

    Man, that’s so wrong. Was in Kathmandu and trying to haggle a dude when buying a scarf. He asked if I was British. Nope, I’m from Ireland. He came straight back and said - Morgan and the brothers (the O’Brien brothers). I was stunned.

    He Never mentioned Brian O’Driscoll, funnily enough or Kevin Moran. :D


  • Options
    #68
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    I love Becky. :)

    But like I said, Cricket is a nothing sport outside of pockets of England and some former colonies. It really is only India where it is proper big.

    It's generally regarded as the 2nd most popular spectator sport in the world. Just because it isn't popular here doesn't mean it has no profile in the rest of the world.

    Morgan is captain of the England team in limited overs cricket. That's the most popular form nowadays and England are favourites to win the World Cup this year.

    He has played club cricket in India and Australia as well. Most cricket fans around the world will know who he is I would have thought. On the other hand he's not a 'celebrity' and he doesn't do celebrity things so he's not well known outside the game, not sure you would call him 'famous' in that sense.


  • Options
    #69
    citytillidie
    Registered Users Posts: 21,970 ✭✭✭✭citytillidie


    Amirani wrote: »
    India
    Pakistan
    Bangladesh
    Australia
    South Africa
    Sri Lanka
    England

    A third of the world population. It's arguably the biggest sport in all of those bar England.

    I think you are under playing how big Cricket is in England too, Cricket would be 2nd to football in England. In fact if you go back most football teams back in the day would also have played cricket since football is a winter sport and cricket is a summer spot

    ******



  • Options
    #70
    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo


    Amirani wrote: »
    Your knowledge of demography seems a bit lacking here.

    You know England and those "former colonies" make up about a third of the World population? Cricket is the biggest sport in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, with are about 1.8 billion people. That's before you even start looking at South Africa, Australia and England itself.

    That's a far bigger support base than rugby for global audience...

    I'm aware that it is big in India, as I've clearly said on this very thread 2 times already. Can say it a third time, cricket is big in India. It's also got a population bigger than the whole Western World.

    But Eoin Morgan isn't even known by most Irish people. So being big in India isn't really worth that much imo. Like cricket is only the 4th most popular sport in England (according to the first page that popped up when I just Googled it there). None of that translates into "Ireland's most famous sports star".

    I mean Johnny Logan was/is massive in Germany. :D


  • Options
    #71
    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,009 ✭✭✭Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo


    citytillidie wrote: »
    I think you are under playing how big Cricket is in England too, Cricket would be 2nd to football in England. In fact if you go back most football teams back in the day would also have played cricket since football is a winter sport and cricket is a summer spot

    Rugby must be bigger. More money, bigger attendances, more participation and more buzz if England win a World Cup. (I think)


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #72
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    I'm aware that it is big in India, as I've clearly said on this very thread 2 times already. Can say it a third time, cricket is big in India. It's also got a population bigger than the whole Western World.

    But Eoin Morgan isn't even known by most Irish people. So being big in India isn't really worth that much imo. Like cricket is only the 4th most popular sport in England (according to the first page that popped up when I just Googled it there). None of that translates into "Ireland's most famous sports star".

    I mean Johnny Logan was/is massive in Germany. :D

    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.


  • Options
    #73
    weiland79
    Registered Users Posts: 3,307 ✭✭✭weiland79


    EmmetSpiceland wrote: »

    McGregor’s fanbase would be more likely to be online all day. The type who play computer games, when not watching xxx-rated material, in dark rooms all day and of questionable hygiene standards.

    What are you on ****en on about?


  • Options
    #74
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,867 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    At the time, given the profile of the World Cup globally, and the attention the media gives to goalscorers, in 2002 Robbie Keane would be up there.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • Options
    #75
    citytillidie
    Registered Users Posts: 21,970 ✭✭✭✭citytillidie


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    Rugby must be bigger. More money, bigger attendances, more participation and more buzz if England win a World Cup. (I think)

    Doing a little research cricket has fallen down viewership wise because Sky have all the live rights to Cricket. Some live Rugby is on all the major free channels (BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and 5). With no free live cricket it also leads to less people playing it. Traditionally Cricket was 2nd but slowly falling viewership wise. Some say it is still 2nd but some say it has fallen to 4th behind Rugby and Hockey

    ******



  • Options
    #76
    Rows Grower
    Registered Users Posts: 7,821 ✭✭✭Rows Grower


    odyssey06 wrote: »
    At the time, given the profile of the World Cup globally, and the attention the media gives to goalscorers, in 2002 Robbie Keane would be up there.

    This is a very important point when considering who "was" Ireland's most famous sports star.

    "Very soon we are going to Mars. You wouldn't have been going to Mars if my opponent won, that I can tell you. You wouldn't even be thinking about it."

    Donald Trump, March 13th 2018.



  • Options
    #77
    citytillidie
    Registered Users Posts: 21,970 ✭✭✭✭citytillidie


    odyssey06 wrote: »
    At the time, given the profile of the World Cup globally, and the attention the media gives to goalscorers, in 2002 Robbie Keane would be up there.

    With out googling can you name the Turkish player who scored the same number of goals as Robbie Keane at that World Cup?

    ******



  • Options
    #78
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    JohnnyFlash wrote: »
    UFC is popular amongst two main elements - criminals, and relatively young men with anger issues.

    Angry comment on the first page. Always comes up. Who is angry?
    Most people watch it with their mates and enjoy it have a laugh!


  • Options
    #79
    JohnnyFlash
    Registered Users Posts: 7,055 ✭✭✭JohnnyFlash


    It’s a sad reflection on society that cage fighting is even counted as a sport. The almost pornographic desire from its fans to see blood spilled, faces kicked, and bones broken. That primal need for violence they cannot control. The unresolved anger issues.


  • Options
    #80
    RocketRaccoon
    Registered Users Posts: 4,393 ✭✭✭RocketRaccoon


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    I'm aware that it is big in India, as I've clearly said on this very thread 2 times already. Can say it a third time, cricket is big in India. It's also got a population bigger than the whole Western World.

    But Eoin Morgan isn't even known by most Irish people. So being big in India isn't really worth that much imo. Like cricket is only the 4th most popular sport in England (according to the first page that popped up when I just Googled it there). None of that translates into "Ireland's most famous sports star".

    I mean Johnny Logan was/is massive in Germany. :D

    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.


  • Options
    #81
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »
    McGregor was involved in the 2nd biggest boxing PPV of all time, and holds 4 of the top 5 MMA PPV records. He's bigger and more famous in the US than in Ireland.

    People are just either ignorant or willfully obtuse when it comes to MMA. They trot out the ''angry young men line'', bring up Tapout apparel and claim UFC isn't a sport. Well, UFC isn't a sport, it's a promotion so they're right there anyway.

    Claiming someone has box office appeal doesn't automatically make you a massive fanboy either. It's just giving facts.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #82
    Mrsmum
    Registered Users Posts: 1,860 ✭✭✭Mrsmum


    My American, college going nephews and nieces tell me McGregor is off the scale massive among that age group over there. On a college trip to Dublin for one of them, apparently all any of the group of lads really wanted was to do a tour of all Conor's haunts and were disappointed there wasn't such a tour available. They were also very surprised that when they mentioned his name here, locals didn't have the same adoration towards him.


  • Options
    #83
    odyssey06
    Registered Users Posts: 27,867 ✭✭✭✭odyssey06


    citytillidie wrote: »
    With out googling can you name the Turkish player who scored the same number of goals as Robbie Keane at that World Cup?

    No, but I'm sure I could have at the time :)
    I'm not sure it beats the numbers Eoin Morgan would have right now, but I would say Robbie Keane's name in the summer of 2002 was being spoken of in more countries globally than just about any other Irish sports star before or since.

    I'd put him just ahead of Roy Keane, despite than Saipan saga, purely because of the number of countries that watch the World Cup games.

    Conor McGregor's fame is huge but that's at a crossover between sports and entertainment, so it depends on your definition of sport.

    "To follow knowledge like a sinking star..." (Tennyson's Ulysses)



  • Options
    #84
    RocketRaccoon
    Registered Users Posts: 4,393 ✭✭✭RocketRaccoon


    Mrsmum wrote: »
    My American, college going nephews and nieces tell me McGregor is off the scale massive among that age group over there. On a college trip to Dublin for one of them, apparently all any of the group of lads really wanted was to do a tour of all Conor's haunts and were disappointed there wasn't such a tour available. They were also very surprised that when they mentioned his name here, locals didn't have the same adoration towards him.

    I was in America in the summer of 2017, every uber driver and hotel employee I spoke to wanted to talk about him when they heard I was Irish. This isn't an exaggeration.


  • Options
    #85
    Mysterypunter
    Registered Users Posts: 2,806 ✭✭✭Mysterypunter


    citytillidie wrote: »
    With out googling can you name the Turkish player who scored the same number of goals as Robbie Keane at that World Cup?

    Hakan Sukur? Turkey finished 3rd


  • Options
    #86
    Uncharted
    Registered Users Posts: 4,138 ✭✭✭Uncharted


    JohnnyFlash wrote: »
    It’s a sad reflection on society that cage fighting is even counted as a sport. The almost pornographic desire from its fans to see blood spilled, faces kicked, and bones broken. That primal need for violence they cannot control. The unresolved anger issues.

    An utterly stupid,misinformed and stereotypically narrow minded statement.


  • Options
    #87
    smilerf
    Registered Users Posts: 2,579 ✭✭✭smilerf


    citytillidie wrote: »
    With out googling can you name the Turkish player who scored the same number of goals as Robbie Keane at that World Cup?
    is it sukur


  • Options
    #88
    JohnnyFlash
    Registered Users Posts: 7,055 ✭✭✭JohnnyFlash


    RocketRaccoon wrote: »
    I was in America in the summer of 2017, every uber driver and hotel employee I spoke to wanted to talk about him when they heard I was Irish. This isn't an exaggeration.

    That’s embarrassing for Ireland.


  • Options
    #89
    Omackeral
    Registered Users Posts: 32,956 ✭✭✭✭Omackeral


    odyssey06 wrote: »
    At the time, given the profile of the World Cup globally, and the attention the media gives to goalscorers, in 2002 Robbie Keane would be up there.

    David Beckham, Russell Brand and an unidentified fan :pac:

    ?width=630&version=657502


  • Options
    #90
    citytillidie
    Registered Users Posts: 21,970 ✭✭✭✭citytillidie


    Mysterypunter wrote: »
    Hakan Sukur? Turkey finished 3rd

    He scored 1 goal

    3 goals - Hasan Şaş

    ******



  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #91
    jimgoose
    Registered Users Posts: 20,174 ✭✭✭✭jimgoose


    Behold the Whale of Pallasgrean, the mighty Big Paddy Ryan:

    Ryan_statue.jpg


Advertisement