RTE NO SHOW.

[black and red exile]

Am I being oversensitive in whingeing that RTE could have made a bigger effort in showing the 84 Cork Offaly teams to the television audiance today. I was really looking forward to seeing our heroes from those great years paraded in front of everybody. What a letdown.

[Georgio1]

No you are right, this was always a big part of the coverage. Also the minor team presentation should have been shown. Instead they had a couple of nothing interviews with Sheedy and Cody. And I was looking forward to the piece on the Kilkenny back room team, with Martin Fogarty and Mick Dempsey. Now I know they are not going to reveal a whole pile, but this was shockin. More or less said we just let the lads out there and hurl. Now if thats the case they are an even more special bunch than was previously thought. Another quote " sure if they are not motivated themselves they would go and retire"!!!!! Surely this is for the level of a junior hurler, who if he finds it difficult to go playing would just pack it in.
Personally I think they should show all the activity on the pitch, even the drums hammering away would have been more entertaining than some of the nonsense filling the show.

As an aside, did any of ye here the interview with Tommy Walsh on Morning Ireland sports news? Some character I'd say! Could only hear bits of it but was spaeaking of a hero of his "playing in a county final with a couple of broken ribs firin over a point from 100yds, lads like that drive me on to days like this!".
Some belt he took yesterday, what was Benny Dunne thinking of? Will be a nighmare moment for the rest of his days, thats for sure!

[Plain of the Herbs]

It was a pity alright, but my guess is that that was done to sponsorship. I’m not sure who sponsored the jubilee team thingee this year (it used to be the Nationwide), but I’d say RTE didn’t get their cheque and so didn’t show it.

Just a guess.

[bracknaghboy]

Its time for Offaly GAA and supporters to move on. Watching old men parade around Croke Park in ill fitting suits is a waste of everybodys time. Yes we have a great past for a small county but thats exactly what it is... a past! All this nonsense that goes on with "celebrating" or "comemerating" 25, 30, 35 etc etc years since such a such a win is ridiculas. Lets live in the now and put all effort into building an uderage structure that might give us something shout about in 10 years time.

[Georgio1]

Regardless of what we think, this commemoration will happen in Croke park, its the Gaas way of recognising past success and the lads get a day out.
I agree we as a county tend to look back a little too much, but the point is on the programme around the All Ireland.I thought they could have shown the minor presentation and some of the build up on the field, including presenting these guys?

[tippcat]

i dont think bracknaghboy will be remembered at too many celabrations remembering teams because i wouldnt imagine he played alot himself. cant help but laugh at his comments,not too many of them make sense!!

[black and red exile]

Well said tippcat, we are not living in the past as Bracknaghboy has commented, I can't see the big deal in wanting to see one of our great teams paraded from an era gone by because god knows with the crap we have watched with all our county teams this year we need any scrap of comfort to put a smile on our long suffering faces.

[Oskar]

They did the same thing with the '82 team as well. They came in on it late, the delay being a couple of meaningless interviews.

[Bord na Mona man]

Two ways of looking at it.
I believe Offaly still have a slight advantage in having a recent history of winning All Irelands.
In a lot of counties their teams have a long tradition of defeat giving them a defeatist mindset, which can ultimately strip them of the self belief required to win trophies.

Mayo for example have folded when in All Ireland winning positions, because they have too much mental baggage. When it comes to the crunch, they are too racked with self doubt and don't believe they should be winning All Irelands. Once the mind is weak, the body soon follows.

At least young Offaly players have great role models living amongst that they can emulate. For decades Offaly teams paid no respect to established tradition. Upsetting the 'appletart' when they were expected to tip their cap to the likes of Kerry, Cork and Kilkenny in the GAA world.
So its no harm to remind Offaly people that the county is capable of reaching the top of both the football and hurling pecking order.
Of course as Offaly's All Ireland medallists turn older and greyer, the value of this diminishes.


...The other side of it is that too much pouring over the past can blunt current and future ambition.
It seems that many people are happy enough to dine out on the exploits of teams from other decades and aren't too pushed if it doesn't happen again.

Sadly, this is what separates the true GAA powerhouses from the rest.
When Kerry or Kilkenny win an All Ireland, they still have a lot to prove in their own county.
Win one and you are expected to put All Irelands back to back, win two and people will mention that you haven't beaten a certain team along the way.

Their drive to achieve is relentless. Success doesn't automatically breed more success. You need to have drive, ambition and high standards too.