Whilst having absolutely no time for Babs Keating I feel that he is onto something when he is talking about the ball being to easy to strike huge distances. I am not saying that the standard has dropped in any way because of this, skills levels and fitness are at an all time high but what if the ball was slightly heavier and the puck outs where dropping in the middle of the field?
Would it result in a better standard of game to watch?
Babs is always entertaining. If he was English he would be a national treasure along the lines of Des Lynam or Bobby Robson by now
Also his phrases are priceless.
As much as I dislike his attitude that everything was better in the old days, I think Babs is right here.
It is too easy to score in hurling these days. Anyone can score from inside the '65.
A heavier ball might encourage a bit more clever team play.
Yeah, I too am in agreement with Babs on this one.
A goalkeeper can nearly hit the opposing full-forward line on a breezy day, and midfield is now more suited to runners rather than good fielders.
Quote from: Roashter on July 02, 2010, 10:56:51 AM
Yeah, I too am in agreement with Babs on this one.
A goalkeeper can nearly hit the opposing full-forward line on a breezy day, and midfield is now more suited to runners rather than good fielders.
Back to the balls that had a cork centre wrapped in cotton thread rather than those plastic/rubber thingies we have now.
Maybe a heavier ball might make midfield more relevent than it is now, but it'll also favour teams who like to deploy the extra man deep in their defence as the long range point will be harder to achieve and I'm not in favour of that.
Do any of you remember the super dooper bouncy hurling ball that was used for a few years about ten odd years ago? Found one the other day in the house and by god they can travel. Even i can score from the midway.
why do the media always have time for Babs and his rantings? And why do they always print what he says?
he made a mess of Tipp in his last stint there. I used to read his Sunday Times articles, but more for the laugh than anything else.
He shoots his mouth off so much that its hard to take anything he says seriously.
There are far more sensible and articular people out there whose views I'd be far more interested in hearing than babs.
He is absolutely spot on. Never thought I would say that.
Time imo to make sliotar 15% heavier or there or there abouts. The old O'Neills sliotar (with the gold print) were top class as were the Cuffe sliotars. Both nowhere near as light as the new balls.
Do they still make Cuffe balls? They were a much sought after item when we were nicking balls at matches growing up.
Quote from: Minder on July 02, 2010, 11:35:33 AM
Do they still make Cuffe balls? They were a much sought after item when we were nicking balls at matches growing up.
cuffe were way too light.
O'Neills were always the best ball but they didn't hold up well in the wet. The original Cummins sliotar (before the mini-Donal Og version) were great too.
Cuffe ..great ball for holding up in training and they weren't as light as O'Neills
Quote from: johnneycool on July 02, 2010, 11:23:46 AM
Do any of you remember the super dooper bouncy hurling ball that was used for a few years about ten odd years ago? Found one the other day in the house and by god they can travel. Even i can score from the midway.
Those bouncy balls with the rubber in them were a disgrace.
They were used in 2003.
Look how far they bounce off Brendan Cummins' hurley in this sequence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM2cXKyFN84 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AM2cXKyFN84)
A ball hopped over the bar for a point in the Tipp/Wexford game on Saturday. I have never seen or heard of this happening before. I think that Babs has a good point re the ball being used this year.
Quote from: seafoid on July 01, 2010, 03:29:10 PM
Babs is always entertaining. If he was English he would be a national treasure along the lines of Des Lynam or Bobby Robson by now
Also his phrases are priceless.
Des Lynam is from County Clare!! ???
Quote from: Applesisapples on July 27, 2010, 12:44:29 PM
Quote from: seafoid on July 01, 2010, 03:29:10 PM
Babs is always entertaining. If he was English he would be a national treasure along the lines of Des Lynam or Bobby Robson by now
Also his phrases are priceless.
Des Lynam is from County Clare!! ???
but BRITISH nonetheless.
Quote from: johnneycool on July 27, 2010, 01:46:03 PM
Quote from: Applesisapples on July 27, 2010, 12:44:29 PM
Quote from: seafoid on July 01, 2010, 03:29:10 PM
Babs is always entertaining. If he was English he would be a national treasure along the lines of Des Lynam or Bobby Robson by now
Also his phrases are priceless.
Des Lynam is from County Clare!! ???
but BRITISH nonetheless.
Why is Clare in de Nort'? :D
Babs at it again and this time Babs has got it wrong, badly wrong :
Former Tipp manager Babs Keating once again has a go at current boss Liam Sheedy ahead of the All-Ireland final. "I've always said that the only way to beat Kilkenny is to man-mark their defence. I honestly believe Sheedy hasn't been preparing them to do that since last October when he should have been. You look at Sheedy on the sidelines and he's doing Riverdances. Brian Cody on the other hand looks like he has earplugs in his ears."[/size]
I yearn for the headline ' Bab's says no comment'
He's a mouthpiece who didn't have the grace this morning to admit he got it badly wrong on Newstalk
He never knows when to stop digging!