Messages

A very good summation of the quandary the DUP find itself in.

https://unherd.com/2023/03/larkins-lesson-for-northern-ireland/

[with a high probability of later bullying]

The chances of any child rejecting its sex are pretty low. It seems to be an extreme stance for a low risk outcome but with a high probability of later bullying.

Why might that be the case?

UK Gov telling the DUP that the WF is the only deal in town.

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/downing-street-warns-dup-that-windsor-framework-is-best-deal-available-to-ni/1638827166.html

Wee Jeffrey should be looking for a win in this situation but looking over his shoulder at the LCC/Bryson/Allister is never going to be a long term strategy but he hasn't the toy dolls to face them down.

Portaferry has a square.

Was always the spot for a bit of post hostelry boxing back in the day by the young turks.

[Divisional teams would work for the developing counties]

I don't think that having 2x6 is the problem. There is no link to the championship
The championship is far more important

It's always been that way for as long as I can remember.

The problem with the league is that the games are actually meaningless as the top teams know they've only Laois/Antrim/Westmeath to beat to keep their status quo, but that's the way they wanted it.

I'd prefer the  4 x 8, two up, two down but the big counties don't want to have to avoid going into a Div2 with the riff raff.

I think there are 2 challenges. Making the league relevant and developing the game.
the League could have a guaranteed place in or a playoff for the last 6 as a prize. That would get counties interested.
Maybe Divisional teams would work for the developing counties. It is hard to see Antrim etc developing with such a small hurling footprint. Widening these is a long term project.

No they wouldn't...

Would Laois and Offaly "merge" to be more competitive in Leinster? Are you then denying two groups of 24/30 hurlers a chance to develop over the one group and then what sort of buy in would the players give to it?

Well, if they wouldn't the only thing to do is grow the hurling footprint in each of the relevant counties.
Until then club all Irelands will be the ceiling.

You say that like it's a bad thing 

In terms of resources the club championships are a more even playing field, I don't think the likes of Laois, Antrim, Carlow could ever make the same resources available that are currently available to lads in Limerick, Cork, KK, heck even Clare who are the poor relations in this company.

That's the reality and those resources will be no different in an amalgamation.

[Divisional teams would work for the developing counties]

I don't think that having 2x6 is the problem. There is no link to the championship
The championship is far more important

It's always been that way for as long as I can remember.

The problem with the league is that the games are actually meaningless as the top teams know they've only Laois/Antrim/Westmeath to beat to keep their status quo, but that's the way they wanted it.

I'd prefer the  4 x 8, two up, two down but the big counties don't want to have to avoid going into a Div2 with the riff raff.

I think there are 2 challenges. Making the league relevant and developing the game.
the League could have a guaranteed place in or a playoff for the last 6 as a prize. That would get counties interested.
Maybe Divisional teams would work for the developing counties. It is hard to see Antrim etc developing with such a small hurling footprint. Widening these is a long term project.

No they wouldn't...

Would Laois and Offaly "merge" to be more competitive in Leinster? Are you then denying two groups of 24/30 hurlers a chance to develop over the one group and then what sort of buy in would the players give to it?

I don't think that having 2x6 is the problem. There is no link to the championship
The championship is far more important

It's always been that way for as long as I can remember.

The problem with the league is that the games are actually meaningless as the top teams know they've only Laois/Antrim/Westmeath to beat to keep their status quo, but that's the way they wanted it.

I'd prefer the  4 x 8, two up, two down but the big counties don't want to have to avoid going into a Div2 with the riff raff.

I don't think it's the end of the world but if he's young enough I would get him to do it correctly, toe out. If you dip it with toe in and then have to strike it you have to change your grip. In such a fast sport that split second can hinder a player. I know people may say sure whatever the child is comfortable doing but I'm guessing in IC hurling it's probably less than 1% dipping with the toe in.

This is it in a nutshell.

Other than having to change grip from the lift to the strike then 90% of hurlers it won't matter to but you want good habits trained into the kids as soon as possible without putting them off.

[said Davie, referring to the new social media rules for employees]

It was reported he signed a new deal last year with strict social media guidelines

He can't be that surprised

Source? And if that's the case, what about those who work for the BBC but would be pro Tory, the likes of Alan Sugar? And watching the footage of Fiona Bruce earlier in QT, what the actual fcuk? Beyond mad

https://amp.theguardian.com/media/2020/sep/15/gary-lineker-takes-bbc-pay-cut-and-agrees-to-tweet-more-carefully

"Gary knows that he has responsibilities to the BBC in terms of his use of social media," said Davie, referring to the new social media rules for employees

We are all equal....

Gary is in the sports department, a pundit /presenter

BBC social media guidelines
Expressions of Opinion on Social Media applies to those working in news and current affairs (across all Divisions) and factual journalism production or senior management. are

3. If your work requires you to maintain your impartiality, don't express a personal opinion on matters of public policy, politics, or 'controversial subjects'.**

Actors, dramatists, comedians, musicians and pundits who work for the BBC are not subject to the requirements of impartiality on social media.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/editorialguidelines/guidance/individual-use-of-social-media#5enforcement

Lineker is a free lancer so those rules don't apply

Did you even read my reply?
I wrote that the guidelines don't apply to Lineker.

However BBC rules in general do apply to freelancers.

'The extent to which a non-staff member, contributor or presenter is required to comply with the Editorial Guidelines will be set out in the BBC's contractual relationship with them'.

Andrew Neill espouses lots of right wing views on Twitter, highly critical of the Scottish Gov's policies on lots of things, heck he even wore a tie from the Adam Smith Institute, a very opaquely funded right wing "think tank" on a BBC show he was hosting and not a jot.

Lineker himself has actually sat in the chair on BBC sports programs and opened with very political monologues with no come back as his Tory masters were happy with the messaging then, but not now, strange that!



fascism
noun
fas·​cism ˈfa-ˌshi-zəm   also  ˈfa-ˌsi-
Synonyms of fascism
1
often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
2
: a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control
early instances of army fascism and brutality
—J. W. Aldridge


I think they're proving Lineker right...

Have to watch the Tories that to appease them they don't write something into NI Act that makes a border poll harder to achieve. That ultimately is what the DUP want out of this, a rewriting of the GFA to lock North into UK. They wouldn't care if every sausage was blocked at Larne and sent back to Cumberland if they achieved that.

Yeah, I said that a while back, saying they're trying to re-write the GFA to say something similar.

Surely even this duplicitous shower of Tory scum couldn't try and do that in an international agreement OR could they?

Why couldn't they? They could put in some wishy washy new act to get this protocol framework over the line.  Wouldn't surprise me.

The Torys don't care. It'll be a fudge, like the Windsor Framework - all smoke and mirrors.

No chance. UK Government would just be swopping DUP outrage for Nationalist outrage

Uncle Joe, oh Uncle Joe, those Brits are at it again!!!

Have to watch the Tories that to appease them they don't write something into NI Act that makes a border poll harder to achieve. That ultimately is what the DUP want out of this, a rewriting of the GFA to lock North into UK. They wouldn't care if every sausage was blocked at Larne and sent back to Cumberland if they achieved that.

Yeah, I said that a while back, saying they're trying to re-write the GFA to say something similar.

Surely even this duplicitous shower of Tory scum couldn't try and do that in an international agreement OR could they?

I see that a Mourne select are going to be playing the Down seniors on Saturday in Attical. This may pave the way for an amalgamation in Lower Mourne of Glasdrumman, Longstone and Ballymartin. I could be this happening within the next ten years.

Hurling?

Weghorst touched the sign to wind up van dijk according to his Instagram post.

There are much better ways of winding up Van Dijk on the field of play which he failed to take.

Sf allister is just saying what some of the rest of them are thinking. At least he says it.

Yip, Poots was holding his nose when in office with SF, Arlene and her crocodiles statement..

some hide it better than others, but it's there nonetheless

I can't see the EU or London doing any more dealing with this framework now. That's it I believe.

It's a deal of an original deal so it's either, for the DUP/lcc, take it or leave it.  Too much time exhausted on a small grouping.

The issue was the Protocol. This was dealt with.
If the DUP can't handle a SF first minister that is not the EU's problem.

And neither can the EU do anything about Article VI of the act of union written 100's of years ago, currently now suspended and is driving Jim Allister nuts.

Suck it up Jim, that's what the sovereign Gov in London agreed and implemented.