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I would say as good a talent rather than as good a player. I still think he could be 20-30% better if he got his attitude right.

I dunno.

I mean, how much fitter / stronger can a man get than where Rian is now?

So what you're talking about surely has to then focus on the mental side of the game.

And I do wonder, would that increased focus make him more robotic or more flamboyant? I reckon the former.

f**k that. We've enough of them running around our sport.

The calls for Keane are, well, bizarre.

Top-level management these days is mostly about having the gravitas / inclination / ability / subtleness to keep a group of young multi-millionaires motivated enough to play to their abilities.

Tactical awareness and transfer nous are bonuses on top. But it is the man (which is Pep, Klopp, and it seems Arteta) who can make these spoiled, spoiled bastards of human beings come in from the cold and work selflessly for 90 minutes, knowing they'll likely be a sub again the following week regardless of performance, well that's the intangible difference. That's a leader of modern footballers.

No harm to anyone on this thread. But that's not Roy Keane. Indeed he's as far removed from it as they come.

Was never a red.

This is like Kilcoo vs anyone else in Down atm. Spurs just levels above.

Double headers were always shite.

They're worse now because the chances of you getting an entertaining watch in the neutral game is minimal to none. 2 hours of modern football is a form of self flagellation.

But pragmatic though, for as long as there's a chance of extra time and penalties, double headers are just impractical.

3. Your Song. An impossibly moving ballad. I mean everyone in the world sings this song and they all want to sing it just like him. And fail.

2. Tiny Dancer. An odd one for me. Didn't appreciate it at first, but it has become perhaps Reg's most timeless tune of all. It doesn't really have a genre... apart from being Elton being magnificent.

1. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I wasn't sure about Elton as a teenager. You know him being a big gaylord and all that, made it difficult for this angsty young man to commit to his music. But I watched a concert on tv one night when three quarter cut. And this is the song that converted me (to his music). Bought his greatest hits the next day and have loved that collection ever since.

Arsenal not overlay dissimilar to Liverpool over the past few seasons. They know that in order to beat the sportswashing cheats to the title they'll  need as good as perfect of a season. Which is beyond them unless every little decision and stroke of luck goes their way. So it in manifests in overthinking and overdramatising any grey decision that goes against them, in an angry, paranoid way.

I can understand the mindset. It takes something extraordinary to beat the cheats at football.

Biggest difference between them and Scouse though is that Scouse played better football and Klopp was a properly charismatic ****. Arteta isn't charismatic but he is a ****.

Strange times and venues for some of this weekends fixtures. Kilcoo v Glenn takes place on Saturday evening at 6.30pm whilst an intermediate semi final is on in Mayobridge at 4pm. Surely a double header in Newry would be a better idea and make more sense for spectators.
Sunday is even more laughable - the minor championship final is on at 1.30pm in Newry and the same ground hosts a senior semi final at 6pm - why not play the minor game at 4pm and allow neutral fans to attend both?

All about maximising the £

When county board ran double headers everywhere and anywhere, the accusation then was that it was all about maximising the dough.

Surely both ends of this stick can't produce them the same result?

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Double headers are shite btw.

Did anyone watch The Walking Dead all the way through? I'm at the start of season 4 and wondering if there is any point in sticking with it

Similar.

Enjoyed the show. But it had no natural endpoint. So aimless

I'd love to hear Meyler's solution / suggestions.

If it's something simple like e.g club leagues must be wrapped up by August and just proceed without county players, then whilst it might not be popular, at least it's practical.

If it's something else then I'm all ears.

If he's just sounding off though, with nothing much in mind, then he needs to hold his tongue.

Out of curiosity. Why would you want huge attendances at club matches?

The spectacle is not about neutrals.

I'm not sure where you are going with this one Wobbler, but surely the players themselves would like to play in front of bigger crowds, not to mention the bigger revenue for the county boards, no?

I believe the split season is a huge success, not just for the county players but also the club players and supporters.

Journalists will just have to work a bit harder

Everything is relative though JC.

If you're used to playing in front of 100, then 500 is relatively speaking a huge crowd.

But expecting it to go from say 100 hardcore supporters, say to 2000, isn't a realistic goal unless the match you're involved in has attained a more regional focus than a localised one. Which will happen in most counties for the actual county final. But most club championship games cannot have that "regional" focus: it's predominantly a case of parish vs parish. Which is okay in my mind. I don't see the issue with it.

Out of curiosity. Why would you want huge attendances at club matches?

The spectacle is not about neutrals.

Wars, stock market crashes, recessions, lockdowns all pump and dump money making opportunities for elites and the political class is following the real power centers in every western country.

Peace and stability doesn't bring in the same returns for the big financiers in the west.
Everyone surely sees the every increasing debt bondage populations are subjected to (especially the younger generation.... student loans, car insurance, rent, nursery costs etc) whilst the very top 1% are creaming it.
Its all by design to keep the low and shrinking middle class enslaved... politicians are just public facing useful idiots IMO. 

Sadly, there's a lot of truth in that.

Student debt is the start of the slippy slope where control is gained and maintained of the masses.

Agree 100% with all the above.

I do though have a sense that the ultra-commoditisation of housing and now utilities, will break western political structures sooner rather than later. The 1% need the middle classes more than the middle classes need the 1%. And working 50 hours a week just to pay rent is not middle class.

Well maybe not break. Reset and start again more likely.

3. A Little Less Conversation. Pretty much a forgotten Elvis track until dug up for the Ocean's 11 reboot. Catchy, funky, fun.

2. In the Ghetto. Haunting lyrics and a superb and distinctive piece of music that  allows Elvis to show off his range in an unusually subtle way.

1. An American Trilogy. The ultimate showman's song, never improved upon by any showman, anywhere. This is Elvis.

At least the Secret Service were somewhat on the job this time and spotted (and shot at him) before he could get near enough Trump to shoot him.

Still, how did a lad with an assault rifle get in a position along the perimeter of the course while Trump was playing and only a hole or two back?

Or maybe I'm under a misapprehension about how intensive the protection and perimeters are. After all, in Obama's first term some header sprayed the White House itself with a semi-automatic. Thankfully no one was hit. And in his second term, another jumped the fence armed with a knife and made it into the building.

How would one go about locking down the perimeter of a 300 acre site? And for a day before and 6-8 hours in the day?

Surely there has to be a point where it's not just practical?

It's a phenomenon looking course with stunning scenery.

It's the most overrated golf course in Ireland. Unreal conditioning, unreal views. But 6-7 holes that are just okay to meh.

It's an unreal test of golf. Hard to pick between it and royal Portrush, plus maybe 2 or 3 others.

Overrated it is not though.

It's all opinions of course.

I would describe RCD as stupidly tough, and low on strategy.

Whereas Portrush is tough but fair, so long as you place a premium on position over power.