Grimley tongue-lashing for Brolly and Co.

[cavanmaniac]

From the Irish News...

CAVAN assistant manager Paul Grimley last night slammed some TV punditry as being "sarcastic" and "smart-ass" following their drawn Ulster Championship match with Down on Sunday.

Grimley was angered by some comments that were made about a few of the Cavan players during RTE's live transmission that, he claimed, were "bordering on personalised attacks".

The Pearse Og clubman argued that some pundits were trying to be controversial and funny instead of offering viewers mature analysis.

"I think some pundits' views are bordering on personalised attacks," blasted Grimley. "These smart-ass remarks are being made on national television and they are mocking amateur players.

"There are figures out there who are trying to emulate other pundits of the past where they think they need to be controversial and funny."

Grimley declined to mention the Cavan players whom, he claimed, were on the receiving end of the "sarcastic" punditry.

"There is no regard shown whatsoever for these players who have to go to work in the morning and face potential ridicule after something was said on television about them. Most people have no problem with criticism and players and managers will often get criticised, it's part of the job, but it has to make sense, it has to be constructive and it needs a context. Some pundits need to seriously look at themselves," Grimley added.

"They are all intelligent people and they must realise that their words carry great responsibility. They need to cut out the sarcasm and the jokes and give mature analysis to people watching their programmes. It's okay if a guest speaker at a dinner makes a few jokes because there is only a couple of hundred people there, but this is national TV."

Grimley believed that some GAA personalities were trying to copy soccer's controversial analyst Eamon Dunphy, but added: "The difference with Dunphy is that he's talking about professionals. In saying that, you wouldn't hear soccer's Alan Hansen or Alan Shearer belittling their fellow professionals."

Grimley, of course, has been in the unenviable position before of having to deal with disparaging comments that were made by Pat Spillane about the Armagh footballers.

Asked how Armagh dealt with Spillane's antagonistic comments five years ago, Grimley revealed:

"The Armagh players found Spillane's criticisms very hard at the start and it was the topic of

conversation on a number of occasions. I suppose the way the Armagh players dealt with it was to win an All-Ireland. But you have to address it with players. You have to deal with each situation in a sensitive way."

Grimley maintained that the sharp criticism would only strengthen the Cavan players' resolve when they meet Down in Newry next Sunday.

"The commitment the Cavan players have shown over the last six months has been unbelievable," he said. "Sunday's match was a little bit strange for me because in my days with Armagh we never had home advantage as such. And that brings an added pressure of its own, which I think Down may feel at the weekend."

[downredblack]

Fair balls to him . Dead right .

[Gnevin]

Brolly needs to go , It was a very poor match in my opinion but his comments crossed the line.

[Maximus Marillius]

Must say i thought Brollys comments on Sunday made him look like a real tool. I call recall lots of days when he didn't lookthe first cousin of a county player either. I remember Paul Higgins making a small boy of him in Celtic Park, I remember Paul Donnelly making him look like a real small boy in Celtic park in 92 against Tyrone. The point is on any given day any player can look poor, but ye can never knovk them for effort. As Grimley says it is an amateur sport and they go to work on Monday to face all sorts of abuse if the Brollys have fired it up and mkes it all acceptable.

[full back]

Brolly is a publicity hungry guy who has to be the centre of attention. It was the same when he was on the field with the blowing kisses to the crowd craic.
O'Rourke used to be a good analyst but the more time he spends in the presence of Brolly the more sh1te he starts to spout.He gets involved in slagging matches with Brolly which they must think are funny.
There is nothing worse than watching a game and at half time the 2 'analysts' are almost laughing at the players' efforts. Granted the fare on view Sunday may not be that of potential AI champions but to be sniggering & acting the smart arse is a bit much.
Brolly is more smart alec than smart

[Estimator]

Brolly has succeeded in what he set out to do - He's got you talking about him and not the game!

[the Deel Rover]

Fair play to Grimley.O'rourke and Brolly try to act like Dunphy when their on tv,difference is their commenting on Amateur players who go out and try their best, and for 2 ex Gaelic footballers to be coming out with snide remarks weeks after week at this stage its just disgracefull. The thing about them is that some are their comments aren't even football realated, in 2004 for e.g they made snide remarks about the appearance of Ciaran Mc and Mortimer, nothing to do with football at all. Its time rte got rid of these pair of Wasters.  

[Uladh]

Classic Grimley. Seige mentality fortified in the cavan dressing room and Pressure subtly moved onto down with their home advantage.

[Maximus Marillius]

We're not talking about Brolly , we're loosing respect for him....big big difference

[full back]

Exactly Max
No doubt Brolly would rather everyone talking about him, saying how funny he is etc etc
But we are saying he is a w4nker for slagging amateur players
As someone else said Brolly wasnt good every day he stepped onto the field

[Bensars]

I found brolly quite  entertaining initially ( maybe it was the change ) but have found him quite annoying lately. Every soundbite is an attempt at a  smart ass comment.

As stated above, he wasnt always a cousin of footballer. Seen him many times not in the same parish as a footballer. Kenny Rodgers penned a number that was quite apt !!

[lynchbhoy]

Brolly is losing focus on what the actuallrole he should be fulfilling is.
OK RTE will be happy enough that he is causing a dunphy-esque controversy and that brings in the punters and raises programme profile.
However we in GAA circles dont like kind of thing, so would prefer if he stopped trying to be funny with every comment (some work, most dont) and stick to analysis.
ORourke has improved in recent years. His early seasons were spent being ultra negative and using the opportunity to lambaste the counties he disliked (which was funny in our house each time kildare were playing - where orourke coined his kildare phrase of 'kildare seem to only be able to play terribly scrappy football' ).

Brolly had skill but was terrified of his own shadow as a player.One slap and he was out of a game. This kind of negativity on amateur players is not right.
as they say - sarcasm is lowest form of wit.

[INDIANA]

it's amazing that if brolly had said the same about the dubs - you'd be agreeing with him- perhaps it's because he slagged off 2 ulster teams in a  diabolical game that has people so worked up.
what did he say that was so bad?-
that the match was rubbish- which it was
that cavan looked unfit- which they did
that the cavan forwards shoot on sight and are complete individuals- which they are.
that the defending from both sides was emabarssing- which it was

at the end of the day- inter county players spend so much time training- then you watch last sunday's game and you wonder what the hell they do when they are there. I agree as amateur sportmen they deseve some insulation from criticism- but i think anything they said was that bad- and in fact i've heard a lot worse from spillane.

[neutral]

Is this the same Grimley that cost Armagh an ulster championship in 1989 when he hit lynch in the famous tunnel incident.

[Bensars]

No. That was the twins who had the altercation with Lynch.

Sorry they hit Lynch and Mc Kenna had the altercation with the twins