Messages

Have I heard it correct that Coalisland, Derrylaughan and Killyclogher all sacked their managers... Is Tyrone club football turning into the new Premiership?

It's a fair point juice but surely the fact that he gained 8 All Irelands meant you would presume he knows his stuff about football. In fairness he does he's just a ballbag. Connell achieved very little and wasn't even a starter on the teams that only won a Leinster... it just seems strange to me why they would ask him to be a pundit, he may be good but who knows. Goggins at least has a pity Allstar he got in 2001 but he wasn't a good footballer imo!

Senan who? Is it Senan Connell? What is it with these Dubs who weren't even good footballers being pundits. Senan Connell rarely played a full game for Dublin, a decent club player at best and Coman Goggins was an awful footballer and pretty much a weak link in the Dubs HB line, did either of them win anything bar a Leinster? May as well get some Kilkenny footballers in to do a job!

To see the lineup he's alongside he must be embarrassed to be thrust along with people of that calibre!

i've just realised after reading through this , i've dyed the hair, straightened it, used mosteriour, own several pink shirts, i'm sounding rather gay i must admit

Dude... you are so gay!

Married to a Screen woman and got his first teaching post in Belfast so I think it was a natural enough call for him to make saying as it's half way between the two (or somewhere close to it). Oh and the fact that we have a lot of potential to be realised very shortly

Yes!

Ipod touch is the only way to go mannix. I was never a fan of the ipod originally or Apple in general but the touch is fantastic. My only gripe with it is that mine is only 16g.... I'll be buying the next one around Christmas hopefully it'll be somewhere around the 50/60g mark.

[Intermission]

Can't believe ye heathens haven't mentioned these:

Intermission (squeeze as many Irish actors as possible into an Irish movie, financed in Ireland, classic)

Raw Head Rex (as far as I'm a ware it's the only Irish horror movie ever, unless you've got the Dubs in 2002 DVD)

Watched this again the other night... fantastic opening scene in it. A great way to start a film but after that it's a bit weak. Has anybody ever tried tea with Chef Brown Sauce? I'm too scared!

[Is it a case of its a crime if committed in your own country of residence, however if its overseas nothing can be done?]

Why would the girl be going to britian to have the abortion? i was under the impression that brits travel to holland to have it done.

Is it a case of its a crime if committed in your own country of residence, however if its overseas nothing can be done?

I think it's more of a safety issue than a legal one. If you have an abortion in a country where it is illegal you may be dealing with amateurs who could put your health at risk whereas in countries where it is legal you are more likely to  receive a better standard of medical care.

The Field
The Commitments
Butcher Boy
The General

Oh also meant to mention that for the Provincial league the provinces where teams play eachother twice should be home and away. Where teams play once all games should be at a neutral venue between the two teams within the same province.

For the All Ireland series games should be fixed for neutral venues for all games!

This will annoy the Dubs who will have to travel but fcuk them... it's not like Croker has done them many favours this last 25 odd years!

Have 2 leagues... a provincial league and an All Ireland Championships!

Provincial League is run off at the start of the year over 6/7 weeks. 2 games a week in each province (most Counties have lights now). Ulster each team plays eachother once, Leinster each team plays eachother once and in Connaught/Munster teams play twice. BOOM!

Provincial League gains you entry into the All Ireland league... 3 from Munster, 5 From Ulster, 5 From Leinster and 3 from Connaught.

The rest go into an All Ireland B League! Run both All Ireland competitions off at same time, all games on every weekend up to the Q/F, 2 weeks between Q/F and S/F, 3 weeks between S/F and Final. 9 Weeks! There's a max of 18 Weeks to run off all competitions. Plenty of time for club and plenty of time for an off season!

Of course it's never going to work and it might not even be manageable but really with the introduction of floodlights into most County Grounds now there is no reason why you couldn't have a match within a province on during a weeknight!!! It still maintains the Provincial Championship (league) and gives every team a decent season and something meaningful to play for at the end of it. Maybe work an incentive in where the team who wins the All Ireland B one year has automatic entry into the A the following year or something. Just something to think about I guess. Anyone got any other wacky ideas?

[but basically teachers offer no real threat to children anymore if they can't inflict pain on them]

but basically teachers offer no real threat to children anymore if they can't inflict pain on them

Scary from a childs perspective if thats a representive sample of the mentality within  the teaching profession !

OK maybe I could have phrased that better instead of sounding like a Headmaster from a school during the war times. I do not and never would condone the infliction of pain on a child. All I am saying is that no longer is a stern word, a detention or a grounding enough to maintain discipline. None of these things are a real punishment for a child and god help you if you don't have the parents on your side becasue you will be slaughtered.

I had real problems with a couple of children last year. One of their parents was a lovely woman and we arranged that the child not be allowed his laptop back until he had behaved sufficiently in my class for a week and he was on the same notice for the rest of the term that I could have an impact on something he cared about.

The flipside was another kid whose mother didn't care! She said it was my problem and I had to deal with it! What could I do? Give him a yellow card (that was the system of discipline used)? A lot of discipline policies mean nothing in School's and withough proper co-operation from all other teachers and parents you stand very little chance of controlling discipline!

Yeah when playing an open game this tactic no doubt works... ESPECIALLY if a forward knows that as soon as a man out the field his first instinct is to kick the ball into space in front of a forward line it can be deadly and a good forward will thrive in it.

Against Fermanagh that tactic for Derry would have been useless! With 3 men on P. Bradley it sisn't matter how people played ball into him he wouldn't win it. This is where that tactic of pulling forwards the other way works so well but it needs to be communicated and worked on in order to be effective.

The only reason this tactic works for Kerry is the fact that Donaghy is so good in the air and difficult to break ball against which negates the players standing in front of him.

I think the best method of beating the blanket is composed short handpassing that probes for an opening. A bit like the way Munster play in rugby if footballers pass the ball around enough spaces do occur the only problem is it is not used enough in our game and invariably with a long passage of handpassing play people start to think they should be kicking it and referees make an overcarrying call when there isn't one.

Basically there are a few ways to break the blanket defence but it must come from management and must be practised and discussed at length on the training field so that everyone is of the one mind and pulling in the same direction! From what I can make of the match last Saturday, Fermanagh have discussed the way they will play in great length whereas Derry did not and becasue of this it looked like Derry weren't able to function as a team!

[After all, you have all recieved training to deal with such incidents]

But if you were a good enough teacher you shouldnt have to resort to violence against a child.

After all, you have all recieved training to deal with such incidents. Teachers want to be regarded as professionals after all !

Has to be the biggest myth of all time!

You cannot train someone how to keep discipline in a classroom. Some people have a certain personality that lends itself to pupils not wanting to cross them but basically teachers offer no real threat to children anymore if they can't inflict pain on them. Kids are wise to the idea now and any threat of detention or telling parents is laughed off and the behaviour keeps continuing.

I'm a qualified teacher myself and the last year of teaching practice is probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do... I'm not too keen to rush back into it to be honest as I don't think I have the personality to teach in a secondary school. I would be much happier as a primary teacher I think but then I made the wrong choice when doing my teaching practice so I just have to live with it!