The Sunday Game

[thejuice]

I think RTE need to remember who their customer for GAA is, it aint rugby knobs up in Ballsbridge thats for sure.

What are we then? Simple folk, who dont like that type of thing! All dis messin' wit com-pew-turs, 

While I didnt get to see it yet, thanks to this "Island of Ireland only" policy. I get the impression of some here that any kind of modernisation or presentation is a waste of time. Starting to sound like the GAA cliches portrayed on Apres Match. While its not as crucial as the content and the games themselves it is an important part in the programs popularity.

[Maroon Heaven]

I thought it was excellent apart from the overhead view looking down.

About time they started to be inventive for the Sunday Game. I also like the seating arrangement and will bring more discussion out, and bring Pat Spillane more into it. Good to see sunday game music back

[feetofflames]

Disappointed that theres been no investment made in these pitchside cameras for GAA coverage yet - still a pooor relation to soccor and rugby coverage.   

[Leo]

No problems with the set and use of technology (which will be more effective as the season goes on and they see what works and what doesn't).
More concerned aboiut the bland content. The season preview was a joke - lacking in substance - something just squeezed in to make the programme more appealing than the dour (dire) Leinster game. Surley a run down county by county from a decent analysis or two could have been done. More zip needed when your guests are as deadpan as McStay, Tohill etc.
And the interviews with McIver & co stating the bloody obvious is a total bore.

[Hardy]

Any word on the content lads, rather than the presentation? Was there more or less action than they were showing last year (which was about 25% of programme time)? That's all I'm interested in and I don't give a toss what music they play or what they say or how they say it because I've decided this year to hit 'mute' when the studio cliche session is on. Except if it's Tommy Lyons, because that would be too funny to miss.

[magpie seanie]

Difficult to assess Hardy as there was only one game and they showed quite a bit of it (although as usual it was only the scores). I fear nothing much will change in that regard. The stats section is quite useful though. I feared they'd do this badly and introduce meaningless stats like number of solos in a game but they stayed with basic enough stuff that gives some indication of what happened.

[feetofflames]

The camera from above thing in the studio was terrible hardy boy. 

[Maguire01]

I think RTE need to remember who their customer for GAA is, it aint rugby knobs up in Ballsbridge thats for sure.

What are we then? Simple folk, who dont like that type of thing! All dis messin' wit com-pew-turs, 

While I didnt get to see it yet, thanks to this "Island of Ireland only" policy. I get the impression of some here that any kind of modernisation or presentation is a waste of time. Starting to sound like the GAA cliches portrayed on Apres Match. While its not as crucial as the content and the games themselves it is an important part in the programs popularity.

From my point of view, not at all.  I think my posting history would suggest that i'm realativly progressive (especially in the generally conservative GAA environment).
The point is that it was all style over substance. Too many pointless gimics.  Some changes worked, others added no value and looked pretty tacky.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Great to have the old theme tune back and Joanne and Tohill on de stools and their gizmos look well, camera angles were shocking though. The feckin ringing when names came up on screen was very irrating, for a while I thought someone had lost their phone down de back of my couch. The sound production team must be half deaf in there as the "effects" are way too loud. The three big brother chairs facing each other looks a bit stupid and the view from above actually made me laugh. Still though it is an improvement from last year.

[thejuice]

I think RTE need to remember who their customer for GAA is, it aint rugby knobs up in Ballsbridge thats for sure.

What are we then? Simple folk, who dont like that type of thing! All dis messin' wit com-pew-turs, 

While I didnt get to see it yet, thanks to this "Island of Ireland only" policy. I get the impression of some here that any kind of modernisation or presentation is a waste of time. Starting to sound like the GAA cliches portrayed on Apres Match. While its not as crucial as the content and the games themselves it is an important part in the programs popularity.

From my point of view, not at all.  I think my posting history would suggest that i'm realativly progressive (especially in the generally conservative GAA environment).
The point is that it was all style over substance. Too many pointless gimics.  Some changes worked, others added no value and looked pretty tacky.

Note the words "some" and "I get the impression", as opposed to "all" and "you are".
Anyway, didnt have you in mind, Maguire.

[gwan-ye-boy-ya]

great to  have the old music back

[GalwayBayBoy]

Well the layout was a bit odd to say the least with Pat stuck up on a big chair like a Bond villian speaking to his two henchmen below him and indeed half the time all you could see was the back of the pundits heads. Then behind Pat was Joanne Cantwell and another pundit up on a pair of high stools. The entire set was a bit of an eyesore with most of the furnishings looking like interference on a television screen and a big swirl on the carpet below them. I wonder did Philip Treacy design the set?

The much touted new gizmo for them to use this year was the virtual reality computer graphics. However these were used by Sky over a decade ago and were ditched after a year or two of use if I remember correctly.

Overall the new set layout would burn your retinas while the content is much the same as last year as you'd expect given that it's the same presenter and same pundits.

[Feckitt]

Good Points

1. The theme tune is back!! Hurrah
2. Joanne & Tohill's section was very good.  I think big Anthony is better suited to this type of serious analysis.  He never looked comfortable trying to have the craic with Spillane & Tommy Lyons.
3. The graphics employed by Joanne & Tohill were pretty good, especially the virtual reality stuff where they changed the camera angle.
4. The montage of 2007 was brilliant
5. Absense of Tommy Lyons.
6. Absense of 'eejits corner' or whatever it was called last year where toothless wonders said hello to the mammy

Bad Points

1. Spillane.  Still better suited as an analyst rather than a presenter
2. Kevin McStay.  A very negative unlikeable chap.
3. Spillane still leading every question with an email or text from some random punter.  The ould fella still says that anyone that knows how to text knows nothing about football !!!
4. The overhead shots.  Cringeworthy

Overall, I think this is a big improvement on last year.

[Death Valley]

The tech bit is a good enough addition to the show. Especially like the dots illustrating the number of steps that westmeath got away with for their goal..

And McStay the Mayo fool had the stupidity to contradict the evidence. "No I dont agree Anthony he tuck 8 steps not 10" The computer is wrong, the Mayo man is right. He should be bet out of Roscommon like the last Mayo lad  . Lyons is another Mayo man thats a fool, Carney is the worst of all.I Like Spillane (wind up merchant), Cinneide & Tohill. O Rourke is a bit of a gobdaa, Brolly a complete tospot. Lyster is a fantastic presenter. Good to have the music back, even if its a gay version of its former self.

[ziggysego]

Good to have the music back, even if its a gay version of its former self.

Heeeeeeey! I like the new version.

I see that the Championship is still blocked to the North. Gonna have to work around that, but I see that this year, it is available world-wide on a Wednesday.

Pints, you'll be able to watch it on Wednesday night..... wait, you're on dial-up aren't you!