A sad day for attention seeking gawkers

[Bord na Mona man]

http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=35507&pt=s
"Touchline reporters, half-time interviewing and pitch incursions have all been banned in a series of regulations announced by GAA President Nickey Brennan."

Yep. It looks like the ungraceful spectacle of players doing pitchside post match interviews while being mauled by a heaving mob of fans are a thing of the past!
No more we will watch fans peering into our living rooms, waving to us and roaring things like "up de bennar!", or "up de rebels" at us, while some poor unfortunate player is trying to conduct an interview.

We've seen some farcical pitch side interviews in our time. Players being kissed, getting hats put on them, getting hats swiped from them, getting kisses planted on them, air horns blasted into their ears and having a human mountain collapse on them.

Pity it took official regulations to stamp it out. RTE should have abandoned this ridiculous freak show years ago.

[tayto]

I always thought they were fun, ah well. 

[paddypastit]

I've be happy to wager that the touchline reporteres will be back by the time we reach the business end of the championships, and if not that they will be back the next time that the GAA negotiates its TV deal - as will the half time interviews.  There is no harm in either and banning them in order to get rid of the post match maul scene is a classic case of baby and bathwater!!  Why niot just do the very same as every other sport in the world - set up an interview area between the pitch and the dressing room area and do the interviews there as the players get off the field and before they go in to that room.

Of course all of this ignores what really needs to be done which is ban pitch encroachment

[Bogball XV]

http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?id=35507&pt=s
"Touchline reporters, half-time interviewing and pitch incursions have all been banned in a series of regulations announced by GAA President Nickey Brennan."

It's good to see Nicky has heart to the pulse of what really matters to the average GAA fan

[ziggysego]

I for one, am pleased to hear this. Sometimes the craic can be good, but you can get the odd gormless idiot knocking hats of the interviewee or shouting so loud you can hear what is being said.

[ziggysego]

Afraid not Sludden. I've a load of work to hand in for Wednesday night. Hope to have them up before the end of the week. Great night's craic though.

[rosnarun]

always bugged  me TRE doing sideline reports for the atmosphere and then givng out that the fans were waving to the camera . maybe they could get some stand in fans to provide an approprriate level of deliours joy without taking the thing too far

[Over the Bar]

Of course all of this ignores what really needs to be done which is ban pitch encroachment

Do you honestly think it can realistically be prevented when a team that hasn't won an All-ireland before or who have not won one in a long time do so?  It would cause worse mayhem not to let them onto the field.  Just think if Antrim or Armagh won next year - can ye see the officals saying "sorry, rules are rules, ye can't be jumpin the fence now" and the fans just saying "aye, ok".

[Gnevin]

Of course all of this ignores what really needs to be done which is ban pitch encroachment

Do you honestly think it can realistically be prevented when a team that hasn't won an All-ireland before or who have not won one in a long time do so?  It would cause worse mayhem not to let them onto the field.  Just think if Antrim or Armagh won next year - can ye see the officals saying "sorry, rules are rules, ye can't be jumpin the fence now" and the fans just saying "aye, ok".

I agree Over and to be honest i cant understand the problem , i mean in 2002 it look at the great scenes all the fans out of the pitch and them some how between then and 2005 it became unacceptable

[ONeill]

Yes, this lad was always popping up.

[realredhandfan]

Yeah Ive seen him before; he also carries a John 3 : 16 sign behind the goals.  He needs to be stopped at the entrance to Dublin and turned back.

[magpie seanie]

I cannot see any problem with this. Its a good thing to get RTE or whoever it may be to clean up their act and not be appealing the the lowest common denominator again.

Of course all of this ignores what really needs to be done which is ban pitch encroachment

If anything can be done about that I'm sure it will be done but its not a straightforward one from where I'm looking at things. I for one do not want to see barriers erected around Croke Park.

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

Do you honestly think it can realistically be prevented when a team that hasn't won an All-ireland before or who have not won one in a long time do so?  It would cause worse mayhem not to let them onto the field.  Just think if Antrim or Armagh won next year.

Ever the kind insult there.......seeing as Armagh haven't won in a 'long time'

[GalwayBayBoy]

Fair enough I think everyone was sick of the interviews after matches where you had players trying to speak with 30 numpties hanging off them roaring into their ear.

But what was wrong with half-time interviews or even touchline reporters? These were usually done one on one with a mentor?

[magpie seanie]

But what was wrong with half-time interviews or even touchline reporters? These were usually done one on one with a mentor?

Well I think they were of no worth, especially the half time interviews. Occasionally the sideline reported might tell us about a substitution coming but I always thought that was in case the inept commentator missed it.