You know what really grinds my gears?

[johnnycool]

Token female tv presenters on sports programmes. Started by the bbc with MOTD, followed by the rugby on rte and then seeping into gaa coverage of both hurling and football. Pc brigade gone mad to fill a quota.

Women rugby commentators! WTF you don't hear Matt Dawson talking or commentating on women's rugby or Shefflin talking on Camogie. It not even close to being PC, it's daft

Your comments are exactly why this has to happen. I pity your wives/sisters/daughters if this is your attitude towards efforts to get women on an even keel. That you think women have nothing worthwhile to contribute to sports discussions is really sad. Does that translate into wanting to make the GAA Discussion Board all male too?

My point is simple, I haven't seen a ex hurler discussing camogie games or a ex footballer commenting on ladies football. I don't mind Alex Scott though, played at highest level and well tuned in.

Cyril Farrell is on the Camogie coverage all the time.

[Milltown Row2]

Token female tv presenters on sports programmes. Started by the bbc with MOTD, followed by the rugby on rte and then seeping into gaa coverage of both hurling and football. Pc brigade gone mad to fill a quota.

Women rugby commentators! WTF you don't hear Matt Dawson talking or commentating on women's rugby or Shefflin talking on Camogie. It not even close to being PC, it's daft

Your comments are exactly why this has to happen. I pity your wives/sisters/daughters if this is your attitude towards efforts to get women on an even keel. That you think women have nothing worthwhile to contribute to sports discussions is really sad. Does that translate into wanting to make the GAA Discussion Board all male too?

My point is simple, I haven't seen a ex hurler discussing camogie games or a ex footballer commenting on ladies football. I don't mind Alex Scott though, played at highest level and well tuned in.

Cyril Farrell is on the Camogie coverage all the time.

But why? Has he taken Camogie teams in the past? has he a history of involvement in camogie, if so, then fine.

Me personally I much prefer to listen to the ex players, they've a better insight to the game. I don't buy into the, lets have a woman (or man). to make it look more balanced, lets just have the best commentators, man or woman with the best insights to the game, and generally if I'm watching the rugby the best pundits would be ex players at that level.

Oh and god help me two daughters with my attitude! I'm joking of course, they are well grounded and very opinionated and put me back in my box, more times that enough

[johnnycool]

Token female tv presenters on sports programmes. Started by the bbc with MOTD, followed by the rugby on rte and then seeping into gaa coverage of both hurling and football. Pc brigade gone mad to fill a quota.

Women rugby commentators! WTF you don't hear Matt Dawson talking or commentating on women's rugby or Shefflin talking on Camogie. It not even close to being PC, it's daft

Your comments are exactly why this has to happen. I pity your wives/sisters/daughters if this is your attitude towards efforts to get women on an even keel. That you think women have nothing worthwhile to contribute to sports discussions is really sad. Does that translate into wanting to make the GAA Discussion Board all male too?

My point is simple, I haven't seen a ex hurler discussing camogie games or a ex footballer commenting on ladies football. I don't mind Alex Scott though, played at highest level and well tuned in.

Cyril Farrell is on the Camogie coverage all the time.

But why? Has he taken Camogie teams in the past? has he a history of involvement in camogie, if so, then fine.

Me personally I much prefer to listen to the ex players, they've a better insight to the game. I don't buy into the, lets have a woman (or man). to make it look more balanced, lets just have the best commentators, man or woman with the best insights to the game, and generally if I'm watching the rugby the best pundits would be ex players at that level.

Oh and god help me two daughters with my attitude! I'm joking of course, they are well grounded and very opinionated and put me back in my box, more times that enough

Don't think he's taken intercounty camogie teams for quite a while now and I'm talking decades.

The issue is whether you consider the ladies games, i.e. camogie, gaelic football, soccer, rugby so inferior to the mens game that these ladies aren't in a position to give critical analysis, is that your argument?

If so, then where do you draw the line?
Why would anyone have Neil McManus on to comment on AI Senior Intercounty hurling, what could he possibly know about it?

See where I'm going with this.

[Milltown Row2]

Token female tv presenters on sports programmes. Started by the bbc with MOTD, followed by the rugby on rte and then seeping into gaa coverage of both hurling and football. Pc brigade gone mad to fill a quota.

Women rugby commentators! WTF you don't hear Matt Dawson talking or commentating on women's rugby or Shefflin talking on Camogie. It not even close to being PC, it's daft

Your comments are exactly why this has to happen. I pity your wives/sisters/daughters if this is your attitude towards efforts to get women on an even keel. That you think women have nothing worthwhile to contribute to sports discussions is really sad. Does that translate into wanting to make the GAA Discussion Board all male too?

My point is simple, I haven't seen a ex hurler discussing camogie games or a ex footballer commenting on ladies football. I don't mind Alex Scott though, played at highest level and well tuned in.

Cyril Farrell is on the Camogie coverage all the time.

But why? Has he taken Camogie teams in the past? has he a history of involvement in camogie, if so, then fine.

Me personally I much prefer to listen to the ex players, they've a better insight to the game. I don't buy into the, lets have a woman (or man). to make it look more balanced, lets just have the best commentators, man or woman with the best insights to the game, and generally if I'm watching the rugby the best pundits would be ex players at that level.

Oh and god help me two daughters with my attitude! I'm joking of course, they are well grounded and very opinionated and put me back in my box, more times that enough

Don't think he's taken intercounty camogie teams for quite a while now and I'm talking decades.

The issue is whether you consider the ladies games, i.e. camogie, gaelic football, soccer, rugby so inferior to the mens game that these ladies aren't in a position to give critical analysis, is that your argument?

If so, then where do you draw the line?
Why would anyone have Neil McManus on to comment on AI Senior Intercounty hurling, what could he possibly know about it?

See where I'm going with this.

To use Neil wouldn't be great as he's played in an All Ireland club final captain Ireland in the shinty/rules game and played at senior McCarthy cup level. But I get your point.

I'm not against women commenting and the one sport that's got it right is athletics, it just the huge intake of women lately on tv radio it's like they (tv corporations) have decided 50/50 regardless, irrespective of the sport, the one I highlighted was the rugby, maybe she played at a decent level or not at all and just watched the sport and has great knowledge on it, I don't know!

In fairness nowadays I don't and can't be bothered with the style of questioning the presenters lead with, most of it is irrelevant to the game in hand and they turn it around to the next England game when the public is made up of four regions, and 3 of them want England bate!

All that being said, the best person for the job it's the best answer.

[Rois]

So my point on attitude is that I can't understand that some people can't see that "we" have to go to what feels like uncomfortable places to promote balance and diversity, so far even as having different faces in soccer and rugby presenting. No, I don't think it should be tokenism, but a desire for differences in opinion and thought is not a bad thing, and I'm sure the analysts in question have some higher experience of the games than most of us. Maybe the specific female analysts who have obviously ground gears were the wrong analysts, not the wrong gender.

You mention athletics - add golf to that, with Sarah, Henni, Laura Davies etc all part of the furniture in golf broadcasting. Or tennis, some great analysts there too.

[trileacman]

I find it to be tokenism as well. It's distinct from the case of say Joanne Cantwell and Evanne ni chulleian who genuinely worked their way up through the ranks of RTE. That's the way it should be, prove your worth and get rewarded for it. Being parachuted in to a position simply because you are a woman is a different matter.

Also Women's football is refereed under different rules to men's and due to the differing physical attributes of the playing population is also played completely differently. Likewise Camogie, which is currently in a sweeper death grip, is a different game to hurling. They're as similar to the men's codes as rugby league is to rugby union. So for me from an analyst I want a particularly insightful view that you couldn't just pluck from joe or Jane bloggs on a barstool. Having women footballers in to do the analysis is like getting Henry shefflin to do the football final and Colm cooper doing the hurling.

It cuts both ways that too, several female commentators complained about former high profile male football players managing teams at the women's World Cup. The argument being they got the job not because they deserved it but because they had achieved success in a men's competition as a player but were not competent enough to manage in the men's game. So you just can't have your cake and eat it.

[tyroneman]

The 5 main criteria for analysts should be:

1. Do you understand the game itself and it's nuances? You don't need to have played at a high level , however some form of management, coaching or playing for fun experience would certainly be beneficial
2. Do you understand the rules of the game? Many pundits have no clue; witness the cry of 'black card' for every foul under the sun.
3. Can you clearly and simply communicate what you are saying to the audience?
4. Can you bring a level of insight into proceedings, showing the audience something they otherwise would have missed or not understood? The old "that's a bad miss" or "they need to tighten up in defence" is cowdung imho - I can hear that from the village idiots in the stands every week.
5. Can you be objective when needed, not pushing a side agenda, but still remain (and look) passionate about the game?

If you can satisfy even 4 of the above then I'd be happy to listen / watch - no matter who it is doing the analysis.

[johnnycool]

Token female tv presenters on sports programmes. Started by the bbc with MOTD, followed by the rugby on rte and then seeping into gaa coverage of both hurling and football. Pc brigade gone mad to fill a quota.

Women rugby commentators! WTF you don't hear Matt Dawson talking or commentating on women's rugby or Shefflin talking on Camogie. It not even close to being PC, it's daft

Your comments are exactly why this has to happen. I pity your wives/sisters/daughters if this is your attitude towards efforts to get women on an even keel. That you think women have nothing worthwhile to contribute to sports discussions is really sad. Does that translate into wanting to make the GAA Discussion Board all male too?

My point is simple, I haven't seen a ex hurler discussing camogie games or a ex footballer commenting on ladies football. I don't mind Alex Scott though, played at highest level and well tuned in.

Cyril Farrell is on the Camogie coverage all the time.

But why? Has he taken Camogie teams in the past? has he a history of involvement in camogie, if so, then fine.

Me personally I much prefer to listen to the ex players, they've a better insight to the game. I don't buy into the, lets have a woman (or man). to make it look more balanced, lets just have the best commentators, man or woman with the best insights to the game, and generally if I'm watching the rugby the best pundits would be ex players at that level.

Oh and god help me two daughters with my attitude! I'm joking of course, they are well grounded and very opinionated and put me back in my box, more times that enough

Don't think he's taken intercounty camogie teams for quite a while now and I'm talking decades.

The issue is whether you consider the ladies games, i.e. camogie, gaelic football, soccer, rugby so inferior to the mens game that these ladies aren't in a position to give critical analysis, is that your argument?

If so, then where do you draw the line?
Why would anyone have Neil McManus on to comment on AI Senior Intercounty hurling, what could he possibly know about it?

See where I'm going with this.

To use Neil wouldn't be great as he's played in an All Ireland club final captain Ireland in the shinty/rules game and played at senior McCarthy cup level. But I get your point.

I'm not against women commenting and the one sport that's got it right is athletics, it just the huge intake of women lately on tv radio it's like they (tv corporations) have decided 50/50 regardless, irrespective of the sport, the one I highlighted was the rugby, maybe she played at a decent level or not at all and just watched the sport and has great knowledge on it, I don't know!

In fairness nowadays I don't and can't be bothered with the style of questioning the presenters lead with, most of it is irrelevant to the game in hand and they turn it around to the next England game when the public is made up of four regions, and 3 of them want England bate!

All that being said, the best person for the job it's the best answer.

That's it in a nutshell.

Some just see a pair of teats and assume they know nothing especially when its sport.

[t_mac]

Weird how posters personality comes thru even online...again and again.....!
cmon mods like ffs you can more or less confirm immediately if a banned poster has a new user name.

Some clowns about alright

Yeah a lot on here alright.

[t_mac]

So my point on attitude is that I can't understand that some people can't see that "we" have to go to what feels like uncomfortable places to promote balance and diversity, so far even as having different faces in soccer and rugby presenting. No, I don't think it should be tokenism, but a desire for differences in opinion and thought is not a bad thing, and I'm sure the analysts in question have some higher experience of the games than most of us. Maybe the specific female analysts who have obviously ground gears were the wrong analysts, not the wrong gender.

You mention athletics - add golf to that, with Sarah, Henni, Laura Davies etc all part of the furniture in golf broadcasting. Or tennis, some great analysts there too.

The issue being in this PC world, positive discrimination is now totally acceptable especially on television irrespective how useless the individual is.

[tyroneman]

So my point on attitude is that I can't understand that some people can't see that "we" have to go to what feels like uncomfortable places to promote balance and diversity, so far even as having different faces in soccer and rugby presenting. No, I don't think it should be tokenism, but a desire for differences in opinion and thought is not a bad thing, and I'm sure the analysts in question have some higher experience of the games than most of us. Maybe the specific female analysts who have obviously ground gears were the wrong analysts, not the wrong gender.

You mention athletics - add golf to that, with Sarah, Henni, Laura Davies etc all part of the furniture in golf broadcasting. Or tennis, some great analysts there too.

The issue being in this PC world, positive discrimination is now totally acceptable especially on television irrespective how useless the individual is.

How did Des Cahill get the Sunday Game gig then...he's terrible..?

[imtommygunn]

I second that. Bloody awful.

[t_mac]

So my point on attitude is that I can't understand that some people can't see that "we" have to go to what feels like uncomfortable places to promote balance and diversity, so far even as having different faces in soccer and rugby presenting. No, I don't think it should be tokenism, but a desire for differences in opinion and thought is not a bad thing, and I'm sure the analysts in question have some higher experience of the games than most of us. Maybe the specific female analysts who have obviously ground gears were the wrong analysts, not the wrong gender.

You mention athletics - add golf to that, with Sarah, Henni, Laura Davies etc all part of the furniture in golf broadcasting. Or tennis, some great analysts there too.

The issue being in this PC world, positive discrimination is now totally acceptable especially on television irrespective how useless the individual is.

How did Des Cahill get the Sunday Game gig then...he's terrible..?

Same way no point giving it to anyone with talent. 

[AZOffaly]

So my point on attitude is that I can't understand that some people can't see that "we" have to go to what feels like uncomfortable places to promote balance and diversity, so far even as having different faces in soccer and rugby presenting. No, I don't think it should be tokenism, but a desire for differences in opinion and thought is not a bad thing, and I'm sure the analysts in question have some higher experience of the games than most of us. Maybe the specific female analysts who have obviously ground gears were the wrong analysts, not the wrong gender.

You mention athletics - add golf to that, with Sarah, Henni, Laura Davies etc all part of the furniture in golf broadcasting. Or tennis, some great analysts there too.

The issue being in this PC world, positive discrimination is now totally acceptable especially on television irrespective how useless the individual is.

How did Des Cahill get the Sunday Game gig then...he's terrible..?

Positive Discrimination towards Oompah Loompahs. Same reason Marty commentates.

[t_mac]

Weird how posters personality comes thru even online...again and again.....!
cmon mods like ffs you can more or less confirm immediately if a banned poster has a new user name.

We need to chill out stop the posturing, trolling, faux-offence, ridicule and remember this is an anonymous forum.

And if you think its boring now........