The Sunday Game

[magpie seanie]

Yeah, there is plenty of space in the RTE schedules for a highlights program midweek or Monday night - even the rugby gets their own discussion show! At least they could give more time to the hurling games as well.
If not, let TG4 have a show. Their Seo Spoirt is already the best sport show on Irish tv.

Sure rugby is the national sport in Donnybrook!

[GalwayBayBoy]

Yeah, there is plenty of space in the RTE schedules for a highlights program midweek or Monday night - even the rugby gets their own discussion show!

I imagine they see Against the Head as the rugby version of The Sunday Game. Plus last year there was the Sunday Game and Championship Matters mid week during the championship. Granted Championship Matters was generally shite. So there were 2 GAA highlights/discussion shows during the week last year and only 1 rugby highlights/discussion show.

Just saying as some seem to think it was the other way around.

[Zulu]

I remember Des Cahill used to host a Monday night radio sports discussion show a few years back. Even during the spring when the premiership, Heineken cup, 6 nations and champions league games were going on, the majority of the texts and calls tended to be GAA related. I would be absolutely positive that a midweek review/preview GAA show with discussion, analysis, twitter/ text questions or view points would be a certain audience puller and something that could become as much a stable of the RTE summer schedule as the SG is.

[ballinaman]

I remember Des Cahill used to host a Monday night radio sports discussion show a few years back. Even during the spring when the premiership, Heineken cup, 6 nations and champions league games were going on, the majority of the texts and calls tended to be GAA related. I would be absolutely positive that a midweek review/preview GAA show with discussion, analysis, twitter/ text questions or view points would be a certain audience puller and something that could become as much a stable of the RTE summer schedule as the SG is.

As long as RTE aren't involved I would think it's a runner.

Lest we forget

[Syferus]

I remember Des Cahill used to host a Monday night radio sports discussion show a few years back. Even during the spring when the premiership, Heineken cup, 6 nations and champions league games were going on, the majority of the texts and calls tended to be GAA related. I would be absolutely positive that a midweek review/preview GAA show with discussion, analysis, twitter/ text questions or view points would be a certain audience puller and something that could become as much a stable of the RTE summer schedule as the SG is.

As long as RTE aren't involved I would think it's a runner.

Lest we forget

That screen cap is from a fantastic debate on cynical play.

[Zulu]

But that was a half hour bucket of shite!! Don't mind your daft quizzes, use the time since Sunday to give us analysis that uses camera angles that we didn't see on Sunday, discuss games that weren't shown live the previous weekend etc. The show would need to be a hour long with something of a left field take on the game (though not in a half arsed 'funny' way). Features on players that we are not familiar with etc. I actually don't think it would be hard to do a good, revenue making (for RTE) show. I'm writing this while listening to podcasts from newstalk and the second captains and they often have good discussions about the GAA and other sports. Why can't we do this on TV?

[ballinaman]

I remember Des Cahill used to host a Monday night radio sports discussion show a few years back. Even during the spring when the premiership, Heineken cup, 6 nations and champions league games were going on, the majority of the texts and calls tended to be GAA related. I would be absolutely positive that a midweek review/preview GAA show with discussion, analysis, twitter/ text questions or view points would be a certain audience puller and something that could become as much a stable of the RTE summer schedule as the SG is.

As long as RTE aren't involved I would think it's a runner.

Lest we forget

That screen cap is from a fantastic debate on cynical play.

Indeed it was, no offence towards Evans fan club intended. First picture of Championship matters that came up.
Still absolute shite for the most part last year, wojus stuff.

[NAG1]

But that was a half hour bucket of shite!! Don't mind your daft quizzes, use the time since Sunday to give us analysis that uses camera angles that we didn't see on Sunday, discuss games that weren't shown live the previous weekend etc. The show would need to be a hour long with something of a left field take on the game (though not in a half arsed 'funny' way). Features on players that we are not familiar with etc. I actually don't think it would be hard to do a good, revenue making (for RTE) show. I'm writing this while listening to podcasts from newstalk and the second captains and they often have good discussions about the GAA and other sports. Why can't we do this on TV?

Simply because they keep employing these guys like Marty who have been doing it the same way for 20 odd years or however long, they are still in the job so why change.

Why don't they look at sky and the range of programme that they have on the various sports, they could pull the best bits from their coverage of the golf, rugby, soccer etc or is it too expensive to give our national games the proper attention.

For example, you could have ex players on the technical elements of the games, like the golf guys with the big screen.
A Gary Neville type piece on the monday show.

Just two examples of how they could improve the content of the show and get away from guys just giving their opinions on players.

[Zulu]

Agree 100%. The one cornerstone of any midweek program would be that Marty or the like wouldn't be involved. We would need fresh voices and different perspectives than what we get from the SG crew.

[Jinxy]

I didn't think Championship Matters was too bad.

[Syferus]

I remember Des Cahill used to host a Monday night radio sports discussion show a few years back. Even during the spring when the premiership, Heineken cup, 6 nations and champions league games were going on, the majority of the texts and calls tended to be GAA related. I would be absolutely positive that a midweek review/preview GAA show with discussion, analysis, twitter/ text questions or view points would be a certain audience puller and something that could become as much a stable of the RTE summer schedule as the SG is.

As long as RTE aren't involved I would think it's a runner.

Lest we forget

That screen cap is from a fantastic debate on cynical play.

Indeed it was, no offence towards Evans fan club intended. First picture of Championship matters that came up.
Still absolute shite for the most part last year, wojus stuff.

There was also that quiz where Big Aidan got every question wrong.

[blewuporstuffed]

The second captains stuff is usually very good on podcast, oisin mcconville (who comes across far better on this than as a bbc pundit)  & Anthony moyles are the usually guests

[seafoid]

I didn't think Championship Matters was too bad.

I thought it was alright aswell. But there's a big anti Marty constituency out there.

[seafoid]

Longford Chairman, Brendan Gilmore, has launched an attack on The Sunday Game over piss poor coverage of Longford v Offaly. I can't be bothered posting article here.

I have sent, via a client, who is a good pal of Dessie Cahill, my own formal complaint!!

(Although I am mindful that should we get more coverage, say for the next game, then the whole country could actually see had bad we can be. Be careful what you wish for, as you may get it)

http://www.irishtimes.com/the-seasons-of-sundays-in-their-own-words-1.1476526?page=2

And so it goes. From not being able to send two cameras to a game in the mid-'70s, 'The Sunday Game' now covers close to 100 games a year in some shape or form. The biggest complaint the staff hear is the same now as it was then.

PB: "Not enough coverage.
RTÉ never show our county."

ML: "Ye only show the big boys."

DC: "Ye're always anti-our county."

[Zulu]

Yep. I think Seafoid has asked what RTE could do that would make the SG better and I can see where he is coming from but I think a lot of simple things could improve their shows. Eugene Magee was interviewed on Newstalk discussing Offaly football's problems and he did, as he usually does, some amount of waffling and stuttering Stanley type of delivery. Pat Spillane is another who uses a thousands words when one hundred would suffice. I think getting panelists who can dissect a game and get to the point quickly would help for a start and a midweek show with a more in-depth analysis of the games would be a big help. For me, it isn't necessarily about the format but the content of that format which is often neither informative or entertaining. 

EDIT: Sorry Seafoid posted the above before I saw you had joined the discussion.