[quote=“Rocko”]That’s outrageous!
I actually heard it wrong. I thought Donncha O’Callaghan had tackled Flannery and Flannery had called him a “Johnny Try Hard” but that version is better.
Just hope there’s footage of that exchange somewhere.[/quote]
In fairness, I could barely hear Malachy through all the laughing I was doing so I may have picked up the witty anecdote incorrectly.
Only heard 4 of his 5 choices for what’s it worth and missed out on #1. The other 4 were Damien Lawlor’s book on Waterford footballers, Donal g’s autobiography, Alan English’s book on Ireland winning the Grand Slam and some book by Declan Lynch of the Sindo about gambling.
all sound shit
“Hanging From the Rafters” by Kieran Shannon was number one. It’s about Irish basketball in the 1980’s. Over 500 pages apparently. Topic I’d have some interest in as I remember watching the cup matches RTE used to show in the 1980’s with Burgerland Neptune and Premier Killester and all them, but 500 pages is too long for me.
Cody’s book was mentioned as one to avoid. Big surprise there.
[quote=“sid waddell”]“Hanging From the Rafters” by Kieran Shannon was number one. It’s about Irish basketball in the 1980’s. Over 500 pages apparently. Topic I’d have some interest in as I remember watching the cup matches RTE used to show in the 1980’s with Burgerland Neptune and Premier Killester and all them, but 500 pages is too long for me.
Cody’s book was mentioned as one to avoid. Big surprise there.[/quote]
No surprise on Cody’s given who it was written by and he’s too sharp to say too much while he’s still involved himself.
The Tribune ran an extract from Shannon’s book a few weeks back - not something that would interest me at all.
[quote=“sid waddell”]
Cody’s book was mentioned as one to avoid. Big surprise there.[/quote]
Heard it was crap as well. It’s time for Loughnane to write another one.
There was an article on all this in Sundays Tribune, I presume Clerkin wrote it. Considering Shannon is a co worker of Clerkins its a bit much to be putting him no 1 with a book about a few basketballers in Cork in the 80’s. I like Shannon’s writing a lot, but at over 500 pages it seems to me as though that would be a bit of a niche market. Like Bandage the extract didnt sell me. I’ll give Lawlors book on the Waterford footballers a spin out of curiousity.
Lawlor’s book looks like the best of that lot but they were bigging that up on Off The Ball last night (well Clerkin was anyway) as a wonderfully original idea. Which it clearly isn’t. It’s been done for every sport.
Doesn’t mean it won’t be well written and a good read but it’s hardly a groundbreaking idea to spend a season with a lesser team.
Can’t say any of the others appeals to me.
‘Like, this is fantastic stuff.’
Malachy after telling the ‘insight’ about Tommy Bowe’s dad’s jumper.
Fuck off, you fool.
[quote=“Rocko”]Lawlor’s book looks like the best of that lot but they were bigging that up on Off The Ball last night (well Clerkin was anyway) as a wonderfully original idea. Which it clearly isn’t. It’s been done for every sport.
Doesn’t mean it won’t be well written and a good read but it’s hardly a groundbreaking idea to spend a season with a lesser team.[/quote]
Reminds me of “The Miracle of Castel di Sangro” idea really. That was a great book-probably made it better that the lad that wrote it didn’t really have a clue about soccer.
[quote=“Bandage”]‘Like, this is fantastic stuff.’
Malachy after telling the ‘insight’ about Tommy Bowe’s dad’s jumper.
Fuck off, you fool.[/quote]
I’m in a bad mood today and apologise to Malachy for the unwarranted abuse above.
Cusacks book is brilliant. One of the best sports books I have read Id say. Humphreys has serious track record Quinns bio is v good as is Laptop Dancing etc. I have mentioned it a good few times on this thread already but Big Toms effort on Dublin V Kerry is a cracker too and I would have little interest in the topic.
Lawlors about Waterford is a very good read too. Have read extracts of the basketball book and it sounds good, v funny in places, I have fuck all interest in bball but know a few characters who were involved and referenced in the extracts so might pick it up.
Thought Lynch gambling book was total shite.
[quote=“dancarter”]Cusacks book is brilliant. One of the best sports books I have read Id say. Humphreys has serious track record Quinns bio is v good as is Laptop Dancing etc. I have mentioned it a good few times on this thread already but Big Toms effort on Dublin V Kerry is a cracker too and I would have little interest in the topic.
Lawlors about Waterford is a very good read too. Have read extracts of the basketball book and it sounds good, v funny in places, I have fuck all interest in bball but know a few characters who were involved and referenced in the extracts so might pick it up.
Thought Lynch gambling book was total shite.[/quote]
might flick through some of your recommendations dan- cheers for the heads up
[quote=“dancarter”]Cusacks book is brilliant. One of the best sports books I have read Id say. Humphreys has serious track record Quinns bio is v good as is Laptop Dancing etc. I have mentioned it a good few times on this thread already but Big Toms effort on Dublin V Kerry is a cracker too and I would have little interest in the topic.
Lawlors about Waterford is a very good read too. Have read extracts of the basketball book and it sounds good, v funny in places, I have fuck all interest in bball but know a few characters who were involved and referenced in the extracts so might pick it up.
Thought Lynch gambling book was total shite.[/quote]
A big problem with sports journalists reviewing Irish sports books is that they’re all written by other sports journalists and that is a very cosy clique for the most part. They just aren’t objective enough about them.
Definitely think the basketball sounds like interesting subject matter for a book, I don’t know what lads are on about. Surely it’s something a little original. Also interesting to know why it had such a short burst of popularity with the Americans on each team.
Most lads of a certain age will remember watching those Basketball cup finals between Burgerland Neptune and Dawn Milk and teams like that on RTE in the late 80s when there was fuck all live sport on. Absolute thrillers they were and I doubt I’ve watched a full game of basketball before or since.
Why did you think Lynch’s book was so bad dan? Haven’t read it myself but thought it sounded interesting. He comes across as a cunt in the Sunday Indo though so was hoping it would be shite.
I read Patrick Veitch’s one and agreed with your summing up of it as ‘samey’. (think it was you anyway)
Yeah I’ve no interest in baskbetball but wouldn’t mind a glance at that book - not sure I’d really sit down and read it but I’ve read plenty of good sports books about topics I knew nothing about (e.g. John Feinstein’s book on Army v Navy in US College Football is a fucking cracker as is his Season on the Brink about College Basketball).
The reviews of sports books are generally shite for the reasons you’ve suggested above gola. They’re all heralded as “Christmas crackers” and there’s fuck all objectivity. Regrettably an awful lot of sports books are pure dross but they’re never rubbished in the media.
Been mentioned many times before but for anyone who even has a passing interest in gambling, Veitch’s book is a must. He calls it as it is and there’s no bullshit or airs or graces about him. A straight up lad who had the balls to take risks and it paid off. Want to get my hands on Barneys book now as well to read over Christmas.
It was hard going in places for someone like me who wouldn’t know a whole lot about racing especially flat racing but it was worth a read alright.
Still would have liked to hear some ways he actually reads the form. He seems to have a serious amount of long price winners compared to other lads like Harry Findlay who seem to lump on short pricers a lot.
He talks a lot about watching videos etc but doesn’t actually outline what kind of things he looks out for.
How do you pronounce his name by the way mac?!
[quote=“gola”]It was hard going in places for someone like me who wouldn’t know a whole lot about racing especially flat racing but it was worth a read alright.
Still would have liked to hear some ways he actually reads the form. He seems to have a serious amount of long price winners compared to other lads like Harry Findlay who seem to lump on short pricers a lot.
He talks a lot about watching videos etc but doesn’t actually outline what kind of things he looks out for.[/quote]
His most common trait was based around the draw on unwatered tracks in large handicaps. Meant the horses may split into 2 groups and depending on the previous races one side of the course could race a few lengths quicker than the other.
Dave Nevison spent a couple of chapters in his book explaining his technique and it made a mess of the book. Sometimes its better left out and as Veitch says himself, he doesn’t want the bookies to be able to cop onto his technique!
I’d go with Vetch? Am open to correction on that though!