Off The Ball - Is it good?

[HooseLee]

I like the show and what its dine for Scottish football in making it alright to support so called diddy teams but tam Cowan needs to stop referring to things that we've heard umpteen times.  Two of lifes good guys though.  

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, HooseLee said:

I like the show and what its dine for Scottish football in making it alright to support so called diddy teams but tam Cowan needs to stop referring to things that we've heard umpteen times.  Two of lifes good guys though.  

Did they make it alright to support buddy teams? 

[HooseLee]

1 hour ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Did they make it alright to support buddy teams? 

If that isn't a st Mirren reference, its probably alright.  

[topcat(The most tip top)]

It started in 1994 which was the same year that David Baddiel and Frank Skinner started "Fantasy Football League"

Fantasy Football League stopped in 1998 with a brief reunion for Euro 2004 . OTB is still going

I reckon Baddiel & Skinner made the right move

[effeffsee_the2nd]

All honesty. I think it's had its day but I don't see or hear anyone capable of filling their shoes at the moment.  The biggest problem for me aside from auld guy patter which has been spoken about at length is the actual football chat itself,  a lot of the stories and references are from quite a long time ago,  by players who have long long since retired . By now in 2020  you'd have to be in your late 20's or older to remember pretty much any football from the 90s with any kind of clarity, mid 30's or older for motherwells 91 cup win and over 40 to remember  willie miller  kick a baw in anger. But that makes up a high percentage of the guests chat and air time.  The audience is only going to get older and older and those who tune out won't be replaced by younger listeners.  it's time for a revamp

[NorthBank]

10 hours ago, effeffsee_the2nd said:

All honesty. I think it's had its day but I don't see or hear anyone capable of filling their shoes at the moment.  The biggest problem for me aside from auld guy patter which has been spoken about at length is the actual football chat itself,  a lot of the stories and references are from quite a long time ago,  by players who have long long since retired . By now in 2020  you'd have to be in your late 20's or older to remember pretty much any football from the 90s with any kind of clarity, mid 30's or older for motherwells 91 cup win and over 40 to remember  willie miller  kick a baw in anger. But that makes up a high percentage of the guests chat and air time.  The audience is only going to get older and older and those who tune out won't be replaced by younger listeners.  it's time for a revamp

Michael Stewart and Si Ferry would make a decent twosome and far more up-to-date and with new stories. Personally I find Cosgrove ok but cannot stand Cowan's rudeness, ignorance and living in the past.

[Ric]

On 29/03/2020 at 09:21, Monkey Tennis said:

I'd never thought of your point about "petty and ill informed before", but you're spot on.  Even leaving social media aside, it can be argued that with the explosion in mainstream football coverage, there's enough ill informed rubbish around now, as evidenced on the Sportscene and Sportsound threads.

For me it's very apparent and smacks of unprofessionalism and  a complete lack of interest in the sector that pays your wages. It's also pretty insulting to anyone listening. In the Trumpian world, being petty and ill-informed is just the equivalent of saying "I'm a c**t and will lie to you".

It reached it's peak, for me, when they couldn't grasp how the Bet Fred Cup worked. I mean, sure, it's a little different in regard to the draws, but it's hardly rocket science. A 5 minute read of the rules would have stopped them banging on, incorrectly. These are football journalists who can't get their head around the sport they claim to love.

 

 

[HooseLee]

44 minutes ago, Ric said:

For me it's very apparent and smacks of unprofessionalism and  a complete lack of interest in the sector that pays your wages. It's also pretty insulting to anyone listening. In the Trumpian world, being petty and ill-informed is just the equivalent of saying "I'm a c**t and will lie to you".

It reached it's peak, for me, when they couldn't grasp how the Bet Fred Cup worked. I mean, sure, it's a little different in regard to the draws, but it's hardly rocket science. A 5 minute read of the rules would have stopped them banging on, incorrectly. These are football journalists who can't get their head around the sport they claim to love.

 

 

I think the petty and I'll informed is just to show that it's a lighthearted show.  It's just their way of describing the show.  They obviously know their stuff.  Still the best football show on the radio.  Imagine Scottish football culture without it.  I can remember how shite it was before this show.  I think they've done a lot of good for Scottish football culture.  I think the old guy from Perth is thick with three f's but the wee specky boy from Motherwell has a couple of o levels and went to college for a couple of weeks.  Hes not daft...

Edited March 30, 2020 by HooseLee

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

16 minutes ago, HooseLee said:

 the wee specky boy from Motherwell has a couple of o levels and went to college for a couple of weeks.  Hes not daft...

He's not funny either.

[Ric]

38 minutes ago, HooseLee said:

It's just their way of describing the show. 

And I have pointed out how anachronistic that term is.

38 minutes ago, HooseLee said:

They obviously know their stuff. 

It's quite clear they don't, in fact that is half the problem.

38 minutes ago, HooseLee said:

 I think the old guy from Perth is thick with three f's but the wee specky boy from Motherwell has a couple of o levels and went to college for a couple of weeks.  Hes not daft...

Cosgrove is clearly intelligent, but as I say he does well to hide it on the show. If he took the same lackadaisical attitude to his Channel 4 work, for example, he'd have been given his jotters sharpish. I honestly can't comment on Cowan's intelligence but I would expect he has a decent enough head on his shoulders considering he's managed to get where he is in his career.

That said, it's not their intelligence that is at fault, it's their laziness to properly investigate the subject they are talking about, coupled with absolutely cancerous banter.

 

Edit: I don't to come across as some ranting nutter here. I appreciate my opinion may not be the same as others and I am more than capable of hitting the "off" button and not having to deal with a show I have very little time for.

 

Edited March 30, 2020 by Ric

[stanton]

I quite like the show and listen now and again. Can't say I've ever been a fan of Tam's patter though it's a bit tiresome and childish at times and is  a bit like " Carry- On Movie " humour, the guests can be good depending on who it is and weather they get a chance to speak without being interrupted 

[HooseLee]

39 minutes ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

He's not funny either.

You mind not find him funny but you can't deny his quick wit.    all the things to get annoyed about in Scottish football, off the ball isn't one of them.  He does repeat the same old jokes, but it's his quick put downs when someone gets wide with him.  I'm grateful for the both of them.  I think they've done nothing but add to Scottish football.  

[HooseLee]

31 minutes ago, Ric said:

And I have pointed out how anachronistic that term is.

It's quite clear they don't, in fact that is half the problem.

Cosgrove is clearly intelligent, but as I say he does well to hide it on the show. If he took the same lackadaisical attitude to his Channel 4 work, for example, he'd have been given his jotters sharpish. I honestly can't comment on Cowan's intelligence but I would expect he has a decent enough head on his shoulders considering he's managed to get where he is in his career.

That said, it's not their intelligence that is at fault, it's their laziness to properly investigate the subject they are talking about, coupled with absolutely cancerous banter.

 

Edit: I don't to come across as some ranting nutter here. I appreciate my opinion may not be the same as others and I am more than capable of hitting the "off" button and not having to deal with a show I have very little time for.

 

I think the lazy accusation counts for the whole bbc sport Scotland.  How many times have you heard Ferguson, Bonner et al  came back with, ' I dont know much about that player?  We reasear h the topic before you go on the radio to discuss it.   I so agree that 5 song shite they do is terrible  tams taste in shite music isn't that funny.  Though its probably some radio trick to give them time to go through things that have been sent in.  Still pish though.

Edited March 30, 2020 by HooseLee

[The Mantis]

Does the 'petty and ill-informed' not go back about 20 years to when they were accused of being just that by some authority figure like Farry or whoever? They just decided to wear it as a badge of honour IIRC.

[Ric]

1 hour ago, HooseLee said:

I think the lazy accusation counts for the whole bbc sport Scotland.  How many times have you heard Ferguson, Bonner et al  came back with, ' I dont know much about that player?  We reasear h the topic before you go on the radio to discuss it.   I so agree that 5 song shite they do is terrible  tams taste in shite music isn't that funny.  Though its probably some radio trick to give them time to go through things that have been sent in.  Still pish though.

If we are covering the whole of BBC Scotland then there are only a few people who demonstrated an in-depth knowledge, but this thread is specifically about OTB.

I absolutely detest Pat Boner as a "pundit", he is miles out of date with his knowledge and is so ridiculously biased that he simply shouldn't be allowed to broadcast. In the game against Cluj, a Romanian team, he claimed the Hungarian referees were giving Cluj the decisions because Hungary is a neighbouring country. He clearly has absolutely no fucking understanding of political history as to why that is such a stupid statement. So not only stupid but "petty and ill informed" too. A real full house.

1 hour ago, The Mantis said:

Does the 'petty and ill-informed' not go back about 20 years to when they were accused of being just that by some authority figure like Farry or whoever? They just decided to wear it as a badge of honour IIRC.

Indeed, I covered that in a previous post. It was cool to be anti-establishment then, now it's not.

Edited March 30, 2020 by Ric

[HooseLee]

4 minutes ago, Ric said:

If we are covering the whole of BBC Scotland then there are only a few people who demonstrated an in-depth knowledge, but this thread is specifically about OTB.

I absolutely detest Pat Boner as a "pundit", he is miles out of date with his knowledge and is so ridiculously biased that he simply shouldn't be allowed to broadcast. In the game against Cluj, a Romanian team, he claimed the Hungarian referees were given Cluj the decisions because Hungary is a neighbouring country. He clearly has absolutely no fucking understanding political history as to why that is such a stupid statement. So not only stupid but "petty and ill informed" too. A real full house.

Indeed, I covered that in a previous post. It was cool to be anti-establishment then, now it's not.

They actually fly Boner over from Ireland just to cover Celtic games  complete joke 

[Monkey Tennis]

3 hours ago, HooseLee said:

 I think the old guy from Perth is thick with three f's 

Am I being whooshed?

Cosgrove is not at his best on the show, but he's an intellectual.

[HooseLee]

2 hours ago, Monkey Tennis said:

Am I being whooshed?

Cosgrove is not at his best on the show, but he's an intellectual.

It was bad attempt at sarcasm...  I think the both of them are alright  folk might not like them but there isnt much to dislike about them.  If any club is in trouble, tam is straight there.  I think they are decent folk.  

Edited March 30, 2020 by HooseLee

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

4 hours ago, HooseLee said:

You mind not find him funny but you can't deny his quick wit.    all the things to get annoyed about in Scottish football, off the ball isn't one of them.  He does repeat the same old jokes, but it's his quick put downs when someone gets wide with him.  I'm grateful for the both of them.  I think they've done nothing but add to Scottish football.  

No I don't find Tam  funny.  I find lots of people funny, and lots of people unfunny.  Humour's subjective, so if he does it for you, fair enough. 

Quick wit? Tam? Seriously? .  .  .  Whatever. 

What I don't like about him  is his  unreconstructed 70's humour, he's not exactly Jim Davidson non-PC, but he is most definitely stuck in a 70's bubble. 

His musical taste is his own business, the same old jokes (which have served him well)  get him through a show.

But, (or as Tam would say bu-ut), haven't most shows got a shelf life? 

You think they've done nothing but add to Scottish Football? 

They were definitely adding to it 20 years ago. I tuned in regularly. And laughed, and appreciated how alternative it was.

The shelf life of that show expired a while ago. 

[HooseLee]

27 minutes ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

No I don't find Tam  funny.  I find lots of people funny, and lots of people unfunny.  Humour's subjective, so if he does it for you, fair enough. 

Quick wit? Tam? Seriously? .  .  .  Whatever. 

What I don't like about him  is his  unreconstructed 70's humour, he's not exactly Jim Davidson non-PC, but he is most definitely stuck in a 70's bubble. 

His musical taste is his own business, the same old jokes (which have served him well)  get him through a show.

But, (or as Tam would say bu-ut), haven't most shows got a shelf life? 

You think they've done nothing but add to Scottish Football? 

They were definitely adding to it 20 years ago. I tuned in regularly. And laughed, and appreciated how alternative it was.

The shelf life of that show expired a while ago. 

He does like the des Lawson approach to humour.  You're right about every thing having a shelf life.  If he mentions paul daniels saving him again, it should be stopped.  He might not always come back with a fantastic line, but he is very quick witted.  I don't know anyone in the Scottish media who has his ability to give it back as quick.   

Off topic a wee bit   dont you think that sport scene is past it with the current lot? It might be a bit early for them, but I'd rather see the guys from view from the terrace start doing the main radio Scotland show on a Saturday.  Maybe not ready for it yet, but got to be better than 'biscuits' etc.  I'd rather replace those on sportcene than get rid of off the ball.