The Off the Ball team: (Back, L-R) Ken Early, Mark Horgan, Ciaran Murphy; (Front, L-R) Simon Hick and Eoin McDevitt.
NEWSTALK STUNNED IRISH sports fans yesterday when they confirmed to TheScore.ie that the five-man team behind Off the Ball, the station’s award-winning sports programme, had resigned with immediate effect.
Anchored by one of its founding members, sports editor Ger Gilroy, Off The Ball continued last night — but without the familar voices of Eoin McDevitt, Ciaran Murphy, Ken Early, Simon Hick and Mark Horgan.
Here are some of the many, many reasons why we will miss the show’s famous five:
1. They got Steve Staunton to utter the immortal line “Second captain, first captain, whatever”
It became so famous that they used it as their Twitter handle: @secondcaptains
6. And they made us associate this song with bad things
This has been used as the show's outro music for as long as we can remember. It makes us sad because it means no more Off the Ball for another 21 hours.
Young, old, male, female, diehard sports fans and casuals alike... just look at the crowds.
(OTB Facebook)
22. And that's before we even get to...
John Giles saying Eoin's name at the start of every sentence; Murph's Country Pages; Partying like you're Rob Kearney; Administrator of the Week; Donn's tips; and the hundreds of other reasons to love the Off the Ball lads.
Negative equity, unemployment, emigration, reduction in living standards and poor prospects for our children’s future. You’d think things couldn’t get any worse. Well they can and they just did! Despite all the bad news, there was always Off The Ball. I didn’t tune in all night every night but at some stage most evenings I would listen in to what the lads were saying. If I missed a show, I’d download the podcast and give it a listen later. To say it was my favourite radio show would be an massive understatement and I’m sure many more felt the same. I know of people in the states that listen in every afternoon while at work. I know of husbands who sit in the kitchens every evening listening while there wives watch their soaps. I personally used to practice the guitar in the bedroom with the Off The Ball crew for company. I’m numb with the shock at the moment. It’s like my favourite pet has died or a real meaningful relationship has just ended. The sense of loss is just horrific. I’m sure I’ll get over it, but it will take a long time and just like a bad break up, I’ll be hoping they will come back to me.
Gutted. Newstalk are awful eejits for letting it go this far. JNRR (listening figs) might help them reconsider. Good luck lads whatever you choose to do (off the ball Fm?) and thanks.
Listened via Podcast as I live in New Zealand. Loved the humour and Ken’s ‘parables’. Listened every morning on the cycle to work. Defintily my favourite. Will really, really miss it.
I reckon they should actually set up a subscription podcast. I’d happily pay a fiver a month to listen to them. Even if they only got a fraction of their audience to sign up to that, we’ll say 10,000 for a nice round figure, they’d be looking at over €100k a year each. (Not inc taxes or expenses obviously)
Interesting notion.
Many people commenting on a diff station picking em up but why not go Internet only radio?
Do they need a station as such?
Surely they would get their own advertisers with enough live listeners?
An Android/iPhone/Windows app could be created handily that would do the job and along with a website would work.
I am just thinking out loud here and I expect more knowledgeable people to say why this wouldn’t work.
But paper newspapers are dying and TV as we know it is going ‘on demand’ so surely radio is also not to be treated as it always has been…
The show isn’t finished, the team have quit… Also, I’m not too sure about this, but I think sport is rather popular so for a lot of people (including myself) this is a very worthwhile show.
You said the same thing last night on the other article about this…stop trolling. Dunno how anyone can hate sport like you clearly do…your health won’t thank you for it anyways.
Never said it was Trev. I said I hope they replace it.
“Worthwhile? Sport is the countries biggest pastime, talking point, interest. Off and watch eastenders for yourself”
So the country’s biggest pasttime is pointless crap. Like I said, I hope they replace it with something more worthwhile.
Sport is no more important than other pointless persuits that are popular… like celebrity watching at the oscars. It’s sad that people don’t have anything more interesting or important to invest their time in.
Well, Michael, if we waste all of our time, energy and resources on pointless pursuits, very little. On the other hand we might find ways to extend our lifespans, travel vast distances and avoid our otherwise pending destruction.
All very interesting pursuits jimboandbear and I’m sure you enjoy them, you’re obviously a very clever fellow. I’m fully aware that the universe is much bigger than the four corners of a soccer pitch and has plenty to offer. But on the other hand, a lot of us mere mortals who don’t share your dazzling intellect really enjoy sport and so there is a demand for shows like Off The Ball.
What I am curious about is if you dislike sport so much, why would you read this article in the first place, never mind comment on it? Surely you had more worthwhile things to do than that?
Would it not be better for all concerned if the billions spent on wars every year were spent on space programmes and other such pursuits rather than taking the money from sport? Sport does after all have a great deal of positives in terms of health, fitness, teaching kids about teamwork, uniting communities etc. – skills that they could then put to good use while collaborating on their scientific endeavours in later life.
King how dare someone say something different. So he doesn’t like sport not his fault he’s an eejit. And if he’s doing it to get a rise mire fool you for jumping
Been wondering for ages who were the voices in the Off The Ball intro were and what were they about?
‘I’m prepared to do anything I can”
“Well do it then, do it then..”
“How can a modern-day manager in this day and age not have a mobile phone?
“Why should he”
“Wha”!
How come people can’t get it into their heads that the programme still continues, with its original presenter and a bunch of very competent co-presenters and most likely the same outside contributors.
Was an almost ‘every night’ listener from day one and will remain so but I don’t think that it would have a prayer of holding up the audience at 6.00.
jimbo – what sort of show would you like to see in its place? Maybe then you could go pitch it to Station bosses and talk round advertising revenues. I think a show every night around avoiding our pending mass destruction would pull in hundreds of thousands of listeners. Sounds really exciting and not boring at all
Well they could use some of the time to expand Future Shock. Newstalk dedicates 1 hour/week in total to science and technology. They can do better than that.
You don’t have to be an intellectual to have an appreciation for the majesty of the universe around you.
“if you dislike sport so much, why would you read this article in the first place”
The article isn’t about sport. It’s about a particular sport-related radio programme on a radio station I listen to but have to turn away from at 7pm every night and for most of every weekend.
Rachael Blackmore celebrates first win of the week at Cheltenham Festival
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135
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It’s like a death in the family
I’m glad i was lying down in bed when i read this terrible news .
If the lads have any sense, and I’m sure they do, they’ll start an internet radio show and broadcast whenever they like.
God how I miss Steve Staunton saying ‘can you not feel it?’ to the tune of Jackass’s Partyboy music.
Negative equity, unemployment, emigration, reduction in living standards and poor prospects for our children’s future. You’d think things couldn’t get any worse. Well they can and they just did! Despite all the bad news, there was always Off The Ball. I didn’t tune in all night every night but at some stage most evenings I would listen in to what the lads were saying. If I missed a show, I’d download the podcast and give it a listen later. To say it was my favourite radio show would be an massive understatement and I’m sure many more felt the same. I know of people in the states that listen in every afternoon while at work. I know of husbands who sit in the kitchens every evening listening while there wives watch their soaps. I personally used to practice the guitar in the bedroom with the Off The Ball crew for company. I’m numb with the shock at the moment. It’s like my favourite pet has died or a real meaningful relationship has just ended. The sense of loss is just horrific. I’m sure I’ll get over it, but it will take a long time and just like a bad break up, I’ll be hoping they will come back to me.
I can only hope and pray they get pucked up by another station, quickly! and in full. WTF were newstalk thinking?
“How can a modern-day manager in this day and age not have a mobile phone?
“Why should he”
“Wha”!
23. Most of the mystery voice competitions was Steve staunton.
24. Not reading the script for the competitions seriously or treating the prize seriously.
25. Giving away the leinster rugby yearbook for challenge Murph but never Jackie fullertons.
They’re mash up of all the different commentaries during Katie Taylor’s final made manys the adult cry Id say
*Their…God it’s only been half a day and already grammar’s gone to pot without Ken Early’s linguistic teachings
Ken winding up Graham Hunter. And the wonderful interaction between the lads….
Gutted. Newstalk are awful eejits for letting it go this far. JNRR (listening figs) might help them reconsider. Good luck lads whatever you choose to do (off the ball Fm?) and thanks.
*JNLR
Listened via Podcast as I live in New Zealand. Loved the humour and Ken’s ‘parables’. Listened every morning on the cycle to work. Defintily my favourite. Will really, really miss it.
This is the most shocked and saddened I have ever been after reading something on the journal. :-(
It’s the death-knell of Newstalk. They’ve just stabbed themselves in the foot big time.
Winding Paddy Crerand up by telling him Real Madrid were the biggest club in the world… Classic!
I reckon they should actually set up a subscription podcast. I’d happily pay a fiver a month to listen to them. Even if they only got a fraction of their audience to sign up to that, we’ll say 10,000 for a nice round figure, they’d be looking at over €100k a year each. (Not inc taxes or expenses obviously)
Interesting notion.
Many people commenting on a diff station picking em up but why not go Internet only radio?
Do they need a station as such?
Surely they would get their own advertisers with enough live listeners?
An Android/iPhone/Windows app could be created handily that would do the job and along with a website would work.
I am just thinking out loud here and I expect more knowledgeable people to say why this wouldn’t work.
But paper newspapers are dying and TV as we know it is going ‘on demand’ so surely radio is also not to be treated as it always has been…
Did they not resign so they could travel to the plains of Africa and release Ken Early back into the wild???
“He will be welcomed back by all the muppets in the press room……..he will and his bollocks!”
I always turned them off- endless talk about soccer – however talented they were, nobody can be THAT engrossed in such a boring sport
Of course they can be.
Troll
Why is everyone who says something different a troll? Everybody is entitled to their own opinion no matter how wrong it is
Hope they replace it with something more woethwhile than sport.
The show isn’t finished, the team have quit… Also, I’m not too sure about this, but I think sport is rather popular so for a lot of people (including myself) this is a very worthwhile show.
Worthwhile? Sport is the countries biggest pastime, talking point, interest. Off and watch eastenders for yourself
More worthwhile than sport?? Look, if you wanna box, say you wanna box and we’ll box
Simone, “how can an honest answer be a mistake?”
Someone in newstalk needs “a free plastic surgery facelift.”
You said the same thing last night on the other article about this…stop trolling. Dunno how anyone can hate sport like you clearly do…your health won’t thank you for it anyways.
“The show isn’t finished, the team have quit”
Never said it was Trev. I said I hope they replace it.
“Worthwhile? Sport is the countries biggest pastime, talking point, interest. Off and watch eastenders for yourself”
So the country’s biggest pasttime is pointless crap. Like I said, I hope they replace it with something more worthwhile.
Sport is no more important than other pointless persuits that are popular… like celebrity watching at the oscars. It’s sad that people don’t have anything more interesting or important to invest their time in.
So what do you invest your time in jimboandbear?
Cosmology, generally contemplating our place in the universe, artificial intelligence, physics, biology….
The universe is an amazing place Mark and much bigger than the four corners of a soccer pitch.
But Jimbo eventually the sun will cool and expand, incinerating the earth so what’s the point of anything?
Then why are you looking at a sport related page? . . Hypocritical ?
Well, Michael, if we waste all of our time, energy and resources on pointless pursuits, very little. On the other hand we might find ways to extend our lifespans, travel vast distances and avoid our otherwise pending destruction.
All very interesting pursuits jimboandbear and I’m sure you enjoy them, you’re obviously a very clever fellow. I’m fully aware that the universe is much bigger than the four corners of a soccer pitch and has plenty to offer. But on the other hand, a lot of us mere mortals who don’t share your dazzling intellect really enjoy sport and so there is a demand for shows like Off The Ball.
What I am curious about is if you dislike sport so much, why would you read this article in the first place, never mind comment on it? Surely you had more worthwhile things to do than that?
Really? Ask him if he’d prefer to see the billions spent on sport every year invested in a manned space programme.
Would it not be better for all concerned if the billions spent on wars every year were spent on space programmes and other such pursuits rather than taking the money from sport? Sport does after all have a great deal of positives in terms of health, fitness, teaching kids about teamwork, uniting communities etc. – skills that they could then put to good use while collaborating on their scientific endeavours in later life.
Jimbo, off to your bridge and let us enjoy our reminiscing.
King how dare someone say something different. So he doesn’t like sport not his fault he’s an eejit. And if he’s doing it to get a rise mire fool you for jumping
Roddy Collins challenging the Aussie snooker player to fight, live on air.
26. Dogchat
27. The story about the guy in the banana costume
DJ Deccie Kidney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAdtE7-cDbY&feature=channel
I’d like to think McDevitt will still be calling up John Giles at home every thursday for a chat.
Still cannot believe it.
Started listening to them in 2010, they’ve been getting us through the recession. Does this mean the recessions over?
Sniff, Sniff,….I haven’t stopped balling my eyes out since I heard. They were the only reason to switch on the radio.
Gutted great show
Betcha it was either a clash of egos or organ sizes. Madness that it came to this.
They thought it was reasonable to expect a radio station to broadcast a topical programme during a drive-time slot. Absolute lunacy.
Been wondering for ages who were the voices in the Off The Ball intro were and what were they about?
‘I’m prepared to do anything I can”
“Well do it then, do it then..”
“How can a modern-day manager in this day and age not have a mobile phone?
“Why should he”
“Wha”!
Dont worry lads they will resurface very soon with a bang.My monies on 2fm!
No 2fm will stifle them so much it wouldn’t be worth listening to. Many have there and been ****
Today FM?
How come people can’t get it into their heads that the programme still continues, with its original presenter and a bunch of very competent co-presenters and most likely the same outside contributors.
Was an almost ‘every night’ listener from day one and will remain so but I don’t think that it would have a prayer of holding up the audience at 6.00.
The team is “is off the ball” they will definitely be on another station.
Sorry meehawl got excited and jumped the gun :-)
Fair enough Alma. You had me all going so apols if I snapped a bit too ;)
Shame about the loss of this show, wasn’t a regular listener but when I did tune in it was entertaining,
You forgot Ken’s chat/rant about the All Blacks to a NZ radio station. Its my #1 best Off the Ball bit. Just pure comedy genius.
I’m sure every national station in the country will be clamouring for them as we speak
“If ya wanna fight, we’ll fight. If ya wanna play football, we’ll play football.”
no, no, no. It’s “want to box? Say you want to box and we’ll box. want to play football? say you want to play and we’ll play football”.
On the BBC sport website it says they’ve a new weekend show with them.
That’s a completely different show with completely different presenters. Check yer’ facts first.
jimbo – what sort of show would you like to see in its place? Maybe then you could go pitch it to Station bosses and talk round advertising revenues. I think a show every night around avoiding our pending mass destruction would pull in hundreds of thousands of listeners. Sounds really exciting and not boring at all
Well they could use some of the time to expand Future Shock. Newstalk dedicates 1 hour/week in total to science and technology. They can do better than that.
You don’t have to be an intellectual to have an appreciation for the majesty of the universe around you.
“if you dislike sport so much, why would you read this article in the first place”
The article isn’t about sport. It’s about a particular sport-related radio programme on a radio station I listen to but have to turn away from at 7pm every night and for most of every weekend.
I’ll miss Round saying ‘yeah, yeah, yeah’ after everything John Giles said. I also miss the Speakeasy Quiz from 2003/4