Can Ireland beat Italy?

First topic message reminder :

Italy are well overdue beating Ireland and I can see them pushing very hard for a second 6N victory. As an irishman I'll be watching this game very nervously in what may be O driscolls and kidneys last game...

Sin é wrote:

Notch wrote:

Sin é wrote:Earls won't need to be told what to do the next time he makes a line break. The chances are though, that he might prefer to play it safe to avoid a public humiliation.

If he's even thinking that way he has no business being in an Ireland jersey.

Enough is enough. If you are right about Earls it's unfair to be publicising the guys weaknesses all over the internet. If you are wrong, you are being highly presumptuous and insulting.

Earls confidence issues are well publicised by himself*. While its hardly surprising you don't know it, BOD should.

http://www.newstalk.ie/Keith-Earls--Im-just-starting-to-believe-in-myself-now

11:32 Thursday 21 February 2013

Earls is always an engaging talker and in the second half of the interview he talks about his battles with low self-confidence and how he has dealt with the negative thoughts that introduced a self-doubt to his game which was alien to him until he reached his early twenties.

Having reached his mid twenties, and a perhaps earlier than expected role as one of the squad's more senior players, Earls is only now coming out of a period of low confidence that plagued him for several years.“I'm just starting to believe in myself now.”

Well worth listening to the full interview.

It would more productive if the selection panel stopped believing in Earls rather than him starting too.

Poor ickle Keith. It's always someone else's fault. It couldn't be that he just isn't up to international rugby. There's no shame in that. It's a shame that some posters try to make this into a provincial dogfight where really BOD is the villain for daring to inform ickle Keith that he had made a giant balls up of a real scoring chance. If Earls can't handle criticism them he's in the wrong business baby. Our dear deluded friend can make up facts like BOD didn't have the legs or what not till the cows come home to John Hayes farm, but it doesn't stop it being a whopper of a mistake by Earls. Ah well, at least he made the line break which is more than can be said for the majority of the Irish backline this Six Nations. Thats the frustration with our confidence ridden petal- he does the hard things well and the simple things absymally at times. But saying that BOD shouting at him because BOD 'lacks composure' is just utterly moronic and yet another way of trying to shift the plane of conversation away from the failings of a player from your beloved province to another. I mean I'm surprised the poor flower could even walk after being shouted at for making a mistake. I mean it's not like the crowd ever make any noise during a match to let players know how they feel. You know who is to blame for Jackson missing his kicks against Scotland? The crowd. Their groans put him off. I know what to do lads, I've found the solution. We'll tell all the players not to be nasty when high paid professionals make very basic errors and the crowd to cry out encouraging chants in unison. "What do we want? Keith Earls to make a basic inside pass! When do we want it? Whenever he learns the basic skill'" It's catchy.

I'm just surprised David Humphrys hasn't been worked in here yet by Sin. Surely he's to blame for something. It's moronic. If it looks moronic, and sounds moronic then its moronic. I dub thee Sir Moron of Morontania.

Anyway, what has this got to do with Ireland vs Italy? Earls should start- he's still a better winger than Gilroy. But be nice to him BOD for God's sake or he's on suicide watch. Ahhhhhhh, so that's why Kidney removed all the laces from Earls' shoes in the team hotel. It's all so clear.

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:

But be nice to him BOD for God's sake or he's on suicide watch. Ahhhhhhh, so that's why Kidney removed all the laces from Earls' shoes in the team hotel. It's all so clear.

I'm somewhere where I can't laugh but boy that brought tears to my eyes. So stop it now, Hookisms!

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:
Anyway, what has this got to do with Ireland vs Italy? Earls should start- he's still a better winger than Gilroy. But be nice to him BOD for God's sake or he's on suicide watch. Ahhhhhhh, so that's why Kidney removed all the laces from Earls' shoes in the team hotel. It's all so clear.

I thought he removed them because Trimble wasn't there to tie them.....

Jaysus Hookie. Please never leave this forum. Too good!

Hookisms and Hyperbole wrote:Poor ickle Keith. It's always someone else's fault.

No, thats the default action of your average Ulster fan. You are the one doing your nut over Hook (& the southern press saying that Jackson shouldn't start because he can't kick).

For a place that is big into bible thumping, its strange that you you never learned the basic message "Do onto others and you would like them to do onto you."

Maybe Ulster should try it - you never know you might not have to use the IRFU chequebook as much to hang onto a team up there.

Oh and enjoy :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkW4yZcwVwE

You have clearly never been outside M-Club on a tuesday night if you think we are into bible thumping sin lol have a and calm down we are all friends here

And that's just the bouncers, Neil...

neilthom7 wrote:You have clearly never been outside M-Club on a tuesday night if you think we are into bible thumping sin lol have a and calm down we are all friends here

I'm not the one that needs calming down! Are sports on a Sunday still banned up in NI?

Sin, come on. Irish rugby is Irish rugby...nothing else. Nobody was talking religion and nobody was talking politics.

Let's bring this back to people like me being an idiot for my lack of faith in people like Earls. Which is untrue!!! but I'll gladly accept the accusation if it gets us back to rugby.

SecretFly wrote:Sin, come on. Irish rugby is Irish rugby...nothing else. Nobody was talking religion and nobody was talking politics.

Let's bring this back to people like me being an idiot for my lack of faith in people like Earls. Which is untrue!!! but I'll gladly accept the accusation if it gets us back to rugby.

Look, Hook, Notch & Co. have been doing their nut because of some mild criticism of Jackson (a young player), or even not so young players like Best whose throwing has been less than good this campaign. Yet they can't wait to get their knives into Earls and anyone else who doesn't come from god's own country. Its just plain nasty, vitriolic stuff.

Well, if that's what you feel then yeah, hit back..but can we please keep it on the rugby aspects and whether pundits/players are any good or not - poor sods that have to listen to our opinions on them but there you go, we like talking in forums and it's legal.

But we all know religion and politics are sensitive issues and we rightly don't like them used against us... so let's not throw them at others. Let's pretend we live in that one-world of rugby and discuss accordingly.

I can't tell you what to say, Sin é. I'm asking you, for the sake of ambience on these threads, particularly the Irish threads where opinions can be salty but largely respectful, to just keep it on the rugby.

Fly - Hows Life?

Sin é wrote:

SecretFly wrote:Sin, come on. Irish rugby is Irish rugby...nothing else. Nobody was talking religion and nobody was talking politics.

Let's bring this back to people like me being an idiot for my lack of faith in people like Earls. Which is untrue!!! but I'll gladly accept the accusation if it gets us back to rugby.

Look, Hook, Notch & Co. have been doing their nut because of some mild criticism of Jackson (a young player), or even not so young players like Best whose throwing has been less than good this campaign. Yet they can't wait to get their knives into Earls and anyone else who doesn't come from god's own country. Its just plain nasty, vitriolic stuff.

No disrespect Sin é but you only realise that anyone who isnt either a true blue or a decent god fearing jaffa = useless taig from Munster while they are the only ones capable of playing brilliant free flowing rugby (whatever that is).

You cant seriously consider that Earls looked inside saw the auld fella in need of two knee replacements and thought not a hope (bod would have been clattered in two metres if he had got the ball).

You cant consider Jackson who seemed to spend most of the time on the wing (even Kearney received more ball at first receiver) deserves any criticism...the criticism should be levelled at Kidney for bowing to pressure to play him or at least have him come on after ROG had won the game against Scotland.....

Or Rory I've got the yips so please change me....or jebus wept lets have that failure Trimble back because he has the odd good game for Ulsterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr against Zebras...
No NO NO...as they say a lot up there....

You cant take Fly or specifically Hook seriously...hookie has had too many beatings from the Sean Souths to last a lifetime and cant get over it so wouldnt worry about him. Fly is just on a trip to somewhere east of saturn and should be just enjoyed for his ability to write prose in the style of Joyce (looks great but ultimately meaningless).

it is certainly vitriolic but should not be taken seriously....luckily these guys dont have anything with picking the team and players as good as Earls wont have their futures decided by a bunch of wannabes...

RubyGuby wrote:Fly - Hows Life?

Tough, Ruby!

Peace Negotiator one moment and Hook (you know him? - an Irish motormouth pundit) 'Hook on LSD' the next...as someone accused me of being earlier on the day

So compliments all round really

Aha! There's the culprit now....

Fly - Get into my new world - its intoxicating - no agro no aggression all views welcome and we can beg to differ - just take the -ve emotion out of it all - its easier said than done but we all invest far too much -ve emotion in discussing our passion for rugby

DOD,Sin weren't attacking me! I watch sport on Sundays.......................... if it's rugby.

RubyGuby wrote:Fly - Get into my new world - its intoxicating - no agro no aggression all views welcome and we can beg to differ - just take the -ve emotion out of it all - its easier said than done but we all invest far too much -ve emotion in discussing our passion for rugby

Oh don't get me wrong, Ruby. It's been one of the more entertaining days here. Nothing like a bit of spice to liven up a deserted haunted house. and a few Ghosts show up too to haunt me now and again too.... Interesting...

Apologies I didn't know this was going the way it is

I seriously still can't decide whether this guy is the master of all trolls, or just a sadly damaged mind who's just happened to latch onto Munster rugby as his way of expressing a warped world view.

See DOD is a troll. He's good at it and its a bit of craic. I'm worried you're for real.

Either way Sin, your bias and inability to think outside very narrow preconceptions shines through. I genuinely don't see how this is healthy for you. There comes a point where your laughing at somebody, and then you go past that point and start to worry about them. I think you should take some time out and think things through.

Even in jest though DOD, it's pretty distasteful to see words like jaffa and taig thrown around in a discussion about Irish Rugby. Pretty much entirely against the spirit of the game and the idea of the Ireland team.

I don't see how this language does anything positive and I think you're better off leaving bitterness outside.

Notch, did you listen to Earls' radio interview yet?

Notch wrote:Even in jest though DOD, it's pretty distasteful to see words like jaffa and taig thrown around in a discussion about Irish Rugby. Pretty much entirely against the spirit of the game and the idea of the Ireland team.

I don't see how this language does anything positive and I think you're better off leaving bitterness outside.

I don't think the the words 'jaffa' or 'taig' originated down our way, so quit the offended air.

No, because I don't care. Do you get it?

This is just a way to waste time. It's meaningless. We toy with you in between doing other things. I'm listening to music, I'm talking with friends on facebook. I'm just not interested enough to bother with the radio interview. This is just a game for me now.

When I was younger I used to take this Poopie waaaay too seriously. Just like you man. And sometimes I still do, its true, but mostly these forums are a cautionary tale. Diversify your interests and realise that even if you ever 'won' an argument on the internet, in terms of things that define you as a successful human being thats a victory that ranks somewhere between wiping your own ass and breathing with your mouth open.

Sin é wrote:

Notch wrote:Even in jest though DOD, it's pretty distasteful to see words like jaffa and taig thrown around in a discussion about Irish Rugby. Pretty much entirely against the spirit of the game and the idea of the Ireland team.

I don't see how this language does anything positive and I think you're better off leaving bitterness outside.

I don't think the the words 'jaffa' or 'taig' originated down our way, so quit the offended air.

You don't even realise how you're representing yourself, do you?

Ah well...so be it...the round table talks failed.... and that might be because my notes are on my knees and there's no round table in the vicinity

Where's a round table when you want one!!!

Enjoy the rest of the week of 'build up' everyone and I might be back to talk some more Wilde and Joyce at the weekend...and then a long break from this madhouse to cool my brain!

Notch wrote:No, because I don't care. Do you get it?

This is just a way to waste time. It's meaningless. We toy with you in between doing other things. I'm listening to music, I'm talking with friends on facebook. I'm just not interested enough to bother with the radio interview. This is just a game for me now.

When I was younger I used to take this Poopie waaaay too seriously. Just like you man. And sometimes I still do, its true, but mostly these forums are a cautionary tale. Diversify your interests and realise that even if you ever 'won' an argument on the internet, in terms of things that define you as a successful human being thats a victory that ranks somewhere between wiping your own ass and breathing with your mouth open.

Thanks for confirming that you are nothing but a troll.

Notch wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Notch wrote:Even in jest though DOD, it's pretty distasteful to see words like jaffa and taig thrown around in a discussion about Irish Rugby. Pretty much entirely against the spirit of the game and the idea of the Ireland team.

I don't see how this language does anything positive and I think you're better off leaving bitterness outside.

I don't think the the words 'jaffa' or 'taig' originated down our way, so quit the offended air.

You don't even realise how you're representing yourself, do you?

Do I care?
I don't have anything to hide.

Notch wrote:I seriously still can't decide whether this guy is the master of all trolls, or just a sadly damaged mind who's just happened to latch onto Munster rugby as his way of expressing a warped world view.

See DOD is a troll. He's good at it and its a bit of craic. I'm worried you're for real.

Either way Sin, your bias and inability to think outside very narrow preconceptions shines through. I genuinely don't see how this is healthy for you. There comes a point where your laughing at somebody, and then you go past that point and start to worry about them. I think you should take some time out and think things through.

This is where I find the whole discussion hilarious...if Sin É puts forward an arguement in favour of Earls for example it is seen as Bias and inability to think outside very narrow preconceptions......however everybody else is completely unbiased and does not have very narrow preconceptions....

Ah shure regarding terminology dont we all get a bit sensitive at times....but if it offends you then ignore it....anyhow in terms of the arguements...

Alert...reasoned arguement...

Should earls have passed...probably but BOD wouldnt have made it...regardless should BOD have balled him out no...end of story...
Should Jackson have started against Scotland...possibly not...would have been better to ease him into the game...he didnt do too bad...wasnt great...not sure about him...
Is Fly the reincarnation of James Joyce or a complete crackpot who writes flowery prose
Here's Fly in the flesh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEWu0Er3uKM&list=PL152A1D801F007F5C&index=1

Fly, when I was doing my trip around the world I brought a copy of Ulysses to read in airports etc.

Same outcome with your posts and Ulysses - Didn't manage to finish it.

I managed "The Dead" though.

Sin é wrote:Fly, when I was doing my trip around the world I brought a copy of Ulysses to read in airports etc.

Same outcome with your posts and Ulysses - Didn't manage to finish it.

I managed "The Dead" though.

Torture....and pointless....a bit like..

David Byrne?.... a multi-millionaire crackpot? Yeah!!! I'll be having some of that and no strait-jacket neither...allowed to run amock!

Where's the catch, DOD? That's paradise you paint.

Don't worry guys...Earls would understand me...he's a sensitive soul who knows the inner working of the tortured mind.....

I might send him along my Complete Works. What's his address, Sin????

...................................What?

............................No he has no need to be worried on that level. I take my medication, scouts honour

DOD wrote:This is where I find the whole discussion hilarious...if Sin É puts forward an arguement in favour of Earls for example it is seen as Bias and inability to think outside very narrow preconceptions......however everybody else is completely unbiased and does not have very narrow preconceptions....

We all have a bit of fun, but my opinions are more nuanced in real life than the ones I venture forward here of course. Not too different like. The spirit os the same. The way I represent myself online is just a slight exaggeration of the real me and I'd say most are the same. A little bit of bias, a hell of lot less than I let on.

But ultimately, I turn off the computer and I can see the other side. I'm not sure this boy can. He seems to have some really weird ideas about what people in NI are actually like for instance. These seem like sincerely held beliefs as opposed to exaggerated generalisations made for the sake of it. He becomes distressed when his arguments are shot apart. It's not healthy.

SecretFly wrote:David Byrne?.... a multi-millionaire crackpot? Yeah!!! I'll be having some of that and no strait-jacket neither...allowed to run amock!

Where's the catch, DOD? That's paradise you paint.

I hope you are nothing like David Byrne - love his music, but god is he boring!

Notch wrote:

DOD wrote:This is where I find the whole discussion hilarious...if Sin É puts forward an arguement in favour of Earls for example it is seen as Bias and inability to think outside very narrow preconceptions......however everybody else is completely unbiased and does not have very narrow preconceptions....

We all have a bit of fun, but my opinions are more nuanced in real life than the ones I venture forward here of course. Not too different like. The spirit os the same. The way I represent myself online is just a slight exaggeration of the real me and I'd say most are the same. A little bit of bias, a hell of lot less than I let on.

But ultimately, I turn off the computer and I can see the other side. I'm not sure this boy can. He seems to have some really weird ideas about what people in NI are actually like for instance. These seem like sincerely held beliefs as opposed to exaggerated generalisations made for the sake of it. He becomes distressed when his arguments are shot apart. It's not healthy.

I find your notion of yourself entertaining tbh. I used to be on the National Executive of an all-ireland sporting organisation. The worst part of going to any meetings was that the northern representatives would fight with each over 2 flies going up a wall. Every 'crisis' in the organisation had a nordie in the middle of it (generally being self-rightous over something). All really nice people individually, but god would they get themselves (and everyone else) in a knot over nothing.

DOD wrote:

Sin é wrote:Fly, when I was doing my trip around the world I brought a copy of Ulysses to read in airports etc.

Same outcome with your posts and Ulysses - Didn't manage to finish it.

I managed "The Dead" though.

Torture....and pointless....a bit like..

Yep!

You, on the other hand, are perfectly calm and not at all capable of tying yourself into a knot over anything or being self-righteous

I find you more intriuging the more and more you say. You say you were on the National Executive of an organisation... I don't mean to be patronising, but by your posts it doesn't seem like something you would be capable of doing. You're not exactly a 'compromiser'. Or flexible in your thinking. I'm actually a little bit surprised to find out you were capable of doing something like that, something that involves so much in the way of people skills.

It certainly doesn't chime with the way you present yourself on here.

As for Ulysses, the final soliloquy has to be one of the most beautiful passages in the English language. Its simply incredible.

It's hard work, I normally read books in terms of hours and days not weeks and months and Ulysses took me two months. But it's also incredibly rewarding and beautiful. Not everything should be easy. There's more creativity and genius in some pages of that book than other writers show in their entire careers. But thats not the thing to judge it by- can it move you?

And I found the final third of the book to be exceptionally elegiac and moving.

Notch wrote:You, on the other hand, are perfectly calm and not at all capable of tying yourself into a knot over anything or being self-righteous

I find you more intriuging the more and more you say. You say you were on the National Executive of an organisation... I don't mean to be patronising, but by your posts it doesn't seem like something you would be capable of doing. You're not exactly a 'compromiser'. Or flexible in your thinking. I'm actually a little bit surprised to find out you were capable of doing something like that, something that involves so much in the way of people skills.

It certainly doesn't chime with the way you present yourself on here.

I don't mean to be patronising, but maybe your judgement isn't all its cracked up to be. One of the reasons I was on the Executive was because of my expertise in compromise and frequently had to take a lot of criticism from the more self-righteous critics in the organisation

One thing I did learn is that its best to get to the level you have to deal with as thats the only language those you are trying to deal with understand (i.e., meet fire with fire).

As Roy used to say, 'Only dead fish go with the flow.'

Notch wrote:As for Ulysses, the final soliloquy has to be one of the most beautiful passages in the English language. Its simply incredible.

It's hard work, I normally read books in terms of hours and days not weeks and months and Ulysses took me two months. But it's also incredibly rewarding and beautiful. Not everything should be easy. There's more creativity and genius in some pages of that book than other writers show in their entire careers. But thats not the thing to judge it by- can it move you?

And I found the final third of the book to be exceptionally elegiac and moving.

I found being in places like Cape Tribulation or Tengboche monastery far more inspiring and moving than reading any book.

So, if you're not some semi-autistic teenager who never leaves his bedroom...

...why on earth do you post on here like you do? I mean, I've always had a degree of sympathy for you based on your behaviour on this site. You alienate and antagonise people and it seems unintentional- you seem to have little or no insight into how badly you come across. If you actually are compos mentis and are making a conscious decision to act like this- well, you really are a complete ass it has to be said!

We used to engage with you on a serious level and found it to be unproductive. Now it's gotten to the point where you're a bit of an in joke around this forum and posters have either given up on being able to discuss rugby or just decided to join your little circus of persecution.

So- if you have a fully functioning adult brain, why on earth do you carry on he way you do? What makes it tick? Why humiliate yourself on here day in and day out?

Your post just shows what a poor judge of character you are (and the rest of the in-crowd on here).

You need to get out more Notch - not just your own head, but out of Northern Ireland. You might learn how to be less judgemental.

There is nothing like a bit of travel to broaden the mind.

As to why I argue here - 'Only dead fish go with the flow'.

Less of the , and more of the is needed here, methinks

I didn't grow up in Northern Ireland, not past the age of 10 anyway, just moved back here as an adult for university.

I don't consider myself to be from Northern Ireland either, I consider myself to be from Ireland. I spend so much time in Dublin now visiting friends and relatives its like a second home.

Notch wrote:I didn't grow up in Northern Ireland. I was born here and moved here for University.

So you have been living in Northern Ireland since you were 18 or so. How much experience do you have of other cultures?

edit: Irish people are island people with an island mentality (inclined to look inwards) they need to get off the island and experience other cultures.

Sin é wrote:

Notch wrote:I didn't grow up in Northern Ireland. I was born here and moved here for University.

So you have been living in Northern Ireland since you were 18 or so. How much experience do you have of other cultures?

20 actually. Well, I spent several weeks living with my sister when she was teaching English overseas in Japan. I have close friends from Norway, France and the USA. I recently completed a Masters Degree where I was working with people from dozens of different nationalities. Mexicans, portuguese, americans amongst others. I've been lucky enough to get the chance to visit the USA, Canada, Japan, Signapore and various European cities and countries and future trips are very much on the cards.

You seem to want me to fit into some stereotype you have. Sadly I do not. I love my Nordie friends, I love my southern friends and I love my international friends.

Notch wrote:

Sin é wrote:

Notch wrote:I didn't grow up in Northern Ireland. I was born here and moved here for University.

So you have been living in Northern Ireland since you were 18 or so. How much experience do you have of other cultures?

20 actually. Well, I spent several weeks living with my sister when she was teaching English overseas in Japan. I have close friends from Norway, France and the USA. I recently completed a Masters Degree where I was working with people from dozens of different nationalities. Mexicans, portuguese, americans amongst others I've been lucky enough to get the chance to visit the USA, Canada, Japan, Signapore and various European cities and countries and future trips are very much on the cards.

You seem to want me to fit into some stereotype you have. Sadly I do not. I love my Nordie friends, I love my southern friends and I love my international friends.

My impression of you is that you are an extremely judgemental person which is a sterotypical northerner. Looks like travel won't help you get over that trait.

As to you loving all your friends - most people do love their friends (because they share the same interests, beliefs etc). Its the ones outside the friends that take a bit of tolerance and work.

To who do you feel I lack tolerance? Talk of tolerance is quite dangerous ground when you say things like 'stereotypical northerner'. Indeed you are the one who is known to make vast, sweeping and offensive generalisations about Northerners. And 99% of the ones you've tried to attach to me have been so far wide of the mark as to be laughable

It really is poison that comes out of you sometimes. But its undermined by its childishness.

I mean, go and read the post you made at 9.07pm. Read it back. Is that the response of an adult? It that the response of someone who is in control of themselves, open minded and tolerant?

Think you'd best get down to that travel agent if you think so! Truth is, the way you get on, people are going to take the pish out of you. No-one takes you seriously. I don't take you seriously, because you've basically twisted logic beyond breaking point so many times at this stage its impossible to take anything you say seriously.

And when you come out with bitterness and bigotry when understandably you're not taken seriously, it makes you look worse. And we res;ect you even less which means we troll you even more. Because you've ruined this forum for everyone.