The UAFC

Cornerfleg wrote:I heard a distant rumour that Big Hugh is in a bad way after getting a hail of abuse for his attempts at journalism ... sad that ... if true.

Fleg I suspect you wouldn't expect me to start a poor Hugh response & if that report is true it is sad for the guy BUT he has only himself to blame .................... well that and our Lampoon Hugh Limerick Thread which I take credit for starting.

Journalism is a profession where some stick to reporting facts, few and far between I'd guess for apart from being considered boring that doesn't win readers. Then you have the rogues who just make up shyte - read a sprinkling of HM's free press & you will find this everywhere, even in the Grauniad from Manchestore. Between these extremes you will find journos who come under the label "with an agenda" & these are split between those given a voice to pursuit their own agenda & those who follow the owner's or editor's agenda.

Needless to say these lines of demarcation will not be set in stone and often will be an amalgam of all or any of the above.

Hugh was a man with an agenda, his own or his paper's I know not, but his agenda included needling the Ulster constituency at every opportunity, everything could and would be seen to have a negative effect for Irish rugby if it was positive for Ulster rugby.

Hugh effectively has lived by the sword & died by the sword in terms of journalism and he can have no complaints, in brief he was rank.

Speaking of the Limerick thread, I know on highly reputable authority that a couple of serious journos were highly amused by it if not perhaps quite addicted to it, from which I conclude they also found Shug a prat.

All in all, though I'm reluctant to wish ill on people's personal lives - fack him and the horse he rode in & out on.

The problem for journos with an agenda is that if it is player based then the agenda may have a short life if Province based it may also have a short life and create a hostile reaction in other Provinces the owners don't like that sort of thing.

Think Sun and liverpool ! harms the circulation more than smoking.

Just watched the replays of Ulster's trys against Scarlets and noticed this one from the venerable Mr. Neilly right after Big Nick scored his try from a free kick:

"That might have been construed as the wrong option, but we'll never know because it was the right one"

In my mind there is no doubt, Big Jim really adds to the entertainment of the BBC television coverage. Keep it up big lad I say.

Seems Farrelly is now a sub-editor on the Irish Daily Mail - bit of a comedown his days at the Indo.

My God they gave us apoplexy

LastKnightoftheproms wrote:

Russ wrote:My God they gave us apoplexy

Who is "they"?

Ireland under DK circa March 2009 GS day

LastKnightoftheproms wrote:
Sorry, thought we were on Gusher or Hugh F.

Any man worth his salt knows this is a Gusher quote

Just want to put on record my affection for this man. As a wet behind the ears student teacher in 1974 I was allowed to stand in his classroom at The Model and watch an expert at work with young people . He was an inspiration.
As with Bill McLaren, we would miss the phrases that he has made his own and relish them when they pop out. I prefer my commentators human rather than robotic. I look forward to the next mention of Methody as I looked forward to Bill's " They'll be dancing in the streets of Wherever tonight." If you are reading this Jim ..thank you.
Ps Bill McLaren once said "What a try . That's right out of the top book" Wish I was as fluent as them both. Anyway, on with the bingo..

That's just stupid by McComish, absolutely stupid

I think he had a few of those about TF70 as well ...

Well said Scholar - I'm firmly in the leave Gusher alone camp - he's great craic.

If he ever reads this - hat doffed, keep her lit big lad.

Cornerfleg wrote:Well said Scholar - I'm firmly in the leave Gusher alone camp - he's great craic.

If he ever reads this - hat doffed, keep her lit big lad.

I love Gusher

The point of the thread was not to make fun, but to highlight the funny moments he has brought to our ears

Yip wit hyou Russ - there's plenty of those, hope he doesn't change or wind it down any - before BBC started showing any games it was always round the wireless in the Fleg house listening to Jim on MW crackling from somewhere and relating a story of woe or delight.

On the George Hook thread there is a movement to set up a Hook Ulster Appreciation Society, inaugural meeting in the beer tent tonight at 5.30, all welcome. I suggest that Gusher would be at least as strong a candidate for such worship & appreciation. Furthermore I too would be a gushing member of his appreciation society.

A little tale. As my regular readers will know I am a closet Munster fan in addition to my front-line dedication to Ulster. Some years ago the Lyric were staging the play about Munster beating the All Blacks, "Alone it stands" by John Breen. One morning J Neilly Esq was doing a review for Radio Ulster & my missus thought I'd enjoy it based on his glowing review so bought 2 tickets without telling me.

On the night she told me where we were going and having read John Breen's book, I was really looking forward to it. As we took our seats we were sat beside none other than Jim himself. He knew me to see through a bit of business but wouldn't have known my name and greeted us when we sat down. Mrs Trousers told him that she hoped it was as good as he had said in his radio review & Gusher replied that if she didn't enjoy it, he would pay for her ticket.

He was on safe ground as the play is both funny and extremely poignant dealing as it does, not just with the match but with the death of Donal Caniffe's father Dan who departed life whilst listening to his son''s greatest day in rugby on the radio.

Like every other commentator, Jim is making his comments live and a few slips of the tongue & some unintended classics are routine. McLaren, he of the "like a brown baggy up a border burn" alliterative style, made them too, adding to the affection in which both are held.

The SKY guys in general leave me cold and by and large I can't tell one from the other. No discernible style to enjoy, just generally bland competence.

Top man Jim.

Baggy

I will join your Gusher loving club