BOD 2nd Greatest Irish Sportsmen Ever

[Cianostays]

According to the RTE poll here's the list:

1st Padraig Harrington (Golf)
2nd Brian O'Driscoll (Rugby and LEGEND)
3rd Joey Dunlop (Motorsport)
4th George Best (Soccer)
5th Roy Keane (Soccer)
6th Sean Kelly (Cycling)
7th Sonia O'Sullivan (Athletics)
8th Christy Ring (Hurling)
9th Vincent O'Brien (Horse Racing)
10th Paul McGrath (Soccer)

He's in some pretty, pretty decent company there. A fitting testament to the great man

[Donald]

BOD deserves to be in that list but 6 of the names in the top ten are a joke. And not one Gaelic footballer!! Another silly poll to get people like me annoyed. No problem with BOD or Harrington tho. Two guys and great sportsmen and great role models for kids

[outcast eddie]

Delighted to see "yer maun" in the top ten but number 3?

Where's Willie John Mc B? An outrage!

[Cianostays]

BOD deserves to be in that list but 6 of the names in the top ten are a joke. And not one Gaelic footballer!! Another silly poll to get people like me annoyed. No problem with BOD or Harrington tho. Two guys and great sportsmen and great role models for kids

I was kind of surprised that Mick O'Dwyer wasn't there. Who are your 6 joke names? Dunlop, Kelly and O'Brien are from sports that I'm not that familiar with but their records in their respective sports are Incredible.

[tackle-bag]

My assessment would be as follows:-

1st Padraig Harrington (Golf) - Probably fair enough, definitely deserves to be in the top 3.

2nd Brian O'Driscoll (Rugby) - Could easily be number 1, definitely deserves to be in the top 3.

3rd Joey Dunlop (Motorsport) - Not really a sport in my opinion, but I'm sure people will argue otherwise.

4th George Best (Soccer) - An obvious choice.

5th Roy Keane (Soccer) - Grand.

6th Sean Kelly (Cycling) - Lucky enough to be included, the fact that he never won Le Tour (cycling's biggest prize by a country mile) really weighs against him - Roche could easily have been included instead.

7th Sonia O'Sullivan (Athletics) - Never won Olympic Gold, didn't truly dominate her sport in the way she was portrayed in the programme. Has no place in the list in my opinion, especially in light of the fact that she switched her affiliation to Australia towards the end of her career.

8th Christy Ring (Hurling) - Fair enough, DJ Carey could easily have been in here were more than 1 hurler included.

9th Vincent O'Brien (Horse Racing) - Not an athlete/sportsman. Has no place in the list. Good breeders are essentially just good businessmen. You might as well have Dermot Desmond/JP McManus in the list on the basis of all of their successful sporting investments.

10th Paul McGrath (Soccer) - Fair enough, although I thought Liam Brady was unlucky not to make the list.

In light of that list, I would say the following could consider themselves unlucky to miss out: Willie John McBride, Jack Kyle, Paul O'Connell, Keith Wood, Stephen Roche, Ronnie Delaney, Liam Brady, DJ Carey, Henry Shefflin, Pat Spillane, Mick O'Dwyer, Mick O'Connell, Jack O'Shea, Peter Canavan, Tony McCoy, Ruby Walsh, Richard Dunwoody, Steve Collins, Denis Taylor and Ken Doherty.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Is Vincent O'Brien a sportsman? Was he ever a jockey?

[Cianostays]

My assessment would be as follows:-

1st Padraig Harrington (Golf) - Probably fair enough, definitely deserves to be in the top 3.

2nd Brian O'Driscoll (Rugby) - Could easily be number 1, definitely deserves to be in the top 3.

3rd Joey Dunlop (Motorsport) - Not really a sport in my opinion, but I'm sure people will argue otherwise.

4th George Best (Soccer) - An obvious choice.

5th Roy Keane (Soccer) - Grand.

6th Sean Kelly (Cycling) - Lucky enough to be included, the fact that he never won Le Tour (cycling's biggest prize by a country mile) really weighs against him - Roche could easily have been included instead.

7th Sonia O'Sullivan (Athletics) - Never won Olympic Gold, didn't truly dominate her sport in the way she was portrayed in the programme. Has no place in the list in my opinion, especially in light of the fact that she switched her affiliation to Australia towards the end of her career.

8th Christy Ring (Hurling) - Fair enough, DJ Carey could easily have been in here were more than 1 hurler included.

9th Vincent O'Brien (Horse Racing) - Not an athlete/sportsman. Has no place in the list. Good breeders are essentially just good businessmen. You might as well have Dermot Desmond/JP McManus in the list on the basis of all of their successful sporting investments.

10th Paul McGrath (Soccer) - Fair enough, although I thought Liam Brady was unlucky not to make the list.

In light of that list, I would say the following could consider themselves unlucky to miss out: Willie John McBride, Jack Kyle, Paul O'Connell, Keith Wood, Stephen Roche, Ronnie Delaney, Liam Brady, DJ Carey, Henry Shefflin, Pat Spillane, Mick O'Dwyer, Mick O'Connell, Jack O'Shea, Peter Canavan, Tony McCoy, Ruby Walsh, Richard Dunwoody, Steve Collins, Denis Taylor and Ken Doherty.

Very interesting comments. About Dunlop, I'd tend to agree but he was sensational at what he did. Sonia O'Sullivan was a world champion on the track and the grass and there aren't too many of them about so I'd have her in there. O'Brien was also a world class trainer as well as breeder so maybe a bit harsh on him. The rest of your comments, I'd agree with.

[Vamos los azules]

Vincent O'Brien had huge success and trained some exceptionally good racehorses and has topped a number polls within racing circles for best/most influential and such like - he'd have got a lot of votes from people who follow racing. I'd have him in there before Sonia O'Sullivan.

Mind you, if we're counting sportsmen from the the North as apparently we are with Joey Dunlop and George Best I'd have Tony McCoy in there while we're talking horse racing. Ok most of his success has been over in the UK, but to ride over 3,000 winners and never not been champion jockey in 14 odd years is phenomenal. And he does it all while surviving on not much more than a lettuce leaf a day.

[sarah_lennon]

Paul McGrath is fair enough but Sonia O'Sullivan - the World Champion is not?? Sheesh


Sports "People" by the way

[Bleu]

My assessment would be as follows:-

3rd Joey Dunlop (Motorsport) - Not really a sport in my opinion, but I'm sure people will argue otherwise.

7th Sonia O'Sullivan (Athletics) - Never won Olympic Gold, didn't truly dominate her sport in the way she was portrayed in the programme. Has no place in the list in my opinion, especially in light of the fact that she switched her affiliation to Australia towards the end of her career.

.

Can't believe such ignorant comments on two really outstanding Irish sports people. Obviously we could debate all day who should be in the top ten, but not, surely, on the basis of the total dismissal of one sport and some pathetic post-colonial inferiority sh!t about one of our greatest athletes ever. Shame.

[Flakey 15]

Would have to agree concerning Vincent O'Brien should'nt really be on the list, and also Sonia O'Sullivan is a bit much, what about the following - John Treacy (twice world cross country champion) Eamon Coughlan (world champion 5000 and dominated indoor mile for years, and certainly Ronnie Delaney (Olympic Champion) others spring to mind as we are including the north seemingly why no Alex Higgins, and no boxers (?) Stephen Collins, Barry McGuigan,Dave Macaulay,Wayne McCullough, all world champions...no Stephen Roche- World Champion, Tour de France and Italy all in one season (?) don't really worry about the GAA only having Rusty Ring there as I believe to be great you should obstensibly be proving yourself against the rest of the world,...anyway these lists are always rot anyway, Happy New Year everyone.

[ceemec]

6th Sean Kelly (Cycling) - Lucky enough to be included, the fact that he never won Le Tour (cycling's biggest prize by a country mile) really weighs against him - Roche could easily have been included instead.

Kelly was one of the greatest cyclists ever regardless of nationality. Roche's fame is largely on the back of one exceptional year. Over their careers though, Roche doesn't come close to Kelly. He was ranked No. 1 in the world for several years in what is arguably the most physically demanding sport on earth and is second in the all time list of total race wins. If cycling had a higher profile he'd be top 3 and deservedly so.

[Mackman15]

Am i alone in thinking that to have made room for Stephen Roche on the list would suggest that there should have been room also for Michelle Smith given here three golds?

The absence of Willie John, Eamonn Coughlan, Mike Gibson, Ronnie Delaney, DJ.
The reality is that there is a heavily weighted bias towards those either currently participating or retired in the last 5-10 yrs.

[CiaranIrl]

It was voted on by the public, so it can't be "wrong". These things are always skewed by a sport's popularity

[Cianostays]

It was voted on by the public, so it can't be "wrong". These things are always skewed by a sport's popularity

I agree with your first point but I think the fact that in the top 3 you have golf, rugby and motorsport as opposed to soccer or football would suggest that a significant proportion of people didn't simply follow their favourite sport.

[fourthirtythree]

6th Sean Kelly (Cycling) - Lucky enough to be included, the fact that he never won Le Tour (cycling's biggest prize by a country mile) really weighs against him - Roche could easily have been included instead.

Well, not so much for people that follow cycling. Plus Roche's career was a little more tainted with suspicion than his. Obviously they were all at it. Kelly must be the last sprinter to be up in the running for the general category in the tour though. He also has a much longer and better career than Roche. Nowadays it's all about the behemoth tour rather than the Giro and Vuelta but back in Merckx's day his sponsors made him cycle them rather than the tour so it hasn't always been like that,
Kelly is the greater cyclist. Roche has his Tour. You couldn't have both of them on the list so they plumped for one.

[Hornet]

My assessment would be as follows:-

3rd Joey Dunlop (Motorsport) - Not really a sport in my opinion, but I'm sure people will argue otherwise.

7th Sonia O'Sullivan (Athletics) - Never won Olympic Gold, didn't truly dominate her sport in the way she was portrayed in the programme. Has no place in the list in my opinion, especially in light of the fact that she switched her affiliation to Australia towards the end of her career.

.

Can't believe such ignorant comments on two really outstanding Irish sports people. Obviously we could debate all day who should be in the top ten, but not, surely, on the basis of the total dismissal of one sport and some pathetic post-colonial inferiority sh!t about one of our greatest athletes ever. Shame.

+1

[dipper]

6th Sean Kelly (Cycling) - Lucky enough to be included, the fact that he never won Le Tour (cycling's biggest prize by a country mile) really weighs against him - Roche could easily have been included instead.

Well, not so much for people that follow cycling. Plus Roche's career was a little more tainted with suspicion than his. Obviously they were all at it. Kelly must be the last sprinter to be up in the running for the general category in the tour though. He also has a much longer and better career than Roche. Nowadays it's all about the behemoth tour rather than the Giro and Vuelta but back in Merckx's day his sponsors made him cycle them rather than the tour so it hasn't always been like that,
Kelly is the greater cyclist. Roche has his Tour. You couldn't have both of them on the list so they plumped for one.

Kelly took home the Sprints jersey 4 time on the Tour de France and 4 times on the Vuelta. He also finished top 10 overall four times on the tour and won the vuelta. It is absolutely unheard of for a sprinter to be that good on the overall classifications on a big tour race. He is generally regrded as the greatest classic rider of all time having won the Paris-Nice 7 times in a row. Most cycling experts place him in the top 10 riders of all time. Definitely deserves top 10 in our sporting greats.

[tackle-bag]

My assessment would be as follows:-

3rd Joey Dunlop (Motorsport) - Not really a sport in my opinion, but I'm sure people will argue otherwise.

7th Sonia O'Sullivan (Athletics) - Never won Olympic Gold, didn't truly dominate her sport in the way she was portrayed in the programme. Has no place in the list in my opinion, especially in light of the fact that she switched her affiliation to Australia towards the end of her career.

.

Can't believe such ignorant comments on two really outstanding Irish sports people. Obviously we could debate all day who should be in the top ten, but not, surely, on the basis of the total dismissal of one sport and some pathetic post-colonial inferiority sh!t about one of our greatest athletes ever. Shame.

What the hell is ignorant about those comments!?

In respect of Dunlop, I'm saying that I don't believe motor racing (of any kind) to be sport in the true sense of the word. I've also conceded that the issue is up for debate and people are clearly entitled to their opinion. From my perspective, success in motor racing depends massively on external factors which have nothing to do with the so-called sportsman's ability. Take Schumacher, probably the most talented F1 driver of all time - he had a period in his career where he fared poorly not because his competitors were even close to him in terms of ability, but rather because his car wasn't up to scratch. Sure, the cream does rise to the top to a large extent but the idea that in a given season, a team's engineering or budget can catapult their drivers above the all-time greats negates the appeal of motor racing for me.

As for Sonia, I fully accept that she was a great athlete. Nothing I have stated runs contrary to that. However, I think she is probably our most over-rated sportsperson. They portrayed her as being utterly dominant in her field during the programme but her failure to win Olympic Gold exposes this for the rubbish that it is. At any time in her career, there were always one or two people who were at least as good if not better than her, yet Jimmy Magee et al. were trying to portray her as the Gebreselassie of women's athletics. In terms of my remark about her declaration for Australia, I fully stand over that. Sonia received hundreds of thousands in grants and funding from the Irish Sports Council over the years, money that came directly from tax-payers like you and me. In those circumstances, I think it was wholely inappropriate for her to simply decide that she had gotten as much as she wanted from competing for Ireland, and to switch her allegiances to Australia instead.

[Bleu]

Tackle-bag.

Joey Dunlop was not just successful for one or two seasons on the back of a good bike - he had an extraordinary record over his career in motorcycling and is widely recognised as one of the greatest motorcyclists, and probably the greatest road racer, of all time. So yes indeed, as you say, the cream does rise to the top over time and there is no doubt that he was it. He fully deserves to be considered as one of our greatest sports people (note "sports people" - it's not restricted to athletes) ever.

As to Sonia, it's hard to know where to start. You seem to imply that only Irish people who win Olympic Gold should be considered: it would be a mighty short list. Apparently an Olympic silver is not good enough and her world and european golds at 5000 metres, 1500 metres and cross country are a trifling matter ! Boy, tackle, you do have high standards, I'll give you that. The cheap shot about the fact that she chose to run a few races for her husband's country, where she also lived, at the end of her career is neither here nor there. All those medals were won running for Ireland.

I can't believe I have to make these points.