A disgrace

[Westsidex]

I went into a shop today and glanced at the irish examiner.On the front captioned "two sporting greats" we have a pic of Mohomad Ali and Pa McGrath.For christs sake who publishes this rubbish?how could you possibly compare a man who many would argue as the greatest sportsman ever with a guy who doesnt come even close to being the greatest in his sport.Ok he was a great full back or whatever.To have guy like this under the same caption as Ali is a disgrace.

Westside.

[luther]

Although Ali is a sporting great on a world stage I'm sure to the people in his parish Pa McGrath is also a sporting great..........

[adogwithabone]

I went into a shop today and glanced at the irish examiner.On the front captioned "two sporting greats" we have a pic of Mohomad Ali and Pa McGrath.For christs sake who publishes this rubbish?how could you possibly compare a man who many would argue as the greatest sportsman ever with a guy who doesnt come even close to being the greatest in his sport.Ok he was a great full back or whatever.To have guy like this under the same caption as Ali is a disgrace.

Westside.

I have to tell you a little story. I got lost in Mombassa (Kenya) a few years back. Had had a couple of drinks and, stupidly, wandered off the tourist tracks. In no time I was deep in indian country, a real slum area, with some less than friendly looking natives circling. I got a hostile "where ya from" from one of the guys who was carrying a stick. Not wanting to show any fear, I immediately piped up "hi, I am from Dublin, Ireland". As soon as they heard this the four or five guys around me, immediately and in unison, started singing "ooh, aah, Paul McGrath, ooh, aah, Paul McGrath" I do not think that I have ever been more stunned in my entire life. These guys could then not do enough for a "friend" of Paul McGrath. You may not think of him as a sporting great but there are some who might disagree

[ninebythree]

I have to tell you a little story. I got lost in Mombassa (Kenya) a few years back. Had had a couple of drinks and, stupidly, wandered off the tourist tracks. In no time I was deep in indian country, a real slum area, with some less than friendly looking natives circling. I got a hostile "where ya from" from one of the guys who was carrying a stick. Not wanting to show any fear, I immediately piped up "hi, I am from Dublin, Ireland". As soon as they heard this the four or five guys around me, immediately and in unison, started singing "ooh, aah, Paul McGrath, ooh, aah, Paul McGrath" I do not think that I have ever been more stunned in my entire life. These guys could then not do enough for a "friend" of Paul McGrath. You may not think of him as a sporting great but there are some who might disagree

nice story.......................


nbt

[rincewind]

Why shouldent 2 giants of their sports get a co mention.
Heres another one. Jessie Owens.

[Westsidex]

Why shouldent 2 giants of their sports get a co mention.
Heres another one. Jessie Owens.

McGrath wasnt a giant in his sport.I dont even follow soccer and even i know that although McGrath was considered a great full back ,he is nowhere near Pele,Best,Eusebio,Zico,Maradonna,Mattews,Moore,Bekenbar (spelling).There have being loads of soccer players better than McGrath but Ali?A man who beat the best in the most competitive era of his sport and not only that but had plenty of excuses for his losses but gave credit where it was due and came back and won again.

One guy destroyed his career with alcohol,the other guy struck down with Parkinson disease and still trains in the gym (or at least up to not long ago.)

Comparing a local hero with an absolute legend and one of the greatest human beings that walked this planet is a disgrace.

Westside.

[Smarty]

I went into a shop today and glanced at the irish examiner.On the front captioned "two sporting greats" we have a pic of Mohomad Ali and Pa McGrath.For christs sake who publishes this rubbish?how could you possibly compare a man who many would argue as the greatest sportsman ever with a guy who doesnt come even close to being the greatest in his sport.Ok he was a great full back or whatever.To have guy like this under the same caption as Ali is a disgrace.

Westside.

Oh Westie, ye of little faith.

For me personally Ali and Mcgrath represent different eras in sport.

Ali's fights were usually a magical treat from my childhood and early teens. The big build up with Ali on the news being really confident then the treat of being allowed to stay up late and watch the fight on the one television in the house with my dad, live from Madison Square Gardens at 3 or 4 in the morning, then talking about it the next day at school.
Now we have flat screen TV's in every room in the house, 24 hr TV, SKY charges you throught the nose for a live fight, but it just is'nt really the same is it? My dad has sadly passed on, that magical era has gone and no boxer since has really come close to the charisma of Ali.

McGrath on the other hand represents the team that took little o'l Ireland to the quarter finals of the World Cup in 1990, I know you don't follow soccer but you must recall the euphoria that swept the nation at the time.
Chants of ooh aah Paul Mcgrath were on every ones lips, and Paul even though he played a back position he seemed to be everywhere on the pitch stopping the opposition going forward at all times.
After we qualified it really bucked up the nation and we felt that , Yeah were not quite that backward country and we can appear with pride on the world stage.

Sadly Paul turned to the drink and fucked his life and his familys life up.

Westie although I can see your point that Paul is not in the same league as Ali, all I can say is go easy on the lad.

[Westsidex]

Oh Westie, ye of little faith.

For me personally Ali and Mcgrath represent different eras in sport.

Ali's fights were usually a magical treat from my childhood and early teens. The big build up with Ali on the news being really confident then the treat of being allowed to stay up late and watch the fight on the one television in the house with my dad, live from Madison Square Gardens at 3 or 4 in the morning, then talking about it the next day at school.
Now we have flat screen TV's in every room in the house, 24 hr TV, SKY charges you throught the nose for a live fight, but it just is'nt really the same is it? My dad has sadly passed on, that magical era has gone and no boxer since has really come close to the charisma of Ali.

McGrath on the other hand represents the team that took little o'l Ireland to the quarter finals of the World Cup in 1990, I know you don't follow soccer but you must recall the euphoria that swept the nation at the time.
Chants of ooh aah Paul Mcgrath were on every ones lips, and Paul even though he played a back position he seemed to be everywhere on the pitch stopping the opposition going forward at all times.
After we qualified it really bucked up the nation and we felt that , Yeah were not quite that backward country and we can appear with pride on the world stage.

Sadly Paul turned to the drink and fucked his life and his familys life up.

Westie although I can see your point that Paul is not in the same league as Ali, all I can say is go easy on the lad.

Im not being hard on him at all.He was great full back but thats about it.I remember the euphoria of being in the World cup and i can illustrate my point further with the world cup.

Ireland got to the quarter finals without winning a game by full time.If my memory serves me right we got through on penalties and draws.Again im open to correction here.

Now comparing McGrath with Ali would be like comparing Jacks world cup squad with the 1970 Brazillian world cup winners.There wouldnt be any comparison at all.

Westside.

[thehighwayman]

It wasn't right for the newspaper to compare Paul McGrath with Mohammed Ali. Their both greats but at different levels. It's like comparing a great player from the premiership to a great player of a non league side. Mohammed Ali is one of the greats if not the greatest of sport. Paul McGrath is a great of Irish football. Not world football or sport but only to Irish football fans he's a great. He played with Man Utd and Aston Villa. But theres hundreds of footballers you would put ahead of him. Even in an Irish context Liam Brady, Roy Keane, Packie Bonner etc would be considered like Paul McGrath. Yet their knowhere near Mohammed Ali. Why does Paul McGrath get special mention. Theres loads of other Irish athletes who achieved more like Eamonn Coughlan, Sonia O'Sullivan, Barry McGuigan, Steve Collins, Bernard Dunne, Stephen Roche, Padraig Harrington etc. But no one should be compared in the same breath to Mohammed Ali. This journalist was biased writing from a blinkered Irish point of view.

[westcorklad]

It wasn't right for the newspaper to compare Paul McGrath with Mohammed Ali. Their both greats but at different levels. It's like comparing a great player from the premiership to a great player of a non league side. Mohammed Ali is one of the greats if not the greatest of sport. Paul McGrath is a great of Irish football. Not world football or sport but only to Irish football fans he's a great. He played with Man Utd and Aston Villa. But theres hundreds of footballers you would put ahead of him. Even in an Irish context Liam Brady, Roy Keane, Packie Bonner etc would be considered like Paul McGrath. Yet their knowhere near Mohammed Ali. Why does Paul McGrath get special mention. Theres loads of other Irish athletes who achieved more like Eamonn Coughlan, Sonia O'Sullivan, Barry McGuigan, Steve Collins, Bernard Dunne, Stephen Roche, Padraig Harrington etc. But no one should be compared in the same breath to Mohammed Ali. This journalist was biased writing from a blinkered Irish point of view.

You could also have mentioned John Treacy Ken Doherty Ruby Walsh Sean Kelly Johnjo O Neill and others but I agree with the point that youre making.
In terms of world sport possibly only Pele Maradona and Tiger Woods come anywhere near Alis stature.