It’s set to be a sporting feast on this Friday’s Late Late Show.
Few have mastered the art of saying a lot, but saying nothing at all quite like those involved in sport. There are few things in this world less disenchanting than the passive sporting interviews that have frustratingly become all too common recently.
With a smile on their faces, our sporting heroes embark on a charm offensive and make it their business to spout as much generic jargon as possible.
After a few minutes of listening, we’ve either zoned out to the grass growing out the front or the paint drying on the ceiling as they continue to display their mastery of finding a fence and sitting on it.
Because giving an opinion or an insight would really be so damaging for them.
We wonder how those so passionate and colourful on the field of play can have such dull personalities but it’s now become so prevalent that we’re just convinced that it’s just an act, an ugly habit and a case of the blind leading the blind whereby everybody feels they should do what the next man does.
Thankfully, there are a few exceptions to the rule. Thankfully, some of the best and most refreshing breakaways from the norm will be on our TV screens on Friday evening.
Ryan Tubridy will be joined by the GAA’s most entertaining representative in Derry’s Joe Brolly.
Like him or loathe him, there’s absolutely no denying that Brolly makes for good television. If he’s not busy wagging that finger at his doubters, he’s preaching to us with such conviction that we wonder why we ever believed anything else.
That confidence and swagger is always a joy from a man who has that unique ability to sell snow to the eskimos.
After him, Irish racing’s most famous family will take to the couch. Katie, Ted and Ruby Walsh will appear on our screens and that’s bound to be an even more interesting watch.
Interesting because they’re a very topical trio at the moment. The 2018 Cheltenham Festival was an eventful one for the Kildare family.
The most successful jockey the Sport of Kings has ever seen enjoyed a blistering opening day in Pretsbury Park. He rode two winners and looked in great nick considering he was only just back in the saddle after suffering a broken leg.
Fast forward 24 hours and his father Ted was linking a clearly crestfallen Ruby to the on-course ambulance after he’d suffered a repeat of the injury after a crashing fall off Al Boum Photo in the RSA Chase.
Come Thursday, an emotional Katie was the toast of the parade ring after she steered Relegate to bumper glory. She gave an emotional interview immediately after the race. Emotional on the back of her brother’s heartache.
These are three great personalities. Ruby Walsh is a man who had the balls to tell a Galway crowd that McDonalds is better than Supermacs.
"Supermacs is heavy, but McDonalds is light." @Ruby_Walsh has just lost the crowd in Galway! 😂 w/ @Lottoland_IE https://t.co/G2m5jEZpCy
— JOE.ie (@JOEdotie) August 2, 2017
Ted always keeps us entertained with his humorous commentary on the tele, and he’s never one to beat around the bush.
It should be a belter.
