Green machine in need of oil
June 4th, 2009 by Kevin EganLast week, this column made reference to what we call “The Jersey Test”. The idea is very simple; when assessing teams, it’s no harm to remove any of the allure or stigma that is associated with a particular team and see if that affects your reading of the game. Meath footballers are the perfect example of just such a team. Over the years they have beaten, battered and bruised so many teams into submission that the mere uttering of their name evokes an automatic level of respect.
Beware the sheep in wolf's clothing
May 29th, 2009 by Kevin EganEvery punter has their own litmus test to assess whether or not any given team is worth backing or opposing on a particular weekend. Off the Ground often likes to run what we call “the jersey test”. Essentially, the jersey test is when you take the players that make up a certain team and ask yourself if you’d still view the team in a similar light if they were wearing different jerseys. For those of us immersed in GAA traditions, the respect or lack thereof that is accorded to certain jerseys can often blind us to the qualities of the players who must fill those jerseys.
In recent years, the perfect example has been Meath footballers. The history and tradition of the Royal County in Gaelic Football is beyond question and the past exploits of men such as Mick Lyons, Colm O’Rourke and Trevor Giles will long live in the Association’s history books. However in recent years Meath have come a cropper against Wexford (twice) and Limerick, on all three occasions starting the match at odds of 1/3 or shorter. In every instance, Meath were entitled to be slight favourites based on player quality, but by slight we mean of the order of 4/6, perhaps 4/7 at a push – not 1/3.