Paul McGrath book scoop's Top Award [Archive]

Block G Raptor

21/11/2006, 8:56 AM

Superhoops

21/11/2006, 1:10 PM

http://www.villagemagazine.ie/article.asp?sid=10&sud=18&aid=3275
Paul McGrath's Autobiography "Back From The Brink" has won the inaugural william hill Irish sports Book of the year award
has anyone read it?
Bought it Saturday and am about half way through. It is a really good read. McGrath's story, much of which has been well documented before, has the best brought out of it by the superb writing style of Vincent Hogan. But I'm biased because IMHO, McGrath was Ireland's greatest player and Hogan is, by far, Ireland's greatest sports writer.

beautifulrock

21/11/2006, 8:43 PM

must buy it tomorrow, will give some feedback when finished if anyone interested

cheifo

22/11/2006, 1:55 PM

Yeh would appreciate that BR, cant decide whether to spend the time reading it because altough I love the fella I was wondering was there much new stuff in there.

DmanDmythDledge

22/11/2006, 1:59 PM

Awful pun in thread title.

strangeirish

22/11/2006, 2:55 PM

Awful pun in thread title.
How many scoops did he win?
*I know, not in good taste*

Paul McGrath=Legend!

Jerry The Saint

23/11/2006, 6:41 PM

Yeh would appreciate that BR, cant decide whether to spend the time reading it because altough I love the fella I was wondering was there much new stuff in there.

An awful lot of new (and shocking) stuff in the book. Amazing how much stuff the press kept quiet back then and, more surprisingly, how much they never even got wind of.

I remember deliberately not getting the book Cathal Dervan brought out because I knew it wouldn't tell the full story - would be interesting to see a comparison from someone who's read both.

beautifulrock

23/11/2006, 6:58 PM

Yeh would appreciate that BR, cant decide whether to spend the time reading it because altough I love the fella I was wondering was there much new stuff in there.

I am well over half way through and its well worth getting. I agree with Jerry a fair bit of new stuff. Will give the final review by the weekend

el punter

23/11/2006, 10:51 PM

Not much of an award to be Irish Sports book of the year is it? The real William Hill award is prestigious, but this is a wimpy watered down version from the looks of things.

Superhoops

24/11/2006, 7:21 PM

Not much of an award to be Irish Sports book of the year is it?......
Lest we should ever throw off the shackles of bedgrudery! :rolleyes:

Billsthoughts

27/11/2006, 1:13 PM

Hogan is, by far, Ireland's greatest sports writer.

do you think so?
I think hogan is an awful writer. He seems to have spawned a load of copy cats who manage the amazing feat of actually being worse. one of the reasons I and a lot of people I know(well just me mate really) wouldnt buy the book initially was cause hogan wrote it.

OwlsFan

27/11/2006, 3:20 PM

I think we know why you don't like Hogan and it's more his opinion on a particular unmentionable topic that irks you I suspect.

I like Hogan. He was in our family home many years ago and he interviewed my brother for the Indo I think it was and got him good publicity. The brother is/was a racing driver and he helped him on the way with the article. I know this doesn't necessarily make him a good writer but I have a lot of time for him as a consequence.

There must have been a conspiracy of silence on McGrath's problems in the media, since little of it got out. Nowadays, it would be on the back of every Daily Tit in the country.

John83

27/11/2006, 3:32 PM

Awful pun in thread title.
I'm more concerned with the mindboggling stupidity behind that apostrophie in "scoop's".

Congratulations to McGrath. I really must get hold of a copy. He seems to have done something unfortunately unusual - (co-)written a genuinely interesting football book.

Billsthoughts

27/11/2006, 4:00 PM

I think we know why you don't like Hogan and it's more his opinion on a particular unmentionable topic that irks you I suspect.

If you are talking bout Keane/Macarthy/saipan/Our 9-11 then you are wrong. I couldnt even tell ya who Hogan supported in that whole thing. I just think he is a poor writer with loads of awful descriptive prose. Having said that he seemed to have kept it to a minumim with the Magrath book and would deffo recommend it to anyone having read it.

Superhoops

27/11/2006, 8:34 PM

If you are talking bout Keane/Macarthy/saipan/Our 9-11 then you are wrong. I couldnt even tell ya who Hogan supported in that whole thing. I just think he is a poor writer with loads of awful descriptive prose. Having said that he seemed to have kept it to a minumim with the Magrath book and would deffo recommend it to anyone having read it.
Hogan is a writer not a reporter. It is this 'descriptive prose' that stands him out from other sports writers. He has been around too long, won too many awards and held in too high a regard by his profession to be classed as a 'bad writer'. His style has certainly stood the test of time and I for one enjoy reading his features regardless of the subject.

Paul McGrath sums it up brilliantly in the first paragraph of the book when he thanks all who contributed to the compilation of this book, 'particularly Vincent Hogan who I believe has managed to bring wonderful shape and clarity to a story that has, up to now, been largely muddied'.

Top man Vincent!

Jerry The Saint

27/11/2006, 10:48 PM

Having said that he seemed to have kept it to a minumim with the Magrath book and would deffo recommend it to anyone having read it.

Agree with this. He really allows McGrath's voice to come through and keeps the annoying aspects of his newspaper work out of it.

Hogan also wrote a very good biography on Nicky English some years ago.

aidz1

28/11/2006, 10:07 AM

seen the book in easons yesterday...
defintley a must have for me this christmas...i dont usually go for the football autobiography nonsense, but this one should be good from the legend himself...
anyone know when its due out on paperback??

Billsthoughts

28/11/2006, 11:45 AM

I'm more concerned with the mindboggling stupidity behind that apostrophie in "scoop's".

I would be more concerned that it bothers you.

It is this 'descriptive prose' that stands him out from other sports writers. He has been around too long, won too many awards and held in too high a regard by his profession to be classed as a 'bad writer'. His style has certainly stood the test of time and I for one enjoy reading his features regardless of the subject.
Top man Vincent!
I dont agree and am sure there are others who dont either. seem to remember him getting into various spats with other "writers" a while back and he was reduced to calling Humphries "fat". hardly rapier like wit? his flowery prose in his newspaper columns is woeful.

Agree with this. He really allows McGrath's voice to come through and keeps the annoying aspects of his newspaper work out of it.
Hogan also wrote a very good biography on Nicky English some years ago.
Yeah this is deffo the case. credit were credit is due he wrote a great book.

onenilgameover

14/12/2006, 3:49 AM

been reading through a bit of it...its alot different to his previous one...the black pearl....thats fecking disney compared to the...''going completely mad and having yisser legs stick together cos ye haven't moved in so long...'' lark in the new one...

pete

14/12/2006, 3:13 PM

Hearing Vincent Hogan was the ghost writer would not encourage me to buy. His Indo articles are rubbish & about the quality fo a 10 year old.

Block G Raptor

18/12/2006, 3:40 PM

I'm more concerned with the mindboggling stupidity behind that apostrophie in "scoop's".

Congratulations to McGrath. I really must get hold of a copy. He seems to have done something unfortunately unusual - (co-)written a genuinely interesting football book.

Excuse me
post reported

John83

19/12/2006, 9:00 AM

Excuse me
post reported
You're excused.

citizenerased

08/01/2007, 11:23 PM

hogan is a poor writer, and fair play to McGrath a real irish sporting legend

drummerboy

08/01/2007, 11:31 PM

Read the book. Its a good read, and will keep most people interested. Very depressing though. McGrath has had some true friends in his life.

Superhoops

09/01/2007, 7:21 AM

hogan is a poor writer, and fair play to McGrath a real irish sporting legend
Of all the writers that were available and would have jumped at the chance, Why did McGrath and his advisers choose Hogan as co-writer? - because Hogan is a poor writer! :confused:
Why has the book won these awards? - because Hogan is a poor writer! :confused:
Why has the book been acclaimed as one of the best sporting books of the year? - because Hogan is a poor writer! :confused:

There was no way that Paul McGrath's story was going to be f*cked up by having it told by a poor writer.

drinkfeckarse

09/01/2007, 9:52 AM

Don't know much about Hogan's previous works but I found the book very enjoyable and very well put together.

gustavo

09/01/2007, 11:09 AM

Great book i thought , fascinating reading , A real insight into the man
Hogan seems to love the word "portent" though which was annoying

NY Hoop

09/01/2007, 11:37 AM

citizenerased

19/01/2007, 3:44 PM

I dont mean technically a poor writer, more so his journalism. He is often lazy and not very original, and rarely escapes the clutches of conventionality mediocrity

lopez

20/01/2007, 12:20 AM

Just finished it. Incredible read. Next time you're drunk remember McGrath played at the top level more than once in that condition.

Waking up in Roddy's house has to be the worst thing that happened to him:D

KOHReading the book doesn't make me want there to be a 'next time.' Excellent book. Up there with the best. The Domestos bit is f*cking mad. And that bloke from Limerick who got him a bottle of Voddy, poor b*stard. Paul just grabbed the bottle and slammed the door in his face with just 'a shirt will be on its way to you next week'.

It should be up for the main prize.

theleprechaun

20/01/2007, 2:13 PM

very good read. read it over the christmas myself

Superhoops

21/01/2007, 10:07 PM

Just as an aside, the great man PMcG was in Aughrim yesterday watching Wicklow v Dublin in the O'Byrne Cup. I thought I was seeing things when I saw him in the stand until I was told last night they showed him on Setanta's coverage of the game. Even though I think he is living around Bray, I assume he was supporting the Dubs.

One thing it does though is it settles any argument as to who was the greatest player ever to set foot in Aughrim. ;)