Off The Ball - Is it good?

[Buddist Monk]

* Not sure if this is the right forum, but there is no football for a week so this can be a useful distraction. *

According to Wikipedia, OTB has been on the go for 23 fucking years now! I honestly can't believe that is the case but it's been a long time, with pretty much the same line up of presenters and format of the programme all that time.

We all know it's petty and ill-informed, but is it "good"? Good comes under many guises but essentially I'm asking if you enjoy it or not.

[Ylf]

I download it and listen in my work. I like Cowan and Stuart. Think they are good together. Few of tams jokes are recycled right enough🤣.

[Im_Rodger]

It's the best thing on the radio when it's on. 

 

That's the most positive thing I can say about it though. 

[BlueKillie]

I'd rather listen to it than the "build up" to the games that are on. Which usually is just the Old firm and Aberdeen show

[bennett]

Used to never miss it,a part of every Saturday at one time. Got out of the habit of listening to it tho, probably down to TV channels changing kck off times and days.

 

[Detournement]

It was better when they had punters phoning in but there's probably too much bitterness in Scottish football now for that to work.

It does the job in the car on the way to and from and games.

[itzdrk]

Because I usually meet my pals about 12 for a home game and earlier for an away I don't get to listen to it really (too many podcasts to add another) so it's quite good catching it when Ayr don't have a game. 

[Swordfishtrombone]

I listen out of habit, the quality of the show is dependent on the guests. It is better when they don't talk about football. Stuart Cosgrove is far more interesting talking about music than football. 

[Accies88]

Yeah I like it . Tam mentions the 1991 cup win every week though .

[Demented Zebra]

Great show though was better with the phone in. 

[Sergeant Wilson]

It's not as petty and ill informed as the alternatives.

[Scotty Tunbridge]

tam cowan is a horrible man.

[LeeVanTeeth]

Have listened to it since the first episode. Was a breath of fresh air  in its early days but in recent years it's became more and more repetitive, same old stories like Stuart haivering on about his wee boy appearing in a Rihanna video and Tam going on about JFK moments and the only time he has tasted Buckfast.  At the 1991 cup final of course.

The guys had more freedom in its early days, now with the insistence of the  Very PC BBC it has become increasingly bland.

The sad thing is if it was taken off air next week the replacement show would be far blander. 

[Wee Willie]

In the guid auld days it was the bees knees but has went tae seed nowadays.
By far the best show was when Scotland played Italy (2005?) at Hampden and Amaruso was the guest on OTB.
Funny as fcuk.

[Laid-back Accie]

I think it's pretty decent, it's a good listen on the drive home and it's done in a way so that it can appeal to everyone.

[RadgerTheBadger]

Have listened to it since the first episode. Was a breath of fresh air  in its early days but in recent years it's became more and more repetitive, same old stories like Stuart haivering on about his wee boy appearing in a Rihanna video

So repetitive that it was actually a Beyoncé video his little boy was in

[JamieThomas]

Phoned in as a kid to gloat when we avoided relegation on the last day of the season and Dundee United went down. This led to a few auld Arab vein bulgers demanding to know "what I'd seen my team win".

Well lads, in case you're  reading this - the answer is "more than you".

 

Edited September 8, 2018 by JamieThomas

[kennysmassiveego]

Yes and no 

Very dependant on the guests , hate that Div character they have on from time to time though 

[MJC]

I've always liked it and kind of grew up with it as it started when I was a youngster in the mid 1990s and it was always my Saturday evening after the football, listening to it on the radio or my tranny if I was at the game. I always loved their phone in after the games and thought it was ten times better than the Scotsport 'forum' and the Celtic/Rangers eejit phone in on Clyde.

Together Cowan and Cosgrove are good and make for good listening and their insight and views on the game are always worth hearing, though I must admit I'm not a fan of either on their own and indeed I found Tam's TV programme (On the Ball?) years ago to be quite cringworthy. He's a good guy though and unashamedly biased towards Motherwell so that's good enough for me.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

Tam Cowan’s musical taste is fucking bowfin.