WTF? Tam Cowan backing the cheats!

[gogse]

As it says on the tin.

http://www.heartsfc.co.uk/articles/20121119/a-night-with-tam-cowan_2241384_2985029

What’s that about?

I genuinely liked him, until now.

Really Tam? Not only endorsing the cheats, but backing them as well?????

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

I can't stand him or his gastric band....this is typical of what is happening in the media towards them as I have pointed out in a previous thread.

Stick to what you do best Tam like telling lies about "fantastic food" in restaurants that are in fact gash...

Tube...

Think there will be endless cup final jokes about us.....yawn...

[CropleyWasGod]

I can understand his point of view.

His own club went into administration because of an owner that spent money the club didn't have. As ever, it was the genuine fan that suffered.

Misguided, possibly, but understandable.

[The_Exile]

Chances of him turning up "Welcome tae Tynecastle, I'm Tam Cowan, yous are well f****d, keep ma fee" and then just leaving? :fenlon

[matty_f]

I can understand his point of view.

His own club went into administration because of an owner that spent money the club didn't have. As ever, it was the genuine fan that suffered.

Misguided, possibly, but understandable.

:agree:

[euansdad]

I can understand his point of view.

His own club went into administration because of an owner that spent money the club didn't have. As ever, it was the genuine fan that suffered.

Misguided, possibly, but understandable.

With that in mind he would probably have left himself wide open if he had said anything else

[Pretty Boy]

I can understand his point of view.

His own club went into administration because of an owner that spent money the club didn't have. As ever, it was the genuine fan that suffered.

Misguided, possibly, but understandable.

Pretty much this.

I quite like Tam Cowan and enjoy him and Cosgrove as they balance off the BBC 'pundits' who take themselves far too seriously and kiss the old firms erses at every opportunity.

[Hibercelona]

Circus shows need a presenter I suppose.

[gogse]

I can understand his point of view.

His own club went into administration because of an owner that spent money the club didn't have. As ever, it was the genuine fan that suffered.

Misguided, possibly, but understandable.


Is that like saying (Using an analogy)?

My best pal broke the law and went to jail.

The guy over the road also broke the law, but, because of what happened to my pal, I’m going to do everything I can to stop him going to jail.

Or am I being pedantic :wink:

[CropleyWasGod]

Is that like saying (Using an analogy)?

My best pal broke the law and went to jail.

The guy over the road also broke the law, but, because of what happened to my pal, I’m going to do everything I can to stop him going to jail.

Or am I being pedantic :wink:

No.

It's like.... I suffered because of the guy who broke the law. I understand what that's like, and I'm empathising with other guys who are now suffering because someone else broke the law.

[NAE NOOKIE]

I'm pretty sure Tam Cowan isnt trying to endorse the cheating underhand goings on at the Asbestos Arena. From his point of view he will be doing his best to save one of Scotlands bigger clubs no doubt at the invite of the deluded PBS faitfull.

As far as Off The Ball goes, its one thing we do better that other countries and at times the show can be very funny ... not to mention the fact that it likes to stick it to the OF when possible.

Nae problem with Tam Cowan doing this ....... though obviously he should make it clear that he doesnt endorse cheating to win stuff.

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

He's an erse and he hates us...do you ever read his pishy column?

[gogse]

No.

It's like.... I suffered because of the guy who broke the law. I understand what that's like, and I'm empathising with other guys who are now suffering because someone else broke the law.

Empathy… there seems to be a lot of that going around.
Can we empathies with the teams not cheating for a change.

Anyway.
I don’t think he should be doing it, let’s agree to disagree.

[Keith_M]

A night with Tam Cowan? Jeezo, I'd be surprised if even his wife would be prepared to spend a night with him.











:greengrin

[MrSmith]

Can anyone remember the name of the hearts supporting local councillor who, turned up outside old ER to make a speech, the day we found out Hibs were in trouble?

[Squealing pig]

He's an erse and he hates us...do you ever read his pishy column?

That's cause most of the time hibs pump Motherwell and play like barca when we play them.

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

Can anyone remember the name of the hearts supporting local councillor who, turned up outside old ER to make a speech, the day we found out Hibs were in trouble?

Cardownie, but he's still an arrogant yam fud...and a Leither as well...:rolleyes:

[Scouse Hibee]

Quite like Tam Cowan, might see if I can get a table for this and then take along cake and candy and a few buckets.

[Pete]

Unbelievable. People are scurrying around trying to help them pay a tax bill. Why didn't they just purchase players on less of a salary then they could have afforded it?
I find it staggering that a supporter of any SPL club has any sympathy. This is the same Motherwell that have consistantly finished below an artificially financed team.

The "real fans" suffer do they? Were they suffering last may or in 2006? They'll be dining out on the proceeds for years and don't hesitate in telling clubs like motherwell and ourselves how small we are.

[HIBERNIAN-0762]

Unbelievable. People are scurrying around trying to help them pay a tax bill. Why didn't they just purchase players on less of a salary then they could have afforded it?
I find it staggering that a supporter of any SPL club has any sympathy. This is the same Motherwell that have consistantly finished below an artificially financed team.

The "real fans" suffer do they? Were they suffering last may or in 2006? They'll be dining out on the proceeds for years and don't hesitate in telling clubs like motherwell and ourselves how small we are.

Spot on mate...:aok:

[Kato]

Can anyone remember the name of the hearts supporting local councillor who, turned up outside old ER to make a speech, the day we found out Hibs were in trouble?

If you're talking about outside ER on the evening the day the news broke that was Leith MP, Ron Brown Jamboid anti-establishment guy. The epitome of the tabloid "Loony Left" figure back then. He supported Hibs against what Mercer was trying to do and his main advice was fight it all the way. Both him and Cllr Cardownie gave speeches at the HoH rally and were in The Clan Tavern in Albert St afterwards. Cardownie gave exactly the opposite advice to Brown. He said to give up and that Mercer had won, the council would offer to rent Meadowbank to a newco Hibernian. Never trusted either of them but Brown came across as having far more genuine and sensible concern than Cllr Cheapchiseller. The "help" offered to Hibs back then he alluded to in the press recently consisted of advice to "give up and start again at Meadowbank".

[CropleyWasGod]

Unbelievable. People are scurrying around trying to help them pay a tax bill. Why didn't they just purchase players on less of a salary then they could have afforded it?
I find it staggering that a supporter of any SPL club has any sympathy. This is the same Motherwell that have consistantly finished below an artificially financed team.

The "real fans" suffer do they? Were they suffering last may or in 2006? They'll be dining out on the proceeds for years and don't hesitate in telling clubs like motherwell and ourselves how small we are.

He uses City Cabs, I hear. :wink:

[jacomo]

Unbelievable. People are scurrying around trying to help them pay a tax bill. Why didn't they just purchase players on less of a salary then they could have afforded it?
I find it staggering that a supporter of any SPL club has any sympathy. This is the same Motherwell that have consistantly finished below an artificially financed team.

The "real fans" suffer do they? Were they suffering last may or in 2006? They'll be dining out on the proceeds for years and don't hesitate in telling clubs like motherwell and ourselves how small we are.

:agree:

Using emotional blackmail to get supporters to hand over their cash while Vlad lives it up back home is immoral. Tam Cowan should have nothing to do with it.

The Jambos need Romanov out of their club - this should be the first and only priority. But there are no protests and precious little dissent for the colossal mismanagement which has left their club imperilled. Pathetic.

Sorry, rant over!

[monktonharp]

He uses City Cabs, I hear. :wink:cheap jibe at a fellow Hibbie, very cheap and mair o' a tam cowpat joke

[Aldo]

Tam Cowan is a grade A C0CK.


Spent a bit of time in his company a number of years back and he spouted so much ***** it was unbelievable. Doesn't see Hibs in a good light and takes every opportunity to slag us off or bring us down.

Tam Cowan = D1CK

[legends of 73]

He uses City Cabs, I hear. :wink:



And quite rightly so

[marinello59]

I can understand his point of view.

His own club went into administration because of an owner that spent money the club didn't have. As ever, it was the genuine fan that suffered.

Misguided, possibly, but understandable.

Spot on. I think it's only us that feel so strongly about Hearts cheating. Is there an angry mob of fans of all other SPL clubs demanding that 'sporting integrity' be maintained? We're basically on our own in the main with this one. Sadly it looks as though the calls to get Sevco busted was motivated more by hatred of the Hun than anything else.

[CropleyWasGod]

cheap jibe at a fellow Hibbie, very cheap and mair o' a tam cowpat joke

Wasn't a jibe at all. Merely a reference to the Taxi thread, which I only flicked through and don't pretend to understand.

Maybe if I read it properly, I might understand that I have cut Peter to the quick......:not worth

[Pete]

And quite rightly so

They're well suited.

Big in size, low in quality...and hearts sympathisers!

:-)

[MrSmith]

If you're talking about outside ER on the evening the day the news broke that was Leith MP, Ron Brown Jamboid anti-establishment guy. The epitome of the tabloid "Loony Left" figure back then. He supported Hibs against what Mercer was trying to do and his main advice was fight it all the way. Both him and Cllr Cardownie gave speeches at the HoH rally and were in The Clan Tavern in Albert St afterwards. Cardownie gave exactly the opposite advice to Brown. He said to give up and that Mercer had won, the council would offer to rent Meadowbank to a newco Hibernian. Never trusted either of them but Brown came across as having far more genuine and sensible concern than Cllr Cheapchiseller. The "help" offered to Hibs back then he alluded to in the press recently consisted of advice to "give up and start again at Meadowbank".

That's him! Cannae remember Cardownie! However, Ron Brown was like a Michael Foot moment: Came limping along with his stick, helped up onto a wall and attempted to give a rallying speech. Did ok that day.

[monktonharp]

That's him! Cannae remember Cardownie! However, Ron Brown was like a Michael Foot moment: Came limping along with his stick, helped up onto a wall and attempted to give a rallying speech. Did ok that day.fine man , good socialist principles, didnae ken he was fae the dark side though. had a face like he'd been dookin' fur chips anaw. still a no bad guy.

[Twa Cairpets]

I think there's a few high horses mounted here.

Whether or not you like Tam Cowan (and personally I think he's quite funny on the radio - don't read the Record so cant comment on his column), but he is clearly anti-OF and not unduly anti-Hibs: slags us when we're pish, praises when we're good as far as I can see, as he does with every team. I suspect there's a few precious little darlings who cant take a bad word about us on a comedy show from a fan of another team.

As for the Hearts thing, I think from an external perspective (ie non-Hibs/Hearts/Edinburgh), from a distance they don't see the arrogance of the yams, and don't have it rubbed in their coupons daily. Its entirely understandable that he'll think "Hearts have some good fans, they wont have a club soon because of that mad sod, a wee gig may help them". I dont agree, but I'm hugely biased into loathing anything that helps Hearts.

From his point of view, it is, understandably, a decent thing to do to help fellow non OF fans.

The fact that we know they are undeserving of the odour off of a fetid, dysentry riddled turd is neither here nor there.

[clerriehibs]

No.

It's like.... I suffered because of the guy who broke the law. I understand what that's like, and I'm empathising with other guys who are now suffering because someone else broke the law.

They were on the bandwagon, loving every minute of it, and knew fine well there was cheating going on. We all knew.

Sympathy? Not from me.

[joebakerforever]

fine man , good socialist principles, didnae ken he was fae the dark side though. had a face like he'd been dookin' fur chips anaw. still a no bad guy.

Believe he was actually disfigured through industrial burns.

[gogse]

I think there's a few high horses mounted here.

Whether or not you like Tam Cowan (and personally I think he's quite funny on the radio - don't read the Record so cant comment on his column), but he is clearly anti-OF and not unduly anti-Hibs: slags us when we're pish, praises when we're good as far as I can see, as he does with every team. I suspect there's a few precious little darlings who cant take a bad word about us on a comedy show from a fan of another team.

As for the Hearts thing, I think from an external perspective (ie non-Hibs/Hearts/Edinburgh), from a distance they don't see the arrogance of the yams, and don't have it rubbed in their coupons daily. Its entirely understandable that he'll think "Hearts have some good fans, they wont have a club soon because of that mad sod, a wee gig may help them". I dont agree, but I'm hugely biased into loathing anything that helps Hearts.

From his point of view, it is, understandably, a decent thing to do to help fellow non OF fans.

The fact that we know they are undeserving of the odour off of a fetid, dysentry riddled turd is neither here nor there.


I never thought that he could be so naïve, but maybe so.

[Twa Cairpets]

I never thought that he could be so naïve, but maybe so.

I dont think its naivety, I think its the fact that we are intimately aware thanks to the good work of the like of PTS, CWG Cav and others about whats going on at the pink villa, and we meet more jambos than live in motherwell and weedge. He wont see their fundamental unacceptability like we do.

[monktonharp]

Believe he was actually disfigured through industrial burns. yep, think you are correct, electrical iirc. not one of my cleverest comments, but really liked the man

[monktonharp]

I dont think its naivety, I think its the fact that we are intimately aware thanks to the good work of the like of PTS, CWG Cav and others about whats going on at the pink villa, and we meet more jambos than live in motherwell and weedge. He wont see their fundamental unacceptability like we do.:agree: anm he's a wee toaly

[gogse]

I dont think its naivety, I think its the fact that we are intimately aware thanks to the good work of the like of PTS, CWG Cav and others about whats going on at the pink villa, and we meet more jambos than live in motherwell and weedge. He wont see their fundamental unacceptability like we do.


True.
I really need to take my blinkers off and see the wider picture.

Still think he’s wrong in publicly backing a corrupt team. :greengrin

[The Green Goblin]

I think there's a few high horses mounted here.

Whether or not you like Tam Cowan (and personally I think he's quite funny on the radio - don't read the Record so cant comment on his column), but he is clearly anti-OF and not unduly anti-Hibs: slags us when we're pish, praises when we're good as far as I can see, as he does with every team. I suspect there's a few precious little darlings who cant take a bad word about us on a comedy show from a fan of another team.

As for the Hearts thing, I think from an external perspective (ie non-Hibs/Hearts/Edinburgh), from a distance they don't see the arrogance of the yams, and don't have it rubbed in their coupons daily. Its entirely understandable that he'll think "Hearts have some good fans, they wont have a club soon because of that mad sod, a wee gig may help them". I dont agree, but I'm hugely biased into loathing anything that helps Hearts.

From his point of view, it is, understandably, a decent thing to do to help fellow non OF fans.

The fact that we know they are undeserving of the odour off of a fetid, dysentry riddled turd is neither here nor there.

Great post.

[basehibby]

Unbelievable. People are scurrying around trying to help them pay a tax bill. Why didn't they just purchase players on less of a salary then they could have afforded it?
I find it staggering that a supporter of any SPL club has any sympathy. This is the same Motherwell that have consistantly finished below an artificially financed team.

The "real fans" suffer do they? Were they suffering last may or in 2006? They'll be dining out on the proceeds for years and don't hesitate in telling clubs like motherwell and ourselves how small we are.

:agree: It's laughable that they're punting themselves as charity cases when their predicament is entirely of their own making. They've been knowingly living well beyond their means for years aftreall and only months ago they were all lapping it up!

They've made their own car crash through Vlad's reckless driving of the HoMFC souped up jalopy with the Yams in the back egging him on and nary a whisper for him to apply the anchors. Ill advised fortunes have been spent on upgrading the ultra-low economy / barely higher than average performance engine in an attempt to get to the front of the SPL pack while the underlying chassis and suspension has been left to rot.
Now the wheels have fallen off, with all due sympathy to the casualties, it's entirely up to them to either fork out for sundry repairs or tow their clapped out banger off to the scrappys once and for all!
:nade::taxi :greengrin

[Boyle89]

I think there's a few high horses mounted here.

Whether or not you like Tam Cowan (and personally I think he's quite funny on the radio - don't read the Record so cant comment on his column), but he is clearly anti-OF and not unduly anti-Hibs: slags us when we're pish, praises when we're good as far as I can see, as he does with every team. I suspect there's a few precious little darlings who cant take a bad word about us on a comedy show from a fan of another team.

As for the Hearts thing, I think from an external perspective (ie non-Hibs/Hearts/Edinburgh), from a distance they don't see the arrogance of the yams, and don't have it rubbed in their coupons daily. Its entirely understandable that he'll think "Hearts have some good fans, they wont have a club soon because of that mad sod, a wee gig may help them". I dont agree, but I'm hugely biased into loathing anything that helps Hearts.

From his point of view, it is, understandably, a decent thing to do to help fellow non OF fans.

The fact that we know they are undeserving of the odour off of a fetid, dysentry riddled turd is neither here nor there.

:top marks. This.

[Steve-O]

Unbelievable.

As others have said, these 'innocent fans' have been lapping it up for years, proud of their massive wage bill and the 'biggest spenders outwith the OF' tag without any regard for the consequences ("we owe it to ourselves ya stupid Hobos!").

I have no sympathy for them. I have nothing but utter contempt for every one of them.

[Twa Cairpets]

Unbelievable.

As others have said, these 'innocent fans' have been lapping it up for years, proud of their massive wage bill and the 'biggest spenders outwith the OF' tag without any regard for the consequences ("we owe it to ourselves ya stupid Hobos!").

I have no sympathy for them. I have nothing but utter contempt for every one of them.

Yes, no-one is disputing this, but again, if you're Tam Cowan you're not, for the most part, going to have been at the other side of this "big team" nonsense. With the exception of the Burley season, Hearts have been a run-of-the-mill SPL team with a couple of jammy cup wins. Outwith our rivalry, they are pretty insignificant. Most people will see the rantings of His Royal Madness, an that's it.

Most clubs also, by the way, would have reacted to the Vlad spending and promises exactly have Hearts have done - believe and ignore the nay-sayers - this isn't down to their partiular brand of unpleasantness. I actually believe Hibs are one of the every few supports who would challenge the spoutings of a Vlad type character due to the history of almost going bust and the Duff & Grey era.

Perversely and ironically, what Mercer specifically tried to do to us allows us to see acutely the folly of what Vlad has done to them, and the rivalry throws this into sharp focus.

Cowan sees fans shafted to the point of no football for them. We see Hearts arrogance on a daily basis.

I'm not saying he's right, but from his persepective it is an eminently justifiable thing to do.

[Phil D. Rolls]

No.

It's like.... I suffered because of the guy who broke the law. I understand what that's like, and I'm empathising with other guys who are now suffering because someone else broke the law.

What about St Mirren, who moved closer to the bottom because of Hearts' cheating. What about St Johnstone who spent more time in the 1st Division than they might have due to cheats like Dundee, Gretna and Livingston. What about fans of clubs like Hibs that are constantly urging restraint for fear of another bankruptcy.

Fans are awful good at playing the "poor me" card when things go wrong. Yet they are the very people who urge, and sometimes demand, that their teams spend money they don't have.

[CropleyWasGod]

What about St Mirren, who moved closer to the bottom because of Hearts' cheating. What about St Johnstone who spent more time in the 1st Division than they might have due to cheats like Dundee, Gretna and Livingston. What about fans of clubs like Hibs that are constantly urging restraint for fear of another bankruptcy.

Fans are awful good at playing the "poor me" card when things go wrong. Yet they are the very people who urge, and sometimes demand, that their teams spend money they don't have.

Indeed. And what about Hibs, who spent money they couldn't afford when they were in the First Division? :cb

Before people start shooting at me, I know there are major differences between the two. However, we have to be careful about what exactly we are p'd off with Hearts about.

A lot of my mates, and family, are in severe danger of losing a big part of their life. No matter the reasons for it, that means something to me. THAT is the spirit that has moved Cowan to do this gig.

[Peevemor]

Indeed. And what about Hibs, who spent money they couldn't afford when they were in the First Division? :cb

Not at all the same thing. Firstly STF decided to splash out to make sure we went straight back up with a team capable of staying in the SPL and secondly even though our debt increased, the club remained solvent.

[CropleyWasGod]

Not at all the same thing. Firstly STF decided to splash out to make sure we went straight back up with a team capable of staying in the SPL and secondly even though our debt increased, the club remained solvent.

You shot too quickly.... read my edited post :greengrin

[Part/Time Supporter]

The other thing about Cowan and Cosgrove is that they will likely see this as another front in the Rangers situation. Off the Ball was consistently through the summer giving airtime to the view that a newco should not be allowed straight into the SPL, or even into the upper reaches of the SFL. Cosgrove wrote a blog piece about how the SPL was doing quite alright thanks days before Hearts admitted to the depth of their troubles. Sevco fans then turned round and tried to use Hearts as evidence that Cosgrove was a misguided fool.

Any cursory analysis of Hearts would reveal that to be complete nonsense. Hearts currently have an (unfunded) annual deficit of £2M according to Fedotovas, while playing Rangers twice at home would only raise £250K at most for them. Even adding on some TV money (if the contract has been cut slightly) would not get you anywhere near closing the deficit. Cosgrove in particular has railed at non-OF clubs who have lived massively beyond their means (Livingston), but I think the Rangers argument is influencing their thinking at present. This may also explain why you have had reports of the odd Celtic fan buying Hearts shares - they see this as part of the ongoing argument about Rangers, rather than anything specifically to do with Hearts.

[Peevemor]

You shot too quickly.... read my edited post :greengrin

:gun: :cb

[Twa Cairpets]

The other thing about Cowan and Cosgrove is that they will likely see this as another front in the Rangers situation. Off the Ball was consistently through the summer giving airtime to the view that a newco should not be allowed straight into the SPL, or even into the upper reaches of the SFL. Cosgrove wrote a blog piece about how the SPL was doing quite alright thanks days before Hearts admitted to the depth of their troubles. Sevco fans then turned round and tried to use Hearts as evidence that Cosgrove was a misguided fool.

Any cursory analysis of Hearts would reveal that to be complete nonsense. Hearts currently have an (unfunded) annual deficit of £2M according to Fedotovas, while playing Rangers twice at home would only raise £250K at most for them. Even adding on some TV money (if the contract has been cut slightly) would not get you anywhere near closing the deficit. Cosgrove in particular has railed at non-OF clubs who have lived massively beyond their means (Livingston), but I think the Rangers argument is influencing their thinking at present. This may also explain why you have had reports of the odd Celtic fan buying Hearts shares - they see this as part of the ongoing argument about Rangers, rather than anything specifically to do with Hearts.

The Rangers situation is influencing the reality of the situation, not the morality.

Teams like Saints and 'Well will struggle with the double whammy impact of gate receipts of losing up to 4 decent travelling supports ("decent" is a quantitative measurement, not a qualitative one I hasten to add).

I'm not preaching armaggedon, but the reduction of two big clubs - even for entirely unrelated reasons as is the case here - will reduce the financial strength of others. Personally, I think clubs will cut their cloth to find a level, but it is naive to believe that from a purely financial perspective, Hearts and Rangers going wont have an impact, particularly for clubs with average attendances of less than around 5,000.

In my view, Hearts have morally cheated, if not broken specific, historic rules. That's why the cup final defeat, bizarrely, hardly registers with me now: I don think it was fairly won, and it's eternally tainted.

Also, the Hearts situation and the Rangers one are different situations that cant be conflated. I suspect the outcome at the end of the day for Hearts will be much more final and tragic
for them than it was for Rangers. This won't be due to OF bias, or the media, it'll be down to the different circumstances surrounding the implosion of the two.

But back on topic - Cowan, seeing what he is doing as helping non OF fans first and foremost, doesn't deserve to be hounded as a cheat sympathiser. I just don't think that's fair or rational.

[Phil D. Rolls]

Indeed. And what about Hibs, who spent money they couldn't afford when they were in the First Division? :cb

Before people start shooting at me, I know there are major differences between the two. However, we have to be careful about what exactly we are p'd off with Hearts about.

A lot of my mates, and family, are in severe danger of losing a big part of their life. No matter the reasons for it, that means something to me. THAT is the spirit that has moved Cowan to do this gig.


The Rangers situation is influencing the reality of the situation, not the morality.

Teams like Saints and 'Well will struggle with the double whammy impact of gate receipts of losing up to 4 decent travelling supports ("decent" is a quantitative measurement, not a qualitative one I hasten to add).

I'm not preaching armaggedon, but the reduction of two big clubs - even for entirely unrelated reasons as is the case here - will reduce the financial strength of others. Personally, I think clubs will cut their cloth to find a level, but it is naive to believe that from a purely financial perspective, Hearts and Rangers going wont have an impact, particularly for clubs with average attendances of less than around 5,000.

In my view, Hearts have morally cheated, if not broken specific, historic rules. That's why the cup final defeat, bizarrely, hardly registers with me now: I don think it was fairly won, and it's eternally tainted.

Also, the Hearts situation and the Rangers one are different situations that cant be conflated. I suspect the outcome at the end of the day for Hearts will be much more final and tragic
for them than it was for Rangers. This won't be due to OF bias, or the media, it'll be down to the different circumstances surrounding the implosion of the two.

But back on topic - Cowan, seeing what he is doing as helping non OF fans first and foremost, doesn't deserve to be hounded as a cheat sympathiser. I just don't think that's fair or rational.

Agreed, despite their claims of 400,000 fans, any Hearts Newco cannot depend on anything like the income that Sevco can draw on.

[gogse]

Yes, no-one is disputing this, but again, if you're Tam Cowan you're not, for the most part, going to have been at the other side of this "big team" nonsense. With the exception of the Burley season, Hearts have been a run-of-the-mill SPL team with a couple of jammy cup wins. Outwith our rivalry, they are pretty insignificant. Most people will see the rantings of His Royal Madness, an that's it.

Most clubs also, by the way, would have reacted to the Vlad spending and promises exactly have Hearts have done - believe and ignore the nay-sayers - this isn't down to their partiular brand of unpleasantness. I actually believe Hibs are one of the every few supports who would challenge the spoutings of a Vlad type character due to the history of almost going bust and the Duff & Grey era.

Perversely and ironically, what Mercer specifically tried to do to us allows us to see acutely the folly of what Vlad has done to them, and the rivalry throws this into sharp focus.

Cowan sees fans shafted to the point of no football for them. We see Hearts arrogance on a daily basis.

I'm not saying he's right, but from his persepective it is an eminently justifiable thing to do.


I understand your points and agree to some of them.

We do not put as much emphasis on the plight of Dunfermline, even though they are under scrutiny from the tax man and haven’t paid wages in the recent past. So I get where you’re coming from on that point (lets all get behind the Pars and save them, even if they’ve been cheating, eh).

If Tam (as people are saying) is a true football fan and empathises with the plight of fans (whose club are in financial crises), then this empathy should be across the board. I know he’s done gigs for other clubs, but I can’t remember Tam doing a chartable gig for the old Rangers (I’m quite happy to be corrected).

If he did not help the old Rangers then the empathy argument goes out the window.

If he did a gig to help the old Rangers, then consistently he is correct but morally bankrupt as much as they are.

"But back on topic - Cowan, seeing what he is doing as helping non OF fans first and foremost, doesn't deserve to be hounded as a cheat sympathiser. I just don't think that's fair or rational".

A rose by any other name is still a rose.

[Phil D. Rolls]

fine man , good socialist principles, didnae ken he was fae the dark side though. had a face like he'd been dookin' fur chips anaw. still a no bad guy.

He once said he supported both Edinburgh teams, but was really a Leith Athletic fan. He became a trade unionist after being badly burned in a fire at Leith docks.

[Twa Cairpets]

I understand your points and agree to some of them.

We do not put as much emphasis on the plight of Dunfermline, even though they are under scrutiny from the tax man and haven’t paid wages in the recent past. So I get where you’re coming from on that point (lets all get behind the Pars and save them, even if they’ve been cheating, eh).

If Tam (as people are saying) is a true football fan and empathises with the plight of fans (whose club are in financial crises), then this empathy should be across the board. I know he’s done gigs for other clubs, but I can’t remember Tam doing a chartable gig for the old Rangers (I’m quite happy to be corrected).

If he did not help the old Rangers then the empathy argument goes out the window.

If he did a gig to help the old Rangers, then consistently he is correct but morally bankrupts as much as they are.

A rose by any other name is still a rose.

No. The arrogance of Rangers (and Celtic) is unmissable if you are a non-OF fan. It saturates the media coverage of the game, there are lots of them and they are uniquely, institutionally and unrepentantly obnoxious in the championing of mixing football with their politics and religion.

All of Scottish football has had their superiority complexes rammed in our faces for decades. in the Yam scae, Hibs have felt it acutely for 7 years.

Additionally, it was never, ever going to be the case that Rangers were going to vanish completely. That is a real potential scenario for Hearts. Their fault, sure, but you have to look at the circumstances and details below the top-line "unpleasant football team going bust".

[gogse]

No. The arrogance of Rangers (and Celtic) is unmissable if you are a non-OF fan. It saturates the media coverage of the game, there are lots of them and they are uniquely, institutionally and unrepentantly obnoxious in the championing of mixing football with their politics and religion.

Agree



All of Scottish football has had their superiority complexes rammed in our faces for decades. in the Yam scae, Hibs have felt it acutely for 7 years.

Agree



Additionally, it was never, ever going to be the case that Rangers were going to vanish completely. That is a real potential scenario for Hearts. Their fault, sure, but you have to look at the circumstances and details below the top-line "unpleasant football team going bust".

Disagree.
At certain points of the old Rangers farce, nobody knew what was going to happen to them (just like Hearts at the moment). Tam could have jumped in at any time.
Only a couple of weeks passed when he jumped in for Hearts.

Just stinks of hypocrisy and pretentiousness to me.

[Twa Cairpets]

Disagree.
At certain points of the old Rangers farce, nobody knew what was going to happen to them (just like Hearts at the moment). Tam could have jumped in at any time.
Only a couple of weeks passed when he jumped in for Hearts.

Just stinks of hypocrisy and pretentiousness to me.

The fact that administrators didn't shut the business, and indeed managed keep to it running successfully, meant that from outset they weren't going to vanish completely - it was always a case of where and how they'd emerge, in my opinion anyway; but again, different circumstances. Administrators go in to the asbodome and it'll be a case of "pass me the padlock".

Even if you disagree, to suggest that people dont view non-OF fans differently to OF fans is just untrue. Cowan can have his anti OF biases just like the rest of us do - it doesnt mean he's pro-Hearts, pro-Vlad, pro-cheat or hypocritical.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

The guy was a grade A fud before this came to light, nothings changed as far as I can see.

[Twa Cairpets]

The guy was a grade A fud before this came to light, nothings changed as far as I can see.

Maybe he is, maybe he isn't - I don't know, never met him - but I think it's very parochial of us to lambast him in the basis he'll be doing something that may in a tiny way help Hearts.
Not Hibs class.

[Phil D. Rolls]

Maybe he is, maybe he isn't - I don't know, never met him - but I think it's very parochial of us to lambast him in the basis he'll be doing something that may in a tiny way help Hearts.
Not Hibs class.

Jeezo, we've had a go at City Cabs, and even our own club, based on inaccurate and incomplete facts. Why should a dinosaur from Motherwell be afforded any quarter? :greengrin

Some of the threads on this board are so sanctimonious, I feel we are on the verge of a well deserved fall. I am not saying people should be backing the cheats, but the level of vindictiveness is getting close to the French at the end of WW1. We all know how that one ended up.

[Stevie Reid]

Many good arguments on here, but I would just like to add that Hearts have not paid their wages on time on numerous occasions in the last few years, the last few months in particular, whilst it has been very widely known that they are living way beyond their means - shortly after failing to pay their wages last year they signed two players who played a huge part in their winning the Scottish Cup.

Hearts weren't technically breaking any rules but they managed to bend them to such an extent on such a regular basis that the SPL had no choice but to change the rules to define what they were doing as cheating. Since the rule change Hearts have found yet another way to gain a sporting advantage despite not being able to afford the players they are playing, with the deferment of wages.

All of this has been well known to many football fans, and will most certainly not have been overlooked by someone such as Cowan who has a career in sports broadcasting - incidentally, given the emphasis that Off The Bawl has on non OF fan banter, you can be damn sure that Cowan knows all about the Big team Wee team chat and everything else that goes along with it, in fact I'm pretty sure that he'll be making plenty of jokes at our expense during his gig. He knows exactly what he is doing.

FWIW I think Cowan's assistance may be as much about self promotion (good for the listening figures too) as anything else, but much like rock stars who donate large sums of money to charity to promote their image, it is still a benevolent act. Would he have been so charitable had Hearts beaten Motherwell in the Scottish Cup final? I doubt it, though I'm maybe doing him a huge disservice.

[gogse]

Jeezo, we've had a go at City Cabs, and even our own club, based on inaccurate and incomplete facts. Why should a dinosaur from Motherwell be afforded any quarter? :greengrin

Some of the threads on this board are so sanctimonious, I feel we are on the verge of a well deserved fall. I am not saying people should be backing the cheats, but the level of vindictiveness is getting close to the French at the end of WW1. We all know how that one ended up.


This is a football forum FGS, not the women’s guilt of crochet.

So, from now on we’ll have no more lambasting of minor celebrities (media, football or otherwise), backing Hearts in their struggle to pay the outstanding tax bill.:wink:


I’m getting bored with this now. Let’s put this thread to bed.

[Phil D. Rolls]

Many good arguments on here, but I would just like to add that Hearts have not paid their wages on time on numerous occasions in the last few years, the last few months in particular, whilst it has been very widely known that they are living way beyond their means - shortly after failing to pay their wages last year they signed two players who played a huge part in their winning the Scottish Cup. Hearts weren't technically breaking any rules but they managed to bend them to such an extent on such a regular basis that the SPL had no choice but to change the rules to define what they were doing as cheating. Since the rule change Hearts have found yet another way to gain a sporting advantage despite not being able to afford the players they are playing, with the deferment of wages.

All of this has been well known to many football fans, and will most certainly not have been overlooked by someone such as Cowan who has a career in sports broadcasting - incidentally, given the emphasis that Off The Bawl has on non OF fan banter, you can be damn sure that Cowan knows all about the Big team Wee team chat and everything else that goes along with it, in fact I'm pretty sure that he'll be making plenty of jokes at our expense during his gig. He knows exactly what he is doing.

FWIW I think Cowan's ego may as much to do with this as anything, but much like rock stars who donate large sums of money to charity to promote their image, it is still a benevolent act. Would he have been so charitable had Hearts beaten Motherwell in the Scottish Cup final? I doubt it, though I'm maybe doing him a huge disservice.

I think we should at least wait to hear what he says before crucifying him. Far be it for me to say, but I would guess that we aren't on the Yams minds half as much as they are on ours at the moment. They are weeks away from the death of their club, surely even the Big Team will be focussed on themselves and nothing else?

[Stevie Reid]

I think we should at least wait to hear what he says before crucifying him. Far be it for me to say, but I would guess that we aren't on the Yams minds half as much as they are on ours at the moment. They are weeks away from the death of their club, surely even the Big Team will be focussed on themselves and nothing else?

I'm certainly not crucifying him, just pointing out that he shouldn't be as ignorant of the situation as some are claiming that he may be. He is not your average Motherwell fan as he is a broadcaster on a national radio show and as such will be more aware of the specifics of the Hearts situation (I believe).

[Phil D. Rolls]

This is a football forum FGS, not the women’s guilt of crochet.

So, from now on we’ll have no more lambasting of minor celebrities (media, football or otherwise), backing Hearts in their struggle to pay the outstanding tax bill.:wink:


I’m getting bored with this now. Let’s put this thread to bed.

Sorry things have just been needling me a bit. :greengrin


I'm certainly not crucifying him, just pointing out that he shouldn't be as ignorant of the situation as some are claiming that he may be. He is not your average Motherwell fan as he is a broadcaster on a national radio show and as such will be more aware of the specifics of the Hearts situation (I believe).

Fair enough, I don't know how he squares supporting the Yams, when he did nowt for the Huns. Be interesting to hear his take on it.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

We'll probably get a review of the Jambo Hospitality Suite in The Record mag on Saturday.