Today, Jackie Tyrrell retires from inter-county hurling. A sad day as he is one of the true characters within the sport. Here are a few reasons why.
He is hurling's answer to Paul Galvin...
We have spoken about this before, but it's well worth highlighting again. Despite being one of hurling's true hard men, Jackie has never been afraid to express himself in a sartorial as well as a sporting sense.
...but that didn't stop him sporting this ridiculous barnet in 2010
Jesus wept, Jackie. Going all 'Bolo Zenden' on us.
He delivers O'Connell-esque half-time team talks
Last year Kilkenny were struggling at half-time against Galway in the All-Ireland hurling final. But a few words from Tyrrell, an unused sub coming back from injury, and manager Brian Cody, spurred the Cats onto victory. Here is what Colin Fennelly had to say about it at the time:
It could have been an awkward silence or someone could have stepped up and talked. Jackie Tyrrell stood up so he did, a lad that’s plagued with an injury the last couple of weeks trying to get back.
I’ve never seen a lad work so hard trying to get back. He was standing there absolutely roaring us on, talking just pure sense, exactly what we needed to hear.
He said that this is not good enough, this is not us, this is not what we’re based on, this is not what we’re born and bred on.
He said, ‘I’ve watched ye the last few weeks, ye have hit each other harder in training. Get out there and you're not going to let them walk up the steps.
He's unreal at baseball, even though he plays it without a mitt
Appearing on 'The Toughest Trade' on TV3, Tyrrell went to the States to try his luck playing baseball with the Miami Marlins. It's fair to say he acquitted himself superbly, but the best part of the show was the Marlins' reaction to Tyrrell catching the ball gloveless.
He got man hands.
He's an obsessive NFL fan
We have it from reliable sources that Jackie is currently top of a Fantasy NFL league involving a number of high-profile GAA stars (as well as some journalists, apparently). So preoccupied is Jackie with the sport that immediately after the All-Ireland final a couple of years ago his main concern upon being interviewed by Ger Gilroy was whether or not Jamaal Charles would be starting for the Kansas City Chiefs in their next game.
(If you share Jackie's NFL interest, check out our NFL podcast ft. the great Terrell Owens here)
He's got one of the most solid shoulders in the GAA
Poor old Seamus Callanan (1:11 mins in). Try to watch this clip without wincing at least once.
And finally...he's not a bad hurler
11 Leinster titles, four All Stars and a staggering nine All-Ireland titles with Kilkenny, a couple of Leinster titles with James Stephens and even two Kilkenny football titles on top of it. Not a bad haul.
