Some sports media who traveled to Ireland for Saturday’s Florida State-Georgia Tech game spent considerable time in the local pubs. Some ended up hurling.
You know, hurling, one of the national sports of Ireland (what did you think we meant?)
ACC Network host and reporter Taylor Tannebaum posted a fun clip on X Sunday showing her adventure learning the ancient sport, along with ACCN colleague EJ Manuel. They enlisted the help of two hurling stars, Conor Donohue and Emma O’Byrne, to explain the sport.
They had a lot to learn.
“We’re going to learn a thing or two about this sport, because let’s be honest — we don’t (know),” Tannebaum told the hurling stars.
“I don’t know anything,” Manuel echoed.
Manuel, who starred at quarterback for Florida State and played five seasons in the NFL, seemed eager to learn.
“Teach us something,” he said. “We’re going to be bad, but I like to think I’m a pretty good athlete, so I think I can catch on pretty quick.”
The two ACCN visitors from across the pond learned some of the basics, such as the name of the ball (“sliotar”), how to score, defend, etc.
Since we brought our sport of college football to Ireland, it was only right @EJManuel3 & I learned one of their national sports—Hurling.
It’s basically a mix of lacrosse, field hockey, soccer, baseball kinda?, there are posts like football…annnd it’s really hard but awesome. pic.twitter.com/LvDtOnWEvC
— Taylor Tannebaum (@TaylorTannebaum) August 25, 2024
Not sure how Tannebaum or Manuel will apply what they learned back in the U.S., but it never hurts to broaden your horizons.