When I first started working in RTÉ, we used to edit with tape and blade. You literaly cut out the piece of tape that you didn't want to include in your report, and spliced the remaining tape back together with a type of sticky tape.
It was a convoluted process that required a steady hand and some nimble fingers to get the splicing tape in the exact place to hold the edit together.
It all seems a million miles from the digital technology that exists today. However, the one thing about sticking tape together was a certainty that you actually had a finished product, on tape in a box, that could be brought to studio for broadcast.
Nowadays, the computer is king. Digital editing makes the process much, much quicker, and more precise, and you can add all sorts of digital effects to the finished product, which makes for a much more efficient editing session, and a slicker finished product. Which is all very well until things start to go slightly pear-shaped.
This week, with about 30 seconds to 'On-Air' time, I was told by the floor manager, Tadgh de Bruin, that our first package - St Pat's v Hertha Berlin - wasn't in the computer system for broadcast, despite the fact that we had seen the finished product in our production office earlier. Cue a rapid change of plans, and some quick thinking from all involved in the programme, presenter and production staff.
Later the Derry City v Sligo Rovers match edit went to air, with Tony O'Donoghue's dulcet tones reporting on the action, only for the audio to drop out inexplicably in the middle of the report.
Again, a quick change of plan swung into action, and nobody died, but it does create an extra layer of stress in studio.
It's at times like that, that you might be inclined to hanker after the old days when tape was tape, and computer technology was a twinkle in Bill Gates' eye.
Despite the mayhem behind the scenes this week, it was still an enjoyable show. Kevin Hunt paid another visit to the MNS couch, and two of his former bosses, Roddy Collins and Sean Connor, joined him.
The banter in the production office before the programme was great. Roddy and Sean both really enjoy their stints in studio, but I sometimes get the feeling that they'd rather be back involved in management on a day-to-day basis.
MNS's loss would be some club's gain, because they both have plenty of top-level management experience, and despite some lows, they've also had tremendous highs.
Bohemians fans might remember where they were when Sean took over after a succesful spell as Sligo Rovers manager. Likewise, Roddy's record at Dalymount was a happy one, with a double in 2001 the pinnacle.
If I sound like an agent for the two lads, that's not the intention. It just strikes me that they take a lot of abuse from some so-called supporters, who are quick to jump to conclusions about them, often without the full facts to hand.
At the RDS last Tuesday, when St Pat's fans should have been getting behind their team, a small band of them rehashed the tired old chants about Roddy.
How sad that they should waste their energy trotting out that old rubbish yet again, when their team deserved their full support on what was a day when all at St Pat's should be really proud of their players and their efforts on the field.
Before Monday night's programme, we were discussing the odds that you might have got on an accumulator bet that included wins for the bottom-three sides - Cobh, Galway and UCD, along with defeat for Finn Harps.
If you'd struck that bet, you'd be collecting a handsome reward from your local friendly bookmaker. The one thing it does ensure, is that the race to avoid relegation will remain alive for several weeks to come.
Harps face a tricky away assignment at Cork City this weekend, and if they slip up there, it could leave the door even slightly more ajar for the chasing trio.
With a number of live matches on RTÉ Television between now and the end of the season, and with the league title pretty much in the bag for Bohemians, it would be nice to think that the battle to stay up will remain alive until the last weekend of the season.
With that in mind, the results last weekend gave hope to the three clubs chasing Harps.
Speaking of Finn Harps, I was hugely disappointed to read that the St Pat's dressing rooms had no functioning showers after the game in Ballybofey on Friday night. This sort of thing belongs to a bygone era.
I have a very soft spot for Harps, and the hospitality we received there when we did a live match against Athlone Town last season was second to none. They could not have been more welcoming and helpful.
Having said that, what happened this weekend was an embarrasment to the club and the league.
In this day and age, if showers aren't working, then the home side should have to use that dressingroom, and if that doesn't happen, then some sort of sanction must be applied, because this is a professional league, and that sort of situation shouldn't be tolerated.
Hopefully this scenario won't be repeated in future at any venue in the league.
The postponement of the Wexford Youths versus Limerick 37 first division game on Monday night gives the league's knockers another rod to beat it with.
That the visitors were denied access to the pitch to warm up seems incredible to me. This is another situation where the league authorities will have to impose some sort of rule that must be adhered to by clubs, and it strikes me that a club wanting to warm up on the pitch before a game is not an unreasonable request. It happens everywhere else.
Yes, the pitch at Ferrycarrig Park is lovely, but a 20-minute warm-up by the visiting team shouldn't be the difference between a good pitch and a bad pitch.
Incidentally, if you missed this week's Good, Bad and Ugly section, I'd suggest you check it out on the website.
The skill shown by referee's assistant Rob Rogers before the Bohs - Bray game was outstanding, and his cheeky little back heel into the net would have been a contender for goal of the season if he had been allowed enter.
Finally, it would be great to see a big crowd come out to support Kevin Hunt's testimonial on Sunday, 12 October at Dalymount, as a Bohemians XI take on an Ireland XI managed by Eoin Hand, and including the likes of Paul McGrath, Packie Bonner, Steve Staunton, Richie Sadlier and Jeff Kenna. There could be some surprise appearances as well.
Hunty was one of the great servants to Bohemians and the domestic game and he deserves a big send-off.
