In the same way that history used to be written by the winners and is now written by the producers of Reeling in the Years, the Second Captains Good Wall has become the ultimate arbiter of the worthiness of our sportspeople.
We've seen many controversial amendments, the most inexplicable of which was Sonia O'Sullivan removing Padraig Harrington from the wall - a decision which, one can only presume, springs from an egalitarian dislike of the sport of golf. It famously drove Shane Lowry apoplectic with rage.
However, that isn't even the most objectionable thing about the wall.
One person has been shockingly absent from this venerable structure for quite a while now.
The only debate about this man should be whether he is at no.1 spot or as low as no.3. Instead, he is off the wall altogether. In these circumstances, one would have to consider withdrawing the franchise from professional sportspeople.
Back in the 1950s, the 1500 metres was considered the showpiece event of track and field, occupying a similar status to that accorded to the men's 100m these days.
The last Irish athlete to win Olympic gold on the track did so in this event. By any standards, Ronnie Delany's (or Ronnie Delaney's - they are used interchangeably it seems) Olympic gold in 1956 is one of the greatest achievements in the history of Irish sport.
We say, here and now, that his absence from the wall has brought the whole edifice into disrepute.
One doesn't want to descend into hyperbole here, but it almost makes one want to treat the 'Good Wall' the same way Berliners treated their own particular wall back in 1989.
In a strange way, even Pope John Paul II and JFK are also contaminated by the whole injustice.
We suspect his absence arises in part because of the short-sighted bias in favour of modernity. These people can't remember beyond five years it seems. We'd even consider throwing in two-time Olympic hammer throw gold medallist Pat O'Callaghan into the mix but first things first, let's get Ronnie back on the wall.
Hopefully one of our sportspeople sees sense before too long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kaxcMxLobU
