Why all the outrage over Flintoff’s drunken behaviour? I don’t remember any condemnation at all when he displayed similar antics after the England cricket team won the Ashes in 2005. If I remember right, his behaviour then was met with amused tolerance, and in some quarters, even something approaching admiration.
It seems that Flintoff has forgotten, or perhaps never knew, one of the cardinal rules governing Britain’s relationship with its sportsmen: you can be a drunken lout and as thuggish as you like. As long as you win something.
March 19th, 2007 at 12:51 pm
I think it has something to do with being, ahem, a little the worse for wear just before an important game, rather than just after (winning) an important series… Mind you, apparently Botham said something along the lines of “his only mistake was to get caught”, which tends to support your conclusion.
March 19th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
I wondered , but I `m not much of a cricket fan ..( Rugby then football )
I am linking to you for what its worth , I don`t link much because I try to keep up with the ones I do.
March 19th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Hi Ian, I agree with you. I suppose I was just wondering why we seem to condone loutish, drunken behaviour when the drunkard in question has actually won something. Just another example of the double standards at the root of British society, I guess. I have just seen an interview on Sky News in which a seemingly concerned interviewer asked the Professor who treated George Best (his name escapes me now) about what, if any, damage Flintoff is doing to his liver. I don’t remember any such ‘concern’ when Flintoff and his band of merry men bragged about their binge drinking the day after they won the Ashes. If binge drinking is as bad as they say, why no concern when the drinkers are victorious sportsmen?
Newmania, thank you for the link. I have also linked to you, having just discovered your blog this weekend.
March 19th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
…I wonder whats on the menu for tommorow ….
March 19th, 2007 at 10:15 pm
It is an English media “thing”. Any target is “game”. Sports personalities are MORE than game.
Remember Eddie the Eagle? This intrepid chap paid for himself to enter the olympics, perhaps did not do too well but at least he TRIED. BUT instead of showing great admiration for his boldness, the media took that opportunity to extract every last amount of piss it could out of the poor chap.
I would not pass water upon these sort of parasites if they were on fire.
What chance has any entepreneuer got with these sort of vultures?
March 19th, 2007 at 10:28 pm
he got away with it then because they were winners.
March 19th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
at least he TRIED.
Ron he was a prat and taking the piss is what the media is for . None of this has anything to do with entrepreneurs who are required to win , not try . Just trying … , is limited to the Public sector where they have inspections and forms to deal with the effort put in. As we have seen this has less than no effect on what comes out