Sportsperson you've loved and hated

[denislawsbackheel]

Love - Jack Nicklaus a completely honourable gentleman and great golfer.
Hate - Christian Horner. Netflix F1 series has been a revelation about this man. He’d stab his granny in the back whilst telling her how lovely she was.

 

[Saddleworth2]

My first primary school boy crush was on an athlete called Lillian Board. I thought she was truly wonderful. Sadly she died of cancer at a young age. Lovely lady from what I can recall.

 

[Cellarite]

there's something "different" about Steve Smith, he has some form of OCD and other issues which have just manifested in cricket.

I guess where do you drawn the line between just being a prick and somebody being "different", but it's clear with him that his wiring is different.

I never pondered that before. I suppose it’s rare that you think of elite sportsmen being “different”.

There were so many moments last summer that pissed me off watching him that now I can hardly remember any of them.

The one that sticks in my mind is him casually strolling back to his crease after a run wobbling his head.

Do you think it could be mild autism or something? OCD would explain his attention to every minute detail but not so much his prick behaviour.

Believe it or not, the tannoy has just gone off at work asking Steve Smith to ring reception.

 

[sir baconface]

Oscar Pistorius.

Much maligned but an excellent marksman.

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Ritchie Benaud: fine bowler, good batsman, outstanding captain. Became a great commentator. Example: Botham comes back into the England side after suspension for possession of cannabis; in his first over he takes two wickets and only a dropped catch prevents a third;
Benaud: Time for me to hand over commentary, I'm just off to catch up with the latest edition of Boys Own Paper.
Priceless. Loved him.

One of the best. Jim Laker was another I listened to for hours.

 

[Esteban de la Sexface]

my favourite sports person is Padraig Harrington. Huge amount of effort to get to where he did and lot's of humility and humour to go with it.

I have an irrational dislike for all road race cyclists because they've encouraged a lot of men who shouldn't wear lycra to wear lycra and ruin my Sunday drive

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

Roger Milla during the 1990 World Cup was amazing.

Steve Cram always seemed like a good bloke.

Hated Muhammad Ali. Racism is racism no matter what colour you are.

Seb Coe...... twat!

I've loathed this fellah since the Ovett days. There appears to be nothing on the horizon that would curtail my loathing.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

I never pondered that before. I suppose it’s rare that you think of elite sportsmen being “different”.

There were so many moments last summer that pissed me off watching him that now I can hardly remember any of them.

The one that sticks in my mind is him casually strolling back to his crease after a run wobbling his head.

Do you think it could be mild autism or something? OCD would explain his attention to every minute detail but not so much his prick behaviour.

Believe it or not, the tannoy has just gone off at work asking Steve Smith to ring reception.

yeah, I've watched the Amazon documentary on the Aussie team for that 18 month period and he's just "different". I mean I still immensely dislike him and put an asterisk on the Ashes last summer because I feel he should have been banned for life, but it just comes across that he has underlying things that mean he's just a complete prick from the outset.

 

[blue aura]

Loved

Derek Randell
Jack Russell
Malcolm Marshall
David Gower
Henri Leconte
John McEnroe
Daly Thompson

Hated

Australian cricket full stop

 

[Dave Ewing's Back 'eader]

I despised McEnroe at the time, and I'm being serious, and couldn't understand why an umpire wouldn't disqualify him. I've not really warmed to the guy since. It might be that the BBC seem to hold him in such high regard.