Ian Botham - twat

[Wozza]

Flintoff did receive support, though, from his predecessor as England's finest all-rounder, Ian Botham.

"I'm laughing, I think it's quite amusing. I think it's a total over reaction," he told Sky Sports.

"There's 24 hours until the next game, people react in different ways. Some guys go to bed at 1030 tired and frustrated, other guys go and have a drink. I really don't care.

"The big mistake is getting caught. And also, did all the team get locked up in 2005 when they won the Ashes? Or was it alright then?"



There wasn't another game after The Ashes, you berk.

 

[NMH]

er.....don't you think he was referring to the player's nocturnal habits before and during the Ashes?

 

[jonny.rainbow]

Botham has a point.

They'll be just as shit whether they drink or not.

 

[Tooting Gull]

Agree totally with Wozza. Botham is like Ian Wright - amazing achievements as a player, but you know something stupid is always likely to come out of his mouth in the studio at any moment.

Even the normally irony-free people at Sky must see that player behaviour being discussed by choirboys Ian Botham and David 'Tiger Moth' Gower is a bit of a joke.

 

[Jam The Man]

I think Botham sees a lot of himself in Freddie!

 

[Mendoza]

If we had beaten New Zealand there wouldnt have been half of this fuss,

its good he is sacked as vice captain, as he performs better with bat and ball without the extra responsibilities

 

[Wozza]

Mike Gatting is worse, in fairness.

There was a CLASSIC live interview on Sky News where he was asked about Freddie and co's drinking after The Ashes and he said:

"It's not like there were any rapes or anything."

:thud: :thud: :thud: :thud:

 

[chez]

I personally dont see the problem. I bet many on here go out for a drink on a week day when they have work the next day. This is no different in my eyes.

 

[Mendoza]

and he still had 30 hours to recover - OTT reaction - again i think because we lost

we all know tours are known for this - i think it will make him into a more cult hero - like tuffers and prince harry - when you realise they are not too much different from ourselves

 

[maffew]

Flintoffs et al are out of order,

he gets out for a duck then goes on the lash, some people have paid thousands to go watch this, hes should have been in the nets

 

[Big Jim]

I go for a beer or 5 during the week when there's not much on the day after. But I wouldn't dream of rolling in at 4.00 in the morning after a heavy nights boozing ending in p1ssing about in pedlo's and half killing myself. He would have had practice the day after and it would have been important to hear the tactics, etc. As vice captain listening to what the coach says is pretty damn important i'd say.

If I rolled into work stinking of booze on an important day, I'd probably either be sacked or told to go home and disciplined.

The fact he went and got totally bladdered after they lost a game, and so soon before another important one, makes me wonder if he's all there?

 

[Tooting Gull]

How is it an overreaction? It's the World Cup. He's England's star player. They just lost a vital match very badly. There's slightly over 24 hours until the next one starts. The captain for the recent Ashes humiliation is pissed out of his face and could easily have drowned after falling off a pedalo into the sea at 3am. In other more relaxing circumstances the whole thing would be hilarious, but surely not as outlined above.

 

[chez]

Nope, still dont see a problem with it.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Imagine England's football team are playing a group match in the first round of the World Cup finals, and Wayne Rooney is seen completely off his (large) tits, arsing about on a beach at 4am and nearly drowning himself in the process, the day before a game. The press would go mental.

No, Flintoff's case has not been blown out of proportion, if it was a footballer it would be a million times worse. They're people with a particular talent, and a particular responsibility, therefore I don't think it's too much to ask that they take a little bit of that responsibility on board in the short period that matters.

What they do afterwards, I don't really care, but Flintoff's put himself in a heck of a position now, & when he comes back in he'll be under huge pressure to perform.

 

[Big Jim]

Imagine England's football team are playing a group match in the first round of the World Cup finals, and Wayne Rooney is seen completely off his (large) tits, arsing about on a beach at 4am and nearly drowning himself in the process, the day before a game. The press would go mental.

No, Flintoff's case has not been blown out of proportion, if it was a footballer it would be a million times worse. They're people with a particular talent, and a particular responsibility, therefore I don't think it's too much to ask that they take a little bit of that responsibility on board in the short period that matters.

What they do afterwards, I don't really care, but Flintoff's put himself in a heck of a position now, & when he comes back in he'll be under huge pressure to perform.

very true words

Also, don't forget this isn't the first time he's done it and been warned not to do it again.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Might be OK for darts players, but the cricket team are supposed to be athletes. Other countries athletes manage not to end up pissed as farts on pedalos at four in the morning before a big game. Good ol' drinking culture. And Lord alone knows what the football squad will get up to in Israel next weekend. Team-bonding fancy-dress party in full nazi regalia probably. Ain't got the brains they were born with these people.

 

[Mackenzie]

I hope that Flintoff will use this criticism as motivation, and prove Fletcher and the media wrong. If he's picked for the Kenya match, he'll be aching to do well....I can't see him sulking and taking it all to heart, even if he has acted like a prat.

 

[The Clown of Pevensey Bay]

I've met Botham twice, him having occupied number one position in my List Of Absolute Sporting Heroes from about 1988 to 1996 (when I met him the first time). He's a twattwattwattwat.

 

[mona]

Might be OK for darts players, but the cricket team are supposed to be athletes. Other countries athletes manage not to end up pissed as farts on pedalos at four in the morning before a big game. Good ol' drinking culture. And Lord alone knows what the football squad will get up to in Israel next weekend. Team-bonding fancy-dress party in full nazi regalia probably. Ain't got the brains they were born with these people.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Of course Flintoff was wrong but he is still a more exciting cricketer than hundreds of other pro-cricketers who eat the right foods, drink gallons of water and are teetotal.

 

[BensGrandad]

I've met Botham twice, him having occupied number one position in my List Of Absolute Sporting Heroes from about 1988 to 1996 (when I met him the first time). He's a twattwattwattwat.

I would agree I was working at a hotel that the Somerset team was staying at Joel Garner Viv Richards etc.

About 2 am I left the restaurant to go to bed and his son Liam who was about 8 or 9 at the time was sat at the bottom of the stairs doing a word search I asked him what he was doing and did his dad know he was there the answer he gave was ' Yes he is talking to a lady in the room and its private'. Since then I thought what an arsehole and my opinion hasnt changed, this will stick in my mind for ever seeing that boy sat on those stairs.