Do well in your sport once and get a gong :banghead:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/front_page/7804849.stm

Some of those names are a joke

Yup. Those honours are given out to people at the first hint of success which I think can contribute to them getting lazy or thinking they've made it and don't need to try just as hard now.

some, not all

hoy did exceptionally well plus his being recognised for his GB success will annoy marc the scottish nationalists

Well that's not really fair.

This might be the first time some of the athletes have come to the public's attention but their success comes as the result of years of training and work to get them there. It's not like they just turned up, did well on a few occasions and that's all they're being rewarded for.

I do think the one for Hamilton is a little premature - he deserves it in some ways but he should have a long career in front of him. The Olympians only get a real chance to shine once every 4 years so I think their awards are deserved while they're in the public eye. I'm sure the next Olympics being in London will inspire them to keep working for that.

It's precisely what they're being rewarded for. In other fields it might be different but in sport, it seems it isn't.

Hoy and all the other cyclists have years of training, I won't deny that but he could win gold at the World Cycling Championships for example (year on year), would he get an honour on the basis of that? Highly unlikely. Although to be fair to Hoy he has won gold before but other people from the GB Cycling team.

As soon as somebody wins something at the Olympics or another big achievement they have an honour bestowed upon them. The Rugby team in 2003, sure great achievement winning the World Cup - superb in fact but the one achievement made and look what has happened since.

The Ashes in 2005, another great achievement after so many years of Australia winning and retaining it, honours dished out for the whole team (even to Paul Collingwood who barely contributed :lol:). What has happened since in test cricket? Not all that much.

No other country does this with their sportsmen and women, sure maybe that's what contributes to Britain being Britain but to me, it ends up being a factor in things becoming counter productive.

I have no problem with sportsmen/women being honoured retrospectively (when their careers are over for instance) but with more frequency people are being rewarded instantly for their achievements and perhaps because of that, a certain amount of motivation dwindles.

Of course they're going to dish out awards when people achieve something in something as high profile as the Olympics. Generally no-one cares about these sports until it comes to Olympics so although in some ways I agree it would make more sense to be knighting How when he's retired, in 10 years time everyone would be "who?"
Don't see anything very wrong with doing it when it's in the public's consciousness.

I seriously don't think winning an MBE or knighthood or anything is what motivates these guys. I can't imagine Hoy thinks "job done" now he's got a knighthood.

I see what you're saying to an extent but I don't think it's worth being too bothered about.

Well why not? The media contribute to making it this big thing receiving these honours. They care enough to reward someone as soon as they have made a big achievement and despite however tacky or quaint I might think the whole Honours thing is, I am sure for the most part, the people receiving them are pretty damn proud.

And I never mentioned about Hoy or anybody else thinking "job done" as in, that's it, I won't try at all now but saying it perhaps contributes to motivation dwindling. I can't say for certain that's what happened in the case of Cricket and Rugby but I think there is a corrolation to suggest there is something in it.

Nothing to do with this forum is 'worth' getting bothered about...but we do!

:lol:

:lol: Certainly agree about that.

I'm not sure it contributes to a dwindling in motivation, some teams or individuals simply hit a peak in a certain tournament/event and are never quite as good again. See Arsenal 2003/4 for further details. It's possible that for some people winning the gold/Ashes/World Cup might lead to a 'job done' feeling more than them getting a gong from the queen. I don't think anyone gets into these sports in order to get a knighthood or other honour. I'm sure they're proud if and when it happens but their primary aim in life is surely to get to the top of their sport. Once they've done that it might lead to a drop in motivation more than a New Years Honour which would never have been their primary motivation in the first place.

Yeah good mod posts!

:goodpost:



:unsure:

Thanks CK.

:unsure:

The little englander politicises a sport thread again. :coffee: