Should I support Wiggins?

rodgers73
rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
edited July 2012 in Pro race
I'm relatively new to cycling - this will only be the 2nd Tour I've watched. I'm not a particularly patriotic Brit and a person's character is more of a factor behind me supporting them in any sport than their nationality.

That said, it would be good to have a Brit win then Tour and everyone seems to be saying Wiggins is the favourite etc etc.

But - is he a bit of an arse? I haven't much to go on here but have seen a few quotes from him that didn't particularly impress me. Is he a bit of an Andy Murray?

I was happy with Cav winning last year as he seemed like a decent bloke, but didn't he used to be a bit of an oaf as well? Is it just a case that they (professional sportsmen/cyclists) might all be like that but their media training eventually takes over and irons out the rough edges?
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Comments

  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    Feck no!!!

    He has a yellow helmet on already ... Tit!

    EDIT: Turns out it's ASO's fault ... I'll get back to you with another reason to hate Wigg'o'ins shortly ...

    Actually, his stupid nickname/third person nonsense will do ... He's not in the WWE regardliss of the garish lycra and the missuse of drugs ...
  • inkyfingers
    inkyfingers Posts: 4,400
    Support who you like, ignore what anybody else says.

    For what it's worth I think Wiggins can be a bit of a knob, but he's walking the walk and not just talking the talk these days so fair enough. Personally I don't care who wins so long as it's a good race.
    "I have a lovely photo of a Camargue horse but will not post it now" (Frenchfighter - July 2013)
  • fungus_the_muffin_man
    fungus_the_muffin_man Posts: 1,608
    I actually like wiggo's attitude with the press etc.... you have to listen to how he says stuff. Most of it is very tongue in cheek. It probably just doesn't translate well to text!.

    Just support who ever you want. I'm sure no matter who or what team you choose people will pick them to pieces
    Bianchi. There are no alternatives only compromises!
    I RIDE A KONA CADABRA -would you like to come and have a play with my magic link?
  • Le Commentateur
    Le Commentateur Posts: 4,099
    You don't have to support anyone. Just enjoy the racing.
    Un uomo solo al commando
  • ginsterdrz
    ginsterdrz Posts: 128
    He's a winner which makes him a bit prickly with the press at times-especially when the 'idiots' ask him stupid questions.
    In person he's a very nice guy. And born in Belgium!!!

    Oh.....and if you were backing Wiggo last year, please support the miserable whining Aussie this year!
  • Bakunin
    Bakunin Posts: 868
    Of course not, I never liked the Jam.

    It was always SLF for me.
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    I'm not desperate to support anyone really - it's more a question of "Is he worthy of support? Or is he too tw*tty?"
  • BillyMansell
    BillyMansell Posts: 817
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I'm not desperate to support anyone really - it's more a question of "Is he worthy of support? Or is he too tw*tty?"
    I doubt he needs the support or to prove his worthiness to a no mark like you.
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    No doubt. And so politely put!

    If there were a different way to phrase the question, it would be - "Is Wiggins a nice bloke or a gobsh*te?"
  • Crankbrother
    Crankbrother Posts: 1,695
    BillyMansell wrote:
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I'm not desperate to support anyone really - it's more a question of "Is he worthy of support? Or is he too tw*tty?"
    I doubt he needs the support or to prove his worthiness to a no mark like you.

    I doubt he will come round your house mid-July to get the cast on his wrist signed either ...
  • Scrumple
    Scrumple Posts: 2,665
    It's really quite sad you have to ask who to support.

    Grow a pair and pick who you want!
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    I'm not asking you to tell me who to support, he missed most of last year's Tour so I've had relatively little exposure to him, so for all I know he's an arse.

    I was looking for comments on what he's "really" like
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,241
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I was looking for comments on what he's "really" like

    How are we supposed to know - we're not his mates.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    Well I like him.
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    RichN95 wrote:
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I was looking for comments on what he's "really" like

    How are we supposed to know - we're not his mates.

    No, but people who post on this sub-forum a lot and follow pro cycling more than I do are more likely to have heard stuff about him that might tell you what he's like. More than me anyway.
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    If I knew sod all about football and asked a fan "so what's this joey Barton bloke like then?" I imagine most football fans could tell me a bit more about his character etc. Even if they weren't personal friends with him.
  • Turfle
    Turfle Posts: 3,762
    rodgers73 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I was looking for comments on what he's "really" like

    How are we supposed to know - we're not his mates.

    No, but people who post on this sub-forum a lot and follow pro cycling more than I do are more likely to have heard stuff about him that might tell you what he's like. More than me anyway.

    I don't think there's ever been a sportsman that you'll get universal agreement on.

    Personally I think he's great. He has a very dry sense of humour with the press, has his own style which he's sticking with through thick and (very) thin, and I find it endlessly amusing how angry people get at his success.
  • ms_tree
    ms_tree Posts: 1,405
    Support who you want mate. Just don't do the Harmon bit about everyone in Britain rooting for Wiggins 'cos some of us aren't!
    'Google can bring back a hundred thousand answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.'
    Neil Gaiman
  • cogidubnus
    cogidubnus Posts: 860
    I'll be supporting Brad as per usual.

    Whether you like him or not, like Cav winning the worlds, Its got to be good for British cycling if Brad wins the yellow.
  • Gazzetta67
    Gazzetta67 Posts: 1,890
    Cogidubnus wrote:
    I'll be supporting Brad as per usual.

    Whether you like him or not, like Cav winning the worlds, Its got to be good for British cycling if Brad wins the yellow.

    Here Here - For those of us who used to watch the 3 x 20mins Tour de france reports on World of Sport looking for news on Robert Millar,Kelly,Yates etc etc....Weve come along way and him winning the Tour will be great for cycling in this country.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    His lad plays Rugby League, good enough for me!
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • PBo
    PBo Posts: 2,493
    rodgers73 wrote:
    If I knew sod all about football and asked a fan "so what's this joey Barton bloke like then?"
    Turfle wrote:
    I don't think there's ever been a sportsman that you'll get universal agreement on.

    I think rodgers73 had already given the example that disproves your theory!!!! :lol:
  • andyrac
    andyrac Posts: 1,173
    Gazzetta67 wrote:
    Cogidubnus wrote:
    I'll be supporting Brad as per usual.

    Whether you like him or not, like Cav winning the worlds, Its got to be good for British cycling if Brad wins the yellow.

    Here Here - For those of us who used to watch the 3 x 20mins Tour de france reports on World of Sport looking for news on Robert Millar,Kelly,Yates etc etc....We've come along way and him winning the Tour will be great for cycling in this country.

    Yeah, agree, that's how I feel. Looking at the 'bigger picture'.
    Though I have seen/ heard comments that people don't want the sport more popular/ mainstream. Thing is, if it brings in new sponsors, etc, we could get a second British ProTour team....
    All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    Turfle wrote:
    rodgers73 wrote:
    RichN95 wrote:
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I was looking for comments on what he's "really" like

    How are we supposed to know - we're not his mates.

    No, but people who post on this sub-forum a lot and follow pro cycling more than I do are more likely to have heard stuff about him that might tell you what he's like. More than me anyway.

    I don't think there's ever been a sportsman that you'll get universal agreement on.

    Personally I think he's great. He has a very dry sense of humour with the press, has his own style which he's sticking with through thick and (very) thin, and I find it endlessly amusing how angry people get at his success.


    That's the sort of thing I was looking for. Thanks!
  • rodgers73
    rodgers73 Posts: 2,626
    Cogidubnus wrote:
    I'll be supporting Brad as per usual.

    Whether you like him or not, like Cav winning the worlds, Its got to be good for British cycling if Brad wins the yellow.


    I'd want him to win for that "pay-off" certainly, regardless of whether he was a nice bloke or not. But it would be a shame if he was an arse. I expect a lot of tennis fans must feel the same about a possible Murray victory at Wimbledon!
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,661
    Only british people could have a thread like this... Shame :(
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • OfficerDigby
    OfficerDigby Posts: 110
    YES! in answer to OP.

    I kind of get what you're on about, and in the past thought the same. However, in the end you're just forming opinions of what people are saying to press at various moments in time.. particularly a few flippant comments can be massive turn off.

    This year he has done a lot better interviews (in English) and appears much more personable IMO at least. Read his articles in the Guardian etc etc. The false bravado of yester-years has gone (mostly). The work in preparation is frankly incredible. 5 1/2 hour taper rides LOL.

    We'll all see in next few weeks if he can do it.

    Low interview points this year include: the removing dead wood comment wrt to Sky Team, and the kind of belittling the previous work/training done with Garmin. IMO.
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    PBo wrote:
    rodgers73 wrote:
    If I knew sod all about football and asked a fan "so what's this joey Barton bloke like then?"
    Turfle wrote:
    I don't think there's ever been a sportsman that you'll get universal agreement on.

    I think rodgers73 had already given the example that disproves your theory!!!! :lol:

    Pfft, Barton is hilarious. It's like watching Jeremy Kyle on a football pitch, with added copy-paste Nietzsche. How can you not be a fan of that?
  • greasedscotsman
    greasedscotsman Posts: 6,962
    rodgers73 wrote:
    I'm not desperate to support anyone really - it's more a question of "Is he worthy of support? Or is he too tw*tty?"

    If your struggling, the forum can allocate you someone to support. afx237vi is now Joaquim Rodriguez's No. 1 superfan thanks to the BR forum.

    viewtopic.php?f=40002&t=12855804&p=17637458&hilit=superfan#p17637458
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    ddraver wrote:
    Only british people could have a thread like this... Shame :(

    I could understand if he was an axe murderer or something, but he's just said a few dodgy things to the media...

    And Murray is a bit grumpy, so what, the only person I know who is really into their tennis would love him to do well at Wimbledon. People who expect top level sportsmen to have perfect personalities just have unrealistic expectations.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live

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