Football commentator's view on road cycling.

[Brandane]

Watching the Portugal v Czech Republic game last night on BBC..

No idea who the male commentator was, but one of his many annoying comments was his reference to one of the players (I was only half listening at this point) cycling as a means of training. His view was "why would he do that, why take that risk, on our dangerous roads?"

Thanks, whoever you were, for putting that out on national tv..
1. For putting the already sceptical but potential cyclists off cycling.
2. Giving ammunition to the "cyclists shouldn't really be on the road" brigade. We heard it on the BBC so it must be right, innit?
3. For simply being an annoying nobber.

Edit.... It was Danny Murphy, whoever he might be.

 

[Slick]

The good thing is, not a single soul listens to anything Danny Murphy says about anything, so I reckon we would have got away with it.

That said, it is annoying when people have themselves a bit of a platform and they use it to spout total bull.

That was the crux of my point in the Gordon Ramsay thread, until it went nuclear with the helmet debate.

 

[Chislenko]

Worryingly Danny Murphy comes from the city where I live!!!

 

[Drago]

He did so badly at school he's had to take a job talking about the antics of 24 thugs, thickos and criminals chasing an inflated pigs bladder around a field for 90 minutes, so it's hardly surprising.

 

[Cycleops]

So cycling is dangerous but football players risk brain injury in every match by heading the ball

 

[Jameshow]

So cycling is dangerous but football players risk brain injury in every match by heading the ball

Should have helmets tbh. 🤣

 

[ianrauk]

This was also a story a good few years ago with Chelsea's Michael Essien. He used to cycle to training of which they put a stop to. Mainly for insurance reasons. As we know, one slip up on the bike and you can be quite badly hurt. Which wouldn't be great for a highly paid footballer.

 

[Alex321]

So cycling is dangerous but football players risk brain injury in every match by heading the ball

Most professional sports people are restricted in what other "risky" activities tgey are allowed to participate in, even if their own sport is more risky.

They and their employers (and insurers) accept the risk from the sport they are paid for, but don't want to be paying out for injuries caused by other activities.

 

[Moodyman]

This was also a story a good few years ago with Chelsea's Michael Essien. He used to cycle to training of which they put a stop to. Mainly for insurance reasons. As we know, one slip up on the bike and you can be quite badly hurt. Which wouldn't be great for a highly paid footballer.

I think this is the crux of it. Footballers are highly valuable assets and clubs want to minimise risk.

 

[Jody]

This was also a story a good few years ago with Chelsea's Michael Essien. He used to cycle to training of which they put a stop to. Mainly for insurance reasons. As we know, one slip up on the bike and you can be quite badly hurt. Which wouldn't be great for a highly paid footballer.

I know someone who ended up playing in the premier league for a few years and his car insurance had stipulations early on that he wasn't allowed other players in the car. This was when he was 17 and on a YT placement in a lower legue due to the potential liability if he had an accident. I believe it was down to the possibility of them suing for potential future earnings losses.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I've got a vague memory of a pro rider, possibly for Sky, turning their ankle or something like that during a kickabout and there being much tutting about allowing cyclists to do dangerous things like football.

I can't remember details but I don't think I made it up. Possibly it wasn't football, but some other sport. Or maybe it was a cricketer not a cyclist.

Anyway, you get my point. Top athletes are so valuable that they tend to get "wrapped in cotton wool" except when participating in their sport.

 

[The Crofted Crest]

FC Utrecht were sponsored for a while by Opel, so every player drove about in an Opel car. Except left back Jacob Lensky (ex-Celtic), who didn't have a driving licence. He was presented with an Opel bike in the centre circle before a home game. Lensky went off the rails soon after (loneliness, alcohol, drugs) and returned to Canada a broken man. I don't know what happened to the bike.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Hes a football commentator, not exactly the brightest bulb in the box.

‘It’s only Ray Parlour!’
Tim Lovejoy, as Ray Parlour scored the winning goal
2002 FA Cup Final
Arsenal v Chelsea

‘For those of you watching in black and white, Spurs are playing in yellow’
John Motson
1997

‘They’re the second best team in the world, and there’s no higher praise than that’
Kevin Keegan
Discussing the skills of Argentina

‘If that had gone in, that would have been a goal’
David Coleman

‘With the very last kick of the game, Bobby McDonald scored with a header’
Alan Parry

‘Well, it’s Ipswich nil, Liverpool two, and if that’s the way the score stays then you’ve got to fancy Liverpool to win’
Peter Jones

‘The ball came off the left breast of Sebastien Bassong’
Sam Matterface

‘If you cut Jamie Carragher open, he’ll bleed red’
Clive Tyldesley
2005 Champions Leauge
Chelsea vs Liverpool

‘They were numerically outnumbered’
Garry Birtles

‘The thing about goalscorers is that they score goals’
Tony Cottee

https://www.shortlist.com/news/the-10-stupidest-things-ever-said-by-football-commentators

 

[T4tomo]

I've got a vague memory of a pro rider, possibly for Sky, turning their ankle or something like that during a kickabout and there being much tutting about allowing cyclists to do dangerous things like football.

I can't remember details but I don't think I made it up. Possibly it wasn't football, but some other sport. Or maybe it was a cricketer not a cyclist.

Anyway, you get my point. Top athletes are so valuable that they tend to get "wrapped in cotton wool" except when participating in their sport.

It was a cricketer, or certainly that happened to one of the England cricketers.

google tells me Rory Burns, on a tour to SA. footy kickabouts banned thereafter.

I also recall some sports person, being overjoyed on retiring from his sport as he was now allowed to go skiing on holiday

 

[Dogtrousers]

It was a cricketer, or certainly that happened to one of the England cricketers.

Yes, I remember that now. So I didn't make it up. I was sure it was Geraint Thomas and spent a while googling, but all I could find was this https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/geraint-thomas-im-the-best-footballer-at-ineos-grenadiers

I think my addled brain might have taken the two stories and mixed them up. Just shows how myths emerge.