Wiggo..... Arrogant?

I was just having an argument with someone about Bradley Wiggins. I like him. I think he is no nonsense and pretty bloody good at what he does. Its nice to have a British athlete for once who can pretty much knock the spots off anybody on the planet today. We don't often get that.

Anyway matey was saying that he didn't like him because Wiggo come across as arrogant. Firstly I think he has a little bit of an atitude but thats his thing. But so would I if I were one of the best sportsman this country has ever seen. What I didnt get was when he won his gold he didn't seem to even know the where he was. Possibly one of the most famous buildings in the UK Hampton Court. What was that all about?? So perhaps he might just be daft as a brush

When you are good at something do you need that little bit of arrogance to make you better. Does it matter if somebody is arrogant aslong as they are good?

I can't be arrogant as I am not very good at anything other than eating biscuits and sleeping.

Thoughts and answers on a postcard

He's simply excellent at what he does, he is pragmatic and confident, and having proved himself over many years with Olympic and Tour success, his confidence is well earned, I don't see any arrogance in the way he behaves, he appears a very down to earth likeable character, who puts his success down to hard work and determination, it not like he's claiming a God-given talent, but I suppose the British way is to love our losers and dislike our winners

well thats what I thought. good point NW4 we do love our losers and hate our winners. We never like to see people doing well and if they fail miserably it always seems heroic.

I think what he was getting at was that Wiggo said no other coloured medal would have done. I thought he just meant he had his eyes set on gold and nothing was going to stop him. But chummy thought it was demeaning Martin and Froome

Wiggo arrogant??  The worst I can say is that he can sometimes come across a little aloof in interviews, but if anything that's probably more to do with his shy nature, quite the opposite of arrogance.

He was the clear favourite for the time trial.  If he hadn't won it would have been down to a disappointing performance from himself, or some sort of bad luck by way of a puncture, crash, etc. (or chain breaking on the starting ramp - that poor Spaniard!)  So it was his to lose - saying only gold would do wasn't arrogance but realism.  He was hardly cock-waving like a heavyweight boxer in a press conference.

Phil thats my first thought about boxers who talk it up then get battered. I suppose cyclists are not like footballers who are always doing interviews and used to it. I expect Wiggo is getting better in front of the cameras but still not used to all the attention. It was like watching Cav last night at the velodrome he looked so nervous and didnt know what to do with himself.

Do we need to 'like' our successful sportsmen and women?

I'd care if someone I actually knew, and had to deal with, was arrogant, but does it matter what someone I've never met, and probably won't ever meet, is like in person?

In any case, we only see the 'media' side of them, which is unlikely to give more than a tiny view of their personality.

(And I think you could stick a lot of people down outside Hampton Court Palace and they wouldn't be able to tell you what it was.)

Surely if you were cycling there and had an event there you would know where it was. Have you ever entered an event then forgotten where you were? Lol

But I agree we don't have to like them but we always have this urge to like our sportsmen and women and alway hope they are nice. Chris Hoy seems a really nice bloke and he has a  lot to be arrogant about.

I've no idea where hampton court is either.

TheVicar wrote (see)

Surely if you were cycling there and had an event there you would know where it was. Have you ever entered an event then forgotten where you were? Lol

I think being a competitor in an Olympic event may be a little different from entering a local event.

No entry form, for a start. 

He won't have had to get the train there, or wonder if there will be enough parking if he drives, nor had to think about what time he needs to leave home, or where how many portaloos there will be.

I'd guess WHERE it actually was was the last thing on his mind.

But you would have an inkling if you were stood in front of it and knew you had to be there to race? Anyway thats not the point its just something that stuck in my mind and thought was little strange

I would say he is very confident in his ability which can come across as arrogant.  He is though very respectful of the support he gets from everybody. I love his cycling ability but he p***es me off because he can also play guitar really well, you surely should only be gifted at one thing

Like that bloody shooter yesterday. He lives 10 miles from me and went to alot of posh schools round here and he was pretty good at rugby and other things then decides to do a bit of shooting and becomes Olympic gold medalist. Some people are just made to succeed at things no matter what they choose to do

 The git he can grow sideburns better than me to.

To call wiggo arrogant is frankly ridiculous given the way he's carried himself consistently over since he first came into the public eye. Just looking at how he thanks and saluted the crowds at the end of the tour de France this year sum's up his attitude better than anything we could say and sounds to me like your friend doesn't know what he's talking about and just annoyed that everyone is talking about Bradley. He one of the best cyclist's of his generation and becoming one of the greatest BG Olympians of all time.

That's good we have two reasons not to like him now, but he can keep on cycling and winning golds and TdFs

Funny isn't it. I thought he would be seen as one of the least arrogant sportsman about.

But its the 'Great?? British public' again, who frankly half of are complete tools, always trying to call someone arrogant..they simply can't wait to lay that one on someone.

Like with Paula - saying she 'gave up' in Athens. Then in London, they moan when she stops to have a pee in public so she could win! Make your minds up!!

Sorry - feel strongly about this