They are NOT fuckn' 'heroes'!

[Rum]

They may be fit as butchers' dogs, dedicated and single minded but Olympic champions are NOT heroes! Damned bloody news media!!

Silly bloody Brit so called 'honours list' needs to be ditched!

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20858353


Olympic heroes head New Year Honours


Bradley Wiggins, who won the Tour de France and an Olympic gold, has been knighted in a New Year Honours list dominated by London 2012 medallists.

The cyclist appears on a special list drawn up to recognise 78 Games heroes.

Paralympic cyclist Sarah Storey becomes a dame after taking four golds while the most decorated sailor in Olympic history, Ben Ainslie, is knighted.

Katherine Grainger, Victoria Pendleton, Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and David Weir become CBEs, and Andy Murray is an OBE.

And the men behind cycling and rowing success, performance directors Dave Brailsford and David Tanner, also become sirs.
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Olympics and Paralympics

Knight/Dame:

Ben Ainslie (sailing)
Sarah Storey (cycling)
Bradley Wiggins (cycling)
Dave Brailsford (cycling)
David Tanner (rowing)

CBE:

Jessica Ennis (athletics)
Mo Farah (athletics)
Katherine Grainger (rowing)
Victoria Pendleton (cycling)
David Weir (athletics)

OBE:

Jason Kenny (cycling)
Andy Murray (tennis)
Ellie Simmonds (swimming)
Laura Trott (cycling)

MBE:

Nicola Adams (boxing)
Alistair Brownlee (triathlon)
Jonny Peacock (athletics)
Greg Rutherford (athletics)
Louis Smith (gymnastics)

Wiggins knighted in honours list
New Year Honours for Games stars

Away from the Games, there are OBEs for actor Ewan McGregor and fashion designer Stella McCartney, while illustrator Quentin Blake was also knighted on the main list for those not involved in London 2012.

There is also a knighthood for the industrial designer, Kenneth Grange, the man behind the UK's first parking meter, the InterCity 125 train and the Kodak Instamatic camera.

Singer Kate Bush and artist Tracey Emin are made CBEs, an honour also bestowed on former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, for her services to dance and to charity. Comedy writer Jeremy Lloyd, 82, who co-wrote TV shows including the BBC's 'Allo 'Allo and Are You Being Served is among the OBEs.

There is also a CBE for Cherie Blair, the wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, in recognition of her service to women's issues and to charity in the UK and overseas. The first female foreign secretary Margaret Beckett becomes a dame.

For the first time, the Cabinet Office has published citations giving details of why the highest honours have been made following a complaint from MPs on the Public Administration Select Committee that the process should be more transparent.

But much of the attention will centre on the people rewarded for making the two London Games such a success.

Affectionately known as Wiggo, the first British winner of the Tour said: "I never ever imagined that I would ever become a knight so it's an incredible honour.

"But there's a slight element of disbelief and it will take a while to sink in."

Known for his sideburns and his retro Mod fashion sense, Sir Bradley already had a CBE.

Storey, who is expecting her first child, is honoured for services to para-cycling after her London medal haul took her gold medal total to 11, which equals Tanni Grey-Thompson and Dave Roberts as one of the country's most successful Paralympians.
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Other notable recipients
Peter Higgs

Companion of Honour:

Lord Coe (London 2012)
Professor Peter Higgs (physics, pictured)

Knight/Dame:

Quentin Blake (illustration)
Kenneth Grange (design)
Bernard Hogan-Howe (policing)
Hector Sants (financial services)
Margaret Beckett (political service)

CBE:

Cherie Blair (women's issues)
Kate Bush (music)
Tracey Emin (arts)
Martha Lane Fox (digital economy)
Arlene Phillips (dance)

OBE:

Stella McCartney (fashion)
Ewan McGregor (acting)

MBE:

Nicola Benedetti (music)
Mark Ramprakash (cricket)
Pat Rice (football)

The 35-year-old from Disley in Cheshire said: "Wow, I am speechless but incredibly honoured and extremely proud."

Some of the biggest names of London 2012 received CBEs - the UK's most successful female rower, Katherine Grainger, the poster girl of the Games, Jessica Ennis, and wheelchair athlete David "The Weirwolf" Weir. Weir won four gold medals in the 5,000m, 1500m, 800m and marathon at the 2012 Paralympics.

Joining their ranks with his first honour is athlete Mo Farah, who lifted the nation with his double gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m.

His first came during a pulsating 46 minutes in the Olympic Stadium on Super Saturday, 4 August, when Team GB picked up three gold medals - Farah in the 10,000m, Ennis in the heptathlon and Greg Rutherford in the long jump, an achievement that earned him an MBE.

Andy Murray was made an OBE in a year which saw him win Olympic gold and become the first British man to win a grand slam singles title for 76 years when he triumphed in the US Open.

Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, 18, now has an OBE to add to the MBE she won in 2009, the youngest person to do so aged 14.

Nicola Adams said: "I can't believe how much my life has changed"

Some of the people who helped to make the games such a success were recognised, including Lord Coe, who becomes a Companion of Honour, a special honour given for service of conspicuous national importance and limited to 65 people at any one time.

It is an exclusive club and now also includes Professor Peter Higgs, who predicted a new particle, the Higgs Boson, in the 1960s, and this year the particle was proved to exist.

But one name missing from the list is film and theatre director Danny Boyle, whose artistic vision was so spectacularly realised in the Olympic opening ceremony but who is believed to have turned one down.

A Cabinet Office spokesman said an unprecedented number of sportspeople had received honours, with 123 awards compared to 44 in the last list. Of these, 78 were related to the Olympics or Paralympics.

He said there were four criteria in deciding which athletes should be awarded including longevity in the sport, general performance and how much they give back to the sporting community.

The sporting honours committee also assesses what stage the individual is in their career in terms of whether they are likely to be competing for a further number of years.

He added that 72% of the recipients are people who have undertaken outstanding work in their communities either in a voluntary or paid capacity.

Sir Quentin Blake: "To me it's amazing"

They include Penelope Clough, 53, who becomes an MBE after campaigning for a change in the law related to bail, following the murder of her daughter Jane by her ex-partner.

The man committed the offence after being released on bail but following the work of Ms Clough, prosecutors are now able to challenge judges' bail decisions in the High Court.

Recipients of the British Empire Medal (BEM), reintroduced in the 2012 Queen's Birthday Honours, include Robert Clinton for his work with the Veterans Aid charity, which looks after homeless ex-service personnel.

The Foreign Office's diplomatic and overseas list honouring those living or working abroad includes recognition for codebreaker Raymond Roberts, who is made an MBE for services to Bletchley Park. Alison Shalaby, who is the chief executive officer of Reunite, becomes a CBE for services to the prevention and resolution of international parental child abduction.

Some 31 head teachers have been recognised, including Joan McVittie, who transformed two schools in deprived areas of London and Sally Coates, who has overseen huge improvements at Burlington Danes Academy in west London. Both become Dames

[odysseus]

Does anybody actually take any notice these days? They hand out gongs like sweeties.....

[pErvinalia]

Yeah, this "hero" tag for sports people really shits me.

[tattuchu]

So being knighted these days (and "dame" is the female equivalent, I take it?) is virtually meaningless, it would seem. And you don't even need to know how to use a broadsword, even? Or ride a horse? Or carry a full set of armour? Anyone can be a knight?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Anyone can be a knight?

For a day, anyway.

[Rum]

So being knighted these days (and "dame" is the female equivalent, I take it?) is virtually meaningless, it would seem. And you don't even need to know how to use a broadsword, even? Or ride a horse? Or carry a full set of armour? Anyone can be a knight?

I think the criteria have changed over the centuries. You don't even need a round table any more!

[tattuchu]

So being knighted these days (and "dame" is the female equivalent, I take it?) is virtually meaningless, it would seem. And you don't even need to know how to use a broadsword, even? Or ride a horse? Or carry a full set of armour? Anyone can be a knight?

I think the criteria have changed over the centuries. You don't even need a round table any more!

How peculiar

[Faithfree]

Yeah, this "hero" tag for sports people really shits me.

Yep, that gets me too.

[Red Celt]

More controversially, I'm antagonised when those in the civil service (whether military or domestic) are called "heroes" for doing their job. People within those services can be heroic... but they're not heroic in the act of doing what they're paid to do.

[pErvinalia]

I'm more happy for them to be given the tag, given their dangerous line of work. I think it takes a certain amount of courage (or perhaps it's just stupidity) to be a cop or a soldier. I also include Ambo's (paramedics) and Firey's (fire fighters) in that. In fact, I have even more respect for them. In fact, I shit you not, I actually fantasise about being awarded a hero medallion thingy for one day saving an ambo from being beat up by some drunk fuckstick.

[ronmcd]

They may be fit as butchers' dogs, dedicated and single minded but Olympic champions are NOT heroes!

Except Andy Murray. Obviously.

Sorted for you

[JacksSmirkingRevenge]

Yeah, this "hero" tag for sports people really shits me.

It annoys me too, especially in football circles....According to some people, Wayne Rooney is a "genius"?

[Pappa]

I'm curious about what everyone thinks the word "hero" is supposed to mean. Definition from Google:

1. A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.
2. The chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities.

And the etymology:

late 14c., "man of superhuman strength or physical courage," from L. heros "hero," from Gk. heros "demi-god" (a variant singular of which was heroe), originally "defender, protector," from PIE root *ser- "to watch over, protect" (cf. L. servare "to save, deliver, preserve, protect;" see observe). Meaning "man who exhibits great bravery" in any course of action is from 1660s. Sense of "chief male character in a play, story, etc." first recorded 1690s. First record of hero-worship is from 1774.

The current use to describe sportspeople as heroes seems to match the 14th century usage and meaning well.

[Red Celt]

I'm curious about what everyone thinks the word "hero" is supposed to mean. Definition from Google:

1. A person, typically a man, who is admired for courage or noble qualities.
2. The chief male character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities.

And the etymology:

late 14c., "man of superhuman strength or physical courage," from L. heros "hero," from Gk. heros "demi-god" (a variant singular of which was heroe), originally "defender, protector," from PIE root *ser- "to watch over, protect" (cf. L. servare "to save, deliver, preserve, protect;" see observe). Meaning "man who exhibits great bravery" in any course of action is from 1660s. Sense of "chief male character in a play, story, etc." first recorded 1690s. First record of hero-worship is from 1774.

The current use to describe sportspeople as heroes seems to match the 14th century usage and meaning well.

Not so much the Ancient Greek definition. A competitor at the original Olympics wasn't thought of as a "hero". If he extended that prowess on the battlefield, though... perhaps; but it would have to involve something spectacular, for which they would later be deified and held as an inspirational figure for later generations. Throwing a discus further than anyone else didn't qualify as heroic.

[Pappa]

We don't speak Ancient Greek.