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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think footballers aren’t heroes, cave divers are!

100 replies

Bonjourmonami73 · 12/07/2018 06:12

Look, I know people are gutted about the football but it massively irritates me that the front pages of the papers describe them as heroes!

The British cave divers that went out to Thailand are volunteers- they risked their lives in dangerous conditions to save 12 children and their coach.

They are the ones our idiotic press should be praising and not footballers.

Aibu?

OP posts:
katienana · 12/07/2018 07:04

The England team donate the wages they get for playing for z England to charity (I think to the FA grassroots football foundation but not 100% certain)

Shumpalumpa · 12/07/2018 07:07

@katienana that's pocket change compared to what they make playing in the Premier League 😂

It's good PR for them to donate WC wages to charity.

MissusGeneHunt · 12/07/2018 07:11

Maybe the press should have called them 'Sporting Heroes' or 'Football Heroes' to differentiate. I get what the OP is saying, and to keep everyone unagrieved (is that even a word?!), a distinction could have been made.

The press is what it is though so it's never going to happen!!!

Divers are HUGE heroes, I agree.

Limpopobongo · 12/07/2018 07:13

Why do the press make such a thing about things the British do? British experts here there and everywhere as if the locals are thick and stupid. Hopefully now they are rescued the press can return to some real news.

rainingcatsanddog · 12/07/2018 07:13

The divers are obviously amazing people.

The football has provided a welcome distraction from the Tories and Brexit. It has created a nation more proud, upbeat and united than normal. (Before anyone says it, I know that some people don't care about football) I don't think you can dismiss their achievement because their club salaries are massive. If the English players were at the top of their game, Premiership Clubs wouldn't have to import foreign players but there are exceptional footballers internationally and you see that with the foreign names printed on the back of football shirts. The English football team performed much better than expected and deserve to bask in praise for a change.
Heroic is obviously not how I'd describe their actions but they are 3rd or 4th place in the world's most popular sport which is a massive deal and will make supporters proud.

NotTakenUsername · 12/07/2018 07:17

Yabu to start a moany football thread under the guise of praising some incredible cave divers.
I’m sure many are football fans themselves and I doubt many of them would thank you...

LadyPenelope68 · 12/07/2018 07:21

Heroes save lives, help people, rescue people, etc, etc, not kick a bag of air round a pitch and get paid extortionate amounts. I agree, describing them as heroes is ridiculous and just over inflated their already over inflated football egos.

Original poster
Bonjourmonami73 · 12/07/2018 07:24

@nottaken actually its a threat about the British press and their priorities

@limpop actually the British divers are the world leading experts in this case and were called in on this occasion as the (equally amazing) Thai navy seals didnt have the nescessary expertise

OP posts:
Original poster
Bonjourmonami73 · 12/07/2018 07:25

*thread not threat!!!

OP posts:
cece · 12/07/2018 07:26

I agree with you OP

pigeondujour · 12/07/2018 07:31

kick a bag of air round a pitch

Do people who say this realise quite how stupid it makes them sound?

Limpopobongo · 12/07/2018 07:31

Divers from 5 other countries participated in the rescue.

AlwaysAToDoList · 12/07/2018 07:33

YABU.

Everyone has different hero’s. Just because the press call footballers heros it doesn’t mean it’s a fact.

It’s called having a difference of opinion

kalapattar · 12/07/2018 07:35

I think this rescue has been great for children to see what heroism looks like.

Children are used to seeing 'Marvel super heroes' - there were some great cartoons about 'heroes don't wear capes, they wear scuba gear' over the last week.

I don't see sportspeople as heroes. That's not my definition of a hero.

Anyone who puts their life on the line is a hero to me.

Lethaldrizzle · 12/07/2018 07:36

Completely agree

Cauliflowershower · 12/07/2018 07:38

I’m happy for the footballers and their coaches and managers to be described as heroes. It doesn’t detract from the cave divers at all imo-most people are bright enough to distinguish between sporting heroes and rescue heroes.
But just to play devils advocate and not to detract from the brave and amazing feat that the rescue guys accomplished-I’m not sure cave divers all get into it with the intent of rescuing people-surely it’s a sport in itself and a dangerous one at that.

Original poster
Bonjourmonami73 · 12/07/2018 07:39

@limpop yes, all the divers were amazing. That really isnt my point here- my point is that the press use the word heroes too freely.

The Australian media have been full of praise for the Australian doctor that helped in the rescue.

OP posts:
Unfinishedkitchen · 12/07/2018 07:39

Can’t we just live and let live? The team will be hero’s to many kids who will be inspired to work that bit harder today by the teams work ethic. The team may also inspire many people to get off the couch and do some exercise.

The rescue team are obviously hero’s.

I don’t understand why people have to compare. It’s not a zero sum game.

ShatnersBassoon · 12/07/2018 07:40

It's not that they're now the reigning Heroes - they haven't knocked anyone off the top spot or become more heroic than whoever went before them.

The newspapers are encouraging sales by using hyperbola in an attempt to rouse public pride.

Original poster
Bonjourmonami73 · 12/07/2018 07:41

@cauliflower “most people are bright enough to distinguish between sporting heroes and rescue heroes” I am not sure about that!! Smile

OP posts:
Limpopobongo · 12/07/2018 07:46

I agree the press do use the word Hero way too freely.

My press intake usually involves skimming the trash like the DM which is constantly full of repeat stories about Megan Markle, the Royals blah blah blah, the latest fad diet, stories with "revealed" in the headline, then a more detailed read of the Guardian which at least is graphically pleasing and has some great editorial content.

I suppose we all have our own personal "heroes" which is completely different from real heroes.

Think about this for example..When Cheseley Sullenberger dropped his plane in the east river, sure he was thinking about the plane and all the people on it but he was also thinking about himself,his family, his children and his wife. He didnt want to die either.

Many acts of what is called "heroism" are really driven by self preservation and the absolute drive to survive and anything else is a bonus.

NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 12/07/2018 07:47

Lots of people have different types of hero.

My hero was my head teacher who foumd something special about every pupil

My hero before that was my big brother just simply for being my big brother.

At 16 my heroes were the Hereford United team

If getting a lot of money excludes you from being a hero is prince Harry who fought in tje front line in afgamstan not a hero?

LadyPenelope68 · 12/07/2018 07:49

Do people who say this realise quite how stupid it makes them sound?

pigeon do England supporters who think footballers are heroes realise how stupid that makes THEM sound.

blueskypink · 12/07/2018 07:52

pigeon do England supporters who think footballers are heroes realise how stupid that makes THEM sound.

Exactly!

Gentlygently · 12/07/2018 07:53

www.gov.uk/honours/recommend-bravery-award

It is possible to nominate people for the George Cross. Just thought I would mention it.