Arise Sir Jonny

Gassage

Jonny Wilkinson to be knighted. Truly shed a tear for him. Not wishing to clang the names down, but have worked professionally with him many, many times and he's the most charming, modest man in sport, despite having rugby tourettes and despite being able not to speak in anything other than ridiculous granular detail!

A true icon. And the best thing- he beat Beckham to it! And quite rightly.

I'm all warm and goo-ey.

Gassage

Just heard Dallaglio on radio showing a lot of bad grace re this knighthood.

All he could say was that the public of New Zealand have considered Dallaglio to be a Count over there for many years now.

Fretwired

Gassage said:

Jonny Wilkinson to be knighted. Truly shed a tear for him. Not wishing to clang the names down, but have worked professionally with him many, many times and he's the most charming, modest man in sport, despite having rugby tourettes and despite being able not to speak in anything other than ridiculous granular detail!

A true icon. And the best thing- he beat Beckham to it! And quite rightly.

I'm all warm and goo-ey.

Johnny's a nice guy .. I've met him at England rugby events.

However I do think that the New Years honours need to be binned. Too many are politically motivated - yes, that's you Lord Sugar and Baroness Brady.

Gassage

@fretwired

I think that they should remain but I dont' think business and civil service achievements should count as much as they do. In Wilko's case, he's an icon. One of our greatest ever sportsmen but most of all, someone who's raised £12m in charity work in the last 5 years without telling anyone about it.

He's conducted himself with more dignity than the Royal Family, House of Lords and Commons put together.

And his only vice is his total addiction to Maynards Wine Gums.

Fretwired

Gassage said:

@fretwired

I think that they should remain but I dont' think business and civil service achievements should count as much as they do. In Wilko's case, he's an icon. One of our greatest ever sportsmen but most of all, someone who's raised £12m in charity work in the last 5 years without telling anyone about it.

He's conducted himself with more dignity than the Royal Family, House of Lords and Commons put together.

And his only vice is his total addiction to Maynards Wine Gums.

The New Years honours are handed out by the PM and rubber stamped by the Queen. Scrap them and replace them with a body that gives out awards based on what an individual has done for society, not as a reward for how much money they've given to a political party etc. I have no problem with JW's award.

I see the seedy side of this whole affair as my company has been paid to write 'submissions' for some unworthy people seeking a gong.

Gassage

I worked for James Caan for 2.5 yrs as his PR and Marketing Director.

He has a file called 'Project Gong'.

I thought that was narcissistic and quite pathetic.

vasselmeyer

Jonny is a true gent and possible a contender for Greatest Living Englishman. If only our other sports people could aspire to his his conduct and professionalism, we'd be the greatest sporting country in the world. Well deserved.

chillidoggy

Fretwired said:

Gassage said:

@fretwired

I think that they should remain but I dont' think business and civil service achievements should count as much as they do. In Wilko's case, he's an icon. One of our greatest ever sportsmen but most of all, someone who's raised £12m in charity work in the last 5 years without telling anyone about it.

He's conducted himself with more dignity than the Royal Family, House of Lords and Commons put together.

And his only vice is his total addiction to Maynards Wine Gums.

The New Years honours are handed out by the PM and rubber stamped by the Queen. Scrap them and replace them with a body that gives out awards based on what an individual has done for society, not as a reward for how much money they've given to a political party etc. I have no problem with JW's award.

I see the seedy side of this whole affair as my company has been paid to write 'submissions' for some unworthy people seeking a gong.

I can't see why her Maj can't do it herself. That way it would take the politics out of the equation which, as you say, can sour things. That'd shake it up a bit.

randomhandclaps

Gassage said:

I worked for James Caan for 2.5 yrs as his PR and Marketing Director.

He has a file called 'Project Gong'.

I thought that was narcissistic and quite pathetic.

In fairness he's fucking great in Elf.

http://i1284.photobucket.com/albums/a579/imadray/misery_zpsb6702c49.jpg

vasselmeyer

Gassage said:

Jonny Wilkinson to be knighted.

By the way @Gassage, in the words of Wikipedia; citation needed. Haven't seen anything on the beeb or otehr mainstream media.

Gassage

1) http://www.planetrugby.co.uk/story/0,25883,3551_9622771,00.html
2) I got a text off Richard Hill yesterday  telling me Jonny had been asked (Hilly=JW's best mate and works for my company)

Hootsmon

here's hoping he can get up

Gassage

@randomhandclaps has done a rather good photoshop of this event...

Gassage

koneguitarist

Is it me, but let's be honest a Knighthood for being paid ridiculously well to play rugby. And one of your greatest ever sportsman ?

Gassage

@koneguitarist

Yup, and someone who has been exemplary in his conduct, has been iconic as a player, an all time great of the game, possibly in the top 3 or 4 players of all time, a tireless worker for charity, a role model par excellance and above all, a winner and a lovely man.

Put it this way, it's a lot more deserving that Max fucking Boyce's MBE. All he did was wave a giant daffodil.

In team sports, yes, deffo one of our greatest, of that there is no question whatsoever.

Oh and a man that united a nation with one kick. And gave so much pleasure to so many people.

I'd say it was totally deserved.

koneguitarist

I can see the CBE, MBE and all that, and I can see he's a nice guy that is a role model, but greatest ever player, probably not in top 50 for me, unless it's all about points scored, then you have to take into account team he played for at the time. For what it's worth I don't know why Max Boyce has got a MBE either. But they are often given out to the Arts etc, but a Knighthood was originally for military service I thought!

Gassage

You are incredibly one eyed about Wilko. And pretty much in a minority of one.

If you look at what he achieved in 2007 with a gash side, utter crap, he singlehandedly got us within a touchline of retaining the World Cup.

And, 'the team he played for' he led all the tactical thinking and optioning at the age of 22. that's astonishing. Yes, we had a great pack and inarguably the greatest back row unit ever to have played at international level, but Wilko steered that ship.

What Jonny did better than any other player I have ever seen was understand his resources and find a way of winning. He did it time and time again. And his backline deep passing was world class, one of the best.

Speak to people like Dan Carter and Joost about him. They are utterly in awe of him.

fretmeister

Gassage said:

Speak to people like Dan Carter and Joost about him. They are utterly in awe of him.

Yeah, but they are wrong. And Carter isn't anywhere near as good as Henson.

God sits on Hensons's right hand.

Gassage

Not sure if a LOL or a Wisdom

koneguitarist

Rose tinted glasses spring to mind, he was part of a great side in 2003, in 2007 England were lucky to get past USA, Vickery should have been red carded, and it was the most poor game of rugby I have ever seen, how England got through was more down to lenient reffing than anything Wilko did, in fact I would say he was main reason England have been so poor due to his ability to get backs working.

He was part of the reason why the lions of 2005 were so badly beaten. 

As I said nice guy good kicker role model, does work for charity struggling to find anything else to say!