Heroes? I don’t think so.

I think some of those divers were quite heroic in going in to rescue the boys trapped in the cave in Thailand. Some were just volunteers with the necessary diving experience, who risked their lives to get the boys out. Sadly one diver died there.

I would much rather see awards going to that type of person, than a footballer or "celebrity".

He hasn’t won yet

Quite right Grandma70!

They’re at it again. Someone who wins a bike race is not a hero. Nor is he ‘making history’. Total misuse of language. He’s good at riding a bike.

Why do so many think those who have wealth are selfish, have no thought for those who do not , seems wealth = greed and selfishness , it does not.

You might think the homeless people I work with would begrudge the inflated pay of some sports people and entertainers, but actually they rarely do.
I share a Godchild with a very highly paid comedian who is known for his TV work raising huge funds for charity, but what people won't know is that he does just as much behind the scenes when the cameras are absent. I suspect there are many highly paid people who do the same.
There will always be inequality in the world, but we all have the same opportunities to act kindly and at the end of the day that really counts for something. Reading Gransnet and hearing about parents supporting their adult children, caring for ailing spouses, running businesses, volunteering for charities, looking after grandchildren....... I think if being 'heroic' is about self-sacrifice and putting others first then I suggest there are many on this forum who would qualify.

I wasn’t blessed with a talent some are

Me neither Annie. When I look back (which I know is pointless) I really have no one else but myself to blame for not having a proper career. I really wanted to do some kind of social work and possibly may have been good at it. I will never know.
At 18, when my friends were starting college/uni etc. I was working full time in a boring office job to keep a roof over mine and my baby sons head. Made my bed and lay in it!

There is sodapop, that’s life. There are posters here who went to university had professions, I didn’t, should they have given me money because I earned less ? I worked in a boarding school for some years, it didn’t bother me that the teaching staff earned more , I earned enough to support my daughters. I want everyone to pay their tax but I don’t like this resentment that we are not earning the same.

Tennis players who are the top of the game earn much, their careers are over when they hit their thirties . Same with footballers, Beckham is the exception not the rule, there are footballers who work as salesmen.

I wasn’t blessed with a talent some are.

Footballers are paid silly money because people are prepared to pay silly money for tickets, football merchandise and sports coverage. The public has a choice.

More sinister is the gambling that is focusing on sport, way beyond the innocent football pools. (Do they still exist?)

Yes that is true Annie but there is also inequity in payment to other groups of workers who train and work hard.

Why do people begrudge what they earn, I have no interest in football but I don’t agree with the constant -people who earn money should give it away , why? some people have a talent, work hard developing their skills.

There's been much talk as if everyone is enthralled by football/sport. I'm not. This afternoon DD2 and I set off on our 3 hour drive home hoping motorways would be empty-not a bit of it! As busy as usual. . . . so not everyone is interested.
I would have more time for these admittedly talented sports players if they were paid minimum wage and their presently obscenely inflated wages spread around to those in society who need/deserve it.
Definitely not heroes!

Nope, I have every confidence you could get the best outcome for the majority grannyactivist. Anyone who has spent time doing the kind of work you do will have finely tuned negotiation skills and a solid BS barometer -

Iam64 your comment made me laugh out loud as one of my lovely homeless men said almost the same thing to me yesterday. I'd helped him with a particularly difficult phone call to the DWP and eventually got them to agree to a particular course of action and my client's response was to suggest I tackle Brexit next. Way beyond my skill set I'm afraid.

Annie had you visited the city centre where I live you would have realised the media were not responsible for "Whipping up the hysteria" the loyal fans were managing that quite nicely by themselves. During the match everywhere (except inside pubs) was deserted, aftterw a match you couldn't move for the celebrations.

grannyactivist, another grand post from you. I know you're busy with all kinds of interesting and positive things but, could you sort of Brexit for us please. You can wear a waistcoat during any negotiations, it seems to help some of keep calm and carry on.

Language is dynamic; for instance the words wicked, bad and sick all now have positive connotations in some circumstances. I think that, dependent upon the context, people clearly have an understanding about what they mean when using a particular word, but problems arise when there is a lack of consensus regarding meaning.
Personally I don't have a problem with people using the word 'hero' to describe a football player simply because I make the assumption that people can, and do, differentiate between the traditional meaning and a looser, more modern application. The difficulty comes when I have to teach the English language to foreigners and explain that a word can have two diametrically opposed meanings (i.e. wicked), or that some words do not have shared understandings.

I don't necessarily think using the same word devalues the true meaning, but it inevitably creates a lack of differentiation that causes some people to quibble at the use of the same word for both.

And I understand your pride in your. team Iam, I experience the same every year when we have The Six Nations . I love Max Boyce’s rugby songs ?

I am glad England was joyful for those weeks, but the media was whipping up hysteria

I understand your feelings Anniebach.

Sorry but using hero for the war dead and a football team or any sportsperson is not for me, it devalues what I believe to be the true meaning.

grannyactivist the sacrifice and actions of your loved ones does make them heroes, no one here is disputing that those who die in service of their country or whilst helping others are heroes in the true meaning of the word.
Annie is right - another word could be found for our football and other sports people who lift the spirits of the nation and provide great entertainment.
I'm happy enough with hero as descriptions of both though. I'm sure it's possible to read the description without trying to decide who is most heroic. It's obvious, isn't it.

Katek - you couldn’t be more correct (not sure about the grammar, don’t really care either!)
I have spent the last few matches listening to my DH shouting at the telly and I just don’t get it? Healthy competition yes, heroism NO.

Tennis is the only sport I have any interest in. But I didn't think my favourite Roger Federer was a hero when he lost his quarter final. Nor when he won at Wimbledon last year. I was just pleased then and sad this year.

My sympathies for your family’s loss ga - your sons in law truly represent the word ‘hero’. I come from an RAF background and many of the men (including my father) had seen active service during WW2. I grew up hearing tales of wartime exploits and much talk of the Battle of Britain. Most poignant for me was the photograph of an uncle whom I never met, which sat on my grandmother’s mantelpiece. A red, white and blue striped ribbon surrounded the frame and a new poppy was carefully placed on the corner every Remembrance Day. He was killed at Anzio aged 25. My mother carried on this tradition until she died in 2000-over 50 years of remembrance for the lost. I cannot see these young footballers in the same light; stars, idols, celebrities-yes, but not heroes.