Comments on: Kevin Pietersen: To love or hate him?

By: sporto boots

sporto boots — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 05:35:50 +0000

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By: Ray Miller

Ray Miller — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:54:15 +0000

You can criticise Pietersen as much as you like (I dont really think he cares) but you can never take away from him what he has achieved,particularly since he has screwed our wilting flower children into the ground since he took over the Captaincy of England. As for badmouthing what about all the Hogwash we have to listen to from our Sports Administrators and so called Politicians. Maybe Kevin should stand up and vow to “Kill for England” ??????

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By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:08:58 +0000

That makes you uninhibited to speak your mind, which is great if you´re chatting to friends, family or acquaintences but if you´re talking to a mass market like KP or Clyde Rathbone did in the media. I would recommend that you be absolutely certain you know what you are talking about - which i´m not sure that they do.

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By: Richard P

Richard P — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 21:42:04 +0000

@ Steve

So what happens if I happen to be in the public eye (which I most certainly am not), and some interviewer asks me what I think of what is going down in SA? Do I avoid answering the question? Do I spin some positive answer? Do I am call things the way I see them?

In my own life, SA hardly ever features (politically at least) in my conversations, even with my English wife, and I hardly ever volunteer my views on SA. Nothing irritates me more than the SAn whenwes you get over here.

However, I do feel very negative about what is happening in SA and, when on the rare occasion I am asked for my views by a friend, colleague or stranger, although I will not rant (I confine that to SAn fora like this, where I can get things off my chest), I do make it clear in a sentence or two that I am anything but optimistic about SA’s prospects.

I will never discourage anyone from visiting SA as a tourist (I will let folk know that sensible precautions will by and large avoid crime), but if anyone were to ask me about moving to SA or making a capital investment there, I would at the very least suggest that they might want to think very very carefully about it.

I certainly feel no obligation to put a positive spin on SA.

What does that make me?

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By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:39:12 +0000

Richard P, Not at all, everyone is entitled to their opinion - but I believe you should be respectfull to who you are sharing that opinion with - theres a difference to having an opinion around the braai than to having an opinion that is to be published in a book or shown on a televised interview. If you´re sharing your opinion with your mates, or anyone who is interested, thats one thing, but when you make your opinion an announcement like they did you are making a public statement, and you better be sure you know what you are talking about and don´t care about making enemies when making public statements…

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By: d

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:28:11 +0000

Nice piece, very balanced…he was not good enough that is the truth, but like all so-called truths it can also be reversed. Maybe Kevin should learn to accept his South African cricket failures and also how to celebrate his new revitalised career in England. Maybe then I, a South African will learn to look beyond his shallow confidence, which is acceptable now and then….

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By: Richard P

Richard P — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:57:15 +0000

@ Steve, Gerry and Luddite,

I stand corrected then. SAn sports fans have clearly grown up since I left SA in ‘99.

That said, if you have a negative opinion about what is happening in SA (as I do), are you meant to shut up about it after you have left SA?

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By: Luddite

Luddite — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:56:39 +0000

Richard P
You might be overstating that “traitor” bit there.
As far as I know, no one has labelled Strauss a traitor, nor that de Villiers fellow who plays rugby for France. Nor half the American rugby team, with names that read like a teamsheet for Vrystaat in 1985. Or even Roger Federer if you want to take the exercise that far.
In fact, the vitroil reserved for KP is the exception, rather than rule for Saffers playing abroad.

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By: Gerry

Gerry — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:13:52 +0000

Richard – not all Saffers who goes to play overseas are branded traitors, assholes or muppets. Only those who make it a big deal and slam SA beause of it. Clyde Rathbone and Muppet Pietersen come to mind. Many a South African cheered and congratulated Adriaan Richter when he went to play for Australia – good on ye mate - and we don’t mourn and call Charl Langeveld a “traitor” now that he’s a Kolpak player, do we? Do we turn our back on Gary Kirsten now that he’s India’s coach?

No mate, being a traitor is not about leaving your country, it’s about badmouthing the place and making an arse of yourself while you do it.

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By: Morne

Morne — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:35:45 +0000

Lux Mantambo, good to hear from your. Where have you bean. Well, since you are back, we expect more politics ande I hope you will stay away from them this time around.
Although I clashed with you a lot before, I enjoy your writing.

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