'Sir Bradley Wiggins' does not sound plausible however 'Sir Chris Hoy' does

22 December 2008 18:37
It is widely predicted that the Olympic cycling champion will be knighted in the New Year's honours list. And no wonder. Not only is Hoy hugely deserving of such recognition, he represents a neat political opportunity for a Prime Minister anxious to preserve his party's precarious electoral position in Scotland. [LNB]This is a Scotsman who won for Britain being properly recognised – via recommendation from No 10 – by the British monarch. If that's not a symbol of unionism, what is? What would the SNP give him in such circumstances? A free haggis and a pat on the back from Alex Salmond? [LNB]Though you do have to wonder, as the clean-living, polite and dignified Hoy is elevated to the establishment, what would have happened had one result in Beijing gone a different way. Not in any of the races Hoy won, but in the Madison. [LNB]Lucky perhaps for Gordon Brown that Bradley Wiggins did not finish first in the race in which he was favourite. Had he done so, he would have equalled Hoy's gold medal haul. How would the pair have been awarded then? It would have been wrong to elevate one but not the other. Yet somehow "Arise, Sir Brad" just doesn't sound remotely plausible. [LNB]Ince must look hard for glowing job reference[LNB]If you thought the last three months have been bad, just wait for the next three. So wrote a leading financial expert last week. Redundancy, he added, is going to become a commonplace. [LNB]And as many more of us enter a diminishing job market, we will need all the all help we can get in ensuring that our CV is looking spruce. A good reference is essential. [LNB]So it might be best not to get Jason Roberts to provide a testimonial. Asked on Saturday why it was that the same team who had played so abjectly for Paul Ince a week previously had won so easily under their new manager, Sam Allardyce, the Blackburn striker said: "I'm wary of saying anything because I don't want to be seen saying negative things about the past manager."[LNB]As recommendations go, Paul, it's not exactly glowing is it? [LNB]

Source: Telegraph