Did you see the interview with Mia Freedman on the Today Show this morning?
I did. And I nodded in agreement the whole time - while pausing for a few seconds to Tweet my sentiments about it all.
The gist of the segment - which you can view in full below - is that while Mia understands Cadel Evans's accomplishment (winning the Tour De France - the first time ever by an Australian) she doesn't understand the need to call him a 'hero'.
I agree. And this from someone who lives in a house where there is a shrine - no, a whole room - dedicated to Liverpool Football Club. My husband is a huge fan of the English Premier League club, and when I rang him to get his opinion on this debate, he said:
"I think that yes, Cadel should be called a hero. He acheived something in a comp that is highly regarded, something never acheived before by an Australian. It's a test of endurance. Sure, yes - he is a hero."
Was he angry about my opinion differing from him? Nope. Because he recognises it's just that - an opinion.
Am I pleased an Aussie finally won this coveted race? Yes! Does it fire me up and inspire me? Not even a smidge.
I asked myself, what if it were the Australian soccer/football side winning a World Cup match. Yes, that would excite me - I may even stay up for it! But would I call the team 'heroes'? Hell no.
The feedback on Mama Mia has been a mixed bag, but much of it has been nasty. Mia indicates she can't recall ever being so abused about a topic.
She says: "I think pursuing a life doing something you’re good at for the benefit of yourself is not heroic. It’s not a BAD thing, I’m not dissing Cadel (of course not!) but the idea that a sports person should be idolised because they can ride far or jump high or swim fast is, to me, a bit odd. I guess I’m just flagging the fact that if you do well in sport, the country and the media stop to worship you in a way that doesn’t happen to anyone else for doing anything else.
As Mia said this morning on the Today Show: "I just don't care... He's a man - who is paid a lot of money... To ride a bike."
"To call him a hero...?"
"Did he save anyone's life? People who are sports people do it for their own reasons."
Maybe that's why I am not stirred by this either.
You can read Mia's reaction to it all here: http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/cadel-evans-is-he-a-hero/
And watch the Today show clip from this morning here:
