lee pearson...arrogant much...

I think he is brilliant for how he copes with his disability and can ride so well- however as much as I love to watch his dressage tests, i can't stand to hear him talk- it actually makes me cringe sometimes!
 
Not going to comment on Lee, I think this thread is inappropriate whatever you think of him, however rockysmum is correct regarding honours they are supposedly awarded for what the person gives outside their sporting success, any amount of gold medals will not guarantee a knighthood it is what they put back into society that gets rewarded.
 
rockysmum said:
Dont know anything about Lee, so not commenting on that.

Just a question on knighthoods/honours etc. Do they get them simply for winning golds or being succesful in whatever it is they do.

I thought they got them for using their success to help others, charity work etc etc.

If I am right then its not how much you win, its what you do that is positive with your success.

If not then I cant see the point of them to be honest.
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The reality is its not a hard and fast rule. Part of the issue is Britain was really successful This year - previously people did get knighthoods/honours for the Olympic medals because we weren't that good. Paralympics was much less visible to the public hence the discrepancy in previous years.
This year, they've admitted there is an issue with the number of gold medal winning athletes in that theres too many to give knighthoods/ honours hence adding to the criteria. The reality is for top elite sportspeople is they train full time. And they they also have obligations to their funders/ sponsors.
Hoy spent 32 hours on the track plus weights six days a week. Riders ride every day or compete. Louis Smith did a five minute piece on daybreak about gymnastics. He visited the gym (friend works there)and was there from 6.30am to 8.30 talking to the kids and really inspired them. But add in travel and hanging around - not exactly the greatest start to a training day and the bit shown was literally 5 mins total.

As for Lee - I actually think that without him, paradressage wouldn't be where it is. It's was one of the few paralympic sports to have a named personality (like,loathe) who plays the media's game. I also think he's right in that he would have got a knighthood if Paralympics had been viewed by the media in the same way (as the media influences the govt of the day)
 
Pretty disgusting if you wish to have my opinion. I dont know Lee, have never met him so cannot comment about his personality. Didnt see article in question either. There is one thing I will say is that if you are dam good then why are you not allowed to say you are dam good. As previously commenterd, a lot of competition is about believing in yourself, and if you look at brilliant athletes, equestrian or not, if you scratch beneath the surface you will find utter self belief.

I have done a lot of management training, have been on management courses and curerntly use a business coach very regularly. Believe me, a business coach or even a life coach will teach the same type of self belief tactics which a good trainer will teach an athlete. Take it from me, it works. For those of you on here who know me personally, I am not arrogant, but I have a very strong belief in myself and my professional abilities, and that spills over into my personal life. Why on earth should Lee Pearson be any different to that? It is also somewhat of a British thing to think that being self effacing is the best way to be. If you good, or even great, shout it from the roof tops, it will inspire others. Plus from interviews I have seen, he seems to have a rather dark and dry sense of humour, and thats not to everyones taste, but it does not mean he is a bad person either.

I say leave the guy alone, he has done well, even if you dont like him personally, you cannot take away the achievements can you?
 
This man is very disabled and it effects both his legs and arms, give him a break life must be much tougher for him than the majority of people on here. He also has not come from a wealthy horsey background. I imagine many able bodied people on here could not ride as well as him. He has much to be proud off.

People sometimes expect disabled people to be cheery happy saints who should be pleased just to have the chance to compete. Lee does come across on tv as being very competitive but it is that competitive drive that has probably got him where he is today.

I believe Lee has inspired many riders both disabled and able bodied. He comes across as being very much his own person and perhaps has not had good advice from media trainers about the impact of his television work and how he might come across on tv where editing came take things out of context.

As for the knighthood I don't know what other things Lee might do for the community as I don't know him personally but he may well do thinngs for charity and the community that are not in the press or that he does not openly talk about. Sadly I do think that we are still at the stage where disabled people's achievements are not treated in the same way as able bodied people and Lee saying he feels he should have a knighthood for his achievements might be a fair point when looking at what others have done to get knighthoods.

Lee has a big personality, who remembers any para dressage riders before he came on the scene? I think he has helped raise the profile of para dressage and the interest in the other riders who are perhaps more shy and not so comfortable with the media interest or self promoting. Sponsorship is important these riders do need to get media interest to attract sponsors.
 
As SO1 and TheoryX1. :)

He is a big personality and that is not always popular. He is also - to point obliquely at the elephant in the room - quite a specific sort of person, again one that many people find uncomfortable if not objectionable, even if they know they're not supposed to say it. ;) He must have a hide like a freakin' rhino!

All of which has nothing to do with his accomplishments.

Re the Honours, obviously I have an outsider's view but I would be able to take it a lot more seriously if they weren't given honours to four fired MPs - and only the male ones at that!!!

I think this has been quite a tough week for Lee and maybe he will have to rethink his image a bit. In a weird way this is probably progress, that people can discuss other aspects of people's personalities not just their disability.
 
carefreegirl said:
There was once part where he sat in his car in the corner of the school teaching. It was truly awful and if I'd been that pupil I would of felt humiliated to see that on tv.
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iirc Lee had 3 damaged vertebrae as well as everything else at this point in the proceedings :rolleyes: I'm sure his client didn't mind him sitting down while he taught.
 
Rowreach said:
iirc Lee had 3 damaged vertebrae as well as everything else at this point in the proceedings :rolleyes: I'm sure his client didn't mind him sitting down while he taught.
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Nooo, breaking your back in 3 places shouldn't be an excuse for sitting down! Don't be silly :rolleyes:

Ugly, nasty little thread, and sadly not the only one on this subject.

Well done Lee. Well done Sophie. Well done Natasha. Well done Debbie. Well done Sophie. Fantastic job!
 
to those throwing their hands in the air with comments such as 'disgusting lee bashing' get a grip. no one has kicked his teddy, Lee isnt going to be crying into his cornflakes if he reads this thread. some people have just said they find some of his comments in the media arrogant which is reasonable enough and Im sure he'd probably admit to himself. No one has been personal or made any disparaging or offensive remarks.

If you're in the public eye people are going to have an opinion about you good or bad. It goes with the territory.

also, to the earlier poster who said Andrew Nicholson wasnt critizised for throwing his toys out of his pram when his dressage test was held up for the storm at Greenwhich, he actually was roundly condemned by press and spectators alike i spoke to. Thought he behaved v badly.
 
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lula said:
to those throwing their hands in the air with comments such as 'disgusting lee bashing' get a grip. no one has kicked his teddy, Lee isnt going to be crying into his cornflakes if he reads this thread. some people have just said they find some of his comments in the media arrogant which is reasonable enough and Im sure he'd probably admit to himself. No one has been personal or made any disparaging or offensive remarks.

If you're in the public eye people are going to have an opinion about you good or bad and are perfectly in their right to discuss it.
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I'm agreeing with this statement. I don't know him personally so can't say whether I like him or dislike him. But sheesh, if we were to say "I find Usain Bolt brilliant but arrogant with his peacocking on the track" I don't know that anyone would say how horrible of a statement that would be? That man has a lot of self believe too, but to me personally I prefer the more humble approach of the folk like Carl/Charlotte -and yet I'm willing to bet they have tremendous self belief too.

Yes, Lee Pearson has brought the Para-Equestrians to the limelight time and time again, and has done an amazing job of promoting equestrianism as a whole - which I think is fabulous. But there are facets to everyone's personalities that will not appeal to all people.
 
I wasn't complaining about him sitting down, it was the fact he looked bored stiff and was just passing comments such as 'good' 'well ridden' 'yep' whilst looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but there.
As I said in my previous post perhaps it was bad editing by the tv company but I don't think the programme did him any favours.
I wanted to watch it as he's always come across as very likeable BUT after watching it I came away a bit confused with the impression I got of him from this programme.
 
I don't love, or like all that many people [and that is mutual ] yes, he is product of the generation which gets given an honour with every gold medal, but I think they all need to do a little bit of "giving back to the sport".
He is what he is, a normal person, with good bits and not so good, live and let live.
He is a tad arrogant, but is still immature, that will ease as he gets a bit older.
P.S. i am a complete coward when it comes to pain and to any ill health, when anything goes wrong, I am an absolute pita! I would certainly have to find a way of coping if I were unable to do everyday things.
Re his ability to instruct "well if people are willing to pay, he is willing to accept payment.
 
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rhino said:
Ugly, nasty little thread, and sadly not the only one on this subject.

Well done Lee. Well done Sophie. Well done Natasha. Well done Debbie. Well done Sophie. Fantastic job!
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Well said Rhino - not sure what the point of these people bashing threads are? :rolleyes:

Too many fans of the Daily Fail perhaps? ;)
 
lula said:
to those throwing their hands in the air with comments such as 'disgusting lee bashing' get a grip.
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Really? So calling what he does 'low level dressage' is not disparaging? How many national titles do you have? And calling someone 'a nasty piece of work' and 'completely up himself' is offensive in my opinion, and comments such as this have been removed from the forum in the past.

Personal attacks aren't allowed on the forum, rightly so. If this thread had been about a well known forum member it would never have been allowed to run like this (and how do you know Lee is not a forum member?) Why does someone suddenly become 'fair game' just because they are in the public eye?

As I said on the Clayton Fredericks thread (which was seen and responded to by Team Fredericks), having an opinion is one thing, and perfectly normal, publishing that opinion on the internet is NOT THE SAME!

If anyone was to see Lee in the street, would they go up to him and tell him to his face he was a nasty piece of work/arrogant/completely up himself etc? I don't see how it would be any different, or any less hurtful reading about it on a public forum.
 
mle22 said:
So Lula - you don't find the op's opening comments disparaging?
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i dont think it crosses any line or is offensive.

my point is, everyone had their own opinion of 'famous' people as we see TV documentaries, interviews about them and how they come across.
Not everyone is going to like you but i havent seen anyone saying anything rude on this thread about Lee. Ofcourse, that is subjective but it is not defamatory and i would be very surprised if Lee himself should he read this, be upset by anything he has read here.


You may or may not agree but everyone has a right to put their opinion across on here good or bad as long as it doesn't cross the line IMO
 
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I watched the documentary and thought he was really funny. Did not come across as arrogant.
I have spent time with some superb athletes and self belief are the things that are the difference between a winner and a loser. Even in the dark days you have to believe you are capable of winning.
 
Well said Lula.

I haven't met Lee or seen his documentary but I do admire his achievements. A friend went to watch the dressage at Greenwich last week and met him in the street in the evening. When she recognised him he took the time to chat, autograph her Paralympic ticket and have his picture taken with her. That shows kindness and I think Lee and every member of the equestrian Paralympic team has earned respect.
 
Dont want to get drawn into this thread but just to comment about him seeming bored when teaching - I've had a lesson with him, he was lovely, really encouraging and I had a fab lesson. He did not seem bored at all and he'd been teaching all day, id love to have another lesson with him. In my opinion the guy is an inspiration and mega talented.
 
Lee Pearson does come across as arrogant on TV - no question. I would certainly expect his fans to defend him - no question there either. However those calling this thread offensive, ugly, nasty, appalling, disgusting etc. etc. I cannot help but wonder if you would find the thread equally as offensive if Lee was able bodied? Can't help but think not!!! Inverse prejudice perhaps??
 
I've never met him but IMO he's got a very dry sense of humour and I like him, I also would love to be able to ride to his level and that's with all my faculties working as they should.
Come on peeps cut him some slack the paralympians are still treated lower than normal athletes otherwise he'd have a knighthood by now. I bet my bottom dollar there are other top athletes out there who are arrogant. I personally don't think he comes across well due to his sense of humour. If you don't get it that's fine but don't slag him off he has achieved so much and should be an inspiration and not the brunt off all this negativity!!!!!!
 
minesadouble said:
Lee Pearson does come across as arrogant on TV - no question. I would certainly expect his fans to defend him - no question there either. However those calling this thread offensive, ugly, nasty, appalling, disgusting etc. etc. I cannot help but wonder if you would find the thread equally as offensive if Lee was able bodied? Can't help but think not!!! Inverse prejudice perhaps??
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Um no, I commented very similarly on the recent Clayton Fredericks thread. I don't understand the mentality of someone who uses a public forum such as this to 'put down' someone they have generally never even met... Amusing that people are trying to defend it though, and accusing people of prejudice. Funny old world.
 
Flame_ said:
Yeah he's a cocky git. I really like him, I bet he's a fab trainer and he's obviously a fab rider. Go Lee.
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I've not had a lesson with him but my husband does. Lee has been an absolute godsend/inspiration for my OH who has really struggled since breaking his back- creating a weakness down one side. Lee didnt laugh at him wanting to do dressage on his much loved yak and has encouraged and helped him find the buttons to increase his prelim work by an average of 16% and i'm still giggling about his reply to my answer of how i keep the yak white with fairy...

so he sits in his car :confused: i've had plenty of expensive lessons where a bored looking trainer sits on the fence with a coffee/fag & phone/conversation on the go.. so lets just leave it there and perhaps some of us will have to agree to disagree BUT its rather harsh to make assumptions based on leading questions and careful editing...
 
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