MOTD thread

[Nebby]

An excellent piece by Barney Ronay on the whole debacle, as it seems many in here seem to be missing the point:

Why there are no winners after the Beeb’s two-footed tackle on Gary Lineker | Barney Ronay

We all lose when the state, no matter how third-hand or arm’s-length, is able to engineer the silence of public figures

www.theguardian.com

The point also missed is: tweets have consequences.

 

[thecook]

They should just show our highlights with the moans from the fans as audio. Get that real life Spurs match experience for those who weren't there.

 

[Wearegoingtowintheleague]

News just in.....

Spurs back 5 have just come out in defense for Lineker.

Hasn't he suffered enough.

 

[DarwinSpur]

An excellent piece by Barney Ronay on the whole debacle, as it seems many in here seem to be missing the point:

Why there are no winners after the Beeb’s two-footed tackle on Gary Lineker | Barney Ronay

We all lose when the state, no matter how third-hand or arm’s-length, is able to engineer the silence of public figures

www.theguardian.com

Whenever someone links to an article and patronisingly states that this is for all those who are "missing the point" you can guarantee that the newspaper linked to will be the Guardian.

Just like an article offering to shock or outrage you will link to The Mail.

Or an article offering to tell you "The real truth" will link to The Express...

 

[Dougal]

I’d much rather this came to a head now rather than put up with the ‘stick to football Gary’ for any longer. The more people who stand up to this government the better. Whether that’s the RMT, teachers, nurses or MOTD presenters, it’s clear where the problems lies. The country has been dragged through the shit for a number of years now. Great to see it fighting back.

 

[PLTuck]

The more people that hold this proto fascist government to account the better.

 

[Gassin's finest]

After all the scandals, resignations, lies, rotating door policy on PM's and cabinet ministers... who knew it'd be Gary Lineker who took down the government

 

[McArchibald]

Lineker's paid 2m out of the public broadcasting budget per annum. Big money, and the price for that is impartiality. If you feel the insupressable need to join the ranks of the self-appointed activists, that's fine - so long as you resign your post and forgo your payments out of the public purse. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

 

[SirHarryHotspur]

Lineker's paid 2m out of the public broadcasting budget per annum. Big money, and the price for that is impartiality. If you feel the insupressable need to join the ranks of the self-appointed activists, that's fine - so long as you resign your post and forgo your payments out of the public purse. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

Gary Lineker: BBC boss Tim Davie 'sorry' after sport disruption in Lineker row

Football coverage was severely impacted by a staff walk-out in support of the Match of the Day host.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Gassin's finest]

Football Focus replace with an extended Bargain Hunt

 

[SirHarryHotspur]

Football Focus replace with an extended Bargain Hunt

Is that Levy looking for his next cheap transfer.

 

[wakefieldyid]

Lineker's paid 2m out of the public broadcasting budget per annum. Big money, and the price for that is impartiality. If you feel the insupressable need to join the ranks of the self-appointed activists, that's fine - so long as you resign your post and forgo your payments out of the public purse. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

I've just read an interesting piece on Lineker's motivation for maintaining his hard line stance on this. In the background, he's being pursued by HMRC for £4.9 million in back-tax because they consider that he is, effectively, a BBC employee, and Lineker's defence is that he is a self-employed contractor. It therefore helps his case if he can demonstrate that he's not bound by the rules that the BBC applies to its employees. (It's not entirely coincidental that several of the other MOTD personnel who've come out in sympathy with him will have been be uncomfortable to see their contractor status under challenge.)

 

[Nebby]

The more people that hold this proto fascist government to account the better.

They’re not though, are they. This government might be rotten to its core, full of people promoted way beyond their intellect and capabilities, and rapidly heading out of office due to their general incompetence and lack of vision. But to say they’re fascists or even just proto fascists is idiotic and offensive in equal measure.

 

[PLTuck]

Lineker's paid 2m out of the public broadcasting budget per annum. Big money, and the price for that is impartiality. If you feel the insupressable need to join the ranks of the self-appointed activists, that's fine - so long as you resign your post and forgo your payments out of the public purse. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

The BBC has to be impartial (which it isnt by the way), the people within it do not unless they are at work for the BBC.

 

[Dougal]

Lineker's paid 2m out of the public broadcasting budget per annum. Big money, and the price for that is impartiality. If you feel the insupressable need to join the ranks of the self-appointed activists, that's fine - so long as you resign your post and forgo your payments out of the public purse. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

The government have both wasted and swindled billions but we keep seeing Lineker’s salary splashed all over the news.

 

[PLTuck]

They’re not though, are they. This government might be rotten to its core, full of people promoted way beyond their intellect and capabilities, and rapidly heading out of office due to their general incompetence and lack of vision. But to say they’re fascists or even just proto fascists is idiotic and offensive in equal measure.

Really? Maybe read the definition of fascism and see how many boxes this current govt ticks, or is trying to tick.

 

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Lineker's paid 2m out of the public broadcasting budget per annum. Big money, and the price for that is impartiality. If you feel the insupressable need to join the ranks of the self-appointed activists, that's fine - so long as you resign your post and forgo your payments out of the public purse. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

If Lineker was a political commentator, I think you would be closer. He is a football pundit, and is paid by the BBC to give his fair and impartial views on football.

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn’t the BBC Chairman a political appointee by the government? Is that in keeping with impartiality?

BBC has had a mare here. They have done themselves and the government no favors by pouring fuel on this fire.

 

[McFlash]

Lineker's paid 2m out of the public broadcasting budget per annum. Big money, and the price for that is impartiality. If you feel the insupressable need to join the ranks of the self-appointed activists, that's fine - so long as you resign your post and forgo your payments out of the public purse. You cannot have your cake and eat it.

He's paid that as a sports presenter, not that his salary matters a jot in this situation.
That shouldn't mean that he can't have opinions on anything else when he's not doing his job.

 

[McFlash]

I've just read an interesting piece on Lineker's motivation for maintaining his hard line stance on this. In the background, he's being pursued by HMRC for £4.9 million in back-tax because they consider that he is, effectively, a BBC employee, and Lineker's defence is that he is a self-employed contractor. It therefore helps his case if he can demonstrate that he's not bound by the rules that the BBC applies to its employees. (It's not entirely coincidental that several of the other MOTD personnel who've come out in sympathy with him will have been be uncomfortable to see their contractor status under challenge.)

He's freelance, they've just stated that on 5Live, a BBC station.

 

[Albertbarich]

I feel like so much of politics it's just grandstanding theatre that only achieves getting some wound up and the people involved attention.

Lineker has been gobbling off on twitter for years and they have kept paying him his ridiculous wage so I'm not sure why now they care but whatever.

The only people winning here are the tories because whilst people concentrate on this nonsense were not focusing on the absolute mess were in leaving so many of us barely treading water and millions more in much worse trouble. Which is what I suspect is why they care about these crossings so much.