The Flintoffs
For the last few years I've been not really listening to the sport bit especially not the cricket bit of the Radio 4 news before paying attention again for the weather/comedy animal story. The names Freddie Flintoff and Andrew Flintoff had ahem penetrated my consciousness so my most sensible assumption was that these were two related cricketers, probably brothers, maybe cousins, and I was aware one had stolen a pedalo in high jinks post-ashes. Just discussing the other day how let down Andrew must have been after Freddie stole the pedalo...Ah. My mistake
(willydoc, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 17:54, 11 replies)

I had to google Andrew Flintoff
to work out what you were on about.

How does Andrew shorten to Freddie?
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 18:00, closed)

I wondered that for ages.
Then I realised that they (whoever they are) think that Flintoff sounds exactly like Flintstone so he ought to be Freddie Flintstone! How I laughed. Well, not so much laughed as thought "tedious tossers".
(Me, I'm not... in any way intoxicated, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 18:58, closed)

Come to think of it,
this was explained to me before, when the Mirror had a picture of him, dressed as Mr Incredible, with the headline Mr Infredible.
Back then, I knew his name was Andrew, but still couldn't work out where the "Fred" bit came from.
Now, I know who Freddie Flintoff is, but Andrew has become the mystery.

So, that's two things I don't understand: cricket and tabloids.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 19:25, closed)

His nickname as a young amateur club cricketer in St Annes was "Fred" as in "Fred Flintstone"
Once he became a media darling, they nicknamed his nickname by wrongly lengthening it to "Freddie". The arseholes.
He is still "Fred" at the cricket club though.
( mns 2️⃣2️⃣9️⃣0️⃣7️⃣, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 22:03, closed)

I always thought people should outgrow their childhood nicknames,
but all those old ladies called Peg are out to prove me wrong (how is it short for Margaret?).
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 23:53, closed)

I'm properly enjoying how quickly this has changed
from "nonsense you believed as a kid" to "when were you most recently a total arse"
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 18:08, closed)

For you, I think it was just then.

(Misery McUglywife an attention seeking sociopathic fuckstain., Wed 18 Jan 2012, 21:45, closed)

OH OH OH! ZINGALINGALING!

( mns 2️⃣2️⃣9️⃣0️⃣7️⃣, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 22:04, closed)

Nothing to do with The Ashes.
It was at the World Cup. In St Lucia.
( mns 2️⃣2️⃣9️⃣0️⃣7️⃣, Wed 18 Jan 2012, 22:04, closed)

Ta Mns - told you I didn't pay attention to the sport. Wondered where he'd found a pedalo in Australia for some time
(willydoc, Fri 20 Jan 2012, 6:59, closed)

Thank you.
That has been bothering me for years. B3ta has served its purpose for me today. Could never be arsed to google it myself...
(siliconwally, Thu 19 Jan 2012, 14:56, closed)