James Haskell forced to deny claims he has died of steroid overdose

If this wasn't true, it would almost be funny.  But it's not. But it is a great title.  

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/dec/12/james-haskell-deny-claims-he-has-died-england-rugby

There are some seriously deranged people out there and I hope they get to meet Haskell up close and personal.  Seems he is due back from the dead to play for Wasps next month.

I will reserve my judgement on this story until I see him on the pitch!

Is there anything this guy won't do to self promote? Does he think we are all losing sleep at night worrying if he has died? (unless we are Richard and Judy)

Gwlad wrote:Is there anything this guy won't do to self promote? Does he think we are all losing sleep at night worrying if he has died? (unless we are Richard and Judy)

Surely it's the online idiots that made the story up you should be aiming your criticism at.
Or is it just because he's English?

Forget the fact he's English. The man is a tit.

I think he's funny. F the haters.

Scottrf wrote:I think he's funny. F the haters.

I think he is both a tit and quite funny. He is a harmless guy and adds plenty of colour and good for a laugh albeit sometimes at his own expense. At least he isnt a D head like some other rugby players.

RuggerRadge2611 wrote:Forget the fact he's English. The man is a tit.

Haskell has a bit of fun with the media and promotes a tongue-in-cheek persona. I don't know why people get annoyed.

He seems like a decent guy who doesn't take himself too seriously.

Interesting SBW was also targeted by this scam, another player who tends to annoy people a bit. Probably because both these guys have a life outside rugby.

Its the same with Heaslip in Ireland Cyril. People outside Leinster don't really like him because he has a media presence, own restaurants, tweets etc. etc. He tends therefore to be the scapegoat when Ireland lose even though his performances are quite consistent. He is a bit of a knob or narcissistic in fairness but completely harmless like Haskell.

GunsGermsV2 wrote:Its the same with Heaslip in Ireland Cyril. People outside Leinster don't really like him because he has a media presence, own restaurants, tweets etc. etc. He tends therefore to be the scapegoat when Ireland lose even though his performances are quite consistent. He is a bit of a knob or narcissistic in fairness but completely harmless like Haskell.

Yeah, agreed Heaslip does seem similar in some ways. It does help that both players have upped their game this year. You can ignore all the sideshows if they're playing well.

It's a different age now and some players need different outlets. They're not all Jonny Wilkinson who live and breathe rugby every minute.

I remember Dallaglio saying that he worried about Wilkinson because he doesnt give himself a break both metaphorically (mentally) and physically. No harm in outside interests especially as your career winds down.

I cant understand why people dont respect Haskell for that. He is a real over achiever.

Don't believe him.

I hope this doresnt affect his Brand identity


Joking aside Im with Cyril on this. He has won people over by recognising and playing up to the fact hes seen as a figure of fun. He also wasnt to blame for the horrendous way he was marketed in the first place other than signing a contract with someone.

The real key though has(had) been playing well and not gettimng dumb yellow cards.

Guns calls him an over achiever, he used to be ctritisized for just the opposite...fannying around the field like a fitness model and occasionaly running into the post. Now hes only expected to run into things that look like players and not have to worry about holding a ball hes a lot more successful and popular.

Glad to hear hes not dead anyway, 2016 has lost enough great heroes like Neil Buchanan.

Gooseberry I agree with that.

Haskell is starting to change perceptions by playing well and just being less stupid.

To be honest It's not been talked about but I wonder if it's Gustard whose managed to get the best out of Haskell for England, you might say - why specifically him. Gustard obviously worked a long time with Jacques Burger and got him playing in a very physical and direct way. Mostly famous for his defence. Reminds me of the new Haskell.

Also Jones isn't a forwards coach so I doubt it's him.

I might have known that Haskell not dying would somehow reflect well on Saracens

Naturally

Gooseberry wrote:I hope this doresnt affect his Brand identity


Joking aside Im with Cyril on this. He has won people over by recognising and playing up to the fact hes seen as a figure of fun. He also wasnt to blame for the horrendous way he was marketed in the first place other than signing a contract with someone.

The real key though has(had) been playing well and not gettimng dumb yellow cards.

Guns calls him an over achiever, he used to be ctritisized for just the opposite...fannying around the field like a fitness model and occasionaly running into the post. Now hes only expected to run into things that look like players and not have to worry about holding a ball hes a lot more successful and popular.

Glad to hear hes not dead anyway, 2016 has lost enough great heroes like Neil Buchanan.

If you look at him holistically in side and outside rugby he is an over achiever. Anyone who has had a career with teams like the Highlanders, Wasps, Stade and England has had a great career. All top teams and yet I'm not convinced he is an amazing rugby player and ndeed he doesnt seem the smartest guy to have ever played for England but he is smart enough to have plenty of success in and out of rugby.

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

Gooseberry wrote:I hope this doresnt affect his Brand identity


Joking aside Im with Cyril on this. He has won people over by recognising and playing up to the fact hes seen as a figure of fun. He also wasnt to blame for the horrendous way he was marketed in the first place other than signing a contract with someone.

The real key though has(had) been playing well and not gettimng dumb yellow cards.

Guns calls him an over achiever, he used to be ctritisized for just the opposite...fannying around the field like a fitness model and occasionaly running into the post. Now hes only expected to run into things that look like players and not have to worry about holding a ball hes a lot more successful and popular.

Glad to hear hes not dead anyway, 2016 has lost enough great heroes like Neil Buchanan.

If you look at him holistically in side and outside rugby he is an over achiever. Anyone who has had a career with teams like the Highlanders, Wasps, Stade and England has had a great career. All top teams and yet I'm not convinced he is an amazing rugby player and ndeed he doesnt seem the smartest guy to have ever played for England but he is smart enough to have plenty of success in and out of rugby.

I think that's called a back-handed compliment

Having the willingness to go and play in different environments is something not all players have (whether it's because of international ambitions, money or not wanting to move abroad). I think it's something to be applauded, but I can understand why it doesn't happen often due to most unions having rules on not representing your country when you play abroad. Haskell played 7s for England too so has experienced more variety than most.

Gooseberry wrote:I hope this doresnt affect his Brand identity

You mean being dead? Or being not dead?

Cyril wrote:
I think that's called a back-handed compliment

Having the willingness to go and play in different environments is something not all players have (whether it's because of international ambitions, money or not wanting to move abroad). I think it's something to be applauded, but I can understand why it doesn't happen often due to most unions having rules on not representing your country when you play abroad. Haskell played 7s for England too so has experienced more variety than most.

Well it is and it isnt. The point is I dont think anyone would claim Haskell is the perfect or the most gifted or smartest player ever but he has done exceptionally well with the hand he was dealt. Thats my take on it.Also he is English so you hardly expect me to give him a proper compliment.

GunsGermsV2 wrote:

Scottrf wrote:I think he's funny. F the haters.

I think he is both a tit and quite funny. He is a harmless guy and adds plenty of colour and good for a laugh albeit sometimes at his own expense. At least he isnt a D head like some other rugby players.

My opinion too. He's not as funny as he thinks he is....but I don't dislike him for it. He's a quality rugby player and a bit of a character. I won't ever begrudge a professional player that puts some effort into their life outside and after rugby. His whole fitness brand thing is a smart move, kudos to him for it I say.

Guns

I kind of take your point - Haskell is clearly physically well equipped to play rugby to a high level, but doesn't have an identifiable X-factor that sets him apart from quite a few contemporaries: while not exactly slow (i.e. could out-run Nick Easter), he isn't blessed with exceptional pace (like Tom Croft), and similarly while powerful he isn't either as strong as guys like Easter or Dean Richards or as dynamic as Billy V or Nathan Hughes.

Add to that a rugby brain that gets overloaded by the concept of not running into a goal post, and it is certainly true to say there are limitations. And yet he's had a very good career and been in or around the fringes of the England squad for most of the last decade, so he sure as anything is a better player than any of us ever were...

Yeah exactly right. He is an England international. That in itself is an exceptional achievement.

The video doesn't actually provide any conclusive proof that he ain't dead. He'll need to produce more evidence in the coming days. But conclusive evidence has been produced that his sense of style is as dead as a Dodo. Nice vest man!

dummy half disagree. I think Haskell is an impressive physical specimen, more athletic than the likes of Billy,Hughes and Easter. I think he's more balanced.


Billy is great but I don't think he's got a reputation for big tackles and turnovers. Billy is picked to be the primary ball carrier, makes less tackles which means others need to pick up the do more tackling and turnovers which is where Haskell comes in.

Haskell has an all action style that IMO makes him different if it all goes well.

When Haskell is playing well he can impose himself on the opposition and really make it hard for them.

He can even outshine generally more lauded players. E.g. in the Australian tour he was the brightest spark.

In that away win vs Wales when he hit the post he was the best England player.

Was just reading this sat on the couch and they started talking about it on the Last Leg. Haskell was even there, and did a very short skit (he didn't speak).

robbo277 wrote:Was just reading this sat on the couch and they started talking about it on the Last Leg. Haskell was even there, and did a very short skit (he didn't speak).

Doesn't prove nuthin. Everyone knows the dead don't talk.  Only happens in movies.

beshocked wrote:dummy half disagree. I think Haskell is an impressive physical specimen, more athletic than the likes of Billy,Hughes and Easter. I think he's more balanced.


Billy is great but I don't think he's got a reputation for big tackles and turnovers. Billy is picked to be the primary ball carrier, makes less tackles which means others need to pick up the do more tackling and turnovers which is where Haskell comes in.

Haskell has an all action style that IMO makes him different if it all goes well.

When Haskell is playing well he can impose himself on the opposition and really make it hard for them.

He can even outshine generally more lauded players. E.g. in the Australian tour he was the brightest spark.

In that away win vs Wales when he hit the post he was the best England player.

Agree with much of this. The single biggest reason he took so long to kick on, in my opinion, was the fact that every time he started to play well he was dropped for someone half as good - a crocked Moody or Mr Mediocre Tom Wood. More than anything he was the victim of terrible selection. He was routinely one of the better performers in the pack, albeit when it wasn't that decent, just then got dropped after expectations for him became absurd. Then of course he was out of the country for a fair bit.

he didnt fit into Stewie's squad of humble lads within which elitism must have withered but does in Eddie's elitist camp. Haskellhoff's mammoth ego fits in Eddie's plan. Post Dwarfgate we all bought into the Stewie idea but nobody realized he'd actually lost sight of professional performance driven rugby in favor of prep school mediocrity. Thank goodness Wales put Stewie on his ass at RWC and Eddie came on board.

I do think people forget Haskell, when still alive, went to play in France, Japan and Super Rugby. From that point of view, when still alive, he was one of the best rounded players in England. And those experiences probably made him a better player. I respect that kind of thinking to broadening oneself.

doctor_grey wrote:I do think people forget Haskell, when still alive, went to play in France, Japan and Super Rugby.  From that point of view, when still alive, he was one of the best rounded players in England.  And those experiences probably made him a better player. I respect that kind of thinking to broadening oneself.  

shame he's dead now