From Teabag to Piggy, Angela Powers takes a look at some of rugby league's more unusual monikers.
Who's handle is 'Peter Perfect'?
A few years back I interviewed Sean Long and Tommy Martyn together about their friendship and they revealed that they called each other 'Dagger' and 'Teabag'.
Of course they're not alone when it comes to having a nickname. Put any group of lads together and they'll find something new to call each other.
Sometimes they're a bit obvious, like Paul 'Scully' Sculthorpe, or Brian 'Mac' McDermott. Then there are the more imaginative monikers, such as Martin 'Chariots' Offiah, and Graeme 'The Penguin' Bradley.
Some are just plain cruel. Take, for instance, Wigan's new signing, Mark Riddell. He's known to all as 'Piggy'. Mark himself insists it stems from childhood, when his father was a policeman.
I popped over to Wigan to interview Mark and the Warriors' other new signing, Amos Roberts, for the first Boots 'n' All of the season (back on Wednesday). 'Piggy' revealed that Amos is known as 'Famous Amos' back home. Sorry but there's only one famous Amos on this side of the planet, so he can't have that one here.
Just for men
We women tend not to label our mates with ridiculous nom de plumes (at least not to their faces). And if we did give them a nickname it would undoubtedly be something boring, positive or downright girly - Debs for Deborah, Milly for Melissa, that sort of thing. We're sensitive creatures and a nasty nickname could cause untold psychological damage.
Boys have no choice but to live with it and sometimes they even adopt it as their preferred mode of address. I know a man who answers to Wingnut. I feel for him, I really do. My brother will forever be Colly Wobbles (Wobbles for short). Cute when you're five, but not when you're about to turn 40.
That's the thing about a nickname. Once you're labelled, you're stuck with it. Here are some from down the years. Can you work out whose they are?
Gorgeous
Teeth
Brick with Eyes
Diesel
Steam Pig
B.A. (short for Bad Attitude)
J.J.B.
E.T.
The Hammer
Wedge
Peter Perfect
Beaver
Some are obvious in that they are descriptive, others a little ironic. The prize to whoever guesses them all correctly is the chance to give Barrie McDermott his very own nickname. He says he's never had a proper one, poor thing. His sidekick Terry O'Connor has a few suggestions, all too cruel to list here.
And anyway Terry, Piggy's already taken.
