Sports personality of the year

We all know it's a meaningless crock of sh*t but Swanny's in the mix this year so it deserves a thread.

Who do you want to win and who do you think actually will win?

Contenders:

Mark Cavendish
Tom Daley
Jessica Ennis
David Haye
AP McCoy
Graeme McDowell
Graeme Swann
Phil Taylor
Lee Westwood
Amy Williams


Me - I want Swanny to win but I've got a feeling it's McCoy's year.

And I know Phil Taylor has been world champ for 20 years or something stupid but (personally) I still can't take Darts seriously as a sport.

If England had won the last test he would be in with a shout, no chance now. Could get 3rd at a push.

No Lampard?

taipan wrote:No Lampard?

If that goal had been allowed, he'd be parading the World Cup there tonight...

At least England's craptaculation in South Africa means there's no counter-campaign from Chelsea or Liverpool fans after Giggs's award last year.

So is the award judged purely on performances? Or do the contenders actually have to live up to the name of the award and have a good personality?

Henry wrote:So is the award judged purely on performances? Or do the contenders actually have to live up to the name of the award and have a good personality?

Past winners include Ryan Giggs, Nigel Mansell and Nick Faldo.

Hope that answers your question.

McCoy's a shoe-in - always has been since he rode the National winner. No complaints really, his record is phenomenal.

vilkrang wrote:

Henry wrote:So is the award judged purely on performances? Or do the contenders actually have to live up to the name of the award and have a good personality?

Past winners include Ryan Giggs, Nigel Mansell and Nick Faldo.

Hope that answers your question.

People always raise that issue of the word "personality". It's basically used in the sense of "celebrity/famous person". I think "sportsperson of the year" would be a better non-gender-specific alternative.

Is it even judged on performances during the year? Often those who have achieved the most are in minority sports who get little coverage, although I suppose some would argue that if those sports don't generate public interest then it's fair enough they don't win. Often the winners get it for high profile near-misses or effectively lifetime achievement, it's only Olympic years where there are generally a number of deserving candidates.

Becks is getting a lifetime achievement award. I think he probably deserves one. Seems like a very nice man* and a good ambassador for the sport.



*apart from that time he cheated on his wife. And that time he did it again.

Btw, does anyone think he played his cards a bit early? Seems like as soon as he became famous, he picked the first famous popstar he saw and made his bed. Seems to suggest a lack of imagination and patience. The spice girls are about as relevant as erm....... cables nowadays...... If he'd played the waiting game, he could have shagged a lot of lovely ladies and settled down with someone better looking and less irritating than Posh. Even when he did play away, out of aaaaalllll the women out there, he chose Rebecca f*cking Toilet.

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:Becks is getting a lifetime achievement award. I think he probably deserves one. Seems like a very nice man* and a good ambassador for the sport.



*apart from that time he cheated on his wife. And that time he did it again.

Btw, does anyone think he played his cards a bit early? Seems like as soon as he became famous, he picked the first famous popstar he saw and made his bed. Seems to suggest a lack of imagination and patience. The spice girls are about as relevant as erm....... cables nowadays...... If he'd played the waiting game, he could have shagged a lot of lovely ladies and settled down with someone better looking and less irritating than Posh. Even when he did play away, out of aaaaalllll the women out there, he chose Rebecca f*cking Toilet.

Can you be quite sure that he isn't?

Nadal should win, he is brilliant

PlanetPakistan wrote:Nadal should win, he is brilliant

Indeed, Britain is very proud of one if it's finest superstars.

Who knows Bas.

Shame that cricket players are always at a disadvantage as they are usually on tour in December. Surely the fact that they can't pick it up in person is a factor in voters' minds. Freddy only won it when he was injured. Did Beefy ever win it?

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:Who knows Bas.

Shame that cricket players are always at a disadvantage as they are usually on tour in December. Surely the fact that they can't pick it up in person is a factor in voters' minds. Freddy only won it when he was injured. Did Beefy ever win it?

Beefy won it in 1981. Other cricket winners apart from Fred, were Jim Laker in 1956 and David Steele in 1975.

vilkrang wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:Nadal should win, he is brilliant

Indeed, Britain is very proud of one if it's finest superstars.

oopps

Basil wrote:

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:Who knows Bas.

Shame that cricket players are always at a disadvantage as they are usually on tour in December. Surely the fact that they can't pick it up in person is a factor in voters' minds. Freddy only won it when he was injured. Did Beefy ever win it?

Beefy won it in 1981. Other cricket winners apart from Fred, were Jim Laker in 1956 and David Steele in 1975.

People from team sports are generally disadvantaged anyway, in that they have to be the big stand-out performer as well as being in a very successful team.

Even footballers don't have that great a record, although it's by far the most popular sport - generally they have to do something special for England which doesn't happen too often (or win it through an organised campaign by Man Utd fans of course).

McCoy > McDowell?

Sheeet, he's had a blinder of a year then.

Mick, the man has been Champion Jockey for the last 15 seasons, having ridden over 3,000 winners in 13,000odd races.

He capped it off by winning the Grand National earlier in the year, and so a worthy winner of SPOTY.

beamer wrote:

Basil wrote:

Lara Lara Laughs wrote:Who knows Bas.

Shame that cricket players are always at a disadvantage as they are usually on tour in December. Surely the fact that they can't pick it up in person is a factor in voters' minds. Freddy only won it when he was injured. Did Beefy ever win it?

Beefy won it in 1981. Other cricket winners apart from Fred, were Jim Laker in 1956 and David Steele in 1975.

People from team sports are generally disadvantaged anyway, in that they have to be the big stand-out performer as well as being in a very successful team.

Even footballers don't have that great a record, although it's by far the most popular sport - generally they have to do something special for England which doesn't happen too often (or win it through an organised campaign by Man Utd fans of course).

wow david steele!!!...think he had a brief period of good form before disappearing

Growler wrote:Mick, the man has been Champion Jockey for the last 15 seasons, having ridden over 3,000 winners in 13,000odd races.

He capped it off by winning the Grand National earlier in the year, and so a worthy winner of SPOTY.

Cheers mate.