BBC Sports Personality of the Year

[2012girl]

Bit unfair to suggest that Jess wouldn't be a worthy winner as she has no personality!

As opposed to last years winner Cavendish? Great cyclist but can barely string 2 words together. McCoy, great jockey but hardly the life and soul, the philandering Giggs, Zara Phillips who never would have won but for her royal blood or the other dullards, Mansell, Hill, Wilkinson....

If having a sparkling personality were part of the criteria I don't think half of the winners would have stood a chance!

[Ursus]

Shouldn't the athletics community be supporting their own man.... their own sport?

No, because that's unthinking football style tribalism. I think most posters here have shown a far more balanced view of the world outside athletics that that.

Wiggo has personality for sure, backed up by rock solid achievement. He won everything in the lead up to the TDF, which is a global event with iconic status. He unselfishly gave his absolute all for Cav where he could during the TDF and esp in the Olympic road race & then he won yet another Olympic gold, making some high quality opponents look second rate. He also has a fantastic back catalogue across other disciplines - team pursuit to TDF are about as similar as the 400 is to the 10K.

That's not to denigrate Mo or Jess or Hoy or any number of fantastic achievers. It's just that this is Wiggo's year.

And for those who have no strong affiliation to athletics or cycling, I just wonder whether they find riders maxing out in the high mountains to be a bit more interesting than distance runners just going round and round the same track?

[djlovesyou]

It has nothing to do with 'personality' as such.

The word 'personality' in the title is merely a more elegant way of saying 'sports man/woman or sports person of the year'.

The ought to change it really, because it tends to confuse people into thinking that some people don't deserve to win because they don't crack enough off the cuff jokes during interviews.

[Mr Me]

That's not to denigrate Mo or Jess or Hoy or any number of fantastic achievers. It's just that this is Wiggo's year

Noone is going to convince me that this isn't Mo's year aswell, I'm not saying that Wiggins shouldn't win its just that Mo should be a contender aswell. I also beleive that Mo worked as hard as humanly possible for what he achieved this year so I don't get why WIggins' achievments are just automatically better. If they both worked as hard as possible and got the ultimate honour in their sports, why can't they be considered equal?

And for those who have no strong affiliation to athletics or cycling, I just wonder whether they find riders maxing out in the high mountains to be a bit more interesting than distance runners just going round and round the same track?

I don't think thats how it works, super saturday was a specatular event witnessed by 17 million people. It was the golden moment of the olympics (way more exciting than Wiggins time trial )

[sidelined]

Just to add, ref the Rudisha point - Jess beat her Schwarzkopf by 306 points, or 4.4%. That could be argued to represent Rudisha, finishing in 100.91s beating his nearest rival by about 4.4s, whereas Asagie in last place was closer than that.

I know no-one was going to touch Rudisha, but measurably they were closer to him than they were to Jess.

Larkim, are you trying to argue that the bigger the margin of victory, the less impressive the achievement? That seems a little eccentric to me...

[larkim]

Larkim, are you trying to argue that the bigger the margin of victory, the less impressive the achievement? That seems a little eccentric to me...

Eccentric? Moi?!?

But yes, to a point I do suggest that; in respect of Jess, had what she achieved been a massive margin of victory and a world record, clearly that would be a superlative performance worthy of recognition (particularly given the level of the heptathlon WR!). But to post "only" a UK record and "only" the 5th highest score ever whilst beating the rest by a country mile is (to my eccentric mind!) not as "good" as Rudisha posting a WR in a race that was genuinely competitive (i.e. he could have lost!)

My argument falls down ref Mo I suppose, but I think the nature of a 10,000m or a 5,000m is such that an Olympic final is almost inevitably not going to produce a WR.

I'm also not just judging the level of achievement - I'm also adding a subjective element of "how much fun was that to watch!?!" Rudisha was exciting, in my house we were all (yes all!) applauding at the TV when Mo won, and when Jess won we all went "Meh, bit of a damp squib really".

Just my eccentric opinions though!!

Matt

[sidelined]

Each to their own, Larkim. When Jess won, I thought the way she raced it instead of time-trialling it was magnificent, and that it was an overwelmingly wonderful moment. When Rudisha won, I thought, 'He's time-trialling it, and however fast it is it isn't a particularly exciting race because we know he's going to win.' So that's my eccentricity...

[boysen]

Rudisha demonstrates...he has not been called on to "race" recently.

[Tuckin]

I just think it's great that we have an embarrassment of riches this year, compared to duff years like when Zara won (easy to knock Zara, but there was NO ONE else who deserved it that year - it was an annus horribilis).

I have little doubt the 1-2-3 will be Wiggins, Mo, Jess, and I wouldn't argue with that order. All great champions and marvellous characters, in differing ways.

I don't buy the Ainslie thing - he's had a great career but I don't like the SPOTY award being used as a lifetime achievement award (as it was scandalously with Giggs).

[larkim]

I think that's a little unfair to Rudisha; he no more "demonstrates" than Bolt does - he has an exceptional talent which enables him to beat (with high levels of certainty at the start of the race) other runners who are capable of running the 11th fastest time in history, and the only running this century (other than Rudisha) to go sub 1.41.99 (c.f. Bolt vs Blake in 200m).

Matt

[Kermit]

The winer will be the person who has the best marketing company behind them, as it has been for the past 4 years. In which case it will go to Wiggins.

But my vote goes to Frankle!

[iain]

Ben Ainslie should be top 3, double gold medalliosts will be on the list (Farah, Hoy, Kenny, Trott, Dujardin), Jess will probably come third (undeservedly IMO) and Wiggins will win. Kath Grainger will probably also be nominated.

[Mr Me]

Ben Ainslie should be top 3, double gold medalliosts will be on the list (Farah, Hoy, Kenny, Trott, Dujardin)

Don't think ben Ainslie should be top 3, sailing hardly the most competative or exciting sports and he seems to dominate all the time, so hardly has to push himself. The public also don't pay much attention other than when we're winning olympic medals in it.

Double gold medalists doesn't resonate with me either, if your in shape to win one its hardly surprising your in shape to win another very similar event. This is part of the reason I like Jess, she had her eyes on one medal for the last four years and went out there and got.

[boysen]

BBC sports p|Prsonality of thr yeasr is on the BBC pay-roll....as the winner shoudl be. He has a superb taste in tailors. He is ever ready to commnicate on the sport, eloquent, wordy and accomplished......stand up Seejay Jackson!

[iain]

Ainslie won by just 1pt, it was a race to the wire. He is the most successful Olympic sailor ever, more than most of our athletes can say. And let's face it, almost all of these sports generate very little public interest outside of games time.

[jeremy1]

Rudisha demonstrates...he has not been called on to "race" recently.

Rumour has it that there is going to be an ridiculous post of the year on the AW Forum and I would like to nominate the guy who says that Rudisha "demonstrates."
Unbelievable nonsense about an outstanding athlete who just happens to demonstrate that he is superior to any 800m runner of this or any day and much more to the point is prepared to go out from the start and thrash em all. I suppose if he trotted around at the back, a la British mode, and ran away in the last 50 metres thats supposed to be "racing".

Elliott "demonstrated" in Rome 1960; El Geurrouj demonstrated on the last lap of many races;Ron Clarke demonstrated into the record books that he was vastly superior to all and Keino did it in Mexico 1968, to name but a few.

[jeremy1]

There is indeed a great big world of sport outside the entertainment, called a sport, which is driven into our brains for ten months of the year by vested interests and the tribes of fans who are brainwashed into superfandom about largely over rated underskilled British athletes who are thrilled to be here and earn crazy money.Never underestimate the role of journos and TV creeps in the brainwashing category, who do very nicely thank you out of the footy stuff.

No partnership with a horse or even a boat should take precedence over an athlete, in my opinion, for SPOTY and I would very narrowly give my vote to Wiggins because of the Tour win when a slip up any time, any day for three weeks, on the flat and up mountains is a great test. My doubts, however, re Wiggins are that he was probably not the real winner of the Tour de France who would clearly have been Froome, ordered back on a team decision by Brailsford, on one of the mountain stages, and of course the race is the archetypal Team event.

Not Jess, sadly, but Mo is a more worthy winner, marginally, for me over her, for second place. Her competition this year was disappointing whereas Mo had the East Africans to contend with !

At least this year, thank goodness, we have some great sportspeople and achievements to celebrate and therefore a SPOTY this year is bound to be a bit unfair to some great athletes.

Agree with the post that the vote for the Manchester United footballer, Giggs, a couple of years ago was a disgrace !!!

[Ursus]

Largely a good post Jeremy, but have to take issue on one part.

My doubts, however, re Wiggins are that he was probably not the real winner of the Tour de France who would clearly have been Froome, ordered back on a team decision by Brailsford, on one of the mountain stages

Certainly not "clearly" and probably not at all. On one particular day, Froome did start an attack, the type of which fail 95% of the time because they simply can't be sustained. CF's probably got a better ability to vary his pace than Wiggins who is more even paced and relentless, but no-one else's attacks got near to breaking Wiggo (yes I acknowledge the team role CF played), and I saw nothing to suggest that CF would have had any more joy if he'd been racing against Wiggo. Two very different types of rider.

If Brailsford had thought at any time that Froome was a better bet for the maillot jaune, then surely the team would have been ordered to ride for him, It wasn't.

But anyway we have come to the same conclusion in the end!

[Tuckin]

He is the most successful Olympic sailor ever, more than most of our athletes can say.

I'd go as far as to claim that NONE of our athletes could say they're the most successful Olympic sailor ever.

Boom boom (as they probably say in sailing circles).

[SteveK26]

The athlete I'd most love to see collect the spoty award, (and who had a brilliant Olympics), would be Elizabeth Tweddle.
She is a superb gymnast , still doing routines on the bars that the others can but watch open-mouthed. Wonderful advert for sport, and such a brilliant role model for all the young kids out there in our gym clubs.
Its not going to happen, and she probably wont be even nominated...mores the pity.

[Kermit]

David Weir's inclusion in the top 10 would make the public vote extremely interesting

[SteveK26]

Dont think David Weir would make any impression on the votes even if he was in top ten. Ellie Simmonds is just as worthy, and just as well known?
Either way the winner will not come from the ParaOlympics.

[Kermit]

Why not Steve? Are you ruling out those who vote who could not go to the Olympics but were in awe of those Paralympians that they saw? Do not underestimate the block votes of the disabled viewers who were inspired!

Weir has won 2 golds already and is very capable of winning the 800m and the marathon.

[SteveK26]

Kermit
Its just my opinion, but I think that however entertaining (and inspiring) the ParaOlympians are they will be largely ignored when Spoty rolls around. People will naturally vote for their mainstream favourites, wont they?
And there are SO MANY categories its difficult to get a handle on it all. Some of the athletes are so good they could compete against able-bodied, whereas others are overcoming major problems. Who, therefore, is the most worthy?

[Ursus]

Dont think David Weir would make any impression on the votes even if he was in top ten. Ellie Simmonds is just as worthy, and just as well known?
Either way the winner will not come from the ParaOlympics.

I agree with you here Steve.

TBH by mid September most of the public will have filed Weir away until at least the next London Marathon, and Simmonds until Rio. Sounds harsh but I bet most have already forgotten the names of our dressage, canoeing, shooting & boxing gold medallists. That's just the way it is, the SPOTY winner is usualy mainstream & 2012 isn't a weak "Giggs year".

I will however scream if the Ryder Cup "team" wins the team of the year award again.

[Kermit]

The next few days could catapult Andy Murray into the list of potentials, providing he wins the US Open.

The Young SPOTY will also be a close run thing.

[trickstat]

IIRC Tanni Grey-Thompson came 3rd in 2000 so it's not inconceivable that David Weir could feature strongly.

[Kermit]

Spot on Trickstat. I was in the stadium on Tuesday night when Weir won the 1500m I knew that the noise from the crowd had hit 100db, but until tonight I had no I idea that it was 110db and only 1db away from the stadium record set at the time that Mo Farrah won the 5k.

He has been on billboards and tv adverts around the country all year long and if BT put their marketing team to work for him then he could get very close.

[Tuckin]

The next few days could catapult Andy Murray into the list of potentials, providing he wins the US Open.

No way - not this year. His "personality" will always hold him back in SPOTY terms, although that's not to say he won't win it if he wins Wimbledon in a quieter year. But for this year, forget it.

IIRC Tanni Grey-Thompson came 3rd in 2000 so it's not inconceivable that David Weir could feature strongly.

Not inconceivable - and what he is doing is incredible - but my money would still be on a 4th-6th finish for him. For all his brilliance, he's still just the biggest fish in a very small pool, whereas the likely top three are all at the top of the world in mass-participation sports (OK, there aren't THAT many heptathletes, but if you add up how many people do just one of Jess's events...).

[djlovesyou]

Andy Murray is only a couple of matches away from throwing his hat into the ring for at least a top three finish.