No SPOTY thread yet?
Tom Daley
Tyson Fury
Adam Peaty
Emma Radacanu
Raheem Sterling
Sarah Storey
Discuss.
After you.
No, please... after you...
I’d like to see a press conference beforehand between Tyson Fury and Tom Daley with them trash talking each other like those before a big boxing match 🤣
Actually ‘personalities’ this year. Like this show as it’s some pre Christmas positivity
Pretty poor list this year:
Tom Daley - Won his first olympic gold, so great to see, but is as vanilla and boring as any sports star i've ever seen, he reminds me of a CBeebies TV host.
Tyson Fury - Not exactly done much in the sport this last year, but he is a 'personality', quite like him at times, but he is marmite for most.
Adam Peaty - Another who has continued to do well and keep winning at his sport, but basically a slightly more mature Tom Daley in personality.
Emma Radacanu - Won the US Open, hasn't done anything else, no known personality as of yet, on course to be another boring one though.
Raheem Sterling - Generic footballer, could be replaced by about 20 others in this list.
Sarah Storey - 98% of the UK will have to google her before voting.
Tyson Fury and Tom Daley with them trash talking each other
Yes - that would be epic!
Here you go.
Here you go.
Well put.
No Joe Root? Maybe they'll just do a 10 second segment on cricket this year!
Ok - I’ll bite. Why no Mark Cavendish…
Pretty poor list this year:
I think you've misunderstood which definition of personality it refers to. There's nothing in the short list criteria* about them being a really engaging persona to be around:
The Panel will select a short list of sportspeople on the basis of the following criteria:
•reflects UK sporting achievements on the national and/or international stage;
•represents the breadth and depth of UK sports; and
•takes into account 'impact' over and beyond the sport or sporting achievement in question.
*Google couldn't find me them for 2021 - but I assume they are similar
Anyone not noticed the timing?
Announced day after the controversial F1 finale and no Lewis Hamilton...
Dunno how Cav’s not on there. His being a sport of interest to me, aside.
Announced day after the controversial F1 finale and no Lewis Hamilton…
I would give it to Hamilton for his gracious acceptance of being royally shafted by the FIA. And also for his moral victory in the WDC.
Adam Peaty FTW he has been on Strictly you know.
Why is it a thing?
Why do anonymous BBC executives have this authority to decide on a 'sports personality'? Why do any sports people give it even the slightest credence?
Why do people who normally claim to dislike pointless reality TV shows talk about like it's a prestigious accolade? Arfgghhhh
No horse dancers this year?
Everyone knows that the person who wins will be the one who most tickles the belly's of the home counties middle classes who watch and vote for this type of rubbish, so Emma Radacanu is an absolute shoe-in so they can pile the totally unrealistic expectation of winning Wimbledon next year onto her and rename Henman Hill/Murry Mound Emma's Ellipse, or something
The only potential competition is Adam Peaty for his Strictly appearence
It's a bit mean calling people spoty.
Emma's Elevation
Why is it a thing?
It's cheap telly - you need a studio a few presenters and some prerecorded guff and you fill 3hrs of TV mostly with highlights / repeats of the year. Its been running for nearly 70 years so not some new fangled idea.
Why do anonymous BBC executives have this authority to decide on a ‘sports personality’?
Well firstly they are not anonymous*, nor are they all BBC executives, and the final decision is made by the public who decide to 'vote'.
*I can't find the current shortlist panel (but its never been a secret in the past) - but previously it was made of of a mix of BBC sports staff, other sports journalists/editors and former SPOTY nominees along with the Chair of UK Sport.
Why do any sports people give it even the slightest credence?
Frankly you sound like Tyson Fury, posturing about being the people's champion and not needing public validation (which seems a contradiction in terms!)
Some people like MBEs/Knightoods etc. Some people think this is a nice recognition by ordinary people for their contribution to the country's sporting success (or at least excitement).
Why do people who normally claim to dislike pointless reality TV shows talk about like it’s a prestigious accolade? Arfgghhhh
I don't know - why do people who have no interest in it bother to type in a thread about it? Possibly we are all different and a lot of the people who watch sport obsessively aren't the people who watch reality tv?
Everyone knows that the person who wins will be the one who most tickles the belly’s of the home counties middle classes who watch and vote for this type of rubbish, so Emma Radacanu is an absolute shoe in
Is that who actually votes? I have to say I assumed Tom Daily would be the favourite when the list came out but the bookies seem to think you are right.
Emma Radacanu
The salutary lesson of what happens when you fire your coach and don't have a plan b
Wot Poly sed.
I think Doris and Binners are just bitter that the sport of carrying a chip on your shoulder hasn't been included, otherwise they'd have made the list.
I would give it to Hamilton for his gracious acceptance of being royally shafted by the FIA. And also for his moral victory in the WDC.
Why do anonymous BBC executives have this authority to decide on a ‘sports personality’? Why do any sports people give it even the slightest credence?
This. It's utter horse balls: "we have arbitrarily decided that one of these fantastically successful (and reasonably well paid) sports people should be decreed to be better than the others, by us, an irrelevance in their lives". Absolute waste of time from beginning to end, and just an opportunity for the BBC to blow itself about how important it really is.
That said, it is interesting timing that it was announced this morning, as if they were waiting on whether to include Hamilton or not.
Raducanu will win it - and she may be made up about that, actually.
Tom-B
Free Member
No Joe Root? Maybe they’ll just do a 10 second segment on cricket this year!
"and here's the man who's about to lead England to their worst tour result in, ooh, at least 4 years". Presumably the BBC learned its lesson after the 2015 Ashes-winning team were in the middle of getting absolutely humped in Australia at the time they were awarded SPOTY/ team of the year
a) It's a load of old tut, like wot doris said
b) Mark Cavendish
Seems odd that they've cut the shortlist down to 6 for the last few years, and always insist on including some stars from certain fringe sports but then not others...
Doesn't need repeating, I'm certainly not his greatest fan, but Jonny Rea has dominated WSB yet again! Not on the list...
Joe Root might not have led England to emphatic series wins over India and NZ, but his performances with the bat this year have been unparalleled by any other Englishman in history... Himself included! Doesn't get a mention.
Mark Cavendish... The greatest comeback story in modern cycling times! Where is he?
The exclusion of Lewis Hamilton does seem very poorly timed too I must say. The FIA stole what would have been the record number of drivers' championships for anyone ever off him by virtue of they are worried about their viewer ratings... Not a Lewis fan here, but despite all the money in the world you can't help but feel that was unfairly stolen from him!
🤷🏻♂️
Frankly you sound like Tyson Fury, posturing about being the people’s champion and not needing public validation
To be fair, there are numerous similarities between myself and the millionaire world-famous athlete Tyson Fury. We both have beards, for one. And weigh about 19 stone.
Kevin Sinfield should be nailed on for this yet not even nominated.
One can always rely on the annual SPOTY thread for being a shining example of people taking time out of their day to express a vehement opinion on something they Absolutely Couldn't Care Less About.
Mark Cavendish… The greatest comeback story in modern cycling times!
Generally I'm not a big sports fan so I might be missing a lot, but I don't remember seeing a comparable comeback in any sport, ever.
Not really surprised that he's not in there, but I find it quite amazing his story has flown so far under the radar.
I don’t remember seeing a comparable comeback in any sport, ever.
There was that other, American, cyclist that time... 😉
Jonny Rea dominated World Superbike? I think you need to go and look at the 2021 results mboy....
Surely they picked the wrong token ball kicker … err footballer
Much as I hate the team he plays for I can’t see passed Marcus Rashford this year but I guess that would be seen as way to political by some..
Although I have 100% agreement with this sentiment ……
Kevin Sinfield should be nailed on for this yet not even nominated.
But again probably viewed as too political in some quarters
The salutary lesson of what happens when you fire your coach and don’t have a plan b
Correct. Wins US Open with coach then decides he is surplus to requirements. Seems like poor judgement. Even if he had, as some reports said, been on a short term contract I'm sure for an appropriate pay rise he would have stayed on.
That said as SPOTY is decided not on personality ut on sporting achievement and mass popularity she is a near dead cert.
I don’t remember seeing a comparable comeback in any sport, ever.
Sam Hill, twice. First in DH, then enduro.
But yeah, I would say "Cav got robbed", but y'know.
Marcus Rashford this year but I guess that would be seen as way to political by some..
I thought of him, but the BBC wouldn't dare troll the gov't like that at the moment.
Rashford was the government darling, MBE, loads of pics, etc, etc, but has played his worst season of football, same with a load of other footballers, they made the Euro 2020 final, but most of them are off the boil, Kane is having a mare, Grealish is having an average season and so on.
The list this year just doesn't have someone who's really done well for themselves in terms of sport and publicity over the year, all a bit hit and miss in terms of their year and a bit of a generic one, is weird they haven't put Hamilton down, an easy one to add to the list to make it more recognisable, and it's not as if he's had a quiet year.
Forgot about josh Taylor as well, first Brit to hold all 4 belts in a division!
And all the nominees are English as well, weird to have it so one dimensional
SPOTY has been dead to me ever since boring pipe smoking men in brown burtons suits with bushy moustaches stopped presenting it.
Can't remember seeing Sue Barker with a pipe but I didn't watch all of them.
I'd give it to Tyson Fury, number 1 heavyweight.
Blimey, Cav not even on the list: that was a comeback from a Rocky script.
Bit weird no Hamilton on the list? Had he become 8 time WC then surely he'd have been shortlisted? Given his performance and the character he showed yesterday I'd say he'd be even more deserving and actually give the title some meaning.
Cav also.
Much as I hate the team he plays for I can’t see passed Marcus Rashford this year but I guess that would be seen as way to political by some..
He got a special award last year for his off field activities
Kevin Sinfield should be nailed on for this yet not even nominated.
He’s a coach - you have to be a player. There’s a separate coach award.
Lewis and Cav have won before - is this year that much better for them? For Lewis it nearly was, and for Cav it was amazing but I’m not sure he’ll be remembered for it by non cyclists.
I can’t decide if I am impressed they keep nominating Tyson Fury when he (claims) not to be interested, or it’s just a waste.
Coach of the year - Steve Borthwick.
Waiting for the second half of the list to be published...
Fury.
Nobody comes close.
Blimey, Cav not even on the list: that was a comeback from a Rocky script
Agreed it was one of the most unexpected comebacks of all time, but possibly waiting till he gets that 1 more stage win and takes the all time record next year. I'd have to give it to Fury tho
Fury.
Nobody comes close.
And if the award was a***hole of the year I'd agree, but a homophobic sexist shouldn't even be on the list.
I'm not very inspired by any of them, but I'd give it to Peaty for being the best in his sport for a sustained period and winning Olympic gold in a very competitive class.
There's personality, and there's being a dick.
Fury is the latter.
SPOTY should go to someone who's a good role model, not some jumped up angry prick, regardless of how good he is at punching people.
Fury has failed too many drug tests. Raducanu will be the Home Counties choice.
Raducanu will obviously win, what she did was completely unprecedented in the history of a highly competitive sport. Tennis players have always done well in SPOTY, not as well as Athletics and Motor Racing, but the most wins after them - mainly due to Andy Murray, who is the only three time winner.
The nominees are picked by a panel of sports 'experts';
the Olympics are a massive factor, so any success there, usually trumps everything else. Unless there is an unusual achievement, which this year there is; Radacanu winning the US Open as a qualifier.
As for Cavendish; yes, probably should be on the list, however, he didn't go to the Olympics, and for the sports panel, a track cyclist winning at the Olympics will trump that.
You could argue, why wasn't Pidcock on the list? Simple, MTB, BMX, etc aren't viewed as 'proper cycling' by those who pick names.
And slightly off topic; but in all these cycling yearly awards, I'm struggling to recall a MTB rider being on any list. And in a year when we have an Olympic champion, and our first XCO Elite World Champion.....
The thread has gone the way of all the previous years then, only (some of) the names have changed 🤣
https://twitter.com/themichaelowen/status/1472673729075425280
The comments 👍 some replies might not be work safe
Well, I really didn’t think Twitter could be that funny 😄
Superb