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Mo Farah
Andy Murray
Sarah Storey
Katherine Grainger
Sir Chris Hoy
Rory McIlroy
Nicola Adams
David Weir
Bradley Wiggins
Ben Ainslie
Ellie Simmonds
Jessica Ennis
3 cyclists 🙂
I have to say its been such a remarkable year it seems arbitrary even to have a shortlist never mind choose one winner.
It will be Farah. Popular vote with no account of significance. Ennis 1 gold, pah. Nice a*** though. Murray, long time nearly man, why him? Granger, McIlroy, Adams, Weir no idea who they are. Simmonds, the sympathy vote.
For significance Wiggins as 2 golds are common.
Glad you've posted that because people have been talking about it but I have so far been too lazy to google it and find the list!
It'll be a tough call, there's a few on the list who, whilst have achieved things greater than most of us ever will, just aren't well known and popular enough to win - but plenty that are!
Has to be wiggo.
Everyone knows tdf , wiggins is a household name these days and its not for winning the olympic tt;)
Oooh its a tough year.
I think most of the above would normally have a great chance but this year the standards are so high.
Ennis is in there because she needs to be good at 7 T&F events to win. Using the same logic, shouldn't Laura Trott get a nomination?
I thinks its between Wiggins and Ennis
The expectation factor that Ennis had to carry made her gold a great achievement.
Same could be said of Wiggins after the TDF, but ennis was the face of the games.
Farah has achieved a feat no other middle distance runner had.
Others have longevity in their events.
And the Paralympians have to deal with so much just to compete let alone be world class.
Murray a gold and a grand slam is awesome, and he came across well at Wimbledon.
All of them have a story and deserve to win, such a great year for sport and British sport. I would begrudge no one on that list if that win it they all deserve it.
Obviously we all have our own favourites.
I think having 3 cyclists in there means they won't win it will ssplit the cycling vote a bit like last year (I Hinkle) 3 golfers but Cav won. I see Victoria P's husband has been moaning that she hasn't been nominated probably as they couldn't put up with her whining and crying when she came 10th. I say Mo Farah too. that is who I will vote for despite loving Jess, Sarah Storey etc.
How/ when do we vote?? Wiggins for me I think.
My top 3...
3. Andy Murray
2. Mo Farah
1. Bradley Wiggins.
Think it'll be close between 1 & 2 unless you're a daily fail reader who thinks mo should be deported back to Somalia...
that's the first spoty list i've seen where if anyone of them won i'd be happy. All are great athletes and all did something deserving of the prize.
Its a tough one.
Going to vote for Wiggins myself, however I wouldn't mind if Bed Ainslie won.
[quote=Bunnyhop said]Its a tough one.
Going to vote for Wiggins myself, however I wouldn't mind if Bed Ainslie won.
Freudian slip ? 😉
Threes cyclists though may mean the cycling vote is split between them as with last year and the golfing nominees.
Does the personality bit come into it at any point? wiggo certainly has one but some of those on the list don't.
shouldn't it be sports person of the year if it's just about their achievements?
I reckon it's bradley or mo
I think Wiggins should have won in this epic year - TDF, Olympic Hero and a top personality too. Sadly I think the whole Lance Armstrong scandal has degraded or sullied road cycling and the TdF as an honourable achievement in the public's eye.
Wiggins for my vote - TDF and Olympic Gold so close together was awesome.
Mo Farah would be my second place vote.
Rory McIlroy third.
It will be Farah. Popular vote with no account of significance. Ennis 1 gold, pah. Nice a*** though. Murray, long time nearly man, why him? Granger, McIlroy, Adams, Weir no idea who they are. Simmonds, the sympathy vote.
For significance Wiggins as 2 golds are common.
Not sure I understand most of that 😉
The thing that people forget is "sports [b]PERSONALITY[/b] of the year".
Murray doesn't have one,
Ennis seems nice, but tell me something else about her?
Farrah seem's like a decent chap but again, what else does he do/say?
Hoy, again, great guy, but not really doing it for me.
Wiggins, he called journalists a bunch of offensive ladyparts, that alone is worthy of a duff BBC trophy surly?
meehaja- Lineker was on the one show talking about it. His line is the title "Sporting [b]Personality[/b]" is historic but basically having a personality might motivate you to vote but it should be about the achievement.
But agree, Wiggins does have the personality of the list by a country mile.
wiggins has a strong, but divisive personality that doesn't endear him to everyone.
Between me and my buddies it's 50/50 whether or not we actually like wiggo. The thing we all agree on is how amazing he rode this year
Here's some personality for you [img] 
[/img]
We're going to start drawing the raffle numbers now
bit of a myth that it is anything to do with 'personality', it's just the name of the award (since 99). It's; "Awarded to the sportsperson whose actions have most captured the public's imagination"
For that reason I'm going for Mo. I think the Armstrong thing has torpedoed chances for brad, sadly. Too much of a risk for the beeb who are obviously extremely risk averse currently. As far as capturing the imagination goes, probably Mo, or a good few of the others.
Would be very happy to be wrong though.
Suitable as they all are to win it, in what has been an exceptional year for sport... There's only 1 name in that list of 10 that TV companies have made programmes on, who sells Newspapers when he's on the front page, who genuinely is so anti-celebrity that I think the public really relate well with his dour demeanour, and who has done something so far above and beyond what everyone else in the list has achieved that no other Brit has ever done!
Only a fool would bet against Brad, even if he doesn't want the award he's pretty much a shoo in to get it!
I think the Armstrong thing has torpedoed chances for brad, sadly. Too much of a risk for the beeb who are obviously extremely risk averse currently
Are you suggesting that the beeb won't let him win, regardless of the public vote results ?
I can't imagine Brad gives a monkey's ... either way.
I reckon it's Mo or Wiggo, they are both big personalities.
Ennis possibly for the achievement and Wier for the para sympathy vote.
Wiggins is the bookies favourite at the moment
FWIW Nicola Adams won the first ever women's olympic boxing gold. And she has a grin that goes from ear to ear - twice round 🙂
David Weir yes but no Hannah Cockroft? bags of personality
Why does a vote for a Paralympian have to be seen as a "sympathy vote" 🙄
Wier for the para sympathy vote? Yea, not like he did anything this year, over a huge range of distances...
please not farah, if i see that stupid infantile mobot one more time i'll smash the telly. Is he auditioning for a presenter job on cbeebies ?
1. Bradders
2. Mo
3. Jess
As much as some of the others are equally deserving of a top 3 spot, I can't see people voting beyond Brad's sudden public acclaim and THAT Super Saturday. The Weirwolf deserves top 3 IMO simple because of the range of his performances.
Why does a vote for a Paralympian have to be seen as a "sympathy vote"
I think you mis-understand.
I don't think the paras are any different from any other athlete. What I meant was that [i]the general public[/i] may think that they deserve a sympathy vote.
As for Wier's range of distances - I'm hugely impressed and it's clearly a tremendous achievement, but I have no idea how much of one. I don't know how compatible different distances are in wheelchair racing vs running. After all it'd be flat out impossible to do the same thing in running, surely?
..I think you mis-understand.
Yes, probably.
Its just that the two mentions of paralympians in the thread so far have come with what a "sympathy vote" disclaimer
yours and mattsccm's
Maybe I'm a bit quick to jump on it, but it does wind me up.
(But fair enough, if I misread what you were meaning then I apologise)
I see the paralympians as the same as any other athlete. Which of course makes them something to be admired and respected. The sentimental 'overcoming adversity' bit gets on my nerves a bit.
Ellie Simmonds said she didn't consider herself disabled, just short.
I would have to agree on the over sentimentality that is often attached.
Not needed at all.
Wiggins is the bookies favourite at the moment
By a long, long way.
Good to see Ellie Simmonds made the short list.
[img] 
[/img]
agree with munqe chick and others, multiple cyclists will split the vote, the tour will mean less and have residual memory than the olympics for jo public.
Ellie Simmonds said she didn't consider herself disabled, just short.
That's a great attitude for life for Simmonds there and one it's hard not to respect. But she needs to see herself a disabled to some extend or she'd be up against other athletes in the Olympics not the Paralympics. I'd have been in the Olympics too apart from not having big enough lungs etc.
I think the best thing that has happened with para athletics is that it has gone beyond the sympathy syndrome and now considered proper athletes in their own right. With that comes the ability to be compared rationally. For me that means it would be very hard for a para star to get my spoty vote simply because, like a lot of other able body sports I'd also not vote for, they are competing in a sport with a much smaller pool of athletes from which to rise to the top from.
Ellie Simmons. Cant abide Bradley Wiggins. And don't care about the rest.
Ellie Simmons. Cant abide Bradley Wiggins. And don't care about the rest.
do tell, is it personal, or just a 'personality' ting ?
agree with munqe chick and others, multiple cyclists will split the vote
Just like they did in 2008, when 4 (out of 10) of the shortlist were cyclists?
I reckon Mo or Murray with Wiggo third (even though it should be Wiggo by a mile)
jess or mo
Wiggins should win, winning the tdf is no small feat.
Do they win any money or is it just a pointless accolade?
who has done something so far above and beyond what everyone else in the list has achieved that no other Brit has ever done!
Only a fool would bet against Brad
Really? Given that Ben Ainsley has won 4 golds (and a silver in the Olympics before those) over a period of 12 years in a sport where you can only compete in one event, I would say that his is the outstanding acheivement. But it's sailing so he won't win.
Not sure about Wiggins winning - hard to tell what the general public will do but I suspect Mo will top the list.
[i]Threes cyclists though may mean the cycling vote is split between them as with last year and the golfing nominees. [/i]
Unless, of course, we vote three times. Which I shall be doing 🙂
I think it's Wiggo or Ennis for the win though.
Which is most likely to be "clean"? All, some, none?
Ainslie for sustained achievement, but little chance
Ennis for carrying the pressure of poster girl/expectation so well - second or third?
Mo for brilliance in the nights - neck and neck with Jess
Simmons for overall performance, good chance (hope at least top 3)
Wiggo - to win
Ian Poulter - for most outstanding individual contribution to a team win. Oh, he's not there!?! Of course the Ryder Cup was on Sky 😉
Prediction: Wiggo, Simmons, Farah/Ennis (3rd too close to call)
[s]Ainslie[/s][b]Storey[/b] for sustained achievement, but little chance
Threes cyclists though may mean the cycling vote is split between them as with last year and the golfing nominees.
Quite the opposite. Anyone with even a passing interest in cycling will be aware that Wiggo's achievements are on another level to the other candidates.
BUT - In the first online poll (on a general website) I've seen Murray currently has a very slender lead over Wiggo. Jess third, Mo some way behind in 4th.
I'd still back Wiggo myself, but I can see how the non-sports fan might favour Murray after his years of nearly success, then Olympic glory.
Wiggo will win it with about 30% of the vote imo (do we ever get to see voting figures?).
It'll go to Ennis or Farah
Both are well-liked and recognised by the public, even those who don't care for sport.
Plus Ennis will get extra voting attention cos everyone seems to fancy her.
I don't think Wiggins/Cycling quite has the same general public appeal.
Personally, I'd like to see Mo Farah win.
Thats a good list, no footballers for a start and includes people who have won things!! Can't see the cyclist vote being split, so far no one on this thread has mentioned the other two, which is a pity because I think Chris Hoy's lifetime achievements are up there with Wiggins/Sky team success. Saying that the tour is pretty special nevermind the Gold and the unprecedented run up to the tour.
A more apparent vote splitter will be Ennis and Farah I reckon, so it could come down to cycling Vs Golf.
[quote=AlexSimon ](do we ever get to see voting figures?).
We do. IIRC Cavendish got more than half the votes last year.
Edit: 49.47% of the votes 🙂
In that case, my estimate was conservative.
From 2011:
Mark Cavendish 169,152 (49.47%)
Darren Clarke 42,188 (12.34%)
Mo Farah 29,780 (8.71%)
Luke Donald 23,854 (6.98%)
Andy Murray 18,754 (5.48%)
Andrew Strauss 17,994 (5.26%)
Alastair Cook 13,038 (3.81%)
Rory McIlroy 11,915 (3.48%)
Dai Greene 9,022 (2.64%)
Amir Khan 6,262 (1.83%)
That's not a huge number of actual voters so it's easy to see how a concerted campaign would swing it.
For me that means it would be very hard for a para star to get my spoty vote simply because, like a lot of other able body sports I'd also not vote for, they are competing in a sport with a much smaller pool of athletes from which to rise to the top from.
Like cycling? Surely a footballer deserves it then, biggest pool of people and that.
Wiggo or Jessica with Mo in third
Ultimately it depends who is watching and voting on the night.
So many worthy candidates in such a great year for sport.
To the trolls posting of sympathy votes for paralympians you are a disgrace.
Really? Given that Ben Ainsley has won 4 golds (and a silver in the Olympics before those) over a period of 12 years in a sport where you can only compete in one event, I would say that his is the outstanding acheivement. But it's sailing so he won't win.
Not sure about Wiggins winning - hard to tell what the general public will do but I suspect Mo will top the list.
Ainsley is a great olympian of course, but you do realise that Wiggins also has 4 olympic golds, a silver and 2 bronzes. Achieved over a period of 12 years.
Regarding Murray - fabulous achievement and I'm very happy for him but ... he has 4 chances a year every year
Where Murray could win is if he get's a Scottish campaign behind him, remember when the jockey won, he did so as the horse racing fraternity arranged a massive campaign to vote for him to put horse racing into the spotlight
Ainsley is a great olympian of course, but you do realise that Wiggins also has 4 olympic golds, a silver and 2 bronzes. Achieved over a period of 12 years.
Agree and understood but in sailing the country sends only 1 athlete per class (event). If we were allowed multiple entrants we would probably have sweeps of gold/silver and bronze in some classes and certainly many more medals
[quote=jambalaya ]
Where Murray could win is if he get's a Scottish campaign behind him, remember when the jockey won, he did so as the horse racing fraternity arranged a massive campaign to vote for him to put horse racing into the spotlight
3 Scots in the 12 nominees.
From 2011:
Less than 350,000 votes for SPOTY in 2011 ?!!??
Out of a population of over 60 million.
Seems like nobody really gives a monkey's, and it's not really 'public recognition' when less than 1% of the population bother to vote.
Considering the UK is supposedly such a great sporting nation I would have expected greater public participation.
Good job it's only a bit of harmless fun. And a chance to wheel out a Sue Barker. Gives her something to do in between Wimbledon's.
Considering the UK is supposedly such a great sporting nation I would have expected greater public participation.
maybe people [i]do[/i] care about sports but just not enough to spend money on a phonecall?
Yo kaiser i agree but for the fact hoy won it a couple years back
in sailing the country sends only 1 athlete per class (event)
So how is that different from cycling?
So how is that different from cycling?
Well, to be fair in cycling that has only been for the last Olympics and only for the track. It is also possible for cyclists to enter for more than one event per Olympics(Hoy team sprint and kierin this year for example) whilst it would be impossible to enter more than one sailing event per Olympics.
So how is that different from cycling?
time trial, road race ... plus look at Sir Chris Hoys Medals, he got 3 in Beijing
ah - I see @convert has got there first
maybe people do care about sports but just not enough to spend money on a phonecall?
Is this the same mentality that makes people spend £2500 on a FS MTB, £250 on camelbak/clothing, £25000 on an Audi, £80 on a tank of fuel, drive half the length of the country and then refuse to spend £1.50 to use the trail centre car park and complain about the price of a piece of cake?
😀
@joao3v16 - you've got it ...
Guardian poll has Wiggo in a clear lead - let's not get complacent though
[url= http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/poll/2012/nov/27/bbc-sport-personality-year-2012-poll ]SPOTY[/url]
I don't think Cycling quite has the same general public appeal
Your joking right?
2 of the last 4 winners have been cyclists.
3 of the nominees are cyclists
2 of the most unlucky people to be left out are cyclists (Trott* and Kenny)
The TOB attracted record crowds
The mens road race at the Olympics had the most live spectators of any sporting event EVER, the time trial wasn't far behind.
This country is cycling mad.
*Kelly Holmes got made a Dame for her 2 gold medals, Laura Trott can't even get nominated for SPOTY! Shows how strong the candidates are this year.
Guardian poll, Wiggins at 53% 😯
Andy Murray ahead of Mo & Jess 😯
Ha! Guardian readers eh, they have got a sense of humour after all ...
Important thing is, it looks like SPOTY won't go to a golfist. Golf? Sport? hahahahahahahahaha ... etc
😀
Actually, I've just had a politically-correct idea!
Why doesn't SPOTY adopt the same stupid approach as primary school sports day's: nobody "wins" or "loses", they're all winners!
This way they aren't mentally scarred for life and grow up to be mass murdering paedophiles just because they came second-to-last in the egg and spoon race when they were 7.
*Kelly Holmes got made a Dame for her 2 gold medals, Laura Trott can't even get nominated for SPOTY! Shows how strong the candidates are this year.
It will be interesting to see where the honours go this year and if they will be equitable with previous honours. We already have Sirs Chris Hoy, Matthew Pinsent,Steve Redgrave and Dames Kelly Holmes and Tammy Grey-Thomson. Wiggins, Ainslie, Weir, Trott, Kenny, Farah, Ennis? I like the sound of "Sir Mo Farah". Trott will probably be treated like Adlington and just get an OBE as she is so young in her career; Kenny has always been in Hoy's shadow but maybe shouldn't be any more. All the others have a good case the top honour if past form is anything to go by.
I think Andy Murray could take it. I'm thinking of mail reading people like my mum who love sitting down for 2 weeks every year shouting "come on [s]tim[/s] Andy" and the LA stuff will have tarnished cycling for them. It'll come down to wether they can be persuaded to vote (which my mum won't)
But cyclists are a well organised and militant sort of bunch, so I'll vote for Brad as a vote for a cyclist is akin to a vote for cycling and the news that 3 cyclists are nominated is over every cycling website today is just a hint of the campaign heading towards to persuade us as cyclists to vote for Wiggo. Plus he's got a personality and I can appreciate what he's achieved of course.