SPOTY 2012

[LEE]

It's going to be Wiggins or Ennis for sure.

Either one would be truly worthy in my opinion and I can't pick it.  Ennis I would have thought. (Bradley I hope).

The "personality" component should really restrict Murray from ever winning it (but boring, personality-free, people have won it before).

The generic "Team GB" should be team of the year, anyone who was part of the Olympic success, medals or not.


from Clarion

I hope it goes to Wiggins, for being the first Briton to win what is pretty much the toughest major sporting event in the world.

Apparently there are things you can take.

[TimC]

It has to be Jess Ennis.  7 events and even capable of individual glory in the hurdles. Plus, she is a normal, pleasant and truly humble person.   Second for Ellie Simmonds just because she has such a great personality and has triumphed over adversity with sheer grit and determination. 

Personally I cannot see past these two.

Me too - though I'd reverse the order.

[rogerzilla]

Wiggins did the TDF and Olympic gold.  That has to trump everything else; I don't care what else the other Olympians won this year, it wasn't a three week stage race.

Only problem with Wiggo is that he might get asked about his ribs, and say the c-word on camera...

[mattc]

Only problem with Wiggo is that he might get asked about his ribs, and say the c-word on camera...

"car-driver" ?

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Only problem with Wiggo is that he might get asked about his ribs, and say the c-word on camera...

That's almost enough to make me vote for him. I would vote for him, but after years of no women in the list, I want a woman to win it this year, and I think I want it to be Katherine Grainger.

[eck]

Only problem with Wiggo is that he might get asked about his ribs, and say the c-word on camera...

That's almost enough to make me vote for him. I would vote for him, but after years of no women in the list, I want a woman to win it this year, and I think I want it to be Katherine Grainger.

I know this much about rowing: nothing.
But, if Grainger was one of a pair, why is the other person in the boat with her left out? Seems to me a bit like not giving a tandem stoker any points for a 600k audax. 

[Jaded]

Wiggins did the TDF and Olympic gold.  That has to trump everything else; I don't care what else the other Olympians won this year, it wasn't a three week stage race.

Only problem with Wiggo is that he might get asked about his ribs, and say the c-word on camera...

He didn't do it on his own though.

Murray won the US Open and Olympic gold.

[docsquid]

There is only one person on this list who has done something no sportsperson has ever done before. Twice. In the same Year. He won the Tour de Romandie, Paris Niece, Dauphine (never done before). Then the Tour and and Olympic gold (also never done before). Wiggins. More medals than any other British Olympian ever.

All the others have done astoundingly well. The other outstanding achiever on this list is David Weir. Come on. 800, 1500, 5000 and Marathon. What amazing versatility and dominance. Far more challenging than Heptathlon. Sarah Storey was amazing, but I think David Weir has a lot more close competition, to be honest, as his sport has more participants and is a very mature sport. And he gets overlooked. A lot.

If it has to be a female athlete, then it has to be Sarah Storey.

IMHO

[hatler]

Left field voice here.

I don't believe that what Ben Ainslie has done will ever be equalled.

One event per Olympics. Silver first time, then four golds in a row. Sailing results can be mildly fluky yet he has consistently beaten the opposition and proved over and over again that he is simply better, consistently than anyone else in the world.

All Brad has done (and I'm not belittling his achievments here) is win a race that someone has won every year for the last several. (His other cycling wins this year truly are extraordinary though.)

There again, we have evidence aplenty that Brad has a personality.

I'm sure he's going to get it.

[mike]

Left field voice here.

I don't believe that what Ben Ainslie has done will ever be equalled.

One event per Olympics. Silver first time, then four golds in a row. Sailing results can be mildly fluky yet he has consistently beaten the opposition and proved over and over again that he is simply better, consistently than anyone else in the world.

well, except redgraves bronze and five golds across five olympics in a sport thats not even a little bit flukey.

[Ham]

Only one thing for it, vote early, vote often.

[hatler]

Left field voice here.

I don't believe that what Ben Ainslie has done will ever be equalled.

One event per Olympics. Silver first time, then four golds in a row. Sailing results can be mildly fluky yet he has consistently beaten the opposition and proved over and over again that he is simply better, consistently than anyone else in the world.

well, except redgraves bronze and five golds across five olympics in a sport thats not even a little bit flukey.

And that's the point. You could put Redgrave on a rowing machine alogside his competitors and the numbers would show (probably) that he was the fittest, strongest, fastest, etc. The dedication to stay at the top of your game for that long is unbelievable.

What Ainslie has done is to overcome his competitors in an unpredictable environment, time and time again, in a regatta format over a week (so several races) simply because his intuition, knowledge, ability to maintain focus over long periods and brute strength (the Finn is a monster of a boat to master) took him to the top.

[Basil]

I'll prolly vote for David Weir.  A very impressive year on top of an impressive career to date.

The similarity of the tactics (particularly the longer distance races) to cycle racing is interesting to watch.

[mike]

Left field voice here.

I don't believe that what Ben Ainslie has done will ever be equalled.

One event per Olympics. Silver first time, then four golds in a row. Sailing results can be mildly fluky yet he has consistently beaten the opposition and proved over and over again that he is simply better, consistently than anyone else in the world.

well, except redgraves bronze and five golds across five olympics in a sport thats not even a little bit flukey.

And that's the point. You could put Redgrave on a rowing machine alogside his competitors and the numbers would show (probably) that he was the fittest, strongest, fastest, etc. The dedication to stay at the top of your game for that long is unbelievable.

I dont think he was ever the quickest on a rowing machine, moving a boat is very different.  Towards the end of his career there were probably 10s of people quicker than him in the UK squad alone.

But we're splitting hairs, they're both awesome!

[MattH]

That's almost enough to make me vote for him. I would vote for him, but after years of no women in the list, I want a woman to win it this year, and I think I want it to be Katherine Grainger.

It's worth hearing her speak if you get the chance - I heard her at a conference in Brum a couple of weeks ago, very entertaining and inspiring even if there was no link whatsoever with the subject of the conference (telehealth).

I think Brad will get it, but it has been an outstanding year for our sports people.

[pcolbeck]

Hpw do you vote ? The BBC SPOTY website does not tell you how.

[ran doner]

Telephone vote on the nite

[padbeat]

The lines aren't going to open untl all the nominees have had their spiel on the show and will only be open for about an hour.

[Wowbagger]

Alastair Cook, in any other year, would walk it. Best English test batsman of all time.

[Jaded]

Well, he should win it for the next 10 years, hopefully.

[pcolbeck]

Telephone vote on the nite

Ya, thats what I was guessing but they don't actually say that anywhere.

[ran doner]

Telephone vote on the nite

Ya, thats what I was guessing but they don't actually say that anywhere.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/sports-personality/19997397

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

The Scottish sport awards are on telly just now. Andy Murray won SSPOTY.

[clarion]

Sounds fair. 

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Chris Hoy got the lifetime achievement award and Katherine Grainger got the inspirational performance award.