SPOTY shortlist

indiana · Tennis legend

SPOTY shortlist

chavkev · Intermediate Club Player

Come on Jess Ennis. Sheffield girl done good.

philwrig · Hall of fame

Surprised Andy didn't make it even if he doesn't have any chance of winning. Saturday's brilliant performance too late to bring in the requisite number of nominations. Daley doesn't warrant a nomination as winning the commonwealth games is not a global title.
I personally would give it to the Ulsterman for winning the US open( a feat not achieved for a very long time) and also his contribution to the Ryder Cup win, when under the utmost pressure producing a brilliant birdie at the sixteenth. Not a fan of giving it to McCoy who would receive it essentially as a lifetime achievement award. He did win the Grand National, but big deal it's only one race in the year.

-- Edited by philwrig on Tuesday 30th of November 2010 03:45:23 PM

Salmon · Tennis legend

As I always say, this is very pointless. You can't say that two seconds is longer than one inch.

But as I always end up backing someone... it's got to be Swanneh. In the last twelve months, he has comfortably been the world's best cricketer. Best Test spinner by a mile, a very good limited overs spinner, saved his team from a certain defeat with an 85 against SAfrica and an above average slip fielder on top of that. A world champion in the last year, plus he hasn't lost a series in any form in the last year.

Anyway, I have no doubt that it'll go to someone from a sport that's played by about 200 people in the world. Or a footballer, of course.

Swann plays tennis, too - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TCLfON8oPs

indiana · Tennis legend

I tend to agree with Phil re Tom Daley. He did beat the Aussie Olympic Champion but other strong competition such as particularly from China was clearly not at the Commonwealth Games.

I'd have had Muzza and Beth Tweddle rather than Tom Daley and Phil Taylor. I did see in another general sports forum Taylor being compared with Don Bradman in how he was relatively so far ahead of the next best in his sport and it was a disgrace that he has never won SPOTY. I thought discretion was the best policy rather than argue what I really think with the darts crowd smile

indiana · Tennis legend

Salmon wrote:

Anyway, I have no doubt that it'll go to someone from a sport that's played by about 200 people in the world. Or a footballer, of course.

Well we've been saved a footballer on the shortlist. Not quite sure how many female skeleton bobsleighers there are in the world, but don't see Amy Williams winning it smile

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

Given the award is for sports 'personality' that would have to be Swann. For achievement, I'd have to go with one of the two golfers.

McCoy doesn't deserve it - horse racing is a bit like formula 1 in that certain participants get given better equipment than others so they aren't competing on a level playing field. Winning more races than other jockeys when your consistently given 1st pick of the best horses doesn't rate with me.

Also, I think its right that Murray isn't nominated until he wins a major (or somehow gets a number one ranking without doing so, which would probably be more of an achievement!)

-- Edited by RBBOT on Tuesday 30th of November 2010 10:58:59 AM

philwrig · Hall of fame

Apologies to AP McCoy for thinking he was from the South of Ireland, always thought that based upon his accent but he originates from County Antrim so my mistake. Still don't think he deserves the award ahead of GMAC though.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Heh, more the reason to give it to Swanneh. Murali or Harbhajan never bowled their team to a victory in Australia.

indiana · Tennis legend

Wouldn't mind at all Swanneh getting it smile

but he won't. Maybe pity not more of the series before SPOTY night.

Decided to switch horses ( as it were ) from McCoy to GMAC since much more interested really in golf and admire McDowell's achievements this year. Got at bit caught up in the it's McCoy's time thing, especially after he'd won the Grand National this year, but naa. GMAC will get my vote !

McCoy seems strong favourite in the betting, but then again whose supporters are most likely to put a bet on

RBBOT · Futures qualifying

but then again whose supporters are most likely to put a bet on
Depends how popular Swann is in Pakistan

philwrig · Hall of fame

This made me chuckle.
Probably of more interest to golf fans, but anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA2hUK7DCas

philwrig · Hall of fame

Laura made the shortlist for Young Persons Sport Personality of the Year Award but did not make the top 3. Zoe Smith the weightlifter, Jodie Williams the sprint prodigy and of course Tom Daley were the top 3.

steven · Tennis legend

1 McCoy 293,152 (41.98%)
2 Taylor 72,095 (10.33%)
3 Ennis 62,953 (9.02%)
4 Westwood 58,640 (8.40%)
5 McDowell 52,108 (7.46%)
6 Daley 50,763 (7.27%)
7 Cavendish 44,170 (6.33%)
8 Williams 43,056 (6.17%)
9 Swann 13,767 (1.97%)
10 Haye 7,538 (1.08%)

Looks like the horse racing fraternity really marshalled their forces here!

Interesting that the golf votes could have got one of them into 2nd place by a clear margin had they all gone to the same player.

indiana · Tennis legend

Wow, expected McCoy to win but not by quite so much.

After that really all reasonably close 2nd to 8th and for sure one of the golfers would have made the top 3, very possibly 2nd, without facing the accomplishments of the other.

Kind of expected Haye might not do that well, but really surprised at the low vote of Swann. Not great timing for him the SPOTY vote being on a day England were thrashed and at the end of a test he himself contributed little. Maybe most of his potential voters were just in a bad mood today ( bah, I'll just vore for the dart chucker ! ) / still on some strange Aussie time and missed the vote / down the pub getting ******

Nadal for the Overseas Award seemed an obvious person to go for but still nice to see him win it. Apart from his huge achievements, just seems to me to be such a nice genuine guy.

-- Edited by indiana on Monday 20th of December 2010 12:10:20 AM