Heroes & Villains, the Aston Villa fanzine
Off Topic => Sports Arena => Topic started by: ACVilla on August 15, 2016, 12:04:23 PM
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I know it's only August but after the heroics of many, many Olympians I thought I'd start this early.
I'm gonna say Murray but it will probably be a case of put all the names in a hat and pick one out as there are so many deserved winners.
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Joe Root
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Surely has to be an Olympian.
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I would have thought he's up for a Knighthood too. Two Olympic golds, Two Wimbledon titles, a US open and the Davis Cup.
As for SPOTY, I think it will be a close call between Murray and Wiggins. However whatever happens during the rest of the games could well make the vote pretty interesting. Especially if Farrah wins another gold.
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I would have thought he's up for a Knighthood too. Two Olympic golds, Two Wimbledon titles, a US open and the Davis Cup.
As for SPOTY, I think it will be a close call between Murray and Wiggins. However whatever happens during the rest of the games could well make the vote pretty interesting. Especially if Farrah wins another gold.
Andy Murray has no chance of getting a Knighthood - he hasn't run a major high street bank into the ground. (Stolen from Twitter.)
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Ryan Giggs for me.
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I hope it's not Murray, he won it last year. If Rutherford had won he'd have been top of the list for me.
I suspect Mo will get it, if he defends the 5k he'll thoroughly deserve it.
Trott will be high up the list and I hope Glover and Stanning win something, undefeated for 5 years including 2 olympic titles is a massive achievement, probably the team award though because it's impossible to separate them.
Whitlock, Peaty, Kenny and Wiggo are all definites to be on the list. If Dujardin, Adams and Jones defend their titles they'll all be there as well.
Justin Rose might well get a look in as well, 1st hole-in-one at the olympics and won the first golf tournament in the games for over 100 years, it's got to be worth something.
Outside the olympics I can't think of anyone except possibly Joshua who will sneak in if he has a big fight just before the vote.
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Wiggins has to be in with a shout 5 Olympic golds is it now?
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If he wins the 5k gotta be Mo.
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Surely has to be an Olympian.
Why?
SPOTY......
1) Jamie Vardy
2) Chris Froome
3) Joe Root
Team
1) Leicester City
2) England Rugby Union
3) Team Sky
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At least this year there should be a credible list.
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Jason Kenny.
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Roy Hodgson
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Wiggins has to be in with a shout 5 Olympic golds is it now?
Jason Kenny, especially if he wins the keirin as it'll be 6 golds
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The list of potentials is huge, the cycling could fill it on their own.
Individual : Kenny, Trott, Froome, Wiggins
Team: mens persuit, womens persuit, mens sprint 3, Olympic cycling team as a whole, Froomes team (sky?)
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I cant see a footballer winning in an Olympic year where we also won Wimbledon and probably the F1 world championship too and completely flopped at the Euros. So that rules out Vardy.
It wont be Mo. He just isn't very likeable and has developed a chip on his shoulder. He's also tainted by the Salazar drug thing. For clarity, I don't believe he is a drugs cheat and am in awe of his achievements but now is not the time to be awarding SPOTY to a track and field athlete.
Kenny is in pole position just because we Brits love to reward "all-time greats" and enjoy a good love story. But it could equally go to Laura Trott - who is on a different planet to her rivals. Froome will be overlooked until he wins a couple more TdFs and then he'll be assured of the title (see "all-time greats").
Whitlock will get nominated but his achievements aren't quite Kenny/Trott-esque yet so that's a no.
Murray's achievements are up there with any of them but he won recently and that will go against him (see also, Hamilton).
So its Kenny for me. His self-deprecating style gives him an extra boost.
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I think the Team GB Cycling team could well win the team award. I think every one of them won a medal.
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I was too drained to post this last night, drained having gone round every lap with Trott and Kenny
Joint winners Trott and Kenny, why not? The winner must surely be a cyclist or cyclists.
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Andy Murray - Olympic gold, Wimbledon champion, Davis Cup winner - 29 out of 30 match wins - 18 on the trot. Say no more....
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I'm not sure about that with Mo, if he retains the 5k he'll be only the 2nd person in history to defend both distance events and the last time (72 and 76) was with a much smaller field before the african countries has really got involved. As an achievement it's right up there with Bolt and would be the biggest story of the games.
The rest of the comment about him is down to the fact that knowing you're the best and delivering just isn't very British, we prefer an underdog. I understand that but I don't like it, knowing how good you are and using that to be confident (not cocky or 'chip on his shoulder') is something that should be encouraged but only when it's backed up by performances.
For example if Jason Kenny wants to spend the next year or 2 telling everyone he's the best track cyclist ever and wins when he wants to then fair enough, he's earned that right by beating the best in the world repeatedly. It's cockiness (and a bad trait) when it comes from a twunt like Wilshere who has a career consisting of fuck all and yet thinks he's somehow world class.
I'm not saying Mo will win it I'm just saying that he should be right near the top of the list because he'll have achieved something truly spectacular. Kenny, Trott and Murray are all in the same boat and I stil lthink Peaty will be well in the mix because, whilst he doesn't have the length of time at the top, his domination of his event in the last 2 years is so extreme.
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I think the Team GB Cycling team could well win the team award. I think every one of them won a medal.
I agree with this, an excellent team effort even more so when it pisses the Germans and Aussies off
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I think the Team GB Cycling team could well win the team award. I think every one of them won a medal.
I agree with this, an excellent team effort even more so when it pisses the Germans and Aussies off
I think it will be a disgrace if they don't win the team award, 11 medals when the next best got 2 is freakish domination and the cyclists, coaches and team management (and everyone else involved) deserve to put on a pedestal as the greatest team we've ever produced in any sport.
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The Davis Cup was last year and he duly won it for that reason. He also won a few years back and no one has ever won it 3 times. To do that he'd have to have the record of Federer or Serena.
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The Davis Cup was last year and he duly won it for that reason. He also won a few years back and no one has ever won it 3 times. To do that he'd have to have the record of Federer or Serena.
Add the weight of the Scottish vote and I reckon he will probably win it.
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Mo for me, especially if he wins the 5k, he also seems to have a personality.
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I think the Team GB Cycling team could well win the team award. I think every one of them won a medal.
It should be sewn up but Leicester will have a shout at that too.
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Leicester all day for me. Although they were excellent, the cycling team were expected to win loads of medals, Leicester did something no one thought possible, and did it by 10 points.
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How about a collective of all the GB medal winners? Other than that Mo Farah or Leicester for me. The achievement of Leicester shouldn't be undermined as it won't happen again in my lifetime I imagine (I'm 30) although if a "personality" means one person then I think perhaps Farah or a wiggins should win it.
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Everyone has a personality. In this context it's just a gender-neutral way of saying which sport star has performed best and nothing to do with how exciting or nice they are.
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I think the overseas SPOTY should go to the lifeguard in the swimming. Never put a foot (fin) wrong.
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No brainer for the overseas winner.
Usain Bolt
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I think the Team GB Cycling team could well win the team award. I think every one of them won a medal.
It should be sewn up but Leicester will have a shout at that too.
We should now add the GB Ladies hockey team to the list. Marvelous performance.
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To think back on the day Nigel Mansell win it for finishing second in the car driving. What a choice we have!
Laura Trott for me.
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Such a difficult choice. It might be the case that the winner of the Tour de France, Wimbledon and the Formula 1 Championship don't even make the top three. Unbelievable!
My vote will be for Mo - and I'll feel really guilty about not voting for Jason Kenny, Laura Trott or Alistair Brownlee.
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Mo, Trott or Kenny to win, with Murray despite having won Wimbledon and the Gold not in the top 3. Unbelievable.
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I almost don't mind. There'll be a very strong argument for whoever gets it. Can't they share it this year?
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Can we not add a poll?
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Can we not add a poll?
Not since Brexit
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Damn them outers, they've ruined everything.
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Murray will win if he wins the US Open and/or helps Britain to another Davis Cup. Otherwise I reckon Kenny. Cyclists have won it during the last two Summer Olympic years.
Although it's possible Murray or Mo may win anyway if the cycling vote gets split.
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Would like to see Mo win as he is without doubt the greatest track and field athlete to ever represent Team GB.
He completed the 'double double' at The Olympics over 5k and 10k, is still the reigning World Champion over both distances and holds the British record at just about every distance from 1500 metres to half marathon! Not really sure what he has to do to win this!
Unfortunately he'll probably have to settle for 3rd behind the all to predictable choices of Murray and Hamilton.
Leicester or Team GB for the team award, Usain Bolt for the overseas award and Tim Sherwood for Coach of the Year!
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I think Team GB is too broad for the team award, I'd specifically push that to the cycling team, i agree that Mo should be the outstanding choice for the solo award.
The benefit of team GB winning, however, would be that it gives credit to people like Jade Jones and Nicola Adams who probably won't feature in the individual event but who have retained titles and should be recognised for it.
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1- Murray
2- Kenny
3- Trott
Team award- Leicester
Overseas- Bolt
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I can't see the SPOTY voters going for Murray at all. The choices they make are generally very sensible and well thought through. It's clearly more than just a popularity contest (see Hamilton winning) and they've been known to pick people fromminority sports with great achievements (McCoy). So they won't vote Murray again unless he does something he hasn't done before. So Davis Cup and U.S. Open aren't enough. He'll need the other 2 slams before he becomes the only person in history to win a 3rd SPOTY.
Although they did vote Giggs and Zara Phillips. So maybe I'm talking utter tosh.
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Not sure how genuine the vote is but has to be Mo or Adam peaty who is a mo on water
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It should still be Murray. Winning Wimbledon is an amazing achievement. It's only a sign of how brilliant he has been in the last few years that we've allowed ourselves to become blasé about it. He won a gold medal too, just for a bit of extra gloss.
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It should still be Murray. Winning Wimbledon is an amazing achievement. It's only a sign of how brilliant he has been in the last few years that we've allowed ourselves to become blasé about it. He won a gold medal too, just for a bit of extra gloss.
So basically if a tennis player wins wimbledon that's automatically a bigger achievement than anything else? What would someone else have to achieve to be on a par given so few sports have such a prestigious event. Mo Farah, for example, has won 17 golds in the last 20 major competitions he's entered over a period of 6 years, just because those events don't get as much press attention doesn't mean that his winning sequence is anything less than stunning. He's my choice because he's genuinely a world great and he deserves recognition for it. I also like the political aspect of an immigrant winning it in a year where anti-immigration sentiment has been so high but that's a side benefit and wouldn't make me vote for him if he wasn't Britain's greatest ever athlete.
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It should still be Murray. Winning Wimbledon is an amazing achievement. It's only a sign of how brilliant he has been in the last few years that we've allowed ourselves to become blasé about it. He won a gold medal too, just for a bit of extra gloss.
So basically if a tennis player wins wimbledon that's automatically a bigger achievement than anything else? What would someone else have to achieve to be on a par given so few sports have such a prestigious event. Mo Farah, for example, has won 17 golds in the last 20 major competitions he's entered over a period of 6 years, just because those events don't get as much press attention doesn't mean that his winning sequence is anything less than stunning. He's my choice because he's genuinely a world great and he deserves recognition for it. I also like the political aspect of an immigrant winning it in a year where anti-immigration sentiment has been so high but that's a side benefit and wouldn't make me vote for him if he wasn't Britain's greatest ever athlete.
Agree. Mo Farah is the best middle distance runner GB has ever seen and is on a par with the great Lasse Viren as the best middle distance runner of all time.
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You're not voting on the last six years. It's a one year deal (with the exception of the bizarre lifetime achievement award for Giggs).
Wimbledon plus Gold Medal > Gold Medal x 2.
We've had hundreds of gold medallists but very few Wimbledon winners since World War Two, therefore a Wimbledon win is clearly the rarer achievement.
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You're not voting on the last six years. It's a one year deal (with the exception of the bizarre lifetime achievement award for Giggs).
Wimbledon plus Gold Medal > Gold Medal x 2.
We've had hundreds of gold medallists but very few Wimbledon winners since World War Two, therefore a Wimbledon win is clearly the rarer achievement.
Its not rare at all. Someone wins Wimbledon every single year. How often does anyone from anywhere do what Mo has done? Murray has been rewarded for winning it once already. And rewarded again for the Davis cup. This year will be an Olympian's year. I say Laura Trott. Or if Froome completes the utterly remarkable feat of winning TdF and Vuelta in the same year then it's his.
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You're not voting on the last six years. It's a one year deal (with the exception of the bizarre lifetime achievement award for Giggs).
Wimbledon plus Gold Medal > Gold Medal x 2.
We've had hundreds of gold medallists but very few Wimbledon winners since World War Two, therefore a Wimbledon win is clearly the rarer achievement.
What a nonsense argument. If there was an equivalent of wimbledon in every sport then you might have a point but for most olympic sports the olympics is bigger and better than anything else.
Of course wimbledon is a rarer achievement you get 8 wimbledon singles champions in 4 years and you get 250-300 olympic golds in the same period but given you don't enter for all of those the rarity for an individual is far great in most sports (ignoring swimming). Murray can win 4 wimbledons in that time, Mo can get 2 olympic medals, so a gold for him is twice as rare so your argument is wrong.
Moving on defending the 5k and 10k at back-to-back olympics has been done once before in history, by one of the most decorated distance runners of all time. By comparison there are currently 4 active players that have won wimbledon and olympics in the same season.
I do get what you're saying about it being all about the current year but when you have so many people who h\ave had a brilliant year you have to look for things to set them apart. Winning wimbledon as well as the lympics is enough for you, retaining the 5k and 10k in the olympics is enough for me. For others demolishing the world record 3 times in 18 months in the 100m Breaststroke might be enough.
What I can't disagree with is your belief that winning wimbledon is in some way more worthy. If you like Tennis then it is, or if you're scottish and you're trying to justify it being won by a scot then it might be (I'm not accusing you of anything here) but to a distance runner it's clearly not going to be.
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You're not voting on the last six years. It's a one year deal (with the exception of the bizarre lifetime achievement award for Giggs).
Wimbledon plus Gold Medal > Gold Medal x 2.
We've had hundreds of gold medallists but very few Wimbledon winners since World War Two, therefore a Wimbledon win is clearly the rarer achievement.
Its not rare at all. Someone wins Wimbledon every single year. How often does anyone from anywhere do what Mo has done? Murray has been rewarded for winning it once already. And rewarded again for the Davis cup. This year will be an Olympian's year. I say Laura Trott. Or if Froome completes the utterly remarkable feat of winning TdF and Vuelta in the same year then it's his.
BBC Sports Personality of the year is a big pile of back slapping wank. That is all.
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You're not voting on the last six years. It's a one year deal (with the exception of the bizarre lifetime achievement award for Giggs).
Wimbledon plus Gold Medal > Gold Medal x 2.
We've had hundreds of gold medallists but very few Wimbledon winners since World War Two, therefore a Wimbledon win is clearly the rarer achievement.
Its not rare at all. Someone wins Wimbledon every single year. How often does anyone from anywhere do what Mo has done? Murray has been rewarded for winning it once already. And rewarded again for the Davis cup. This year will be an Olympian's year. I say Laura Trott. Or if Froome completes the utterly remarkable feat of winning TdF and Vuelta in the same year then it's his.
BBC Sports Personality of the year is a big pile of back slapping wank. That is all.
Ha ha, I think exactly the same but was too scared to say it because of the inevitable backlash on here from people who take things far too seriously. Tin hat on, Bren'd
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and yet you both felt the need to post on a topic about it. If you don't want to talk about it just don't click on the topic, it's really that simple, I have hundreds of unread topics on this forum because I have no interest in the subject, I don't feel the ned to go on them and say what their talking about is a pile of wank and then preempt the inevitable backlash by criticising anyone who might be a bit annoyed by my post as taking things far too seriously.
I'm not taking anything too seriously but I do like the idea of something that celebrates the sporting successes of the nation.
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And they're off........
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I love SPOTY and always have done. Never miss it. But it really is a big pile of back slapping wank.
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You're not voting on the last six years. It's a one year deal (with the exception of the bizarre lifetime achievement award for Giggs).
Wimbledon plus Gold Medal > Gold Medal x 2.
We've had hundreds of gold medallists but very few Wimbledon winners since World War Two, therefore a Wimbledon win is clearly the rarer achievement.
Its not rare at all. Someone wins Wimbledon every single year. How often does anyone from anywhere do what Mo has done? Murray has been rewarded for winning it once already. And rewarded again for the Davis cup. This year will be an Olympian's year. I say Laura Trott. Or if Froome completes the utterly remarkable feat of winning TdF and Vuelta in the same year then it's his.
Murray is an Olympian. That's what the gold thing around his neck is. And yes, somebody does win Wimbledon every year.
Until Murray came along though, they were never ever British.
Mo won two Olympic golds. Rare, but we've had lots of people achieve that in a single Olympics. Off the top of my head at least three others did it this time.
As others have said though, it's not really worth arguing about, I was just enjoying the debate. I did allow myself to get pissed off when they decided to give it to Old Man Giggs though, thus providing the BBC with another excuse to spunk yet more licence-payers' money on promoting Brand Manchester.
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I love SPOTY and always have done. Never miss it. But it really is a big pile of back slapping wank.
Does that mean you can comment on this thread or you can't ?
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I love SPOTY and always have done. Never miss it. But it really is a big pile of back slapping wank.
I used to love it but realised many years ago that it was a crock of shit. Ryan Giggs in a year in which he hardly played, Michael Owen in 1998 - to quote Denise Lewis "One goal, one f@*$ing goal" and even one of the royals for not falling off a pony whilst opening a school fete.
I couldn't name a winner for any of the past ten years, though I used to enjoy some of the highlights footage.
FWIW, there would be any number of worthy winners this year - Farah, Kenny, Trott, Murray to name but a few. So presumably it will go to Will Grigg.
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I love SPOTY and always have done. Never miss it. But it really is a big pile of back slapping wank.
Does that mean you can comment on this thread or you can't ?
Of course he can comment, he just can't act like people disagreeing with him need to lighten up.
I like talking about it now because for the last 10 years it's actually been worthy of a discussion and we've genuinely had options, that means that we're doing something right when it comes to sport and I'm hugely patriotic about sport (except for when dickheads tell me I should be supporting Chelsea/Man Utd/etc in the champions league).
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I love SPOTY and always have done. Never miss it. But it really is a big pile of back slapping wank.
Does that mean you can comment on this thread or you can't ?
Of course he can comment, he just can't act like people disagreeing with him need to lighten up.
I like talking about it now because for the last 10 years it's actually been worthy of a discussion and we've genuinely had options, that means that we're doing something right when it comes to sport and I'm hugely patriotic about sport (except for when dickheads tell me I should be supporting Chelsea/Man Utd/etc in the champions league).
Do we really need 2 hours though of cliched ridden, celebrity attending, Strictly Come Dancing Promoting, montage after montage of seeing the same montage over and over at license fee payers expense of Mo Farrah 1st, A Murray 2nd, Lara Trott 3rd and hocky team of the year coming to our living rooms from Salford presented by the excellent Claire Balding but secretly wishing it was Helen Skelton?
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I love SPOTY and always have done. Never miss it. But it really is a big pile of back slapping wank.
Does that mean you can comment on this thread or you can't ?
Of course he can comment, he just can't act like people disagreeing with him need to lighten up.
I like talking about it now because for the last 10 years it's actually been worthy of a discussion and we've genuinely had options, that means that we're doing something right when it comes to sport and I'm hugely patriotic about sport (except for when dickheads tell me I should be supporting Chelsea/Man Utd/etc in the champions league).
Do we really need 2 hours though of cliched ridden, celebrity attending, Strictly Come Dancing Promoting, montage after montage of seeing the same montage over and over at license fee payers expense of Mo Farrah 1st, A Murray 2nd, Lara Trott 3rd and hocky team of the year coming to our living rooms from Salford presented by the excellent Claire Balding but secretly wishing it was Helen Skelton?
Do we need 2 1/2 hours of eastenders every week? Do we need a 24/7 sports news channel fronted by a twat in a yellow tie?
It's entertainment TV, some people like it ,some don't it's really that simple. If this discussion was on the olympics thread I'd understand you posting that it's shit but going into a thread purely to say that you don't think the subject being discussed should exist is just odd.
Oh, and please don't use the term 'licence payers expense' it really is a wanky thing to say when you've really only contributed a fraction of a penny to the production of the show (which is still a massive oversimplification of how the licence fee works and how you get value for it).
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2 and 1/2 hours of Eastenders a decade is 2 and 1/2 too many.
Anyway, cheer up everybody, the Australian equivalent's winner last year was the captain of the rugby team who lost the world cup final. Not sure they'll have a much better list to choose from this year.
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Yeah, Bren'd, it's odd that you should join in a discussion and offer an alternative view.
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Yeah, Bren'd, it's odd that you should join in a discussion and offer an alternative view.
"Do we really need it?" is a bit of a naff alternative view.
Well, no, we don't really need it. Millions of people enjoy it though.
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Yeah, Bren'd, it's odd that you should join in a discussion and offer an alternative view.
Actually his contribution is fine and I wouldn't have argued with him over it, I don't agree with him coming on the thread to just say "it's shit" but I think he expanded on that and added something that was worth discussing, you on the other hand just seem to be here to troll.
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Don't know why but the tail end of this thread reminded me of this...
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I love SPOTY and always have done. Never miss it. But it really is a big pile of back slapping wank.
Does that mean you can comment on this thread or you can't ?
Of course he can comment, he just can't act like people disagreeing with him need to lighten up.
I like talking about it now because for the last 10 years it's actually been worthy of a discussion and we've genuinely had options, that means that we're doing something right when it comes to sport and I'm hugely patriotic about sport (except for when dickheads tell me I should be supporting Chelsea/Man Utd/etc in the champions league).
Do we really need 2 hours though of cliched ridden, celebrity attending, Strictly Come Dancing Promoting, montage after montage of seeing the same montage over and over at license fee payers expense of Mo Farrah 1st, A Murray 2nd, Lara Trott 3rd and hocky team of the year coming to our living rooms from Salford presented by the excellent Claire Balding but secretly wishing it was Helen Skelton?
Do we need 2 1/2 hours of eastenders every week? Do we need a 24/7 sports news channel fronted by a twat in a yellow tie?
It's entertainment TV, some people like it ,some don't it's really that simple. If this discussion was on the olympics thread I'd understand you posting that it's shit but going into a thread purely to say that you don't think the subject being discussed should exist is just odd.
Oh, and please don't use the term 'licence payers expense' it really is a wanky thing to say when you've really only contributed a fraction of a penny to the production of the show (which is still a massive oversimplification of how the licence fee works and how you get value for it).
I've already told the BBC what I think of Eastenders, and Strictly. I've also told them that SPOTY is just used partly as a vehicle to peddle the 'mertis' of the latter. That aside I'm anti awards for anything expect for heroic recognition. Olympian medalists are awarded for their achievements and that should be it as far as I'm concerned. If they get spin off work as a result fine, chat shows, game shows or celebrity whatever no problem but to then have weeks of build up to this event on radio, TV or an media shoved down our throats as something that is really important makes me fucking puke and yes, I do resent the minute pittance of contribution I give toward the show. But I'm probably in the minority thinking that Mo Farrah as brilliant as he is.. reeling out his family with each of his kids wearing one of his medals and every one thinking this is nice while I and a few others will be thinking this is bollocks.
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Every single Olympic gold medallist is as good as the one stood next to them, Best in the world in their chosen event.
The BBC will let the public decide who is most deserving.
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2 and 1/2 hours of Eastenders a decade is 2 and 1/2 too many.
You've got my vote, together with reality tv shite. Now get your arse down to New Broadcasting House and start swinging the axe.
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The BBC will let the public decide who is most deserving.
Don't the BBC provide a shortlist for the public to choose from?
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2 and 1/2 hours of Eastenders a decade is 2 and 1/2 too many.
I despise Eastenders so much that if I accidentally turn it on I have a mini panic and have to scramble for the remote to turn it off as quickly as possible. Just hearing the music causes palpitations.
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At the risk of repeating myself and being boring, you can add Coronation Street to that as well. Apologies.
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At the risk of repeating myself and being boring, you can add Coronation Street to that as well. Apologies.
Haven't seen it for yonks. Is Eddie Yeats still lodging with the Ogdens?
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At the risk of repeating myself and being boring, you can add Coronation Street to that as well. Apologies.
Haven't seen it for yonks. Is Eddie Yeats still lodging with the Ogdens?
In the great terraced house with ducks on the wall, in the sky, yes.
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2 and 1/2 hours of Eastenders a decade is 2 and 1/2 too many.
I despise Eastenders so much that if I accidentally turn it on I have a mini panic and have to scramble for the remote to turn it off as quickly as possible. Just hearing the music causes palpitations.
I have a similar aversion to EastEnders. The music depresses me but not to the point where I can't reach for the remote control probably just as quick as you.
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2 and 1/2 hours of Eastenders a decade is 2 and 1/2 too many.
I despise Eastenders so much that if I accidentally turn it on I have a mini panic and have to scramble for the remote to turn it off as quickly as possible. Just hearing the music causes palpitations.
I have a similar aversion to EastEnders. The music depresses me but not to the point where I can't reach for the remote control probably just as quick as you.
I think it has something to do with the omnibus edition being on Sunday's when I was a kid. These days Sunday is my favourite day of the week but back then I despised it. Eastenders was the background noise to homework and the dread of school.
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Other half watches EastEnders, it's just idiots shouting at each other. Try watching it for 10 seconds if you can and you'll hear nobody speaking, it's JAST ALL SHAHTIN' INNIT.
The regular, crowbarred-in, West Ham references get on my tits as well.
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The regular, crowbarred-in, West Ham references get on my tits as well.
It's been years since I've watched an episode. I thought it was Walford Town? They all turned to glory hunters now?
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2 and 1/2 hours of Eastenders a decade is 2 and 1/2 too many.
I despise Eastenders so much that if I accidentally turn it on I have a mini panic and have to scramble for the remote to turn it off as quickly as possible. Just hearing the music causes palpitations.
I have similar symptoms with the Archers. I can generally get from the warning that "we are heading to Ambridge" to turning the radio off before the theme music starts
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The Archers is dismal.
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I've just seen a post that looks like it's going viral on Facebook to get Alistair Brownlee to win this.
After what happened last weekend I'd pretty much agree to it.
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He certainly deserves to be included on performance and then last weekend is that bit extra, I'd be ok with that but then right now my main criteria is not Murray or Hamilton so i'm fairly easily pleased.
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Hannah Cockroft?
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He certainly deserves to be included on performance and then last weekend is that bit extra, I'd be ok with that but then right now my main criteria is not Murray or Hamilton so i'm fairly easily pleased.
I think the Brownlees are fantastic but what's with the anti-Murray stance? He's someone to be incredibly proud of and in possession of a dry sense of humour.
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He certainly deserves to be included on performance and then last weekend is that bit extra, I'd be ok with that but then right now my main criteria is not Murray or Hamilton so i'm fairly easily pleased.
I think the Brownlees are fantastic but what's with the anti-Murray stance? He's someone to be incredibly proud of and in possession of a dry sense of humour.
He'd be the first person to win it 3 times and the first person to get it consecutively, I don't think he's been far enough ahead of the other people 'in the race' to deserve that. As I've said all along, I don't think he deserved it last year because I suspected he'd have a better season this year but as soon as he was given it on the back of the davis cup he went well down on the list for me. It's a no to Hamilton because even if he wins he's not had a great season the the whole sport is in a bit of a mess with it really being a 2 horse race between him and his team-mate. He's very talented I just don't think you can call him the best sportsman of the year in an olympic year. Finally I honestly believe it needs to go to someone from team GB who isn't normally in the spotlight (for sporting reasons at least) so I'd be picking from Farah, Kenny, Trott or Cockroft, but I'd be happy with someone like Brownlee as well, I think we need to recognise the less regular sporting heroes in the year of our greatest ever olympic and paralympic success.
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He certainly deserves to be included on performance and then last weekend is that bit extra, I'd be ok with that but then right now my main criteria is not Murray or Hamilton so i'm fairly easily pleased.
I think the Brownlees are fantastic but what's with the anti-Murray stance? He's someone to be incredibly proud of and in possession of a dry sense of humour.
He'd be the first person to win it 3 times and the first person to get it consecutively, I don't think he's been far enough ahead of the other people 'in the race' to deserve that. As I've said all along, I don't think he deserved it last year because I suspected he'd have a better season this year but as soon as he was given it on the back of the davis cup he went well down on the list for me. It's a no to Hamilton because even if he wins he's not had a great season the the whole sport is in a bit of a mess with it really being a 2 horse race between him and his team-mate. He's very talented I just don't think you can call him the best sportsman of the year in an olympic year. Finally I honestly believe it needs to go to someone from team GB who isn't normally in the spotlight (for sporting reasons at least) so I'd be picking from Farah, Kenny, Trott or Cockroft, but I'd be happy with someone like Brownlee as well, I think we need to recognise the less regular sporting heroes in the year of our greatest ever olympic and paralympic success.
Fair enough buddy. Good argument although I don't get the Davis Cup argument. Murray is a driven, talented winner who never lets Britain down in a high profile sport. If it is to go to Team GB please let it not be Kenny. What an obnoxious boring dullard.
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The davis cup thing is that basically he wasn't really in with a shout before that but a couple of wins against fairly average opponents pushed him to winning it. I'm not trying to diminish the achievement in any way, it's great that Britain won it and he was fucking brilliant in the final but if he drew Goffin or Bemelmans in any other tournament you'd expect a fairly routine victory and yet those 2 wins pushed him to the spoty award meaning that he was the holder going into the olympic year where he had a chance to cement himself as a genuine world great, which he's done but now I'm loathe to recognise that because of the signal it sends that being a good tennis player is more important than being good at a huge list of other sports.
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I am coming round to the idea of giving it to Mo. But also wouldn't be surprised if it went to Alastair Brownlee. Previously I have considered one of the many top cyclists we have but am shifting away from them for now. For me, the award should go to someone who a) achieves something very special in that year and b) has a very strong career record to back it up, rather than being a flash in the pan. The stronger the career, the less important the single year needs to be. But the year still needs to stand out. What we have this year are lots of people who've had a great year, across lots of sports. So that isn't going to be enough.
Kenny, Trott and Froome have all done enough to deserve a chance. Kenny equalled Chris Hoy's record and, in his own era, only Phelps and Bolt have won more golds than him. On the face of it that would be that. Top spot. Except for the fact that Kenny is likely to go on and win more golds in Tokyo. At which point he'll become the undisputed greatest Olympian and can then have the trophy. Similar arguments apply to Trott and Froome, both of whom have many more successes ahead of them. I was delighted that Froome wasn't implicated in the TUE leaks scandal (unlike Sir Wiggo). He'll go on and win 3 or 4 more TdFs and can have another crack at the trophy later.
If Murray had won the U.S. Open and helped us retain the Davis Cup then that would be the most extraordinary year of any UK sportsman that I could ever remember. Winner. But he didn't and that's the end of his chances.
Hamilton could go on and win the title but so what? It's an Olympic year and there are far better candidates who face far tougher opposition. His next best chance of winning again is if he breaks Schumacher's wins record. Unlikely.
Which brings me to Mo. In some ways, his 2 golds are worth more than Kenny's 3. That's because, just like swimming, it is easier for a sprint cyclists to win multiple medals than it is for a track athlete like Mo. But also, track cycling is a bit of a niche sport. Just look at which countries compete. It's basically for rich, developed nations only. I don't want to overplay that point and diminish Kenny's achievements but I don't think he can claim to have beaten the whole of humanity. But every kid in every country can run. Mo is the best of the best in his era and has utterly dominated for many years now. What's more, he is unlikely to run those events in Tokyo so this is the time to reward the career element too.
And then we have Alastair Brownlee. It would be typical of the British public to reward that single moment of sportsmanship. It was a very moving moment and showed what exceptional people those brothers are. He's also double Olympic champion in a multi event sport. He has no chance of doubling (or trebling up) like a cyclist so the single gold this year shouldn't be a barrier. But his achievement on its own is no greater than many other of our Olympians. So carrying his brother over the line shouldn't be enough to deny Farah his big moment. I'll be voting for Mo.
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I am coming round to the idea of giving it to Mo. But also wouldn't be surprised if it went to Alastair Brownlee. Previously I have considered one of the many top cyclists we have but am shifting away from them for now. For me, the award should go to someone who a) achieves something very special in that year and b) has a very strong career record to back it up, rather than being a flash in the pan. The stronger the career, the less important the single year needs to be. But the year still needs to stand out. What we have this year are lots of people who've had a great year, across lots of sports. So that isn't going to be enough.
Kenny, Trott and Froome have all done enough to deserve a chance. Kenny equalled Chris Hoy's record and, in his own era, only Phelps and Bolt have won more golds than him. On the face of it that would be that. Top spot. Except for the fact that Kenny is likely to go on and win more golds in Tokyo. At which point he'll become the undisputed greatest Olympian and can then have the trophy. Similar arguments apply to Trott and Froome, both of whom have many more successes ahead of them. I was delighted that Froome wasn't implicated in the TUE leaks scandal (unlike Sir Wiggo). He'll go on and win 3 or 4 more TdFs and can have another crack at the trophy later.
If Murray had won the U.S. Open and helped us retain the Davis Cup then that would be the most extraordinary year of any UK sportsman that I could ever remember. Winner. But he didn't and that's the end of his chances.
Hamilton could go on and win the title but so what? It's an Olympic year and there are far better candidates who face far tougher opposition. His next best chance of winning again is if he breaks Schumacher's wins record. Unlikely.
Which brings me to Mo. In some ways, his 2 golds are worth more than Kenny's 3. That's because, just like swimming, it is easier for a sprint cyclists to win multiple medals than it is for a track athlete like Mo. But also, track cycling is a bit of a niche sport. Just look at which countries compete. It's basically for rich, developed nations only. I don't want to overplay that point and diminish Kenny's achievements but I don't think he can claim to have beaten the whole of humanity. But every kid in every country can run. Mo is the best of the best in his era and has utterly dominated for many years now. What's more, he is unlikely to run those events in Tokyo so this is the time to reward the career element too.
And then we have Alastair Brownlee. It would be typical of the British public to reward that single moment of sportsmanship. It was a very moving moment and showed what exceptional people those brothers are. He's also double Olympic champion in a multi event sport. He has no chance of doubling (or trebling up) like a cyclist so the single gold this year shouldn't be a barrier. But his achievement on its own is no greater than many other of our Olympians. So carrying his brother over the line shouldn't be enough to deny Farah his big moment. I'll be voting for Mo.
This x 1000.
1. Farah
2. Brownlee (A)
3. Trott
Next 4 would be Murray, Hamilton, Trott, Froome.
Isn't it time we had separate categories for men/women/para's?
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I was delighted that Froome wasn't implicated in the TUE leaks scandal (unlike Sir Wiggo). He'll go on and win 3 or 4 more TdFs and can have another crack at the trophy later.
Froome isn't as squeaky clean as he's making out, it's a big mess and the man at the centre of it is now chief medical officer at British Cycling.
May 2014 TUE for steroids to treat chest infection - a week later wins Tour de Romandie
June 2014 TUE for inhaler use at Criterium du Dauphine
TUE for prednisolone (steroid) ongoing use for chest complaint
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What a horrible, dirty sport cycling is, and Wiggins is clearly as bad as everybody else. For shame.
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I always feel that it is dangerous game handing out awards to people at a young age.
There are years to come where they may not turn out as virtuous or clean as first thought, and Wiggins may turn out to be the first of many.
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But they've all done nothing wrong in the eyes of the law, all their TUEs are perfectly legal.
What it does show is the complete lack of control the UCI has and what a crock of shit Team Sky's sporting ethos actually is.
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But they've all done nothing wrong in the eyes of the law, all their TUEs are perfectly legal.
What it does show is the complete lack of control the UCI has and what a crock of shit Team Sky's sporting ethos actually is.
They could solve the crisis immediately. Just say that TUEs must be declared, publicly at the time they are prescribed. The list of things that are banned is very long and will include medication that is fairly mainstream when taken for an actual illness. As an example, insulin is a banned substance but we wouldn't deny a diabetic the chance to compete. I accept that some athletes may prefer to keep their medical history a secret but there is no reason Wiggo couldn't have told the world about his asthma and hay fever.
Transparency is the only way.
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But they've all done nothing wrong in the eyes of the law, all their TUEs are perfectly legal.
What it does show is the complete lack of control the UCI has and what a crock of shit Team Sky's sporting ethos actually is.
You're right of course, but I find it a bit odd that there are so many cyclists with health problems, and the medication for those illnesses just happen to be performance enhancing in most cases.
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But they've all done nothing wrong in the eyes of the law, all their TUEs are perfectly legal.
What it does show is the complete lack of control the UCI has and what a crock of shit Team Sky's sporting ethos actually is.
They could solve the crisis immediately. Just say that TUEs must be declared, publicly at the time they are prescribed. The list of things that are banned is very long and will include medication that is fairly mainstream when taken for an actual illness. As an example, insulin is a banned substance but we wouldn't deny a diabetic the chance to compete. I accept that some athletes may prefer to keep their medical history a secret but there is no reason Wiggo couldn't have told the world about his asthma and hay fever.
Transparency is the only way.
The thing is he has been open about his asthma and hayfever, what he hasn'ty publicly declared is the exact treatments he's been given for them. I don't know if doing that would make any difference. On that basis given that everything is within the rules and the drugs have all been approved perfectly in line with the rules I don't have a problem with it.
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But they've all done nothing wrong in the eyes of the law, all their TUEs are perfectly legal.
What it does show is the complete lack of control the UCI has and what a crock of shit Team Sky's sporting ethos actually is.
They could solve the crisis immediately. Just say that TUEs must be declared, publicly at the time they are prescribed. The list of things that are banned is very long and will include medication that is fairly mainstream when taken for an actual illness. As an example, insulin is a banned substance but we wouldn't deny a diabetic the chance to compete. I accept that some athletes may prefer to keep their medical history a secret but there is no reason Wiggo couldn't have told the world about his asthma and hay fever.
Transparency is the only way.
The thing is he has been open about his asthma and hayfever, what he hasn'ty publicly declared is the exact treatments he's been given for them. I don't know if doing that would make any difference. On that basis given that everything is within the rules and the drugs have all been approved perfectly in line with the rules I don't have a problem with it.
I have a massive problem with it and feel hugely let down by Team Sky and Wiggins.
He didn't mention anything about it in his autobiography, in fact quite the opposite, he was his fittest ever when he won the tour before the TDF that he won apparently, I don't think he even mentions his "long standing asthma problem" in his autobiography?
And the timings of him taking them totally and utterly stink.
In my eyes he cheated without actually breaking the rules and to cop out of it with an easy interview with Andrew Marr rather than a knowledgeable cycling journalist just compounds everything.
This comes from a huge Wiggins fan. I've have only really read snippets so I would love to be called out on all of this.
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But they've all done nothing wrong in the eyes of the law, all their TUEs are perfectly legal.
What it does show is the complete lack of control the UCI has and what a crock of shit Team Sky's sporting ethos actually is.
They could solve the crisis immediately. Just say that TUEs must be declared, publicly at the time they are prescribed. The list of things that are banned is very long and will include medication that is fairly mainstream when taken for an actual illness. As an example, insulin is a banned substance but we wouldn't deny a diabetic the chance to compete. I accept that some athletes may prefer to keep their medical history a secret but there is no reason Wiggo couldn't have told the world about his asthma and hay fever.
Transparency is the only way.
The thing is he has been open about his asthma and hayfever, what he hasn'ty publicly declared is the exact treatments he's been given for them. I don't know if doing that would make any difference. On that basis given that everything is within the rules and the drugs have all been approved perfectly in line with the rules I don't have a problem with it.
I have a massive problem with it and feel hugely let down by Team Sky and Wiggins.
He didn't mention anything about it in his autobiography, in fact quite the opposite, he was his fittest ever when he won the tour before the TDF that he won apparently, I don't think he even mentions his "long standing asthma problem" in his autobiography?
And the timings of him taking them totally and utterly stink.
In my eyes he cheated without actually breaking the rules and to cop out of it with an easy interview with Andrew Marr rather than a knowledgeable cycling journalist just compounds everything.
This comes from a huge Wiggins fan. I've have only really read snippets so I would love to be called out on all of this.
This is how I feel too. He is forever tainted. Sky's holier than though act has come home to roost too.
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The only thing I find unbelievable is that there were still people who believed Froome/Wiggins et al were clean to begin with.
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The only thing I find unbelievable is that there were still people who believed Froome/Wiggins et al were clean to begin with.
I just don't see it in Froome. You can tell by the way he speaks and conducts himself that he is a straight up guy and a pleasant chap. You dont get that impression from Wiggo.
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The only thing I find unbelievable is that there were still people who believed Froome/Wiggins et al were clean to begin with.
I just don't see it in Froome. You can tell by the way he speaks and conducts himself that he is a straight up guy and a pleasant chap. You dont get that impression from Wiggo.
I'm afraid I still have doubts about Froome, like I said earlier, he's not as squeaky clean as he likes to make out, he's used TUEs to his benefit in the past.
In 2011 he was on the verge of having his contract cancelled and from out of nowhere came second in the Vuelta. Afterwards claiming he'd suffered from Bilharzia as a child in Africa and had got his medication under control?
In 2014 his power data on 2 climbs in the TdF were declared as 'mutant'. Funny how he now never takes his eyes off his SRM power meter on his stem when hitting the mountains, maybe so he doesn't raise more suspicion? His performance at GSK's Human Performance Lab proves nothing other than his ability to hit the numbers thought to be impossible 7.5 Watts per Kg is off the chart superhuman.
I'm a suspicious bastard me, I'd like to think him & Wiggins are clean because cycling has had it's fill of Lance & Millar & Hincapie & Landis & the like.
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The only thing I find unbelievable is that there were still people who believed Froome/Wiggins et al were clean to begin with.
I just don't see it in Froome. You can tell by the way he speaks and conducts himself that he is a straight up guy and a pleasant chap. You dont get that impression from Wiggo.
I'm afraid I still have doubts about Froome, like I said earlier, he's not as squeaky clean as he likes to make out, he's used TUEs to his benefit in the past.
In 2011 he was on the verge of having his contract cancelled and from out of nowhere came second in the Vuelta. Afterwards claiming he'd suffered from Bilharzia as a child in Africa and had got his medication under control?
In 2014 his power data on 2 climbs in the TdF were declared as 'mutant'. Funny how he now never takes his eyes off his SRM power meter on his stem when hitting the mountains, maybe so he doesn't raise more suspicion? His performance at GSK's Human Performance Lab proves nothing other than his ability to hit the numbers thought to be impossible 7.5 Watts per Kg is off the chart superhuman.
I'm a suspicious bastard me, I'd like to think him & Wiggins are clean because cycling has had it's fill of Lance & Millar & Hincapie & Landis & the like.
What do you think of the tests done back in 2007 when his power output numbers were comparable? They suggest he didn't come from nowhere. He was always capable of those performances. He has also been in possession of a biological passport since 2009 which shows nothing at all out of the ordinary happened in 2011. The term "mutant" isn't one used by mainstream observers either. He is just a very, very fit man with all the attributes needed to be a top cyclist. And if he really is mutant then why doesn't he win everything? Quintana beat him comfortably in the Vuelta. He must be a mutant too.
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The only thing I find unbelievable is that there were still people who believed Froome/Wiggins et al were clean to begin with.
I just don't see it in Froome. You can tell by the way he speaks and conducts himself that he is a straight up guy and a pleasant chap. You dont get that impression from Wiggo.
I'm afraid I still have doubts about Froome, like I said earlier, he's not as squeaky clean as he likes to make out, he's used TUEs to his benefit in the past.
In 2011 he was on the verge of having his contract cancelled and from out of nowhere came second in the Vuelta. Afterwards claiming he'd suffered from Bilharzia as a child in Africa and had got his medication under control?
In 2014 his power data on 2 climbs in the TdF were declared as 'mutant'. Funny how he now never takes his eyes off his SRM power meter on his stem when hitting the mountains, maybe so he doesn't raise more suspicion? His performance at GSK's Human Performance Lab proves nothing other than his ability to hit the numbers thought to be impossible 7.5 Watts per Kg is off the chart superhuman.
I'm a suspicious bastard me, I'd like to think him & Wiggins are clean because cycling has had it's fill of Lance & Millar & Hincapie & Landis & the like.
What do you think of the tests done back in 2007 when his power output numbers were comparable? They suggest he didn't come from nowhere. He was always capable of those performances. He has also been in possession of a biological passport since 2009 which shows nothing at all out of the ordinary happened in 2011. The term "mutant" isn't one used by mainstream observers either. He is just a very, very fit man with all the attributes needed to be a top cyclist. And if he really is mutant then why doesn't he win everything? Quintana beat him comfortably in the Vuelta. He must be a mutant too.
They're one off tests and not really statistically valid unless you do several across a season.
The performance improvement came between these 2 snapshots (2007 & 2015) and there's the hole that Froome filled with Bilharzia, also the biological data during this period, where is it? This would square the circle somewhat and let's not forget that in 2011 Froome was being hammered round that prestige event the Tour Of Poland.
Half disclosures all the way from 2007 to date.
He wasn't riding for Team Sky in 2007 and those numbers in 2007 make him a pretty average mid peloton rider. Joins Sky and fuck me look at him go.
That said, good on Froome for releasing the data, more should do the same.
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Murray one win away from being Wimbledon Champion, Olympic Champion and Britain's first ever singles World number one.
He'll take some beating for this award if he does it.
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Murray one win away from being Wimbledon Champion, Olympic Champion and Britain's first ever singles World number one.
He'll take some beating for this award if he does it.
He certainly will.
I've not watched SPOTY for a few years. I will watch this year because it's been a wonderful sporting year* and there are several worthy contenders in each category.
*Not fot the Villa, obviously!
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Murray one win away from being Wimbledon Champion, Olympic Champion and Britain's first ever singles World number one.
He'll take some beating for this award if he does it.
Why are you ignoring Micah Richards or Gabby Agbonlahor's claim?
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Murray now confirmed as World Number One, without having to play as well as Raonic pulled out.
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Reckon Steve Bruce must be in with a shout :D
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I can't see the SPOTY voters going for Murray at all...they won't vote Murray again unless he does something he hasn't done before.
Well he has certainly achieved something new. I feel for Mo as his chances only come at Olympics, but he'll have to make way for Mighty Murray.
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Even though Murray probably deserves it more this year than the years he won I think Mo should get it this year because he wasn't won one already.
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The shortlist has been announced. A bit underwhelming considering what an outstanding year it has been:
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/sports-personality/38128822
Murray stands head and shoulders above the rest for me.
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The shortlist has been announced. A bit underwhelming considering what an outstanding year it has been:
http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/sports-personality/38128822
Murray stands head and shoulders above the rest for me.
Me too.
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It does looks like it's going to Murray but I'd much prefer it to go to Mo.
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Alastair Brownlee followed by Mo.
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Laura Kenny (nee Trott) for me, consistently brilliant over several different disciplines in her sport. She won't get it, Murray will walk it but she's getting my vote.
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Laura Kenny (nee Trott) for me, consistently brilliant over several different disciplines in her sport. She won't get it, Murray will walk it but she's getting my vote.
I reckon she's absolute filth as well. Gets my vote.
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Murray is arguably our greatest sportsman ever and probably our only number one in a truly global sport. He should walk it.
How many votes do you normally need to win, though? Was wondering if Leicester fans could rig it in favour of Vardy if they all voted en-masse.
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Although you could certainly argue that Mo Farah is the world number one 5/10,000m runner, and that truly is a global sport. Probably more global than tennis.
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I maybe didn't explain it well, but he's number one in a discipline (or two disciplines) of his sport whereas Murray is number one in the whole sport, if that makes sense? Of course, it's difficult to quantify an overall athletics World number one but, in terms of profile, Bolt is probably the leading contender.
While posting this I located an overall athletics ranking and it had Bolt at one... Farah way down at seven which seems a bit harsh to me bearing in mind he always wins.
http://www.all-athletics.com/current-rankings?evtg=46
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Going back nearly 6 years Farah has won 17 out of 20 major events he's contested and 1 of those he didn't win was a half marathon which is like Murray entering a doubles competition, it's not really his event so you wouldn't expect him to be as good as the specialists. Of those 17 9 are considered world titles making him the most decorated distance runner in history (Kenenisa Bakele was in the lead on 8 before Rio). He is the greatest distance runner of all time. The only thing you can use against Mo is that he doesn't hold a world record but I think that's misunderstanding the sport and his brilliance. The whole point of why he's so good is that he controls races better than anyone else ever has and that control stops him from going for world record times but does make him pretty much unbeatable.
I don't agree on the idea that he's only number one in a discipline or 2 rather than a sport. I'd say that sprinting and distance running are as different as tennis and squash so if you lump 'running' in 1 sports then you should lump 'racketball' into 1 as well. I say that because it's is impossible to be the best 100m sprinter and 10000m runner at the same, the requirements are just too different (down to the the physical shape of muscle tissues, so as fundamental as it gets). A good tennis player training to become a world class squash player as well is actually probably easier because the physical requirements don't alter all that much.
The truth is Mo has utterly dominated for years and was a class above the entire fields in both of his events at the olympics, there really is very little more he could do to improve his chances. Murray has had a fantastic season and is a brilliant player but he has only got 3 of the 6 major titles that were available this season. I freely admit that I'm nit-picking in the extreme but I think you have to differentiate between 2 genuine world class performers. All that said if Murray hadn't won it last year (when I don't think he deserved it) I wouldn't begrudge him of it but I really struggle with him getting a 3rd win and the retaining the award when the 2 previous ones were both fairly 'cheap' in my opinion.
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Team of the year will be close between England rugby, Leicester City & Team GB, the public don't get to vote on this one do they?
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How were Murray's previous awards "cheap"?
He became the first British male Wimbledon winner for about eighty years for his first award and, more or less single-handedly, won our first Davis Cup for the first time in about the same duration for his second one. You can maybe argue against the latter if you say he was part of a team but on that basis none of England's World Cup Winners in 1966 or 2003 would've been eligible which seems an odd assertion.
It does show how much we have improved in the last few years when someone is suggesting that someone winning Wimbledon was a "cheap" recipient of the SPOTY Award.
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I put 'cheap' in single quotes because I knew it would get taken the wrong way. What I mean by that is that Murray got the first one for winning Wimbledon despite having had a better season the year before, but the year before he was blown away by Wiggo getting the tdf and olympic gold.
More specifically on Wimbledon - does Britain having been shit at Tennis for a long time make winning it a bigger achievement for him as an individual? I'm not taking away from winning Wimbledon, it's a fantastic achievement I just don't see why it is elevated so high because of the wait.
Does that mean that Danny Willett getting the first British win at the masters in 20 years gives him a chance at winning even though he's had a 'meh' season otherwise or is that too short a wait or do different rules apply for golf?
Britain had NEVER won an olympic gold in 10k or 5k before Mo came along and he won both, twice, Surely on the "we've waited a while for that" he trumps 80years with a wimbledon title? How about Whitlock, getting our first ever medal in the all-around and then getting our first 2 olympic gymnastics golds in 2 hours.
Moving on, the Davis cup based win last year - my issue is nothing to do with it being a team event and everything to do with the fact that it's a pretty shit event that the British public didn't give a fuck about until we had a chance of winning it. When we came close to being relegated to the bottom tier in 2010 did anyone really care outside the inner circle of British Tennis? This ties to the fact that fundamentally my issue with Murray winning it again is that once he retires the country will quickly go back to only giving a shit about the sport for 2 weeks of the year. I don't mind Tennis but a tennis player being crowned as Britains greatest ever sportsman (which is what retaining this would signify) is just plain wrong. It's not even about him, I like the guy and think he's a phenomenal talent, I just don't like 1 person getting it 3 years in 4 when 1 of those years is very possibly the most successful year ever in British sport.
I want Mo to win it because his achievement this year is stunning and really shouldn't be dismissed as easily as some people have but if you take him out of it I'd much rather see Whitlock or Peaty get recognition in events where there's little publicity, little money and that could do with a potential boost in participation.
For the team reward I think 'team GB' will win it but I think that's too broad. I'd personally give the award to the cycling team who were absolutely brilliant and dominated the velodrome to an extent that no other team in any sport at the olympics could compare to.
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although I agree with the overall point paul I think saying tennis players could be squash players is stretching it a bit. Hockey players wouldn't be able to be cricketers and vice versa just because they both hit a ball with stick. Swimmers wouldn't be water polo players, or darts players proficient with a javelin. Mo Farah is, as you say, probably the greatest distance runner of all time. Murray cannot argue the same and although his achievements have been laudable, getting to number one is as much to with Djokovic falling away than Murray being the best out there.
If we want to celebrate the best and not just the best now then it should be Farah.
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although I agree with the overall point paul I think saying tennis players could be squash players is stretching it a bit. Hockey players wouldn't be able to be cricketers and vice versa just because they both hit a ball with stick. Swimmers wouldn't be water polo players, or darts players proficient with a javelin. Mo Farah is, as you say, probably the greatest distance runner of all time. Murray cannot argue the same and although his achievements have been laudable, getting to number one is as much to with Djokovic falling away than Murray being the best out there.
If we want to celebrate the best and not just the best now then it should be Farah.
What I mean is converting a tennis player to a squash player is physically possible because the same muscle groups are being used in the same ways. Converting a distance runner to a sprinter or vice versa involves fundamental changes to shape and function of muscle fibers, it's pretty much impossible to do. You often hear of people who reach a crossroads as a teenager and have to pick which sport to follow with a belief they can make a career in a few different choices, you will never hear of someone having to choose between 100m or 10km with the hopes of being olympic standard.
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Andy Murray probably doesn't give a fig about this award so to me in Olympic year, and yes I know that the competitors are now fairly well funded but it would mean a great deal more to the likes of Laura Trott.
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It would mean even more if you could get her name right. 😉
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It would mean even more if you could get her name right. 😉
Forgot she is married out now!
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Give the award to Laura Kenny now and we can save ourselves listening to three hours of clapping.
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Farah
Murray
Kenny (L)
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Wont be watching but rooting for Farah
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Got to go to someone fresh - Adam Peaty would be ideal but has no chance, please no to Andy Murray who probably finds it so routine to turn up at award nights like this, Laura Kenny too popular - I just don't know.
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Murray
Farah
Vardy
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That Gabby is a big girl.
Almost as big as our Gabby.
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Team of the year will be close between England rugby, Leicester City & Team GB, the public don't get to vote on this one do they?
After Brexit the public shouldn't be allowed to vote on anything :)
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Team of the year will be close between England rugby, Leicester City & Team GB, the public don't get to vote on this one do they?
After Brexit the public shouldn't be allowed to vote on anything :)
I reckon it will be the GB Olympic ladies hockey team.
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Well it was never going to be the Villa - may be 2017
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Team of the year will be close between England rugby, Leicester City & Team GB, the public don't get to vote on this one do they?
After Brexit the public shouldn't be allowed to vote on anything :)
I reckon it will be the GB Olympic ladies hockey team.
Wrong again
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Has Farah won it yet?
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Dog shite - We pay licence fees only to see what appears to be a totally rigged vote. No way could the likes of Farah or Laura Kenny not be in the top three.
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Spoiler alert
The bloke without a personality won it
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Good player....JP McEnroe, he,s not...but then again ,I prefer to be stuck in the 80,s...
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Spoiler alert
The bloke without a personality won it
He couldn't give two shakes about the award. Totally wasted on him.
In addition its not like he has a 18 hour day aka the Kennys, Peaty etc.
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Well I enjoyed what I saw of it. Though it was funny when Jamie Vardy nudged Ranieri as if to say, go on get up. Liked the choir too.
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Nice to see Dalian was in the list of the 2016 deceased sportsmen and sportswomen. Well done the Beeb.
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Spoiler alert
The bloke without a personality won it
He couldn't give two shakes about the award. Totally wasted on him.
In addition its not like he has a 18 hour day aka the Kennys, Peaty etc.
Whats that got to do with it?
Murray's pure consistency over the last 8 years is phenomenal.
Awesome athlete
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I thought it was a very humble and amusing speech.
He deserves all the accolades he gets but he is always gonna have his detractors.
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Spoiler alert
The bloke without a personality won it
He couldn't give two shakes about the award. Totally wasted on him.
In addition its not like he has a 18 hour day aka the Kennys, Peaty etc.
Whats that got to do with it?
Murray's pure consistency over the last 8 years is phenomenal.
Awesome athlete
Yes awesome but he has all the funding in the world. Its like a public school boy becoming PM. A lot easier than the boys and girls who attended a local secondary school.
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Spoiler alert
The bloke without a personality won it
He couldn't give two shakes about the award. Totally wasted on him.
In addition its not like he has a 18 hour day aka the Kennys, Peaty etc.
Whats that got to do with it?
Murray's pure consistency over the last 8 years is phenomenal.
Awesome athlete
More so than Farah Who has lost 3 major events in the last 6 years (out of 20 odd)?
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Spoiler alert
The bloke without a personality won it
And couldn't be bothered to turn up in person to collect it.
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Spoiler alert
The bloke without a personality won it
He couldn't give two shakes about the award. Totally wasted on him.
In addition its not like he has a 18 hour day aka the Kennys, Peaty etc.
Whats that got to do with it?
Murray's pure consistency over the last 8 years is phenomenal.
Awesome athlete
More so than Farah Who has lost 3 major events in the last 6 years (out of 20 odd)?
Surprised how far down the field he finished tbh. Murray got 250K votes, twice as many as Brownlee. Farah was 4th with 50K.
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Andy Murray the only person to win SPOTY 3 times, gotta to be the most popular British sportsman of all time!
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I voted for Mo, but wasn't surprised that Murray won. Neither do I begrudge it. Wimbledon title, Olympic Gold and World Number 1: he didn't attain that without talent, hard work and dedication. Over the years I've also warmed to his laconic, self depreciation. He might not be what some would describe as a personality, but plenty with personality haven't achieved a fraction of what he has.
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His comment about his wife voting for someone else may or may not be true, and even if slightly predictable, was a bit of fun.
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He's good at tennis but I cannot warm to a man with the personality & charm of a table, furthermore he plays a minority sport that reeks of old white men and women in Surrey who tut collectively at the very thought of young people coming along to their tennis club and having fun. (Speaks from bitter experience)
I also object to the fact he couldn't be arsed to turn up and collect the award, that said it was probably on the advice of his lawyer as he may have fallen foul of UK tax laws? Oh and his mother is also a charmless old bint as well.
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Incidentally who won Team Of The Year (I'm in Americaland)
Edit: Leicester so I'm told. Hard to argue with that I suppose although I hope England rugby ran them close.
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It makes me laugh when people say he couldn't be arsed to turn up.
Do you think this guy got to be the best player in the world by showing up to glitzy premieres or award shows or do you think he got to be the best player in the world by ensuring everything in his whole life is dictated around what is going to make him a better tennis player?
I see Farah "couldn't be arsed" either.
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Not surprised, and can't really argue against it.
Really pleased Alistair Brownlee got 2nd.
With so many Olympics, in a pretty big list, the chances are they cancelled themselves out in the votes.
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Thankfully I was too pissed after the match to focus on the telly when I got home last night. But the wankers all over the BBC this morning, calling it "spotty".....
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Thought Usain Bolt was a certainty for the Overseas award, must admit I had never heard of the American gymnast Simone Biles who won it, but that's me showing my ignorance probably.
In olympic year good choice for lifetime achievement award going to the now retired Michael Phelps, who holds the all time record of 23 gold medals.
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Thought Usain Bolt was a certainty for the Overseas award, must admit I had never heard of the American gymnast Simone Biles who won it, but that's me showing my ignorance probably.
In olympic year good choice for lifetime achievement award going to the now retired Michael Phelps, who holds the all time record of 23 gold medals.
I'm glad Biles won, she was unbelievable, singlehandedly got me interested in the gymnastics because she made it look so simple. Her floor routine was the best bit, incredible talent.
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Not really a sport, IMO. Nor is Strictly Come Dancing.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
The only thing I have against sports like that is that the scoring is based on opinion, rather than an easily measurable outcome like finishing first. However, the same goes for boxing in certain situations as well, and I don't think many people would argue that's not a sport. Biles was incredible by the way, absolutely breathtaking to watch.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
Is dancing a sport?
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
The only thing I have against sports like that is that the scoring is based on opinion, rather than an easily measurable outcome like finishing first. However, the same goes for boxing in certain situations as well, and I don't think many people would argue that's not a sport. Biles was incredible by the way, absolutely breathtaking to watch.
Not quite, scores are based on artistic content as well as technical ability. Opinion doesn't come into it.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
The only thing I have against sports like that is that the scoring is based on opinion, rather than an easily measurable outcome like finishing first. However, the same goes for boxing in certain situations as well, and I don't think many people would argue that's not a sport. Biles was incredible by the way, absolutely breathtaking to watch.
Not quite, scores are based on artistic content as well as technical ability. Opinion doesn't come into it.
Of course opinion comes into it, or the judges would all give the same scores.
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It's mitigated though by the fact that each routine has a measurable, agreed difficulty component so the judges are looking for how close to the agreed routine they are rather than a straight up judgement. Makes sense really because Biles does stuff in her routine that no one else can even attempt so she deserves the chance at a higher score. Now I've got used to it I really like the way it's done, it feels much fairer than something like boxing.
Moving on, it's definitely a sport, these people are some of the greatest athletes on the planet and suggesting they're not doing a sport is a complete misunderstanding of the event.
Just watch her, the dancing to get into the corners is silly but just watch the flips (I purposely went for this video because you can hear the reaction from the guy recording it which sums it up for me):
The 2 triple tucks in the second half are phenomenal, the height she gets to pull those off is stunning.
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Pissed off that Murray couldn't show his face at the awards given it was an unprecedented third win. What was clear is people vote for stories rather than achievements now.
Old ****** wins on horse hopping over stiles? No chance. Chuck in a bust back sob story? Third.
Extraordinary athlete wins back to back Olympics in its toughest event? Nobody gives a shit. Push your brother over the line in another race? Second.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
The only thing I have against sports like that is that the scoring is based on opinion, rather than an easily measurable outcome like finishing first. However, the same goes for boxing in certain situations as well, and I don't think many people would argue that's not a sport. Biles was incredible by the way, absolutely breathtaking to watch.
Not quite, scores are based on artistic content as well as technical ability. Opinion doesn't come into it.
Of course opinion comes into it, or the judges would all give the same scores.
Erm, my wife is a Qualifield Gym Instructor and sits on judging panels. Afraid to say that you're 100% wrong. Opinion doesn't come into it at all. It's based on Technique, Level of difficulty of the Move, Artistic Merit, Musicality, Use of the floor and Set List of Components. All based on the FIG code. (Federation of International Gymnastics).
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He's good at tennis but I cannot warm to a man with the personality & charm of a table, furthermore he plays a minority sport that reeks of old white men and women in Surrey who tut collectively at the very thought of young people coming along to their tennis club and having fun. (Speaks from bitter experience)
I also object to the fact he couldn't be arsed to turn up and collect the award, that said it was probably on the advice of his lawyer as he may have fallen foul of UK tax laws? Oh and his mother is also a charmless old bint as well.
Although arguably its greatest ever exponent is a black woman from Compton, tennis clubs can be bracketed with private Twat Farms in this country. But I don't think Murray quite falls into the Jocasta and Sebastian bracket. And his mum is bloody brilliant.
Mo Farah - who I wanted to win - being in Dubai was odd. I get Murray is in training but is Mo just having a holiday? That said, I thought it was the worst show for a few years so they were smart to give it a miss. Low points included His Royal Highness the Villa Fan not committing to a joke and Phelps's laugh. The gymnast's acceptance speech was straight out of sixth grade debating or junior Miss Spelling Bee Pageant. But the nadir was Robbie fckn Williams. He has always been the exception to prove the rule that all music is good, but why did we have to have the camera trained on him throughout his sub-pub warbling rather than showing the video he was warbling a background to.
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There as to be an element of personal opinion/interpretation though even if all the judges are using the same criteria, otherwise all 6 judges scores (or however many it is now) would always be the same.
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There as to be an element of personal opinion/interpretation though even if all the judges are using the same criteria, otherwise all 6 judges scores (or however many it is now) would always be the same.
Another who is 100% wrong.
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Much like you were then when insisting we'd sold 40K tickets for Burton over a week ago.
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Erm, my wife is a Qualifield Gym Instructor and sits on judging panels. Afraid to say that you're 100% wrong. Opinion doesn't come into it at all. It's based on Technique, Level of difficulty of the Move, Artistic Merit, Musicality, Use of the floor and Set List of Components. All based on the FIG code. (Federation of International Gymnastics).
You can say what you like, but I think you're talking nonsense. How on earth is "artistic merit" not down to opinion? And the fact that in one judge's opinion, a routine is worth 5.4 and another gives it 5.6, again, how on earth is that not down to opinion? It's not like they're potting snooker balls.
And just to say, I was a huge fan of the gymnastics at the Olympics, and they're incredible athletes, but to say there's no element of opinion in the scoring is absolutely mental.
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There as to be an element of personal opinion/interpretation though even if all the judges are using the same criteria, otherwise all 6 judges scores (or however many it is now) would always be the same.
Another who is 100% wrong.
No he isn't. As you say they have very strict scoring criteria but there is room for interpretation in it.
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news/gymnastics-101-scoring
There's a description of it, it includes the make up of the judging panel and the dispute process, if everything was as you're suggesting most of that wouldn't be needed. The reason is that some of the potential deductions are for incredibly minor things that not all 5 execution judges will agree on. That part has the failsafes built in by removing outliers and hence isn't open for dispute. The disputes for the difficulties, based on what I've seen, mostly come down to the connection scores.
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
Bold bit - do you believe Brownlee, Farah and Trott (in particular) could be the dominant forces they are if they didn't work their tits off just as much?
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
Bold bit - do you believe Brownlee, Farah and Trott (in particular) could be the dominant forces they are if they didn't work their tits off just as much?
There's a subtle difference between having to step up and prove yourself in a competitive arena week in week out compared to how Olympians justify their endeavours. Murray was never out of the news reports for all the right reasons for which he thoroughly deserves the accolade. So, in summary, yes the is a difference.
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Pissed off that Murray couldn't show his face at the awards given it was an unprecedented third win.
I'm chuffed Murray didn't bother to interrupt his training schedule to go to be arselicked by Lineker and Logan, he's focused on one thing right now, getting himself in the absolute peak form to win the Australian Open and maintain his number one position, that's why he's number one, you can criticise his personality all you want but fuck me he knows what it has taken to get where he is in probably one of the most demanding sports and in an era where he has had to battle against some of the best players ever seen in the sport, and he wants more. Good on him.
As for SPOTY itself, it could and should be a great showcase of the sporting year, but it's just a load of sycophantic bollocks with hardly any decent footage and just a lot of waffle.
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
Bold bit - do you believe Brownlee, Farah and Trott (in particular) could be the dominant forces they are if they didn't work their tits off just as much?
There's a subtle difference between having to step up and prove yourself in a competitive arena week in week out compared to how Olympians justify their endeavours. Murray was never out of the news reports for all the right reasons for which he thoroughly deserves the accolade. So, in summary, yes the is a difference.
Tennis is a much higher profile sport, so he's bound to be in the papers more.
And I'm glad Nick Skelton did well, he was my nan's favourite.
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Didn't Nick Skelton used to be in the show jumping back in the days of Smith and Broome? I'm sure there was a Skelton back then. I could Google but more fun asking on here. I used to enjoy watching show jumping back in those days, especially the fence that kept going higher. I know the name of that even but buggered if i'm spelling it!
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
Bold bit - do you believe Brownlee, Farah and Trott (in particular) could be the dominant forces they are if they didn't work their tits off just as much?
There's a subtle difference between having to step up and prove yourself in a competitive arena week in week out compared to how Olympians justify their endeavours. Murray was never out of the news reports for all the right reasons for which he thoroughly deserves the accolade. So, in summary, yes the is a difference.
ok so we can write off anyone who isn't an f1 driver or a rugby, football, cricket or tennis player then? All those other people training for 4 years for the 1 event that gets them global coverage don't deserve recognition for that because we don't hear about their efforts enough? Really?
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Didn't Nick Skelton used to be in the show jumping back in the days of Smith and Broome? I'm sure there was a Skelton back then. I could Google but more fun asking on here. I used to enjoy watching show jumping back in those days, especially the fence that kept going higher. I know the name of that even but buggered if i'm spelling it!
Same one and broke his neck a while back too
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Didn't Nick Skelton used to be in the show jumping back in the days of Smith and Broome? I'm sure there was a Skelton back then. I could Google but more fun asking on here. I used to enjoy watching show jumping back in those days, especially the fence that kept going higher. I know the name of that even but buggered if i'm spelling it!
Yes he was. I was watching that high fence thing this weekend as my daughter had recorded the gee gees at Olympia, and it's incredible. My eldest daugher has been horse riding for a while now, and is just getting into jumping. My heart is in my mouth watching her go over a pair of crossed poles a couple of feet high, so christ knows how the professionals clear 7 foot fences.
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
Bold bit - do you believe Brownlee, Farah and Trott (in particular) could be the dominant forces they are if they didn't work their tits off just as much?
There's a subtle difference between having to step up and prove yourself in a competitive arena week in week out compared to how Olympians justify their endeavours. Murray was never out of the news reports for all the right reasons for which he thoroughly deserves the accolade. So, in summary, yes the is a difference.
ok so we can write off anyone who isn't an f1 driver or a rugby, football, cricket or tennis player then? All those other people training for 4 years for the 1 event that gets them global coverage don't deserve recognition for that because we don't hear about their efforts enough? Really?
Of course not but in this instance it is a valid factor in the argument for Murray being awarded the trophy over other contenders.
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...christ knows how the professionals clear 7 foot fences.
By sitting on the back of a really talented horse that hasn't worked out how to get across that neigh means nay?
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Ta chaps. Only other things I remember from back then to do with it is the brothers (Whittaker?) And Sanyo Sanmar.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
Is dancing a sport?
Gymnastics is not dancing. What's your point?
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
Bold bit - do you believe Brownlee, Farah and Trott (in particular) could be the dominant forces they are if they didn't work their tits off just as much?
There's a subtle difference between having to step up and prove yourself in a competitive arena week in week out compared to how Olympians justify their endeavours. Murray was never out of the news reports for all the right reasons for which he thoroughly deserves the accolade. So, in summary, yes the is a difference.
ok so we can write off anyone who isn't an f1 driver or a rugby, football, cricket or tennis player then? All those other people training for 4 years for the 1 event that gets them global coverage don't deserve recognition for that because we don't hear about their efforts enough? Really?
Of course not but in this instance it is a valid factor in the argument for Murray being awarded the trophy over other contenders.
No, it can't be, because if it is what it actually means is that if someone from one of those sports has a good year the minority sports get ignored. In a year where we have our most successful olympics ever it feels wrong to dismiss people because all they did was have a brilliant olympics. I know that's not exactly what you're saying but you are leaning towards it.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
Is dancing a sport?
Gymnastics is not dancing. What's your point?
It basically is, though. Same as ice skating, which is also not a proper sport. I don't doubt that they are highly trained and very skilful. Doesn't make it a sport.
I don't think anything that relies on judging as the first criteria is a sport. Boxing is because they have the opportunity to knock each other out before the judges intervene. Gymnastics, dancing, cake-baking, ice twirling and anything else which is entirely reliant on judges is an artistic endeavour, not a sporting one.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
Is dancing a sport?
Gymnastics is not dancing. What's your point?
It basically is, though. Same as ice skating, which is also not a proper sport.
You must only be thinking of the floor routine then. Vault, uneven bars and beam all take a lot of strength not to mention skill.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
Is dancing a sport?
Gymnastics is not dancing. What's your point?
It basically is, though. Same as ice skating, which is also not a proper sport.
You must only be thinking of the floor routine then. Vault, uneven bars and beam all take a lot of strength not to mention skill.
We'll said. Some people on here haven't a clue thinking it's just dancing!
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
Is dancing a sport?
Gymnastics is not dancing. What's your point?
It basically is, though. Same as ice skating, which is also not a proper sport.
You must only be thinking of the floor routine then. Vault, uneven bars and beam all take a lot of strength not to mention skill.
I never said they didn't.
Doesn't make it a sport.
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Not really a sport, IMO.
Fair enough if you don't like gymnastics, but to say it is not a sport is a little silly.
Is dancing a sport?
Gymnastics is not dancing. What's your point?
It basically is, though. Same as ice skating, which is also not a proper sport.
You must only be thinking of the floor routine then. Vault, uneven bars and beam all take a lot of strength not to mention skill.
We'll said. Some people on here haven't a clue thinking it's just dancing!
One person has made that claim. Others have said that there's an element of opinion to the judging, that's all.
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I'm ok with Murray winning. I like him personally. He is humorous without pandering to that statutory showbiz bollox. He works his tits off all year around, not just for a couple of events per year.
Mo Farah is an incredible athlete but has all the personality of a cardboard box.
The show was cringeworthy in places. Nick Skelton? Who? Does the Queen's vote have more sway?
Bold bit - do you believe Brownlee, Farah and Trott (in particular) could be the dominant forces they are if they didn't work their tits off just as much?
There's a subtle difference between having to step up and prove yourself in a competitive arena week in week out compared to how Olympians justify their endeavours. Murray was never out of the news reports for all the right reasons for which he thoroughly deserves the accolade. So, in summary, yes the is a difference.
ok so we can write off anyone who isn't an f1 driver or a rugby, football, cricket or tennis player then? All those other people training for 4 years for the 1 event that gets them global coverage don't deserve recognition for that because we don't hear about their efforts enough? Really?
Of course not but in this instance it is a valid factor in the argument for Murray being awarded the trophy over other contenders.
No, it can't be, because if it is what it actually means is that if someone from one of those sports has a good year the minority sports get ignored. In a year where we have our most successful olympics ever it feels wrong to dismiss people because all they did was have a brilliant olympics. I know that's not exactly what you're saying but you are leaning towards it.
I wouldn't use it to argue that Buster Mottram was more deserving than Daley Thompson but in the case of this year's two most deserving athletes in Farah and Murray, both of whom are at the pinnacle of their sports I'd use it as a valid factor. Plus if I'm being bitchy, Murray doesn't usually have space in his diary to turn up on dross celebrity shows biting his medals (not a euphemism) and making pals with cock jockeys like James Cordon.
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Isn't Buster Mottram some kind of dribbling Nazi lunatic these days? Or is that Tim Henmam?
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Isn't Buster Mottram some kind of dribbling Nazi lunatic these days? Or is that Tim Henmam?
No it's Mottram, he was actually expelled from UKIP for being too right-wing.
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Isn't Buster Mottram some kind of dribbling Nazi lunatic these days? Or is that Tim Henmam?
No it's Mottram, he was actually expelled from UKIP for being too right-wing.
Oh I say!
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I think Peaty deserved it on merit. He utterly smote the field and the relay team would never have got a medal without him.
Murray is fortunate that tennis is very high profile, he has no UK competition unlike say cyclists and qualifies every year on the list whereas many are limited to Olympic years only. That said, he is a great tennis player though.
Farah is similar but both still have things missing from their locker.
Murray still has career slam and Mo needs a World Record to cement legacy
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Farah will never get a world record because running it at world record pace doesn't suit his racing style, he actively slows the races down where he can to give his last lap more impact.
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Agreed. Neither Murray or Farrah need to do anything else to cement their legacy. Two all-time greats.
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Farah will never get a world record because running it at world record pace doesn't suit his racing style, he actively slows the races down where he can to give his last lap more impact.
In a recent interview he hinted at an attempt at a world record in 2017. This will be his last year on the track before moving to the road to run half and the full Marathon distances. But, in my opinion age might prevent him setting any world records. Will be interesting though.
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Just seen the sports personality of the year contenders for 2017, Johanna Konta nominated for getting to a semi final of a major tennis tournament....
These are all of the contenders:
Elise Christie - Short Track Speed Skating; Sir Mo Farah - Athletics, Chris Froome - Cycling, Lewis Hamilton - F1, Anthony Joshua - Boxing, Harry Kane - Football
Johanna Konta - Tennis, Jonnie Peacock - Para-athletics, Adam Peaty - Swimming, Jonathan Rea - Motorcycling, Anya Shrubsole - Cricket, Bianca Walkden - Taekwondo
For me it would be either Mo Farah, Adam Peaty or Chris Froome
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Joshua's nailed on for it this year.
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He certainly has a chance after beating Wladimir Klitschko, but does having only two fights this year make him favourite. He certainly has a personality.
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Would like to see Chris Frome win it, if only to stuff them snide remarks up the throats of certain people.
Adam Peaty - great swimmer but not sure as to why he is in the 12 this year.
Mo Farah - he's won enough
Lewis Hamilton - if he gets one vote then it is one vote too many
Based on his persona alone then Anthony Joshua must surely win
Harry Kane - again had a good 2017 but his stock may be greater next year if he has a good world cup
As for the others not big enough to seriously challenge
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On 2017 achievments alone Froome followed by Hamilton and Joshua for me. Thought Peaty should have won in 2016.
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Would like to see Chris Frome win it, if only to stuff them snide remarks up the throats of certain people.
Adam Peaty - great swimmer but not sure as to why he is in the 12 this year.
Mo Farah - he's won enough
Lewis Hamilton - if he gets one vote then it is one vote too many
Based on his persona alone then Anthony Joshua must surely win
Harry Kane - again had a good 2017 but his stock may be greater next year if he has a good world cup
As for the others not big enough to seriously challenge
Peaty, 2 more world records, retained his titles in 50m and 100m in the world championships and got an MBE. - He probably should've won it last year but for the bizarre obsession with tennis that people seem to have when it comes to this.
Joshua is a fair shout, he's proving himself at the very pinnacle of the sport but I think he might be in with a better shout next year as he'll have had the chance to unify the titles by then and you have to suspect that it'd take Kane scoring a hat-trick to win the world cup final to outstrip that.
On the subject of next year, keep an eye out for Jess Breach for that, she's something very very special and even though Canada were outclassed 11 tries in your first 2 internationals (as a 20 year old) is impressive. She has well over a try a game as her record at all levels and her pace and footwork is light years ahead of the womens game, she's comfortably the best back I've ever seen in women's rugby.
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Should be Chris Froome by a landslide
It'll be SirMo
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It's Chris Froome for me, but some people are saying Jonathan Rea could be a surprise winner. Secured a historic third successive World Superbike Championship this year.
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On 2017 achievments alone Froome followed by Hamilton and Joshua for me. Thought Peaty should have won in 2016.
Not denigrating the achievements of a Hamilton and Froome, but they are part of teams that are comfortably ahead of their rivals. They have of course both achieved great things in their fields and they are at those teams because of their immense talent.
Adam Peatty is definitely worth a mention as is Mo, but for me it has to be Anthony Joshua, just for the Klitschko fight alone to be honest.
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Peaty for me.
Smote the field every time.
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England's brave John Terry for me.
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I reckon it will be Joshua.
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AJ.
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How Defoe is not in contention but Kane is - is beyond me. The word personality is key here.
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I'd say it was between Froome, Hamilton & Farah, I hope Farah gets it.
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How Defoe is not in contention but Kane is - is beyond me. The word personality is key here.
This comes up every year.
"Sports Personality" is just a way of avoiding saying "Sportsman", so as to leave the award open to men or women.
The personalities of the nominees aren't taken into account.
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"Sports Person of the Year" would be a better title for the vote
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Adam Peaty.
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"Sports Person of the Year" would be a better title for the vote
Agreed, but the awards were invented before anyone used that phrase.
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How Defoe is not in contention but Kane is - is beyond me. The word personality is key here.
This comes up every year.
"Sports Personality" is just a way of avoiding saying "Sportsman", so as to leave the award open to men or women.
The personalities of the nominees aren't taken into account.
Too right, or Andy Murray would've been ineligible rather than win the bloody thing!
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I think we can rule Froome out.
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I think we can rule Froome out.
What a mess. I bet Wiggins is having a little snigger to himself this morning at this massive blow for African cycling.
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How do all these cyclists compete at the highest level when they all seem to have asthma ?
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Because they take "medication" for it, obviously.
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How do all these cyclists compete at the highest level when they all seem to have asthma ?
Prior to the 2013 Olympic Games, 40% of the GB cycling team were diagnosed with asthma as opposed to 8% of the general population.
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Roger Federer wins Overseas SPOTY, fully deserved after winning Wimbledon at nearly 36 years of age.
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How do all these cyclists compete at the highest level when they all seem to have asthma ?
Prior to the 2013 Olympic Games, 40% of the GB cycling team were diagnosed with asthma as opposed to 8% of the general population.
A good way to maybe get some type of performance enhancing drug. Purely coincidental I'm sure....
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From BBC Sports web page: “Chris Froome: Team Sky rider says legacy will not be tainted by 'adverse' drugs test” dated 14thDec , further down the article..hope this helps your understanding. Also affects Athletics participants at all levels.
Why do so many elite athletes have asthma?
Analysis - Philippa Roxby, BBC health reporter
Top athletes are more likely to have asthma than the general population.
This is down to the large volumes of air they breathe in through their mouths when exercising at high intensity over long periods of time.
When the air is cold and dry, this can trigger asthma-related symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest, also known as exercise-induced asthma. Cyclists are particularly at risk because of the high aerobic element of the sport. Air pollution getting into the airways out on the road can also be a trigger.
Research suggests that about 35-40% of British Olympic cyclists use an inhaler, compared with 21% of the Olympic team as a whole and 9% of the general population.
If asthma is already diagnosed in elite athletes, then intensive exercise can make it worse - but if it is properly treated, the condition should not prove a disadvantage.
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SPOTY Lifetime Achievement Award, I would have there can only be one winner, Usain Bolt.
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Ahhhh fuck it, something in my eye.
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That was a tough watch.
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Interesting post thanks Bostongbboy. Another angle could be that taking Asthma medicine helps performance by doing exactly what it says in the article.
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Froome has "gone out of the limb" with those comments about his Asthma/Inhaler if they find him guilty now he may look a bit silly
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Clearly Froome was well briefed by Sky’s lawyers, fair play for allowing the question but he looked like he was very uncomfortable.
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Anyone would look uncomfortable with possibly his career/legacy on the line
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SPOTY Lifetime Achievement Award, I would have there can only be one winner, Usain Bolt.
I know nothing, but well done Jess, should have won the main one in the past.
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Mo the right winner, absolute legend.
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Lifetime achievement Mo wins sports personality. The last realistic chance to win and he was never not going to pick up the trophy!!
Poor year of candidates to choose from. Thought AJ might have had a chance. Still. Next year and the world cup winning squad to choose from.
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And who else verged on shedding a tear with Sir Graham and Ugo in the obits?
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Our friends’ next door neighbour on the IOM has just finished in the top 3, ahead of Joshua and Hamilton. Didn’t realise he was nominated, or that there were that many bike fans around.
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Our friends’ next door neighbour on the IOM has just finished in the top 3, ahead of Joshua and Hamilton. Didn’t realise he was nominated, or that there were that many bike fans around.
To be fair, his record makes him very much deserving of it and I personally will be very happy when people start consistently getting votes on this based on the weight of their achievements rather than the popularity of the sport/event they compete in.
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Our friends’ next door neighbour on the IOM has just finished in the top 3, ahead of Joshua and Hamilton. Didn’t realise he was nominated, or that there were that many bike fans around.
To be fair, his record makes him very much deserving of it and I personally will be very happy when people start consistently getting votes on this based on the weight of their achievements rather than the popularity of the sport/event they compete in.
Fair enough, but I didn’t think the Superbikes had wide appeal.
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Biased though I am being a biker and bike racing fan, great to see Johnny Rea finally get some national recognition his talent and hard work deserve,you don't win 3 World Superbike titles through luck.Nice lad too, met him at Donington Park and even though he was getting mobbed he had time for everyone.
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Lewis Hamilton wasn't able to be in the studio as spending another day in the UK may mean he has to pay tax.
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Lifetime achievement Mo wins sports personality. The last realistic chance to win and he was never not going to pick up the trophy!!
Poor year of candidates to choose from. Thought AJ might have had a chance. Still. Next year and the world cup winning squad to choose from.
I wonder if a few years ago we would have classed a British Tour De France, heavyweight world champion and Formula One world champion as a poor year of candidates!!
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That's true. Remember when Zara Phillips or Greg Rusedski won it?
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That's true. Remember when Zara Phillips or Greg Rusedski won it?
Zara Phillips' Mum won it in 1971.
Could have been worse I suppose, in 1989 Nick Faldo & Steve Davis came 1st & 3rd respectively, interesting.
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Weren't Faldo and Davis quite deserving, though? Faldo won the Masters while Davis won the World Championship, winning the final 18-3.
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Weren't Faldo and Davis quite deserving, though? Faldo won the Masters while Davis won the World Championship, winning the final 18-3.
True, Faldo beat Greg Norman in the final round at Augusta I think, Norman crumbled under pressure. I was referring more to the fact they were both devoid of personality.
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How Defoe is not in contention but Kane is - is beyond me. The word personality is key here.
This comes up every year.
"Sports Personality" is just a way of avoiding saying "Sportsman", so as to leave the award open to men or women.
The personalities of the nominees aren't taken into account.
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Anyway, I find Steve quite interesting.
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What ever became of the bloke with Paula Radcliffe who apparently said "What a fucking joke" when Mo's win was announced?
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What ever became of the bloke with Paula Radcliffe who apparently said "What a fucking joke" when Mo's win was announced?
That bloke is his coach Gary Lough and he's married to Paula 'I'll take a piss anywhere' Radcliffe.
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Ha! Did he have a bet on someone else?
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What ever became of the bloke with Paula Radcliffe who apparently said "What a fucking joke" when Mo's win was announced?
He may have been referring to Mo's surprised look. Then when they panned out his daughter (?) had the trophy on her lap :)
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What ever became of the bloke with Paula Radcliffe who apparently said "What a fucking joke" when Mo's win was announced?
That bloke is his coach Gary Lough and he's married to Paula 'I'll take a piss anywhere' Radcliffe.
It was a poorly poo. Accuracy is important.
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Anyway, I find Steve quite interesting.
Compared to talking to you, so do I.
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I prefer talking to people with intelligible accents, anyway.
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I prefer talking to people with intelligible accents, anyway.
Fack off, yow doe know what yum on about, dear boy.
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Kane's the favourite this year, but he was poor after the group stages, my vote's going to Geraint Thomas. Lifetime achievement award Alastair Cook.
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Southgate getting coach of the year is a banker aswell.
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The skellington girl should win, most successful Winter Olympian ever.
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Lizzy Yarnold would be a deserved winner, but unfortunately she's got no chance.
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Can't see beyond Geraint Thomas
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Can't see beyond Geraint Thomas
Well he is quite wide.
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I think G will win with Lewis second. I'm sure there used to be 10 nominees in the past not just 6?
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Fury or O'Sullivan would have been worthy winners.
Kane of the ones in the nomations.
Why didn't they get Lady Leshurr to do the spoken word segment for Lewis Hamilton?
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Load of bollocks if you ask me.
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Presenters are shit, Billy Monger was cut off during his speech.
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Gareth wearing his Villa tie.
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Is that a claret and blue tie Southgate is wearing?
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Looks like it.
Thomas for me.
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A subliminal apology for the manner of his leaving.
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A subliminal apology for the manner of his leaving.
He's at an event in Solihull - must show who owns the city - just in case he meets a knuckle dragger
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How did a knuckle duster afford a ticket in there and skinner errrrrrrrr
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I know nothing about women's fashion. Evidently neither does Dina Asher-Smith.
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People with some association with the Villa featuring frequently in the In Memorium section.
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Five of the In Memoriam section with Villa connections, Neale Cooper, Ray Wilkins, Jloyd Samuel, Sir Doug and Cyrille Regis.
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Five of the In Memoriam section with Villa connections, Neale Cooper, Ray Wilkins, Jloyd Samuel, Sir Doug and Cyrille Regis.
But miss Dalian or was he last year? Just checked it was 2016
Alan Deakin makes 6.
They mention Roger Bannister (first 4 minute mile) but omit Diane Leather (first 5 minute mile) both broke the records in 1954 and both passed away this year.
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Five of the In Memoriam section with Villa connections, Neale Cooper, Ray Wilkins, Jloyd Samuel, Sir Doug and Cyrille Regis.
Forgot about Wilkins - very fleeting mind
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So it's G SPOTY
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Right man won.
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Congratulations to his pharmacist.
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Can't see beyond Geraint Thomas
Well he is quite wide.
Just saw a picture of him and he's not. To be honest I've never heard of the bloke. I only like football and cricket. I just assumed that as he was a Welshman called Geraint he must be an egg chaser, hence he would be wide and that joke would be very clever. I was wrong and I apologise.
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Disappointed to see a shit BCFC flag in the audience for the 3 lions anthem!
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Disappointed to see a shit BCFC flag in the audience for the 3 lions anthem!
I'm sure Gareth Southgate wearing his Villa tie, did just enough to wind them up. Plus they were all singing the Gareth Southgate song, they weren't all noses.
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In the deceased section as well as the ones already mentioned, it also reminded me of the well known footballers from the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s we lost this year, Roy Bentley, Kevin Beattie, Paul Madeley, Alan Gilzean, Jimmy Mcilroy, Ray Wilson and Jimmy Armfield.
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The more I think about it, the more I think Jimmy should have won. I have no problem with who made the top 6. But I think Yarnold should have been second because she's a Ever, as in the greatest Brit ever in her sport. Jimmy though is just an Ever, not just Brit. As in the the most successful fast bowler ever.
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I didn't know who won so I just Googled it. It showed a picture of the winner and my immediate first thought was that Kevin Kilbane was a strange choice to receive the award. Apparently it is some bloke who rides a pedal cycle but sounds like he should be a rugby player.
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Yeah I voted Jimmy - no-one will pass his test record for a fast bowler.
Dina has been great but not global championship as yet.
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I haven't seen the vote totals but hopefully it wasn't even close. G was clearly the best candidate.
Jimmy should have been on the list for 2017, when he reached 500
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or this year when he became the greatest
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Not sure what the cyclist has done that's so special. Did he just win the Tour De France, don't we always win that? Agree that Anderson was a better contender, but Lizzy should have won. She is our greatest Winter Olympian. Ever.
For some reason the only Winter Olympians that ever get any recognition in this country are the ones involved in incredibly tedious Icy Dancing.
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Go and ask the French how easy it is the win the Tour de France. Liverpool have won the league more recently than a Frenchman has worn the maillot jaune on the Champs-Élysées.
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The French aren't allowed to enter Sports Personality of the Year. They never win the World Snooker Championship, either, but we don't doll out awards for that.
The cyclist didn't achieve anything special. He did what we always do, winning the Tour De France.
Lizzy won a second Winter Olympic Gold Medal. Something no British Winter Olympian has ever done before in nearly a century of trying. She was robbed.
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Yep, our cycling program is amazing, the awards that have gone to cyclists over the last 15-20 years are all a consequence of that but then surely Yarnold as the 3rd (and 4th) British Skeleton winner in a row is in the same situation.
Personally I'd have given it to her as recognition of that programme.
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She's the third skeleton winner in a row but, in fairness, two of the three were her! She is also our most successful Winter Olympian ever (not sure if I mentioned it) whereas there is no way Thomas can claim to be our most succesful cyclist, or even our most succesful cyclist at the Tour De France.
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She's the third skeleton winner in a row but, in fairness, two of the three were her! She is also our most successful Winter Olympian ever (not sure if I mentioned it) whereas there is no way Thomas can claim to be our most succesful cyclist, or even our most succesful cyclist at the Tour De France.
Sorry yes I was counting in Rudman but she only got the silver, but the point still stands that, 15 year ago, we saw a winter sport we could excel at and she's a consequence of the decision to provide the funding to it. Remember that, like cycling, it's an event that you can break down into points of expertise and make small gains. Yarnold was already in the team GB programme as a heptathlete but wasn't on the same level as the women around her so they suggested skeleton as a perfect fit for her physique, which is what I mean but the importance of the setup she came into, only an excellent program with very clear guidance in what they were looking for would take an 18 year old with no experience of an event and who'd never expressed an interest and create a double olympic champion.
I think retaining her title was a massive achievement and I'm in no way talking her down, it's the opposite in fact. we've recognised our cycling excellence, we've recognised our rowing excellence but for some reason we've not taken the opportunity to recognise our skeleton excellence at a time where it would've been perfect to do so, and we've done it because SPOTY is a popularity contest. Greg Rutherford is the biggest victim of just doing the wrong sport, he consecutively held every major title (olympic, world, commonwealth, european and diamond league) he was eligible for despite being in a sport with poor funding, poor exposure and limited facilities (comparatively).
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I always wonder why we never seem to have people who can be good at luge, or for that matter, why the Germans can't do skellington?
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Greg Rutherford is the biggest victim of just doing the wrong sport, he consecutively held every major title (olympic, world, commonwealth, european and diamond league) he was eligible for despite being in a sport with poor funding, poor exposure and limited facilities (comparatively).
He's also a victim of the fact that he comes across as a massive twat. In my opinion, of course.
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Greg Rutherford is the biggest victim of just doing the wrong sport, he consecutively held every major title (olympic, world, commonwealth, european and diamond league) he was eligible for despite being in a sport with poor funding, poor exposure and limited facilities (comparatively).
He's also a victim of the fact that he comes across as a massive twat. In my opinion, of course.
We gave Andy Murray 3 of them, being a twat isn't a barrier.
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Why is Andy Murray a twat?
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Why is Andy Murray a twat?
I didn't call him one (I sort of implied it now I read it back) but I was thinking more along the line of the oxymoron of Andy Murray and Personality.
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Because he's an Arsenal fan from that well known area of North London, Glasgow. Having ditched Hibs in the process.
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Sports awards ceremonies are unnecessary anyway. Sportspeople get the acclaim of the crowd right there in the sporting arena, they get medals to parade and trophies to lift, they don't really need it all again in a function room. Things like the Oscars and the Baftas exist to let screen actors experience the immediate glory that sport gives. They don't have a crowd to punch the air for when they're at work. They don't do a lap of honour for recording a Holby City deathbed scene in one take. It's their attempt to make it sport. Same for lots of other fields.
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Because he's an Arsenal fan from that well known area of North London, Glasgow. Having ditched Hibs in the process.
I think he's still Hibs. But switching to Arsenal is enough to convince me. He is a twat.
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[quote author=cdbullyweefan link=topic=56362.msg3523420#msg3523420 date=1545057379 whereas there is no way Thomas can claim to be our most succesful cyclist, or even our most succesful cyclist at the Tour De France.
[/quote]
That's a nonsensical criteria for choosing an award in a given year.
Was Flintoff's Ashes performance in 2005 really better than Botham's in 1981? Probably not. But the regaining of the Ashes and Flintoff's part in it defined that year's sport, so he was a worthy winner.
If we ever have an Olympic men's middle distance gold medalist again, do we dismiss them as a SPOTY candidate because they don't reach the same World Record breaking heights as Coe and Ovett? I doubt it.
In the final analysis the public votes for success and especially success in a sport they can recognize. Thomas alluded to the fact last night that British Cycling's success on the track and now on the road has seen a massive up take in the sport, even if most are in the non-competitive arena. However, if you're struggling through the Lickey Hills on your weekend ride. you've got an empathy and appreciation for a guy who conquers Alpine passes for a living. Very few people are going to vote for Lizzy Yarnold based on any first-hand understanding of the sport.
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Fine, seeing as we win the Tour De France every year, let's just rename the award the Cycling Personality of the Year.
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Even if the team currently known as Sky find a new sponsor with as deep pockets, I can't see which British cyclist will be winning in two or three years time. The team might have a future winner in Egan Bernal, but Columbians aren't eligible. So let's enjoy it whilst it lasts: after all it only took 99 editions of the race to get the first British winner, and Thomas is only the third British cyclist to do it. For some context of the "we win it every year", his victory made Britain the fifth most successful nation in terms of the number of wins, overtaking the sporting superpower that is Luxembourg. Win it every year for the next thirty and we'll draw level with the French...
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I listened to some of it while driving. Bloody hell, I was almost in tears when Billie-Jean King was given her lifetime achievement award and hearing Ain't No Mountain High Enough, one of my favourite Motown songs (though prefer the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell version) was the icing on the cake. On the radio they spoke with 2 females while there was some VT activity on the telly; the 2 females, neither of them tennis players, spoke about how much Billie-Jean had done for females in sport. Only saw the actual presentation of the SPOTY award, what a great woman she is IMO. Will watch it over Christmas some time.
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never mind all that shit about who won, how come they let Baddiel, Skinner and That Fucking Band into the same building without dropping a bomb on it?
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I listened to some of it while driving. Bloody hell, I was almost in tears when Billie-Jean King was given her lifetime achievement award and hearing Ain't No Mountain High Enough, one of my favourite Motown songs (though prefer the Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell version) was the icing on the cake. On the radio they spoke with 2 females while there was some VT activity on the telly; the 2 females, neither of them tennis players, spoke about how much Billie-Jean had done for females in sport. Only saw the actual presentation of the SPOTY award, what a great woman she is IMO. Will watch it over Christmas some time.
A truly inspirational woman.
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never mind all that shit about who won, how come they let Baddiel, Skinner and That Fucking Band into the same building without dropping a bomb on it?
Why were they singing 'Football's coming home', it DIDN'T England came 4th.
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China didn't even qualify.