BBC Sports Personality Of The Year

[cdbearsfan]

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?

[Villafirst]

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.

[Risso]

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.

[paul_e]

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.

[cheltenhamlion]

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.

[Villafirst]

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).

[Simon Page]

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.

[PeterWithesShin]

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.

[Villafirst]

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.

[PeterWithesShin]

Much like you were then when insisting we'd sold 40K tickets for Burton over a week ago.

[Risso]

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.

[paul_e]

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.

[Tayls_7]

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?

[paul_e]

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?

[Tayls_7]

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.