BBC SPOTY 2023

[Jon Crofts]

Your nominees are:

Stuart Broad
Frankie Dettori
Mary Earps
Alfie Hewitt
Katarina Johnson-Thompson
Rory McIlroy

Who will win?

Who should have been a nominee?

[Monty]

Whenever a heptathlete or decathlete is nominated for this thing I think they should win it. It looks so much harder!

[Gareth]

Not the greatest year for candidates…

[Jon Crofts]

No Tom Pidcock again despite winning Strade Bianche and becoming World XC champion on his MTB in 2023 but a midget on a horse is nominated.

[Brazilian Villain]

Whenever a heptathlete or decathlete is nominated for this thing I think they should win it. It looks so much harder!

That's fair enough plus KJT is very likeable. McIlroy should already have won it given his sustained level of excellence. The fact that he hasn't and one hit wonder Radacanu has, is ridiculous. However I'll very surprised if Mary Earps doesn't win it, which would be another daft decision.

[Risso]

I've never heard of Earps, Hewitt or Johnson-Thompson. Why's McIlroy on there, I'm not a big golf fan but last I heard he hadn't won anything major for years. Is it because he was the mouthpiece against LIV Golf?

Not a great year at all.

[Simon Page]

No Tom Pidcock again despite winning Strade Bianche and becoming World XC champion on his MTB in 2023 but a midget on a horse is nominated.

That read like a post on one of our war threads.

Johnson-Thompson on achievement and best name. John McGinn on personality.

[Jon Crofts]

Coach of the year - Unai Emery

Team of the year - Aston Villa

[Somniloquism]

I've never heard of Earps, Hewitt or Johnson-Thompson. Why's McIlroy on there, I'm not a big golf fan but last I heard he hadn't won anything major for years. Is it because he was the mouthpiece against LIV Golf?

Not a great year at all.

I agree on Hewitt, and had to google him. But Earps was the keeper that got us to the World Cup final, although I would have thought James was the better shout.

KJT, I knew of her from 2012 Olympics but hadn't really followed her career much. She did win the World Champs in her chosen sport but so did Josh Kerr.

As others have mentioned, their does seem to be a dearth of talent this in this years choices and it seems to almost be a lifetime achievement list rather then specifically for 2023. I do agree with Crofts that Pidcock missing from both this and the YSPOTY list is a massive oversight.

[Risso]

Just getting to a final isn't much to write home about though, surely? I don't remember Jordan Pickford being up for it.

[Somniloquism]

She saved penalties in two tournament finals England entered that year and won the golden glove for the World Cup. Neither of which Pickford did.

[UK Redsox]

The first two are basically lifetime achievement awards.

Haven't watched any athletics for years, so don't know what KJT's done this year

Rory seems to have backed off on his LIV condemnation (ie wanting Raum in the Ryder Cup)

No idea who Hewitt is.

Therefore, Earps for the win from a very weak list.


Pidcock at least deserved a nomination, but cyclists need to win the TdF to get a look in.

[Brazilian Villain]

No Tom Pidcock again despite winning Strade Bianche and becoming World XC champion on his MTB in 2023 but a midget on a horse is nominated.

As opposed to a midget on a bike.

Judging by his appearance on IACGMOOH Frankie doesn't have much of a personality* either, so he wouldn't be on my list either. (*Yes, I know)

[maidstonevillain]

Not the best year. But KJT is probably the standout from that bunch for what she has achieved this year, and for what she has been through for the last few years.

[paul_e]

KJT had a genuinely amazing world champs after the injury problems she had. Maybe not her best performance in pure numbers but it took a lot to even be there and the sheer will to be competitive was immense. She's my winner by a very long way this year.

Risso, I'd be amazed if you don't recognise her if you google her, she was advertising everything for a few years.