c4countdown

Looks a pretty good list this year. Phil Taylor, though?

Jon O'Neill wrote:Looks a pretty good list this year. Phil Taylor, though?

Totally agree. I thought this was meant to be Sport's Personality of the Year.

Jack Hurst.

Charlie Reams wrote:Jack Hurst.

Peter Godwin.

Richard Brittain

Howard Somerset wrote:Richard Brittain

Bradley Manning

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_ ... efault.stm

For those that can't be bothered to look, the ten nominees are:
Mark Cavendish
Jessica Ennis
AP McCoy
Graeme Swann
Lee Westwood
Tom Daley
David Haye
Graeme McDowell
Phil Taylor
Amy Williams

I'm really surprised that Gareth Bale didn't make the cut. Having come from nowhere to being considered as one of the best footballers in the world, and with the added bonus of not being English, I thought he would have been a very strong contender.

As it is, I'll probably be voting for Amy Williams.

I've never been too clear on who this award is supposed to be for. Obviously it usually just goes to whichever British athlete did Really Well that year, but is the 'personality' bit meant to indicate someone who comes across as a bit nice? Or is there some meaning of personality I'm unfamiliar with in this context?

Michael Wallace wrote:I've never been too clear on who this award is supposed to be for. Obviously it usually just goes to whichever British athlete did Really Well that year, but is the 'personality' bit meant to indicate someone who comes across as a bit nice? Or is there some meaning of personality I'm unfamiliar with in this context?

I don't know either, but it could mean that it includes their contributions to some wider purpose, like promoting sport in schools or impregnating lots of women.

Michael Wallace wrote:I've never been too clear on who this award is supposed to be for. Obviously it usually just goes to whichever British athlete did Really Well that year, but is the 'personality' bit meant to indicate someone who comes across as a bit nice? Or is there some meaning of personality I'm unfamiliar with in this context?

My guess is that it includes both sportsmen and sportswomen, but in a way that rolls nicely off the tongue. I guess it could also give scope to include a coach, although I don't know if one has ever been nominated. Maybe even a referee? Howard Webb got to the World Cup final. He should have been nominated.

It also means that you don't have to call darts players sportsmen.

I seem to remember that it used to be titled Sports Review Personality of the Year, which is even harder to think of a definition for.

There are spearate awards for the likes of coach I think.

Ian Fitzpatrick wrote:I seem to remember that it used to be titled Sports Review Personality of the Year, which is even harder to think of a definition for.

There are spearate awards for the likes of coach I think.

The award was always personality, but the programme which culminated in the award was always sports review of the year. Now it's a tedious collection of entertainment wank in lieu of any actual sport content, and I don't especially enjoy it any more.

Ian Fitzpatrick wrote:There are spearate awards for the likes of coach I think.

I was thinking more about when the award was first conceived, but a quick look at wikipedia proves me wrong.

Phil Taylor is now joint second favourite (with Graeme McDowell at around 11/2) with the bookies (Tony McCoy is the big favourite at evens) and his odds seem to be getting shorter every day.

Jojo Apollo wrote:Phil Taylor is now joint second favourite (with Graeme McDowell at around 11/2) with the bookies (Tony McCoy is the big favourite at evens) and his odds seem to be getting shorter every day.

That's cos Phil Taylor flippin' should win it. 15 World Championships and >150 tournaments? I'm confused why he's never been in the Honours List.

He touched a lady up in a taxi - according to rumours.

Ian Dent wrote:He touched a lady up in a taxi - according to rumours.

That's cos he's from Stoke. They're grateful when Robbie Williams does it.

Lesley Hines wrote:That's cos Phil Taylor flippin' should win it. 15 World Championships and >150 tournaments? I'm confused why he's never been in the Honours List.

In one year? That's amazing!

McCoy's at about the same level in his sport as Taylor is in his, and McCoy has to work a lot harder for it.

As for "personality", Nigel Mansell won it. Which roughly demonstrates how important the "personality" part of it is, as against sporting achievement.

Jon O'Neill wrote:Looks a pretty good list this year. Phil Taylor, though?

Well if he gets a chance then so should Mikki Nicholson lol

David Roe wrote:McCoy's at about the same level in his sport as Taylor is in his, and McCoy has to work a lot harder for it.

As for "personality", Nigel Mansell won it. Which roughly demonstrates how important the "personality" part of it is, as against sporting achievement.

Last time I checked though being an anorexic shortarse whilst an animal does all the work wasn't a pre-requisite for any sport I can think of.

I'd sooner call darts a sport than horse racing. Particularly if it's flat racing.

The lack of the sports element is a bigger flaw than Nigel Mansell's personality.

Craig Beevers wrote: lack of the sports element is a bigger flaw than Nigel Mansell's personality.

Despite him tossing his gloves in the crowd (GB 1990)?

Rhys Benjamin wrote:

Craig Beevers wrote: lack of the sports element is a bigger flaw than Nigel Mansell's personality.

Despite him tossing his gloves in the crowd (GB 1990)?

Takes more than that to make him interesting!

Craig Beevers wrote:Last time I checked though being an anorexic shortarse whilst an animal does all the work wasn't a pre-requisite for any sport I can think of.

I'd sooner call darts a sport than horse racing. Particularly if it's flat racing.

Could Phil Taylor maintain his high level if every dozen matches or so, Jocky Wilson threw him down and rolled onto him?