Sports Personality shortlist announced
We announced the top 10 contenders for this year's prestigious Sports Personality of the Year on BBC One's The One Show on Monday 1 December.
After a quite sensational year, it is no surprise that the list is one of the strongest we've ever had.
And what a selection it is: Lewis Hamilton, the youngest ever world champion in Formula One; Ben Ainslie, who won his third gold in successive Games; Rebecca Adlington, the first British female to win Olympic swimming gold since 1960; Joe Calzaghe, who beat two American legends of the ring; Andy Murray, who reached his first Grand Slam final; Christine Ohuruogu, who added Olympic gold to her World and Commonwealth crowns.
Then we have our four cyclists - Chris Hoy with an incredible three golds in Beijing; Rebecca Romero, who won track gold four years after winning silver in Athens; Bradley Wiggins, who won two more gold medals to take his overall Olympic tally to six and Nicole Cooke with two thrilling victories in the Olympic and world road races.
And because it has been such an extraordinary year in sport, some of our heroes, who would normally have been strong contenders for the main award, have missed out on the shortlist. Track cyclist Victoria Pendleton, who won gold in Beijing and two titles at this year's World Championships, is one of those unlucky few not to sneak in. Victoria will probably wonder what she has got to do to make the final 10, but this time round she's been a victim of the unprecedented British cycling success in 2008.
I don't think one individual sport has ever had so many nominees on the shortlist in the 55-year history of Sports Personality of the Year.
Eleanor Simmonds, the darling of the Paralympics, with two golds at the age of 13, also misses out, but is one of the top three contenders for the coveted Young Sports Personality of the Year award.
Once again we used over 30 sporting experts from the national newspapers and magazines to decide the top 10 independently of the BBC.
Over the next 13 days there will be plenty of debate on who should win the eventual award and it looks set to be one of the closest races for years, but only you the public will decide the winner on the night.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~58~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
forget the main award. i'm sure a swimmer or cyclist will win it and then be forgotten for the next 4 years.
this year is all about a massive achievement that everyone had written off a few years back and that'll stand for much longer than any olympic medal:
Team of the Year : Manchester United
Coach of the Year: Sir SIR Alex Ferguson
Overseas Personality: Mr C Ronaldo
(should add:
Lifetime Achievement: A. Wenger -he'll be off soon!)
Complain about this comment
Wiggins & Romero and no Mark Cavendish?
So many to choose from - perhaps you don't want a cyclist to win?
It'll have to be Nicole Cooke.
Complain about this comment
It should be between Calzaghe and Hamilton. They have actually achieved ultilate victory in tough sports. Cycling? give me a break
Complain about this comment
Only one winner for me and that is Rebecca Adlington, in a sport we don't normally excel at. Lewis and Andy have a lot of money and years at the top. Swimmers sporting life is relatively short, olympics only come every four years, and all Rebecca has is lottery funding. It was a phenominal achievement
Complain about this comment
It is quite simply a disgrace that Victoria Pendleton isnt in the final 10. She should not turn up as a protest.
Complain about this comment
Although I now Hamilton will win, I wouldnt put it past Calzaghe winning it again, he's had 2 good wins this year.
Complain about this comment
It has got to Chris Hoy. He has done something no other Brit has done for over 100 years.
Complain about this comment
Oh please not Lewis Hamilton, he doesn't have a personality, and i'd be pushing for world champion if my car was that much better than anybody elses. Got to be Rebecca Adlington or Chris Hoy, they trained for 4 years and competed on a level playing field with the rest
Complain about this comment
Is the running order for the SPOTY available yet? When it is, look to see which out of Hamilton, Hoy and Adlington is featured first. They will win because they will have more time to get votes in.
Even the X-Factor has cottoned on to the fact that if you have the voting lines open while performances (or for SPOTY, features) are still being broadcast, you give a massive advantage to those up first, so the lines don't open until after performances have finished. Would it be too much to hope that the BBC might follow suit and ensure a fair award?
Complain about this comment
Joe Calzaghe had an even better year in 2008 than he did in 2007. British boxers have so often fallen short in American superfights, but Calzaghe showed guts to clinch a win against the wily Bernard Hopkins in Las Vegas and then put on a spectacular display against Roy Jones Jr in New York to silence all but the most ardent of his detractors.
Complain about this comment
I do wonder exactly what Victoria Pendleton has to do. It is so unjust to leave her off the list. She is a world champion many times, a wonderful ambassador for her sport, someone with a charming personality (unlike many of the other personality-free contenders), and she's quite beautiful.
What qualities do any of the other contenders have that she hasn't got more of.
Very unfair.
Complain about this comment
Is it possible you could exclude, for ever, the 5 publications that included one C. Ronaldo? Did they not read the rules? Are they unaware of the OVERSEAS award? A Travesty. Thankfully the final 10 hold up.
Complain about this comment
its lewis hamilton then
why bother ...
Complain about this comment
So Shane Williams is IRB world player of the year, yet he fails to pick up even a nomination for an awards show in his homeland?? Can't imagine that one going down too well in Wales.
And speaking of Welsh sportsmen, I'm aware that football is a swear-word at such a ceremony (as you'd expect from the national sport) but Ryan Giggs missing out having just marked surely the crowning moment of his glittering career is astonishing.
In an Olympic year, such omissions may have been understandable had the shortlist been dominated by those Olympians of the 'faster, higher, stronger' calibre. As a Scot, I'm in awe of a multi-medallist like Chris Hoy, but is the dominance of track cyclists not opening the competition to accusations of bias towards machine over man?
Complain about this comment
I'd be interested to know the reasoning for missing Simmonds off the list. Is a 13 year old taking on and beating the world twice really less impressive than just another cog in the Great British Cycling Machine (who by all rights should sweep the board, incidentally) winning gold? Plus if you take personality to mean character I think you'd be hard pressed to deny her on that basis.
Complain about this comment
Joe Calzaghe the greatest boxer this country has produced since the war should be the winner of the BBC Sports Personality of the year for the second year running, Lewis Hamilton in 2nd place and Chris Hoy in 3rd
Complain about this comment
Does anyone agree that the BBC has blown the importance of this award out of all proportion now that it has hardly any decent sport left?
This year may be a slight exception given Olympic successes but most years the BBC is a sporting desert that has as its highlight an award show
I for one won't be watching and couldn't careless who wins - in the scheme of sporting achievement the whole thing is an irrelavance
Complain about this comment
Knew the Olympics would dominate. Hopefully next year, UFC star Michael Bisping will get recognition.
Complain about this comment
The problem with the list is that most of the people on it have no personality worth speaking of. The award generally goes to the most successful person rather than the most interesting.
Complain about this comment
Again WHAT DOES Victoria Pendelton NEED ot do to get listed?
What has Murray done to get onto the list??
He DID NOT win a Grand Slam and winning 5 Tour titles DOES NOT warrant a selection.
Again SPOTY is flawed by clueless sports editors of the Papers.
Complain about this comment
I think I would have to go with Chris Hoy. Purely because he is so reverred by his peers in cycling. Although I can see the merits in Rebecca Adlington and Lewis Hamilton-both did something exceptional in their own sports! It is genuinely a strong year for this award-all the nominee's are champions.
Complain about this comment
Should be Chris McHoy he's by far acheived the most impressive feat.
Complain about this comment
No quarrel whatsoever with the shortlist, but even though I think at my advanced age that Rooney is the most talented English footballer I've ever seen in 50 years, how on earth can anyone nominate him as some have done. He had the most unfulfilling season with injury and the selfish presence of Senor Ronaldo restricting his opportunities.
It can be argued that for cycling to have produced so many golds, coaching or machinery or a combo of both must have had a big impact; similarly in the case of Hamilton, though massive credit to all of them.
I'd give it to either Adlington simply for starting off the gold rush, and to recognise a great amateur performance in a professional world, or (though tennis leaves me cold) Andy Murray, because to be 3rd or 4th best in the world at tennis - one of the few individual sports most countries in the world play, from a country which has produced NO players of his level in the modern era is a fantastic personal achievement.
Complain about this comment
It's unfortunate that the most outstanding British sporting performer of 2008 won't win. Nicole Cooke won Olympic gold against a huge field of the world best who were hell bent on marking her out of the race and repeated the feat with an even better ride in the World Championship where she produced the best ever cycling performance by a British rider - Man or woman. Yes Lewis Hamilton will win but he has neither the personality or the sporting performance to justify victory where Nicole has.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Definitely a Briton who contributes to the wealth of this country,so that would have to exclude any tax dodgers like Hamilton.
For me, it would have to be between Calzaghe and Chris Hoy. Probably Chris Hoy.
Complain about this comment
Why is Murray on the list? His personality is awful! It should be renamed to sports popularity of the year, hamilton will win easily.
Complain about this comment
Gotta be Hamilton.
Complain about this comment
I just hope someone wins who actually lives in Britain, rather than scooting off to a tax haven the first time he sniffed any decent money.
Complain about this comment
I saw that some of the editors nominations were for Cristiano Ronaldo. Not elegable surely? (and a complete &$%#.)
Strange that no Manchester United or Chelsea players are nominated when they played in a memorable Euro final and great title race. Rio Ferdinand surely should be there.
Theo Walcot got nominated by several papers. I mean seriously one hatrick.
But It will be a three way fight to the death between "The real McHoy", Hamilton, and Addlington.
My vote is for Chris Hoy. Amazing.
Honorable mention for Ainslie who already in the British elite but should join his place with Sir Steve, Pinsent, Hoy and Thomson in 2012 as Britain's very greatest Olympians.
Complain about this comment
A big shame that Shane Williams has been snubbed, but go on Chris Hoy!
Complain about this comment
Do all the contenders get equal time in the show?
I wonder if the cyclists will split the cycling vote?
Mind you in all the polls I've seen Chris Hoy is getting more of the support than anyone else and beating Lewis Hamilton too. (Despite lots of the people backing Hoy but saying they expect Hamilton to win).
Will viewers vote for who they think should win or not bother cos they think Lewis has it sewn up.
What a year of contenders though? Hamilton's world title is a brilliant achievement. Rebecca Adlington's won 2 golds and still might miss out. And I'm not sure a third gold medal will even get Ben Ainslie a place in the top three.
But I'm voting for Chris Hoy. The Real McHoy
Who's everyone else going to vote for?
Complain about this comment
If an Olympian doesn't win preferably Chris Hoy then it will be a very disappointing turn of events.
Complain about this comment
No Shane Williams?
Complain about this comment
How on earth could Shane Williams not be shortlisted. The star of a grand-slam team and IRB world player of the year. Who is the "Steve Williams" nominated by one of the editors ? Was that a typo and was that crucial in the voting ?
Complain about this comment
It's good that Ellie is in with a chance of the Young Sports Personality award, but utterly shameful that no other Paralympians are in the shortlist for the main award.
Complain about this comment
Sorry, but it should not be called Sports personality of the year. Ricky Hatton has not been nominated but yet has the best personality going.
It should be called something like Outstanding Sportsperson of the Year.
Lewis Hamilton should win it for being the youngest F1 Champion and for the last race last corner win of the world championship.
Complain about this comment
Personally I think it's disgraceful Shane Williams isn't on the short list but four cyclists are. Jason Robinson and Johnny Wilkinson made last year's list for accomplishing nothing, apart from being English.
Shane is part of the Grand Slam winning and Australia beating Wales team and world rugby player of the year, and doesn't make it in past Andy Murray (accomplished nothing) and six olympians (Hoy yes, Adlington yes, but six is too many). Putting in six olympians, four from the SAME SPORT is excessive and strangles the entire event. OK Wales will win team of the year (if they don't I'll riot) but Shane deserves individual honour.
Now, Hamilton or Calzaghe have to win. To be honest if it isn't Hamilton I'll be outraged, because he's single handedly put more money on the table for the BBC and revolutionised F1 more than anyone else in recent memory. But Shane Williams deserves to be on that list. Williams in, Murray and half of the olympians out.
Complain about this comment
I am saddened Andy Murray is in the list as all the rest of the nominations have won major championships and he has not won a Grand Slam. The BBC bias towards tennis once again shines through.
Surely AP McCoy deserves to be there having broken his neck and made a successful comeback in the toughest of all sports!
Complain about this comment
SPOTY should go to... well I have no idea because it is so close. Being a Formula 1 man I'd have to go for Hamilton but it is too close to call.
Team of the Year goes to Man United in my opinion. British Cycling Team comes a very, very close second.
Coach of the Year. Fergie.
As for Overseas SPOTY then it's between Phelps and Bolt.
This must be the closest SPOTY for a while.
Complain about this comment
With it being a public vote on the night, it will depend wholly, on how the BBC decide to edit the contenders biographies and sell each individual, to sway the voting public.
Complain about this comment
1. Hamilton
2. Calzaghe
3. Ainsley
Team: GB Cycling
Overseas: Usain Bolt
Not Hoy, Wiggins, Romero or Cooke because GB cycling win the team award hands down.
Not Ohuruogu because her achievement doesn't quite match the others (impressive as it is) and her personality I know nothing about.
Murray is close but I think he may need more than 1 grand slam final and 3 masters titles to win it.
Not Adlington because personality is more than just loving shoes.
Complain about this comment
No Mark Cavendish on the shortlist. I'm sorry, but that's ridiculous.
Complain about this comment
it has to be chris hoy.three golds in one olympics is unbelievable
Complain about this comment
"I don't think one individual sport has ever had so many nominees on the shortlist in the 55-year history of Sports Personality of the Year."
Has the shortlist been around that long? I thought it was a farily recent invention; introduced in the last few years to allow a phone in vote, rather than the write in vote that preceded it and didn't restrict who could be voted for.
Complain about this comment
how can Cristiano Ronaldo not be on this list??!! is this more BBC xenophobia or is the more base BBC Liverpool bias? shocking decision! of course we should have olympic heroes etc but surely there is room for the world footballer of the year, european champion and english champion. hard to imagine what else he had to do to qualify in the top ten
Complain about this comment
It has to be Lewis Hamilton without question. What he has achieved at such a young age is remarkable and only his 2nd season in formula one.
Complain about this comment
I think the winner is a foregone conclusion.
For all the heroics of the gold medal winning olympic heros, the award is destined for Lewis Hamilton, purely and simply because of the high profile of formula one in comparison to olympic sports.
This doesn't make the efforts and achievements of the others any less worthy of the accolade, any more than my comment is supposed to belittle in any way the superb performance from Lewis Hamilton; it's just that more people are going to have heard of him than the others.
Complain about this comment
Who cares..!? After Zara Phillips won on the back of her name when the vast majority of the people who voted blatantly wouldn't ever have seen her compete, it made a mockery of the award. Calzaghe deserves every plaudit on offer, but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be particularly bothered if he didn't win, altho there are a few worthwhile winners in there. If the Welsh rugby team don't win team of the year it will be a sham also. The Sports Personality of the Year award is pretty meaningless anyway tho.
Complain about this comment
So many needing pre-mod?
Complain about this comment
Lewis Hamilton is obviously very talented but I hope hope hope the award will go to a more worthy winner, though I suspect the public will be seduced by the glamour of motor sport despite the fact that victory is more down to the equipment than the athlete. Would Lewis have won in a Honda or Toyota? - I doubt it...would Adlington still have won if she had worn a different swimsuit? - I suspect she would still have torn the field apart.
When did Britain last produce a Formula One World Champion? - 12 years ago. When was the last time a Brit won 3 gold medals at a single Olympics? - 100 years ago.
Complain about this comment
#46 ... it may have escaped your blinkered pre-conceptions of the world, but a pre-requisite for this award is that they be BRITISH.
That's why they have an OVERSEAS award as well.
Complain about this comment
Its got to be Chris HOY. Cycling is not a major sport in this country but he deserves to win the award. 3 Olympic gold medles in three diffrent events takes some doing!! The cycling team was by far the best set of athletes ever seen in a modern olympic games representing Team GB.
Complain about this comment
Hm I think it should go to Chris Hoy. complete dedication for limited v financial rewards and on an even playing field (I think!) beat Lewis Hamilton hands down.
A
Complain about this comment
ronaldosawinker wrote:
how can Cristiano Ronaldo not be on this list??!! is this more BBC xenophobia or is the more base BBC Liverpool bias?
Um, because it's an award for a British sports person perhaps? Last time I checked he was Portuguese
Complain about this comment
Really tough choice this year. Has to be Addlington, Hoy or Hamilton. Calzaghe won it last year, Murray hasn't won a Grand Slam yet, and none of the cyclists match Hoy. Ainslie doesn't have the profile unfortunately, his laudible achievements span too long a time frame. Ohuruogu won gold, but only because her main rival choked.
For me, it would be Hoy.
Complain about this comment
Every year - well, at least for the last three years - it's the same...
The BBC do a great job, the editors make selections, the BBC post the editors' nominations, some people don't make the final ten and then viewers claim that it's the BBC's fault that certain people didn't make the final ten. Pay attention, people. The BBC have done nothing wrong, other than not making it clearer that some of those were very close, with the specific mentions of Pendleton and Simmonds noted. Perhaps official publication of numbers eleven to twenty, at the same time as the shortlisted ten, should be considered for the future, to head some of the moaners off at the pass.
(Almost?) all the sports stars whose absences people have been whinged about have been considered by the sports editors and are near misses - mostly top twenty rather than top ten. Top twenty is still highly impressive. Anyone who moans about their favourite not making the top ten, when they have made the top twenty, is just being grumpy because people don't agree with them.
Victoria Pendleton got 8 nominations and came eleventh. That's not top ten, but it's as close as you can get, and still a great achievement. Mark Cavendish got 5 nominations and came joint thirteenth. (Six cyclists in the top fifteen is extremely impressive, but justly so.) Shane Williams got 3 nominations and came joint sixteenth, as did Ellie Simmonds. Even Michael Bisping did get one nomination.
Do your research; the BBC publish which newspaper nominated which star, so you shouldn't be moaning at the BBC, you should be moaning at the newspapers...
Complain about this comment
It's a bit of a disgrace not to have the IRB player of the year, Shane Williams, on the list - how often has a British rugby player enjoyed the accolade of the world's best player?
Complain about this comment
Ronaldosawinker... Christiano Ronaldo is not British so cannot be considered! Sure he'll be in the running for overseas, though I'd split it between Phelps and Bolts.
As for the rest of the shortlist no huge complaints. Yes its a shame that Cav and Pendleton missed out, but with so many cyclists in the running someone always would. Cav has his whole career ahead of him and am sure when he wins the green jersey at the tour he'll get some mainstream recognition then.
I can see the cycling vote on the night being split, but if any justice is done then either Hoy or Cooke will gain enough votes to win it, with Hamilton or Addlington in third. As much as I respect Cazalghe his 'headline year' was 2007, Murray's been amazing at the tail end of the season but wasn't great pre-Wimledon. Plus like Cav, if he continues his form then next year he'll stand a great chance.
Ben Ainslie deserves some form of special recognition (lifetime achievement-type award - perhaps named the Sir Steven Redgrave Award after continued excellence over a career) as he has excelled for such a long-time but won't ever win the 'big one'.
Complain about this comment
The award should go to Chris Hoy, 4 Olympic golds at 2 different games and at the peak of his sport. His bike might have been specifically designed for him but he didn't have a team behind him the size of Hamilton's at McLaren Mercedes.
The real issue here is that with so many Olympians in the final 10, I think they will split the vote leaving it wide open for the tax exile to walk away with the main prize.
Team of the Year is a no contest - GB Cycling all the way. Take away their medals from the Olympic haul and it puts quite a different perspective on our success.
Overseas - Toss up between Rafael Nadal and Usain Bolt
Young Personality - Laura Robson will probably get this
Lifetime Achievement - Ryan Giggs should get this at some stage and why not now considering the success of Man Utd last season
Complain about this comment
I can't belive there is no Paula Radcliffe on the list.
If you watched the olympic coverage on BBC you would have thought she was are only competitor.
Complain about this comment
If there is any common sense in this country then Lewis Hamilton should win Sports Personality hands down.
For me, the FIA did everything they could to prevent Hamilton from winning this years title (penalties, more penalties, stripped of a race win and handing points to his nearest rival), yet he still won.
Hamilton's achievement is equivalent of Hoy winning his three golds with a puncture or Adlington winning her two golds with a weight tied to her arms and feet.
Hamilton deserves to win and anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Bit confused about this Sports Personality. Is this about the best sporting achievement or about the best personality? If it's the latter, Andy Murray shouldn't be on this list as he is unpleasant and grumpy. Lewis Hamilton is beyond boring.
Now take Eleanor Simmonds, she has personality! Maybe not the greatest sporting achievement of the year, but more personality then all those big heads together. If she was on the list, she would win it.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Andy Murray's achievements since Wimbledon have been treated with contempt by BBC News.
His first Masters Series win against Novak Djokovic in Cincinnati wasn't mentioned on the News at Six next day; it was only mentioned in the News Hour at around four minutes to seven! (Compare the coverage given to Lewis Hamilton's first Grand Prix win last year.)
His qualification for the Tennis Masters Cup, at the end of the US Open, was also ignored by BBC News, as were all the three group matches in Shanghai, including the third where he put Roger Federer out of the tournament.
Murray finished in fourth place with 744 points in the ATP Race; Tim Henman's highest score was 493 in 2004. That sums up what Murray achieved in 2008.
Complain about this comment
SPOTY:
1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Chris Hoy
3. Becky Adlington
with Calzaghe and Murray in close contention.
A bit dissappointed at the non-inclusion of IRB player of the year Shane Williams.
Team:
1. Wales Rugby
2. Manchester United FC
3. Team GB Olympians
Coach:
1. Warren Gatland
2. Sir Alex Ferguson
3. GB Cycling Coach
Overseas:
1. Usain Bolt
2. Felipe Massa
3. Rafael Nadal
Lifetime Acheivement:
Ron Dennis
Complain about this comment
1st place - Chris Hoy
2nd place - Rebecca Adlington
3rd place - Lewis Hamilton
Team - GB Cycling
Overseas - Usain Bolt
Coach - Sir Alex Ferguson
Michael Phelps very close for overseas personality...but Usain Bolt's personality and status is soo much bigger than Phelps'.
Tough to seperate SPOTY but 3 Golds in one olympics is fantastic and is unprecedented in our lifetime.
The team event is close as well with Man U and the Welsh rugby team but the dom,ination shown by the cycling was obscenel good!
Complain about this comment
What exactly does Phil Taylor have to do to get any recognition whatsover as the greatest British sportman past, present and future. the past? How can anyone ignore this mans achievements over the last 20 years and this year alone. Simply the best by a country mile!
Complain about this comment
Hamilton will win without a doubt, but my support will go to Chris Hoy. What he has achieved is no mean feat, especially with the very little funding they get compared to F1. Its time we recognised these lesser sports.
Also, why are there no Para-Olympians in the running? Some of them have achieved far more then even our own able-bodied Olympians.
Complain about this comment
SPOTY - It has to be Chris Hoy for me, 3 golds in one Olympic Games is an awesome achievement!! Also, even after all his mammoth success, he came across as a really modest likable guy.
Team of the year - British cycling (or maybe the Welsh rugby team).
Complain about this comment
46 - it's quite simple what Ronaldo needs to do to get on the list - Be British.....
I know it was against a much weaker field, but people criticising Andy Murray's inclusion should remember that Greg Rusedski didn't just make the shortlist, but won the award in 1997 for a season comparable to Murray's - one Grand Slam final, and consistent performances throughout the rest of the year.
Having said that, Hoy has to win.
Complain about this comment
surely the public should decide who's in the final list either by phone-in or web voting. how pendelton yet romero and cooke are is beyond me, she's by far the best woman cyclist in the world. if her events were olympic events she would have been alongside hoy with 3 golds.
Complain about this comment
"Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton, boxer Joe Calzaghe and British tennis number one Andy Murray make up the 10."
Make up the 10?????
It's obvious that the BBC are just going to ahve two hours of nonsense about the Olympics with real sports barely getting a mention.
Complain about this comment
Listen! Addlington and Hoy were fantastic and amazing and we should celebrate them, BUT they should not be the winner.
BEN AINSLIE is our greatest Olympian since Steve Redgrave!
He has dominated his various sailing classes for years, not even competing in the Finn whilst working for America’s Cup, but still destroying the field in the World Champs and Olympics, he is a true genius who deserves some recognition and respect for his abilities, dedication, spirit and achievement over so many years in a very technically difficult and skillful sport.
As to the others, Calzaghe (great as he is) won it last year and has not done enough for 2 in a row.
Hamilton, contrary to popular opinion, deserves rewards and deserves to be second (in my book). This was one of the closest years in the history of F1 in car performance, actually overall the Ferrarri was better with the McLaren excelling at certain tracks. However, the performance of some of the other teams and drivers (Vettel, Kubica etc.) shows how close it is becoming. This championship win was far more significant than that of Damon Hill or Nigel Mansell who led a procession in by far the best car! (and I am a Mansell fan, he deserved that easy year for all his near misses in lesser cars).
PLEASE Recognise Ben Ainslie’s greatness! If Addlington and Hoy win in London then by all means give them the award, but until they have achieved the same as Ainslie, there is only one winnner!
Complain about this comment
still think this should be renamed as Television Sports Celebrity of the Year.
In this day and age when money dominates sport the last thing the competitors need is a personality. Luckily most of our successful sportsmen and women are devoid of personality.
Complain about this comment
For those writing C Ronaldo off for not being British. The BBC's published criteria are:
"Definition of who is eligible
Voted for by the public live during the TV show, this prestigious award will be given to the sportsman or woman whose actions have most captured the public's imagination in 2008. Non-playing coaches or management are not eligible.
People are eligible to win Sports Personality of the Year if:- They are British or all of the following criteria apply:
- They play a significant amount of their sport in the UK
- Their core achievements that year were achieved in the UK, and not with a non-UK based team (in which case they would more likely qualify for the Overseas award)
- They are residents in the UK "
By my reckoning Ronaldo qualifies on those three criteria (unless he is resident overseas and flies in for Man U games).
Not sure I'd want him to win it, but he is eligible.
Complain about this comment
There are only three real sports to choose from in that nomination list. For that reason it should be one of Hamilton, Murray or Calzaghe to win it.
Complain about this comment
What no everpaid prima donnas from footie, good grief how will the footie fans react!!
Complain about this comment
I think all of the names there are the correct choices...except one. When an athlete is banned, then THREATENS to leave the country and instead represent Nigeria unless the ban is overturned they should be expelled from British Athletics. Instead everyone conveniently forgets this because she won gold.
Personally I consider Adlington's golds the most valuable as they were in a discipline (swimming) that we have been consistently dreadful at and achieved a world record too! Hoy, although superb, was expected. Adlington was a shock and it was a great shock.
Personally I will be voting for Miss Adlington
Complain about this comment
There is only one person worthy to pick up the coveted trophy...the man...Chris Hoy!
To have his event removed from Athens'04 meant he had to have retrain for the Kirin and win gold is incredible.
G
Complain about this comment
Every pundit has Lewis Hamilton down as a candidate, but a strict observance of the BBC's own rules would actually bar him (and some of the others) from being a candidate.
The criteria for judging clearly states:
- They play a significant amount of their sport in the UK
- Their core achievements that year were achieved in the UK, and not with a non-UK based team (in which case they would more likely qualify for the Overseas award)
- They are residents in the UK
The above criteria were copied word for word from the BBC website.
Hamilton competes once a year in the UK, which neither constitutes a 'significant amount' of his sport, even if he were to win the British GP. The last few winners of the GP title have had to win at least 5 or 6 races, so a British GP win would at best constitute a fraction of 'core achievements' at best. Lastly, since he is now or shortly to be resident in Monaco (or is it Switzerland?), he technically fails on the last point as well.
My aim here is not to get at Lewis Hamilton who is a wonderful driver (but not the most exciting interviewee...) and I am sure I will receive hundreds of angry replies anyway. My points would apply to most of the candidates so why does the BBC not relax the rules to apply to British Passport Holders, and if they have done so, why do they retain the charade of the other criteria?
Complain about this comment
Since Boardeman, cycling has never really hit the heights it deserved.
If the trophy was given to Hoy it would for the whole British Cycling team, not just the riders.
Cycling needs the award! NOT the pre-madonnas in the overpaid, overhyped world of F1!
Despite Hamilton's greatness he does not deserve this award, he is too young. Let him win a few more world championships first.
G
Complain about this comment
Got to be Andy Murray, in my opinion, his rise this year has been meteoric.
He didn't just reach his first Grand Slam final, he won 2 Masters titles, beat the British record for most singles titles in a single year, has beaten all 3 of the players above him in the world rankings, including the demolition job of Rafa Nadal at the US Open... need I go on?
Complain about this comment
Has to be Lewis Hamilton. All the rest have been top of their game for years but Hamilton has is world champion in his second year and you cant say its the car as Heikki has more experience than Hamilton and look where he ended up.
After all the hate in the press and rasist comments he has suffered, i think the kids an inspiration to people of all sex and race.
If he dont win it then the only other alternative is Joe Calzaghe. simply because "Nobody does it better"
Complain about this comment
It has to be Hamilton. He has dominated his sport since arriving at the top last year. He has made the McLaren Mercedes look the best but where did his team mate finish who has the same equipment (7th for those interested). maybe if he was in a Honda he may not of won, but that is the same in all sport, but the swimmer have their special low friction suits and the cyclist have their carbon fibre bikes. This doesn't take away from their achievement as you still have to be able to use it, which Hamilton did.
Complain about this comment
Timo Glock!
Complain about this comment
I've said it before on 606 website and I will say it again. I wish the BBC would give up on the interactive aspect on the night.
It used to be the Sports Review of the Year and the votes were counted before the day
Why can't it be the same again? Too much time is spent focussed on the candidates - and 10 is too many - rather than the sports review IMHO
Regards
Ged
Complain about this comment
zalacain & il_pirata - i'm 100% with you in that Nicole Cooke is the supreme athlete on that shortlist, and as such deserves to win.
VOTE NICOLE!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A44366736
Complain about this comment
I'm loving post 46, by the way...they provide a determined arguement as to why Ronaldo should be shortlisted.
If he were British, I'd agree.
Complain about this comment
BBC - Formula 1 next season start the advertising now....
Complain about this comment
I was going to vote for Ellie Simmonds, she's done enough to be included in the nominations at least. In my opininon, she's done far more than Andy Murray, when he wins a grand slam I'll vote for him.
Complain about this comment
Here's me 10p's worth!
In my opinion it has to be an Olympian - we had such an unexpectedly good games and the main protagonists survive on a fraction of the money that Hamilton or Murray get, the dedication and commitment needed should not be ignored.
My individual award winner would be Rebecca Adlington, especially for the 800m Gold and shattering Janet Evans' 19 year old record. If Hamilton had won the last race, then I think he might be more deserving, but in my eyes, although I was chuffed he won it, he had the best car and only just scraped it. Moving to Switzerland to escape "media intrusion" disappointed me, IF he didn't want all the exposure perhaps he should not have signed all those sponsorship deals. I am really glad he won the Drivers Championship for a semi-British team, but I think this year there are stronger claims. Calzaghe had another great year, McHoy was simply amazing, but I think it was the manner in which Adlington stormed to the 800m was simply incredible.
I think Chris Hoy will get a lifetime achievement award sometime, and I would not be upset if he did win it, but I think Adlington just shades it. The other cyclists also showed that we can be a nation of winners, all of whom showed class and dignity in victory. I felt sorry for Victoria Pendleton, who surely would have won more medals if they had put on more races for her to race in.
The overseas personality should go to Phelps, not only did he break all those records in winning all his races, but, again, he won with surprising humility and never once went on about how great he was! Unlike Bolt, who is an amazing athlete, but was a bit to brash for me - old fashioned chap that I am!
For the record the individual nominations were:
Chris Hoy 28
Lewis Hamilton 28
Rebecca Adlington 28
Andy Murray 26
Joe Calzaghe 24
Ben Ainslie 20
Bradley Wiggins 20
Christine Ohuruogu 19
Nicole Cooke 15
Rebecca Romero 11
Victoria Pendleton 8
Kevin Pietersen 7
Cristiano Ronaldo 5
Mark Cavendish 5
Theo Walcott 5
Ellie Simmonds 3
James DeGale 3
Wayne Rooney 3
Shane Williams 3
David Haye 2
Ryan Giggs 2
A few others with 1 nomination.
I am surprised Shane Williams didn't get more nominations as he has been electrifying over the last few years - this coming from an English Oswestrian (a matter of a couple of miles from the Welsh border) and so that hurts a bit! I think he is unlucky to have such a good year in Olympic year.
The team award must go to the Cyclists for their domination of the sport in both the Olympic and the World Championships. They could not do any more. Wales Rugby and Man U would give them a run, but I think that this year the cyclists just shade it.
Complain about this comment
I know we all have a difference of opinion over the final shortlist, but, as referred to by #30, if you want a good laugh follow the link to the sports editors' nominations. Astonishingly, 5 Sport Editors nominated Theo Walcott !! Interestingly, they all work on Sunday papers....do these guys have some strange view of the UK sporting world that noone else can see ?
Complain about this comment
I thought the whole point in Sports "Personality" was that the person needed charisma. There are plenty of other awards for sportsmen and women that achieve, so how Andy Murray and Lewis Hamilton made it to the list I have no idea! People like Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff should be up there!
Complain about this comment
Hmmm, who exactly are these people and what good do they do for people and the community?
Complain about this comment
SPOTY
1 Chris Hoy - it has to be!
2 Rebcca Adlington
3 Andy Murray
Team:
1 GB Olympic Cycling Team
2 Wales RU team
Coach:
1 GB Olympic Cycling Team
Overseas:
1 Usain Bolt
Complain about this comment
Fearful that Chris Hoy might win after claiming 3 Gold Medals the EBC big PR exercise has been promoting Rebecca Addlington for months now (just in case Hamilton should flop) So I think she has had way enough exposure to win the award. A good winner any most other years but a bit like Liverpool winning the Champions League despite finishing 4rth in their national league.
Complain about this comment
Whilst it would be nice to see on of the olympians win I think only Christine O will have a chance. I think Clazaghe should get it again but Andy Murray should run him close. I don't think Lewis Hamilton deserves it be he will probably be the popular vote.
my choices
Sports personality Calzaghe
Team Man Utd
Coach Sir Alex
Overseas Nadal
Complain about this comment
Chris Hoy should win it for his acheivements in the olympics but think that it will end up going to Hamilton. Shane Williams has been a victim of the olympics in not getting chosen it seems rugby only gets a mention in this award when its a world cup year or Jonny Wilkinson has a good season.
Complain about this comment
I personally have to vote for Ben Ainslie. Three gold medals in 3 succesive olympics in such a physically and mentally demanding discipline (yes really - if you dont believe me - try it yourself.) outshines all the other Olympic contenders by a mile. The bikers were awesome, but Big Ben is something else. Sadly it will probably go to Lewis Hamilton due to the strange obsession we have with F1.
Complain about this comment
It should be Chris Hoy as his achievement is the greatest.
And a really nice guy too.
Complain about this comment
51. At 09:44am on 02 Dec 2008, RonLon wrote:
Lewis Hamilton is obviously very talented but I hope hope hope the award will go to a more worthy winner, though I suspect the public will be seduced by the glamour of motor sport despite the fact that victory is more down to the equipment than the athlete. Would Lewis have won in a Honda or Toyota? - I doubt it...would Adlington still have won if she had worn a different swimsuit? - I suspect she would still have torn the field apart.
When did Britain last produce a Formula One World Champion? - 12 years ago. When was the last time a Brit won 3 gold medals at a single Olympics? - 100 years ago.
---------------------------------------
i feel thats a very harsh comment on Lewis Hamilton. yes he has a good car but you can not deniy the tallent he has. He has worked so hard to get here and if your saying that he shouldnt win because its mainly down to the equipment then your saying anyone in motorsport shouldnt receive an award through which is clearly a sport that requires alot of skill. 3 gold medals is impressive dont get me wrong but a formula one world championship in only the 2nd season is amazing.
Complain about this comment
Should be Adlington, but will be Hamilton with Calzaghe third.
Hope BBC don't concentrate too much on the Olympics.
Complain about this comment
SPOTY: Adlington
TEAM: GB Cycling
Lewis Hamilton has done something special but then he hasn't done anything except drive since he was ten, with the rest of his life being sculpted to gain maximum revenue from sponsors. Even his appearance on Children In Need was plastered with sponsor logos.
Andy Murray hasn't actually won anything. He can get it when he wins Wimbledon.
Adlington got up at 5am every day for four years, no one knew who she was, she earnt nothing and had minimal sponsorship (getting in a year what Mr Hamilton earns in about a minute(and paying tax, unlike Mr Hamilton who now gives nothing back to the UK as he lives in Switzerland - as if that has ANYTHING to do with the press intrusion!!)) and then pulled off something that hadn't been done for 100 years. There is no question that she should take the award.
Also, Chris Hoy can settle for the team award (even though his achievement was incredible, the GB Cycling team have had a truly enormous piece of the Olympic funding pie so there was an advantage over Becky).
And the comment about the voting lines was spot on - they should remain closed until after the features on each finalist have been shown. The BBC doesn't need any further cries of foul play and there can be no question that it is unfair (unsportsmanlike even) to have the lines open at the start of the show.
Complain about this comment
A lot of people get hung up on this being called Sports "Personality" of the Year and say the nominees don't have personalities so aren't worthy of the award.
"Personality" in this sense means a person of prominence or notoriety and I would say all the shortlist qualify. They don't need to be able to stand up and "do a turn".
Hamilton isn't a shoe in. Although 3 of the last 4 GB F1 World champs have also won SPOY and James Hunt was 2nd (to an ice skater!) in the years before there's plenty of times F1 world champs have missed out to swimming (Graham Hill, Mike Hawthorn), cycling (Jim Clark), tennis/boxing (both Jackie Stewart).
Having said that I think the olympic vote will be split letting Hamilton in to win. It might even let Calzaghe in to second and Adlington 3rd. Chris Hoy could miss out on the podium completely!
Complain about this comment
The BBC should make a special exception this year and split the award. The Olympic's are every 4 years, so it seems unfair that these athletes could lose to someone who has an opportunity to become world champion each and every year. Hamiltons achievement is amazing and in any other year would win hands down, but this is an Olympic year and i think the dedication and coomitment made by the olympians should not go unrewarded. They made you proud to be british this year. Please, please split the award for an Olympian and one for other sports.
Complain about this comment
I am a great fan of Lewis Hamilton, I was at Melbourne when he won his first race this season and chewing my fingernails in that epic last lap in Brazil but despite that I do hope it is one of the Olympians that win. Lewis has had his glory, trophies by the dozens and his millions and will no doubt go on to make many more, backed by big money and sponsorship. The same could probably be said for Murray and possibly Calzaghe but the Olympians have to really struggle, on very little sponsorship, to bring home the trophies so lets hope one of them gets the silverware.
Complain about this comment
I can't believe some of the comments made about Lewis Hamilton.
He should be the winner if there is any sense.
It takes alot of strength and stamina to drive an f1 car due to the forces you are driving against as well as the intense heat of the car. It is hard even to just hold your head up! Thats why f1 drivers must be as fit as a boxer. And as for winning the world championship in his second season and coming second in his first, this is a big achievement.
You must remember he has been up against alot this season, not only from press and also other teams and drivers. Points have been unfairly deducted and other drivers have been very quick to give remarks in the papers and rascist crowds have been not to fair to him.
Yet has he even once complained, no. H
Complain about this comment
No doubt about it, the tax evader will win this one. Make it big and whoooosh, off to Switzerland before you can lower a chequered flag.
Complain about this comment
Carrying on from before....
He has kept his cool and calm, showing himself as a role model to youngsters, which is what a sports personality is all about. Then you look at where he has come from and how hard he has worked to achieve it, in one of the worlds hardest sports to get into. For me anyway that is why Lewis Hamilton is Sports Personalitie of the year!
Complain about this comment
My vote is ABH - Anyone But Hamilton.
I'd vote for him in the International category but not for the major prize since he's deliberatley chosen to live abroad and not contribute directly to the British economy from his wages.
My vote goes to Chris Hoy
Complain about this comment
It has to be Hoy- arguably the greatest British Olympian in a single Olympics of all time. The first time a Briton has one 3 golds since 1908 and back then there were very few countries competing. And this in a sport where winning 3 medals is very hard to do compared to swimming where someone can win 9 as we know. (Great achievement by Adlington, but her best may yet be to come in London whereas Hoy has reached his pinnacle and deserves to finish ahead).
Great achievement too by Hamilton, but he will do it again (and again) if his car remains competitive and he will win the 'personality' award at some point again. For an Olympian in a sport that we don't see much coverage of normally (but which is a universal sport and competed for in many countries) this can be the only time Hoy could come close even if he has been world champion before. How can anyone compete with our greatest ever Olympian from a single Olympics?
Hoy, Hoy, Hoy!!!
Complain about this comment
I am relieved that there is no footballer up for the award this year. Especially David Beckham!
I would love Chris Hoy to win, but for some reason I feel it will be Hamilton despite the fact he has no personality!
Complain about this comment
Hamilton.
He has achierved something new and historic.
Complain about this comment
2008 must be the most difficult year ever with the tremendous achievements of the Olympic stars. It is regrettable to have to choose anyone.
Podraig Harrington winning two major golf tournaments for me has got to be the greatest achievement and to crown it back to back British Opens.
If Podraig could be the overseas winner, then Louis Hamilton would be my choice.
What a year !!
Parslew
Complain about this comment
I can't believe that Chrissie Wellington, the first UK Ironman World Champion, hasn't even been nominated.
Complain about this comment
Much as I think all of those on the list have achieved great things, it must feel like a slap in the face to the Paralympic athletes that not one of them made the top 10. 4 votes out of the 280 for Paralympic athletes, despite the team finishing second in the medal table and including performances from the likes of Sasha Kindred who has now won 2 Gold medals in each of the last 3 Paralympic Games', yet didn't get a single mention. There was more recognition for a UFC fighter, which lets face it is not a sport its a hobby).
They must be feeling that whatever incredible feats they achieve they will simply not be recognised.
Complain about this comment
Its a difficult choice; Hoy, Adlington or Ainslie, are all most deserving.
For me, it has to be Chris Hoy, not because he won 3 Golds, but because of the manner in which he won them. He destroyed the opposition in each one!
Complain about this comment
I'm really disappointed with this list. It just shows how flawed letting the sports editors choose is?
Why are there no rugby players in there - I'm sure if England had won the Grand Slam this year then there would be an England player on this list - but where is Shane Williams?
What's more - why are there no Paralympians on this list? Dave Roberts won four golds and is a great character, Darren Kenny - won four golds and a silver and how could anyone forget Ellie Simmonds when - at just 13 - she won her second gold?
Yet - instead we've got the characterless Romero and the miserable underachiever Murray on the list?
This is a joke.
Complain about this comment
Coach of the year : only one winner, Warren Gatland!
To turn a bunch of no hopers who were knocked out of the World cup in the group stages to Six Nation Grand Slam Winners and a Southern Hemisphere scalpn recently speaks volumes of his talent!
Complain about this comment
Go on Murray! He has proved all his critics wrong, winning tournament after tournament after tournament.
To finish the year number 4 in the world, beating the likes of Nadal and Federer multiple times, he's got to be the strongest contender.
P.S. And he's still only 21 years old!
Complain about this comment
In my opinion it should be Hamilton who managed to breathe life back into a sport where historically we were once great.
I suspect however it will not be, as many will label him arrogant etc etc Afterall it isn't the British way to support a winner is it...
Complain about this comment
I thought I might place my vote for the International Rugby Board's Player of the Year, being as it's the first time a UK-based - or for that matter Northern Hemisphere - player has won the worldwide award for five years.
That year the IRB gave their player of the year award to a certain Jonny Wilkinson, who subsequently went on to win the BBC Sports Personality award.
This year Shane Williams, after a year of electrifying the world of Rugby Union, doesn't even make the top ten.
This is despite steering his nation to a memorable Grand Slam, along with the only defeat of a Southern hemisphere nation by a team from the North.
However, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. Especially when you consider that, since its inception in 1954, of the BBC award has been won by three Welshmen, three Scots, one person from Northern Ireland, two members of the Royal Family, one British/Canadian and; in an astonishingly brazen display of favouritism, 43 people representing England.
No wonder the other home nations have felt disenfranchised by the "EBC" and established their own awards.
Complain about this comment
For all those saying Ronaldo should be overseas personality- despite how good he is, when has he done something that noone has ever done before?
Then compare with Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps.
For me, Bolt just edges it, purely on personality, and the fact that running is something everyone can compete at.
Secondly, why did Shane Williams not get in, considering he was named world player of the year? 2 English rugby stars got in previously, whilst doing very little of note. That said, I don't think he could, or should, win ahead of the likes of Hoy or Addlington (Hoy for me, just). Ainslie, whilst a great Olympian, suffers from the fact that he only ever wins one gold each time around (I know Sir Steve also did this, but he did win 5 in a row) would stop him winning this title. Maybe he should get a lifetime achievement award when he retires?
The team battle should be close between Man Utd and the Welsh Rugby Grand Slam winners. Even though I am Welsh, I maybe feel that Man Utd should win this, although Coach should go jointly to Gatland and Shaun Edwards.
Young Sports Personality should go to Laura Robson or Eleanor Simmonds.
Complain about this comment
Eight out of the ten perform by human power and sheer effort. One has won it before so give someone else a go. One disgraced himself by not even trying at the Olympics. One uses a boat that is exactly the same as the other boats the remainder so it is fair sport The other, who will probably win because of hype, earns a fortune sitting on an engine that is better than that of his opponents. How can that be sport?
Rebecca for me, first double gold for a women swimmer for a hundred years. Team of the year has to be the Olympic Team and Ellie for the Young Personality. Overseas Star has to be Usain Boult
Complain about this comment
Joe Calzaghe – “who beat two American legends of the ring”.
Yeah…but the text omits the fact they were both well past the prime of their careers and verging on retirement. Any genuine boxing fan knows Calzaghe should have fought them seven or eight years ago, but was too busy padding out a record. Still, Joe’s blessing is that most of the general public haven’t got a clue about this little detail.
Chris Hoy or Rebecca Adlington should win it.
Complain about this comment
I would be be quite happy to see either Adlington or Hoy win, probably with Ainslie in third.
I would go with cycling for the team of the year with Fergie as coach of the year, and Bolt as Overseas Personality.
However, what people actually think will make no difference either way as all the non-McLaren votes will be split over the others and mean that it will be a whitewash for Hamilton's car and Man Utd.
Complain about this comment
This is what I think.
1st - Hamilton
2nd - Hoy
3rd - Adlington
Team - Man Utd
Coach - Sir Alex Feguson
Overseas - Phelps
It is going to be so close in all the catagories though, air time and order of features may decide the outcome.
A great year for British sport.
Complain about this comment
Now Lewis Hamilton has gone all Swiss on us, maybe he should get the Overseas Personality???
My vote is with Rebecca Adlington
Complain about this comment
Adlington, all day long.
At 19 years of age she came back from immense personal disappointment a year earlier to completed an olympic sprint/endurance swimming GOLD double that no British swimmer, male or female, has ever achieved before.
What's more she smashed, and I mean demolished, a twenty year old world record in the process.
She achieved this in an individual sport which tests the whole body, you cannot have one weak muscle or one loss of technique/concentration if you want to win.
This is also an individual sport where there is nowhere to hide and no-one else to rely on or help you.
And on top of all this she is actually a Sports PERSONALITY. Unlike many of the others on the list (Hamilton, Murray, Romero, Ainslie) she is vibrant, enthusiastic, honest and real.
This girl could and should be held up as an example to all the kids in this country. Sports Personality of the Year by a country mile.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
1. Chris Hoy
2. Lewis Hamilton
3. Rebecca Adlington
Complain about this comment
One thing is for sure, as the nominations prove, if the British Cycling Team don't win the 'Team Award' IT'S A FIDDLE.
It would be only fair anyway, as the spread of votes (caused by the number of them nominated) surely means none of them will win the individual title.
Congratulations to all those nominated and, at least, another half dozen; who might well have won in any other less bountiful year.
Me? Can't decide (yet) between Chris and Nicole.
Complain about this comment
Why is Christine Ohorogou on there? She gets banned for however long and then wins one gold medal. Not the best sporting person to look up to when she got banned.
Shane Williams should be on there and would have been up there to win. He has achieved so much in the game compared to rugby and football players put forward in previous competitions.
To be world IRB player of the year and having won the grand slam for wales says it all.
This competition is a joke and should be run better as there is no organisation or thought put into it.
Complain about this comment
Who I think SHOULD win the main award?
Chris Hoy... 3 Gold medals in one Olympics is an absolutely amazing achievement.
Who I think will actually win it?
Lewis Hamilton... Because the British public are a bit dumb like that (John Sargent, I rest my case). Don't get me wrong, Lewis' title win and first 2 years in F1 have been historical, and I was cheering for him along with the rest of Britain, but it ain't 3 golds in one Olympics is it?
Poor old Chris Hoy, bet he comes 3rd behind Rebecca Adlington too... How do you work that one out? Win 2 gold, and beat someone who one 3 (by a nose!!!)
Team: British Olympic Team
Coach: Ferguson (Man Utd)
Overseas: Usain Bolt
Complain about this comment
it should be chris hoye,
but knowning the public its going to be the f1 driver.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I'm a huge Lewis Hamilton fan. He's got the job done this year and become the youngest F1 World Champion ever.
However, even with my huge admiration for Hamilton, I struggle not to give my vote to Chris Hoy. Three Gold medals in one Olympics is just such a staggering achievement! Also after the best Olympic medal haul for Britain in decades it would seem to be very wrong not to give it to an Olympian, and for me Hoy's the top candidate.
Oh, this is tricky. My heart says Lewis, but my head says Hoy.
Complain about this comment
Go to be Chris Hoy I think. Addlington did well but Chris certainly dominated and acheived more, and has been acheiving for some time so deserves the recognition.
Lewis did well also this year but also made quite a few mistakes, let's remember he only JUST won in the end after nearly throwing it all away AGAIN. I dont think that can match Chris Hoy's domination of his races in the slightest.
Andy Murray has had a superb year and has really improved his game and attitude. People still moaning about him being grumpy need to get a life! I dont think he should win this award as he needs to win a grand slam first.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Eddixon, you have missed an important part of the criteria. The person must be British OR fulfil the three criteria.
Hamilton qualifies as he is British, regardless of the other criteria. Ronaldo qualifies because he fulfils all three criteria, despite not beuiung British.
If you ignore that being British qualifies you regardless then most of the people on the shortlist fail because their achievements were abroad.
Complain about this comment
Unfortunately, the cycling vote is sure to be split, allowing Hamilton to win.
Personally, I believe it should be a close call between Chris Hoy and Nicole Cook.
Hoy won 1km time trial gold in Athens. He was then forced to switch events because the 1km was dropped - so he won 3 golds in his new events.
Nicole Cooke became the first cyclist, man or woman, to hold World and Olympic Road Race titles at the same time.
I wish Hamilton all the best, but he cannot match these two (or, for that matter, Ainsley, Addlington, Romero, Pendleton, Shane Williams...)
Complain about this comment
The other awards:
Team: British Cycling Team
Coach: Dave Brailsford (surely to be knighted in the New Year's honours list)
Overseas: Usain Bolt
Next Year: Andy Murray, after winning his first Grand Slam title.
Complain about this comment
Just dropping by in Carl's blog to clarify the eligibility point. The rules in full are published here on the website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tv_and_radio/sports_personality_of_the_year/7735134.stm
But the key bit on Ronaldo & others is this:
"Sports Personality Of The Year. Definition of who is eligible:
"Voted for by the public live during the TV show, this prestigious award will be given to the sportsman or woman whose actions have most captured the public's imagination in 2008. Non-playing coaches or management are not eligible.
"People are eligible to win Sports Personality of the Year if they are British or ALL of the following criteria apply:
"- They play a significant amount of their sport in the UK
"- Their core achievements that year were achieved in the UK, and not with a non-UK based team (in which case they would more likely qualify for the Overseas award)
"- They are residents in the UK"
On that basis Ronaldo was eligible, while others would fit into the category below:
"OVERSEAS PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
To the foreign sportsman or woman who has made the greatest impression in the world of sport this year.
"(Includes all non-UK sportsmen and women who do not qualify for the Sports Personality of the Year award under its criteria.)"
Hope this helps. Thanks from Carl, the team and me for all the feedback so far.
Complain about this comment
Which of the four cyclists should enthusiasts vote for to avoid splitting the vote?
I think the nominations list is flawed and they should get the specialist Sports Press to nominate one (or maximum two) candidates in a sport and the general press to vote from that selection to get the shortlist.
Unfortunately, I can see this being a year when the best person won't win because the vote has been split across too many candidates in a sport leaving a sport with only one candidate, perhaps Motor Racing or more deservedly swimming, to produce the winner.
Complain about this comment
So to clarify one of the points above, Hamilton is eligble because he's British. Just because he lives abroad doesn't disqualify him.
And with regards Hamilton & in fact Adlington (who has said herself that she wants the award - surely if you ask for it, you shouldn't get it!), both Ben Ainslie (Nominee) and Paula Radcliffe (former Winner) say they think Lewis should win it over the others:
http://www.insidethegames.com/show-news.php?id=4290
Complain about this comment
It should be Chris Hoy or Rebecca Addlington. Lewis Hamilton did fantastically well, but he'll get another chance in a sport that ultimately the to drivers are aided by their cards and support teams. For sure, McLaren might deserve team of the year, but I don't think Hamilton deserves the overall title over two athletes who have excelled in theirs sports, particularly Chris Hoy who has performed at the top level now for the past three Olympics. His is truely a legend and deserves to win as he probably won't be up for the award again.
1. CHRIS HOY
2. Rebecca Adlinton
3. Hamilton/Calzaghe/Murray
Complain about this comment
Oh and yes, where are the PARALYMPIANS BBC. David Roberts won 4 gold medals equalling Tani Grey's record of 11 medals. Sascha Kindred won his 11th medal in Paralympic sport defending his swimming titles he won in 2000 and 2004. Mathew Walker won a total of 5 medals! Darren Kenny won 5 medals including 4 golds.
Surely it's time to add 'Disabled Sports Personality of the Year' to these awards, especially as most Paralympians have gone through so much more to achieve what they have and they have more personality.
Come on BBC!
Complain about this comment
At least there are a lot of winners to pick from and all of them you could say deserve to win but lets hope its a celebration of a great sporting year rather than a spat about why this and that should not win.
Complain about this comment
For those people who thought I was knocking Hamilton, I will respond.
I was jumping around like an idiot when he passed Mr Glock and was really, really pleased that he won despite what the governing body and all the marshals had done to him all season. His fitness, dedication and skill will never be in doubt.
However, to answer a few things. So he’s the youngest F1 Championship winner of all time, brilliant! But, does anyone else think that MS would have won the Championship in his first year if he been in that McLaren? LH had the best car last year and it didn’t go for him and I was gutted. He had the best car again this year and won it. A brilliant achievement and I think that next year he will blitz the championship – and THEN he will be SPOTY.
For those who argue that the swimmers had an unfair advantage with their low resistance suits – most of the swimmers were wearing them, and those that didn’t had chosen not to (for some reason). It’s not like the suits cost millions of pounds. In swimming it is all down to talent and ability – and an unhealthy desire to get up and swim at 5 in the morning! The fact that Rebecca Adlington won one Gold would have put her up for nomination, but to get two and smash the longest standing record in the process, should go down in history.
Chris Hoy would be my second choice. He had a fantastic year. It is so close between the two in my eyes - such a fine margin, but he was expected to do well and was also on a very expensive bike and they are the only things I can say against his case of winning it.
Murray has had a great year too, but unfortunately for him, the others are supreme winners at the very top of their game, whereas while he has made a great step forward and may well win a grand slam in the not too distant future, in my opinion he hasn’t quite done enough.
Perhaps we should have a Sportsman of the Year and a Sportswoman of the Year award.
Complain about this comment
Why are those who are complaining about omissions from the list complaining about the BBC? It wasn't them who left Pendleton or Williams or Simmons off! And it has to be said there are the editors from the Scottish & Welsh papers included in the Editors Submissions. I'd say that was fair then.
Complain about this comment
Can't wait for SPOTY. Been looking forward to it for ages. Can't wait to see highlights of the Wimbledon final, the F1 season, Cyclists in the Olympics, Ohuruogu running down Richards in the home straight, Murray winning masters titles, Ainslie scoring yet another gold, Addlington and Simmons in the pool...
2008 has been a great year for sport. I just hope the vote doesn't get in the way of the review.
Bring it on!
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Just seen the little 1 minute 38 clip for the SPOTY, NOT ONE MENTION OF JOE CALZAGHE IN THE ENTIRE FILM ;
EMBARASSING
I know you (bbc) dont want the same winner twice, but that is shambolic! shame on you!
The top 3 should be Calzaghe, Hoy and Hamilton. No other country in the world has a cycling programme like the UK so I dont value Cooke's single gold...next olympics the other countries will have caught up to team GB and if these athletes are as successful THEN, I may begin to give their achievements more value. There are many different cycling events, the competition is far less, there is only ONE f1 world champion, there is only one undisputed super middle weight and light heavyweight champion of the world ; these achievements rank MUCH higher than cycling. I hope the vote reflects this
Complain about this comment
So much for free speech. My posting was removed. Deemed off topic! Essentially it slaps the BBC's wrist for a gross omission of Paralympians in its top ten. SP08 is massively negligent with regards to the athletes who gave their all to put Great Britain second in the final medal table in Beijing.
What a sham!
Complain about this comment
"It should be between Calzaghe and Hamilton. They have actually achieved ultilate victory in tough sports. Cycling? give me a break," writes samjazzyy1234.
If you find cycling such an easy sport, perhaps you can share with us your personal best time for the kilo or the 4km individual pursuit?
Re the award, although I was delighted to see both succeed, Calzaghe beat two US geriatrics and Hamilton won because Timo Glock's car had the wrong tyres on. Contrast that with Chris Hoy who made the best in the world look third-rate in three different events.
It's no flash in the pan either as even before Beijing he'd already won an Olympic gold plus 9 world titles.
Adlington, Cooke, Wiggins etc have also had a great year, but this award is a no-brainer: Hoy is a legend of British sport, the Steve Redgrave of his era.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
You've got the wrong cyclists on the shortlist.
Mark Cavendish has done something no British cyclist has done before. Unfortunately he did it in an Olympic year and not on terrestrial TV.
Well done Mark, Keep up the arrogance. Green jersey next year.
Complain about this comment
Firstly, Just to point out 1 thing that a lot of people are missing here - The shortlist of 10 was decided by journalists from the major newspapers independant of the BBC.
Secondly - We should just realise that this year is phenomonal with respect to the level of sportsmen and sportswoman who have excelled at their respective sports. It is a shame that a lot of people have missed out but in general terms the list is about right.
I for one cannot see past Chris Hoy - Not just for his 3 Gold Medals but for his general dominance of sprint cycling over the last 4 years - people should remember that his favoured event was dropped from the 2008 Olympics and he had to readjust and then dominate again
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
JustAnotherNumber wrote:
3 Welsh wins to 41 English? Well, since the Welsh population is 3 million and the English population 51 million, the Welsh are doing proportionately rather well then.
Redtongue - did you read the line "Once again we used over 30 sporting experts from the national newspapers and magazines to decide the top 10 independently of the BBC"?
Complain about this comment
#35 popeye7 - That would be Steve Williams, the double Olympic Champion rower, I would imagine.
justAnotherNumber - you missed out that Wilkinson also lifted the Rugby World Cup. Rugby has a much higher profile in that year, so if Wales perform the best of the home nations in the next World Cup, I'd expect a Welsh rugby player to be on the list.
Complain about this comment
"the miserable underachiever Murray on the list"
Really...So World Number 4,Grand Slam final and 3 Masters titles is poor for one season?
I don't think he will win but Murray is not an underachiever and unlike our cyclists etc wasn't expected to win that much and make good progress so quickly.
Interesting to see 2 Team GB members this Hamilton should win rather than their fellow Olympic guys.
Does this show that "Team GB" is not really a team but just a collection of athletes in various evens banded together under one title?
Complain about this comment
Shane Williams is IRB Palyer of the year after helping Wales to a Grand Slam and no nomination.
Murray no grand slam (possibly never will) gets a nomination!
Come on BBC how do you square that circle?!
Complain about this comment
Obviously has to be Lewis. In only his second year of F1 he is champion. He had 18 gruelling races to do it in. His drives in Australia, Monaco, Silverstone, Turkey, Hockenheim, and China were just superlative. He has put up with unjust, biased penalties. He has put up with the media slamming him all the time. He has put up with the petty jealousies of his fellow drivers. He has put up with racism. And through all this negativity and pressure, he prevailed. No it wasn't the car - he beat the 2 time world champion in the same car last year, and trounced his teammate this year.
And those who go on about him being a tax exile I find very strange as no-one EVER mentions David Coulthard or Jenson Button or Paula Radcliffe as deserting their country and they are all tax exiles living in Monaco, so why is Lewis being singled out? I've never been able to understand it. Is there an unwritten rule that says a sportsman must reside in the country of his birth for the rest of his life (or anyone for that matter)? And an addendum to that rule, if you are Lewis Hamilton, only you must be singled out for criticism. Ridiculous!
Lewis has put F1 on the map again - he is an inspiration to many from poorer backgrounds; he is the youngest ever champion; he is the first black F1 champion in a very "white" sport; and basically if he doesn't win, it will be a travesty. The Olympians are worthy too, but unfortunately Lewis deserves it more.
Saying all that, I actually don't think he will win as going from the comments on here, there is too much opposition to him and a lot of pro-Hoy and Adlington comments.
Complain about this comment
Cant believe how negative some people are being. Just because you dont like a particular sportsperson doesnt mean any of those dont have a right to be there. The somewhat limited individual who suggested that he would have won the F1 championship if he had a McLaren is, in my humble opinion, unlikely to be a better driver than Kovaleinen who had the same car.
My choice is Hoy because he is so dominant in his sport which, for those who are claiming that this is a minority sport, is an extremely competitive first order primary sport in many countries of the world. If not Hoy would like Adlington to win for her dedication and personality.
Complain about this comment
Why no Mark Cavendish in the top ten? Nobody has achieved more for GB this year and nobody is more revered on the continent,and that includes Lewis Hamilton.
Complain about this comment
2Andy Murray hasn't actually won anything. He can get it when he wins Wimbledon.2
Agreed completely. How can he get so many votes? Ridiculous, and throws the whole selection process into the absurd category.
How on earth can he be ahead of Victoria Pendleton, who was the best in the World.
And as for being a "personality"???
Complain about this comment
Maybe not enough people trust the Cyclists in the Tour DE France sadly becuase of the number of drug cheats caught over the years?
McMikey - It does seem sad that people like to have a pop at our sporting winners for just saying this ir living in the wrong place.
As you point out so have others and they don't get stick..maybe because they are "losers" and I feel Brtish people tend to like those more than a winner who doesn't have as much personality.
Complain about this comment
on Shane William's exclusion I think it is a lot harder if you are part of a team.
SPOTY generally favours individual sporting figures. Maybe Wales will get team of the year (although Team GB & United couls also get it).
Also don't give manager of the year to fergie. I am one of his biggest fans but to be honest I don't think he'd want it!
Complain about this comment
Shane Williams should be on the list in place of Andrew Murray, who has won precisely nothing and gets in because of the strange obsession of Middle England with tennis and Wimbledon in particular.
Lewis Hamilton had a great year and probably deserves the award, but all of those listed (except Murray) would be worthy winners in most years. It has been a very good year for British sport.
On a side note, I'd like to back Felipe Massa for the overseas award not only for his contribution to a brilliant F1 finale but also for his extremely dignified reaction to missing out so agonizingly. Cristiano Ronaldo may have scored 40+ goals this year, but he just isn't a personality like Massa. It's sports PERSONALITY and so personality should count for something.
Complain about this comment
"So World Number 4,Grand Slam final and 3 Masters titles is poor for one season?
You've said it all. How on earth can a World Number 4 compete with the World Number 1???
Complain about this comment
Good to see such lively debate - but maybe for once we should be happy that there is such great competition, rather than other years when it's been a struggle to find a worthy winner, let alone 10 good nominees?
I'd say all 10 fully deserve their places on the shortlist - but you could equally make the case for quite a few others - Mark Cavendish, Shane Williams and - if you go by the BBC's published criteria - Cristiano Ronaldo (can't believe I'm saying that - surely this award should be for only those who represent GB or have a British passport?).
Personally I'll be voting for Chris Hoy and Nicole Cooke, in the hope one of them picks up the award on behalf of all the other cyclists - including Victoria Pendleton and Cavendish.
Complain about this comment
I feel sorry for Chris Hoy, Andy Murray and Joe Calzaghe as the statistics show - of the fifty-four awards given since 1954, forty-two of them have been to Englishmen/women, three to Scotsmen/women, three to Welshmen, and one to an Irishman and so the SPOTY will have to be English - they might get 2nd or third.
Does Lewis Hamilton count as he's now Swiss? - if so Federer could be in the running next year....
Complain about this comment
Overseas award should go jointly to Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer for producing the greatest Wimbledon final of all.
Complain about this comment
Anyone but Hamilton. Hopefully one of the cyclist though.
Complain about this comment
Who's Mark Cavendish? Never even heard of him and I think you could safely say more people worldwide have heard of Lewis Hamilton.
Complain about this comment
Eleanor Simmonds without a doubt. Or at least it should have been. Rebecca Addlington was excellent admittedly, but to do exactly the same and be disabled is remarkable and this should have been recognised as such.
Please, please though not Lewis Hamilton. His personality is on a par with Steve Davis, without the sense of humour and his head won't get out through the door...
Complain about this comment
Chris Hoy edges it from Ben Ainsley for me, with Rebecca Addlington taking third place. The furore for Lewis Hamilton is in my opinion misplaced in as much as he has the best car & if his friend had not let him pass in the last lap of the last race he would not be world champion.
Complain about this comment
Why are we limited to who the BBC tells us is worthy of winning? To narrow the list of our sporting heros to 10 is an insult to all of those who have, in their won field, achieved great results. And why, when the paralymipians came home with so many medals is there not one of them mentioned in the list?
Complain about this comment
Do the same rules apply to the lifetime achievement award? If so, can we bend them. I'd love to see the BBC give that award to Señor Ballesteros this year.
A true Sportsman, and a true personality. Our thoughts are with him.
If he doesn't qualify for Lifetime Achievement, give him Overseas Personality, I'm sure Rafa and Padraig would understand.
Complain about this comment
re 184
I Agree
This year David Coulthard retired after a 15year career in F1, accumulating more F1 points that any other British driver in history and he lies fifth in the world rankings of points scorers.
In this time he was unlucky enough to have his career at the same time as Schuey and could never be good enough to win the elusive drivers championship but provided a good consistant approach which allowed him to be successful and well liked in this sport
in response to previous posts - he may not have had to rise at 5am for 4 years to go swimming for an olympic games - he's had to do it for 15 years to stay at the top of his profession.
will this be recognised - no.
Complain about this comment
I personally think that it SHOULD be between three of the people in the shortlist:
1) Chris Hoy.
2) Rebecca Addlington.
3) Nicole Cooke.
I also think that it is terrible that Shane Williams - IRB World player of the year - is not on the shortlist.
However, unfortuenately, Lewis Hamilton or Joe Calzaghe will probably win it. I appreciate that Lewis Hamilton's achievement is very good, however, it is a Sports PERSONALITY award, and I do not think that Lewis Hamilton is the best Sports Personality of the year, nor do I believe that it is the greatest Sporting achievement of the year (Chris Hoy being the first Brit to win 3 gold Medals in one Olympics in modern Olympics, Rebecca Addlington being the first Female Brit to win a Swimming Gold at the Olympics for around 50 years, and the first to win 2 Swimming golds, Nicole Cooke being he first Welsh Woman to win Olympic Gold since 1912, and also won the World Title a month later). I personally didn't know that Joe Calzaghe had done anything this year before seeing him on the shortlist.
I do not think that it should be Andy Murray's year yet, as he has not won a major yet, if he had won the US Open final then I think he could have been a main contender.
Lastly, I think that the team of the year has to be the GB Cycling team - they dominated the Olympics, and then again with the World Championships.
Complain about this comment
Galathumpian - Sorry I am not saying he should win over all our winners but he is not an underachiever for this year anyway and I find it quite sad people seem very keen to knock our sportsmen.
Maybe Hamilton should turn Swiss - He might get more support from Brits then as they like overseas players more.
;)
Complain about this comment
at least this year's sports personality is a winner in their field unlike previous years
Complain about this comment
joe calzaghe for sports personality
rafa nadal for overseas award ahead of usain bolt and C ronaldo
lifetime achievement for sir alex ferguson if he hasnt already won it
Complain about this comment
Nicole Cooke for sure, set GB off at the olymoics with a tough road race in the rain and while everyone was taking the plaudits at home Nicole applied the same grit and determination a month later to take the World road race title. A true champion.
Complain about this comment
Why does the BBC think that the Great British public is not capable of making its own mind up about who should win the Sports Personality of the Year Award? Why do you promote only those names who your own so-called experts consider worthy?
I think the public should have a totally free vote without any persuasion from the BBC.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Why should Hamilton even win, he does pay British tax.
Boy boy Gordon won't be happy.
Chris Hoy all the way.
Complain about this comment
#181 The Tour de France is the most watched live annual event in the world. It has a huge following. Cavendish took it by the scruff of the neck and made everyone else look ordinary. If you go to mainland Europe, South America, the far east, they will all know who Cav is.
As for Chris Hoy, he comes over on TV as a nice guy. In real life he is even nicer, a chap no-one has a bad word for.
Complain about this comment
Mark Cavendish? He didn't even finish the Tour de France, then went on to do nothing in the olympics. Chris Hoy should win it!
Complain about this comment
why havent any of the paralympians been nominated?
Complain about this comment
#1, you're an idiot
#17, why come onto the BBC website and why comment on this then?
people who say Lewis is a "tax evader",
why should he pay millions in tax when he is never going to get any benefit from the government for what they are spending it on? He spends 80% of his year travelling around the world and the rest (the little that's left) in Switzerland.
Would you be willing to pay millions in tax if you were barely ever in the UK?
And I disagree with people who say it has to be an Olympian just because it's an Olympic year. Does that mean that one year in every 4 everyone except athletes, cyclists and swimmers should be excluded from the competition? They have had a very good year and the amount of Olympian nominations shows that- doesn't mean they automatically have to win it.
Complain about this comment
Luckily four cyclists have been nominated so, as their votes have been split, none of them will win. Controversy will stop Ohurougu getting enough votes and most people’s inability to understand sailing, where blocking your opponents is as important as getting to the finish first will stop Ainslie winning. The perceived personality limitations will cut down the votes for Murray and Hamilton, which leaves Adlington and Calzaghe. I think if personality and achievement are the criteria (not to mention boxing’s traditionally high profile in the BBC SPOTY), Calzaghe will win, but her unspoilt personality and two golds, one with a world record, give Adlington a chance, though I think she will be runner-up behind Calzaghe.
For me easily the most amazing sporting achievement of the year was Matthew Mitcham’s last dive in the Olympic 10m. Diving technically the most difficult dive there is, he needed a near-perfect dive to overhaul the leading Chinese to take gold. If he had been British he would have been a shoe-in to win SPOTY.
Complain about this comment
Is this a big enough and wide enough sample to constitute an opinion poll?
Probably not, but after 198 posts, about 100 have nailed their colours to the mast saying who they will vote for or in some cases an ether or.
The votes are as follows:
1. Chris Hoy 47 votes
2. Lewis Hamilton 22 votes
3. Rebecca Adlington 14 votes
4. Joe Calzaghe 9 votes
4. Nicole Cooke 8 votes
6. Andy Murray 5 votes
7. Ben Ainslie 2 votes
No votes yet for Wiggins, Romero and Ohuruogu, but it looks like Shane Williams would have made a decent push for 3rd or 4th if he had made the shortlist.
I wonder if the readers of this blog are typical of the SPOTY viewers/voters. If so it looks like Hoy is the favourite.
My guess is that it will be close
Complain about this comment
I see someone suggested Wales rugby as team of the year -- i doubt it !
Wales have never been team of the year compared to englands four times .no welsh rugby player has won an award.
gareth edwards was beaten to it by princess anne.
shane williams (world player of the year )not even nominated.
Complain about this comment
It is quite simple really. Calzaghe has had a great year but has already won it. Hamilton won it because he had the best car. In a year when GB have had their most successful Olympics for a century, the winner must come from Beijing 2008.
It is between Adlington and Hoy with Ainslie in 3rd. We have not won Olympic Golf in the swimming pool since 1988 and no woman has won gold in the pool since 1960. She won two and in one shattered the oldest record in swimming. Plus she did it with hardly any funding. Hoy's achievement is amazing but for me Adlington's is the more impressive.
1st Adlington
2nd Hoy
3rd Ainslie
Overseas is between Bolt, Phelps and Nadal. Cant choose between them.
Complain about this comment
Chris Hoy deserves this award for acheaving some thing that has not happened for 100 years, if he dose not win it, as long as it is one of our Olympic winners win the award i'll be happy as they all work very hard 2 give us 1 of our best results in the olympics in years.
Complain about this comment
How do I vote for some one who's not in the top 10?
Complain about this comment
Hamilton doesn't have a personality! He can't possibly win.
Where the heck is Shane Williams?
And id we're going to have a cyclist, at least have that pretty one (Pendleton).
But seriously, why is Shane Williams not there??
Complain about this comment
Totally agree with 192, we should be able to vote for who ever we want instead of being dictated to by so called experts. Besides, in a non Olympic year would they have found 10 "personalities" from British sport?
Complain about this comment
Nicole Cooke is amazing, her Olympic and World Championship races were simply perfect. She's a lovely girl and a great ambassador for Britain. She gets my vote!
Chris Hoy seems like a great bloke. His answer to the question "what does Chris Hoy think of Chris Hoy?" was brilliant. But, if Nicole had 3 events that similar, she'd have won 3 golds, so I'm taking Chris' with a pinch of salt.
What's wrong with Victoria Pendleton BBC?
Ainslie - I've never heard much from him, although his achievements are great. Can someone who knows about sailing tell me: can you be good at one class and rubbish at another?
Lewis: 1st, I'm no LH hater! He seems a very good driver in a very good car, a bit boring but no more than most sportsmen. But would other top drivers have been world champion at his age if their first drive was Mclaren? I think so.
As usual Calzaghe has been brilliant, but as he only just scraped it last year, the year of his ascent to "Britain's greatest ever boxer", he won't win it this year.
I think Rebecca will win, for some reason she just seems to have caught the nation's heart. I also can't wait for the commentary of her first gold to be replayed.
Andy Murray can wait - he's been good but not quite good enough. I'm sure he will be soon.
I really like Wiggins, surprised he's not more popular.
Romero's two sport things was good, but perhaps shows their inherant lack of competiton?. Ohurougu is just too quiet!
Wales should be best team, but Olympic team will win ahead of Man U.
Phelps or Bolt for overseas - definately not OCD Nadal.
Finally, to join the chorus: being the worlds best rugby player isn't good enough BBC, but 4th best tennis player is?
Complain about this comment
Nicole Cooke for me.She has been outstanding this year.
World Road Race Champion
Olympic Road Race Champion
British Road Race Champion
Its never been done before.
To the numptie who thinks cycling isn't a hard sport I'd love to see you ride 100 miles never mind race them.
vote Nicole
campione del mondo
Complain about this comment
You speak of independence of the selection panel. I see no reason why they should exist in the first place.
The public should be allowed to decide at all stages
Complain about this comment
1st Adlington
2nd Hoy
3rd Ainslie/Romero/Cooke
I'm biased as from Mansfield but she has more than proved worthy this year. Lewis Hamilton doesn't even live here now so why should he get it?
Complain about this comment
Lewis Hamilton for foreigh sports personality awards
Complain about this comment
Lewis hamiltion or Chris Hoy would be an excellent choice.
And for international sports personality what about Rally Driver Sebastien Loeb?
First man ever to win 5 world rally titles and he's got them all in a row 04 - 08 & most rally wins ever making him even more succesful than the late great Colin Mcrae. That is real sporting achievement.
Complain about this comment
A three-way split between Hamilton, Adlington and Hoy (or possibly Ainslie).
Boxing should not be recognised as a sport, as it is nothing more than legalised violence.
Victoria Pendleton should be in the list instead of Calzaghe
Complain about this comment
"Sorry I am not saying he should win over all our winners but he is not an underachiever for this year anyway and I find it quite sad people seem very keen to knock our sportsmen."
The award is not for those who are not "underachievers". And it the Olympics, he failed at the first round when it mattered.
I am not knocking our sportsmen. I am simply putting his achievements into perspective. This is an award for those who have achieved, not "may" achieve.
Complain about this comment
#62 has it spot on. Lewis Hamilton, what with all the sniping, back stabbing, racism and blatant attempts to help Massa (whos ferrari mechanics certainly didnt) at HQ, the boy did us proud. Many would have folded, the boy has true British backbone and b***s.
My largest winning flutter ever, massa each way drivers champ, evaporated that final corner. But LH deserved it.
Watched alot of the Grand Prixs from Brazilian tv, over with the mrs, but as time went on, LH made me proud.
Adlington, Hoy, alot of the others, done an outstanding job too. My sporting prowess these days is admiring all their tenacity with a crate of cans infront of my tv.
As long as the country stays away from the unbelievable votes (ie Brookstein v G4 x factor) LH has got to have it.
Others say they dont like him, I cant comment on that , Ive never met the guy. I take it they have and must know him well. As for tax evasion, who wouldnt in his position. To say he wouldnt have won it in a lesser car, course not. Tony Mccoy wouldnt have won so many races on donkeys either. You have to be allowed to show your abilities.
Lets look forward to the best awards ceremony in years. Can all hold the heads up high.
Complain about this comment
Sports Personality of the year? Don't make me laugh. Every knows this award only ever goes to the person that got the most press coverage.
Complain about this comment
1. Chris Hoy
2. Rebecca Adlington
3. Ben Ainslie
Team - GB cycling (GB Paralympics close)
Coach - Warren Gatland (Sir Alex close)
Overseas - Usain Bolt (Phelps 2nd)
In such an extraordinary Olympic year of success I'd rather see Hoy, Adlington & Ainslie recognised for their success than Hamilton. Not that I don't like the chap but I just don't think his achievements quite compare to 3 above.
Bolt over phelps purely because of how explosively brilliant he was. That 100m was simply outrageous and I thought it would be a couple more decades before anyone touched that 200m record - phenominal.
Complain about this comment
Are the nominators having a laugh!
Andy Murray: He reached a Grand Slam final. Did he win it? No! Then why the nomination?
Christine Ohuruogu: I accept that a gold medal is a fantastic acheivement for anyone but to win it after missing drugs tests in the past surely screams foul play. Definitely a bit of hipocrisy in this nomination after the Dwaine Chambers debate before the Olympics.
My top 3 (in no particular order) will be Chris Hoy, Joe Calzaghe and Rebecca Adlington. Don't mind who wins it out of these 3 as they've all had a terrific year.
Team of the Year: 2008 Grand Slam winning Welsh Rugby Union team without a shadow of a doubt. I'm Irish but I've got to admit that Wales were a class act this year.
Overseas Personality: Forget all the nominations for a certain overpaid, Portugese, diving act! For me, Michael Phelps or Usain Bolt. Anyone who can win that many medals or stroll to 100m, 200m and 4x100m World Records deserves this award!
Coach of the Year: Has to go to the Warren Gatland / Shaun Edwards partnership, doesn't it?!
Complain about this comment
Its a difficult decision to make of course who should be the sports personality of the year but I think a few criteria would make it easy.
1) Is the sport competitive?
2) Is the sport popular?
3) What experience does the winner have compared to opponents and how rigorous/demanding is preparations?
4) Is it a straight forward sport e.g sprints - winner wins. or made up of lots of behind the scenes technicality?
5) Can the work of the win be assigned much to the competitor or his back up team?
6) How much contoversy of interest is generated in the event?
7) Is the winner regarded as a good British citizen?
8) Has his/her win promoted the sport positively and widely?
9) Has his/her win made kids want to take up the sports?
10) Has his/her promoted the image of Britain at large?
11) Was the win deserved in the face of other competitors or was it by default e.g better competitors did not turn up?
12) Is the win historic/unprecedented? (like Obama's)
One can add other considerations but I think if you look at these criteria making a decision who to vote is a bit easier.
For me the decision will have to be between
1) Lewis Hamilton
2) Chris Hoy
and 3) Rebecca Adlington
Lewis because his win has promoted the sports a lot, brought about contoversy and increased popularity, is unprecedented, requires work all through the year and a lot of technicality, consistency and physically demanding. on the negative is the bad blood generated between spanish supporters ,decisions to demote and penalise and the fact that he does not live in Britain.
Chris Hoy also has pretty much a lot of positivity as Lewis but not the popularity or contoversy.There is a lot of behind the scene (pre event work)..Chris win though was pretty much expected.
Rebecca Adlingtons win was the opposite in terms of expectation but in a sport that has so many events 1 gold seems not so special.
All in all I give my vote to Lewis Hamilton. (I may be slightly biased though as I am a Formula 1 fan but Lewis has been one of the reasons I watch the sport) Chris Hoy and Rebecca have not made me more interested in their sports.
Complain about this comment
Why does everbody hate Hamilton so much?
Anyway if a Cyclist does win this thing it should be Nicole Cooke as roadrace cycling is real and proper cycling.
Complain about this comment
I've never heard of 6 of them?
This great comp has gone down the pan over the past few years.
I'm not even sure I'll watch it this year...........
Complain about this comment
Lewis Hamilton? Formula One is a team game - he wouldn't have won in a poor car. He should maybe win best team -with his pit crew and designers !
Ben Ainslie-3 golds in 3 games - but this is about 2008 - just one gold counts
Rebecca Adlington- no golds in 48 years then 2 for one woman!
Joe Calzaghe-legend - won last year - no repeat gonna happen
Andy Murray-playing superb but wait until he wins a Major
Christine Ohuruogu - won one gold.
Chris Hoy- 3 golds in one year
Rebecca Romero, rowing to cycling ? brill - but again in 2008? one gold
Bradley Wiggins - 2 golds in 2008 . Hoy got 3
Nicole Cooke with one gold.also won world road race (but nobody watched it)
In my book then
1) Chris Hoy
2) Rebecca Adlington
(no complaints if 1 & 2 reversed)
3) Rebecca Romero for change in sport (and 'cos she's hot)
Sadly though - I think Lewis will win . Because people are sheep.
Nothing against him personally . But F1 is a team sport and way beyond the reach of most . Anyone can learn to swim/row/cycle - to get as good as Hoy and co of course is something else
It would be a great signal to send for 2012 to have winners in sports that anyone can start off in.
And indeed - what about the word personality? Hamilton hasn't really got one
Complain about this comment
I thought this was for personality not achievement.
If so, I cant say I know much of the otheres but Andy Murry has the personality of a particularly dour, grey cornflake and Hamilton is a bit dry and self important in interviews.
So I'm afraid having not seen much of the others I give it to Calzaghi again as despite his enormous success and having not been given the fame he deserves over sees he always comes across as a very nice chap... or Hatton if he was on there for his great come back and positive down to earth attitude.
Those who link great personal achiement to great personality.. look at their boss..
Complain about this comment
It'll be a close call between Hoy and Lewis. The rest are just 'also rans'.
Complain about this comment
178. Wanzebra - if you're so interested in statistics, you might notice that as the nation that has 85% of the British population has only won 76% of the awards, it appears that the smaller home nations are actually doing quite well.
Complain about this comment
The Sports Personality nominations were decided by newspapers, however it is a BBC programme. So it should reflect ALL Sports and all Sporting Personalities, for inclusion by everybody. This year there is a high volume of sporting achievement in all areas of sport. Everyone irregardless of whether they agree with the list or not ALL have to pay the licence fee, yet not everyone is included in the list that could be.
The golden cone for the olympians and the news special for their return was not repeated for the paraolympians. This is reflected in the Sports Personality that the achievements which heavily outweighed the olympians is quietly hushed up and forgotten about.
Does it not seem like we are going back in time a few hundred years?
Complain about this comment
Probably one of the most difficult years, given our success in the Olympics. That is why I think it difficult to choose between our Olympic winners. I'd go for Lewis Hamilton, with Joe Calzaghe runners up.
Complain about this comment
nicole cooke by a mile- olympic champ, world champ, previously world cup wins, tour de france, world champ in MTB, TT, Cross etc.
also very personable and approachable
no disrespect to the trackies but they know cooke is the real deal (and cavendish- but he fails on the personality count)
hamilton is a star of big business but F1 leaves me cold in the personality stakes- like hill, coulthard, shumaker etc. before him i couldn't really care who wins as long as the racing spectacle is exciting....
Complain about this comment
maybe lewis hamilton for team of the year? lol- only half joking...
Complain about this comment
It's a real tough one this year but I'd have to go for Chris Hoy. An amazing achievement whether it's a main stream sport or not. During the summer I think Team GB gave us all something to be proud of and Chris was there shining light.
As a Welshman I would have loved to see Shane in the list though and probably would have voted for him instead.
Feeling bad for Lewis now though! God it's tough this year.
Complain about this comment
I'm not a boxing fan and not sure why Calzaghe's got a nomination this year after all the awesomness elsewhere(or why he beat Lewis to the '07 award for that matter - I thought Hatton was meant to be the UK's number 1 boxer!)
I'd rather Calzaghe's nomination went to Luol Deng after he led team GB to 2009 Eurobasket(last UK team to reach Eurobasket was England in 1981!) but that's just British media's patronising attitude towards basketball for you!
Even Luol wouldn't have changed my top three though.
1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Andy Murray
3. Chris Hoy(or possibly Rebecca Addlington)
Complain about this comment
Sport's Personality surely means strength of personality in a sporting context.
The sternest test of such personality or character has been shouldered by a number of athletes in the past years. Sir Steve Redgrave delivered under such unreal pressure to provide the only Gold of Atlanta, among others and again to make enduring history in Sydney. Sir Matthew Pinsent delivered again by the narrowest of margins for Athens.
On you go Hodgy: and again.
This strength of character was again exemplified once this year and the country tuned in on the BBC one mad morning to see that it happened, as expected (a bit like Hamilton but requiring human propulsion).
No pressure then.
Especially when trailing in the last metres.
They did not crack under the pressure of the extreme physical stress, their roller coaster season or the last gasp. These are sports personalities.
He delivered and will probably be asked to do so again on home waters.
This is your sports personality. If you don't know him, he will usually say he is part of the Men's Four, since he is modest. This omission can be repaired by the team prize.
Do not forget these guys. They won the Sports Writer's President's award - he knows.
ps they're quite funny on youtube too.
Complain about this comment
Should be based on real achievement not on how famous they are, as the best sporting heroes are normally the silent ones who work 100% for their personal pride and that is their only reward they need. Can't really be a footballer or Motor Racer needs to be someone with their feet firmly on the ground. Would be great if the judges actually looked at the broader picture instead of the broad sheets to find their winner.
Complain about this comment
With 4 cyclists in the list the cycling fans vote will be split leaving it wide open for the petrol heads to ensure Hamilton wins. My predicted 1,2,3 is: Hamilton, Hoy, Addlington but my heart says Hoy all the way.
ref an earlier comment about "Calzaghe had 2 good wins this year" poor old Mark Cavendish (remember him?) had 17 excellent wins this year - over 7 months, better than any other professional cyclist anywhere, and he doesn't even make the final cut! Just goes to show how much the Olympics (over 3 weeks) dominates our thoughts.
Complain about this comment
It has to be Chris Hoy. What a nice bloke and what a hard worker. If we want to inspire a younger generation to take up sport and to aim high we need to recognise and celebrate people like Hoy. Hamilton is also a contender but he'll very likely take some more F1 titles in the next few years and that's when he should win the SPOTY award.
Complain about this comment
It is not important who wins as long as they live in this country full time, and pay British Income Tax.
Complain about this comment
Has to be Lewis, for one so young to do what so few can ever do and do so well driving at heroic speeds in death dodging conditions time and time again, it just must be Lewis.
Its no shame on the Olympians, they have been outstanding too.
Lewis is a fantastic role model for young kids, look at what hes achived and how! Hes a total world superstar and totally deserves the accolade.
Complain about this comment
Chris Hoy - Olympics is once every 4 years and to win 3 Golds is historic for any athlete of any country, I don't think he's been fully recognized for his achievement.
Hamilton did well at a young age but he has the opportunity every year to win and it is more of a team effort. Also he lost his last race and barely won the championship, not a great way to do it. He will have other years but I think for shear stand out performance Chris Hoy should win this year. What he did is a bit like Hamilton winning three years in a row.
I wouldn't award anyone in the "sport" of boxing, I think it should be banned and am amazed brute barbarism is still seen as a "sport". Hurting someone shouldn't be a sport.
Murray had an awesome season also, and Rusedski won the award with a less impressive season. He reached the same final US open but didn't win successive Masters series events. However, for Andy to win the SPOTY award he will have to win a major.
Complain about this comment
SPOTY, SPOTY, SPOTY; HOY, HOY HOY!!!
Complain about this comment
I can't understand why so many people on here are saying that Lewis Hamilton will win because people are sheep. From the indications on here, he will be lucky if he comes third behind Hoy and Adlington. And maybe those who will be voting for him, like me, will be less like sheep than other voters as we appear to be in the minority.
Complain about this comment
This the sports personality of the year award. Andy Murray does not therefore qualify, as surely you need a personality to be considered?
Complain about this comment
Hmm, why is it Sports PERSONALITY? I guess 9 out of 10 of the nominees have a personality, except for the F1 chap.
As for sporting achievement - I'd give it to Chris Hoy, man and unpowered machine, and he has a personality!
Complain about this comment
"Again WHAT DOES Victoria Pendelton NEED ot do to get listed?
What has Murray done to get onto the list??
He DID NOT win a Grand Slam and winning 5 Tour titles DOES NOT warrant a selection.
Again SPOTY is flawed by clueless sports editors of the Papers."
Couldn't agree more. It's ridiculous.
Complain about this comment
Sorry, I've read the boards but still can't see past Becky Adlington.
'Hamilton is so young' - She's younger.
Won both her GOLD medals in highly competitive INDIVIDUAL events.
Smashed the oldest and toughest world record in her sport, by a mile.
The all round fitness/strength of a middle distance swimmer is a match for any athlete in the world. Total focus and dedication to training.
And the girl is a PERSONALITY, she has a certain naive charm and real character.
Hamilton comes across as a pampered, arrogant playstation driver who only won cos someone else made a mistake. Bottled it twice in 2 seasons despite having the best car and a whole team around him. Oh, and where exactly is his personality.
Calzaghe won it last year, so not this year.
I will tip my hat to the cyclists, in particular Hoy and Cooke.
Hoy's three Gold medals in Beijing added to his previous achievements at World and Olympic level make him the favourite in terms of pure sporting achievement, and combined with his easy and self-effacing manner would make him a worthy winner of the award.
Cooke's total dominance of her sport this year is also very impressive and like Swimmers endurance cyclists are among the fittest and most dedicated of athlete's
Of the others Ainslie is the Tiger Woods of Sailing. The best sailor in the world proven over many years, across different classes of boat. Another Goid this year is further prooof of his class. However, his sport is such a minority sport and his demeanour so reserved that he cannot win.
The other 2 cyclists are brilliant but ecplipsed by even more astonishing colleagues.
There is till the faint of whiff of doubt around Ohuruogu for me. Her achievements, though impressive, pale when compared to the mutliple medallists and larger personalities in the competition.
Does that just leave Murray, well with all the champions in the list, it would seem silly to give an award to someone who is the fourth best at what they do and has not won a major title this year. His dour fog of a personality also precludes any success in this year's poll.
Adlington for me, narrowly over Hoy. I suspect Hamilton or Calzaghe will get third, though I think this would be harsh on Cooke.
Complain about this comment
Lewis.H was great. He made me to like F1
Complain about this comment
I recall that in the past most Olympians were described as professional amateurs, the latter word meaning they do their thing for the love of the sport and not the money! But sadly most sports these days are about do$h, Marginally Mr Chris Hoy gets my vote!
Complain about this comment
As a cycling fanatic my view is that the best all round performance by a British cyclist this year was Mark Cavendish. For me winning stages at the Tour de France is more important and impressive than an Olympic gold. Good luck to Chris Hoy though.
Complain about this comment
In my estimation there was only one real personality in 2008 that outshone all the others and that was Eleanor Simmonds. It shows what a farce the sports personality show is. Who are these people that make the list? This show should be open to all UK viewers voting for UK personalities in sport.
Complain about this comment
Chris Hoy
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
It would be great if Ben Ainslie won, sailing never gets as much recognition that it deserves. Not that it's fair to compare such different sports but it takes a couple of minutes to win a cycling medal so no suprises that people come away with more than one. It took Ben Ainslie 9 long races to win in just one event - that's dedication if nothing else.
Complain about this comment
The Welsh Rugby Union team will not get a sniff. Even though they won the Grand Slam yet again and were the only Northern Hemisphere to defeat one of the Tri-Nations (and have a player voted the IRB Player of the Year by his peers) they will not be considered.
I mean come on, Shane Williams did not even get in.
Personally I want Adlington to get the award ahead of Hoy because Adlington had a lot less funding and smashed a 19-year old world record....a record as old as she is!!
Personally I'd like to see Rugby get some recognition with the WRU team getting it, but no chance....they're Welsh after all...
Complain about this comment
Maybe Ellie Simmonds will get the nod ahead of Laura Robson in the Young Sports Personality of the Year award. It would be the LEAST she deserves after not getting sufficient nominations to make the Top 10.
I think though that the BBC has a plan and will award the Team of the Year to the Paralympians - even though Team GB Cycling deserve it a shade more.
Complain about this comment
I fail to see why this is referred to as Sporting Personality of the Year. Surely it is sporting achievement of the year? Most of what we see of these people personalities are what we see manipulated/edited on the media. I certainly do not know enough about these people to comment on their personality. However I think Rebecca Adlington's sporting achievement deserves recognition.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
In any normal year most of these contenders would have walked it but this ain't a normal year.
As an ex-swimmer I am, of course, biased in favour of Adlington, because I can appreciate the work she put in to get where she is and the pitiful funding she received to do it as well as the fact a swimmer is unlikely to ever have a realistic chance of winning SPOTY again.
However I could live with Chris Hoy winning it as nobody has won or may ever win 3 golds again. Calazaghe is the best boxer for years, a fine person, and I voted for him last year but feel the glory aught to be shared about a bit.
As for who will win - it will probably be Hamilton which will not be just as a) he is as only as good as his machine and team of mechanics, b) he avoids paying his taxes, and c) is bound to win this award several times in the future.
Complain about this comment
why all of them deserve to win
1. Adlington - She's Only 19 and she's already one of the best swimmers we've ever had. Should win.
2. Ainslie - Definately a top sportsman winning 3 gold medals in a row, and it was almost a forth way back, but in terms of this year maybe not good enough.
3. Calzaghe - good for a boxer but the only reason why he won last year was because of his unbeaten record, 2 wins in a year maybe not enough.
4. Cooke - A fantastic year for her a well deserved gold medal at the olympics and the worlds. Should win.
5. Hamilton - A great year for him but well overshadowed by better success.
6. Hoy - Our best olympian in an age. Should win.
7. Murray - his best year so far but next year is his time to win it.
8. Ohuruogu - Wont win because of her past but what a blinding race and 2 years she has had. Should win.
9. Romero - Don't really know why she's on the list and not someone else. But i suppose it's due to the transition from a top rower to a top cyclist in less than 4 years.
10. Wiggins - Double gold medalist overshadowed by hoy.
Complain about this comment
seriously - who wants football in a year when we finally have huge olympic successes and an F1 champion?
it's already the dominant sport and has loads of international awards that make headlines - so Manchester United and Ronaldo can screw off (and I am a big football fan)
Team is obvious - team GB (if that counts), if not the cycling team
Overseas has to be Usain Bolt (although if theyre using a panel why have all that pomp over it in the trailer) - the guy is incredible, I think some people are seriously understating what he achieved
as for coach, as long as it's not martin johnson I don't mind
for the individual - it's pretty stupid to pick isn't it? who deserves it more? most years we don't have any success, then we have too many...kind of shows how daft it is, it's pretty much designed for a british wimbledon champ in a non olympic year
Personally I can't pick who deserves it more out of chris hoy, rebecca adlington, bradley wiggins, ben ainslie, hamilton etc - how can you? all excellent and different
I don't think it should go to Murray - yeah he won a masters, but no grand slam, the pinnacle of his sport - the others are olympic champions - that is the pinnacle of their sports, so I don't feel it would be fair to honour Murray over them
it should probably go to an olympic champion rather than hamilton - it's a really special year for them, i know it is for him too, but sorry lewis
maybe adlington - the cyclists were much better funded and she was a big surprise, I think she has a slightly better achievement because of that
Complain about this comment
Sue (255) - I think its just a name and the BBC don't want to change it but totally understand your point.
Not that many "personalities" have won the award for personality but for sporting achievementas as will happen this year although most seem to come over as good honest sportspeople who main aim is to win and then collect whatever comes with that afterwards rather than think of money first.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
and Calzaghe did not need a monumentally expensive car and a team of techie geniuses behind him.
Complain about this comment
Please NOT Hamilton. He has no personality and F1 is NOT a sport. It's a giant showcase for various manufacturers to demonstrate their engineering talent. It's entertaining, sure, but so is Strictly Come Dancing, and no-one suggests that Alysha Dixon should win SPOTY. Unless there is a level playing field, with the same cars, same power etc., we have no way of knowing whether Hamilton is the best driver. Right now, Hamilton is only successful because he stands on the shoulders of giants - the engine wizards, the chassis designers, the mechanics. Stick him in a BAR car and he'd come nowhere. His shameful acceptance of getting 5th place in the final GP just shows that his sporting behaviour is questionable as well. He should have gone all out to WIN.
Complain about this comment
Lewis Hamilton would get my vote. He has done exceptionally well in such a difficult sport. I would also like to give another vote to his father, if that were possible, for showing a lifetime's support and faith in his son. I am sure the sacrifices he made were tough and many.
They deserve to be congratulated for showing they are a World beating combination. He must be a very proud father. Well done and all the very best for the future.
Complain about this comment
Joe Calzaghe won last year. I have nothing against him but by including him it excludes other suitable candidates (as agreed there were many). The British Olympic squad did good (except the athletes who get most of the money) they should be team of the year. How anyone can recommend C Ronaldo beats me - he's paid a fortune, behaves like a petulant 4 year old and can't hack it. Ellie for YPOTY - oh yes what a kid. its such a shame Hamilton won his first title this year - perhaps he should wait until he has 3. Ben Ainslie has been at the top for YEARS AND YEAR - I GO FOR BEN.
Complain about this comment
Chris Hoy or Andy Murray - or am I just biased. I know they have no chance as it will be Lewis
Complain about this comment
I think that Ellie Simmonds should be in the main field - this young lady had more personality than anyone else.
I would like to know who decides the people on the short list and why there are no parolympians at all when their achievement outshone everyone??
Complain about this comment
ria831, if you read the original article it will tell you there who decided on the shortlist.
My vote is for Ben Ainslie this year. A great champion who has done it over many years of competition. Sadly due to the nature of the sport he'll never have that one specific moment that can capture the imagination of the public like other sports can.
Complain about this comment
Whoever wins, they'll say something was unfair.
Calzaghe - an unpopular sport, an astonishing professional record. The Steve Redgrave of his game.
Hoy - done it twice now, so he's up there.
The rest: nice folks, but their sporting achievements probably slightly less. Hamilton maybe not. But he's only won one, but F1 guys usually get it.
PERSONALITY? That depends on what sort of personality you want?
Bubbly, effusive? Swimming lass.
Handling racist Spaniards well? F1 guy.
A Scot who's getting over surliness and starting to mature? The tennis bloke.
Sing if you're proud to be Welsh? The fight man.
A black woman who can peak when it matters? The athlete.
Not supposed to pick women who look good in cycling lycra, are we? Very non-PC and all that.....
Takes you pick.
I'd go for the fight man meself, based on professional career. But maybe in Olympic year, he'll have to wait.
But it's a very open competition this year...
Complain about this comment
We have to give credit to the Olympians this year, so:
1. Chris Hoy
2. Becky Adlington
3. Ben Ainslie
Team - Olympic cycling team. Just an amazing achievement. Sailing team not that far behind.
Foreign - Usain Bolt (how could it be anyone else?!?!?).
Coach - Don't know name(s) but whoever is responsible for the Olympic cycling team.
Young 'un - Ellie Simmonds. Hopefully Laura Robson's time will come later.
Complain about this comment
Lewis did incredibly well but he has won one championship, when he has won more then he should be revisited. Top 3!!
The cyclists did unbelivably well but it is a sport that is not represented in very many countries at the top level. Should be Top Team and Chris Hoy in the top 3.
Christine Ohuruogu has won virtually everything, was our only gold medal winner on the Olympic track but because of what has to be a stupid mistake deserves top 3 but probably will not get that.
Ben Ainslie is a modern day marvel but competes in a sport that has not too many countries competing. Shame.
It is a disgrace that Shane Williams is not in the top 10, how often does the "Land of my Fathers" produce the IRB player of the year? Not forgetiing that a certain Welsh coach left him in the wilderness for some years because be was "too small"!! Teh Welsh team top 3, but they will nedd to win a few and maybe beat the All Blacks before and gongs come their way.
And what is Andy Murray doing in this list, he has not won a World championship or a major?
No for me the person who gets my vote is the effervescent Rebecca Adlington, she competes in a sport that is open to all. She won 2 Golds when the last one was won in 1960 in Rome. Rebecca required no machinery to power her to the finish line. She succeeded with sponsorship of only £12, 000 p.a. and the determination of an incredibly supportive family. Rebecca is an icon of her time, who appears to be well grounded (excused the Manolo Blahnik thing!) and will prove to be an inspiration to many other girls who have athletic aspirations. She has personality, has achieved the unheard of (for us) in a worldwide sport and in the run up to London 2012 will still only get £24,000 p.a. from the sporting grandees. For me she is the no-brainer in a year of great contenders but the only one who stands head and shoulders (Show them off, show them off ha, ha) above the rest.
Complain about this comment
rjagger has it about right, and I think with 4 cyclists in it the cycling vote will be diluted between all four.
They are all pretty much at the top of their game, but how many of them really put anything back into the community or use their achievments to help others.
Someone earlier mentioned Chrissie Wellington, Female World Ironman for the last two years and has never come lower than 1st in an Ironman race. That's not only takes care of the swimmers (2.4miles)and cyclists (112miles) but also the runners too (26.2 mile marathon).
Reflecting on her victory three weeks later, Wellington wrote:
Anyone that knows me has probably been on the receiving end of one of my rants. Like a stuck record I ramble on about development to anyone that will (pretend to) listen. It is my passion, and has been for a long time. Poverty, conflict, violence, crime, exclusion and so forth are not givens. They happen for a reason. We have the power to change things. And sport is one vehicle for doing so. It has the power to build bridges, to empower, to teach, to heal – this is what triathlon and every other sport should be about. I hope that I [...] can, in a small way, help to inspire people to take up sport, realise their own dreams and their full potential
for more look here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrissie_Wellington
Now that's a real sports personality
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Nicole Cooke. Olympic Champion, World Champion and winner of the season long cycling world cup competition. Awesome athlete. How can it be anyone else?
Complain about this comment
beaucastel.
'The cyclists did unbelivably well but it is a sport that is not represented in very many countries at the top level'
What? It's the national sport in half the countries of Europe.
That's the problem with sports personality of the year. Too much little England mentality.
Complain about this comment
i think it should go to one of three people that i think most deserve this.
1. chris hoy - what he did in the cycling in bejing was outstanding
2. ellie simonds- she is jsut won of a kind 2 golds in the paralympics an utter star
3. lewis hamilton - last bend of the final grand prix and he knickes he from alonso i think that was utter thrill to watch.
but WELLL done (:
Complain about this comment
Apolgies sports fans - I've honestly no idea who any of these sports personalities are except Lewis Hamilton. So as an avid F1 fan I wont be voting for him and wont be watching the programme either.
Complain about this comment
264 LippyLippo
In his defence he is an amazingly talented driver - yes he wouldn't win in a force india, but that doesn't mean he's not one of the best racers in F1 (altho any other WRC fans would hang me for admitting he's remotely good)
the only level playing field I can think of is the F1 'reasonably priced car' on top gear - and he annihilated the opposition...in the rain
Complain about this comment
I would like to have seen Heather Fell there. Silver medallist in the pentathalon. She has visited my daughters non elitest fencing club twice and is a really lovely girl.
Complain about this comment
This award should be renamed Sports Achievement of the Year
Complain about this comment
The list is missing the one sportsman in the UK with undeniable world class. Chosen as the IRB's number one rugby player in the World... where is Shane Williams in the list?
Complain about this comment
Lewis Hamilton must win.
But It's a scandal that Christiano Ronaldo is not on the list. I'm sure there have been foriegn winners in the past. Mohammed Ali?
For the record;
Ronaldo is European Champion, Premiership Champion, World Footballer of the Year, European Footballer of the Year, Sports Writer's footballer of the year, Player's footballer of the year.
He scored an incredible 44 goals last season, from the wing!
He plays for a English club.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Calzaghi has had another outstanding year it's true and Hamilton finnally came of age in Formula 1, but the achievements of Chris Hoy are incredible - 3 Golds in the one games..
If he perticpated in a track or field event, or rowing, there wouldn't be a debate.
Since returning from the olympics he's worked non-stop to promote sport and cycling in particular, both on and off camera.
This has to be his year.
Complain about this comment
Sorry Tigertruthteller, Ronaldo is Portugese, not BRITISH.
Muhammad Ali won BBC Sports Personality of the Year Overseas Personality in 1973 and 1974
See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Sports_Personality_of_the_Year_Overseas_Personality
There's been quite a lot of questions as to what the cylists have put back into sport or where they have used their influence fo common good.
All the Olympian medal winners have promoted sport and other causes before and after their olympic triumphs ... you could ask the same question of multi-millionaire Boxers, Drivers and Footballers, but it's important to remember this isn't a humanitarian award or a nobel prize - it's Sports Personality of the year for 2008, a snapshot in time.
Who can remember who was the 2005 winner? (without looking it up)
Complain about this comment
Fred Sidlip - He has been the UKs world shuv half penny champion for the last 5 years and never had so much as a news paper showing his achievments.
Complain about this comment
Picking a 'personality' is a bit tricky - they're all overly focused, driven obsessives who have sacrificed years to achieve a goal which, all too easily, could have slipped from their grasp.
So obsessive sports personality of the year goes to .... NICHOLE COOKE.
Road racing has been the sport of 2008 - 3 dimensional chess on push-bikes going at a ridiculous lick. Cooke’s wins were pure genius.
Complain about this comment
It will be a travesty if Hamilton wins. Unless tax dodging is now an Olympic sport.
Complain about this comment
286 - Freddie Flintoff for the Ashes winning team.
I hope whoever is the winner this year doesn't suffer the same decline in form (and luck with injuries) as he has since!
Complain about this comment
Surely BBC you have to honour 72-year old Reg Mellor, Yorkshire and World "Ferret Legging" Champion.
Ferret Legging was introduced to the world by the British and in Yorkshire is an established sport.
The sport involves tying the cuffs of participants’ trousers to their legs, and then introducing two ferrets into their trousers. The use of underwear is prohibited and the unlawful blunting of a ferret’s teeth is frowned upon.
Contestants are encouraged to wear white trousers, which allow spectators to better gauge the extent of the carnage during ferret legging tournaments.
Complain about this comment
289. Don't worry - Hamilton won't win as Adlington is now the favourite. It won't deter me from voting for Lewis as what he has done this year over 18 races in the face of hostility from almost every quarter (including this blog) and becoming the youngest ever world champion and popularising F1 as never before, is worthy of the top award there is to be given.
Complain about this comment
It has to be Rocky Balboa. I've just watched him on TV against some Russian bloke and against the odds he won - what a year for the man.
Complain about this comment
although i am a big big big F1 fan and applaude the achievement, i HOPE HAMMY does not win. one title, that is all it is, anyone can be the youngest, or the most recent brit, however the achievements of Hoy, Ainslie are greater, and Addlington more special as the gap is much larger.
personally,
Main - Hoy
OS - Bolt / C Ronaldo
Team - Man U
Manager - Sir Alex
Complain about this comment
207. At 11:16am on 03 Dec 2008, EggFriedRuss wrote:
To post 207
It is much harder to be the 4th best tennis player in the world then the world's best rugby player? How many countries play rugby to a high level??? hmmmmmmmm
Complain about this comment
To tell you the truth, who cares?
The award should go to a disabled sportsman/woman. Now that would be deserving..........
Complain about this comment
Am I the only one who thinks Hoy is the most boring man on earth. Increadable sports man no question but not at all interesting. on personality the top 3 are with out question
1 Ainsley
2 Murry
3 Addlington
Sorry but this competition has become a total joke.
Complain about this comment
so lomng as it isn't hamilton, that person who does not live in britain because of tax reasons, and has been convicted in france of speeding. are you moderators happy with that?
Complain about this comment
Why is everyone so down on Lewis. He is a dedicated, talented, well mannered, young man and is a credit to his family and his sport. Yes, I guess I'm biased being a formula one fan, but I went away from the sport for a number of years and only came back to it when Lewis came into it last year.
It hasnt been easy for him, last year his own team mate did everything he could to stop him winning, and now it seems that even Bernie Ecclestone is trying to find a way to stop those drivers with the most points from winning the title. How must that make, not only Lewis, but the previous 17 title holders in the past 50 years, who wouldnt have won if Mr Ecclestone idea had been implemented, feel.
I agree that there is a lot of talented sportsmen and women in the shortlist. Joe is the best and most consistant boxer the UK has ever had, and our olympic and paralympians did us proud, so whoever wins will be deserving.
I'm just so sick of people putting Lewis down and no doubt if he wins the people who vote for him will all be wrong in the eyes of some, and the press will have a fieldday at his expense again.
Go Lewis, I hope you win, you deserve it, and you and the team at Mclaren Mercedes should win the team award too.
Complain about this comment
I wouldn't call Murray or Ainslie people with any real personality either when I have heard them but as with all the others they deserve respect as sportspeople who are winners.
Complain about this comment
Rebecca Adlington gets my vote, though I can't waste money on expensive BBC telephone calls
Good luck Rebecca, and WELL DONE all our Olympic men & women, there should be a special TEAM PRIZE for you
Complain about this comment
Becoming the best in any sport is never easy and I'm sick to death of all these petty-minded, mean-spirited twits who disparage the achievements of any of these great sportsmen and women. For me they are all winners and those who can't see that are the poorer for it!
Complain about this comment
"I think though that the BBC has a plan and will award the Team of the Year to the Paralympians - even though Team GB Cycling deserve it a shade more."
Sorry, Fergus - the GB Paralympic cyclists won more medals than their Olympic counterparts, so they should get it. And the disablist attitude of the so-called sports editors who don't think Disability Sport is "real" sport is the predominant factor in theor exclusion from the main award. As a Disabled person, I don't want to see a separate, token award given to our Paralympians, because they deserve to be in the main list. They are sportspeople first and foremost.
Complain about this comment
I think Chris Hoy should win - his achievements were fantastic. Lewis Hamilton should definitely not win because motor racing shouldn't be classed as a sport. It requires no physical exertion - it's a pastime, not a sport. He'll win it though, because he's English.
Complain about this comment
Chris Hoy
Complain about this comment
its no doubt been a fruitful year for english sport ....but it has to be lewis hamilton for standing up against all the open racism and flying the british flag around the world.......
Complain about this comment
Lewis Hamilton deserves to win the top prize hands down. He's the youngest F1 winner of all time, he's an utterly gracious winner and a great example to children of what dedication can achieve. Rebecca Adlington woud be a worthy second place but it has to be said that her achievement is being set against the back drop of no first rate female swimmer for decades. 2 gold medals is an awesome achievement but Lewis Hamilton winning in his second year in such circumstances was one of the great sporting moments of all time. I don't even watch F1 but I did watch that race and it'll go down in history.
Complain about this comment
Although Hoy won 3 medals in one Olympic games, which is an awesome achievement, I have never met someone who cycles competitively. In fact, I'm sports mad and don;t think that I've ever discussed who is the best cyclist in the world with anyone. It's a cracking achievement but really can it be put in the same league as other main stream sports. If there was a winner for minority sports then he'd win it hands down but there have been much greater achievements and more worthy winners, such as Lewis Hamilton, who through his determination has become a true Global star and he's british and someone who we should be proud of.
Complain about this comment
Andy Murray, can't see him getting many votes outside Scotland though.
Complain about this comment
I hope an olympian wins (Rebecca Adlington preferbly) because they only have the oppoprtunity every four years, Hamilton and co. can challenge every year. Also they are highly paid professinals in their sport with vast resourses available to them. The olympians have to rely on what funding they can get and train in their own time whilst holding down a job or in education. That is true sporting dedication and personality.
Complain about this comment
I hope Lewis Hamilton does not win. People who are Tax Exiles should not even be in the competition. Quite frankly I think he should be striped of his British Nationality, if he refuses to pay Tax in Britain then he should go live somewhere else.
Rebecca Adlington or Christine Ohuruogu seem like two very deserving candidates.
Complain about this comment
People who accuse Lewis Hamilton of having no personality are simply stupid. It took alot of character to go into that atmosphere of rascist hate and come away with the world title so your argument is void.
In a way, I hope an Olympian wins it. Hamilton has plenty more opputunities to win such awards whereas the olmpics only comes around every four years. As long as Andy Murray doesn't win it I'll be happy.
Complain about this comment
Sir Jackie Stewart (Geneva) and Nigel Mansell (Isle of Man) both won and lived in tax havens.
Andy Murray whilst having had a brilliant season failed spectacularly at the Bejing Olympics; my impression was that he did not take it seriously and his preparation was deficient. His time will come.
Lewis Hamilton in most other years would have been a no-brainer for the title. He has a decade or so (all thing being even) to win the SPOTY and will deserve to, when he has won another title or two. Make no mistake, I am a big F1 fan and I do believe that he is an amazing talent. He has the time to make his indelible mark but the likes of Rebecca Adlington does not. Swimming is a young persons sport and she is 19 which is not young. She has achieved in her sport that which no British woman has in 48 years and she did it not once but twice. She deserves her 15 minutes in the sun, just like Dame Kelly Holmes did. These athletes train for years and years and maybe once in their lives all the fates conspire to allow them to show the world what they are truly capable of. For Kelly, it was a memorable few days in Athens and for Rebecca it was Beijing.
Lewis and Andy will have plenty of times for their 15 minutes.
Regarding the cyclists, they all did a fantastic job. Chris Hoy was beyond words but it was Nicole Cooke that did it for me. The selfless way that her team mates rode in order to give her the opertunity to win, the meticulous attention to detail that her team brought to bear and for a few seconds, the abject despair that I felt when I saw her "out of it" at the bottom of the hill prior to the finish. The story unfolded later that it was all part of the plan.....you've got to give it to the team; it was some plan!!
Special mention should go to Christine Ohuruogu, she is Olympic and World Champion, like Kelly she peaked at the optimum moments and but for a case of world class naivity would be in most peoples thoughts for a top 3 this year. She beat all her challengers fair and square.
It does gladden my heart with regard to the new Cera test for EPO and the news that 5000 samples taken at Beijing are to be retested. It would not surprise me that there will be some big shocks before this saga is at an end.
Complain about this comment
For the main award I'd like to see an Olympian win as a representative of the extraordinary success of Team GB this year. I'd go for Hoy, as 3 Gold medals is an amazing achievement.
That said, for those who claim Hamilton shouldn't win it due to the superiority of his car, should note that GB cycling is by far the best funded of all international cycling teams, and therefore has all the best kit and coaches etc.
I would still vote for Hoy however, as he has been at the top of his sport for years, crowning his achievement in the Olympics.
I think it's shocking that Shane Williams hasn't been made it in to the top 10; highest try scoring record for Wales, Grand Slam winner (again), IRB Player of the year....
Regarding team of the year, I would like to see it go to a team that actually competes as a 'team'. By that I mean not a collection of individual competitors like the cyclists. The only cyclists I would have in the team section would be the world record breaking sprint (or is it pursuit - I can't quite remember the classification) team.
GB Cycling is more a squad than a team...
Thus it should be between Wales Rugby and Manchester Utd.
I also agree with some posts noting the absence of the Paralympians, who also had an excellent year, not to mention Victoria Pendleton, whose failure to make the top 10 is inexcusable.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Isn't it SPORTS personality of the year?
Since when has a bunch of short men driving cars around in a circle been a sport?
Surely it's just a pastime for the under-endowed
Complain about this comment
Stop criticising Hamilton for not living in Britain - I'd leave if I could.
Hamilton is the best of a sorry bunch!
Complain about this comment
Don't get me wrong I think this year has been a great one for British Sport and some fantastic and worthy candidates. Calzaghe and Nicole Cook from the Principality so no English bias!
But no Shane Williams!
He's broken the try scoring record for Wales, voted player of the six nations, IRB World player of the year!!
Clearly Rugby will not be on SPOTY now that England are rubbish and Wales won the Grand Slam!
Shane Williams has just won BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year with Calzaghe and Cooke in 3rd and 2nd place but he doesn't even get shortlisted!
Complain about this comment
Hamilton....a boring media man in a boring sport where only two cars can win from the outset. Other drivers think Vettel is better than Hamilton anyway.....and the sport is so dire and elitist that it is currently imploding. It will be a travesty if Adlington doesn't win.....broke a record which has existed from before she was born, in a sport which is ubiquitous. Up at 4.30 am every single day to train while earning annually what Hamilton gets in a minute.....and has a lovely bubbly personality to cap it all off. I'm sure Hamilton will cope with the rejection with his media girlfriend in their tax haven home.....bleugh !!
Complain about this comment
If nothing else its been a great year for British engineering. If it needs to go fast and has wheels, we've got it covered
Complain about this comment
One has to wonder whether the only reason Mark Cavendish is not nominated is due to the fact that the tour de france is not on the BBC. Surely 6 grand tour stages- emphasis, of course, on the 4 stages of the tour de france- is good enough? not to mention having the more wins than any other rider this season.
Also, instead of having Alan Shearer vouch for his successes, Bradley Wiggins would have a far better chance if they just took the recent Lance Armstrong quote: Bradley Wiggins is the best pursuiter of all time. Oh yeah, Lance doesn't work for the BBC either!
Hoy/Cooke all the way for me but reckon Adlington will win it as swimming is a far more universally recognised sport than cycling.
Complain about this comment
I think Rebecca Adlington deserves to win over Lewis Hamilton. I have nothing against Lewis but in the context of the history of British Olympic swimming Rebecca's 2 gold-medals were extraordinary. Somehow I think Lewis will win because his sport gets exposure for several months a year whereas Rebecca was just in the spotlight for a couple of weeks.
Complain about this comment
Hamilton, no question. The cyclists and swimmers (with the exception of Nicole Cooke, who did 2 hours) put in a few minutes' of competition time to win their medals - Hamilton put in over 30 HOURS throughout the season. That's 30 hours of consistent quality, racing at breakneck speed trying not to screw things over.
Complain about this comment
Wiggins - 'cos he lives in Chorley.
That's as good as reason as many being put on here for others to win!
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Some great comments on here and good cases made for most of the contenders. However, I still stand by Addlington, but its then such a pity that Hoy, Cooke, Ainsley, Hamilton, Wiggins all then have to lose when in a normal year they would all win.
One question which I throw open though. The odd mention of overseas sports personality seems to always give it to Hussain Bolt or even Ronaldo. Does Michael Phelps' achievement not even deserve consideration? After all he did win 8 golds in one Olympics!
As for Ronaldo, as great a footballer as he is, he would have to be a Pele or Maradonna to have the same stature as Phelps or Bolt do in their sports.
Complain about this comment
Adlington said she was "the most deserving" of this award earlier this year - surely someone so egotistical doesn't deserve the award for that reason alone?
Complain about this comment
Lewis Hamilton is a good driver However, I am not entirely sure why you listed him first in the contenders.
His success is entirely dependant on his car. If he was the very best driver in the world but drove for e.g for RedBull he would not be World Champion
Complain about this comment
Sport Personality: Joe Calzaghe
Team: GB Olympic Team
Overseas: Ussain Bolt
Complain about this comment
I vehemontly believe the sports personality should be Chris Hoy
the team award should be the- LEEDS RHINOS due to them retaining the super league title and winning the world club challenge
Coach of the year - Sir Alex Fergerson
Oversea sport personality - Usian Bolt
Complain about this comment
Jordan D - I think Ms Adlington was badly mis-quoted at actually meant one of the Olympic people should win over Lewis Hamilton because he has a chance to get the award every year whereas they only get a chance every 4 years...
Complain about this comment
I thought it was called personality for a reason... Lewis Hamilton has no personality whatsoever.
Plus, shouldn't it also be about encouraging people to take up sport? I think taking up swimming is a lot easier than getting into motor sports.
Complain about this comment
I can't understand why people think Lewis Hamilton has no personality? Does this mean that those who are saying this, know all the other contenders personally? The award is all about applauding the achievements of the athletes throughout the year and who has achieved the most global award? - Lewis Hamilton. He won one of the biggest sporting awards in the world in spectacular fashion.
So what if he's a tax exile. Is this an award based on upon people's earnings?
Sports like cycling and swimming are marginal sports at best with few competitors.
Complain about this comment
Hmmm... strange concept. Sports PERSONALITY of the year. So does that mean we vote for who has been the most interesting during the year? Is perception of personality subjective? It would imply that it may not be the best achievement of the year, but who has been subjectively perceived as the most interesting sportsperson of the year. I can see why some journalists left Andy Murray off the list, as he really doesn't have a personality. But then again, neither did Steve Davis. Zara Philips? Of the fifty-four awards given since 1954, forty-two of them have been to Englishmen/women, three to Scotsmen/women, three to Welshmen, and one to an Irishman. Unlucky Chris and Andy, statistically, you were born on the wrong side of the border. It will be Hamilton though. Good to see we reward these tax payers who ploy there cash back into the system from which they came. Who do I think should win...Faldo
Complain about this comment
ngamiller wrote:
Although Hoy won 3 medals in one Olympic games, which is an awesome achievement, I have never met someone who cycles competitively.
You then go on to give the nod to Hamilton. You must stay in Switzerland
Complain about this comment
Hoy all the way for me. Triple Olympic champion, double world champion, amongst just a few of his plaudits this year alone.
A minority sport perhaps but one that all of the fantastic olympic cyclists opened our eyes to; a sport that is accessible to all, whether it is simply riding your bike to work, joining your local club or trying our on the track.
All of the contenders deserve their nominations in the top ten. A brilliant year.
Vote Hoy - the greatest British Olympian for 100 years.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
I'd rank it Adlington, then Hamilton then Hoy.
Team of the year also to the cyclists - not just because of their success, but also because it was such a demonstration of teamwork, and incredible to watch the way they worked and bonded as a unit.
Overseas personality should surely be Usain Bolt - I've not leapt out of my chair at the victory of someone who was not from my country / team in such a way as when he won the 100m since Michael Johnson's 200m world record, and I've met many more who did the same.
On the downside, I'm disappointed they have put Ohuruogo in the top 10, as I just don't think this sends out the right message to aspiring athletes. And I do agree Pendleton is unfortunate as well - it's not her fault she only had one gold she could go for due to the competitions available.
Complain about this comment
I think that one word needs emphasising more than any other for this award: Personality.
All of the people shortlisted have achieved far more than most of us can ever hope to. But sport needs personalities as well as winners, and if the winners have a personality then so much the better.
There are plenty of other awards for winners. This award should be given on the basis of personality, not just because of achievement. Some of our most loved sports people have been remembered more for their character than their trophies!
Complain about this comment
The main award should go to someone who has achieved the pinnacle of their sport with the least amount of technological help. Lewis Hamilton; incredible driver but unlikely winner in a Torro Rosso, the Cyclists; amazing physical abilities in terms of explosive power and amazing stamina but success also depends on the hardwear they use - a Raleigh Chopper wouldn't cut the mustard. Ben Ainslie; brilliantly skillful to harness the elements but totally at their mercy also, it is not his lung power filling the sails. That whittles it down to Andy Murray; not yet won a major title, reliant on a raquet. Joe Calzaghe; utterly brilliant at what he does, undefeated in over 10 years. Christine Ohurogu; wonderful gold medal tainted by question-marks following ban for missing drug tests. Rebecca Adlington; shocked by the level of her own performances in winning double gold in the pool. Its a tough call, but on balance I have to say a split decision between Joe and Rebecca, with Rebecca shading it. Internationally it has to be Michael Phelps; say what you like but to win golds in a variety of distances, strokes, individual and team events shows a versatility no athlete can match. Its like asking a track and field athlete to run 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, High Jump, Shot Put and a sprint relay relying on other runners for the result and winning them all - its highly unlikely you'll ever see that, but thats the magnitude of what Phelps pulled off. Team of the Year - Team GB of course for far exceeding all expectations in Beijing.
Complain about this comment
Carl, and previously Roger Mosely, are putting a bit of a spin on the 2006 SPOTY mentioning it had a weak list of nominations. Does this show a dileberate cover up by the BBC, in ignoring Nicole Cooke.
Avoiding opinion - in 2006 Nicole Cooke had 17 professional race wins. These included Women's World Cup (for a 2nd time, previously she was the youngest ever winner in 2003), became the first and only ever British rider to become World Number 1 (either male or female), won the Women's Tour de France, GB National title, Bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games, and World Championships, riding proudly for both Wales and GB without support, against full teams who marked her out. (equivalent of Shane Williams' exit at Heiniken cup 1/4 final stage!)
In 2008, after eventually getting a national team that could assist her, she achieves a never before double of Road Race Olympics and World Gold.
To explain this role of a team and how Nicole has converted her good results with strong professional team into success for her country, detailing all the subtle intricacies of Road Racing, would require a novel of War and Peace proportions. The glory and enjoyment of road racing shines through when some of these tactics are understood and that is what makes the men's Tour de France the most watched sporting event on the planet. However having the ability to execute these carefully thought out strategies, require a fine balance of quick, calm and confident thinking which is why very few accomplished cyclists can master road racing (e.g. road racing palmareas of Chris Boardman v's Ireland's Sean Kelly).
Chris Hoy's performances are great. They are even better than Rouseau's triple medal achievement in Sydney. However, the gulf between track sprinting and winning road races is sizeable. If you ask any European cycle race fan which is the blue riband discipline of cycling, it is the road race by a huge margin. For example, Mark Cavendish is a Road Sprinter, one of the fastest on the circuit, he has to get through approx 180kms before he can unleash his sprint. Currently he is a one trick pony. To win big races overall, rather than individual stages, and over a variety of differing circuits requires equally high levels of physical and mental performance. This is where Nicole Cooke has proved her worth on the female circuit. Her 2006 was more successful because she had the backing of a strong professional team. In 2008, with good team support riders for GB, Nicole can turn her collection of near misses on the biggest stage, into victories, twice. History.
Nicole will not win the SPOTY award. She competes in a discipline of a sport that receives zero coverage in the UK outside the Olympics and World championships. However, even this year she is being served a great injustice by the BBC who tucked her World Road Race win away, even out of the headlines on the Sport's webpage! In 2006, with an opportunity to give Nicole some credit for her genuinely historic achievements, the BBC gave her a token profile and a disrespectful interview by Adrian Childs. Afterwards you said you would have handled the interview differently. So, what's in store for Nicole, our true SPOTY, this Sunday Carl?
Complain about this comment
Sports personality=Hutton
Achievement=Hamilton
Complain about this comment
Have come to this realization late but Shane Williams' omission is baffling. I will confess to Welsh bias - but IRB player of the year; stand out player in Grand Slam (in one of the few sports that gets decent BEEB coverage); and a player that shows the little guy can be decisive in an increasingly bulked up sport. Small wonder that so many regard this annual, overly stage-managed orgy of self congratulation as having nothing of relevance with sport as we know it. Oh, in the interest of national balance, what has Ms Pendleton done wrong, after being a standard bearer for women's cycling for so long?
Complain about this comment
I keep nipping back every few days to read the comments and though some good points have been made, I have not changed my view.
Sport in its purest form is 'person v person' or 'person v the clock/target'.
No reliance on other people within a team or complex mechanical aids (cars)
What is also important is the historical or 'pinnacle' context of the victory. Has this been achieved before? Were records broken?
How difficult is it to achieve? What is the level of fitness and commitment required? How tough is this sport?
This is also a Personality award, so we need to take into account a person's character, demeanour, assurance, humility and humour.
Using all these factors I am convinced that Rebecca Adlington's achievement of 2 individual Olympic Gold medals in a highly competitive solo sport, against world class opposition and smashing a 20 year old world record in the process makes hers the best sporting achievement of the year.
The commitment to training and professionalism required and the overall fitness levels Adlington attained are on a par with any sport in the world.
She also appears to be a decent girl with sound values and a good sense of humour.
In the performance context I outlined above, Ohuruogu's and Calzaghe's performances also look extremely impressive. But I think there are other factors which mean neither of them should win.
I restate my belief that Hoy is a real contender and in any country that had a cultural passion for cycling, Cooke would be a shoe-in for the award.
But I remain a Becky fan.
I think that in any other year both Man Utd and the Welsh Rugby Team would expect to win the team award (Leeds Rhinos didn't do badly either) but it must surely go to one of our Olympic Teams.
I suspect they will cop out and give it to Team GB (a conglomerate of Olympic and Paralympic teams). In reality the British Cycling team should win the award.
Overseas personality has to be Usain Bolt in my opinion - but Padraig Harrington, Rafael Nadal, Michael Phelps and Cristiano Ronaldo all have very strong claims also.
Complain about this comment
Undoubtably it should be Hoy for his achievement. He absolutely dominated in his field this year, was simply unbeatable.
Complain about this comment
It has to be Ben Ainslie. Four Olympic Medals, three of which are gold, at for different olympics. The guy is a legend! It shouldn't be given to Hamilton because Massa was a better driver than hamilton was all season, and Hamilton has more titles in him. It shouldn't be given to Andy Murray because, although he has had a fantastic year, he has still yet to win a grand slam, and should only be in the running when he has won one. Joe Calzaghe won spoty last year, and he shouldn't have been nominated for this year, despite being in good form. Although the cyclists were brilliant in beijing, when compared to ben ainslie, they won their medals in a short space of time, were ben ainslie has been on the top of his game for years. Christine ohuruogu, despite winning GB's only athletics gold, she missed three drugs tests and was banned, and although she hasn't tested positive for any banned substances, it might count against her. Rebecca Adlington, although it was a remarkable achievement, I feel she has alot left to achieve, and if she stays in top form, her chance at winning spoty will come. Ben Ainslie should win spoty 2008!
Complain about this comment
If there was a poll amongst athletes of who this would go to this year, I think Hamilton wouldn't even rank in the top 3.
HOY has to get this one because of his domination in his sport over the last 4 or so years. Not only has he won more gold medals than any other GB athlete, he has destroyed everyone in his path, even changing events when his favourite was taken away. He is less likely to feature in this again and he and the other Olympians dedicate their lives to one, two or maybe three Olympics. They don't get the money that someone like Hamilton gets (who must get £20m plus) and don't cycle bikes that are vastly better than their competitors bikes (whereas Hamilton drives a car that is much better than most of the other cars on the grid).
Hamilton can win this another year after he dominates at the sport, but not in a year where he only just pipped Massa to the title. He doesn't deserve it right now.
HOY ALL THE WAY
Complain about this comment
It has to be Hoy. Just look at some of his achievements:
1x Silver Medal in Sydney
1x Gold Medal in Athens
3x Gold Medals in Beijing (making him the first ever person to win Gold Medals in 4 Cycling events)
9x Gold Medals at Cycling World Championships
5x Silver Medals at Cyling World Chapionships
4x Bronze Medals at Cycling World Championships
2x Gold Medals at Commonwealth Games
These Medals were won when competing against the best in the world, over multiple events (remember he had to drop the 1km time trial - his best event - when it was dropped from the Olympic programme), and medals won not just in one year but rather over a number of years.
Hamilton is very talented but he has 1x F1 World Championship to his name. In his chosen sport he's competed at the top level for two years and ended up on top in just one season. Hamilton could win SPOTY another year, when he's achieved more, but he doesn't deserve it in 2008.
Don't know much about Adlington (swimmers, please comment). Has she won this much at the World/Olympic level?
A final thought. Someone commented earlier that "sports like cycling and swimming are marginal sports at best with few competitors". How funny! Ever been down to your local swimming pool? Lots of people there, and lots of young kids taking up the sport. Ever talked to anyone at your local cycling club? More and more people participating in all the cycling disciplines and these guys have got a great system for bringing through young talent. Shame if you haven't done either of the above. I certainly hope that you weren't stuck on the couch watching the elitist sport that is F1.....
Complain about this comment
Motor racing is not a proper Olympic sport, so LH shouldn't qualify - & he doesn't live in the UK
Complain about this comment
Did the Evening Standard man nominate David Coulthard with a straight face?
Complain about this comment
178. and 236. why no mention that Nicole Cooke lives in Switzerland too? Why only pick on LH. Pretty fed up with this. Paula Radcliffe never got this flak for living as a tax exile in Monaco. Why only go on about Lewis Hamilton living in Switzerland? It's because the media make a big deal out of it and the sheep public follow suit. But why are the media picking on Lewis? It will forever be a sad mystery to me.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
If Hamilton wins, it will be a travesty. In F1, it's the car that counts rather than the driver. And he hasn't got much of a personality either has he?
It ought to go to Nicole Cooke, Chris Hoy or Rebecca Adlington because theirs were personal achievements against the best in the world and all three represent the best of British sport.
Sorry but Sir Alec Ferguson hasn't got a personality so shouldn't be even in the running for Coach of the Year if there is such an award.
Team of the Year: Wales (or through gritted teeth) Man U
Overseas personality: How about Rafael Nadal?
I read the lists produced by some of the editors and they were just amazing. Most of them seem to think sport starts and ends with football. How could Ronaldo, a foreigner, be on their lists? And why Theo Walcott? Baffling.
One final point. Why no Phil Taylor?? 13 world championships and another probably on the way. He is a sporting phenomenon yet never gets a mention.
Complain about this comment
I agree with the comments about Victoria Pendleton missing out. But perhaps it should be remembered that she misses out because of Rebecca Romero's astonishing performance.
From some of you i get the distinct feeling that you don't understand what a feat this has been. The pursuit is one thing for a new rider to contemplate but the points race that she took part in is truly amazing. For her to contemplate this or for her to be put into the race means she would have to prove to Dave Brailsford that she could do it. To make it plain, going round the track at speeds beyond 30mph at times without brakes is not easy! Some of you have indicated that road racing is the proper cycling. I think this is an incredible thing to say. I think that most elite roadman would have done some track training at least when they were younger if not now. Put it this way, neither is better- they are just different. What about the post that said or inferred that if it only lasted 2 mins it wasn't worth it-bizzare!
So who should win, defintely not Lewis Hamilton because he scraped it and not Andy Murray. I could live with anyone else but i would think that it must be a cyclist. The performances have been incredible especially compared to even 10 years ago. We have been historically dismal at cycling and now seem to be dominant. Contrary to some opinion that isn't going to end. Some people think that the other countries will catch up in terms of equipment. That's strange as looking at sprint and pursuit bikes there is not a lot to choose from them. Its the rider not the bike.
So this is my top 3:
Rebecca Romero
Chris Hoy
Rebecca Adlington
Romero for changing sports and getting gold staight away, Hoy- 3 golds, you can't beat that. Aldington double gold and did anyone expect one, not according to the commentary-it was wild!
Complain about this comment
For Lewis Hamilton to be British Sports personality of the year then surley he should be giving something back? He lives in Switzerland and pays no tax to the UK whatsoever!
But we will all still vote for him?????
Complain about this comment
Once upon a time the BBC had a realy good TV show called Sports Review of the Year, which at the end, gave out the sports personality awards.
Now the personality thing has taken over, any attempts at showng a review of the sports in the year gone.
Why-o-why to we have to see snipets of the sports highlights through a silly lens thing, preventing all attempts at seeing the actual sport.
The summaries, such as the tennis bit was also taken over by the BBC's latest graduates whoing off thier skills at silly camera angles - shame it did not allow any of us to recall those memories of the actual tennis.
Please revert the program to a sports review, looking at the errr - sport!
I used to look forward to this program, this year I have abandoned it.
Complain about this comment
At #356: So you've abandoned it and yet know what's going on in the show? Hmmm ...
Complain about this comment
I tuned in to watch some sports highlights. All the programme seems to consist of is a series of pretentious, "arty" camerawork and trite comments on sport. Can we see some action, rather than kitschy artwork?
Personally, I would like to see Chris Hoy win, but am surprised Vicky Pembleton isn't on the list.
Complain about this comment
1. The whole event is loaded against the cyclists...and I'm not a cycling fan. Every other contender got an individual profile, pushing as many emotional buttons as possible among the voters. The cyclists each got a chance for a quick few words each. That's it?
2. Glasgow Rangers made the final of the UEFA Cup. Not even mentioned! I know they didn't win, but it does merit a mention...and I don't support them either.
3. Maybe it's just me, but I hate all the cut in clips of the audience etc. when the events are being shown. Just show us the race, goal, try, punches, or whatever, as they were originally shown. so that we get to relive what actually happened. It's not the Sports Editing Review Of The Year.
But, when all's said and done, what a year for GB sport!
Complain about this comment
I am absolutely delighted Chris Hoy won. With team of the year, and coach of the year as well, cycling hasn't done too badly!
And now we can expect all the comments about money bringing success. Yes, a lot of money has been invested in British cycling, (as well as in rowing, and sailing), the sort of sums that would easily pay off a mortgage or two, but peanuts in terms of other sports. Money well spent, I would say, in all three sports.
Perhaps team of the year should have gone to Chelsea FC for keeping us sweet with the idea that you cannot buy success, how ever disgustingly ludicrous the sums involved?
Complain about this comment
'Supported by Robinsons': doesn't that kill the whole thing stone dead? Here are all these fantastic achievements by all the best GB sports people. And why are the Beeb showing them? So a drinks company can get a free plug on a non-commercial station.
Does that , really, BBC, make you feel proud? Or ashamed?
Complain about this comment
Great show, good result, just hope Lewis won't be the perpetual bridesmaid. But as a Man fan, what about Ronaldo? I guess he's not British so can't be in the running for Sports Personality, but Overseas? Or is he also ineligible for that because he plays over here? Catch 22 or just not good enough? Lewis for 09 I hope.
Complain about this comment
I wont be watching, but for heaven's sake let's applaud hard work and achievement - especially when financial reward is minimal - and forget about personaity, then the BBC could be seen to do something really useful.
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS