CAV and SPOTY 2011

donnie murdo

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_ ... 759929.stm

No one comes close, but will he get it?

LeicesterLad

donnie murdo wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_personality/15759929.stm

No one comes close, but will he get it?

Not a single doubt in my mind that he deserves it way ahead of anyone else, but personally i see either of the Irish golfers winning it...

durhamwasp

he was 30/1 before the worlds, now 5/4 favourite!

tipped

LeicesterLad wrote:

donnie murdo wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/sports_personality/15759929.stm

No one comes close, but will he get it?

Not a single doubt in my mind that he deserves it way ahead of anyone else, but personally i see either of the Irish golfers winning it...

Rory will get it since he had a spectacular blow up at the Masters and then came back from it. Public love a good bounceback.

Richj

Would love to see him win it. Can see Cav bring pipped by a Golfer and Cricketer into third though .

mroli

Other than Cav - I'd give it to Mo Farah. Of the people on that list, I think he has had the most stellar year. Gold and silver in the worlds at 5k and 10k, comes across as very likeable and is undoubtedly top of his tree.

Cricketers - pah, team game and neither is clearly heads and shoulders above the rest. Amir Kahn should only get it if he beats up Money or Pac, Murray won't win it until he wins a major, Donald/McIlroy/Clarke should split the vote, Dai Green isn't the best in the world yet - his test will be the olympics.

But as the Giggs win last year shows - can go to anyone...

giant_man

Probably bloody tom daley will get it, completely undeserved ..

rick_chasey

Cav's been doing the ground work.

He's favourite isn't he?

rick_chasey

I just saw odds of 11-10 on Cavendish.

DavidBelcher

mroli wrote:

Other than Cav - I'd give it to Mo Farah. Of the people on that list, I think he has had the most stellar year. Gold and silver in the worlds at 5k and 10k, comes across as very likeable and is undoubtedly top of his tree.

Cricketers - pah, team game and neither is clearly heads and shoulders above the rest. Amir Kahn should only get it if he beats up Money or Pac, Murray won't win it until he wins a major, Donald/McIlroy/Clarke should split the vote, Dai Green isn't the best in the world yet - his test will be the olympics.

Mo Farah is the stand-out non-cycling choice. As for the presence of the persistently under-achieving Murray, he's made it into the final 10 or so but won't win....his career in a nutshell really.

David

alan_a

Surprised Chrissie Wellington wasn't nominated.

Stewie Griffin

I wonder if Sky are going to promote him on Sky Sports News and the like. Surely they can see the coup of him winning and mentioning Sky a lot during his acceptance speech?

Redhog14

mroli wrote:

Other than Cav - I'd give it to Mo Farah. Of the people on that list, I think he has had the most stellar year. Gold and silver in the worlds at 5k and 10k, comes across as very likeable and is undoubtedly top of his tree.

Cricketers - pah, team game
But as the Giggs win last year shows - can go to anyone...

So Cav won all those stages on his own did he? Cycling is also a team sport as young Cav likes to point out everytime he wins!

Cav v the rest:
He has done soemthing unique for a British sportsman TdF GJ & Worlds in same year whilst totting up 7 GT stage wins to boot
Golf - McIlroy/clarke etc it has all been done in the past
Mo Farah - top of his tree indeed so worth second place
Cricket - dominant team for sure but lacking in character in comparison to the Ashes wins with Freddie etc

How do we vote?

AndyD2574

If Cav doesnt win then the games a bogey!

He has achieved so much now on two wheels and this would be the right thing to do!

GET VOTING..............when we can!

markos1963

Disgusted that Chrissie Wellington isn't on the list but there you go the short list is decided by sports editors who by and large are only interested in mainstream sport. The fact that she can complete the distance at all would get my vote, let alone winning a fourth world title and being unbeaten at the distance.

Will be voting for Cav' as only he on that list has really dominated his sport this year.

Bobbinogs

mroli wrote:

But as the Giggs win last year shows - can go to anyone...

Giggs won because of the number of passionate Man Utd fans, he didn't do chaff all in the year he won which made a mockery of the whole thing.

I do think it shows cycling could learn something from the team concept of football. The cycling teams chop and change every year based on sponsors so no long term loyalty is built-up that lasts beyond specific cyclists (who change teams as often as footballers do).

beverick

Redhog14 wrote:

mroli wrote:

.............

...............
Mo Farah - top of his tree indeed so worth second place......

How does that work then?

Lets face it, it's been a quiet year for sports personalities and sport in general.

I don't think any sports personality has had a real stand-out year as in delivering something unexpected, outstanding or competed in a particularly stylish way.

Could they have a bye this year?

Bob

Bobbinogs

beverick wrote:

Lets face it, it's been a quiet year for sports personalities and sport in general.

I don't think any sports personality has had a real stand-out year as in delivering something unexpected, outstanding or competed in a particularly stylish way.

Could they have a bye this year?

Bob

Not sure I agree with that Bob. I know I am biased but Cav has had an outstanding year and has a great personality too. Now I know the personality bit is always overlooked (Nigel Mansell, for example) but it is great when it all comes together. That Rory bloke has had a great bounceback year (as per above) so I suspect that many golf fans (and there are loads) will be voting like demons and deservedly so.

beverick

Bobbinogs wrote:

beverick wrote:

Lets face it, it's been a quiet year for sports personalities and sport in general.

I don't think any sports personality has had a real stand-out year as in delivering something unexpected, outstanding or competed in a particularly stylish way.

Could they have a bye this year?

Bob

Not sure I agree with that Bob. I know I am biased but Cav has had an outstanding year and has a great personality too. Now I know the personality bit is always overlooked (Nigel Mansell, for example) but it is great when it all comes together. That Rory bloke has had a great bounceback year (as per above) so I suspect that many golf fans (and there are loads) will be voting like demons and deservedly so.

Seeing the "white train" begin to form at the front of the peloton before delivering Cav for the final 100m sprint was truly one of the year's few memorable images but I'm sorry, and to get to the point, to me Cav's achievements represented the the ultimate team event this year and it should be awarded as such. With due respect to the GB cycling team at the world championships, the HTC team were the stand-out deliverers of 2011 so giving the award to Cavendish ignores Eissel, Renshaw, Goss et al - which would be wrong.

Also, and if you're honest, Cavendish hasn't really had an outstanding year, he's just delivered what most people expected him to deliver last year. It's been more of a 'job done' year than one of 'over and above' achievement so for him to get the award would basically mean he'd won it this year because he didn't last year.

I'm sorry, but I won't be voting for anyone this year.

Bob

TheStone

Only take a tiny amount of votes to win SPOTY these days.

Richj

TheStone wrote:

Only take a tiny amount of votes to win SPOTY these days.

interesting article to highlight the point, McCoy got more votes than I thought.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/20 ... lity-clash

Frank the tank

I'm sure everyone on here wants Cav to win and he does actually have a personallity.

spinndrift

Looking on the list of what publications voted for which contenders I'm amazed Zoo missed Cav out.

pipipi

If CAV is going to win wont he need a lead out man?

Omar Little

beverick wrote:

Also, and if you're honest, Cavendish hasn't really had an outstanding year, he's just delivered what most people expected him to deliver last year. It's been more of a 'job done' year than one of 'over and above' achievement so for him to get the award would basically mean he'd won it this year because he didn't last year.

If he was Belgian or Italian and had a load of GT stage wins, the green jersey and world championships it would have been an outstanding year. But for a British rider to do it even more so, it was a landmark year not just for Cavendish but for British cycling as a whole.

Delivering when it is expected of you doesn't make an achievement any less, in alot of respects it means the pressure is even greater to perform.

Blonde Cyclist

I am completely torn on SPOTY this year. On the one hand it is brilliant that Cavendish made it and has a real shot at winning (deservedly so IMO). However, I am also shocked at a short list that contains no women! So not one woman has performed outstandingly in their sport and been an ambassador to others? Chrissie Wellington? Or if she is a little too "obscure" what about Rebecca Addlington? I am sure that this is in part due to the shortlist contributors - men's magazines zoo and nuts were consulted and yet more "female" equivalents were not? Note I am more in favour of leaving lads mags out than including women's... As a woman I am genuinely inspired by the sportswoman of the uk who go out time and time again and prove they have what it takes, this surely is in part what SPOTY is about.

Omar Little

On the surface it does appear sexist but i think alot is down to the sport - The likes of Adlington and Payne didnt get much coverage for their achievements this year as swimming only really gets media attention and the resulting public interest during the Olympics. There are men like Tancock who did just as well as them in the pool and aren't on the list either.

Same goes for Wellington - overlooked, but because she is a woman? Brownlee was overlooked too. As was Danny Hart. That is three world champions and their achievements will be lucky to be mentioned at all on the SPOTY broadcast never mind nominated in the shortlist.

If they do the business at the Olympics then i'm sure some of them will make the shortlist for next year.

Yossie

Bobbinogs wrote:

I know I am biased but Cav has had an outstanding year and has a great personality too. quote]

Now that's debatable .....

Chrissie W's year wasn't too bad either I suppose. Or the rest of the women's World Champions they left out.

And, anyway, I thought that last year everyone decided that it wasn't a "prestigious gong" ( © Bike Radar 1872 - 2011) but was a crock of rubbish award that meant nothing at all and that it wasn't even worth watching?

Or was that because the cyclist familiarly known to hundreds as Cav wasn't likely to win it?

Shurely shome mishtake?

hounslow

Blonde Cyclist wrote:

I am completely torn on SPOTY this year. On the one hand it is brilliant that Cavendish made it and has a real shot at winning (deservedly so IMO). However, I am also shocked at a short list that contains no women! So not one woman has performed outstandingly in their sport and been an ambassador to others? Chrissie Wellington? Or if she is a little too "obscure" what about Rebecca Addlington? I am sure that this is in part due to the shortlist contributors - men's magazines zoo and nuts were consulted and yet more "female" equivalents were not? Note I am more in favour of leaving lads mags out than including women's... As a woman I am genuinely inspired by the sportswoman of the uk who go out time and time again and prove they have what it takes, this surely is in part what SPOTY is about.

It has been repeatedly stated (though usually drowned out) that Nuts and Zoo have dedicated sports sections, with specialist sports writers and a large circulation, I don't know about women's mags but I'm fairly sure they don't (save for the circulation)? Also 10 of the 27 publications chosen didn't vote for female athletes, so it was hardly all their fault. It seems it's more about mainstream sports, the stuff on the hourly bulletins than 'less popular' sports like ironman triathlons or open water swimming. People only give a sh*t about Cav because British Cycling wins a lot.

*I don't endorse Nuts or Zoo, but it isn't their fault specifically.

Blonde Cyclist

hounslow wrote:

Blonde Cyclist wrote:

I am completely torn on SPOTY this year. On the one hand it is brilliant that Cavendish made it and has a real shot at winning (deservedly so IMO). However, I am also shocked at a short list that contains no women! So not one woman has performed outstandingly in their sport and been an ambassador to others? Chrissie Wellington? Or if she is a little too "obscure" what about Rebecca Addlington? I am sure that this is in part due to the shortlist contributors - men's magazines zoo and nuts were consulted and yet more "female" equivalents were not? Note I am more in favour of leaving lads mags out than including women's... As a woman I am genuinely inspired by the sportswoman of the uk who go out time and time again and prove they have what it takes, this surely is in part what SPOTY is about.

It has been repeatedly stated (though usually drowned out) that Nuts and Zoo have dedicated sports sections, with specialist sports writers and a large circulation, I don't know about women's mags but I'm fairly sure they don't (save for the circulation)? Also 10 of the 27 publications chosen didn't vote for female athletes, so it was hardly all their fault. It seems it's more about mainstream sports, the stuff on the hourly bulletins than 'less popular' sports like ironman triathlons or open water swimming. People only give a sh*t about Cav because British Cycling wins a lot.

*I don't endorse Nuts or Zoo, but it isn't their fault specifically.

Whilst Zoo and Nuts might have specific sports sections and otherwise brilliant credentials the fact remains that they have an almost entirely male readership and will therefore focus on the more male orientated side of sport. I am not seeking to blame them, but do feel such gender bias could have an impact and either women's magazines should be equally consulted or lads mags omitted.

We can't change the list now, but I do think gender equality needs to be a consideration in future (and no I am not asking for positive discrimination or for a certain number of spots to be reserved for women etc, simply a fair selection process).

hopper1

Yossie wrote:

Bobbinogs wrote:

I know I am biased but Cav has had an outstanding year and has a great personality too. quote]

Now that's debatable .....
Chrissie W's year wasn't too bad either I suppose. Or the rest of the women's World Champions they left out.

And, anyway, I thought that last year everyone decided that it wasn't a "prestigious gong" ( © Bike Radar 1872 - 2011) but was a crock of rubbish award that meant nothing at all and that it wasn't even worth watching?

Or was that because the cyclist familiarly known to hundreds as Cav wasn't likely to win it?

Shurely shome mishtake?

Well said, fella!
Personally, I won't even bother watching it. It is certaily not a fair representation of sporting achievers.