Sports Personality Of The Year...

[Stephen_G]

The 10 shortlisted are:

Sir Ben Ainslie
Ian Bell (Warwickshire & England Cricketer)
Hannah Cockroft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannah_Cockroft
Mo Farah
Chris Froome
Leigh Halfpenny (dark side Rugbyist)
AP (Tony) McCoy (Jockey)
Andy Murray
Christine Ohuruogu
Justin Rose (Golfer)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/sports-personality/25017298

It does make me wonder what you've got to do to get a nomination. Tai Woffinden wins the World Speedway title (At just 23 years of age), despite crashing and breaking the same Collarbone TWICE, and Tom Sykes wins the World Superbike Championship and neither get a tickle??? Woffi has to race in 12 rounds across Europe including one meeting in New Zealand. He also was racing in the UK for Wolverhampton and a team in Poland. Sykesy had to race twice in one day for 14 rounds, spanning the globe.

[factor-fiction]

A great achievement but the others did well too. Who would you remove from the shortlist, Stephen, to accommodate Tai Woffinden?

[Milvus]

My vote goes for Sir Ben Ainslie for turning round Oracle Team USA from almost being obliterated by the Kiwi boat. A phenomenal series of races after he took over as tactician

[Maydup]

Mo Mo MO!

[jim360]

If I were a betting man I'd be backing Andy Murray.

[queenofmean]

I agree Stephen as do many he should have made the short list for this. He is an inspiration to our sport. Truly shocking

[ichkeria]

Well, if it isn't Andy Murray it'll be Chris Froome. I'm afraid I lost interest though once they turned it into a beauty contest (metaphorically speaking of course!)

They could always have a longer shortlist, but I suppose it doesn't fit the format of the show, sadly.

[Prudie]

Please no anyone but him. It's a personality award isn't it? Yes he has a good year finally but his tennis achievements are not that great yet. I'd go with Mo Farah too although Tony McCoy is amazing too.

[ichkeria]

Ah the old "Andy Murray has no personality" chestnut, which I thought had been well and truly roasted. I love AP McCoy my fellow countryman, but personality-wse I think Murray outdoes him. Having said that it's not actually a "personality" contest so I'd like to think the judgment would be more on actual achievement. But given Murray's long awaited Wimbledon triumph, plus the fact that cyclists always so well, then my money would be on those two previously mentioned

[Mattk]

Christine Ohuruogu for me. Her win in the worlds will be used in coaching sessions for decades to come as a perfect example of why should always dip on the line.

It goes to show that some sports just don't fit the bill which is a crying shame. I remember Carl Fogarty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Fogarty) also being omitted yet some people barely do anything but get the nod.

[ichkeria]

Yep sadly that is the case. If you bear in mind that it's more of a media event than a proper sporting award though.
Great shame people like Fogarty are not higher profile though.

[Jeza]

I'd go for Sir Ben, What he did as tactician was nothing short of brilliant.

[Stephen_G]

Granted.

Tony McCoy passing 4,000 winners is a great achievement, but he's been doing that for years - Lifetime Achievement perhaps, rather than SPOTY?
Andy Murray wins Wimbledon - fair enough.
Mo Farah doing the distance double again (And nearly winning the Great North Run at his first attempt) - fair enough.
Chris Froome wins the Tour De France - fair enough.
Ian Bell helped England retain the Ashes again this Summer (England player of the series and highest run scorer - 562) - fair enough.

Tom Sykes - ignore. It's more a rant about the effort Woffi had to endure. If Christine Ohuruogu injured herself at the World Championships, then she doesn't get another chance to earn points in the next round. The gold medal goes around the neck of someone else. Tai Woffinden (In a Speedway GP event) has 5 programmed rides, a Semi-Final and then a Final (Assuming he gets enough points to qualify for the SF and places first or second). He was also riding in the European Championship, and turning up for Wolves and his Polish team.

MAYBE he makes the list of Young Sports Personality Of The Year instead. Fingers crossed. I don't know what I'm ranting for anyway - I stopped watching it years ago!

[craft1948]

I'd go for Sir Ben as well...............

[BlueToffee]

How could anyone vote for Andy Murray? Agreed, he won Wimbledon, but he had a personality by-pass years ago.

There should be two awards, Sportsman of the year and Sportswoman of the year, then Andy Murray might have a chance!

[craft1948]

What's 'personality' got to do with it, didn't Steve Davis win it once?

[weecalf]

10 people for sports people of the year and 96 commentators on the night .Smug well paid presenters trying to be funny .What on the other side ?by the wat AP for me but won't be watching it .

[bibblebub]

Perhaps there should be 2 main awards - one voted for by people who follow sport and the other voted for by people who only bother with tabloid headlines.

[jim360]

Ah, yet another person who missed his post-victory interview, or never saw him playing the exhibition match at Queens' a couple of weeks before...

Andy Murray may not be blessed with the most thrilling voice in the world, but he certainly isn't a dour person. Just sounds like it. He'd definitely deserve to win this award. Came third last year, lest ye forget, after losing and crying. Winning and cheering ought to push him up to first.

[Stephen_G]

Yes, craft. 1988. Was runner-up twice and also third twice.

[Butterbun]

Andy Murray for me. First Briton to win Wimbledon after waiting 77 years. He should win it, great achievement.