Tonight's SPOTY winner tells us more about about the BBC than the state of British sport.
I don't think that real sports people, including me, watch it anymore, which is a shame as it used to be a highlight of the sporting year.
Tonight's SPOTY winner tells us more about about the BBC than the state of British sport.
I don't think that real sports people, including me, watch it anymore, which is a shame as it used to be a highlight of the sporting year.
Visibility good except in Hill Fog
The BBC are about diversity these days, and it trumps everything else, especially on Strictly.
Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent
And as predicted by Travs at the start of the year, Hamilton got knighted for 'doing his job' and being a tax exile.
Apparently he had a little help:
Lewis Hamilton will be knighted after Boris Johnson bypassed concerns over the world champion's tax status by placing him on the 'Diplomatic and Overseas List'.
It is understood that no previous British sporting figure has been accommodated in this controversial way — a measure of the Prime Minister's desire to see Hamilton recognised in the New Year Honours on Thursday after the Mercedes star won his seventh Formula One title in November.
Last edited by bigfella; 20-12-2021 at 11:22 AM.
Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
In terms of achievement, Raducanu's victory at the US open was unprecedented.
I'm not really into tennis enough to comment on whether she's a "personality". For awards like this it's always a bit of a popularity contest, so you're never going to please everyone. It's more about who has captured the public imagination the most.
Were there better candidates?
It's a shame a lot of sportspeople these days are counselled to only speak bland niceties, for fear of offending. Post-match interviews are almost always filled with "all respect to him/her/them", "taking each game as it comes", "just trying to work on my game". "there are 100 other people/teams who could beat us/me" etc. It seems like it's a void that needs filling with some genuine opinion and personality.
Llani, as far as I am concerned, and speaking as a tennis fan, it would have been a travesty if anyone else had won. Her achievement was remarkable and she is a personable, cheerful young woman. What more could you want for that award?
Simon Blease
Monmouth
I totally get this point, and the word "personality" should definitely have been taken out of the SPOTY abbreviation years ago.Originally Posted by noel
However everyone moans at bland responses from sportsmen and women, yet if anyone says anything remotely controversial they get absolutely hammered by the mass media... it's little surprise they are reluctant to say anything interesting.
Yes i don't think there were many supreme candidates for the award this year, she was probably the stand-out candidate.
Although i totally agree that its generally about politics and diversity now.
I have to say that SPOTY has been off my radar for a few years now, many years ago I used to look forward to it as a night of entertainment and anecdotes, but I have long lost interest and it seems to lack purpose now.
Don't roll with a pig in poo. You get covered in poo and the pig likes it.
Absolutely. Why stick their neck on the line.
In the same way as 50% of the UK seem to dislike Piers Morgan with a passion but many people watch him on TV, I think there's a niche for an outspoken sportsperson. Someone who could deal with the torrent of twitter hatred confident in their beliefs.
It makes me wonder how the "love them or hate them" characters who were the genuine personalities from the past would have fared in today's overly offended times.
I think look at Gascgoine when he went to Italy. Their media then was probably on a par as to what we have now (obviously without social media)... He didn't fare well out there at all, and was pretty much a hate-figure to everyone except Lazio fans.
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