So in the year of the Commonwealth Games with record medals and a right good people's games, the winner of the BBC SPOTY goes to a highly paid tax exile who plays big boys Scalextric.
No getting up at early oclock to do your training before starting your daytime job, no trying to get some funding from Sports Councils, National Lottery etc to get you equipment. No making sacrifices to your personal and family life to achieve your aim.
No instead he got it for, well doing something that he has done previously.
The best sportsman in my lifetime by far in my opinion is Sir Chris Hoy. Having read his book and saw the sacrifices that he made for year after year to get where he did. Knowing someone very close to him who told me the sort of things he had to go through. That is what a Sportsman is to me. And, he has a personality. And he is very humble.
Rant over
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But he started his 'career; at a very young age. First on Blue Peter at a very young age with a remote control car. Years later in a go-kart. He has talent. And he convinced Mclaren (Well his dad did based on talent) to back him from a very young age.
There are some blokes who kick a football around an earn a similar wage but not so dangerous.
You seem to be blaming who exactly? The BBC? Lewis Hamilton? Wasn't it the general public who voted. And a lot like F1 and more will watch this than someone vaulting over a horse in gymnastics etc. Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell got SPOTY for F1 too.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 14 Dec 14 at 22:53
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>> You seem to be blaming who exactly? The BBC? Lewis Hamilton? Wasn't it the general
>> public who voted. And a lot like F1 and more will watch this than someone
>> vaulting over a horse in gymnastics etc. Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell got SPOTY for
>> F1 too.
I think that's the point. Mrs B and I both predicted Hamilton as the winner when the nominations were listed on the BBC Radio News at 18:00. The NI golfer was an outside chance but tbh several of the others were completely unknown to us.
It's almost always going to be won by the person with highest public profile as a 'winner'. Great to see Cav and Wiggo both get SPOTY but tbh if England had been more successful in international footy or if the Murray had won Wimbledon in relevant years they'd not have got a look in - certainly not Cav.
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>> The NI golfer was an outside chance but tbh several of the others were completely unknown to us.
I thought the press had decided that Rory was the favorite.
>> It's almost always going to be won by the person with highest public profile as a 'winner'.
That does not seem to apply to the team award which was won by England's women rugby players. I think the team that won the Ryder cup for golf was very well known.
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>> I thought the press had decided that Rory was the favorite.
Wasn't aware of that at time though I've heard it reported this morning. Sine Hamilton won by something like 80k votes the press may not have been 'in touch' with their public.
The only footballer in contention scored barely a fifth of Hamilton's vote, surprised Froch scored so poorly though.
>> That does not seem to apply to the team award which was won by England's
>> women rugby players. I think the team that won the Ryder cup for golf was
>> very well known.
That's a relevant point and perhaps indicates that those who vote in the team contest give the matter more thought.
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I think Jo Pavey did relatively well to come 3rd with nearly half Hamilton's votes, given the difference in public/TV profile between a top F1 driver and a 40 year old female distance runner (who isn't Paula Radcliffe).
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>> The best sportsman in my lifetime by far in my opinion is Sir Chris Hoy.
For which he received the Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Sport personality of the year in 2008. As he retired from sport in 2013 he could hardly be voted for Sport Personality of the year now could he.
One thing for sure, non of the Scottish football team had a hope in hell.
>>Rant over
shut yer gob jimmy.
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I think one of the issues is the name of SPOTY. There have been winners with no personality for a start. And it's voted on by the public. So there's basically a few names in with a chance and the rest have no chance because they are unknowns. I think they make up the numbers. Perhaps this is wrong but that's how it seems to work.
Of those on the list this year - I'd have voted for Lewis. I didn't vote for any of them in actual fact.
It would make no difference, but changing it to Sports Person of the Year would be better. It recognises achievement surely. Doesn't matter about personality ;-) Then they could say that 'wrestler who's a fat b****er who's boring won that wrestling title again' or similar. The 'fat bu***er' didn't need a personality.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 14 Dec 14 at 23:27
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Its just another self appreciation bash, same as the entertainment luvvies.
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I never vote for these things. I just want to know how the hoi polloi votes.
This year I did though. I wanted Hamilton to win. Herself, very unexpectedly, said I should vote then, so after a bit of demurring I did.
That footer player was utterly brilliant at footer, but no actual personality was apparent.
It doesn't feel much different, having joined the hoi polloi. Perhaps I've always been there in spirit. But I think that vote was an all-time one-off. Hope so anyway.
I really hated Hamilton's purple dinner jacket or whatever it was. Diamonds and gold chains are fine, but not things like that. IMFFHO of course.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 14 Dec 14 at 23:46
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>> Its just another self appreciation bash, same as the entertainment luvvies.
>>
+ A million!
Got it spot on , ON.
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^^he could hardly be voted for Sport Personality of the year now could he.Â
Wasnt suggesting for a minute he should be?
But I do believe he has more Olympic Golds than any English sportsman????
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>> Wasnt suggesting for a minute he should be?
>> But I do believe he has more Olympic Golds than any English sportsman????
And the point is? He got an award for his achievements. So what else do you think he should have been awarded today?
Are you suggesting he has more Olympic Golds and should win the award until someone beats him? Surely not. I don't see how total Olympic/Commonwealth golds are relevant. What about tennis? Track and field? Swimming?? The list goes on.
Sounds like you wanted Hoy to win again?
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 15 Dec 14 at 01:32
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Perhaps they should have an award for sports person of the year, who lives in the UK and pays all their taxes to the UK.
It would have to be for a sport*. That means no darts, or snooker, or dressage.
To get away from BBC1's almost wall to wall coverage of its own programmes I switched to Sky and ITV. Sky is doing nothing but the Sydney siege and ITV is such a load of down market tat. Shudder.
* Definition of sport - an activity involving strenuous physical exertion.
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>> Perhaps they should have an award for sports person of the year, who lives in the UK and pays all their taxes to the UK.
Joey Barton shares your thoughts.
tinyurl.com/kxsvbrh - www.independent.co.uk
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>>Perhaps they should have an award for sports person of the year, who lives in the UK and pays all their taxes to the UK.
Why?
The UK could soon change the law to worldwide income, if it wished. It hasn't. So Hamilton is paying no more tax than the law says he must.
Do *you* pay more than you have to?
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>>
>> But I do believe he has more Olympic Golds than any English sportsman????
Was that a quick glimpse of a chip on the shoulder that we saw then?
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>> Was that a quick glimpse of a chip on the shoulder that we saw then?
More likely just the Scottish national inferiority complex.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 15 Dec 14 at 07:36
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>> >> Was that a quick glimpse of a chip on the shoulder that we saw
>> then?
>>
>> More likely just the Scottish national inferiority complex.
No No that's too complex, its just jealousy of the English and England..
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I don't quite get why BobbyG raised the point about gold medals. He's now retired from competing so surely was not eligible for the award again. But he did get a lifetime achievement award. Part of the reason for getting that is his achievement, e.g. gold medals won.
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>> I don't quite get why BobbyG raised the point about gold medals. He's now retired
>> from competing so surely was not eligible for the award again. But he did get
>> a lifetime achievement award. Part of the reason for getting that is his achievement, e.g.
>> gold medals won.
Surely it was the simple fact that the Briton with most golds is a Scot?
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>>I don't quite get why BobbyG raised the point about gold medals. He's now retired from competing so surely was not eligible for the award again. But he did get a lifetime achievement award. Part of the reason for getting that is his achievement, e.g. gold medals won.
Jeez, Zero had a wee England/Scotland dig at me about the Scottish football team and I retorted with Hoy being Scottish and having more Olympic medals than any English.
No inferiority complexes, no thinking that Hoy should have won an award this year, just plain and simple old fashioned Jock/Sassenach banter!!
Nothing more, nothing less!
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>> plain and simple old fashioned Jock/Sassenach banter!!
I was amused by the fact that Ally McCoist had to resign and work out 12 months notice to get a pay increase!
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at some point there will be a film / documentary or whatever about the goings on at Rangers for the last 20 odd years.
Only after HMRC / fraud squads / police / financial governance authorities / football governing authorities have all done their own investigations.
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>> ^^he could hardly be voted for Sport Personality of the year now could he.Â
>>
>> Wasnt suggesting for a minute he should be?
>> But I do believe he has more Olympic Golds than any English sportsman????
Makes up for the very bare Scottish Football Team's trophy cabinet then....
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A meaningless Award. I don't watch the Program: just reading this thread reminds me why.
Bunch of whingeing old farts..
Bah humbug :-)
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Burglars broke into the SFA's trophy room last week and escaped with the entire contents !
Police are looking for 2 men carrying a tartan carpet !
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Hamilton was pretty much odds on to win. However, I must confess I was absolutely delighted a couple of years or so back when Tony (A P) McCoy won the trophy as he was, IMO, a genuinely deserving recipient.
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>> Hamilton was pretty much odds on to win. However, I must confess I was absolutely
>> delighted a couple of years or so back when Tony (A P) McCoy won the
>> trophy as he was, IMO, a genuinely deserving recipient.
>>
And who is he? Never heard of him.
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>> And who is he? Never heard of him.
Even I, possibly the least informed male in UK on (non cycling) sport, know he's something to do with the gee gees.
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>> Even I, possibly the least informed male in UK on (non cycling) sport, know he's something to do with the gee gees.
Yes Bromptonaut, we know, don't we, that those little green immigrant fellers drift naturally into the racing fraternity, eh? Eh?
(chucks down a few more morphine-based painkillers)
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>>
>>
>> And who is he? Never heard of him.
>>
One of the toughest sportsmen in the world. It would be easier to list the bones he hasn't broken than those he has.
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>>One of the toughest sportsmen in the world. It would be easier to list the bones he hasn't broken than those he has.>>
...and also one of the bravest, as are the majority of National Hunt jockeys.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_McCoy
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A jockey is not a sportsman, just a small bloke who sits on and steers a horse.
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>> A jockey is not a sportsman, just a small bloke who sits on and steers
>> a horse.
I think that's a misjudgement on similar scale to 'anybody can drive an F1 car'.
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>> >> A jockey is not a sportsman, just a small bloke who sits on and
>> steers
>> >> a horse.
>>
>> I think that's a misjudgement on similar scale to 'anybody can drive an F1 car'.
Not really, its pretty close in the fact that you wont win if you are driving a donkey.
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>> Not really, its pretty close in the fact that you wont win if you are
>> driving a donkey.
And you won't win F1 in a Mini however good your reactions.
I'm a small bloke(5' 7" and eight stones) but I've nothing like the skill or fitness to ride a racehorse, or a Formula 1 car.
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Surely SP of the Y is just a bit of fun?
It doesn't really matter, doesn't really cause any harm, and just reflects popular opinion at any moment.
The whole precept is a bit silly, but what the heck.
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>> Surely SP of the Y is just a bit of fun?
>
Of course it is but some seem to like wallowing in perpetual gloom and cynicism and seem to have lost the ability to enjoys a bit of light hearted fun. :-)
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>> Surely SP of the Y is just a bit of fun?
>>
>> It doesn't really matter, doesn't really cause any harm, and just reflects popular opinion at
>> any moment.
Yep. Like 'quiz' shows Mock the Week and HIGNFY... doesn't matter who wins or loses, you know you get a damn entertaining show leading up to the 'winner'.
Any popular vote - the curse of the SMS generation - is going to be skewed. I've been involved in dozens of 'footballer of the year' type competions, and guaranteed the voting is always on team loyalty lines.
Frightening to think that general elections are run the same way...
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>> SP of the Y is just a bit of fun?
You might think so, but if you ask the Beeb they will tell you that they take it extremely seriously.
SPOTY took up quite a bit time on yesterday morning's news bulletins. It was presented as a serious news item.
Ask Lewis Hamilton's PR people. They will tell you that they take it very seriously.
I think you are kidding yourselves if you think that it is just a bit of fun!
Harumph.
Bah! Humbug!
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>> >> SP of the Y is just a bit of fun?
>>
>> You might think so, but if you ask the Beeb they will tell you that
>> they take it extremely seriously.
>>
>> SPOTY took up quite a bit time on yesterday morning's news bulletins. It was presented
>> as a serious news item.
>>
>>Ask Lewis Hamilton's PR people. They will tell you that they take it very seriously.
Only because the BBC don't want to incur the wrath of the fanatical sports extremists.
Or in the case of Hamiltons PR people, dent their income.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 16 Dec 14 at 09:09
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The Telegraph sports section today has the whole of pages 2 & 3 devoted to SPOTY.
I think some/many/most people take it very seriously.
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>>I'm a small bloke(5' 7" and eight stones) but I've nothing like the skill or fitness to ride a racehorse, or a Formula 1 car.
You being serious Brompt? You are the same height as me and you only weigh eight stones??
Really?
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>> You being serious Brompt? You are the same height as me and you only weigh
>> eight stones??
>> Really?
Nearer nine stones sometimes but I don't keep the excess for long. Natural weight has been there or thereabouts for years.
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>> I'm a small bloke(5' 7" and eight stones)
BMI = 17.5 UNDERWEIGHT
www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx
:o
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>> www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx
>>
One size chart fits al l?
I recall in the past seeing three BMI charts that made more sense to me.
The measurement of your wrist was included and that determined which chart ( Small, medium, large wrist measurement) was used to work out BMI.
i.e. how big your bone structure is.
I know that if such a chart was used for me my BMI would be significantly worse : -(
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>> >> www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx
>> >>
>> One size chart fits al l?
>>
>> I recall in the past seeing three BMI charts that made more sense to me.
>> The measurement of your wrist was included and that determined which chart
That fits. My wrists are too small to wear anything but the smallest/simplest of men's watches.
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>> That fits. My wrists are too small to wear anything but the smallest/simplest of men's watches.
>>
Exactly. I have small wrists so I know your problem.
I could never have a watch with the Fixoflex bracelet type strap.
I would not expand enough to pass over my "small)" hands
Ordinary watch straps were usually far too long.
I bought some leather straps of Ebay recently and to my surprise they are perfect, normal leather straps but very short.
My modern Rotary watch has a rare sized strap and only three available on the whole of Ebay.
No joy with Timpsons so resort to Rotaary?
Happy bunny!
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>> A jockey is not a sportsman, just a small bloke who sits on and steers a horse.>>
I've read some crass comments in my time, but that almost takes the biscuit as the most ill informed.
Perhaps you ought to wonder how you would survive if you are a NH jockey and are unfortunate to come off a horse and land on hard winter surfaces at speeds of up to 35-40mph?
Their bravery and skills are widely renowned and they basically do it for a pittance unless they are working for a top trainer and stable. Jockeys, whether Flat or NH, also ride out horses early morning before travelling what are often long distances to race tracks to compete.
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>> also ride out horses early morning before travelling what are often long distances to race tracks to compete.
So there's a BIK charge they should pay it seems! Scandalous they avoid that. Company horses eh.
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I am not sure that the words Lewis Hamilton and personality go together !
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>> I am not sure that the words Lewis Hamilton and personality go together !
I think the word 'personality' has acquired some new levels of meaning since the award was created 50 or so years ago.
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>> I am not sure that the words Lewis Hamilton and personality go together !
>>
Bit harsh surely? Something over 200k people voted for him, suggests some popularity/liking.
Always thought he seemed a decent enough young man from what I've seen on the telly.
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The last 'personality' in sense suggested to win was Bradley Wiggins. Not sure about earlier years
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Think Andy Murray is more of a personality than you give him credit for.
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>> Always thought he seemed a decent enough young man from what I've seen on the telly.
Yes, pleasant, smiling and clearly happy in his work, and kind to his family too.
Of course being on the podium every couple of weeks through the last season helped with his exposure. All sporting champions, or nearly, are one-track-minded obsessives since childhood. This gives many of them a somewhat sour, expressionless look, lacking in 'personality'. Doesn't mean they can't be the life and soul of the party in private. No doubt many are. But with Hamilton it shows, so that I and the rest of the hoi polloi warmed to him.
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>> Something over 200k people voted for him
>>
Are the voting figures in the public domain?
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>> I am not sure that the words Lewis Hamilton and personality go together !
>>
What "Personality" should he have then? Unless anyone has met the bloke his personality is unknown.
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Sports Personality of the year - rtj70
