#10313
Postby dealtn » November 30th, 2016, 11:13 am
Not a great Murray fan I'm afraid (comes from his early antipathy towards the English - although I would be the same in his position I would imagine - whilst I was working for a Scottish company - guess it shows how first impressions are incredibly powerful), and had another of my rants last year when as a winner he "wasn't even the best in the world at his sport (some might say best in his family in that respect)" when others on the shortlist clearly were. Well he has knocked that (lame?) excuse into touch this time round so I can't be disappointed should he follow up this time round.
It would be a shame though, especially in an Olympics year when the chances of more minority sports to get noticed and rewarded. The Kenny/Cycling vote split will harm their chances, Vardy and Bale unlikely to get votes from across the spectrum of football supporters, and swimming, hockey, female boxing, are too poorly followed to generate the necessary votes. Golf's candidate this year can hardly be described as household name, and not as deserving as previous "losers" from his sport.
Controversial statement, but I see it very unlikely that any paralympian will garner enough support, regardless of how their individual achievements have arisen, and the challenges they may have overcome on the way.
Given what we have seen this year (and not just in the UK) with outcomes decided by the "voting public" it would be nice to see a surprise, but it would be unlikely. Personally I would love for awards and celebrations to go to those that have truly demonstrated excellence in their fields (being world champions say), and not just this year, but more than once, or over an extended career. The closest candidate to this for me (on a shortlist that would also include Trott/Kenny/Farah/Brownlee) would be Nick Skelton. Representing your country at seven Olympics and winning a gold medal, and having done so coming back from a broken neck, is some achievement and back story.
Unlikely to happen though, so let's just hope we get a smile from our "dour" Scot this year, and maybe the decency to attend in person rather than accept "in abstentia" from some training camp like in 2013 (last year he did to be fair).
The absences from the shortlist are more intriguing than the winner to me though. Three immediately spring to mind. (The unknighted - I bet that rankles when he looks at Bradley Wiggins) Chris Froome wins a 3rd Tour de France and an Olympic medal yet doesn't make the shortlist. Anthony Joshua who has won a Heavyweight World boxing belt, a shoe-in to the shortlist in the past, misses out. Alastair Cook becoming the first English cricketer to accumulate over 10,000 test runs is also notable for his absence (do cricketers only get considered in "Ashes years?).
