SPOTY 2017

[The Artist.....]

Or he's lacking the personality bit of the award?

Personality doesn't mean "personality"; it means that he is a personality in the sports arena; historically, it was much better understood that this was for the sports person of the year...However, our use of language has evolved in the last 60 years!

 

[Greenlantern101]

Did you see the thing on BBC website with people trying to run at Mo's 5k speed on a tread mill. Most were lasting seconds. Super fit people about 1 minute. They all came off the tread mill and said 'how does he do that for 5km'

My first thought was, Drugs?

 

[Il_leone]

It was pointed that neither Joshua nor Hamilton were in the top 3 probably has to do with their sport being on PPV tv which means unless you're willing to £30 a month whatever you don't appreciate their achievements

The other issue was Hamilton did not bother showing up in Liverpool as well as Mo which I thought was a bit disrespectful to the event

In that small window of voting its going to be the whole of Northern Ireland to vote for Rea just like what happened with Murray
last year.

If it was voting from the the beginning you'd think Hamilton or Joshua might have won. I thought SPOTY lost credibility when Giggs won it in 2009 just because he played 18 years of continuous football instead of Button. Then off course the farce of 2012 which outdid 2008 when the GB Olympic and Paralympic team got Team of the year.

Sometimes I feel the event is a bit of political correctness

 

[Titch]

Greenlantern101 in Mo’s case I think it’s his genetic heritage, not drugs.

 

[F1Brits_90]

Did you see the thing on BBC website with people trying to run at Mo's 5k speed on a tread mill. Most were lasting seconds. Super fit people about 1 minute. They all came off the tread mill and said 'how does he do that for 5km'

My first thought was, Drugs?

but that's different even best amauater London marathon will do it 2:30/2:35 compared to the elite of 2:03. he wasnt setting an world records often 30secs off it just copied the high altitude training of africans & coupled with sprint finish he was unbeatable

although youve reminded me of a video

 

[RasputinLives]

Greenlantern101 in Mo’s case I think it’s his genetic heritage, not drugs.

He has an identical twin brother who can barely run to the shops. So it's not about genetics it's about what you do with it.

 

[The Pits]

Did you see the thing on BBC website with people trying to run at Mo's 5k speed on a tread mill. Most were lasting seconds. Super fit people about 1 minute. They all came off the tread mill and said 'how does he do that for 5km'

My first thought was, Drugs?

Mo Farah holds no world records as far as I know. the majority of most fields of elite athletes are within seconds of his times, and speeds, usually relating to the sprint finishes.

That is an awful lot of people on drugs.

I would guess that the definition of "Super fit" is rather loose

 

[teabagyokel]

I would suggest, drugs or no drugs, that the top ten in the 10k at the World Championships/Olympics ought not be challenged by any group of people that the BBC gathers.

 

[RasputinLives]

For those of you wondering why Hamilton didn't place higher than he did in the SPOTY your answer might be found over at CH4's topical comedy programme The Last Leg where Lewis was voted 3rd in the 'Dick of the Year' poll they ran on twitter. To put this into perspective the only people he was behind were Donald Trump and Theresa May - although it must be pointed out that Harvey Weinstein had been removed from the vote because they thought he might actually enjoy being voted dick of the year.

The programme have sent his award to his listed address on the Isle of Man and are sure he'll get it.

 

[Dartman]

Seems he did a bit better in 2018 but a 5 times World Champion can only make second just shows that F1 on pay to view just doesn't work. I think Jenson Button was the first F1 WC not to win SPOTY and it has got worse since, I've always considered a SPOTY must be a WC no matter what sport, possible exceptions are Brits at Wimbledon, exceptional Olympic Gold medallists and if pigs can fly a Brit America Cup winner in a British boat.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I think Jenson Button was the first F1 WC not to win SPOTY

If I remember correctly, only Mansell (twice), Damon Hill (twice) and Jackie Stewart have won it besides Hamilton.

John Surtees won it for his Motorcycle World Championships and Stirling Moss won it in 1961.

World Champions such as Jim Clark, Graham Hill and James Hunt finished in the top three but never won it.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

I like Hammy as a driver a lot, but I would have voted for Geraint this year as that's an incredible achievement.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I missed SPOTY on Sunday as I was driving up the motorway. I caught some coverage on the radio but had no idea about Hamilton's Slumdog Millionaire speech.

He really has lost touch with reality hasn't he.

I wish he was like an EFF One cartoon where he spent his entire life walking around with his helmet on.

 

[F1Brits_90]

I was quite surprised that Lewis actually turned up, normally he's on a video. i can see why people might be upset. but I can see it from his point of view & he might got the words misunderstood. but in Stevenage im sure like every town/city like Sheffield where I live. it has nice places to live & it has its dodgy places. as we know he didnt live in great place & slept on the sofa. but slums does make it sound worse that it probally was

on sports personality of year overall I wish BBC would stop trying to be hip & trendy. my god that start to the 3 lions song was horrendous it was that bad I was relieved when frank skinner started singing. i voted for Geraint Thomas & Lewis Hamilton. but happy Thomas won more than lewis was very deserving winner took his opportunity when Froome crashed & won in fantastic style. although I was glad England netball won team of the year as I worried world cup might undeservingly take it. but its absolute travesty that sporting moment wasnt england pen shootout win. What more did they want. the country came to a standstill as 23.8m watched

 

[RasputinLives]

The debate over Stevenage being 'slums' and Lewis's working class background has raged in this site for years but to get the answer all you need to do is go to Stevenage and then drive up to some of the poorer towns in the North West of England and you'll get your answer.

It's been a great marketing tool though. All funded by his hard working father slaving away down pit as.....an IT consultant.

 

[cider_and_toast]

I don't think he's ever described his own home as a slum before. I don't think there are too many 6 bed houses in the townships of Johannesburg for example.

 

[RasputinLives]

To be fair to Lewis - compared to the up bringing some of his fellow drivers have he is from a poor background. Not having access to a holiday apartment in Monaco during the summer though does not make your working class.

 

[FB]

I work in Stevenage and it has its dodgy bits but a slum it ain't. Sometimes the bloke simply fails to engage brain before speaking. Local news in this area has been having a field day, I'd suggest Lewis leaves it a while before making a visit to the town.

 

[gethinceri]

took his opportunity when Froome crashed & won in fantastic style.

I infer from this that you think that Froome crashed and Thomas took advantage of this to win. You are wrong. He lost under a minute on stage 1, of a 21 stage race. To think that this gap was the reason for Thomas's victory is a very bold leap.

 

[Andyoak]

And there was me thinking he wrote Frome... With Geth's reply I really suspect ivI' had too much wine this evening and I'm all befuddled