[chico]

http://news.bbc.co.u...ty/15920702. stm

The shortlist (in alphabetical order) is: Mark Cavendish (cycling), Darren Clarke (golf), Alastair Cook (cricket), Luke Donald (golf), Mo Farah (athletics), Dai Greene (athletics), Amir Khan (boxing), Rory McIlroy (golf), Andy Murray (tennis), Andrew Strauss (cricket).

Can anyone oblige with odds.

I'm for Cav as he's had an amazing 2011 and he's got a personality!

[drs]

Mo Farrah should walk it.

[guacamole]

Has to be Mark Cavendish. Best sprinter in the world by a ridiculous distance, world champion, green jersey winner.

[winaukee]

guacamole, on 28 November 2011 - 19:57, said:

Has to be Mark Cavendish. Best sprinter in the world by a ridiculous distance, world champion, green jersey winner.

I agree with this.

[Enrico Annoni]

guacamole, on 28 November 2011 - 19:57, said:

Has to be Mark Cavendish. Best sprinter in the world by a ridiculous distance, world champion, green jersey winner.

I also agree

[teribus1514]

Is this the weakest shortlist for SPOTY there has ever been? Roll on 2012 when at least there will be a competitive edge to the award (or hopefully there will be with London 2012, Euro 2012 etc)

[Space Cowboy]

As the award is for Sports Personality then it has to be Andy Murray.

[lichtie23]

Rory Mac or Luke Donald for me

[tigerton]

teribus1514, on 28 November 2011 - 20:27, said:

Is this the weakest shortlist for SPOTY there has ever been? Roll on 2012 when at least there will be a competitive edge to the award (or hopefully there will be with London 2012, Euro 2012 etc)

2 major winners and #1 and #2 in the world rankings at golf? 2 ashes winning cricketers? 2 world champion athletes? The winner of the Tour de France? Aye, weak as f**k.

I think one of the golfers should win it (Luke Donald maybe for consistency or Rory for his emphatic win at Congressional after such a bottle job at Augusta), but I am biased as I love the sport. Cavendish probably will win it, which is fair enough. The golfers, cricketers and athletes have little chance because there's more than one in each field, hence the vote will split. Murray wont win it until he wins a grand slam (if he wins a grand slam). I take no interest in boxing so i don't know what Amir Khan might or might not have done this year.

[chico]

If one of the Golfers had won another half decent tournament I'd have no problem with them.

Cav's had an incredible year ending with the rainbow jersey and I can't see past him, sadly sports fans have a bias and given the following golf has, it'll swing to them.

[tigerton]

chico, on 28 November 2011 - 21:10, said:

If one of the Golfers had won another half decent tournament I'd have no problem with them.

Cav's had an incredible year ending with the rainbow jersey and I can't see past him, sadly sports fans have a bias and given the following golf has, it'll swing to them.

There's 3 nominees for golf, so they have absolutely no chance. They'll split the vote and any one of them will be lucky to get in the top 3.

Oh, and Luke Donald won 4 tournaments this year: WGC World Matchplay, Scottish Open, That Disney one on the US Tour and the BMW PGA Championship. He also won the US Money List and was top of th European Race to Dubai money list. But your pointy is valid for the other 2 I suppose, as they have won one other tournament each, but they weren't that big.

[drs]

tigerton, on 28 November 2011 - 21:03, said:

2 major winners and #1 and #2 in the world rankings at golf? 2 ashes winning cricketers? 2 world champion athletes? The winner of the Tour de France? Aye, weak as f**k.

Which one of them won the Tour de France?

[chico]

tigerton, on 28 November 2011 - 21:15, said:

There's 3 nominees for golf, so they have absolutely no chance. They'll split the vote and any one of them will be lucky to get in the top 3.

Oh, and Luke Donald won 4 tournaments this year: WGC World Matchplay, Scottish Open, That Disney one on the US Tour and the BMW PGA Championship. He also won the US Money List and was top of th European Race to Dubai money list. But your pointy is valid for the other 2 I suppose, as they have won one other tournament each, but they weren't that big.

Fair point on Luke Donald.

I'm not a big golf fan, I know the tours run year long but on a week to week basis wouldn't know who's top of which money list.

[lichtie23]

Darren Clarke had 1 good week. He doesn't deserve to win Sports Personality of the YEAR

[tigerton]

drs, on 28 November 2011 - 21:16, said:

Which one of them won the Tour de France?

Mark Cavendish? Maybe he didn't, but I thought he did

[lichtie23]

tigerton, on 28 November 2011 - 21:20, said:

Mark Cavendish? Maybe he didn't, but I thought he did

Don't think he did. He won the Worlds I think

[tigerton]

chico, on 28 November 2011 - 21:17, said:

Fair point on Luke Donald.

I'm not a big golf fan, I know the tours run year long but on a week to week basis wouldn't know who's top of which money list.

Fair enough. I wish Donald had just been nominated, then he might win. Sadly, the other 2 will get more votes than him because people watch majors and have soft spots for likeable Irishmen.

lichtie23, on 28 November 2011 - 21:18, said:

Darren Clarke had 1 good week. He doesn't deserve to win Sports Personality of the YEAR

Agreed. But the housewives love him and it was on terrestrial tele, he'll probably top the golfers.

[chico]

lichtie23, on 28 November 2011 - 21:21, said:

Don't think he did. He won the Worlds I think

Cavendish won the TdF green jersey for points winner - the sprinters prize.

Yellow jersey was Cadel Evans.

[lichtie23]

chico, on 28 November 2011 - 21:23, said:

Cavendish won the TdF green jersey for points winner - the sprinters prize.

Yellow jersey was Cadel Evans.

Cheers for clearing that up Chico

[tigerton]

chico, on 28 November 2011 - 21:23, said:

Cavendish won the TdF green jersey for points winner - the sprinters prize.

Yellow jersey was Cadel Evans.

Cheers. Still sounds like he had a good year. Probably should have looked that up before ranting....

[chico]

tigerton, on 28 November 2011 - 21:23, said:

Fair enough. I wish Donald had just been nominated, then he might win. Sadly, the other 2 will get more votes than him because people watch majors and have soft spots for likeable Irishmen.

Agreed. But the housewives love him and it was on terrestrial tele, he'll probably top the golfers.

This. Clarke's win was memorable as was the papers coverage of him getting pished for a month.

[tigerton]

chico, on 28 November 2011 - 21:27, said:

This. Clarke's win was memorable as was the papers coverage of him getting pished for a month.

I think Clarke should have won it the year Zara Phillips won it (2006?). His Ryder Cup performance after losing his wife was phenomenal. So I wouldn't begrudge him it this time around, although he would probably be taking it from someone more worthy.

[chico]

tigerton, on 28 November 2011 - 21:26, said:

Cheers. Still sounds like he had a good year. Probably should have looked that up before ranting....

Cavendish's winning record over the past three years should have got him the SPOTY before now.

He's taken the world championship on the course to be used next year in the Olympics and has had a exceptional season, the TDF stage wins and Green Jersey are probably near the top in terms of achievements by a British cyclist.

[lichtie23]

On a side note......

Has Cavendish signed for Team Sky

[chico]

lichtie23, on 28 November 2011 - 21:34, said:

On a side note......

Has Cavendish signed for Team Sky

I thought he had, but haven't seen it announced.