SI Sportsman of the Year--Predictions?

This is kind of out there but what about Nodar Kumaritashvili?

You could do a pretty good story on a man's desire to compete vs. the sport word desire to thrilled at performances that exceed - with tragic results - the bounds of good sense and safety.

 

SI surrounds the Sportsman with a lot of hoopla and promotion, and typically selects someone who is highly promotable, someone who will bring out the media and advertisers and sponsors. Can't see that happening with Galarraga/Joyce. Or a horse. or LeBron, whose 'achievement' was merely notorious, not victorious.

Brees seems to fit the suit: Leads team to championship, in a city suffering disaster, supports community, no arrests or controversy. Cute baby, too.

 

Joe Paterno ... again.

Or how about the Penn State Women's Volleyball Team? Their 109-match winning streak recently was ended.

Fanboi-ism aside, I like the Canadian Olympic Hockey Team or Tim Lincecum.

 

The winners back to 1954:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/specials/sportsman/archive/

 

Didn't realize only three individual college athletes had ever won this award.

 

My thoughts:

That is kind of a weak nominations list. A lot of people who achieved this year, but nobody really stands out.

As a far as Galarraga/Joyce, it's a good story, but I think the SI SOY leans more toward "achievement," with "sportsmanship" mattering to some degree. With these two, there wasn't a whole lot of "achievement," Galarraga didn't "officially" get what he admittedly deserved, and Joyce essentially got a lot of attention for owning up to a horrible call.

Michael, with all due respect, I think you overestimated the effect of the World Cup on the sports scene this year. I'm no soccer basher, and I enjoyed watching the WC, but to me it just seemed like the previous WCs, a lot of attention and enthusiasm leading up to and including the event, but as soon as it was over the sport just fell off the radar again, IMO.

Ultimately, I do agree it's probably going to be Brees. It is kind of a pedestrian pick (though not as much as Wade's was), but that's the kind of picks SI been making in recent years, so it'll be par for the course.

As a dark horse, I could see them giving it to Aurriemma, by himself or maybe sharing it with Coach K, two extrememly successful coaches who each won another title.

 

That picture of Sosa and McGwire in ancient Greek outfits is hilarious. So, of course, is the notion they were Sportsmen of the Year. Maybe Biochemistry Industry Sportsmen of the Year.
Wade was a weak choice. The 2004 Red Sox were a weak choice (the 1980 hockey team was the only team that should have ever won it). Pete Rose seemed like a fine choice at the time. If they do pick Brees, he won't be the worst pick they made.
How about Rozelle in '63, when his most notable action was playing games 48 hours after Kennedy was shot?

 

Wow, hadn't thought about the Rozelle pick in those terms. Would be interested to know if that came up in the internal discussions back then.

Looking at it from where the NFL is today you can certainly say he was a deserving pick but they obviously didn't have that perspective then.

 

Michael Vick. A heartwarming saga of redemption.

Favre and LeBron: Admirable dignity under the spotlight of public scrutiny.

 

I know that you're kidding, but if he keeps it up Vick would be a very interesting pick.

 

Sure. So would Rae Carruth, who WOTS has it is showing remarkable poise and courage in prison-yard pickup basketball games.

Another charming tale of redemption.

 

Lindsey Vonn

...or, even more worthy - though much less likely - two Nordic Combined guys: Bill Demong (the first American to win Olympic gold in the sport) and Johnny Spillane (triple silver medalist and first American to win a medal of any color in the sport). All their races were riveting.

Bottom line: in an Olympic year, it should go to an outstanding Olympian. IMO