AP male, female athletes of the year 2021

[HanSenSE]

Ohtani for men, Candace Parker for women.

Both much better picks than SI's: Tom Brady.

 

[MTM]

Both good picks, but how unusual is it for non Olympians to win this in Olympic years?

Of course, it doesn't seem like the Olympics were just a few months ago and another is a month away.

 

[Spartan Squad]

Both good picks, but how unusual is it for non Olympians to win this in Olympic years?

Of course, it doesn't seem like the Olympics were just a few months ago and another is a month away.

After Simone Biles wasn’t able to finish the Olympics, we really didn’t have another Olympian who stood out this last year. We didn’t have a Michael Phelps or a runner like in years past. Think that’s part of it.

I do like Ohtani a lot for the men. Brady is doing ridiculous things, but Shohe is doing something not seen since Ruth. Got a lot of respect for that.

 

[UPChip]

For what it's worth, I think Sportsman of the Year is at least intended to include off-the-field 'impact,' whether it be cultural or charitable or whatever. That said I didn't know who won this year until I read this thread, which says something about how far SI has fallen.

Agreed on the Olympics. The only American multiple Olympic gold medalists from Tokyo were swimmers*. Caeleb Dressel won five times, but two were relays and try as they might, NBC couldn't really get Dressel 'over.' Ledecky went 2-2. Even I completely forgot about Bobby Finke (distance). There was another guy who was on two winning relays.

*Middle-distance runner Athing Mu won the 800 and was on the 4x4 relay.

 

[Alma]

Sydney McLaughlin stood out.

Parker wasn’t the MVP, wasn’t the finals MVP, and wasn’t on the Olympic team. She’s won the award before. It was a strange choice over McLaughlin outside of Parker’s popularity among media and advertisers.

Ledecky finished second and Biles third, I guess. A panel of voters can do interesting things,

 

[Shropshire Slasher]

Just another delicious reminder that the Angels have the equivalents of both Babe Ruth and Joe DiMaggio (as well as the ghost of Reggie Jackson) and can't do jack ****.

 

[Spartan Squad]

Sydney McLaughlin stood out.

Parker wasn’t the MVP, wasn’t the finals MVP, and wasn’t on the Olympic team. She’s won the award before. It was a strange choice over McLaughlin outside of Parker’s popularity among media and advertisers.

Ledecky finished second and Biles third, I guess. A panel of voters can do interesting things,

McLaughin had a good Olympics, but Americans don’t get up too much for the 400 hurdles. And her other gold was a relay.

 

[rubenmateo]

I wondered if they’d give it to Biles or Felix even though neither won an individual gold medal. The all-around gymnastics gold medalist usually wins if it’s an American, but Suni Lee and Biles maybe split votes.

 

[User 150927]

Felix or Ledecky would have been good choices.

 

[Webster]

Sydney McLaughlin stood out.

Parker wasn’t the MVP, wasn’t the finals MVP, and wasn’t on the Olympic team. She’s won the award before. It was a strange choice over McLaughlin outside of Parker’s popularity among media and advertisers.

Ledecky finished second and Biles third, I guess. A panel of voters can do interesting things,

She was the first one I thought of. That being said, I think that a single event star has to come into the Olympics with more mainstream hype than she had in order to have a breakthrough impact.

 

[Batman]

Never. ****ing. Forget.

 

[Alma]

McLaughin had a good Olympics, but Americans don’t get up too much for the 400 hurdles. And her other gold was a relay.

You think Americans got up for the Sky's WNBA title?

I appreciate the tough spot panelists were in. It should have been a fun debate between Biles, Ledecky and Osaka.

 

[da man]

McLaughin had a good Olympics, but Americans don’t get up too much for the 400 hurdles. And her other gold was a relay.

Wasn’t just the Olympics. McLaughlin set the world record twice in 2021, running down the previous record holder (and Olympic and world champion) Dalilah Muhammad from behind both times.

In the Olympic trials she became the first woman to run under 52 seconds. In Tokyo she destroyed that mark by almost half a second, edging Muhammad, who also broke McLaughlin’s weeks-old record.

It was a year for the ages.

 

[goalmouth]

Does anyone besides us actually discuss this?

 

[HanSenSE]

You think Americans got up for the Sky's WNBA title?

I appreciate the tough spot panelists were in. It should have been a fun debate between Biles, Ledecky and Osaka.

I hear the Tribune and Sun-Times showed up for photo ops. [/crossthread]

As for the voting process, I know when AP tapped me (however that's determined), I always took it seriously.

 

[micropolitan guy]

McLaughin had a good Olympics, but Americans don’t get up too much for the 400 hurdles. And her other gold was a relay.

Isn't basketball a team sport, just like a relay?

 

[Spartan Squad]

Isn't basketball a team sport, just like a relay?

touche. I should have left it at the hurdles are less interesting and her world records, while impressive, didn’t really gain mainstream attention.

 

[Webster]

Wasn’t just the Olympics. McLaughlin set the world record twice in 2021, running down the previous record holder (and Olympic and world champion) Delilah Muhammad from behind both times.

In the Olympic trials she became the first woman to run under 52 seconds. In Tokyo she destroyed that mark by almost half a second, edging Muhammad, who also broke McLaughlin’s weeks-old record.

It was a year for the ages.

I think she’s incredible (she’s from my area and her coach lives in my town), as is her rivalry with Muhammad. But there wasn’t a lot of mainstream hype about her going into the Olympics. That could be the fault of her team, NBC, the delay of the Olympics or other factors. Also, the timing of the track and field events wasn’t catered to US television the way that swimming was. So for whatever reason, her world record win had an impact, but not so much that she is a household name.

 

[poindexter]

touche. I should have left it at the hurdles are less interesting and her world records, while impressive, didn’t really gain mainstream attention.

The men's and women's olympic 400 meter hurdles races were the best two sporting events I saw this year, and I'm not sure there was anything close. Spectacular would be an understatement.

 

[poindexter]

Never. ****ing. Forget.

Ain't nobody got time for a decade old high school dunk contest. Can you give a timestamp?