"BBC's desperate search for a sports personality of the year"

[wafflycat]

See

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1860196,00.html

"Riding high

Zara Phillips' gold-medal winning performance at the equestrian world
championships has seen the former wild child hailed as a sporting hero -
just like her mother was, 35 years ago. But is she really a major talent, or
just a toff with lots of cash and a great horse? Stephen Moss reports"


How about dropping the Grauniad's letters' page a line to remind them that
really, the BBC doesn't have to have a "desperate serach" for a sporting
personality; that they just need reminding that there is a true sporting
great out there, quietly getting on with the business of winning races. Step
forward Nicole Cooke: the finest sporting talent the UK has produced in many
a long year.

Nicole's list of achievements can be viewed online at

http://www.nicolecooke.com/main/palmares/index.html

Email addy for the Guardian is

[email protected]

Cheers, helen s






--

~~

SUPPORT THE CYCLISTS DEFENCE FUND
http://www.cyclistsdefencefund.org.uk/

~~
to send reply email - you may need to remove dependence
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to get correct email address
~Noodliness is Good~

 

[Simon Mason]

"wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message news:Od-. Step
> forward Nicole Cooke: the finest sporting talent the UK has produced in
> many a long year.
>

Couldn't agree more - terrible to see she's only 50/1 here, but at least
she's on the list.


http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoEvEv&id=10399074

Other betting sites don't even include her and even have Wayne Rooney and
Tim Henman in!
Sorry state of affairs.

http://www.online-betting-guide.co.uk/bbc-sports-personality.htm


--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

[[email protected]]

Simon Mason wrote:

> Other betting sites don't even include her and even have Wayne Rooney and
> Tim Henman in!
> Sorry state of affairs.

On the plus side the list did include David Walliams. He would actually
be a good choice. A reminder that sport should be for everyone not just
elite athletes. He showed what a "non athlete" could do with a lot of
focus and determination. As far as the other contenders go - Zara
Philips is obviously a talented rider but winning in a sport where only
a few mainly wealthy people compete. For Andy Murray it's too soon.
His time hopefully will be in 2 or 3 years when he can make an real
impact in one of the majors. Monty Panesar has not yet done enough to
deserve the award. Steven Gerard? As part of a team that didn't get
past the quarter finals?
Nicole Cooke has done enough to deserve the honour. I fear though
that taking part in a minority sport will mean she won't be recognised.
So I would be happy to see David Wallims get the award.
Iain

 

[Simon D]

[email protected] presented the following explanation :
> Simon Mason wrote:
>
>> Other betting sites don't even include her and even have Wayne Rooney and
>> Tim Henman in!
>> Sorry state of affairs.
>
> On the plus side the list did include David Walliams. He would actually
> be a good choice. A reminder that sport should be for everyone not just
> elite athletes. He showed what a "non athlete" could do with a lot of
> focus and determination. As far as the other contenders go - Zara
> Philips is obviously a talented rider but winning in a sport where only
> a few mainly wealthy people compete. For Andy Murray it's too soon.
> His time hopefully will be in 2 or 3 years when he can make an real
> impact in one of the majors. Monty Panesar has not yet done enough to
> deserve the award. Steven Gerard? As part of a team that didn't get
> past the quarter finals?
> Nicole Cooke has done enough to deserve the honour. I fear though
> that taking part in a minority sport will mean she won't be recognised.
> So I would be happy to see David Wallims get the award.

I don't really agree with you about David Walliams. Plenty of people
make tremendous achievements at their own level in a wide range of
sports, but his alone have received exceptional publicity because he's
a celebrity.

It's got to be said that a similar argument can be levelled in the Zara
Phillips example; one (exceptional) performance in a *minority* sport
and she's in contention...whereas Nicole, as you say, isn't. Phillips
would have received publicity (rightly) whoever she was, but being
royal has gained her far more than she would otherwise have got.

The trouble is that this country is celebrity mad. This should be about
genuine sporting achievement, which will involve *both* elite
performance and sportsmanship.

In my opinion ;o)

--
Simon
www.simondaw.freeserve.co.uk

 

[mb]

Simon Mason wrote:

>
> "wafflycat" <w*a*ff£y£cat*@£btco*nn£ect.com> wrote in message
> news:Od-. Step
> > forward Nicole Cooke: the finest sporting talent the UK has
> > produced in many a long year.
> >
>

She had 40% of the vote on radio 5live while I was listening t'other
day.


> Couldn't agree more - terrible to see she's only 50/1 here, but at
> least she's on the list.
>
>
> http://www.skybet.com/skybet?action=GoEvEv&id=10399074
>

Hmm, I'll have a tenner at those odds.

--
Mike

 

[Colin]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]lid
says...
> > On the plus side the list did include David Walliams. He would actually
> > be a good choice. A reminder that sport should be for everyone not just
> > elite athletes.
<snip>
>
> I don't really agree with you about David Walliams. Plenty of people
> make tremendous achievements at their own level in a wide range of
> sports, but his alone have received exceptional publicity because he's
> a celebrity.
>
<snip>
>
> The trouble is that this country is celebrity mad. This should be about
> genuine sporting achievement, which will involve *both* elite
> performance and sportsmanship.
>
> In my opinion ;o)

But as my wife pointed out, it's Sports *personality* of the year, not
Sports *achievement* of the year, hence someone with a high-profile
personality (eg, David Walliams) is more likely to win it over the
lesser-known (in public circles, at least) Nicole Cooke.

--
Colin

Coincidence is the alibi of the Gods

(remove FOOT to reply)

 

[Ian Smith]

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006, Colin <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> But as my wife pointed out, it's Sports *personality* of the year, not
> Sports *achievement* of the year,

Nigel Mansell?

regards, Ian SMith
--
|\ /| no .sig
|o o|
|/ \|

 

[Danny Colyer]

Colin wrote:
>> But as my wife pointed out, it's Sports *personality* of the year, not
>> Sports *achievement* of the year,

and Ian Smith responded:
> Nigel Mansell?

Hey, I liked Nigel Mansell.

I was looking round for somewhere to vote for the Sports Personality of
the Year. Didn't manage to find it, but I found this quiz to tell which
past Personality you would most identify with:
<url:http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/funny_old_game/games/4384672.stm>

Apparently I identify most with Nigel Mansell.

Then I found the list of past winners:
<url:http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/keyfacts/stories/spoty.shtml>

Turns out there *have* been cyclists in the past, the most recent being
Beryl Burton in 1967. Must be about time for another one.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
"He who dares not offend cannot be honest." - Thomas Paine

 

[Mike Causer]

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:31:56 +0100, Danny Colyer wrote:

> Hey, I liked Nigel Mansell.

I've had club/event-organising relationships with two people who had to
deal with Mansell in their professional lives, very very closely in both
cases, team managers. Their comments were not in his favour. Ask
the same people about Jim Clark and be ready for a deluge of praise.


> I was looking round for somewhere to vote for the Sports Personality of
> the Year.

Last Thursday BBC Radio Five were asking for votes on who should be
on the list of candidates. In the middle of the afternoon Nicole was
leading -- ahead of "no-one". Sadly I was working in a non-computer
place, but when I got home I searched the BBC website to find where I
could stuff the ballot-box, but they seemed to have removed it. It hadn't
been mentioned on u.r.c so there must have been some other
ballot-box-stuffing group involved.



> Apparently I identify most with Nigel Mansell.

[Uncomplementary comment snipped]



> Turns out there *have* been cyclists in the past, the most recent being
> Beryl Burton in 1967. Must be about time for another one.

Beryl should be on their Best of the Century list!



Mike

 

[Zog the Undeniable]

wafflycat wrote:

> See
>
> http://sport.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,1860196,00.html
>
> "Riding high
>
> Zara Phillips' gold-medal winning performance at the equestrian world
> championships has seen the former wild child hailed as a sporting hero -
> just like her mother was, 35 years ago. But is she really a major
> talent, or just a toff with lots of cash and a great horse? Stephen Moss
> reports"
>
>
> How about dropping the Grauniad's letters' page a line to remind them
> that really, the BBC doesn't have to have a "desperate serach" for a
> sporting personality; that they just need reminding that there is a true
> sporting great out there, quietly getting on with the business of
> winning races. Step forward Nicole Cooke: the finest sporting talent the
> UK has produced in many a long year.

What about Phil Taylor? World champion 13 times and didly squat -
although being found guilty of sexual assault a few years ago is
supposed to have cost him an MBE.

And if darts isn't a sport, nor is golf. Sorry.

 

[Dave Larrington]

Ian SMith wrote:
> On Tue, 29 Aug 2006, Colin <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> But as my wife pointed out, it's Sports *personality* of the year,
>> not Sports *achievement* of the year,
>
> Nigel Mansell?

Damn, he beat me to it...

Wasn't that the year that the runner-up was a snooker table?

--
Dave Larrington
<http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk>
Never give a gun to ducks.

 

[Bryan]

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:31:56 +0100, Danny Colyer wrote:


Last Thursday BBC Radio Five were asking for votes on who should be
on the list of candidates. In the middle of the afternoon Nicole was
leading -- ahead of "no-one". Sadly I was working in a non-computer
place, but when I got home I searched the BBC website to find where I
could stuff the ballot-box, but they seemed to have removed it. It hadn't
been mentioned on u.r.c so there must have been some other
ballot-box-stuffing group involved.


Mike

Actually it was see 'Another BBC poll' thread. It was also on cycling plus forum and I think acf. So that could easily have upped the numbers.

Bryan

 

[Simon Mason]

"Danny Colyer" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

>
> Then I found the list of past winners:
> <url:http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/keyfacts/stories/spoty.shtml>
>
> Turns out there *have* been cyclists in the past, the most recent being
> Beryl Burton in 1967. Must be about time for another one.

and Jane Tomlinson got one:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/special_events/sports_personality_2002/2539587.stm


--
Simon Mason
http://www.simonmason.karoo.net

 

[Gavin]

> What about Phil Taylor? World champion 13 times and didly squat -
> although being found guilty of sexual assault a few years ago is
> supposed to have cost him an MBE.
>
> And if darts isn't a sport, nor is golf. Sorry.

Add Peter Nicol to that, top of his sport for many years and hardly
ever gets a mention

 

[davek]

Simon D wrote:
> The trouble is that this country is celebrity mad. This should be about
> genuine sporting achievement, which will involve *both* elite
> performance and sportsmanship.

Well, it is the Sports /Personality/ Award, so achievement in itself
strictly has little relevance, which is why Steven Gerrard and Monty
Panesar are contenders.

Though this doesn't explain why Tim Henman is on the shortlist as he has
neither achievement nor personality to his name.

Nicole Cook, on the other hand, has both achievement and personality in
spades so if there is any justice she would win by a mile.

I'm not convinced you could even count what David Walliams did as "sport".

d.

 

[david lloyd]

"davek" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Simon D wrote:
> > The trouble is that this country is celebrity mad. This should be about
> > genuine sporting achievement, which will involve *both* elite
> > performance and sportsmanship.
>
> Well, it is the Sports /Personality/ Award, so achievement in itself
> strictly has little relevance, which is why Steven Gerrard and Monty
> Panesar are contenders.
>
It is the TV Sports Personality Award, so it is little wonder that our
cyclists are under-represented.

> Though this doesn't explain why Tim Henman is on the shortlist as he has
> neither achievement nor personality to his name.
>
Mystery to me too.

> Nicole Cook, on the other hand, has both achievement and personality in
> spades so if there is any justice she would win by a mile.
>
Marked out of a major target race, she refocused to win a major stage race
and the season long World Cup, by one hell of a stonking big margin.

> I'm not convinced you could even count what David Walliams did as "sport".
>
Nor Geoff Thomas's last year for that matter, although is was a superlative
performance. Well deserving of the special award presented to him. IMHO,
Jane Tomlinson should be in line for that one this year.

--
Dave Lloyd
So open minded, my brains dribbled out.

 

[Dan Gregory]

and despite her lead on the BBC sports web page yesterday there was no
mention of her on the Toady programme this morning even though they kept
saying "in our search for British winners". nothing on National TV news
yesterday either about her or the Tour of Britain (although I put London
local news on & they had a good lead about the Tour)
All the best
Dan Gregory