SI Sportsman of the Year Candidates?
Hello. Every year Sports Illustrated selects its Sportsman of the Year from all sports. With this year being a Winter Olympics year, there are even more candidates than usual. However, two of SI's writers have decided to nominate golfers.
Michael Bamberger has chosen Phil Mickelson because of what he did after he lost the US Open. While Jim Furyk and Colin Montgomerie did not go to the awards ceremony to accept their runner-up medals, Mickelson did. He was friendly to the media afterwards, and signed autographs. Bamberger concludes these actions show Mickelson is a true sportsman. Mickelson thinks of the fans, which is what a sportsman should do. Apparently the other tour players don't like Phil, because, according to Bamberger, they aren't fan focused.
Alan Shipnuck has a different view. He picks Lorena Ochoa not only for her breakthrough year on the course, but also because of her position of support for Mexican workers. Apparently at every LPGA event Ochoa seeks out Mexican workers to talk to them, and speaks whenever she can about their situation.
I also read Bill Syken's article about Vince Young, then quarterback of the University of Texas, who went into the Rose Bowl to play for the NCAA football championship against USC, and had arguably the greatest game ever by a college player in arguably the biggest game ever. Syken says a performance like that, even if only for one game, merits the Sportsman of the Year.
My take? These awards (SI Sportsman of the Year, NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB Most Valuable Player, etc) need better definitions. Bamberger, Syken and Shipnuck all selected a candidate based on their own criteria. I'd use something more objective, like how their season records stack up against the rest of their peers. If Mickelson would've won the US Open, he'd have had 3 majors in a row, and would've been pusing Tiger Woods. There was no question Tiger had a better 2006. Ochoa just beat Karrie Webb, and had no majors. Vince Young didn't win the Heisman, and most of his college season was in 2005. He has now led the Tennessee Titans to an improbable win against the NY Giants, so he may have great things in his future.
The point is, if an award definition somehow ignores the seasons Woods, Roger Federer and Steve Nash had, then it's flawed. Fix the definitions, and the selection will be easier.
Regards,
Steve
Michael Bamberger has chosen Phil Mickelson because of what he did after he lost the US Open. While Jim Furyk and Colin Montgomerie did not go to the awards ceremony to accept their runner-up medals, Mickelson did. He was friendly to the media afterwards, and signed autographs. Bamberger concludes these actions show Mickelson is a true sportsman. Mickelson thinks of the fans, which is what a sportsman should do. Apparently the other tour players don't like Phil, because, according to Bamberger, they aren't fan focused.
Alan Shipnuck has a different view. He picks Lorena Ochoa not only for her breakthrough year on the course, but also because of her position of support for Mexican workers. Apparently at every LPGA event Ochoa seeks out Mexican workers to talk to them, and speaks whenever she can about their situation.
I also read Bill Syken's article about Vince Young, then quarterback of the University of Texas, who went into the Rose Bowl to play for the NCAA football championship against USC, and had arguably the greatest game ever by a college player in arguably the biggest game ever. Syken says a performance like that, even if only for one game, merits the Sportsman of the Year.
My take? These awards (SI Sportsman of the Year, NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB Most Valuable Player, etc) need better definitions. Bamberger, Syken and Shipnuck all selected a candidate based on their own criteria. I'd use something more objective, like how their season records stack up against the rest of their peers. If Mickelson would've won the US Open, he'd have had 3 majors in a row, and would've been pusing Tiger Woods. There was no question Tiger had a better 2006. Ochoa just beat Karrie Webb, and had no majors. Vince Young didn't win the Heisman, and most of his college season was in 2005. He has now led the Tennessee Titans to an improbable win against the NY Giants, so he may have great things in his future.
The point is, if an award definition somehow ignores the seasons Woods, Roger Federer and Steve Nash had, then it's flawed. Fix the definitions, and the selection will be easier.
Regards,
Steve
posted by Irrelevant at 3:22 AM
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