On Thursday, it was announced that Sports Illustrated named Deion Sanders Sportsperson of the Year, and I guess there’s been a bit of a hubbub, a hullabaloo, a hurly-burly, if you will, over this choice, since Coach Prime’s Colorado squad went 1-8 after a couple of exciting early upsets, and you could argue that finishing 12th in the Pac-12 might not quite be quite Sportsperson of the Year stuff.
So I guess you're a medical expert and know that someone in their 30s is not likely to contract Covid. My kids have friends in their 20s who came down with Covid. We've had vaccines in this country for various ailments for many years. Failure to take advantage of medical procedures is just stupidity on the part of those who refuse to do so.
Djokovic is amazing. It’s worth mentioning that a woman/Serena cannot be the greatest tennis player when hundreds and thousands of men can beat them. It is fair to call Serena the greatest woman ever, at least arguably, but she cannot by definition be the best. I feel it is pandering to suggest otherwise.
Am I the only one shocked that Jim Leyland was the only one elected to the HOF yesterday? No Sweet Lou Piniella (one vote short...) or Jim West or Cito Gaston?
He has done so much I don’t like, but Rob Manfred at least should be mentioned in Sportsperson of the Year discussions. The rule changes instituted this year have pumped new life into MLB.
Joe, you nailed it on Coach Prime. Making him sportsperson of the year was a complete joke. If anyone at Colorado is to be considered it should be Rick George, the athletic director that made the cogent business move to hire him.
Regarding the Joker, you're right. You just had the wrong Joker. Nikola Jokic should be the Sportsperson of the Year.
I wouldn't applaud someone who believes we should go to war with Ireland in order to enslave their leprechauns. And if someone believes they have a right to play "Disco Duck" outside my bedroom window at 3 a.m., I would not applaud them for that belief.
Really embarrassing from SI. Reminds me of when Time picked “you” as person of the year. Djokovic, Jokic, Mahomes, Ohtani... hell even Travis Kelce would have been a better choice if they want pop culture influence.
I expected to read more about Coach Prime's selection and instead seemed to run into a forum on COVID vaccinations. The last time I checked, the approximate number of people whose position has changed due to a sports blog post on vaccinations was close to 0. What I will say is that the Coach Prime selection is not the weirdest I have ever seen. For me that honor goes to:
The 1956 Heisman vote. The final vote totals for the first eight sports were (numbers in parentheses are the first place votes each player received):
1. Paul Horning Notre Dame (197) 1066 points. Summary follows the end of the voting list.
2. Johnny Majors Tennessee (172) 994 points. Tennessee was 10-0 in the regular season and ranked Number 2. They lost to Number 13, Baylor 13-7 in the Sugar Bowl. Majors was the SEC player of the year for the second year in a row. He was later asked who should have won the Heisman and his answer was “Jim Brown”
3. Tommy McDonald Oklahoma (205) 973 points. And 4. Jerry Tubbs Oklahoma (121) 724 points. Oklahoma was 10-0, stretched its unbeaten streak to 40 games and were ranked Number 1. Due to a weird conference rule they were not allowed to go to a New Years Bowl, having done so the year before. Second place Colorado (Number 20) took their place and beat Clemson (Number 19), 27-21 in the Orange Bowl. Tommy McDonald was the teams leading rusher and won the Maxwell trophy for most outstanding football player. He was a 6 time Pro Bowler and is in both the College and the Pro Football Halls of Fame. Tubbs was a center and linebacker who won 3 separate Lineman of the Year awards in 1956 and had an 11 year professional career in the NFL.
5. Jim Brown Syracuse (118) 561 points. Syracuse was 7-1 in the regular season and ranked Number 8. Brown set school records in average yards-per-carry (6.2), single-season rushing yards (986), single-game rushing touchdowns (6, vs. Colgate), and most points scored in a game (43, vs. Colgate). Syracuse lost to Number 14 in the Cotton Bowl 28-27 but Brown was voted MVP of the game. 3 time NFL MVP and inducted into three Halls of Fame, college football, pro football and lacrosse.
6. Ron Kramer Michigan (70) 518 points. Michigan finished the year 7-2 and ranked Number 7. Kramer was the consensus first team All American tight end and second team All Big Ten basketball center. He finished his career as the all time points leader for Michigan basketball. He would be drafted 4th overall by the NFL and 34th overall by the NBA.
7. John Brodie Stanford (39) 281 points. Stanford finished 4-6. Brodie was drafted number 1 (number 3 overall) by San Francisco and briefly played on the PGA tour. He was the NFL MVP in 1970.
8. Jim Parker Ohio State (34) 248 points. Ohio State was 6-3. Parker was voted team MVP, Unanimous All American and winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best guard or tackle. He was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the first round (8th overall pick). He was voted first team All-Pro his first 9 seasons in the league and second team All-Pro his 10th season. Injured in his eleventh season, played only 3 games due to injury and retired. In 1973 he became the first offensive lineman ever inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
How good was Paul Hornung? He carried the ball 94 times for 420 yards and completed completed 59 of 111 passes for 917 yards. His 1,337 yards ranked second nationally. In the 1956 season he led his team offensively in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, and punting. He also played defense, led in passes broken up, and was second in interceptions and tackles made. With the 1957 College All Star team he was challenged to a 100 yard match race by Abe Woodson. Woodson had also been a sprinter for the University of Illinois and finished 4th at the 1956 Olympic Trials, narrowly missing the team. Hornung won the race, reportedly by 5 yards.
So at first glance, Paul was Superman, but there was a problem. 1956 was the worst year in Notre Dame history. The team went 2-8 and was outscored by 159 points, their largest point deficit in a season. Not only that, Hornung’s touchdown to interception ratio was a woeful 3-13. That’s not a typo. 3 touchdowns, 13 interceptions. One interception for every 8.5 pass attempts. So how did he win? Most opinions vary not by whether or not the pick was rigged, but by who and why it was rigged.
I don't follow tennis. I don't know much about Djokovic. I am surprised by all the vitriol directed at him for following his beliefs for what he felt was best for him and his family. Freedom of choice is the American way not being dictated to by the powers that be.
So, admittedly, I am not a social media guy at all. I was never on twitter, facebook, or any of those things. But even if it was something else, the idea that you have to have some kind of secret code (that may work or may have been used enough that it no longer works) would turn me off of anything. Take your fake exclusivity PR stuff and stick it where the sun don't shine.
So I guess you're a medical expert and know that someone in their 30s is not likely to contract Covid. My kids have friends in their 20s who came down with Covid. We've had vaccines in this country for various ailments for many years. Failure to take advantage of medical procedures is just stupidity on the part of those who refuse to do so.
Djokovic is amazing. It’s worth mentioning that a woman/Serena cannot be the greatest tennis player when hundreds and thousands of men can beat them. It is fair to call Serena the greatest woman ever, at least arguably, but she cannot by definition be the best. I feel it is pandering to suggest otherwise.
After his utter collapse, Sanders should win Sportsman of the Year just after I do...meaning, never. I hope Coach Slime never wins another game.
Am I the only one shocked that Jim Leyland was the only one elected to the HOF yesterday? No Sweet Lou Piniella (one vote short...) or Jim West or Cito Gaston?
He has done so much I don’t like, but Rob Manfred at least should be mentioned in Sportsperson of the Year discussions. The rule changes instituted this year have pumped new life into MLB.
This. I agree that it should probably be between him and Novak.
But one guy had a great tennis season, and the other potentially revitalized an entire sport.
I don't much like either of them, but Manfred by a nose for me.
Joe, you nailed it on Coach Prime. Making him sportsperson of the year was a complete joke. If anyone at Colorado is to be considered it should be Rick George, the athletic director that made the cogent business move to hire him.
Regarding the Joker, you're right. You just had the wrong Joker. Nikola Jokic should be the Sportsperson of the Year.
You lost me at "refusing to be vaccinated."
A selfish, ignorant jerk who plays sports excellently is not a sportsman.
You have to be kidding, right?
So standing up for what he believes in makes him selfish and ignorant?
I wouldn't applaud someone who believes we should go to war with Ireland in order to enslave their leprechauns. And if someone believes they have a right to play "Disco Duck" outside my bedroom window at 3 a.m., I would not applaud them for that belief.
It matters what one believes in.
Thinking Ohtani, if not Messi. Or for unbelievable won’t see the like again (for a while) — if including ALL sports — Max in F1.
Really embarrassing from SI. Reminds me of when Time picked “you” as person of the year. Djokovic, Jokic, Mahomes, Ohtani... hell even Travis Kelce would have been a better choice if they want pop culture influence.
Ohtani! Ohtani! Ohtani! For the World Baseball Classic and beyond.
Baseball IS the best!
I expected to read more about Coach Prime's selection and instead seemed to run into a forum on COVID vaccinations. The last time I checked, the approximate number of people whose position has changed due to a sports blog post on vaccinations was close to 0. What I will say is that the Coach Prime selection is not the weirdest I have ever seen. For me that honor goes to:
The 1956 Heisman vote. The final vote totals for the first eight sports were (numbers in parentheses are the first place votes each player received):
1. Paul Horning Notre Dame (197) 1066 points. Summary follows the end of the voting list.
2. Johnny Majors Tennessee (172) 994 points. Tennessee was 10-0 in the regular season and ranked Number 2. They lost to Number 13, Baylor 13-7 in the Sugar Bowl. Majors was the SEC player of the year for the second year in a row. He was later asked who should have won the Heisman and his answer was “Jim Brown”
3. Tommy McDonald Oklahoma (205) 973 points. And 4. Jerry Tubbs Oklahoma (121) 724 points. Oklahoma was 10-0, stretched its unbeaten streak to 40 games and were ranked Number 1. Due to a weird conference rule they were not allowed to go to a New Years Bowl, having done so the year before. Second place Colorado (Number 20) took their place and beat Clemson (Number 19), 27-21 in the Orange Bowl. Tommy McDonald was the teams leading rusher and won the Maxwell trophy for most outstanding football player. He was a 6 time Pro Bowler and is in both the College and the Pro Football Halls of Fame. Tubbs was a center and linebacker who won 3 separate Lineman of the Year awards in 1956 and had an 11 year professional career in the NFL.
5. Jim Brown Syracuse (118) 561 points. Syracuse was 7-1 in the regular season and ranked Number 8. Brown set school records in average yards-per-carry (6.2), single-season rushing yards (986), single-game rushing touchdowns (6, vs. Colgate), and most points scored in a game (43, vs. Colgate). Syracuse lost to Number 14 in the Cotton Bowl 28-27 but Brown was voted MVP of the game. 3 time NFL MVP and inducted into three Halls of Fame, college football, pro football and lacrosse.
6. Ron Kramer Michigan (70) 518 points. Michigan finished the year 7-2 and ranked Number 7. Kramer was the consensus first team All American tight end and second team All Big Ten basketball center. He finished his career as the all time points leader for Michigan basketball. He would be drafted 4th overall by the NFL and 34th overall by the NBA.
7. John Brodie Stanford (39) 281 points. Stanford finished 4-6. Brodie was drafted number 1 (number 3 overall) by San Francisco and briefly played on the PGA tour. He was the NFL MVP in 1970.
8. Jim Parker Ohio State (34) 248 points. Ohio State was 6-3. Parker was voted team MVP, Unanimous All American and winner of the Outland Trophy as the nation’s best guard or tackle. He was selected by the Baltimore Colts in the first round (8th overall pick). He was voted first team All-Pro his first 9 seasons in the league and second team All-Pro his 10th season. Injured in his eleventh season, played only 3 games due to injury and retired. In 1973 he became the first offensive lineman ever inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.
How good was Paul Hornung? He carried the ball 94 times for 420 yards and completed completed 59 of 111 passes for 917 yards. His 1,337 yards ranked second nationally. In the 1956 season he led his team offensively in passing, rushing, scoring, kickoff and punt returns, and punting. He also played defense, led in passes broken up, and was second in interceptions and tackles made. With the 1957 College All Star team he was challenged to a 100 yard match race by Abe Woodson. Woodson had also been a sprinter for the University of Illinois and finished 4th at the 1956 Olympic Trials, narrowly missing the team. Hornung won the race, reportedly by 5 yards.
So at first glance, Paul was Superman, but there was a problem. 1956 was the worst year in Notre Dame history. The team went 2-8 and was outscored by 159 points, their largest point deficit in a season. Not only that, Hornung’s touchdown to interception ratio was a woeful 3-13. That’s not a typo. 3 touchdowns, 13 interceptions. One interception for every 8.5 pass attempts. So how did he win? Most opinions vary not by whether or not the pick was rigged, but by who and why it was rigged.
I don't follow tennis. I don't know much about Djokovic. I am surprised by all the vitriol directed at him for following his beliefs for what he felt was best for him and his family. Freedom of choice is the American way not being dictated to by the powers that be.
BTW, I've been vaccinated three times.
Since you are all my people even though I know none of you, can you recommend good sports Bluesky accounts in addition to Joe and Molly Knight?
My Bluesky codes:
bsky-social-pmoto-vd7av
bsky-social-5bpeb-u7jjt
bsky-social-agrdu-6eqfl
bsky-social-6bgjd-cfyf4
Thanks! I was successful with the third code.
Anyone who wants on Bluesky, I have codes:
bsky-social-mx47y-dpufm
bsky-social-zsuuk-klkth
bsky-social-co5jq-g44rp
bsky-social-3qhyc-j3axq
So, admittedly, I am not a social media guy at all. I was never on twitter, facebook, or any of those things. But even if it was something else, the idea that you have to have some kind of secret code (that may work or may have been used enough that it no longer works) would turn me off of anything. Take your fake exclusivity PR stuff and stick it where the sun don't shine.
Ditto. Though do get a kick out of asking kids what’s the current ‘OPN’ (old people network). Two guesses to find the two “leaders in the clubhouse.”
Comparing past Sportspersons of the Year, SI did a disservice to past winners.