SPOTY 2024

[Nearly Sane]

The shortlist, though it looks like Hodgkinson from Littler with the rest nowhere in the betting.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/ce328g87g9vo

[ProfessorDavey]

The shortlist, though it looks like Hodgkinson from Littler with the rest nowhere in the betting.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/ce328g87g9vo

There is always the tension between doing well in a single year and overall career. But either way that should result in Root winning - top test run scorer in 2024 worldwide and with 6 centuries. Plus also became England's greatest ever test run scorer and century maker.

But it won't be, not because his record (both year and career) outshines any of the others ... but because he plays cricket.

[Nearly Sane]

There is always the tension between doing well in a single year and overall career. But either way that should result in Root winning - top test run scorer in 2024 worldwide and with 6 centuries. Plus also became England's greatest ever test run scorer and century maker.

But it won't be, not because his record (both year and career) outshines any of the others ... but because he plays cricket.

Cricket has had 5 winners. The only sports with more are athletics, Formula 1, football, and tennis.

[ProfessorDavey]

Cricket has had 5 winners. The only sports with more are athletics, Formula 1, football, and tennis.

Which makes cricket equal with boxing and cycling.

But you are rather confirming my point, given that of the other nominated people, two are from athletics (with a whopping 18 wins) and one is a footballer, with 7 wins.

It is also more challenging to win as a team sport member that as an individual sport - note that tennis (where britain has had a woeful record on the world stage for decades) has 7 wins compared to cricket's five.

Anyhow - what about my main point - that Root's achievements in 2024 are, at the very least, the equal of all the others as he has the best test batting record this year of all players. And also his career record is way ahead of any of the others, given that he is the top run scorer of all time for England (and likely to become the top overall in the next year or two.

[Nearly Sane]

Which makes cricket equal with boxing and cycling.

But you are rather confirming my point, given that of the other nominated people, two are from athletics (with a whopping 18 wins) and one is a footballer, with 7 wins.

It is also more challenging to win as a team sport member that as an individual sport - note that tennis (where britain has had a woeful record on the world stage for decades) has 7 wins compared to cricket's five.

Anyhow - what about my main point - that Root's achievements in 2024 are, at the very least, the equal of all the others as he has the best test batting record this year of all players. And also his career record is way ahead of any of the others, given that he is the top run scorer of all time for England (and likely to become the top overall in the next year or two.

What's wrong with being equal to cycling and boxing? And Storey's career is extraordinary.

[ProfessorDavey]

What's wrong with being equal to cycling and boxing?

Nothing, but you failed to mention this. And your failure to mention this provides the impression that cricket is stand-alone 5th in the list rather than equal 5th alongside two other sports.

Stand-alone 5th and equal 5th with two others is not the same thing.

[ProfessorDavey]

And Storey's career is extraordinary.

True - but I don't think it is easy to compare records in para-sports with non-para sports. Specifically because the talent pool is so much smaller, because most people do not have disabilities which mean they would qualify for para-olympics and there are often many, many categories even for the same basic sport. So the competition is far less. Storey has won para-olympic medals in two very distinct sports and is still able to be competitive at the age of 47. This is unheard of in non-para swimming and/or cycling.

[Nearly Sane]

Cavendish to get the Lifetime Achievement Award

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/c0475w65054o

[Nearly Sane]

Hogkinson wins

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c4gldyp77e0o

[jeremyp]

Hogkinson wins

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articles/c4gldyp77e0o

I'd never heard of her. She seems like a worthy winner though.