Hoy snaffles the prize!

So the astonishing dominance of Team GB's cycling team carried on from the Olympics to take the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards by storm. I, and many of the people I interviewed for my vox pop, thought Lewis Hamilton had the award sewn up because of the sheer number of F1 fans. How wrong we were, and how little we knew of the countrywide army of cycling enthusiasts locked in a voting frenzy yesterday. That and the obvious regard the people of Britain hold for their Olympic heroes. Not only was Chris Hoy victorious, but the Olympic cycling team snaffled two of the other gala baubles as well.

The staging of the awards in Liverpool has been decreed a triumphant success by the local papers and a return to the Echo Arena is apparently guaranteed. However, unless through some late flowering of sporting prowess I secure a ringside seat for next time, I’ll be watching from the safety of my sofa once more.

I have to confess some disappointment at the absence of any real clangers by the presenting team. They managed a slick show even if the TV visuals were so busy that I started to feel nauseous and had to look away from the screen. Although this was an upset Hoy deserved to win the award. His achievement of winning three gold medals was incredible and the highlight of an unusually successful sporting year for Britain. Judging by his acceptance speech he is also a decent, amusing guy, and shock horror, a personality!

Image by Nick J Webb @ www.flickr.com

Out on the town!

The BBC Sports Personality of the Year takes place at Liverpool's Echo Arena on Sunday 14th December, so I asked people in the city who they thought would be successful at the awards. Videos of their responses are posted onto the attached Google map below (click on the placement flags, then the names to watch the video footage).


View Larger Map

Although Rebecca Adlington received a few votes, Lewis Hamilton must have the main event sewn up as he was picked by the majority of people I asked. That is, everyone who knew what I was talking about! Less certain was the Overseas Personality with a split in the vote between Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps. I asked who would win that award at ask500people.com:


NICE ONE, LA!

Scouse winners of the awards have been almost non-existent. Only Michael Owen is a possible candidate, but technically he's not a Scouser and won because of his England endeavours.

There have been Scouse bridesmaids: John Conteh was runner-up in 1974 and Steven Gerrard came third in 2005, his incredible heroics with Liverpool being thwarted by Andrew Flintoff (rightly) in first and Ellen MacArthur (dubiously) in second.

And, in a scene typical of some of the bizarre features on the Sports Personality of the Year, Red Rum, the horse famous for his Liverpool wins in the Grand National, was 'interviewed' on stage in 1977. It looks to me like the horsewhisperer holding Red Rum's reins in the clip has got his work cut out stopping the poor creature running amok amongst the crowd.

SUCCESSFUL TEAMS FROM MERSEYSIDE

Liverpool FC has been recognised on three occasions for the team award - in 1977 (winning the European Cup and League), 1986 (winning the Double) and 2001 (winning the FA, UEFA and League Cups).

St Helens RLFC had an annus mirabilis in 2006, winning the team award (ahead of the strongly fancied Ryder Cup team) and with Daniel Anderson winning Coach of the Year.

FUTURE PROSPECTS

The show is growing by the year, moving around the country and being held in front of huge live audiences (9,000-strong this year). Although the popularity of particular sports may rise and fall (is figure skating on its way back?) you can guarantee that the BBC will be handing out its gongs for years to come.