Just been discussing this in the pub.

They are enormously spoilt for choice this year.

I'm wondering if it will come down to "personality" given that there are so many who have achieved everything they could?

Wiggo!

But too many great people this year - I could give them all it

Murray the sulk - olympic gold and us open, first mens major at tennis for decades....

Wiggins gets my vote.

As long as it's not Murray I don't mind who gets it. Great sporting achievement but the guy has no personality.

If it's done by public vote then I reckon it'll be Farah or Ennis.

I'm backing Wiggins too, the TDF crown alone would have been enough but to then go on to win an Olympic gold. Phenomenal.

It has to be Bradley Wiggins, and I'll have a vote that way.

I'd sooner spend an evening with Jess Ennis though

Team of the year has to be the Ryder Cup team for their amazing comeback from 8-4 down......

Overseas personality must be Kim-Jung-un for shooting 14 holes-in-one in a round of golf

I understand that Wiggo has more than twice the votes Jess Ennis has. Expect a slightly-mellowed speech still with dry humour toppings and a little different to the nom.
Hopefully this will coincide with the live voting during SPOTY ...

I was thinking Wiggins, Murray, Farah, but Murray has the Wimbledon albatross weighing on him.
Couldn't choose and still can't.

does personality even come into it though? I don't think so. In theory it should be possible to win this based on your personality not your achievements. That's not how it works though is it? They should really rename the ceremony IMO

It is a good question.
Here are the last few years (not sure if it helps).
Maybe Andrew Flintoff won on personality?

2005 Andrew Flintoff
2006 Zara Phillips
2007 Joe Calzaghe (Lewis Hamilton Second)
2008 Chris Hoy (Lewis Hamilton Second)
2009 Ryan Giggs (Jenson Button Second)(Jessica Ennis Third)
2010 Tony McCoy (Jockey) (Jessica Ennis Third)
2011 Mark Cavendish (Mo Farah Third)

One more thought for the team of the year - the England ladies cricket team. Best in the world!

Ladbrokes are pretty sure it will be Brad. In fact they paid out on it in August.

http://news.ladbrokes.com/en-gb/olympics...ted_112234.html

But this was before Mo Farah got everyone going !!!

He's cemented SPOTY now stating that he wants to defend the TDF as well as win the Giro, and stuff the Rhodo Odo

[IMG]http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll270/robshed/odo_zps525ba502.jpg[/IMG]

My money is on John Terry

^ I heard he was retiring, apparently he wants to spend more time with other peoples families….

Can not even watch this syncophantic garbage. Never even seen a full programme in all my 58 years, (fortunately), its just like watching an evening with ? Where the camera is more interested in the audience than the subject

I make you right Robotrish !

And Ladbrokes breath a sigh of relief

Thought the decision to make it possible to award the team of the year to the combined entire olympics and paralympics squad was dire.

Smacked of desperation to avoid any risk of Sky winning.

From the SPOTY rules, available here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/sports-personality/19997397

"TEAM OF THE YEAR

For the avoidance of doubt this criteria excludes Team GB/Paralympics GB but includes the likes of British Cycling, Rowing Coxless Four and the European Ryder Cup team."

Dreadful decision to ignore their own rules. It may be just coincidence that it was the event Auntie had coverage of, but it looks rum to me.

I hear what you say about Ben Ainsle but dinghy sailing isn't exactly a mass participation sport - even on an island like ours.

Wiggo has been fab as a winner - very humble.

Did anybody think that Murray was a little ungracious in grabbing the trophy?

No i thought it was pretty humourous to be honest, nice to see that side of him.

I thought, as normal, it was a brilliant tribute to so many great achievements and 2012 has undoubtedly been the best for a large combination of sports ever seen. We'll probably never see the likes of that again, especially given the olympics/Para-olympics were such a stunning success. Although it's unfashionable in some quarters, i felt then, and i feel now, very proud of what this small nation achieves - long may it last

Agreed

On a different tack (small pun ), it annoys me when people spout the same old stuff about having no personality. He has a very dry sense of humour on camera, but he is a well liked person on the tour. Make no mistake, he's a funny guy off camera. He just hates the limelight.

I thought Victoria Pendleton scrubbed up quite nicely

And how exactly are we supposed to know this when all we see is a miserable teenageron camera? Ergo, the only opinion that can be formed (without insider knowledge) is that he's a miserable git.

I'm not saying he should be bothered by this or change. If he's shy, he's shy. And if he's miserable, then that's fine too.

But sports personality, for me at least, should go to someone with outstanding sporting achievement as well being a generally likeable character and an inspiration to many.

I also thought team of the year was a cop out TBH. One of the sub-divisions of the Olympic or Paralympic teams (cycling/gymnastics) would have been fine. My vote would have been the Ryder Cup team for an exceptional comeback.

Just for the record, I wasn't too bothered by Murray but my folks were incensed. That said, I think there's a massive difference between him and Wiggo.

Can someone point me towards where it says anything about "personality" ( in the common sense) in the rules of SPOTY...

My understanding is that, in this sense, it just means sports person or sports figure as in


per·son·al·i·ty
/ˌpərsəˈnalitē/
Noun
The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character.
Qualities that make someone interesting or popular.
Synonyms
character - individuality - personage - person - figure

If you watched enough tennis, you'd find out... All I try and do is set the record straight

He doesn't give a sh!t to be honest, which I find so refreshing.

And as sports personality, I couldn't agree more; he doesn't cut it.

and Jess

and the Duchess (what a dress!!)

Wait to see what Marco wears to the next AGM ...

It it wasn't for the Olympics, Murray would have won. My view is Pendleton was second because she's fit and Wiggo won because he performed amazing sporting feats AND is funny.

Your post is the reason why I don't watch reality TV. The rules are irrelevant. Cry and you win, being good doesn't matter.