Ryan Giggs? You sure...?

Anybody who endured the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year yawn-fest will be waking up on their sofas Monday with that nagging "the weird thing is, just before I nodded off I thought they said Ryan Giggs had won" feeling.

I was similarly incredulous, not least of all as I'd identified - writing on another blog last week - the Manchester United star as little more than the glaring makeweight on the list. An almost too late acknowledgement of little more than a long career with a successful team where at least 10 team mates must also share the credit for an utter capitulation against Barcelona in their most testing encounter of last season.

Ah, but maybe he won for his Personality... after all, the award is for Sports Personality. So let's hear from the man himself:

"I used to leave training and be able to go out shopping... but not now... These days I go home, put my feet up and sit on the settee watching TV or DVDs. My life is boring, boring, boring."

Or maybe not.

Of course these things are all subjective but something which deserves explanation is the BBC and its expert panel ignoring Northern Ireland's Tony McCoy, the most successful national hunt jockey of all time who this year rode an unprecedented 3,000th winner. Is it prejudice against McCoy, or just the sport he chooses to excel at?

The facts don't lie and surely should be better reflected in the BBC's coverage.

 

According to Deloitte, horse racing contributes somewhere in the region of £3.7bn to the UK economy, including £325m in taxes, placing it second on financial grounds as well as audience figures. And no prizes for guessing that it is only football that beats it on either list. Certainly not cricket, cycling, diving, gymnastics or any other sport, bar football, that the public were left to pick from in choosing the winner of the BBC gong.

 

(A version of this post first appeared here on 4 December.)

Comments

[James Crawford]

Ryan Giggs 11
Steve Gerrard 0
Fabregas 0

Arise Sir Ryan.

[Steven P.]

What's that James, the number of caps Giggs has won for Wales in his glittering international career?

Low blow I know, and I'd never argue Giggs isn't a great player or model pro but sports personality of the year? I suspect he was as embarrassed as everybody else, bar the United fans who voted him into first place.

Not sure why you compare him to Gerrard or Fabregas though as neither were up for the award, though both will be competing on the biggest stage at next summer's World Cup, a testing ground Giggs will never be exposed to, so we'll never know whether he was a just a decent Premiership player or actually a world beater.

Comparing him only to other footballers makes last night's botched ceremony feel even more like a player of the year award, rather than a cross sport accolade.

[ni]

Just because he hasn't played in the world cup, doesn't mean he is just 'decent', he has easily been more than just 'decent'. George Best didn't play in a World Cup but he certainly was more than decent. A article full of sour grapes, illustrated by the comical inept logic behind it. Giggs put in a top performance against Brazil in one of his last games for Wales, with a few of Brazilians saying that he wouldn't have looked out of place playing for Brazil. Gerrard is a player who has rarely looked good at international level but everyone knows he is a very good player or are you going to say he is just 'decent' just because he hasn't done well on the international stage? Lionel Messi hasn't played well for Argentina so far in his career but everyone knows what a top player he is....but i guess your going to say he is just 'decent'. Enjoy the sour grapes

[Steven P.]

Er, Ni - didn't I say: "I'd never argue Giggs isn't a great player" but there have to be question marks about whether he's proven himself in the greatest company over the past year (the period the judging is based on).

Furthermore, I also said Sports Personality of The Year is not about comparing footballers against one another, but you seem stuck on comparing him with Gerrard. Gerrard wasn't nominated - so why compare Giggs with him? You're falling in the same trap as James. And it's hugely arrogant of football fans to forget other sports exist.

My point was merely that over the past season there is no one achievement, no moment of undeniable world class brilliance that makes Giggs' case for him. He's been an outstanding player in the Premiership, played his part in United's European failure against Barcelona and as one of the better individuals - but not necessarily the best - in a team sport it's almost impossible to make a case for Giggs being the outstanding British sporting star of the past year.

Bearing in mind Capello's award though and some double standards are clearly apparent in the judging criteria about the importance of reaching a World Cup and competing on the biggest stage. I don't think a friendly against Brazil really counts.

I imagine you're just sticking up for Giggs because you're a fan, and that's great - all credit to you for your loyalty. But that's also the reason they phone vote was so flawed.

I've not heard a single credible defence of Giggs winning the award.