Sports Personality

Well last night was the annual BBC Sports Personality of the year award. This annual event is usually somewhere between boring and awful. Sportsmen trying to be funny - it's just painful (and yes John Parrot that includes you, laughing at your own 'jokes' does not mean you are funny!). Last night the event was further hampered by the fact British sport is in such a piss poor state, and the fact that they now run the vote by phone in on the night.

On the shortlist of sporting excellence was;

Jenson Button - his 'achievement', to win the first Grand Prix of his career, yep - not win the title, just one race.

Monty Panesar - Don't get me started on Cricket again. What have we achieved in Cricket lately. Maybe a special award for best of a poor team...

Phil Taylor - Has been at the top of his game (darts in case you didn't know) for nearly 20 years, and as soon as they introduce a BBC GAME personality of the year, I'll be the first to vote for him.

Andy Murray - Now British number one tennis player, err congratulations, that's quite an achievement with all the competition. According to the blurb he also reached the fourth round at Wimbledon and the US Open and helped us beat the great sporting nation Ukraine in the Davis Cup. I'm guessing he left the event early last night after getting tired halfway in. I am losing the will to live just writing this.

I could go on, but I'm just depressing myself. This indeed is currently the state of British sport. I hope to God no other countries hear about this Sports Personality of the Year award. The BBC flaunt it like something to be proud of, is it just me that's embarrassed.

All is not lost though, as we do have some winners to celebrate. Joe Calzaghe for instance, the longest reigning world champion boxer who, with 42 victories in 42 fights this year inflicted a World title defeat on the favourite unbeaten American Jeff Lacy.


But did Calzaghe win? No. Did he stand a chance? According to the bookies who had him at 40-1, no! , last night the winner was......... Zara Phillips. Now Zara has actually achieved sporting success and deserved to be shortlisted, but in my opinion didn't deserve to win. This is the problem with the phone and text in system. Middle England (especially the 40Yr old+ females out there) love the Royal Family. It's a wonder Prince Phillip hasn't been nominated for "Spear Chucking" yet. And to think, there is talk of introducing Phone and Text voting in General Elections here. God help us. Maybe if Calzaghe appeared in Panto dressed as a woman and put on a silly voice then he might stand a chance of winning. Unfortunately he's too busy training, working hard and winning.

All in all I think Joe Calzaghe summed up the awards perfectly when commenting about never being on the shortlist before;

Does it bother me that I've not been put up? Of course not. At the end of the day, maybe it's because I'm a winner.