Sports Personality of the Year

[Wile E. Coyote]

I read a post on another forum once that suggested all the countries woes could be solved by simultaneously reforming the voting system for Government elections and television polls.

The concept as it was put was simple: every adult gets one vote per General Election cycle.  You can use your vote either for the General Election or a TV poll of some sort.  BUT NOT BOTH.

 

I quite like the idea.  But then again, I had no idea Sport's Personality of the Year was on until I turned on the TV at 10pm to watch the news only for it to take a moment to realise the beeb were instead showing what looked (at first glance) like a random trade association awards dinner.  Which I suppose, in a way, they were.

[BLiNK Motorsport]

Personality and Andy Murray shouldn't be used in the same sentence. Just my opinion of course.

 

 

I think after what he lived through as a young boy and true dedication to his chosen profession shows a real strength of character & personality - it's a shame some people don't celebrate the Country's achievers.

 

If we all had the dedication that Andy has shown we would have a much better Country to live in - just because sport is his chosen profession doesn't mean he doesn't have to work hard - in fact the top sportsmen probably sacrifice more than a huge percentage of the population. 

[Wile E. Coyote]

it's a shame some people don't celebrate the Country's achievers.

 

Personally, Fraser, I think it's a bigger shame that achievement isn't more widely recognised outside the media's narrow focus on "celebrity" industries.

 

Instead those in, for example, science and business get overlooked for being insufficiently interesting or vilified if they happen to also make a few quid (although it's seemingly OK for sportsmen to do this) whilst providing jobs for thousands - unless of course they decide to take to the TV themselves and succumb, at least in part, to the cult of celebrity.

[jeff oakley]

Personally, Fraser, I think it's a bigger shame that achievement isn't more widely recognised outside the media's narrow focus on "celebrity" industries.

 

Instead those in, for example, science and business get overlooked for being insufficiently interesting or vilified if they happen to also make a few quid (although it's seemingly OK for sportsmen to do this) whilst providing jobs for thousands - unless of course they decide to take to the TV themselves and succumb, at least in part, to the cult of celebrity.

 

Totally agree. I do accept he has suceeded where others have failed but why should we then bestow an honour. There are many many people who do extraordinary things in their lives which benifit others in ways the vacuos celebrities cannot imagine and yet they get nothing. Their face has to fit, they have to be seen as extrovert to get in the media, where it appears people form opinions of worth.

I want to clebrate people who do things without the "whats in it for me" for others. There is a guy local to me who runs marathons, he is an older guy and has raised hundreds of thousands for charity and yet when he was nominated to do a leg with the olympic torch, he was turned down yet some local dimwit off the TV was. We need to clebrate those who achive something that is not forgotten in a heartbeat.

[stephenh]

I think after what he lived through as a young boy and true dedication to his chosen profession shows a real strength of character & personality - it's a shame some people don't celebrate the Country's achievers.

 

If we all had the dedication that Andy has shown we would have a much better Country to live in - just because sport is his chosen profession doesn't mean he doesn't have to work hard - in fact the top sportsmen probably sacrifice more than a huge percentage of the population. 

Agreed, Fraser. Well put.

[Norman Verona]

Jeff, of course you're right about the unsung heroes. There were two honored on Sunday night.

 

However don't underestimate the feel good factor when our sports people achieve. Wilson won an election on the back of our world cup win. People feel good when, say, Mo Farrer runs his fantastic wins. Happy people work better and harder than miserable ones.

 

In the scheme of things our relatively small nation punches well above its weight.

 

I'm pretty sure most of our top sports people didn't take up their sport purely for financial gain. They are passionate about their chosen sport and the rewards are a by product which come later.

 

Finally I get a bit uncomfortable when people criticise sports men and women for the amount of money they earn. They haven't held a gun to someones head to get what they earn. For example, billions of people watch Manchester United play football each week. The revenues are measured in hundreds of millions each week. Surely the players who make this possible are entitled to a reward commensurate with the total revenues.

 

I don't see many folk making the same comments about the very highly paid Hollywood stars who work less than the footballers and don't have to train anywhere near as hard.

[Terryathome]

Lets not all forget that hugh ammounts of money are the driving force behind some people and the dedication that it takes to get to the top yet some get nothing and still do it.

 

Andy Murray could always put his winnings to charity, but something tells me he won't cos I can't see him filling shelves in ASDA. Now that would be worth an award.

 

Terry

[BLiNK Motorsport]

Lets not all forget that hugh ammounts of money are the driving force behind some people and the dedication that it takes to get to the top yet some get nothing and still do it.

 

Andy Murray could always put his winnings to charity, but something tells me he won't cos I can't see him filling shelves in ASDA. Now that would be worth an award.

 

Terry

 

Andy Murray gave his Wimbledon Winnings to Charity as he has done with numerous other prize money.

 

 

[Norman Verona]

And the English football teams salaries go into a charitable trust and have done for a number of years now.

[M444TTB]

Hands up who would give away their salary and to work as a shelf stacker?! Thought not!

[Onliest Smeg David]

Andy Murray gave his Wimbledon Winnings to Charity as he has done with numerous other prize money.

And he does a lot for his 'local' community and old school in Dunblane. He was at the school when the atrocity occurred.

[jeff oakley]

Jeff, of course you're right about the unsung heroes. There were two honored on Sunday night.

 

However don't underestimate the feel good factor when our sports people achieve. Wilson won an election on the back of our world cup win. People feel good when, say, Mo Farrer runs his fantastic wins. Happy people work better and harder than miserable ones.

 

In the scheme of things our relatively small nation punches well above its weight.

 

I'm pretty sure most of our top sports people didn't take up their sport purely for financial gain. They are passionate about their chosen sport and the rewards are a by product which come later.

 

Finally I get a bit uncomfortable when people criticise sports men and women for the amount of money they earn. They haven't held a gun to someones head to get what they earn. For example, billions of people watch Manchester United play football each week. The revenues are measured in hundreds of millions each week. Surely the players who make this possible are entitled to a reward commensurate with the total revenues.

 

I don't see many folk making the same comments about the very highly paid Hollywood stars who work less than the footballers and don't have to train anywhere near as hard.

 

I understand where were are now, it is not the money they earn as they are paid what people are prepared to pay them, which is insane, but that is how it is. I agree the hollywood stars are also overpaid as are many of the TV personalities we have. So long as those who live here pay tax here I have no issue with what they are paid so long as it is not out of the public purse.

I just think it is sad that the public are now so shallow as to depend on sport to make us feel good. There are so many thing that are much more worthy to shout about and be proud of as a nation, the woman who stepped in to try to save Lee Rigby and at least not have him die alone for example, but they do not get a look in against the media creating the celebrity culture. Young people did not use to see a career in sport or being on TV as a good choice long term, now too many see it as the only way forward.

My origanal post was not about the individual, indeed as others have said he has done some good things with his money, mine was about the cost of the event when a 95 year old lady was without an amublance for several hours as there is no money for one. The priorities of our society is somehow wrong for me, but I am one of a few it would appear so perhaps I am in the wrong.

[Norman Verona]

Jeff, I think the tale of the elderly lady is immoral. The amount of money we as a nation spend on killing people in other countries seems to come before looking after our own subjects in this country.

 

There's a daytime programme on about the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. They were dealing with someone because the ambulance would take 20 minutes to get there. 

 

I know it's slightly off topic but I'm uneasy about the Air Ambulances being charities and Help for Heroes just shouts from the tree tops about the stuff the British Legion has done for nearly a century. Help for Heroes goes some way to reduce the governments obligations for our injured servicemen and women.

 

Road ambulances are funded from taxation why not the air ambulances?

 

I have no problem with charities that provide a service that adds to public services, like a cherry on the top. But it seems to me that too many first line services are being left to charities.

[Doug Dastardly]

Along the same lines there are a lot of collections for schools and hospital wards these days, which I don't feel entirely happy to support. I always think the more the public support them, the more it lets the administrators / government off the hook.

 

Anyway we digress...

[Terryathome]

Murray did not give his winnings from Wimbledon to charity.

 

£1.6 million, no chance

 

Terry