# 2015 Sportsman of the Year **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 2, 2015, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420 "2015-11-02T14:57:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![piepiepie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@piepiepie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piepiepie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/41 "2015-12-14T14:50:15Z")
[Aaaand it’s Serena Williams!](http://www.si.com/sportsperson/2015/12/14/why-serena-williams-is-sportsperson-of-theyear) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/42 "2015-12-14T15:36:48Z")
Sex sells, but that cover photo makes Williams look like a prostitute. Spiked heels , really? Why not show her in tennis clothing or business dress? ---
**Author:** ![piepiepie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@piepiepie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piepiepie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/43 "2015-12-14T15:41:44Z")
A prostitute? Seriously? A domme, maybe. She looks sexy and confident while showing off her amazing legs. I like the cover. Sure she could be doing something tennis-y, but she doesn’t look like a prostitute. She’s sitting on a throne. If anything, she looks like a queen. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/44 "2015-12-14T19:06:12Z")
That is a terrible picture for the cover of a sports magazine and even worse given that they are touting Miss Williams as the “Sportsman of the Year”; it would be more suitable if they were naming her “Most Madonna-like in Her Willingness to Use Sexuality for the Sake of Commerce Person of the Year” or something. Use of that photo seems demeaning to me. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/45 "2015-12-14T19:30:13Z")
Right choice, IMHO. It’s a dreadful cover. When they picked Madison Bumgarner last year the cover was interesting but he was wearing a baseball uniform because he’s you know, a baseball player. I don’t agree that she looks like a prostitute; it more makes her look like an actress or a singer, as that sort of photo is typical of such occupations’ promo shoots. She agreed to do it, so oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/46 "2015-12-14T19:35:59Z")
The AP just posted [this story](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TEN_SPORTS_ILLUSTRATED_SERENA_WILLIAMS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-12-14-11-57-19) to their front page and mentions that > [@](#): > > The cover photo of Williams - in high heels, sitting on a throne - was “her idea, intended … to express her own ideal of femininity, strength, power,” managing editor Christian Stone wrote on [SI.com](http://SI.com). I still think it was a terrible decision, but its fair to point out that decision appears to have been Miss Williams’. ---
**Author:** ![piepiepie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@piepiepie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piepiepie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/47 "2015-12-14T19:58:08Z")
The more pushback I see, the more I love it. I’ve had [this song](https://youtu.be/IyuUWOnS9BY) stuck in my head ever since I saw the cover this morning. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/48 "2015-12-14T20:49:13Z")
Wrong choice, IMHO. As someone put it on Twitter, why give it to an athlete that almost won a Grand Slam when they could have given it to an athlete who DID win a Grand Slam? (American Pharoah) In their justification for giving it to Serena, they mention several things that didn’t happen in 2015. Great, then rename the damn award! That’s exactly why the award is Sportsman of the YEAR. In closing, I’ll just mention that American Pharoah got 278,824 votes on the fan poll, while Serena got… 5520. In fact, she finished next to last in that poll. ---
**Author:** ![piepiepie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@piepiepie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piepiepie)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/49 "2015-12-14T23:41:05Z")
I dunno, [still feels like the right choice to me](http://deadspin.com/the-horse-people-are-mad-online-1747897342). ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/50 "2015-12-15T00:37:07Z")
I did not know that horses were now “persons.” When will it all end? Would’ve chosen the Royals (did I say this already in this thread?). But Williams seems like a very good choice. Glad it was given to a human being, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/51 "2015-12-15T01:34:58Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > That is a terrible picture for the cover of a sports magazine Er, we all remember we _ **are** _ taking about _Sports Illustrated_, aren’t we? Had I been an editor-in-charge with creative control I would not have gone for the all the way glammed-up image but if she likes it she likes it. And really, “looks like a prostitute”??? Oh please. Seems she was going for a sorta Beyoncé-ish look. Get with the times, fellows. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/52 "2015-12-15T04:18:26Z")
Stupid cover. But she was one of several perfectly okay possible selections, so I have no objection. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/53 "2015-12-15T04:26:51Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > Wrong choice, IMHO. > > As someone put it on Twitter, why give it to an athlete that almost won a Grand Slam when they could have given it to an athlete who DID win a Grand Slam? (American Pharoah) Because it’s a damn horse, not a real athlete. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/54 "2015-12-15T06:42:14Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Because it’s a damn horse, not a real athlete. I respectfully disagree. Horses can be - and are - athletes. So are the Iditarod dogs. If you object because horses aren’t human, fine. But to say they aren’t real athletes is silly; they run races that are absolutely athletic, in every single way. I don’t think we’ll ever agree on this issue, so that’s the last I will say on the subject. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/55 "2015-12-15T14:38:25Z")
Not a real athlete?! I can’t understand how one concludes that those animals are not athletes. They compete just like any other athlete. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/56 "2015-12-15T19:10:15Z")
Look, if it were my call, I’d have given the honor to Steph Curry or Jordan Spieth. American Pharoah would have been a fine choice too. But you know, in MOST years, there are several sports figures who’d be fine choices, just as there are usually several movies that are worthy of the Oscar. Serena Williams had a fantastic year, and has had a brilliant career. She’s a perfectly deserving choice. There’s no reason to be outraged by her selection (nor would there have been any reason for outrage if someone else had won). ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/57 "2015-12-15T19:26:26Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > The AP just posted [this story](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TEN_SPORTS_ILLUSTRATED_SERENA_WILLIAMS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-12-14-11-57-19) to their front page and mentions that > I still think it was a terrible decision, but its fair to point out that decision appears to have been Miss Williams’. Which anybody would have known if they read the linked article… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/58 "2015-12-15T19:31:20Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Not a real athlete?! I can’t understand how one concludes that those animals are not athletes. They compete just like any other athlete. It’s obviously subjective, but I would define an athlete as being a person who engages in contests of physical skill. Horses are not people. They’re animals. American Pharoah doesn’t even know what he’d be getting the award for, or that an “award” is a thing, and at this point probably doesn’t even remember being in any of the races, because he’s a horse. Giving American Pharoah the “Sportsperson of the Year” award would be like giving it to Michael Schumacher’s car. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/59 "2015-12-15T19:31:59Z")
He is a horse, no. As much as some may want them to be, horses aren’t people. My argument against Serena is that she dominated a weak field. That wasn’t always the case, but it was this year. If you want to call it a lifetime achievement award, I’m okay with it. Even if you don’t, I’m not that mad. It would be nice, However, if they looked outside their own backyard and endeavored to teach the readership a little something. Maybe give the award to Daniela Ryf who had one of the great long course triathlon seasons ever. There are other options, of course. I don’t have tons invested in this award, but it seems like an opportunity missed. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420/60 "2015-12-15T19:47:57Z")
By the way, I have no problem with Serena as the choice this year. I would have chosen American Pharoah, but Serena’s deserving. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2015-sportsman-of-the-year/736420.md?page=4)