Yes, it’s that time of year, although I admit I am a little early this year - usually I wait until after the World Series. Anyway, it’s time to discuss Sports Illustrated’s 2016 Sportsman of the Year.
In June, I thought, “If the Warriors win the title, Stephen Curry probably gets it (unless the Cubs win the World Series) for both back-to-back titles and setting the NBA regular season wins record” - then LeBron led the Cavs back from 3-1 in the finals.
In August, it was, “More USA women than men won Olympic gold medals, so it’ll probably go to the USA Olympic Team Women, represented by Simone Biles and either Katie Ledecky or Simone Manuel (“Why Simone Manuel?” “Because Dorothy Dandridge (And Acid In The Pool) That’s Why”) - unless the Cubs win the World Series.”
Now, not only are the Cubs in the World Series, but so is Cleveland.
If the Cubs win the World Series, the Cubs as a team probably win it, the way the Red Sox won when Boston won the World Series in 2004.
If Cleveland does, I can see four possibilities, in what I think is the order of likelihood:
Somebody from the Indians, and LeBron James (probably with Drew Carey squeezed onto the cover somewhere), representing “The Year of Cleveland.” The only problem I could see with this is, LeBron won it four years ago, and SI doesn’t like giving it to the same person twice; Tiger Woods won it for the second time in 2000, but that was because that’s when he completed his “Tiger Slam.”
Just somebody from the Indians.
Both the Indians and Cubs (the way Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa both won one year) - the Indians for their first World Series since 1947, and the Cubs for their first pennant since 1945. The problem with this is, SI might want to save giving it to the Cubs for when they win the World Series.
Assuming Clinton wins the election (and, almost certainly, is named Time’s Person of the Year as a result), SI decides to give it to the Olympic women after all.
Tiger won his career Slam in 2000, but did not complete the “Tiger Slam” until April 2001, when he won the Masters (after winning the 2000 US Open, 2000 Open Championship, and 2000 PGA).
Vijay Singh won the 2000 Masters.
/minor nitpick
Serena won the SotY last year, doubtful if SI goes with two women in a row.
My gripe with this award is that SI has cheapened it by awarding to an entire team instead of an individual. Time did the same thing by weaseling out of its “Man/Person of the Year” Award decades ago.
I cant think of a better sports story in the past 20 years than LeBron coming back to Cleveland and winning them an NBA title.
I think it should be LeBron unless maybe Kris Bryant single-handedly wins the WS for the Cubs.
If the Cubs do win, I think SI will award the whole team, like Boston in '04.
There are good cases to be made for a lot of sportsmen and women, especially with it being a year of summer Olympics. I could see Simone Biles being awarded and she would be deserving.
They did that just two years ago, with Madison Bumgarner in 2014.
I would have to agree Theo Epstein would be an excellent pick, there being no other obvious American choice. There is precedent for coaches and managers winning the award. The best pick would - obviously, to my mind - be Usain Bolt, but SI doesn’t pick athletes outside the USA if they can possibly help it. The last few times they picked a non-American were group wins; the last non-American to win the award by himself was Wayne Gretzky in 1982, and Gretzky basically has to break his sport to do it.
LeBron James would be an okay choice but he just won it four years ago.
Is this award about actual achievement in sports, or is it more like, “Someone-sports-related-who-made-a-lot-of-noise-this-year-that-we-decided-to-honor-to-sell-magazines”?
If it’s the latter, I don’t see how Colin Kaepernick doesn’t win.
SI’s description of the award is: “the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement.” Under that criterion, it’d seem pretty unlikely that Kaepernick would be considered – not to mention the fact that Kaepernick is, to say the least, highly polarizing, and SI’s goal with the award is to sell more magazines.
(OTOH, Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” award overtly states, “for better or for worse…has done the most to influence the events of the year,” which is how Adolf Hitler and Ayatollah Khomeini received the award.)
Honoring Colin Kaepernick with the idea that you’ll sell more magazines does not compute. Not saying I feel one way or the other about his protest, just that I’m sick of hearing about him.
I agree (on both points), and I should have included him with Simone Biles as the #5 possibility. However, based on past winners, there’s pretty much no way he wins it by himself, for one simple reason; he runs for “somewhere besides USA.” Athletes outside of the four major pro sports that aren’t from (or represent) the USA very rarely win this, and even when they do, almost always it’s along with someone from the USA (e.g. 1994 - Johann-Olav Koss and Bonnie Blair). Yes, Roger Bannister won it by himself, but that was, what, 60 years ago?
I’m pretty sure it’s a combination of the two, although not so much “someone who made a lot of noise.” It’s usually not someone “just for being newsworthy,” although I’m pretty sure Arthur Ashe got it when he did just for announcing that he had AIDS. However, when this happens, it’s also when there wasn’t a standout athlete or event that season. Besides, if “how many magazines do we sell” is a major factor, then SI has to be aware of a possible backlash if they choose Kaepernick.
I’m sure they’d sell quite a few to people who just want to burn it, but given the provided parameters for receiving the award, this probably isn’t Kaepernick’s to win (he’s just not a good QB and hasn’t done shit since the Harbowl season).
No one is canceling their cable because ESPN honored Bruce Jenner. People will cancel SI subscriptions if the Sportsman of the Year is Kaepernick. Plus, he’s been an awful football player this season.
Does it? Or does one particular Cub (maybe two) get it, in which case, who?
I also wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being both the Cubs and LeBron, representing “The Comeback Kids” (both won three straight must-win games, the last two of which were on the road).