That seems like a fair and reasonable answer. But is it really “fair” to name a guy who isn’t on the field (or in the dugout) sportsman of the year?
Administrator certainly, strategist okay, but sportsman?
He’s a MAN within the realm of SPORTS ain’t he?
Pretty sure Pete Rozelle, NFL commissioner, won it once. Not to mention several coaches–Pat Summitt and Coach K at Duke were a recent pairing. So there’s certainly precedent.
I had meant to include coaches in the group that is “on the field.” I’m sorry if I phrased that such that it wasn’t clear. My bad.
But really, extending it to people like commissioners, owners etc. seems to me a little too generous. By that logic then members of the athletic commissions or sports reporters ought to be in the running as well.
If that is the criteria that SI sets up then that’s cool, it’s their circus, but to me that seems a bit watered down.
I dunno, it seems a bit strange to me, as it did in 2004, to award it to a team for winning a championship because totally different guys choked away the NLCS in 1984. That is, after all, kind of what’s happening; the performance of the 2016 Cubs is being compared to totally different players who failed in 1984, or 1969, or 2003, or 1945, etc. etc. An MLB team in Chicago won the World Series just eleven years ago, so it’s not even like the city has waited long.
If the Cubs had done things no team had done before - like if they’d gone 124-38 or something insane - I’d be more inclined to say they might be an okay choice. But if we must recognize this, Theo Epstein is a much better pick. Allow me briefly explain why I think that.
In 20-30-40 years, the fact the Cubs won the World Series in 2016 will be of interest largely to people in Chicago, even among baseball fans. Like the 2004 World Series, the hype about ending a drought might seem kind of overblown if the Cubs win another World Series or two, and anyway some other team will be working on a really long drought. The occasional end of long droughts is an inevitable part of having a baseball league with 30 teams.
Conversely, Theo Epstein is personally symbolic not just of the end of two droughts, but of a change in the way Major League Baseball and all professional sports is thought about, managed, and organized. Epstein is personally representative , and the greatest success story of, the movement of sports management from anecdotes and feeling to truly measured, evidence-based performance management. In time, people will remember Theo Epstein, Billy Beane and Bill James as important figures in baseball history. They will have changed sports.
Having said all that, I still think it should be Usain Bolt, though SI will not give it to a non-America.
I rather like Katie Ledecky for the title. Broke her own record in qualifiers, then broke it again for the final in the Olympics. Very impressive.
It also has the advantage of being an individual sport (relays aside). When it’s a team sport it’s hard to single out one player. LeBron I could see, but then LeBron couldn’t do much with the Heat so it’s not like he’s enough to carry the team himself (although Basketball being much smaller teams, I would be ok with that).
Even Bigger problem with Football. Give it to Peyton Manning for winning the superbowl? He was a good QB, sure, but he won because he had a great team with him.
Cubs have already been discussed. I would lean against them for the same reasons cited above.
I hate to highjack, but what? Two MVPs and two championships in four years with the Heat isn’t doing much? Just take a look at the Cavs record in those years and their record the past two years.
I previously said I thought it would be LeBron unless the Cubs won the WS. Well, they did. Now I have no idea. I could live with Theo.
The absolute worst idea would be some sort of joint Cavs/Cubs award. Especially if they did two separate covers, one mostly Cleveland and one mostly Cubs. Still, it would certainly fill their goal to sell a large number of hard copy mags, as well as numerous framed editions.
Well damn, I think you just cracked the code and ruined it for everyone.
I don’t see that happening. Had the Indians won, yes - it wouldn’t be the first time (Willie Stargell & Terry Bradshaw shared in 1979) - but not different sports and different cities.
Here are the finalists:
http://www.si.com/sportsperson/2016/11/21/sports-illustrated-2016-sportsperson-contenders-reader-poll
Michael Phelps
Chicago Cubs
Simone Biles
Usain Bolt
LeBron James
Breanna Stewart
Katie Ledecky
Vin Scully
Steph Curry
Leicester City
Jimmie Johnson
Von Miller
It’ll be the Cubs, with perhaps Vin Scully as a dark horse.
It’ll be the Cubs with Leicester City as a dark horse IMO.
Would love it if it was Vinny though.
It’s LeBron. Meh.
Unless somebody throws back-to-back perfect games, I don’t think we need to wait until December to figure out who it’s going to be in 2017…
I don’t think Brady is a shoo in. SI went with the boring choice of Lebron last year. Somehow I’m thinking there’s some immigrant or refugee aspect to the 2017 winner if that continues to be a hot button issue throughout 2017