Monday, January 01, 2007
Sportsman of the Year
I have been a subscriber to Sports Illustrated for over 30 years, and I have never been more disappointed in their selection of the 2006 Sportsman of the Year.
Some years, SI picks athletes who have had career defining years. Other years, SI celebrated career achievements. Every so often, SI has acknowledged athletes whose actions away from competition had a dramatic impact on the world.
This year, SI named Dwayne Wade. By all accounts, Wade is a good guy, and he is one of the best players in the NBA, but he is undeserving using any of the traditional criteria.
Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, and LaDainian Tomlinson all had better years in their sports than Wade. But I really thought Joey Cheek would be SI's honoree this year. Cheek's donation of his $40,000 bonus for two medals were the defining moment of the Winter Olympics.
It bugs me that SI honored Wade. So many athletes were more deserving, and the NBA barely qualifies as a sport anyway.
Some years, SI picks athletes who have had career defining years. Other years, SI celebrated career achievements. Every so often, SI has acknowledged athletes whose actions away from competition had a dramatic impact on the world.
This year, SI named Dwayne Wade. By all accounts, Wade is a good guy, and he is one of the best players in the NBA, but he is undeserving using any of the traditional criteria.
Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, and LaDainian Tomlinson all had better years in their sports than Wade. But I really thought Joey Cheek would be SI's honoree this year. Cheek's donation of his $40,000 bonus for two medals were the defining moment of the Winter Olympics.
It bugs me that SI honored Wade. So many athletes were more deserving, and the NBA barely qualifies as a sport anyway.
