SPOTY 2012: Who Will Win It?

by Dugald Skene

Who will win Sports Personality of the Year 2012?

This year, it's a tantalising choice and given my correct prediction of Mark Cavendish last year, I have a record to keep intact.

Firstly, it's important to acknowledge that in an iconic year for UK sport, the standard has been raised across the board, with all but one of the nominees (Rory McIlroy) taking part in the Olympics and succeeding in at least one aspect.

So it's with this in mind that in a historical year for UK sport, only a truly historic achievement should merit the award. This, for me, boils it down to two candidates.

I am not trying to downplay the achievements of any of the nominees. Winning one, two or even more Olympic medals is simply phenomenal and will see their names rightfully entered into the annals of triumphant sporting history. But for Bradley Wiggins and Andy Murray, they not only achieved that Olympic success, but did something that no Brit has done in either 7 decades or ever.

Ironically, of the 12 nominees, these two have perhaps the least publicly perceived 'personality' of the lot. Both quiet men, they look as uncomfortable in front of a camera as each other, but equally and clearly passionate about what they do, even if they can't convey particularly well through a TV set.

Take Andy Murray. For years he has been the 'almost but not quite' guy - the Colin Montgomerie of tennis. One member of the greatest quartet of players to be playing the game in the same era, until this summer he was the only one of the four never to have won a Grand Slam. 3 finals had been and gone and Murray was being tagged with the frustrating and frankly patronising labels assigned to not just losers, but British sporting losers - 'brave' and 'courageous'.  It was never 'winner' or 'heroic'.
 

Andy Murray winning the US Open

His success at the US Open this year not only merits recognition because he is the first British male in 76 years to win a major singles title, but because he has never stopped trying. Like all the very best sportsmen and women, he has a never say die attitude and has never openly doubted himself and his abilities while others around him and in the media may have. In a sport that relies so heavily on psychology as well as the fine combination of endurance and technical ability, Andy Murray has proved himself to be one of the greatest sportsman of his generation this country has produced.

Similarly, Bradley Wiggins' achievements in winning this years Tour de France have been borne out of disappointment in previous years. In 2011, he was tipped for the top before a crash and broken collarbone ruled him out of contention while he was sitting 3rd in the general classification.

This year, he came back fitter and stronger than ever, and with a team of the very best around him, led by coach Dave Brailsford. In the run up to the Tour, Wiggins and Team Sky had swept all before them, most notably the Paris-Nice and the Criterium de Dauphine, the winner of which is usually successful in the Tour later in the year.  The first Brit to ever win the Tour in it's 99 year history, he has achieved an even higher level legendary status in British cycling.

Wiggins became the first Brit to win the Tour de France

His gold medal in the Olympic road time trial less than 2 weeks after the conclusion of the Tour confirmed him as the world's best at that discipline, and as the best all round cyclist in the world this year.

These two men have achieved far more than just Olympic success this year, they have created British sporting history.  For me, it's a two horse race for the grand prize this weekend but I struggle to pick between them.  My Scottish bias errs me towards Murray, but my years of fondly watching the Tour since I was a boy on holiday in France (even going to see the famous Mont Ventoux stage of 1994 live) mean I have a soft spot for Wiggins.

If pushed, I would say Wiggins might just take it.  Of course, this all may be academic and neither one will take the glory.  We'll just have to tune in and see.

Sports Personality of the Year 2012 Nominees:

Nicola Adams
Ben Ainslie
Jessica Ennis
Mo Farah
Katherine Grainger
Sir Chris Hoy
Rory McIlroy
Andy Murray
Ellie Simmonds
Sarah Storey
David Weir
Bradley Wiggins

Carlin Isles: The Fastest Man In Rugby?

by Dugald Skene

If you haven't seen it by now, check out this video of the frighteningly quick USA sevens player Carlin Isles.  With that priceless ability in sevens to make something out of nothing, he is pretty special.

Unsuccessful in his quest to compete at the 100m in the Olympics, he has turned to sevens rugby in an effort to reach Rio 2016.

Patriots Issue Texans With Reality Check

by Dugald Skene

Last year, the Houston Texans reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. This year, they have kicked on from that breakthrough to establish themselves as serious AFC title contenders.

The general consensus is that their run to a 11-1 record prior to this past weekend has been built on a combination of strong offence and defence, a relative rarity in the league. Consistently ranked in the top 5, if not top 3 teams in both areas in the league, Houston have seen themselves top the power rankings more than any other team this season.

The one blotch on their record came at home to a Green Bay Packers side that was coming off a run of indifferent results and languishing 3rd in the NFC North. An imperious display by QB Aaron Rodgers condemned the Texans to their only loss of 2012. The immediate reaction then was that the Texans would only face that sort of test against the top teams in the perceived stronger NFC - the Packers, Bears, 49ers et al. Given their form and their ability to dig out results in overtime as well as blow the occasional team out, the AFC title was surely only a formality, right?

Nobody told the New England Patriots.

After a shaky start in 2012, the Patriots have started to grow into the sort of perennial form that has seen them reach 5 Superbowls in the last decade or so. Under coach Bill Bellichik and led by QB Tom Brady, they are the epitomy of hardened playoff performers, and know exactly what it takes to get there, and then see it through. A trip to Foxboro to take on the Patriots is as stern a test as most will get in the NFL, and the Texans will have eyed the Monday Night Football clash as the true test to whether their aspirations of AFC glory are founded on solid ground or up in the clouds.

I'm not sure anyone expected this to be a blowout, but that's what it turned in to with Brady completing 21/35 for 296 yards and 4 touchdowns to help the Pats record a convincing 42-14 victory.

Tom Brady is fired up during last night's

demolition of the Texans

This was a reality check for the Texans. I still fully expect them to progress from last year in the playoffs and reach the AFC championship game where they are sure to meet the Patriots again. But if this dress rehearsal is anything to go by, they still have a lot of work to do.

Losses against Green Bay and now New England show that they struggle against the experienced quarterback. Both Brady & Rodgers are certain hall of famers, two of the best the league has ever seen with 4 Superbowl rings between them, but they are exactly the sort of opponent the Houston Texans will have to overcome in order to achieve their ultimate ambition.

This is a young and exciting team and one I hope to see go all the way, but for me, this year may be a little premature.

As for the Patriots, it will be hard to bet against them in the playoffs as Brady seeks that elusive 4th Superbowl ring.  Just like all the best teams, their form is starting to peak at the right time.  Some would argue that they want the Patriots to be beaten, just to give someone else in the AFC a go.  But you have to hand it to them. The longevity and sustained success of this team, which has had it's core kept intact for 10 years now, makes them one of the all time greats, up there with the  Joe Montana led 49ers team of the late 80's in my opinion.

So if that was a rehearsal for the AFC Championship game, week 15 sees the Patriots host the San Francisco 49ers in what many will predict as being the Superbowl match up in less than 2 months time.  If the Patriots come through that with a win, they will be favourites to go all the way.