Anyone see the shortlist of contenders? No Rugby League or indeed Union players on it (or women). According to Gary Lineker "The rugby players haven't had a good year." Good to see the BBC defining "rugby players" solely as people who wear white and toss dwarves.

The shortlist is decided by nominations from 27 publications (bizarrely including 'Nuts' and 'Zoo' magazines) and their lists have been published. Surprisingly only three publications suggested a Rugby League player, said player was Sam (obviously) in each case and the publications were perhaps surprisingly: Sunday Times, Sport Magazine and Daily Star on Sunday.

North West based Manchester Evening News didn't see fit to choose a rugby league player at all but instead put forward Dimitar Berbatov, Yaya Toure and Patrick Vieira as three of their ten, none of whom are eligible for the prize and with the possible exception of Toure not worth a place on the list in anyone's imagination. Were they taking the mick? If so, don't include them next year.

Personal opinion: Mark Cavendish to win, England Cricket for Team of the Year and either Vettel or Djokovic as Overseas...

I don't think there is any footballers in the list either, which must be a first.

I heard Sam had been nominated or was that something else?

He got 3 votes but 3 wasn't enough to make the final list of contenders. 3 more than any other rugby league player got though

not a sports line up of whos who

but more like who?

Cav should win it hands down imho

Oh right thanks for clearing that up. Just heard he was involved in some way

Hardly, most are quite well known sportsman. Well thats if your actually into any other sport. Would imagine that most sports fans would know who almost all of them are.

Personally I don't care who wins it, as long as its not a golfer, the only sport that can make cricket look interesting !!!

Did a Rugby League player really deserve it this year. No one really stood out. Sam was probably the best but in fairness his season ended a bit flat with his poor 4N final and not getting to the GF. His only medal was also marred by his 'moment of madness'.
TBF if any RL player deserved it this year it would have probably been Kevin Sinfield. GF win, runner up in the CC and MoM in what was effectively the 4N semi.

No RL player deserved it this year, Chase winning MoS tells that story.

The MEN were definatley taking the with them nominations

Dimitar Berbatov is bad enough but Patrick Viera?



BTW Luke Donald should win it imo. An absolute gent and a sportsman who has been at the top of his game for a full year.

Mark Cavendish is favourite at the bookies atm.

Surely, Berbatov, Yaya and Vieira would have been overseas nominees.

this isnt about achievement, I guess it is to a certain extent about popularity, but, remember that a few years ago the queen's niece won it for prancing about on a horse, thats when it lost all credibility for me.

Has anyone on here actually seen her do her "sport"?

Even thats a joke



Anyway its a farce as proven when Ryan Giggs won it basically just because he never had before and that time the queens niece won it

Its lost a lot of credibility just like the MOS imo.

It should be down to sporting excellence and nothing else imo.

I have never seen at as prestigious award or event merely another public phone in popularity contest. I view it in the same light as x factor and all the other pointless "talent" shows.

Come on Mods - this is slander!!!!

Awarded to the sportsperson "whose actions have most captured the public's imagination" Then you need to consider that some of the past winners include

David Beckham
Zara Phillips and Princess Anne
Greg Rusedski
Torvill & Dean/Robin Cousins/John Curry (ice skating)

Yet the BCC deemed it right not to count the votes placed for Bon Nudd in 1991 beacause of a campaign in the angling press to support one of their own! He did receive the most votes that year.

Awarded to the sportsperson "whose actions have most captured the public's imagination" Then you need to consider that some of the past winners include

David Beckham
Zara Phillips and Princess Anne
Greg Rusedski
Torvill & Dean/Robin Cousins/John Curry (ice skating)

Yet the BCC deemed it right not to count the votes placed for Bon Nudd in 1991 beacause of a campaign in the angling press to support one of their own! He did receive the most votes that year.

who actually gives a $hit