Sports Personality of the Year 2006

Couldnt find a sports personality thread so as its tonight thought i better start one.
Who do you think is going to win at the NEC tonight? Vote now!
EDIT: Just realised ive missed off Beth Tweddle (gymnast), sorry Tweddle fans!

I can't really see past Darren Clarke. He has already publicly said that he doesn't want to win the award on a sympathy vote, but the 'personality' he showed at the Ryder Cup gives him the credibility he deserves IMO.

Aside from Clarke, its a wide open playing field this year - no one contender really stands out on purely sporting merit.

It'll be interesting to see how this evening's live show pans out. The famously cringeworthy Lineker/Barker partnership from last year had better have improved to cope with an audience of 3,000! I'm also hoping the Beeb doesnt completely ditch the traditional music and features, etc, in favour of an all-singing, all-dancing stage show!

Btw, I mentioned in the BBC Sport thread about the absence of John Inverdale on the TV show tonight; it seems that he is hosting a simultaneous live broadcast from the NEC on Radio 5 Live, which is a slight consolation!

I think the list just demonstrates the dearth of sporting talent there has been this year, and in the year of the World Cup, not a single footballer in the list (or Rugby player for that matter).

Also, why is the show starting at 7pm ? Isn't it always traditionally at 8pm ?

Always have found that as a programme, this event is tedious in the extreme.

It does seem for the big events that John Inverdale becomes the top man at Radio 5 Live - though apart from Any Sporting Questions I don't think he does much else for them!

Darren Clarke deserves to win tonight IMO - not for the sympathy vote, but because of the quality of his game at the Ryder Cup.

At least this year, most of the candidates are worthy.

Just my opinion but:

Zara Phillips wouldn't be on the list if she wasn't royal.

Darren Clarke wouldn't be on the list if his wife hadn't have died - other British players won three matches in the Ryder Cup.

Ricky Hatton and Joe Calzaghe should both be in the top 3, as they are bona-fide world champions. Calzaghe especially took on the best fighter in his division America had to offer and almost murdered him.

Panesar... it's the Jonny Wilkinson complex all over again - English people relying on one man to play a team sport.

Nicole Cooke: Won't win because she's a cyclist and sadly no matter how many Tour de Frances she wins no-one will care.

Button.... don't waste my time.

Phil Taylor: dominates the PDC. Yes THAT branch of darts ... a bunch of BDO has-beens and mediocre talent.

Not at all.



In my opinion, of course.

Personally I rather wish they still called it 'Sports Review of the Year' rather than 'Sports Personality' - though I think the 7pm-9 slot is more sensible (even if only caused by having to slot in the final episode of Planet Earth).

This show has, I think, received the most publicity in terms of cross-network trails that I can ever remember.

Yes, much more fun to listen to that with the TV sound turned down (and not his first work of the day, he did the final of the tennis at the RAH earlier..)

Theo Walcott is Youngs Sports Personality????? What is this world coming to? So, he's now been involved in 2 dodgy selections....we await the 3rd.

Someone pass me the baseball bat.

Royal blood wins eh . Darren Clark 2nd thought he had it wrapped up...