Every year since 1954, Sports Illustrated selects someone from the sports world as the “Sportsman of the Year.” You don’t have to do much to win the award, just be that one athlete or team who “embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement.” Previous awardees have included Stan Musial, Carl Yastrzemski, the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, and Wayne Gretzky. In 2009, the Yankees beloved Derek Jeter was the recipient of this prestigious award.
This year, however, marks a special time for the San Francisco Giants. As has been repeated almost to death, they won the World Series after a dry spell of 56 years. And now, they’ve been nominated for SI’s 2010 Sportsman of the Year. I’m pretty confident in their chance to win; after all, the last MLB team that took home this award was the Boston Red Sox of 2004, when they won the World Series after breaking their own curse of 86 championship-less seasons. In the sports world, comeback stories have a special place in our hearts. We want to see records shattered and underdogs rise to glory.
Before I get carried away, there are 18 other contenders for this title, from basketball coaches to figure skaters:
Football
Ndamukong Suh – Lions
Kurt Warner – Cardinals
Drew Brees – Saints
Greg McElroy – Crimson Tide
Shawn Berner – high school coach
Basketball
Kevin Durant – Thunder
Butler Bulldogs
Mike Krzyzewski – Duke coach
Geno Auriemma – UConn coach
Golf
Martin Kaymer
Lorena Ochoa
Graeme McDowell
Hockey
Sidney Crosby – Penguins
Brooks Laich – Capitals
Misc
Evan Lysacek – figure skating
Rafael Nadal – tennis
Christ Nowinski – founder of Sporst Legacy Institute
Baseball
Roy Halladay – Phillies
Josh Hamilton – Rangers
San Francisco Giants
As with most awards, the public’s opinion won’t factor much into the awarding of this title. Still, who stands out to you on this list? Would you (I hope) vote for the Giants as the best comeback team of the year? Or would your sympathies lie with another player, coach, or team?
Just looking at the three names for baseball shows just how tough a crowd is circling the SI hemisphere yearning for this award. Roy Halladay and Josh Hamilton by themselves are a tight and fortified duo trying to rip the award away from the “team of misfits and refugees”.
But in the end, getting the team’s first World Championship since leaving the NYC region might just trump apitcher who has again shown he is the modern day master of the mound and the prodigy who finally rose to greatness.
Would love to see the G-men on the cover. But tell HuffDaddy to leave the red thong at home this time.
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
I would probably vote for the Giants. Why? Well, before this past season, their last championship (i believe) was in 1954 against the Indians. Were still waiting:(
http://shortrightfield.blogspot.com/
Rays Renegade – There’s no doubt that there are a lot of deserving nominees on this list, including Hamilton and Halladay. I agree with you though, the Giants’ long-awaited triumph is just a tad more impressive than personal success stories!
Short Right Field – I have no doubt that the Indians will get their shot in the near future… if there’s anything MLB has taught me this season, it’s that anything can happen. Don’t lose hope!