Sports Illustrated will be announcing its pick for 2009 Sportsman of the Year on December 1. Until then, SI contributors will be offering up their nominations for the post. “How about Andy Roddick?”, asks writer Albert Chen. “Why?” you ask. Because he almost beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon, of course! (Click here to read the piece.)
If Roddick is an SI Sportsman for losing to Roger, what does that make Roger, exactly?
Probably not Sportsman of the Year. Before winning the French this year, Roger’s most prominent appearance on the SI cover commemorated the 2008 Wimbledon final, when he lost to Rafael Nadal:
It seems like Roger losing – or almost losing – at Wimbledon is more newsworthy to SI honchos (the lovely Jon Wertheim excepted) than him winning, say, three majors in a season (he’s done it three times), completing the career grand slam or surpassing Sampras’s record of 14 Major singles titles. And the odds are against him getting the magazine’s year-end nod. Since the award’s inception in 1954, tennis players have taken the title a scant 3 times: by Billie Jean King and Chris Evert in the 70s and most-recently by Arthur Ashe in 1992. (Click here to check out SI’s past Sportspeople of the Year.)
Who knows, maybe the magazine’s editors are trying to psych us out with the Roddick nomination? Why else would they ignore Roger, who confirmed his GOATness this year with the added touchy-feelies of getting married and fathering twin girls? If Federer doesn’t make it this year, Lord knows what superhuman feats are required to make a non-American tennis player a shoe-in. I guess beating Roger Federer is a good place to start (SI Sportsman, Julien Benneteau?)
Feel free to state your piece with SI, here.
P.S. While I do think Roger’s been unfairly passed over in the past and would love to see him honored by SI this year, I wouldn’t storm the magazine’s offices over this. Roger’s won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year Award four times, an honor much more prestigious than anything a provincial American sports magazine can offer. SI’s Sportsman of the Year Award is a cover, not a coronation. And this cover is all I really need:
Loading ...Tags: Laureus Award, roger federer, Sports Illustrated, Sportsman of the Year
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I’m not familiar with SI Sportsman award. Maybe they tend to pick Americans?
About the SI Cover, I was mad that the first time Roger was ever on it was his backside. But the cover they had after Roger got the career slam is the best!
Four people voted he doesn’t deserve it? I think he is owed the title for the times he was slighted in the past — plus this year he got the French and the career Grand Slam and the all-time Slam number. But I’m sure they’ll pick a baseball player or athelete from another big-time sport. I do think they tend to pick Americans and mostly from the big three – football (US-style), baseball, and basketball.
Freakyfrites, you are right — Laureus is much better!
Meh, SI is an American magazine. They’re going to give the award to an American 99 times out of 100 because they know Americans are only interested in reading about American athletes.
Sad, but true.
yes, sad but true. if roger was an american he would have gotten the recognition he’s deserved from si. i gave up on si mag. acknowledging his greatness years ago.
The only weird thing is – why didn’t Pete ever make Sportman of the Year? I think tennis players are at a distinct disadvantage and non-American tennis players might as well be playing curling or shuffleboard.
your right…..tennis is just not a media driven, multi-billion dollar sport here. it’s too civilzed….no tailgate partys. i could go on but i won’t.
let’s give roger the gtt sportsmanship award.
I think it would be almost insulting if Andy got it. I just can’t imagine they would give it to him over Roger. My guess is that they will give it to the NY Yankees.
Which could also mean either A-Rod or Jeter. Bah, SI is so predictable.
Giving Roger the Sportsman of the Year it is long overdue, I know SI is maybe the most respected sports magazine in America, and maybe that is why they pick Americans 99.9% of the time.
Giving even a nod to Andy Roddick would be almost like in the year 2007 when SI gave the award to Brett Favre: For his perseverance and passion.
Here are some of the SI picks for the last decade:
2000: Tiger Woods for 3 major championships
(didn’t Roger won for 3 years, and reached the finals of all 4, I don’t know how many years)
2001: Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson: Baseball, World Series Co-MVP’S.
(didn’t Roger won the year end #1 for 4 consecutive years)
2002: Lance Armstrong: 4 Time tour de france winner
( How does 5 time US Open champion sounds?)
2003: David Robinson, Tim Duncan: 2 Time NBA Champ
( How does Roger measure by reaching the French Open Finals for 4 consecutive years)
2004: Boston Red Sox: 2004 World Series Champs
2005: Tom Brady: 2 Time Super Bowl MVP
(How about 5 time Wimbledon Champ)
2006: Dwayne Wade: NBA Champ, Finals MVP (??????)
2007: Brett Favre : For his perseverance and passion (I’m not kidding! What about staying in number one for a record 237 consecutive weeks with a freak from Mayorca chasing you for at least 150 of them.)
2008: Michael Phelps: 8 Gold Medals in 2008 Summer Olympics
( I undestand this one, that is a Superman achievement)
I bet they are considering Kobe Bryant, he was the MVP, NBA Champ, and most important he is 100% American.
Andy Roddick “sportsman of the year” ? That is really absurd. He’s hardly that… I think someone must be feeling sorry for him becasue he’s lost so much this year. I think he’s rather arrogant, myself. I’m sure there are more sportsmanlike fellows out there that deserve the honor. SI is for American men — maybe the editor’s can’t think outside the box.
I agree with Liz it will be almost insulting if Andy got it.
Roger breaks Sampras´ record this year, he was finalist in the 4 G.S.What is it that “the better story belonged to the loser”?
Useless to analize they want an american player…
ff, i like your arguments for fed, but i’m not going to be surprised if they don’t pick him because tennis still isn’t the most popular sport here, even though it’s gaining ground. i know i would pick fed in a heartbeat, for all the reasons you said, plus i feel like he didn’t play his best tennis throughout FO and wimby and yet he persevered, dug deep, turned matches around, played tough 5 setters, handled all the immense pressure (after nadal lost FO early and withdrew from wimby), is now GOAT with 15 GS and played that epic with roddick. reached all 4 GS finals again and won 2 masters series titles (madrid, cincy), covering all the different surfaces. think about it… madrid on clay over rafa in spain, FO clay, wimby grass, cincy hardcourt and the GS he didn’t win went the distance. i can’t think of a sportsman that’s accomplished more, against all sorts of challenges and opponents and he did it while big things in his personal life were happening. i love my ny yanks, but come on! if they pick someone else, i’ll just enjoy the 2 issues of SI i have, the ones posted above.
yay! i’m glad it’s appeared. thanks!
hi ff, i posted a long comment and it’s not showing up. it says i already posted/duplicate, so if you find it, please post. if not, i’ll re-post later. i had a lot share.