Sunday 14 December 2014

So I guess we're not all racists now

From Joseph Harker, 24th November

Yet somehow, it seems, the British public has not taken Hamilton to heart. In 2008, when he seemed a shoo-in for the British public’s vote as BBC sports personality of the year, he lost out to cyclist Chris Hoy. The preceding British F1 champions, Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell, had each won the viewers’ vote twice – including years when they hadn’t even won the title. This year Hamilton will definitely be in the shortlist of 10 to be announced tonight, but the chances are that he will ultimately miss the main award again, with golfer Rory McIlroy the odds-on favourite.


...

Ultimately, Lewis deserves recognition because his success goes far beyond sport itself. But if he never gains national acceptance through the sports personality vote, it will say more about Britain than about him.

From the BBC 14th December



3 comments:

benj said...

What makes you "British"?

Somewhere you were born, or somewhere you choose to live?

Hamilton (and the rest) are so proud to be "British", they don't want to live here, by choice.

Which is fair enough. If I had their cash neither would I. But I don't think I'd except a "British sports personality of the year" award either.

But that's probably just me.

Tim Almond said...

Ben,

Good point. Also, like most sports people, he doesn't have much personality.

Mark Wadsworth said...

Genius find, fair play to JH for not simply pulling the article in embarrassment though.