Voting stages- Sports person of the year 2008!

[flicko]

OK, it's time to vote for your favourite!

 

You know how it goes, if you want to find out more information on the nominees, please check this topic. It would be nice if you said a few words backing up your decision.

 

As for me, well I've thought about this for a long time, often changing who I believe deserves to win, and for a while I felt like Null voting, as I just couldn't decide. But I've made a decision, based on consistency, somebody who has excelled throughout the whole year, and has performed fantastically. The person I'm voting for is Rafael Nadal.

 

This may come as a shock to some, but I believe the way Nadal has performed throughout this year fully justifies him of this accolade. The Wimbledon final will go down in history, and is in my opinion the greatest tennis match ever played. Both Nadal and Federer showed grit, determination and sheer endurance, but in the end Nadal was too strong for the formidable Federer. Added to this Nadal kept hold of his own personal accolade; The King of the clay by dominating the French open to win two majors in one year, and the first since 1980 to win both Wimbledon and the French open. He also won gold at the Olympics, which is again a fantastic achievement.

 

The icing on the cake is that for the first time in over 160 weeks of effort, Nadal finally knocked Federer off of the top spot in terms of tennis rankings. A major achievement in itself.

 

So that's my vote, now it's down to you to crown this years 'GTAF's sports person of the year'. Voting will close on approximately 1st January, 2009.

 

Happy voting!

Edited December 10, 2008 by flicko

[Jay]

Phelps.

 

You'll never see someone dominate an Olympics that much in years. Or ever.

 

And if someone votes for that WWE show pony, I'll put a jihad on you too.

[flicko]

 

You'll never see someone dominate an Olympics that much in years. Or ever.

 

And if someone votes for that WWE show pony, I'll put a jihad on you too.

...until he does it again in 2012!

 

Dayum, somebody's going to vote for Chris Jericho for that sole reason now!

[Hodgey.]

I voted for Lewis just because of what a season it was and how it all ended. I should of really voted for Manny seeing as i requested him to be on the list, oh well. What Phelps did was amazing but for me Lewis is the man this year and hopefully for a few more years to come.

 

Oh and great work on this Flicko

[Venom]

I voted Torres, which would have been followed by Jericho, but that's just me.

I can see why, at the moment, Phelps and Hamilton are at the top.

[DanManUtd]

Bojan Krkic, then I would've put Ronaldo.

[!!GC!!]

For me, it was always between Eli Manning and Usain Bolt.

In the end, i went for Lightning Bolt because I have never seen someone escape drug testing that well and continue to dominate the sport in such a manner as to destroy all competition without barely trying.

[Jay]

I voted Torres, which would have been followed by Jericho, but that's just me.

 

I see sanity is prevailing and Phelps is pwning this poll like he pwned the other swimmers in August.

[gta_player5]

In the end, i went for Lightning Bolt because I have never seen someone escape drug testing that well and continue to dominate the sport in such a manner as to destroy all competition without barely trying.

Usain Bolt was tested 4 times before the Olympics and had not tested positive in any of those tests. Also, he basically asked anti-doping agencies to test him to prove that he was clean. I highly doubt that he was on steroids or any other type of PED (performance enhancing drug), especially after testing negative and then asking them to test him to prove he wasn't on any substances.

[!!GC!!]

In the end, i went for Lightning Bolt because I have never seen someone escape drug testing that well and continue to dominate the sport in such a manner as to destroy all competition without barely trying.

Usain Bolt was tested 4 times before the Olympics and had not tested positive in any of those tests. Also, he basically asked anti-doping agencies to test him to prove that he was clean. I highly doubt that he was on steroids or any other type of PED (performance enhancing drug), especially after testing negative and then asking them to test him to prove he wasn't on any substances.

Calm the f*ck down.

This was a joke.

I know that he asked them to test him, and i believe he was tested around 30 times throughout the whole course of the olympics.

[flicko]

I know that he asked them to test him, and i believe he was tested around 30 times throughout the whole course of the olympics.

That was ridiculous. I can remember Asafa Powell complaining that they'd drained just about all of his body blood from his system due to how many tests he'd taken!

 

Seems to be the obvious choice at the moment, is there any chance of Phelps being beaten in this competition?

[darthYENIK]

I voted for Danny Way.

 

To me the man embodies what a athlete should be. He put his body on the line. He performed amazingly under bad circumstances. He never gave up. And he lost graciously, as well. The man is a class act.

[Eddie280]

I voted for Joe Calzaghe. He's had a great year and a man I look up to.

 

However, it was a tough choice. I was tempted to vote for Usain Bolt for his incredible achievements in the Olympics and by Phelps for the same reason.

 

Good work flicko.

[GTA3Rockstar]

Again, Michael Phelps.

 

 

How can you not say that wasnt the best? Barely winning one race, tying the world record for most gold in an olympic event and then breaking it. Greatest.

[radicell]

I voted Bolt. It's just amazing how a man can accomplish so much, so easily. He is really #1. No disrespect to Phelps, but that 100m fly...

[Runey]

I voted Bolt. It's just amazing how a man can accomplish so much, so easily. He is really #1. No disrespect to Phelps, but that 100m fly...

Oh that one the clock company cheated to help him?

 

I voted for Evan Longoria myself, maybe it's because I'm biased towards baseball.

[GTA3Rockstar]

I voted Bolt. It's just amazing how a man can accomplish so much, so easily. He is really #1. No disrespect to Phelps, but that 100m fly...

So 8 Golds isn't good? Oh, didn't know that.

[flicko]

Let's not turn this topic into a debate whether or not Phelps touched first in the 100M fly event. This topic is for voting for your sports person of the year, and then justifying your vote. A little banter is fine, but if the Phelps debate get's out of hand then it would ruin the purpose.

 

I'm not having a go at anybody, I just want to prevent this argument from ever going ahead in this topic.

[Runey]

Too true. I didn't really justify my vote, so here we go.

 

Longoria helped perennial last place Tampa Bay to a division championship, dethroning long time powerhouses Boston and the Yankees, and took them to the World Series, where they ultimately were beaten by Philadelphia.

 

 

Great accomplishment.

[radicell]

I voted Bolt. It's just amazing how a man can accomplish so much, so easily. He is really #1. No disrespect to Phelps, but that 100m fly... 

So 8 Golds isn't good? Oh, didn't know that.

No that's not what I meant, I know he got 8 Golds and that's very impressive, but in my opinion he didn't really get that 8th gold, and the fact that he got it subtracts a tiny bit of respect for him (even though I know he probably wasn't pulling the strings behind it).

 

But yes, as flicko said, this discussion is for another topic.

[kietotheworld]

Even assuming it was true that he didn't win the Fly legitimately (it isn't) he is still well worthy of the award for 7 Golds and an extremely close Silver. I voted Nadal, however.

[flicko]

A little news on the BBC Sports personality of the year results.

 

Usain Bolt outfought Michael Phelps and Padraig Harrington to win the Overseas personality of the year, and Cyclist Chirs Hoy won the Sport's personality of the year, with Lewis Hamilton finishing second and Rebecca Adlington finishing third.

 

Phelps is still dominating proceedings at the moment, it's going to be veyr impressive if he were to lose this now.

[JoeyLeone25]

I voted a few days ago, but forgot to post my reasons as I was in a bit of a rush! My vote for Sports Person Of The Year is Michael Phelps. The all-time Gold Medal record holder, the King of the Beijing Games. Michael, along with the various other winning athletes taking part embodied everything that's good about sportsmanship and engaging entertainment. Beating Spitz's previous record of 7 Gold Medals at the 2008 games, was something special, but there's something even more special than that statement itself...that Phelps is only 23yrs of age!

[flicko]

Just like the other topic, there's going to be a slight update- I'm going to close the voting stages on approximately 24 December, mainly because any time after that I'm going to struggle heavily to get on here up until sometime after January. There has already been over 40 votes, so the people who are interested in this and want to take part, more than likely already have. By the time this closes on christmas eve I can't see many more votes being made, so it's all good.

 

Anyway, more on topic- Is Phelps going to clean house?

[Vanilla Shake]

Had to go with Manning, man.

[Stefan.]

I voted for Phelps. As I mentioned in the previous topic, I think that his chievement was remarkable (even though I personally believe that Cavic touched first). Even if he legitematel won 7 golds, that still is a f*cking amazing achievement.

 

You spelt Bojan Krkic's name wrong, by the way. Doesn't matter really, and well done with this flicko, good idea.

[Machida]

I voted for Chris Hoy a while back. I was waiting untill he had won BBC sports personality of the year to justify my vote. Honestly.

 

A budding cyclist back in the day and I've always looked up to Chris Hoy a lil bit. It's almost a cliché but he really does aim to be the hardest worker. I think winning three gold medals this year at the ripe young age of thirty two reflects this well. And of course this year has also marked him as the most successful male Olympic cyclist of all time! AND he's Scottish! So HELL, talk about against all odds!

[flicko]

No vote for Anderson Silva Machida? It's an outrage!

[Machida]

Well it's a good job I realised it said Evan Longoria and not Eva Longoria just in time. Otherwise you'd have been even more surprised by my vote. That and the reason I was going to give was just pure filth!

[flicko]

And the award for GTAF's sports person of the year 2008 goes to...

 

Michael Phelps!

 

I'd like to thank everybody who participated in this, whether you have nominated anybody, voted for anybody or just viewed this with interest. It's been great fun, and I look forward to next years!