Serena Williams is Sports Illustrated's 2015 Sportsperson of the Year
- Thread starter Kirijax
- Start date
GameSetAndMath
The GOAT
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 21,141
- Reactions
- 3,398
- Points
- 113
Congratulations to Serena, just the 4th tennis player to be named sportsperson. :clap :clap :clap
Well, the internet is crazy with controversy over this award. So far no body has bothered to speak up here.
I am actually ambivalent here.
If it is strictly "sportsperson of this year", I think it should either go to Novak or at least be shared with Novak (I am not even going to bother to talk about horses and other sports). IMHO, Novak was more dominant this year than Serena, even though in terms of pure win-loss percentage, Serena outdid Novak.
Afterall, Serena won as many grand slams as she lost matches in 2016, both being three.
However, the "sportsperson of this year" should not be taken literally. These are at least in part life time achievement awards. In that case, Serena clearly deserves it and also clearly deserves to win it exclusively (Novak has long road to travel before he can get such a glorious award, in terms of lifetime achievement). This is somewhat akin to not giving Heisman trophy to the best performer in an year, saying that he is just a freshmen and he can always in it in the next year or so.
To me this year is particularly well suited to give Serena this award due to the following three reasons.
1. This is the year in which Serena achieved her second Serena Slam (Novak has not yet achieved career slam, not to mention about Novak Slam).
2. Serena showed lot of class, courage and heart in returning to IW this year after 14 years of self-imposed exile (Note: Sportsperson of the year also considers off court accomplishments).
3. It is highly unlikely (although I am not saying impossible) that Serena will have a better year in her remaining career (due to her age and health, not due to competition). Given that this may be the case, it is better to bestow her this award this year instead of doing it couple of years down the road when she wins just one slam and overtakes Graf or Court.
Well, the internet is crazy with controversy over this award. So far no body has bothered to speak up here.
I am actually ambivalent here.
If it is strictly "sportsperson of this year", I think it should either go to Novak or at least be shared with Novak (I am not even going to bother to talk about horses and other sports). IMHO, Novak was more dominant this year than Serena, even though in terms of pure win-loss percentage, Serena outdid Novak.
Afterall, Serena won as many grand slams as she lost matches in 2016, both being three.
However, the "sportsperson of this year" should not be taken literally. These are at least in part life time achievement awards. In that case, Serena clearly deserves it and also clearly deserves to win it exclusively (Novak has long road to travel before he can get such a glorious award, in terms of lifetime achievement). This is somewhat akin to not giving Heisman trophy to the best performer in an year, saying that he is just a freshmen and he can always in it in the next year or so.
To me this year is particularly well suited to give Serena this award due to the following three reasons.
1. This is the year in which Serena achieved her second Serena Slam (Novak has not yet achieved career slam, not to mention about Novak Slam).
2. Serena showed lot of class, courage and heart in returning to IW this year after 14 years of self-imposed exile (Note: Sportsperson of the year also considers off court accomplishments).
3. It is highly unlikely (although I am not saying impossible) that Serena will have a better year in her remaining career (due to her age and health, not due to competition). Given that this may be the case, it is better to bestow her this award this year instead of doing it couple of years down the road when she wins just one slam and overtakes Graf or Court.
It's done by an American magazine so if it's between Serena and a Serbian from across the sea, they will go with the American. Sad but true. Still, a big honor for Serena and well-deserved.
GameSetAndMath
The GOAT
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 21,141
- Reactions
- 3,398
- Points
- 113
The four tennis players who got this award exclusively are Arthus Ashe, BJ King, C. Everett and S. Williams.
GameSetAndMath
The GOAT
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 21,141
- Reactions
- 3,398
- Points
- 113
I posted a video earlier in TF this year (need to dig it up to give a link to it) before USO started.
It was a video that shows in the first frame, a little girl (Serena) being asked by the interviewer "Serena, if you are a tennis player, who would you want to be like". Then there is this all too familiar song "rise" with Serena running. At the end comes the surprise. Young Serena (probably about 8 years old) says, "I want other players to want to be like me".
When I posted it last time, I did not want to break up the suspense and so left it as a suspense, simply saying it has a surprise ending. However, not many people bothered to watch it.
But, that is one hell of an audacity coming from an 8 year old girl and she could back it up so thoroughly instead of it being empty talk. :clap :clap :clap
p.s. For some reason that video (a Gatorade commercial by Serena released in September is gone and has been marked private in youtube). I suppose they thought it was bad timing due to SW's loss at USO and decided to abandon it at least for a while. But, here is a related article and a video from time.com
It was a video that shows in the first frame, a little girl (Serena) being asked by the interviewer "Serena, if you are a tennis player, who would you want to be like". Then there is this all too familiar song "rise" with Serena running. At the end comes the surprise. Young Serena (probably about 8 years old) says, "I want other players to want to be like me".
When I posted it last time, I did not want to break up the suspense and so left it as a suspense, simply saying it has a surprise ending. However, not many people bothered to watch it.
But, that is one hell of an audacity coming from an 8 year old girl and she could back it up so thoroughly instead of it being empty talk. :clap :clap :clap
p.s. For some reason that video (a Gatorade commercial by Serena released in September is gone and has been marked private in youtube). I suppose they thought it was bad timing due to SW's loss at USO and decided to abandon it at least for a while. But, here is a related article and a video from time.com
all the complaints from wherever are meaningless...she never campaigned for this.Serena deserves this honor for holding five grand titles,battling the racist media and racist tennis fans,,,jealous from other players...
go Rena!
go Rena!
GameSetAndMath
The GOAT
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 21,141
- Reactions
- 3,398
- Points
- 113
While I am not sure, I think it looked like Gatorade was planning to bring out a series of Serena based Ads with the common title called "Win from Within". The very first one of those is subtitiled "Visualization" and that is the video in which 8 year old Serena says when she grows up, she wants others player to want to be like her.
There also appears to be two more ads produced in that series with subtitles "Sisterhood" and "Determination". I have not even seen these ads.
I have seen the "Visualization" ad and it is very nice (It has the "rise" song in it).
I think Gatorade must have decided to shelve the project, at least temporarily due to the collapse of the CYGS. But, they will probably bring the campaign back up at the next available big opportunity.
There also appears to be two more ads produced in that series with subtitles "Sisterhood" and "Determination". I have not even seen these ads.
I have seen the "Visualization" ad and it is very nice (It has the "rise" song in it).
I think Gatorade must have decided to shelve the project, at least temporarily due to the collapse of the CYGS. But, they will probably bring the campaign back up at the next available big opportunity.
Sundaymorningguy
Grand Slam Champion
I thought it was very well deserved especially if you consider the turnaround in fortunes at the slams from 2014. With her win in Australia, she has won each slam after the age of 30. She also won her second Serena slam after the age of 30. She also ended a second straight calendar year as world number 1. I think the argument can be made for Novak, but I think his time will come down the road. I think the grit and determination by Serena especially at the French made this the year of Serena.
The honor is, "SI Sportsperson of the Year," not, "Athlete of the Year!"
The award has never been synonymous with the best athletic result of that year, although, sometimes the individual or individuals with the best athletics have won.
If anyone reads the article, there are several factors into why Serena was the choice, from her return to Indian Wells, to her pursuit of the Grand Slam, to the social media onslaught of body shaming and the racial and sexism that is ever prevalent when anything relating to Serena is the focus.
This honor is as much about her career, and especially her late career resurgence and domination as it about her 2015 success. This is why she was honored, not because she had the best year in athletics.
So, for those whom state Novak should have won, it's not about only on-court success. It's also about the other variables that champions go through and fight through.
The award has never been synonymous with the best athletic result of that year, although, sometimes the individual or individuals with the best athletics have won.
If anyone reads the article, there are several factors into why Serena was the choice, from her return to Indian Wells, to her pursuit of the Grand Slam, to the social media onslaught of body shaming and the racial and sexism that is ever prevalent when anything relating to Serena is the focus.
This honor is as much about her career, and especially her late career resurgence and domination as it about her 2015 success. This is why she was honored, not because she had the best year in athletics.
So, for those whom state Novak should have won, it's not about only on-court success. It's also about the other variables that champions go through and fight through.
Joko had a year of his career but there is no strory behind his wins...Serena struggled from the beginning of the year but pulled through just by guts.The return to Indian Wells was very emotional for her and her fans.Her route to RG15 was the toughest for her and she took her fans on a rollercoaster...Wimbledon was also about the fans who body shamed calling her names and then that Heather Watson match that brought the worst in the british fans.Serena sold out Arthur Ashe something that Joko has never done...
Serena Williams was the story of 2015 and Joko was an afterthought..
Serena Williams was the story of 2015 and Joko was an afterthought..
that Danica Patrick seems bothered that Serena won...she said that Rhonda Rousey should have won because she is not polarizing..#professionaljealousy..Rhonda is a flash in the pan and was beaten senseless just a few weeks ago.
Serena has been toiling for20yrs...
Danica go eat your heart out.
Serena has been toiling for20yrs...
Danica go eat your heart out.
GameSetAndMath
The GOAT
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 21,141
- Reactions
- 3,398
- Points
- 113
GameSetAndMath
The GOAT
- Joined
- Jul 9, 2013
- Messages
- 21,141
- Reactions
- 3,398
- Points
- 113
When was the last time, the TIME's Person of the year and SI's Sports person of the year were both women?
nehmeth
Grand Slam Champion
the magazine is American...Joko can get his due from Serbian Sports illustrated..:snicker..or made in China Sports Illustrated.GameSetAndMath said:
