The Little Britain star who swam the channel. Do think he deserves all the hype he has been getting or is he a little overrated and used to advertise Sport Relief.
I was always impressed with his effort to train for the extreme challenge, and then to do it aswell was awesome. However, I object to him being favourite to take the BBC's sports personality award for doing so. I compare his effort to a guy climbing a mountain for charity, a sponsored bike ride or possibly running a marathon in a novelty costume. Although he did do a great thing for kids all over the world, in sporting terms,he shouldn't be up there with our tops sportsmen!
Other winners could include Wayne Rooney, Stevie G, Andy Murray and hopefully some more will emerge before December.
2006-07-25 00:28:17 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Swimming & Diving
yes, i think he should be shortlisted. it took enormous courage 2 swim that distance and he raised a million 4 charity. hes a hero even though i dont watch little britain
2006-07-25 00:32:41 · answer #1 · answered by motown 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I think he should get it, swimming the channel is a lot harder to do than ride a bike or run a marathon, or even climb a mountain (more people have climbed Everest than have swam the channel).
As for your other suggestions, Wayne Rooney has done nothing this year, he got sent off in the World Cup, I'm not even sure that he scored at all (he didn't in the qualifiers). Stevie G, a great sportsman, no argument there, but he should have got it last year when Liverpool won the cup. Andy Murray, impressive but still yet to achieve anything.
If someone emerges before September then good for them, but until that happens, David Walliams is the only contender!
2006-07-25 08:20:45 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
David Walliams for Sports Personality of the year? I don't think so simply because he is not a sportsman. While he did swim the channel which required a lot of training and determination and he did raise a lot of money for Sports Relief however when all is said and done he is a comic actor who did a sponsored swim for charity. He may well get the vote from the general public however that will be more to do with his being a celebrity and the popularity of 'Little Britain' than actual sporting achievement. Sports Person of the Year should go to someone that has dedicated their life to achieving in their chosen sport and not someone who is simply well known to the viewing public, however in saying that....well done that man!
2006-07-27 02:14:06 · answer #3 · answered by colin m 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The award is called Sports PERSONALITY of the year. All too often in previous years the winner has a complete lack of personality. In Walliams we potentially have someone who has made a genuine sporting acheivement as well as having apersonality which has been half responsible for millions of people tuning in to watch him or to buy his DVDs not to mention donate the £1 million he raised.
Add to this the number of young people who may well have been encouraged to take up swimming or other sports as a result of his acheivment. I guarantee that far more people will be encouraged to swim the channel, climb Everest, take up aerobics or become an olympic athlete as a result of Walliams than would if, say, You or I had dne it - we simply wouldn't have had the same exposure.
So don't be too quick to ridicule his inclusion in the award front-runners list. If only for the sake of the first funny/interesting acceptance speech in living memory.
On the flip side, however, spare a thought for Doon Mackichan, Scottish Comedian. She swam the channel in 1998. All through the the documentary of Walliams' crossing it was claimed that Walliams was the first comedian/celebrity to attempt the crossing. She must have been pissed that her successful attempt could be forgotten so quickly.
2006-07-25 08:43:02 · answer #4 · answered by jacktrow 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You try swimming 22 miles in 16c temperatures non stop battling the current and swimming in anything that the lovely French have chucked into the water whilst raising over 1/2 million pounds plus for charity. Also starting the training whilst in the middle of his tour. Think of the strain on his body.
How many sports personnalities can you say that about
2006-07-25 07:36:19 · answer #5 · answered by Alik411 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How can a comedian/TV personality be considered for a Sporting award, even if he did swim the channel for charity?
Only those who play/compete in sport professionally full time should be considered for Sporting Awards.
2006-07-25 07:35:07 · answer #6 · answered by k 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. He has not excelled in sport and some of his actions in his private life do not set the best example to the younger generation. Fantastic achievement though.
2006-07-25 07:32:45 · answer #7 · answered by Bass 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eh-Eh-Ehhhh.
What a kerfuffle - Yeh - I know!
Because I'm a laydee and do laydees thing.
What a good idea. David trained for it as a sportsman would for any sport.
He has sheer determination to succeed.
2006-07-25 07:36:51 · answer #8 · answered by Boris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its been a pretty bad year for british sport, football team rubbish, cricket team losing, rugby embarassing. I think it should be gerrard though for his spirit
2006-07-25 09:49:16 · answer #9 · answered by Toomg 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He did a great job though.
but I agree with you.
2006-07-25 07:31:49 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋