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Jason Kenny becomes the 30% favourite for this year BBC SPOTY election – politicalbetting.com
Jason Kenny becomes the 30% favourite for this year BBC SPOTY election – politicalbetting.com
One of the big betting events in the run-up to Christmas is on the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. Whenever this has taken place in the December after the summer Olympics then it is almost a certainty that who gets crowned will have played a big part in the games.
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Cycling gold medallists:-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/58007735
Let's guess Adam Peaty, Jason Kenny and Laura Kenny for lots of medals over the years, and probably Max Whitlock for the same reason. Then looking at the list of gold medallists posted earlier, perhaps both boxers, Lauren Price and Galal Yafai (who tick the BAME and Welsh boxes for those who attack the BBC as irredeemably woke); Tom Daley; at least one of the BMXers. That's only one swimmer and no Scots (probably) so let's add Duncan Scott. And at least one Paralympian to come.
So a putative shortlist of ten, including three on bikes to split the cycling vote. I can see Jason Kenny winning but it's not certain.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0LW1eQ1adU
A track cyclist? Profoundly unlikely to be recalled outside that speciality.
It’s like the difference between being President of the United States and President of Italy. Who held the latter office when Kennedy was in the White House? (Without googling.)
Cavendish won’t win, for a large number of reasons, including
- he is abrasive and annoying (but at least he does have a very strong personality)
- the BBC is uninterested in cycling outwith Olympics
- split vote
- he races in a commercial team top (legendary Belgian outfit Deceuninck–Quick-Step), not a Yoonyun Flag (usually); and England is currently in a state of nationalistic fervour
- he is not English
That said, PB is easily the worst blog, technically, that I have ever used. It is quite literally impossible to comment on the main url. Only by logging in directly to Vanilla have you got a chance, and even then it is a total pain. I strongly suspect that this is why the threads are dominated by “regulars”. New users simply can’t be arsed and give up.
Jason Kenny
Laura Kenny
Adam Peaty
Max Whitlock
It would be a shock if Tom Daley wasn’t nominated, but if he is, the BBC might feel the need to also add Tom Dean, James Guy and possibly Duncan Scott. So if the BBC were being tight on nominations and doing it on merit, Daley might miss out. But his sexuality probably gets him in.
I’d be surprised if any other Olympians get a look-in.
@DecrepiterJohnL - don’t rule out any cricketers or footballers just yet. James Anderson is a short price (though probably not much liquidity), but I think the one to watch is Joe Root. And given how hideously white the shortlist is looking, I can see Raheem Sterling getting nominated. Of course, Lewis Hamilton helps in that regard, and I think he could win the whole thing if he clinched the title again.
Those silver medals in the Euros is the second highest achievement by English footballers of all time, and football is that nation’s favourite sport by a country mile.
If I was English I would vote for the footballers. (If I liked the BBC, which I don’t; and if I thought it was not rigged, which it is; and if I voted in tv popularity contests, which I don’t.)
Footballers, cricketers and rugby players are hampered in the current climate because they are not competing under the correct flag.
Hard to call if he gets nominated. I think he should be, but a view might be taken that it wasn’t the strongest of years in the Green Jersey.
Only 22 years of age, he has the raw talent and steely determination to be right up there with Pogačar, van Aert, Roglič, van der Poel, Alaphilippe, Vingegaard etc. In fact, he’s pretty much already there in my eyes.
Anyone who excels at cyclo-cross, mtb and one-day classics at a young age has got greatness written all over them. If he can just get in a team which supported him for GC…
And valid point regarding Green Jersey: it was a very weak year for sprinters. Most of his opponents were taken out by injuries and crashes. He only had to beat Philipsen, Merlier and other second-order sprinters (and Philipsen and Merlier couldn’t even decide who was leading out who). The most bizarre thing was Colbrelli, who suddenly stopped going for sprints and showed his climbing and breakaway talents. Tremendously entertaining, but unproductive. And van Aert largely kept himself out of the bunch sprints, until he got to the Champs-Élysées, where he gave Cavendish a masterclass.
Incidentally, that Champs-Élysées defeat is another reason Cavendish won’t win. With it he’d have been a shoo in.
If so, all he has to do is be leading the team after the first mountain stage
https://twitter.com/fatshez/status/1424470365103955968
The Mr v Mrs aspect of it could make for an interesting dynamic, too.
If I didn't have an incredibly demanding job running a start-up, I'd probably be able to do a better job.
If he stays there he will be labelled as a classics specialist who has a bit of fun in the mud during the winter. Otherwise they’ll just treat him as a domestique.
I hope I’m wrong, but INEOS Grenadiers are a cruel and harsh bunch sometimes.
The model might be fellow mud ace van der Poel, who got himself into the relatively modest ProTeam outfit Alpecin–Fenix, and rules the roost there. His Strade Bianche and Tirreno–Adriatico victories this year were works of sheer, gobsmacking beauty (and in the case of Tirreno–Adriatico, idiocy).
Pidcock is only 22. He should maybe look at teams like TotalEnergies, Uno-X, Rally or Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise. Show what he can do in some second-ranking stage races to start off with. After all, few remember, but the highlight of the pre-cancer Armstrong’s palmarès was the Tour de Luxembourg.
If Hamilton beats Verstappen in a closely fight title victory, he'll be nominated.
I just wish the BBC tried something ambitious, like, oh I don’t know, explaining elementary concepts like drafting, blocking and kicking. Instead of educating, they gush and wail and preach, and ask folk how they “feel”. And forget about respecting opponents. It is all very infantile and depressing.
He has almost no chance of winning but he will still occupy one nomination slot.
Daley and Whitlock also have to be nominated for adding gold to an already strong Olympic history.
So I think there are six certain Olympic nominees:
J Kenny
L Kenny
Peaty
Scott
Daley
Whitlock
Not the brightest of days again, but the forecast, after today, is for an improvement.
Just over 13degC according to the app on my phone.
Mr Seal, isn't Mark Cavendish Manx? Or does he just live on the Isle?
The Isle of Man isn’t even a member of the UK, let alone part of one of the member countries.
England has moved in the wrong direction since Murray, Giggs and Thomas. Call it Brexit Derangement Syndrome.
And self-pity is an unattractive characteristic. Make yourself a fresh coffee, tickle the hound behind the ears and snog the wife. It’ll cheer you up no end.
Then just copy them. (That’s how TeamGB picked themselves off the floor of the 80s.)
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/aug/09/eight-year-old-becomes-youngest-person-charged-with-blasphemy-in-pakistan
And potentially faces the death penalty.
PS: You should know well how much they love adopting winners
Ramsbotham is the chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce and speaks for thousands of businesses caught by the red tape and extra costs of complying with EU rules. In a recent survey, 38% of members said sales to Europe had fallen since January.
“This is not teething problems,” he says. “Our ports face the EU and our region has the highest proportion of any exporting to the EU. It is vital that more barriers come down.”
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/aug/09/uk-set-to-hoard-up-to-210m-doses-of-covid-vaccine-research-suggests
https://twitter.com/Daria_QT/status/1424464736629006345
Turns out we need the truck drivers more than they need us.
https://twitter.com/DMinghella/status/1424505786865180676
At some point, it’s going to be worth backing people - but not until we have a full list of sporting successes, and an understanding of how the competition will operate in practice.
And, AIUI, Islam really doesn't have to be like this, and in many countries, isn't.
https://twitter.com/FlyOnNo10Wall/status/1424398535638896645
In general things are better than they were many centuries ago, but sometimes they are worse, and I think having an eight year old facing death for blasphemy might be one of those.
Seeing two or three cyclists nominated, could at the same time split that vote.
If I didn't have an incredibly demanding job running a start-up, I'd probably be able to do a better job.
Sqrt2
The main site is plagued by a virus fruit machine game. I never log on that way... and you cannot edit on a phone either.
Wind turbine blade-maker Siemens Gamesa doubling the size of its Hull factory, with £186m investment. 200 more jobs, adding to 1000 now.....
Also in Hull, GRI Renewable Industries announces £78 million investment in an offshore wind turbine tower factory, creating up to 260 direct jobs.
https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1424620811520970753?s=20
A substantive letter from the chief exec of a significant chamber of commerce deserves a considered, serious and prompt reply. Otherwise one suspects that the recipient does not have any answers. Or is an ignoramous. Or, in Johnson’s case, both.
The diver still FAV: 11/4
Hamilton 16/1
Cavendish 19/1
Froome 50/1 (!!!! what? he’s had a nightmare season, should be 500/1)
Shortest footballer seems to be Sterling, at 59/1. Kane is at 100/1. One almost feels sorry for them. So near, and yet so far.
Almost.
The ideological bullying & intimidation that @andywightman describes is being experienced by good people across our society, especially women. If it can happen to one of Holyrood’s most effective & respected politicians it can happen to anyone......
...The attempts to destroy Andy’s reputation at a time when he’s looking for work are unconscionable. During his career he has achieved more than most of his detractors put together & he has so much more to give.
https://twitter.com/joannaccherry/status/1424625054927708160?s=20
I accept that it's causing food shortages.
You appear to be the one in denial.
Actually I quite like Charles. He reminds me of an horrific snob, social climber and name-dropper I used to know in the 80s. Lovely, entertaining, dashing chap. Extraordinarily popular with the ladies (on one evening in Oxford I met four - yes 4 - of his girlfriends; each one firmly believing they were in a monogamous relationship). Shame he got involved in credit card fraud, shoplifting, pilfering, common assault and an astonishing number of road traffic and drug offences.
I’ve often wondered why the English are so keen to adopt winners. It’s not as though they’re short of sporting achievers of their own. I’m sure a psychologist could enlighten me.
Software developers from coding schools are losing out in the jobs market to self-starters who demonstrate genuine intellectual curiosity
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/08/09/learning-code-no-longer-fit-purpose/
Re Hideous Whiteness – yes, which is why I'd be surprised if the shortlist is not a good deal longer than most are suggesting. I'd expect a more diverse shortlist than five White blokes and Laura Kenny, all from England.
Can Lewis Hamilton win another title in time, though, or does SPotY fall before the end of the Formula One season?
Anthony Joshua is fighting no-one in particular (sorry, Oleksandr Usyk fans) in September but he probably needs to face (and beat) Tyson Fury to win SPotY. The AJ/Fury bout was planned but kyboshed by mandatory defences against other fighters.
Daley, for example. I considered backing him just after the synchro gold at somewhere near 8, but didn't.* With hindsight it was obvious he would come in as people noticed his gold splashed all over the news/papers etc so good opportunity to back and then lay off.
*I've been unusually disciplined in not dabbling in the things I know nothing about, this olympics. I bemoaned not backing China for most golds at tempting odds a few days ago, but as it turns out being disciplined saved me money this time
Edit: China was good value though, and plenty of opportunities to have laid it off for a profit if I had backed them early on
England has changed. See Brexit Derangement Syndrome.
I sleep commando.
And as for blood and soil rantings, I leave that to the Tories:
(£) https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/let-scots-in-whole-of-uk-vote-on-independence-boris-johnson-is-urged-8d09pdxcl
How’s that gonna work? How does one identify “Scots” resident in England?
- DNA?
- Membership of the Conservative Party?
- Donations to Johnson’s latest John Lewis invoice?
I used to contribute to KDE and many of the companies in that space recruited directly from the git repositories and the contributor conferences.
Having said that, the ideal is both. Get the formal education in the overall theory of it as well in addition to getting the real world work experience. I've learned some coding on various jobs and whenever I've subsequently done a formal course I've discovered big gaps in my knowledge.
The fact I highlighted that back in November 2019 that paperwork would be the end result of Brexit while our (new) MP told me that it wouldn't be an issue tells you everything you need to know...
The reality is that the Government really doesn't care but as this is something he cannot fix I can see why he hasn't bothered to reply to it.
Equally given that it seems No 10 "lost" a letter from the Chancellor, it's hardly surprising that other letters also seem to have got lost.
https://www.economist.com/briefing/2021/08/07/open-source-intelligence-challenges-state-monopolies-on-information
Being boring, isn't this just the Guardian being the Guardian?
The number is bigger than the number of fingers, so they are confused as usual, whilst wanting a big sensationalist claim. Yes they seem to have forgotten about the vaccines being given away by UK, and also assumed that vaccine takeup is only 80%, and that no new groups will be added, and forgotten that some suppliers may not meet their commitments. "Up to" is working very hard.
The numbers are from the group known as Global Justice Now, who used to be the World Development Movement. Their basic campaign is anti-corporate anti-multinational, and they have been flubbing around in the media about it since March 2020. They are slightly threatened by corporate Pharma having delivered, and seem to me to have a credibility problem on this question.
Also, how good is Airfinity data on Covid?
Andrew Cuomo: Top aide to governor resigns amid scandal
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-58141548