Sportsperson Of the Year 2023 … ?

In a recent rant, I noted the serious decline in importance and relevance of Sports Illustrated over the last 25-30 years.  For about 30 years, it was the pinnacle of sports journalism/reporting, but now it has devolved into a monthly publication that has been shown to release things written in the main by an Artificial Intelligence proxy under a fictitious byline.  That is quite a fall from grace.

During the year, SI’s  readers could anticipate several annual “events”:

• In February there was the “Swimsuit Issue”
• In March there was the MLB Preview Issue
• In August there was the college and NFL Preview Issue – – and – –

In December, Sports Illustrated would identify “The Sportsman of the Year.”  Naturally, the award these days is labeled as the Sportsperson of the Year but ever since Roger Bannister was the first recipient in 1954 for breaking the four-minute mile barrier, the award has gone to people with notable achievements in that year.  Here are just a few of the recipients that you will surely recall:

• Arnold Palmer
• Sandy Koufax
• Muhammed Ali
• Chris Evert
• Wayne Gretzky
• You get the idea …

The “definition” of the award winner – – offered up by the folks at Sports Illustrated who created and maintained the award – – is as follows:

“… the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement.”

And that brings us to 2023 when the Sportsperson of the Year is identified as – – drum roll please – – Deion Sanders.

I have no animus for Deion Sanders; I think his Colorado football team represented a significant improvement over recent editions of Colorado football teams.  This year, the Buffaloes quadrupled the number of wins as compared to last year’s Buffaloes.  Deion Sanders brought attention to Colorado football that had not been there for at least 25 years, and he brought a lot of attention to college football in general.  What he did this year is undoubtedly praiseworthy.

Now let me channel my inner Stephen A. Smith … How-evah, the award is supposed to embody the spirit of “sportsmanship and achievement.”  And try as I may, I cannot dress up Deion Sanders’ accomplishments in 2023 in either the cloak of sportsmanship or the robes of achievement.  Frankly, I would prefer to see any of the following receive this award based on “sportsmanship and achievement”:

• Novak Djokovic
• Patrick Mahomes
• Lionel Messi
• Shohei Ohtani

Moving on …  Yesterday, I supported the choices made by the CFP Selection Committee for the four tournament participants.  My support for their decisions has not changed but I would lose a ton of “Curmudgeon Credibility” if I did not point out a possibility that could cause a humongous case of heartburn in the sports world.  Remember, I said “possibility”:

1. Alabama beats previously undefeated Michigan in the Rose Bowl.
2. Texas beats previously undefeated Washington in the Sugar Bowl.
3. Florida St. beats Georgia in the Orange Bowl.

In that case, the only undefeated Power 5 team would be ACC Champion Florida St. but the CFP-determined champion would be the winner of the Alabama/Texas rematch involving two teams who would enter the game with a loss.  Florida St. would be “left out” with a 14-0 record.  Senator Rick Scott (R- FL) has already blown a gasket issuing statements and “demanding answers” as to how/why FSU could have been degraded by the Selection Committee.  If the scenario above were to come to pass, he might go apoplectic.

Finally, having mentioned Senator Scott, let me close here with an observation by author Saul Bellow regarding politicians:

“Take our politicians: they’re a bunch of yo-yos.  The presidency is now a cross between a popularity contest and a high school debate with an encyclopedia of cliches as the first prize.”

But don’t get me wrong, I love sports………