Spoiler alert - SPOTY

SmallTown said:
That's fair enough I suppose. But it shows the power of football. If Pickford was European champion and this year had helped England get to the world cup final through a penalty shoot out and saved a penalty in the final he would probably have been in with a shout too
Click to expand...
If I'm honest I don't think he would have. Earps was as much loved for committing the taboo act of swearing (as a female) after she'd saved it, a bloke doing that wouldn't have even been noticed by anyone (or cared about).

When Beth Mead won it was purely about the football. As England's best player at the tournament, I'm not against Earps winning it (Gazza won it in 1990, for crying as much as his performance - the irony) but I'd have both athletics world champs above her, personally.

So this appears to be what wins it - cry if you're a man, swear if you're a woman. In a big football match.
 
breakthewallsdown said:
Why did Mary Earps deserve it? For getting beat in a final?
Click to expand...
Probably for winning:
England's women's player of the year
WSL golden glove
WWC golden glove

And also the current Best FIFA women's goalkeeper and in the WSL team of the year.

The "hasn't won anything" argument is for Man Utd and England. Not her herself.

Plus there is the "personality" side of things. I was at the United WSL match on Sunday and she's certainly inspired a lot of the crowd. It's very rare to hear a goalkeeper get so much adulation. She's doing good things for women's football.
 
Chutney said:
Regardless of other pros and cons being discussed here, this is absolute nonsense.
Click to expand...
Well, in your opinion perhaps. But the day after the final every newspaper and publication ran a story about the fact she swore after saving the penalty.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Mary Earps shouts 'f*** off' in World Cup final after penalty save

The heroic save came at a critical juncture in the game, with England 1-0 down in the 69th minute against Spain. Earps dived expertly to her left to save the spot kick.
www.dailymail.co.uk www.dailymail.co.uk

Mary Earps screams 'f*** off' after saving World Cup final penalty

Mary Earps was England’s saviour once again as she saved Spain’s penalty to keep her country’s World Cup hopes alive – although it was all in vain. The Lionesses were in rea…
talksport.com talksport.com

metro.co.uk

England fans loved Mary Earps X-rated reaction to World Cup final penalty save

That's why she's called Mary Earps Queen of Stops.
metro.co.uk metro.co.uk

www.dailystar.co.uk

Lionesses' Mary Earps screams 'f*** off' after saving World Cup final penalty

England goalkeeper Mary Earps saved a second-half penalty to keep the Lionesses in with a chance during the World Cup final against Spain, and shouted "F*** off" after keeping the effort out
www.dailystar.co.uk www.dailystar.co.uk

The Guardian didn't lead with it in the headline but they did mention it in their article. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/aug/20/nike-replica-mary-earps-lionesses-england-shirt-world-cup-final-golden-glove#:~:text=Earps shouted: “**** off”,decision regarding the goalkeeping jersey.

And they did cite is a reason she was nominated for last night's award. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2...he-year-2023-whos-who-on-this-years-shortlist
 
Sorry, but I disagree. Anyone who's been watching women's football for the last few years knows all about Mary Earps. Cherry picking a few articles about a single incident from a stellar few years from her as a player proves nothing.

And swearing is a magnificent pastime. Stop trying to exclude women from it.
 
Chutney said:
Stop trying to exclude women from it.
Click to expand...
Silly comment, I'm arguing the exact opposite and you know I am and have no intention of excluding anyone from anything. Well played though, you've made it look like you're the one arguing for equality.

It shouldn't be a big deal when a woman swears, as it isn't when a man does, and it certainly shouldn't be revered (as it isn't when a man does). We'll never have equality if we view women's football so differently to men's.

Unfortunately, media/fans/Twitter users are still factoring it into their perceptions of woman footballers, because they view it as them 'breaking a taboo', except it shouldn't be seen as a taboo, certainly not in 2023.

Earps performance in the tournament was good enough that the swearing didn't even need to be mentioned.
 
Last edited:
atypical_boro said:
Silly comment, I'm arguing the exact opposite and you know I am. It shouldn't be a big deal when a woman swears, as it isn't when a man does, and it certainly shouldn't be revered (as it isn't when a man does). We'll never have equality if we view women's football so differently to men's.

Unfortunately, media/fans/Twitter users are still factoring it into their perceptions of woman footballers, because they view it as them 'breaking a taboo', except it shouldn't be seen as a taboo, certainly not in 2023.

Earps performance in the tournament was good enough that the swearing didn't even need to be mentioned.
Click to expand...
Sounds to me like you're arguing with yourself.
 
I find some of the other awards more interesting now. LIfetime achievement - KIng Kenny (both him and Hansen looking a lot older now). Helen Rollason award - didn't realise Fatima Whitbread grew up in a care home and was left alone from birth for quite a while with no food or parents looking after her, and the unsung hero award (Des Smith - Caribbean guy from Sheffield). All great stories and incredible achievements.
 
It's woke nonsense.end of.
She has won NOTHING
it's a box ticking exercise by an increasingly beleaguered British bullshi& corporation

Shes a decent keeper deffo...but sports personality of the year...dear me
 
breakthewallsdown said:
And that’s deserving of winning SPOTY is it? Over the likes of Foden and Grealish who won a treble in the same sport?
Click to expand...
Clearly it iOS because she did win it. And yes, they are all individual awards. Grealish´ TEAM won a treble. Also those are international awards not domestic ones
 
It does feel like footballers, rugby players and cricketers have to have done something for England (less so Scotland, Wales and NI which probably annoys them), not saying it should be, but its a sort of unwritten rule. That doesn't apply to the lifetime achievements etc though. But then for horse racing they just have to have 'done well' (for themselves), but why are individual achievements of no significance in team sports (as per Grealish/Foden etc)? Jordan Henderson came 2nd in 2020, presumably for captaining his team to the title?

I appreciate its voted for by the public but they are spoon-fed a shortlist from a panel. Its really doesn't make any sense to have Broad, Dettori and McIlroy (who had a decent Ryder Cup but won no majors and hasn't done for a decade) but not World Champion Josh Kerr on it, and yes, possibly Grealish and Foden as well.

Also interesting how in 1983, 1991, 1993, 1995, 2002 and 2017 the World Athletics Champions won it, but now they don't seem to get a sniff. KJT didn't make the top 3 in 2019 (though DAS did), and then only came 3rd last night after repeating the feat.
 
Last edited:
Ian Bairds Ears said:
It's woke nonsense.end of.
She has won NOTHING
it's a box ticking exercise by an increasingly beleaguered British bullshi& corporation

Shes a decent keeper deffo...but sports personality of the year...dear me
Click to expand...
There have been examples of people winning it without winning anything though.

Mansell in 86
Gazza in 90
Hill in 94
Rudeski in 97
Owen in 98
Beckham in 01 (well he did win the league actually)
Giggs in 09 (started 15 games in the league they won)

Christ the 90s must have been rubbish for sport! Earps is the first in a long time to follow that mould. I can't be arsed to look further back but in 1982 Daley Thompson won it for being European Decathlon Champion! Imagine that now. Martyn Rooney, Zharnell Hughes or Matthew Hudson-Smith would be bossing the show. Eilidh Child maybe?
 
Last edited:
Ian Bairds Ears said:
It's woke nonsense.end of.
She has won NOTHING
it's a box ticking exercise by an increasingly beleaguered British bullshi& corporation

Shes a decent keeper deffo...but sports personality of the year...dear me
Click to expand...
Apart from all the things I’ve listed that she HAS won of course. Oh and we can be much better than using woke as a pejorative. That’s bad form
 
If we assume the award is for "best sportsperson" as opposed to "personality", the award lost all credibility (if it ever had any) when they allowed the Great British Public to vote for the winner, opening it up, as it does, to social media organised / generated mass voting - started with Ryan Giggs over Jensen Button in 2009 which was a disgrace, and definitely the major factor this year

it's now a "most popular sportsperson on social media" award

Ironically Earps is probably the nearest they've had to a "personality" winning it for a number of years
 
This used to be a highlight of the year and a real celebration of sport, and, in fact, personalities.

Now it’s resigned to a Tuesday night slot and has massively lost its attraction over the last decade or so.

I’ve tried to watch them over recent years but don’t really get any enjoyment from it nowadays and didn’t watch any of this year’s offering.

No complaints with who won, it’s been a poor year, but I disagree with the fact you can only vote for who the BBC deem as a suitable nominee.
 
Heine_Otto said:
This used to be a highlight of the year and a real celebration of sport, and, in fact, personalities.

Now it’s resigned to a Tuesday night slot and has massively lost its attraction over the last decade or so.

I’ve tried to watch them over recent years but don’t really get any enjoyment from it nowadays and didn’t watch any of this year’s offering.

No complaints with who won, it’s been a poor year, but I disagree with the fact you can only vote for who the BBC deem as a suitable nominee.
Click to expand...
Agree with a lot of this, and I do think social media has probably ruined it (as it has most things), but it would be tricky to let people just vote for anyone they wanted wouldn't it? I can see why they have to have a shortlist. It would just be good if the shortlist wasn't a really ***** one, like it was this year. Like you, I've no complaints with the actual winner.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top