Worth Watching For A Change
It's normally as predictable as a race between a one-legged Sumo wrestler and Usain Bolt or as uninteresting as naming which four Premier League teams will qualify for the Champions League next season, but this year's BBC Sports Personality of the Year could actually be quite exciting.
Let's face it, British sport isn't normally littered with magnificent victories, whether it in athletics, football or ice-skating, but we do normally do a rather nice line in valiant failures.
Basically, if you win something - unless you are David Beckham of course - you are pretty much guaranteed to take the back-slapping and applause at the annual waste of licence-fee cash bash in December. We Brits, you see, really do believe that it is the taking part which counts, or at least we've had to adopt that mantra through decades of under-achievement. However, this year has been different.
For once, we are spoilt for choice when we scour the sporting landscape for heroic deeds and for once I shall watch the Sports Personality of the Year show with a sense of rarely witnessed anticipation.
Of course, there is no way a humble blog like this could hope to compete with such a glittering black tie event, but as I'm going to be away next week, I thought the time was right to see who would get your vote as sportsman or woman of the year?
And, without further ado, here, in alphabetical order, are the Luke Who's Talking candidates for 2008
Rebecca Adlington - double Olympic gold medalist
The 19-year-old gets my vote, winning Britain's first women's swimming gold medals since they wore long shorts in the pool in 1908. Was a surprise gold medal winner in the 400m freestyle and then broke the world record in the 800m. Down to earth and young enough to still be around in 2012.
Joe Calazaghe - arguably world's best pound for pound boxer
Last year's winner which will count against him, the 36-year-old Welshman has assured his place among the sport's all-time greats with wins over American legends Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr in their own back yards this year. Should retire with an unbeaten record and bask in the glory of his achievements
Lewis Hamilton - Formula One world champion
At 23, Hamilton has become one of the best known faces in world sport thanks to his wonderful skills behind the wheel of the McClaren. The youngest ever world champion and Britain's first since Damon Hill in 1996. Formula One is extremely popular with a true global following, but was it a victory for the best driver or a triumph for the best car?
Chris Hoy - triple Olympic gold medalist
The term thunder thighs is normally a derogatory term for a plump lady, but not in the Scot's case. Has now a won a total of four Olympic golds and is the undisputed king of the track. First person to win three gold medals at one Games in 100 years. However, with the GB Cycling team almost certain to claim the team of the year award will people look elsewhere for the individual champion?
Andy Murray - Britain's only tennis hope
Has had a fantastic year, winning five ATP titles and reached the final of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time at the US Open. Has moved into the top four ranked players and is widely tipped to become the world's best over the next few years, but didn't actually win the US Open or, more pertinently for we Brits, Wimbledon. Normally he would be a shoe in, but the competition is tough this year.
Christine Ohuruogu - worlds's best over 400m
Like Murray, would almost certainly take the crown in a normal year, but others won more medals at the Olympic games. However, she did it in a mainstream sport rather than one which needs special equipment and makes the most out of modern technology. Doubts about her persist though following her lifted drugs ban for missing three tests and is still not as popular among the general public as she should be.
Bradley Wiggins - another cycling masterclass
Has now won a total of six Olympic Gold medals, taking him level with Britain's greatest ever Olympian, Sir Steven Redgrave. Should beat him if he stays free of serious injury before 2012, but may have to wait until then to take this award because of Hoy's monumental effort in Beijing.
As for our main sports, football, cricket and rugby, it says it all that nobody has done enough to even make the shortlist!
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Luke Edwards - is Chief Sports Writer of The Journal and uses his blog to give a unique and entertaining insight into events at Newcastle United and Sunderland.
I think the popular vote will go with Lewis Hamilton. His car was not the best, but his driving skills were. And we tend to go with celebrities anyway. Shame really coz the other candidates have all done so well, but in minority sports compared with footie,cricket,rugga etc.
The Olympics performances were truly outstanding. How about giving the awards on offer to all of our 2008 sporting heroes equally??...
All worthy subjects Luke. You couldn't slide a rizla between 'em. But, by the time wor Ricky Hatton, my pound per pound fighter demolishes another big-mouthed Yank in the states this month, it will be his umpteenth world title at 2 weights.
Hatton is a two-time IBF and IBO Light Welterweight Champion, having relinquished the IBF belt, only to step back down to the weight class and beat Juan Urango. He was the WBA Welterweight Champion, but relinquished this title on August 31, 2006. Hatton is also the former WBU, WBA Light Welterweight Champion and WBC, WBA, WBO Inter-Continental Light Welterweight Champion, and current Ring Magazine Junior Welterweight Champion. What's more, his book is a great read and I strongly recommend it to you Luke. His after-dinner speaking and stand-up talent will probably secure his employment for the day he chucks in knacking other hard men. Oh, and he loves Geordies since he shared Calzaghe's bill at the arena and said he'd love to fight here again. My sporting personality defo.
mmmmmmmmmmm
JAC MILLS, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
First womens swimming gold since 1908! Whatever happened to Anita Lonsbrough in the Rome games of 1960. Anyway my son wants to know why the U.S president ellect plays at full back for the rugby world champions so, maybe he's worth a vote! Bryan Obama or is it Barrack Hbana.If there's an award for sports management it must go to Mike Ashley with a free day out in a brewery arranged by someone else as the prize. On second thoughts he can pay for a free day trip to a brewery ( organized by a competent third party ) for about 52 000 long suffering geordies!