BBC Sports Personality of the Year (or Day)

[KillerB]

Apologies to the non-Brits, it's a bit of a national institution.

The annual event that pops up and causes arguments in pubs all over the land. Last year was a doddle, we had Lewis Hamilton being World Champion at Formula 1, first black driver to even race, he was a shoe-in. So it went to Sir Chris Hoy for winning three gold medals at the Olympics and could have gone to half a dozen people as it was a tough year. We done good.

This year and today, it's a doddle. Jenson Button, a man with a name designed to be a Formula 1 World Champion today became Formula 1 World Champion. He's waited ten years for it. The team didn't even exist a year ago and at Christmas he didn't have a drive for this season, you know Hollywood-script stuff. Rocky meets Hugh Grant in a cock-pit with bum-fluff.

So, I won't mention Beth Tweddle, who today became Britain's first ever World Champion at gymnastics when she got gold for the floor. A British champion at gymnastics - no really, it's not a joke. She's not even Nadia Comaneci's asylum-seeking love-child, she's called Beth Tweddle and still has braces for pity's sake. Oh hell, I've mentioned her twice now.

Lay down your bets and other nominations now.

[KillerB]

Not factually incorrect, but I'd forgotten that she'd already been World Champion on the asymmetric bars - doh. Button is odds-on favourite btw.

[benread]

Lay down your bets and other nominations now.

It is normally a reasonable bet that David Beckham makes it into the final 10 candidates, whether he has actually played in the starting line up for England or not!

It is difficult to see any strong contenders other than Jenson Button, but against him is the fact it is not finalised until middle of December, at which point the F1 season is nearly 2 months finished.

Leaving aside SPOTY, Team of the Year is the other big one. Will it be England's Ashes winning cricket team? I am not sure qualifying for the Football World Cup is sufficient in terms of achievement. Winning next year would be another matter for 2010!

As ever, it is on my "must watch" programmes of the year on TV!

[KillerB]

Being interested in cycling I would put Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins into the mix but the cyclists won everything last year and, unless you win the whole flipping thing, most people don't care how they got on in the Tour de France.

When nothing important happens TOTY (no sniggering at the back) tends to go to a football team.

[DRT]

When nothing important happens TOTY (no sniggering at the back) tends to go to a football team.

Does that mean the Scottish football team are still in with a shout?

[KillerB]

When nothing important happens TOTY (no sniggering at the back) tends to go to a football team.

Does that mean the Scottish football team are still in with a shout?

No

[KillerB]

There's also Young SPOTY and International SPOTY.

I would imagine that Tom Daley should win Young SPOTY again as he became Britain's first World Champion at diving (surprisingly not Joe Cole), don't think he's going to win the main award though.

International could be Usain Bolt again.

[jdaw1]

Patrick Barrie ought to win, but won’t.

[DRT]

Patrick Barrie.

[mosesbotbol]

Jenson Button unfortunately is the best pick for 2009. Yes, he won the Drivers', but he had a dream car and he's half the driver of Lewis Hamilton.

Bradley Wiggins needs to win at least a Classic to be considered. Stage wins are impressive, but not the same as an overall on something big.

[JacobH]

Dare I mention the words David Haye here?

[DRT]

Dare I mention the words David Haye here?

You should be fine so long as there are no 7' 2" Russians close by

[DRT]

A deserving winner.

[KillerB]

I'm perfectly happy for Giggs to win it. He's a superb professional and is the most successful British club player ever.

[DRT]

I'm perfectly happy for Giggs to win it. He's a superb professional and is the most successful British club player ever.

...and, so far as we can tell, his wife has never had cause to try to kill him with a 3 Iron