D Collins

So bloc voting (folk voting for the sport) you see nothing wrong with? You have no issue with Eurovision? He single-handedly won the Brits the Davis Cup for the first time since Fred Perry. Having said that I agree as Fury's achievement in becoming heavyweight champion of the world was head and shoulders above everyone

Probably split the vote between the public and a sports panel. Eurovision had a similar thing (when the voting was far more balanced), but now it's just public vote hence you get bloc voting...eastern Europeans voting for Eastern European nations, Scandanavians for Scandanavians...Turkey for Cyprus (and vice versa), etc. etc. Ireland and UK is a mini bloc. A sports panel would take out the bloc voting element. The whole Tyson Fury furore has wrecked this years for me. By far the biggest achievement but they focus on backward comments he made to a newspaper which were based on his religious beliefs.

Perception of what is a sport has nothing to do with this award so that's irrelevant. My comment of Ennis has zero to do with sex...if it was Henman I'd say "golden boy". Basically media darlings. Heptathlon is a niche activity that very few partake in. That's not to take away from her achievement (especially the circumstances), but she's competing in a niche event. Tyson Fury is the heavyweight champion of the world, and beat the undisputed champion in his own back yard. There are champions (belt holders which are ten a penny) and then there are champions. To be the #1 heavyweight on the planet, what Ali, Tyson, Foreman, Joe Louis etc. achieved..achievement wise nothing that any other Brit has done this year comes close. Frank Bruno (another media "golden boy") beat Oliver McCall to win a belt, what Tyson Fury did dwarfs that. To hold the Ring Magazine belt means he's the best fighter on the planet. He's also a great personality but being a traveller he doesn't fit in with the establishment who still discriminate. Lewis Hamilton won it last year and they tend not to award it multiple times...plus he just has to beat one person (his teammate) to win. Always had a problem with F1 and the heavy factor the car has on determining the victor. Next year it's highly likely to be another straight fight between the two Mercedes drivers. Murray hasn't done anything in the slams to warrant a win...though his Davis Cup form has been imperious so he deserves his part in the team award.

Sinfield is probably being nominated as a career reward (similar to Ryan Giggs, who ridiculously won it). In terms of achievement, Tyson Fury is head and shoulders #1 and ordinarily would win. However he's a traveller who is part of a marginalised community, plus he's said outlandish things only three weeks ago. He should win but he won't. Murray and Hamilton have already won it so that will likely preclude them, plus Murray will be in the team award. If Fury doesnt win then it should be Mo Farah. Another double gold from arguably the greatest British athlete ever. I've heard talk of Jessica Ennis being favourite which is a farce. Her achievement doesn't come close to Farah's or Fury's for that matter....but she's a media darling, "golden girl".

That Andrew Neil speech in full; Welcome to This Week. The week in which a bunch of loser jihadists slaughtered 132 innocents in Paris to prove the future belongs to them rather than a civilisation like France. I can't say I fancy their chances. France, the country of Descartes, Boulet, Monet, Sartre, Rousseau, Camus, Renoir, Berlioz, Cézanne, Gauguin, Hugo, Voltaire, Matisse, Debussy, Ravel, Sanson, Bizet, Satie, Pasteur, Molière, Frank, Zola, Balzac, Blanc. Cutting edge science, world class medicine, fearsome security forces, nuclear power, Coco Chanel, Chateau Lafite, Coq Au Vin, Daft Punk, Zizou Zidane, Juliette Binoche, liberté, égalité, fraternité and crème brûlée. Verus what? Beheadings, crucifixions, amputations, slavery, mass murder, squalor - a death cult barbarity that would shame the Middle Ages. Well IS or Daesh or ISIS or ISIL or whatever name you're going by - I'm sticking with IS, as in Islamist scumbags - I think the outcome is pretty clear to everybody but you. Whatever atrocities you're currently capable of committing, you will lose. In a thousand years Paris, the glorious city of lights, will still be shining bright as will every other city like it. While you will be as dust, along with the ragbag of Fascists, Nazis and Stalinists who have previously dared to challenge democracy and failed.

Envious to say the least. The fella has everything going for him in Sydney. Regards internationals and public profile...Sam doesn't need internationals to have a huge public profile. Living and playing in Australia gives him that. Aussie RL has been accused of not caring about the international game...but when you have the biggest show in town it's understandable to be insular and not care what's going on in the outside. The NRL is a fantastic product and Sam is now back in the big time. He will spend the rest of his days in Australia and will always be a household name there. From an English RL perspective the need for growth is far more understandable. The game doesn't have the status that the NRL has in Australia so the fight for survival (or greater profile) is ongoing.

Wood is a gentleman so I'd expect nothing less from him.

McGuire has always stood out anytime I've seen him. That kick for Hall's try in the last regular season game was class. What ive seen from Matty Smith on the otherhand has not been that impressive. Perhaps not being a regular viewer I've caught Smith when he hasn't been at his best.

Derek from Corrie (Peter Baldwin), married to "Mavis". Died age 82. Kirsty Howard, died age 20. Born with a back to front heart she was only expected to live for a few weeks age 4. She first came to attention walking out with Beckham before the England vs Greece World Cup qualifier in October 2001. Appeared again with Beckham at the 2002 Commonwealth games. She raised 7.5 million for hospice charity. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-34620913

English centric view. BBC stands for BRITISH broadcasting corporation. What advertising (UK wide, not regional) do they provide for the Gaelic that they have the rights to? Gaelic is as big here in the six counties in NI as RL is in the north of England. Difference being RL games get UK wide coverage when only one home nation is represented. RL does extraordinarily well by the BBC.

Last year has the Ben Flower incident which would have spiked interest. Perhaps that explains the three figures.

Funny enough I've known Canberra is the capital (within the ACT)...but overlooked that fact. Bit like Ottawa and Canada, Brasilia and Brazil...capital cities that are pretty small in comparison to each nations biggest cities.

I mean an actual home. Not tenants. Wembley is the home of football and it is owned by the English FA. RL has to pay the FA for the use of the stadium. Having your own home, a national RL stadium, one that is known to joe public as a RL stadium, and one that makes money for the sport throughout the year. RL doesn't have a base in London. Out of sight out of mind. There isnt a RL focal point (location) for the public. It's HQ is tucked away in the north cementing it's perception as a regional game. I feel that RL needs to shoehorn its way into the capital and say "we are a national sport". No point in looking at minnows such as Canada, US etc. for growth when you haven't worked on development at home. Likewise putting the responsibility on Australia. It's up to English RL to help itself first and foremost. Aussie RL executives have said without London there isn't NH RL.

God how I wish Kenny was wrong. The difference with your analogy is Man U had the biggest resources in England even when they were winning nothing. They were breaking the transfer record constantly (Ferguson did so about four times in the late 1980s). They were a sleeping giant and Kenny knew once they woke up they would take over...also needed Liverpool to go to sleep..which happened. RL's resources on the otherhand are quite limited at the moment. Financially the sport is hamstrung in England. There is no national stadium (which I've long advocated for being in London to extend the sports footprint beyond the heartlands). Without cash there is no "speculate to accumulate"...so the necessary growth doesn't take effect. Australia is very different as RL has the resources (and the capital city) to call on.

Cricket the worst run sport on the earth? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/34562700 Bad light stopped play. Sounds like an explosive finish...after the five day marathon. They had the floodlights on...and Pakistan had delivered the overs slowly...ahh feck it let's get the hell out of here. All played out in an empty stadium. County cricket is played in empty stadiums. Most test matches are at least half empty stadiums. But for the Ashes (especially a home ashes) the sport would be all but dead in the UK. See you in three and a half years fellas. And yet...noting is done to bring this Victorian game into the 21st century (at test level).