04/25/24
December 22, 2009
Tennis Player Serena Williams AP's Female Athlete of the Year: For the second time, Serena Williams has been named AP's female athlete of the year. Williams won Wimbledon, the Australian Open and $6.5 million in prize money -- a new record. Williams used the opportunity to make the argument that her violent threat against a line judge was good for the sport because it "got a lot more people excited about tennis." AP's second-place finisher was the horse Zenyatta, which become the first mare to win the Breeders' Cup Classic.
I realize that humans are mammals but DAYNM
posted by yzelda4045 at 01:14 PM on December 22, 2009
Williams used the opportunity to make the argument that her violent threat against a line judge was good for the sport because it "got a lot more people excited about tennis."
That's like saying the Manson family was good because it got lots of people excited about hippies.
Great tennis player. Absolutely no class.
posted by wfrazerjr at 01:34 PM on December 22, 2009
Great tennis player. Absolutely no class.
Because she had one well publicized blowup against a line judge in the 14 years that she's been pro? Cut her some slack, the fine was enough. Besides, John McEnroe made a living off yelling and cursing at line judges and he's one of the most beloved athletes of our time.
posted by BornIcon at 01:44 PM on December 22, 2009
I wouldn't say McEnroe is "most beloved", but he's weathered his earlier rep and seems to now be accepted as the amusingly cantankerous elder...which would probably be a lot harder to do if he were a woman. A man is "assertive", a woman is "bossy"; a man is "passionate", a woman is "hysterical"; a man "stands up for himself", a woman "makes a violent threat"...
posted by lil_brown_bat at 02:05 PM on December 22, 2009
Because she had one well publicized blowup against a line judge in the 14 years that she's been pro?
Because she continues to be an ass about the incident, even in an interview with AP about being chosen for a prestigious award. Pointing out that "I was right about the call" shows that she learned nothing from the controversy. Whether the call was right or wrong, it was ridiculous for her to threaten violence against a ref.
... a woman "makes a violent threat" ...
"I swear to God I'll fucking take this ball and shove it down your fucking throat! Do you hear me? I swear to God. You better be fucking glad that I'm not, I swear." I reject the suggestion that it is sexist to describe that as a violent threat. I also reject the idea of a double standard. This isn't 1980. If a male tennis player had made a threat like that in similar circumstances this year, he would've been ripped just like Serena. Our media culture today is much more pervasive and judgmental than it was back then.
posted by rcade at 02:11 PM on December 22, 2009
Was there a message in the second place finisher that everyone else gets but me? I didn't get it so maybe someone can enlighten me? I think that it is insulting to women athletes but maybe I'm taking the ballots too seriously. Am I?
posted by yzelda4045 at 02:30 PM on December 22, 2009
Secretariat was Sports Illustrated's athlete of the year in 1973, so there's precedent for it, but it did seem insulting to me too. Especially since I'd never heard of Kenyatta.
posted by rcade at 02:39 PM on December 22, 2009
I wouldn't say McEnroe is "most beloved",
I didn't, I said "one of the most beloved..." Same difference I guess.
Especially since I'd never heard of Kenyatta.
I believe that you were being snarky but I think it's Zenyatta.
posted by BornIcon at 03:06 PM on December 22, 2009
Never mind Zenyatta, I think it sucks ass that Kim "I'll just stroll out of retirement and claim a few more laurels" Clijsters got third ahead of Lindsey Vonn.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 05:00 PM on December 22, 2009
Odd, naming a horse as 2nd place. That 18 writers out of 160 did that seems very strange. Especially given that at least two of us had never heard of Kenyatta/Zenyatta.
Seems like the LPGA or WNBA MVP should have shown up at 2nd. Or, given other recent polls, perhaps Danika Patrick would have been good choice.
One more reason to hate these Athlete of the Year/Decade awards.
I think that trying to label any criticism of Serena's blow up as sexist is a bit off line. She treatened to do bodily damage to a judge, behavior that gets a male thrown out of any competion, and most likely suspended as well. I get the double standard argument, just don't think it applies here.
posted by dviking at 05:04 PM on December 22, 2009
Well this sure puts in perspective the Athlete of the Decade and Athlete of the Year controversy, as it proves that as far as the AP is concerned you need not to be an athlete or even a human to win their award. It is merely a publicity exercise on the part of the AP to call attention to the AP. Nice that it makes so much sense. I hope anybody who defends their decision as to who the athlete of the whatever see the lunacy of a group that considers women athletes and horses in the same catagory. Priceless and as they say "consider the source". or horse as the case may be.
posted by Atheist at 05:44 PM on December 22, 2009
I wonder why UConn's Maya Moore couldn't at least taken 2nd place?
posted by BornIcon at 06:40 PM on December 22, 2009
Clearly, it was the female athlete of the year and not the female sportsman of the year. (Using this definition: 2.a person who can take loss or defeat without complaint, or victory without gloating, and who treats his opponents with fairness, generosity, courtesy, etc.).
I would say she won by a nose, but given the balloting it appears a good length if not two.
posted by graymatters at 06:47 PM on December 22, 2009
Why give an award to something that could give a shit less? When you tell her about the award, she probably thinks you're saying something about oats or carrots or you sound like Charlie Brown's teacher or something. She's a fucking horse.
posted by smithnyiu at 09:51 PM on December 22, 2009
As graymatters said, it was about the athlete, not the sportsman, of the year. That makes it about the numbers, not the person. Same reason Tiger won the Athlete of the Decade just after his recent troubles.
The horse thing seems whimsical - if meant otherwise is demeaning.
posted by bobfoot at 01:39 AM on December 23, 2009
Same reason Tiger won the Athlete of the Decade just after his recent troubles.
Tiger won the award before his recent troubles. It wasn't as if Tiger had these problems the last decade and for what he accomplished on the golf course, he was a deserving winner.
The horse on the other hand...is just a horse.
posted by BornIcon at 07:15 AM on December 23, 2009
BI, I'd have to agree with you on Maya Moore deserving some consideration. Heard that last night on SportsCenter or something else on ESPN and it makes a good bit of sense.
posted by boredom_08 at 10:02 AM on December 23, 2009
The horse on the other hand...is just a horse.
Of course, of course.
Go right to the source and ask the horse,
She'll give you the answer that you endorse,
She's always on a steady course,
The famous Zenyatta.
posted by mjkredliner at 10:34 AM on December 23, 2009
BI, I'd have to agree with you on Maya Moore deserving some consideration.
Exactly and for Moore not to be even mentioned is a crime. A horse got picked over her which is mind numbing. Makes you wonder if the people giving out this award even watch women's sports.
Of course, of course.
I put it on a tee and I just knew that someone would knock it out the park. Thanks for that mjk.
posted by BornIcon at 11:21 AM on December 23, 2009
I cannot believe the lack of PC running rampant in this thread. What, is everyone who posts here a bleepin' Humanist? You tellin' me non-human females have no right to Athlete of the Year awards? Where do we stop? Do non-boob-totin' females not qualify? Non-bi-pedal females need not apply?
Now if you have some kind of evidence that Zenyatta is a gelding, I might be able to get on board....
posted by outonleave at 07:25 PM on December 23, 2009
Now if you have some kind of evidence that Zenyatta is a gelding, I might be able to get on board....
Geldings are castrated males, so unless there's some hermaphroditic properties, unlikely.
Of course, if there is evidence of this, that's a whole other kettle of fish.
posted by tommybiden at 07:52 PM on December 23, 2009
I'm sorry but a horse came in 2nd? WTH!?
There's been some that's questioned NASCAR's Jimmie Johnson winning the AP's Male Athlete of the Year, I'll bet we're gonna have a field day with Zenyatta.
Sorry, congrats to Serena.