World No. 1 / 36-time grand slam winner / tennis superstar Serena Williams has just made history, by becoming the third woman ever to be named Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year – and the first since Mary Decker won in 1983.
Williams, 34, has this year battled bone bruising in both knees, 101 degree fevers, congestion, and a whole bunch of crap that comes with pushing your body to the absolute limit and STILL won three major titles (and, for six whole weeks, managed to amass twice as many ranking points as the world No. 2 in a 40-year first).
“All year Williams kept coming, on a path more arduous than anyone knew, and she put together the best season by a woman in a quarter century. ‘I do want to be known as the greatest ever,’ she says. To many she already is. But that’s not the sole reason why we arrive, now, at this honour. It’s also because Williams kept pushing herself to grow, to be better, and tennis was the least of it. The trying is what’s impressive. The trying is why we are here.”
And yet – *pause for eye-rolling and one giant UGGGGGH* – there are a dedicated but loud group of naysayers who are furious that a horse was “snubbed” for the title of Sportsperson of the year. A fkn horse.
“I am disappointed to announce Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion American Pharoah” – yes, that’s ‘pharaoh’ with an ‘oa’ – “has not been named Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year Award for 2015. Instead the award went to tennis star, Serena Williams. Despite an overwhelming victory in the fan vote by American Pharoah, maybe this sad announcement should come as no real surprise.
“Sports Illustrated, your agenda is showing.”
And people are rolling with it HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and all over HERE.
Guys…
American Pharoah was so distraught about this news that he just ran around a field aimlessly today and ate some raw oats.
— Robby Kalland (@RKalland) December 14, 2015
#PrayForPharoah.
