BBC Sports Personality of the Year

Solidgone said:

MuttleyCAFC said:

Unless there is a cock up and all his votes go to the wrong place. Then Stoke will win team of the year!

Fantastic innings but the overall objective was to win the Ashes which wasn’t met. I’m sure Hamilton will win another F1 crown so he would get my vote. Not that I would vote for such a phoney award. 

What about the World Cup? We are talking about two fantastic innings.

Stokes will win, Dina second. Unless England (or indeed one of the other home nations) win the rugby WC which may create a new "name"

Hamilton will be shortlisted, but him winning his 6th title is hardly headline news.

SELR_addicks said:

You can be the greater racing car driver in the world, but if you're racing in a bad car your name will never be mentioned. 

Hamilton is marketable and has the correct nationality, that's basically all it took for him to be in a quick car. 

Not strictly true as he had outdriven all his teammates. He is there on merit. 

Sir Lewis Hamilton?

Only after he pays back the VAT he saved when he bought his plane.

DamoNorthStand said:

Off_it said:

Sir Lewis Hamilton?

Only after he pays back the VAT he saved when he bought his plane.

Oh ffs who gives a fuck. Get over yourself.... why single him out and not any of the other sportsmen and celebs who do the same? It’s not illegal.... 

What is it about Lewis in particular you don’t like? ....

Lol. Wind your neck in.

DamoNorthStand said:

My necks fine thanks. 

Going back to my question - what is it about Lewis Hamilton in particular? Wondering what it is you don’t like about him in particular?

Assume you have problems with pretty much every other celeb and sportsman that earns a lot and takes advice from the team around them?

Hamiltons criticism is massively out of proportion when you look at the lack of criticism on many others

Are you directing that at me? If so I don't know why. I think I've made one single comment on this thread.

But as you're asking then I can honestly say I don't have much of an opinion about Lewis Hamilton either way.

My personal view is that motor racing is incredibly dull to watch. A bit like golf in that I would imagine it's good to participate in, but dull to watch unless you are already into it. Fair enough if you are into it, but its not my cup of tea as it seems to be a lot down to the team and equipment (the car) rather than just down to the talent of the individual. There's no denying that talent and application is needed to be a successful driver, but as someone said above, to be successful isn't always solely down to the individual in the same way that it would with, say, a runner or a tennis player.

LH has always seemed OK when I've bothered to pay any attention, so I'm not "anti" him. Not at all. 

But he did get involved in something to save himself some tax which although wasn't illegal was more than slightly on the dubious side. Why do I think that? Because I've been a VAT advisor for the past 20 years and that type of scheme - which has been around for years - has always been at the ultra-aggressive end of the scale and is something that most advisors would advise against - or else implement it with a serious health warning. So, did he know what he was doing? Probably. Should he have known? Definitely. So you pays (or rather "saves") your money and you take your chances.

But I'm still not "anti" him and would make the same sort of comment if people were suggesting that, say, Jimmy Carr should be knighted.

How's that for an answer then?

Or were you thinking I might not like him because he's black?

 

DamoNorthStand said:

Off_it said:

DamoNorthStand said:

My necks fine thanks. 

Going back to my question - what is it about Lewis Hamilton in particular? Wondering what it is you don’t like about him in particular?

Assume you have problems with pretty much every other celeb and sportsman that earns a lot and takes advice from the team around them?

Hamiltons criticism is massively out of proportion when you look at the lack of criticism on many others

Are you directing that at me? If so I don't know why. I think I've made one single comment on this thread.

But as you're asking then I can honestly say I don't have much of an opinion about Lewis Hamilton either way.

My personal view is that motor racing is incredibly dull to watch. A bit like golf in that I would imagine it's good to participate in, but dull to watch unless you are already into it. Fair enough if you are into it, but its not my cup of tea as it seems to be a lot down to the team and equipment (the car) rather than just down to the talent of the individual. There's no denying that talent and application is needed to be a successful driver, but as someone said above, to be successful isn't always solely down to the individual in the same way that it would with, say, a runner or a tennis player.

LH has always seemed OK when I've bothered to pay any attention, so I'm not "anti" him. Not at all. 

But he did get involved in something to save himself some tax which although wasn't illegal was more than slightly on the dubious side. Why do I think that? Because I've been a VAT advisor for the past 20 years and that type of scheme - which has been around for years - has always been at the ultra-aggressive end of the scale and is something that most advisors would advise against - or else implement it with a serious health warning. So, did he know what he was doing? Probably. Should he have known? Definitely.

But I'm still not "anti" him and would make the same sort of comment if people were suggesting that, say, Jimmy Carr should be knighted.

How's that for an answer then?

Or were you thinking I might not like him because he's black?

 

Hamilton seems to get so much more attention on the tax issues than anyone else..... has always been the case and I don’t get it. 

I would blame his advisors, accountants etc. I dont think he would have had much of a clue as to the rules, and why’s and wherefores. He’s just gonna do what he is advised as the most cost effective way of buying a private jet.

I would probably have done the same if I were advised. Name a human being that wouldn’t save a fortune in tax if you could.

Anyone who gets "outed" gets grief, whether they get done for breaking the law (Lester Piggott) , get acquitted (Harry Redknapp, Ken Dodd) or don't even get prosecuted in the first place because the arrangements are legal, albeit contentious (Hamilton, Jimmy Carr, Gary Barlow). On top of those individuals I've mentioned you can probably add corporates like Amazon, Google, Starbucks, Vodaphone etc to the third category - all of whom have repeatedly had grief over the years. I don't think LH has had a rougher ride publicity-wise than any of those I've mentioned.

Relying on others, such as accountants or advisors, is not a viable excuse. That's not just my view, its settled law.

"Name a human being that wouldn't save a fortune in tax if they could?" I could name you dozens, hundreds. Sure, most people don't want to pay more than they need to, but celebrities, public figures and corporate entities are acutely aware that their image/reputation could make or break them, so - you may be surprised to hear - will more likely try to steer away from doing anything that may come back to bite them rather than do anything they could to save every penny. It all comes down to their "attitude to risk" - including reputational risk as well as the risk of "getting caught" - which some people might equate to "greed".

But to shrug your shoulders and say "everyone is at it" just isn't right. They're not. Take my word for it.

Team prize could be interesting, the womens football or the womens rugby team?

Only one way to find out.....FIGHT.

iaitch said:

Team prize could be interesting, the womens football or the womens rugby team?

Only one way to find out.....FIGHT.

As long as it isn't Crystal Palace