Sports Illustrated will announce its annual "Sportsperson of the Year" tomorrow. As usual, there are plenty of candidates. No one stands out as an obvious selection, though, so I'm curious to see who they end up going with, especially in a year where things got "back to normal" in many ways but we still felt the hangover of the tumultuous 2020.
I've got some ideas for who should be in the running, as well as my thoughts for who should be the winner. My reasons vary, too. They all had historic performances, but the type of history they made was different. Which is why I'm intrigued to see who they ultimately end up selecting. Here are my top candidates, sorted in alphabetical order:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Basketball): After winning both Defensive Player of the Year and MVP in 2020, Giannis picked up right where he left off in 2021. He was MVP of the All-Star Game and dominated the NBA Finals, averaging 35 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Bucks to their first championship in 50 years. Then in the offseason, he further cementing his ties to Milwaukee by purchasing a minority stake in the Brewers.
Simone Biles (Gymnastics): She won four gold medals and five overall in Rio. She left Tokyo with just a silver and a bronze. But those shined just as brightly, if not more so. Biles withdrew in the middle of the team final for "mental health" reasons that turned out to be so much more. Because her withdrawal brought attention to a bigger issue, and illustrated the dangers of a sport where you're twisting in the air. Then she returned and won balance beam bronze. She's also a survivor of Larry Nasser's abuse, which she also felt was important to come back from.
Tom Brady (Football): Believe it or not, Tom Brady has only been named SI Sportsperson of the Year once. Of course, it's hard for a football player since their season ends in February, then they're in the middle of another one when it's time to pick a winner. But there's no denying that this has been one of the most remarkable years of Brady's legendary career. He won a seventh! Super Bowl, this time with a new team and was his usual dominant self during the Bucs' playoff run. Plus, that drunken celebration!
Novak Djokovic (Tennis): He didn't win the Golden Slam, but the fact that it was even a possibility says enough about Djokovic's outstanding year. He beat Nadal at Roland Garros, then rallied from two sets down in the final. At Wimbledon, he tied Federer and Nadal's all-time record with 20 Grand Slam titles. He actually went to the Olympics when so many other top players didn't and made the semifinals. Then, even though the Golden Slam was gone, the Grand Slam dream was still alive until he lost the US Open final. That's 27 consecutive Grand Slam wins in one year. Outstanding.
Caeleb Dressel (Swimming): When Michael Phelps retired, there was the question of who'd inherit the mantle as the top U.S. male swimmer. There's no question anymore. It's Caeleb Dressel. He won five gold medals in Tokyo, setting two world records and two Olympic records. Without a doubt, Dressel was the biggest American star at the Tokyo Games.
Allyson Felix (Track & Field): Allyson Felix was already one of the greatest Olympians ever before her final act in Tokyo. That final act only added to her legend. The 35-year-old veteran finished third in the 400 at Trials to qualify for her first Olympics as a mom. She was a long shot to even make the final in Tokyo, but ended up winning bronze, her 10th career Olympic medal. Felix then had the perfect ending...a gold medal in the 4x400 relay.
Jessica Long (Paralympic Swimming): Long has been the face of the U.S. Paralympic team for a decade, and she added six more medals in Tokyo--three gold, two silver and a bronze. She now has 29 career Paralympic medals (16 gold). But it's not just about her performance in Tokyo, as great as it was. Long is probably the most famous Paralympic athlete in the world, and she uses that platform to bring awareness and appreciation to Paralympic sports. I can't think of a better ambassador, either.
Lionel Messi (Soccer): As great as he's been throughout his career, Messi finally did something in 2021 that he'd never done before. He led Argentina to a trophy! After so many second-place finishes, they beat Brazil to win Copa America, and Messi was involved in nine of his country's 12 goals in the tournament. He also left Barcelona after 17 years and signed with PSG. Combined, Messi scored 40 goals in 2021 to earn a record seventh Ballon d'Or.
U.S. Ryder Cup Team (Golf): There's precedent for a team to be honored (see the 2004 New England-based baseball team), and the 2021 U.S. Ryder Cup team certainly qualifies. They were tired of seeing Europe win the Ryder Cup and wanted to do something about it. And boy did they! They didn't just win, they dominated! They had eight of the top 10 players in the world on the roster, and they played like it, leaving no doubt who the better team was over those three days. The final was 19-9, the largest margin of victory in the Ryder Cup since 1967.
While any of these nine finalists would've been a great selection, none of them get the nod. Because in a year where all types of history was made in all kinds of sports, there's one historical performance that stands out above the rest. It truly was a "Once In a Century" type of thing. That's why the 2021 Joe Brackets Athlete of the Year award goes to...
Ohtani was the unanimous AL MVP for good reason. He hit 46 home runs, drove in 100 and stole 26 bases AND he made 26 starts on the mound, went 9-2 and struck out 156 hitters! The Angels had their freakin' pitcher hitting leadoff! He was named All-MLB at both DH and pitcher! He made the All-Star team at both positions! Because why wouldn't the starting pitcher also be the DH?!
The best thing about Ohtani's season, though, is how he embraced it. He knew he was the biggest draw in the game, and he knew what that entailed. That's why he did the Home Run Derby (the night before starting the All-Star Game at pitcher). Because people wanted to see him. He did it without complaint and didn't say "No" to anything when he would've had every reason to. And, don't forget, he had to do two completely different sets of interviews for both the American and Japanese media. What he was doing was bigger than baseball. Ohtani understood what he was doing and knew the significance of it. The fact that he did it with such grace just made it that much more spectacular!
So, there you have it. We're unlikely to ever seen anything like Shohei Ohtani's 2021 season again (unless he does it again in 2022). It was historic in so many ways. And he kept it going for six months! That's why, even with so many great candidates to choose from, there's no doubt in my mind who the 2021 Joe Brackets Athlete of the Year was. Shohei Ohtani.
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