Maya Moore
For 21 years, since January of 1990, I've kept a record of the best sports performances for each week, month, and year. I fudge a little on each week to limit each month to 4 weeks. I award an athlete of the month, and finally, and athlete of the year. Just for the past couple of years I've been putting this online, but over the past year I've been posting the old records as well. You can, were you so inclined, now find 1990-2001 here at the blog, as well as the last couple of years in real time.
I've never chosen a woman as Athlete of the Year. It's possible that's been error, but as I've worked my way through the old records, I can't say there's been a switch that I'd make.
I don't consciously think of this award as a reaction to that, nor do I think of it as a reaction to what has been an underappreciation of UConn's streak by the sports public. But both might be in play.
What's definitely in play is the following - in a year when no performance demanded the award (AP chose Brees, and he was my runner-up, but while his playoff run and Super Bowl were both good, they weren't spectacular, and while he's followed it with a good 2010 season, he isn't in MVP contention) taking the best player from the best team make sense; and UConn, having not lost a basketball game in the calendar year (and beyond) most of them not close, was the best team in 2010. (or, hadn't lost a game in the calendar year)
Jimmie Johnson didn't win one of my Athletes of the Month, and therefore wasn't eligible, but I'd see a argument for his winning; Kobe Bryant didn't win one of my Athletes of the Month, and in the way that Johnson or Moore would have their candidacy given gravity by the cumulative weight of accomplishment, I can see an argument for his winning. I don't think anyone else has a particularly good argument.
So - left with Brees and Moore, I chose Maya Moore. The Blog of Revelation 2010 Athlete of the Year.
