Lifetime Achievement Yes, 2009 Sports Personality No!

Ryan Giggs looked as shocked last night as the rest of us sitting inside the Sheffield Arena when he was voted the 2009 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award ahead of a disappointed Jenson Button and a very glamorous Jessica Ennis. Sportsvibe considers Giggs to be up there with Best, Law, Charlton, Edwards and Cantona when it comes to the legends of Manchester United and he is, most probably, the greatest footballer of the Premiership years, but the talk amongst BBC sports executives both last night and this morning, when the great and the good of sport emerged bleary-eyed, is that he should have received a lifetime achievement award on the basis that his 2009 was no different, and arguably not as good, as other trophy-laden years, leaving the Personality of the Year award to a champion from this year such as Button, Ennis, or Tweddle. According to the execs Giggs was hardly considered until, to their surprise he made the top ten. After that there was a growing feeling that the Welsh midfielder might run off with the trophy. To be fair to Giggs he made a genuine and modest speech and will appreciate more than many footballers the excellent company of sporting greats he has joined. And, on the basis that Greg Rusedski won this same trophy for losing the US Open, and Damon Hill for finishing second in the F1 drivers' title race, who can begrudge Giggs?