Associated Press snubs MMA in Athlete of the Year voting
Earlier this week, The Associated Press, which provides sports news to millions of readers around the world, named its male…
Earlier this week, The Associated Press, which provides sports news to millions of readers around the world, named its male and female athletes of the year for 2011. Not a single mixed martial artist was named on a single ballot. It’s not as if non-traditional, non-stick & ball sports were not represented. Among those who received votes were sprinter Usain Bolt, surfer Kelly Slater and marathon swimmer Diana Nyad.
But not a single voter thought to write Jon Jones’ name on his ballot.
Given the consistent dismissal of MMA by the mainstream news establishment, this oversight is hardly a surprise. In the past, we’ve always shaped such snubs as part of a larger argument about how far MMA has to go. But not this one. Mainstream sports, this time, it’s on you.
I’m not arguing that Jones should have won the award. The winner, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, had an amazing calendar year. He won the Super Bowl, led his team to a 19-game win streak and has them in position to possibly repeat. Runner-up Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers won both the American League Most Valuable Player and Cy Young awards, the first pitcher to do that in 27 years. Third-place went to tennis star Novak Djokovic, who won 10 tournaments — including three majors — and finished the year with an exceptional 70-6 record.