Serena Williams Was Named Sportsman of the Year and Some People Are Pissed It Wasn’t American Pharaoh
*Slams head on keyboard repeatedly*
Serena Williams was just named Sports Illustrated’s 2015 Sportsman of the Year. She’s a powerhouse athlete, having dominated 53 of her 56 matches last year and three quarters of the Grand Slam. She’s been ranked number one in women’s single tennis since 2013. And, along with her incredible achievements, Sports Illustrated says it’s also honoring Williams “for reasons that hang in the grayer, less comfortable ether, where issues such as race and femininity collide with the games.” We can’t think of anyone more deserving of the title this year.
The cover? Serena's idea, intended to express her own ideal of femininity, strength & power https://t.co/SySVOIbOxx pic.twitter.com/eGFCQWQtzq
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) December 14, 2015
But some people can! Take, for example, Brian Zipse, an editor at Horse Racing Nation (lol) who was disappointed that American Pharaoh — who is a horse — lost to Serena Williams.
Very disappointed to see Sport's Illustrated editors ignored the fans vote, and chose Serena Williams over American Pharoah – Article coming
— Brian Zipse (@Zipseatthetrack) December 14, 2015
American Pharaoh overwhelmingly won the readers’ vote in an online poll, but winning the popular vote doesn’t necessarily guarantee the title (take our goddamn presidential elections, for instance).
This did not stop people from being unreasonably mad. Zipse took to Horse Racing Nation (lol) to write about the grave injustice against American Pharoah (you know, beyond the fact that he’s forced to spend his life participating in a cruel sport and likely doesn’t give a shit about a magazine award):
Or perhaps, the decision to ignore the fans had nothing to do with sports at all. Perhaps the editors of Sports Illustrated had made their final choice of the award winner long before the site put it up for the fans to vote. Maybe supporters of American Pharoah made the decision rather difficult for them by running away with the fan voting. But then again maybe not.
Sports Illustrated, your agenda is showing.
Oh for sure bro, there’s definitely a conspiracy here to keep this horse down. But idiocy is widespread, and the editor of Horse Racing Nation (lol) is not the only person disappointed that American Pharoah — who, again, is a horse — lost to Williams.
The fact that American Pharoah is not the Sports Illustrated person of the year is disappointing. Who cares if he's a horse?
— Joey Gardner III (@jegardner3) December 14, 2015
So, I'm officially done with Sports Illustrated. I DIDN'T VOTE FOR AMERICAN PHAROAH 700 TIMES FOR NOTHING. https://t.co/n22fdLihZQ
— Lianne (@liannelouwho) December 14, 2015
Great rant by @Drew_Deener on @ESPN680 about #SI giving Sportsman of Yr award to Serena Williams over #AmericanPharoah, who did sweep crown
— Jennie Rees (@TracksideJennie) December 14, 2015
And some straight-up horrible racists!
*Screams into the void*
Anyways, congratulations to Williams and a hearty consolation to American Pharaoh, who is probably enjoying a bale of hay somewhere and definitely not reading Twitter.
Photos by Sports Illustrated
Read This Next
