Novak Djokovic: Why SI Sportsman of the Year Snub Proves Award Is a Joke

So let me get this straight...Novak Djokovic has one of the greatest years in the history of men's tennis, becoming the sixth man to win three Grand Slam tournaments in one year while posting an overall record of 70-6, and he's NOT the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year?

Perhaps they weren't too thrilled about Novak's foray from the hard court into Hollywood:

Or, perhaps SI felt slighted since it wouldn't have been the first publication to name Djokovic its "Man of the Year:

Realistically, though, it's still just a bit odd that Novak got passed over. Who did they give it to then? I can't think of anyone else in any other major sport who dominated like Djokovic did. Aaron Rodgers, maybe? Dirk Nowitzki?

Wait...Mike Krzyzewski? No, no, no. That can't be right, can it? The folks at SI must have their calendars mixed up a bit. Duke won the NCAA Tournament last year and got knocked out in the Sweet Sixteen by Arizona this year.

It makes you wonder, "Who, exactly, at SI thought it'd be a good idea to pick Coach K over another guy with just as many K's and a more impressive year?"

Okay, so maybe Zach Lowe wasn't thrilled, but there has to be something else going on here. Oh, they paired him with Pat Summitt? A ha! I get it now.

They wanted to honor them both for being legendary coaches, with Coach K getting the nod for passing Bob Knight to become the all-time winningest coach in Division I men's basketball and Coach Summitt earning the honor because...of her health?

No disrespect to the recipients—they're both stand-up individuals in the world of sports who, by all accounts, are excellent role models and have accomplished so much over the course of their illustrious careers.

But, in this sensitive time, wherein scandals at Penn State and Syracuse have revealed how monstrous college coaching can be and sometimes is, how can anyone, in their right mind, give such symbolically effusive praise to individuals in that very profession? Is this a move by SI in support of coaches? Is the magazine trying to distract the average sports fan from the horrors that have come light across the country in recent months?

It's bad enough that SI passed over Novak Djokovic for the award, given the fact that he was clearly the most outstanding individual in sports all year long, particularly in the realm of competition.

However, in light of who they bestowed the honor to and the cultural milieu in sports right now that surrounds it, perhaps Djokovic, and even the sport of tennis, is better off not getting the cover. They wouldn't want to sully themselves with such an association.