A New Tradition

It's always a good time to institute a new tradition. I've arbitrarily decided that the deal for Sweet Home Sports will be to name a Chicago Sports Scene Person Of The Year each year. And because it's on Sunday morning that I finally got around to knocking this out, I hearby declare that the SHSCSSPOTY Award will be given out on the last Sunday morning of every year.

First, some ground rules: I get to pick whoever I want. To be fair, though, I will implement a strict policy that the Chicago Sports Scene Athlete Of The Year does have to play or coach a sport somewhere in the Chicago Sports Scene. The Chicago Sports Scene is defined as the sports and teams I follow. (So yes, Notre Dame counts. Deal.)

Now, without further ado (and because anyone who's remotely paying attention knows there's a clear winner this year anyway), the inaugural winner of the Sweet Home Sports Chicago Sports Scene Person Of The Year Award is ...

Devin Hester.

What more can be said about this guy? He's an electrifying presence any time he's on a football field. He's setting records in a fraction of the time it took his predecessors. He's the only person ever to run back a kickoff for a touchdown in the Super Bowl. He's clearly the best player on the most beloved team in this town, a team so beloved that it's the only one I make it a point to spell out in all capital letters every time I mention it in this blog, the BEARS.

Yes, for innumerable acts of sheer coolness, Devin Hester is the first ever SHSCSSPOTY. I'm thinking I might send him a nice certificate or something.

The only other guy who's even in the discussion is Lou Pinella, for seemingly instituting a winning attitude on the long-suffering Cubs. I'll be more impressed if he can do it consistently, though. I can't help but remember that Dusty Baker, Don Baylor, Don Zimmer and several others had some early success, too.

Jim Thome was also on the radar screen for his 500th career home run, but most of those came in Cleveland.

Write in and tell me why I'm wrong! Or, to make it fun, tell me who else you might put on the ballot.