[Cheaperisdeeper]

Sports Illustrated will announce its choice for Sportsman of the Year on Dec. 1. Here's one of the nominations for that honor by an SI writer.

My Sportsman: Andy Roddick
By Albert Chen

EXCERPT

Tennis fans know his story well: Led by a new coach, Larry Stefanki, Roddick rededicated himself this year, dropped 15 pounds, improved his court coverage and retooled his backhand. His career as a Top 10 player on life support, he became relevant again with ridiculous hard work. But his other transformation was even more admirable: not so long ago Roddick was a punk --- brash and arrogant and rude on the court, the bad boy poster-child for the New Balls, Please generation. But marriage mellowed him; failure humbled him. The brat had become the gracious sportsman, and never was that more apparent than in the moments after the final when Roddick gave his moving speech in defeat. When asked by a BBC broadcaster if tennis can be a cruel sport, he looked up in the stands and answered, "No, I'm one of the lucky ones who has all you guys cheering for me." The Wimbledon crowd chanted his name. It was the coolest sports moment of the year.

Later that night after The Greatest Match Ever, John McEnroe told Roddick that he had won over more fans in defeat than he ever did in victory. He was right.

Full story: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...#ixzz0WlbWLYJj