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In part two of Betting.Betfair's Best and Worst of 2012, contributors discuss Italian football, Adriano gets a dressing down and Usain Bolt is described as "arguably the greatest athlete the world has ever seen" and recommended as a lay for 2013. So don't say we don't offer variety...
Jack Houghton
Moment of 2012: Bradley Wiggins' victory speech at the Tour De France. The highlight of any number of superb media performances that make him the rightful SPOTY.
Hero of 2012: Bradley aside, Mo Farah's consistency in the last few years brought deserved success at the Olympics and makes him my sporting hero of 2012.
Villain of 2012: With his Vuelta win (and a second place for Alejandro Valverde) Alberto Contador provided ample evidence that, for all that the cycling authorities may try to spin the Lance Armstrong affair as ancient history, the sport is still grappling with a drugs' problem, even if it is just how to deal with the victories of those riders who have previously served bans. Whether Team Sky will have any answer to a resurgent Contador will be the cycling storyline of 2013.
Best Bet of 2012: I lumped on Wiggins at 2.6813/8 prior to the Tour De France - my most profitable bet of the year - but from a tipstering point-of-view, it's not often you put forward a 60.059/1 winner, as I did when Ryder Hesjedal won the Giro this year. I expect I'll be receiving some kind of award for it.
Bet for 2013: I'll be wary of Usain Bolt this year, and will look to lay him in early season encounters. Whilst he may be able to get himself motivated for the Worlds in Moscow, he is looking increasingly unenthusiastic about anything other than major championships these days.
Dave Farrar
Moment: Mo Farah winning his second Olympic gold and the Mike Costello radio commentary that went with it. Two absolute masters of their craft capturing the emotion of a nation and summing up the soul of sport.
Hero: Roma boss Zdenek Zeman, for proving that football doesn't have to be about dull "achievement" and can still be about entertainment. Zeman shows that naive doesn't have to be a dirty word, although he'll probably be sacked in March.
Villain: Kevin Pietersen. I know that we're all supposed to see him as a misunderstood genius, and I know that the England dressing room clique probably didn't behave particularly well, but the man briefed against his captain and let down his team. He shouldn't have been allowed to play for England again.
Best Bet: I'm going to leave this category blank, as it will look like after timing, and there's nothing I hate more than an after timer...
Bet for 2013: As anyone who has read my book "The Perfect Punter" will know, it has to be Zarkandar to win the Champion Hurdle, and Brandt Snedeker to win a major.
Sean Calvert
Moment: Plenty to choose from as has become the norm in this golden age of men's tennis, but it would take a hard heart to choose anything other than Andy Murray's dramatic late night US Open triumph on a windy night in New York. After taking a two set lead it looked like Murray's Slam dream would evaporate after being pegged back, but a final set flourish saw him become Britain's first male Grand Slam winner since Fred Perry.
Hero: For this, I have to nominate Jerzy Janowicz for his stunning 1000.00n/a run to the final in Bercy, where he took down Murray, Janko 'sudden fatigue' Tipsarevic, Marin Cilic and Gilles Simon. A real rags to riches story that is so rare in men's tennis these days of a player who leapt to number 26 in the rankings and a seeded place at the Australian Open, having spent most of his career on the Challenger Tour. The delight on the face of the big Pole after each win was a breath of fresh air.
Villain: Has to be oft-paunchy Argentine David Nalbandian who, not content with throwing water over an official at the Australian Open (to be fair he had been wronged, but still), went on to land a default in the Queen's Club final after booting a hoarding and inadvertently causing a line judge to suffer a bleeding shin. A more controversial choice would be the ATP for systematically slowing down the courts, leading to the rise of the super-fit defensive style of player and killing much of the flair of the shotmakers.
Best Bet: Personally, I would have to plump for my advice of backing Andy Murray to win the Olympics at around 12.011/1. It was a pleasure to watch his destruction of an admittedly fatigued Roger Federer in the final at Wimbledon.
Bet for 2013: If Murray is ever to win Wimbledon, surely it has to be this year, with the tag of the 'best player never to win a slam' removed from him after New York. The confidence from that win and the Olympic triumph should make him a decent bet to land the Wimbledon title at around 4.03/1.
Michael Cox
Moment: I have no interest in swimming, but loved Ruta Meilutyte - representing Lithuania, but a resident of Plymouth - winning gold at the Olympics. The 15-year-old's reaction when interviewed after the race - barely able to speak, gazing around the Aquatics centre in astonishment - summed up how great sport can be.
Hero: Bradley Wiggins - I love football, but first and foremost, I'm a cycling fan. In early August I witnessed a Brit - who had won the Tour de France the previous month - speeding past my local pub on his way to Olympic gold. For me, you can't get much better than that.
Villain: Lance Armstrong.
Best Bet: I backed Roman Shirokov at 150.00149/1 to be Euro 2012 top scorer. There were 31 games at Euro 2012, and Shirokov completed his personal scoring - three goals - within the first 10 games of the tournament. Then followed 21 anxious matches, where Shirokov's tally was matched by four others, but incredibly, not overtaken. I've never been so thankful for the lack of proper number nines in modern football.
Bet for 2013: Andy Murray to win Wimbledon. In 2012 he gained experience of playing in a Wimbledon final, winning an Olympic tournament at Wimbledon, and then winning a Grand Slam. The next step is obvious, and I'm all over it at 4.03/1.
Mike Norman
Moment: Undoubtedly that Saturday night in the Olympic Stadium, the Golden Hour - Ennis, Rutherford, Farah et al. I had the pleasure of covering the Olympics for betting.betfair, so best then that I refer you to my exact feelings as I watched Team GB from the edge of my settee on that incredible evening.
Hero: Wow, so many to choose from - Ennis, Wiggins, Murray for example, and not forgetting our incredible paralympians, not least David Weir. But my vote goes to Mo Farah who not only achieved the incredibly tought 5,000/10,000m double, he did it in a discipline that has been dominated by African runners for decades now. Farah simply blew them all away.
Villain: Like many, I watched in disbelief when Shakhtar's Luiz Adriano latched on to a ball intended to be given back to the FC Nordjs keeper, and score to bring his side level. But the real crime from Donetsk was not to let the little Danish side go upfield and score once they had realised they'd breached every 'fair play' rule in the book. Shame on you Shaktar!
Best Bet: Not so much a best bet, but more of a 'best collective bet weekend' from betting.betfair's golf writers. Winners at 130.0129/1 and 28.027/1, plus a recommended trade on a 120.0119/1 pick that went as low as 4.47/2 were just some of the winners on a sensational tipping weekend.
Bet for 2013: Let's try again. This time last year I recommended Barcelona for the Champions League at around 2.89/5. This year they look a better side, but are available to back at 3.711/4. True, there are some good sides still in with a chance, but if the brilliant Lionel Messi stays fit then it's impossible to see beyond the Spanish giants.
Frank Gregan
Moment: The 94th minute of the game between Manchester City and QPR on the final day of the Premier League season. Sergio Aguero's goal was the moment of a lifetime not just a year. Unbelievable drama, real 'Boy's Own' stuff!
Hero: There were some fantastic home performances during the Olympics and its been very difficult to look beyond the British gold medalists and Bradley Wiggins who also won the Tour de France. Flag waving and patriotism aside, my vote goes to Usain Bolt, arguably the greatest athlete the world has ever seen.
Villain: Roman Abramovich - how on earth can a manager that has won the Champions League be sacked a few months later?
Best Bet: For the first time in ages I had a good Cheltenham festival, my favourite betting event of the year. Alderwood won the County Hurdle on the final day at an SP of 2120/1, I managed to get on at 4241/1 on Betfair, lovely jubbly!
Bet for 2013: Chelsea at 10.09/1 to win the Europa League.
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