Mario Balotelli
...he might just scoop both awards, but he's certainly my hero of the year.

While British professional footballers are blowing their millions by behaving like utter twats, here is a man who has bought a Maserati and parked it in several dozen ridiculous places, including halfway through another car. This is the man who visited a womens' prison 'just to see what it was like', and when asked by police why he was carrying £5,000 simply said "because I'm rich". This is the man who wore a Milan shirt while an Inter player just to see what reaction he'd get.

It's a man who goes to his local curry house and has a sword-fight with rolling pins, who puts a grand behind his local bar before signing a few autographs and going for a kebab. The man who throws money at beggars and his local churches, and picks up truants from the streets before lecturing them and driving them back to school. It is, of course, the man who celebrated November 5th by setting off a few fireworks in his bath before becoming the face of firework safety, and the man whose garden is a quad-bike racetrack.

And let's not forget the legendary 'failure to put on a bib' video.

Somehow, Mario Balotelli has managed the right combination of cash-squandering antics to make him a cult hero and not utterly dislikeable (qf. Terry, Cole, Rooney etc). It helps that he's not done anything that is utterly loathsome and that he's a terrific, watchable striker. The new clown prince of football, he is by far the best thing to happen to the game for some time.
( ousgg is not seeking approval, Sun 1 Jan 2012, 1:59, 3 replies)

Well said.
He is totally spoon, but 'The Game' needs a few characters...
( Godzuki needs more sleep., Sun 1 Jan 2012, 16:22, closed)

You justify this quite well.
I concur despite my non Man City allegiance. He is infinitely more acceptable than say Luis 'can I call you nignog then?' Suarez or John 'The Saint' Terry if only because he isn't pretending to be goodie goodie.
( number5 has been fighting tramps and losing., Sun 1 Jan 2012, 17:12, closed)

The bloke is absolutely terrific!
I heard that he went round Manc in December dressed as Santa, just giving cash out to people.

He's insane, but in a bloody fantastic way.
( the pink chicken sniffer sniffs pink chickens., Mon 2 Jan 2012, 12:15, closed)