Sportsman of the Year: Where have you gone, Roger Federer?

Sports Illustrated has named Dwyane Wade Sportsman of the Year. He is a heck of a ballplayer who had an incredible run in the playoffs. And Sports Ill tells a touching story of Wade's overcoming boyhood adversity in the ghetto (broken family, drug-addicted mom, raised essentially by big sis, moved in with dad who wouldn't give any positive feedback) to become a superstar.

But my Sportsman of the Year is Roger Federer:

Federer's 2006 numbers are astonishing: a record of 92–5, 12 titles, three majors and the final of a fourth, his third Masters Cup, and a record $8.3 million in prize money. Federer is so far ahead in the rankings that if he decided to vacation until March, he would remain no. 1 in the world and break Jimmy Connors's record for consecutive weeks on top (160).

Also notably absent from the list of Sports Illustrated honorees since 1954 are Wilt Chamberlain and Joe Montana , arguably the best in their respective sports. (Not to mention Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle.)