Sports punditry is one of the most vital jobs in the world. Where society would be without the vital function sports pundits fulfill doesn't bear thinking about.
Here, ranked largely on the basis of controversialism and outrageousness are the five top pundits of 2013. Points have also been awarded for thoughtful, excellent analysis, just not as many. This not being an Olympic year, pundits in the major team sports dominate.
5. Gary Neville
Neville carried his strong form from last year into 2013. Sadly, he did not deliver another piece of analysis to rival his now legendary 'Diving Masterclass', the gold standard in sports punditry. Here is his view on the dramatic decline in Newcastle form in the first half of 2013. In fairness had any of the dinosaurs on Talksport come out with this analysis they'd have been ripped into.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NsMGs52I3Y
4. Tony McEntee
Tony McEntee's patient and forensic analysis of the Dublin-Kerry All-Ireland semi-final was violently out of place in the RTE Sunday Game studio and was more than likely not appreciated. Completely alien. He hasn't been asked back since.
3. Jamie Carragher
Carragher and Neville have developed an intriguing relationship on Sky Sports, tussling on the age-old Gerard v Scholes debate, the O'Gara-Sexton debate of its day. However his finest moment was his insistence that "No one wants to grow up to be Gary Neville"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUiS0FScn-4
2. Eamon Dunphy
Standard year for Dunphy in some ways, exceptional year in others. His highlights include arguing that German football is in decline, (a magnificently Dunphy-esque unfalsifiable argument - prove German football isn't in decline!) getting borderline emotional after Barcelona's defeat in the Champions League semi-final, and telling Richard Keys and Andy Gray about the time Martin O'Neill sued him.
However, without doubt his greatest moment of 2013 was his week long war of words with Noel King. First, he went wildly over-the-top in his criticism of King and Ireland after the 3-0 defeat of Germany. A stunned Kinger hit back. There were rumours of previous aggro between the pair. But this was just the forerunner of what happened the night of the Ireland-Kazakhstan game.
1. Joe Brolly
The runaway winner. From that famous day in early August, there was only going to one winner.
