Remember how LeBron James' was included on Time magazine's teaser poll leading up to their annual "Person of the Year" honor? Well, he just found out about it and he's absolutely humbled.
"I just heard that. It's pretty cool. It brings a smile to my face," he told reporters. That smile might turn into a frown when he finds out he's neck and neck for the position at the very bottom of the poll along with BP's nefarious Tony Hayward.
Again, the poll has no bearing on who will actually be named Person of the Year. The eventual winner may not even appear in the poll, but it is an interesting look into the zeitgeist of, well, people who like answering online polls.
The poll doesn't just ask people to place a single vote, but instead users rank the nominees on a scale of influence from one to one hundred. The ranking is determined by number of votes and average ranking.
LeBron James is currently 24th out of 25. Hayword is the only person lower. Even Afghan president Hamid Karzai somehow bests James.
Actually, James has the worst ranking of anyone on the list. His influence averages out at 20. Even Hayword pulls a 21. Ouch.
Of course, this is the internet. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan currently heads up the list. I think because he has the funniest name and some online group must be urging people to vote for him based on that undeniable fact. Lady Gaga is currently at second place because her fans are insane.
