We inhabit an age in which awards and accolades are ubiquitous. This is especially common in the realm of entertainment. For many decades it was just the Academy Awards that meant something for those who worked in the film industry. Now there is a seemingly endless awards season for the first three months of the year where numerous organizations hand out trophies to actors, writers and directors. But with such a generous distribution of praise for overly pampered - and overpaid - souls, the awards take on an acute irrelevance as there ceases to be a gold standard within the cloistered universe of exaltation.

Unfortunately sports, which arguably are our nation's most popular form of entertainment, have encountered such a dilemma in recent years as there appear to be bestowals emanating from all directions and quite often in heinous fashion - just think of how ridiculous the ESPY awards have become; after all winning is the award for athletic effort, that should be enough. But to combine sports with fashion and glamour as the ESPY's have done? While not as clearly offensive to one's sports sensibilities as MTV is to music's, it's right up there.

But in this arrogant and insipid era of ranting and venting where just because one has an opinion it is considered valid and important (an inverse and insipid interpretation of what a democracy is) there are still a few proclamations of praise that carry some merit. I suggest that Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year Award is one of them.

Now, it's true that not all - or even most - of SI's choices have been on target through the decades. Brett Favre winning a few years ago for perseverance? Come on (ironically, a Super Bowl trophy this season for the 40 year old would demand consideration). Or the blatant disregard for the historic accomplishments of Pete Sampras and Roger Federer (to be fair, nearly every sport has merited a winning candidate that was passed over for a surely less deserving winner)? But overall, the SI conferral is usually greeted with significance and a rare degree of reverence, an acknowledgement of past and present even. It has a literal and implied history of importance.

This year's selection of Derek Jeter will surely generate much debate. Obviously those in Gotham (where yours truly resides) are thrilled, as many of us believe his importance and stats have warranted an MVP on a couple of occasions. But multitudes will compare his year to other current baseball greats like Albert Pujols and cry foul and decry the typical New York media bias - a questionable argument though as no Yankee has ever claimed the prize. Pujols has already compiled near-Hall of Fame stats and just utterly dominated the National League again. And questions about Jeter's suspect defense by fantasy geeks, however unfounded the evidence is, will surely crop up.

But SI group editor Terry McDonell spoke eloquently, directly and unapologetically about Jeter. "Over all the years SI editors have used the same language to define the award," said McDonell. "It is not for the victory alone that he (or she) is honored; rather, it is for the quality of his effort and the manner of his striving.' And that defines Derek Jeter."

"While having a Hall of Fame career and under a brilliant spotlight, Derek conducts himself with class and a selfless demeanor that allows not only his teammates but also his sport and his community to flourish," McDonell continued. "It was his leadership both on and off the field that drove the Yankees to the world championship, and his Turn 2 Foundation is one of the most efficient and effective foundations of its kind. It is an honor to include Derek Jeter in the Sportsman fraternity."

And forget about the charitable efforts and his nice guy image. They are commendable traits but this is about performance in the sport in the end and anyone who appreciates baseball at it's truest and purest essence will validate Jeter's accolade. Whether one loves or hates the Yankees, his on field leadership and tangibly obvious baseball IQ is apparent to so many fans of the sport. And in a way, DJ is the anti-fantasy baseball personification. Minutiae and particulars are not his trademark.

His award can also be viewed, however unintentional, as a slight against his scandal ridden teammate Alex Rodriguez or any of the tarnished steroid stars of his generation. And if so, fine. The "Jeter as symbolic and literal antidote to all that ails the game" reasoning has some resonance. After all, when a fan is queried about which top player has probably never taken steroids, Jeter's name is inevitably atop such a list.

Perhaps over time each sports' version of Jeter will be able to reap the attention that the SI designation offers. But for now, it's time to applaud the latest chapter in the continuing fairy tale of the dream life of Derek Jeter.