THE BBC had their annual review of sport last weekend with their Sports Personality of the Year programme. Regardless of whatever you think of it these days it is a very good barometer of where Scottish sport is on a world stage.

That we had but one nominee out of 12 – deservedly, for short-track world champion speed skater Elise Christie – says everything about the dearth of sporting excellence at the very highest level. It could have been different, of course, had Andy Murray’s body not disintegrated.

Murray probably went above and beyond what his frame could take as he exited Wimbledon to Sam Querrey, having entered the event still carrying the scars of his French Open semi-final loss to Stan Wawrinka.

Murray’s hip injury eventually saw him call time on 2017 ahead of the US Open. It was a tearful surrender. Had he realised, given the significance of this medical problem, how long the road back might be?

Still, big brother Jamie was imperious in the Mixed Doubles with Martina Hingis, the Scots/Swiss partnership taking both the Wimbledon and US Open crowns. Gordon Reid was even more impressive. But for defeat in the French Open final the wheelchair exponent would have completed a Grand Slam, victorious with Joachim Gerard in Oz, and with fellow Brit Alfie Hewett at SW19 and Flushing Meadows.

Speaking of Meadows, in a near seamless link, English athlete Jenny Meadows was in Glasgow in November when scottishathletics handed out their annual awards at the end of what was a remarkable year for the sport north of the border.

For the World Championships in London 16 Scots made the team, including Eilidh Doyle who captained the squad, and won silver in the 4x400m alongside fellow Scot, Zoey Clark. Changed days for Doyle, who, at her first world championship, only had Lee McConnell for company.

Laura Muir, a double-gold winner at the European indoors in Belgrade, was edged off the 1500m podium while Callum Hawkins equalled the best-ever finish by a Brit in the men’s marathon, taking fourth.

While gongs were few, world and European medallist Meadows praised the upsurge in Scottish participation at the highest level and, because of those numbers, predicted that podium finishes would follow soon. She also hinted that others in the UK could learn from the Scots. Good news ahead of the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in Australia and in no small part down to the workings of chairman Ian Beattie and CEO Mark Munro.

They, rather like Judy Murray in tennis, appear to have struck on some magic formula, which begs the question could such adept talent spotting be transferable in to other sports, say football for instance?

Nor are we likely to find out, given another crushing failure at international level, missing qualification for a fifth successive World Cup. Gordon Strachan eventually carried the can for not making it to Russia, although some still believe he and his team were unlucky not to at least make the play-offs.

What utter tosh! The simple fact is we blew it. Leigh Griffiths scored from two magnificent free-kicks against England in June. But when Stuart Armstrong and Craig Gordon lost their bearings we snatched a point instead of three. A fatal blow. Although a 1-1 draw at home to Lithuania had been deeply wounding.

A manager is needed, urgently. But that will come down to whether the SFA parts with £500,000 for Northern Ireland’s Michael O’Neill or use their bespoke recruitment house – Jobcentre Plus as its better known – for the next plucky contestant. Hopefully, the new messiah will have some expertise in genetics.

Scotland’s women did qualify for Euro 2017, but sampled the harsh realities of playing at this level when dismantled 6-0 by England, although they did win their final group game again Spain. Too little, too late. How Scottish.

At club level in Europe, the chasm between Celtic, record-breaking and all-conquering champions in Scotland, and the continental elite, is getting near something Evel Knievel would see as challenging. Results against PSG were an embarrassment, but a coup in terms of PR for Brendan Rodgers, who beautifully camouflaged major losses by saying he would never forgo his, or the club’s, attacking philosophy. See what he did there?

Still, Celtic reached the Europa League knock-out stages, so job done, but they continue to fly the flag alone. Perennial domestic bridesmaids Aberdeen and St Johnstone didn’t last long, though their exit was nothing compared to the catastrophic failure Rangers suffered against Progres Niederkorn. What was put down to exceptional circumstances and a one-off was just a dress rehearsal for what became the norm under Pedro Caixinha.

Caixinha, who at times spoke in riddles, had replaced Mark Warburton who resigned – or at least was told he had resigned – in February. It proved an expensive experiment in both time and resource.

Having believed Caixinha was the best available candidate in world football the Rangers board now appears frozen by fear in making the next, much-needed appointment, especially after Derek McInnes blanked them. Bizarrely, Rangers remain just a handful of points off Celtic currently in the league. What does that say about Scottish football in 2017?

Changing the shape of the ball and Scotland played out the Six Nations like it was one last hoorah for outgoing coach Vern Cotter. Despite a mauling at the hands of England, a defeat which instantaneously terminated the hopes and aspirations of several would-be Lions contenders, Scotland came good in their final match against Italy to make it, overall, a winning season, all three victories achieved on home soil.

However, Stern Vern wasn’t mourned for too long, not once Gregor Townsend unveiled his non-stop, all-action, "just score more than the opposition" game plan that saw summer tour wins versus Italy, and more notably, against Australia.

That momentum carried over to the Autumn Tests. Scotland had never beaten New Zealand. And after the November international we still haven’t. It was a near miss, but rather than sulk Scotland countered with a clinical effort against Australia, pummelling the Wallabies in one of the worst cases of animal cruelty ever witnessed.

The margin of that victory, mixed with spring and summer performances, means the Scots enter 2018 with heightened optimism and expectation. Park Grand Slams and Triple Crowns – matching three wins from last season would still be progress.

In the domestic game Glasgow and Edinburgh employed new coaches in the shape of Dave Rennie and Richard Cockerill respectively. Within the new PRO14 set-up Warriors have been impressive. In Europe they’ve been as convincing as Brexit, disappointing considering the euphoria earlier in the year when they reached the last eight of Europe’s premier competition.

Edinburgh are performing better under Cockerill, not difficult, although his biggest test has been his patience, thanks to disciplinary matters around key players. While offering help and guidance to those who deviated from the straight and narrow, the former Leicester coach may consider a fast-track solution for anyone not heeding earlier sanctions and warnings.

All of that aside, what will be interesting in 2018 is who steps up, either to enrol or at least take a closer look, at the SRU’s Super Six. What will be equally interesting is what clubs – or amalgams – pursue semi-pro status, and why.

In golf, we are still looking out for a Lyle, Lawrie or a Monty, while boxing is better served by Josh Taylor’s progression through the ranks, and cyclists Callum Skinner and Katie Archibald could celebrate outstanding feats on two wheels.

And the highlights of 2017 for me?

Rod Stewart’s Scottish Cup draw; the ‘randomness’ of Mark Warburton; the courage of Doddie Weir; the hype and predictability of Mayweather vs McGregor, and Mitchell Starc's delivery to remove James Vince on day four in Perth Ashes Test. But I’m easily pleased.