It's too bad the IAAF named its three candidates before the New York City Marathon was run. Granted, comparing sprinters or an 800 meter runner with marathoners is an apples and oranges comparison, but nevertheless Geoffrey Mutai had a year to be proud of and could make a decent claim for being AOY.
He had a Boston Marathon victory (a course record by 2:50!...and 4:12 (!) faster than the other R.K. Cheruiyot's CR that lasted until 2010) in a "World Best" (albeit heavily wind-aided) performance, plus a New York victory (a course record by 2:37!) to become only the fifth man in history to accomplish the Boston/New York double. And to do it by trouncing both course records...
He also demolished the field at the Kenyan National Cross Country Championships (by 44 seconds).
He did finish 5th at the World Cross, though he helped his team win the gold (which is comparable to helping a team win the 4 x 100 gold at the World Track Championships).
He also finished 4th in the 10,000 meters at the Kenyan National track & field championships in 27:38.9 (5,450 feet altitude)
But he also had a fast win at the Boston road 10K in June - 27:19. And a 1/2 marathon victory in Bogota, Colombia 1:02:20 (at 8,612 feet of altitude). Plus he won one of the oldest road races in Europe, the Giro di Castelbuono.
So, good work on the track, fine work in cross country, successful on the road, and awesome in the marathon. He should at least have been considered for one of the three finalists' spots...