So What Did the Fans Get Wrong This Year At the ESPYs?

Well, they only got one thing wrong, but I’ll get to that in a second.

But first, credit ESPN for putting sports on the same level as film, journalism, science, and all other studies and arts… for at least one night anyway.

The ESPYs are a tremendous event where sports enthusiasts can see their stars and heroes celebrated in the same fashion that the rest of the world’s politicians, actors, actresses and moguls are celebrated.

I’d like to also give ESPN kudos for giving the fans the opportunity to decide who wins theses awards. So many of the other award shows out there give the elites the chance to determine who wins what. That’s like letting hall of famers decide who gets into the hall of fame, it just doesn’t produce the best results. That’s why letting fans vote is imperative, because it really answers the question of “Who is best?” as determined by the market.

However, letting fans vote doesn’t always give you the perfect result either. Sometimes popular figures win awards over more deserving players. And this year’s ESPY’s had those same problems. For example, why is David Beckham winning best MLS Soccer player? And I’m not sure how the Boston Celtics won the Best Team Award over the Kansas Jayhawks.

That said, I really don’t have an issue with either of those things. It is what it is. But I do have an issue with two things that happened. One was at the hands of the fans fault, and one was not.

The first issue has nothing to do with the fans, however, it does involve Danica Patrick. If you have already seen her tenacious cat fight with co-Indy car racer Milka Duno, you know that Patrick can be a fiery character. But if you saw her face when she didn’t win the Best Moment of the Year award last night, you understand her temperament even more.

Although she was nominated, the three girls who were a part of moment in which 2 of them carried the other girl around the bases so that the young lady could complete her homerun trot, won the ESPY for best moment, and the look on Danica’s face when she realized she had lost was priceless. I don’t want to say she was scathing, but at the very least, she was not happy. She clapped, but there was no smile. There wan’t so much as a gracious look. And while I understand that this was not going to be her best moment on television (and rightfully so), at some point immediately following the award she has to realize that she is on TV and that she should show these young ladies some respect for what they accomplished.

Nope!

Not Danica. She kept her mug as straight as possible. I guess that’s the type of attitude you have to have to be a winner…or not.

My only other beef was with Tiger Woods winning best male athlete. While Will Farrell tempered my anger with his acceptance speech (in lieu of Tiger), I still can’t get over the fact that people consider golfers athletes. Because with all due respect to golfers, they are not athletes via the sport of golf.

Now, I don’t doubt that many golfers are good athletes- off the golf course. But golfing shows very limited athleticism, if any, and I’m not sure how golfing ever got all twisted, tangled up, and mixed with athletics. It’s a great game that requires a severe amount of eye-hand coordination, but so does sewing and architecture, and those seamstresses and land-scapers aren’t considered athletes. Any sport in which you can eat or smoke while you participate has to be questioned as a sport. And if the level of shape you’re in doesn’t take away much from your ability to participate in the game (i.e. John Daly), than what kind of athlete are you?

Uh… you’re not one!

But I’ll give Tiger his due. He is making that money and winning in the game of life, regardless of whether or not golf is an actual sport. I was just hoping the general populous was on my side with the hole golf not being a sport thing, but I have a whole other year to sway them over and that I will do.

Related Posts