Have you heard of the Oscars? How about the AVN awards...wait don't answer that. Believe it or not, some people aren't familiar with the ESPY Awards. The full name is Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards which gives a hint of its significance. It was created and broadcast by American cable television network ESPN in 1993. At one time awards were chosen variously through voting by fans; sportswriters, broadcasters, sports executives, and sports persons, collectively experts; or ESPN personalities. Now, winners have been selected online fan balloting conducted from candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. Here's a list of 2009 winners:
Special Awards
Arthur Ashe Courage Award: President Nelson Mandela
Jimmy V Award For Perseverance: Don Meyer, Northern State University coach
Best Comeback: Dara Torres, Olympic swimmer.
Best Female Athlete: Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
Best Male Athlete: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Best Moment: US Swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay
Best Team: Los Angeles Lakers
Best Coach/Manager: Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Best Game: Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
Best Championship Performance: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Best Play: Roethlisberger to Holmes Super Bowl Winning TD
Best Upset: US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Best Record Breaking Performance: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Best Sports Movie: The Express: The Ernie Davis Story
Best Male College Athlete: Tim Tebow, Florida Football
Best Female College Athlete: Maya Moore, Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Best Male Athlete with a Disability: Jason Lester, Ironman Triathlete
Best Female Athlete with a Disability: Erin Popovich, Swimming
Best International Male Athlete: Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Sprinter)
Best International Female Athlete: Lorena Ochoa (Mexico, Golf)
Individual Sports
Best Baseball Player: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
Best NBA Player: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Best WNBA Player: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
Best NFL Player: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Best NHL Player: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Best MLS Player: Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy
I had a mini-tantrum on this blog about LeBron not shaking hands after the NBA Championship. The bottom line --- he's still a phenomenal player. He didn't get a championship ring but it's nice to see him getting recognized for THAT. Sportsmanship is a two way street. I can't sit all pompous behind a computer while athletes are competing. That's like five grown men sitting in the woods with high powered rifles shooting Bambi and calling it a sport. Sometimes people have to get off their ass and do the right thing. Here's my salute to all the ESPY recipients. Well done!!!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records is a reference book with all the world records. This includes human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. I call it the genius of Guinness. Really, where else could you find out the heaviest weight dangled from a swallowed sword is 55 lb 1 oz in Italy, on 19 April 2009; within the same flaps containing a story about the longest leg hair being 6.5 in long?
It got me wondering if there was any type of acknowledgement for sportsmanship. Well, during 2008 in North Haven, Connecticut there was something similar. A record was made when twin brothers, Angelo and Ettore Rossetti, held the longest tennis rally to benefit charity. They did this for 14 hours and 31 minutes. Incredible.
A 2007 Internet article (China.org.cn) about massive Guinness Records in China discussed how over 5,000 students did push-ups together and more than 10,000 people ate lamb kebabs at the same time among other things. In my opinion, their obsession to create records drives the coordination of thousands of Chinese people. Most of these mass activities focus on traditional Chinese culture and games which makes it interesting as opposed to lame. One of the professors interviewed said he, "worried that under the serious market competition, the Guinness challenges will become more profit-oriented than embodying the true spirit of competition and sportsmanship." Pretty deep.
I hope the Guinness records are around in the same fashion for another 55 years because they allow everyday people to be memorable. Although many of the records don't involve physical strength, they involve passion and adrenaline. It's also one of the most stolen books from public libraries in the United States which means I better check my teenager's room!
It got me wondering if there was any type of acknowledgement for sportsmanship. Well, during 2008 in North Haven, Connecticut there was something similar. A record was made when twin brothers, Angelo and Ettore Rossetti, held the longest tennis rally to benefit charity. They did this for 14 hours and 31 minutes. Incredible.
A 2007 Internet article (China.org.cn) about massive Guinness Records in China discussed how over 5,000 students did push-ups together and more than 10,000 people ate lamb kebabs at the same time among other things. In my opinion, their obsession to create records drives the coordination of thousands of Chinese people. Most of these mass activities focus on traditional Chinese culture and games which makes it interesting as opposed to lame. One of the professors interviewed said he, "worried that under the serious market competition, the Guinness challenges will become more profit-oriented than embodying the true spirit of competition and sportsmanship." Pretty deep.
I hope the Guinness records are around in the same fashion for another 55 years because they allow everyday people to be memorable. Although many of the records don't involve physical strength, they involve passion and adrenaline. It's also one of the most stolen books from public libraries in the United States which means I better check my teenager's room!
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