The 2009 ESPN ESPY awards show airs July 19, and will be hosted by Samuel Jackson. I wanted ESPN to give Norm McDonald another shot at hosting the event, but after his first performance as the MC I was basically asking for a Team USA over Spain sized miracle.
Last year I got loose in the ESPN the Magazine ESPY Style Studios and got to interview some of the nominees. Here are some of the people I’ll have a shot at talking to if I go back this year.
BEST MALE ATHLETE
Kobe Bryant, NBA
LeBron James, NBA
Jimmie Johnson, Auto Racing
Michael Phelps, Swimming
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
Natalie Coughlin, Swimming
Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
Maya Moore, NCAA Basketball
Candace Parker, WNBA
Serena Williams, Tennis
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Olympic Beach Volleyball
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Shawn Johnson, Olympic Gymnastics
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
BEST RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Usain Bolt, Olympic Sprinter
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimmer
BEST UPSET
Mine That Bird wins the Kentucky Derby
Oregon State stuns then #1 USC
Tampa Bay Rays win the American League Championship Series
US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals
BEST GAME
Federer vs. Nadal in the 2008 Wimbledon Final
Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
Syracuse vs. Connecticut in the Big East Tournament Quarterfinals
BEST MOMENT
Florida’s Tim Tebow’s speech
Helio Castroneves wins the Indy 500
US swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay
BEST PLAY
Ovechkin vs. Rangers
Pacquiao KO’s Hatton
Roethlisberger to Holmes Super Bowl Winning TD
Texas Tech’s Michael Crabtree makes game-winning catch vs. Texas
BEST TEAM
Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers
North Carolina Men’s Basketball
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Steelers
Your 2009 ESPY Award Nominees Have Been Announced [Awful Announcing]
June 25th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
how in the *$ll could you not put jodie meeks in on the best record breaking performance. when he pretty muchoutscored tenn. vols at tenn. with a 54point record breaking game when he broke a record that everyone said would never be broken. tell me someone actually watched that game. cause i can guarantee you that however seen this miracle performance in a single game would tell you this was by far “THE BEST RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE” IN college basketball and maybe any sport for that matter
June 25th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
and as far as the category for” best moment ” the only other moment that deserves to be up their besides J MEEKS performance 54pnts ‘that was at Tenn.’ would be the swim team. i really actually enjoyed that.but your going to put a speech as the greatest moment for 2009. hell theres plenty of fathers that make speeches like that in little league games all over the country , and they win too. so if the speech wins you better make alot of espys to give to all the other deserving fathers out there with the exact same speech “WE WILL NOT LOSE ANOTHER GAME ITS ON ME FROM HERE ON OUT.
June 27th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
how may I vote for Tony Shumacker on his Espy Award nomination
June 30th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
BEST COMBACK PLAYER jake delhomme!
July 1st, 2009 at 2:25 pm
I don’t get it. Best male athelete no Rafa or Roger. Thats fucked up man. You gotta give props to those amazing athletes. Nadal is hundreds times a better athlete than Jamie Johnson: WTF!
July 12th, 2009 at 10:19 am
Can someone explain to me why Ovechkin is NOT a nominee for best male athlete…
July 13th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
i hope my man, Manny PACMAN Pacquiao wins!! more success to ESPN and to youbeenblinded.com
July 13th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
no villanova-pitt for best game?
July 14th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
why is the NCAA Ice Hockey championship not a nominee for best game? BU scored 2 goals in the last minute to tie and force overtime, and then won in OT. this is the single greatest sports contest I have ever witnessed, yet its not represented at all.
July 14th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
Eric, apparently you didn’t watch march madness or the super bowl. I love hockey man, but please…
July 15th, 2009 at 9:52 pm
mine that bird was the best upset…
July 15th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
it kinda pisses me off best team you only see american sports but espn/espys say its the “world wide leader in sports” but for best team its only american teams which is bull sh*t! Manchester United needs to be nominated for best team you could make an argument for Manchester united as best team 3 English Premier League titles in a row!!!but Lakers will win it. ESPN needs to include soccer though honestly the true WORLD WIDE SPORT
July 16th, 2009 at 10:53 am
DAMN no Kevin Garnett i 4got he was injured dang
July 19th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
chase- if the espys were to nominate a european team for best team they would defitnitely have to nominate barca over man u, barca dominated every aspect of the game this year
July 19th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Best team- howard hawks, D1 junior college baseball team that won 57 games in a row (longest win streak at any level) won national championship with final record of 63-1. come on it was the greatest baseball season ever and they had 4 draft picks and 16 players sign with D1 schools.
July 19th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
and get jimmie johnson off the list now! how can he be considered best male athlete, thats outrageous