The 2005 ESPYs Thread

[sahyder1]

Best Female Athlete

Seimone Augustus, LSU basketball

Credentials: Won the Wade and Naismith tropies as the women's college basketball player of the year.

Past ESPYs: None

Natalie Coughlin, U.S. Swimming

Credentials: Won five medals at the Summer Games in Athens, including two gold (one individual in the 100 backstroke), two silver and one bronze.

Past ESPYs: None

Maria Sharapova, WTA

Credentials: The 2004 Wimbledon champion racked up $2.5 million in earnings last year and is currently ranked No. 2 in the world.

Past ESPYs: None

Annika Sorenstam, LPGA

Credentials: Has won six of eight tournaments entered in 2005, including the first two majors of the year – the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the McDonald's LPGA Championship. Won eight events in 2004, including the McDonald's LPGA Championship. Led the LPGA in money earned (over $2.5 million) and set the LPGA scoring average record at 68.69.

Past ESPYs: 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003 and 2004 Best Female Golfer

[Jester of Death]

Matthew Perry is the host.

:blink:

I'll be watching like I always do, it is one of the only award shows I even watch.

[ACCBiggz]

This is who I would vote for, not who I think will win...

Best Female Athlete

Annika Sorenstam, LPGA

Would have went with Sharapova here had Sorenstam not been so dominant in her sport.

Best Male Athlete

Lance Armstrong, cyclist

What he has been doing is incredible.

Best Team

Boston Red Sox

Best Coach/Manager

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

Best Game

Red Sox-Yankees, Game 5 ALCS

Best Championship Performance

Curt Schilling, Boston Red Sox

The Infamous Bloody Sock.

Best Male Olympic Performance

Michael Phelps, Swimming

Best Female Olympic Performance

Team USA Softball

I watched nearly all of their games at around 4-5am, and holding there opponents scoreless until the last game I believe was just remarkable.

Best Moment

Tiger Woods at The Masters

I remember sitting on my bed at college and jumping up when I saw the ball break, and golf just doesn't do that to me.

Best Play

Tiger Woods at The Masters

Best Upset

Puerto Rico Men's Olympic Basketball

Best Comeback Athlete

Mark Fields, Carolina Panthers

Best Breakthrough

Maria Sharapova, Tennis

Best Record Breaking Performance

Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts

Best Sports Movie

Million Dollar Baby

Only one of the movies that got Oscars.

Best Male Action Sports Athlete

Ricky Carmichael

Best Female Action Sports Athlete

Janna Meyen

Best Male College Athlete

Steve Mocco, Oklahoma State Wrestling

OSU had a dominant program this year, and he led the way.

Best Female College Athlete

Cat Osterman, Texas Softball

Best Male Athlete with a Disability

Rudy Garcia-Tolson

Best Female Athlete with a Disability

Erin Popovich

Best Outdoor Sports Athlete

J.R. Salzman

Best Driver

Kurt Busch

Best MLB Player

Albert Pujols

Bonds won't get it because of Balco, so I went with Pujols who I think is just more fun to watch.

Best NBA Player

Shaquille O'Neal, Miami Heat

Changes the game.

Best WNBA Player

Diana Taurasi, Phoenix Mercury

Best Bowler

Walter Ray Williams

Best Boxer

Bernard Hopkins

Best NFL Player

Tom Brady, New England Patriots

Might have went with Peyton, but Brady just keeps winning.

Best Golfer

Vijay Singh

Best Jockey

Jeremy Rose

Best Soccer Player

Mia Hamm

Best Male Tennis Player

Roger Federer

HaHa... this category is laughable the way he has been playing.

Best Female Tennis Player

Lindsay Davenport

Under Armour Undeniable Performance Award

Misty May and Kerri Walsh

GMC Professional Grade Play Award

Lance Armstrong, Cycling

Edited July 8, 2005 by ACCBiggz

[oldskool]

What's with all the BoSox love? Yeah, they were a really good team, and yeah, eight straight wins in the postseason, after being down 0-3 no less, is certainly impressive, but they're better than the Patriots?

Boston loses three straight (and they weren't exactly close games) and New England wins 21 in a row (breaking the old record) in the most competitive sport in the country...who's more impressive? I'll take 21 wins and back-to-back titles over an eight-game winning streak any day of the week.

I know the number of games doesn't compare, but the last time New England lost 3 straight was the 2004 pre-season. In the regular season, their last losing streak of 2+ games was a four-game losing streak in 2002.

Edited July 8, 2005 by oldskool

[ACCBiggz]

Being that they broke the curse earns them the title... just the way that it goes.

[Ananas]

If these awards are going to be so U.S.-centred, then why not exclusively bill it as an American sports award show? At least it would save Prinz and Ronaldinho losing to lesser American players, as well as the annoyance at noticing that every nominee in the Olympic categories are American. Oh, and Ian Thorpe > Michael Phelps.

[sahyder1]

If these awards are going to be so U.S.-centred, then why not exclusively bill it as an American sports award show? At least it would save Prinz and Ronaldinho losing to lesser American players, as well as the annoyance at noticing that every nominee in the Olympic categories are American. Oh, and Ian Thorpe > Michael Phelps.

←

[Ananas]

If these awards are going to be so U.S.-centred, then why not exclusively bill it as an American sports award show? At least it would save Prinz and Ronaldinho losing to lesser American players, as well as the annoyance at noticing that every nominee in the Olympic categories are American. Oh, and Ian Thorpe > Michael Phelps.

←

Maybe because it's on a US Network and targeted towards an American audience? If someone is a big enough name they will win. It's for the fans to vote on.

Phelps>Thorpe

←

[ACCBiggz]

While it is an American sport show, the fans vote on it... and ESPN simply puts on others names if they are big enough to put on for fan reconigtion. The problem is with fans voting on it... for the awards they know nothing about they will vote for the name they have heard. If this was an ESPN committee decision, I'm sure things would change with more knowledge about the sports coming to pass.

I think things like adding Ronaldinho to the list is because he has done a lot to be added, ESPN may want to try to raise awareness about the sport and the individual to help people see his accomplishments, even though they know he won't win, it would be better than adding in an entire list of players that are unknown to the US audience.

[sahyder1]

If these awards are going to be so U.S.-centred, then why not exclusively bill it as an American sports award show? At least it would save Prinz and Ronaldinho losing to lesser American players, as well as the annoyance at noticing that every nominee in the Olympic categories are American. Oh, and Ian Thorpe > Michael Phelps.

←

Maybe because it's on a US Network and targeted towards an American audience? If someone is a big enough name they will win. It's for the fans to vote on.

Phelps>Thorpe

←