ESPN's Arthur Ashe Courage Award and the dropped ball

[RoyleRedlegs]

ESPN is giving their Arthur Ashe Courage award to Caitlyn Jenner....over Lauren Hill.

While I'm sure Jenner feels courageous and countless SJW feel like she is too, she's out pimping her new reality show, doing photo shoots and piling up (even more) bank than she had before....meanwhile, Lauren Hill passed away in April and ESPN has moved on.

Jenner wasn't exactly doing this from a position of weakness. Jenner had money and platform already. This wasn't some 17 year old having to explain to his parents that he likes other boys.

Can't help but think this is either a shill to appease the SJW of the world or a complete snub to the truly courageous Lauren Hill who did what many in her situation couldn't or even wouldn't be able to do.

Maybe that's too cynical. Maybe they were just caught up in the moment...maybe.
But ESPN is a bastion of horrible decisions and even worse people. So I find it hard to believe they just got caught up in the moment.

ESPN dropped the ball here. The right choice was there and fairly obvious.

[Beaker]

I heard that on the radio too. And I agree. Lauren Hill deserves it.

[Bmoreblitz]

All about ratings for ESPN. Since Jenner is talked about EVERYWHERE. They Give it to Jenner and she makes an appearance and people will tune in to see. So many other deserving athletes

[Johnny Cupcakes]

Lauren Hill definitely deserves this award. Jenner may not deserve all of the negative criticism that she's getting right now, but she also doesn't deserve this award over Hill.

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Who is Lauren Hill and what did she do?

And what did Barkley do that was so courageous?

As for Bruce or Caitlyn, I do not care and do not think what s/he did was courageous either. Now, if s/he did this 30 years ago, then yes, but not now.

Just my opinion.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(06-03-2015, 07:04 PM)Johnny Cupcakes Wrote: Lauren Hill definitely deserves this award.  Jenner may not deserve all of the negative criticism that she's getting right now, but she also doesn't deserve this award over Hill.

Has there even been real negative criticism of the choice? I mean I know the batshit crazies have but they get mad over everything, can't really count them. Even a lot of Fox News people have said good things about Jenner...Not like she's doing this in the 50's....

(06-03-2015, 07:04 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Who is Lauren Hill and what did she do?

And what did Barkley do that was so courageous?

As for Bruce or Caitlyn, I do not care and do not think what s/he did was courageous either. Now, if s/he did this 30 years ago, then yes, but not now.

Just my opinion.

1. She was a 19 year old girl with cancer who played basketball at Mount Saint Joseph here in Cincinnati. She battled through her treatments to play in a game and fought for an extra 4 months than she was given. She raised over a million dollars for cancer research. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauren_Hill_%28basketball%29

2. If you are just giving the award to random people, Barkley is as good as any. Hell, I could probably make an argument on WHY he should get it over Jenner and I wasn't even being serious. 

[BmorePat87]

(06-03-2015, 07:04 PM)Nebuchadnezzar Wrote: Who is Lauren Hill and what did she do?

And what did Barkley do that was so courageous?

As for Bruce or Caitlyn, I do not care and do not think what s/he did was courageous either. Now, if s/he did this 30 years ago, then yes, but not now.

Just my opinion.

She was a college basketball player who found out she had a brain tumor when she was 18. She was determined to play college ball despite that and died 2 months ago at the age of 19.

As for Caitlyn, I disagree. The world is still very hostile to trans people so it is quite courageous to come out. While Caitlyn has it easier in that her money makes her transition more "perfect" in a way, it also comes with a TON of attention and negativity. The things being said about her are absolutely disgusting.


If I were ESPN, I would have probably said Lauren Hill. I think knowing you're dying is so much more. Then again, I never heard of her until today, so I understand going with Jenner.

Either way, it's a meaningless TV award and neither is undeserving.

[RoyleRedlegs]

[RoyleRedlegs]

(06-03-2015, 07:55 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: She was a college basketball player who found out she had a brain tumor when she was 18. She was determined to play college ball despite that and died 2 months ago at the age of 19.

As for Caitlyn, I disagree. The world is still very hostile to trans people so it is quite courageous to come out. While Caitlyn has it easier in that her money makes her transition more "perfect" in a way, it also comes with a TON of attention and negativity. The things being said about her are absolutely disgusting.


If I were ESPN, I would have probably said Lauren Hill. I think knowing you're dying is so much more. Then again, I never heard of her until today, so I understand going with Jenner.

Either way, it's a meaningless TV award and neither is undeserving.

It isn't like ESPN was unaware...they did a few specials on her and kept tabs.

Everyone for every reason gets horrible things said to them once you are in the spotlight. And considering a vast majority of that is on Twitter and such or coming from known sources of idiocy and to be ignored anyways, I don't see it.  She can log off and go on a trip to get away from it.  

[SunsetBengal]

(06-03-2015, 07:01 PM)Bmoreblitz Wrote: All about ratings for ESPN. Since Jenner is talked about EVERYWHERE. They Give it to Jenner and she makes an appearance and people will tune in to see. So many other deserving athletes

How long has it been since Jenner was even an athlete?

In my opinion, choosing Jenner over Hill, goes completely against the spirit of the award.  Jenner's sex change is more of a social commentary, than anything to do with sports. 

[BmorePat87]

(06-03-2015, 08:01 PM)RoyleRedlegs Wrote: It isn't like ESPN was unaware...they did a few specials on her and kept tabs.

Everyone for every reason gets horrible things said to them once you are in the spotlight. And considering a vast majority of that is on Twitter and such or coming from known sources of idiocy and to be ignored anyways, I don't see it.  She can log off and go on a trip to get away from it.  

Obviously the leading sports network wasn't unaware, but I would say that general public awareness of her was quite low.

I also don't know many people who get called things like a "science experiment", but it's not just random people on twitter saying this. It's silly to suggest that when have members of the media, celebrities, and politicians attacking her.

[BmorePat87]

(06-03-2015, 08:22 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: How long has it been since Jenner was even an athlete?

In my opinion, choosing Jenner over Hill, goes completely against the spirit of the award.  Jenner's sex change is more of a social commentary, than anything to do with sports. 

It doesn't always go to a current athlete. It has gone to coaches, broadcasters, officials, and even people who aren't related to sports.

[RoyleRedlegs]

(06-03-2015, 08:25 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Obviously the leading sports network wasn't unaware, but I would say that general public awareness of her was quite low.

I also don't know many people who get called things like a "science experiment", but it's not just random people on twitter saying this. It's silly to suggest that when have members of the media, celebrities, and politicians attacking her.

Who has attacked her? 
Huckabee? 

[SteelCitySouth]

Lauryn Hill was pretty good when she was in the fugees but i fail to see how that should be recognized in this setting.

[Devils Advocate]

I wouldn't say this is why I don't watch ESPN .... but ESPN sucks balls and this reiterates that setiment to a tee. ( I don't watch ESPN because they suck balls ).

[Belsnickel]

I wish I could say I cared one way or the other about this, but to whom a television channel gives an award is about as important to me as how many times Vladimir Putin took a dump today. That is to say, not at all.

[Devils Advocate]

(06-03-2015, 09:00 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I wish I could say I cared one way or the other about this, but to whom a television channel gives an award is about as important to me as how many times Vladimir Putin took a dump today. That is to say, not at all.

[*jason*]

(06-03-2015, 08:22 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: How long has it been since Jenner was even an athlete?

In my opinion, choosing Jenner over Hill, goes completely against the spirit of the award.  Jenner's sex change is more of a social commentary, than anything to do with sports. 

I agree, except I think the Jenner thing is a more of a personal choice thing than a social commentary.  Jenner won that gold in 76.  Which means that there have been 9 winners of that event since. Nobody seems to know what they are doing or how they feel about there identities.  This reeks of self promotion to me.  I have zero problem with what Jenner has decided to do, but the tv shows, the magazines, the hubbub... It's a little much for me.  This award belongs to Lauren Hill.... If not her, Craig Sager.

[SunsetBengal]

(06-03-2015, 10:09 PM)jason Wrote: I agree, except I think the Jenner thing is a more of a personal choice thing than a social commentary.  Jenner won that gold in 76.  Which means that there have been 9 winners of that event since. Nobody seems to know what they are doing or how they feel about there identities.  This reeks of self promotion to me.  I have zero problem with what Jenner has decided to do, but the tv shows, the magazines, the hubbub... It's a little much for me.  This award belongs to Lauren Hill.... If not her, Craig Sager.

My comment on social commentary had more to do with ESPN, than Jenner.  Of course it was a personal choice for Jenner, he/she must have been missing the attention, or something.  What really disturbs me is the fact that NBC Nightly News dedicated time to the story.  Why is this story National News worthy? 

What story?  An athlete known for virtually nothing since winning the Decathlon in '76, decided that after fading from the limelight, to pay for a sex change, and 11 additional surgeries to make it look realistic.  Big deal.  How many "everyday" trans folk can afford to do that?  So, now instead of being the elite alpha male in American athletic society, she is now the elitist fake woman ever? 

I'm not buying into it.  Not Nightly News worthy to me.

[*jason*]

(06-03-2015, 10:33 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: My comment on social commentary had more to do with ESPN, than Jenner.  Of course it was a personal choice for Jenner, he/she must have been missing the attention, or something.  What really disturbs me is the fact that NBC Nightly News dedicated time to the story.  Why is this story National News worthy? 

What story?  An athlete known for virtually nothing since winning the Decathlon in '76, decided that after fading from the limelight, to pay for a sex change, and 11 additional surgeries to make it look realistic.  Big deal.  How many "everyday" trans folk can afford to do that?  So, now instead of being the elite alpha male in American athletic society, she is now the elitist fake woman ever? 

I'm not buying into it.  Not Nightly News worthy to me.

She got as many votes (for courage) as the chick who sits alongside Skip and Stephan A. in this poll.