Surprising choices at the ESPYS
Posted July 15, 2010 12:16 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – American Sports Network ESPN handed out their annual ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) awards, snubbing a pair of local athletes and ignoring one of the most emotional moments of the Vancouver Olympics.
Despite Canuck Henrik Sedin winning the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s scoring leader, and the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP, ESPN decided Sidney Crosby was the NHL’s Best Player. Henrik put up 112 points for Vancouver, this past season, which was a Canucks record.
Whistler’s Ashley McIvor, who won a gold medal in Ski Cross at the Olympics, missed out on Best Female Action Sport Athlete, falling to Torrah Bright who won gold in Women’s Snowboard.
In a shocker Joannie Rochette, who captured the world’s heart at the Olympics after figure skating her way to a bronze medal just days after the sudden death of her mom, lost Best Moment to Landon Donovan and the U.S. Soccer team. They scored late in their game with Algeria, to avoid elimination from the round robin.They eventually lost in the next round.
The Canadian snubs don’t stop there. Montreal’s Georges St. Pierre missed out on Best Fighter, despite putting up a 2-0 record, which included two UFC Welterweight title defenses in favour of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The Network thought Sidney Crosby’s Olympic Gold medal winning goal in overtime wasn’t the best example of Calm Under Pressure. But ESPN did acknowledge the gold medal hockey game between Canada and the U.S., naming it Best Game.
