Mizzou Football Will Receive A Bullshit ESPY Award For Being Oh So Courageous

El Taco10 years ago

Mizzou students, it’s time to find that rock you were hiding under during the school year and crawl back under it because ESPN still isn’t over this protest stuff.

ESPN recently announced the Mizzou football team (5-7) will receive the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award for, you know, being so courageous.

From ESPN:

University of Missouri Football Team: Racial tensions were becoming increasingly strained at the University of Missouri last fall. Frustrations gave rise to protests — one of the most notable coming when a student at the school began a hunger strike. Students were demanding action, and the Mizzou Tigers football team stepped in and announced that they would boycott their upcoming game unless changes were made. The players took a huge risk — their scholarships could have been revoked and their futures hung in the balance. But their actions indicated it was a risk worth taking to help bring action to this critical issue.

That’s an ESPY. That’s as good as a national championship.

I like that this is basically a list of all the things the University of Missouri administration should’ve done but didn’t. Don’t play, don’t get paid.

Per ESPN, the award “celebrates and honors any organization or person who has used the power of sport by taking risk and using an innovative approach to aid the disadvantaged, save lives, alleviate suffering and maintain and protect human dignity.”

You’ve got the risk part right. That doesn’t mean it paid off. As evidenced by the sharp decline in admissions, most people are embarrassed by the actions that went on there last fall.

pic.twitter.com/ofXQfIT5Bl

— Russell Hansbrough (@imthatnike) November 8, 2015

The Mizzou Family stands as one. We are united. We are behind our players. #ConcernedStudent1950 GP pic.twitter.com/fMHbPPTTKl

— Coach Gary Pinkel (@GaryPinkel) November 8, 2015

Keep in mind, the activists who inspired this movement are the same people who recently asked, “Who are you really here for?” to the white people amongst a crowd of 800 who gathered to mourn the lives lost in Orlando.

See, when ESPN awarded Michael Sam for his courage in 2014, the majority of the student body applauded the move. Sam was accepted with open arms when he changed history and announced he was gay, becoming the first NFL draft hopeful to do so. It put his NFL future in serious risk, but he got drafted and the story had a somewhat happy ending.

But this? No no no. Trust me, the majority of the Mizzou campus is cringing.

If you’re keeping score at home, that’s two ESPY awards for Mizzou in the past three years and zero conference championships. Keep up the good work, guys. The SEC doesn’t regret its decision at all.

While ESPN might feel this will get more people to watch their poorly crafted awards show, it really just displays how desperate for viewers the network has become.

Remember, this is the same network that gave Caitlyn Jenner the Arthur Ashe Courage Award over a disabled Iraq war veteran.

In short, this year’s ESPYs is going to be one to skip. You know, like every other years’ ESPYS.

[via ESPN]