The E in ESPY signifies “excellence” in sports performance.
The E in ESPN represents “entertainment” in sports programming.
Excellence and entertainment will collide Wednesday night during the ESPY Awards show (6 p.m., KMGH-Channel 7).
The overload of entertainment-style hype on television and the Internet preaches that the highlight of the telecast will be the presentation of the prestigious Arthur Ashe Courage Award to Caitlyn Jenner.
Jenner won the gold medal in the men’s decathlon at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
In the sports world, Bob Costas has been praised and criticized for calling the honoring of Jenner “a crass exploitation ploy designed to bring eyeballs to the program.”
Costas’ point is legitimate.
Keep in mind that for the first time in the 23-year history of the show, the ESPYs will be aired on network television. That should produce a larger audience and more advertising revenue.
Viewers who don’t know the difference between the New Orleans Saints and the New Jersey Devils will tune in to see the Jenner presentation.
“In the broad world of sports,” Costas said, “I’m pretty sure they (the ESPYs) could have found someone who was more actively involved in sports that would have been deserving of what this award represents.”
Costas added that Jenner’s decision to change from Bruce to Caitlyn took “personal courage.”
Many in the sports community feel that a posthumous honor should go to Lauren Hill, who was 19 years old when she died April 10 of brain cancer.
Hill, a student at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, continued to play college basketball while battling cancer. She created a foundation that has raised more than $1.5 million for cancer research.
Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is a candidate for an ESPY in the “Career Achievement” category.
Keith quiet. Is this the calm before another Keith Olbermann storm?
ESPN announced that Olbermann’s contract won’t be renewed when it expires July 31.
The announced reason: “a business decision.”
No harsh words from Olbermann. No ponderous double talk from ESPN executives.
Olbermann, who initially left ESPN in 1997 after a stormy stint, returned to the cable network two years ago after stormy careers at MSNBC and Fox.
He had been hosting a 9 p.m. weeknight half-hour show on ESPN2, directly opposite the widely watched “SportsCenter” on ESPN — Olbermann’s initial TV home.
He recently was moved to the 3 p.m. time slot — almost a TV wasteland in the sports world.
A recent “Hollywood Reporter” story claimed that ESPN executives told Olbermann, 56, to tone down his ongoing criticism of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
No explosion from Olbermann. What’s going on?
Frankly, I miss Olbermann’s noisy battles with network executives.
Longtime Denver journalist Dusty Saunders writes about sports media each Friday in The Denver Post. Contact him at tvtime@comcast.net.
Weekly watch listUpcoming highlights for armchair fans:
• NBA summer league in Las Vegas: Nuggets vs. Hawks, 5:30 p.m. Friday, Altitude.
You’ve seen numerous TV clips of Nuggets first-round draft pick Emmanuel Mudiay smiling while working out in the gym. Now, see how the 19-year-old guard fares against NBA-caliber talent. The Nuggets also play at 5:30 p.m. Sunday (against the Kings) and Monday (Heat), both games on Altitude.
• Baseball’s All-Star Game in Cincinnati, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, KDVR-31.
If devoted Rockies fans can yell loudly enough at their televisions, perhaps National League manager Bruce Bochy of the Giants will play third baseman Nolan Arenado before the ninth inning.
• Golf’s British Open, 6 a.m (ESPN) and 1 p.m. (KMGH-7) starting Thursday.
Do the fairways at historic St. Andrews resemble those at Chambers Bay, the controversial site of the U.S. Open? The coverage team features Paul Azinger, Andy North and Curtis Strange on commentary and anchor Mike Tirico during the four-day major tournament. If Greg Norman watches, he could pick up some analyst tips.
