Move Over ESPYs, Make Room For The Daffys
Last night I came to the realization of the genius that is the ESPY Awards. ESPN picked the day when none of the major sports were in action and made their own sports news by creating an awards show. And they get to promote their own brand while doing it. Brilliant. On a day with only one major sports story, (that being the USA Women’s Soccer win in the FIFA World Cup Semifinals) ESPN spent an entire evening showcasing the celebrities of sports with an ESPN backdrop.
Once I jealously got over the perfect marketing scheme, I was able to get wrapped up in the awards themselves, and thought how nice it would be to have a DFW sports award. So, here are my winners of the DFW Awards, hereafter known as the Daffys:
Dumbest Act
Winner – Miami Heat
Following an NBA Final game, won by the Dallas Mavericks, members of the Miami Heat made a video mocking an ailing Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki had played the previous game (won by the Dallas Mavericks) with the flu. The Miami Heat players’ video showed prominent team members pretending to cough, an obvious shot at Nowitzki. Nowitzki and the Mavericks got the last laugh, however, as the Heat played not with coughing, but with choking symptoms.
Best Buy-Out
Nolan Ryan
After the MLB took control of the bankrupt Texas Rangers, the team was bought mid-season by a group fronted by Chuck Greenburg and Nolan Ryan. Though Greenburg would leave the team, Ryan’s Rangers made their first appearance in the World Series.
Most Overhyped Athlete
Winner – Martellus Bennett
Martellus Bennett, aka MartyBtv, aka, JupitersCrunch, aka KungFuAstronaut, aka Martyisdope, is
a media darling without even being a starter. Bennett plays tight end for the Dallas Cowboys behind Jason Witten. Many believe he would have been behind John Philips had Phillips remained healthy last year. Bennett is full of unfulfilled potential. One day he may back it up, but so far he has just been hype.
Best Feel-Good Story
Winner – David Toms
David Toms lost the PGA TOUR Players Championship in a heartbreaking playoff. Toms missed a 3-foot put to hand the victory to K.J. Choi. The very next week Toms came to Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth and won the Crowne Plaza Invitational, despite giving up the lead in the final round. Toms gave up a 7-stroke lead in the 3rd round and had to play from behind to earn the win.
Best Revenge
Mark Cuban
Ross Perot, Jr., filed suit in state district court stating the Cuban-owned Dallas Mavericks were in imminent danger of insolvency. Perot charged that Cuban had made a “litany of questionable, business, financial and personnel decisions” and was “careless and reckless” in running the Dallas Mavericks. Following the Mavericks NBA Championship victory, the Dallas Observer reported Cuban’s attorneys entered into evidence a document supporting a motion to dismiss Perot’s lawsuit – a document containing a photograph of the Dallas Mavericks receiving the NBA Championship trophy.
Best Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
Winner – Dario Franchitti
IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti expressed concerns about the format of the Firestone Twin 275s second race starting order weeks before the race at Texas Motor Speedway. The format was to use a random draw to determine the starting order. Franchitti did not think a race with championship points on the line should be determined by a random draw. After winning the first race, Franchitti then drew a starting spot at the rear of the field for the second race while his primary challenger for overall points, Will Power, randomly drew a top starting position. As a result, Franchitti left the weekend further behind in points despite winning the first race and finishing 7th in the second.
Biggest Money For Nothing
Winner – Joe Nemechek
NASCAR driver Joe Nemechek is only one of several drivers who regularly “start and park”. This is a term used for drivers who have no intention of running a complete race, therefore they do not have a pit crew or purchase tires to run the race. Nemechek has taken in $1,556,183 in 18 races despite only finishing a race once. Nemechek has used the following excuses to drop out of races – electrical (3 times), transmission (3 times), brakes (4 times), clutch (twice), vibration (twice), and rear gear. In half of the races, Nemechek drove fewer laps than the pace car.
Biggest Question Mark
Dez Bryant
Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant showed flashes of brilliance on the field, and flashes of idiocy off the field. While clearly a playmaker for the Cowboys, it remains to be seen if Bryant can avoid trouble. Bryant made headlines for touchdowns, but also headlines for failing to follow direction from police, pay for jewelry, and pay rent. The question remains if Bryant can be a Dallas hero or a Dallas embarrassment.
