[Lefty Noob]

The winners of the 2006 ESPY Awards are as follows:

Best Male Athlete - Lance Armstrong
Best Female Athlete - Annika Sorenstam
Best Team - Pittsburgh Steelers
Best Baseball Player - Albert Pujols
Best International Athlete - Albert Pujols
Best Football Player - Shaun Alexander
Best Record Breaking Performance - Shaun Alexander
Best Golfer - Tiger Woods
Best U.S. Olympian - Shaun White
Best Male Action Sport Athlete - Shaun White
Best Moment - Jason McElwain
Best Game - USC vs. Texas
Best Sports Movie - Glory Road
Best Play - Tyrone Prothro
Best Breakthrough Athlete - Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Best Championship Performance - Vince Young, Texas
Best Comeback - Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots
Best Male College Athlete - Reggie Bush, USC
Best Female College Athlete - Cat Osterman, Texas
Best Male Athlete with a Disability - Bobby Martin, football
Best Female Athlete with a Disability - Sarah Reinerstsen, triathlete
Best NBA Player - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Best WNBA Player - Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
Best NHL Player - Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers
Best Angler - Tammy Richardson
Best Bowler - Walter Ray Williams Jr.
Best Boxer - Oscar De La Hoya
Best Driver - Tony Stewart
Best Jockey - Edgar Prado
Best MLS Player - Landon Donovan
Best Footballer (Soccer Player) - Ronaldinho, Brazil
Best Male Tennis Player - Roger Federer
Best Female Tennis Player - Venus Williams
Best Female Track Athlete - Allyson Felix
Best Male Track Athlete - Justin Gatlin

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Best International Athlete - Albert Pujols

huh?...I give him best baseball player...but international athlete?...naw...come on...of all the world...all the sports?...

[Lefty Noob]

Bet you it was mostly Americans voting...

Okay, Goth, who do YOU think should've won Best International Athlete?

[24/8/48fan]

What about that Brazilian soccer player, thats supposedly the most recocnizable athlete in the world......now what was his name?

[Lefty Noob]

Could it perhaps be the ESPY winner for Best Footballer (Soccer Player) - Ronaldinho?

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

The Steelers................bullcrap. I watched the game.

[Lefty Noob]

That's my gut reaction, too - that the Steelers shouldn't have been named the best team. But if not them, who? No good alternatives are really jumping out at me right now.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

That's my gut reaction, too - that the Steelers shouldn't have been named the best team. But if not them, who? No good alternatives are really jumping out at me right now.

Say it with me...University of Texas...they had a better season...Steelers were one fumble recovery away from washing out in the playoffs.

[candlejack]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

Best Male Athlete - Lance Armstrong
Best Female Athlete - Annika Sorenstam
Best Team - Pittsburgh Steelers
Best Baseball Player - Albert Pujols
Best International Athlete - Albert Pujols
Best Football Player - Shaun Alexander
Best Record Breaking Performance - Shaun Alexander
Best Golfer - Tiger Woods
Best U.S. Olympian - Shaun White
Best Male Action Sport Athlete - Shaun White
Best Moment - Jason McElwain
Best Game - USC vs. Texas
Best Sports Movie - Glory Road
Best Play - Tyrone Prothro
Best Breakthrough Athlete - Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornets
Best Championship Performance - Vince Young, Texas
Best Comeback - Tedy Bruschi, New England Patriots
Best Male College Athlete - Reggie Bush, USC
Best Female College Athlete - Cat Osterman, Texas
Best Male Athlete with a Disability - Bobby Martin, football
Best Female Athlete with a Disability - Sarah Reinerstsen, triathlete
Best NBA Player - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Best WNBA Player - Sheryl Swoopes, Houston Comets
Best NHL Player - Jaromir Jagr, New York Rangers
Best Angler - Tammy Richardson
Best Bowler - Walter Ray Williams Jr.
Best Boxer - Oscar De La Hoya
Best Driver - Tony Stewart
Best Jockey - Edgar Prado
Best MLS Player - Landon Donovan
Best Footballer (Soccer Player) - Ronaldinho, Brazil
Best Male Tennis Player - Roger Federer
Best Female Tennis Player - Venus Williams
Best Female Track Athlete - Allyson Felix
Best Male Track Athlete - Justin Gatlin

What the heck is some of this stuff? What are the sports fans smoking? Best boxer, De La Hoya? The dive artist? C'mon! OK, I am down with most of the picks, but, I have some changes:


Best Female Tennis- Lindsey Davenport
Best NHL Player - Johnathon Cheechoo
Best Boxer - just about anyone besides De La Hoya

That's all my tired mind can figure out for now...maybe some later.

[blueandwhite]

Venus was NOT the best female tennis player of the year. By far.

[Lefty Noob]

Yeah, when I first posted it, I had some of these - - next to the really questionable picks. Venus shouldn't have even been nominated for best female tennis player. De La Hoya? Puh-leeze. Mosely, maybe? Best U.S. Olympian, Shaun White? How about Chad Hedrick or Shani Davis? Even Apolo Anton Ohno would've been a better choice. All four of them won gold, but unlike White, the others took home multiple medals.

[blueandwhite]

Are these awards supposed to be about American athletes?

[Lefty Noob]

Not really, but there are a few categories where nationality matters - best international athlete, best U.S. olympian, etc. Hence Jagr winning for best NHL player and Albert Pujols, the best international athlete, also winning best MLB player awards.

[blueandwhite]

okay. because why on earth would anybody say no to venus but yes to davenport? Who won the grand slams this past year? mauresmo, Henin-Hardenne, Clijsters. What about these women? Venus is now ranked 23rd in the world. Davenport is 10. Come on.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

Originally Posted by blueandwhite

okay. because why on earth would anybody say no to venus but yes to davenport? Who won the grand slams this past year? mauresmo, Henin-Hardenne, Clijsters. What about these women? Venus is now ranked 23rd in the world. Davenport is 10. Come on.

Because its a popularity contest most of all...and Mauresmo, Henin-Hardenne, Clijsters...are not names the American voting audience follows much.