The ESPY's are an annual awards and recognition program for the sports and entertainment world that always showcases the best and brightest moments not only of athletics, but of our world. This year, the show was no different. While filled with light-hearted and hilarious moments, it was also filled with sorrowful moments and stories that tug at the heart strings. All in all, here are 11 things the ESPY's showed us this year.
1. John Cena was an unexpectedly great host.
His time was now.
2. Lebron, D-Wade, Carmelo and CP3 opened our eyes.
Arguably the four biggest names in basketball addressed the race and police issues in our country.
3. Sergeant Elizabeth Marks is amazing.
Receiving the Pat Tillman Award was a war veteran who used swimming to rehab from a combat wound. She won four gold medals at the Invictus games and gave her medals to doctors in England who saved her life after a serious infection.
4. Eric Berry won Best Comeback.
And for good reason. Berry, a safety for the Kansas City Chiefs, was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2014, beat it and then was selected to another Pro Bowl.
5. Arthur Ashe Courage award winner Zaevion Dobson's story is tragic.
A 15-year-old football player taken away from this earth way too soon. He jumped over two young girls to save them from senseless gunfire. As we all know, the gun violence must stop.
6. The sports world lost many legends this year.
Muhammad Ali and Pat Summitt to name a few. These icons will live forever far beyond sports.
7. Kobe Bryant, Peyton Manning and Abby Wambach are all hanging them up.
Three athletes who have been playing their respective sports for basically my whole life. They received Icon Awards for their vast contributions to the sports world.
8. Craig Sager is as special and inspirational as any Jimmy V award winner.
The longtime TNT basketball reporter, who is battling leukemia, gave a speech for the ages. One of his unbelievable quotes was "I will continue to keep fighting, sucking the marrow out of life as life sucks the marrow out of me." Moving stuff.
9. Breanna Stewart is an animal.
The Uconn Husky great took home Best Female Athlete as she won four consecutive national championships and three consecutive Naismith Player of the Year awards.
10. Lebron James won Best Male Athlete.
After the Cavs remarkable comeback in the NBA Finals, this was not a surprise.
11. Athletes and sports figures have a huge impact in this world.
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From Lebron, Sager, Berry and Stewart, sports shape the way we live our life.
