Every year there are award shows for all types of things from theatre, films and music. Each year millions upon millions of people will watch these award shows to see if their favorite artists or performers will win the award that they are nominated for. While that is exciting all award shows can be hours upon hours long. Each of these award shows either fall flat or end up being remembered for years. The thing that keeps an award show going on to keep the audience excited is the host of the show. People from Jimmy Fallon, Neil Patrick Harris, and Seth McFarlane are all examples of great hosts from previous award shows.
While the performances listed primarily take place at a theatre, even the world of sports has an award show known as the Espys. Each year people gather to vote and see if their favorite athletes win the awards for which they were nominated. However, most people gather to see the Espys to see the recipient of the Jimmy V award for perseverance. This year’s recipient was sideline reporter Craig Sager who delivered an emotional speech that inspired millions myself included.
With sports having its own award show the question has to be asked who would be a great host for a show of this magnitude. It evidently has to be someone who is involved with sports right? Well, one of the biggest shocks of the entire Espys was seeing that the face of the WWE John Cena was the host for the biggest award show in sports.
What made the Espys this year unique other than Craig Sager’s speech was John Cena’s monologue. Each year the host will open with a monologue to get the audience ready for the show to get them excited and while Cena’s speech was actually very funny, the truth behind his speech is in fact shocking to many. Cena obviously knew that people would be asking why would a “fake wrestler” be hosting a sport show to which all of his jokes were the main focus on. As great as the jokes about sports not being so different from professional wrestling like Cleveland actually winning a championship, the NBA creating “bad guys” like Kevin Durant, and the punch line of how his boss is a one of a kind person only for a picture of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to appear behind him had the audience in attendance and at home laughing because it’s the truth.
If you have read my articles in the past you know I am a professional wrestling fan and I am very proud of it. The thing that we need to take away from Cean’s speech is the amount of truth that came from it. For years now players in the NFL constantly criticize Roger Goodell because players feel he’s only in it for the money and to take away rights from the players. Pittsburgh Steelers running back was fined by the NFL for wearing custom eye black in support of breast cancer for wearing it all season instead of October when the NFL does its breast cancer awareness month where players wear pink accessories. The major backlash that the NFL and Roger Goodell got was that players aren’t allowed to show their support for something only until the NFL is able to profit off it.
The world of sports is constantly changing with how large our ability to watch it has become. What John Cena showed in his speech is that it is almost impossible to not know what is going on in the world of sports even if someone does indeed live under a rock. To me, however, the funny thing is that people may now realize wrestling and sports may not be so different after all.
