The award for the most ridiculous, self-absorbed, overzealous all sports entertainment network in the world goes to...
ESPN, for the 10th year running.
They have once again proven that outside the 4 major sports, Tiger Woods, and the Williams sisters, you're really not much of an athlete. Unless you count token consideration of Cael Sanderson and -ahem- Sarah Hughes (don't even get me started on figure skating).
No offense to college athlete of the year Sue Bird (UConn BB) but a certain swimmer from Cal who set at least 6 AR and 1 WR over the short course season would have had my vote.
Anyone else? Natalie Coughlin, female college athlete of the year as awarded by the USMS discussion crew?
-RM
Parents
Former Member
I'm not wrong about figure skating. The only event dominated by the US is the ladies event. Pairs, Ice Dance and Men have been won by mainly the Russians since 1994. We have not win the male event since Brain B did in 1988. In water polo part of the problem is that most of the United States has never developed much of a base outside of California. Image if the US national swim team was made up of only swimmers from Californa, many countries would beat us. In fact there was almost an all California team in 1968, but most of the country outside of some good AAU teams back east and colleges had not develop the type of programs that where available at Santa Clara and Arden Hills in the late 1960's. Many foreign countries still didn't workout double in those days.
I'm not wrong about figure skating. The only event dominated by the US is the ladies event. Pairs, Ice Dance and Men have been won by mainly the Russians since 1994. We have not win the male event since Brain B did in 1988. In water polo part of the problem is that most of the United States has never developed much of a base outside of California. Image if the US national swim team was made up of only swimmers from Californa, many countries would beat us. In fact there was almost an all California team in 1968, but most of the country outside of some good AAU teams back east and colleges had not develop the type of programs that where available at Santa Clara and Arden Hills in the late 1960's. Many foreign countries still didn't workout double in those days.
