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ESPYs 2018 Winners: Highlights from Wednesday's Awards Show and Results
July 19, 2018
The ESPY awards are typically a lighthearted evening filled with jokes, designed simply to celebrate the year in sports.
Wednesday night, there was some of that. Danica Patrick, the first woman to host the ESPYs, did her best amid some cringeworthy dialogue and scripted skits.
But those moments of lightheartedness took a backseat to more serious matters, as Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly, former Marine Jake Wood and the survivors of Larry Nassar's sexual abuse took centerstage as part of a touching ceremony in Los Angeles.
The survivors of Nassar's sexual abuse closed the show in arguably the most powerful moment in ESPYs history. Nearly the entire stage was filled with women, 141 of them in all, to accept the Arthur Ashe Courage Award on behalf of all the victims of Nassar's sexual abuse.
"It is a privilege to stand up here with my sister survivors as we represent hundreds more who are not with us tonight," said Sarah Klein, who is the first known Nassar victim (h/t Julie Miller of Vanity Fair)."Make no mistake, we are here on this stage to present an image for the world to see, a portrait of survival, a new vision of courage. ... Telling our stories of abuse over and over and over again in graphic detail is not easy."
"We're sacrificing privacy, we're being judged and scrutinized, and it's grueling and it's painful but it is time. We must start caring about children's safety more than we care about adults' reputations."
Aly Raisman praised Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who sentenced Nassar.
"You helped us rediscover the power we each possess. ... If just one adult had listened, believed and acted, the people standing before you on this stage would have never met him. ... To all the survivors out there, don't let anyone rewrite your story. Your truth does matter, you matter and you are not alone," Raisman said.
Nassar, a former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics doctor, was sentenced to a minimum of 100 years in prison after being found guilty on charges of sexual abuse and child pornography.
Kelly, whose cancer returned a third time in March, was the recipient of the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.
"I came up with a saying: Make a difference today for someone who is fighting for their tomorrow," Kelly said (h/t New York Post).
"When I look across this arena and when I talk to people and look at people, you don't need to be a Russell Wilson, an Aaron Rodgers to make a difference out there. Every single person in this room can be a difference-maker.
"My kids, my friends, when they came into see me, not once did they ever have a frown on their face," Kelly later said. "So I just urge everybody out there, if you have somebody who's suffering—it doesn't have to be cancer, it could be something who's not having a good day, it could be your mom or you dad, it could be your grandparents—what you say to them and the smile that you have on your face, that could be the difference in them making it to the next day."
There were more lighthearted moments, including a monologue in which Patrick sent shots at everyone across the sports world—including LeBron James.
But for the most part, the night was all about taking a moment to reflect about what really matters outside of sports.
2018 ESPYs Results
BEST MALE ATHLETE
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
James Harden, Houston Rockets
Alexander Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
Tom Brady, New England Patriots
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
Sylvia Fowles, Minnesota Lynx
Mikaela Shiffrin, Skiing
Chloe Kim, Snowboard
Julie Ertz, Chicago Red Stars/United States Women's National Soccer Team
BEST OLYMPIC MOMENT
Shaun White, Snowboard
Jessie Diggins & Kikkan Randall, U.S. Cross Country Ski
U.S. Men's Curling
USA Women's Hockey defeats Canada, 2018 Winter Olympics
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
George Springer, Houston Astros – MLB World Series
Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl LII
Kevin Durant, Golden State Warriors – NBA Finals
Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova Men's Basketball – CBB National Championship
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
Donovan Mitchell, Utah Jazz
Sloane Stephens, Tennis
BEST GAME
Houston Astros defeat Los Angeles Dodgers, World Series Game 5
Georgia Bulldogs defeat Oklahoma Sooners, Rose Bowl
USA Women's Hockey defeats Canada, 2018 Winter Olympics
BEST MOMENT
Minnesota Vikings defeat the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game
Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball
Las Vegas Golden Knights defeat Winnipeg Jets to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals
No. 16 University of Maryland-Baltimore County upsets No. 1 Virginia
BEST TEAM
Houston Astros, MLB
Philadelphia Eagles, NFL
USA Women's Ice Hockey
Notre Dame Fighting Irish, NCAA Women's Basketball
Villanova Wildcats, NCAA Men's Basketball
Golden State Warriors, NBA
Washington Capitals, NHL
BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE
Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Football
Jalen Brunson, Villanova Basketball
Katie Ledecky, Stanford Swimming
A'ja Wilson, South Carolina Basketball
BEST PLAY
Arike Ogunbowale buzzer-beater
BEST FIGHTER
Terence Crawford, Boxing
Vasiliy (Vasyl) Lomachenko, Boxing
Rose Namajunas, UFC
Georges St-Pierre, UFC
BEST MALE OLYMPIAN
Shaun White, Snowboarding
Red Gerard, Snowboarding
David Wise, Halfpipe Skiing
John Shuster, Curling
BEST FEMALE OLYMPIAN
Chloe Kim, Snowboarding
Mikaela Shiffrin, Skiing
Jamie Anderson, Snowboarding
Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, U.S. Women's Hockey