Bill Murray Toasts and Peyton Manning Roasts at 2017 ESPYS

Good Celebrity — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 13:13:08 +0000

Not surprisingly, two of the more memorable champions in the history of their respective sports took center stage at the 2017 ESPYS.

NBA champions the Golden State Warriors, who breezed through the NBA Playoffs with a 16-1 record, were awarded the Best Team award while the Chicago Cubs won Best Moment for winning their first World Series title in 108 years.

Because the awards ceremony falls during the baseball season, no current Cubbies were on hand to accept the trophy, so actor and die-hard Cubs fan Bill Murray accepted on their behalf.

“108 years of waiting is hardly a moment,” Murray joked. “This is the culmination of 108 years of momentum. Momentum by momentous men,” he added before listing off former Cubs players who never enjoyed the thrill of victory.

Murray then enjoyed a champagne-soaked celebration with presenter and fellow Cubs fan Nick Offerman and retired Cubs champion David Ross, who showed off some of the moves he learned on Dancing with the Stars.

Retired NFL superstar Peyton Manning served as the MC for the evening and he had fun with his former colleagues.

“Unfortunately my brother Eli can’t be here tonight, because that’s what I told the folks at the door,” he joked about his younger sibling who plays for the New York Giants.

Manning also congratulated former rival Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for winning Super Bowl 51 and he didn’t miss a chance to throw a shot at their opponents, the Atlanta Falcons.

“I know in my heart the Falcons will be back,” he said. “I want the Falcons to hear that from me now, at the beginning of the show, because I know that they’ll stop paying attention three quarters of the way in,” he added, referencing their blown 28-3 in the NFL’s biggest game.

The night wasn’t all about famous athletes and movie stars as real-life heroes were also honored.

Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro, who overcame burns on over 80 percent of his body to rejoin the Air Force and compete in adaptive sports, was awarded the Pat Tillman Award for Service and 15-year-old New Orleans Saints superfan Jarrius “JJ” Robertson, who has battled a chronic liver disease since birth, won the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance.

“Don’t ever give up. These are the words by Jimmy V I have been living by my entire life,” Robertson said. “I have been doing things I never thought I could have done before – and earning the Jimmy V award tonight is amazing.”

Other notable winners included legendary broadcaster Vin Scully for the Icon Award and the late Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver whose Arthur Ashe Courage Award was presented posthumously to Shriver’s son Tim by former First Lady Michelle Obama.

Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s son accepts the Arthur Ashe Courage Award with @Cadillac in memory of his mother’s mission.

A post shared by espn (@espn) on Jul 12, 2017 at 8:44pm PDT

Below is the complete list of winners from the 2017 ESPYS.

Best Male Athlete

Russell Westbrook, NBA

Best Female Athlete

Simone Biles, Gymnastics

Best Championship Performance

Kevin Durant, NBA Finals

Best Coach

Bob Hurley Sr.

Best Breakthrough Athlete

Dak Prescott, NFL

Best Record-Breaking Performance

Michael Phelps extends his own record of most gold medals/most Olympic medals

Best Upset

Mississippi State defeats Connecticut, Women’s NCAA Basketball Final Four

Best Moment

Chicago Cubs final out in Game 7 of 2016 World Series

Best Game

Patriots vs. Falcons, Super Bowl

Best Comeback Athlete

Jordy Nelson, NFL

Best Play

Aaron Rodgers to Jared Cook, Green Bay Packers, NFL divisional round

Best Team

Golden State Warriors, NBA

Best International Athlete

Usain Bolt, Track and Field

Best NFL Player

Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Best MLB Player

Mike Trout, LA Angels

Best NHL Player

Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Best Driver

Lewis Hamilton, Formula One

Best NBA Player

LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

Best WNBA Player

Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks

Best Fighter

Demetrious Johnson, MMA

Best Male Golfer

Sergio Garcia

Best Female Golfer

Ariya Jutanugarn

Best Male Tennis Player

Roger Federer

Best Female Tennis Player

Serena Williams

Best Male College Athlete

DeShaun Watson, Clemson football

Best Female College Athlete

Kelly Barnhill, Florida softball

Best Male Action Sports Athlete

Mark McMorris, Snowboard

Best Female Action Sports Athlete

Anna Gasser, Snowboard

Best Jockey

John Velasquez

Best Male Athlete With a Disability

Steve Serio, Wheelchair Basketball

Best Female Athlete With a Disability

Becca Meyers, Swimming

Best Bowler

Jason Belmonte

Best MLS Player

David Villa, New York City FC

Best Male US Olympic Athlete

Michael Phelps, Swimming

Best Female US Olympic Athlete