Bob Costas Says of ESPN Awarding the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage to Caitlyn Jenner … “It is Just a Crass Exploitation Play, Its a Tabloid Play.”

BOB COSTAS GOES THERE AND NAILS IT …

Bob Costas is going to catch hell for this and be labeled a transgenderist bigot. In a radio interview with Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show, Bob Costas was asked what he thought of Bruce Caitlyn Jenner winning the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. Costas called it a PR stunt, a crass exploitative, tabloid play. I have not always agreed with Coastas’ opinions, especially when it comes to his liberal views on the Second Amendment, however, I have always enjoyed him as a sports announcer since his play by play days with the Spirits of St. Louis of the ABA and he positively, absolutely explains the Caityn Jenner situation perfectly.

However, it strikes me that awarding the Arthur Ashe award to Caitlyn Jenner is just a crass exploitation play. It’s a tabloid play. In the broad world of sports, I’m pretty sure they could have found—and this is not anything against Caitlyn Jenner—I’m pretty sure they could have found someone who was much closer to actively involved in sports, who would have been deserving of what that award represents.

Only some one like Costas, a liberal who has built up a tremendous amount of sports capital, could get away with making such strong opinions that speak for many. Lesser folks would get destroyed by the LGBT hit squads. Bob Costas wished Caitlyn all the happiness in the world and all the peace of mind in the world, which any civilized person would do. However, that does not mean that Caitlyn is the only human being in the world and is deserving of every award and have it pushed down our throats. The media is in the business of exploitation and that is exactly what ESPN is doing in a “crass” way.

Dan Patrick agreed and followed up with, “I was with you. It felt a little too reality show, tabloid show that all of a sudden lets jump in with Caitlyn Jenner.  Bob Costas went on to say, “It feels lets lets buy into the Keeping up with the Kardashian culture that has over taken a good part of the cultural landscape. That’s a train that left the station no matter how you and I feel out it.”  Sadly, he is correct.

Skip to 7:45 for the relevant Discussion

Dead Spin: Costas expresses his disapproval of ESPN’s decision to give its made-up award to Jenner … This is all an “exploitation play,”

I wish Caitlyn all the happiness in the world and all the peace of mind in the world.

However, it strikes me that awarding the Arthur Ashe award to Caitlyn Jenner is just a crass exploitation play. It’s a tabloid play. In the broad world of sports, I’m pretty sure they could have found—and this is not anything against Caitlyn Jenner—I’m pretty sure they could have found someone who was much closer to actively involved in sports, who would have been deserving of what that award represents.

That’s not to say that it doesn’t take some measure of personal courage to do what Caitlyn Jenner has done, but I think that ever year we look across the landscape of sports, and we find prominent people and kids in high school and amateur athletes who I think more closely fit the description of what they’re looking for or should be looking for there. And I think this is a play to pump up audience the way lots of things are put on television, to attract eyeballs, not because of the validity, but because of whatever the kind of gawker factor is.

Previous Winners of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. We can see with the last two choices that ESPN has gone the route of the LGBT and is in fear of losing sight as to what they are and who their fan base is. Just a reminder to ESPN, the “S” stands for SPORTS.

1993     Jim Valvano (Award Video and Speech)
1994     Steve Palermo
1995     Howard Cosell
1996     Loretta Claiborne
1997     Muhammad Ali
1998     Dean Smith
1999     Billie Jean King
2000     Dave Sanders (posthumously)
2001     Cathy Freeman
2002     Todd Beamer, Mark Bingham, Tom Burnett, and Jeremy Glick (posthumously)[1]
2003     Pat Tillman and Kevin Tillman[2]
2004     George Weah
2005     Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah and Jim MacLaren
2006     Roia Ahmad and Shamila Kohestani
2007     Trevor Ringland and David Cullen from Peace Players International
2008     Tommie Smith and John Carlos
2009     Nelson Mandela
2010     Family of Ed Thomas
2011     Dewey Bozella
2012     Pat Summitt (Award Video and Speech)
2013     Robin Roberts
2014     Michael Sam
2015     Caitlyn Jenner