Aaron Rodgers Beating Brady for NFL Player of the Year was the Funniest Part of the ESPYs
To echo what Francis and Feits said, Peyton Manning was pretty, pretty, pret-tay good last night. A vital part of being a mature, self-actualized individual is being secure enough to give credit to others where it’s due. Especially people you don’t like. So I have to admit, Manning had his moments hosting the ESPYs. Granted, every time he opens he reads a scripted line America reacts like he’s Dave Chappelle in his prime. And people still talk about his SNL hosting stint like he was Tom Hanks. But this time I’m going to be the bigger man and acknowledge this Super Bowl skit was funny. And not just because it’s Peyton playing the same Peyton from his commercials, the humble regular Joe who invites his perfectly diverse group of multicultural friends over to his $200,000 ranch house to watch the game, as opposed to the real Peyton who’s the single richest football player in history. It was funny just because it was funny. There. Never let it be said I’m not willing to say nice things about the thumb-headed goober.
But without a doubt the funniest moment of the whole night was provided by ESPN themselves:
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#ESPYS Best NFL Player ????@AaronRodgers12 on the red carpet! ???? #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/gdD6L2UMxT
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) July 13, 2017
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Good one, you guys! Hilarious. The worst awards show snub since Saving Private Ryan lost to Shakespeare in Love. It was funny enough when Tom Brady got passed over for Male Athlete of the Year over a guy who swims and an NBA player who led his team to a 6-seed and bounced in five games in the playoffs. The fact they gave Beest NFL Player to anyone but him is Gold, Jerry. Gold! All Brady did last year was have a higher Passer Rating than Aaron Rodgers, a better QBR (ESPN’s own be all & end all stat), virtually the same TD%, half of Rodgers INT%, throw for more Yards Per Attempt, 20 more Yards Per Game, set the all time record for career wins and oh, right … win his fifth Super Bowl and fourth Super Bowl MVP with 466 passing yards after Rodgers got blown out by 23 points in the NFC title game. To prove he’s achieved the same level of Sacred Cowness in Bristol that Manning has always enjoyed.
So congrats to Peyton and to Rodgers. Thanks for the laughs last night. All of New England looks forward to watching Rodgers host the ESPYs a few years from now, while Brady is still losing awards but still winning championships.
PS. Even more credit is due to Jarrius Robertson, the little Saints fan bro who won the Jimmy V Award. In case you missed it, check the shirt the kid was wearing while hanging out with noted Patriots sympathizer Sean Payton:
Heroes come in all sizes