Jason Dufner Ranked #1 by ESPN, Snubbed by ESPYs
Apparently being ranked #1 by your own tv station isn't enough to get you in the vote for the ESPY for Best Male Golfer. Now you know I got nothin' but love for ya ESPYS, but come on...
Like last year, which understandably included Auburn in five categories, in which the jealous world kept the Tigers from winning any, let's analyze the one category an Auburn man at least should be in. And yes, I'm going to keep in mind that the ESPYs look at the accomplishments from July to July (when the show is held), so it's not just based on what's happened this year.
Luke Donald is currently ranked #1 in the official golf rankings, but he's a bust. He's the worst #1 that I can ever remember. And Bill Haas, are you kidding me? He's not even in the aforementioned power rankings, and is ranked #24 in the world. In the past two years combined, he's won half as much money as Dufner has won this year alone.
Everything Else from the ‘Blogler’s Trip to L.A. – Part 2
As you remember from part 1 of Everything Else from the 'Blogler's Trip to L.A., I had just gotten off the L.A. subway and was making my way through the parking lot of the Staples Center en route to the Nokia Theater to cover the ESPYs. We'll pick back up there...
It was around 3:30 pm local time when I walked up to the press check-in tent. I told them my name and that I was with WarBlogle.com. They couldn't find me. "Great, I just flew to California for nothing," I thought. I called Keri, to get her to come whoop up on somebody. She said she was looking at my name on the carpet, so there had to be some sort of mix-up.
I ended up having to go get my picture taken and have a badge made so I could get in. Once that was done, I took my spot on the carpet.
After a few minutes of acting like I knew what I was doing while setting up, a guy came up and asked me about Cam. How did he know I was THE person to ask about Cam? Was my blatant Auburn homerism that obvious?
Everything Else from the ‘Blogler’s Trip to L.A. – Part 1
Unless you are new to the 'Blogle, you already know that two weeks ago I returned from Los Angeles where I was lucky enough to cover the ESPYs. I couldn't have gone without your donations, nor would it have even happened without Keri Potts of ESPN. Many thanks to all of you that made it happen.
In case you missed them, I've already posted pictures, video, and other info from the ESPYs pre-party and the actual night of the ESPYs. They contain most of the good stuff that most of you may care about, but given the magnitude of a trip like this for some 'Blogler from smalltown Alabama, I wanted to do one last post (in two parts) to recap the whole trip. I also have tons of pictures, video, and other info that really didn't have much to do with ESPYs or Auburn, and I figured some of you wanted to see it anyway. So here's how it happened...
I flew out of Birmingham on Tuesday morning with a quick stop in St. Louis followed by a three-and-a-half hour flight to LAX. I knew that I was going to see Coach Chizik at some point in the next few days so I finished up his book on the flight. This was a pretty major accomplishment for a guy who usually can't even finish a magazine article of considerable length. It took me less than a week to finish the whole thing and I was actually left wanting more. I was proud.
Interviews from the Red Carpet at the 2011 ESPYs
After a very late night at the ESPYs Pre-Party and a little sightseeing the following morning, I took the subway to downtown Los Angeles to hit the red carpet outside the Nokia Theater for the 2011 ESPYs. With the Staples Center to my back, I posted up (my spot) and waited for the athletes and celebrities to arrive.
Somehow, someway, the first person I interviewed at my very first real live red carpet was... Greg McElroy. I know what you're thinking. Why was he even there? I guess to help accept the award for Best Game (if the 2010 Iron Bowl had actually won)...? Man, that would have been awkward.
The ‘Blogler Does the 2011 ESPYs Pre-Party
As I'm sure you know by now, thanks to a shot in the dark tweet and some very generous donations, I was invited and able to cover the 2011 ESPYs in Los Angeles last week. The night before the show (last Tuesday), most to all of the presenters, nominees, and other big names in the sports and entertainment world attended the ESPYs pre-party at Spot 5750 in Hollywood.
There was a short red carpet (actually black) outside the entrance where most of those in attendance (list) would stop for pictures and interviews. Being a 'Blogler and only that, it took me a while to warm-up and get the courage to shove myself into a spot and ask someone for an interview, but I eventually mustered up the courage to do so. I wanted to keep all of my questions Auburn-related because that's all you really care about, but because of that, I was limited in who I let myself talk to.
My first interview was with Stephen A. Smith, followed by Warren Moon, followed by a valiant attempt at Cam Newton. I got one quick message from him, but he was whisked down the line (you'll notice a theme with that in later posts), where he eventually stopped at Vibe Magazine. I did get that whole interview on video (below) as well as another quick exchange with another media outlet.
After everyone was inside, thanks to Keri Potts of ESPN, who set this whole thing up for me, I was able to go inside as well. Here's the ticket:
Talking ESPYs and Investigations on Cubelic & the Kid
A few months ago, I made my first radio appearance with a quick chat about recruits, blue helmets, etc. on Cubelic & the Kid. This morning I made my second radio appearance on Cole's show to discuss my trip to the ESPY's. If you just can't wait for my recaps (that will surface this weekend), you can listen to the segment below.
The first few minutes were cut off, but you will hear me talk about eavesdropping on Brookyln Decker, interviewing T'sharvan Bell's favorite player, and the snubbing of Auburn. We even talked a little bit about the non-story that Pete Thamel released while I was out there. I plan a post on that topic soon as well.
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You can listen to Cubelic & the Kid every morning from 6-10 am CT on 977thezone.com or 97.7 FM if you are in the Huntsville, AL area. Follow him on Twitter at @colecubelic, his sidekick Casio Kid @themattmitchell, and his producer @lordmoulton.
If you'd like me to do a podcast, your radio show, or your TV show (I will wear a mask), you know where to find me.
The ‘Blogler’s Back From L.A.
Well, I'm alive. I made it. But that's about all I can say right now. My mind is full and processing everything I just saw and experienced over the last three days. My cameras are also full of thousands of pictures and hundreds of videos. I promise you that I will have them all organized and edited and all that very soon. Monday at the latest, I promise.
I plan to split this whole crazy ESPYs trip into a few posts and spread them out over the next few days to take the sting off. I don't want to rush just to get something out there because it will just cheapen the whole thing.
While you wait (and I'm sure you're just dying), here's one picture to hold you over:
Thanks again to everyone who donated to help get me out there and thanks to @MsPotts_ESPN for letting it happen (and the picture above).
Tomorrow, I Go West (for the ESPYs)
I know you're tired of hearing about it, but just give me one more pre-ESPYs post. I promise from here on out you'll get nothing but video, pictures, tweets, and other content straight from the West Coast. I just want you to know what's going on, who's expected to be there, what I get to do, etc. Most of what I told you before is still true, but there are a few updates.
Thanks to many very generous donations, I fly out tomorrow morning at 8 am CDT and will land at LAX around noon PDT. From there I'll go to my motel, yes motel, on Sunset Blvd. I'll have a few hours to take a quick look around Hollywood, but around 4 pm I'll head over to the W Hotel Hollywood for ESPN Style Studio.
As I mentioned before, this is pretty much an expo for retailers from around the world to show off and give away their new products to athletes and celebrities. As far as I know, I won't be getting any of these products, but they didn't call me "sticky fingers" back in high school for nothing.
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