Lakers, Steelers, Phelps Lead ESPYs Pool
Sports Programmer Held Annual Event At Nokia Theatre At LA Live July 15
Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 7/16/2009 11:24:11 AM
The Los Angeles Lakers added more hardware at last night's ESPY Awards.
The NBA champions gained best team and best coach/manager honors for Phil Jackson at the event held July 15 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, near the club's Staples Center home court.
The 2009 ESPYs, co-presented by Under Armour and Land Rover, will be televised Sunday, July 19 at 9 p.m. (ET) on ESPN/ESPN HD.
The Pittsburgh Steelers also scored wins for best game and best play, Santonio Holmes' snare of Ben Roethlisberger's pass in the corner of the end zone in the waning moments of Super Bowl XLIII.
In addition at the event, hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Phelps ended Tiger Woods's five-year run as best male athlete. Phelps also won best U.S. Olympian and best championship performance honors.
Fret not for Woods: Tiger was named best golfer for a fifth straight year, giving him 22 EPSYs, the most ever.
Woods's buddy Roger Federer, now tennis' all-time Grand Slam champion with 15, was named best male tennis player for a fifth straight year.
The Arthur Ashe Courage Award -- recognizing individuals whose contributions transcend sports -- was given to Nelson Mandela, with a special taped message from President Barack Obama followed by a presentation by Serena (best female tennis player ESPY) and Venus Williams to his daughter Zindzi Mandela and grandson Zondwa Mandela.
Below is a complete list of 2009 winners.
The 2009 ESPYs - WINNERS
SPECIAL AWARDS
ARTHUR ASHE COURAGE AWARD: President Nelson Mandela
JIMMY V AWARD FOR PERSEVERANCE: Don Meyer, Northern State University coach
BEST COMEBACK: Dara Torres, Olympic swimmer.
BEST IN SPORT
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE: Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
BEST MALE ATHLETE: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
BEST MOMENT: US Swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay
BEST TEAM: Los Angeles Lakers
BEST COACH/MANAGER: Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
BEST GAME: Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
BEST PLAY: Roethlisberger to Holmes Super Bowl Winning TD
BEST UPSET: US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
BEST RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE: Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
BEST SPORTS MOVIE: The Express: The Ernie Davis Story
BEST MALE COLLEGE ATHLETE: Tim Tebow, Florida Football
BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE: Maya Moore, Connecticut Women's Basketball
BEST MALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY: Jason Lester, Ironman Triathlete
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY: Erin Popovich, Swimming
BEST INTERNATIONAL MALE ATHLETE: Usain Bolt (Jamaica, Sprinter)
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEMALE ATHLETE: Lorena Ochoa (Mexico, Golf)
INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
BEST BASEBALL PLAYER: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
BEST NBA PLAYER: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
BEST WNBA PLAYER: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks
BEST NFL PLAYER: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
BEST NHL PLAYER: Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
BEST MLS PLAYER: Landon Donovan, Los Angeles Galaxy
BEST MALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE: Shaun White, Skateboarding/Snowboarding
BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE: Maya Gabeira, Surfing
BEST BOWLER: Norm Duke
BEST DRIVER: Jimmie Johnson
BEST FIGHTER: Manny Pacquiao, Boxing
BEST MALE GOLFER: Tiger Woods
BEST FEMALE GOLFER: Lorena Ochoa
BEST JOCKEY: Calvin Borel
BEST MALE TENNIS PLAYER: Roger Federer
BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER: Serena Williams
BEST US MALE OLYMPIAN: Michael Phelps, Swimming
BEST US FEMALE OLYMPIAN: Shawn Johnson, Gymnastics
SPONSORED AWARDS
LAND ROVER "ICON" AWARD: Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals
UNDER ARMOUR ALL AMERICA MOMENT: Andre Debose and Russell Shepard, Football
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