ESPYs Awards 2013

The 20th Annual ESPYs award show, hosted by international sports broadcaster ESPN, saw a host of deserving winners receiving applause for a vast number of amazing sporting achievements. Jon Hamm, the star of the HBO series Mad Men, was the emcee of the event. Lebron James as well as the Miami Heat picked up most of the awards,as was expected.

Best Team Nominees:

Alabama Football: winning its 3rd National Championship in 4 years.

Baltimore Ravens: the current Super Bowl and World Champions

Chicago Blackhawks: the current Stanley Cup Champions

Miami Heat: becoming back-to-back NBA champions

Oklahoma Softball: becoming the first ever National Softball Champions to also lead the nation in ERA and scoring

San Francisco Giants: the current MLB champions

US Women’s Gymanstics: winning the Womens Team gold medal at the 2013 London Olympic Games

Winner: Miami Meat

Best Record Breaking Performance Nominees:

Drew Brees – for breaking Johnny Unitas’ record for consecutive games with a Touchdown pass

Calvin Johnson – for breaking Jerry Rice’s single season receiving yards record

Michael Phelps - for becoming the most decorated Olympian in history with 22 total medals and 18 gold

Abby Wambach – for breaking the international scoring record with 160 international goals

Winner: Michael Phelps

Best Game Nominees:

Baltimore Ravens vs Denver Broncos – AFC Divisional Playoff game

Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs – Stanley Cup Playoffs: Game 7

Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs - NBA Finals: Game 6

Winner: Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs

Best Play Nominees:

Ray Allen/Miami Heat – game-tying three-pointer in Game 6 of NBA Finals leading to a Miami Heat Victory

Jadeveon Clowney/South Carolina Football – a great defensive play which changed the momentum of the Michigan vs South Carolina Outback Bowl game

Khalil Edney/New Rochelle Basketball – last second game winning shot to win the New York Section 1 Class AA final

DeAndre Jordan/Los Angeles Clippers – an amazing posterizing dunk on Brandon Knight of the Detroit Pistons

Winner: Jadeveon Clowney/South Carolina Football

Best Comeback Nominees:

Peyton Manning – returning from multiple neck surgeries to lead the Denver Broncos to the AFC Divisional Playoff Game

Adrian Peterson - returning with an amazing season of 2,000 rushing yards for the Minnesota Vikings

Buster Posey – returning from a gruesome ankle injury for the San Francisco Giants

Mariano Rivera – returning from a ruptured ACL to what looks to be his final season as a New York Yankee

Winner: Adrian Peterson

LeBron James won the award for Best Male Athlete, Best Championship Performance and Best NBA Player

Best Breakthrough Athlete Nominees:

Colin Kaepernick - for becoming the starting QB mid season and leading the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl

Johnny Manziel – for becoming the first Freshman to win the Heisman Trophy while at Texas A&M

Yasiel Puig – the recent sensation who is batting approximately 400 for theLos Angeles Dodgers

Mike Trout – for his continued outstanding performance after winning the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year award for the Los Angeles Angels

Russell Wilson – who became a star as the rookie quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks

Winner: Colin Kaepernick

Best Male Athlete Nominees:

Lebron James

Miguel Cabrera

Adrian Peterson

Michael Phelps

Winner: Lebron James

Best Female Athlete Nominees:

Gabby Douglas

Missy Franklin

Brittney Griner

Serena Williams

Winner: Serena Williams

Best Championship Performance

Joe Flacco/Baltimore Ravens -becoming the Super Bowl MVP

LeBron James/Miami Heat – being crowned the NBA Finals MVP

Brad Keselowski – NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion

Pablo Sandoval/San Francisco Giants – becoming the MLB World Series MVP

Winner: Lebron James

Best Upset Nominees:

Florida Gulf Coast defeating Georgetown during the Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament

Louisville defeating Baylor in the Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament

Juan Manuel Marquez defeating Manny Pacquiao in the Fight of the Year

Texas A&M upsetting Alabama during the SEC regular season

Winner: Florida Gulf Coast

Usain Bolt won the Best International Athlete Award

Best Moment Nominees:

Jack Hoffman - inspiring touchdown run by the 7 year old cancer sufferer in the Nebraska spring game

Alex Morgan – scoring the game winning goals defeating Canada in the Olympic semifinal

Andy Murray – becoming the first Brit to win at Wimbledon in 77 years as well as receiving the goal medal in the 2012 London Olympics

Chuck Pagano – overcoming leukemia to return as coach of the Indianapolis Colts

Winner: Jack Hoffman

Best Coach/Manager Nominees

Bruce Arians – Indianpolis Colts

Geno Auriemma – UConn Women’s Basketball team

John Danowksi, Duke Lacrosse team

Rick Pitino, Lousiville Men’s Basketball team

Erik Spelstra, Miami Heat

Winner: Rick Pitino

Best International Athlete Nominees:

Usain Bolt – backing up his astounding performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games

Novak Djokovic – having an outstanding year going on a 41 match winning streak

Juan Manuel Marquez – defeating Manny Pacquiao in what was deemed the Fight of the Year

Lionel Messi – Football (Soccer) receiving an unprecedented 4th FIFA World Player of the Year Award

Cristiano Ronaldo – Football (Soccer) being nominated for the 2013 Golden Foot Award along with scoring 53 Goals in a single season

Winner: Usain Bolt

Best NFL Player Nominees:

Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions

Peyton Manning – Denver Broncos

Adrian Peterson - Minnesota Vikings

Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers

J.J. Watt – Houston Texans

Winner: Adrian Peterson

Best MLB Player Nominees:

Miguel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers

R.A. Dickey – NY Mets/Toronto Blue Jays

Buster Posey – San Francisco Giants

David Price – Tampa Bay Rays

Mike Trout – Los Angeles Angels

Winner: Miguel Cabrera

Floyd Mayweather Jr won in the Best Fighter Category

Best NHL Player Nominees:

Sidney Crosby – Pittsburgh Penguins

Henrik Lundqvist – New York Rangers

Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals

Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay Lightning

John Tavares – New York Islanders

Winner: Sidney Crosby

Best Driver Nominees:

Ryan Hunter-Reay – IndyCar

Tony Kaanan – IndyCar

Brad Keselowski – NASCAR

Sebastian Vettel – Formula One

Winner: Ryan Hunter-Reay

Best NBA Player Nominees:

Carmelo Anthony – New York Knicks

Kobe Bryant – Los Angeles Lakers

Kevin Durant – Oklahoma City Thunder

LeBron James – Miami Heat

Tony Parker – San Antonio Spurs

Winner: Lebron James

Best WNBA Player Nominees:

Tamika Catchings – Indiana Fever

Tina Charles – Connecticut Sun

Angel McCoughtry – Atlanta Dream

Candace Parker – Los Angeles Sparks

Lindsay Whalen – Minnesota Lynx

Winner: Candace Parker

Best Fighter Nominees:

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez – Boxing

Danny Garcia – Boxing

Jon “Bones” Jones – MMA

Floyd Mayweather Jr. – Boxing

Anderson Silva – MMA

Winner: Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Tiger Woods won the Best Golfer

Best Male Golfer Nominees:

Rory McIlroy

Justin Rose

Adam Scott

Brandt Snedeker

Tiger Woods

Winner: Tiger Woods

Best Female Golfer Nominees:

Stacy Lewis

Inbee Park

Jiyai Shin

Na Yeon Choi

Winner: Stacy Lewis

Best Male Tennis Player Nominees:

Novak Djokovic

Roger Federer

Andy Murray

Rafael Nadal

Winner: Novak Djokovic

Best Female Tennis Player Nominees:

Victoria Azarenka

Maria Sharapova

Serena Williams

Winner: Serena Williams

Best Male College Athlete Nominees:

Trey Burke – Michigan Basketball

Kyle Dake – Cornell Wrestling

Drew LeBlanc – St. Cloud State Hockey

Johnny Manziel - Texas A&M Football

Winner: Johnny Manziel

Skateboarder Nyjah Huston won the Best Male Action Sport Athlete

Best Female College Athlete Nominees:

Kara Cannizzaro – North Carolina lacrosse

Crystal Dunn – North Carolina soccer

Brittney Griner - Baylor basketball

Keilani Ricketts – Oklahoma softball

Winner: Brittney Griner

Best Male Action Sport Athlete Nominees:

Pedro Barros

Nyjah Huston

Mark McMorris

Ryan Villopoto

Winner: Nyjah Huston

Best Female Action Sport Athlete Nominees:

Kelly Clark

Leticia Bufoni

Stephanie Gilmore

Laia Sanz

Winner: Stephanie Gilmore

Best Jockey Nominees:

Javier Castellano

Ramon Dominguez

Joel Rosario

John Velasquez

Winner: Joel Rosario

Best Male Athlete with a Disability Nominees:

Jeremy Campbell – Discus

Jeff Fabry – Athletics

Raymond Martin – Track

Bradley Snyder – Swimming

Tyler Walker – Skiing

Winner: Jeremy Campbell

Thierry Henry won the award for best MLS player

Best Female Athlete with a Disability Nominees:

Victoria Arlen – Swimming

Muffy Davis – Paracycling

Jessica Long – Swimming

Tatyana McFadden – Track

Shirley Reilly – Marathon

Winner: Jessica Long

Best Bowler Nominees:

Jason Belmonte

Scott Norton

Pete Weber

Winner: Pete Weber

Best MLS Player Nominees:

Thierry Henry – New York Red Bulls

Chris Wondolowski – San Jose Earthquakes

Graham Zusi – Sporting Kansas City

Winner: Thierry Henry

Best Male Olympian Nominees:

Ashton Eaton – Decathlon

Ryan Lochte – Swimming

Michael Phelps - Swimming

Winner: Michael Phelps

Best Female Olympian Nominees:

Gaby Douglas – Gymnastics

Missy Franklin – Swimming

Aly Raisman – Gymnastics

Winner: Missy Franklin