Twitter Reacts: ESPY award goes to the more popular team, not the ‘best team’
In an event that is supposed to be the sporting world’s answer to the Oscars or the Grammy’s, the ESPYs fell short of legitimacy in their Best Team award on Wednesday night.
A fan vote decided that the Kansas City Chiefs were the best team of the last year, snubbing an award that should have very easily gone to the record-setting Oklahoma Sooners softball team.
Led by Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and former Sooners Creed Humphrey and Orlando Brown Jr. (now with Cincinnati), the Chiefs were great in 2022 on their way to a Super Bowl win over Jalen Hurts, Lane Johnson and the Philadelphia Eagles.
But the fan voting aspect of the award took away a chance to recognize the greatness that was Oklahoma softball in 2023.
The Sooners lost one game in their third straight national title run. In February, they lost a one-run affair, 4-3, to the Baylor Bears. They didn’t lose another game the rest of the season. Not in Big 12 play. Not in the regionals or super regionals. Not in the Women’s College World Series.
The Sooners ended the season on a record-setting 53-game winning streak to capture their third consecutive national title. Their three-peat is only the second time the feat has been accomplished. The last time was nearly 40 years ago in the infancy of the sport at the NCAA level.
This team had the best offense in the country, the best ERA in the country, the best player in the NCAA tournament (Jordy Bahl), and arguably two of the best position players in the sport in Tiare Jennings and Jayda Coleman. And there’s no argument that they have the best coach in the sport leading the best team in sports with Patty Gasso at the helm.
Yes, it was a fan vote. Yes, the NFL is the more popular sport. And yes, the ESPYs missed an opportunity to honor a phenomenal feat on a public stage when the award was given to the more popular team and not the best team.
Here’s a look at how Twitter reacted to the snub.
We agree
Nah this is crazy https://t.co/R36o7y6peq
— Alex Storako (@alexstorako) July 13, 2023
Biggest of Snubs
An all-time winning streak and a national title (amongst many other things) still wasn’t ESPY worthy, apparently.
Even Mike White thinks OU softball got snubbed.
— Tyler McComas (@Tyler_McComas) July 13, 2023
Thievery
This is a @jaydac00 type of robbery. https://t.co/BoP9gYEa2d
— Natalie Davis-Jones (@Natalie92Davis) July 13, 2023
Say Less
Oh wow. Chief won. Surprise.
So now we need to 4 peat.
— Jackie Winz (@jackiewinz) July 13, 2023
True, but still
National titles > ESPY awards pic.twitter.com/bxN27dvL4X
— The REF (@KREFsports) July 13, 2023
Joey Helmer keeping it real
You're a joke. And I'm a Chiefs fan. https://t.co/CVEcLd1y7I
— Joey Helmer (@joey_helmer) July 13, 2023
Sarcasm Noted
That loss to Baylor is what cost OU Softball the ESPY for Best Team. A total failure on Patty Gasso's part. Just have to go undefeated next season.
— Mr. Pilkington (@Onikuno) July 13, 2023
Well, get rid of it
The Oklahoma University softball program is 176-8 in their last 184 games over the past three seasons with three straight national championships. They went 61-1 in 2023. If they aren't the @ESPYS winner for "Best Team" then they should just get rid of the award. @OU_Softball
— Jason Romano (@JasonRomano) July 12, 2023
Jayda Coleman responds
Wow. What do we need to do 😭#ESPYAwards
— Jayda Coleman (@jaydac00) July 13, 2023
Fan voting making a mockery of the award
Maybe we should stop letting fans decide awards like this. It's a travesty to what LSU Women's Basketball and OU Women's Softball accomplished this year.
It should have been OU, but LSU was a worthy contender as well. https://t.co/YVYAiyALjS
— Locked on Sooners (@LockedOnSooners) July 13, 2023
Whole system is upside down
I guess @OU_Softball has to go undefeated to win an ESPY 🙃
— Jen Schroeder (@jen_schro) July 13, 2023
Indeed, Cat
Why do I even waste my time watching the flippin’ ESPY’s?!?!?
What a joke!#BoomerSooner 💯💯💯💯— Cat Givens (@BoomerSoonerCat) July 13, 2023
100% they did
Nah nah nah, Ain’t no way, @OU_Softball definitely deserved that ESPY
— Jaycob Switzer (@jjonesee_13) July 13, 2023
THE Best Team
𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 🤩@ESPYS x #ChampionshipMindset pic.twitter.com/sbB0YORzcN
— Oklahoma Softball (@OU_Softball) July 13, 2023
A Sad Reality in Fan Votes
Reminder: Even if you have one of the best seasons possibly ever in sports, 3-peat, go on a 51 game winning streak, and go 61-1, you still have to do more to be called the best team ever.
What’s the more part? Be a man obviously!
Go kick rocks ESPY’s.
— Brewer Sooner (@BrewerSooner) July 13, 2023
No other way to describe it
An absolute joke https://t.co/EltBng6cVL
— Ben Dackiw (@BenDackiw) July 13, 2023
Who decided fan votes were a good idea?
Nah this gotta stop being a fan vote.
All respect to the chiefs but @OU_Softball went 61-1 this year en route to a 3 peat.
It’s objectively not even close. Football is just more popular. https://t.co/GSzYRgy0kr
— J🅿️ (@indy_sooner) July 13, 2023
Thank you ESPYs
I’m going to sleep, so here is my last thought on this absolute cluster of stupidity of any fan of SPORT voting for anyone but OU.
We didn’t need any fire for next year, but thanks for lighting another match ESPYS.
— Jackie Winz (@jackiewinz) July 13, 2023
Nobody was close to OU this year
How does a team that went 60-1 & just won their third straight natty not win that award?
Need to take away or minimize fan vote here.
Also, I think Chiefs are great. I’m a Broncos fan but I acknowledge greatness. Still, no one is or was on #Sooners softball level. Not close. https://t.co/NRmAZ7PeSd
— Brandon Drumm (@Bdrumm_Rivals) July 13, 2023
Iowa State Softball Alum agrees
What a disgrace @espn. We all know if this was a college football team with the same stats this would be a no-brainer.
53-game win streak
• Undefeated in WCWS
• Big 12 regular season and tournament champs
• Third-consecutive national championship@OU_Softball 🤝BEST TEAM https://t.co/vWhaDjCVg4— Bailey Martin (@Baileybabyy2) July 13, 2023
Softball Assistant
I mean, I’m a huge chiefs fan. Have been my whole life but how on earth was this not @OU_Softball?? 61-1 on the season.. https://t.co/GxQvDDVjfN
— Jeremy Eilert (@EilertJeremy) July 13, 2023
Alynah Torres speechless
— Alynah Torres ♛ (@alynaht) July 13, 2023
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