The ESPYs last night began with Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James standing side-by-side on the stage, with the four All-Stars calling for social change. Anthony began by saying, “In this moment of celebration, we asked to start the show tonight this way: The four us of talking to our fellow athletes with the country watching because we cannot ignore the realities of the current state of America. The events of the past week have put a spotlight on the injustice, distrust and anger that plague so many of us. The system is broken, the problems are not new, the violence is not new and the racial divide is definitely not new. But the urgency to create change is at an all-time high.”
Paul then spoke, “We stand here tonight accepting our role in uniting communities, to be the change we need to see. ... Legends like Jesse Owens, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali, John Carlos and Tommie Smith, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jim Brown, Billie Jean King, Arthur Ashe and countless others -- they set a model for what athletes should stand. So we choose to follow in their footsteps.” Wade followed by saying, “The racial profiling has to stop. The shoot-to-kill mentality has to stop. Not seeing the value of black and brown bodies has to stop. But also the retaliation has to stop. ... Enough is enough. Now, as athletes, it's on us to challenge each other to do even more than what we already do in our own communities. And the conversation cannot stop as our schedules get busy again." James concluded by saying, "It's time to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, ‘What are we doing to create change?’ It’s not about being a role model, it’s not about our responsibilities or the tradition of activism. ... Let's use this moment as a call to action for all professional athletes to educate ourselves, explore these issues, speak up, use our influence and renounce all violence, and most importantly go back to our communities, invest our time, our resources, help rebuild them, help strengthen them, help change them. We all have to do better" (“The ESPYs,” ABC, 7/13).
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PLATFORM: ABC’s T.J. Holmes reports the opening speech was “not what anybody expected, not even the ESPN producers of the show originally." Wade: "We said, ‘Listen, we have to do something. We have a platform, what can we do,’ and perfect timing and ESPYs is coming up. We all wrote our own piece of what we wanted to say and we wanted our voice to be heard” (“GMA,” ABC, 7/14). In Cleveland, Joe Vardon notes it was unknown which player "brought the others together to take such a stand" at the event. The group did approach ESPN "with the idea and ask if it could open the show that way" (Cleveland PLAIN DEALER, 7/14). ESPN’s Jemele Hill said, “It was a brilliant move. ... For them to kind of use their collective muscle to deliver a message, I thought was very powerful” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 7/14). In N.Y., Evan Grossman notes the three-and-a-half minute speech by the four players "may have eclipsed the legendary Jimmy V speech as ESPN’s finest moment" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/14). Also in N.Y., Ebenezer Samuel notes this was "was four of the nation’s most powerful and influential black men, standing side by side, pushing for progress" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/14). THE UNDEFEATED's Clinton Yates writes "their faces were sober, their words eloquent, their clothes were exquisite, their emotion was real" (THEUNDEFEATED.com, 7/14). CBS' Gayle King said, "Quite a moving program last night” (“CBS This Morning,” 7/14).
TWITTER REAX: Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder: "Great statement at #ESPYS by Melo, Chris Paul, Dwayne Wade & LeBron. Athletes who care and who are unafraid. Ali & Jackie would be proud." MTV News' Ana Marie Cox: "I love that this is no bland call for 'peace' -- it’s a demand to examine specific injustices." Trail Blazers F Maurice Harkless: "Great opening to the show.. Nothing but facts!! Way to be leaders fellas." The Undefeated's Marc Spears: "Big NBA statement about injustice, racism and state of USA from Melo, LeBron, CP & Wade on @espn ESPY awards." Huffington Post Sports: "This speech Lebron James and friends just gave at the #ESPYs needs to be heard by everyone." Twitter Moments: "LeBron, Wade, CP3, and Melo took a stand in the Black Lives Matter movement with a moving speech at the #ESPYS."
CARMELO'S CRUSADE: On Long Island, Mike Rose notes the ESPYs speech is the latest call to action from Anthony, as he has "continued to urge athletes to speak out on social issues" in the past week. Anthony "hinted that next month’s Rio Olympics could be a good platform" to speak out. He also wrote a column in The Guardian on Wednesday and "asked his 'colleagues' to 'step up'" (NEWSDAY, 7/14). Anthony prior to last night's speech said of his calls for social change, "I thought the time was perfect for me to step out there and say something, but also call upon my fellow athletes, not just basketball players, but all athletes in general. Take a stance, give back into their communities, talk to the people, have a voice and have a platform.” Anthony said of the Olympics being a platform for his cause, "We're going to be in front of the world, so this is our time to kind of reunite and send whatever message we want to send out there” (“The ESPYs Countdown,” ESPN, 7/13).
OTHER ATHLETES APPLAUD EFFORTS: Hawks C Dwight Howard said all NBA players "have great opportunities through our platforms to make a difference in our society, and I am really proud of those guys for stepping up on a big stage and doing what they did. I think it is key that in times like this that we all come together and we really stand up for what we believe is right. So I am very proud to see those guys take charge and take action in their own lives and want to make this world a better place” (“Mike & Mike, ESPN Radio, 7/14). Former NBAer Jason Richardson said, "As athletes, we have to come together. ... We can’t put our endorsements or what people perceive us as in front of what’s really going on in our communities." Ravens TE Benjamin Watson said the role of athletes "simply to be a part of the conversation.” While there is a responsibility "to the people we represent, the city’s we represent, the team’s we represent," it is also important "to understand that we have a great opportunity to effect positive change” ("OTL," ESPN, 7/13).
WHAT'S NEXT? ESPN’s Freddie Coleman said it was "cool seeing those four men up there opening the ESPYs that way, but now where do we go from here?" He said, "What they said last night is not going to change your frame of reference, so while it was really cool, it was a great moment, it got the ESPYs kicked off to a wonderful start, I still want to know what now. Because I still wonder, even with those four big names up there, what kind of impact, really, is that going to have?” ESPN’s Bomani Jones replied, “The ‘what now’ question is always going to come up. It is going to be there. If we are going to put the ‘what now’ question out there, though, that is not really for them to answer. ... It is not their job to have the answer on what to do." Jones said, "A call to action of the athletes is cool because the athletes are the most visible. But in terms of the grand power scheme and who could actually make things change -- the people that cut their checks -- what are you going to do to resolve this?” (“First Take,” ESPN2, 7/14).
