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| Kobe Edges Out Lance Armstrong
As AP Story Of The Year |
KOBE BRYANT's sexual assault case was chosen story of the year in voting conducted among the newspaper and broadcast members of the AP, topping LANCE ARMSTRONG's record-tying fifth straight Tour de France win. The Marlins World Series Championship ranked third, followed by ANNIKA SORENSTAM becoming the first woman in 58 years to play in a PGA Tour event. Rounding out the top ten were: Ohio State beating Miami in double OT in the Fiesta Bowl; Cubs RF SAMMY SOSA using a corked bat; steroid scandals; the Bucs' Super Bowl win; CARMELO ANTHONY leading Syracuse to its first NCAA men's basketball championship; and BEN CURTIS winning the British Open in his first appearance at a major (AP, 12/29).
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| Beckham Reigns Supreme In Europe |
INTERNATIONAL: The $43M transfer of DAVID BECKHAM from Manchester United to Real Madrid was voted the top sports story of the year in a worldwide poll of AP subscribers, followed by the doping scandals, MICHAEL SCHUMACHER's record sixth F1 title and Armstrong's Tour de France victory (AP, 12/26).
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: The AP also voted Armstrong as male athlete of the year, besting Giants LF BARRY BONDS (AP, 12/29). Sorenstam was voted female athlete of the year, topping Univ. of Connecticut G DIANA TAURASI (AP, 12/29). Golfer MIKE WEIR was named male athlete of the year by the CP, edging out Dodgers P ERIC GAGNE. Hurdler PERDITA FELICIEN was named female athlete of the year (CP, 12/30).
OUT OF BOUNDS: ESPN's "OTL" Sunday aired its list of the top ten off-the-field newsmakers of '03. In random order, they were: Bryant; suspended Ohio State RB MAURICE CLARETT; BALCO Founder VICTOR CONTE; Red Sox GM THEO EPSTEIN; Lions President & GM MATT MILLEN; Raiders C BARRET ROBBINS; ACC Commissioner JOHN SWOFFORD; Deceased MLB HOFer TED WILLIAMS; Augusta National Chair HOOTIE JOHNSON and NCWO Chair MARTHA BURK; and fired college coaches DAVE BLISS, LARRY EUSTACHY, JIM HARRICK, RICK NEUHEISEL and MIKE PRICE (ESPN).
ESPN 100: ESPN and ESPN Magazine listed the top 100 stories of the year in the ESPN 100. The Bryant case ranked first, followed by the rise of Cavaliers G LEBRON JAMES. The Cubs and Red Sox both losing in their respective LCS was third, just ahead of the Marlins championship. Rounding out the top ten were: the Clarett saga at Ohio State; the BCS controversy; drug scandals; the Bucs winning the Super Bowl then going 7-9 and missing the playoffs in '03; Armstrong's Tour de France victory; and Anthony and Syracuse winning the NCAA championship (ESPN Magazine).
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| Rise Of LeBron Ranked Second In ESPN 100 |
NEWSMAKERS: James was named one of Time magazine's "People who mattered in 2003" (TIME, 12/29 issue). Rockets C YAO MING ranked 8th in AD AGE's "10 Who Made A Mark On Marketing." Deceased IMG Founder MARK MCCORMACK was listed among AD AGE's "10 People We'll Miss" (AD AGE, 12/22 issue). USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke gave his "DICK EBERSOL executive of the year" award to CBS Sports President SEAN MCMANUS, edging out Fox Sports' tandem of DAVID HILL and ED GOREN. Martzke named Fox Sports' JOE BUCK as best sportscaster (USA TODAY, 12/31). SI's Richard Deitsch also named Buck as his media personality of the year (SI, 12/29 issue).
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| ESPN's "Playmakers" Made Waves In 2003 |
"PLAYMAKERS" AND RUSH: ESPN's "Playmakers" ranked 6th on AD AGE's "10 Problem Products" (AD AGE, 12/22 issue). SI's Deitsch named "Playmakers" as his show of the year. He also gave former ESPN "Sunday NFL Countdown" contributor RUSH LIMBAUGH his "Poseidon Adventure Award" (SI, 12/29 issue). USA TODAY's Martzke ranked ESPN adding Limbaugh number one among his biggest mistakes of the year (USA TODAY, 12/31). Fox Sports' Terry Bradshaw gave Limbaugh his "Dumb and Dumber Award" (Fox Sports).
ADVERTISING: In a survey by USA TODAY's Ad Track, Anheuser-Busch and Reebok ranked one and two among the most likable ads. A-B's zebra referee spot was ranked as the favorite ad from the '03 Super Bowl (USA TODAY, 12/29). AD AGE ranked Nike's hour-long documentary on ESPN2 around Jordan brand endorser ROY JONES JR. as its top non-traditional campaign. AD AGE reviewer Bob Garfield ranked Gatorade's "23 vs. 39" MICHAEL JORDAN spot 4th and Right Guard's ad featuring Bucs DT WARREN SAPP 7th among his "10 Ads I Loved." He listed Reebok's TERRY TATE campaign 5th among his "10 Ads I Hated" (AD AGE, 12/22 issue).
