This year's edition of the ESPYs on ABC had "more of a subdued tone in which the non-athletes shined the brightest," according to Carron Phillips of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. While host Peyton Manning "did surprisingly well in his comedic opening monologue, it was the stories" of U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro, Jimmy V Perseverance Award winner Jarrius Robertson and late Special Olympics Founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver that "won the night." There were "no mentions of Colin Kaepernick," and there were "no opening statements about activism and police brutality." Recent winners of the Arthur Ashe Courage Award like Michael Sam and Caitlyn Jenner were "nowhere to be found." The night at Microsoft Theater in L.A. "went off relatively smoothly, except for the rather painful seven-minute skit that Bill Murray and Nick Offerman put on to celebrate" the Cubs for winning Best Moment. But "after 25 years, the ESPYs still have not had a female host." Phillips: "That’s something that can’t be forgiven" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/13). In N.Y., Peter Botte asks in regards to the lack of a female host, "How can that possibly be?" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/13). See some of Manning's best lines from last night's telecast.
CAN'T TAKE A JOKE? In Indianapolis, Zak Keefer notes Manning flaunted the "same comedic wit that made him a memorable host on 'Saturday Night Live' and the star of about a billion commercials." But the "zingers he read on stage were written by the ESPYs organizers, not him" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/13). In DC, Des Bieler notes Manning "didn’t go 25 seconds into the show before starting to roast people." He "made fun of John Cena, last year’s emcee, as well as previous hosts, his brother Eli, the Knicks and many more," but he "got his biggest reaction with a joke about" Warriors F Kevin Durant. Durant then "sat in stony-faced silence, apparently not amused at all." Manning said that the U.S. women’s gymnastics team was "so dominant that Kevin Durant told me he wants to play for them next year.” Durant’s expression was "so determinedly placid that some wondered if he was part of the act" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/13). Manning then "suggested Durant might not even start on that team," and then drew "some groans from the crowd when he asked Russell Westbrook what he thought of that idea." Westbrook also had a "stone face" (BOSTON GLOBE, 7/13).
