The 2011 ESPYs are on the TV schedule for Wednesday, July 13 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT. It goes without saying that the award show designed by ESPN to promote the ESPN brand will be broadcast on NBC ESPN. This year's host is comedian Seth Meyers who came to fame for his role on Saturday Night Live as the Weekend Update co-anchor next to Amy Poehler. Meyers has also been in several bad movies that aren't worth mentioning.
There are 33 categories of awards given out ranging from Best Male and Best Female Athlete to Best Bowler (the game, not the hat) and Best Jockey (the horse riding kind, not the lawn kind). Winners are determined by fan voting from the full list of nominees created by so-called "experts".
There are four nominees with ties to Arizona Sports.
Diana Taurasi is nominated for 2011 Best WNBA Player, an award she won in 2010. Taurasi was twice named Best Female College Athlete (2003, 2004) and was also awarded Best Female Athlete in 2004. The odds-on favorite for 2011 is Lauren Jackson who led the Seattle Storm to a WNBA title in 2010.
Phoenix Coyotes draft pick, Andy Miele, is up for Best Male College Athlete for his performance on the ice at Miami-Ohio. Miele is a long shot to beat Jimmer Fredette or Cam Newton but according to his tweets is at least have fun in Los Angeles.
Dallas Escobedo, the Arizona State Softball pitcher who led the Sun Devils to an NCAA Championship, is up for Best Female College Athlete. She's going against Maya Moore from UConn. Sorry, Dallas. Even being nominated as a freshman is quite the honor.
ASU's wrestling champion and one-legged inspiration, Anthony Robles, is up for Best Male Athlete with a Disability. We have no idea how to handicap (sorry) this race.
Robles has already been designated the winner for the 2011 Jimmy V Perseverance Award:
ASU Wrestler Anthony Robles To Win ESPY: Jimmy V Perseverance Award - Desert Dirt - SB Nation Arizona
One-legged ASU wrestler Anthony Robles will be honored in Los Angeles on July 13, when he will be awarded with the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the 2011 ESPYs. Robles captured the hearts and imaginations of America during his memorable run to win the 125-pound NCAA title, capping off an undefeated 36-0 season with a victory over Iowa's Matt McDonough.
It's possible we missed a bowler or a jockey or track athlete with Arizona ties. We apologize for our possible oversight.
Here's the full list of nominees for the 2011 ESPYs:
BEST MALE ATHLETE
Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR
Rafael Nadal, Tennis
Dirk Nowitzki, NBA
Aaron Rodgers NFL
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE
Kelly Clark, Snowboarding
Lauren Jackson, WNBA
Maya Moore, NCAA Basketball
Lindsey Vonn, Skiing
BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Tim Lincecum, 2010 MLB Postseason
Tim Thomas, Stanley Cup Finals
Kemba Walker, Big East Tournament and NCAA Tournament
Serena Williams, 2010 Wimbledon
BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays
Arian Foster, Houston Texans
Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Li Na, Tennis
Cam Newton, Auburn Tigers
BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Ray Allen, NBA 3-point record
Rory McIlroy, U.S Open
Derrick Rose, Youngest player to win NBA MVP
UConn Women's Basketball, Longest win streak
BEST UPSET
Blame over Zenyatta, Breeder's Cup
Fabricio Werdum stuns Fedor Emelianenko, MMA
Seahawks upset Saints, NFL Wild Card Playoffs
VCU, NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
BEST GAME
Auburn beats Alabama, Iron Bowl
Butler upsets Pittsburgh, NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Eagles rally to beat the Giants, NFL
Oklahoma City edges Memphis in 3OT, NBA Playoffs
BEST MOMENT
Fennville HS Basketball Team, High school basketball tournament run
Roy Halladay Postseason No-Hitter, MLB
Trevor Bayne at Daytona 500, NASCAR
BEST TEAM
Auburn Football
Boston Bruins
Dallas Mavericks
Green Bay Packers
San Francisco Giants
Texas A&M Women's Basketball
CASTROL EDGE PERFORMANCE UNDER PRESSURE AWARD
Arian Foster, Houston Texans
DeAngelo Hall, Washington
Leon Washington, Seattle
BEST SPORTS MOVIE
The Fighter
Secretariat
Soul Surfer
Win Win
BEST COACH/MANAGER
Jim Calhoun, Connecticut Basketball
Rick Carlisle, Dallas Mavericks
Gene Chizik, Auburn Football
Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
Dom Starsia, Virginia Lacrosse
BEST NFL PLAYER
Tom Brady, New England
Arian Foster, Houston
Clay Matthews Jr., Green Bay
Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
BEST MLB PLAYER
Jose Bautista, Toronto
Roy Halladay, Philadelphia
Josh Hamilton, Texas
Felix Hernandez, Seattle
Joey Votto, Cincinnati
BEST NHL PLAYER
Corey Perry, Anaheim
Daniel Sedin, Vancouver
Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay
Tim Thomas, Boston
BEST DRIVER
Greg Anderson
John Force
Dario Franchitti
Jimmie Johnson
BEST NBA PLAYER
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City
LeBron James, Miami
Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Derrick Rose, Chicago
BEST WNBA PLAYER
Tamika Catchings, Indiana
Lauren Jackson, Seattle
Cappie Pondexter, New York
Diana Taurasi, Phoenix
BEST FIGHTER
Bernard Hopkins
Jon "Bones" Jones
Sergio Martinez
Manny Pacquiao
George St. Pierre
BEST MALE GOLFER
Luke Donald
Jim Furyk
Graeme McDowell
Rory McIlroy
Charl Schwartzel
BEST FEMALE GOLFER
Na Yeon Choi
Cristie Kerr
Jiyai Shin
Yani Tseng
BEST MALE TENNIS PLAYER
Novak Djokovic
Roger Federer
Rafael Nadal
BEST FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER
Kim Clijsters
Li Na
Serena Williams
Caroline Wozniacki
BEST MALE COLLEGE ATHLETE
Jimmer Fredette, BYU Basketball
Andy Miele, Miami-Ohio Hockey
Cam Newton, Auburn Football
Rob Pannell, Cornell Lacrosse
Kemba Walker, Connecticut Basketball
BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE
Blair Brown, Penn State Volleyball
Dallas Escobedo, Arizona State Softball
Melissa Henderson, Notre Dame Soccer
Katinka Hosszu, USC Swimming
Maya Moore, Connecticut Basketball
BEST MALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE
Tucker Hibbert, Snowmobiling
Travis Pastrana, Motocross
Kevin Rolland, Freestyle Skiing
Kelly Slater, Surfing
Shaun White, Snowboarding
BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORT ATHLETE
Sarah Burke, Freestyle Skier
Kelly Clark, Snowboarding
Ashley Fiolek, Motocross
Stephanie Gilmore, Surfing
BEST JOCKEY
Ramon Dominguez
Garrett Gomez
John Velasquez
BEST MALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Chris Devlin-Young
Anthony Robles
Aaron Scheidies
Jerome Singleton
Steve Wampler
BEST FEMALE ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Allison Jones
Tatyana McFadden
Alana Nichols
Melissa Stockwell
Mallory Weggemann
BEST BOWLER
Chris Barnes
Jason Belmonte
Mika Koivuneimi
Bill O'Neill
BEST MLS PLAYER
Edson Buddle, Los Angeles
Landon Donovan, Los Angeles
David Ferreira, Dallas
Chris Wondolowski, San Jose
BEST TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE
Allyson Felix
Tyson Gay
David Oliver