There’s no question: O.J. Simpson was one of the greatest football players of all time.
There’s also no question: Most people don’t think he’s deserving of any kind of recognition or praise.
Both of these things are true, and both facts collided head-on at last night’s ESPY Awards.
O.J. Simpson Gets No Memorial at ESPYs
Is there a word stronger than “controversial”? Because that’s what O.J. Simpson is, to this day.
And that’s why, despite being one of the NFL’s all-time greats, and the first player ever to hit 2,000 yards rushing in a season, O.J. Simpson was not honored in memorium.
Other luminaries of sport who passed in the last year were honored, and there’s no doubt they all deserve it:
- The NBA’s Logo: the legendary Jerry West
- The “Say Hey Kid” Willie Mays
- The great left trackle Larry Allen
- Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton
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O.J. Simpson DOES Get Memorial at BET Awards
Not everyone feels the same way about O.J. Simpson, though.
Just two weeks ago, Simpson was honored in memorium at the annual BET (Black Entertainment Television) Awards.
Of that particular honor, commentator Stephen A. Smith had a field day.
Incensed that Simpson would be honored on a show meant to portray “black excellence,” Smith said:
“Did y’all see the in-memoriam segment paying tribute to quote, ‘Black excellence,’ that we unfortunately lost this year? There was a notable silence from the crowd when the image of O.J. Simpson appeared on the big screen. You may recall O.J. Simpson died this past April after a battle with cancer. Yes, he is known for being a Hall of Famer on the football field out of USC, and ultimately with the Buffalo Bills in his NFL career, but he was also accused of double murder!”
Nevertheless, at the BET, he gets his memorial.
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