On Sunday morning, January 4th, the world woke up to the sad news of beloved ESPN sports anchor, Stuart Scott, passing away after a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 49 years old.
Scott worked for ESPN since 1993 and has been one of the cornerstones of Sportscenter for the better part of over two decades. He trendsetter the way sports were delivered to audiences all over the world by his genuine and unique style on the air. He'll best be known for many catchphrases people have known to love for years such as "Boo-Yah!" and "He's as cool as the other side of the pillow."
There are not many journalists or media personnel that warrant such reflection on praise for a lifetime's worth of work, but Scott wasn't just any other journalist. He was one who broke barriers, defied the odds and kept true to himself no matter what backlash he may have encountered along the way.
Scott brought forth a hip-hop style to his commentaries like no one had ever seen before and broke the mold for what many perceived to be the so called "model anchor." Scott was the guy in the coffee shop a person would encounter and perhaps exchange a few words with on the big game that was on last night. People could relate to Scott as if he was just another guy talking sports with, a guy that didn't alter his style or change his persona, that's what made him so real and so loved. He gave urban kids and inner neighborhood residents a face to relate to and aspire to be in the journalistic world.
He was remembered by so many but when the president of the United States comments and praises your life you know you've had a great influence on others and that's exactly what Scott accomplished in his life. "His legacy will live on in many ways -- as a friend, a son, a father, a professional and forever, a Tar Heel," said President Barack Obama.
Scott accepted the Jimmy V award for perseverance and said these memorable words, "When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live."
It was no secret how active Scott was despite his cancer diagnosis and kept fighting for his family and being able to be a father to his two daughters for as long as he could. There was nothing more important to Scott than his family, something millions of people can relate to.
ESPN personnel, athletes and people all around the country have expressed their love and affection for Scott and how he was truly a role model for so many journalists. Stuart Scott was truly one of a kind, and he truly was as cool as the other side of the pillow, boo-yah!
