Any sports fan can remember the 1993 ESPY speech that Jimmy Valvano gave.
But, I can’t help it. Now I’m fighting cancer, everybody knows that. People ask me all the time about how you go through your life and how’s your day, and nothing is changed for me. As Dick said, I’m a very emotional and passionate man. I can’t help it. That’s being the son of Rocco and Angelina Valvano. It comes with the territory. We hug, we kiss, we love. When people say to me how do you get through life or each day, it’s the same thing. To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.
How many can remember the speech that was given by ESPN’s Stuart Scott in July of 2014?
When you die, that does not mean you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live and the manner in which you live.
For 21 years, Stuart Scott graced the airwaves that ESPN provided, first at newly born ESPN2, then at the SportsCenter anchor desk. Scott would go on to also work on the weekly NFL Monday Night Countdown show, as well as covering the NBA.
Stuart Scott succumbed to a 3rd bout of cancer Sunday morning at the age of 49. Scott was known as a fighter of cancer, since 1st diagnosed in 2007. All along the way, Scott portrayed a larger than life persona, in the effort of passing along a message, that cancer can be beat.
Working for an organization, that since at least 1993, has done what they can to support cancer research, Scott portrayed everything that a cancer survivor could hope for. He fought first and foremost for his 2 daughters and family, then for everyone that fights the good fight day in and day out. Stuart was the true epitome of a cancer hero.
As someone that first remembers Stuart Scott, in 1995, as a high school senior, watching him and Rich Eisen anchor SportsCenter before I went to to school, I will forever give kudos to what he has meant to me and my life in sports.
Stuart, you will forever be missed in the sports broadcasting world, and it’s safe to say, there will never be anyone that will ever grace the small screen sports world like you. Rest in peace, Stuart. And forever may your other side of the pillow be cooler. BOOYAH!
