Pat McAfee Rips ESPN Over Prince Harry Getting Pat Tillman Award
It seems like every few weeks Pat McAfee is going at it with his bosses at ESPN, but this time he has a legitimate reason.
During Friday's The Pat McAfee Show, the ESPN talk show host ripped into the network's upcoming ESPY awards after it was announced that Prince Harry would be given the Pat Tillman Award - something that not McAfee, any of his cohorts, and an overwhelming majority of social media believes should happen.
MCAFEE LIKENS THE ESPY DECISION AS A DUMB PR MOVE
"The Pat Tillman Award is going to Prince Harry… who I don't even think is a Prince anymore," McAfee began.
"Why does the ESPYs do this sh*t?" McAfee asked before then criticizing the ESPYs for purposely putting themselves in this situation which is "obviously trying to piss people off… Come on!"
"When you do something like this, you know the immediate reaction from humans and from sports fans and from people with common sense and brains, is gonna be like ‘Hey, don’t be putting our f'n guy with that guy.," he continued.
Named in honor of Tillman - who was a former Arizona Cardinals NFL player that left to join the U.S. Army after the September 11th attacks before being killed in Afghanistan in 2004 from friendly fire, ESPN says that the award should "recognize a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way" that represents Tillman’s legacy.
In a statement, ESPN and the ESPYs said that they selected Prince Harry as this year's recipient due to his "tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport." One can only assume that this has to do with the Invictus Games, which the Duke of Sussex has organized for the past 10 years that allows injured military veterans, to compete in Paralympic type games.
McAfee's cohost Boston Connor called Harry getting the award "probably the most embarrassing thing I've seen in my entire life," while another McAfee cast member called the ESPYs "a gimmick," for stooping this low.
"Did [Prince Harry's] people know like "you publicly put me up for this award. You’re just asking basically every person that considers themselves American and saying ‘this is BS…' Especially at a sports award type of thing. I assume Harry knew that, no?" McAfee continued.
Many on social media agreed, with some likening ESPN's decision to a PR move and an attempt by the network to win favor from Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle. Why? I have no idea, considering it's not like people are clamoring over the Royal Family rejects.
OUT OF EVERYONE - PRINCE HARRY?
At one point, McAfee suggested that if the ESPYs were so determined to pander to Harry and give him an award, that they just make one up for him because they can essentially do whatever they want as its their award show.
Previous Pat Tillman Award receipients have included soccer star Marcus Rashford as well as the Buffalo Bills training staff for helping save Damar Hamlin after collapsing on the field due to a heart relatead issue.
DO YOU THINK PRINCE HARRY SHOULD RECEIVE THE ESPN ESPY AWARD? Tweet me your thoughts: @TheGunzShow