KU's Bill Self and Mario Chalmers Headed to ESPYs
July 1, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. – LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas head coach Bill Self and guard Mario Chalmers from the 2008 NCAA men’s basketball national championship team will represent KU at the ESPYs as the nominations for the 16th annual awards were announced Tuesday. The ESPYs will air on July 20.
Kansas’ men’s basketball team – which finished with a school-record 37 victories (37-3) and tied for its fourth consecutive Big 12 regular-season and third-straight conference postseason titles in addition to winning its fifth national (third NCAA title) – is one of six nominees for the “Best Team” award. Other teams nominated include the Boston Red Sox, New York Giants, Boston Celtics, Tennessee women’s basketball and the Detroit Red Wings.
The Kansas-Memphis men’s basketball national championship contest – which KU won 75-68 in overtime – is nominated as the “Best Game” along with the Super Bowl: Giants over Patriots and the NBA Finals Game 4: Celtics over Lakers. In KU’s contest, Chalmers made a three-pointer with three seconds remaining to send the game into overtime. The Jayhawks overcame a nine-point deficit with 2:12 to play capped by Chalmers’ trey.
For the fifth consecutive year, fans will determine the winners in 37 categories (excluding special awards) by voting online at www.espys.tv and, for the first time, via mobile phone at www.espn.mobi. Last year, more than 12.5 million votes were tabulated.
The ESPYs will be hosted by Justin Timberlake, who will be joined by an all-star lineup of top athletes and entertainers to celebrate the best sports stories of the year. The two-hour event will move to the new NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE, a world-class 7,100-seat venue located across the street from STAPLES Center in downtown Los Angeles. The 2008 ESPYs presented by HUMMER will be televised July 20 at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN/ESPN HD with additional unique content available on a variety of ESPN multimedia platforms including ESPN.com and ESPN International.
A complete list of 2008 ESPY nominations is located at http://www.espnmediazone.com/press_kits/espys/ESPY_Nominees.htm
