Latest news with #ESPYS
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Sport Science' founder, host John Brenkus dies at 54
The man who brought his unique explanations of science to sports fans has died at the age of 54. John Brenkus, who won six Emmy Awards as the founder and host of "Sport Science," died May 31 after a battle with depression, his family announced Sunday on social media. Advertisement "Sport Science" first aired on Fox Sports Net in 2007 and later moved to ESPN, with Brenkus hosting nearly 1,800 segments explaining how and why things in the sports world were possible. He covered topics ranging from how much force NFL players create in a tackle, to what makes NBA star Steph Curry so good to how competitive eater Joey Chestnut is physically able to consume so many hot dogs. In a statement, Brenkus' family made a point to "encourage anyone who is struggling with depression to seek help." Brenkus had been open about his ongoing battle with depression, revealing to former ESPN colleague Marcellus Wiley on a 2023 podcast that he once tried to take his own life, but his dog saved him. John Brenkus arrives for the 2018 ESPYS in Los Angeles. Wiley, along with other media personalities such as Adam Schefter, Robert Griffin III and Matthew Berry, also expressed their condolences on social media. Advertisement If you or someone you know may be struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night, or chat online. Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: John Brenkus, Sport Science host, dies after battling depression
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Craig Sager's wife posts touching tribute after NBA on TNT finale
Stacy Sager, the wife of the late broadcasting legend Craig Sager, posted a tribute to her husband while marking the end of an era after the NBA on TNT concluded its run following the Knicks' loss to the Pacers in Game 6 the Eastern Conference finals on Saturday night. Stacy Sager, who married Craig in 2003, posted a picture to Instagram of all the mic flags Craig had collected over the course of his career in a tribute and reminder of the storied career Craig had, which included stints at TBS, TNT and CNN. 3 Beloved NBA Broadcaster Craig Sager, known for his outlandish suits, has died aged 65 after a long fought battle with cancer in 2016. Ronald Martinez The photo featured mic flags from various networks and decades, taking up a giant shelf. 'Fairwell (sic) to an epic era on @nbaontnt @tntsportsus Craig was a sentimental collector of all things sports starting with every 'flag mic' from every event he covered for over 30 years of interviewing legends,' Stacy Sager wrote. 'Thank you to the Turner family for all the memories.' Craig Sager is of course remembered best for his time with the 'NBA on TNT' while wearing his beloved flashy suits during broadcasts. He died in 2016 at the age of 65 after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2014. 3 Craig Sager accepts the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance onstage during the 2016 ESPYS at Microsoft Theater on July 13, 2016. Getty Images 3 Stacy Sager is pictured. stacy 'Craig was as vital to the NBA as the players and coaches. A true original and an essential voice on Turner Sports' NBA coverage for 26 seasons, Craig chronicled some of the most memorable moments in league history and was a ubiquitous presence with his splashy suits and equally colorful personality,' NBA commissioner Adam Silver said at the time of his death. Basketball fans enjoyed Sager's tribute online, enthusiastically reacting to the post. 'That is so cool – what a great way to remember Craig and his career,' one person wrote on X. 'That is awesome. He is a legend and is missed,' another wrote. 'Craig was the best man,' a third person chimed in.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Arnold Schwarzenegger's Son Christopher Is Unrecognizable After Dramatic Weight Loss
's lesser-known son, Christopher Schwarzenegger, was unrecognizable in new photos following a dramatic weight loss transformation. In honor of National Siblings Day, took to Instagram with a snapshot of herself and her three siblings. The wife of Chris Pratt smiled alongside her sister, Christina, and brothers, Chris and . Arnold shares the four adult kids with his ex-wife, . He also has a son named Joseph Baena with Mildred Baena. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 "My favorites forever and always #nationalsiblingday," Katherine captioned her April 10 update. In the comments, The White Lotus star Patrick exclaimed, "MISS YOU GUYS." "Such a beautiful family! 😍," another Instagram user shared. A different fan wrote, "You are all just too awesome!!!👏😍." Those who have followed the Schwarzenegger family through the years likely noticed that Chris, pictured on the far left, sported a more slimmed-down physique in the sibling shot. For comparison, here's a photo of Patrick (left) and Christopher (right) from the 2017 ESPYS. The lesser-known Schwarzenegger sibling is not in the public eye as much as most of his family. However, he was spotted leaving a gym in Los Angeles in 2023 looking considerably more buff. It's possible his transformation came after taking advice from his famous father. "My advice to beginners is really simple: begin. And then don't stop until it is a routine," Arnold wrote in his weekly newsletter, The Pump Daily, in February 2023, per The Independent. "For a lot of people, that first step is the hardest. So find something, anything, you can do." The Terminatoractor added, "Once you begin, the key is keeping your momentum... Motivation is fleeting, but routine is what carries you on. You need to make this a routine. Do whatever you can do every day for a month, and then build on that."
USA Today
08-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Dick Vitale health issues: Why ESPN college basketball broadcaster has been away two years
Dick Vitale health issues: Why ESPN college basketball broadcaster has been away two years Dick Vitale is one of college basketball's defining and most enduring figures. After coaching for 16 years, Vitale joined ESPN in 1979, only a few months into the network's existence, and began calling college basketball games. In the years and decades that followed, his energy, exuberance and charisma made him one of the faces of the game. He has helped provide the soundtrack for some of the sport's most thrilling games and most unforgettable moments. His catchphrases like 'diaper dandy' (an outstanding freshman) and 'PTPer' (prime-time player) have been etched in the minds of any college basketball fan. Over the past several years, though, Vitale hasn't been the same kind of fixture of ESPN's college basketball coverage as he was for so long, with other analysts sitting courtside for the network's biggest games. Vitale has had to step away from his on-air duties several times since 2021, when he first announced that he had undergone treatment to remove melanoma. His worst days and biggest health scares are hopefully behind him. After being away for nearly two full years, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be on the call for No. 2 Duke's game Saturday at No. 21 Clemson, marking his celebrated and much-anticipated return. REQUIRED READING: Dick Vitale will call his first college basketball game in almost two years Saturday Before that game tips off and Vitale's unmistakable voice once again reaches the ears of millions of fans nationwide, here's a closer look at why he has been away: Dick Vitale cancer battle In August 2021, about three months before the start of the college basketball season, Vitale announced that he had undergone surgery over the summer to remove melanoma, though once the growth was removed, it was found to not have spread elsewhere. Two months later, however, Vitale had another health-related announcement, this time revealing he had been diagnosed with lymphoma. For that, Vitale had to endure a more rigorous treatment plan, which included six months of chemotherapy. Doctors informed him it had a 90% cure rate. 'I consider myself very lucky,' Vitale wrote in an essay for ESPN in October 2021. 'I've seen firsthand the devastation that cancer can have on families, on children, and on all of our loved ones. It can bring you to your knees. It's physically and emotionally exhausting. It robs you of so many things, including life itself for some of the most unfortunate patients. I never lose sight of that, and that's why I feel so lucky.' Later that year, pre-cancerous dysplasia and ulcerous lesions were discovered on his vocal cords. Between that and the chemotherapy treatments, Vitale stepped back from his work on ESPN's college basketball coverage. In April 2022, he announced that he was cancer-free and at that year's ESPYS, he was presented with the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance, named in honor of famed NC State men's basketball coach Jim Valvano, a good friend of Vitale's who died in 1993 after a battle with cancer. 'I will tell you this Jimmy V, my man, we are not going to stop chasing the dream of raising dollars and your dream, Jimmy's dream, to beat cancer,' Vitale said in a moving speech after receiving the award. 'We must do it. Because it doesn't discriminate. It comes after all. … Take a look at the room. It doesn't matter — race, religion. It will bring you to your knees. There is only one way to beat it, my friends. We have to raise dollars and give the oncologists a fighting chance.' The following April, he was on ESPN's international broadcast of UConn's 76-59 victory against San Diego State in the 2023 NCAA Tournament championship game. It's the most recent game he has called. In July 2023, Vitale was again diagnosed with cancer in his vocal cords. He underwent radiation treatments and was advised by doctors to rest his voice, even once he was declared cancer-free. That recovery process sidelined him for the entirety of the 2023-24 season. In June 2024, he was diagnosed with cancer for a fourth time in less than three years, with a biopsy of a lymph node in his neck showing cancer, which was removed during a surgical procedure a few days later. REQUIRED READING: Dick Vitale returns to ESPN on Saturday for Duke basketball vs. Clemson game Dick Vitale return After everything he's endured, Vitale received some much-needed good news last December, when a doctor informed him that a scan showed that he was cancer-free. Vitale excitedly announced the news on social media, noting that "SANTA CLAUS came early' and that 'I'm cutting the nets down baby it's my National Championship!" Once again cancer-free, Vitale had been scheduled to return to the air for another Duke game — the Blue Devils' Jan. 25 game at Wake Forest — but that was pushed back after he was hospitalized following a fall at his Florida home. In an interview this month with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Vitale said that while he's admittedly nervous about Saturday, he has been more overwhelmed by gratitude than anything else. "There were moments I wasn't sure I'd ever sit courtside again," he said to the outlet. "Long stretches where I had no voice at all. It was a roller coaster — highs, lows, moments of doubt. But through it all, I kept fighting, believing, and praying. The last time I called a game was on April 3, 2023, the national championship, UConn versus San Diego State for ESPN International. That feels like a lifetime ago. But now? Now, I get to do it again." It's quite the welcome development, one that, as Vitale would say, is awesome, baby. Dick Vitale age Born on June 9, 1939, Vitale is 85 years old.
