Latest news with #StuartScott
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Rich Eisen pays tribute to Stuart Scott in emotional 'SportsCenter' appearance: 'He should be in that chair'
Sports fans of a certain age knew they were in for a good time when Rich Eisen and Stuart Scott were together. For years, the duo were one of the best — and most popular — anchors of "SportsCenter" at ESPN. The pair were known for their knowledge, friendship and playful banter on the air. After 22 years away, Eisen made his return to "SportsCenter" Monday night. The program was a nostalgic tribute to anyone who grew up listening to Eisen deliver the news and call highlights on a nightly basis. But there was clearly one major omission from Eisen's return. The 56-year-old host anchored the program by himself. Scott died in 2015 after a battle with cancer. His absence was certainly felt during the show, and Eisen would make sure fans were aware of that fact. Near the end of the program, Eisen delivered an emotional tribute to his friend and colleague. The piece opened with some old ESPN commercials showing off Eisen and Scott's friendship. A clearly-emotional Eisen then monologued about Scott. Near the end of his tribute, Eisen's voice broke as he said Scott "should be in that chair, with me, with us, tonight." Eisen hosted "SportsCenter" on Monday for the first time since leaving ESPN in 2003 for NFL Network. His return was made possible after ESPN acquired NFL Network in a broadcast deal in August. Eisen will remain with NFL Network, but the deal will allow him to make appearances on ESPN from time to time. During his tenure at the four-letter network, Eisen became one of its most popular and well-respected anchors. He often teamed with Scott — a star in his own right — to host "SportsCenter." Scott remained at ESPN following Eisen's departure, and continued to be one of the most recognizable personalities on the network. In 2007, he was diagnosed with cancer. He went into remission after his initial diagnosis, but his cancer returned in 2011 and 2013. Scott made an appearance at the ESPY Awards in 2014, where he was honored. He died a few months later in 2015. At the time of his death, Scott received tributes from many in the sporting world. His cadence, style and catchphrases made him one of the most beloved sports personalities around. Eisen did a fantastic job anchoring "SportsCenter" on Monday. There's no doubt the program would have been even better had Scott been there too.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking moment Rich Eisen fights back tears in SportsCenter return remembering late colleague
Legendary sports broadcaster Rich Eisen made his return to SportsCenter on Monday night and fought back tears at the end of the broadcast while paying tribute to his late colleague and friend Stuart Scott. Eisen made an appearance anchoring ESPN's flagship program for the first time in 22 years, with his return possible due to the NFL Network merger. Eisen, 56, left ESPN in 2003 as an original on-air talent for NFL Network, where he has been employed since, still as one of the most recognizable faces in sports broadcasting. During his seven years at ESPN, Scott and Eisen were nearly inseparable, hosting several editions of SportsCenter together every week. Eisen could not have made his return without honoring Scott, who passed in January 2015 at age 49 from appendix cancer, with memories of what could have been between the duo coming to the surface on live television. ESPN aired a package showing the best moments between the two, with cameras focusing back on Eisen solo behind the anchor desk, choking up before delivering his closing monologue remembering Scott. 'It's been a blast being here tonight. But listen, we all know there should be someone else right here, in this chair next to me, right there, as he was for my seven years in the role he referred to as my TV wife,' Eisen said with tears in his eyes. 'And that's my dear late friend, Stuart Scott, who is indeed looking over my shoulder tonight.' 'I frequently think of Stuart a lot and what he might think of the sports headlines of the day, like, say, Bill Belichick being the head football coach at his beloved school. We used to host SportsCenters after LeBron's high school games. So what would Stuart think of James still playing at age 40, with 40,000 points?' 'And with all these new crossing of sports TV streams like say ESPN buying NFL Network and partnering up with my daily show, what would it look like if Stuart sat in with say Ernie (Johnson), (Shaquille O'Neal), Kenny (Smith) and Charles (Barkley) when Inside the NBA comes here to ESPN this fall?' 'I could go on and on because I miss Stuart so very much. He should be in that chair with me, with us tonight.' Fans showed their support for Eisen being vulnerable and sharing memories of his friend, more than a decade after his passing. 'You can tell that man loved/still loves, his old co-host and friend,' one YouTube commenter said. 'There is a reason that was the golden era of sports television and highlights.'
