Prince Harry has come under fire in the United States after being nominated for the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the ESPY Awards. The nomination has sparked debate and criticism, with some arguing that the Duke of Sussex does not deserve the prestigious award.
The ESPY Awards, which celebrate excellence in sports performance and achievements, named Prince Harry as a nominee for the Pat Tillman Award for Service. This award honors individuals with a strong connection to sports who have served others in a manner that reflects the legacy of Pat Tillman, a former NFL player and US Army Ranger who was killed in action in Afghanistan.
Sports analyst and former NFL punter Pat McAfee was particularly vocal in his criticism. During a broadcast, McAfee questioned the decision, arguing that Prince Harry's nomination did not align with the intended purpose of the award. "A lot of conversation about Pat Tillman's name," McAfee said. "American hero ... Now there's an award named after him, as there should be in the sports world because that is somebody who is the definition of selfless."
McAfee continued, "It's going to Prince Harry, who I don't even think is a prince anymore," referring to Harry's departure from royal duties. Boston Connor, McAfee's co-host, went even further, calling the nomination "probably the most embarrassing thing I've seen in my entire life."
The selection process for the ESPY Awards involves global online fan voting from candidates selected by the ESPY Select Nominating Committee. McAfee criticized this process, suggesting it lacked due diligence. "When you do something like this, you know the immediate reaction from humans and sports fans and like people with common sense and brains is going to be like: 'Hey, don't be putting our f---ing guy with that guy,'" he said.
Despite acknowledging Prince Harry's contributions, such as founding the Invictus Games and serving in the British Army, McAfee suggested these achievements might not align with the spirit of the Pat Tillman Award. "I don't know anything about him except for the South Park episode and what I've learned from The Crown," McAfee admitted. "But did his 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 bulls---.'"
Ty Schmitt, another member of McAfee's on-air team, further criticized the ESPYS, calling the awards "a gimmick" and arguing that numerous deserving American military members were overlooked. "There are probably hundreds, if not thousands of people who they could have found who could have benefitted from this award. But instead let's give it to Prince Harry," Schmitt said.
McAfee even jested that the ESPY Awards should create a new category specifically for Prince Harry. "How about it's like ESPY for Royal Family member who doesn't want to be called 'Royal Family member' who loves sports," he suggested.
The backlash underscores the ongoing controversy surrounding the criteria and suitability of award nominations, particularly those named after respected individuals like Pat Tillman. The debate has brought to light concerns about the integrity and transparency of the nomination process for such prestigious awards.
The ESPY Awards have faced scrutiny before, but the nomination of Prince Harry has reignited discussions about the relevance and fairness of their selection criteria. As public figures, both Prince Harry and the ESPY Awards are under significant pressure to address these concerns and ensure that the awards reflect the values and legacy of individuals like Pat Tillman.
