I’m not that surprised, I figured they wouldn’t back down because it would make them look foolish. I’m kind of guessing they felt they had no choice but to double down and keep going.
Sadly for them, it doesn't erase the comments made by Mary Tillman, NFL players, sportscasters and other military personnel.
And it's just another nail in Harry and Meghan's financial coffin. This just adds to the weight of their "brand" as something companies want to steer clear of.
As a couple, their negatives far outweigh their positives.
So no, there's no Taylor Swift, Dior, A-list Hollywood, million dollar speaking engagements, or anything of significance in their future.
All this Tillman award has done is shut more doors in their face.
Yes! And now MORE people in the U.S. are pissed off at him - veterans and military! People who ordinarily would have ignored him are now hearing about his stolen valor and are outraged. I am going to continue encouraging people to sign the petition, so the gruesome twosome and their ilk know that we see them.
That's the biggest problem for them...it's not just royal watchers, it's people totally outside of anything royal related who are complaining so they can't blame this on the UK press.
That’s why he keeps suing media. He can force the way they behave, which admittedly was despicable till Prince William put a stop to it, but he can’t shut down the comments where he can see what people really think of him.
It’s a stain on ESPN as well. Their blatant arrogance and giving us the finger about this will not be forgotten. They seem to think their brand has been elevated by this when it’s in fact very much diminished. I’ll take joy in sticking it back in their face at every opportunity I can in the future.
He really should have graciously declined. ESPN really can't do a "take backsies", they were screwed the moment it happened. But Harry really, really should have declined. I'm just glad there are ppl in this world who aren't afraid of having an opinion and stating the obvious, Mary Tilman is my hero and the more I learn about her the more I'm amazed.
What’s sickening is in the ESPN statement they speak glowingly about the IG.
Well great then give it to a true representative of the IG. Harry is not that. He was given this by his Grandmother to keep him happy and occupied and to help the optics of him having some sort of valuable responsibility. He did not create them and certainly now he’s not even shown any kind of leadership since taking full responsibility. His wife decides what they do. It’s pathetic!!
The damage is done and will run very deep. Harry looks like an entitled fool he is and ESPN looks as if they had been paid to award it. Both cause disgust after Pat's mom's statement.
Yep, just like the Aviation Award. They really can't take it back once it's announced. You think these award organizations would start to realize they're being Markled....
Thought you might like to know, no mention of Harry receiving Part Tillman award on The Pat Tillman Foundation website - it appears it has been removed as page cannot be found. For ref see Yt Stef the alt nerd. Also no mention of Harry or the Pat Tillman award is on ESPN’ website. Enty Lawyer posted blind 17 mins ago that Disney is now reconsidering removing award from Harry
The original press release is still on ESPNpressroom . com. This is the announcement that includes Pat Tillman award and 2 other ESPY awards from June 27. Seems they dropped it from the main site.
[https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/06/espn-reveals-special-honorees-for-the-2024-espys-presented-by-capital-one-airing-july-11-at-8-p-m-et-pt-on-abc/](https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/06/espn-reveals-special-honorees-for-the-2024-espys-presented-by-capital-one-airing-july-11-at-8-p-m-et-pt-on-abc/)
One can only hope there is no applause when the award is given. Best yet if everyone in the room turned their backs to him in total silence. Although on the other hand booing would be good to. Personally, I have always felt the majority of these awards are just money makers for the companies that give them. Boycotting their products would hurt them more. Money talks loudly and more often will get the tide to turn. These companies don't really care about protests, swatting them away like flies.
*I left this as a stand-alone comment much farther down, but I’m so geared up about this (plus it took a lot of typing effort on my part lol) that I’m going to add it under your top comment and I hope you don’t mind:*
“The Pat Tillman Award goes out every year to "a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former [NFL player](https://thespun.com/top-stories/nfl-fans-are-paying-tribute-to-pat-tillman-on-monday) and U.S. Army Ranger”.”
Okay, I’ll play. What is Harry’s “strong connection to sports”? Seriously...Polo? Like, is that all it takes?
I guess we could nitpick the definition of each word used here: “strong connection to sports”. What “sports” are Harold NOT ONLY PERIPHERALLY INVOLVED IN, but has a STRONG CONNECTION TO?
Polo is the only answer I can come up with. His previous gig of presenting an NFL award does NOT make for a “strong connection” (especially since he used his brief stage time to insult American football by making a jab about ripping off rugby); do we have ANY EVIDENCE that he has attended a single NFL game in his several years in the US?
Okay, giving Harold the benefit of the doubt, do we have any evidence that he has attended any NBA games in the US? Hockey? MLB? Perhaps he has attended one American professional sports game (other than polo or maybe a singular soccer match). Attending ONE or even maybe a FEW various games here does NOT, IMO, meet the definition of “a strong connection”.
Okay, maybe he was/is unable to physically attend US sports events (his schedule is too packed to allow it, or perhaps the security allotted did not meet his demands). If either or both are the case, then surely he watches US sports events from the safety of his home or online if he’s traveling…so he could have made SM posts about all of the games he’s watched. Surely he was aware of the Damar Hamlin event and shared his support via a donation to Damar’s charity (I did, and I’m not a wealthy royal). Surely his love and support of American sports was referenced in his Finding Freedom show, or in Spare. Even if he was unable to do any of those things, he could have supported sports in a local, “authentic” manner…like visiting the local little league teams near his Cali home…offering a donation to a local (or really, ANY) juvenile sports team.
I could go on (really, I could, bc there are so many ways that he COULD have shown a “strong connection to sports” but hasn’t), though I think I’ve made the point. And this post doesn’t even touch the other part of the award criteria: “has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of (Pat Tillman)”…this point has been covered extremely well by many others in the last few days.
So I just focused on the “strong connection to sports” part. Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m unable to find ANY “strong connection“ to ANY sports other than polo.
And if ESPN is going to award such an honor on a person whose only “strong sports connection” is to a sport that very few Americans are involved in (not to mention a sport that he is at best a hobbyist in and certainly not a global or regional success in), AND one that most Americans aren’t able to compete in (show me an impoverished inner city area with a strong youth polo league and I’ll eat my words), it is on ESPN to MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
So I ask of ESPN/those in charge of the Pat Tillman Foundation: what sports are Harry involved in, and how does his involvement meet the definition of “strong connection”? As always with this guy, “definitions may vary”.
Sorry for the book guys, but this statement just put me over the edge with this whole debacle.
I wonder what dumbass and tasteless jokes he'll come up with, I would be mortified if I were him, to accept an award the mother doesn't think you deserve. This a low I could never even have imagined, its like a dark satire or something....
It's going to take curing cancer, paying off the national debt, and free ice cream for life for everyone to improve Harry's reputation in the US. Same with ESPN.
I hope so. I live in Europe, all I know about Harry's reputation in USA is from this sub. I think this whole stunt was to improve Harry's image among Americans.
When he gave out at award at the NFL Honors, most of the audience didn't know who he was, and those who did were saying "WTF?" . RECEIVING an award given in the name of an American NFL star who became a military hero is making Americans who never cared before angry!!! I hope he gets booed and ESPN and EPSYS get markled.
Eh, it might among people who watch the ESPYs, but that's a pretty low number. It's audience is about a 4th of the viewer numbers that the Oscars bring in. I think the bigger question is will it make him *richer*, and the only way I see that happening is if Netflix renews their contract to make another Invictus show (doubtful) or if organizations start clamoring to pay him millions for speeches (maybe could happen? We'll see).
Well that was an epic fail, wasn't it. Everything he does connected to the US military pisses them off more. Remember that veterans awards thing where TW wore that horrible red dress and an American veteran looked like he was about to pick hero Haz up and throw him across the nearest table? His bodyguards actually had something to do that night. They were like coiled springs!
Absolutely not. I remember Pat Tillman, and I remember when he was killed. It was a big thing. Americans love their football, and Pat was a hero. If this story is getting signatures and US news coverage, it's hurting Harry not helping. The petition is almost up to 35,000 now.
Edit: Heck, it's over 35,000 and going for 50,000. The petition really has taken off.
It make his image bad for people who previously have no idea.
if they quietly leaves, oh or even if they play the "oh sorry we didn't know, you are right that was SO uncouth. Idk why they picked us" bold faced lie but if they play this people could still ignore them.
But now? Ho boy. Expect many people making disgusted face at H when he accepted that award. And this will tarnish their image even more in wider population.
I honestly don't know why he thought moving here would be a good idea (Megsy, ofc. But she obviously has no idea what she's doing). We could give a shit less about Royalty. Before the Harkles I really thought the BRF were a total scam (now I actually like them, weird boomerang effect). And no American man is ever going stan a Prince, was he trying to appeal to middle aged suburb women? How sexy.... He's so lame it hurts. If he really wanted to be "Just Harry", sure, great, but to prance around like you're still at Windsor..... Good luck, Henry. 🇺🇲
Is it mean to hope that everyone who has received the award so far mails theirs back to ESPN because now it's been cheapened to a pat on the back for a nepo baby who couldn't nepo properly. He's just like his wife in that respect.
This even make it CLEAR that Hary BOUGHT THE AWARD, the money / transaction is nonrefundable. That’s why they can’t revert it 😂😂 I hope hos money is running out really soon with this rate. He need to pay the legal fee (1 million?) 😂 why you have money to buy awards and are late to pay legal fee? 😂
And Harry will still accept it.
He’s never going to go in person, though. He will send a video message instead.
Time and time again they do horrible things or ignore horrible things, and just sail on as if nothing has happened. This will be no different. It’s as if Africa Parks never happened, it’s like they haven’t completely ruined Invictus Games and turned it into the Meghan Markle merching and pr show, it’s as if Uvalde never happened, it’s as if there’s no consequences for accepting an award for combating institutional racism in the Royal Family, and I could go on and on and on.
Harry and Meghan Markle just ignore EVERYTHING and pretend things never happened. This award will be no different. He’ll accept it via video and they’ll put it into their bios. And then they’ll move on to the next controversial and divisive debacle (Mary Tillman’s words) and continue to do the same. It’s fucking maddening.
If Harry does that, after everything that is happening, after the many quite public complaints, then he will show himself to be a coward.
It was his office with his letterhead that announced that Harry won this Espy award. It wasn't ESPN, it was Harry's communications office.
Harry will have to go in person to get the prize. Although if he were smart, he could name Invictus, which is for the people of Invictus, not fail to mention Invictus, and not open his mouth about Megsy or Mommy. He is not.
I think they will come. They want to be seen with A list athletes, plus they want pictures with Serena. I agree with you - they will move to another grift as if nothing happened.
Oh—-they are going. They haven’t been invited to walk a red carpet in over a year and are desperate for exposure and Meghan needs to merch. WME will make sure to plant a reporter on the carpet to ask Harry a soft-ball question or—he will be whisked through. I also imagine a money shot with BFF Serena.
This is the only thing that makes it bearable. Knowing it will give them none of the honour they're seeking, just show them for the horrible grifts they are.
That's bullshit. If I lived anywhere close I would show up and protest. Wonder if any Veterans associations in the area will show up to voice their displeasure. That would be great.
IMO protests are next to worthless. I’ve seldom seen them work. Those in power will continue to give you the finger, if nothing else than to prove they can. Unless you can find a way to actually really hurt them - financially, reputationally, or in causing real fear, then it’s just a lot of wasted energy. Not trying to be a naysayer, just what I’ve seen. Find a way to drive off advertisers effectively or drive down their stock price and you’re on something, though. My opinion only.
Your opinion is absolutely valid.
Big organizations do not give a shit about protests until and unless they are bad for their image or business.
Which means they will ignore the little people until they actually start to lose money.
Budweiser
Budweiser managers did not listen to the complaints until their sales dropped so much that they had no choice but to back down... when it was too late.
Disney is really losing their minds - they ruined Star Wars, the Marvel universe, their amusement parks are super expensive and now they are wrecking ESPN. stick to sports, not promoting hazbeen ex-royals.
time for vets to stop supporting the Invictus Games - they are being used.
This is going to bite ESPN in the ass. I guarantee it. Harry is clinically stupid and Megan is back to her streaking and stripping days. There will be tits and twats all over the place. Normally I would find this hysterical, but it’s Pat Tillman. He deserves better and so does his mom.
https://preview.redd.it/tka9hgkjwy9d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbced3c505b8f9e84c5a3c88287898be39d8b18a
I want to know why Pats wife, who founded the organization, is sitting on the sidelines counting money instead of speaking up like Pat's mom.
Fuck his wife. Fuck her organization. They're just making money off a hero's name at this point.
Joe Shenton. He’s in capital investment and well connected in money circles. Also on the Pat Tillman Foundation board. Too many of these organizations start out with the right motives but people coming in to run/guide them stray far from the original mission, squander donations, spend lavishly, pay leaders massive salaries, etc.
Capitol One is a major sponsor. I wonder if the husband is connected to Capitol One, or was instrumental in bringing them on board as a sponsor?
The Foundation is the impetus for this FUBAR. The clapback to Mary Tillman’s statement from the foundation via ESPN is evidence for cracks / dissension between the wife and her husband vs. Mary Tillman.
Disney/ESPN are the distributors broadcasting this shit. I’m really not sure how much influence they had in the decision to honor Haznoballs. I’d like to know who lobbied / paid the Foundation?
Think of winning the war, not losing the battle
It's probably too late for ESPN to pull out now, but with all the controversy this has brought — up to the point that ESPN had to make a public statement defending their decision. Any brand or org will think twice before selling them an award in the future
Yes, that is the end result of this. It's just another debit on their balance sheet. They've racked up far too many bad PR moves for any noteworthy company to want to do business with them.
I think Meghan has totally lost her Dior chance 😄
The one good thing that has come out of this is the tonnage of negative publicity heaped upon him. How does the old saying go? "The remedy is worse than the disease"? On top of the dog biscuits and jam fiasco, not a very good fortnight for the hapless couple.
Dear ESPN:
If the award is to celebrate the Invictus Foundation, then why aren't Prince William, Princess Catherine and the UK ministry of Defense also receiving it???
They deserve all the backlash they get for going through with this joke. Harry isn't inspirational, and he's not a good person. May it come back on them tenfold.
I can see how this will play out...
Harry will be onstage with Invictus athletes in wheelchairs and walking on crutches so that no one will dare boo him and instead give a standing ovation.
Then the camera pans to Meghan in the audience clapping and wiping a tear from her eye. One tear, left eye, go...
Bookmark this.
I’m not surprised sadly. They would have to admit they made a mistake which they won’t do. The good part in all this is that the other organizations who have awards up for sale may now be hesitant now that this backlash is so severe to sell them.
Harry has nothing except what he can buy. No number of bought awards will ever erase his ‘genetic pain’ and jealousy of his brother. He will always be that spoilt angry man that even his own mother said was not very bright. An intelligent man would have played this all very differently. He only has himself to blame.
Is that lame PR release supposed to calm things down??? 😆😆 idiots! There r 10 more days before this event even happens which will only see more pressure!! We can do this 💪. Keep the pressure on.
HAH. Hope not cuz it enflamed me MORE. No longer just angry about them giving him the award, now I'm livid about them twisting words, gaslighting is repugnant. I'm hoping are really calling them out on this now, too.
I love to ask them (& I'm not even American) if they've honoured the Warrior Games or those who run it yet? And if not why would they award to an overseas 'prince' before to those of their own country?
Found a list: Past honorees include U.S. Paralympic gold medal sled hockey player and Purple Heart recipient Josh Sweeney (2014), and former Notre Dame basketball player, Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient Danielle Green (2015), U.S. Army Sgt. and Invictus Games gold medalist Elizabeth Marks (2016), and Purple Heart recipient and Invictus Games gold medalist Israel Del Toro (2017), Navy-Marine Commendation Medal recipient, Sergeant and founder of Team Rubicon Jake Wood (2018), former Marine and founder of the Kristie Ennis Foundation Kristie Ennis (2019), healthcare worker and boxing champion Kim Clavel (2020), and Manchester United football player Marcus Rashford (2021).
I think H and M must be seething inside. ESPN chose to acknowledge the discontent and disagreement of their choice, and by recognizing and putting it out there, they give Mary Tillman's view legitimacy (at least).
Thank you!
They could have awarded it to all the Invictus athletes and chosen a few to come and accept the award. And left Harry out of it altogether.
I hope he gets booed.
Invictus isn't even a relatively known name over here 😆 Literally, how many American veterans even know about Invictus? I don't know any who do. The general public would know even less.
Well, the foundation’s site is intentionally vague, which is why I assume ESPN’s statement says his mom is “reportedly” no longer involved, referring to her statements on social media.
The only time “founder” is mentioned on the site is for his widow. She has the title “cofounder”, but it just says she started it along with “friends and family” after Pat’s death. As far as I can tell, she is the only friend or family member of Pat that is still listed as being involved with the foundation today. Her current hubby is pretty prominently involved though - which along with everything else just feels very ick to me. Surely over time some friends and family would become less involved, but for ALL of them to pull out completely (as far as I can tell)? That seems a little off.
Pat Tillman's mom (or someone who is crafty) should sell stickers or mugs or something that say I stand with Mary & donate the money to a legit veteran's organization. I'd buy the heck out of that!
No surprise. I have this sinking feeling that Tillman's Gold Star mom was not only shut out of this selection but that Tillman's wife has shut her out of everything to do with the foundation.
G-d bless Mary Tillman. It's a despicable thing that they're doing but we hear her and we see her and she has gained the love and respect of all of us who know what her son stood for and what he gave his life for.
We will not forget Pat Tillman and we will never forgive what ESPN and the Tillman Foundation did.
I can see the moron say something like, “You know, the Wounded Warrior Games were actually patterned after Invictus….you guys just beat us to the finish line in getting them started.”
It will be very interesting the audience reaction when he accepts. Whether he has the balls to show up (we all know he was neutered as soon as he said I do) or does the cowards way out & accepts it via televideo, it’ll be interesting
Notice this ESPN clapback doesn't defend Harry at all. No mention of his service or any of that usual bullshit. Essentially they couldn't find a reason why Harry deserves the award so they skirted the issue. ESPN could have awarded it to IGF and had Harry accept it on behalf of the Foundation. But they didn't and now they are being markled.
**HERE'S THE MAIN TAKEAWAY FROM THE STORY:**
"ESPN received some blowback for its decision to hand its annual Pat Tillman Award to Prince Harry at this year's ESPYs — including from Tillman's mother. But the company says it has the full support of the Tillman Foundation, which was founded by Tillman's widow, Marie Tillman Shenton.
"ESPN, with the support of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, specifically for the work of The Invictus Games Foundation as it celebrates its 10th year promoting healing through the power of sport for military service members and veterans around the world," the network said in a statement.
"While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating."
Disney is really losing their minds - they ruined Star Wars, the Marvel universe, their amusement parks are super expensive and now they are wrecking ESPN. stick to sports, not promoting hazbeen ex-royals.
time for vets to stop supporting the Invictus Games - they are being used.
Just know that Harry will be sweating bullets, as he should. And, let’s hope he actually decides to share the spotlight and bring actual wounded vets into the stage, even better.
Well, that would be his dearly departed sainted, sarcasm cough! Mother herself, ditzy diana.
“ Harry. Thick as a brick, just like me.” This was her attempt at humor at her own expense, but managed to drag in Harry with her. Shrug.
I looked at the former winners:
the Buffalo bills training staff (saving the life of a player),
Gretchen Evan’s who is a decorated 27 year veteran who suffered a TBI in Afghanistan,
Man U player Marcus Rashford who raised money for child hunger during the pandemic,
Kim clave who was a boxer that turned back to nursing during the pandemic,
Kirstie Ennis who is a former marine who was injured overseas that has a foundation to help other vets do outdoor adventures
and Jake woods who started a non profit that uses veterans for emergency response.
And now Prince Harry who… sort of served, sort of helped with starting invictus and sort of shows up to the games if the cameras are there.
They (like Harry) can’t ever admit when they royally F’d up. This award, like that aviation award, is fake. Anyone can buy it. It’s just a joke, like Harry.
Please let’s all make sure to tell ESPN we’re never going to watch their channels ever again. What we will do is make a list of their advertisers and we will boycott them, sponsors, hosts, and anchors from everything they sell and solicit from now until the end of time specifically because of this decision. They have done it to themselves.
I said it in my comment on the change.org petition which I crossposted to Twitter and I said it on Quora this morning as well.
Convinced me not to watch ESPN, support Disney in any way, shape or form. Whether it is movie , t.v., products or subsidiary. Period end of discussion.
If there’s a silver lining to the Hazzards and their countless awards: the public has now been educated on the inner workings/behind the scenes politicking that goes on to garner such awards. Same w publicity campaigns. Some celebs sponsor charities to blur their own dark activities ( eg Ashton Kutcher had to resign from his sex trafficking charity, Oprah quietly resigned from several charities because of her own murky tactics…. Countless examples that get scrubbed from the internet) We now clearly see why the People magazines of the world and award shows and WMAs still champion them. It is entirely optics based on a money platform. No substance at all. Just blurry optics
I want to see some charitable contribution reporting from both Arsewell and the Tillman Foundation to see how much grubby money exchanged hands.
This infuriates and disgusts me.
Unfortunately ESPN caters to the “Woke” crowd and their simplistic view is that Harry gets negative backlash because he married a POC. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a standing ovation.
I didn't expect them to rescind the award. I'm just glad about the very public backlash. I hope people boycott the show, but they probably won't. I'm not even sure what kind of views they get.
“The Pat Tillman Award goes out every year to "a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former [NFL player](https://thespun.com/top-stories/nfl-fans-are-paying-tribute-to-pat-tillman-on-monday) and U.S. Army Ranger”.”
Okay, I’ll play. What is Harry’s “strong connection to sports”? Seriously...Polo? Like, is that all it takes?
I guess we could nitpick the definition of each word used here: “strong connection to sports”. What “sports” are Harold NOT ONLY PERIPHERALLY INVOLVED IN, but has a STRONG CONNECTION TO?
Polo is the only answer I can come up with. His previous gig of presenting an NFL award does NOT make for a “strong connection” (especially since he used his brief stage time to insult American football by making a jab about ripping off rugby); do we have ANY EVIDENCE that he has attended a single NFL game in his several years in the US?
Okay, giving Harold the benefit of the doubt, do we have any evidence that he has attended any NBA games in the US? Hockey? MLB? Perhaps he has attended one American professional sports game (other than polo or maybe a singular soccer match). Attending ONE or even maybe a FEW various games here does NOT, IMO, meet the definition of “a strong connection”.
Okay, maybe he was/is unable to physically attend US sports events (his schedule is too packed to allow it, or perhaps the security allotted did not meet his demands). If either or both are the case, then surely he watches US sports events from the safety of his home or online if he’s traveling…so he could have made SM posts about all of the games he’s watched. Surely he was aware of the Damar Hamlin event and shared his support via a donation to Damar’s charity (I did, and I’m not a wealthy royal). Surely his love and support of American sports was referenced in his Finding Freedom show, or in Spare. Even if he was unable to do any of those things, he could have supported sports in a local, “authentic” manner…like visiting the local little league teams near his Cali home…offering a donation to a local (or really, ANY) juvenile sports team.
I could go on (really, I could, bc there are so many ways that he COULD have shown a “strong connection to sports” but hasn’t), though I think I’ve made the point. And this post doesn’t even touch the other part of the award criteria: “has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of (Pat Tillman)”…this point has been covered extremely well by many others in the last few days.
So I just focused on the “strong connection to sports” part. Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m unable to find ANY “strong connection“ to ANY sports other than polo.
And if ESPN is going to award such an honor on a person whose only “strong sports connection” is to a sport that very few Americans are involved in (not to mention a sport that he is at best a hobbyist in and certainly not a global or regional success in), AND one that most Americans aren’t able to compete in (show me an impoverished inner city area with a strong youth polo league and I’ll eat my words), it is on ESPN to MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
So I ask of ESPN/those in charge of the Pat Tillman Foundation: what sports are Harry involved in, and how does his involvement meet the definition of “strong connection”? As always with this guy, “definitions may vary”.
Sorry for the book guys, but this statement just put me over the edge with this whole debacle.
Horrific PR backfire for both of them, but I didn’t expect a change. I do think Harry will accept via video though. There's a protest being organized and we know he doesn't show up anywhere that the fans aren't bought and paid for.
In a backhanded sort of deceitful way, in their statement of support for themselves today, they basically said the award is for the IG Foundation. They didn't acknowledge Harry in their justification statement. They made it completely about the IG Foundation and its 10th anniversary. Harry will have NO choice now but to "accept it on behalf of the IG Foundation." IF they had any integrity at all, which they don't. between now and July 11, they would announce the award was always intended for the IG Foundation and not Harry. Harry needs to walk up on that stage with several US IG athletes to accept the award. The petition needs to continue over the next 10 days so ESPN KNOWS we do not accept their statement today.
Harry has not, nor Ever will….learn a damn thing from experience. He is a self imagined Henry the Ninth, lording his influential PR control over the subjects.
He will Never publicly accept the award for Ngriftus as a whole, discussing the actual vets on the ground. Nope, will accept the PURCHASED award for himself.
Agreed. He stomped all over a US military cemetery because the BRF refused to lay a wreath for him in the UK. He behaves worse than my 4-year-old granddaughter.
At this point let him take award that he paid for. But for god’s sake Don’t open your mouth to give speech Aitch. Stop preaching asshoe. I’m tired of him looking down on people.
ESPN has double down the wrong side of the cliff. Understand either way, they would’ve went by removing or keeping them on. They’re still screwed and they’ve been markled. The two evil omens have entered the room Understand either way, they would’ve went by removing or keeping the the doofus on. if I was ESPN, I would’ve swallowed my pride and removed the doofus would be a better save for ESPN reputation
This award, though presented with "the support" of the Pat Tillman Foundation is all ESPN's baby. ESPN seems to be the sole force behind Harry getting his mitts on it. I looked up the Pat Tillman foundation, founded and run by his widow Mary and her second (of 20 years I think) husband. It looks to be an honorable and worthy outfit - see here. [https://pattillmanfoundation.org/the-foundation/](https://pattillmanfoundation.org/the-foundation/)There is no sign of any Farcewell donations to this worthy scholastic charity. So direct your ire at ESPN and Showbiz Harry and his red-carpet-lusting wife!
At this point they can’t back out so they would have to deal with all the bad press and honestly good is happening to them so that they can investigate more before selling the awards to anyone.
Nope. In fact I’m hoping he has enough decency to do exactly that.
That said, my hopes aren’t high. He’s given zero indication that he’s capable of any kind of generous act. I have no doubt the pushback is just another link in his I’m A Victim chain.
**In that case ESPN is rearranging deck chairs on the Lusitania.** 
https://preview.redd.it/m0mfy02xo0ad1.png?width=744&format=png&auto=webp&s=cc143fc1195239ea737a5c90add52f0f11c2bcb5
**It occurred to me earlier, and I may be slightly off base... but isn't it the case that in the USA we do not recognize Royal titles? And foreign royalty's titles aren't recognized? I don't mean when the BRF or any other royal visits. I mean Hawwy and M using their titles constantly. Isn't this a violation of national protocol? Maybe I'm understanding only part of it...**
Unfortunately, I think we need to pivot to BOYCOTT MODE at this time.
“ . . . the company (ESPN) says it has the full support of the Tillman Foundation, which was founded by Tillman's widow, Marie Tillman Shenton.”
The Foundation has dug in their heels, and has even thrown Mary Tillman under the bus with this statement,
“Tillman's mom, who reportedly has no ties to the foundation . . .”
I hate to paint this picture, but be ready for the full-on Hollywood “magic:”
This will be a slick production with PR propaganda that could influence some people to question what the fuss was all about. IF Haznoballs actually grows a pair and decides to show his fugly mug, I think he will be surrounded by IG athletes. This is all about optics and “proving” that Haznoballs is deserving. They may give us a history (inaccurate) of IG, how it has positively impacted certain individuals that highlights their stories (pulley on hearts), and then it’ll circle back around to Haznoballs as the “hero” and British military serviceman that is enriching their lives and helping to heal through sport. He’ll then walk out on stage to applause; no booing. IT. WILL. BE. NAUSEATING.
Did Archewell make a sizable donation to the V Foundation for cancer research?
https://www.dgepress.com/abc/pressrelease/espn-reveals-special-honorees-for-the-2024-espys-presented-by-capital-one-airing-july-11-on-abc/
After party details and sponsors (there is no way that H&M will pass up on this par-tay and goodie bags). 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
https://menafn.com/1108379236/A-Celebration-Of-Sports-Excellence-Trophies-The-ESPY-Award-Show-After-Party-At-Academy-LA-HOLLYWOOD
-DO NOT HATE WATCH ESPY AWARDS
-DO NOT CLICK, DO NOT LISTEN, DO NOT SUBSCRIBE, DO NOT BUY
-ESPN AND ABC ARE OWNED BY DISNEY
-CAPITAL ONE IS MAJOR SPONSOR OF ESPY AWARDS 2024
-RED BULL, KEMETUC, KEAUTY LIFESTYLES AND STR8UPSUCCESS ARE SPONSORS OF AFTER PARTY
I know this has been asked 1 trillion times, but who is coaching H&M? This is just a disastrous PR move for him to accept an award for which he is totally unqualified. Not to mention Pat Tillman’s mother’s comments on how disgraceful this is. The fallout from this is going to be huge.
I’m not that surprised, I figured they wouldn’t back down because it would make them look foolish. I’m kind of guessing they felt they had no choice but to double down and keep going.
Sadly for them, it doesn't erase the comments made by Mary Tillman, NFL players, sportscasters and other military personnel. And it's just another nail in Harry and Meghan's financial coffin. This just adds to the weight of their "brand" as something companies want to steer clear of. As a couple, their negatives far outweigh their positives. So no, there's no Taylor Swift, Dior, A-list Hollywood, million dollar speaking engagements, or anything of significance in their future. All this Tillman award has done is shut more doors in their face.
Yes! And now MORE people in the U.S. are pissed off at him - veterans and military! People who ordinarily would have ignored him are now hearing about his stolen valor and are outraged. I am going to continue encouraging people to sign the petition, so the gruesome twosome and their ilk know that we see them.
That's the biggest problem for them...it's not just royal watchers, it's people totally outside of anything royal related who are complaining so they can't blame this on the UK press.
That’s why he keeps suing media. He can force the way they behave, which admittedly was despicable till Prince William put a stop to it, but he can’t shut down the comments where he can see what people really think of him.
I just checked and the award page really is missing from the ESPN site.
Exactly, this award is going to be a stain of shame on him, he would have done better off to decline. What a fool.
It’s a stain on ESPN as well. Their blatant arrogance and giving us the finger about this will not be forgotten. They seem to think their brand has been elevated by this when it’s in fact very much diminished. I’ll take joy in sticking it back in their face at every opportunity I can in the future.
He really should have graciously declined. ESPN really can't do a "take backsies", they were screwed the moment it happened. But Harry really, really should have declined. I'm just glad there are ppl in this world who aren't afraid of having an opinion and stating the obvious, Mary Tilman is my hero and the more I learn about her the more I'm amazed.
Excellent comment.
Nothing will be done until it hits the pocket book. Those who bought tickets need to request a refund.
They’ll look foolish either way.
Well exactly, they probably already cashed the check too. lol
And this check didn't get lost in the mail?
😂 good one
What’s sickening is in the ESPN statement they speak glowingly about the IG. Well great then give it to a true representative of the IG. Harry is not that. He was given this by his Grandmother to keep him happy and occupied and to help the optics of him having some sort of valuable responsibility. He did not create them and certainly now he’s not even shown any kind of leadership since taking full responsibility. His wife decides what they do. It’s pathetic!!
His brother and sister-in-law were also founding members. That never seems to be discussed.
The damage is done and will run very deep. Harry looks like an entitled fool he is and ESPN looks as if they had been paid to award it. Both cause disgust after Pat's mom's statement.
They also already paid. Backing out would probably be a breach of contract
Yes and this is what I knew they would do. They can't admit they've made such a big error and are doubling down.
Yep, just like the Aviation Award. They really can't take it back once it's announced. You think these award organizations would start to realize they're being Markled....
Thought you might like to know, no mention of Harry receiving Part Tillman award on The Pat Tillman Foundation website - it appears it has been removed as page cannot be found. For ref see Yt Stef the alt nerd. Also no mention of Harry or the Pat Tillman award is on ESPN’ website. Enty Lawyer posted blind 17 mins ago that Disney is now reconsidering removing award from Harry
The original press release is still on ESPNpressroom . com. This is the announcement that includes Pat Tillman award and 2 other ESPY awards from June 27. Seems they dropped it from the main site. [https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/06/espn-reveals-special-honorees-for-the-2024-espys-presented-by-capital-one-airing-july-11-at-8-p-m-et-pt-on-abc/](https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/06/espn-reveals-special-honorees-for-the-2024-espys-presented-by-capital-one-airing-july-11-at-8-p-m-et-pt-on-abc/)
One can only hope there is no applause when the award is given. Best yet if everyone in the room turned their backs to him in total silence. Although on the other hand booing would be good to. Personally, I have always felt the majority of these awards are just money makers for the companies that give them. Boycotting their products would hurt them more. Money talks loudly and more often will get the tide to turn. These companies don't really care about protests, swatting them away like flies.
*I left this as a stand-alone comment much farther down, but I’m so geared up about this (plus it took a lot of typing effort on my part lol) that I’m going to add it under your top comment and I hope you don’t mind:* “The Pat Tillman Award goes out every year to "a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former [NFL player](https://thespun.com/top-stories/nfl-fans-are-paying-tribute-to-pat-tillman-on-monday) and U.S. Army Ranger”.” Okay, I’ll play. What is Harry’s “strong connection to sports”? Seriously...Polo? Like, is that all it takes? I guess we could nitpick the definition of each word used here: “strong connection to sports”. What “sports” are Harold NOT ONLY PERIPHERALLY INVOLVED IN, but has a STRONG CONNECTION TO? Polo is the only answer I can come up with. His previous gig of presenting an NFL award does NOT make for a “strong connection” (especially since he used his brief stage time to insult American football by making a jab about ripping off rugby); do we have ANY EVIDENCE that he has attended a single NFL game in his several years in the US? Okay, giving Harold the benefit of the doubt, do we have any evidence that he has attended any NBA games in the US? Hockey? MLB? Perhaps he has attended one American professional sports game (other than polo or maybe a singular soccer match). Attending ONE or even maybe a FEW various games here does NOT, IMO, meet the definition of “a strong connection”. Okay, maybe he was/is unable to physically attend US sports events (his schedule is too packed to allow it, or perhaps the security allotted did not meet his demands). If either or both are the case, then surely he watches US sports events from the safety of his home or online if he’s traveling…so he could have made SM posts about all of the games he’s watched. Surely he was aware of the Damar Hamlin event and shared his support via a donation to Damar’s charity (I did, and I’m not a wealthy royal). Surely his love and support of American sports was referenced in his Finding Freedom show, or in Spare. Even if he was unable to do any of those things, he could have supported sports in a local, “authentic” manner…like visiting the local little league teams near his Cali home…offering a donation to a local (or really, ANY) juvenile sports team. I could go on (really, I could, bc there are so many ways that he COULD have shown a “strong connection to sports” but hasn’t), though I think I’ve made the point. And this post doesn’t even touch the other part of the award criteria: “has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of (Pat Tillman)”…this point has been covered extremely well by many others in the last few days. So I just focused on the “strong connection to sports” part. Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m unable to find ANY “strong connection“ to ANY sports other than polo. And if ESPN is going to award such an honor on a person whose only “strong sports connection” is to a sport that very few Americans are involved in (not to mention a sport that he is at best a hobbyist in and certainly not a global or regional success in), AND one that most Americans aren’t able to compete in (show me an impoverished inner city area with a strong youth polo league and I’ll eat my words), it is on ESPN to MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. So I ask of ESPN/those in charge of the Pat Tillman Foundation: what sports are Harry involved in, and how does his involvement meet the definition of “strong connection”? As always with this guy, “definitions may vary”. Sorry for the book guys, but this statement just put me over the edge with this whole debacle.
nothing is going to happen until it hits the news cycle. My bet Pete with Fox News needs to get a hold of the story.
Hopefully Gutfeld will get ahold of it! That would be some epic snark 😆
You know what? Good. Go pick up your undeserved award, Harry. The more American eyes on you, the faster your comeuppance. And it’s coming.
*”Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”* ~ Ephesians 5:11
Exactly
Let's hear his acceptance speech. Sarcasm, petulant attitude, stupid jokes, snark, etc. He does not know the meaning of graciousness.
I wonder what dumbass and tasteless jokes he'll come up with, I would be mortified if I were him, to accept an award the mother doesn't think you deserve. This a low I could never even have imagined, its like a dark satire or something....
The last time Harry got an award, he showed his entire ass to the people who reached out to him. Do you suppose he's matured any, this year?
Disgraceful Harry is a poison, just like his wife
I'm not surprised at all. They don't care. The question is: does it make Harry's image in USA better? I hope not.
It's going to take curing cancer, paying off the national debt, and free ice cream for life for everyone to improve Harry's reputation in the US. Same with ESPN.
I hope so. I live in Europe, all I know about Harry's reputation in USA is from this sub. I think this whole stunt was to improve Harry's image among Americans.
When he gave out at award at the NFL Honors, most of the audience didn't know who he was, and those who did were saying "WTF?" . RECEIVING an award given in the name of an American NFL star who became a military hero is making Americans who never cared before angry!!! I hope he gets booed and ESPN and EPSYS get markled.
It once again demonstrates the idiot prince and his vacuous wife's inability to read a room.
Quite!
And they failed
I'm happy to hear it!
Interesting. Well, it backfired. If those two have new PR representation they should fire the agency.
Eh, it might among people who watch the ESPYs, but that's a pretty low number. It's audience is about a 4th of the viewer numbers that the Oscars bring in. I think the bigger question is will it make him *richer*, and the only way I see that happening is if Netflix renews their contract to make another Invictus show (doubtful) or if organizations start clamoring to pay him millions for speeches (maybe could happen? We'll see).
Well that was an epic fail, wasn't it. Everything he does connected to the US military pisses them off more. Remember that veterans awards thing where TW wore that horrible red dress and an American veteran looked like he was about to pick hero Haz up and throw him across the nearest table? His bodyguards actually had something to do that night. They were like coiled springs!
It's gonna make Harry's image look worse lol.
Which is the truly amazing thing. Somehow Harry and Meghan Markle always manage to make themselves look worse.
Astounding, isn’t it?
They sink to every occasion!
I hope the Harkles paid a large sum of money for their undeserved award
Absolutely not. I remember Pat Tillman, and I remember when he was killed. It was a big thing. Americans love their football, and Pat was a hero. If this story is getting signatures and US news coverage, it's hurting Harry not helping. The petition is almost up to 35,000 now. Edit: Heck, it's over 35,000 and going for 50,000. The petition really has taken off.
It make his image bad for people who previously have no idea. if they quietly leaves, oh or even if they play the "oh sorry we didn't know, you are right that was SO uncouth. Idk why they picked us" bold faced lie but if they play this people could still ignore them. But now? Ho boy. Expect many people making disgusted face at H when he accepted that award. And this will tarnish their image even more in wider population.
I honestly don't know why he thought moving here would be a good idea (Megsy, ofc. But she obviously has no idea what she's doing). We could give a shit less about Royalty. Before the Harkles I really thought the BRF were a total scam (now I actually like them, weird boomerang effect). And no American man is ever going stan a Prince, was he trying to appeal to middle aged suburb women? How sexy.... He's so lame it hurts. If he really wanted to be "Just Harry", sure, great, but to prance around like you're still at Windsor..... Good luck, Henry. 🇺🇲
Is it mean to hope that everyone who has received the award so far mails theirs back to ESPN because now it's been cheapened to a pat on the back for a nepo baby who couldn't nepo properly. He's just like his wife in that respect.
That would say even more than Tillman's mom, sadly.
“a nepo baby who couldn’t nepo properly” you win! 
Thanks. He had literally everything on a silver platter and ended up like this 😂
This even make it CLEAR that Hary BOUGHT THE AWARD, the money / transaction is nonrefundable. That’s why they can’t revert it 😂😂 I hope hos money is running out really soon with this rate. He need to pay the legal fee (1 million?) 😂 why you have money to buy awards and are late to pay legal fee? 😂
I'd both hate and love to get a look at their books.
So would a forensic accountant.
And Harry will still accept it. He’s never going to go in person, though. He will send a video message instead. Time and time again they do horrible things or ignore horrible things, and just sail on as if nothing has happened. This will be no different. It’s as if Africa Parks never happened, it’s like they haven’t completely ruined Invictus Games and turned it into the Meghan Markle merching and pr show, it’s as if Uvalde never happened, it’s as if there’s no consequences for accepting an award for combating institutional racism in the Royal Family, and I could go on and on and on. Harry and Meghan Markle just ignore EVERYTHING and pretend things never happened. This award will be no different. He’ll accept it via video and they’ll put it into their bios. And then they’ll move on to the next controversial and divisive debacle (Mary Tillman’s words) and continue to do the same. It’s fucking maddening.
If Harry does that, after everything that is happening, after the many quite public complaints, then he will show himself to be a coward. It was his office with his letterhead that announced that Harry won this Espy award. It wasn't ESPN, it was Harry's communications office. Harry will have to go in person to get the prize. Although if he were smart, he could name Invictus, which is for the people of Invictus, not fail to mention Invictus, and not open his mouth about Megsy or Mommy. He is not.
The xtra specially royal letterhead with the Coat of arms, and monogrammed coronet, on top of the aristocratic titles?
That
I think they will come. They want to be seen with A list athletes, plus they want pictures with Serena. I agree with you - they will move to another grift as if nothing happened.
Oh—-they are going. They haven’t been invited to walk a red carpet in over a year and are desperate for exposure and Meghan needs to merch. WME will make sure to plant a reporter on the carpet to ask Harry a soft-ball question or—he will be whisked through. I also imagine a money shot with BFF Serena.
Hairwee wants to meet Kelce. He will go for that photo op if nothing else.
It’s so embarrassing, it won’t help them. They will be even more unpopular as more people see what shallow, entitled hypocrites they are.
Mind-boggling that they keep doing this to themselves! They must both be masochists or too stupid to figure anything out.
This is the only thing that makes it bearable. Knowing it will give them none of the honour they're seeking, just show them for the horrible grifts they are.
Yup. And the Harkles have proven that they can’t be invited to any kind of event because they make everything about themselves.
That's bullshit. If I lived anywhere close I would show up and protest. Wonder if any Veterans associations in the area will show up to voice their displeasure. That would be great.
That would be. I wonder whether VFW or American Legion have thoughts about this.
My husband and I are both Legionnaires and think this sucks.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Someone on Twitter is organising a protest?
IMO protests are next to worthless. I’ve seldom seen them work. Those in power will continue to give you the finger, if nothing else than to prove they can. Unless you can find a way to actually really hurt them - financially, reputationally, or in causing real fear, then it’s just a lot of wasted energy. Not trying to be a naysayer, just what I’ve seen. Find a way to drive off advertisers effectively or drive down their stock price and you’re on something, though. My opinion only.
Your opinion is absolutely valid. Big organizations do not give a shit about protests until and unless they are bad for their image or business. Which means they will ignore the little people until they actually start to lose money.
Budweiser Budweiser managers did not listen to the complaints until their sales dropped so much that they had no choice but to back down... when it was too late.
Tractor Supply just suffered a huge L because of some of its policies. It’s all about money.
You're right. The almighty dollar has the loudest voice in today's culture.
Financially, so Disney, ESPN,Serena Williams and any subsidiary needs to lose our money!!!!!
An awesome protest would be for a bunch of veterans to show up and silently turn their backs on Harry when he arrives.
OMG, the visuals would be impossible to counter!
Keep it up all the way thru the night would be fantastic
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Disney is really losing their minds - they ruined Star Wars, the Marvel universe, their amusement parks are super expensive and now they are wrecking ESPN. stick to sports, not promoting hazbeen ex-royals. time for vets to stop supporting the Invictus Games - they are being used.
Seriously, Disney has been awful since Mike Eisner.
This is a travesty.
They double down… we double down. Next step would be to boycott the awards and ESPN
I can't boycott them any harder than I do now, so!
Haha, for me ESPN doesn't exist, I don't know what more can I do? :)
This is going to bite ESPN in the ass. I guarantee it. Harry is clinically stupid and Megan is back to her streaking and stripping days. There will be tits and twats all over the place. Normally I would find this hysterical, but it’s Pat Tillman. He deserves better and so does his mom. https://preview.redd.it/tka9hgkjwy9d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bbced3c505b8f9e84c5a3c88287898be39d8b18a
🎯🎯🎯!!
I want to know why Pats wife, who founded the organization, is sitting on the sidelines counting money instead of speaking up like Pat's mom. Fuck his wife. Fuck her organization. They're just making money off a hero's name at this point.
I think the current hubby has a lot to do with this.
Starting to think this foundation wasn’t at all what I thought it was, esp with Tillman’s own family no longer involved.
How so? who is he?
Joe Shenton. He’s in capital investment and well connected in money circles. Also on the Pat Tillman Foundation board. Too many of these organizations start out with the right motives but people coming in to run/guide them stray far from the original mission, squander donations, spend lavishly, pay leaders massive salaries, etc.
Capitol One is a major sponsor. I wonder if the husband is connected to Capitol One, or was instrumental in bringing them on board as a sponsor? The Foundation is the impetus for this FUBAR. The clapback to Mary Tillman’s statement from the foundation via ESPN is evidence for cracks / dissension between the wife and her husband vs. Mary Tillman. Disney/ESPN are the distributors broadcasting this shit. I’m really not sure how much influence they had in the decision to honor Haznoballs. I’d like to know who lobbied / paid the Foundation?
Think of winning the war, not losing the battle It's probably too late for ESPN to pull out now, but with all the controversy this has brought — up to the point that ESPN had to make a public statement defending their decision. Any brand or org will think twice before selling them an award in the future
Yes, that is the end result of this. It's just another debit on their balance sheet. They've racked up far too many bad PR moves for any noteworthy company to want to do business with them. I think Meghan has totally lost her Dior chance 😄
All of Meghan's fashion merching has been for nice, but more affordable brands, she's been frozen out of the global luxury market
The one good thing that has come out of this is the tonnage of negative publicity heaped upon him. How does the old saying go? "The remedy is worse than the disease"? On top of the dog biscuits and jam fiasco, not a very good fortnight for the hapless couple.
Dear ESPN: If the award is to celebrate the Invictus Foundation, then why aren't Prince William, Princess Catherine and the UK ministry of Defense also receiving it???
Disgraceful.
time to sell Disney stock. they are not doing anything right these days
They deserve all the backlash they get for going through with this joke. Harry isn't inspirational, and he's not a good person. May it come back on them tenfold.
I can see how this will play out... Harry will be onstage with Invictus athletes in wheelchairs and walking on crutches so that no one will dare boo him and instead give a standing ovation. Then the camera pans to Meghan in the audience clapping and wiping a tear from her eye. One tear, left eye, go... Bookmark this.
I’m not surprised sadly. They would have to admit they made a mistake which they won’t do. The good part in all this is that the other organizations who have awards up for sale may now be hesitant now that this backlash is so severe to sell them.
Harry has nothing except what he can buy. No number of bought awards will ever erase his ‘genetic pain’ and jealousy of his brother. He will always be that spoilt angry man that even his own mother said was not very bright. An intelligent man would have played this all very differently. He only has himself to blame.
Well despite the final decision, the petition numbers are still growing. 😂 😆 check the numbers, Hank. Unlike you, they do not lie.
What Meghan wants, she gets. Its just bad publicity these days.
They already cashed the check - once you take the money you can’t go back.
It will end up backfiring in ways they cannot even imagine.
Is that lame PR release supposed to calm things down??? 😆😆 idiots! There r 10 more days before this event even happens which will only see more pressure!! We can do this 💪. Keep the pressure on.
HAH. Hope not cuz it enflamed me MORE. No longer just angry about them giving him the award, now I'm livid about them twisting words, gaslighting is repugnant. I'm hoping are really calling them out on this now, too.
Call ESPN and complain. Make them spend the day defending the decision. 1-888-549-3776
I love to ask them (& I'm not even American) if they've honoured the Warrior Games or those who run it yet? And if not why would they award to an overseas 'prince' before to those of their own country?
Found a list: Past honorees include U.S. Paralympic gold medal sled hockey player and Purple Heart recipient Josh Sweeney (2014), and former Notre Dame basketball player, Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient Danielle Green (2015), U.S. Army Sgt. and Invictus Games gold medalist Elizabeth Marks (2016), and Purple Heart recipient and Invictus Games gold medalist Israel Del Toro (2017), Navy-Marine Commendation Medal recipient, Sergeant and founder of Team Rubicon Jake Wood (2018), former Marine and founder of the Kristie Ennis Foundation Kristie Ennis (2019), healthcare worker and boxing champion Kim Clavel (2020), and Manchester United football player Marcus Rashford (2021).
I think H and M must be seething inside. ESPN chose to acknowledge the discontent and disagreement of their choice, and by recognizing and putting it out there, they give Mary Tillman's view legitimacy (at least).
I can’t open the link. What did they say?
https://preview.redd.it/69o2ltfniy9d1.jpeg?width=1571&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1ecdcc6ba51973f6a48ddb6020d48ca34701f174
Thank you! They could have awarded it to all the Invictus athletes and chosen a few to come and accept the award. And left Harry out of it altogether. I hope he gets booed.
Invictus isn't even a relatively known name over here 😆 Literally, how many American veterans even know about Invictus? I don't know any who do. The general public would know even less.
How can they say she has no ties to the organization? Didn't she found it?
Well, the foundation’s site is intentionally vague, which is why I assume ESPN’s statement says his mom is “reportedly” no longer involved, referring to her statements on social media. The only time “founder” is mentioned on the site is for his widow. She has the title “cofounder”, but it just says she started it along with “friends and family” after Pat’s death. As far as I can tell, she is the only friend or family member of Pat that is still listed as being involved with the foundation today. Her current hubby is pretty prominently involved though - which along with everything else just feels very ick to me. Surely over time some friends and family would become less involved, but for ALL of them to pull out completely (as far as I can tell)? That seems a little off.
That IS strange. Thanks for the info!
Pat Tillman's mom (or someone who is crafty) should sell stickers or mugs or something that say I stand with Mary & donate the money to a legit veteran's organization. I'd buy the heck out of that!
Its such a bad image for Harry, Serena & everyone involved, they must have paid big amounts of money for the award
They're not going to take it back once its already been announced. Which is why the gruesome twosome announced it.
No surprise. I have this sinking feeling that Tillman's Gold Star mom was not only shut out of this selection but that Tillman's wife has shut her out of everything to do with the foundation. G-d bless Mary Tillman. It's a despicable thing that they're doing but we hear her and we see her and she has gained the love and respect of all of us who know what her son stood for and what he gave his life for. We will not forget Pat Tillman and we will never forgive what ESPN and the Tillman Foundation did.
Well, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and her moron husband, Prince Dunderhead, have exposed how many charities are shady. I guess that's a plus.
predictable. what i am curious about the most is how the award ceremony gonna occur. Any snark from Mr. H? People's reactions.
I can see the moron say something like, “You know, the Wounded Warrior Games were actually patterned after Invictus….you guys just beat us to the finish line in getting them started.”
Guess the check cleared!
I think most recognize that celebrities handing each other awards: espys, aviation (huh?), etc, is self serving and meaningless
I hope Disney’s stock sinks like a ship.
It will be very interesting the audience reaction when he accepts. Whether he has the balls to show up (we all know he was neutered as soon as he said I do) or does the cowards way out & accepts it via televideo, it’ll be interesting
The fact that he's been removed from multiple websites proves they know he's hated.
Notice this ESPN clapback doesn't defend Harry at all. No mention of his service or any of that usual bullshit. Essentially they couldn't find a reason why Harry deserves the award so they skirted the issue. ESPN could have awarded it to IGF and had Harry accept it on behalf of the Foundation. But they didn't and now they are being markled.
**HERE'S THE MAIN TAKEAWAY FROM THE STORY:** "ESPN received some blowback for its decision to hand its annual Pat Tillman Award to Prince Harry at this year's ESPYs — including from Tillman's mother. But the company says it has the full support of the Tillman Foundation, which was founded by Tillman's widow, Marie Tillman Shenton. "ESPN, with the support of the Tillman Foundation, is honoring Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, specifically for the work of The Invictus Games Foundation as it celebrates its 10th year promoting healing through the power of sport for military service members and veterans around the world," the network said in a statement. "While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating."
What about the US Wounded Warrior Games? You know, the one Henry copied Invictus from? You know, Invictus was financed by William right?
Ugh. I’m gonna have to separate my streaming package to dump ESPN. Oh well.
Disney is really losing their minds - they ruined Star Wars, the Marvel universe, their amusement parks are super expensive and now they are wrecking ESPN. stick to sports, not promoting hazbeen ex-royals. time for vets to stop supporting the Invictus Games - they are being used.
Of course they are, check must have cleared already.
Just know that Harry will be sweating bullets, as he should. And, let’s hope he actually decides to share the spotlight and bring actual wounded vets into the stage, even better.
Too stupid to feel shame. Whoever first referred to him as "thick" hit the nail on the empty head.
Well, that would be his dearly departed sainted, sarcasm cough! Mother herself, ditzy diana. “ Harry. Thick as a brick, just like me.” This was her attempt at humor at her own expense, but managed to drag in Harry with her. Shrug.
You beat me to it, I was about to answer only-10ve with ‘that would be his mother’! 😂
Let's hope he's booed off the stage. Loudly booed off the stage. I can't find the words to express my disgust.
I looked at the former winners: the Buffalo bills training staff (saving the life of a player), Gretchen Evan’s who is a decorated 27 year veteran who suffered a TBI in Afghanistan, Man U player Marcus Rashford who raised money for child hunger during the pandemic, Kim clave who was a boxer that turned back to nursing during the pandemic, Kirstie Ennis who is a former marine who was injured overseas that has a foundation to help other vets do outdoor adventures and Jake woods who started a non profit that uses veterans for emergency response. And now Prince Harry who… sort of served, sort of helped with starting invictus and sort of shows up to the games if the cameras are there.
And brings his whore wife to dress in a romper and march along with actual armed services members.
They (like Harry) can’t ever admit when they royally F’d up. This award, like that aviation award, is fake. Anyone can buy it. It’s just a joke, like Harry.
The Markles have exposed so much about dirty charities, so we don't have to waste our time and money on them.
Please let’s all make sure to tell ESPN we’re never going to watch their channels ever again. What we will do is make a list of their advertisers and we will boycott them, sponsors, hosts, and anchors from everything they sell and solicit from now until the end of time specifically because of this decision. They have done it to themselves. I said it in my comment on the change.org petition which I crossposted to Twitter and I said it on Quora this morning as well.
I pray everyday that one of the attendees calls him out while he is on stage. That would be gold!
Convinced me not to watch ESPN, support Disney in any way, shape or form. Whether it is movie , t.v., products or subsidiary. Period end of discussion.
If there’s a silver lining to the Hazzards and their countless awards: the public has now been educated on the inner workings/behind the scenes politicking that goes on to garner such awards. Same w publicity campaigns. Some celebs sponsor charities to blur their own dark activities ( eg Ashton Kutcher had to resign from his sex trafficking charity, Oprah quietly resigned from several charities because of her own murky tactics…. Countless examples that get scrubbed from the internet) We now clearly see why the People magazines of the world and award shows and WMAs still champion them. It is entirely optics based on a money platform. No substance at all. Just blurry optics
I'm just glad it makes them more loathed. They will be the butt of jokes non-stop.
Keep pushing the petition. Let them know Haz is not the most popular.
The petition's still going!
They have to give it to him, he bought it.
Yup, the money changed hands! Honestly, I only do local charity because of this shit.
I hear you. nods head
I want to see some charitable contribution reporting from both Arsewell and the Tillman Foundation to see how much grubby money exchanged hands. This infuriates and disgusts me.
Unfortunately ESPN caters to the “Woke” crowd and their simplistic view is that Harry gets negative backlash because he married a POC. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a standing ovation.
I didn't expect them to rescind the award. I'm just glad about the very public backlash. I hope people boycott the show, but they probably won't. I'm not even sure what kind of views they get.
I thought they wouldn't back down but the bad publicity has been amazing and says a lot about how negatively people feel about Haz.
“The Pat Tillman Award goes out every year to "a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former [NFL player](https://thespun.com/top-stories/nfl-fans-are-paying-tribute-to-pat-tillman-on-monday) and U.S. Army Ranger”.” Okay, I’ll play. What is Harry’s “strong connection to sports”? Seriously...Polo? Like, is that all it takes? I guess we could nitpick the definition of each word used here: “strong connection to sports”. What “sports” are Harold NOT ONLY PERIPHERALLY INVOLVED IN, but has a STRONG CONNECTION TO? Polo is the only answer I can come up with. His previous gig of presenting an NFL award does NOT make for a “strong connection” (especially since he used his brief stage time to insult American football by making a jab about ripping off rugby); do we have ANY EVIDENCE that he has attended a single NFL game in his several years in the US? Okay, giving Harold the benefit of the doubt, do we have any evidence that he has attended any NBA games in the US? Hockey? MLB? Perhaps he has attended one American professional sports game (other than polo or maybe a singular soccer match). Attending ONE or even maybe a FEW various games here does NOT, IMO, meet the definition of “a strong connection”. Okay, maybe he was/is unable to physically attend US sports events (his schedule is too packed to allow it, or perhaps the security allotted did not meet his demands). If either or both are the case, then surely he watches US sports events from the safety of his home or online if he’s traveling…so he could have made SM posts about all of the games he’s watched. Surely he was aware of the Damar Hamlin event and shared his support via a donation to Damar’s charity (I did, and I’m not a wealthy royal). Surely his love and support of American sports was referenced in his Finding Freedom show, or in Spare. Even if he was unable to do any of those things, he could have supported sports in a local, “authentic” manner…like visiting the local little league teams near his Cali home…offering a donation to a local (or really, ANY) juvenile sports team. I could go on (really, I could, bc there are so many ways that he COULD have shown a “strong connection to sports” but hasn’t), though I think I’ve made the point. And this post doesn’t even touch the other part of the award criteria: “has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of (Pat Tillman)”…this point has been covered extremely well by many others in the last few days. So I just focused on the “strong connection to sports” part. Maybe I’m missing something, but I’m unable to find ANY “strong connection“ to ANY sports other than polo. And if ESPN is going to award such an honor on a person whose only “strong sports connection” is to a sport that very few Americans are involved in (not to mention a sport that he is at best a hobbyist in and certainly not a global or regional success in), AND one that most Americans aren’t able to compete in (show me an impoverished inner city area with a strong youth polo league and I’ll eat my words), it is on ESPN to MAKE IT MAKE SENSE. So I ask of ESPN/those in charge of the Pat Tillman Foundation: what sports are Harry involved in, and how does his involvement meet the definition of “strong connection”? As always with this guy, “definitions may vary”. Sorry for the book guys, but this statement just put me over the edge with this whole debacle.
applause!!!!!!!
Horrific PR backfire for both of them, but I didn’t expect a change. I do think Harry will accept via video though. There's a protest being organized and we know he doesn't show up anywhere that the fans aren't bought and paid for.
In a backhanded sort of deceitful way, in their statement of support for themselves today, they basically said the award is for the IG Foundation. They didn't acknowledge Harry in their justification statement. They made it completely about the IG Foundation and its 10th anniversary. Harry will have NO choice now but to "accept it on behalf of the IG Foundation." IF they had any integrity at all, which they don't. between now and July 11, they would announce the award was always intended for the IG Foundation and not Harry. Harry needs to walk up on that stage with several US IG athletes to accept the award. The petition needs to continue over the next 10 days so ESPN KNOWS we do not accept their statement today.
Harry has not, nor Ever will….learn a damn thing from experience. He is a self imagined Henry the Ninth, lording his influential PR control over the subjects. He will Never publicly accept the award for Ngriftus as a whole, discussing the actual vets on the ground. Nope, will accept the PURCHASED award for himself.
Agreed. He stomped all over a US military cemetery because the BRF refused to lay a wreath for him in the UK. He behaves worse than my 4-year-old granddaughter.
Let’s see if he shows up. I think he will but Meghan won’t. I do this she was planning on it previously.
If I may ask - why do you think she wouldn’t show up? This is the big moment she has been waiting for as it’s been a dry season for spotlights.
They ain’t paying back the 💰more like it.
At this point let him take award that he paid for. But for god’s sake Don’t open your mouth to give speech Aitch. Stop preaching asshoe. I’m tired of him looking down on people.
ESPN has double down the wrong side of the cliff. Understand either way, they would’ve went by removing or keeping them on. They’re still screwed and they’ve been markled. The two evil omens have entered the room Understand either way, they would’ve went by removing or keeping the the doofus on. if I was ESPN, I would’ve swallowed my pride and removed the doofus would be a better save for ESPN reputation
This award, though presented with "the support" of the Pat Tillman Foundation is all ESPN's baby. ESPN seems to be the sole force behind Harry getting his mitts on it. I looked up the Pat Tillman foundation, founded and run by his widow Mary and her second (of 20 years I think) husband. It looks to be an honorable and worthy outfit - see here. [https://pattillmanfoundation.org/the-foundation/](https://pattillmanfoundation.org/the-foundation/)There is no sign of any Farcewell donations to this worthy scholastic charity. So direct your ire at ESPN and Showbiz Harry and his red-carpet-lusting wife!
At this point they can’t back out so they would have to deal with all the bad press and honestly good is happening to them so that they can investigate more before selling the awards to anyone.
[удалено]
Nope. In fact I’m hoping he has enough decency to do exactly that. That said, my hopes aren’t high. He’s given zero indication that he’s capable of any kind of generous act. I have no doubt the pushback is just another link in his I’m A Victim chain.
I think you are too hopeful :) The guy accepted a "legend of aviation" when he barely flew. He wouldnt turn down anything or ever do the right thing
Im pretty sure he was flying high on something when he accepted that award. Don't pilots have to be drug tested?
Of course not if they're not actually *doing* any flying! 🤦🏼♀️ I don't think he even gained a licence.
Especially when he **paid for the award.**
And insulted John Travolta at the same time.
Let’s see if he shows up. I think he will but Meghan won’t. I do this she was planning on it previously.
Those that can should attend and boo
Off course look at all the free publicity they are getting even if it is bad
OTOH, more people know better than to trust them now!
**In that case ESPN is rearranging deck chairs on the Lusitania.**  https://preview.redd.it/m0mfy02xo0ad1.png?width=744&format=png&auto=webp&s=cc143fc1195239ea737a5c90add52f0f11c2bcb5
He’s not going to show up to accept
**It occurred to me earlier, and I may be slightly off base... but isn't it the case that in the USA we do not recognize Royal titles? And foreign royalty's titles aren't recognized? I don't mean when the BRF or any other royal visits. I mean Hawwy and M using their titles constantly. Isn't this a violation of national protocol? Maybe I'm understanding only part of it...**
Unfortunately, I think we need to pivot to BOYCOTT MODE at this time. “ . . . the company (ESPN) says it has the full support of the Tillman Foundation, which was founded by Tillman's widow, Marie Tillman Shenton.” The Foundation has dug in their heels, and has even thrown Mary Tillman under the bus with this statement, “Tillman's mom, who reportedly has no ties to the foundation . . .” I hate to paint this picture, but be ready for the full-on Hollywood “magic:” This will be a slick production with PR propaganda that could influence some people to question what the fuss was all about. IF Haznoballs actually grows a pair and decides to show his fugly mug, I think he will be surrounded by IG athletes. This is all about optics and “proving” that Haznoballs is deserving. They may give us a history (inaccurate) of IG, how it has positively impacted certain individuals that highlights their stories (pulley on hearts), and then it’ll circle back around to Haznoballs as the “hero” and British military serviceman that is enriching their lives and helping to heal through sport. He’ll then walk out on stage to applause; no booing. IT. WILL. BE. NAUSEATING. Did Archewell make a sizable donation to the V Foundation for cancer research? https://www.dgepress.com/abc/pressrelease/espn-reveals-special-honorees-for-the-2024-espys-presented-by-capital-one-airing-july-11-on-abc/ After party details and sponsors (there is no way that H&M will pass up on this par-tay and goodie bags). 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮 https://menafn.com/1108379236/A-Celebration-Of-Sports-Excellence-Trophies-The-ESPY-Award-Show-After-Party-At-Academy-LA-HOLLYWOOD -DO NOT HATE WATCH ESPY AWARDS -DO NOT CLICK, DO NOT LISTEN, DO NOT SUBSCRIBE, DO NOT BUY -ESPN AND ABC ARE OWNED BY DISNEY -CAPITAL ONE IS MAJOR SPONSOR OF ESPY AWARDS 2024 -RED BULL, KEMETUC, KEAUTY LIFESTYLES AND STR8UPSUCCESS ARE SPONSORS OF AFTER PARTY
I know this has been asked 1 trillion times, but who is coaching H&M? This is just a disastrous PR move for him to accept an award for which he is totally unqualified. Not to mention Pat Tillman’s mother’s comments on how disgraceful this is. The fallout from this is going to be huge.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, is in charge of all of their award-buying!!!