THIS WEEK:
- ESPY experience
- Boston boss
- Rising Stars, Falling Stars: Who's hot and not in Boston sports media?
Bettencourt brings local flavor to ESPY Awards
If you thought Curt Schilling, Bill Belichick, the Red Sox and Patriots
were the only New England representatives at last Sunday's 13th Annual ESPY
Awards on ESPN, think again. Kevin Bettencourt of Peabody, MA also scored at
the biggest sports and entertainment event of the year.
Bettencourt, a senior at Bucknell University, is a captain on the school
's basketball team. His Bison upset Kansas 64-63 in last March's NCAA
Tournament earning them a nomination in the ESPY's "Best Upset" category. The
win was the first-ever in the NCAA's for Bucknell and the Patriot League.
Kansas had been riding a 21-game first round winning streak.
"I found out that we were nominated online," says the 22 year-old
Bettencourt. "I had no clue that we would be included in such a big event."
Bettencourt didn't know if he and co-captain Charles Lee would join Bucknell
head coach Pat Flannery on the trip to Los Angeles for the star-studded ESPY
Awards ceremony.
"The school had to check and see if it was a violation of NCAA rules
for the captains to go," he explains. "When we knew we'd be going, we were
very excited." Bettencourt's ESPY experience was a whirlwind. He left for
Los Angeles last Tuesday, was in the audience for the show's taping on
Wednesday and flew home on Thursday.
He states, "I saw Terrell Owens and Richard Seymour in the hotel lobby
and I was thrilled. Donovan McNabb came over to congratulate us and we
talked for about fifteen minutes. He said that he was going to get a Bucknell
t-shirt. We were sitting in the balcony for the actual awards show and we saw
it all. It was pretty amazing to see Curt Schilling and all the things that
happened behind the scenes."
Coach Flannery and his wife Patti got the full ESPY red carpet
treatment, interacting with the likes of Peyton Manning and Jessica Simpson, and
attending an ESPY party at the Playboy Mansion. Bettencourt was just as thrilled
to get an up close look at some local heroes.
"I was completely awestruck being that close to the Patriots," he
states. "I was talking to (Vermont men's basketball) coach Tom Brennan when
Richard Seymour, Rodney Harrison and Deion Branch walked by. I didn't want to
be rude to coach Brennan so I didn't say anything to them, but I watched them
out of the corner of my eye. It was great."
Just to be nominated for an ESPY was enough of a high for Bettencourt.
Winning the award was a long shot. Bucknell was up against Vermont's NCAA
Tourney win over Syracuse, Puerto Rico's 2004 Olympic basketball victory over
the United States and Giacomo's Kentucky Derby win.
"We had no idea that we were going to win the award. They hand out 35
awards, but only 10 to 15 winners get to give speeches. They showed an
awesome video about us. I never expected that this would happen. It was a
great way to close out last season."
Bucknell's upset over Kansas won the coveted ESPY and gave Bettencourt
still another reason to reflect on the memorable win. "We had played good
teams like Pitt and Michigan State, so we took the approach that we had nothing
to lose. After five or ten minutes, we knew that we could play with Kansas.
After the game, I wasn't shocked that we won, but now, I've put the whole
thing in perspective and it really is incredible."
Bettencourt is the nephew of Dave Bettencourt, a legendary baseball
coach at UNH and several area high schools. Currently, the elder Bettencourt
runs one of the top baseball camps in the region featuring hands-on instruction
for kids at all levels of play.
"I took part in those camps from the time I was 5 until I was 12,"
says the younger Bettencourt, a history and education major who would like to
pursue teaching and coaching as a career. "The camps really helped me develop
as an athlete and a teammate in all sports."
Following Bucknell's tournament win last March, thousands of people
showed up for a team pep rally and parade. The team has lost just one senior
from last year's club and will be featured in two ESPN games during the upcoming
2005-06 season.
Bettencourt says he will never forget the ESPY experience. "Ever
since the Kansas game, it's been unbelievable. To be included with all those
great talents at such an event is more than you could ever hope for. I have
been able to accomplish all my goals and then some. No matter what happens next
season, we'll always have this."
Who's in charge?
An interesting debate surfaced on a recent edition of WEEI's "Mustard
and Johnson" show. A caller tossed out the theory that Red Sox general
manager Theo Epstein is, in truth, the "assistant general manager" to team CEO
Larry Lucchino, the inference being that Lucchino has final say on personnel
moves.
Larry Johnson disagreed saying that he doubts that Lucchino has the
time to scout talent and check the waiver wire for available players.
Meanwhile, Craig Mustard tried to clarify the caller's opinion saying, "So, you
think
that (Epstein) is a functional executive on a team with the second largest
payroll in baseball."
Johnson stated, "If you're going to tell me Theo is not the engineer
putting this together, you're crazy." Certainly, Theo Epstein has far
exceeded expectations given that he was the team's third or fourth choice for the GM
post, but if Epstein is truly in charge, why then did Lucchino mandate that a
trade for a reliever be made a few weeks ago?
Given the recent rash of questionable roster moves, and with the July
31 trade deadline fast approaching, it is fair for callers and hosts alike to
question who is truly minding the Red Sox store.
Rising Stars
John Dennis, Gerry Callahan, WEEI: Morning pair have provided intelligent,
biting and fact-based criticism of Red Sox manager Terry Francona. Callahan,
especially, has been utterly fascinating in his analysis.
Brad Feldman, WB56, WEEI: Revolution announcer's Saturday call of Taylor
Twellman's game-winner vs. Dallas was featured as ESPN's "Call of the Day."
Feldman and the Revs also made ESPN's "Top Ten Plays" and "Ultimate
Highlight."
Don Orsillo, NESN: Red Sox play-by-play man was frank and critical in his
assessment of the Red Sox in a WEEI fill-in role. His pointed thoughts on the
demotion of Kevin Youkilis show that Orsillo is no Sox shill.
Falling Stars
Sam Ryan, ESPN: Ryan was absolutely abominable during Sunday's Red
Sox-Yankees tilt. She mispronounced Bronson Arroyo's last name and added little to
the broadcast in her role as field reporter. Sorely needs to upgrade content
and delivery.
Whiner Line, WEEI: "Big Show" whiners have been absolutely brutal to
slumping Red Sox Curt Schilling, Kei
th Foulke and Mark Bellhorn. Fickle fans have
every right to whine, just don't kiss butt come October.
Bronson Arroyo, Red Sox: OK, I get it. Bronson Arroyo plays guitar and
sings. After a dozen feature stories on the singing starter, that is clear.
Arroyo should start focusing less on strings and more on strikes. The Red Sox
need the second coming of Bob Feller, not Bob Dylan.
John Molori's columns have been published in The Providence Journal, The
Boston Metro, The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, The Salem Evening News, The Newburyport
Daily News, The Gloucester Times, Patriots Football Weekly, Boston Sports
Review, New England Hockey Journal, TheRemyReport.com, PatsFans.com,
BostonSportsReview.com, BostonSportsMedia.com, ColdHardFootballFacts.com and
MethuenOnline.com. Email John at JOMOL3@aol.com.
PRINT THIS | 
E-mail To A Friend | 
Post Comment
