Stuart Scott, ESPN broadcaster and legend, dies of cancer at 49

We’re going to be getting into posting a number of silly, fun stories throughout the day, but we want to start here with giving a wonderful man in Stuart Scott his proper due.

I never knew Scott, but I like to think that I did, because he was such a warm, friendly presence. He was the sort of TV personality that actually understood that ESPN stood for more than just sports. It is the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. He made it okay for sports TV to be for more than just jocks. He was funny, and was enthusiastic, and he is one of the few who hosts that athletes seemed to genuinely enjoy talking to.

As someone who spent many teenage years watching ESPN off and on, he was one of the few people worth remembering. After spending some time away from the network and really sports altogether, I was stunned to hear the news of his cancer battle. Then, his speech at the ESPYs was beyond uplifting. Despite going through one of the most terrible and difficult battles, he was still warm and upbeat and funny. He made a joke about Kiefer Sutherland presenting him, and how as a big fan of “24” this was an enormous honor for him, more so than if it was almost anyone else.

Today, the news broke that Scott has died at the age of 49, and is survived by his two daughters. For a child of the eighties and nineties, it’s hard to say if there is a name or a face more recognizable to ESPN than Scott. He was a skilled reporter, but also an entertainer. He was the guy, chatting over the big game in his living room with a bowl of popcorn in his sweatpants, and despite knowing almost everything there was to know in his field, he always made you feel welcome on his couch. (Editorial by Matt Carter, photo via ESPN.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yl_0ieqSi7Q