2015 ESPY Predictions: Winners, Losers, & The In-Betweens

The Best Championship Performance Was…

Jun 6, 2015; Elmont, NY, USA; American Pharoah with jockey Victor Espinoza in the winner

Every athlete plays the game to win a championship.

It is the ultimate prize for each player’s career.

These champions gave their blood, sweat, and tears to take their team to infinite glory.  The nominees for Best Championship Performance are Triple Crown Winner American Pharoah, World Series Champion and MVP Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants, NCAA Softball champion Lauren Haeger from the Florida Gators, and LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This was a really tough category to choose.  LeBron could have easily won this award with his play in the NBA Finals, but he didn’t win the Finals.

Lauren Haeger was a beast for the Gators both in the pitcher’s circle and at the plate, but for me it wasn’t enough to win this award.  That leaves Bumgarner and American Pharoah.  Bumgarner posted a 2-0 record, 1 save, 31 strikeouts, and 0.25 ERA in the World Series.

American Pharoah won the Triple Crown for the first time since Affirmed in 1978.

Even if I flipped a coin it wouldn’t be fair to the other, but I have to go with American Pharoah for it being so long since the last Triple Crown Winner.

Also, nowadays some horses don’t run all three races, but that didn’t shake American Pharoah as he ran away from the rest of the competition.

And how cool would it be to see a horse on stage during the ESPYS.

Next: Best Female Athlete