Hey look, the 2011 ESPYs are this week. As is custom, the list of nominees includes very few athletes who play for southeastern teams, but the local sports fan still has a few rooting interests.
Well, I should clarify. Carolina Panthers QB and Atlanta native Cam Newton is nominated for several awards thanks to his Heisman Trophy run with the Auburn Tigers, but Georgia's diverse Haters Family probably isn't going to be rooting for Cam to win either of the awards for which he's nominated. Or his Tigers, who are up for Best Team.
The Iron Bowl is nominated for Best Game, however. I think we can agree on that one.
(And speaking of stuff nobody likes, DeAngelo Hall is nominated for some award somehow despite being quite possibly the NFL's worst player.)
In less controversial matters, fellow Atlanta native Maya Moore is going to win about a billion awards after leading the Connecticut Huskies to the longest unbeaten streak in Division I basketball.
You can look through the rest of the list and find a couple players who knocked Atlanta teams out of the playoffs, and I think Lindsey Vonn lives here, and Arian Foster went to Tennessee ... and that's about it. Oh, and VCU is totally going to win Best Upset, but I'm really, really looking forward to seeing Marshawn Lynch tear apart the New Orleans Saints one last time.