Stuart Scott, the longtime "SportsCenter" anchor and ESPN personality known for his enthusiasm and ubiquity, died this morning. He was 49. Scott had fought cancer since a diagnosis in late 2007, the network said, but remained dedicated to his craft even as he underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. ESPN President John Skipper said in a statement that Scott was "a true friend and a uniquely inspirational figure" and that his "energetic and unwavering devotion to his family and to his work while fighting the battle of his life left us in awe, and he leaves a void that can never be replaced." Despite his diagnosis, Scott made a point of continuing to live his life—at work and outside of it. "Who engages in mixed martial arts training in the midst of chemotherapy treatments?" Skipper said. "Who leaves a hospital procedure to return to the set?"
Scott accepted the Jimmy V Perseverance Award at the ESPYs in July, telling his teenage daughters: "Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You two are my heartbeat. I am standing on this stage here tonight because of you." Scott often anchored SportsCenter, where he would punctuate emphatic highlights with "Boo-ya!" or note a slick move as being "as cool as the other side of the pillow." He covered countless major events, including the Super Bowl, NBA finals, World Series, and the NCAA Tournament. He also interviewed President Obama, joining him for a televised game of one-on-one. In his ESPYs speech, Scott noted: "When you die, that does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live. So live. Live. Fight like hell." Slate has more on that speech. (More cancer stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
