I’m probably the only sports fan and regular listener to ESPN who can’t remember hearing Stuart Scott in action. Why? Because Mr. Scott did his thing on ESPN television and I listened to ESPN radio.

But, beginning on January 4, 2015, the day that Stuart Scott died, his colleagues spoke with smiles in their voices about how their differing backgrounds and influences caused communication glitches during their SportsCenter broadcasts. Others spoke of how his response to his long battle with cancer inspired them. Intrigued, I tried to learn more.

Stuart Scott was one of the few ESPN African American personalities who was not a former professional athlete. He was raised in Illinois and North Carolina. He was a captain of his high school football team. While attending the University of North Carolina, he was a major contributor to its student-run radio station while playing wide receiver and defensive back on its club football team.
For the next seven years, he worked for TV stations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida until ESPN’s vice president for talent hired him to further its efforts to attract a younger audience. For more than twenty years, he was a major fixture on Sports-Center while playing a lead role in ESPN’s coverage of the NBA, NFL, college basketball, and major-league baseball. Cancer finally killed him after a five-year battle.

Mr. Scott peppered his commentary with hip-hop sounding phrases: “As cool as the other side of the pillow”; “He must be the bus driver ‘cuz he was takin’ him to school”; “Just call him butter ’cause he’s on a roll”; “They call Him the windex man ’cause he’s always cleaning the glass”; “He treats him like a dog. Sit. Stay.” The Urban Dictionary defines “booyah!”, his most famous utterance, as “an exclamation of joy” as well as “a mocking or arrogant exclamation used to taunt a loser one has just beaten.”

Stuart Scott’s unique strengths and perseverance propelled him to success, supported by ESPN’s leaders. These leaders hired and supported talent that handled their on-air colleagues’ curveballs with grace, flair, and courage. They supported Mr. Scott even when a 2003 USA Today survey reported that viewers voted that he should be first to be removed from SportsCenter. And they gave him the flexibility he needed to go through numerous cancer-related treatments.

How many organizations are truly committed to hiring and supporting talented people from diverse backgrounds? How many organizations speak of wanting to change things but withdraw support from those trying to make these changes when the going gets tough? How many organizations truly support their employees when they’re going through personal difficulties?

BOOYAH! to Stuart Scott for harnessing his experiences, strengths, and uniqueness that, according to ESPN president John Skipper, “changed everything” about how sports is covered. An ESPN colleague, Stan Verrett, said he was a trailblazer because “he did not shy away from the fact that he was a black man, and that allowed the rest of us who came along to just be ourselves.”

BOOYAH! to those within ESPN who nurtured and supported Mr. Scott so he could amuse, irritate, educate, and inspire generations of sports fans. And BOOYAH! to those organizations whose actions don’t support their desire for change.

Farewell, Mr. Scott. I’m sorry I never took advantage of your unique brand of sports coverage.