Connelly: Stuart Scott is gone, but his words live on

Like many around the country, I awoke Sunday to the news that longtime ESPN anchor Stuart Scott had passed away after a battle with cancer.

My immediate reaction was sadness, because while I never met Scott, I felt like I grew up with him. That’s because I did — every day, on my television, as I would watch “SportsCenter” two, sometimes three times.

I had his catchphrases ingrained in my head and would say them with him as I re-watched the highlights.

My parents used to always ask me why I was watching the same episode of “SportsCenter” again and again? To be honest, I never really knew why until I began listening to people talk about Scott and remembering his life and the impact he had on them.

I think I did it because I genuinely enjoyed the way he delivered sports to me, the viewer. He had such a passion for what he did and had so much fun doing it, that I wanted to share in that joy.

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to have a career in sports. And since I never grew taller than 5-foot-10, and have a worse jump shot than Shaq, covering sports seemed like the best option.

First, I tried the broadcasting route. I didn’t feel comfortable, so I switched over to writing. But after trying TV, I developed an appreciation for those at the top of their industry. Scott was that.

He also made talking about sports cool — like the other side of the pillow.

A memory that resurfaced in the past few days is from a childhood trip to Disney World in Orlando. We ate dinner one night at Official All-Star Cafe, which was a sports-themed restaurant that has since closed and been renamed ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill.

Before leaving, I stopped in the gift shop. Walls were covered in ESPN merchandise with logos on it, but all I wanted was a miniature basketball. It had Scotts’ catchphrases scribbled all over it and I remember thinking it was the coolest thing in the world.

Now, I wish I still had that basketball. It’s long gone, but the memories remain.

Just as they will with Scott. The best one, he may have saved for last.

The ESPY awards are like many awards shows for me: too long and filled with bad jokes. But every year, it reminds me to watch former North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano give his acceptance speech for the Arthur Ashe Courage and Humanitarian Award at the 1993 ESPYs. I’ve probably seen it 20-plus times, but every time he jokes about the teleprompter telling him to wrap up his speech it brings a smile to my face.

Valvano died eight weeks later, while his famous words “Don’t give up ... Don’t ever give up” have lived on forever. Hearing him deliver those words still gives me chills.

Scott had his moment at last July’s ESPYs.

He was accepting the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance for his ongoing fight against appendix cancer. I was sitting on my couch as he gave his speech and remember thinking it had a chance to be special.

Valvano’s was great because he was a basketball coach, not a public speaker, so it was all over the place. But Scott’s was so powerful, because of the conviction he delivered his message with.

His words, too, will live on forever.

“When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live.”

Boo-yah!

Kevin Connelly is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write him at kconnelly@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @Connelly_Vindy.