Mother of Pat Tillman has criticised the decision to give Prince Harry the memorial award at ESPY

[PrincessMee]

Mary Tillman says " There are recipients far more fitting. He publicly disrespected his family , ran away from service to his country. He is unworthy of this award"

She feels there are recipients far more fitting.

I think she speaks for many.

It's already on the Invictus website that Harry will be collecting the award for Harry.

The Duke of Sussex to Receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service for Founding the Invictus Games Foundation at The 2024 ESPYS

Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service at the 2024 ESPYS, recognising his work in founding the Invictus Games Foundation, which has been using sport and adventurous challenge to support members of the international wounded, injured or service community in their recovery since 2014.

Given the size, responsibilities and depth of talent on the original Invictus organising committee, including a Royal Foundation representative (Harry wasn't even the Chair - he had the honorary role of 'President' iirc), they may as well start giving awards to Invictus sponsors like Boeing.

This, he won't decline .it will be validation for him.

If the decision about who receives the award is purely crowd sourced, then everyone involved in the process should be prepared for absolutely anyone to get it, provided that individual meets any eligibility requirements. (See also: Boaty McBoatface.) In most cases, someone with a high profile and name recognition is going to get the most votes and very worthy people who are less well known will lose out. It's essentially a popularity contest. What point would Harry be making if he did turn down the award? People like me, but they shouldn't?

Surely awards shouldn't be given on the basis of how many people 'like' you, but on the basis of your meeting the criteria for the award?

And is the 5th in line for the British throne really such an obvious choice for Americans?

As mentioned above, the potential for 'vote fixing' in these sorts of things is significant. I think it's a bit naive to assume the voting for such awards is entirely organic.

The pp said that it isn't purely crowd sourced.

S/he said that a committee puts forward a list of nominees and then there is some sort of open online public vote. It may be that a zealous person or organisation could vote for the same candidate multiple times.

(This has been the undoing of many of my local council's consultations on planning, licencing and parking.)

We're not supposed to say it because he's the son of the King, but Harry doesn't have the level of personal integrity required to be receiving an award like this one. His conduct, voiced opinions and behaviour make him deeply unsuitable for this particular honour. Some kind of award that wasn't in remembrance of a devoted soldier killed protecting his country would be a lot less awkward and distasteful. The contrast between Harry and Pat Tillman is uncomfortable and throws some of Harry's actions into stark relief.

S/he said that a committee puts forward a list of nominees and then there is some sort of open online public vote.

It's up to the committee to ensure that all the nominees are deserving candidates. Similar to the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year, for which there is a list of nominees and a public vote - there's usually one front runner, but all the nominees have genuine achievements and any one of them would be a worthy winner.

SCHOLARSHIP
A lifelong learner, passionate about intellectual growth

Ha! We have Harry's own account of how his teacher at Eton tried to get him to show a spark of interest in his own family history.

It's up to the committee to ensure that all the nominees are deserving candidates. Similar to the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year, for which there is a list of nominees and a public vote

Yes! Absolutely. Who are this ESPY committee, exactly? How do they get the job, what are their terms of reference, and what are their real motives here?

As Harry might say, 'I would like their names, please'.

I do admire Mary Tillman for making her statement. What were the EPSY award committee thinking?

11 days before the award ceremony. It will be very interesting to see what happens if the US media increases reporting on the story.

This is from the Pat Tillman Foundation website:

Pat’s NFL success did not go to his head or break his principles. He still drove to games in the same beat up truck he had in college. He had no cell phone. He chose to read voraciously and develop, debate and discuss his ideas with eager listeners, family and friends.

As @pearlfritillary says, in short-listing Harry, 'What were the EPSY award committee thinking?'

apologies .... 4LA correction to my posting it's ESPY not EPSY

I do think if Pat Tillman's mother disagrees with this Harry should think long and hard before accepting it. Even if he says - on behalf of Invictus competitors. As others have said he very much a figurehead for inivictus & I do think it was given to him as something constructive to do but the real work is done by others.
But he has a brass neck in so many ways so I suspect he will turn up and probably try to compromise by saying on behalf of veterans / Invictus. If I were Pat Tillman's mother I reckon I'd be a bit pissed off.

Harry must read all the criticism about him, surely he wouldn't want to risk adding to it.

Was there a donation involved ?

Well, he hasn't taken notice of any criticism so far, so I don't think that's going to change.

They really do stumble from one PR fiasco to another.

Harry doesn't deserve the award that's obvious and the criticism and outrage is justified. Invictus on X appear to be trying to do a bit of crises management with their statement about their 'founder'. and someone is full time deleting negative comments.

This sounds like some garbage the UK tabloids put out. What makes this selection any different than the previous awardees that she seemingly had no objections to? More troll garbage.

That would be interesting to know.

I wonder what the fallout to Invictus will be if this story goes mainstream in the US media. There seems to be issues regarding funding for the next games?

Pat Tillman's own mother is a troll?
That's some accusation.

These are the previous winners. Very different to Harry

Thanks, @smilesy . Extraordinary people, and well deserved recipients.

I know, it's disgusting isn't it? Probably not worth responding to, tbh.

Harry has no scruples when it comes to getting his mug plastered everywhere in the media accepting yet another award he doesn’t deserve.

I'm one of the American veterans who have expressed their displeasure to ESPN and the ESPY award people. Patt Tillman gave up millions of dollars to serve his country while Harry gave up serving his country to make millions of dollars. Giving that award to Harry is an insult to Pat Tillman's memory.