Once upon a time, ESPN’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award went to Pat Tillman — a young NFL player who left his promising career to enlist in the army after the 9/11 attacks.

Tillman then lost his life in military combat.

Now, things couldn’t be more different.

At the most recent ESPY awards, ESPN bestowed the same award on the U.S. women’s national soccer team for its campaign to elevate players' salaries.

“In the course of two decades, the network’s award for courage went from Pat Tillman sacrificing his life in military combat to a group of lying narcissists fighting for a pay bump. Courage ain't what it used to be,” Jason Whitlock says, disgusted by the move.

ESPN also took a moment to disparage former employee Will Cain, who has remained steadfast in his belief that the women’s soccer team does not deserve equal pay to the men’s team.

However, Cain has a solid reason.

Cain explains that the salary and bonus pay for the U.S. women’s national team is drawn from the revenue created by the Women’s World Cup, which is around $130 million. The men’s national team is paid through the revenue created by the Men’s World Cup — which is $6 billion.

Whitlock believes this is the worst use of the award to date.

“Last night's ESPYs were a low point for the Arthur Ashe award; and yes, I’m well aware that ESPN previously handed the same award to a gay, late-round NFL draft pick — Michael Sam — and to Bruce Jenner for changing his name, style of dress, and pronouns,” Whitlock says in response.

He believes there were far better options for the award this year.

“Former NFL running back Peyton Hillis nearly died after jumping into the ocean to save his niece and son from drowning in a rip current. He’ll have spent three weeks in the hospital recovering. It was quite the act of heroism, but in modern society, that doesn’t compare to a group of women using the media to blackmail the U.S. Soccer Federation out of $24 million.”

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