Dan Orlovsky Expresses Disappointment After Emmy Loss
Dan Orlovsky wasn’t just upset; he felt quite “entrified” after losing the Sports Emmy Award for “Outstanding Personality/Studio Analyst” to Charles Barkley.
“Of course I was,” Orlovsky told Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina, recalling his shock. Initially, Dan Patrick had been “furious” about this outcome too.
Orlovsky emphasized his pride in being an analyst, saying, “I really believe I had a strong run here. I really believe I’ve separated myself.” But despite this confidence, he felt it was all for nothing in the end.
Barkley, who stars on TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” has consistently honored the craft, leaving Orlovsky disappointed despite his own contributions on ABC properties, including ESPN’s “NFL Live.”
After the announcement, Orlovsky reached out to Barkley with a playful text: “Would you stop winning?” Barkley’s response was a laughing emoji, accompanied by, “I know it’s a team effort.” Orlovsky reluctantly admitted this bothered him.
The former Lions quarterback initially hesitated to attend the ceremony, fearing he might not win. However, his wife and ESPN encouraged him to show up at the event in Los Angeles.
He was nominated twice as part of the “NFL Live” team, once for technical achievements and again for “Outstanding Studio Show – Everyday.” Unfortunately, he didn’t secure any technical awards and felt crushed after losing in the analyst category.
The competition in the best daily studio show category is particularly fierce, with other shows like “Good Morning Football” in the running.
Feeling overwhelmed, Orlovsky confided to his wife, “I want to go home. This is why I didn’t want to come,” after losing the first two categories.
Despite his lack of confidence in winning, especially after “College Gameday” snagged the Weekly Studio Show award, he was surprised when “NFL Live” won at the last moment.
“Then we won and I was like, ‘Oh, what a god,'” Orlovsky reflected.
He admitted that while he hoped to win as an analyst, he felt somewhat disheartened after the early losses.
Later on, he reassured himself that losing to Barkley wasn’t a huge deal. He laughed, saying, “What kind of business do I have about texting him the moment I lose to Charles Barkley?”
Orlovsky, who identifies as a competitive person, also shared his emotional struggle during the disappointing loss. However, he had good news to celebrate, as ESPN is set to re-sign him for a multi-year contract this week.
