ESPN SportsCenter anchor Stuart Scott passed away this past Sunday morning after fighting a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 49 years old. Known for his on-air talent and famous catchphrases - including "Boo-yah!" and "As cool as the other side of the pillow" - Scott's work ethic and big personality will be missed by many.

Among many other things, Scott was an inspirational figure in the fight against cancer. According to ESPN, Scott accepted the Jimmy V Award for Perseverance shortly before his 49^th birthday. When he came to the podium to speak, he stated, "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," conveying his true strength and willpower.

Scott was also a prominent African American on air, and often lauded rap and hip hop as two of his favorite styles of music.  According to the New York Times, Scott stated, "You've got to be true to who you are and what you do... I'm more of a hip-hop feel person. Music is how you feel. The younger the mind, that's how I want to be."

As a result, some viewers berated him, and one black viewer stated, "All you're trying to do is drag our race down and using improper language and talking street slang, we're better than that."

Scott responded in an NPR interview, saying, "All right, man... we're better than that. That's not going to make me change what I do and how I do it.'' Indeed, he had a big personality - ESPN historian James Andrew Miller stated, "[Scott] invented his own style, and in doing so, he grew the audience. He was easily one of the most influential personalities in ESPN history."

The New York Times reports that Scott is survived by his daughters, Taelor and Sydni; his companion, Kristin Spodobalski; his parents; his sisters, Susan Scott and Synthia Kearney; and his brother, Stephen.