I'm still not over Air Bud losing a Kids’ Choice Award to the cat from ‘Sabrina the Teenage Witch’

A truly tragic mistake.

There are just some things in life you just can’t get over: lost love, missed opportunities and, above all else, award shows.

That’s why I REFUSE to get over the fact Air Bud lost “Favorite Animal Star” to Salem, the cat from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, at the 1998 Kids’ Choice Awards.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

Today is the 20th anniversary of Air Bud — but even two decades later, this failure of humanity enrages me like no other. Sure, I was only one year old at the time and don’t actually remember this happening ... but just knowing that it did is enough to make me upset.

Just look at these two:

GOOD DOG!

Wut.

Are you kidding me? This small, greasy hairball won “Favorite Animal Star” at the Kids’ Choice Awards? What, did kids think they were supposed to be voting for which animal to eliminate?

That might sound harsh, but let’s go through some facts that explain why the decision makes absolutely ZERO sense.

1. He can talk. Unrealistic, right off the bat.
2. He’s actually a person who was turned into a cat — not even a real cat!
3. Salem wasn’t even PLAYED BY A REAL CAT ACTOR. He’s a puppet fraud!
4. He’s evil (wants to take over the world) and also kind of a creep. (Sabrina: “You’re in a chat room again, pretending to be a woman.” Salem: “I like the attention.”)
5. Is a cat.

Now let’s quickly go through Air Bud’s best attributes:

1. Issa
2. Dog
3. That
4. Plays
5. Sports

I really don’t see how there’s any competition here, to be honest. One is an evil cat that wants to take over the world, and the other is a wholesome good dog who plays sports and avoids being dog-napped.

And while I can’t go back in time to change thousands of kids’ decisions, I can stand here definitely, 19 years later, and say that they were wrong. Hear that? You were wrong kids, and I stand with Air Bud.

There have been hundreds of great rivalries in my lifetime, but none as serious as Air Bud vs. Salem the cat. And I hope that one day, Air Bud will be rightfully recognized as the Favorite Animal Star that he is. But since the Kids’ Choice Awards stopped presenting that award in 2003, it doesn’t seem likely.

So until then, it’s up to us to honor Air Bud. And honor Air Bud we will.