Wake up to the best sports story you'll hear all day. Monday through Friday, we bring you an inside look at the most interesting stories at ESPN, as told by the... More
Wake up to the best sports story you'll hear all day. Monday through Friday, we bring you an inside look at the most interesting stories at ESPN, as told by the... More
Available Episodes
5 of 200
From Disney Movie to NHL Team: How “The Mighty Ducks” Was Hatched
The sports underdog film is a hallowed, often sacred genre. When done right, underdog stories like Rocky and The Bad News Bears can become cultural touchstones. And there’s one film released in 1992 that fits the bill perfectly: The Mighty Ducks. Ever since the team came quacking onto the scene, they’ve captured the hearts of a certain generation of sports and movie fans alike. Now, they’re the subject of the new E:60 duck-umentary “Once Upon a Time in Anaheim.” So today, we bring you a sneak beak: screenwriter Steven Brill tells us what it was like to write a movie that eventually inspired a real NHL team…which ruffled a few feathers when Disney announced the team would be named the Mighty Ducks.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6/9/2023
27:55
“My Blood and his Blood are the Same.” A Coach, a Player, and a Life Saving Bond
It’s been nearly 70 years since Wake Forest last won the College World Series. They’ve only made the trip to Omaha twice, ever. But now, the Demon Deacons are the top-ranked team in the country, with that elusive trip to Omaha now in sight. Much of the credit will rightfully go to the leadership of head coach Tom Walter. Yet beyond whatever Walter and his team are able to accomplish this month, his legacy in Winston-Salem – and as a coach – is forever sealed by something he did more than a decade ago. It’s a story about the bond between a coach and a player, but unlike any you’ve heard before.
So today, on the eve of college baseball’s super regionals, Ryan McGee explains how Tom Walter came to share the gift of life when a player he barely knew needed it the most.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6/8/2023
34:11
How Jimmy Butler Became Jimmy Buckets
Jimmy Butler’s been underestimated for most of his basketball life. Every step of the way, Butler has been forced to prove he belonged. But now, as the six-time NBA All Star Butler leads the Heat against the Nuggets in Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight, it’s easy to miss how it all started. So today Ryan Hockensmith takes us back to Butler’s college days to pinpoint the moment when Jimmy Butler became Jimmy Buckets.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6/7/2023
30:08
Where Will DeAndre Hopkins Land? Bill Barnwell’s Offseason Report
June is one of the busiest months on the sports calendar. The NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Final, and the Major League Baseball season are all going full tilt. But as you know, the NFL never sleeps. OTA’s are winding down. Training camp is on the horizon. And one of the best receivers in the league is now a free agent after the Arizona Cardinals released DeAndre Hopkins. So with everything going on, Bill Barnwell catches Jeremy Schaap up on everything to know about the league that has no offseason.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
6/6/2023
30:42
How Oklahoma Softball Became the Most Dominant Team in College Sports
When you think about dynasties in the 21st century, you might think of the New England Patriots, or Los Angeles Lakers, or the UConn women’s basketball team. But there’s another dynasty that you might be overlooking… one that just might be more dominant than all of them: the Oklahoma Sooners softball team. They’ve won 96% of their games since 2020, including a historic winning streak of 50 games (and counting). The Sooners have also won five national championships since 2013, and are three victories away from completing a three-peat in college softball for the first time in 23 years. So today, Hallie Grossman breaks down what makes this team so dominant, and explains how they got there.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Wake up to the best sports story you'll hear all day. Monday through Friday, we bring you an inside look at the most interesting stories at ESPN, as told by the top reporters and insiders on the planet. The breaking news of SportsCenter. The deep dive storytelling of 30 for 30. Get the very best of ESPN. Daily.