A Slam Dunk: Is Baylor’s Griner the Future of Women’s Hoops?
Outside the Lines (Sunday, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN)
ESPN.com (Mechelle Voepel’s OTL-branded piece will be posted Sunday)
In the history of women’s college basketball, only seven players have dunked in a game. Baylor freshman Brittney Griner is one of them, and she has done it three times this season. The 6-foot-8 Griner, who wears size 17 shoes, became an Internet phenomenon in high school when video of her spectacular dunks attracted more than 4 million hits on YouTube. Even legendary coach Pat Summitt of Tennessee uncharacteristically played zone for the first time when coaching against Baylor and Griner this season. Griner averages 19 points and nine rebounds a game, and has a Baylor record of 88 blocks. Outside the Lines’ Steve Delsohn examines Brittney Griner’s role as the potential future of women’s basketball.
“She’s an athlete. Brittney runs the floor. Brittney moves on defense. Brittney can do things that 6-8 girls really have never done before.” — Kim Mulkey, Baylor coach.
“I don’t feel like I’m the future (of women’s basketball). I just feel like I’m adding on to the game, like everybody else. Lisa Leslie dunked. Candace (Parker) is dunking. I’m just adding on, doing something a little bit different.” — Brittney Griner
Drew Brees Has Helped Rebuild the Saints and their City. That’s Nothing Compared To What New Orleans has Done for Him
ESPN The Magazine (on stands Friday)
ESPN.com (video)
Excerpt (Sean Payton “recruiting” free-agent Brees six months after Hurricane Katrina): “While Payton was driving Brees around New Orleans, the coach took a wrong turn off I-10 and got lost for 45 minutes in some of the worst parts of the ravaged city. The air still reeked of raw sewage, and mountainous piles of debris dotted a landscape straight out of a Cormac McCarthy novel. At some point during their wanderings, Brees felt a calling. “I realized the city, the Saints and me, we all had something to rebuild—and we could all do it together,” he says. “It was a defining moment of my life.”
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4822809
LT isn’t Here to Talk about his Future
San Diego Chargers LaDainian Tomlinson has an astounding 3,410 touches so far in his NFL career, but he says he believes he can still be a productive running back in the NFL. He would be willing to play elsewhere in 2010 if San Diego’s management decides to move on without him. ESPN.com’s Elizabeth Merrill reports. Additionally, watch Mark Schlereth and Marcellus Wiley look at the career of LaDainian Tomlinson and where he stands among the all-time greats.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2009/columns/story?page=hotread18/Tomlinson
OTL Piece on ESPN.com: Johnny Weir – Flamboyant Figure Skater Also Oozes Toughness
Outside the Lines-branded piece, video and photos on ESPN.com
He wears spandex and sequins. He twirls in the air. But this flamboyant figure skater also oozes toughness, athleticism and his own brand of macho. Jim Caple reports.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=100114/JohnnyWeir
Cowboys: Team First
NFL Countdown (Sunday, 11 a.m. ESPN)
The Dallas Cowboys have stars on their helmets – fitting, because their team makeup used to be all about its stars. This season though, the Cowboys have adopted a “team first” mantra evident in small but important ways. Dallas is one of the few NFL teams with no player wearing a captain’s “C” on his jersey. Starting quarterback Tony Romo volunteered to hold for field goals after the Cowboys had special teams issues. And three running backs unselfishly share the load to form a potent run game. Ed Werder reports on the new – and successful – team-first attitude in Dallas.
Favre: The 40-Year-Old-Version
(Sunday, 11 a.m. ESPN)
NFL Countdown
Brett Favre is used to making history, but this postseason he’s trying to achieve a new mark –become the first 40-something quarterback to take his team to the Super Bowl. Taking his age into account, just how amazing was Favre’s 33-touchdown season? Only 12 men have played quarterback at the age of 40 in the NFL’s long history. ESPN.com’s Greg Garber sits down with 40-something quarterbacks of the past — Doug Flutie, Len Dawson, Warren Moon and Sonny Jurgensen — to learn the secrets of their age-defying exploits and get their take on Favre, “The “40-year-old-version”.
Súe Aguayo – Blind Tae Kwon Do Champion
SportsCenter (Sunday, 11 p.m., ESPN Deportes)
Reportajes Especiales piece on ESPNDeportes.com
Súe Aguayo is a Black Belt second Dan Tae Kwon Do fighter from Mexico. He is also the survivor of an accident that caused third degree burns over 70% of his body and left him in a world of shadows. He was 10 years old, and by the age of 15 the shadows had given way to total darkness.
“I am the only blind International Champion in the world within Tae Kwon Do combat. I fight against conventional opponents, with no handicap.” — Súe Aguayo
“He’s a dreamer. Since he was young, he dreamt of being a champion back then in karate. But all his life he has been fighting to stand out, and today it’s TKDO that offers this to him, so he gives TKDO his all, always dreams and follows his dreams.” — Sara Bravo, Aguayo’s wife
