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Roberts Rules
Outside the Lines (Sunday 8 a.m. ET, ESPN2; re-air 9 a.m., ESPNEWS)
Before she became the executive director of the National Basketball Association Players Association or a Washington, D.C. attorney, Michele Roberts was a self-described “terrible” basketball player who seemed to have little in common with her new constituents. But, Kelly Naqi discovered why Roberts’ feels a bond with many NBA players, and how she developed the determination that helped her become the first woman to lead a major pro sports union in North America.
“There are people that believe because I’m a woman, I’m not that smart; I’m not that aggressive; I’m not that successful. And I love those people, because those are the idiots that, frankly, decide that they don’t have to take me seriously. And they don’t work as hard, and they think I’m not really competition, and they don’t put their A-game on the table. With them, I put my C-game on the table and wipe the floors with them.” – Michele Roberts
“She said, ‘Let’s clear the air, let’s get past it: I’m a woman. As you can tell, I’m a woman,’ and we laughed and we chuckled. For her to acknowledge it early meant she understood that it would be a big deal, not just for us but for the world.” – James Jones, Cavaliers guard and NBAPA Secretary-Treasurer, on the start of Roberts’ presentation to players as a candidate to lead them
A Family Kind of Town
ESPN The Magazine (November 24 “State of Football” issue)
The residents of Adrian Peterson’s hometown of Palestine, Texas, believe their native son is being unfairly targeted. Joel Anderson reports.
“Palestine’s tight embrace of Peterson also makes sense for its future. Between beers and brats at the banquet, some say they hope his troubles will deepen his desire to return home and invest in local businesses. Their plans generally go something like this: Peterson gets traded to their beloved Cowboys next offseason, then retires to his hometown at the conclusion of a Hall of Fame career. “He’s made an impact, and he put us on the map. This will always be his home,” says Andrew Gregory, the Palestine Chamber of Commerce’s incoming president. “And we’re tired of people bringing a good man down.”
NFL Hot Read: Carson Palmer’s Lasting Connection
ESPN.com
ESPN The Magazine (“Big Money” issue on newsstands Friday, Nov. 28)
David Fleming writes about the almost-unbelievable journey of Carson Palmer’s left knee. When the Cardinals QB tore his ACL in Week 10, the donor family grieved along with him.
“By relying on donated tissue to save his knee, Palmer became one of the most high-profile beneficiaries of a fast-growing field in sports medicine: allografts. In the past decade, the use of musculoskeletal allografts — transplanting pristine replacement parts recovered from deceased human donors to repair the ravaged knees, shoulders, elbows and spines of athletes and millions of others — has quietly boomed into a billion-dollar industry, with more than 1.5 million tissue transplants each year.” – David Fleming
Carmelo Anthony
ESPN.com
ESPN The Magazine
The Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony may have it all — seven NBA All-Star appearances, a scoring title, Olympic gold medals, and a brand new contract. But, the Knicks forward defines himself by what he lacks – an NBA championship, universal adoration, a sense of peace with his own place in the world. So, at age 30 and in the twilight of his NBA career, ’Melo is setting out to create a legacy that reaches beyond basketball. Eli Saslow reports.
ESPN recognized with Pillars of Change Award
ESPN, SportsCenter anchor Steve Weissman and Outside the Lines producer Steve Vecchione were recognized as part of the 2014 Class of First 100 Plus – men who are working to improve the lives of domestic violence victims throughout Connecticut. The 4th Annual Breakfast & Awards Ceremony was held Friday at the Hartford Marriott Downtown.
Credit: Liza Andrews, Conn. Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Seated (L to R): Robin Dunn, producer; Steve Weissman, SportsCenter anchor; Marcia Keegan, VP, Production; Carol Stiff, VP, Content & Integration; Standing (L to R): Janet Thayer, Corporate Outreach administrative assistant; Ryan Hockensmith, deputy editor; Shelley Hunter, Corporate Outreach business manager; Jackson Davis, director, Diversity & Inclusion.