In this Sports Byline Classic interview from 2016, Andre Ward talks about the mental aspect of boxing and his career highlights, including bringing home a gold medal in 2004 and subsequent WBA Super and WBC Super Middleweight title accolades.
NBA Hall of Fame center Bill Walton, one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history, looks back on his incredible career in this 2016 Sports Byline Classic interview. He talks about his New York Times best-seller, Back from the Dead, and how he was able to overcome injuries and physical obstacles to reach basketball greatness.
WNBA Center Brittney Griner has had an impressive career, including being only the second NCAA basketball player to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots. She played on the USA Women's Olympic Team and the McDonald's All-American Team. She discusses growing up in Houston, being bullied in her younger years and how basketball helped her to move past it.
Apolo Ohno is an eight-time medalist in the Winter Olympics and the 2017 champion of the hit TV show Dancing With The Stars. As the face of short-track skating, he became the youngest U.S. national champion at 14 and was the reigning champion 12 times. This Sports Byline Classic from 2016 examines his career.
Author Erica Westly's work has been featured in the New York Times, Slate, the New Republic and many more. She wrote Fastpitch: The Untold History of Softball and Women Who Made the Game, which was a finalist for the 2017 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports. She discusses the rise of women's softball and the key figures that elevated the game.
Shirley Babashoff owns 8 Olympic swimming medals and has a part in 39 national records. Widely regarded as one of the best female swimmers of all time, she received the Olympic Order and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. She discusses her book, Making Waves: My Journey to Winning Olympic Gold and Defeating the East German Doping Program, her Olympic experiences, and how her childhood affected her career.
Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Palmer played his entire 19-year career with the Baltimore Orioles, winning three World Series championships and three Cy Young Awards. He remains the youngest pitcher to throw a World Series complete game shutout. After retiring, Palmer became an MLB announcer that includes calling World Series games. He talks about his lengthy playing career and his book, Nine Innings to Success: A Hall of Famer's Approach to Achieving Excellence.
Terry Porter played 17 years in the NBA including 10 years for the Portland Trailblazers. Porter earned two all-star selections and had his #30 retired by the Trailblazers. The former first round pick is now the head basketball coach at the University of Portland. Porter talks about growing up in Milwaukee, playing for Dick Bennett and his NBA career.
Hockey Hall of Famer Phil Esposito played 18 years in the NHL. He's widely considered one of the best hockey players of all time, and ranks sixth all time in goals. After his playing career, Esposito was a founder of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, where he's still part of the broadcasting team. This interview looks back at his time playing youth hockey, how the game has changed and his playing career.
Tony Granato played 13 seasons in the NHL, including a trip to the Stanley Cup while with the Los Angeles Kings. After his playing career, Granato coached the Colorado Avalanche. He's now the head coach at the University of Wisconsin. In this interview, he discusses his return to college hockey and the changes to the college game in recent years.
Football rules analyst Mike Pereira serves as an analyst for Fox Sports' NFL and college football coverage. Pereira was a college and NFL official before becoming the vice president of officiating for the NFL. He discusses his book, After Further Review: My Life Including the Infamous, Controversial, and Unforgettable Calls That Changed the NFL. He also talks about the differences between being a college official and an NFL side judge.
College Football Hall of Famer Steve Spurrier is the only person to win both the Heisman Trophy and the NCAA FBS Championship as a coach. Spurrier played for nearly a decade in the NFL before returning to college football, where he became the winningest head coach at both Florida and the South Carolina. He talks about his book, Head Ball Coach: My Life in Football, Doing it Differently - and Winning, his playing career and his road to becoming a head coach.
