When it comes to auto racing, Danica Patrick is in a league of her own. Without question one of the most talented contemporary drivers in the sport, her every action is scrutinized more than any other driver today because of her sex. Facing discrimination throughout her career, Patrick has proven time and time again she can compete with the best -- but it wasn't until her first trip to the Indianapolis 500 that fellow drivers, the media and the public took notice. Only the fourth woman ever to race in the Indy 500, she transformed the racing world by not only becoming the first woman to lead a lap during the race, but also finishing higher than any other woman before her, coming in fourth. Correspondent Frank Deford goes one-on-one with the Indy Racing League star as she searches for her first win.
With the 2006 pennant races heating up, Real Sports collaborates with Sports Illustrated to examine one of the darkest periods in recent baseball history: The Pittsburgh Pirates drug scandal and trial of 1985. Host Bryant Gumbel spotlights two of the story's principal characters: Kevin Koch and convicted drug dealer Dale Shiffman. Koch, who wore the uniform of the Pirates mascot from 1979 to 1985, teamed with Shiffman to distribute packages of cocaine to players. Though Koch would eventually wear a wire and turn on Shiffman to avoid jail time, the two have since reconciled. The trial, which began Sept. 5, 1985, shocked many baseball observers with its revelation of cocaine use by active major league stars. Others interviewed include Wells Morrison, the lead FBI agent in charge of the case, who arranged for wiretaps; former outfielder Lonnie Smith; and Dave Parker, at the time one of the Pirates' biggest stars.
Just being a talented athlete doesn't guarantee success in football today. Players need to be bigger, stronger and faster than the next guy to earn a starting spot on the varsity high school football team, or hope for a shot to play in college. Three years ago, Real Sports examined the proliferation of 300-pound linemen in the NFL, and the willingness of these players to put their health at risk by piling on the pounds. Now correspondent James Brown examines the substantial growth of 300- pound linemen in high school football.
In August 2003, Real Sports told the remarkable story of New York City homeless men who gathered to play soccer on a team created by the Grand Central Neighborhood, a social services organization for disadvantaged adults. Week after week, a group of regulars from street corners and shelters met for practice and competition that gave them a renewed sense of purpose. The bonus arrived when they were able to travel to Austria to represent the U.S. in the first-ever Homeless World Cup. Mary Carillo revisits this extraordinary team and gives an update on its players.
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