For years, high-end basketball shoes, especially those endorsed by NBA stars, have been the ultimate status symbol for inner-city kids. Often priced in excess of $100, the shoes are unaffordable for many, which results in kids being robbed, beaten, and even killed for their sneakers. While few pro athletes have addressed this issue, New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury, who grew up in the hardscrabble Brooklyn projects, has tackled the problem head-on with an initiative on affordable athletic shoes. Correspondent Bernard Goldberg examines this disturbing trend and profiles one athlete's campaign in this Real Sports/Sports Illustrated collaboration.
For many special needs children suffering from physical disabilities, traditional forms of therapy can be stressful, painful and frightening. As a result, many parents are turning to the most unlikely of therapists: horses. The origins of therapeutic riding date back over 50 years, and today's children are seeking out therapeutic riding centers to treat an amazingly wide range of disabilities, with inspiring results. Real Sports correspondent James Brown examines this remarkable story.
Revisiting one of Real Sports' most talked-about segments, Armen Keteyian reports on the alarming proliferation of "Tommy John" surgery among young pitchers. A torn elbow ligament was a career-ending injury for pitchers prior to 1974, when 31-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers hurler Tommy John underwent a radical procedure to replace his ulnar collateral ligament. Following a year of rehabilitation, however, John returned to the majors to pitch another 14 seasons and logged more than 2,500 innings, signaling a medical miracle in the sports world. Today, hundreds of pitchers undergo this surgery each year, but as the patients submitting to the procedure become younger and younger, rules are being put in place to help preserve the elbows of kids starting in little league.
On Dec. 26, 2005, former baseball star Jeff Reardon, who in his prime was one of the game's top relief pitchers, was taken into custody and charged by the Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.) police after allegedly committing armed robbery at a jewelry store. Reardon subsequently attributed his actions to the influence of antidepressants and other prescription medication he had been using to cope with the overdose death of his son in Feb. 2004. In court, Reardon was found not guilty by reason of insanity, but was never required to undergo treatment after the ruling. Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel examines this troubling story.
Tell us what you think about HBO GO. Sign up now to participate in the HBO GO Advisory Panel to share your opinions and for a chance to be entered into HBO sweepstakes and contests.