Face to Face: Thabo Sefolsa
SportsCenter (Thursday, multiple editions, ESPN/ESPNEWS)
ESPN.com
In a SportsCenter “Face to Face” interview with ESPN’s Hannah Storm, Thabo Sefolsa of the Atlanta Hawks discusses his reasons for filing a civil lawsuit against the city of New York, the NYPD and the officers involved in the April 8 incident that left him with a broken leg. He revealed his intentions to Storm on Monday night’s SportsCenter and discusses the incident and possible repercussions in the expanded interview.
Storm: Do you feel that you were singled out because of your race?
Sefolosa: It could be a factor, definitely. Especially I think when you see what’s going on nationwide, with some of the stories that come out. I think there’s a little bit of a pattern there.
Storm: You are going to be in New York. You’re going to be playing at the Garden. And there are officers everywhere. You will be seeing them. What will that be like?
Sefolosa: I don’t know what they (might) be saying. But, I mean, I’m not fearing for my life. I don’t think they’re going to come and jump on me at the Madison Square Garden. And I hope actually some of them can rally behind the cause and say, ‘Yeah, this is the right thing.’
Brandon Austin: Second and Third Chances
Outside the Lines (Sunday, 8 a.m. ET, ESPN2; 9 a.m., ESPNEWS)
As a high school basketball standout, Brandon Austin was poised to make an impact on the college level. But then came a sexual assault allegation at Providence College followed by a second one at Oregon, to where he had transferred. While he wasn’t charged, Austin was suspended from playing in games at Providence and booted out of the program at Oregon but landed on his feet with a scholarship to play at Northwest Florida State. Steve Delsohn reports on some of the highly-publicized fallout from Brandon Austin’s journey of second and third chances.
Why did Derrick Gordon make history and then suddenly shun the spotlight?
ESPN the Magazine (“Being Out” Issue, on newsstands Oct. 30)
ESPN.com
The first openly gay Division I men’s basketball player was embraced by family and teammates after coming out at UMass. But after transferring to Seton Hall, he walked away from the attention.
Abby Wambach Retires
U.S. soccer legend Abby Wambach announced her retirement this week, and espnW’s Julie Foudy, Kate Fagan and more offered their thoughts and tributes.
Ron Rivera’s Family Values
Monday Night Countdown (Monday, 6 p.m., ESPN)
For Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera, 2015 is a year marked by striking highs and crushing blows. In January, two days after earning his first playoff victory as head coach, his family’s house burned down. Rivera’s visiting extended family members were unharmed, including his ailing brother, Mickey, who emerged from the smoky house clutching the playoff game ball his brother awarded him. Just seven months later, in July, Mickey lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. Ron now lives true to his mantra – do your job – and the Panthers currently sit atop the NFC South with a 6-0 record, their best start in franchise history. Rick Reilly reports on Rivera as he shares his triumphs and tragedies of the past year.
“Mickey never complained about it. He never sat there said, ‘Why me, why me?’ …. he said one time, ‘Don’t feel bad for me, who I feel bad for is when I go get my treatments and I see these little ones, they may not get to live the life that I’ve lived.’ That was pretty powerful.” – Ron Rivera, on brother Mickey’s battle with pancreatic cancer
“Yes, he took that ball and he’s like, yep, I survived, I’m surviving cancer, I survived the fire, I’m walking out the house with this football.” – Stephanie Rivera, on brother-in-law Mickey carrying the playoff game ball given to him by Ron out of the family’s burning house
The Sports Reporters
Sunday, 8:30 a.m., ESPN2; 9:30 a.m., ESPNEWS
This week’s Panel*
John Saunders (host)
Mike Lupica
Frank Isola
Jackie MacMullan
(subject to change)
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