On September 24, 2018, the Philadelphia Flyers unleashed their new mascot into the world. Almost immediately, Gritty was deemed a failure. But 24 hours later, he was on his way to becoming a viral phenomenon beloved worldwide. Barry Melrose sits down with Gritty and uncovers the surprising story of how he came to be.

The Oral History of Gritty

Jeremy Schaap

Lisa Salters

Hilinski’s Hope; The Unbreakable Bond

Paradise: From the Ashes; Game One

E:60 remembers the Parkland shooting nearly a year since the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School that killed 17 people. “Parkland 17” follows the Stoneman Douglas football team throughout its season after the loss of their beloved assistant coach Aaron Feis. Players recall the nightmare that occurred and share their own stories with reporter Jeremy Schaap. In addition to “Parkland 17,” the episode includes ESPN reporter Mark Fainaru-Wada sitting down with hall of fame broadcaster Bob Costas. For the first time on camera, Costas speaks about how his role covering the NFL for NBC came to an abrupt end after nearly 40 years with the network.

Parkland 17; Costas: Crossing the Line

E:60 tells the story of the 5-foot, 3-inch former NBA superstar Muggsy Bogues.

Muggsy

E:60 takes viewers inside the creation of the Oscar-nominated film “Free Solo.” Reporter Chris Connelly sits down with filmmakers Jimmy Chin, Chai Vasarhelyi and the crew to discuss how they were able to tell the story of free solo climber Alex Honnold.

The Making of "Free Solo"

On Oct. 1, 2018, four-time Super Bowl champion Matt Millen was admitted into the intensive care unit at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey, one of the nation’s best hospitals for heart transplants. The rare disease AL Amyloidosis severely damaged Millen’s heart, forcing him to remain in the hospital until he received a transplant.

Matt Millen: All Heart

Tells the full story of Enes Kanter, the Portland Trail Blazer whose native country of Turkey has identified him as a terrorist and issued an international warrant for his arrest.

E:60 examines how Hall of Fame basketball coach Jim Calhoun is changing the culture at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Enes Kanter:  Enemy of the State; The Calhoun Project Pt. 1

E:60 investigates the impact OCD has had on UMBC basketball coach Ryan Odom's 13-year-old son.

On "The Calhoun Project," the St. Joseph Blue Jays kick off their season at home, and coach is fired up (to say the least).

The Missing Piece; The Calhoun Project Pt. 2

E:60 tells the story of a mother who happens to also be one of the top MMA fighters in the UFC. Michelle Waterson gave reporter Tisha Thompson and producer Simon Baumgart unlimited access to her life both inside and outside the octagon.

Michelle Waterson: Cage Mom; The Calhoun Project Pt. 3

"A Pittsburgh Penguins fan in need of a kidney, and the sign she brought to a game that changed everything.

Jim Calhoun took UConn Men's Basketball to the #Sweet16 more than a dozen times. Now he’s trying to make the DIII playoffs with a team that didn’t exist last year. The epic conclusion to the 4-part series “The Calhoun Project”.

Kelly's Sign; The Calhoun Project Pt. 4

NHL Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky is the voice for a special E:60 program “Forever Broncos,” telling the intimate and untold stories behind the tragic bus crash involving the Humboldt Broncos junior hockey team.

Forever Broncos

Before he was "The Mountain" on Game of Thrones, Thor Bjornsson was an athlete with a mission: become the strongest man ever to walk the earth

Strongman: Beyond the Mountain

Reporter Jeremy Schaap and producer Simon Baumgart tell the fascinating life story of 1989 Draft pick Tony Mandarich.

Mandarich

Producer Brian Rivera and SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt tell the story of one of the greatest entertainers on the basketball court who doesn’t even play the game. Red Panda – the stage name for Rong Niu – and her unicycle bowl flipping act have become a halftime favorite both in the NBA and at ESPN.

Red Panda

Two weeks ago, 20-year-old formula racer Billy Monger won the first race of his career. The win itself? Remarkable. The story behind the win? Extraordinary.

Moment of Impact

Reporter Buster Olney profiles Red Sox manager and Caguas, Puerto Rico-native Alex Cora.

Steve Wiebe is one of the most sought after tattoo artists in the NBA. From Damian Lillard to Kevin Durant, E:60 tells the story of the man behind the masterpiece.

Alex Cora; Body of Work

Producer Nicole Noren and National Geographic correspondent Mariana Van Zeller tell a revealing story of Indonesian child jockeys in Sumbawa.

Child Jockeys

Ja Morant might seem like an obvious draft pick now -- he's projected to go No. 2 overall to the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA draft. But the former Murray State point guard spent much of his high school and college years being overlooked. In fact, his basketball talent might have gone entirely undiscovered if not for a tractor tire and a bag of chips. E:60’s Clinton Yates sits down with the 19-year-old to uncover the details of his unusual -- and sudden -- path to the center of the basketball conversation.

Barred from the NBA, former Baylor basketball standout Isaiah Austin is pursuing his lifelong dream halfway across the world...at his own risk.

Ja Morant; Isaiah Austin: The Risk He Takes

After two brothers are paralyzed in a car accident, they push each other to the 2018 Wheelchair Basketball Association National Championship

Push

Jorge Ramos and producer Jeremy Williams made numerous visits to Brownsville, Texas, the southmost city in the state and home to a unique high school football rivalry. The rivalry between Lopez and Porter High Schools is different not because of what happens on the field but because of the reality facing the players off it. Brownsville sits just two miles from the U.S. border and Mexico’s Matamoros, a city plagued by drug cartels and violence.

Southmost: Football and Life on the Border

Jeremy Schaap spends time with one of the most unique personalities in college football, Washington State head coach Mike Leach.

“Numbers Game” focuses on the job of the EA Ratings Adjuster and what is involved in arriving at all the Madden 20 player ratings.

Mike Leach; Numbers Game: Madden Ratings

ESPN Investigative reporter Mark Fainaru-Wada and investigative journalist Mike Kessler collaborated for an Outside the Lines investigation that revealed 41 allegations of sexual abuse against track coach Conrad Mainwaring. Producer Greg Amante helps bring the investigation to life with a riveting companion video piece.

The Squad: 44 Years, 41 Allegations

"For his first E:60, ESPN MMA host and reporter Ariel Helwani went big. As in, 5-foot-11, 264-pound big. Helwani’s enthralling 20-minute profile of UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier comes one week before Cormier faces Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 241 on Saturday, Aug. 17.

Mike ""Brolylegs"" Begum playing Streetfighter is the most impressive thing you'll see all day."

Daniel Cormier's Universe; Brolylegs

"Reporter Tom Rinaldi and producer Frankie Saraceno team up to profile former LSU football coach Les Miles as he begins his journey as the new head coach for the Kansas Jayhawks.

E:60 highlights Kyle Rudolph's personal connection that has driven him to be such a steward of the community."

Les Miles; Kyle Rudolph: Keeper of the Flame

The story of a California high school football team who lost nearly everything in the 2018 wildfires.

For their 40th anniversary ESPN wanted to share a look at their first ever live sporting event. There was only one problem though: the tapes were missing. Somehow ESPN had lost the tapes of their first ever live event and E:60 went on a hunt to track them down.

Jen Lada sits down with South Carolina quarterback Ryan Hilinski in “Hilinski’s Hope.” Hilinski, who helped the Gamecocks defeat No. 3-ranked Georgia last weekend, explains how the devastating loss of his brother Tyler impacted his life both on and off the field. Lada examines how Tyler’s story can help others who are battling mental illness. "The Unbreakable Bond" highlights the profound, resilient relationship between NFL wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and his mother, Sabrina Greenlee, who survived a horrific acid attack in 2002 that left her permanently blind when Hopkins was just 10 years old.

On the eve of his annual birthday dive, RIT Diving coach Cliff Devries shares his story.

Ryan Smith tells the story of how Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett loved poetry more than football as a youngster, and how he carried his love for writing through his career at Texas A&M and into the 2017 NFL draft, where he went No. 1 overall.

Myles Garrett; Cliff Diving

E60 tells the story of 1994 Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam.  E:60 features the unique story of champion Dock Diving dog Spitfire and his 15-year-old trainer, Sydney.

Rashaan Salaam: Burdens to Carry; Spitfire

E:60 is a weekly investigative journalism newsmagazine show. It premiered on ESPN on October 16, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. ET, 4:00 p.m. PT. The show is one hour long.

E:60 covers stories that relate to both American and international sports. Reporters from the network interview those surrounding the stories, and they also discuss what was involved in covering the stories. Many of the stories' subjects are of a serious nature, such as a story featured on the premiere show about Jason Ray, the student who portrayed the North Carolina Tar Heels' mascot Ramses, being killed after he was struck by a car.

Reporters and contributors on the show include ESPN personalities Jeremy Schaap, Rachel Nichols, Lisa Salters, Jeffri Chadiha, Michael Smith, and Chris Connelly.

The Oral History of Gritty

Seasons20

Season 13 Episodes27

Cast2

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