REAL Sports with Bryant Gumbel - Episode Guide

Interview with Isiah Thomas; teaching blind and visually impaired children to play sports; revisiting the story of two former college football players who were brought together by tragedy.

Examining the war to save African elephants from extinction; profile of NHL broadcaster Mike "Doc" Emrick.

Bryant Gumbel leads correspondents in a conversation about the 20-year journey of the show focusing on international stories, investigative reports, issues and profiles.

Examining the thoroughness of the medical care that student athletes receive; profile of boxer Tyson Fury; revisiting the 2014 report on marijuana use in the NFL for pain management.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant; Phoenix Suns president and CEO Rick Welts; archer Matt Stutzman; the safety of extreme sports.

Exploring the challenges facing female sports reporters; profiles of Tatyana and Hannah McFadden, athletes in the Paralympic Games; revisiting Chancellor Lee Adams as the mastermind behind his mother's shooting nears the end of his prison sentence.

Examining the debate over Colin Kaepernick's refusal to stand during the national anthem; baseball pitching technology that determines balls and strikes; revisiting Philadelphia Eagles long snapper and professional magician Jon Dorenbos.

Investigating yogi Bikram Choudhury's sexual abuse allegations; uncovering the history of 1968 Olympic medalist Peter Norman; a town in Maine deals with a wave of refugees.

Examining why young football players are often the least protected from catastrophic brain injury and death; former FIFA executive Chuck Blazer; Harnarayan Singh and his broadcast team cultivate a new audience of hockey fans.

Bryant Gumbel leads a roundtable discussion of memorable and noteworthy stories from 2016, including the profile of sports reporter Craig Sager; with Mary Carillo, Jon Frankel, Bernard Goldberg, Andrea Kremer, Soledad O'Brien and David Scott.

The story of the late Kevin Turner, his son Nolan and their bond through football; NFL player John Urschel pursues a Ph.D. in mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Profile of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft; interview with Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon; exposing the world of cockfighting; revisiting Ashrita Furman, the man who owns the Guinness World Record for the most world records.

Profile of professional baseball player Matt Bush; former basketball star Juan Dixon reunites with his father; former professional baseball player Rick Ankiel's battle with "the yips.''

Exploring dangerous driving in the Dominican Republic; examining domestic violence in the mixed martial arts community; two brothers compete in youth triathlons.

Investigating the sexual abuse scandal engulfing British soccer; profile of Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster Jaime Jarrin; interview with pinball player Robert Gagno.

Correspondent Jon Frankel delves into the controversial world of bullfighting and Mary Carillo sits down with up-and-coming tennis phenom Frances Tiafoe. Plus, a profile on Jeff Glasbrenner, an amputee who recently added climbing Mount Everest to his impressive list of athletic feats.

Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, creates a world-class MMA fight club to bolster his regime; global warming has a devastating effect on the Great Barrier Reef; baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew discusses his heart transplant.

Mary Carillo examines Margaret Court's post-tennis career as a minister and controversial views on gay rights. Also, John Frankel speaks with U.S. Olympic athletes that believe the USOC isn't paying them what they're worth, and Bernard Goldberg profiles the St. Brown family on their quest to dominate the NFL.

Bernard Goldberg speaks with former child slaves freed from being trafficked as camel jockeys across the United Arab Emirates. David Scott investigates the NHL's concussion protocol, including its denial of a link between head trauma and CTE. Legendary basketball broadcaster Doris Burke opens up to Andrea Kremer about the challenges she faced throughout her trailblazing career.

Shaquille O'Neal walks Bernard Goldberg through his growing list of endorsements and his increasingly massive investments. Plus, David Scott chronicles former Olympic medalist Amy Van Dyken's resilient comeback from a paralyzing injury, and John Frankel profiles the fastest family in sports.

Former All-Star Derek Jeter opens up about his second act as Miami Marlins CEO. Plus, John Frankel looks at the shocking rates of student-athlete abuse by NCAA coaches, and Mary Carillo meets Nebraska's top-ranked women's bowling team.

Jon Frankel takes a close look at the NFL's billion-dollar concussion settlement. Plus, a profile of crossword maven Will Shortz, and Bernard Goldberg catches up with former NBA player and mental health advocate Royce White.

Ahead of the World Cup, Bernard Goldberg travels to Russia, where Vladimir Putin's grand plan to achieve glory through sport has taken a dark turn. Plus, Andrea Kremer profiles the Men in Blazers, and Soledad O'Brien explores the Robotics World Championship.

Bryant Gumbel speaks with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay to learn about his "maniacal" approach. Also, Jon Frankel travels to the Philippines to meet a community of fisherman with an incredible secret, Andrea Kremer meets what many believe is the only active NFL player to earn a medical degree, and an update on minor league pay.

David Scott travels to Mt. Everest to learn why Sherpas are risking their lives to retrieve dead bodies from the tallest mountain in the world. Also, a profile of Mansour Bahrami, the entertaining tennis player that recently became the oldest to ever compete in Wimbledon, and an examination of the evolving attitudes about women on the sidelines.

Crossroads
Bryant Gumbel interviews dozens of industry leaders to find out how two plagues -- COVID-19 and systemic racial injustice -- have affected the sports world.

Black in Bellaire
Real Sports gets an update from Robbie Tolan, a former MLB prospect who was racially profiled and shot by police at his family's home in Texas in 2009.

Dangerous Games
Universities across the country are largely shut down with the exception of one group: college athletes. David Scott examines the health and safety measures being instituted by the NCAA and universities as they look to resume college football in the fall.

Skid Row
Jon Frankel profiles Superior Court Judge Craig Mitchell who founded LA's Skid Row Running Club to help individuals with drug and alcohol abuse – which has proven to be a lifeline for many, especially during the pandemic.

Game Over?
Host Bryant Gumbel is joined by football reporter Peter King (NBC Sports), basketball reporter David Aldridge (The Athletic), and baseball reporter Tom Verducci (Sports Illustrated, MLB Network) for a candid discussion about the state of the respective sports they cover.

Letter Perfect
Real Sports reflects on a story first aired in June 2016 featuring kids labeled "mental athletes" and how they've turned brain games like Spelling Bees, Scrabble, and memory challenges into competitive sports complete with raucous crowds and television coverage.

A Cuban American from Miami, Fla., Eddy Alvarez was a speedskating prodigy who realized his full potential when he took home silver at the Winter Olympics in 2014. Along the way, though, he never gave up on his life-long goal of playing baseball. After retiring from speedskating, Alvarez spent six years in the Minor Leagues and became the unlikeliest of prospects. As the Miami Marlins' roster was decimated by COVID infections this summer, Alvarez, 30, made his big-league debut. 

A day before a mixed martial arts fight, competitors determined to gain a competitive edge and fight at a lower weight class often dangerously dehydrate themselves, sometimes dropping close to 20 percent of their weight in a matter of hours. Correspondent David Scott examines the serious health complications associated with weight-cutting, which has endangered fighters' lives, and at times, proven to be fatal, leaving some in the sport to question whether the age-old practice should be reined in.

When REAL SPORTS first profiled former NFL player Steve Gleason eight years ago, he was a man in decline, suffering from the fatal condition known as ALS, but still able to control some of his body. Today, he can do virtually nothing on his own, and being highly susceptible to the effects of COVID, he has spent weeks on end separated from his own family and the greater society. But Gleason refuses to surrender to the isolation of the pandemic and has found a way to widen his own world using technology - as well as inspire others. He has launched a remote interview program where he and his guests share their struggles and triumphs. To date, he's had conversations with leading figures of the day, from actor Hugh Jackman to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. 

One of the most treacherous races on the planet, the Barkley Marathons, known as "The Barkley," is a 100-mile long event with 120,000 feet of climbs and descents that takes place around the perimeter of Frozen Head State Park in the mountains of Tennessee. With only 60 hours to complete the race, runners are tasked with navigating through unenviable conditions, including temperature swings, rain, and even snow. Mary Carillo speaks with Lazarus Lake, who conceived the event after James Earl Ray, the man who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr., escaped from a maximum-security prison in the same Tennessee mountains and only managed to travel eight miles in just under 60 hours before he was caught. "Laz," as he's known, mocked Ray, suggesting he could run 100 miles through the Tennessee mountains in that amount of time. And so the race was born. 

The latest episode is highlighted by a virtual panel led by Gumbel, who is joined by Tommie Smith, who famously raised a gloved fist on the podium at the 1968 Olympic Games, gold medal sprinter and long jumper Tianna Bartoletta, fencer Race Imboden and hammer thrower Gwendolyn Berry to discuss Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which states "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.".

Most Minor League ballplayers make less than minimum wage. It's a reality that former pitcher Michael Schwimer saw up close when he worked his way up to the Majors. Schwimer was injured and out of the game by the time he was 27, but came up with an idea to help Minor Leaguers by starting a private equity fund that pays young players money in exchange for a percentage of their future baseball earnings. Over the last five years, Schwimer has raised $156 million and invested in more than 300 players. A few months ago his venture proved its potential when Fernando Tatis, Jr. - one of Schwimer's clients - signed one of the biggest contracts in the history of the game. Tatis, Jr. hit the jackpot, as did Michael Schwimer and his equity fund. 

In 2018 we discovered Project Airtime, a Utah-based adaptive paragliding outfit founded by one-time extreme sportsman Chris Santacroce, who himself overcame a temporary paralysis after a near-fatal stunt. Over the years, Santacroce has recruited countless disabled athletes from around the country. One of those recruits, Joe Stone, has now brought this mission to his new home of Jackson, WY, where he's established a Project Airtime outpost to spread the paragliding gospel and give others like him the chance to experience the sport. 

Jalen Rose, member of the University of Michigan's Fab Five and 14-year veteran of the NBA, has made efforts to provide free education to underserved youth in Detroit by opening up his own school, the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy. Rose, like many of his students, never met his own father, but unlike those kids fathers, his was one of the most famous Detroit Pistons players of his time, a fact that would drive Rose to success and inspire him to open his school. 

In an effort to battle Montana's alarming suicide rate, Jeff Ament, longtime bassist for mega-band Pearl Jam, has sought to grow his favorite sport throughout his home state: skateboarding. Ament has built nearly two dozen skate parks, looking to bring kids together and fight the loneliness and isolation that he once felt. Real Sports travels with Ament to his skateparks in his hometown of Big Sandy, and the Rocky Boy and Browning Native American reservations. 

Stories discussed in the episode include DeMaurice Smith's one-on-one discussion with Gumbel on the emails sent by Jon Gruden; a profile of Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis; athletes with long-term effects from COVID-19; motivational speaker and extreme sports athlete Wim Hof and the Barkley Marathons; the impact that high school and youth sports have played on the spread of COVID-19; obstacles faced by female sports reporters in the male-dominated industry; former NBA players jumping into the billion-dollar cannabis industry; the inspiring story of Minneapolis North High School's football coaching staff; the incorporation of jiu-jitsu into police training to curb violence; the sexual abuse allegations within the University of Michigan and the world of All-Star cheerleading; student-athletes being allowed to profit from their name, image and likeness; Michael Schwimer's Big League Advance that funds minor leaguers for a percentage of their future baseball earnings; and hunting contests to curb animal populations.

Three years ago, a Supreme Court ruling paved the way for legalized sports wagering in the United States. In a short time, the market has exploded with sports leagues, teams and the leagues' broadcast partners capitalizing on the opportunity. Everyone has benefitted except for one group -- the gamblers who become addicted. 

There is a dark side to Olympic sliding sports like Bobsled and Skeleton that casual fans of the Beijing Winter Games know little about: many former and current athletes have suffered major head trauma participating in these sports, suffering the same kinds of injuries normally associated with football players. The trauma is caused not only by major collisions, but also by small hits often referred to as "sled head," caused by speed, whiplash and vibration of the ice. 

While tiny Cochran's Ski Area in Vermont may seem unremarkable compared to the biggest ski resorts in the world, its history of producing elite skiers is nothing short of amazing. And for the past twenty years the US Ski Team has had at least one Cochran family member on the roster, including Ryan Cochran-Siegle, the only American to medal in Alpine skiing at the Beijing Olympics. Real Sports sits down with the first family of American skiing and learns of their mission to give children - regardless of means - the opportunity to ski and have fun. 

JAKE PAUL: From rapping to elaborate pranks, Jake Paul's YouTube videos are viral sensations, amassing more than seven billion views. Now, with no experience at all, Paul has decided to become a full-time professional boxer.

CASTER SEMENYA & INTERSEX ATHLETES: After years of being forced by track's governing body, World Athletics, to take hormone therapy to suppress her body's natural testosterone, Olympic gold medalist middle distance runner Caster Semenya launched a lawsuit claiming they violated her human rights.

OKSANA MASTERS UPDATE: Born an orphan in Ukraine during the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Oksana Masters has drawn from the trauma of her childhood to fuel an astonishing, record-setting Paralympic career in her adopted home of the United States.

CASTER SEMENYA & INTERSEX ATHLETES: After years of being forced by track's governing body, World Athletics, to take hormone therapy to suppress her body's natural testosterone, Olympic gold medalist middle distance runner Caster Semenya launched a lawsuit claiming they violated her human rights.

DESHAUN WATSON ACCUSERS: Several women who have accused Deshaun Watson of sexual misconduct sit down for their first ever national TV interview. In the report, they detail the alleged abuse they suffered and share their reactions to Watson's record-breaking $230 million contract with the Cleveland Browns.

SAVANNAH BANANAS: Some say America's national pastime – baseball – has become too long, slow and boring. The solution, according to Jesse Cole, is Banana Ball, a game Cole invented and named after the team he owns – the Savannah Bananas. Banana Ball has a two-hour time limit and removes what Cole says are all the boring parts of baseball, like bunting and stepping out of the batter's box. To play his game, Cole has assembled a cast of characters. He recruited a pitcher on stilts, a rodeo clown and a 75-year-old former Major League All-Star, who descends from the bleachers, beer in hand. If Cole sounds more like a ringmaster than a traditional baseball owner, perhaps that's because Cole fashions himself after P.T. Barnum, the founder of Barnum & Bailey circus.

CHRIS EVERT: Tennis superstar Chris Evert defined an era in women's sports, winning at least one Grand Slam title for 13 straight years. Today, she faces a very different kind of fight: ovarian cancer. Mary Carillo reports. Producer: Nick Dolin.

KERI BLAKINGER: For Keri Blakinger, the unforgiving world of incarceration in America is intimately familiar — not just because she's one of the most prominent prison reporters but because she also served time in federal prison. Her unusual journey into the American criminal justice system began in, of all places, the world of figure skating, where Blakinger was once an Olympic hopeful. Soledad O'Brien reports. Producer: Dan Litke.

SCUBA DETECTIVES: While many scuba divers search for coral reefs and tropical fish, others are on a much different hunt.  Recovery divers use the sport of scuba diving to investigate underwater crime scenes. Real Sports follows a training session with the country's leading underwater criminal investigator as he trains cops in scuba detective work. They visit Panama where a master scuba diver recently recovered the bodies of two women trapped in a plane at the bottom of the ocean. Jon Frankel reports. Producer: Maggie Burbank.

PHANATIC: Correspondent Mary Carillo details the inside story of the man behind the most beloved mascots in sports. Over 40 years ago, Dave Raymond created the Philly Phanatic, an electric-green muppet with a mischievous personality that made him a star. In the years since, Raymond has developed more than a hundred mascots across sports and business - bittersweet success born from personal struggles and heartrending devotion. Producer: Nisreen Habbal.

BIRD BRAINS: Each year, more than a dozen teams set out to prove they are the best in the world at one of the most unusual competitions ever: bird watching. The eagle-eyed observers set out across the great state of New Jersey to participate in a contest lasting 24 consecutive hours.  The team that spots and identifies the greatest number and variety of birds within that period is declared the winner with a grand prize of…zero dollars. In his first piece for Real Sports, Ariel Helwani reports. Producers: Chapman Downes/Evan Burgos.

SUMO:  Real Sports travels to Japan for a rare, behind-the-scenes look into the world of Sumo wrestling. Correspondent David Scott learns the ancient rules and traditions of the country's 2000-year-old national treasure – and why some consider it the most demanding sport on the planet. Producer: Jordan Kronick.

KEVIN WARREN: In a rare, one-on-one television interview, Bryant Gumbel sits down with Kevin Warren, the Commissioner of the Big Ten and one of the most powerful figures in sports.  The first Black commissioner of a Power 5 conference, few know the obstacles Warren faced and the odds he's defied along the way - including surviving a terrible accident when he was a young boy. Producer: Maggie Burbank.

ROCKET MEN: Richard Browning and David Mayman are a new breed of thrill seekers: part aerial athletes and part mad scientists who have reimagined human flight by attaching jet engines to their bodies and launching themselves into the sky.  The adventure is not just for fun, as Browning and Mayman believe their inventions can actually help save lives. Correspondent Jon Frankel reports. Producer: Chapman Downes.

SENIOR GAMES: Mary Carillo attends The Senior Games, the premiere sporting event for senior citizens ages 50 to 100 who refuse to bow down to Father Time, vying for gold in events ranging from shuffleboard to the 100-meter dash. Producer: Katie Melone.

ANN WOLFE (UPDATE): After an abusive childhood and a period of homelessness as a single mother, former boxer Ann Wolfe turned her life around by becoming a world champion, and then a world-class trainer – the only female to have ever guided a male fighter to championship contention. Thirteen years after our first report, Real Sports caught up with Wolfe as she marked her greatest professional achievement yet - being enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Correspondent Andrea Kremer reports. Producers: Nick Dolin/Chapman Downes/Evan Burgos.

WADA: "Real Sports" investigates allegations that the World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, is failing to adequately police international sport for the use of performance-enhancing drugs. Insiders claim that WADA's mission is being compromised by conflicts of interest and outside meddling. Correspondent Jon Frankel reports. Producer: Max Gershberg.

DARREN WALLER: Battling drug addiction at the start of his NFL career, Darren Waller was suspended from the league and almost died from a drug overdose. After a fresh start with the Raiders, Waller miraculously turned his career around, becoming one of the league's top tight ends. Now, he's also putting in the work off the field, partnering with his drug sponsor to help save other addicts, by pulling them from the underground tunnels beneath the Las Vegas strip. Correspondent David Scott reports. Producer: Evan Burgos.

FRANCES TIAFOE (Update): "Real Sports" first profiled then-rising US tennis star Frances Tiafoe in 2017. The revealing segment showed how unlikely and remarkable his backstory was in a sport that typically has a high barrier to entry. Now, after beating all-time great Rafael Nadal on his way to becoming the first American in 16 years to make it to the semifinals at the US Open, Tiafoe is one of the most talked-about stars on the court today. Correspondent Mary Carillo reports. Producers: Beret Remak, Hannah Vicente-Kliot.

DREW LEAGUE: Every summer, some of the biggest superstars in the NBA make the trip to South Los Angeles to get a taste of the nation's preeminent pro-am basketball league. Known as The Drew, it's a community program that's been keeping families of South Los Angeles engaged, entertained and safe for nearly 50 years. Correspondent David Scott reports. Producer: Maggie Burbank.

PICKLEBALL WARS: During the pandemic, one seemingly simple little sport spread far and wide: Pickleball. The game has exploded across the country, drawing young and old for some exercise and time with friends. However, it hasn't been all fun and games.  Pickleball has led to turf wars and battles across the country over everything from real estate to the noise and havoc the game creates in once quiet areas. Correspondent Mary Carillo reports. Producer: Beret Remak.

KIRSTIE ENNIS: Marine Sergeant Kirstie Ennis, was just 21 years old when her helicopter crashed during a combat mission in Afghanistan. Ennis suffered severe injuries and eventually had to have her left leg amputated. Now, ten years after her crash, Ennis is one mountain away from climbing the Seven Summits, the highest mountain peaks on the planet's seven continents. Correspondent Jon Frankel reports. Producer: Jordan Kronick.

REF ABUSE (Update): Real Sports has twice reported on the rampant violence that referees endure on fields and courts of play, and many say the abuse is worse than ever.  As a result, over the past few years, tens of thousands of youth officials across the country have quit, leading to countless games and matches being canceled, and countless kids being deprived of the chance to play ball. Correspondent Jon Frankel reports. Producers: Nick Dolin, Stephen Lorenzo.

SWISS SPORTS: REAL SPORTS examines why nearly all of the world's sports federations, including the IOC and FIFA, have chosen to make Switzerland their home – and looks into allegations that the Swiss government's hands-off approach has allowed for rampant misuse of funds, corruption and bribery scandals. Correspondent David Scott reports. Producer: Josh Fine.

MIKAELA SHIFFRIN: She is widely considered to be the best female skier on the planet and was the heavy favorite to win multiple medals at last year's Beijing Olympics.  But when the unthinkable happened, and Shiffrin failed to finish three of her races, millions of viewers around the world were left stunned. In her first in-depth interview since Beijing, Shiffrin sits down with Real Sports correspondent Jon Frankel as she prepares for the upcoming ski season in the mountains of Chile and opens up about the challenges she faced and the criticism she's received since the Games. Producer: Chapman Downes.

QATAR (Update): As the World Cup gets ready to kick off this month in Qatar, REAL SPORTS revisits its report on how some of the wealthiest men on earth imported hundreds of thousands of the world's poorest, then put them to work in conditions that have been compared to modern-day slavery.  Finally, after years of charges of exploitation and untold deaths, the Qatari government promised reforms. But those reforms, critics say, were too little and too late. Correspondent David Scott reports. Producers: Josh Fine, Stephen Lorenzo.

Departing from the show's regular format, host Bryant Gumbel is joined by veteran correspondents Mary Carillo, Jon Frankel, Andrea Kremer, Soledad O'Brien, and David Scott, as well as newcomers Isobel Yeung, Ariel Helwani and Jonathan Jones, for spirited discussions that recap the most significant and impactful stories of 2022.

Stories discussed in the episode include Deshaun Watson's accusers, the IOC's partnership with China's repressive regime, sports gambling and addiction, an examination of WADA, the hidden world of Sumo, profiles of Chrissie Evert and Jake Paul, and an inside look at pickleball mania around the country.

Favre Welfare Scandal: REAL SPORTS examines the role Hall of Famer Brett Favre is alleged to have played in redirecting millions of dollars away from the poorest residents in the country's poorest state to his own projects. David Scott reports. Producer: Max Gershberg.
 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest In Young Athletes: When Damar Hamlin collapsed on Monday Night Football, it was a shocking event that stunned audiences on national television. The sight of a healthy young athlete going into sudden cardiac arrest was hard for most people to comprehend. Yet, sudden cardiac arrest happens more than 100 times per year to high school athletes around the country. Since only 16 states mandate automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at high school sporting events, the result of these occurrences is often tragic. Soledad O'Brien reports. Producer: Nick Dolin.
 

Shooting Survivors (Update): Five years ago, REAL SPORTS met Reichen Posey and Jordan Murphy, two survivors of separate mass shootings - Sandy Hook and Aurora, respectively - who bonded over football. Today, Posey is a 6'2" 240-pound defensive end that finished a standout junior season at Murphy's old high school, where Murphy also serves as an assistant coach. Soledad O'Brien reports. Producers: Katie Melone, Stephen Lorenzo.

Segments: Swiss corruption scandals, the godfather of extreme wheelchair sports; North Shore lifeguards; Philly's Work to Ride program.

Dusty Baker: 73-year-old Dusty Baker has led an extraordinary baseball life. A two-time MLB All-Star during his playing days, Baker's pursuit of an elusive World Series title as a skipper brought him to Houston in 2020 as the Astros sought to stabilize the franchise after being decimated by a sign-stealing scandal. The move worked as Baker became the oldest manager to win a championship in history as the Astros rolled to victory last fall. Correspondent Bryant Gumbel goes one-on-one with one of the game's most admired figures. Producer: Chapman Downes.

Chris Snow: Nearly four years after being given one year to live, Chris Snow is still the assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames, despite being diagnosed with the same form of familial ALS that killed his father, two uncles, and a cousin. Correspondent Jon Frankel reports. Producer: Stephen Lorenzo.

Strongman Brothers: Tom and Luke Stoltman are the World's Strongest Brothers. Tom, the reigning World's Strongest Man, and Luke, Europe's Strongest Man, stand at 6'8 and 6'4 respectively, and weigh nearly 400 pounds each. What makes these Scotsmen remarkable, besides their extraordinary size and strength, is how the sport of weightlifting both fortified their bond and harnessed Tom's struggles with autism to make him the best in the world. Correspondent Mary Carillo reports. Producer: Nisreen Habbal.

Sitting down with Drew Rosenhaus, sports agent; exploring a girls' soccer program in India; revisiting Valentino Dixon, imprisoned for 27 years for a crime he did not commit, soaring to new heights in the art world with his golf-inspired drawings.

Grass vs. Turf: Following a rash of injuries in recent years, NFL players have repeatedly spoken out about the playing surface used in about half the league's games in place of grass – artificial turf. But amidst all the acrimony and angst at the NFL level, little is being said about the health of high school football players, who play on artificial turf fields across the country. "Real Sports" examines high school football injuries, and whether they are caused by the ground beneath. Correspondent Andrea Kremer reports. Producer: Jake Rosenwasser. 

Zion Clark: Zion Clark has overcome odds most of his opponents couldn't imagine.  Abandonedat birth after being born without legs due to a rare disorder, Clark moved from foster home to foster home where he says he suffered abuse and neglect which sent him spiraling. He found wrestling in high school, and has spent the last five years training to be a professional MMA fighter, notching a victory in his first fight last year. Correspondent David Scott reports. Producer: Katie Melone.

Stuntpeople: Stunt performers in blockbuster action movies do everything from fly through the air with acrobatic grace to flipping cars at high rates of speed. It's not surprising many were elite athletes in their previous lives, including college gymnasts, black belts in martial arts, or race car drivers. It can be a grueling life full of long hours, danger and broken bones, but for those who hung up their pro athlete dreams for stunt work, most say they have no regrets as they now get to spend their days in show business, turning sport into art. Correspondent Jon Frankel reports. Producer: Jordan Kronick.

Matt Araiza: Matt Araiza was a rising star in the NFL, a rookie on the Buffalo Bills, and the rare punter whose highlights went viral. But just as the season was about to start, he was named in a graphic lawsuit accusing him of orchestrating a gang rape at a college party. Araiza was immediately cut from the Bills and swiftly tried and convicted in the court of public opinion. In December, the San Diego District Attorney declined to file any charges in the case and now, as Araiza is still without a job, evidence has emerged that questions what happened. Correspondent Andrea Kremer reports. Producer: Nick Dolin.
 

Artistic Swimming: Artistic swimming (formerly known as synchronized swimming) has been reinvented for the extreme sports era with fast choreography, modern music, and high-flying acrobatics, but that push for relevance and respect may be coming at a terrible cost to the sport's athletes. "Real Sports" sits down with a number of former members of the US National Team who say the sport destroyed their mental health. Correspondent Soledad O'Brien reports. Producer: Maggie Burbank.
 

The Hoyts (Update): Until his death last month, Boston Marathon icon Rick Hoyt, born without the ability to move or speak, competed in over a thousand road races, pushed by his father, Dick. Now that both men have passed away, "Real Sports" revisits the father-son duo's remarkable story and looks at the incredible legacy they've left behind. Correspondent Mary Carillo reports. Producers: Joe Perskie and Daniel Litke.

Brad Daugherty: Retired NBA legend Brad Daugherty never won an NBA title, so he took a route to a championship through a very different sport: NASCAR. In February, Daugherty, now the owner of a racing team, won the most important race in American motorsports – the Daytona 500 – and in doing so made NASCAR history, becoming the first Black owner to capture the circuit's top prize. Correspondent Jonathan Jones reports. Producer: Evan Burgos.

Iranian Athletes: Iranian athletes have been among the most high-profile protesters calling for regime change in their home country, consequently putting targets on their backs as the government views them as a threat to stability. As several athletes and families have told "Real Sports," the regime's crackdown has been brutal: imprisoning many, torturing others, and even executing those they deem the biggest threats. Correspondent David Scott reports. Producer: Nisreen Habbal.

Special Olympics - Triathlon Edition: There's a group of Special Olympics athletes in Florida who are using their triathlon training to change their lives. Led by Chris Nikic, the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman, this group of young adults is breaking down physical barriers and social stigmas to achieve athletic feats that many thought impossible. Correspondent Mary Carillo reports. Producer: Beret Remak.

Victor Vescovo (Update): In the wake of the OceanGate Titan submersible tragedy, "Real Sports" checks in with Victor Vescovo, an explorer who had built his own deep-sea submersible in 2018. Vescovo, who lost two friends in the accident, believes the tragedy was avoidable and that early warning signs about safety were ignored. Correspondent Bryant Gumbel reports. Producers: Nisreen Habbal, Daniel Litke.