Stories
From Living in His Parents’ Basement to Doing the Impossible
After graduating from college in the midst of The Great Recession, he couldn’t find a job. Living in his parents’ basement and feeling bad about life, he created a challenge for himself called The Impossible List.
How 37-Year-Old Frank Gore Outlasted The Doubters & Defined Longevity
“It helps my mindset,” Gore said. “Even though I try not to care or pay attention, I often hear that, ‘Oh, he can’t do this because he’s old.’ Well, I’m training and thinking about that, and it makes me go that much harder.”
Mike Yastrzemski is Not Here Because of His Name
If you are reading this and are a millennial who just started following baseball, or know very little about the Boston Red Sox history, you may not know the name…
Full Circle: Ryan Tannehill’s Long & Winding Road to Becoming the Franchise QB in Tennessee
“Control what you can control and make the best of whichever situation you’re in.” That’s what 31-year-old quarterback Ryan Tannehill told Rich Eisen was the biggest lesson he’s learned in…
From Stardom to Rock Bottom & Back to the Top: How Eric Berry Defied The Odds
What do you think of when you hear underdog story? In any realm of life, an underdog story can be for many reasons, but we most often think that these…
2-Star Recruits Who Made it to The NFL
The NFL is home to the best football players on the planet. We can all agree on that. But for some, it wasn’t always that way. In fact, there are…
Francis Ngannou: From Poverty & Homelessness to the Most Intimidating Fighter in the UFC
Seven years ago, Francis Ngannou was homeless and didn’t know what MMA was. Today, he’s one of the most intimidating fighters in the UFC.
How Danny Trejo Escaped the Death Penalty and Fought His Way to Hollywood
Growing up, Danny Trejo looked up to his uncle Gilbert. As his dad’s youngest brother, Gilbert was like an older brother to Danny. “He was only like 6 years older…
Tom Cruise Overcame Dyslexia on the Road to Stardom
Tom Cruise rarely speaks about his battle with dyslexia. Or his unstable home life. As a world-famous actor, one might assume he was always destined for greatness. But, as you’ll…
Blind Runners Defy the Odds at the Chicago Marathon
But before the elites sprint by, my favorite underdogs rule the street. The first people to start the race are physically handicapped and blind. They get a good head start so they can spread out and not be overwhelmed by the hordes of other runners. 45,000 people run this race each year.
The Biggest Upset in Boxing History: Buster Douglas vs. Mike Tyson
On February 11th, 1990, James “Buster” Douglas pulled off the most stunning upset in the history of boxing. Video Transcript Eric Thomas: It was just like a little boxing match….
From the Backyard to ESPN: Lessons Learned from Hosting the World’s Largest Spikeball Tournament
This article originally appeared on dancalamai.com. You could say I enjoy obscure sports. At the family bar-b-que, you’ll find me outside taking a friendly game of croquet way too seriously. In college,…
The Rise, Fall, and Resurgence of Former Blue-Chip Prospect Michael Porter Jr.
There are few high school prospects as critically acclaimed as Michael Porter Jr. was just three years ago. The 6-foot-10, 220 pound small forward exploded onto the high school scene…
Kendrick Nunn’s Rocky Road From Disgraced Star to Undrafted Rookie Sensation
Kendrick Nunn might have had one of the rockiest roads to the League in this class of rookies. And if you haven’t heard of him, we don’t blame you.
Fall of a Titan: The Warriors Are the New Underdogs of the NBA
Just as quickly as they rose to dominance in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors have found themselves at the bottom of the heap after a dismal start to the…