Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming.

Founded by Bill Rasmussen, his son Scott Rasmussen and Aetna insurance agent Ed Eagan, it launched on September 7, 1979, under the direction of Chet Simmons, the network's President and CEO (and later the United States Football League's first commissioner). The Getty Oil Company provided funding to begin the new venture via executive Stuart Evey. John Skipper is ESPN's current president, a position he has held since January 1, 2012.

ESPN's signature telecast, SportsCenter, debuted with the network and aired its 30,000th episode on February 11, 2007. ESPN broadcasts primarily from its studios in Bristol, Connecticut. The network also operates offices in Miami; New York City; Seattle; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles office, from which the late-night edition of SportsCenter is now broadcast, opened at L.A. Live in early 2009.

Kevin Wayne Durant (born September 29, 1988) is an American professional basketball forward with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A 6'9" small forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the 2006–2007 Big 12 Player of the Year, amongst other awards. After a standout freshman season at the University of Texas, Durant opted to enter the NBA Draft, where he was selected second overall by the Seattle SuperSonics. There he went on to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award after his debut season. In 2007, Durant signed an endorsement contract with Nike. In the 2009–10 season Durant led the NBA in scoring and became the youngest player ever to win the NBA scoring title. He would later be named to the 2010 All NBA First Team.

James Edward Harden, Jr. (born August 26, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Arizona State Sun Devils, where he was named a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2009. Harden was selected third overall by the Thunder in the 2009 NBA Draft, and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year with the team in 2012. The shooting guard is well-known for his conspicuous beard.

Harden attended Artesia High School in Lakewood, California. In his sophomore year, he averaged 13.2 points as Artesia went 28–5. He improved his stats to 18.8 points, 7.7 boards and 3.5 assists in his junior season and led Artesia to the California state title and a 33–1 record. Artesia won the state title in Harden's final year too by going 33–2. Harden had similar stats as during the previous season: 18.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He was named a Parade and McDonald's All-American.

A sideline Reporter is someone, typically a professional journalist, who is a member of a broadcast crew for an event, who assists with additional coverage on the field, rink, pit, court or anywhere else. Often the sideline reporter makes special updates on injuries, breaking news and conducts interviews, since the play-by-play broadcaster and color commentator must remain in their main broadcast position.

Jim Lampley is largely considered, by most, to be the first sideline reporter.^[who?] In Lampley's telling, the job grew out of the wreckage of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where new wireless technology was put to such vital use in ABC's quicksilver coverage of the Israeli hostage crisis and the subsequent massacre. Says Lampley: "Months later, they asked, 'What else could we do? Would it work in a football stadium? Could we put someone on the sidelines?'" The first broadcast with a sideline reporter was the UCLA vs. Tennessee football game in 1974.

Most people^[who?] believe that sideline reporters are nothing more than a pretty face. After controversies with multiple sideline reporters such as Jenn Sterger, or Ines Sainz, that sterotype has been furthered. Sideline reporters are actually very hard working and knowledgable parts of a broadcast team. Lots of preparation and research is needed to be on the top of your game. Lampley's replacement in 1977 was Anne Simon. Many sideline reporters have moved on to have great success in the broadcast booth, studio jobs, commercials, acting roles.

Claire Smith (born 15 July 1957 in Sydney, Australia) is an archaeologist. She is an Associate Professor with the Department of Archaeology at Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, and President of the World Archaeological Congress.

She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with First-Class Honours in Archaeology and University Medal from the University of New England in 1990, and a PhD on "social and material context in an Australian Aboriginal artistic system" from the same university in 1996. After that she held an Australian Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship and a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Claire Smith specialises in Indigenous archaeology, especially rock art. She works with her anthropologist husband, Gary Jackson. They have conducted long-term fieldwork with Aboriginal people in the Barunga region, Northern Territory, and with the Ngadjuri in South Australia. Smith is politically active within Australia, especially in terms of Indigenous rights.

Claire Smith's books include Indigenous Archaeologies: decolonising theory and practice, co-edited by H. Martin Wobst, published by Routledge, 2005, The Archaeologist's Field Handbook, co-authored by Heather Burke, published by Allen and Unwin, 2004, Archaeology to Delight and Instruct: Active Learning in the University Classroom, published by Left Coast Press, 2007, and Digging it Up Down Under, co-authored by Heather Burke, published by Springer, 2007.