OUTSIDE THE LINES

From the Columbia Journalism School: "With solid writing, reporting and research, this series of three reports uncovered serious problems with youth football in America, where three million children play annually, including a player paralyzed after being coached to use a dangerous tackling technique, coaches offering cash prizes for big hits and rampant gambling.

"This important investigation added to the growing body of coverage about concussions and football with stories that graphically illustrated the problems and featured exclusive interviews with those involved in the controversies. ESPN's reporting had an impact by identifying abuses and policy gaps as well as prompting an 18-month police investigation into corruption and gambling."