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On Wednesday, we had the opportunity to sit down with ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, who was in town to emcee the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards.
With ESPN since 2008, Storm is an anchor for the network’s flagship show, SportsCenter, and has hosted other events across the sports-media giant’s various platforms.
You can watch the full interview again below:
Storm discussed her excitement for the current state of Cleveland sports, her advice for women working in sports and a famous past run-in with former Cleveland Indian Albert Belle.
Storm noted that LeBron James' departure for Los Angeles may have changed the city of Cleveland, but it certainly didn't tear the 216 from relevance in the sports world.
"Things are cyclical like that and you have the Browns now rising up, and wouldn't that be great if they made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2002?" she said.
"And you have one of the best fan bases in the entire country," she added.
Storm praised Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and said she's excited for the team's bright future.
"I love the attitude, I love the swag that he brings to the town," Storm said. "I love everything. I love the whole narrative around the Browns right now."
The road to recognition as one of ESPN's most famous faces wasn't always easy for Storm, who said she's endured her fair share of discrimination and harassment. From athletes taunting her while they were naked in the locker room to trolls on social media, Storm says she can't be bothered by them.
"I think you just have to understand that that's the way they are and there's nothing you can do," she explained. "...So what you have to do is do your best and do your job and not let that get into your soul and into your heart."
Earlier this season, Storm joined forces with Andrea Kremer to become the first female duo to broadcast an NFL game. Storm and Kremer broadcasted an NFL Thursday Night Football game for Amazon Prime Video services.
Often considered a trailblazer for women in sports, Storm shared her advice for other women in the industry and said that younger people need to outgrow fear of being judged, especially on social media.
"I think you have to take risks," Storm said, adding that she had never done a play-by-play broadcast before. She said Amazon approached her and said that if she and Kremer wouldn't do the broadcast, they wouldn't go through with it at all.
"I was like, well, we have to then, right?" Storm recalled. "If not us, then who? But I had never done it so it was like jumping off a cliff a little bit."
In addition to her work at ESPN, Storm has worked for CNN (1989-1992) and NBC Sports (2002-2007). During her time with CNN, she became the first female host of CNN Sports Tonight.
Also, Storm, the first woman in American television history to solo host a broadcast network’s sports series coverage during NBC’s Major League Baseball coverage, worked at CBS News as a host of “The Early Show,” where she covered the 2004 presidential election, the Iraqi War and Hurricane Katrina.
Storm also recalled the 1995 World Series, where she had a famous confrontation with Albert Belle. Storm was preparing for a live shot in the Indians' dugout with Kenny Lofton when Belle launched a tirade at her because she wouldn't leave.
MLB ended up finding Belle $50,000 for the tantrum.
Storm said she wasn't going to let Belle ruin her live shot, and she also wasn't going to let Belle scare a bat boy who was also in the dugout at the time.
"My concern at the time, along with a bit of disbelief as to what was actually going on, was that this kid was scared. I felt badly for him because he was young and this guy was one of his heroes," she said.
But Storm also fondly remembers Belle's apology for the incident
"He took the time to write me a letter," she said. "That night, he must have gone home and the next day he handed me this incredibly thoughtful apology and letter. That meant so much to me."