The ESPN reporter talks about her lifelong love of sports and playing with the boys
BY BONNIE SIEGLER
Photography by Blake Little
Growing up in a house full of females, a young Michelle Beadle played almost every sport imaginable: basketball, baseball, track, powder puff football and traditional football. “I played until my body proved I was not the competitor I fancied myself to be,” says the host of ESPN’s SportsNation. “I used to hang with the boys as a kid, and it was that world of one-upmanship that fueled my competition vein,” says Beadle. She recalls that there were times when it proved to be a bit crippling, and her fear of losing got in the way of having fun and trying new things. She recalls asking her parents to throw out all the green ribbons. Only the top spot blues survived.
“Luckily, as you grow older and wiser, you realize that failing is just part of the gig,” says Beadle.
On a personal level, Beadle has moved on from competitive sports and focuses instead on pilates, hot yoga, hiking and running to stay fit. Taking advantage of Los Angeles’ temperate year-round climate, Beadle spends a great deal of time outdoors. “That combination of sweat and sun is the best mood booster on the market,” she says.
What else gives her emotions a boost?
“Cheese. Lots of cheese and TV binge watching,” she laughs. “My fridge is a depressing place where dreams go to die. It’s basically filled with cheese and not too much else.”
“I’m relatively new to cooking, but I just tried the zucchini pasta dish and—shocker—I loved it.” Vegetable noodles are a nice substitute for regular pasta, which isn’t as kind to me now as it was in my twenties.”
Approaching her 40th birthday, Beadle says her focus is on keeping her core in shape—that is where pasta tends to find a home. “It’s where I gain weight, and it’s where I tend to fixate when I’m having a day of self-awareness.” On a good day, that self-awareness allows her to appreciate her arms as a favourite body part. “Well, really this random muscle in my shoulder that I’ve never noticed before—I’m digging it.”
Keeping up a certain level of activity is Beadle’s daily fitness goal or else she says: “I might find myself melting into my couch watching some TV all evening.” Her favourite sport to watch is NBA, specifically the San Antonio Spurs. “There are times when being a sports fan has made me become a bit jaded, but as a 25-plus year fan of the Spurs, I can comfortably say that I feel good cheering them on—and five championships have made it even sweeter.” VM
