Julie Foudy (R) with 15-year-old Brazilian soccer player, Barbara. (Photo credit: DGA Productions)

ESPN’s Julie Foudy, alongside former U.S. soccer teammate Brandi Chastain, recently traveled to Sao Paolo, Brazil as part of the Sports United program overseen by the U.S. State Department.

“Our mission was not to help train the next Marta Vieira da Silva [five-time FIFA World Player of the Year],” Foudy said. “But to encourage Brazil to support programs that would help produce the next million Martas.”

All eyes are already on Brazil as the country prepares to host the FIFA Confederations Cup 2013, 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics. Front Row spoke with the busy Foudy — who also recently interviewed American soccer star Jozy Altidore — about her South America trip.

How are female athletes perceived in Brazil?
Many Brazilian women told us their culture encourages girls to play only specific sports, largely volleyball and dance. We heard many stories about how soccer for girls in Brazil is very hard to find. It is seen as a male sport and as a result, many parents and coaches do not encourage girls to play. Just to give you some perspective, 13 million girls play soccer in the US and only 400,000 girls are playing in Brazil. This small number seems impossible in a country synonymous with soccer. The path to playing for girls is just not there… yet.

What was the biggest takeaway from your trip?
The universal need we all share — first, having the courage to dream and then having the chance to pursue that dream. Barbara, a 15-year-old we followed from a small town outside Sao Paolo, told me she just wants to be able to dream about one day playing soccer for Brazil. She wants to play the sport she loves and have her country embrace that dream.

What’s ESPN’s presence like in Brazil?
They have three channels of ESPN in Brazil so they are very familiar with ESPN. I saw a lot of Cleveland Indians games while I was there!

What’s next for you at ESPN?
Up next for me is completing an ESPN Films project on our 1999 World Cup-winning [U.S. Women's National] team. “The 99′ers” documentary airs in August as part of the Nine for IX series. We are weaving in lots of footage I shot during the ’99 World Cup along with recent interviews with that ’99 Team and the current US Women’s National Team. It is full of bad dancing, bad mullets and bad singing, so consider yourself warned.

For more info, visit: http://bit.ly/WC2014Home

ESPNBoston.com and ESPNChicago.com

The Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks are not the only ones working overtime in the 2013 Stanley Cup Final. The staffs at both ESPNBoston.com and ESPNChicago.com are busy working extra shifts delivering quality coverage for fans in both hockey-mad cities.

Through blogging, columns, post-game videos and more, reporters Scott Powers (Blackhawks) and Joe McDonald (Bruins) will be at home and on the road serving fans the latest from all the action on the ice, which through two games has produced two sudden death finishes. Additionally, colleagues from ESPNChicago.com — Jesse Rogers, Jon Greenberg and Melissa Isaacson — and ESPNBoston.com – Jackie MacMullan and James Murphy — provide additional coverage and analysis.

With Game 3 of the 1-1 series tonight in Boston, Front Row spoke to both Powers and McDonald about The Cup and what fans can expect from their coverage on the ESPN Local sites. (Also, SportsCenter has Steve Levy and Barry Melrose on-site for every game. Levy discussed coverage and more in this Front & Center podcast from last week.)

Talk about the diversity of content you and your team produce.
Powers: What I’m looking to do is tell the story of the team I’m covering in whatever way possible. In this case, it’s the story of the Chicago Blackhawks playing for the Stanley Cup. I may do that with something as simple as tweeting a picture of the freshly-painted Stanley Cup Final logo on the United Center ice or typing out a few sentences about lineup changes in practice.

On ESPNChicago.com, our goal is try to keep our Blackhawks blog updated constantly with news stories, features, columns and analysis pieces before, during and after games. There are plenty of stories to be told at this time of year. We also use videos from inside the locker rooms and stand-ups featuring our reporters discussing the team. I think Chicago fans want to devour a bit of everything when it comes to their teams, and it’s certainly a fun challenge as a reporter trying to provide that.

How do you capture the passion of Boston fans in your reporting?
McDonald: Boston fans are passionate and educated about their sports and teams. Growing up in Rhode Island, I was a huge fan of the Bruins and Red Sox, so when I began my journalism career at the Providence Journal I wanted my passion for sports to be reflected in my reporting and writing. Bruins and Red Sox fans keep you on your toes and they’re not afraid to share their opinions with you.

I’ve been extremely fortunate in my career to cover some special events, including two World Series titles for the Red Sox, and now I’m in the midst of my second Stanley Cup with the Bruins. Since both teams have enjoyed success for the majority of my career, the fans’ passion and dedication for their teams in Boston has made it fun for me to hopefully deliver quality reporting.

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Aaron Boone
(Allen Kee/ESPN Images)

Baseball Tonight and Monday Night Baseball analyst Aaron Boone is part of a very special legacy. Between his grandfather Ray, his father Bob, his brother Bret, and Aaron’s own career, the Boone tribe is one of only four three-generation Major League Baseball families and the only one to send a player from each generation to the All-Star Game.

Aaron joined ESPN as an analyst in 2010 but according to Bob, now assistant general manager of the Washington Nationals, that career was in the works from a very young age.

“We always figured he’d be an analyst one day,” Bob Boone said. “He could mimic anything. He did that from the time he was maybe four years old and coming around ballparks. He would analyze the game while he was sitting there. When Bret’s team won the Connie Mack World Series, Aaron [then 14 years old] did the play-by-play for the entire game and taped it. It was there his whole life. He just used his major league career as practice for what he is doing now.”

For Father’s Day, Front Row asked Aaron to discuss how his childhood shaped his work as an analyst and what his family’s accomplishments mean to him. Aaron will appear on Monday Night Baseball tomorrow when the Chicago Cubs visit the St. Louis Cardinals at 7 ET on ESPN.

You were analyzing games as a child, according to your father. When did that start?
Growing up with my dad playing Major League Baseball, me and my brothers were going to the ballpark every day. It was just an awesome childhood. From a very young age, I was watching every game — from the stands or on television and really paying attention. I think it all comes down to a certain love of the game. I always wanted to play ball, but I guess in a distant way, I always pictured myself doing something like this.

Has your father ever given you feedback or advice about your work on ESPN?
Every now and then, he will call and say “What the heck did you just say?” I remember — it might have been August or early September last season. At that point, I was saying that [Angels outfielder] Mike Trout would be the MVP. My dad called me after the game and said ‘You’re nuts!’ But by season’s end, I was [picking Detroit Tigers third baseman] Miguel Cabrera given the totality of his season.

What does your family’s legacy in baseball mean to you?
I just look at my grandpa, my dad and my brothers individually and I’m proud of them. We’re fortunate and blessed that we’ve all had good relationships. I always felt the greatest thing about us all playing was that we could relate to each other. I could talk to my brother about my work and he knew what I was going through — same with my dad, same with my grandfather. Baseball was always something that bonded us.

What was it like to interview your father on air during spring training [March 28 during a Mets-Nationals game on ESPN in the booth with Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe]?
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I don’t know if I was a little bit apprehensive but I wanted it to go well. Once he came on, it was comfortable. I think I had fun with it and Rick and Dave had fun with it, too.

Be careful what you Tweet for.

“Sara had Tweeted that one of her dreams was to throw out a ceremonial first pitch prior to a Rays game, so I responded and invited her to do just that,” said Jonathan Gantt, Senior Coordinator, Communications for the Tampa Bay Rays.

SportsCenter anchor Sara Walsh shared that dream in accepting a challenge from some of her Twitter fans, leading to her appearance on the Tropicana Field mound Wednesday night.

“We do lots of bad ‘First Pitches’ for the Not Top Ten, and it started on air when I was running my mouth saying I could get the ball there,” Walsh explained. “Folks on Twitter started saying I needed to throw out a first pitch, and were offering up suggestions of where I should do it, so I responded that I was waiting for my hometown Rays to do it.”

The Tampa area native got her wish.

“It was a really cool moment — incredible to be back in my hometown with a lot of friends and family there,” she said. “I probably would have been a lot less nervous except I knew the pitch would make it on SportsCenter, most notably if it was really bad.

“I swear the strikes were coming much easier in warm ups with [Rays pitcher] David Price, who I covered in Nashville when he was playing for Vanderbilt and I was at the local ABC affiliate there, so I’m bummed my pitch was high and outside. I’ve got no excuse for that, but I stand by my statement that if you’re an athlete, you can’t bounce it! And Price said if I had a pitch count of 100, I would have been right down the middle. Unfortunately, my pitch count was one.”

ICYMI: Highlights from the past week on Front Row

• In preparation for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, ESPN has done some redecorating at the Bristol campus, most notably adding a new wall detailing the soccer event’s rich history.

• ESPN Content Associate Gavin Cote spends countless hours creating Miami Heat highlight packages for SportsCenter. He shared how he stays on top of the Heat action, despite his personal allegiance to the Boston Celtics.

• A “Lineup” of 11 things you don’t see at home from ABC’s NBA Finals coverage including production trucks, cameras and more.

• Cari Champion and the First Take crew have taken their show on the road for NBA Finals. Champion shared details of the experience so far.

Row of Four
Our favorites from across ESPN over the past week

• Bruce Irons talks about big waves, big wins, the loss of his brother and his Bali return

• Friday Funnies: Funny moments in sports captured from the past week

• espnW’s Brant James: Danica Patrick’s father, T.J., first instilled in her the notion she was a driver — not a girl driver

• Enjoy an array of photos from ESPN Images

Dan Quinn contributed to this post

ESPN weaves a common thread throughout its coverage of global soccer competitions: authenticity. From its presentation of matches on the field to capturing the atmosphere and culture in each event’s host country, authenticity is the driving principle that continues to elevate ESPN’s coverage. This attention to detail is evident in the design of ESPN’s studios and graphics for major events.

Last summer, ESPN created a unique studio environment for the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship that highlighted host countries Poland and Ukraine. The company is employing a similar strategy for the two-week FIFA Confederations Cup, which begins in Brazil on Saturday (opening match: Brazil vs. Japan, 2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).

The brainchild of Executive Producer Jed Drake, the look of ESPN’s studio captures the essence of one of Brazil’s most picturesque destinations: Rio de Janeiro. During ESPN’s studio coverage of the event, fans will see images of the city skyline, complete with tropical colors, scenic beaches, and more. They might even hear the sound of waves crashing.

Creative Director Noubar Stone, featured in the video above, discusses how ESPN’s Creative Services and Studio Operations teams accomplished this feat, while Amy Rosenfeld, senior coordinating producer, and others discuss the soccer production team’s approach to this event.

The Confederations Cup studio is utilizing a 1.9mm LED screen, the highest-resolution screen ever used by the company. There is also an anchor desk, a touch-screen and an informal interview area.

The studio will be the home base for host Bob Ley and a rotating group of analysts — Alexi Lalas, Steve McManaman, Everton FC Manager Roberto Martinez, Jose Antonio (Tato) Noriega and Rubens Pozzi — through June 30, when the winner of the tournament is crowned.

Editor’s Note: Here is more information on ESPN’s coverage plans for FIFA Confederations Cup 2013, the warm-up tournament for next summer’s 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Video produced by Dave Williams and Tonya Malinowski

(Kristen Hudak/ESPN)

2. THE KIA NBA COUNTDOWN CREW

(Kristen Hudak/ESPN)

3. INISDE ESPN’S PRODUCTION TRUCK

(Ben Cafardo/ESPN)

4. I-MOVIX CAMERA

I-MOVIX cameras are pressed right up against the backboard glass so viewers are eye-to-eye with the action.

(Ben Cafardo/ESPN)

5. JEFF VAN GUNDY AND MIKE BREEN’S MICS

(Ben Cafardo/ESPN)

6.VAN GUNDY AND BREEN’S PRE-GAME PREP

(Kristen Hudak/ESPN)

7. ESPN RADIO

(L-R) Reporter Marc Stein; technician Al Rosenberg; ESPN Radio EP John Martin; broadcasters Mike Tirico and Hubie Brown.

(Kristen Hudak/ESPN)

8. ESPN PRESS CONFERENCE CAMERAS

(Ben Cafardo/ESPN)

9. NBA FINALS RESEARCH PREPARATIONS

(L-R) Producer Kim Belton and researcher Alvin Anol.

(Ben Cafardo/ESPN)

10. CAMERA 1 FOR SPORTSCENTER

(Ben Cafardo/ESPN)

11. MID-COURT SUPER SLO-MO CAM

(Ben Cafardo/ESPN)

Kristen Hudak contributed to this post

True Hoop’s Henry Abbott with analyst Jeff Van Gundy at the NBA Finals. (Kristen Hudak/ESPN)

Editor’s note: I Follow is all about ESPN employees on Twitter: what they tweet, whom they follow and how you can interact socially with anyone and everyone.

Twitter handle: @TrueHoop
Followers: 78,660
Following: 1,812
(*as of 06/14/13)

Henry Abbott’s Twitter handle is @TrueHoop, so you know he’s serious about NBA basketball.

Abbott is an ESPN.com NBA senior writer and the TrueHoop name represents Henry’s TrueHoop Network of blogs, including TrueHoop TV, within ESPN.com’s NBA section.

Henry Abbott

Front Row had the opportunity to catch up with Henry this week during his rare downtime at the NBA Finals to discuss a number of topics, including an exchange with Oklahoma City Thunder All-Star Kevin Durant, how he incorporates Twitter into his job, and his favorite cat video he’s seen tweeted.

How do you decide who to follow on Twitter?
My Twitter approach is different from almost everybody else’s. I do not read ‘em all. Not even close. Instead, I dip in whenever I want, and expect that the 1,812 people I follow will quickly get me up to speed. So I follow all the NBA players, a gazillion bloggers and journalists, and, for good measure, a number of professional cyclists, ’cause they’re hilarious on Twitter.

Who are some of your favorite people to follow on Twitter?
If I were a Ph.D. student, I’d make my thesis about the mystery of Tony Allen’s [Memphis Grizzlies] Twitter feed. It’s excitingly different. Also, we’ve made whole episodes of TrueHoop TV about the Twitter feeds of the Suns’ Kendall Marshall and writer Shea Serrano, and it’s because they’re wonderful.

What is your most memorable exchange on Twitter?
His second year in the league, Kevin Durant was a bundle of promise, but the fact was that his team played better when he was on the bench. (He took a lot of shots, wasn’t terribly efficient back then, and almost all young players struggle on defense). I wrote about this, and he Tweeted something about how it wasn’t right to criticize someone who worked too hard to get better every day. Fair point. And, I’m able to report, those same kinds of stats love Durant’s game now.

In what ways has Twitter changed your job?
Just knowing that a tropical storm of funny links, cat videos and people itching for a fight about something I wrote is always only a click away. . . I can’t say it makes it easier to find three uninterrupted hours to write some thoughtful story. That said, who doesn’t love a good cat video? I like the one with the cat in a box on a skateboard. The plot is predictable, but the pacing and cinematography make it.

This October, the second volume of ESPN Films’ 30 for 30 series returns. One of the films in the upcoming slate will be Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau. Aikau was a big wave rider, famous for not only his incredible surfing skills, but also for his dedication to saving lives as a lifeguard at the dangerous Hawaiian beach, Waimea Bay. Aikau was lost at sea in 1978 when the crew of the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Hokule’a capsized and Aikau paddled out on a surfboard to try to find help.

Eddie Aikau
(Courtesy of The Maui Film Festival)

Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau, narrated by actor Josh Brolin, premiered recently to a sold-out crowd of thousands at the Maui Film Festival. Front Row spoke with the film’s director, Sam George, about the documentary and his experience at the festival.

How did you come across the story of Eddie Aikau?
I actually grew up surfing in Hawaii when I moved there in the summer of 1967. Naturally I heard of Eddie Aikau, who was, by the end of that year, one of Hawaii’s best-known big wave riders. And even after moving to the mainland, I followed his continuing exploits.

What gave you the idea this would make for a good 30 for 30 film?
Eddie’s story is remarkable in how it seamlessly integrates sport into a cultural context, in this case being the marginalization of the Hawaiian people and the role surfing has played in preserving a small measure of cultural pride. We felt our film would make a perfect 30 for 30 project, considering the series’ success in portraying compelling sports stories with a broader cultural scope.

What was that experience at the premiere like and how did the community respond to the film?
Imagine screening a film called Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau outdoors under the glittering Polynesian stars, on the slopes of an ancient volcano, on the island where Eddie Aikau was born. . . and having nearly 4,000 people show up! And show up not just to watch a movie, but to participate in what turned out to be a heartfelt collective tribute to the man, his family and his people. Put simply, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau director Sam George (Courtesy of The Maui Film Festival)