THE LINEUP: 9 ESPN pets and their owners that will make you go, “Awwwwww!”

Editor’s note: One of the only things ESPN employees love more than sports is their pets. Here, in the first of a special two-part Lineup, are some of those pets. Come back to Front Row next week for the second part.

1. Jay Crawford, SportsCenter anchor

Pets: Laila (age 3, Golden Retriever), Maddie (age 3 months, Golden Retriever)

Furry Fact: Maddie and Laila are sisters from the same mom and dad in Ohio. According to Crawford, “Maddie is feisty, Laila is gentle and understanding, even though she can’t seem to shake her new shadow!”

2. Jamie Little, Auto Racing & Action Sports reporter

Pets: Ike (l) (Age 4, Boston Terrier), Stella (r) (age 5, Boston Terrier/Pug mix)

Furry Fact: Both Ike and Stella are rescues. Little says, “She was found on the road with a broken pelvis then thrown in a high kill shelter. She was saved by a group that got her medical attention and put her picture online. That’s how we found her!”

3. Chris McKendry, SportsCenter anchor

Pet: Tad (age 2, Labrador Retriever)

Furry Fact: Tad was adopted by the McKendry family after “flunking out” of a guiding eye dog school. McKendry says, “He is very instinctual and smart. I love him because he does not EAT my kids’ homework. He DOES the homework.”

4. Chris Evert, Tennis analyst

Pet: Millie (l) (age 5, Beagle) and Harley (r) (age 3, Labrador Retriever)

Furry Fact: As you can see, Millie is obsessed with tennis balls. . . she’ll even fall asleep with one in her mouth! Also, despite the size difference, Millie is the boss. “Harley is petrified of her,” Evert says.

5. Nicole Briscoe, Motorsports host/reporter

Pet: (l-r) Simba (age 3), Charlie (age 2, Golden Retriever), Sam (age 6, Cocker Spaniel)

Furry Fact: Briscoe says, “Simba was a rescue that I just couldn’t ignore – impulse buy! He thinks he’s a dog thanks to Charlie, who is quite possibly the most loving dog EVER. Sam’s our ‘first baby’ – emphasis on baby. He might love us a bit too much.”

6. Kevin Negandhi, SportsCenter anchor

Pet: Sita (age 9, Labrador Retriever)

Furry Fact: Winter is Sita’s favorite time of the year. “The first snowfall every winter, she’s a puppy all over again. She’s approaching 10 and it has been the 10 best years of my life,” Negandhi says.

7. Cliff Drysdale, Tennis commentator

Pet: Maximus (l) (age 5, Dachshund) and Romeo (r) (age 6, Dachshund)

Furry Fact: Maximus loves to run around the tennis court retrieving balls while Romeo is a great athlete and jumper who enjoys agility courses. Both were rescued as puppies.

8. Pam Shriver, Tennis commentator

Pet: Stich (age 9, German Shepherd/Dachshund mix)

Furry Fact: Pam Shriver and her family found Stich in 2012 when they visited the Pasadena Humane Society in search of their first family dog. He loves his home and watching over the family.

9. Mike Greenberg, Co-host Mike & Mike

Pet: Phoebe (age 3, Australian Labradoodle)

Furry Fact: “Phoebe is an Australian Labradoodle, which suggests she would bark with an accent, except she never barks,” Greenberg says.

Kristen Hudak, Andy Hall, Dave Nagle, Dan Quinn and Amanda DeCastro contributed to this post