The Lead

At almost every stage of his life people have doubted Hubert Davis. In high school, he couldn't live up to the legend of his uncle, who was a star at North Carolina. Dean Smith questioned whether he could make it with the Tar Heels. Don Nelson didn't think he was good enough for the NBA. And viewers thought he was another washed up pro trying for a second act when he joined ESPN as a broadcaster....

Earlier this week, the Atlanta Braves defeated the Houston Astros to win their first World Series title since 1995. And one person who was clearly taking in the moment was their 66-year-old manager, Brian Snitker, who has been with the organization since the 1970’s. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s David O’Brien to look at how loyalty — of Snitker to his team, and to his players — played...

The Green Bay Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers got caught up in a media firestorm on Wednesday. After it was announced that Rodgers would miss Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs due to Covid protocols, media outlets deduced that Rodgers must not, in fact, be vaccinated -- despite his earlier assertion that he is "immunized." The Athletic's Matt Schneidman, who covers the Packers, jo...

After four straight losing seasons, the Chicago Bulls have gotten off to a 6-1 start — heading into Tuesday night, the best record in the NBA. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry to look at how the Bulls are finding a new formula for success this season, thanks to the addition of veteran DeMar DeRozan, who — along with Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic — has the Bulls suddenly look...

An investigation into the Chicago Blackhawks, triggered by a lawsuit and allegations of sexual assault against a former video coach, have now turned the narrative around the team’s 2010 Stanley Cup victory on its head. The Athletic's Mark Lazerus, who has reported on former coach Brad Aldrich and his disturbing patterns of behavior, joins us to discuss the investigation, the player who has bravely...

Questions are swirling around Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs as they head into a Monday night showdown with the New York Giants. The team many thought would contend for their second Super Bowl win in three years is struggling to get back to winning ways, and it's left a lot of people pointing their fingers at the team's star quarterback. Today, The Athletic's Nate Taylor tells us what...

The Lakers made a huge gamble this offseason when they traded for Russell Westbrook, sacrificing a lot in the process. But after a winless preseason and a bad start to the regular season, the questions are now piling up. The Athletic's Bill Oram joins us to explain why the Lakers went all in on Westbrook, the role that LeBron James and Anthony Davis played in courting the former MVP, and why Laker...

When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was appointed Manchester United manager in December 2018 there were plenty of doubts about the former-striker's ability to lead one of the biggest clubs in world soccer. Three years later, after a drubbing at the hands of United's fiercest rival, many people in and around the club are wondering if Solskjaer's days in charge are numbered. Today, The Athletic's Laurie Whitw...

One of the biggest stories of the NHL season so far involves a guy who hasn't even set foot on the ice -- Buffalo Sabres superstar Jack Eichel. After injuring his neck last season, Eichel and his team have now come to an apparent impasse over what kind of surgery he should have to repair a badly herniated disc. And now, that disagreement has caused the generational talent to be stripped of his cap...

The 2021 World Series gets underway tonight, and the Houston Astros are making an appearance for the third time in the last five seasons. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Braves are back in the World Series for the first time since 1999. Today, The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli tells us how these two powerhouses offenses match up, what’s at stake for both teams, and some under-the-radar players who could have a...

Coming into this season, the Seattle Seahawks were expected to contend for the NFC West title. However, heading into a Monday night matchup against the Saints, they’re 2-4, with franchise QB Russell Wilson on the sidelines for the first time in his career. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar to consider whether journeyman Geno Smith can keep the team afloat, and what might ha...

The Houston Astros hold a 3-2 lead on the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, putting them one game away from another World Series appearance. For their manager, the legendary Dusty Baker, another shot at the Fall Classic could give him a chance to rewrite a postseason legacy filled with near misses and tough beats. Today, The Athletic's Jake Kaplan joins us to talk about Baker's tough playoff past and wh...

Two years ago, LSU football coach Ed Orgeron won a national championship and was on top of the college football world. But now, the native Louisianan is on his way out, with the school announcing on Sunday that he will not be back to coach the Tigers again next season (despite having several years left on his contract). Today, The Athletic's Brody Miller joins us to break down the complicated reas...

The Atlanta Braves had the fewest regular season wins of any team in the MLB playoffs. But now, they’re up two games to one on the reigning World Series champions, the L.A. Dodgers — and they’ve shown a knack for winning games in dramatic fashion along the way. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s David O’Brien to look at why these Braves seem to rise to the occasion, whether they can bounce...

A couple weeks ago, the Brooklyn Nets were downplaying concerns about Kyrie Irving's vaccination status and eligibility to play this season. Then, after he was unable to play with the team during much of preseason, those questions became more persistent. And on Wednesday, Irving published a video on Instagram Live where he essentially doubled down on his commitment to not get vaccinated -- and tri...

The Baltimore Ravens made a statement on Sunday with their demolition of the Los Angeles Chargers. And while Lamar Jackson didn't put up spectacular numbers in that game, he's evolution as a passer is fueling this Ravens run to the top of the AFC. Today, The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec on what Jackson and the Ravens did in the off-season to take the star quarterback's game to the next level and what,...

On Monday, Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden resigned after an explosive investigation by the New York Times revealed emails they described as misogynistic and homophobic. Four days later, Raiders owner Mark Davis, who famously courted Gruden for years and made him one of the wealthiest coaches in the game, still has not addressed the situation. Tashan Reed, who covers the Raiders for The At...

The 2021 college football season has been full of twists and turns. Alabama lost to an unranked opponent for the first time in over a decade. Clemson is adrift. And Ohio State looks like it has a real fight on its hands to scrap out of a wildly competitive Big Ten East. Today, we talk with The Athletic's Stewart Mandel who tries to make sense of all the chaos and let's us know how this season coul...

On Sunday in Phoenix, in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, the amazing postseason run continued for the Chicago Sky. As Game 2 approaches on Wednesday, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings to look at how Chicago turned things around after a brutal start to the season, and the no-panic mentality that was instilled by veteran superstar Candace Parker. Read Chantel Jennings’s full story about the...

Will the NHL's biggest superstar, Connor McDavid, finally have the supporting cast he needs to bring the Stanley Cup back to Edmonton? Can the league's new expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, duplicate what the Vegas Golden Knights did in their inaugural season a few years ago? Will the Tampa Bay Lightning become the first team in nearly four decades to win three championships in a row? With the 2...

Yet another English Premier League club has now been purchased by a group of Middle Eastern investors with deep ties to their country's government. In this case, the team is Newcastle United -- a club with a rich history, but plenty of recent frustration -- and a group of investors backed by the Saudi Arabian royal family. The deal was officially confirmed on Thursday. Today, James Montague, a con...

We’re just four weeks into the 2021 NFL season, but the Jacksonville Jaguars — and the Urban Meyer regime — seem to be spiraling out of control. Today, The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones on the controversy surrounding Meyer and a viral video this week, and a long history of red flags dating back to his time as a college coach at Florida and Ohio State. With the Jaguars now 0-4, how will this saga e...

NFL players (and especially NFL linemen) have to be huge to make it in the league. But what does that mean for their lives and their bodies after they retire? The Athletic’s Jason Jones recently interviewed a number of retired players about the challenges they face after football -- including the difficulty of changing their diets and shedding pounds -- and a new program that is trying to help. Re...

The NBA's current longest running soap opera is Ben Simmons' quest to get out of Philadelphia. And while the star forward has four years left on his deal with the Sixers, he's refused to come to training camp or relent on the trade demand he made after the team's epic flameout in last year's playoffs. Today, The Athletic's Sam Amick takes us inside the Ben Simmons saga, tells us what drove Simmons...

The MLB Playoffs begin tonight, and there are some mouth-watering matchups: Yankees vs. Red Sox, Dodgers vs. Cardinals, Astros vs. White Sox, Brewers vs. Braves. And there are a whole lot of questions: Who will emerge from the do-or-die wildcard matchups? Who will end up as World Series champions? And what burning questions do each of these teams face? The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli joins us to b...