The Lead

The NWSL became the first professional U.S. sports league to resume play this week, kicking off the Challenge Cup, a month-long knockout tournament, in Utah. The Athletic’s Meg Linehan joins us to discuss what happened in the opening matches, a much-talked-about moment during the national anthem, and whether or not anyone can stop the North Carolina Courage. Follow Meg Linehan's coverage of the NW...

As coronavirus cases skyrocket in Florida, Tom Brady has been defying league health recommendations and working out with his Tampa Bay Buccaneer teammates at a local high school -- and posting about it on social media. The Athletic’s Greg Auman joins us to talk about Brady’s controversial training sessions and why they have become a lightning rod in a national debate over COVID-19. Read Greg Auman...

There was some historic news out of Mississippi yesterday, as governor Tate Reeves signed a bill removing the Confederate emblem from the state flag. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s David Ubben to discuss the role that college sports played in the change, from SEC head coaches Lane Kiffin and Mike Leach to Mississippi State's star running back Kylin Hill.  Read David Ubben’s column abou...

Cam Newton is officially a member of the New England Patriots. And the Pats reportedly got the former NFL MVP at a bargain basement price. The Athletic’s Mike Sando joins us to talk about how the deal came about, what the Pats could look like with Cam at the helm, and what this signing tells us about Superman. More from Mike Sando: https://theathletic.com/author/mike-sando/?source=theleadpodcast S...

After months of bitter negotiations between MLB players and owners, an agreement was finally reached and the league is expected to begin a 60-game season in July. Doug Glanville, retired Major Leaguer and co-host of The Athletic's Starkville podcast, joins us to discuss the new rules that will be implemented during the abbreviated season, which teams are poised for success, and why this will almos...

Today, we’re replaying one of our favorite episodes of The Lead, which originally aired back in February. It’s a virtual tour of the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City. The Athletic’s Nate Taylor was our eyes and ears, and he joined us to relay stories about Jackie Robinson, the rock star status of many Negro League players, and some of the women who made an impact on and off the field. Follow Na...

Warning: This episode contains details about alleged sexual abuse and might be emotionally upsetting for some listeners. Today, we are replaying a story that first aired on our show back in March. It’s about a hockey coach with a long history of child sexual assault accusations. Since this story was first reported by The Athletic’s Katie Strang, there have been several developments, including at l...

Earlier this month, Vince Carter announced his retirement from the NBA -- in the midst of the pandemic, and without getting to complete his final season. It was, as he put it, a weird way to end a career. The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner joined us back in March to discuss Vince Carter’s remarkable career, his final moments on an NBA court, and what he meant to the city of Toronto. (Original air date...

Liverpool has absolutely dominated the current Premier League season, and is on the brink of winning its first league title in three decades. The man responsible for much of that success is talismanic head coach Jurgen Klopp. The Athletic’s James Pearce joined us back in January to talk about Klopp’s unique combination of passion, tactics, and positivity (read: hugs), and how he has transformed bo...

Last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he "encourages" an NFL team to sign Colin Kaepernick. This came after Goodell had expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and said players have the right to peacefully protest. Now, many fans are wondering if an NFL team might actually sign Kaepernick, who that team would be, and how ready he would be to play. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodr...

Eight years ago this summer, Penn State took down the controversial statue of former coach Joe Paterno — a statue that took on huge symbolic meaning in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. Today, The Athletic’s Audrey Snyder joins us to discuss why Penn State has gone to such great lengths to keep the statue’s location a secret — and what she discovered during her...

Over the past few months, Gio Reyna has burst onto the scene with Borussia Dortmund. The son of U.S. Men's National Team legend Claudio Reyna and former University of North Carolina star Danielle Egan, Gio is very much American soccer royalty. The Athletic’s Sam Stejskal joins us to discuss the meteoric rise of the 17 year-old star-in-the-making, how he is following in the footsteps of fellow Amer...

Since the killing of George Floyd, NHL players have been speaking up about things that often aren’t talked about in hockey. The Athletic’s Ryan Clark, who covers the Colorado Avalanche, joins us to talk about how recent protests and the Black Lives Matter movement are shifting the conversation about race in the NHL, and involving everyone from Evander Kane to Tyler Seguin to Sidney Crosby. Follow...

Negotiations between MLB players and owners keep getting worse, and might now be past the point of no return. But last week, there was a heartwarming tale that emerged during the MLB draft. Today, as we await the fate of the 2020 season, we bring you the story of Ed Howard, one of the stars of the Little League team that won the U.S. title in 2014, only to have that title stripped away, and who ha...

Just over a week ago, the NBA announced its plan for restarting the season at the end of July. But now, a group of players is trying to prevent that from happening. The Athletic’s Shams Charania joins us to talk about a Friday night phone call involving a large group of NBA players, including several superstars, and why some of them don’t think they should be playing basketball right now. Rea...

Ten years ago this month, Armando Galarraga was one out away from a perfect game, when umpire Jim Joyce famously blew the call at first base. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen — who recently caught up with Galarraga, Joyce and former Tigers manager Jim Leyland — to hear their perspective on the missed call a decade later, and why Galarraga sometimes dreams about having th...

On Wednesday, NASCAR issued a statement saying that the Confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties. The organization said that the flag's presence runs contrary to its commitment to "providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for our fans, our competitors, and our industry." The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi joins us to discuss NASCAR’s complicated relationship with...

Since the killing of George Floyd, many college football coaches have been having trouble finding the right words when it comes to sensitive topics like race and racism, and addressing problems in their programs. The Athletic’s Tashan Reed joins us to talk about what head coaches, from Dabo Swinney to Nick Saban, are saying and what's at stake as they navigate uncomfortable waters. We also discuss...

Last week, the basketball world lost a legend when Wes Unseld — the Hall of Famer who played for the Baltimore and Washington Bullets — died at the age of 74. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Fred Katz — who spoke with a number of Unseld’s teammates, including Phil Chenier and Bobby Dandridge — to look back at Unseld’s remarkable NBA career, and the physical play and unselfishn...

On Friday, a day after an emotional video was released by a group of NFL superstars, Commissioner Roger Goodell made a dramatic statement on camera. He said that the league was wrong for not listening to NFL players' concerns about police brutality, and he encouraged players to speak out and peacefully protest. It was a dramatic about-face for the league, which had previously tried to ban players...

Four years ago, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national debate that is once again in full swing in the wake of George Floyd's killing. But before Kaep took a knee during the national anthem, WNBA players were staging protests and aligning themselves with the Black Lives Matter movement. Today, The Athletic’s Gina Mizell joins us to talk about how that movement took hold and grew within the league. And...

Thursday is a big day for basketball fans, with the NBA’s Board of Governors set to vote on a proposed plan for the league to return to play. In other words, barring something unexpected, the NBA is coming back. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Shams Charania to discuss the details of the plan (22 teams playing at Disney World in Orlando), the impact of Adam Silver’s leadership, and how this...

MLB players and owners are still at an impasse over how many games the 2020 season will have and how much players will be paid. Some fear that the two sides are so far apart in negotiations that the season is now in serious jeopardy. The Athletic’s Jayson Stark joins us to discuss what this standoff is about and what’s at stake not just for the season, but for the future of the sport. Read Jayson...

As massive protests over the killing of George Floyd continue to erupt across the country, athletes have once again been at the center of an important national conversation. The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar joins us to talk about the athletes, coaches, and sports figures who are (and are not) speaking up, including everyone from Colin Kaepernick to Michael Jordan. We also discuss why this feels...

While pro sports in the U.S. remain on hold, overseas soccer leagues are picking up steam. After getting approval from the British government on Saturday, the Premier League is now officially scheduled to resume play on June 17th. The Athletic’s Jack Pitt-Brooke joins us to discuss what these games will look like, which teams could benefit from a new rule change, and who will claw their way i...