The Lead

The Houston Astros are under intense pressure to make things right after their assistant General Manager reportedly taunted a group of female reporters in the locker room. Brandon Taubman screamed "Thank God we got Osuna! I'm so "effing" glad we got Osuna!" He was referencing Roberto Osuna, a star pitcher who was suspended for 75 games for violating MLB's domestic abuse policy. The team then tried...

Anders sits down with LAFC Head Coach Bob Bradley, who was just named MLS Coach of the Year, to discuss his team's incredible regular season, what motivates him, and why he wants his players to express their personalities on the field. Bob also reflects on his remarkable career, including his time in Egypt and England. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice a...

The most anticipated match in MLS history is tomorrow. LAFC takes on cross-town rivals LA Galaxy in the second round of the playoffs. LAFC had a record-breaking regular season, led by Mexican superstar Carlos Vela. But they've never beaten the LA Galaxy or Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Athletic's Josh Gross walks us through the amazing story of LAFC, which has taken Los Angeles by storm, and tells us wh...

Paul George and Anthony Davis did something this off-season that rattled the NBA to its very core -- they forced their teams to trade them, despite the fact that they were still under contract. The Athletic's Sam Amick joins us to explain how NBA superstars have become so powerful that they can dictate their own trades and line up their future teammates, and what this means for the future of the l...

With the World Series about to begin, we check in with Dr. Meredith Wills, an astrophysicist, about one of this season's biggest storylines -- the record-setting number of home runs and the allegedly "juiced" baseballs. Wells has been studying MLB balls for years, and she explains her findings. Plus, we check in with The Athletic's Jayson Stark about how the balls used in the World Series mig...

In 1986 the NCAA delivered what is unofficially known as the “death penalty” to the Southern Methodist University football program. The team was found guilty of egregious recruiting violations and barred from playing any football during the 1987 season, along with other sanctions. Now, the Mustangs are 6-0 and back in the AP Top 25 for the first time in more than three decades. The Athletic’s Chri...

On Monday night, the Lions lost to the Packers after a series of dubious calls by the referees. Fans were outraged. Commentator Booger McFarland went berserk. Even Barry Sanders, the soft-spoken former Lions star, voiced his frustration on Twitter. NFL writer Lindsay Jones joins us to explain what happened in the game, how and why the quality of refereeing in the league appears to be declining, an...

Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs unexpectedly died in July. An autopsy revealed he had fentanyl and oxycodone in his system. New reporting suggests an Angels employee — who is cooperating with the DEA — supplied drugs for Skaggs and that two other high-ranking executives knew about Skaggs's drug use as early as 2017. In this episode, The Athletic’s Katie Strang looks back at Ska...

As the NBA stays locked in a political standoff with China, the league has also made a big move in another major overseas market: India. The league played its first-ever preseason game in India two weekends ago. The Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings tipped off in Mumbai before a crowd of 4,500 people -- oddly, most of them were children. The Athletic’s Sam Amick joins us to talk about how the ga...

Joseph Tsai, the owner of the Brooklyn Nets has become a central character in the NBA-China story. As co-founder and executive vice-chairman of Alibaba, he has close ties to the Chinese government, and recently released a statement in support of China’s policies in Hong Kong. The Athletic's Bill Shea joins us to talk about Tsai's history, his love of sports, and why he's putting NBA Commissioner A...

Big League Chew, the bubble gum made to look like chewing tobacco, turns 40 next year. The gum has a fascinating history that involves an independent baseball team in Portland, the actor Kurt Russell, and two baseball outsiders who used chewing gum to stay connected to the game they love -- and to book their ticket to Cooperstown. Check out Corey Brock’s story on the origin of Big League Chew: htt...

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey created an international incident with a tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters. The backlash was swift and severe, as China broke ties with the Rockets and ceased broadcasting their games. Estimates say the NBA's relationship with China is worth billions, so the league is trying to walk a fine line. We investigate the history, the fallout, and look at...

A nine-month investigation by The Athletic raises troubling questions about abnormally high ADHD rates among University of North Carolina athletes and their use of prescription medications, and asks why these high levels of ADHD were not disclosed in papers coming out of the UNC’s renowned brain injury research center. The investigation calls into question the validity of research papers on concus...

The New York Yankees are one of the most storied teams in all of professional sports. So how did a former player-turned-broadcaster with no managerial experience become the team’s skipper? Hear about Aaron Boone’s unlikely rise to the most iconic job in baseball, learn more about his famous ‘savages in the box’ incident, and find out how he has proven his critics wrong as the team sets its sights...

The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the best young teams in professional hockey. The team is also led by a very young general manager who has placed a premium on locking in youthful talent with big contracts. It’s part of a wider movement in the NHL where young players are commanding the type of salaries that were once reserved for veterans. But while today’s young hockey stars are good, it’s the...

A joint investigation from The Athletic and WVUE-TV in New Orleans reveals why a football stadium that was supposed to be built in New Orleans' Upper Ninth Ward still has not been completed. The project was intended to be a symbol of recovery after Hurricane Katrina. A decade later, there’s still no field and less than $900 remains in the organization's bank account. In Part Two of the story, we e...

A joint investigation from The Athletic and WVUE-TV in New Orleans reveals why a high school football stadium that was supposed to be a symbol of recovery after Hurricane Katrina was never completed. Celebrity athletes like Drew Brees and Saints head coach Sean Payton helped provide funding. The project captured the attention of President Obama, Anderson Cooper and news outlets across the country....

We interview Governor Gavin Newsom about the bill he signed into law that will allow college athletes in California to be paid for the use of their name and likeness. We ask him why he signed the bill, what impact he thinks it will have, and why he agrees with the President of the NCAA that the new law is an “existential threat” to the status quo for college athletes. Additional Reading: https://t...

The MLB Wild Card games are set. After a 162-game season, four teams will meet this week in do-or-die matchups to determine who will advance and who will go home. This year's Wild Card games feature two teams that have made the playoffs despite having some of the lowest payrolls in baseball (the A's and Rays), and two teams with remarkable comeback stories (the Brewers and Nationals). We speak wit...

A heart attack scare, a badly broken arm, and the loss of a franchise player were not enough to keep the Washington Nationals from clinching a wild card berth this season. The Nats became just the third team in more than 30 years to make the playoffs after being 12 games below .500. The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli joins us to talk about how they pulled off their incredible turnaround -- and d...

The Michigan Wolverines were blown out last Saturday by Wisconsin. It was the latest loss by Jim Harbaugh to a ranked opponent. Since then, questions have swirled about Harbaugh's future with the Wolverines. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner joins us to talk about Harbaugh’s journey from Ann Arbor kid to "Michigan Man," and whether or not his job is actually in jeopardy. Read Nick Baumgardner’s late...

The Tampa Bay Rays are currently competing for a Wild Card spot as the baseball season enters its final days. But despite a successful season on the field the team is struggling to get fans into the stands. Attendance has been so dismal that team ownership is considering splitting home games between Florida and Montreal and even moving the team altogether. The Athletic’s Jayson Stark joins us to t...

Shaquille O’Neal’s was one of the most dominant centers to ever play in the NBA. And now, he wants his post basketball life to mirror his days on the court. Through business investments, strict social media rules and always listening to his mother Shaq is on a mission to become the richest retired basketball player on the planet. The Athletic’s Armen Keteyian joins us to talk about his exclusive i...

Antonio Brown spent just 11 days with the New England Patriots before they released him amid accusations of rape and sexual assault. With so much controversy swirling around the All-Pro receiver, what was the final straw? We look at the history of the Patriots taking on risky players and analyze the famous “Patriot Way.” In her column, Lindsay Jones says if Antonio Brown never plays in the NFL aga...

 A reporter goes undercover to try out for a G League Basketball team, and let’s just say it does not go well. The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf recounts his hilarious experience trying out for the Texas Legends, a developmental affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks. And The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson reflects on the remarkable career of Shaun Livingston, who overcame a catastrophic knee injury and won...