The Lead

This past weekend, the Portland Thorns won their third NWSL championship -- a league record. But what made the achievement even more remarkable is the fact that it came less than a month after a bombshell report, conducted by former Acting US Attorney General Sally Yates, revealed systemic abuse and misconduct within the NWSL and within the Thorns organization. Today, The Athletic’s Meg Linehan, w...

Plus: A chaotic finish in Atlanta puts a new team atop the NFC South. And why there’s real reason to worry about a hyped NBA team in Los Angeles… and we’re not talking about the Lakers. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

For many full moons, a famous hotel in Oklahoma City has been keeping NBA players up at night -- and perhaps even influencing the outcome of their games. And the sheer number of players that say they've had paranormal experiences there is enough to make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. Today, on a special Halloween episode of our show, Steve Lackmeyer, co-author of a book about the...

For more than a decade now, and basically since their last playoff game all the way back in 2011, being a New York Jets fan has been a special kind of football agony. But so far in 2022, it’s been a much different story, as the team sits at 5-2 — right behind Josh Allen and the mighty Buffalo Bills — in the AFC East. Today, The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt tells us about the young defensiv...

Plus: A tough weekend for the NFL’s old guard, while some young stars shine bright. And a former-MLS superstar is making waves in the Premier League. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Tennessee turned a whole lot of heads last weekend, outlasting previously undefeated Alabama in a 52-49 shootout for the ages. And among the throngs of students and clouds of cigar smoke that enveloped the field after the win was head coach Josh Heupel, who took a moment to savor the win -- and perhaps experience some deja vu. That's because what Heupel has done in his first two years in Tennessee...

For Zion Williamson, Wednesday night against the Brooklyn Nets marks his first regular season NBA game in 17 months and more than 500 days. Today, The Athletic’s Will Guillory tells us about Zion’s long road back from a broken foot, the workouts that have reportedly left him in peak physical condition, and the inspiration he drew from an album that was released before he was born: Ready to Die fro...

Plus: The Yankees face a win or go home game in Cleveland. And Liverpool turn back the clock against Manchester City. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Will the Colorado Avalanche repeat as Stanley Cup champions? Will Connor McDavid reclaim his MVP crown? Can the Toronto Maple Leafs actually win a playoff series? With the 2022-23 NHL season now officially underway, The Athletic's Eric Duhatschek joins us to discuss these and other burning questions, and to try and replicate his previous feat of successfully predicting the two Stanley Cup finalist...

After winning the NBA title this past summer, things appeared to be going pretty smoothly for the Warriors heading into the new season. But then, last week, Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole at practice — and turmoil arrived for the defending champs. Today, with less than one week to go until their title defense tips off, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater to look at all the fall...

After a six-month sprint through the regular season, the MLB Playoffs get underway on Friday. To get us ready for October, The Athletic’s Stephen Nesbitt joins the show to look at the stars and storylines that will define the postseason, including Aaron Judge and the Yankees hoping to harness their first-half dominance, Mookie Betts and the Dodgers aiming to build on a 111-win season, and a slight...

Over the past two years, a massive welfare fraud scheme has been simmering in Mississippi. And a key player in that scandal is Green Bay Packers legend Brett Favre. With the help of a former Mississippi governor, Favre was able to direct state welfare funds -- money that was intended to help poor people -- to the University of Southern Mississippi for the purpose of building a new volleyball stadi...

Plus: A sweep with massive implications means there is a new presumptive champ in the NL East. And everyone’s new favorite college football team resides in Lawrence. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

A little over a month ago, on August 28th, it seemed like a normal morning at the headquarters of Eastern Kentucky football. The season opener was five days away. A team staffer was restocking the coach’s refrigerator. And inside his office, that coach — Walt Wells — was dropping to the floor, having a heart attack. Today, Richard Johnson from Sports Illustrated tells the story of how Wells almost...

This past weekend, Roger Federer played his final match as a professional tennis player, teaming up with his longtime rival Rafael Nadal in a mostly ceremonial doubles match at the Laver Cup. And, after the match (which they narrowly lost to Americans Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock), Federer was honored with a ceremony that brought him to tears. Now, with Federer's legendary career officially in the...

Plus: Shady injury reports, butt punts, and more in an AFC East showdown to remember. And MLB’s youngest team is contending way earlier than anyone expected.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

The Eagles ran their record to 2-0 with a convincing win over the Vikings on Monday Night Football, and a big reason why was an electric performance from Jalen Hurts. Today, The Athletic’s Zach Berman tells us about Hurts’s evolution from second-round pick that a lot of people doubted, to now becoming one of the NFL’s most dynamic young quarterbacks — and the centerpiece of an NFC contender. Plus,...

On Sunday night, the Las Vegas Aces brought home the WNBA championship – the first in the franchise's 26-year history, and the first major pro sports title for the city of Las Vegas. And the only thing more entertaining than the series might have been the post-game press conference, which included A'ja Wilson telling fans they had to do at least four shots before the championship parade, and Kelse...

Plus: The Aces bring home the first title ever for Las Vegas. And Aaron Judge closes in history - and a potential triple crown. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

After a summer where he was expected to commit his future to Real Madrid, 23-year-old French superstar Kylian Mbappe instead decided to stay put in Paris, with PSG. And he's off to a red hot start to the new season. The New York Times’ Tariq Panja recently got a rare interview with Mbappe, and he joins us today to discuss the Frenchman’s years as a teenage prodigy, why he decided to stay in Paris...

In the fall of 2001… Sugar Ray was playing on your local radio station, the Patriots were suddenly forced to play their backup quarterback — a guy named Tom Brady — and the movie Zoolander had just come out in theaters. That’s how long it’s been since the Seattle Mariners made the playoffs. Today, The Athletic’s Corey Brock tells us about the rising superstar (Julio Rodriguez) and unsung supp...

Plus: A new generation of tennis stars announce themselves in Flushing. And the Cornhuskers pay to make Scott Frost go away. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

It's been a rough decade for USC football fans. Their beloved Trojans -- winners of nine national championships -- have missed every single college football playoff since 2014, and have finished in the top ten nationally just once in the past ten years. But now, with 39-year-old Lincoln Riley at the helm, there's a growing sense of optimism. The L.A. Times' Ryan Kartje takes us inside the min...

The Rams begin their Super Bowl title defense on Thursday night against Josh Allen and the Bills, but to get to this point, they’ve had to navigate an offseason filled with drama. There were concerns that Aaron Donald and Sean McVay might retire (and All-Pro left tackle Andrew Whitworth did retire). Then Von Miller stunned the Rams by signing with the Bills, while Matthew Stafford (and McVay) have...

In early August, Serena Williams published an essay in Vogue, announcing her intention to step away from tennis. Given her recent injuries and struggles on the court — including an embarrassing exit in Cincinnati just a few weeks ago — many people feared that the 40 year-old might go out with a whimper at this year's US Open. Oh how wrong they were. After defeating #2 seed Anett Kontaveit on Wedne...