The Lead

Plus: Kansas City keeps an impressive streak going in the AFC. And Arsenal pass their stiffest test yet in their quest for a first league title in over 15 years. 

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Philadelphia football fans have a complicated relationship with Eagles GM Howie Roseman. After building the team that won Philadelphia its first ever Super Bowl back in 2018, he was a hero. Then, just a few years later, he was seen as a problem. And now, with the Eagles looking like Super Bowl contenders, he’s a hero once again. The Athletic’s Zach Berman has covered Roseman and the Eagles for over a decade, and today he breaks down the team-building strategies that Roseman has used recently to rebuild the Eagles -- and his own reputation. Plus, what to watch for when the Eagles take on the Giants in the NFL Divisional Round on Saturday night.

Guest: Zach Berman, The Athletic

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After a losing record last season, losing records in eight of their last nine seasons, and a rough start to this season, the New York Knicks have awakened — with a winning formula that includes a lot of Jalen Brunson. But Brunson is far from the only reason the Knicks are winning, and today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Fred Katz to look at some of the key factors behind the Knicks renaissance, including two unsung heroes who have bought into this team — and Tom Thibodeau’s — gritty defensive identity.

Follow Fred Katz’s coverage of the Knicks: https://theathletic.com/author/fred-katz/

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The NFL playoffs are here. Today, Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr breaks down all six first round matchups and gives us his insights on what to expect from a potentially wild Wild Card Weekend.

Guest: Conor Orr, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated

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We are basically at the halfway point of the NBA regular season, and today we are joined by former NBA sharpshooter and co-host of The Old Man and the Three podcast, JJ Redick, for a midseason heat check on the players who have dominated the first half, including Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic. We also get JJ's perspective on potential title contenders, with a close look at the Celtics, Bucks, Nets, Grizzlies — and the defending champion Golden State Warriors.

Listen to The Old Man and the Three: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-old-man-and-the-three-with-jj-redick-and-tommy-alter/id1525281746

https://open.spotify.com/show/5vMLIaAcXeWUpXRpUt5qXY

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Plus: An unforgettable day for Bills fans in Orchard Park. And Lovie Smith’s unforgettable last act as the Texans head coach. 

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Last week, the man considered by many to be the greatest soccer player to ever live, the Brazilian superstar, Pelé, passed away at the age of 82. Today, stories about how he impacted Brazilian identity, the development of soccer around the world (including in the U.S.), and the complicated legacy he leaves behind.

Guests:

Márvio dos Anjos, Brazilian sports Journalist

Kevin Blackistone, Washington Post sports commentator

David Hirshey, Co-Author of Pele's New World and Co-Editor of Pride Of A Nation

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We are five days away from college football’s national championship game, a David and Goliath showdown between the defending champion Georgia Bulldogs, and the team no one expected to be here: the TCU Horned Frogs. Today, we’re joined by Seth Emerson — who covers Georgia for The Athletic — to look at Stetson Bennett’s encore, and what has made this edition of the Bulldogs so unstoppable. Then, we talk to The Athletic’s Sam Khan Jr. about tiny TCU’s dramatic turnaround, and the blueprint to an epic upset for the underdog Horned Frogs.

Follow Seth Emerson’s coverage of Georgia: https://theathletic.com/author/seth-emerson/

Follow Sam Khan Jr.’s coverage of Texas college football: https://theathletic.com/author/sam-khan-jr/

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The man who many people consider the greatest sports broadcaster of all time, Vin Scully, died this summer at the age of 94. For 67 years, Scully was the iconic and unmistakable voice of the Dodgers, and began calling games in Brooklyn in 1950. Five writers share their memories of Scully the broadcaster, the storyteller, and the person.

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Lusia Harris is one of the best basketball players to ever live: a 3-time collegiate national champion, an Olympics silver medalist, and the only woman to be officially drafted by an NBA team. But chances are, you've never heard of her. Ben Proudfoot, the director of an Academy Award-winning short documentary about Harris's life, tells the story of her unlikely journey from the Mississippi Delta to the pinnacle of basketball, and explains why her life story and her achievements have largely been lost to history,

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