The Lead

Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker got into a hilarious spat with the Toronto Raptors' mascot -- a big, red dinosaur in a basketball jersey -- back in January. Things spilled over into the post-game press conference and onto Twitter, and the basketball world was hooked. Inspired by this hilarity, we called up Dave Raymond, the founder of the Mascot Hall of Fame (and the man inside the Phillie Phanatic costume when it was famously pummeled by Tommy Lasorda) to get his perspective on the incident. Then, The Athletic's James Edwards III and Nick Kosmider told us the heartwarming story of the NBA's first father-son mascot duo -- and explained why the people sweating it out inside these giant suits are truly selfless heroes.

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For the past month, millions of people have been glued to the television, watching as many Word Cup games as possible. And for fans in the U.S., that has meant spending a lot of time with the broadcast team at Fox. With the dust still settling on the tournament, sports media journalist Richard Deitsch joins us to discuss Fox's coverage, what they did and didn't do well, and why, no matter what you think of them, their broadcast was a major success.

More from Richard Deitsch:

https://theathletic.com/4009860/2022/12/19/fox-world-cup-coverage-2026/

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Plus: Two NFC contenders see their playoff prospects head in opposite directions. And the Lakers find themselves in a familiar position — with a key piece out of action.

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One week ago, Grant Wahl – perhaps the best known soccer journalist in the U.S. – died suddenly while covering the World Cup in Qatar. He was just 49 years old. Today, four people who knew Grant share stories about his life, and the impact he had on the beautiful game and the people who cover it.

Guests: Alexi Lalas, Chris Stone, Samara Kelly, Luis Miguel Echegaray

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Behind every great sports broadcaster is a great statistician -- the person who digs up the numbers that tell us a story about the game we're watching, or help us make sense of the action unfolding before our eyes. Today, The Athletic’s Dan Brown tells us the story of one such statistician, Bo Chapman, who became one of the best and most beloved sports statisticians around, before his life was tragically cut short. Plus, what his family and the Golden State Warriors are doing to honor his legacy -- and to help find the next Bo.

Read Daniel Brown's full story about Bo Chapman:

https://theathletic.com/3752841/2022/11/25/nba-broadcasters-and-the-search-for-the-next-great-statistician-a-love-story/

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There is perhaps no greater theater in all of sports than a penalty kick shootout at the World Cup. Players take turns walking into the spotlight with millions, if not billions of people around the world watching them, and engage in a high-stakes battle of skill and nerves with the goalkeeper. Score, and you are cheered -- miss, and your legacy might forever be tainted. And yet, despite the huge importance of shootouts, many coaches over the years have simply shrugged their shoulders and referred to them as lotteries. Soccer writer and long-suffering England fan Ben Lyttleton, who has written a book about penalty kicks, joins us today to dispel the notion that shootouts are a simple game of chance, and to explain the fascinating science and psychology of soccer's ultimate showdown.

Ben Lyttleton's book about penalty kicks:

https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Yards-Psychology-Perfect-Penalty/dp/0143127306/

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Back in March, Aaliyah Gayles -- a talented point guard from Las Vegas -- played in the McDonald's Girls All-American Basketball Game. It was just the latest achievement in her already impressive high school career, which included her being named a top ten national recruit. But just a few weeks after that game, Gayles’s life and promising basketball career changed forever. Today, reporter David Gardner tells us about how she survived a near-fatal shooting, her long journey back to the court, and the mindset that might allow her to realize a lifelong dream.

Read David Gardner's story about Aaliyah Gayles:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/07/aaliyah-gayles-usc-basketball/

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Plus: Two top NFL contenders get worrying injury news at the most important position. And two young superstars guide their countries into the round of eight in Qatar.

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