The Lead

The NBA trade deadline is closing in and it’s hard to keep track of all the storylines. In just the last week we learned that James Harden may already want out of Brooklyn, Bradley Beal’s days in Washington could be coming to a close, and Portland and Indiana might finally be ready to tear it all down. Today, The Athletic’s Zach Harper helps us make sense of the madness and tells us which players might be on the move come deadline time.

Read Zach Harper’s NBA coverage here: https://theathletic.com/author/zach-harper/ 

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When you think of the Cincinnati Bengals and clutch playoff performances, the first name that probably comes to mind is Joe Burrow. But they’ve also gotten a huge lift from a player who’s quickly becoming a household name: their extremely confident rookie kicker, Evan McPherson. Today, at the start of Super Bowl week, The Athletic’s Jay Morrison takes us back to McPherson’s earliest days as a (98-pound!) kicker, to explain how he developed the swagger that has made him one of the breakout stars of the playoffs. Plus, the story of the pee-wee football coach who convinced Joe Burrow he should be a quarterback.

Read Jay Morrison’s full story about Evan McPherson: https://theathletic.com/3097718/2022/01/28/its-money-evan-mcphersons-been-calling-his-shots-long-before-joining-the-bengals/?source=theleadpodcast

And his story about Joe Burrow: https://theathletic.com/3111076/2022/02/03/yep-thats-him-joe-cool-why-joe-burrows-pee-wee-coach-forced-him-to-play-qb/?source=theleadpodcast

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The NFL's diversity problems are back in the spotlight this week, after former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed a major lawsuit against the league, claiming discrimination in its hiring practices. The suit contains a number of explosive allegations, including claims that he was offered "sham" head coach interviews by both the New York Giants and Denver Broncos, so that those teams could be in compliance with the Rooney Rule (which requires NFL teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching positions and other high-level vacancies). The suit also claims that Flores was pressured by Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to intentionally lose games, with Flores allegedly offered $100,000 for each loss. Stephen Holder, Senior Writer for The Athletic, gives us his views on the case, and Alicia Jessop, an attorney and Associate Professor at Pepperdine University explains how the lawsuit could play out in the courts.

More from Stephen Holder:

https://theathletic.com/3106413/2022/02/01/holder-brian-flores-lawsuit-a-reminder-the-rooney-rule-cant-change-hearts-and-minds/

More from Alicia Jessop:

https://theathletic.com/3106423/2022/02/02/analysis-brian-flores-faces-hurdles-in-nfl-case-but-may-create-transparency-in-nfl-hiring/

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The NBA’s most surprising contenders reside in Cleveland. The Cavs sit near the top of the Eastern Conference and they’ve done it by doing something totally different from the rest of the league. Today, The Athletic’s Kelsey Russo and Jason Lloyd give us insight into the Cavs recipe for success and tell us what the ceiling is for this group in the postseason.

Read all of Kelsey Russo’s Cavaliers coverage here: https://theathletic.com/author/kelsey-russo/ 

Read all of Jason Lloyd’s Cleveland sports coverage here: https://theathletic.com/author/jason-lloyd/ 

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On Tuesday, one of the most iconic athletes of all time finally made it official, as Tom Brady announced that he’s retiring from the NFL after 22 years — and seven Super Bowl titles. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Greg Auman, Lindsay Jones, Steve Buckley, Daniel Kaplan, and Matthew Fairburn, who share their reflections on Brady’s career, and the incredible — and sometimes complicated — legacy that he leaves behind.

Follow Greg Auman’s coverage of the Bucs: https://theathletic.com/author/greg-auman/?source=thelead podcast

Follow Lindsay Jones’s coverage of the NFL: https://theathletic.com/author/lindsay-jones/?source=theleadpodcast

Follow Steve Buckley’s coverage of Boston sports: https://theathletic.com/author/steve-buckley/?source=theleadpodcast

Follow Daniel Kaplan’s coverage of the business of the NFL: https://theathletic.com/author/daniel-kaplan/?source=theleadpodcast

Follow Matthew Fairburn’s coverage of the Patriots: https://theathletic.com/author/matthew-fairburn/?source=theleadpodcast

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The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics are about to begin, and there has never been an Olympic Games like this before. Today, we dive into the political controversies around the host nation, China, including their atrocious record of human rights abuses, as well as their approach to staging the games during the pandemic. Then, on a happier note, we look at some the most interesting storylines and athletes on Team USA, including which athletes are likely to medal, and an early contender for heartwarming story of the Olympics. Our guests are Sean Fitz-Gerald, senior national writer for The Athletic, and Zack Pierce, managing editor for The Athletic Minnesota.

Sean Fitz-Gerald's story about China's grim shadow over the Games:

https://theathletic.com/3099762/2022/01/31/as-2022-olympics-begin-chinas-human-rights-abuses-cast-a-grim-shadow/

Zack Pierce's full rundown on Team USA:

https://theathletic.com/3067167/2022/01/28/team-usa-at-the-2022-olympics-every-athlete-every-event-schedules-and-what-to-know-for-beijing/

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The NFL Playoffs have been one for the ages and Championship Weekend brought even more drama with clutch kicks, costly turnovers, and heroic comebacks. Today, The Athletic’s Stephen Holder breaks down all the action and gives us his favorite to bring home the Lombardi Trophy. Plus, a discussion of Tom Brady’s retirement saga as it stands after an eventful Saturday.

Read Stephen Holder’s NFL coverage here: https://theathletic.com/author/stephen-holder/ 

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On Sunday, when the San Francisco 49ers take on the L.A. Rams in the NFC Championship Game, it’s no secret that the Niners want to get the ball early and often to their most indispensable offensive player: Deebo Samuel. Today, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows tells us the origin story of one of the most explosive players in the NFL, a story that can be traced all the way back to a very aggressive baby, and the iconic 1995 comedy Friday. Plus, what to expect when Samuel and the 49ers face the Rams for the third time this season, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Read Matt Barrows’s story about Deebo Samuel: https://theathletic.com/3070072/2022/01/14/bully-in-the-building-all-eyes-on-deebo-samuel-as-49ers-begin-their-playoff-run/?source=theleadpodcast

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When you think about Canada and sports, soccer probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But the country is emerging as a force, with the Canadian women winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics and the men currently sitting atop the CONCACAF standings. With World Cup qualifiers resuming today, The Athletic's Joshua Kloke joins us to discuss how a "golden generation" of young players, including Alphonso Davies, is pushing Canada toward greatness -- and picking up a lot of new fans along the way. Plus, why Canadian soccer officials believe the man who took the women's program to new heights will do the same with the men.

More from Josh Kloke:

https://theathletic.com/author/joshua-kloke/

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The 2021-22 women’s college basketball season has ben one of the most chaotic in recent history. There’s been major upsets, devastating injuries, incredible record setting performances–and we haven’t even gotten to March. Today, The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings joins us to make sense of all the madness and tells us about some of the key players for the top teams come tournament time. Later, we go inside Becky Hammon’s seismic move back to the WNBA and discuss whether or not the former-WNBA star can bring an elusive championship trophy back to Vegas.

Read all of Chantel Jennings’ WNBA and College Basketball coverage here: https://theathletic.com/author/chantel-jennings/ 

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