The Lead

When Ja Morant went down in late November with a scary looking knee injury, it seemed like the Grizzlies season could be headed into a tailspin. Then, in the absence of their star, Memphis transformed into one of the hottest teams in the NBA. Today The Athletic's Joe Vardon tells us how a combination of drinking water, hibernation, and a strong defensive road map have propelled the Grizz to the top of the Western Conference.

Read Joe Vardon's Grizzlies story: https://theathletic.com/3008599/2021/12/10/a-hibernating-bear-drinking-water-and-corny-road-maps-how-the-grizzlies-are-thriving-without-ja-morant/

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Early on this season, the Los Angeles Rams looked like a juggernaut, with Matthew Stafford leading them to a 7-1 start, and gaining some momentum as a contender for MVP. Then, the Rams lost three in a row, suddenly raising a lot of questions about just how good this team is. Ahead of their Monday Night Football matchup with the Arizona Cardinals, we check in with The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue to look at how three high-profile additions for L.A. (Stafford, Von Miller, Odell Beckham Jr.) are working out, and whether this team has what it takes to become a Super Bowl contender.

Follow Jourdan Rodrigue’s coverage of the Rams: https://theathletic.com/author/jourdan-rodrigue/?source=theleadpodcast

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Before their dramatic loss to Rutgers on Thursday night, the Purdue Boilermakers became the top team in men's college basketball for the first time in school history. Yet, after a stunning early exit last year from the tournament las year and losses like they suffered on Thursday night, questions remain over whether this team is really a legitimate National Championship contender. Today, The Athletic's Brian Hamilton tell us about the weekend he spent embedded with the team and why this Purdue squad could have what it takes to make a Final Four for the first time in more than forty years.

Read Brian Hamilton's story about his weekend with Purdue: https://theathletic.com/2970015/2021/11/22/is-purdue-for-real-a-weekend-behind-the-scenes-with-one-of-college-basketballs-hungriest-teams/

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The Cincinnati Bearcats made football history this week by becoming the first non-Power Five team to make the College Football Playoff since its inception in 2014. But what makes their accomplishment even more remarkable is the fact that the program was in shambles just five years ago, and was basically irrelevant for much of its existence. Reporter Justin Williams, who covers Cincinnati for The Athletic, joins us today to explain how the program went from rock bottom to contending for a national championship in such a short period of time -- thanks in large part to one man and a healthy dose of Midwestern grit.

Read Justin Williams' story about the rise of Cincinnati football:

https://theathletic.com/2999716/2021/12/06/how-cincinnati-football-went-from-rock-bottom-to-the-college-football-playoff/

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This past Sunday in Las Vegas, the Washington Football Team found itself in another closely-contested game, and found a way to beat the Raiders for their fourth straight win. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Ben Standig to look at how this team has turned things around after a hopeless 2-6 start, the impact of quarterback Taylor Heinicke and head coach Ron Rivera, and what to expect in a big NFC East showdown against the Cowboys this weekend. Plus, the story behind the team’s rock-throwing ritual in the locker room after wins. 

Read Ben Standig’s story about the Washington Football Team’s turnaround: https://theathletic.com/3000033/2021/12/05/washington-football-team-channels-just-win-baby-spirit-in-edging-raiders-and-four-game-win-streak/?source=theleadpodcast

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Cale Makar and Bowen Byram have a lot in common. Both are young, extremely talented defensemen for the NHL's Colorado Avalanche, both are former #4 overall picks, and both hope to have long and successful hockey careers. But so far, the two have followed very different paths, with Makar ascending to superstardom and Byram struggling with the aftermath of multiple concussions. Today, Peter Baugh, who covers the Avalanche for The Athletic, joins us to discuss their parallel stories, just how much potential they have, and what stands between each of them and greatness.

More from Peter Baugh:

https://theathletic.com/2949474/2021/11/17/dizzy-foggy-and-feeling-like-i-was-a-corpse-inside-bowen-byrams-harrowing-first-year-with-the-avalanche/

https://theathletic.com/2995332/2021/12/04/can-the-avalanches-cale-makar-become-the-first-defenseman-to-score-30-goals-since-2009-the-sky-is-the-limit/

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It's been a wild week for Notre Dame football: The winningest coach in program history abruptly left for another job, then the school named his successor just a few days later, and on Sunday the Irish narrowly missed out on a College Football Playoff berth. Today, The Athletic's Pete Sampson joins us to talk about Brian Kelly's fateful final 24 hours in South Bend, what his exit to LSU reveals about the state of college football, and what comes next for the team he left behind.

Read Pete Sampson's story about Brian Kelly's final 24 hours with Notre Dame: https://theathletic.com/2990740/2021/12/01/inside-the-24-hours-that-rocked-notre-dame-football-and-where-the-irish-go-from-here-without-brian-kelly/

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So far this season, Brooklyn Nets fans have gotten used to the sight of LaMarcus Aldridge knocking down mid-range jumpers, which he’s done at a higher percentage than any other player in the NBA. However, it wasn’t all that long ago that it appeared the big man’s career was over after a scary April night brought on by a heart issue. Today, The Athletic’s Alex Schiffer tells the story of Aldridge’s journey into retirement and back, and why he ultimately decided he had more basketball left at age 36.

https://theathletic.com/2982101/2021/11/29/he-looks-amazing-how-lamarcus-aldridge-went-from-retired-to-nets-x-factor/?source=theleadpodcast

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Manchester United turned some heads last week when it announced that Ralf Rangnick, an influential German coach and sporting director, will serve as its interim manager until the end of the season. Today, The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein tells us about the man known as 'The Godfather of German coaching,' how he changed the definition of what a soccer coach could be in his native country, and why Manchester United believes he is the right man for the job. But will Rangnick’s hands-on, high-pressure approach mesh with United’s roster of international superstars, including 36-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo?

More from Raphael Honigstein:

https://theathletic.com/author/raphael-honigstein/

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For many people, the best wide receiver in the NFL is Green Bay Packers star Davante Adams. But the former Fresno State standout's rise to superstardom from the gritty streets of his hometown in East Palo Alto was anything but easy. Today, The Athletic's Matt Schneidman joins us to talk about the special relationship that helped Adams stay on the right path growing up and how he overcame a difficult start to his pro career to become one of the most unstoppable wideouts in football.

Read Matt Schneidman's story about Davante Adams: https://theathletic.com/2966335/2021/11/23/davante-adams-journey-from-sleeping-on-couch-to-top-of-nfl-had-its-bumps/

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