The Lead

Three years after their remarkable run to the Final Four, the Loyola Chicago Ramblers are at it again, advancing to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament after knocking off No. 1-seeded Illinois over the weekend. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Brian Hamilton to discuss the return of 101-year-old team chaplain Sister Jean, star player Cameron Krutwig and his lucky mustache, and why this team continues to be far more dangerous than expected.

Read Brian Hamilton’s story about Cameron Krutwig and Loyola Chicago: https://theathletic.com/2457466/2021/03/21/loyola-chicago-cam-krutwig-mustache/?source=theleadpodcast

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The New York Mets had an eventful off-season. First, the team was purchased by billionaire Steve Cohen who made big promises about a new day for Mets baseball. Cohen initially appeared to be living up to that pledge when the team traded for Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor — one of the brightest young stars in baseball. But shortly after that blockbuster acquisition, the Mets found themselves mired in scandals that cast a pall over the bright future ownership had promised. Today, The Athletic's Tim Britton joins us to talk about the state of the Mets and what management is doing to rebuild the organization both on and off the field.

Read all of Tim Britton's Mets coverage: https://theathletic.com/author/tim-britton/

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A third lawsuit has been filed against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, and the NFL announced on Thursday that it is launching its own investigation into the matter. The Athletic's Aaron Reiss, who covers the Texans, joins us to discuss the latest, including the colorful lawyers on both sides, and how the lawsuits could impact the future of a man who has been the subject of endless trade speculation.

More from Aaron Reiss:

https://theathletic.com/author/aaron-reiss/

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A few weeks ago at the Golden Globes, Jason Sudeikis won the award for Best Actor in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy for his performance as Ted Lasso, the American football coach who goes to England to coach professional soccer. It turns out that character is based, in part, on a real-life coach from Sudeikis’s past. The Athletic’s Rustin Dodd recently tracked down that coach, and Rustin joins us today to talk about how the relationship between him and Sudeikis helped inspire an iconic character all these years later.

Read Rustin Dodd’s story about Jason Sudeikis, Donnie Campbell and Ted Lasso: https://theathletic.com/2430910/2021/03/15/ted-lasso-jason-sudeikis-coach-kansas/?source=theleadpodcast

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It was one of the strangest moments in hockey history. During a nationally-televised NHL playoff game in 2018, Boston Bruins star Brad Marchand leaned in close to a Tampa Bay Lightning opponent...and licked his face. And it was the second time Marchand had done this in two weeks. But since then, the frequently suspended and widely loathed winger has not faced disciplinary action by the NHL a single time. The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa wondered how this remarkable transformation came about, and discovered that it started with a conversation at a backyard barbecue. Three years later, Marchand is aiming to rewrite his legacy and lead the Bruins to the Stanley Cup.

Read Fluto Shinzawa's full story about Brad Marchand's transformation:

https://theathletic.com/2377748/2021/03/04/after-the-lick-how-the-bruins-brad-marchand-eliminated-the-rat-from-his-game/

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Need a little help on your office pool bracket? Or are you just really excited to watch the drama of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament unfold? Either way, The Athletic's Seth Davis, who also covers the tournament for CBS Sports, has you covered. Seth joins us to explain who he thinks will win it all, who might self-implode, and who could become the feel-good stories of the year.

Check out Seth Davis's complete March Madness bracket:

https://theathletic.com/2446936/2021/03/15/2021-ncaa-tournament-seth-davis-picks-his-entire-march-madness-bracket/?source=theleadpodcast

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So far during this NBA season, you can make an argument that no player has had a bigger impact on his team’s success than Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider to look at why the triple-double threat is playing the best basketball of his life, and the unexpected similarities between him and one of the game’s all-time greats, Tim Duncan.

Read Nick Kosmider’s story about Nikola Jokic and Tim Duncan: https://theathletic.com/2421107/2021/03/02/nikola-jokics-admiration-for-tim-duncan-gives-insight-into-what-makes-him-tick/?source=theleadpodcast

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Dawn Staley is one of the most accomplished players and coaches in basketball history. Over the past 13 years, she's built a powerhouse program at the University of South Carolina, and recently took home her sixth SEC championship in the past seven years. Outside of her basketball accomplishments Staley has become well-known for her outspoken approach to social and political issues. Today, The Athletic's Josh Kendall tell us about how Staley's North Philadelphia upbringing made her into a person who refuses to back down either on the court or off it.

Read Josh Kendall's story about Dawn Staley here: https://theathletic.com/2420351/2021/03/03/the-unrelenting-force-of-dawn-staley-my-heart-wont-let-me-shut-up/

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The Portland Trail Blazers start the second half of their season with a big matchup against the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night. And so far, they’ve gotten another MVP-caliber season from point guard Damian Lillard. However, over the last 18 months, Lillard has endured a wave of tragedies in his life outside of basketball. The Athletic’s Jason Quick recently spoke to Lillard, and today, he joins us to talk about everything that the Blazers’ star has been living through — and playing through — this season.

Read Jason Quick’s story about Damian Lillard: https://theathletic.com/2424011/2021/03/03/portland-trailblazers-damian-lillard/?source=theleadpodcast

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Back in October, the Detroit Tigers hired a new manager, and normally, a last place team making such a move would fly under the radar. But the Tigers didn’t hire just any manager — they hired A.J. Hinch. The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen recently did a long interview with the former Astros manager, and he joins us today to talk about what Hinch’s life has been like since the sign-stealing scandal, how he’s being received in his new city, and how Hinch reflects on his legacy.

Read Cody Stavenhagen’s story about A.J. Hinch: https://theathletic.com/2406890/2021/02/26/a-j-hinch-returns-to-tigers-after-astros-cheating-scandal/?source=theleadpodcast

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