The Lead

After months of questions, skepticism, and the NFL insisting it will start its season on time, the league is set to...start its season on time. The Athletic’s Robert Mays joins us to talk about how the NFL has navigated the treacherous waters of the pandemic, what will be unusual about this year's season on the field, and why the NFL's future is in good hands, thanks to a crop of amazingly talented young quarterbacks.

More from Robert Mays and The Athletic Football Show:

https://theathletic.com/podcast/211-the-athletic-football-show/?source=theleadpodcast

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Legendary Georgetown basketball coach John Thompson passed away this week, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. He built the Hoya program from the ground up by recruiting local talent, often from neighborhoods where many people would never have considered attending Georgetown. The Athletic's David Aldridge covered Thompson and the Hoyas when he first became a sports reporter, and he joins us to talk about the iconic coach's influence and legacy, the complicated political climate in which he operated, and what he meant to his hometown of Washington D.C.

Read David Aldridge's tribute to John Thompson:

https://theathletic.com/2033809/2020/08/31/profane-after-midnight-laughs-and-lessons-from-the-one-and-only-john-thompson/?source=theleadpodcast

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On Tuesday, Jamal Murray helped the Nuggets finish off a remarkable comeback against the Utah Jazz, climbing back from a 3-1 deficit in the series to move on to the Western Conference Semifinals. With Game 1 against Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the Clippers coming up tonight, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Kendra Andrews to discuss whether Murray — inconsistent throughout the early part of his career — has finally arrived as a bona fide star.  

Follow Kendra Andrews’s coverage of the Denver Nuggets: https://theathletic.com/author/kendra-andrews/?source=theleadpodcast

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Last Week, Chicago White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito pulled off something no other pitcher has done in 2020 when he threw a no-hitter against the Pirates. Today, The Athletic’s James Fegan joins us to discuss Giolito’s early days as a baseball prodigy in Los Angeles, his rise and fall as a top prospect for the Washington Nationals, and how he went from one of the worst pitchers in baseball in 2018 to the White Sox ace. 

Read James Fegan’s story about Lucas Giolito: https://theathletic.com/2023401/2020/08/26/white-sox-lucas-giolitos-transformation-grows-more-incredible-with-a-no-hitter/?source=theleadpodcast

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The Tampa Bay Lightning have eliminated the regular season's best team, the Boston Bruins, from the NHL playoffs and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals. And, despite having a hefty amount of star power, the Lightning have been getting a major boost from role players. The Athletic’s Joe Smith explains how some of the team's recent signings have helped transform the perennial underachievers into Stanley Cup contenders and shifted the team's personality along the way.

More from Joe Smith:

https://theathletic.com/author/joe-smith/?source=theleadpodcast

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Tonight, the Miami Heat take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and Miami has gotten a big lift so far from two veteran stars: Jimmy Butler and Goran Dragic. Today, The Athletic’s Manny Navarro joins us to discuss the friendship that has formed between Butler and Dragic — over soccer, beer and extreme competitiveness — and how it’s been translating to victories inside the NBA bubble. 

Read Manny Navarro’s story about Butler and Dragic: https://theathletic.com/2012818/2020/08/21/why-there-may-be-no-stopping-playoff-jimmy-miami-heat-in-round-1/?source=theleadpodcast 

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The Las Vegas Raiders raised some eyebrows with their first pick in this year's NFL draft, taking Henry Ruggs with the 12th pick, ahead of more high-profile wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb. The Athletic’s Tashan Reed spoke with Ruggs about his life and football career, and joins us to explain what drives him and how the electric playmaker overcame doubters and tragedy to make it to the NFL.

Read Tashan Reed's profile of Henry Ruggs:

https://theathletic.com/1978611/2020/08/06/henry-ruggs-knows-the-raiders-made-a-great-choice-now-hes-out-to-prove-it/?source=theleadpodcast

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The Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court on Wednesday for their playoff game against the Orlando Magic as an act of protest against the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Two more games were later canceled, and the Clippers and Lakers have reportedly voted in favor of ending the season. The Athletic's Michael Lee joins us to explain how the historic day's events unfolded, what all of it means for the remainder of the NBA playoffs, and why players and coaches in the bubble have been carrying such a heavy burden.

More from Michael Lee:

https://theathletic.com/author/michael-lee/?source=theleadpodcast

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The one award in all of sports that seemed like a lock this year was the WNBA's Rookie of the Year. But with rookie sensation Sabrina Ionescu out with an ankle injury, the door is now wide open. The Athletic’s Chantel Jennings joins us to talk about two first year players -- Crystal Dangerfield and Julie Allemand -- who have been stepping up in a big way and making a case for the honor.

More from Chantel Jennings:

https://theathletic.com/author/chantel-jennings/?source=theleadpodcast

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