The Lead

Cam Newton is officially a member of the New England Patriots. And the Pats reportedly got the former NFL MVP at a bargain basement price.The Athletic’s Mike Sando joins us to talk about how the deal came about, what the Pats could look like with Cam at the helm, and what this signing tells us about Superman.

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https://theathletic.com/author/mike-sando/?source=theleadpodcast

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After months of bitter negotiations between MLB players and owners, an agreement was finally reached and the league is expected to begin a 60-game season in July. Doug Glanville, retired Major Leaguer and co-host of The Athletic's Starkville podcast, joins us to discuss the new rules that will be implemented during the abbreviated season, which teams are poised for success, and why this will almost certainly be the strangest season in MLB history.

More from Doug Glanville:

https://theathletic.com/author/doug-glanville/?source=theleadpodcast

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Today, we’re replaying one of our favorite episodes of The Lead, which originally aired back in February. It’s a virtual tour of the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City. The Athletic’s Nate Taylor was our eyes and ears, and he joined us to relay stories about Jackie Robinson, the rock star status of many Negro League players, and some of the women who made an impact on and off the field.

Follow Nate Taylor's writing:

https://theathletic.com/author/nate-taylor/?source=theleadpodcast

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Warning: This episode contains details about alleged sexual abuse and might be emotionally upsetting for some listeners.

Today, we are replaying a story that first aired on our show back in March. It’s about a hockey coach with a long history of child sexual assault accusations. Since this story was first reported by The Athletic’s Katie Strang, there have been several developments, including at least two investigation, and follow-up reporting by Katie, all of which are detailed at the end of this episode.

Read Katie Strang's original story:

https://theathletic.com/1851010/2020/06/03/chico-adrahtas-former-hockey-coach-accused-of-sexual-abuse-gets-lifetime-ban/?source=theleadpodcast

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Earlier this month, Vince Carter announced his retirement from the NBA -- in the midst of the pandemic, and without getting to complete his final season. It was, as he put it, a weird way to end a career. The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner joined us back in March to discuss Vince Carter’s remarkable career, his final moments on an NBA court, and what he meant to the city of Toronto. (Original air date: March 20, 2020)

Follow Chris Kirschner's Atlanta Hawks coverage:

https://theathletic.com/author/chris-kirschner/?source=theleadpodcast

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Liverpool has absolutely dominated the current Premier League season, and is on the brink of winning its first league title in three decades. The man responsible for much of that success is talismanic head coach Jurgen Klopp. The Athletic’s James Pearce joined us back in January to talk about Klopp’s unique combination of passion, tactics, and positivity (read: hugs), and how he has transformed both the club and the team. We are replaying that episode today. (Original air date: January 16, 2020)

Follow James Pearce's Liverpool coverage:

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Last week, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he "encourages" an NFL team to sign Colin Kaepernick. This came after Goodell had expressed support for the Black Lives Matter movement and said players have the right to peacefully protest. Now, many fans are wondering if an NFL team might actually sign Kaepernick, who that team would be, and how ready he would be to play. The Athletic’s Jourdan Rodrigue attended Kaepernick’s workout for NFL scouts last November, and we are re-airing that episode today. It originally aired on November 18th, 2019.

Read Jourdan Rodrigue's original story on the Kaepernick workout:

https://theathletic.com/1384295/2019/11/17/colin-kaepernick-cuts-through-a-chaotic-day-to-deliver-a-solid-workout/?source=theleadpodcast

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Eight years ago this summer, Penn State took down the controversial statue of former coach Joe Paterno — a statue that took on huge symbolic meaning in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal. Today, The Athletic’s Audrey Snyder joins us to discuss why Penn State has gone to such great lengths to keep the statue’s location a secret — and what she discovered during her own quest to find it. 

Follow Audrey Snyder’s coverage of Penn State football: https://theathletic.com/author/audrey-snyder/?source=theleadpodcast

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Over the past few months, Gio Reyna has burst onto the scene with Borussia Dortmund. The son of U.S. Men's National Team legend Claudio Reyna and former University of North Carolina star Danielle Egan, Gio is very much American soccer royalty. The Athletic’s Sam Stejskal joins us to discuss the meteoric rise of the 17 year-old star-in-the-making, how he is following in the footsteps of fellow American Christian Pulisic, and how a family tragedy helps motivate him.

Read Sam Stejskal and Raphael Honigstein's profile of Gio Reyna:

https://theathletic.com/1802307/2020/05/09/giovanni-reyna-exclusive-claudio-usmnt-dortmund-bundesliga/?source=theleadpodcast

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Since the killing of George Floyd, NHL players have been speaking up about things that often aren’t talked about in hockey. The Athletic’s Ryan Clark, who covers the Colorado Avalanche, joins us to talk about how recent protests and the Black Lives Matter movement are shifting the conversation about race in the NHL, and involving everyone from Evander Kane to Tyler Seguin to Sidney Crosby.

Follow Ryan Clark's coverage:

https://theathletic.com/author/ryan-s-clark/?source=theleadpodcast

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