The Lead

Negotiations between MLB players and owners keep getting worse, and might now be past the point of no return. But last week, there was a heartwarming tale that emerged during the MLB draft. Today, as we await the fate of the 2020 season, we bring you the story of Ed Howard, one of the stars of the Little League team that won the U.S. title in 2014, only to have that title stripped away, and who has now been was drafted by a hometown Major League team.

Read James Fegan's profile of Ed Howard:

https://theathletic.com/1648837/2020/03/19/six-years-after-jackie-robinson-west-ed-howard-is-a-big-time-mlb-prospect/?source=theleadpodcast

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Just over a week ago, the NBA announced its plan for restarting the season at the end of July. But now, a group of players is trying to prevent that from happening. The Athletic’s Shams Charania joins us to talk about a Friday night phone call involving a large group of NBA players, including several superstars, and why some of them don’t think they should be playing basketball right now.

Read Shams Charania's story about the phone call:

https://theathletic.com/1866845/2020/06/12/sources-reveal-details-of-call-among-80-nba-players-led-by-kyrie-irving/?source=theleadpodcast

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Ten years ago this month, Armando Galarraga was one out away from a perfect game, when umpire Jim Joyce famously blew the call at first base. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen — who recently caught up with Galarraga, Joyce and former Tigers manager Jim Leyland — to hear their perspective on the missed call a decade later, and why Galarraga sometimes dreams about having the call reversed. 

Read Cody Stavenhagen’s story about Armando Galarraga’s almost perfect game: https://theathletic.com/1722128/2020/05/12/beyond-perfect-armando-galarraga-10-years-after-the-call/?source=theleadpodcast 

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On Wednesday, NASCAR issued a statement saying that the Confederate flag will be prohibited from all NASCAR events and properties. The organization said that the flag's presence runs contrary to its commitment to "providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for our fans, our competitors, and our industry." The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi joins us to discuss NASCAR’s complicated relationship with the flag, the way the sport has become politicized, and the driver who is using his race car to make a statement.

Follow Jordan Bianchi's motorsports coverage:

https://theathletic.com/author/jordan-bianchi/?source=theleadpodcast

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Since the killing of George Floyd, many college football coaches have been having trouble finding the right words when it comes to sensitive topics like race and racism, and addressing problems in their programs. The Athletic’s Tashan Reed joins us to talk about what head coaches, from Dabo Swinney to Nick Saban, are saying and what's at stake as they navigate uncomfortable waters. We also discuss an assistant college football coach who is bringing hundreds of minority coaches together for solidarity and support, and facilitating difficult conversations between players.

Read Tashan Reed's story about a new clinic for minority coaches:

https://theathletic.com/1859028/2020/06/08/alonzo-carter-college-football-coaches-zoom-san-jose-state/?source=theleadpodcast

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Last week, the basketball world lost a legend when Wes Unseld — the Hall of Famer who played for the Baltimore and Washington Bullets — died at the age of 74. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Fred Katz — who spoke with a number of Unseld’s teammates, including Phil Chenier and Bobby Dandridge — to look back at Unseld’s remarkable NBA career, and the physical play and unselfishness that defined him.

Read Fred Katz’s story in remembrance of Wes Unseld: https://theathletic.com/1851770/2020/06/03/from-defense-to-contract-negotiations-wes-unselds-greatness-was-understated/?source=theleadpodcast

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On Friday, a day after an emotional video was released by a group of NFL superstars, Commissioner Roger Goodell made a dramatic statement on camera. He said that the league was wrong for not listening to NFL players' concerns about police brutality, and he encouraged players to speak out and peacefully protest. It was a dramatic about-face for the league, which had previously tried to ban players from protesting during the national anthem. The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones joins us to tell the inside story of the video that forced Goodell to make this monumental shift, and how it was masterminded by an NFL employee who was fed up with the league and decided to go rogue.

Read Lindsay Jones and Jourdan Rodrigue's insider account of how NFL players forced Roger Goodell's hand:

https://theathletic.com/1857643/2020/06/06/inside-nfl-players-black-lives-matter-video-and-how-it-forced-goodells-hand/?source=theleadpodcast

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Four years ago, Colin Kaepernick ignited a national debate that is once again in full swing in the wake of George Floyd's killing. But before Kaep took a knee during the national anthem, WNBA players were staging protests and aligning themselves with the Black Lives Matter movement. Today, The Athletic’s Gina Mizell joins us to talk about how that movement took hold and grew within the league. And we’ll hear about a current WNBA player, Bria Hartley, who was recently on the front line of protests in Minneapolis.

Read Gina Mizell's story about Bria Hartley:

https://theathletic.com/1850990/2020/06/03/by-peacefully-protesting-in-minneapolis-bria-hartley-seeks-better-world-for-son/?source=theleadpodcast

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Thursday is a big day for basketball fans, with the NBA’s Board of Governors set to vote on a proposed plan for the league to return to play. In other words, barring something unexpected, the NBA is coming back. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Shams Charania to discuss the details of the plan (22 teams playing at Disney World in Orlando), the impact of Adam Silver’s leadership, and how this move ultimately reflects on the NBA.

Read Shams Charania’s story about the NBA’s plan to return: https://theathletic.com/1852061/2020/06/03/sources-reveal-details-of-adam-silvers-proposal-of-22-team-nba-restart-plan/?source=theleadpodcast

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MLB players and owners are still at an impasse over how many games the 2020 season will have and how much players will be paid. Some fear that the two sides are so far apart in negotiations that the season is now in serious jeopardy. The Athletic’s Jayson Stark joins us to discuss what this standoff is about and what’s at stake not just for the season, but for the future of the sport.

Read Jayson Stark's story about the threat to the 2020 season:

https://theathletic.com/1843384/2020/05/29/stark-memo-to-baseball-dont-drive-off-this-cliff/

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