Around this time last year, the Florida Panthers seemed to be at a crossroads. After posting the best regular season record in the NHL, they were swept in the second round by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Now, a year later, the Panthers are in the Stanley Cup Final, and Matthew Tkachuk is a big reason why. Today, we look at how Tkachuk — a guy who gets under his opponent's skin, and then silences them with huge goals — became both the hero, and the anti-hero, that Florida needed. Plus, why the man affectionately called “The Rat King” seemingly fits right in with the Panthers.

Guest: Sean Gentille, The Athletic

Read his full stories about Matthew Tkachuk here and here

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Jim Brown passed away at his home in Los Angeles last week at the age of 87. The Cleveland Browns legend and three-time NFL MVP made a name for himself as a football player, actor, and social activist, and also spent years working with gang leaders to try and prevent violence. But his reputation was also marred by a long series of domestic violence accusations. Today, how to make sense of Brown's complicated life and legacy.

Guests: Steve Rushin, Sports Illustrated

Dave Zirin, Author of Jim Brown: Last Man Standing

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After more than four decades of coming up short, the Denver Nuggets are finally playing in the NBA Finals for the first time. But despite a winning record in six consecutive seasons, most of those years for Denver have ended in heartbreak. Today, we look at how the Nuggets' foundation for winning has been built on a very large pile of past failures. Plus, what it will take for Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and head coach Michael Malone to bring Denver their first NBA title.

Guest: Nick Kosmider, The Athletic

Read his full story here 

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Plus: It’s looking like sweep season in the NHL and NBA conference finals. And Breanna Stewart flashes her MVP credentials in her home debut.

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Last season, the Las Vegas Aces won the WNBA championship in style, especially when it came to their post-championship celebrations. But now, with the 2023 WNBA season about to tip off, the Aces find themselves wrapped up in not one but two controversies. Today, can the Aces move beyond their off-court problems and find a way to repeat? Or will the league's newest super team, the New York Liberty, come for their crown?

Guest: Sabreena Merchant, The Athletic

Check out The Athletic's special WNBA coverage: "Super Squads"

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If you say the name Darvin Ham to a basketball fan of a certain age, chances are they’ll think of the time he shattered a backboard playing for Texas Tech during the 1996 NCAA tournament. But what's less known about the Lakers’ first-year head coach is his life before all of this, in Saginaw, Michigan, a life that almost ended when he was just 14 years old. Today, we look at how Ham was shaped by the Midwest city he grew up in, and the tragic accident that nearly ended his life. Plus, can Ham steer the Lakers past Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets as they try to win an improbable NBA title?

Guest: Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times

Read his full story here

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Plus: Jonathan Marchessault delivers with an elimination-game silencer of his own. And Todd Bowles fulfills his mother’s dream decades in the making.

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Last weekend, a 15:1 long shot named Mage raced to a dramatic victory at the Kentucky Derby. But that feel-good story was largely overshadowed by a series of tragic -- and in some cases mysterious -- racehorse deaths. Today, we explore what could be behind those deaths, the progress that horse racing has and hasn’t made in terms of animal welfare, and why people inside the sport often fail to see eye to eye with people outside of it.

Guest: Natalie Voss, The Paulick Report

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After back-to-back 100-loss seasons, and with one of the lowest payrolls in Major League Baseball, life as a Pittsburgh Pirates fan has been pretty frustrating. However, this year, they started out as one of baseball's biggest surprises, with Bryan Reynolds and Andrew McCutchen helping to fuel a 20-8 start. Then came a recent seven-game losing streak — and fans were scratching their heads once again. Today, we look at the key factors behind the Pirates’ early success, the cause of their recent struggles, and what to make of this roller coaster season so far.

Guest: Britt Ghiroli, The Athletic

Read Britt's full story about the Pirates here

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Plus: The Devils bounce back to make it a series with Carolina. And college basketball’s most famous recruit finally announces where he’ll play next season. 

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