The Lead

Drew Brees returned to the Saints' lineup yesterday, but it was his backup, Teddy Bridgewater, who got the biggest cheers. Bridgewater led the Saints to a perfect 5-0 record while Brees recovered from a thumb injury and established himself as a Saints folk hero in the process. Bridgewater is one of many backup QBs who have been thrust into the NFL spotlight this season, as star QB after star QB has gone down injured. We trace Bridgewater's remarkable path to this moment -- including overcoming a life-threatening injury -- and ask what the future holds now that his stock has risen.

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Steph Curry knows that everything has changed for the Warriors. The team lost three big players from their championship run and superstar Klay Thompson could miss the entire season due to a torn ACL. In an exclusive interview with Curry, The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami speaks with the three-time NBA Champion about the new-look Warriors, what went through his head when Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn, and his potential plan for retirement.

You can go here for Tim Kawakami’s complete interview with Steph Curry on his podcast The TK Show: https://theathletic.com/podcast/13-the-tk-show/?source=theleadpodcast

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The Houston Astros are under intense pressure to make things right after their assistant General Manager reportedly taunted a group of female reporters in the locker room. Brandon Taubman screamed "Thank God we got Osuna! I'm so "effing" glad we got Osuna!" He was referencing Roberto Osuna, a star pitcher who was suspended for 75 games for violating MLB's domestic abuse policy. The team then tried to discredit the reporter who broke the news. MLB is investigating the incident. The Athletic’s Emma Span joins us to explain what the exchange was all about and what might be done about it.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal says it’s time for MLB to impose harsh discipline on Brandon Taubman and the Astros:

https://theathletic.com/1317266/2019/10/23/rosenthal-its-time-for-rob-manfred-and-mlb-to-impose-harsh-discipline-on-brandon-taubman-and-the-astros/?source=theleadpodcast

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Anders sits down with LAFC Head Coach Bob Bradley, who was just named MLS Coach of the Year, to discuss his team's incredible regular season, what motivates him, and why he wants his players to express their personalities on the field. Bob also reflects on his remarkable career, including his time in Egypt and England.

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The most anticipated match in MLS history is tomorrow. LAFC takes on cross-town rivals LA Galaxy in the second round of the playoffs. LAFC had a record-breaking regular season, led by Mexican superstar Carlos Vela. But they've never beaten the LA Galaxy or Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Athletic's Josh Gross walks us through the amazing story of LAFC, which has taken Los Angeles by storm, and tells us what to expect in tomorrow night's match.

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Paul George and Anthony Davis did something this off-season that rattled the NBA to its very core -- they forced their teams to trade them, despite the fact that they were still under contract. The Athletic's Sam Amick joins us to explain how NBA superstars have become so powerful that they can dictate their own trades and line up their future teammates, and what this means for the future of the league. We also look forward to tonight's opening-night match between the Lakers and Clippers, where George and Davis will square off against one another.

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With the World Series about to begin, we check in with Dr. Meredith Wills, an astrophysicist, about one of this season's biggest storylines -- the record-setting number of home runs and the allegedly "juiced" baseballs. Wells has been studying MLB balls for years, and she explains her findings. Plus, we check in with The Athletic's Jayson Stark about how the balls used in the World Series might affect the teams involved, and we look at how the Astros and Nationals match up against one another.

You can hear more from Jayson Stark every Tuesday on his "Starkville" podcast:

https://theathletic.com/podcast/25-starkville/?source=theleadpodcast

And revisit the 2000 World Series with the latest "Sports Wars" series about the Subway Series: https://wondery.com/shows/sports-wars/

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In 1986 the NCAA delivered what is unofficially known as the “death penalty” to the Southern Methodist University football program. The team was found guilty of egregious recruiting violations and barred from playing any football during the 1987 season, along with other sanctions. Now, the Mustangs are 6-0 and back in the AP Top 25 for the first time in more than three decades. The Athletic’s Chris Vannini explains how a second year coach has guided the team back to winning ways using an unconventional team building tactic.

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On Monday night, the Lions lost to the Packers after a series of dubious calls by the referees. Fans were outraged. Commentator Booger McFarland went berserk. Even Barry Sanders, the soft-spoken former Lions star, voiced his frustration on Twitter. NFL writer Lindsay Jones joins us to explain what happened in the game, how and why the quality of refereeing in the league appears to be declining, and what can be done about it.

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Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs unexpectedly died in July. An autopsy revealed he had fentanyl and oxycodone in his system. New reporting suggests an Angels employee — who is cooperating with the DEA — supplied drugs for Skaggs and that two other high-ranking executives knew about Skaggs's drug use as early as 2017. In this episode, The Athletic’s Katie Strang looks back at Skaggs's death, explains how the Angels organization might have mishandled the case, and analyzes the potential liability for the team and Major League Baseball itself.

Read Katie Strang’s analysis of the legal implications of the Tyler Skaggs case:

https://theathletic.com/1294989/2019/10/15/analyzing-the-legal-implications-of-the-tyler-skaggs-case/?source=theleadpodcast

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