The Lead

The MLB Wild Card games are set. After a 162-game season, four teams will meet this week in do-or-die matchups to determine who will advance and who will go home. This year's Wild Card games feature two teams that have made the playoffs despite having some of the lowest payrolls in baseball (the A's and Rays), and two teams with remarkable comeback stories (the Brewers and Nationals). We speak with The Athletic's Jayson Stark about these matchups and about how this bizarre one-game system came to be.

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A heart attack scare, a badly broken arm, and the loss of a franchise player were not enough to keep the Washington Nationals from clinching a wild card berth this season. The Nats became just the third team in more than 30 years to make the playoffs after being 12 games below .500. The Athletic's Brittany Ghiroli joins us to talk about how they pulled off their incredible turnaround -- and danced a lot along the way.

Read Brittany Ghiroli’s behind-the-scenes story on the wild 36-hours behind the Nats playoff-clinching series:

https://theathletic.com/1237960/2019/09/25/a-wild-36-hours-behind-the-scenes-of-the-nationals-playoff-clinching-series/?source=theleadpodcast

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The Michigan Wolverines were blown out last Saturday by Wisconsin. It was the latest loss by Jim Harbaugh to a ranked opponent. Since then, questions have swirled about Harbaugh's future with the Wolverines. The Athletic’s Nick Baumgardner joins us to talk about Harbaugh’s journey from Ann Arbor kid to "Michigan Man," and whether or not his job is actually in jeopardy.

Read Nick Baumgardner’s latest piece on Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines:

https://theathletic.com/1229820/2019/09/21/jim-harbaughs-michigan-program-has-an-identity-its-just-not-the-one-you-hoped-for/?source=theleadpodcast

Get more college football by listening to The Solid Verbal podcast here.

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The Tampa Bay Rays are currently competing for a Wild Card spot as the baseball season enters its final days. But despite a successful season on the field the team is struggling to get fans into the stands. Attendance has been so dismal that team ownership is considering splitting home games between Florida and Montreal and even moving the team altogether. The Athletic’s Jayson Stark joins us to talk about the dynamics between the city, the franchise and a fan base that just doesn’t show up, even as the team is winning.

You can read Jayson Stark’s article on the future of the Tampa Bay Ray’s here: https://theathletic.com/990608/2019/05/23/stark-is-there-hope-for-the-rays-in-tampa-bay/?source=theleadpodcast

And hear Jayson Stark talking with Dan Rubenstein on "Sports Wars":

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1000451154602/id1478448344?i=1000451154602

Go here to listen to Jayson Stark’s baseball podcast, “Starkville”:

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

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Shaquille O’Neal’s was one of the most dominant centers to ever play in the NBA. And now, he wants his post basketball life to mirror his days on the court. Through business investments, strict social media rules and always listening to his mother Shaq is on a mission to become the richest retired basketball player on the planet. The Athletic’s Armen Keteyian joins us to talk about his exclusive interview with The Big Aristotle.

You can watch Armen’s video “Big Man, Big Brand” here: https://theathletic.com/video/20-shaq?source=theleadpodcast

And to listen to a podcast series about the rivalry between Shaq and Kobe, check out “Sports Wars”: https://wondery.com/shows/sports-wars/

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Antonio Brown spent just 11 days with the New England Patriots before they released him amid accusations of rape and sexual assault. With so much controversy swirling around the All-Pro receiver, what was the final straw? We look at the history of the Patriots taking on risky players and analyze the famous “Patriot Way.”

In her column, Lindsay Jones says if Antonio Brown never plays in the NFL again, it’s entirely his fault:

https://theathletic.com/1231786/2019/09/22/jones-antonio-brown-is-the-only-one-to-blame-for-nfl-downfall/?source=theleadpodcast

To learn more about "The Patriot Way," listen to the award-winning 6-part investigative podcast "Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc.": https://wondery.com/shows/gladiator/

Go here to listen to Lindsay Jones and Amy Parlapiano’s NFL Power Rankings podcast:

https://theathletic.com/podcast/70-nfl-power-rankings/?source=theleadpodcast

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 A reporter goes undercover to try out for a G League Basketball team, and let’s just say it does not go well. The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf recounts his hilarious experience trying out for the Texas Legends, a developmental affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.

And The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson reflects on the remarkable career of Shaun Livingston, who overcame a catastrophic knee injury and won three NBA championships. Livingston retired last week.

What’s an NBA G League tryout like? I tried out (undercover) for the Texas Legends to find out

https://theathletic.com/1216654/2019/09/17/whats-an-nba-g-league-tryout-like-i-tried-out-undercover-for-the-texas-legends-to-find-out/?source=theleadpodcast

Robbed of stardom, Shaun Livingston created something more profound

https://theathletic.com/1209989/2019/09/13/thompson-robbed-of-stardom-shaun-livingston-created-something-more-profound/?source=theleadpodcast

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Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney wants his players to talk about themselves and their backgrounds, so he created something called "the safe seat." It's part of a broader effort to address mental health issues among his players. It can be especially hard for college athletes to talk about mental health. And even though colleges are increasingly aware of the challenges, not every player gets the help they need. The Athletic’s Armen Keteyian joins us to talk about his video series on mental health in college athletics and the stories of two high-profile college football players, one who got the help he needed and one who didn't.

You can watch Armen’s video series on college athletes and mental health here:

https://theathletic.com/video/9-over-the-edge/?source=theleadpodcast

To hear about some of the greatest rivalries in sports, including college football, check out "Sports Wars": https://wondery.com/shows/sports-wars/

If you need to talk to someone, you can call the The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

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Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge? It turns out a women’s college basketball team planted the seeds for the viral internet trend that took over the Internet in 2014. The Athletic’s Steve Buckley joins us to talk about how it all happened and how three men with Lou Gehrig’s Disease inspired millions of people to transform a silly internet trend into millions of dollars for ALS research and awareness.

You can find Steve Buckley’s oral history of the Ice Bucket Challenge on the Athletic here: https://theathletic.com/1050538/2019/07/10/tell-every-person-you-know-five-years-later-the-oral-history-of-how-the-ice-bucket-challenge-spread/?source=theleadpodcast

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Wide receiver Antonio Brown is facing accusations of rape and sexual assault. Brown made his debut with the New England Patriots on Sunday after a tumultuous offseason. We talk with The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones about the Antonio Brown saga and the NFL’s history of handling players accused of violence against women.

Read The Athletic's coverage on what might come next for Antonio Brown:

https://theathletic.com/1217495/2019/09/17/will-this-be-the-week-that-antonio-brown-is-placed-on-the-commissioners-exempt-list/?source=theleadpodcast

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