The Lead

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Did The XFL Ever Have A Chance? Apr 13, 2020

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The XFL officially called it quits on Friday, suspending operations and laying off all of its employees, except for a handful of executives. Vince McMahon's quirky league, which included a bunch of unusual rules, surprised a lot of people with its relative success over the past few months and in some ways seemed ready for the long run. The Athletic’s Arif Hasan, who covers the Minnesota Vikings (and formerly the XFL), joins us to talk about why the league folded, how the XFL evolved from its first iteration back in 2001, and what all of this means for the future of alternative football leagues.

Read more from Arif Hassan:

https://theathletic.com/author/arif-hasan/?source=theleadpodcast

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Hank Azaria and Special Guest Jim Brockmire Apr 10, 2020

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Actor Hank Azaria is perhaps best known for his work voicing multiple classic characters on The Simpsons, but he's also the star of the hit show Brockmire. Azaria plays the title character, Jim Brockmire, a washed-up baseball announcer with alcohol problems and a sharp wit. Today we're joined by Azaria, a big baseball fan himself, to talk about his love of the Mets and his work on Brockmire, which is airing its final season on IFC, and the Simpson. We'll also be joined by Jim Brockmire to talk about how he is getting through life without sports.

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Will Major League Baseball Be Playing In May? Apr 09, 2020

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The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal joins us to discuss a radical new plan from Major League Baseball, which would see the league returning to play as early as May. The plan, which reportedly has the support of high-ranking federal public health officials, would involve empty stadiums, players sitting six feet apart in the stands, and no touching or high-fives -- all broadcast live on national television. It comes with a tremendous amount of uncertainty and pitfalls, but could it possibly work?

Read Ken Rosenthal's story about MLB's unlikely plan:

https://theathletic.com/1729420/2020/04/07/rosenthal-some-in-government-support-plan-for-baseballs-return-obstacles-remain/?source=theleadpodcast

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College Sports Are In Serious Jeopardy Apr 08, 2020

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Football and men's basketball are the main financial drivers of college sports. With March Madness having been canceled, many athletic departments are now more dependent than ever on a successful college football season. But will there be one? The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach joins us to talk about how colleges are (and are not) preparing for football season, why college sports are more financially vulnerable than pro sports, and how the coronavirus could change everything we know about the college sports landscape.

Read Nicole Auerbach and Chris Vannini's story about the potential reshaping of college sports:

https://theathletic.com/1718816/2020/04/02/college-sports-athletic-directors-financial-impact-covid-19-survey/?source=theleadpodcast

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Will Liverpool Be Given The Premier League Title? Apr 07, 2020

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Before coronavirus brought sports to a halt, Liverpool was having a historically great Premier League season and was about to clinch its first top flight title in three decades. The Athletic's David Ornstein joins us to explain how the EPL is now desperately trying to find a way to finish the season, why some owners are taking heat over their business decisions, and what the uncertain future of the season means for Liverpool’s title hopes.

Follow David Ornstein's Premier League coverage:

https://theathletic.com/author/david-ornstein/?source=theleadpodcast

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The Dick Vitale You Don't Know Apr 06, 2020

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Many people only know Dick Vitale through his happy-go-lucky, extremely energetic and at times almost cartoonish on-air persona. Today, on what would have been the day of the men's college basketball national title game, Seth Davis of The Athletic joins us to talk about the iconic broadcaster's remarkable career — and some of the very human struggles he has endured over the years.

Follow Seth Davis’s coverage of college basketball: https://theathletic.com/author/seth-davis/?source=theleadpodcast

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Is the NFL in Corona Denial? Apr 03, 2020

Show notes

Just about every professional sports league has come to a grinding halt in recent weeks, with one notable exception: the NFL. As other leagues have shut down because of COVID-19, the NFL has allowed new player signings, plans to hold the NFL draft as planned in late April, and has said that its season will start on time in September. The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones joins us to talk about how the NFL’s business-as-usual approach has been rubbing some people the wrong way, but how it might also be what fans and the league need right now.

Follow Lindsay Jones's NFL coverage:

https://theathletic.com/author/lindsay-jones/?source=theleadpodcast

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What Drives Sabrina Ionescu Apr 02, 2020

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Normally, this weekend would have been the Final Four of the women’s NCAA tournament, and potentially a big sendoff for the best player in college basketball, Sabrina Ionescu. Instead, Oregon’s superstar now turns her focus to the WNBA Draft, where she will almost certainly be the number one pick. Today, we’re joined by Seth Davis of The Athletic to discuss Ionescu’s rise from unassuming kid to triple-double machine, the struggles her family had to overcome, and how her trademark intensity has fueled her career.

Follow Seth Davis’s coverage of college basketball: https://theathletic.com/author/seth-davis/?source=theleadpodcast

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Cam Newton’s Messy Breakup With The Panthers Apr 01, 2020

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After months of speculation, the Carolina Panthers released longtime quarterback Cam Newton on March 24. While the move was expected by some, it still came as a shock to fans and the football world. And the whole separation itself was rather messy. After the Panthers announced they would allow Newton to seek a trade, Cam took to the comments on the team's Instagram page to give his side of the story. It was a far from elegant way to let go of a quarterback who is also a former MVP and considered by many to be an all-time great. Today, The Athletic's Jourdan Rodrigue joins us to discuss why the Carolina Panthers franchise QB was released so unceremoniously, what could be next for Superman, and why he has meant so much to the Carolina community.

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Before The WNBA, There Was Lady Magic Mar 31, 2020

Show notes

Just before the coronavirus put a halt to every sport seemingly overnight, there were some big developments in the WNBA. The union signed a new contract with the league, players started making more money and some big trades generated a lot of excitement. But it could be argued that none of this would have been possible without pioneering women like Nancy Lieberman, whose legacy includes a legendary college career, a spot on the first-ever women's Olympic basketball team and two stints in the WNBA, one of them at 50 years old. Today, in honor of Women’s History Month, hoops legend Nancy Lieberman joins us to talk about her achievements, how the women’s game has changed and the way basketball shaped her life from an early age.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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