The Lead

The New York Yankees are one of the most storied teams in all of professional sports. So how did a former player-turned-broadcaster with no managerial experience become the team’s skipper? Hear about Aaron Boone’s unlikely rise to the most iconic job in baseball, learn more about his famous ‘savages in the box’ incident, and find out how he has proven his critics wrong as the team sets its sights on a World Series title...

The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the best young teams in professional hockey. The team is also led by a very young general manager who has placed a premium on locking in youthful talent with big contracts. It’s part of a wider movement in the NHL where young players are commanding the type of salaries that were once reserved for veterans. But while today’s young hockey stars are good, it’s the older teams who are winning Stanley Cups...

A joint investigation from The Athletic and WVUE-TV in New Orleans reveals why a football stadium that was supposed to be built in New Orleans' Upper Ninth Ward still has not been completed. The project was intended to be a symbol of recovery after Hurricane Katrina. A decade later, there’s still no field and less than $900 remains in the organization's bank account...

A joint investigation from The Athletic and WVUE-TV in New Orleans reveals why a high school football stadium that was supposed to be a symbol of recovery after Hurricane Katrina was never completed. Celebrity athletes like Drew Brees and Saints head coach Sean Payton helped provide funding. The project captured the attention of President Obama, Anderson Cooper and news outlets across the country. But a decade later, there’s still no field -- and a million dollars is missing...

We interview Governor Gavin Newsom about the bill he signed into law that will allow college athletes in California to be paid for the use of their name and likeness. We ask him why he signed the bill, what impact he thinks it will have, and why he agrees with the President of the NCAA that the new law is an “existential threat” to the status quo for college athletes. Additional Reading: https://theathletic...

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)...

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...

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...

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...

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...