ESPN Daily

With the U.S. Women’s National Team’s Olympic championship in the rearview mirror, it’s time to turn our attention to the National Women’s Soccer League, as play restarts this weekend. Allegations of widespread sexual and emotional abuse forced a reckoning for the league in 2021. But three years later, a groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement is in effect, investment is pouring in, and franchise values are on the rise.Today, Philadelphia Inquirer soccer reporter Jonathan Tannenwald explains how the U.S. gold medal triumph sets the stage for the remainder of the NWSL season and why, both globally and domestically, the women’s game has never been better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Let’s face it, for the last few years, the New York Mets have made headlines in the most Metropolitan way possible.From first round playoff flamouts to million dollar fire sales to chucking gloves in the stands, something always seemed to be going wrong in Queens.But through it all, the one enduring constant has been their underrated superstar – shortstop Francisco Lindor. And with the Mets looking to make noise this October, his off the field leadership could be more valuable than his Hall of Fame numbers.So Jeff Passan joins us to explain why Lindor is definitely the guy you want in you clubhouse and how the Mets could be building MLB’s next juggernaut. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The rolling hills of Central Pennsylvania are home to Howard J. Lamade Stadium – one of the most fabulous baseball sites in America and the site of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.Every year teams from around the globe travel to this small town to showcase their grit, hope, sportsmanship and will to win. While this represents everything that’s great about the game of baseball, there’s also a special brand of magic that takes place that’s hard to explain if you’ve never been.So today, ESPN’s Sebastian Salazar joins us to break down exactly what makes Williamsport so special from the families, to the competition and, of course, the food. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While we are still enjoying the last moments of summer, the college football machine is already off and running as a fully operational battlestation.The CFB Top 25 rankings were just released and while some teams are looking poised to be some serious competition, others have fallen in the rankings leaving many questions up in the air.There have been so many changes in 2024, from the new sheriff in town for the Crimson Tide, to the SoCal teams swimming in the ultra-competitive Big Ten waters. Not to mention the chaos that will be the new playoff format.So today, college football uber-expert Ryan McGee joins us to make sense of all of this and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, as the Little League World Series brings youth sports front and center, ESPN’s Courtney Cronin explains how George McCaskey, a scion of the legendary Halas family who owns the Chicago Bears, became a community fixture in youth sports as an umpire.Plus, Courtney’s been watching the Bears closely this preseason and tells us whether or not they’ve found their dream team with the rookie duo of quarterback Caleb Williams and wide receiver Rome Odunze. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga took the mound on June 2, 2010 he was just looking to prove to the team that he deserved the stay in the starting rotation. But what began as a routine outing, turned into one of the most dramatic and historic moments in baseball history.Galarraga sat down the first 26 Cleveland hitters that he faced, leaving him one out away from a perfect game. But moments later, instead of glory, a blown call by the umpire, Jim Joyce, kicked off a nightmare for Major League Baseball.Today, ESPN’s Jen Lada explains what we can learn about justice and equity from this moment in time.Jen’s report, E-60 Presents 28 Outs: An Imperfect Story, airs August 18 at 4pm ET on ESPN and ESPN+. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Olympic games are over and on the hardwood, both the men and women of Team USA brought home gold. But while the guys head off to vacation, the WNBA athletes are getting back to work. The league’s four-week break for the Paris Olympiad is over with teams taking the court tonight to kick off the season’s home stretch. And many storylines are still up in the air.Today, ESPN’s Rebecca Lobo, an Olympic gold medalist and former WNBA All-Star herself, drops by to tell us about the playoff push and what it’s like to represent your country on the hardcourt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some of the greatest achievements in sports and music are the product of the same phenomenon––finding your flow. That is the motivating idea behind a new ESPN Film, from the mind of Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, titled “Rhythm Masters.”Hart interviewed numerous athletes and coaches from different sports, from Phil Jackson and Laila Ali, to Marshawn Lynch and Joe Montana. The result is an exploration of the common threads between top level athletes and musical artists. Our own Wright Thompson worked with Hart on the film. In advance of its premiere tonight on ESPN, he takes us inside the production team’s artistic process, explains Bill Walton’s influence on the project, and examines the often overlooked role that creativity plays in athletic greatness.For more on Bill Walton and the Grateful Dead, check out our 2021 conversation with the man himself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Olympics are over, but in Europe, the soccer season is just about to get underway.In England, Premier League football begins on Friday, and the question everyone needs answered? Can anyone topple Manchester City from the top of the heap?Meanwhile, further south in the continent, La Liga starts on Thursday. And the league with the most star power on the map, welcomes the best player on the planet in Kylian Mbappé, to its biggest brand, Real Madrid.Today, ESPN’s Luis Miguel Echegaray tells us everything we need to know ahead of the start of two of the biggest soccer leagues on the planet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Summer 2024 Paris Olympics just ended, and it was truly a return to form for the games. France, and the world, embraced the athletes from across the globe, and with no COVID restrictions in place, we got a chance to see the competitors play a brand new role. Influencer.We were able to get up close and personal thanks to the access you get on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, or X, which made for a fun, and at times hilarious two weeks of competition.So today, our Emily Kaplan puts down her hockey stick and dives into social media to explain how the Olympics is entering its influencer stage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices