The Lead

For the past month, millions of people have been glued to the television, watching as many Word Cup games as possible. And for fans in the U.S., that has meant spending a lot of time with the broadcast team at Fox. With the dust still settling on the tournament, sports media journalist Richard Deitsch joins us to discuss Fox's coverage, what they did and didn't do well, and why, no matter what you think of them, their broadcast was a major success.More from Richard Deitsch:https://theathletic.com/4009860/2022/12/19/fox-world-cup-coverage-2026/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Plus: Two NFC contenders see their playoff prospects head in opposite directions. And the Lakers find themselves in a familiar position — with a key piece out of action.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One week ago, Grant Wahl – perhaps the best known soccer journalist in the U.S. – died suddenly while covering the World Cup in Qatar. He was just 49 years old. Today, four people who knew Grant share stories about his life, and the impact he had on the beautiful game and the people who cover it.Guests: Alexi Lalas, Chris Stone, Samara Kelly, Luis Miguel EchegaraySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Behind every great sports broadcaster is a great statistician -- the person who digs up the numbers that tell us a story about the game we're watching, or help us make sense of the action unfolding before our eyes. Today, The Athletic’s Dan Brown tells us the story of one such statistician, Bo Chapman, who became one of the best and most beloved sports statisticians around, before his life was tragically cut short. Plus, what his family and the Golden State Warriors are doing to honor his legacy -- and to help find the next Bo.Read Daniel Brown's full story about Bo Chapman:https://theathletic.com/3752841/2022/11/25/nba-broadcasters-and-the-search-for-the-next-great-statistician-a-love-story/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There is perhaps no greater theater in all of sports than a penalty kick shootout at the World Cup. Players take turns walking into the spotlight with millions, if not billions of people around the world watching them, and engage in a high-stakes battle of skill and nerves with the goalkeeper. Score, and you are cheered -- miss, and your legacy might forever be tainted. And yet, despite the huge importance of shootouts, many coaches over the years have simply shrugged their shoulders and referred to them as lotteries. Soccer writer and long-suffering England fan Ben Lyttleton, who has written a book about penalty kicks, joins us today to dispel the notion that shootouts are a simple game of chance, and to explain the fascinating science and psychology of soccer's ultimate showdown.Ben Lyttleton's book about penalty kicks:https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Yards-Psychology-Perfect-Penalty/dp/0143127306/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Back in March, Aaliyah Gayles -- a talented point guard from Las Vegas -- played in the McDonald's Girls All-American Basketball Game. It was just the latest achievement in her already impressive high school career, which included her being named a top ten national recruit. But just a few weeks after that game, Gayles’s life and promising basketball career changed forever. Today, reporter David Gardner tells us about how she survived a near-fatal shooting, her long journey back to the court, and the mindset that might allow her to realize a lifelong dream.Read David Gardner's story about Aaliyah Gayles:https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/11/07/aaliyah-gayles-usc-basketball/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Plus: Two top NFL contenders get worrying injury news at the most important position. And two young superstars guide their countries into the round of eight in Qatar.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Being a long snapper in the NFL is one of the stranger jobs in all of sports. You spend your time hunched over, trying to throw perfect spirals backwards and between your legs -- in high pressure situations – and no one really knows about you or cares about you unless something goes terribly, horribly wrong. Sports Illustrated’s Alex Prewitt recently went down the long snapping rabbit hole, and today he takes us into the upside-down world of these men – a world filled with quirky perfectionists, a lot of down time, and the desire to finally get the respect they feel they deserve.Read Alex Prewitt's full story:https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/11/16/inside-economics-evolution-politics-of-long-snappers-daily-coverSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's been a while since there has been this much hype around an NBA prospect. Victor Wembanyama, the 7-foot-3-inch,18-year-old French basketball sensation, has been turning heads around the world for years now, and has even captured the imaginations of the NBA's biggest superstars, who have all gushed about his skills and incredible potential. But what makes Wembanyama even more intriguing is his unusual way of seeing the world. Tania Ganguli of The New York Times recently spent time with the teenage star in France, and she joins us today to explain into how he has always done things differently, and why that might make him even better prepared for NBA superstardom.Read Tania Ganguli's full story about Victor Wembanyama: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/16/sports/basketball/victor-wembanyama-nba-draft-2023.htmlSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.