The Lead

Every year, the average person spends six hours filling out their brackets to try and dominate their March Madness pool. But what if I told you there was a way to get the perfect bracket in minutes instead of hours? Today, The Athletic’s resident college hoops guru, Seth Davis, gives us the skinny on who to watch in the tournament, which teams will bust your bracket, and who is going to come out on top in the end.See all of Seth Davis’ March Madness picks here: https://theathletic.com/3181741/2022/03/14/2022-ncaa-tournament-seth-davis-picks-his-entire-march-madness-bracket/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NFL free agency starts this week, but the fireworks have already started flying around the league, from Tom Brady to Russell Wilson to Aaron Rodgers to Carson Wentz. Today, The Athletic’s Stephen Holder breaks down the big QB deals that have already happened, and the off-field stories that have shaken the NFL lately, including the impact of Calvin Ridley's gambling suspension on the league, and what's next after a grand jury's decision not to indict Deshaun Watson. Follow Stephen Holder’s coverage of the NFL: https://theathletic.com/author/stephen-holder/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Paralympics are in full swing in Beijing, and there have been plenty of great moments to savor. Today, we look at the incredible performance of athletes from Ukraine, who are winning loads of medals even while their friends and families back home remain under siege, the rise of China as a dominant force at the Paralympics, and the most memorable performances so far from Team USA.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Caitlin Clark is one of the most exciting players in all of college basketball. She launches shots from near half-court, spins audacious passes, and she has the numbers to back up the style too. But she’s not content with just dominating the basketball court, the sophomore point guard has dreams of becoming a mogul down the line. Today, The Athletic’s Brian Hamilton joins us to talk about where Clark’s unrelenting self belief comes from, a growing relationship with an NBA superstar, and tells us who could get in the Hawkeye’s way for their first berth in a Final Four since 1993.Read Brian Hamilton’s story about Caitlin Clark here: https://theathletic.com/3129249/2022/02/17/caitlin-clark-wants-it-all-how-the-iowa-star-plans-to-conquer-college-basketball-and-the-wide-open-world-beyond-it/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The struggling L.A. Lakers lost again on Monday night, part of a second-half slide that has seen their record drop to eight games under .500. And in the midst of all that losing, there are big questions on the horizon when it comes to the future of LeBron James. Today, The Athletic’s Bill Oram tells us where things stand with LeBron and the Lakers, and why his struggling superstar teammate, Russell Westbrook, has reached a point where he doesn’t want his kids coming to games. Plus, Bill’s perspective on the new HBO series, ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’. Follow Bill Oram’s coverage of the Lakers: https://theathletic.com/author/bill-oram/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Roman Abramovich endeared himself to Chelsea fans almost immediately when he purchased the club back in 2003. He quickly spent more money than any Premier League club owner in history, and the results on the field followed: league titles, Champions League victories, and many more trophies. But now, in the wake of Russia's war against Ukraine, questions and concerns about Abramovich, his past, and his ties to Vladimir Putin have resurfaced, and the Russian billionaire announced last week that he will be selling the team. The Athletic's Matt Slater joins us to explain what we know (and don't know) about Abramovich's ties to the Kremlin, what the sale of Chelsea means for the future of the club, and if all of this will lead to a day reckoning for the Premier League and the question of who should be allowed to buy a team.More from Matt Slater:https://theathletic.com/author/matt-slater/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NFL Free Agency is just around the corner, but the quarterback rumor mill is already in full flow. Today, The Athletic’s Mike Sando joins us to talk about the latest signal caller scuttlebutt from the combine and to tell us which team should feel the most angst about their quarterback situation headed into the 2022 season. Plus, the story of a retired NFL veteran who went from dishing out hits on the gridiron to dishing up food for kids.Read all of Mike Sando’s NFL coverage: https://theathletic.com/author/mike-sando/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred announced that for the first time since 1994, the league is canceling games due to a work stoppage. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Nick Groke — who covers the Colorado Rockies — to look at why that team’s owner, Dick Monfort, has emerged as a key figure in the failed negotiations. And, with both sides currently at an impasse, exactly how long could this lockout last? Follow Nick Groke’s coverage of the Rockies, and the MLB lockout: https://theathletic.com/author/nick-groke/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s another superstar emerging for the USWNT — Catarina Macario. The excitement around the 22-year-old is at a fevered pitch after she scored two incredible goals against Iceland to help the Americans seal their third straight SheBelieves Cup. Today, The Athletic’s Meg Linehan joins us to talk about how the Brazilian-born forward came in to the national team setup and just how high her ceiling really is. Later, Meg tells us about the latest developments in the USWNT’s fight for equal pay.Read Meg Linehan’s coverage of the USWNT and all things women’s soccer: https://theathletic.com/author/meg-linehan/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week, international sports organizations have issued unprecedented penalties against Russia, including a ban on playing in international soccer games. Today, reporter Tariq Panja joins us to explain how and why these dramatic actions were taken, and why FIFA took so long to make its decision. Plus, the inside story of a group of professional soccer players who were trapped in a Ukrainian hotel, and an American basketball player’s harrowing escape from Ukraine just days before her host city fell under Russian control.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.