The Lead

The hottest name on the open market in baseball might just belong to a power hitting outfielder from Japan. Hiroshima Toyo Carp slugger Seiya Suzuki has teams from across baseball salivating at his combination of power, plate discipline, and incredible defensive prowess. But with Major League Baseball mired in a lockout, Suzuki’s dreams are currently on hold. Today, The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly he tells us how the 27-year-old is coping with the waiting game and where he might land when he finally gets to the majors.Read Andrew Baggarly’s story about Seiya Suzuki: https://theathletic.com/3065621/2022/01/13/japanese-superstar-seiya-suzuki-is-determined-to-be-an-impact-player-in-the-major-leagues-now-he-just-has-to-pick-a-team/  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NFL playoffs kicked off on Saturday, and the Super Wild Card Weekend was memorable right from the jump, with Joe Burrow and the Bengals breaking their long playoff drought, Josh Allen putting on a flawless performance to beat the Patriots, and an unforgettable finish between the 49ers and Cowboys in Dallas. Today, The Athletic’s Arif Hasan joins us to break down the milestones, surprises and storylines to emerge during an exciting opening playoff weekend. Plus, senior writer Ed Bouchette offers his insights on Ben Roethlisberger at the end of an era in Pittsburgh. Follow Arif Hasan’s coverage of the Vikings and the NFL: https://theathletic.com/author/arif-hasan/?source=theleadpodcast Follow Ed Bouchette’s coverage of the Steelers: https://theathletic.com/author/ed-bouchette/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NBA fans were treated to one of stranger and more hilarious moments of the season earlier this week, when Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker took exception to the actions of the opposing team's mascot, The Raptor. What made the situation especially ridiculous was the fact that there were no fans in the arena -- just a lone red dinosaur in a basketball jersey, jumping around and trying to distract Booker while he shot free throws late in the game. In honor of this incredible moment, we're doing a deep dive on mascots today. First, former Phillie Phanatic (and founder of the Mascot Hall Of Fame) Dave Raymond joins us to share his views on the Booker situation. Then, The Athletic's Nick Kosmider and James Edwards III tell the story of the first father-son mascot duo in NBA history, and take us deep inside the secret, joyful, and challenging lives of mascots.Read Nick and James's original story:https://theathletic.com/1630387/2020/02/25/the-inside-story-of-the-nbas-first-and-only-father-son-mascots/Learn more about Dave Raymond:https://daveraymondspeaks.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The longest playoff win drought in American sports belongs to… The Cincinnati Bengals. It’s been 30 seasons (and counting) since fans in Southern Ohio could celebrate an NFL postseason victory, and it all started with a tackle on one of the league’s most legendary players. Today, The Athletic’s Paul Dehner Jr. and Jay Morrison take us through the history of the so-called 'Curse of Bo Jackson' and tell us why this young and fearless Bengals squad may finally be the one to end their historic drought.Read Paul Dehner Jr. and Jay Morrison’s story about the Bengals playoff curse here: https://theathletic.com/3062632/2022/01/11/time-for-us-to-turn-the-page-bengals-playoff-drought-resonates-across-31-years-of-players-coaches/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re almost halfway through the final season of Mike Krzyzewski’s legendary 42-year run at Duke, and his hopes for one last title are resting in part with Duke’s latest freshman star: the dynamic 6-foot-10 big man, Paolo Banchero. Today, The Athletic’s Brendan Marks tells the story of Banchero’s unconventional path from aspiring drummer to potential No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. And, after a challenging stretch of their season — including a COVID-19 outbreak — do Banchero and Duke still have what it takes to give Coach K a championship sendoff? Read Brendan Marks’s full story about Paolo Banchero: https://theathletic.com/2942721/2021/11/09/the-making-of-paolo-banchero-dukes-newest-freshman-superstar/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Before Sunday night, it had been almost two and a half years -- I repeat, two and a half YEARS - since Klay Thompson last suited up for an NBA game. After tearing his ACL in 2019, he returned to health in 2020, only to rupture his achilles tendon. Now, after diligently rehabbing both injuries for months on end, he's back in the lineup for the Golden State Warriors. The Athletic's Anthony Slater, who covers the Warriors, joins us to explain what life has been like for Klay during his long absence, how he has grown in unexpected ways, and what we learned about him during his highly anticipated return against the Cavs. Then, after leading Georgia to the national championship on Monday night, quarterback Stetson Bennett will live forever in the hearts and minds -- and possibly the checkbooks -- of Bulldogs fans.More from Anthony Slater:https://theathletic.com/author/anthony-slater/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After an absolutely wild finish to the NFL's Week 18, The Athletic's Greg Auman joins us to discuss the team that is once again poised to make a deep run in the playoffs -- the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Bucs. Can they overcome a slew of injuries to once again make the Super Bowl? Plus, we recap what the playoff picture now looks like, how the stars somehow aligned for Big Ben and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and a Raiders-Chargers game for the ages that somehow did NOT end in a tie.More from Greg Auman:https://theathletic.com/author/greg-auman/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re heading into the final week of the 2021 NFL regular season, and for a number of teams — including the 49ers, Raiders, Chargers and Titans, to name a few — there is a lot to play for on Sunday. Today, The Athletic’s Sheil Kapadia breaks down what’s at stake in the NFC and AFC this weekend. Plus, the story of a football fan, a lost wedding ring, and the team that came to the rescue. Follow Sheil Kapadia’s coverage of the NFL: https://theathletic.com/author/sheil-kapadia/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It turns out 36 is the new 20 -- at least for Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin. The aging Russian is off to the best start of his career this season, and is inching closer to a record once thought untouchable -- Wayne Gretzky's career goal scoring record. So what exactly is behind The Great Eight's white hot start? And how has he taken his game to yet another level? The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir explains. Then, we dive into the tennis story that has become an international sensation -- Novak Djokovic's detention at an airport in Melbourne. Why is the world's #1 player being told to go home? The answer is more complicated than you might think.More from Tarik El-Bashir:https://theathletic.com/author/tarik-el-bashir/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Lakers started the year as one of the NBA title favorites. Now, nearly halfway through the season, they're still struggling to stay above .500 and out of the play-in for the second consecutive year. Today, The Athletic's Bill Oram tells us why the Lakers' bet on Russell Westbrook has not paid off and whether LeBron James can carry this team back to the promised land at 37-years-old.Read all of Bill Oram's Lakers coverage: https://theathletic.com/author/bill-oram/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.