The Lead

Last week, The Athletic's Tim Cato and Sam Amick published a report about tension and dysfunction within the Dallas Mavericks caused by research and analytics expert (and former professional gambler) Haralabos Voulgaris. The report claimed that Haralabos was acting as a 'shadow GM' for the team's owner, Mark Cuban, who responded by saying that claims of internal turmoil were "total bullshit." But just a few days later, long-time general manager Donnie Nelson and head coach Rick Carlisle parted ways with the team, and the Mavs are now in search of new leadership. Today, Tim Cato joins us to break down Cuban's rationale for hiring someone with Voulgaris's background in he first place, why he rubbed many staff members and players -- especially superstar Luka Doncic -- the wrong way, and what his ongoing influence could mean for the future of the team.Read Tim Cato and Sam Amick's story about Voulgaris and the Mavericks:https://theathletic.com/2649806/2021/06/14/inside-the-mavericks-front-office-mark-cubans-shadow-gm-is-causing-a-rift-with-luka-doncic/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first week of Euro 2020 is in the books -- and what an opening week it has been. The Athletic's Adam Crawford joins us to break down some of the biggest and most fascinating storylines so far, including France's strong performance in their opening game against Germany, Cristiano Ronaldo's knack for making headlines both on and off the field, and his early picks for tournament champion and breakout star. Plus, we revisit the stunning moment where Danish star Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field, and learn the unlikely story of the two doctors who saved his life.Read Adam Crafton's story about Christian Eriksen here and follow more of his Euro 2020 coverage here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NBA fans woke up to some stunning news on Wednesday, when it was announced that Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul, who has been absolutely electric during this year's NBA Playoffs, has been put on the league's Covid protocol and is out indefinitely. And from there, more and more big news stories just kept breaking. The Athletic's Sam Amick joins us to make sense of the day that the NBA was turned upside down, and offers his insights on Kawhi Leonard's knee problem, LeBron James's casting blame on the league for player injuries, two more head coaching positions opening up, if we'll see the first woman hired as a head coach, and more.More from Sam Amick: https://theathletic.com/author/sam-amick/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Three years ago, the Montreal Canadiens were sitting at the bottom of the NHL standings and ripe for a rebuild. Instead of blowing up the team, GM Marc Bergevin looked West, to the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, for a different approach to constructing his roster. Now, as the Habs and Knights face off in the Stanley Cup Semifinals, the Athletic's Arpon Basu tells us how Bergevin managed to rebuild the Canadiens in the Knights’ image and why that just might have saved his job.You can read Arpon Basu's story about the Canadiens here: https://theathletic.com/2647540/2021/06/11/a-look-at-how-the-canadiens-were-built-reveals-road-map-drawn-by-the-golden-knights/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Recently across Major League Baseball, the issue of pitchers using sticky substances to generate more spin — and therefore gain an advantage — has exploded into a controversy, with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole among those under scrutiny. Today, The Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli on how big this problem has become, how MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred are trying to put a stop to it, and why the league ultimately needs to look itself in the mirror.UPDATE: A few hours after this episode published, MLB issued a statement explaining exactly how they intend to deal with the issue of sticky substances. Umpires have been instructed to perform checks of both teams throughout the game, and any pitcher caught using a foreign substance will be ejected and automatically suspended, with progressive discipline for repeat offenders. Other position players and club personnel may also be subject to league discipline. You can read the full statement here.Follow Britt Ghiroli’s coverage of Major League Baseball and the sticky substance controversy: https://theathletic.com/2641498/2021/06/09/ghiroli-blame-for-mlbs-sticky-substance-controversy-falls-first-on-the-league/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As NFL teams move closer to the start of the 2021 season, many have run into a challenging dilemma -- how to handle players who are hesitant or flat out unwilling to get a Covid vaccine. This has led to some frustration on the part of coaches, executives, agents, and others working behind the scenes, who are trying to find ways to persuade players to get their shots. The Athletic's Lindsay Jones recently spoke with people from around the league about the situation, and joins us today to discuss the growing push to get more NFL players vaccinated and how it is or isn't working.Read Lindsay Jones's recent story about the NFL and vaccination rates.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There's been a lot of talk in recent years about the 'psychedelic revolution' coming in mental health, thanks to studies that have shown that drugs like MDMA (ecstasy or molly) and psilocybin (magic mushrooms), together with therapy, can have positive effects for people suffering from PTSD, depression, and other mental illnesses. But what many people might not realize is that athletes -- who often suffer from these same conditions -- are helping lead the charge. The Athletic's Dan Robson recently wrote about this phenomenon, and he joins us to discuss why many former pro athletes are taking up the cause and how some of their lives have been transformed by their experiences with the drugs.Read Dan Robson's full story about athletes and psychedelics.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hopes are high in Nashville after the trade that brought superstar wide receiver Julio Jones from the Atlanta Falcons to the Tennessee Titans this week. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Joe Rexrode to look at the gamble that the Titans (and their risk-taking GM, Jon Robinson) are taking by bringing in the 32-year-old, how his new teammates have responded, and why an offense featuring Jones, Derrick Henry and A.J. Brown has Tennessee dreaming of a Super Bowl. Read Joe Rexrode’s story about Julio Jones landing with Tennessee: https://theathletic.com/2635345/2021/06/06/titans-julio-jones-are-close-to-teaming-up-and-nashville-should-rejoice/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Soccer fans were treated to an unforgettable spectacle on Sunday night when the U.S. Men's National Team squared off against Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Nation's League. It was the first big test for what many are calling the 'Golden Generation' of U.S. men's soccer -- a collection of young players who are playing for some of the very best clubs in the world. The Athletic's Paul Tenorio joins us to break down the absolutely unforgettable match, which included everything from controversial penalty kicks and pitch invaders to red cards and fan projectiles, and why the character and skill displayed by the U.S. team should give fans plenty of optimism.Read Paul Tenorio's story about the game:https://theathletic.com/2636376/2021/06/07/usmnt-mexico-nations-league-final/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Utah Jazz finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA, but it seems like many people still aren’t taking them seriously as bona fide title contenders. Today, The Athletic’s Tony Jones joins us to break down the challenges that the Jazz have faced this season — from an injury controversy with Donovan Mitchell to a terrifying incident on an airplane — and whether this team is still being overlooked as they get ready to take on the Clippers.Follow Tony Jones’s coverage of the Utah Jazz: https://theathletic.com/author/tony-jones/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.