The Lead

Baltimore recently lost a sports icon. Mo Gaba first gained fame as a 9-year-old, when he began calling into a local sports talk radio show and entertaining listeners with his unique sense of humor and unforgettable voice. But then, as his lifelong battle with cancer became known to the public, his story took on a new meaning. The Athletic's Britt Ghiroli, who met Mo several times, joins us to reflect on his life, his message, and his unforgettable final radio show.Read Britt Ghiroli and Jeff Zrebiec's story about Mo Gaba:https://theathletic.com/1989076/2020/08/12/mostrong-the-boy-who-inspired-athletes-and-rallied-a-city/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last week, college football seemed to be moving full speed ahead, albeit with a limited schedule. But on Tuesday, the Big Ten and PAC-12 announced that they would not be playing football this fall after all. The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbauch joins us to explain how this apparently sudden shift came about, and whether or not the other Power Five conferences will follow suit.More from Nicole Auerbach:https://theathletic.com/author/nicole-auerbach/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After entering the NBA bubble as one of the most intriguing teams to watch, Zion Williamson and the Pelicans are getting ready to head home, as they’ve officially been eliminated from the 2020 NBA Playoffs. Today, The Athletic’s Will Guillory joins us to look back on Zion's turbulent rookie year — a year filled with peaks and setbacks — and ask if it’s time to adjust our expectations around the most hyped player to enter the league in recent memory. Follow Will Guillory’s coverage of the New Orleans Pelicans: https://theathletic.com/author/william-guillory/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Orlando City SC faces the Portland Timbers in tonight's MLS Is Back Final. And Orlando has made it deep into the tournament largely thanks to former Manchester United star Nani, who signed with the Florida team last year. Today, the Athletic’s Sam Stejskal joins us to discuss the Portuguese winger's remarkable career, his recent MLS heroics, and what his time in the U.S. has revealed about the man who was once tapped to be Cristiano Ronaldo's successor.More from Sam Stejskal:https://theathletic.co.uk/author/sam-stejskal/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just over two weeks into the 2020 season, Major League Baseball has seen an alarming number of injuries to pitchers, including Justin Verlander, Mike Soroka and Shohei Ohtani, who was back on the mound for the first time in nearly two years after Tommy John surgery. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Eno Sarris to look more closely at the cases of Verlander, Ohtani and Eduardo Rodriguez, and discuss whether this whole wave of injuries could actually get worse. Read Eno Sarris’s story about the pitching injuries across Major League Baseball: https://theathletic.com/1961073/2020/07/29/baseballs-predicted-injury-rash-is-here-now-what/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Thursday was the deadline for NFL players to opt out of the 2020 season, and a number of prominent names — including Dont’a Hightower of the Patriots and Damien Williams of the Chiefs — have decided not to play. The first player to opt out of the season was Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, an offensive lineman for the Super Bowl champion Chiefs. The Athletic’s Nate Taylor joins us to discuss Duvernay-Tardif’s remarkable double life as a doctor and football player, and why he won’t be taking the field for Kansas City in 2020. Read Nate Taylor’s story about Laurent Duvernay-Tardif: https://theathletic.com/1891840/2020/06/24/after-treating-patients-laurent-duvernay-tardif-shares-his-unique-perspective/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With less than a month until the start of the college football season, more and more players are demanding better protections against COVID-19, scholarship guarantees, and, in some cases, money. The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach joins us to talk about how these unprecedented demands have come about, what impact they could have on the fall season, and why players are speaking up now.More from Nicole Auerbach:https://theathletic.com/author/nicole-auerbach/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Portland Trail Blazers are battling toward a playoff berth, and they’ve been doing it with a big boost from big man Jusuf Nurkic. After being out for more than a year with a gruesome leg injury, Nurkic is back and has been better than ever. The Athletic’s Jason Quick joins us to discuss Nurkic's remarkable return, how far he could help carry the dangerous Blazers, and how his teammates are helping the Bosnian star deal with a difficult family health situation.Read Jason Quick's story about Jusuf Nurkic:https://theathletic.com/1966830/2020/07/31/a-special-person-and-player-trail-blazers-rally-around-a-worried-jusuf-nurkic/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last week, when his team was up against the Astros, Dodgers right-hander Joe Kelly had a very noisy relief appearance, brushing back Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa before both benches cleared. Today, we’re joined by The Athletic’s Andy McCullough to look at how this incident fits into the ongoing backlash against the Astros in the aftermath of their sign-stealing scandal, and what it might take for the anger against them to subside. Follow Andy McCullough’s coverage of Major League Baseball: https://theathletic.com/author/andy-mccullough/?source=theleadpodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After more than four months away from competition, the NHL is back -- and the league has gone straight to the playoffs. The Athletic’s Michael Russo joins us to talk about some surprise results on opening weekend, a much-discussed moment during the national anthem, and what the key to success will be in this year’s strange playoff format.More from Michael Russo:https://theathletic.com/author/michael-russo/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.