The Lead

The NFL combine has gotten a little out of control lately, with people obsessing over the size of Joe Burrow’s hands, broadcasters raving about how fast 300-pound linemen can run the 40-yard dash, and a punter bench pressing 225 pounds more than two dozen times before a raucous crowd. The Athletic’s Lindsay Jones joins us from Indianapolis to talk about how the combine became such a bizarre spectacle and what events there actually matter (hint: it's not what happens at the smoothie station).Follow Lindsay Jones's coverage of combine, the draft, and the NFL:https://theathletic.com/author/lindsay-jones/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Negro Leagues celebrated a 100th anniversary earlier this month. And as part of our Black History Month coverage, we decided to send The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, a Kansas City native, to check out the iconic Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. Today, Nate takes us back in time (and on a virtual tour) to hear why Jackie Robinson was selected to cross the MLB color line, how Negro Leagues players were like rock stars in their communities, and the stories of women who played in the Negro Leagues against the men.Follow Nate Taylor's writing for The Athletic:https://theathletic.com/author/nate-taylor/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Earlier this month there was a big trade in the WNBA. The Phoenix Mercury acquired Skylar Diggins-Smith and the star guard is now united with two all-time greats: Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi. A lot of people say this is the first time one WNBA team has had three true stars. The Athletic’s Alexis Mansanarez joins us to talk about how Diggins-Smith ended up in the desert, why she wanted out of her old team, and how the WNBA is starting to mirror the NBA in really good ways.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Houston Rockets are making a big bet on small ball. By trading away their only proven big man three weeks ago, they committed to playing one of the smallest lineups the NBA has seen in recent years. The Athletic’s Kelly Iko joins us to talk about Houston’s grand experiment, whether or not it could actually work, and what’s at stake for the team and head coach Mike D’Antoni. Follow Kelly Iko's coverage of the Houston Rockets: https://theathletic.com/author/kelly-iko/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NASCAR has deep roots in the American South. It has also had its share of racial tension. As part of our Black History Month coverage, we’re joined by David Aldridge of The Athletic to talk about black NASCAR drivers from the past and present, what the organization is doing to make its future more diverse, and what David experienced while attending a race. Read David Aldridge's story about traveling to a NASCAR race: https://theathletic.com/1233963/2019/09/26/the-race-and-race-what-it-is-like-for-people-of-color-in-and-around-nascar/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Baylor men's basketball team has been one of the best teams in the country all year, and much of the success can be attributed to head coach Scott Drew. The Athletic’s CJ Moore joins us to talk about how Drew rebuilt the program after the tragic murder of a player 17 years ago, how listening to his players helped transform the way the team plays defense, and Coach Drew's unusual combination of competitive fire and goofiness.Follow CJ Moore's college basketball coverage:https://theathletic.com/author/cj-moore/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Saturday night is one of the most anticipated heavyweight rematches in a long time. Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder square off in Las Vegas. The stakes are particularly high for Deontay Wilder who is considered by many to be the next great American heavyweight. The Athletic’s Lance Pugmire joins us to talk about how Wilder has overcome incredible odds just to get become a champion and how, even as a kid in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, he knew his fate.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The long-suffering New York Knicks are turning to an unlikely savior: NBA agent Leon Rose is expected to take over as team president. The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov joins us to talk about how the Knicks landed on Rose, whether or not he'll actually be able to turn things around, and why more and more teams are staffing their front offices with player agents.Read more of Mike Vorkunov's coverage of Rose and the Knicks: https://theathletic.com/1590270/2020/02/07/knicks-finally-have-a-reason-for-optimism-with-leon-rose-coming-and-marcus-morris-exiting/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Things are bad for the Houston Astros. Players from around the league have been going on camera over the past few days to criticize Astros players and owner Jim Crane for not fully owning up to their role in the sign stealing controversy. Commissioner Rob Manfred has also come under fire for his botched handling of the case. The Athletic’s Marc Carig joins us from spring training in Arizona to talk about why player rage has reached a boiling point and what comes next for the troubled team.Follow Marc Carig's MLB coverage:https://theathletic.com/author/marc-carig/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Manchester City has been banned from the Champion’s League, Europe’s most prestigious and lucrative club tournament, after an investigation found that the team lied on important financial documents. The future of one of the world's biggest and richest clubs is now very much in question. The Athletic’s Sam Lee joins us to break down the ban, what further fallout there could be, and what’s at stake for the team's highly controversial billionaire owner, Sheikh Mansour.Follow Sam Lee's ongoing coverage of Manchester City:https://theathletic.com/author/sam-lee/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.