The Lead

Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders was so grief-stricken after his father, Flip, passed away four years ago that he considered leaving his job as an assistant coach and buying a cabin in the woods. The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski tells the story of Ryan's path to recovery, the role his family played in his healing, and how, as the youngest head coach in the NBA, he is able to connect with his players -- and has them off to a hot start. Plus, a quick recap of last night's dramatic World Series finale.Read Jon Krawczynski's profile of Ryan Saunders here:https://theathletic.com/1299793/2019/10/22/ryan-saunders-flip-saunders-hayley-timberwolves-head-coach/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NCAA announced it will take steps to allow college athletes to make money off their names and likenesses. It's a major shift for the organization that has come under political pressure to address the issue. Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidate Cory Booker wants to fundamentally change professional and college sports in the U.S. He recently released a plan that would also address pay for college athletes as well as create a federal regulatory board, and institute equal pay for women athletes, among other things. We talk with Booker about his plan, why he thinks the federal government should step in, and how his experience as a college athlete shaped his view.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The North Carolina Courage defeated the Chicago Red Stars 4-0 in the final of the NWSL on Sunday. This summer's World Cup generated a lot of talk about equal pay, and also led to a new broadcast deal and a major corporate sponsor for the NWSL. We chat with The Athletic's Megan Linehan about the future of the league, the team that's been pulling in 20,000 fans for home games, and what U.S. star Megan Rapinoe has been up to now that she’s no longer in a Twitter war with the president.Read Megan's article about the future of the NWSL:https://theathletic.com/1326052/2019/10/26/nwsl-state-of-the-league-amanda-duffy-heather-oreilly/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Drew Brees returned to the Saints' lineup yesterday, but it was his backup, Teddy Bridgewater, who got the biggest cheers. Bridgewater led the Saints to a perfect 5-0 record while Brees recovered from a thumb injury and established himself as a Saints folk hero in the process. Bridgewater is one of many backup QBs who have been thrust into the NFL spotlight this season, as star QB after star QB has gone down injured. We trace Bridgewater's remarkable path to this moment -- including overcoming a life-threatening injury -- and ask what the future holds now that his stock has risen.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Steph Curry knows that everything has changed for the Warriors. The team lost three big players from their championship run and superstar Klay Thompson could miss the entire season due to a torn ACL. In an exclusive interview with Curry, The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami speaks with the three-time NBA Champion about the new-look Warriors, what went through his head when Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn, and his potential plan for retirement.You can go here for Tim Kawakami’s complete interview with Steph Curry on his podcast The TK Show: https://theathletic.com/podcast/13-the-tk-show/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Houston Astros are under intense pressure to make things right after their assistant General Manager reportedly taunted a group of female reporters in the locker room. Brandon Taubman screamed "Thank God we got Osuna! I'm so "effing" glad we got Osuna!" He was referencing Roberto Osuna, a star pitcher who was suspended for 75 games for violating MLB's domestic abuse policy. The team then tried to discredit the reporter who broke the news. MLB is investigating the incident. The Athletic’s Emma Span joins us to explain what the exchange was all about and what might be done about it.The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal says it’s time for MLB to impose harsh discipline on Brandon Taubman and the Astros:https://theathletic.com/1317266/2019/10/23/rosenthal-its-time-for-rob-manfred-and-mlb-to-impose-harsh-discipline-on-brandon-taubman-and-the-astros/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Anders sits down with LAFC Head Coach Bob Bradley, who was just named MLS Coach of the Year, to discuss his team's incredible regular season, what motivates him, and why he wants his players to express their personalities on the field. Bob also reflects on his remarkable career, including his time in Egypt and England.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The most anticipated match in MLS history is tomorrow. LAFC takes on cross-town rivals LA Galaxy in the second round of the playoffs. LAFC had a record-breaking regular season, led by Mexican superstar Carlos Vela. But they've never beaten the LA Galaxy or Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Athletic's Josh Gross walks us through the amazing story of LAFC, which has taken Los Angeles by storm, and tells us what to expect in tomorrow night's match.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Paul George and Anthony Davis did something this off-season that rattled the NBA to its very core -- they forced their teams to trade them, despite the fact that they were still under contract. The Athletic's Sam Amick joins us to explain how NBA superstars have become so powerful that they can dictate their own trades and line up their future teammates, and what this means for the future of the league. We also look forward to tonight's opening-night match between the Lakers and Clippers, where George and Davis will square off against one another.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the World Series about to begin, we check in with Dr. Meredith Wills, an astrophysicist, about one of this season's biggest storylines -- the record-setting number of home runs and the allegedly "juiced" baseballs. Wells has been studying MLB balls for years, and she explains her findings. Plus, we check in with The Athletic's Jayson Stark about how the balls used in the World Series might affect the teams involved, and we look at how the Astros and Nationals match up against one another.You can hear more from Jayson Stark every Tuesday on his "Starkville" podcast:https://theathletic.com/podcast/25-starkville/?source=theleadpodcastAnd revisit the 2000 World Series with the latest "Sports Wars" series about the Subway Series: https://wondery.com/shows/sports-wars/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.