ESPN Daily

MLS is back! The aptly titled MLS is Back Tournament kicks off tonight in Orlando, Florida at Disney World's ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Despite FC Dallas being forced to pull out of the tournament after a rash of positive coronavirus tests, as well as the postponement of multiple matches, squads are set to square off in the Florida heat and humidity. ESPN's Taylor Twellman shares what life in the MLS bubble has been like so far: from training, anxiety around injury and COVID-19, to questionable sandwiches. Then, Taylor and Mina discuss the tournament format, and which teams are most primed to succeed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Goodall Park in Sanford, Maine is the type of ballpark that feels like sacred ground. Over its more than 100 years of history, Goodall Park has seen its fair share of iconic baseball moments, including a home run hit by Babe Ruth that locals swear went 700 feet. But in 2018, Goodall Park became famous for something else. During a Babe Ruth League baseball game, a woman drove her car onto the field in the midst of a psychotic episode, and a 68-year-old man, Douglas Parkhurst, was killed while trying to protect the young ballplayers. In the aftermath, Parkhurst was hailed as a savior: that is, until a 50-year-old secret came to light, raising questions about fate, redemption, and what it means to be a hero. Tom Junod joins Mina Kimes to share the incredible story of "The Hero of Goodall Park." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chess grandmasters need incredible amounts of brain power, and also extreme physical endurance, to take on their rivals. Major tournaments can run six hours a day, ten to twelve days in a row. Players might burn up to 6,000 calories and lose two pounds a day during these grueling matches. Today’s chess world champions might train with two hours a day of running, swimming, or tennis, plus a strict diet. In a respin of one of our most popular episodes, ESPN’s Aishwarya Kumar joins Mina Kimes to break down how top chess players meld mind and body. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For today’s show, a respin of one of our favorites. “Rudy” is a sports movie classic. And it defined the life of the actual man who inspired the story, Rudy Ruettiger, now in his 70s. Revered by many Notre Dame fans, Ruettiger is also plagued by critics over whether the movie exaggerated a plot point or two. ESPN’s Ryan McGee spent time with the real Rudy to find out more, and he joins Mina Kimes to discuss what’s fact and what’s fiction, from Rudy’s point of view. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As NBA rosters take shape, the league and its players inch closer to a restart in the “clean site” of Orlando, Florida. The NBA is addressing players’ concerns around recent movements against racial and police injustice by painting “Black Lives Matter” on the courts, and many players are expected to kneel during the national anthem. As the league also finalizes its coronavirus testing protocol and rules for players participating in the clean site games, Pablo Torre breaks down the major concerns, as well as the strength of the teams. Then, Pablo and Mina share some exciting news about the future of this very podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today is the day. After a more than a three month hiatus away from baseball, MLB players will report to their team facilities. There, they will first be tested for the coronavirus, as baseball makes its first steps toward playing a 2020 season. But questions remain about how the restart will play out. Considering baseball has eschewed the "bubble" plan to play in teams' home stadiums across the country, how are players working to prevent an outbreak? What will spring training 2.0 (a.k.a. "summer camp") look like? How will the necessary rule changes affect the product on the field? And what could bring it all to a screeching halt? Jesse Rogers provides the answers to these questions, and more. Then, Joon Lee explains that baseball's recent focus on analytics has also led to an increase in white male Ivy League graduates being hired in front offices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Panthers QB Cam Newton is signing with the New England Patriots. Yes, you continue to read that correctly. After a quiet offseason for New England, many believed the Pats were sticking by their QB, Jarrett Stidham, thus leaving the AFC East wide open. But now that Newton is en route to Foxborough, many factors point to this being a match made in football heaven. Bill Barnwell discusses Cam's strengths as a QB and what he'll bring to the Patriots' existing squad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After winning three WNBA championships, two NCAA championships, and four Olympic gold medals, Sue Bird has seen it all in basketball. But. as she gets ready for her 19th season in the WNBA, Bird and the rest of the league are preparing for a season unlike any ever played before. After delaying opening tip-off by more than two months, the WNBA is combating the coronavirus pandemic by playing the 2020 season at a "clean site" in Bradenton, FL. Add that to the increased focus by players on social justice causes and a new CBA signed this offseason, and it's no wonder why this is shaping up to be a historic year for the WNBA. The Seattle Storm guard joins the show to discuss how the league and its players came to an agreement, the impact of their new CBA, and how the WNBA has evolved over the course of her epic career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ten years ago, on live television, LeBron James made his now infamous decision to leave Cleveland and "take his talents to South Beach." It was one of the most consequential, most awkward, and most divisive moments in sports media history. The long, drawn-out broadcast drew ire from Cavaliers fans - who felt their homegrown star had betrayed them - and also from casual observers who disliked the idea of an athlete wielding that level of influence. So how did "The Decision" actually come to be? Ahead of this Sunday's new episode of "Backstory," Don Van Natta takes us behind the production, introduces its key players, and examines how the event forever changed the way NBA stars interact with the public. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

College football faces a unique challenge to return. With hundreds of schools and thousands of players, there's no centralized "bubble" possible or even any centralized guidelines or decisions. At college programs throughout the country, schools are presenting players with waivers to sign that they accept the risks of training and playing amid the pandemic, while teams are seeing more and more positive tests for the coronavirus. Spencer Hall explains the variety of approaches and impacts we are seeing already, and how players are finding their voices on the return to play, just as they have in recent weeks around other social issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In skateboarding, one name still stands out above the rest: Tony Hawk. Hawk's career made him a superstar and brought newfound popularity to the sport in the 1990s. When the X Games started, it was a big change for the skate world, and Hawk was part of that evolution. On the 25th anniversary of the X Games, Tony Hawk chats with Mina Kimes about his skating career, landing his historic 900 at the X Games, and the future of his sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NASCAR is fighting to abolish racism from its culture, and its only full-time Black driver, Bubba Wallace, is at the forefront of that change - as well as the backlash against it. On Monday, drivers pushed Wallace's car to the start line together, after a noose was reportedly found in his garage at Alabama's Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday. Wallace was the driving force in NASCAR's recent ban of the Confederate flag, Ryan McGee gives us the latest on NASCAR's response to the racist act in its garage, and Bubba Wallace's career in racing. Then, former global soccer star Thomas Beattie shares his decision to come out as gay after decades of pressure related to his commitment to the sport. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Negotiations between MLB and the players picked up last week, with both sides swapping proposals. The latest plan from the league is in the hands of the players, but we haven't seen a vote yet. On Sunday, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred sent a letter to MLBPA director Tony Clark with additional concessions. Meanwhile, a flurry of positive coronavirus tests further complicates matters. So...no vote. Is there still time left in the proposed calendar to play 60 (or more) games? Jeff Passan updates us on where talks go from here, how the latest COVID-19 outbreaks have impacted things, and how sustained animosity around labor issues has factored into all of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the field, NFL wide receiver Marquise Goodwin is known for his game-breaking speed. The new Philadelphia Eagle is not only one of the fastest players in the NFL, but also a former Olympian in the long jump. What's less known, is that Marquise and his wife Morgan work as advocates for parents who have suffered the loss of an infant. It's work that is rooted in the Goodwins' own personal journey, one which they've shared with rare openness. Dave Fleming joins the show to reflect on the Goodwins' story, which is also featured on this Sunday'e episode of E:60, and explains how it ultimately became a story of hope. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maya Moore was a WNBA superstar with multiple championships, Olympic gold medals and pretty much every achievement in the sport to her name...when she walked away from the game in 2019. Her reasons were mysterious at the time, but Moore's focus became clear: to free a man from prison who she believes has been wrongfully convicted. ESPN's Katie Barnes tells us about Moore's impact on the case, what it means for a player of her talent to have left basketball, and how her activism ties to the current moment around sports and social justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The world's most popular sports league, the English Premier League, returns to action Wednesday, and who better to join ESPN Daily on this occasion than an original member of suboptimal radio, Men In Blazers' Roger Bennett? Roger and Mina discuss Liverpool's remarkable season thus far in their quest to win their first league championship in 30 years. The two also explore the slew of health and safety protocols that have been put in place for the Premier League to return to action, as well as the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that are expected across the matches in England. And in this mad dash to finish the season, who will qualify for Champions League and Europa League? Is Son Hueng-min the greatest Korean soccer player ever or just the greatest soccer player ever? Rog has all the answers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Four months ago, the XFL kicked off with hopes of becoming the league that would finally make spring football work. With big money backing them from WWE's Vince McMahon and veteran leadership from commissioner Oliver Luck, signs pointed to success. Then after just five weeks of play, the coronavirus forced the XFL and sports leagues everywhere to press pause. While other major sports are either on their way to resuming play or fighting out the details, the XFL decided to shutter its doors for good. What went wrong? ESPN's Kevin Seifert gives a behind-the-scenes look account of the XFL's downfall, and discusses whether it could have been saved. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With approval from the players union, the NBA's plan for a 22-team restart in Orlando seemed like it was all systems go. Then, a group call surfaced deeper concerns from many players about health and safety protocol, and who would (or wouldn't) face restrictions on life in the Orlando "bubble." That conversation included discussion that a return to play would stall the momentum around the anti-racism movement that has accelerated since the killing of George Floyd. ESPN's Brian Windhorst breaks down what's happened along the path to basketball's comeback. We start the with the player side, then detail what we know about the NBA's plans for virus testing, logistics and other realities -- if a late July start stays on track. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's been 22 years since the summer that changed baseball forever. After the strike of '94 threatened to turn off an entire generation to the game, the tape measure theatrics of McGwire and Sosa made fans fall in love with the national pastime again. The latest 30 for 30, "Long Gone Summer," which premieres this Sunday, chronicles the 1998 chase between the two dueling sluggers...and their very different approaches to making history. Buster Olney reflects on what that summer meant for baseball, and how its perception has changed over the years as baseball's steroids problem came to light. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fight Island. It's happening. UFC President Dana White first brought it up as a live event solution for the pandemic, and everyone's been curious. Where is this island? How will the fights work? This week, White announced that Fight Island debuts on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi this July. ESPN's Ariel Helwani explains just how it's going to work, and why it's worth it. Plus, how UFC got back up and running so much faster than other live sports, and the issues fighters are facing upon returning. Then, Ryan McGee on the significance of NASCAR's new Confederate flag ban. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over the past two weeks, America has seen countless professional athletes speak out about racial inequality and police brutality. But increasingly, it's not just the pros who are making their voices heard. College players are becoming more and more vocal about issues of injustice within their own programs, and across campuses as well. Former Missouri safety Ian Simon was a pioneer in many ways to the current movement: he explains how he and his football teammates helped to create change in leadership at Mizzou when they threatened to boycott and not take the field. Then, ESPN's David Hale discusses why college football players are responding in ways we've never seen before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Friday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized for not listening to players' concerns about police brutality and systemic racism, as well as their right to protest these issues. Unmentioned during Goodell's apology was Colin Kaepernick, the former 49ers QB whose protests during the national anthem in 2016 brought attention to issues of racial injustice...but also created a backlash from those who believes he was disrespecting the flag and the military. Kaepernick has remained unsigned since the 2016 season, leading many to believe he has been effectively exiled from the league. Flash forward to 2020: protests around the world echo Kaepernick's message...and now many NFL players want their voices heard. Could we see players kneel during the anthem this season? And will they meet a different reaction than Kaepernick did? ESPN's Domonique Foxworth reflects on the new balance of power between players, owners, and executives. Then, The Undefeated's Jerry Bembry discusses George Floyd's time as a high school two-sport athlete in Houston, and his athletic impact on the community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA is finally set to return in July, and players and owners have agreed on a format for the comeback. But which teams actually stand to benefit from the standings, what's the fate of those facing play-in games, and where does the draft lottery come into play? ESPN basketball insider Zach Lowe (and host of "The Lowe Post" podcast) explains what's at stake in the East and West. Plus, which bubble teams could make it in, and whether this year's NBA champion deserves an asterisk due to the weirdness of the season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer has spurred an outpouring of grief and anger across the sports world...and incited a conversation about race, power and privilege. Comments made by Drew Brees and others have been met with backlash from athletes, and the players everywhere are demanding their voices be heard. Bomani Jones joins the show to discuss a week in sports that felt historic, even if few games were actually played. Then, ESPN basketball reporter and Minneapolis native Myron Medcalf reflects on the devastation in his hometown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major League Baseball superstar Andre Dawson was known as "The Hawk" in a stellar 21-season career with the Expos, Cubs and more. But, Dawson didn't know what life after pro ball would look like. Today, the Hall of Famer - who brought legions of fans to their feet in his day - owns and operates a funeral home in Florida. It's an unexpected turn for a famous athlete, but get to know him - as ESPN's Peter Keating did - and you see how Dawson's unflagging spirit on the field translates to a life shepherding families through grief. Keating tells us about Dawson's work, including what it's like to bury members of his community amid the pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By many measures, quarterback Dak Prescott holds the keys for the Dallas Cowboys' success in the 2020 season. As of right now, he still doesn't have a contract extension. ESPN NFL insider Bill Barnwell calls the situation between Prescott and his team the "highest-stakes game of chicken in NFL history." He joins Mina Kimes to explain why Prescott has been a salary bargain compared to peers like Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, and what it'll take for the Cowboys to get a deal done. Then, NFL linebacker Brandon Marshall discusses why he protested police violence and racial inequality alongside Colin Kaepernick in 2016, and what's changed since then. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In recent days, the prospects for Major League Baseball's return in 2020 had looked increasingly shaky. MLB's plan to return to baseball was rejected by the players, and MLBPA's counter-proposal was met with equal skepticism by the owners. But yesterday, there appeared to be at least some reason for hope, as sources say MLB is willing to pay players their full prorated salaries...if the players agree to a much shorter schedule. ESPN's Jeff Passan weighs in on the latest in the negotiations, and tells us whether the players are likely to buy in to playing baseball for what could be just a 50-game regular season. Then, Jeff talks about the fate of the minor leagues, as hundreds of players have lost their jobs ahead of a potentially canceled season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Protests that began in the Twin Cities over the killing of George Floyd continue to spread and intensify across the United States and beyond. We're joined by Ryan Saunders, head coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 34-year-old Minnesota native grew up in the world of basketball, as son of the late Minnesota college and NBA coach Flip Saunders. The young coach has made public statements in recent days about the need for white sports figures, like himself, to speak out in support of black colleagues and communities of color. He shares what he's learned as he's listened to his team's thoughts and experiences on race, violence and policing, as well as the work that lies ahead. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay made baseball history in 2010, pitching the 20th perfect game in MLB history. But behind his on-field success, Halladay struggled with addiction, depression and anxiety before his fatal plane crash in 2017. Ahead of tonight's E:60 on Halladay, "Imperfect: The Roy Halladay Story," ESPN's John Barr discusses his months of in-depth reporting for the piece, time spent with Halladay's family, and the gap between public perception of the pitcher and his private struggles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Buffalo Bills have long stood in the looming shadow of their AFC East rivals, the New England Patriots. But now, with Tom Brady departed for Tampa Bay, the division is up for grabs for the first time in nearly a decade. For the Bills, it all comes down to third year quarterback Josh Allen, who's earned his fair share of admirers and skeptics in an up-and-down career thus far. ESPN Bills reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques assesses Allen's strength and weaknesses, and explains how Allen's improvements could mean this is the season Bills fans have been dreaming of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA, team general mangers and the league's players seem close to agreement on a plan to restart the 2019-20 season. GMs have met virtually and filled out a survey on different options and formats for basketball's comeback. Players have been in lengthy calls with each other and their union leader, who says a vote won't be necessary. NBA insider Ramona Shelburne brings us the latest on the NBA's potential comeback scenario, how an Orlando-based plan came together, and which teams could benefit most from this version of a restart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ramon Sosa was a beloved boxing coach based in Houston. He ran a gym with his wife and served as a mentor to many young fighters. So how did he end up in the middle of nowhere, lying at the bottom of an unmarked grave, and live to tell the tale? ESPN's Tisha Thompson shares a wild story of murder-for-hire, secret recordings and the staged death that uncovered it all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A 7-time Tour de France champion and cancer survivor advocate, Lance Armstrong's fame skyrocketed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Then, it plummeted when he admitted to doping and to lying about it. In the new 30 for 30 film "LANCE," director Marina Zenovich explores Armstrong's own story of what happened, alongside accounts from teammates, journalists and those close to him. Zenovich tells Mina Kimes what it was like to conduct hours of interviews with Armstrong, and how the film aims for new territory around his very public rise and fall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Champions collide this weekend as golf legend Tiger Woods and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning tee off against golf legend Phil Mickelson and...Super Bowl MVP Tom Brady. ESPN's own golf expert Scott Van Pelt breaks down "The Match: Champions for Charity," which will raise over $10 million for coronavirus relief efforts. Van Pelt discusses how he believes The Match's competitors will fare, as well as the PGA's plans to bring golf back soon. Then, Mina chats with 2020 Madden Bowl winner Raidel "Joke" Brito on how his no-passing strategy paid off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pretty much all of the big moves are in the books for the NFL offseason. Brady and Gronk now call Tampa Bay home. DeAndre Hopkins' trade to the Arizona Cardinals continues to baffle fans and experts. Teams like Carolina and Jacksonville seem to be starting their rebuilds. ESPN's NFL guru Bill Barnwell ranks all NFL teams by which ones made the most of this offseason, and which ones' moves left fans scratching their heads. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Atlanta Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst played competitive sports for his entire life. But in January 2016, after a season of college football, he tried to take his own life. Since getting professional help and support, he's been open about his struggles with anxiety and depression, and stays active in decreasing the stigma surrounding mental health issues. Hurst joins the show to discuss his demons and how he's committed to helping others, as part of Mental Health Awareness Month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

College football has a different path to return than pro sports. It's hard to say where hundreds of academic institutions with thousands of players will be in a few weeks, much less by autumn. The NCAA isn't like, say, the NFL or MLB in terms of its power or say-so over college sports. Paul Finebaum joins the show to discuss the many obstacles, options and high stakes for this college football season. Would players return, even if the general student body isn't back on campus? Would some conferences start, even if other teams remain under "safer at home" orders? What's the financial risk of a short season, or none at all? Then, European soccer correspondent Gab Marcotti weighs in on the return of Germany's Bundesliga. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michael Jordan's legendary drive and relentless work ethic inspired conversation throughout all ten episodes of "The Last Dance." But how, when and where was MJ molded into His Airness? Wright Thompson, who's spent time with Jordan and wrote a definitive profile for ESPN, recently looked for answers in Michael's family history, in the history of his hometown of Wilmington, NC, to find how those roots have informed his path to greatness. Check out ESPN Daily's full "The Last Dance"Jordan Collection here: bit.ly/DailyLastDance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1998's NBA Eastern Conference Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers took the Bulls to their first Game 7 since 1992. Former Pacers player Jalen Rose recalls what it was like to play against Michael Jordan at the twilight of his career, and why Rose considers MJ to be the G.O.A.T. Then, Dave Fleming tells the story of what might be the most devastating trash talk one liner in NBA history, courtesy of Scottie Pippen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

UFC heavyweight contender Walt Harris faces Alistair Overeem in the main event of this weekend's UFC Fight Night. It's a fight that was originally supposed to take place this past December, until Harris was forced to pull out of the fight for the most difficult reason imaginable. Last year, Harris and his family were gripped by tragedy: the disappearance and homicide of his stepdaughter, Aniah. Tom Rinaldi discusses his in-depth reporting on Harris's career as a fighter, and his recent quest for justice. Then, legal analyst Ryan Smith provides an update on Zion Williamson's case, and explains why he's been asked to admit that his family accepted gifts and money from Nike, Adidas, and Duke. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As live sports tiptoe their way back, there's one revving up this weekend that could uniquely benefit: NASCAR. This Sunday, Darlington, South Carolina plays host to NASCAR's first actual-cars race since the shutdown began. Could this 11-race experiment be a cure for NASCAR's declining audience and ratings? It'll be sans fans, with stripped-down crews, and broadcast live. ESPN's Ryan McGee breaks down the challenges in this mid-pandemic return, and why NASCAR needs to race back into live events more than just about anyone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baseball could be on its way back. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is ready to present the players with an owner-approved proposal on how to play a partial 2020 season, with some additional stipulations. Jeff Passan explains how it's all going to work, and gives an update on timing, revenue split, the use of home stadiums, and more logistics. Then, Passan chats with Minnesota Twins star OF Nelson Cruz on how he's been waiting out the pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time." It's a common sentiment, especially as "The Last Dance" docuseries gives a new showcase for MJ's dominance. But the naysayers remain. "Well, that was the 90s," you might hear, "and the league has changed." ESPN basketball analyst and writer Kirk Goldsberry (admittedly in the Jordan G.O.A.T. camp) brings big data to the argument. He details how Jordan would stack up on shooting, defense, and other aspects of today's game. And he argues that while today's stars (LeBron?) have amazing talent, Jordan basically invented the modern NBA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the midst of becoming the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan retired from the NBA and set his sights on baseball. The reason? To pay homage to his recently slain father. Jordan training with the White Sox and joining the minor leagues created major media buzz, as ball players and fans criticized the move. ESPN senior writer Steve Wulf was with Sports Illustrated at the time, and his 1994 coverage of Jordan's foray into baseball made news of its own, as it angered MJ himself. Wulf tells us about Michael's efforts to succeed with the Double-A Birmingham Barons, and how Jordan may have been closer than we know to being called up to bigs, had he not returned to basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With Tom Brady leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers, a void has been left in New England at quarterback. Both free agency and the NFL Draft came and went without the Patriots adding another QB option, making it appear that head coach Bill Belichick is leaving the team's offense in the hands of last year's backup, Jarrett Stidham...who's completed just two passes in his short NFL career. Patriots reporter Mike Reiss revisits the situation surrounding Brady's departure and explains why the Pats think Stidham is their man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Top basketball prospects have followed the same path for years: high school, one year of college, and then the NBA. But now, the NBA is disrupting the traditional one-and-done model. Today, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski tells us about a new option for players: the NBA G League Professional Pathway Program, and examines why the NBA launched it in the middle of a pandemic. Woj weighs the pros and cons of the program for elite NBA talent, and explains how its success might be determined by high profile entrants like top 2020 prospect Jalen Green. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baseball is back! Well...in South Korea, where the KBO has started its season, with games broadcast live on ESPN. No fans are in attendance, but Korean baseball energy is very much about the audience, performance and celebration. That includes big-time bat flips. Our own Mina Kimes got to the bottom of how a taboo in MLB became a signature of KBO play. In a switcheroo, Pablo Torre asks Mina about her travels to Korea to investigate how bat flipping became part of their game, tied to the bigger history of the sport abroad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Republicans buy sneakers too." It's considered by many as Michael Jordan's most infamous quote, a jab that showed how his commercial interests stacked up against politics or social and racial justice. Episode 5 of "The Last Dance" docuseries focuses on Jordan's history and legacy around these issues, with MJ confirming he did indeed say those cutting words. Jesse Washington wrote about the origins and ripple effects of Jordan's comments for The Undefeated, and today he shares his reporting. Plus, Justin Tinsley shares a personal story of watching Jordan's last championship, and the end of a family era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It was one of the most gruesome injuries in NFL history. On November 18, 2018, Washington Redskins quarterback Alex Smith suffered a compound fracture to his right leg, which became dangerously infected. The injury would threaten to cost Smith his leg, and potentially, even his life. Ahead of tonight's E:60 episode, "Project 11," which documents Smith's ordeal, the former No. 1 overall pick reflects on the injury, his recovery, and his desire to return to football. In addition, ESPN reporter Stephania Bell analyzes how Smiths injury turned life threatening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marijuana use by athletes used to be considered taboo, and punishments for violating drug policies were severe. But now, as laws and attitudes around the country change, leagues are adjusting their rules. Former NFL RB Ricky Williams recounts how his marijuana use once dominated football headlines, and assesses the NFL's changes to the league's policy in the new CBA. Then, ESPN's Emily Kaplan breaks down the marijuana policy reforms across pro sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices