ESPN Daily

Collecting baseball cards is a cherished pastime. ESPN baseball writer Sam Miller first got hooked on the game by studying the backs of cards growing up. And when he learned about a Don Mattingly card with a curious factoid on Mattingly's alleged birth year, Miller began a quest to uncover the truth. When was the former Yankees star first baseman born? And did this one baseball card have the inside scoop, or a crucial error? Miller tells us how he solved the mystery of Mattingly's real birth date. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the Green Bay Packers selected Utah State QB Jordan Love late in the first round of this year's NFL Draft, the pick sent shockwaves throughout the league. The Packers current signal caller, Aaron Rodgers, is under contract for several years, and is destined for enshrinement in Canton. But that's not unusual in Green Bay. When Rodgers was drafted in 2005, the Packers already had the legendary Brett Favre at the helm. Is history doomed to repeat itself? ESPN Packers reporter Rob Demovsky examines why the Love pick was so surprising, and what it means for Green Bay's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dennis Rodman. Loved and hated by basketball and pop culture fans alike, he's known for his off-court antics perhaps more than his success with the Chicago Bulls. ESPN's Tim Keown got a super up-close view when he helped write Rodman's 1996 autobiography, "Bad as I Wanna Be." As the Rodman-focused installment of the docuseries "The Last Dance" debuts, Keown tells the story of his weeks living with Rodman, and what he learned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Round one of the 2020 NFL Draft is in the books! The virtual draft made us extremely familiar with Commissioner Roger Goodell's basement, and quarterbacks like Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa have found new homes in Cincinnati and Miami, respectively. Mike Golic Jr. reacts to all of the standout moments from the first night. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NFL Draft is finally here! Tonight, all of the big questions will be answered. Questions like, how is this online format going to work? Even if there are no hackers, how will teams make decisions remotely, with no war room? What will the draft board possibly look like at the end of round one? ESPN's Field Yates breaks down draft strategies and potential complications. Plus, he previews some big names he expects to be picked in the first round. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"With the first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select...Joe Burrow, quarterback, LSU." It's a sentence we'll most likely hear this Thursday night. What kind of pressure -- and team -- is Cincy about to thrust upon the Heisman Trophy-winning star? ESPN's Ben Baby digs deep into Burrow's football story to find out. Plus, he sets the scene in Ohio, where a long history of disappointment has left Bengals fans hungry for success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Poised to be the No. 1 wide receiver picked in this year's NFL Draft, Alabama's Jerry Jeudy is sought after for his speed and explosiveness. He has also endured family tragedy alongside football success. Following the loss of his 7-year-old sister, Jeudy became a college star, and is now preparing to enter the NFL. Ahead of Thursday's first round, ESPN's Liz Merrill shares Jeudy's story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With live competitions mostly canceled, the 2020 NFL Draft is not only happening this Thursday, but it's rallying the sports world in an even bigger way than usual. We'll find out where prospects like QBs Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jordan Love will land, and we'll see a whole new approach as draft prospects work from home like so many of us. ESPN analyst (and pumpkin-pie-for-breakfast lover) Mel Kiper Jr. has covered the draft for decades. He breaks down this year's draft class, explains which teams could actually benefit from a remote draft, and how it could all go down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ESPN's Michael Wilbon covered Michael Jordan for much of the legendary player's career. As a Chicago fan and native, Wilbon is anticipating this Sunday's premiere of the 10-part Jordan documentary, "The Last Dance," more than just about anybody. The series zooms in on the iconic 1997-98 Chicago Bulls and the quest for another championship, even as key relationships falter. It also chronicles Jordan's rise to greatness and unassailable legacy. Wilbon shares his personal memories of MJ, what the docuseries means to him, and how he sees Jordan's career in its totality. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Basketball superstar Sabrina Ionescu joins Mina Kimes to reflect on her history-making career at Oregon, her run at a college championship cut short, and how joining the WNBA will be unlike anything she's experienced. In Friday's WNBA Draft, a bright spot amid the live sports shutdown, Ionescu is the top prospect and is expected to join the New York Liberty. Hear how she's preparing for her pro career and training during this time. Plus, a look at the biggest stories in the draft overall, and what the season - whenever it starts - might hold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ESPN's Wright Thompson was set to profile Clayton Kershaw ahead of the 2020 season, with a focus on Kershaw and the Dodgers recovering from their 2019 postseason collapse. They spent the day together just as spring training got shut down, and Thompson witnessed firsthand as Kershaw reacted to the news that MLB would delay its season. Thompson tells the story of Kershaw's fate in baseball through the lens of what this stalled time means for his life and legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukrainian table tennis. League of Legends. Madden computer simulations. These were not the options you were expecting to see on your gambling apps come springtime. But since all major sports were shut down in mid-March, sportsbooks in the U.S. and offshore are seeing a wide array of unconventional betting lines serve their starved clientele. "Daily Wager" host Doug Kezirian joins the show to tell us about the stranger sports gambling options being offered, as well as the heightened interest in the NFL Draft, and the impact of a live sports hiatus on the industry as a whole. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've probably heard boxing announcer Michael Buffer's rumbling catchphrase at every major boxing match. And if you haven't heard announcer Bruce Buffer's signature UFC fight night line, well...it's time. But you might not have heard how the most famous voices in fighting found out they were brothers, much later in life. Devin Gordon joins the show to trace the careers of both Michael and Bruce, how they met, and the story of the successful business they built together. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The suspension of the 2019-2020 NBA season not only means no games for the time being, but also potentially the end of the longest career in league history. Vince Carter was in the midst of his 22nd, and final, season. ESPN Columnist and NBA Analyst Jackie MacMullan joins us to take us through 22 seasons of "Vinsanity." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Darko Milicic was the second pick in the 2003 NBA Draft...and maybe the biggest bust in basketball history. After leaving the pros in 2012, Darko started a new life in Serbia that's almost completely free from basketball. ESPN's Sam Borden joins the show to tell the story of Darko's transformation from legendary bust and party guy to apple orchard-owning family man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jordan Love is one of the most divisive QBs entering this year's NFL Draft. He's known for his deep passes on the run...as well as his numerous interceptions. Fans and critics alike are curious to see if Love will live up to his potential, or if his flaws as a player will prove too big to ignore. ESPN's Tim Keown joins the show to explore Love's football prowess, as well as his complicated past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sources tell ESPN Senior MLB Insider Jeff Passan that Major League Baseball has a plan to resume in May, gathering all teams and isolating them in Arizona to minimize coronavirus risk. Hear the story of how that might work, and who's on board. Then, a firsthand look at how baseball has returned to South Korea. Scrimmages there are leading up to preseason games slated for later this month. Jeff Passan talks to pitcher Dan Straily, formerly of MLB, now of the Korean Baseball Organization's Lotte Giants, to detail the precautions his team is taking to keep their season on track amidst the pandemic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if champions of men's and women's college basketball were somehow able to be crowned in 2020? The NCAA canceled both tournaments due to COVID-19. If you can't help but wonder what "might" have happened, we have you covered. FiveThirtyEight's Neil Paine shares results from the data-crunching site's highly precise tournament simulations. And ESPN's Myron Medcalf gets to dream about who should hold the title from the men's and women's brackets this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No sports during quarantine? WWE begs to differ. It's broadcasting Wrestlemania 36 this weekend -- after recording it on a restricted set -- with no audience. How did WWE pull this off, and why does Wrestlemania seem to be such a touchstone in this moment? ESPN's Greg Wyshynski steps out of the crease and into the ring to talk about how and why WWE is carrying on through the crisis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Brady is a Buccaneer. DeAndre Hopkins is a Cardinal. And Cam Newton is still looking for a new home. NFL free agency in 2020 has been a wild ride so far, all while the uncertainty of this sports hiatus plays out in the background. ESPN NFL Insider Bill Barnwell joins the show to discuss how the coronavirus pandemic has affected team decisions in the offseason, and the successes and failures in team deals so far. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Green Bay Packers are seen as one of the NFL's most traditional franchises. Their midwestern, mom-and-pop approach to running the team sets them apart in today's cynical times. But did that reputation rise from the ashes of arson? Today, ESPN Senior Writer Dave Fleming tells a tale of a mysterious blaze that helped the Packers survive potential extinction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He's been called the best fighter of all time, but UFC champion Jon Jones is in trouble again. Arrested on charges of drunk driving and negligent use of a firearm, the light heavyweight is far from the media-friendly image many hoped he'd bring to UFC. ESPN's Ariel Helwani dives deep on Jones' career, controversies and how good he could be for mixed martial arts if he'd stay out of his own way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We should be in the first week of baseball season, but...try not to think about that. Instead, ponder the future with Cincinnati Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer and ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan. On the heels of MLB's hiatus deal with players around pay, service time and other issues, hear how it sets up the 2021 collective bargaining agreement. Plus, Bauer gets into the issues with training during all this uncertainty, whether baseball is too slow, and the sport's need for a media makeover. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might know Rex Chapman as a social media star, the guy who shares "Block or Charge" memes with his 600,000 followers. He's also THAT Rex Chapman, a college basketball superstar for Kentucky and NBA great. And he's yet another Rex Chapman, one who's struggled with addiction and gambling behind the scenes. ESPN's Ryan McGee got to know the many sides of Chapman in an extended profile for E:60, and traces his journey in sports, media and life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The "Battle of the Sexes" tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs is one of the most iconic moments in American sports history. Set against the backdrop of the women's liberation movement, King's 1973 victory over Riggs transcended sports. But a news tip from an unexpected source, 40 years later, sent ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. down a path that led him to investigate whether the match was rigged. Van Natta details his reporting on the lead-up to The Battle of the Sexes, and how Riggs' own agenda may have impacted the historic outcome. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While pro sports leagues remain on hold, esports (aka competitive video gaming) faces some similar obstacles. Leagues have canceled live events, team practice and more. But esports has also managed a pivot. It's put global operations and matches entirely online for players, leagues and millions of fans worldwide. While esports has struggled to break through to the more mainstream sports audience, this could be a moment of growth for the industry. ESPN's Tyler Erzberger explains how esports has responded to the pandemic, and how it might seize an opportunity with pro athletes, celebrities and fans stuck inside. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While most of the sports world remains on hiatus, China could restart live basketball in a matter of weeks. What would allow that to happen safely? And what will it take to bring pro sports back across the rest of the world? ESPN's Jonathan Givony joins the show to explain the timeline, stakes, and challenges that basketball faces, and how it's all being handled in leagues overseas. Plus, how the coronavirus will impact the upcoming NBA Draft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We just saw 2017 Offensive Player of the Year Todd Gurley released by the LA Rams, and former Chargers star running back Melvin Gordon found a new home in Denver. Behind that shakeup is growing evidence that the role of running backs in the NFL is changing. A renewed focus on pass-heavy offenses, among other factors, is shifting the weight given to the position. FiveThirtyEight's Josh Hermsmeyer outlines the current landscape for running backs, from all angles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Major League Baseball's season went on indefinite hiatus last week in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In parts of the world beyond the US, that chaos had already brought life and work to a halt. ESPN's Jeff Passan brings us the story of René Saggiadi, a Red Sox scout based in the Italian city of Bari. As his country deals with increasing contagion, we hear what happens when life and baseball pause, and how he's staying connected to the sport he loves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A two-time World Cup and Olympic soccer champion, US team alumna Julie Foudy gives a candid inside look at the battle over fair pay for female players. US Soccer Federation president Carlos Cordeiro just resigned amidst controversy over sexist language in USSF's legal filings. Since filing that suit in March 2019, the USWNT won its fourth FIFA World Cup and continued its streak of global dominance. Foudy details what it's taken to move the case forward, while the team continues to play at a top level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tom Brady's early morning announcement that he's leaving New England echoed around the league all day Tuesday. But his breakup with the Patriots was a long time coming and when you look closely, the signs were there. ESPN Senior Writer Seth Wickersham shares the winding, tension-laden tale of Brady's departure, and sizes up what's next for Bill Belichick and the Patriots. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

(Note: we published our show today before Tom Brady announced he's leaving the Patriots. More to come on that!) NFL free agency has kicked off with a bang, with the biggest deal so far sending Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins to the Cardinals in return for RB David Johnson. Teams across the league have been using franchise tags on players, signing free agents and conducting trades throughout the past few days, getting even more attention than usual as most sports are suspended. ESPN's Bill Barnwell tracks the most dramatic storylines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While most sports are on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NFL got some certainty this week, with players voting to approve a new collective bargaining agreement. NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith talks about the major points of the new deal. Then, ESPN NFL Insider Dan Graziano discusses how the league is responding to risks of COVID-19, and how the upcoming football schedule could change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

March Madness has been canceled. The NBA, NHL, and MLB seasons are currently on hold. The entire sports world has essentially ground to a halt, in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. And while leagues, players, coaches, and fans will all be affected by the hiatus, so will thousands of behind the scenes workers who are critical to the sports industry. Adelaide Avila is a cashier at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where the Lakers, Clippers, and Kings play, and joins the show to discuss how the lack of games will impact her. Then, sports economist Patrick Rishe explains just how far reaching the damage from the coronavirus will be to the wider sports world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA shocked the sports world Wednesday night, announcing the season was suspended following a player testing positive for coronavirus. This comes on the heels of the NCAA announcing that the men's and women's college basketball tournaments will not allow fans in attendance. This is how the coronavirus outbreak is being handled by U.S. sports. ESPN's Tisha Thompson joins the show to update us on the suspensions, cancellations, and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Los Angeles Dodgers need a championship in 2020. Nothing less will do. Even Mookie Betts says so, and with his arrival in L.A. the roster is more formidable than ever. After losing two World Series to the Red Sox and Astros - both teams embroiled in MLB's sign stealing scandal - and a string of appearances in the playoffs, the stakes have never felt higher. As the world watches to see if they'll finally bring home a title, ESPN's Jeff Passan sets the stage for this fired-up Dodgers team, and what could possibly stop them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The UNC Tar Heels are perennial men's college basketball contenders. But this season, they've hit snags, including a few long losing streaks which have currently positioned the team as the lowest seed in the ACC tournament. After a season full of missed opportunities and failing to meet expectations, ESPN's Jeff Borzello joins the show to break down what's gone wrong in Chapel Hill and where it goes from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Since the Patriots got eliminated in the first round of this year's NFL playoffs, Tom Brady's future with the team has been a constant, looming question. Will he return to New England, where he's won six Super Bowls? Or will he head for a new destination like San Francisco or Las Vegas? ESPN's Bill Barnwell joins the show to break down the possibilities and their implications for Brady and the Patriots organization. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rookie Zion Williamson's return to the court came with a lot of excitement and hype. Bouncing back from injury, the Pelicans forward continues to show he can be an NBA star. But he and his team have a long way to go, as New Orleans sits at 12th in the Western Conference. Guest host Jason Fitz is joined by ESPN's Andrew Lopez to discuss Zion's impact so far and his future trajectory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shohei Ohtani is one of the Angels' biggest stars, who, at the peak of his game, excels as both a pitcher and batter. Last season, Ohtani was only able to contribute at the plate, as his recovery from Tommy John surgery kept him off the mound. Will the 2020 season see Ohtani participate in both phases of the game, and why is that so unique in MLB? ESPN's Alden Gonzalez traces Ohtani's career and explains what makes him an exceptional talent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has touched nearly every continent and industry since it broke out in China in December. Major sporting events have been canceled or rescheduled. Teams are playing matches to empty arenas, as officials aim to slow the spread of the disease. Japan is one of the leading countries infected, with big questions now swirling around the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo. Could the Olympics be postponed, or even canceled? ESPN's Kelly Cohen walks us through what's known and what's not, from the International Olympic Committee and other sources. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Celtics power forward Jayson Tatum seems to be on track for NBA stardom this season, putting together a string of dominant performances. But, after a slow start in the league, can his explosive skills sustain? ESPN's Jackie MacMullan explains how and why Tatum has taken off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Men's college basketball is in a state of flux this season, with regular powerhouses like Duke suffering upsets and falling in the rankings, and names like Dayton and San Diego State showing up as contenders. Just a few weeks away from Selection Sunday, ESPN senior college basketball reporter Myron Medcalf breaks down the biggest stories and surprises in men's college basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the Raptors lost superstar Kawhi Leonard to the Clippers this off-season, the outlook for the reigning NBA champs was bleak. But fueled by the surprising performance of power forward Pascal Siakam, the Raptors currently sit at second place in the east. ESPN's Tim Bontemps explains how Siakam and the Raptors have managed to shrug off the loss of Kawhi and become unexpected contenders heading into the playoffs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NFL owners have drafted a new labor agreement for players that adds a 17th game to the NFL season, expands the playoffs and raises player pay and other benefits. NFL Players Association representatives have now sent the CBA for a majority vote to all the union members. ESPN analyst and former NFLPA negotiator Domonique Foxworth joins the show to explain what's at stake, who's for the agreement and who's not, and what a 17th game means to both sides. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boxing great Manny Pacquiao dominated the sport for years. Now, he's a senator in the Philippines, his home country, and could be gearing up for a presidential run there in 2022. So how did one of the most prolific boxers become a political leader? ESPN's Tim Keown joins the show to share his reporting from the Philippines and explain Pacquiao's rise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NFL combine is in full swing, and scouts are focused on all types of metrics and measurements. Chief among them? Quarterback hand size. But how much do those digits really matter to a quarterback's success? ESPN's Dave Fleming joins the show for a hands-on discussion about this flawed measurement and its impact on the upcoming draft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, mourners gather at Staples Center in Los Angeles to honor Kobe and Gigi Bryant. The Lakers legend, 41, died in a helicopter crash last month, along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others. ESPN's Ramona Shelburne covered Kobe for almost all of his 20 years with the team. She shares what it's been like inside the Lakers organization since his death, with stories from longtime friends like general manager Rob Pelinka, and those more newly close to the Bryants, like LeBron James. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As baseball's latest scandal continues to unfold, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and others are coming under more fire. Criticism has grown around whether the Houston Astros' players deserved more blame and punishment for the sign stealing scheme, and how much it helped the team win the 2017 World Series. ESPN's Buster Olney breaks down the latest developments, as 2019 champs the Nationals face the Astros in a spring training game this weekend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NBA enters the home stretch after the All-Star Game. The Bucks boast the league's best record, and the Clippers are making moves to overtake the Lakers in the west. As the race to the playoffs begins, what's at stake for the rest of the year? Doris Burke breaks down some of the most intriguing storylines in basketball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices