The explosion of women’s basketball over the last few years has pulled plenty of new names – and teams – into the national conversation. Among them? USC and UCLA women’s basketball teams, two programs that have spent decades living in the shadow of past legacies, to say nothing of LA’s true love, the Lakers. But now they are playing to sold out crowds with household names like JuJu Watkins and Lauren Betts making all of their games must-see TV. And all of that drama is just setting the stage for an epic clash between the two top 10 teams on Thursday. So today, Paolo Uggetti joins the show to tell us how these teams got here, where they are going, and why loving women’s hoops is the new normal in LA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The American football season may now be over, but the drama in Europe’s club football season, aka soccer, is just heating up. Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City squad has been England’s most dominant club, with six home league trophies in the past seven years and a Champions League title in 2023. But this year’s campaign has been a struggle, as they sit five spots back in the English Premier League and barely qualified for the Champions League playoff. And now, having drawn defending champions Real Madrid in their first playoff matchup, things won’t get any easier. So with the two teams playing the first of two legs on Tuesday, Luis Miguel Echegaray tells Clinton Yates what to watch for in yet another clash between these two storied clubs. Will City’s recent $223 million spending spree help them right the ship? Can Real Madrid overcome their own crucial injuries? Has Kylian Mbappé finally found his groove in Madrid? Plus, a look at how this tournament is a crucial part of World Cup 2026 preparation for Christian Pulisic and other American players. Previous coverage on Atalanta’s emotional journey through the pandemic: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
There was little debate about the fact that the Philadelphia Eagles were the more complete team heading into Super Bowl LIX. Better up front on defense and offense. Better at running back and wide receiver than the Kansas City Chiefs. But the Chiefs still had Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. So the Chiefs were still dangerous. Well that proved to not be anywhere near enough, as the Eagles cruised to a 40-22 win on Sunday, claiming the franchises’ second ever Super Bowl victory. So today Ben Solak and Michele Steele breakdown what went exceptionally right for the Eagles, and immensely wrong for the Chiefs in the NFL’s final game of the season. And take a look at what comes next, for a Chiefs team that heads into the offseason, with more questions than we expected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Super Bowl LIX is literally just a couple of days away, and after a long season, it’s down to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles battling for the Lombardi Trophy…Again. Our own Ben Solak has made the trip down to New Orleans, and with so many of the people that we love to talk ball with in town alongside him, he was able to get Kevin Clark, the host of This is Football, to join him ahead of the big game. It’s the buddy cop movie that you didn’t know you needed in your life, as they breakdown what you need to know about the Eagles plan of attack, and the Chiefs inevitability, ahead of Super Bowl LIX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Super Bowl is one of the most high attended events in the American cultural landscape every year. And New Orleans, the site of this year’s game, is a city known for letting folks have a good time. But in the wake of the New Year’s Day domestic terror attack on Bourbon Street, concerns about safety and security at the NFL’s biggest game are at an all time high. So today, ESPN investigative journalist Tisha Thompson goes behind the scenes with NFL security to explain how ramped up the security apparatus surrounding the Superdome and the city itself is for Super Bowl LIX. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Kansas City Chiefs may not be the offensive juggernaut they once were, but they keep raising trophies nonetheless. And though every member of this franchise would love to become the first in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a row, their ultimate plan goes far beyond this season. So today, Adam Teicher, our man on the Chiefs beat, tells Michele Steele how the team’s unique approach to building a winner, and why this dynasty may be just getting started. Plus, with retirement approaching this summer, Adam looks back at his 32 years on the job, and his front row seat to the winning culture Andy Reid has built. Adam’s report: Three-peat or not, this Chiefs team is built to last Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Last offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles were confronted with countless questions about the future of the franchise. The biggest one being just how the Birds could overcome the lingering hangover from a loss in Super Bowl XLVII and then a flameout in the playoffs the following year. But an offseason that started in chaos, ended with the signing of MVP candidate Saquon Barkley, a restructuring of the coaching staff, and a culture change that permeated throughout the Philadelphia locker room. So today, Tim McManus joins us to show just how the Eagles were able to go from a team in turmoil to a return trip to the Super Bowl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
On Saturday night, the sports world got hit with the news of the Dallas Mavericks’ shocking decision to trade superstar Luka Dončić, as well as Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and their 2029 first-round draft pick. Senior ESPN NBA writer Tim Bontemps joins host Clinton Yates to discuss the Mavericks’ motives and the long history of Lakers Exceptionalism that set the stage for this trade, and how the seismic shift will reverberate throughout the NBA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It goes without saying that January is a high stakes time of year for the football world, and this year, that was more true than ever. The first 12-team College Football playoff brought us three compelling rounds, mirroring the NFL’s own longtime playoff tradition. We of course covered all of it on ESPN Daily. But there are often other stories, or different angles on stories, that we don't always have room for in the show. So today, as we say farewell to January, we're trying something new. Michele Steele and Harry Lyles Jr. join Clinton Yates to further unpack some of the biggest stories of the month. As a chorus of voices begin calling for the Bills to fire Sean McDermott, does Josh Allen deserve more scrutiny? How did Marcus Freeman make Notre Dame cool? And why do so many people care about Ichiro Suziki falling one vote shy of a unanimous Baseball Hall of Fame selection? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
If there’s one name to know in men’s college basketball this season, it’s probably Cooper Flagg. The nation’s number one recruit is playing in his freshman season at Duke, and living up to all of the hype. But his college career is about to experience a new chapter on Saturday, when Flagg and the Blue Devils host North Carolina on ESPN. Jay Bilas, the voice of college basketball at ESPN, joins the show today. He’s bled Duke blue since joining the team in the early 1980’s. And while he’s no longer on the team, or on the coaching staff, he knows a thing or two about the most storied rivalry on the college hardwood. He breaks down what Flagg has brought to the Duke lineup, and explains what the latest one-and-done in college basketball is about to experience, in his first taste of the rivalry on Tobacco Road. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When the lights go down at recess at KIPP AMP Middle School in Brooklyn, it’s not time to zone out or to take a nap. It’s showtime. It’s time for The Wrestling Club. Founded by an innovative teacher looking to connect with his students during the pandemic, this club turns watching pro wrestling inside out to teach students about storytelling, conflict resolution, inclusion and more. And it doesn’t stop there, because you never know which WWE superstar is going to walk through the door when the club is in session. So today, Andreas Hale joins us fresh from his visit with all the members of what is now the most famous junior high school club in the world. A club where life lessons and, most importantly, possibility are being taught one match at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For years, the NFL has been trying to make the hiring of people of color in leadership positions a more fair and more equitable process. Through initiatives like accelerator programs meant to introduce prospects to owners and other people with hiring ability, alongside the widely controversial Rooney Rule which literally mandates that people of all backgrounds get interviews, the league has been marginally successful at changing who is in the room when it comes to coordinators, head coaches, and general managers. Today ESPN senior NFL writer Kalyn Kahler reports on a new speed bump in the road: the trend of "package deals," whereby an agent places multiple clients in coaching or front office roles with the same team. She details her reporting on where this practice comes from, why it’s hurting the prospects of minorities to get these jobs and what, if anything, the NFL can do to fight against it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Super Bowl LIX is set. The Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will meet in New Orleans, for a rematch of Super Bowl LII. Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, Travis Kelce and the rest set their sights on becoming the first NFL team to ever win three consecutive titles, while Saquon Barkley looks to put a championship stamp on an MVP-level first season in Philadelphia. But before we set our sights on the big game, Ben Solak, Seth Walder, and Michele Steele go through how those two teams got past their opposition in the conference championships and look at what’s next for the Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders after a heartbreaking end to their seasons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The championship round is upon us. Sunday, in the AFC, the Buffalo Bills travel to Kansas City for another showdown with the Chiefs –– their fourth playoff date in five years. And in the NFC, the upstart Washington Commanders will try to knock off Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s all for the right to play in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. So today, Bill Barnwell breaks down these matchups to help answer all our burning questions. Is the time finally right for Josh Allen’s Bills? Can Patrick Mahomes patch over the Chiefs’ flaws? Is Jalen Hurts capable of clutch quarterbacking? And can Jayden Daniels complete the greatest run we’ve ever seen from a rookie? We get into all of it and lots more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced its latest class of enshrinees on Tuesday evening. Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, and Billy Wagner, will join Dick Allen and Dave Parker in the MLB Hall of Fame Class of 2024. But as those stars are enshrined in Cooperstown, we remember a baseball legend we lost recently. RIcky Henderson passed away on December 20th, at 65 years of age, just days before his 66th birthday. The game’s greatest lead off hitter, base stealer, and as the inventor of swagger, Rickey’s impact can still be felt now. So today we are joined by Howard Bryant - The author of Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original, who breaks down Ricky’s career, legacy, and impact on the game he changed forever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When Jimmy Butler arrived in Miami in 2019, the initial thought was that this was a perfect marriage. You had a fanatically driven, yet volatile, All Star linking up with a celebrated NBA institution, better known as Heat Culture. And with two NBA Finals appearances in four years, everything was going as planned. But then stories of special treatment and feelings of disrespect started to bubble to the surface and suddenly Butler found himself at odds with the architect of Heat Culture – the indomitable Pat Riley. Today, Ramona Shelburne joins us to break down how this went from bad to worse in Miami and how Jimmy Butler might have finally met his match. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Last night, we saw a champion crowned in college football. Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes got the proverbial monkey off their backs with a clutch performance over Notre Dame. And there to witness it all, live and in person, were our friends from the College Gameday podcast, Rece Davis and Pete Thamel. So today, we’re turning our show over to Rece and Pete, plus special guest Harry Lyles Jr., as they take stock of Ohio State’s win and consider whether Notre Dame has now made itself a perennial contender. Check out our favorite episodes of 2024. College Gameday Podcast: Apple | Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For college football blue bloodsNotre Dame and Ohio State, the realities of modern big time college football are a whole new ball game. As NIL deals and the transfer portal give players more control over their careers than ever, and big money collectives blur the lines between amateur and professional athletics, the Buckeyes and Irish need to balance the new against decades of tradition. The challenges can be as simple as trying to change the seating at Notre Dame Stadium, or as complicated as justifying the NIL money needed to pursue the best talent in the field. So today - ESPN senior writer Ryan McGee, reports from the site of tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship, to explain how for coaches Ryan Day and Marcus Freeman getting to this point means having already triumphed over the expectations of the past. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
For many people, the NFL’s divisional round is the most exciting weekend of football on the calendar all year long. Eight teams, four games, with trips to the conference championships on the line. And this year’s matchups are bangers. Whether it’s an MVP showdown between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, or the dynamic Jayden Daniels vying for an upset of the Lions in Motor City, or Saquon Barkley continuing his push for a ring in year one outside of the Meadowlands, these games figure to deliver the goods. So Ben Solak joins the program to give Michele Steele a preview of all the action, and to explain why it’s just plain unfair that the Chiefs are rounding into their ultimate form at the season’s most crucial point. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
As the NFL season comes to a close, some teams are scrambling to find new coaches, kicking off the frenzy known as the NFL coaching carousel. ESPN NFL Insider Dan Graziano joins ESPN Daily’s own NFL expert Michele Steele to analyze the Patriots’ signing of Mike Vrabel, and look at some of the other choices that are more up in the air. Could these meetings between Jerry Jones and Deion Sanders land Prime Time in Dallas? Is the NFL’s Rooney Rule — intended to increase the number of coaches of color — being ignored by teams? Will Detroit’s highly sought-after coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn pass up another year with the Lions? Will Tom Brady use his clout to poach a coach for the Raiders? And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
When Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors won 12 of their first 15 games this season, it seemed they might have solved what's ailed them the past few years. But in the ensuing weeks and months, wins have been exceedingly hard to come by, and with Curry playing fewer minutes than ever. Warriors fans are growing increasingly restless. So with Golden State taking the national TV stage against the Timberwolves Wednesday night, Tim Keown shares what he learned from a sit down with Curry and explores whether this team is doing right by him. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
This weekend marks the debut of The Unrivaled, an ambitious 3-on-3 women’s basketball league loaded with WNBA talent. This new venture has spared no expense to build their cutting edge venue in Miami. And thanks to a series of A-List investors, these athletes will have every amenity they could ever ask for. But what happens when these players finally take the court? Will the players buy in? And will the fans tune in? Or will we once again find ourselves writing an obituary for another upstart sports league? Today, Kendra Andrews joins us to break down how The Unrivaled could surprise us all and why it just might be what the WNBA offseason needs. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The NFL playoffs are underway, and aside from tonight’s Monday Night Football clash between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings, we know who is moving on. But before next week’s divisional round matchups suck up all of the air in the room, ESPN sports analytics writer Seth Walder and Ben Solak breakdown how the winners punched their tickets to the next round. Before previewing tonight’s super wild card finale. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The NFL playoffs are set to begin tomorrow. 14 teams still have a chance at lifting the Lombardi Trophy in a few weeks, some with better odds than others. But it all starts with the Wild Card round. Six games over three days to determine who will move on. So before the action kicks off our old friend Mina Kimes breaks down each matchup with host Michele Steele to make sure that you know everything you need ahead of all of the games. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
New Year’s Day’s Peach Bowl brought us an all-time classic, as Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo grew his legend, helping the Sun Devils to storm back in the 4th quarter, only to fall short against Texas in double-overtime. Beyond that, there hasn't been much drama in this inaugural twelve team College Football Playoff. But with two compelling matchups Thursday and Friday, that may be about to change. Spencer Hall joins guest host Michele Steele to explain why Ohio State v. Texas could be more competitive than you may think, why they’re even more excited for Penn State’s showdown with Notre Dame, and how this playoff is setting the stage for every playoff to come. Check out Spencer’s newsletter, Channel 6, and his podcast, Shutdown Fullcast. And don’t forget the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Capital One Orange Bowl Penn State Nittany Lions Notre Dame Fighting Irish Thursday, Jan 9 | 7:30 ET | ESPN Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Texas Longhorns Ohio State Buckeyes Friday, Jan 10 | 7:30 ET | ESPN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It’s no secret that times are hard for fans of Chicago sports. The White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, and Bears are all in the midst of middling, or worse, performance in recent years. And the same is true of the team that used to be the reliable winner, the Blackhawks. When they drafted generational prospect Connor Bedard first overall in the 2023 NHL draft, the future appeared to be bright. An idea seemingly confirmed when Bedard brought home the Calder Memorial Trophy - the NHL’s rookie of the year award - in his first season on the ice. But year two has only added more angst to the situation. Bedard suffered through a sophomore slump to start the season, and Chicago is at the bottom of the standings in the NHL. So today, ESPN senior hockey reporter, Emily Kaplan tells Michele Steele, during an in person conversation, what the problem has been with Bedard and the Blackhawks in year two. Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Every year the NBA Draft produces a crop of rookies that are full of expectations. And some are stamped with labels like “can’t miss” or “generational”. But where their careers go from there aren’t always inline with the guarantees they come into the league with. So today we talk with veteran NBA reporters Tim MacMahon and Michael Wright about two of the most recent prospects to have been deemed “can't miss”. Players who appear to be at crossroads in their careers – but heading in opposite directions. First, there’s Zion Williamson, the phenom prodigy from Duke, who can’t seem to stay on the court. And then there’s Victor Wembanyama, the wunderkind from France that seems to be living up to all the hype. And while these two former No. 1 draft picks still have plenty of basketball left, the final verdict on their legacies is yet to be determined. Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The NFL regular season has come to a close. And the league saved the best for last, with the hunt for the NFC’s one seed coming down to a Sunday night matchup between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. So with all of the byes determined, and playoff pairings set - Ben Solak and Michele Steele explore how the 14 playoff teams locked down their spots, and what the offseason holds in store for those who didn’t make it. Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
As we settle into the new year, the phrase “deer in headlights” feels like an apt description for the state many members of “sports Twitter” currently find themselves in. More than two years after Elon Musk took over Twitter, now known as X, the platform has become an increasingly unpleasant space for sports conversations. While many users have already migrated to other platforms like Threads and Bluesky, plenty more are staying put—unhappy with the current state of affairs but reluctant to abandon the communities they’ve carefully curated and built. Today, we’re joined by three guests who have been notable contributors to the sports Twitter community for more than a decade. TJ Adeshola (X, Instagram) formerly oversaw sports partnerships at Twitter, Reeta Hubbard, aka “The NFL Chick” (Bluesky, X), is a longtime sports commentator currently hosting Gridiron Gals, and Jason Concepcion (Bluesky, Instagram, X) is the Emmy-winning host of Six Trophies. They spoke with David Dennis Jr. to reflect on the glory days of sports Twitter, explore how and why it took a turn for the worse, and discuss where the community goes from here. Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The sports world is transforming in 2025, with new rule changes, new playoffs formats, and many other innovations across the landscape. So we brought on some of our favorite regular guests — Katie Barnes, Bill Barnwell, Elle Duncan, Luis Miguel Echegaray, Andreas Hale, Ryan McGee, Jeff Passan — and Clinton Yates, who will be back in the host’s chair later this month, to tell us not only what they’re most excited to cover in 2025, but also what they’re most excited to watch as fans. Plus, guest hosts Michele Steele and David Dennis, Jr. share their hot takes for the year and our team of ESPN Daily producers reveal what they’re most looking forward to covering on the show. Check out this playlist featuring our favorite stories of 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
