The Lead

In 1986 the NCAA delivered what is unofficially known as the “death penalty” to the Southern Methodist University football program. The team was found guilty of egregious recruiting violations and barred from playing any football during the 1987 season, along with other sanctions. Now, the Mustangs are 6-0 and back in the AP Top 25 for the first time in more than three decades. The Athletic’s Chris Vannini explains how a second year coach has guided the team back to winning ways using an unconventional team building tactic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Monday night, the Lions lost to the Packers after a series of dubious calls by the referees. Fans were outraged. Commentator Booger McFarland went berserk. Even Barry Sanders, the soft-spoken former Lions star, voiced his frustration on Twitter. NFL writer Lindsay Jones joins us to explain what happened in the game, how and why the quality of refereeing in the league appears to be declining, and what can be done about it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs unexpectedly died in July. An autopsy revealed he had fentanyl and oxycodone in his system. New reporting suggests an Angels employee — who is cooperating with the DEA — supplied drugs for Skaggs and that two other high-ranking executives knew about Skaggs's drug use as early as 2017. In this episode, The Athletic’s Katie Strang looks back at Skaggs's death, explains how the Angels organization might have mishandled the case, and analyzes the potential liability for the team and Major League Baseball itself.Read Katie Strang’s analysis of the legal implications of the Tyler Skaggs case:https://theathletic.com/1294989/2019/10/15/analyzing-the-legal-implications-of-the-tyler-skaggs-case/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the NBA stays locked in a political standoff with China, the league has also made a big move in another major overseas market: India. The league played its first-ever preseason game in India two weekends ago. The Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings tipped off in Mumbai before a crowd of 4,500 people -- oddly, most of them were children. The Athletic’s Sam Amick joins us to talk about how the game went and how the move fits into the NBA's larger strategy of global expansion. Shaun Jayachandran also reports from the ground.The Athletic’s Sam Amick on the NBA’s quest to grow the game around the globe:https://theathletic.com/1273376/2019/10/07/nba-india-diary-sacramento-king-indiana-pacers-preseason-trip/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Joseph Tsai, the owner of the Brooklyn Nets has become a central character in the NBA-China story. As co-founder and executive vice-chairman of Alibaba, he has close ties to the Chinese government, and recently released a statement in support of China’s policies in Hong Kong. The Athletic's Bill Shea joins us to talk about Tsai's history, his love of sports, and why he's putting NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in a tricky situation.You can find Bill's latest writing on the NBA and China here: https://theathletic.com/1275004/2019/10/08/how-much-does-the-nba-stand-to-lose-in-china-over-a-tweet/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big League Chew, the bubble gum made to look like chewing tobacco, turns 40 next year. The gum has a fascinating history that involves an independent baseball team in Portland, the actor Kurt Russell, and two baseball outsiders who used chewing gum to stay connected to the game they love -- and to book their ticket to Cooperstown.Check out Corey Brock’s story on the origin of Big League Chew:https://theathletic.com/1190981/2019/09/10/how-jim-bouton-and-his-maverick-teammates-opened-up-that-first-pouch-of-big-league-chew/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey created an international incident with a tweet in support of Hong Kong protesters. The backlash was swift and severe, as China broke ties with the Rockets and ceased broadcasting their games. Estimates say the NBA's relationship with China is worth billions, so the league is trying to walk a fine line. We investigate the history, the fallout, and look at what might happen next.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A nine-month investigation by The Athletic raises troubling questions about abnormally high ADHD rates among University of North Carolina athletes and their use of prescription medications, and asks why these high levels of ADHD were not disclosed in papers coming out of the UNC’s renowned brain injury research center. The investigation calls into question the validity of research papers on concussions, some of which have influenced NCAA policy.The Athletic's 3-part video series on UNC can be seen here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWM6ES5ykL4&list=PLJFxqDQGJPM3fOD-XK_WEs-9iS5ZDv-JS?source=theleadpodcastThe Athletic's report about the absence of critical data from UNC's renowned concussion research center:https://theathletic.com/1261858/2019/10/08/failure-to-disclose-the-mysterious-absence-of-critical-data-from-uncs-renowned-concussion-research/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The New York Yankees are one of the most storied teams in all of professional sports. So how did a former player-turned-broadcaster with no managerial experience become the team’s skipper? Hear about Aaron Boone’s unlikely rise to the most iconic job in baseball, learn more about his famous ‘savages in the box’ incident, and find out how he has proven his critics wrong as the team sets its sights on a World Series title.Read Rustin Dodd’s story on how Aaron Boone became the perfect voice for the Yankees:https://theathletic.com/1246710/2019/10/01/being-boonie-how-charisma-and-a-crazy-competitive-side-made-aaron-boone-the-perfect-voice-for-the-yankees/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have one of the best young teams in professional hockey. The team is also led by a very young general manager who has placed a premium on locking in youthful talent with big contracts. It’s part of a wider movement in the NHL where young players are commanding the type of salaries that were once reserved for veterans. But while today’s young hockey stars are good, it’s the older teams who are winning Stanley Cups. The Athletic’s Craig Custance joins us to talk about Toronto’s baby faced GM and whether or not young stars are worth the money.Check out Craig Custance’s “The Full 60” podcast for weekly conversations about the NHL’s hottest stories.https://theathletic.com/podcast/22-the-full-60/?source=theleadpodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.