Noah Lyles' Master Plan, MLB's Opening Act and the Death of Amateurism

Mocking The NFL Draft, MLB's Robot Umps and NBA Play-In Pressure

The regular season is in the rearview, and the NBA Play-In Tournament is officially knocking on the door. With the Pistons and Thunder sitting pretty, the rest of the bracket in total flux. Joel Lorenzi helps us break down who’s a contender and who’s just a pretender fighting for their life. Then, the "Robot Ump" revolution has arrived, and MLB veterans are feeling the heat. We discuss Sam Blum’s latest reporting on the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS). Is a mathematically perfect strike zone progress, or is the "humiliation" of public overturned calls ruining the soul of the game? In our main story, the Athletic’s prediction guru Austin Mock joins the show to crunch the numbers on the NFL Draft. Austin, Robert and Jason play "Mock with Mock," a high-stakes simulation of the first six picks for the Raiders, Jets, Cardinals, Titans, Giants, and Browns. Hosts & Guests Zena Keita @itszenakeita Robert Mays @robertmays Jason Goff @Jason1Goff Joel Lorenzi @JoelXLorenzi Sam Blum @SamBlum3 Austin Mock @amock419 Mix: Matt Shilts Executive Producer: Maggie Burbank Producers: Jen Bradley, Stephen Lorenzo A Production of The Athletic, Ode Studios, and Banner Studios ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The New Laettner, Golf's Soul and Athletes Stuck In The Wrong Era

This week on The Athletic Show, Zena, Robert, and Jason break down a week of sports history in the making. Braylon Mullins’ stunned Duke with an absolute "bonkers" buzzer beater to send UConn to the Final Four. We debate whether Mullins has officially dethroned the "Laettner Moment" as the greatest in NCAA history. Then, we explore the "Victims of Circumstance." Inspired by recent reporting on NFL legend Doug Flutie, the crew discusses the athletes who were simply born in the wrong era. Who are the stars of the past that would be undisputed #1 picks in today's modern schemes? Finally, we go behind the scenes of the technological arms race threatening the soul of golf. The Athletic’s Brody Miller joins the studio to take us inside Callaway’s HQ to ask the big question: Is innovation making the game too easy? Hosts & Guests Zena Keita @itszenakeita Robert Mays @robertmays Brody Miller @BrodyAMiller Mix: Matt Shilts Executive Producer: Maggie Burbank Producers: Jen Bradley, Stephen Lorenzo A Production of The Athletic, Ode Studios, and Banner Studios ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Noah Lyles' Master Plan, MLB's Opening Act and the Death of Amateurism

The MLB regular season officially kicked off Wednesday, and we are getting you prepped with the help of Keith Law, senior baseball writer for The Athletic, who joins the show to break down the three most striking storylines heading into Opening Day and what they reveal about the trajectory of the upcoming season. Then, the crew discusses how the high volume of transfers, NIL money and the introduction of NBA-style offenses has fundamentally reshaped college basketball. Finally, olympic sprinter Jordan Lyles sits down with Marcus Thompson to pull back the curtain on his polarizing public persona and share his ambitious master plan to elevate track and field to the same commercial heights as major American team sports. Hosts & Guests Zena Keita @itszenakeita Robert Mays @robertmays Marcus Thompson @thompsonscribe Keith Law @keithlaw.bsky.social Mix: Matt Shilts Executive Producer: Maggie Burbank Producer: Jen Bradley A Production of The Athletic, Ode Studios, and Banner Studios ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

WNBA Players Getting Paid, NBA Expanding & The Weight Of The 1-Seed

The WNBA and Players Association have agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement so it's full steam ahead for 2026 season. What will the new agreement mean for players and the league moving forward? The NBA is inching closer to 32 teams. We’re joined by The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov to discuss the inevitable return of the Seattle SuperSonics, the Vegas gold rush, and the "talent dilution" debate. Plus, which Western Conference team is getting shipped East?  And we do a deep dive into the parallel pressures facing Duke’s men and UConn’s women. College sports writer Scott Dochterman joins Zena to explain why anything short of a Final Four is a failure for these powerhouses and decide which pro teams would be the perfect match for the biggest stars from each program. Hosts & Guests Zena Keita @itszenakeita Robert Mays @robertmays Scott Dochterman @ScottDochterman Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov Mix: Matt Shilts Executive Producer: Maggie Burbank Producer: Jen Bradley A Production of The Athletic, Ode Studios, and Banner Studios ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

The NBA's Curry Family Royalty, Market Moves and the Inside Scoop On NFL Free Agency

Steph and Dell Curry sit down with The Athletic's Marcus Thompson for a wide-ranging conversation. From the "Originator" to "The Second," they discuss the evolution of the NBA, the rivalry for "NBA Family Royalty" against the Jameses, and a candid look at how the youth sports complex is failing American-born players. Also, Robert shares the intel from three crucial phone calls. By checking in with an NFL coach, a front-office executive, and an Athletic insider, he reveals what the league really thinks about the recent free agency frenzy. And, is the Prediction Market Loophole gambling or a financial exchange? Hannah Vanbiber joins the show to discuss the rise of platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket. We explore why federal regulation makes these markets legal in all 50 states—and why the traditional sports betting world is sounding the alarm. Hosts & Guests Zena Keita @itszenakeita Robert Mays @robertmays Marcus Thompson @ThompsonScribe Hannah VanBiber @HannahVanbiber Mix: Matt Shilts Executive Producer: Maggie Burbank Producer: Beret Remak A Production of The Athletic, Ode Studios, and Banner Studios ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.