The new NBA season tips off this Tuesday, and the pool of contenders for the championship is deeper than it’s been in years. The consensus favorites just months ago were the Brooklyn Nets, but with Kyrie Irving potentially being unable to play due to vaccination requirements, the Eastern Conference is far from assured. Can the Bucks repeat their stunning run of a season ago? Will the 76ers be able to move past their own Ben Simmons drama and finally fulfill the process prophecy? In the Western Conference, can the Lakers find a way to make it work with Westbrook and Carmelo joining LeBron and A.D.? Will the Suns bounce back from their heartbreaking defeat in the Finals? Zach Lowe gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for a wide-open NBA season. Then, with the WNBA Finals now tied 1-1, LaChina Robinson previews game 3 between the Chicago Sky and Phoenix Mercury. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the Columbus Blue Jackets open their season this evening, they will be missing one of their own. Over the summer, Blue Jackets goaltender Matiss Kivlenieks was struck and killed by fireworks at a 4th of July celebration in Michigan. It was a tragedy that hit especially hard for Kivlenieks’ friend and teammate, fellow netminder Elvis Merzlikins. The two goaltenders shared more than just their position: they were among just a handful of NHL players from the tiny nation of Latvia. Merzlikins even invited Kivlenieks to live with him and his wife in Columbus. Emily Kaplan joins the show to share the story of their friendship, the tragedy that took one far too young, and how the Blue Jackets plan to honor their fallen teammate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Last Friday, a 2011 email from Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden containing racist language surfaced in reporting by the Wall Street Journal. Gruden apologized in his postgame press conference following the Raiders loss to the Chicago Bears on Sunday. But by Monday, additional reporting uncovered many more of Gruden’s emails containing sexist, racist, and homophobic remarks, sent in correspondence to various NFL higher-ups and decision makers. Gruden resigned as head coach within the hour. ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez joins us to discuss the Raiders reaction to Gruden’s comments, where the team goes from here, and the ripple effects around the NFL. Then, former Washington Football Team employee Emily Applegate shares her perspective on the NFL’s investigation into Washington’s toxic culture: the league's investigation is what led to Gruden’s emails being revealed, some which were messages to then Washington executive Bruce Allen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 2021-22 National Hockey League season gets going tonight, back on ESPN after 16 years. Our Greg Wyshynski shares what's at stake for hockey’s biggest stars, what we’ll see from defending champs the Tampa Bay Lightning, and expectations for the league's newest team, the Seattle Kraken. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After an hour plus rain delay in Kansas City, Josh Allen and the Bills delivered a statement win and literally hurdled past the Chiefs. Across the AFC, the Chargers and the Browns put up a combined eighty nine points, as Justin Herbert led the Chargers to a thrilling comeback win. Elsewhere, NFL kickers had a terrible, no good, very bad Sunday. In addition to a number of missed extra points, the end of the Packers-Bengals game saw five (!) missed field goals, before Mason Crosby nailed the game winner in overtime. Alex Smith takes us inside the film room and surveys all the action from the field. Then, Louis Riddick returns to preview Monday Night Football’s matchup from Baltimore.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon made first impressions at The Washington Post that went on to influence two decades of television, and counting. In the early years of PTI they created a world within the show. That included “Stat Boy” Tony Reali to correct them, a cast of singular journalists who joined them on set, and legendary pranks that were so convincing they rocked the sports world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Former National Women’s Soccer League players Sinead Farrelly and Mana Shim went public last week with accusations against coach Paul Riley of sexual coercion and harassment, in an investigative report from The Athletic. Teams cancelled games, the league commissioner stepped down, and players re-took the field with demands for reform. Reporter Caitlin Murray has covered women’s pro soccer since the NWSL started in 2012. She gives the history and impact of this reckoning across the league, and where it goes from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the Houston Astros host the Chicago White Sox this afternoon in Game 1 of the ALDS, they will remain, to many, as one thing: the most hated team in baseball. It’s a stigma the Astros have carried for the past two seasons, ever since the cheating scandal from their 2017 World Series run came to light. But at the same time, the Astros have had a spectacular run of success. They’ve won their division title in four of the last five seasons, and have made the ALCS the past four seasons. This year, they finished with the second best record in the American League. The team’s success has made Astros players defiant in the face of the public backlash. It’s also made them intent on winning another World Series, hoping to rewrite their legacy as something more than just “the team that cheated.” Alden Gonzalez spent time with the Astros, and shares his reporting on their search for vindication in the eyes of the baseball world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Brooklyn Nets held their first practice at home in New York Tuesday and there was one notable absence: Kyrie Irving. The seven-time All-Star had been with the team last week as they held training camp in San Diego. But in New York City, where proof of Covid-19 vaccination is required for indoor activities, Kyrie has been absent. It’s a situation that could potentially force Irving to miss every Nets home game, and cost him millions of dollars in the process. The dilemma speaks to the challenges the NBA is facing as it tries to adhere to a patchwork of regulations across the country, while also respecting the small number of players wary of the vaccine. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst lays out how Kyrie’s standoff got to this point, why the Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins relented and ultimately got vaccinated, and explains the dilemma faced by the NBA, as it attempts to persuade vaccine hesitant players to get the shot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

MLB playoffs begin tonight with the Yankees visiting the Red Sox in the AL Wild Card game. Jeff Passan returns to tell us what we should be keeping an eye on at Fenway, and what the Dodgers vs. Cardinals matchup could bring on Wednesday. Then, Jeremy Schaap shares his story of attending a crucial Yankees vs. Red Sox game over 40 years ago...when Bucky bleeping Dent hit the home run which gave the Yankees the lead tha they never relinquished. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Back in Foxborough to play his old team and his old coach, Tom Brady became the NFL’s all-time leading passer as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers eeked out a win after a missed field goal by the Patriots. Kyler Murray and the Cardinals established themselves with a 37-20 thrashing of the Rams in LA, while the Cowboys’ hot start continued with a win over the previously undefeated Panthers … AND the Jets got their first win of the season! Alex Smith takes us inside the huddle and breaks down what we saw in Week 4. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You know the show PTI, you love the show PTI. But how did it all start? Twenty years into “Pardon the Interruption,” co-hosts Tony Kornheiser, Michael Wilbon and a cast of media luminaries share the tale of the duo's meeting at The Washington Post. Hear how the dynamic in the legendary newsroom unexpectedly set them up for success with the show. Kornheiser and Wilbon reflect on their reluctant beginnings in television. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first three weeks of the NFL season, the 2021 rookie quarterback class has...struggled. Bears QB Justin Fields was sacked nine times on Sunday, Jaguars’ playcaller Trevor Lawrence has been turning over the ball under pressure, and Zach Wilson hasn’t been set up to succeed by the Jets. Bill Barnwell assesses what’s gone wrong for the rookie QBs so far, and whether we’ll see improvement. Then: Pablo asks for your help! It’s October, so in the spirit of the season we’re asking you to share your sports superstitions...and you might just hear them on the show. Leave us a message at 424-438-0717. Tell us about your weird, wacky sports stories of ghosts, curses, rituals and the supernatural. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Baseball is supposed to be romantic, right? America’s pastime is predicated on tradition, hard work, and luck in getting to the show of MLB. But making it to the big leagues has become harder than ever. Minor leaguers today face pay that puts them below the poverty line, grueling schedules, and little support for the mental health and other problems that can arise from that. Joon Lee brings us a deep dive into the world of the minor leagues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It might be the most hyped regular season game in NFL history, as Tom Brady returns to New England on Sunday night to face his old mentor, Bill Belichick. For 20 years, the relationship between Brady and Belichick, along with owner Robert Kraft, was the foundation of the Patriots dynasty. And no one has covered Patriots dynasty, and divorce, like Seth Wickersham, whose new book “It’s Better To Be Feared” is the culmination of two decades of provocative reporting on that singular football partnership. Wickersham joins the show to share new details about the greatest dynasty the NFL has ever seen, and why, despite winning six Super Bowls together, all of it had to end. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With less than a week remaining in baseball’s regular season, chaos is upon us. The once-dead Yankees have surged atop the AL Wild Card hunt, where five teams are chasing two playoff spots. Meanwhile, the Cardinals have won 16 straight to all but secure their spot in the postseason, where they’ll face whichever of the Giants and Dodgers don’t win the NL West. Jeff Passan stops by to break it all down. Then, Pablo shares a preview of the upcoming “Pardon the Interruption” 20th anniversary documentary and podcast series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the end, 37 seconds was too much time. That’s all it took for Aaron Rodgers to orchestrate a thrilling last minute drive to set up the Packers’ game winning field goal over the 49ers. And that wasn’t the only last second drama across the NFL’s Week 3. Baltimore’s Justin Tucker nailed a 66-yard game winning field goal, the longest in league history to beat the Lions in Detroit. Elsewhere, Matthew Stafford and the Rams took down Tom Brady and the Bucs, and Justin Herbert and the Chargers upset Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Former NFL QB Alex Smith takes us inside the huddle and brings us his insights on Sunday’s football action. Then, Louis Riddick previews Monday Night Football’s NFC East showdown between the Eagles and Cowboys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fall is finally here, and your autumnal Saturday agenda might be packed with trips to pumpkin patches and apple picking...or....it could be spent watching wall-to-wall college football. We know what gentleman and SEC scholar Spencer Hall will be doing. Today, Spencer joins the show to dissect last week’s Florida-Alabama heartbreaker, and whether the Crimson Tide are (ever) vulnerable. Then, we take a spin around the Big 10, and Spencer unveils some of his favorite name, image, and likeness deals, from scented candles to Arby’s (yes, really).  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The WNBA playoffs tip off tonight, with a pair of win-or-go-home games. The New York Liberty and Sabrina Ionescu, who squeaked into the playoffs as the eighth seed, are looking to shock the world by knocking off Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury. The Dallas Wings and Chicago Sky also have a first round date, which if they advance...could see them face last year’s champs, the Seattle Storm, in the second round. But with Breanna Stewart, the MVP from the 2020 finals nursing an ankle injury, the Storm are no longer favorites to repeat. Instead, the Las Vegas Aces and the Connecticut Sun have claimed the top seeds and are guaranteed semifinal berths. LaChina Robinson brings us her insights on the playoff field, and shares where she hopes the league will go in its next 25 years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cats are making cameos all over sports right now, from a stray at Yankee Stadium to a dangling feline in Miami. But ESPN’s Liz Merrill has the original wild and twisting tale of the St. Louis Cardinals’ Rally Cat. When the kitten crawled onto the field during the bottom of the sixth in a 2017 game against the Kansas City Royals, Yadier Molina proceeded to hit a go-ahead grand slam on the very next pitch. Hear the story of the all-out search that followed for the Rally Cat, and the heated fight over where it should live. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Any runner would say the best advice in a race is to look forward. But what if you had to keep looking over your shoulder? Olympic runner Emily Infeld’s career as an elite athlete slowed down when a stalker invaded her life. ESPN reporter Paula Lavigne shares her investigation of the three years Infeld has lived in fear and fought for justice and peace, while facing many systemic failures along the way. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This second Sunday of the NFL season was full of absolutely great plays, and gave us a lot of telling looks at quarterbacks, including backups stepping in due to injury. Baltimore got a dazzling win over the Chiefs, as Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson met up for the fourth time since Jackson entered the league on Sunday Night Football. We picked the best moments and give you tailored insights from NFL veteran QB Alex Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When arguably the world’s most popular athlete, Cristiano Ronaldo, took the pitch this past weekend for arguably the world’s most popular soccer club, Manchester United, two truly global sports brands were reunited on the legendary pitch at Old Trafford. The same iconic stadium, that months earlier, was literally stormed by Man United supporters who were fighting against the globalization of the sport they love. Wright Thompson, who was there for Ronaldo’s return to the team he played for more than a decade ago, takes us inside the fight for the soul of Manchester United, and explains why it’s a battle that’s about much more than just a soccer club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Raiders’ first win in Las Vegas with fans was a homecoming two years in the making. The show paid homage to the Silver and Black’s roots in Oakland and Los Angeles, while the game itself was such a frenzy that the Raiders seemed to win twice (?!) in overtime. Paul Gutierrez joins us from Sin City after its first Monday Night Football hangover, and tells us how Jon Gruden’s team can build on their success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is in the midst of a season unlike any his family has ever seen, and that’s saying a lot. Vlady just hit more single-season home runs with the Toronto Blue Jays than his all-star father, Canada baseball hero Vlad Sr., ever did. Now Vlad Jr. has the Triple Crown in his sights. Plus he’s led his Blue Jays to the cusp of the postseason, as they return to Toronto after Covid exile in Buffalo, New York. Devin Gordon tells us how Vlady went from Canada’s golden son to quietly becoming his own legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Once Upon a Time in Queens,” the newest film from 30 for 30, chronicles the 1986 New York Mets: a team stacked with perhaps more larger-than-life characters than any other in baseball history. From Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden to Lenny Dykstra and Keith Hernandez, it was a team that worked hard and played harder - and a team that mirrored the dangerous and exciting aura of New York in the 1980’s. Director Nick Davis takes us behind-the-scenes of the film, and shares how the ‘86 Mets became the definitive New York baseball team of the era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NFL players turned analysts Alex Smith, Louis Riddick and Domonique Foxworth join Pablo to break down the first games of the season. First, WFT former QB Alex Smith shares what it’s like weighing in on games instead of playing them, and highlights from early in the day. Then, Bears vs. Rams and the afternoon games with Domonique Foxworth. Plus, Monday Night Football’s Louis Riddick tells us what to watch for from Vegas as the Raiders take on the Ravens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tomorrow, Robert Saleh begins his tenure in possibly the most challenging job in football...head coach of the New York Jets. The former 49ers Defensive Coordinator has already drawn praise from players and analysts alike, who think he may just be the guy who can turn around the long struggling franchise. Saleh’s path to the Jets sideline has been as unusual as it is groundbreaking. Jets reporter Rich Cimini brings us the story of how, September 11th, 2001 changed Saleh’s life forever, and set him on a course to become the first Muslim head coach in NFL history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ben Simmons wants out of Philadelphia, and seems like the 76ers have had enough of him as well. The relationship between the former first overall pick and Philly has bent to a likely breaking point since the team exited last season’s NBA playoffs. Simmons’ disappointing performance drew sharp criticism from star teammate Joel Embiid and head coach Doc Rivers. Brian Windhorst explains what happens now that Simmons and the Sixers have gone sour, possible landing spots for him, and what the saga shows about power in the NBA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones displayed rare humility when he compared his team’s opening night matchup against the defending Super Bowl Champion Buccaneers as “David vs. Goliath.” And while after a quarter century of mediocrity, the Cowboys may indeed be David on the field, off the field, they still remain the NFL’s Goliath. They are worth almost $7 billion according to Sportico, which puts them atop the list of most valuable franchises in sports despite not winning a Super Bowl since 1996. Tim Cowlishaw has covered the Cowboys since 1989, so he explains why they continue to be America’s Team...and if a return to glory is at hand. Then, Leylah Fernandez makes history at the US Open. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NFL is back after surviving a gauntlet of a 2020 season. As Tom Brady aims to defend his title in Tampa, Bill Belichick seems to have found his heir apparent in QB Mac Jones, at the expense of Cam Newton. Several more rookie quarterbacks prepare to take the field in Week 1, while others wait. And with the Delta variant running rampant, teams are doing all they can to control the chaos. Mina Kimes is about to head into ESPN’s NFL war room, so before she goes we get her league season preview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

American politicians cannot stop talking about young transgender athletes. Eight states now have laws or policies on the books restricting transgender athletes' access to youth sports, with seven states enacting them in 2021 alone. And nearly three dozen states have introduced similar bills. As a new school year begins and youth sports regain a foothold after pandemic precautions, these proposals have transgender kids stuck in the middle of the ongoing and often ugly battle over science and assumption, sex and gender identity, politics and policy. Katie Barnes covers transgender issues for ESPN and joins the show to explain the contours of the debate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Susan Francia's mother, Dr. Kate Karikó, has seen her lifelong work come to fruition in the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. Dr. Karikó’s dedication to her research amidst adversity inspired her daughter, who became an elite rower and Olympian. In a re-air of one our favorite episodes, ESPN’s Julie Foudy takes us through the story of Dr. Karikó’s perseverance, her mRNA breakthroughs behind the vaccine, and the mother-daughter relationship at the center of the E:60 feature “What We’re Made Of.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fernando Tatis Jr.’s massive 14-year, 340 million dollar deal with the Padres shattered MLB records. But it’s actually not the most important signing of the Padres this offseason. That belongs to Matt LaChappa, who signed with the team again in February, just as he has every year for more than a quarter-century. It’s a baseball story unlike any other: LaChappa is the longest tenured player in Padres history, despite never playing in a major league game. In 1996, LaChappa was a pitcher with San Diego’s minor league affiliate, when he suffered a heart attack while warming up in the bullpen. LaChappa survived, was left permanently disabled and in need of round-the-clock and costly medical care. Ever since, every offseason, the Padres have honored their commitment to Matt and his family by signing him a basic minor league contract, allowing Matt to remain on the team’s health insurance. In a sport where money and loyalty between players and clubs are constantly put to the test, Chris Connelly joins the show to tell a very different kind of baseball story, in a re-spin of one of our favorite episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

10 years ago, the Vancouver Canucks lost Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals to the Boston Bruins, in Vancouver. Canucks fans didn’t exactly hide their frustrations, as a riot engulfed the city. Now, a decade later, arguably the most enduring image of that night was a photo of a couple, kissing on the ground, surrounded by police in riot gear. In a re-spin of one of our favorite episodes, Greg Wyshynski caught up with the couple, and the photographer, and joins the show to share how that iconic image endures to this day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s a heist story straight out of Hollywood, about a thief who would make Danny Ocean proud. Who is this criminal mastermind, who stole the New York Giants’ Super Bowl rings? Meet Sean Murphy: a die-hard Patriots fan, owner of a moving company, and a self-described master thief. He, like many Pats fans, watched in agony as the New York Giants pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history in 2008. A few months later, Murphy was researching local jewelers for a potential target when he came across E.A. Dion, a family-owned business…who also happened to be making the Giants’ Super Bowl rings. From there, a super-sized heist was put into motion. ESPN correspondent Sam Borden joins us in a re-spin of one of our favorite episodes to take a look back at how Murphy pulled off the steal...and how he got caught. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the winningest team in high school football hired the most controversial coach in high school football, heads turned all over the state of Georgia. What ensued was a 15-month saga of small-town, big time football that ended up dividing an entire town. In a re-air of one of our favorite episodes, Mark Schlabach brings us a story of funny money, a secret recording, and the unraveling of a powerhouse high school football program in Valdosta, Georgia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Twenty years ago, when Earnhardt died in an accident on the final lap of Daytona in 2001, the tragedy prompted a change in NASCAR that many thought was long overdue. The sport took up safety standards and equipment designed to prevent the type of injury that killed Earnhardt. There may not be a bigger example of how far the sport has come than 2020’s Daytona 500, when Ryan Newman’s car flipped and landed upside down in a fiery collision during the final lap. Many first believed that Newman had died, but he walked out of the hospital two days later, largely due to the additional safety measures put in place in the wake of Earnhardt’s death. ESPN’s Ryan McGee shares how Earnhardt’s death changed NASCAR forever, also told in the ESPN film “Intimidator.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the college football season starts, the PAC-12, ACC, and Big Ten announced a new alliance. The purpose of the teamup is unclear...but no doubt is influenced by power and money, and the looming specter of the Southeastern Conference in the college football sphere. EPN’s Paul Finebaum walks us through the implications of the changes off the field, and who might dominate on the field. Then, former NBA champion J.R. Smith is now a member of the North Carolina A&T State golf team, so current student East L. Dockery shares reporting on Smith’s next act. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the world of trading cards, one company’s loomed large: Topps. But this week a company known for sports apparel, Fanatics, outbid Topps for the right to make cards with Major League Baseball. It also made deals with the NBA and NFL, and this major shakeup in sports memorabilia is worth billions of dollars. Dan Hajducky covers collectibles for ESPN. He shares his reporting on the Fanatics coup, plus the Honus Wagner card that sold for $6.6 million. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the Los Angeles Rams traded for Matthew Stafford this offseason, they delivered one of the NFL’s biggest arms to one of its biggest brains: head coach Sean McVay. Over a dozen years in Detroit, Stafford put up big individual numbers, but the Lions’ lackluster talent meant that his ability was often squandered on teams that had no real chance at contending for a Super Bowl. That is no longer the case, as Stafford, McVay, and the rest of the Rams franchise know that nothing less than the Lombardi Trophy will be considered a success: it’s Super Bowl or bust in LA. Today, Seth Wickersham takes us behind the scenes of how the Stafford trade went down, what it all says about quarterbacks in the modern era, and how Cabo, apparently, is the nexus of power in the NFL. Then, Pablo shares his ode to the creepiest college mascot in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On November 7th, 2006, Bryan Pata, a defensive lineman for the University of Miami Hurricanes, was shot and killed when he returned home after football practice. He was just 22 years old. For nearly 15 years, no one was arrested in connection with Pata’s killing. That changed last week, with the stunning arrest of Pata’s former Miami teammate, Rashaun Jones. Today, we revisit our conversation from November with investigative reporter Paula Lavigne, who was part of ESPN’s multi-year probe into Pata’s killing that pointed out missteps in the long stalled police inquiry. Then, we discuss what led to the stunning arrest last week...and where the case might go from here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson is the subject of several investigations and 22 civil lawsuits. Allegations from many women range from inappropriate conduct to sexual assault. The FBI is also looking into the case, and the NFL’s own investigation on Watson has come under scrutiny. ESPN’s Sarah Barshop brings us the latest on the plaintiffs and the defense, plus how Watson’s presence is shaping the Texans’ preseason. Then, Pablo shares how runner Elaine Thompson-Herah almost became the fastest woman in the world...and beat Sha’Carri Richardson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are few, if any, boxers in history with the resume of Manny Pacquiao. Inside the ring, he has won twelve major titles across EIGHT different weight classes. Outside the ring, he has been elected first, to the House of Representatives, and later, to the Senate back home in the Philippines. And now, Pacquiao appears to be gearing up to run for president of the Philippines. It’s a move that would put him in direct conflict with the current president Rodrigo Duterte, a leader whose autocratic tendencies suggest he is not afraid to fight dirty...and have left some in Pacquiao’s camp concerned for Manny’s safety, as well as their own. With Pacquiao taking the ring tomorrow night, perhaps the final time in his storied career, Tim Keown joins the show to discuss how Pacquaio’s latest fight, the fight for the highest office in the Philippines, will be his most challenging yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Little League World Series returns to action in Williamsport, PA today. While it won’t be the truly global event it usually is, kids will still play their hearts out in the games. ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian will be there, and he tells guest host Emily Kaplan what makes this event so magical, and what to watch for as the games begin. Then, a look at the female athletes affected by the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s rare when a team that’s coming off a 1-15 season is considered intriguing, but here we are with the Jacksonville Jaguars. They retooled their franchise at the hands of legendary college head coach Urban Meyer, and there may or may not be a battle for the starting quarterback spot between number one overall pick Trevor Lawrence and Gardner Minshew (Hint: there’s not.) Then, there’s the Tim Tebow of it all, who signed as a tight end in the offseason, but was cut after the first preseason game. ESPN’s Jeff Darlington brings his view on how the Jags performed last week, and shares what fans should expect from them this season with guest host Emily Kaplan. Then, the U.S. women’s national hockey team reached a one-year deal with USA Hockey, but the fight for equal treatment in women’s sports is still ongoing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The NFL is back! Well, the preseason if that’s your thing. And it is indeed Louis Riddick’s thing! The ESPN analyst, former NFL player and pro scout tells us all about the preseason debut of Justin Fields with the Chicago Bears. Fields was the fourth quarterback selected in 2021, but looked more than NFL ready as he completed 14/20 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown, and rushed for another touchdown and 33 yards. He even said the game felt “slow.” So just how ready is Justin Fields to start as QB of the Chicago Bears? Then, The Honus Wagner reclaims its throne as the king of all sports cards. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Los Angeles this week, Trevor Bauer and a woman who has accused him of assault are expected to testify in court. The 27-year-old woman, whose name ESPN is not revealing, says Bauer assaulted her over the course of two sexual encounters in April and May. A judge will decide whether to make permanent the temporary restraining order the woman was granted against Bauer in June. Bauer’s future in MLB is unclear, as the pitcher remains on administrative leave from the Dodgers. ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez has been following the case, and shares his reporting, done in partnership with ESPN’s Tisha Thompson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices