ESPN Daily

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

On September 26th, 2024, the Athletics played their final game ever in Oakland, the city they’ve called home for 57 years. As friend of the show Jeff Passan wrote, baseball in the East Bay was “killed by greed… John Fisher did not have to move this team… This was a choice. A wrong one. History will sneer.”  For the conclusion of our Death of a Sports Town series, we trekked to the Oakland Coliseum and bore witness to the sights, sounds, and emotions of a city’s last gasp as a big time pro sports town.  It was a poignant and passionate display from a vibrant and rich fanbase, defiant to the very end. Today, we share that experience with you.  Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024.  Death of a Sports Town Episodes: Apple Podcasts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 4 Spotify: All episodes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In covering Oakland’s unraveling as a big time sports town, we’ve documented the greed, the loss, the dubious decisions, and the rich sports community soon to be left behind. But we’ve yet to fully examine the most pertinent question of all––does the Athletics planned move to Las Vegas make any sense at all?  Today, in part four of our series Death of a Sports Town, we take stock of why the A’s (and MLB) are so enamored with Las Vegas––a city soon to be the smallest market in the league––why this move will be extraordinarily messy, and why Oakland is America’s most-underappreciated sports town.  Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024.  Death of a Sports Town Episodes: Apple Podcasts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, & Part 5 Spotify: All episodes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The loss of three professional sports teams in five years has thrust Oakland into the media spotlight, with coverage focusing on every twist, turn, stadium proposal, and relocation rumor. But amid all that noise, a central experience has been overshadowed: the story of the fans. In part three of our series, Death of a Sports Town, we turn our attention to the diehard Oakland sports fans who refuse to let their city’s reputation define them. We explore the thriving, tight-knit community that grew within the walls of the Coliseum and how, even after the teams have left, those bonds strive to endure in the face of an uncertain future. Check out the playlist, featuring our favorite stories of 2024.  Death of a Sports Town Episodes: Apple Podcasts: Part 1, Part 2, Part 4, & Part 5 Spotify: All episodes Statement from the Athletics: ESPN emailed the Oakland Athletics, asking “What does the team feel it owes its fans and the city of Oakland as September 26th approaches?” The team responded with the following statement:  “We are deeply grateful to Oakland for being home to the A’s for nearly 60 years. In that span, the team and its fans celebrated four World Series championships, served as home to seven American League MVPs, made countless lasting memories, and achieved a storied place in baseball history. After an earnest and unprecedented effort to bring a visionary ballpark to downtown Oakland, we were unable to reach a deal, and more importantly, secure a reliable path to a fully approved project. We appreciate the community members, local leaders and staff who worked diligently to build a new home in Oakland and applaud the fans who passionately advocated for the team to stay. The A’s time in Oakland will always be a cherished part of this franchise’s history, and we carry that spirit forward on this journey to Sacramento and eventually to our new home in Las Vegas. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the loyal fans for their unwavering support throughout the years.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices