11 Sports Podcasts That Are Actually Worth Your Time

ESPN Daily

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In the world of news, The Daily (from The New York Times) has been a bonafide smash, a podcast that comes out Monday through Friday morning and dives in-depth into the biggest story of the day. It's been such a success, in fact, that ESPN decided to give the same idea a shot in the sports world. Hosted by one of the network's best personalities in Mina Kimes (she both writes and appears on-air for ESPN, in addition to hosting her own podcast and being a top-tier Tweeter), The ESPN Daily Podcast has access to the network's best talent when covering the sports world's biggest stories.

A recent edition of ESPN Daily, for example, features Kimes talking about Alex Cora, the Red Sox manager who lost his job due to his role in the uncovered Houston Astros cheating scandal. Where many sports podcasts might just talk about this story, ESPN Daily has access to ESPN's Buster Olney, a super plugged-in MLB insider. The perspective here is unparalleled, making the show a quick hit and a must for the sports fan

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The Bill Simmons Podcast

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I'm going to tell you all about The Bill Simmons Podcast, but first...our friends.... from Pearl Jam.

Sorry, I had to. As anyone who's ever listened to the podcast hosted by the former ESPN personality-turned-founder of The Ringer could tell you, the inside contents of an episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast can vary greatly, but the show is always going to begin and end with a pair of very familiar Pearl Jam riffs. Whether it's sitting down with top-tier athletes, like Kevin Durant, or talking shop with sports-loving superstars like Ethan Hawke or Matt Damon, Simmons always has amazing guests along with him. But the best episodes of the show are often when people drop everything and just talk sports, like you do with your buddy down at the barSimmons (who at one point wrote for Jimmy Kimmel Live!) often talks sports and gambling with Kimmel's Cousin Sal, and that combination is not only informative, but super funny. Most importantly, though, Simmons and his buddies just love sports, and you feel that in every episode. As a Knicks fan, I don't think I'll ever forget the emergency Simmons podcast last winter after Kristaps Porzingis was traded. Dark times!

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Gladiator: Aaron Hernandez and Football Inc

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Did you listen to Serial? Or maybe S-town? Are you watching Netflix's new documentary Killer Inside ? Well, the Spotlight team from The Boston Globe (yes, the real-life version of the team that you saw expose the atrocities of the catholic church in Best Picture winner Spotlight)joined forces with podcast production company Wondery to produce Gladiator, which, in a way, combines all of those things.

The addictive, true-crime storytelling style of Serial combines with the tragic story of former NFL star Aaron Hernandez, who of course went from signing a 40-million dollar contract to convicted murdered to dead by suicide over the course of just a few years. This eight-part story tells it all, complete with more details than you could've possibly imagined. If you thought you knew the whole story, you probably don't.

Listen to Gladiator from The Boston Globe

Fantasy Focus Football

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For those of you (all of you) who play Fantasy Football, ESPN's Fantasy Focus is your best bet for the most entertaining show in the business. Airing five days a week during peak football season, this show features a more even split than the hosts would admit between football analysis (led by ESPN Insider Field Yates and Matthew Berry, a fantasy football pioneer who also made a cameo in Avengers: Endgame (!)) and good old fashioned podcast nonsense. For lack of a better term, these guys like to have fun. The show has fans new and old, but it doesn't take long to get in on some inside jokes, and also learn a little bit about who your best bet at the Flex spot might be for Week 9. (A Fantasy Focus Baseball podcast, hosted by a pair of veteran ESPN analysts, also airs twice a week in the spring)

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R2C2 is UNINTERRUPTED

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He may have just finished up his final season as a member of the New York Yankees, but CC Sabathia has already become a veteran in something else he's a natural at: podcasting. This show from the 251 winner and his co-host, ESPN and YES Network broadcaster Ryan Ruocco, originated as a podcast from The Players Tribune, and now is hosted on Uninterrupted, a player-empowerment platform owned by LeBron James and Maverick Carter.

Sabathia and Ruocco have a natural chemistry, and their conversations in each episode feel like one that you could hop into at your local barbershop or bar at any moment's notice. Topics range from pop culture and anectodes to the happenings of the day in baseball, but the most interesting moments of the show come when CC is sharing his unfiltered feelings and true stories from inside the Yankees dugout and around the major leagues. In a recent episode, the 6'7'' pitcher addressed the Houston Astros cheating scandal that's rocked Major League Baseball, and he held nothing back: "Fuck that!" he said, adding a ton of insight from a player who lived something we're all reading about in real-time.

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30 for 30 Podcasts

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One of the coolest entries on this list, 30 for 30 Podcasts (named for ESPN's ultra-successful sports documentary series) is basically a sports version of NPR's This American Life, with each episode telling a different story in the format of an audio-only documentary. Last summer, the podcast broke ground with a three-parter in the series, titled The Sterling Affairs. The Sterling Affairs gave new insight and original reporting on the scandal that led to Donald Sterling, former owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, to sell the team after an unearthed recording revealed him making racist remarks. For anyone interested in sports stories that dig deeper and might have slipped through the cracks, this one is for you.

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Only a Game

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The equation for this one is really quite simple: it's NPR's sports show. If you're into Fresh Air, or Planet Money, or Morning Edition, chances are you'll enjoy this show, which also gets into individual story segments with each episode. About a year ago, the show ran an incredibly touching segment featuring former NBA Star and TNT Inside the NBA analyst Charles Barkley, of all people. By the end, make sure you look around wherever you're listening, because someone will probably be cutting onions. Check it outyou won't regret it.

My dad's friendship with Charles Barkley, by @shirleyshirlw (cc @NBAonTNT ): https://t.co/tdCD4axYNN pic.twitter.com/AiXS0nJbqR NPR's Only A Game (@OnlyAGameNPR)

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No Dunks

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If you're an NBA fan just looking for a weekday recap of what went down in this crazy league we all love so much, No Dunks, from The Athletic, might just be your best bet. The hosts, Skeets, Tas, Trey, Leigh, and JD, are informative about what's happening around the league, but without feeling like you're watching special reports from ESPN every day; they feel like some of your friends and you're having a couple beers.

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The Fantasy Footballers

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Another option for pristine Fantasy advice. Based independently out west in Arizona, if ESPN isn't your flavor, you should check out The Fantasy Footballers. Hosted by Andy Holloway, Jason Moore, and Mike Wright, these three guys clearly have been friends for a long time, and also do their homework. When the show isn't making you laugh with their incredibly fun, sometimes nonsensical bits (usually linked to specific players), it's rewarding your time with really great advice that can help you win in Fantasy Footballand maybe even make a little money.

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Men in Blazers

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If you're a soccer fanparticularly an American soccer fanthis one is for you. Michael Davies and Roger Bennett preview each weekend's premier league games, and when that magical time every four years comes to talk about a World Cup, these guys don't only know their sh*t, but they'll make you laugh while talking about it. They've been on ESPN before, and now their show airs on NBC Sports Network, but their podcast is available for whenever you might need it.

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The JJ Redick Podcast

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While we're naming JJ's as the recommendation here, this is also a shout out to any NBA player still in the league who simultaneously has a podcast. Redick and Vince Carter ( Winging it With Vince ) both have podcasts on The Ringer, and Blazers star CJ McCollum also has his own .

When he's not draining threes for the New Orleans Pelicans, Redick is a natural behind the mic; with the help of his co-host Tommy Alter, he has guests on his show like his rookie teammate (and fellow Duke Blue Devil) Zion Williamson, as well as comedians like Hasan Minhaj.

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Mike's On With Francesa

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Come on, y'all. We had to include The Sports Pope here. Ever since Mike and The Mad Dog launched in 1989, Francesa has been a fixture of the sports talk world, despite his show being rooted only in New York City. He's got a 30 for 30 !

Not only is the born and bred New Yorker an absolute legend and the king of the hot take, but after a stunning turn in Uncut Gems , he's now an acclaimed actor, too. Did you hear him drop that F bomb?