ESPN Daily

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