Well Played

EDITOR’S NOTE

If you need an excuse to keep your Sunday afternoon open, the WNBA playoffs start at 2 pm ET. The regular season wraps up Thursday, and the Minnesota Lynx just secured the top seed for the second straight year. I’ve been Olivia Miles’s biggest fan this season, and I can’t wait to see what the rookie point guard pulls off in the post. If it’s anything like this between-the-legs pass, we’re in for a show. After their semifinal exit, her team no doubt hopes this year’s championship run lasts a little longer. First-round matchups are still TBD, with the Golden State Valkyries in the mix for the No. 2 spot and the Las Vegas Aces (led by Jewell Loyd and reigning MVP A’ja Wilson) looking to defend their title. While you get your bracket ready, we’ve skimm'd the playoffs for you with everything you need to know before tip-off. Now, let's get to the rest of the sports news...

— Jordan Galloway / Editor / Katonah, NY

Let's Discuss

Fast Fashion

What's going on: At last Friday's Athlos meet in London, all eyes were on British middle-distance star Keely Hodgkinson, and not only because she’s a reigning Olympic champion. She won the 800 meters, her signature event, clad in a brand-new Nike speed suit. But the hooded, open-back design is more than a fashion statement. Hodgkinson spent a year with Nike's innovation team on the one-of-a-kind suit, which uses strategically placed fabrics and tiny 3D-printed structures to reduce the air resistance that slows runners down. Cutouts help regulate Hodgkinson’s body temperature, while the hood streamlines airflow around her head. As she put it: “I think it's a mixture of fashion, speed, and science all coming together, for maybe the future of athletics potentially.”

More coverage, less drag: Hodgkinson also said she wanted to feel sexy. Guess which part made headlines? In a sport where crop tops and briefs are standard, the idea that more fabric could make an athlete faster feels counterintuitive. Yet that's exactly what Nike's technology aims to do. The concept isn't new: Cathy Freeman won Olympic gold in a full-body suit in 2000 that looked more like a onesie. Hodgkinson's version brings updated aerodynamics and her personal style into the equation. And while its performance advantage has yet to be independently established, her Athlos appearance could offer a glimpse of what's to come. Hodgkinson's training partner Georgia Hunter Bell expects similar suits to become an option at the 2028 Olympics, though that isn't guaranteed. If she's right, it would give athletes another way to satisfy their need for speed… and style.

Pick Six

More sports talkers you don't want to miss.

🎬 Kerry Washington says her husband, retired football player Nnamdi Asomugha, is besties with her Scandal work husband. Even Olivia Pope couldn’t have scripted that.

⚽ Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac recently bought the historic pub where their soccer club was founded in 1864. Next round’s on them?

💍 Taylor Swift pointed to her wedding ring after Travis Kelce’s touchdown, and his reaction to her viral celebration is peak proud-husband energy.

🏀 See why Jose Alvarado’s daughters wanted to name their baby brother after one of his Knicks teammates. Honestly, OG Alvarado has a nice ring to it.

🚨 During a get-ready-with-me video, Simone Biles casually revealed that three masked men stole her Porsche. She got the car back, but what a plot twist.

🏆 Team USA won its first women’s wheelchair basketball world title in 16 years with a clutch free throw. Could the road to LA28 be paved in gold?

In Our Rotation

What if we told you the most MVP move in women’s soccer right now has nothing to do with scoring goals? See how one partnership is the real game-changer.*

Compression shorts with a built-in running belt? Oh, we are so back.

Keep scrolling...more recs below

On Our Calendar

Wednesday, September 23

🎤 Listen to the latest episode of Well Played

Our cohosts, Caroline and Blake, talk football, Taylor Swift, and Simone Biles’s game-day routines, plus what Caroline, a former D1 rower, actually thinks of Netflix’s Crew Girl. Catch it on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Thursday, September 24

⚾ Team Moms: Baseball premieres on Paramount+

In this Kim Kardashian-produced reality series baseball moms get their turn behind the camera. Their sons are pro-baseball hopefuls and the drama never seems to stay on the field. Here's the trailer.

Saturday, September 26

🍿 Saturday Night Live season premiere

Live from New York... it's Jalen Brunson. The NBA superstar hosts the kickoff to Season 52 and Katseye makes their SNL debut. Any bets on how many Josh Hart jokes will be in the monologue?

Tuesday, September 29

🏒 NHL regular season begins

Hockey fans, you’ve got three back-to-back US games tonight, starting with the Florida Panthers vs. the Carolina Hurricanes at 5 pm ET on ESPN. Here’s how experts say the season could shake out — including which coach may be fired.

Psst... See what else is happening this week so you never miss a moment.

Timeout...

What’s the tea on Trinidad Chambliss?

Our Well Played co-hosts and friends of the show tackle listener Qs.

Trinidad Chambliss, a 24-year-old quarterback at the University of Mississippi, just scored the ultimate revenge. This past Saturday, he led the Rebels to a 32–24 victory over LSU and Lane Kiffin, who led Ole Miss before leaving to become the Tigers’ head coach. Chambliss transferred to Mississippi in April 2025 to play for Kiffin. Together, they led the team to one of the best seasons in program history: a school-record 13 wins, its highest AP ranking in 64 years (No. 3), and its first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. But right before last season’s playoffs began, Kiffin left for Baton Rouge. Chambliss stayed in Oxford. Almost one year later, the Tigers erased a 17-point deficit to tie the game in the fourth quarter. Chambliss answered with the go-ahead touchdown, and the Rebels held on for the win. Postvictory, the star QB now finds himself at the center of the early Heisman Trophy talk. Guess the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Related: Why Does Trinidad Chambliss Get a Sixth Year of College Football? (The Athletic gift link)

PS: Need to sound off about your favorite athlete? Still don’t understand what being offside means? Call Well Played with your thoughts, questions, and concerns, at (828) 412-4825, and you might be featured in next week's episode.

Featured Expert

Caroline Hendershot

Reporter for the New York Jets and Well Played co-host.

Dial In

Few things get our millennial hearts racing like the Great Flip Phone Resurgence of 2026. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 has caught our eye. It’s the “lightest and thinnest” clamshell phone on the market, and the colors are ridiculously cute, too. Plus, you can save up to $400 on Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip8 with eligible trade-in. No trade-in? No problem. You could still save up $150. You’ll also get a $100 credit to complete your Galaxy family. *Slams flip phone shut.*

In Our Rotation

New Balance Reconsidered (aka, their resale site) is offering 20% off your entire order from now until September 30 with code SEPTEMBERSAVE. Run, don’t walk.

Show Tote’s latest collection of stadium-approved bags just dropped, and this spacious crossbody has stolen our hearts.

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

No Notes

Tell Us

Jalen Brunson has launched a new business. What is it?

A. Sportswear line

B. Brand advisory firm

C. Basketball training academy

D. Production company

How Travis feels about Taylor’s viral video