Also On Today's Show: The Seattle Seahawks denied the San Francisco 49ers a return trip to the Super Bowl. William Rhoden, sports columnist for our partner The New York Times, provides a look at what’s in store for the Seahawks and the Denver Broncos as they head to the Super Bowl. In a divided Congress and an election year, lawmakers are practically sprinting for the exits, with several announcing their plans to retire. Takeaway Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich explains what the departures could mean for 2014.

The song that frames an Olympic figure skater's routine needs to have a variety of tempos. It needs to have emotional resonance and perhaps a little bit of edge. Most importantly, it needs to be something the skater can listen to over and over and over again. As competitors gear up for the 2014 Olympics, Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1992 Olympic Champion in ladies' singles, reflects on the kind of music that brings home medals.

Nothing says happy birthday to one of the world's most ruthless dictators more than a basketball game led by former NBA star Dennis Rodman. Today in honor of Kim Jong-Un's birthday, Rodman has assembled a 12-member team to play a game in North Korea. Is this just classic Dennis Rodman? Or is there something deeper going on? To help us get inside his head we've called upon William Rhoden, sports writer for our partner The New York Times.

Jazmine Fenlator is like a lot of Olympic athletes. She played sports growing up, excelled in high school athletics, and was recruited by a university to compete on their Division 1 Track and Field team. She holds the university’s records for the indoor shot put, outdoor shot put, and discus. But while it sounds like Jazmine is the track star we’ll all be cheering for in the near future, she is, in fact, the pilot the U.S. Olympic Women’s bobsled team.

It's been a strong year for soccer in America. But is it enough to raise the profile of the game and gain popularity here in the States? Grant Wahl, senior writer for Sports Illustrated, weighs in.

Brazil has faced a myriad of problems in preparing for the World Cup. Hoping to raise revenue for city infrastructure for the World Cup, the Brazilian government raised taxes on bus and train fares last summer, triggering massive protests in Rio and across the country. New construction has also proved problematic. Bruce Douglas, a Brazil-based freelance journalist, examines the country's preparation for the 2014 World Cup and beyond.

Today, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar played the start of his 200th and final test match—the match that marks the coming close of his 24-year career.The “Little Master,” as he’s sometimes called, is a sports icon like no other. In 2011, he led India to a cricket World Cup victory but long before that, he captured the heart of the country with his exploits. Rahul Tandon, BBC Cricket reporter in Mumbai, reflects on day the first day of Tendulkar's last match.

On Sunday at the New York City Marathon, disabled athlete Tatyana McFadden became the first person to complete a marathon Grand Slam after winning races in Boston, London, Chicago and New York all in the same year—a feat never done by anyone before. McFadden joins The Takeaway to discuss her remarkable achievements and the next steps in her career.

In the world of civil rights, 1967 was a historic year. Though slightly more modest, the college football field also made civil rights history in 1967. Samuel Freedman is the author of the new book “Breaking the Line: The Season in Black College Football that Transformed the Sport and Changed the Course of Civil Rights."

When it comes to the 2013 World Series, it is really a tale of two cities—St. Louis and Boston. These team stories you may already know if you are a baseball fan, but as St. Louis and Boston gear up to face off in baseball's biggest event, The Takeaway looks past the game to compare the cities themselves. Our mission is to pit the two cities against each other in an effort to hear from passionate fans that are headed into the World Series.

The NFL gives fans around the nation something to cheer about for several months each year. But the NFL doesn’t just give, they also receive—in some cases millions of dollars in subsidies and tax exemptions. Gregg Easterbrook, contributing editor at The Atlantic, investigates the strange financial operations of the NFL in his new book, “The King of Sports: Football’s Impact on America.”

The N.F.L. has agreed to a $765 million settlement with 4,500 retired players in a concussion-related lawsuit. It's a symbolic victory for a lot of players and their families who have been personally affected by the consequences of head trauma. Lisa McHale is the widow of Tom McHale, an offensive guard in the N.F.L. from 1987 to 1995 who was diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and passed away in 2008. 

To make everyone winners regardless of their team allegiance or political outlook, the sports industry is going green. The National Green Sports Alliance is holding it's annual convention in New York City, the city of the upcoming Super Bowl in 2014. Martin Tull, the executive director of the alliance, says being green is a team color in all sports these days.

Greg Louganis is a gay athlete who won a total of four gold medals in 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympic Games for diving. He also has personal experience with Olympic boycotts. Back in 1980, he was favored to win two gold medals in the Moscow games, but was unable to compete due to the boycott. Louganis joins The Takeaway to discuss Russia's stance against LGBTQ people and whether or not that could hurt the games in 2014.

Yesterday, 12 players involved in the Biogenesis scandal each agreed to a 50-game suspension. Alex Rodriguez received a harsher penalty, banning him through the 2014 season, though he plans to appeal the 211-game suspension. Under league rules, he is allowed to play until an arbitrator decides the case. Jay Goldberg spent 15 years as a sports agent. He joins us to break down the consequences of the suspension for A-Rod, the MLB, and baseball fans.