Chris Branch

Staff Writer, National

Chris Branch is a staff writer for The Athletic's daily newsletter. Before joining The Athletic, he covered the Phillies for The News-Journal and worked as a content strategist for various industries. He graduated from LSU, where he worked for The Daily Reveille.

Messi survives a Copa thriller, plus Andy Murray's goodbye to Wimbledon

The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! We have hot dog answers. The reigning World Cup champions live another day, but not without an extreme amount of stress. Some things that happened in Argentina’s 1-1 shootout win over Ecuador in the Copa America quarterfinals last night: After Argentina scored in the 35th minute to go up 1-0, Ecuador’s Enner Valencia missed a penalty kick 30 minutes later in brutal fashion. At the time, it felt like the game’s deciding moment. Not...

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An MLB trade deadline cheat sheet, plus the best way to make a hot dog

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Klay Thompson's quietly stunning goodbye, plus Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese teaming up

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Gregg Berhalter's murky USMNT future, plus explaining the NBA's 'second apron'

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How Simone Biles is breaking the sport ... again. Plus NBA free agency and some stinky news

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More Stories

2024 NBA Draft continues French takeover, plus the end of the Alex Morgan era?

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The Knicks' blockbuster Mikal Bridges swing, plus England's confusing Euros run

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Florida Panthers avoid historic Stanley Cup collapse, plus JJ Redick's debut f-bomb

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NHL's most anticipated Game 7 ever? Plus another Angel Reese-Caitlin Clark classic

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How to judge USMNT's Copa America, plus the all-time NHL comeback looms

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The Lakers go all in on JJ Redick, plus MLB's unforgettable Birmingham night

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The stunning brevity of Monty Williams' Pistons tenure, plus a Grimace-Mets update

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Why Willie Mays was the best baseball player of all time, plus the Oilers' big night

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The layers to the Celtics' NBA title, plus the biggest upset in Euros history

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Bryson DeChambeau and golf's bizarro major, plus more Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese drama

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The rare potential NBA/NHL double sweep, plus Trevor Lawrence's giant contract

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Luka Dončić's fouls might've ended the NBA Finals, plus USMNT's promising turnaround

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Analyzing Paul Skenes' rapid rookie rise, plus a brewing hot dog war

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Evan Rodrigues' surprise Stanley Cup heroics, plus where the Lakers and Dan Hurley go from here

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Big NBA Finals statement by Celtics, plus Oklahoma's unprecedented four-peat

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The hidden history of the Mavericks-Celtics Finals, plus Sky players harassed outside hotel

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The Lakers' potential gamble on JJ Redick, plus a 16-year-old's stunning USWNT debut

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Explaining the Caitlin Clark media meltdown, plus another huge baseball gambling scandal

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Connor McDavid finally gets his title shot, plus Simone Biles' absurd excellence

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Luka Dončić is the best player on Earth right now, plus Shilo Sanders' bankruptcy

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