Hang Up and Listen

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the College Football Playoff and bowl game opt-outs. ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel also joins for a conversation about Becky Hammon, who chose to leave the NBA to become the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Finally, they talk about the life and legacy of John Madden. College football (3:33): What are the sport’s real issues and what problems are imaginary? Hammon (25:15): Why didn’t she get a shot to run an NBA team? Is going to the WNBA the right move? Madden (48:11): How should the coach and announcer be remembered? Afterball (1:10:38): Joel on Marcus Williamson and what college football takes from Black athletes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin and Joel Anderson are joined by ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz to talk about Christmas Day in the NBA. Washington Post health reporter Dan Diamond also joins to discuss the past, present, and future of COVID in sports. Finally, Josh, Joel, and Stefan Fatsis interview Mitchell S. Jackson about his award-winning story on Ahmaud Arbery and running while Black. NBA (3:37): How did the Warriors and Suns leap to the top of the West? And how are teams dealing with all the positive tests? COVID (25:51): What should leagues be doing, and what will they do in 2022? Arbery (45:59): A discussion about the Pulitzer-winning story “Twelve Minutes and a Life.” Afterball (1:06:04): Josh on the Washington Post’s coverage of Daniel Snyder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley talk about COVID running rampant through every sports league, again. Next, they discuss the end of Urban Meyer’s very brief career as an NFL coach. Finally, Joshua Neuman joins Stefan and Josh for a conversation about Kenny Washington, who broke the NFL’s color barrier a year before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s. COVID (3:13): How should leagues and teams respond to the next wave of the pandemic? Urban Meyer (22:37): Why did the successful college coach flame out of the pros? Kenny Washington (41:25): Why isn’t the pioneering Black football player an American icon? Afterball (1:02:30): Stefan on the state of Scorigami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Slate’s Alex Kirshner talk about the controversial ending to the Formula 1 season. Next, they examine the opening months of college sports’ name, image, and likeness era. Finally, Stefan and Josh are joined by author and chess champion Jennifer Shahade to assess Magnus Carlsen’s latest world title. Formula 1 (2:46): Who should’ve won the duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen? NIL (22:55): How college athletes are capitalizing, and how it’s changing the game. Chess (44:28): How Carlsen won, and what’s next for him and for the game. Afterball (1:04:10): Josh on basketball on the Marshall Islands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi Hang Up and Listen listeners, we thought you'd be interested in this episode of What Next, Slate's daily news podcast. Enjoy!When Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai accused a former Chinese Vice Premier of rape, what came next was darkly predictable: the athlete disappeared from public view while the government scrubbed all mentions of her allegations and censored searches for her name. But few expected the Women’s Tennis Association to strike back, suspending all future tournaments in China and Hong Kong.As the WTA stands up to China - leaving millions of dollars on the table - will other sports organizations follow suit and hold the government to account over its human rights abuses?Guest: Ben Rothenberg, senior editor of Racquet Magazine and host of the tennis podcast No Challenges Remaining. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin break down college football’s playoff match-ups and Brian Kelly’s move to LSU. Insider’s Bradford William Davis joins to discuss the baseball lockout and his piece on the sport using two different balls. Finally, a conversation about sports blowouts.College football (5:29): Does outsider Cincinnati have a chance against Alabama, Michigan, and Georgia? Baseball (27:22): Will the sport cancel games? And why did MLB have two different balls in circulation? Blowouts (47:36): What makes some lopsided victories great and others unwatchable? Afterball (1:04:30): Stefan with more sports musicals.If you enjoy Hang Up and Listen, consider giving the gift of Slate Plus to a fellow Slate fan and they’ll receive all the benefits of membership: unlimited reading, ad-free listening, bonus content, and so much more: Give Slate Plus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk with Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley about the Michigan football team’s big win over Ohio State. They also discuss Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley’s surprising departure for USC and the state of LeBron James and the Lakers.Michigan (2:25): How Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines exorcised their demons against the Buckeyes. Lincoln Riley (24:05): Explaining an unprecedented college football move.Lakers (47:00): Are LeBron and his team off to a slow start, or are they just bad?Afterball (1:05:04): Stefan on Stephen Sondheim and the dearth of sports musicals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham to talk about Peng Shuai and the future of sports in China. Next, they discuss the resurgent Golden State Warriors. Finally, they review the movie King Richard.Peng Shuai (2:03): Will the Peng case lead the WTA to pull out of China? Warriors (24:35): How Steph Curry’s squad got its mojo back.King Richard (42:42): Is the new movie about the Williams sisters’ upbringing any good?Afterball (1:02:00): Josh on watching (or not watching) the 1980 Summer Olympics on American TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Grant Wahl to talk about the U.S. men’s national team’s dominant win over Mexico. Stefan, Josh, and Joel Anderson then discuss how ESPN’s Adam Schefter covered a domestic abuse allegation against Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. Finally, they look into the war of words between the NBA’s Morris twins and Jokic brothers. USA-Mexico (3:36): Is the USMNT’s big win a sign that the rivalry has shifted? Schefter (22:20): The journalistic sins of ESPN’s lead NFL insider. Morris vs. Jokic (48:10): What makes a good sibling Twitter basketball beef? Afterball (1:06:20): The groundbreaking 1960 documentary on NFL linebacker Sam Huff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Aaron Rodgers’ claims about vaccination and how the Packers and the NFL should deal with him. They also talk about ESPN’s investigation into Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver. Finally, the Washington Post’s Candace Buckner joins for a conversation about the fashion choices of NBA coaches. Rodgers (2:52): What his interview about COVID and vaccines revealed about the Packers quarterback. Sarver (26:26): How will the NBA handle allegations of racism and misogyny against one of its owners? NBA coach fashion (48:22): Should we lament the rise of the quarter-zip and the demise of the suit? Afterball (1:08:37): Josh on Jameis Winston, Drew Brees, and the athletes we support, tolerate, and disdain. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices