Hang Up and Listen

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Ken Early of the Irish Times to talk about European soccer’s proposed Super League. They also discuss the NFL’s top quarterback prospects and they debate whether Triller Fight Club is the future of boxing. Super League (2:10): What is this new soccer proposal? Why is it making everyone so mad? Is there any way to stop it? Quarterbacks (21:40): What we know about Trevor Lawrence and crew, and why so many QBs will likely get picked at the top of the first round. Boxing (38:52): Are Jake Paul, Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber, Evander Holyfield the salvation for a dying sport? Afterball (52:19): Stefan on the San Diego Sockers music video “One for the Thumb.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the sports world’s pandemic purgatory. They also ponder what sports feats have still yet to be achieved. Finally, Luke Epplin joins to discuss his book Our Team and the story of Larry Doby, the second player to break baseball’s modern color barrier.Pandemic purgatory (3:11): What to make of the Texas Rangers’ full stadium and the Vancouver Canucks’ 20-plus positive COVID tests.Rare sports feats (20:30): The Padres have, at last, thrown a no-hitter. What achievement can we cross of the list next?Larry Doby (35:37): The first Black player in the American League was a pioneer in his own right.Afterball (54:30): Joel on North Carolina’s JV men’s basketball team. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the men’s and women’s NCAA finals and Jalen Suggs’ Final Four buzzer beater. They also discuss Major League Baseball’s decision to move this year’s All-Star Game in response to Georgia’s new voting law, and Arizona State professor Victoria Jackson joins to assess the athlete compensation case NCAA v. Alston.NCAA (2:57): How Baylor and Stanford won it all, and assessing Jalen Suggs’ remarkable shot.MLB and voting rights (26:54): What went into baseball’s boycott decision.Alston v. NCAA (48:18): What we learned in Supreme Court oral arguments, and what comes next for the NCAA and college athletes.Afterball (68:19): Josh on the transfer portal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Gonzaga’s greatness and the Sweet 16 match-up between Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. Stefan and Josh then try to convince Joel to become a fan of the U.S. men’s national soccer team. Finally, Defector’s Dave McKenna joins for a conversation about basketball legend Elgin Baylor, who died last week at 86.NCAA tournaments (2:18): What’s the secret to Gonzaga’s success? What stood out in UConn’s win over Iowa?U.S. soccer (22:57): What’s not to love about this generation of American men’s soccer talent?Elgin Baylor (45:03): What you need to know about the Washington D.C., College Idaho, Seattle University, and Los Angeles Lakers icon.Afterball (65:27)Podcast production by Margaret Kelley.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the opening weekend of March Madness. They also discuss the inequalities between the men’s and women’s tournaments, and author Jessica Luther joins for a conversation about the assault lawsuits against Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson.NCAA Tournament (3:03): A bunch of fun games or just a whole lot of bad basketball?March Madness inequality (20:38): How a viral TikTok video brought attention to NCAA disparities.Deshaun Watson (37:14): How to think about the allegations, and what comes next.Afterball (54:17): Josh on “you don’t need a 3 here.”Podcast production by Margaret Kelley.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the lead-up to March Madness. They also talk about the controversy surrounding “The Eyes of Texas,” the song the University of Texas plays before and after football games. Finally, they assess the life and career of Marvelous Marvin Hagler.March Madness (01:09): Should the NCAA Tournament be played?“The Eyes of Texas” (21:35): What we know about the song and what the conversation about it leaves out.Hagler (41:00): What made him and his fights so memorable.Afterballs (60:25): Stefan on the etymology of packed and stuffed.Podcast production and edit by Margaret Kelley.You can email us at hangup@slate.com.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the NBA All-Star Game and the state of the league a year after it suspended play due to COVID-19. They also talk about a new report on LSU’s failures to deal with sexual assault claims and allegations about the school’s ex-football coach Les Miles. Finally, Andrew Maraniss joins for a conversation about his book Singled Out, on the plight of the gay baseball player Glenn Burke.NBA (1:55): What has the NBA learned, if anything, during our year-long pandemic?LSU (18:54): How should the school respond to a report laying out its Title IX failures?Singled Out (38:49): What Glenn Burke went through, and what his legacy means today.Afterballs (57:40): Stefan on Muhammad Ali’s activities before his first fight with Joe Frazier and Josh on listeners’ favorite free throws.Podcast production and edit by Margaret Kelley.You can email us at hangup@slate.com.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by FanGraphs’ Meg Rowley to talk about Seattle Mariners president Kevin Mather’s resignation and Fernando Tatis Jr.’s new contract. Alex Kirshner also joins to discuss NBA Top Shot. Finally, they interview Nick Greene about his book How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius.Baseball (2:18): What Mather’s comments reveal about the Mariners and MLB, and what Tatis’ deal says about the Padres and major-league economics.NBA Top Shot (23:38): A collecting craze + an internet-fueled bubble = investment maniaHow to Watch Basketball Like a Genius (43:24): What game designers, economists, and ballet choreographers can teach us about the sport.Afterballs (61:24): Stefan on Jack Inglis and Josh on a Luka Doncic rookie card.Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Asha Saluja.You can email us at hangup@slate.com.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas to talk about the Australian Open. They also discuss the NBA’s new G League player development model. Finally, they assess Anthony Edwards’ huge dunk and name their favorite dunks of all time. Australian Open (04:06): How Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic won and what the future holds for Serena Williams. G League Ignite (24:50): Jalen Green’s path to the pros could change the NBA and college basketball. Dunks (44:50): Will Anthony Edwards’ slam stand the test of time? Which dunks will we never forget? Afterball (01:02:32): Josh on posterization, the word and the concept. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin assess the debate over whether to play the national anthem at sporting events. They also discuss what the pandemic taught us about the mysteries of home-field advantage. Finally, ESPN’s Ryan Smith joins to talk about a lawsuit alleging that the NFL’s concussion settlement discriminates against Black players. Anthem (3:11): Why the Dallas Mavericks stopped playing it, why they resumed, and what happens next. Home-field advantage (21:49): How home teams fare in a world without crowd noise. Concussion settlement (38:22): Inside a lawsuit brought by pro football retirees. Afterball (60:07): Stefan on “Star-Spangled Banner” debates of the past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices