Hang Up and Listen

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to discuss the 76ers’ Game 7 loss to the Celtics and other NBA playoff storylines. Meg Rowley of FanGraphs also joins to assess the terrible Oakland A’s and the excellent Tampa Bay Rays. Finally, the New York Times’ Sarah Lyall talks about reporting on the Westminster Dog Show. NBA (3:26): How Philly blew it and what to look for in the conference finals. Baseball (30:15): Are the A’s one of the worst teams in history? Dogs (52:13): How a breed few people have heard of won Best in Show. Afterball (1:08:41): Stefan on Joe Kapp, NFL labor pioneer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Levin and Slate’s Jack Hamilton and Ben Mathis-Lilley discuss Nikola Jokic’s tiff with Suns owner Mat Ishbia and Kevin Durant’s quest for a third title. They also talk about Alabama’s head baseball coach getting fired in a sports gambling scandal. Finally, they assess Bronny James’ decision to go to USC. NBA (3:11): The subplots and plot twists of the Suns-Nuggets Western Conference semis. Gambling (24:58): The NCAA and the pro sports leagues are walking a thin line with legalized betting. Bronny (47:50): What his decision to play college basketball says about the sport and his future prospects. Afterball (1:05:00): Josh and Jack on gun violence, sports, and the three Virginia football players who were killed in November. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver to talk about the Warriors’ Game 7 win over the Kings. The Toronto Star’s Bruce Arthur also joins to discuss the Bruins’ NHL playoffs flop and the Maple Leafs’ historic first-round victory. Finally, Extra Points’ Matt Brown assesses Deion Sanders’ gutting of the Colorado football team. Warriors-Kings (3:26): How Steph willed the defending champs to victory. NHL (6:08): Another year, another regular-season juggernaut that won’t win the title. Colorado football (48:50): Are Deion Sanders’ roster cuts immoral? Afterballs (1:11:20): Stefan on a Penn basketball star in the transfer portal and Josh on the time a German soccer club signed the entire Cuban national team. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Slate’s Jack Hamilton to talk about Draymond Green, Dillon Brooks, and NBA villainy. Chicago White Sox announcer Jason Benetti also joins to discuss how to call a baseball game in the pitch-clock era. Finally, Talia Barrington comes on for a conversation about same-sex pairs in figure skating. NBA villains (3:01): The basketball playoffs need bad guys. Jason Benetti (24:39): “We are covering a different sport now.” Same-sex pairs (47:10): Is figure skating ready for a monumental change? Afterball (1:05:24): Stefan on the Athletics’ long history of threatening to move. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Defector’s Patrick Redford to talk about the Sacramento Kings’ first playoff win in 17 years. Defector’s Dave McKenna also joins to commemorate the (supposed) end of Dan Snyder’s ownership of the Washington Commanders. Finally, Sports Illustrated’s Jon Wertheim comes on to assess the WTA’s decision to return to China. Kings (3:21): What it felt and sounded like when Sacramento beat Golden State. Snyder (23:31): Will D.C. ever recover from his horrific tenure? WTA (45:47): Is women’s tennis choosing profit over principle? Afterball (1:07:47): Josh on a remarkable shift in American tennis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by ESPN’s Kevin Pelton to talk about what went wrong for the Dallas Mavericks and to preview the NBA postseason. Slate’s Jim Newell also joins to discuss Jon Rahm’s Masters win. Finally, they speak with LJ Rader about his Twitter and Instagram accounts Art But Make It Sports. NBA (4:20): Why did the Mavs lose on purpose? And how is the Western Conference shaping up? Masters (24:31): What the year’s first major means for LIV and the future of golf. Art But Make It Sports (44:35): Sports photos + paintings = mash-up magic. Afterball (1:03:30): Stefan on the baseball Hall of Famer who lived in his childhood home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to discuss LSU’s victory over Iowa in the women’s NCAA Tournament. Tennis player Matija Pecotic also joins to talk about how he went from a full-time job to victory on the pro tour. Finally, Jody Avirgan discusses his podcast Good Sport and whether sports debate shows are hurting America. Women’s NCAA Tournament (6:44): The on-court battles and the off-court controversies. Pecotic (31:00): The star of one of the sports world’s best underdog stories tells all. Sports debate shows (54:12): What has Stephen A. Smith wrought? Afterball (01:15:30): Josh on some recent remembrances of Zelmo Beaty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to talk about Iowa women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark. The Washington Post’s Chuck Culpepper also joins to assess the most surprising men’s Final Four ever. Finally, Tom Haberstroh of Meadowlark Media discusses the vitriol directed at NBA referees. Clark (2:50): The secrets of the Iowa point guard’s success. Men’s tourney surprises (26:33): Miami? San Diego State? Florida Atlantic?!? NBA refs (44:20): Who’s responsible for all the rancor? Afterball (1:07:20): Stefan on the Princeton basketball team’s not-so-sad Sweet Sixteen defeat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, are joined by Slate’s Alex Kirshner to talk about Fairleigh Dickinson’s huge upset over Purdue and Princeton’s run to the Sweet 16. Then, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez comes on to discuss the historic matchup between the USA and Cuba at the World Baseball Classic. Finally, author David Epstein assesses the legacy of high jumper Dick Fosbury, who invented the immortal Fosbury Flop.Fairleigh Dickinson (2:18): Did the Knights pull off the biggest upset in college basketball history?World Baseball Classic (23:59): What it meant for the Cuban national baseball team to take the field in Miami. Fosbury (42:41): Where does it rank on the list of all-time sports innovations?Afterball (1:01:32): Josh on Ole Miss women’s basketball coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas talk about what went wrong for the North Carolina men’s basketball team and other NCAA Tournament matters. They also check in on quarterback Lamar Jackson’s standoff with the Baltimore Ravens. Finally, the Athletic’s Nick Miller joins to discuss why the BBC pulled soccer commentator Gary Lineker off the air, and what happened next. NCAA (5:54): Checking in on the Tar Heels and the sport’s other blue bloods. Jackson (3:50): Why doesn’t anyone want to give the young star a guaranteed, mega-bucks deal? Lineker (43:50): The controversy, the resolution, and what it says about the UK. Afterball (1:00:52): Stefan on whether the Ivy League is ready to change with the times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.