Hang Up and Listen

Stefan Fatsis and Greg Howard talk with Kevin Arnovitz about the NBA playoffs. Alex Hutchinson joins to analyze an upcoming attempt to break the two-hour marathon. And Stefan interviews John Kelly, the lone finisher of this year’s Barkley Marathons.NBA playoffs (1:48): We talk with Kevin Arnovitz about the media coverage surrounding the death of Isaiah Thomas’s sister; Kawhi Leonard and Mike Conley’s duel in Game 4 of the Spurs-Grizzlies series; and Russell Westbrook’s media antagonism.The Two-Hour Marathon (20:59): Alex Hutchinson discusses Nike’s planned attempt next month to break the two-hour marathon, and the ethical, physical, and technological issues surrounding the effort.Barkley Marathons follow-up (32:29): John Kelly, the lone finisher of this year’s Barkley Marathons, objected to Stefan’s critique of the race on last week’s show. Kelly joins to talk about why he runs the Barkley and its many challenges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis is joined by Shea Serrano and Marcus Thompson to talk about the NBA playoffs. Stefan and Josh Levin also interview Nick Elam about how to fix basketball’s end game. Finally, Stefan and Christina Cauterucci talk with Becca Roux about the new labor deal in women’s soccer.  NBA Playoffs (2:20): Breaking down the best matchups of the first weekend, evaluating the Cleveland Cavaliers’ title hopes, and celebrating the rise of Giannis Antetokounmpo.  Fixing NBA Endgame (17:06): Nick Elam joins to explain his radical proposal to fix basketball’s crunch time and talk about the plan’s likelihood of being implemented in the NBA.  Women’s Soccer (37:04): Becca Roux, the interim executive director of the USWNT’s Players’ Association, discusses the team’s new collective bargaining agreement and the ongoing battle for equitable treatment in women’s sports.Barkley Marathons (55:02): In his Afterball, Stefan examines the heartbreaking ending of the Barkley Marathons in the mountains of Tennessee and whether the race might be too cruel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ethan Sherwood Strauss has been covering the Golden State Warriors forseveral years for ESPN, during which time the team became the mostpopular and successful in the NBA. On the eve of the NBA Playoffs, he sat downwith Isaac Chotiner to discuss life on the NBA beat, the strange life of StephCurry, and fans who want ESPN personalities to “stick to sports” in the age of DonaldTrump.And please take our brief survey:  http://www.survey.megaphone.fm  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk to Jim Newell about the Masters; Tom Haberstroh about Russell Westbrook and resting NBA players; Meg Rowley about baseball’s return; and Jonathan Hock about One and Not Done, his ESPN documentary on John Calipari. The Masters (2:20): Breaking down a thrilling finish, Sergio Garcia’s long-awaited major championship, and Jim Nantz’s odd announcing tendencies. The NBA (16:00): Discussing the Oklahoma City Thunder point guard's latest triple-double feats and the conundrum of star players sitting out regular-season games. Baseball (33:45): Baseball is back! Does it matter? Delving into the sport’s entertainment value and lack of big-name stars. One and Not Done (48:34): Talking with Jonathan Hock about his new 30 for 30 documentary on John Calipari and how to assess the Kentucky’s coach’s legacy as it is still unfolding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and special guest Joel Anderson are joined by the Washington Post’s Sally Jenkins to talk about UConn’s loss in the women’s NCAA tournament. They also discuss the men’s Final Four, the Las Vegas Raiders, and NBA hook-up culture. Women’s Final Four: Sally Jenkins joins to explain how Mississippi State broke UConn’s 111-game winning streak, Bulldogs coach Vic Schaefer’s decision to bench Morgan William in the title game, South Carolina’s title game win, and Geno Auriemma’s comments on women in coaching. Men’s Final Four: Breaking down Oregon player Jordan Bell’s self-flagellation after his team’s defeat and the North Carolina-Gonzaga championship matchup. The Las Vegas Raiders: Why the Raiders fit in Vegas, what a new stadium means to the city’s taxpayers, and what the move says about the NFL’s gambling policies.Tinder and the NBA: Weighing in on ESPN the Magazine’s story on how dating apps may affect teams’ performance on the road. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and guest panelist Jane Coaston discuss the weekend's NCAA tournament storylines and the U.S. women’s hockey team’s boycott. Ben Mathis-Lilley also joins to talk about his Slate article on Jamie Horowitz and Fox Sports 1. NCAA Tournament (2:51): Analyzing the weekend’s thrilling buzzer-beaters, the value of one-and-done programs, and the endearing imperfections of college basketball games. U.S. Women’s Hockey (17:26): Breaking down the debate over Team USA’s decision to boycott this week’s IIHF World Championships as part of their fight for equitable treatment and a living wage.  Fox Sports 1 (27:57): Will Jamie Horowitz’s cable network succeed in his mission to revolutionize sports media one hot take at a take? Ben Mathis-Lilley joins the show to talk about his story on Fox Sports 1.Facebook: http://fb.com/HangUpAndListenEmail: hangup@slate.comShow notes at http://slate.com/hangup  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss the NCAA tournament and the World Baseball Classic. Mike also announces his departure from the show, and Josh and Stefan send him off with Pesca Jeopardy! NCAA Tournament (5:24): Was the first round of March Madness boring? Is poor seeding to blame? We break down the first two rounds of the tourney and discuss Duke’s loss to South Carolina. The World Baseball Classic (17:16): We talk about Adam Jones’ fantastic catch and the charm of the international tournament. Pesca Jeopardy! (25:58): How well does Mike remember his best quips from seven-plus years on Hang Up and Listen? We find out with a Pesca-specific twist on America’s favorite quiz show.Facebook: http://fb.com/HangUpAndListenEmail: hangup@slate.comShow notes at http://slate.com/hangup  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss March Madness, the Brock Osweiler trade, and the Washington NFL team’s decision to fire Scot McCloughan. They also talk about the annual video ranking the best hair in Minnesota high school hockey.  NCAA Tournament (3:40): Why isn’t Gonzaga the bettors’ March Madness favorite? Is Villanova getting enough love? We assess the March Madness matchups and potential biases in the NCAA selection committee. NFL Offseason (16:49): An analysis of the game-changing, questionably legal Brock Osweiler trade between the Texans and the Browns, plus a breakdown of the Scot McCloughan firing and how the Washington Post covered it. “All Hockey Hair Team” (31:20): Minnesota native John King creates a video every year celebrating the best hair in Minnesota high school hockey. How does the 2017 lettuce celebration compare to history’s greatest hockey hair videos?Facebook: http://fb.com/HangUpAndListenEmail: hangup@slate.comShow notes at http://slate.com/hangup  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss Duke’s Grayson Allen and other NCAA basketball matters. Scott Raab also joins to talk about his new book You’re Welcome, Cleveland, and Oliver Roeder of FiveThirtyEight explains how a computer program beat four pro poker players.Grayson Allen and NCAA hoops (2:55): exploring America’s longstanding hatred of white Duke basketball players; Northwestern’s likely maiden visit to March Madness, and the first-ever Ivy League basketball tournament.Scott Raab’s You’re Welcome, Cleveland (21:37): The writer and Cleveland sports fan explains what he got wrong in The Whore of Akron and whether LeBron James would like his new book.How a computer took down the poker pros (33:40): Oliver Roeder explains how poker went the way of chess, checkers, Go, and Scrabble, and what the next challenges are for artificial intelligence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss sports parallels for Sunday’s big Oscars mishap. They also talk JaVale McGee’s feud with Shaquille O’Neal, and Ken Early of the Irish Times joins to discuss the decline of Leicester City.Sports and the Oscars (3:07): breaking down the Moonlight-La La Land mix-up, pondering different sports analogies, and discussing whether sports TV would have covered the incident differently. Shaq vs. JaVale McGee (16:43): Do McGee’s frequent bloopers warrant relentless mockery on “Shaqtin’ a Fool”? Where is the line between comedy and bullying? Leicester City (32:11): Ken Early joins to talk about Leicester’s fall from glory, the team’s decision to fire manager Claudio Ranieri, and how the squad can avoid relegation.Facebook: http://fb.com/HangUpAndListenEmail: hangup@slate.comShow notes at http://slate.com/hangup  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.