Hang Up And Listen

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham talk about Jay-Z’s new partnership with the NFL. They also discuss Joseph Tsai’s multibillion-dollar deal to buy the Brooklyn Nets. Finally, they select the words they’d like to ban from the sports lexicon. Jay-Z (2:10): Did the NFL botch its move to bring on the hip-hop icon as a corporate partner or is the league savvier than we think? Brooklyn Nets (20:30): How and why Tsai paid the biggest price ever for a U.S. sports franchise. And will franchise values keep going up? Banned words (32:00): Is “class” the worst sports word of them all? What about “talk about”? Afterballs (48:30): Stefan on football and the heat and Josh on an incident from tennis player Daniil Medvedev’s past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk with ESPN’s Sam Borden about Christian Pulisic’s Chelsea debut. The Gist’s Mike Pesca also joins to discuss Antonio Brown’s feet and helmet issues, and Rebecca Schuman explains Simone Biles’ latest feats of gymnastics virtuosity. Christian Pulisic (01:30): What lessons, if any, can we take from Pulisic’s first Premier League match? Antonio Brown (18:04): What’s behind the Raiders receiver’s odd behavior? Simone Biles (35:57): Whythe greatest gymnast ever is the greatest gymnast ever. Afterballs (52:44): Mike on the joys of good baseball, Stefan on youth sports in 1980, and Josh on running through a brick wall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk about Alejandro Bedoya speaking out against gun violence during an MLS game. The New York Daily News’ Kyle Wagner joins to discuss Jeremy Lin and Carmelo Anthony, and the Omaha World-Herald’s Henry Cordes explains how school’s evade the requirements of Title IX. Bedoya (01:22): On the soccer player’s in-game call-out and how the sports media will cover it. Lin and Anthony (14:15): The former Knicks teammates are both feeling rejected by the NBA. Title IX (38:20): Women’s rowing rosters are growing to an absurd degree, and not because schools love rowing. Afterballs (57:10): Stefan on sports and military-style drills and Josh on Nick Kyrgios. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a feature episode of a new Slate podcast. Subscribe on your preferred podcast player or listen on Slate.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about ESPN’s stance on mixing sports and politics and LSU’s fancy new football facility. Sports Illustrated’s Emma Baccellieri then joins to discuss the Atlantic League’s role as a laboratory for new baseball rules. Sports and politics (01:19 ): Is it possible to construct a corporate policy on mixing sports and politics or is the problem the existence of a policy in the first place? LSU locker room (19:17): What a $28 million privately funded athletic facility says about the state of college sports. New baseball rules (37:47): Robotic umps! Stealing first base! What can we learn from these independent league experiments? Afterballs (53:30): Stefan on NFL training camp entrances and Josh on a very Louisiana legal case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin interviews Deadspin’s Dave McKenna about his life and journalism career. Topics covered include the greatness of Elgin Baylor and Gary Mays, getting sued by Washington NFL team owner Dan Snyder, and reporting out sexual abuse allegations against Kevin Johnson. D.C. sports and segregation (01:14): How black athletes like Elgin Baylor and Gary Mays were discriminated against and ignored by white-owned media. Music (21:45): Seeing Nazareth at RFK Stadium, the genius of Heavy Metal Parking Lot, and running away to meet Elvis Presley. Dan Snyder (30:33): What it was like to get sued by the owner of the Washington NFL team. Kevin Johnson (41:15): How he was able to remain a public figure despite sexual assault and harassment accusations, and the choices journalists make in reaching out to alleged victims.  Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis talk about how Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep won at Wimbledon. Sam Anderson also joins to discuss Russell Westbrook and the end of an era in Oklahoma City, and John Thorn helps assess Jim Bouton and Bouton’s classic book Ball Four. Wimbledon (01:26): On Novak Djokovic’s incredible win over Roger Federer, why fans don’t love Djokovic, the greatness of Simona Halep, and Serena Williams’ continuing quest for her 24th major. Westbrook and OKC (21:36): Why Oklahoma City fell in love with Russell Westbrook, and how we should think about the last decade for the Thunder. Ball Four (42:50): Jim Bouton’s book exposed the underbelly of baseball, but it’s about so much more than ballplayer carousing. Afterballs (55:38): Stefan on Dick Young and Jim Bouton, and Josh on the Cricket World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis talk about the U.S. national team’s triumph at the Women’s World Cup; Ethan Strauss joins to discuss Kawhi Leonard’s move to the Los Angeles Clippers; and Louisa Thomas assesses the rise of 15-year-old tennis sensation Coco Gauff. Women’s World Cup (02:41): How the USWNT won its fourth title and what the future holds for the team and for pro soccer in the U.S. Kawhi to the Clippers (21:41): Is his move (with Paul George) to L.A. good for the NBA or a sign of bad times ahead? Coco Gauff (46:57): How theteenager won our hearts at Wimbledon, and why we’re so delighted by tennis prodigies. Afterball (01:04:54): Josh on the Women’s World Cup before the Women’s World Cup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin, Stefan Fatsis, and Caitlin Murray discuss the U.S. women’s big win over France at the World Cup. Josh, Ben Mathis-Lilley, and Vinson Cunningham break down the big moves in NBA free agency. Finally, Josh and Ben are joined by the Guardian’s Nick Miller to assess baseball in London. Women’s World Cup (01:43): Breaking down the USA-France match and previewing the semifinal between the U.S. and England. NBA free agency (29:14): Why Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving went to Brooklyn and what will become of the Golden State Warriors. Baseball in London (51:32): A Brit on what it was like to watch the Boston Red Sox play the New York Yankees in England. Afterballs (67:35): Ben on the Knicks and Josh on a plane crash in Carroll, Iowa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis discuss the U.S. national team’s win over Spain at the Women’s World Cup. Josh and Joel Anderson are then joined by David West to talk about the NBA draft and the Historical Basketball League. Finally, Josh and Joel assess the plan for the Tampa Bay Rays to play half the season in Montreal. Women’s World Cup (01:24): Stefan reports on his view from the stands in Reims, France. Plus: Did England go too far in denouncing Cameroon? David West (18:50): The NBA all-star on whether the draft should be abolished and how his college experience convinced him to try to establish a professional college basketball league. Tampa Bay / Montreal Rays (38:53): Could a two-city solution ever work in pro sports? Afterball (53:22): Joel on UConn football and Josh on Toby Kimball. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Canadian soccer player Diana Matheson to discuss the Women’s World Cup; Sports Illustrated’s S.L. Price talks about agent Rich Paul and Paul’s client Anthony Davis; and the Athletic’s Ethan Strauss ruminates on the possible end of the Warriors dynasty.  Women’s World Cup (2:27): Did we learn anything from the U.S. women’s national team’s two blowout wins? Did the Americans’ celebrations go too far?  Rich Paul and Anthony Davis (21:59): How the agent orchestrated the deal that brought Davis to L.A. Warriors (43:35): Who’s to blame, if anyone, for the injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson? What’s next for Golden State?  Afterball (1:04:34): Stefan on the death of Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Marcus Thompson to discuss the Raptors’ rise and the possible end of the Warriors’ dynasty. Louisa Thomas of the New Yorker also joins to talk about the French Open. Finally, Thompson returns for a conversation about analytics and race. NBA Finals (2:38): Can Kevin Durant save the Warriors’ season? Are the Raptors just the better team? French Open (16:03): How Ashleigh Barty won her first grand slam and Rafael Nadal took his 12th title at Roland Garros. Analytics and race (32:19): Are advanced stats making the league’s front offices whiter? Afterballs (50:32):  Josh on Mariano Puerta’s contaminated water glass and Stefan on Ada Hegerberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz to discuss the NBA Finals. ESPN’s Julie Foudy also joins to talk about the Women’s World Cup, and Ben Lindbergh comes on the show for a conversation about his book The MVP Machine. NBA Finals (2:55): Why the Warriors won Game 2, and how both teams are playing great defense. Women’s World Cup (23:40): How the U.S. stacks up against the world, and how the fight for pay equity will play out during the tournament. The MVP Machine (47:34): The player development revolution in baseball, explained. Afterballs (1:05:01): Stefan on the spelling bee and Josh on aluminum bats as scrap metal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis, and substitute co-host by Gene Demby, are joined by Bruce Arthur to talk about the Raptors, Lindsay Gibbs to talk WNBA and Howard Bryant to talk about black players in the MLB. NBA (2:42): Are the Warriors worried about the Raptors? Should they be? WNBA (19:42): Women's leagues have always been an overlooked part of the sports world. But there is some hope for change. MLB (36:15): A conversation about black players in baseball. Afterballs (58:29): Stefan on Bill Buckner and the mistake from the 1986 World Series that he never really lived down.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by The Athletic’s Ethan Strauss to discuss the Warriors and Zion Williamson. NFL retiree and mathematician John Urschel also joins to talk about his book Mind and Matter. Finally, Louisa Thomas assesses tennis player Nick Kyrgios. NBA (4:21): Are the Warriors better without Kevin Durant? Should Zion Williamson spurn the Pelicans? John Urschel (29:14): Why he decided to leave pro football to focus on his math career. Nick Kyrgios (52:10): The tennis star is enigmatic and temperamental. Should he quit the sport? Afterballs (1:10:04): Josh on old people who make lots of free throws and Stefan on the dean of old-man-softball players. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Linda Taylor was a con artist, a kidnapper, maybe even a murderer. She was also America’s original “welfare queen,” the villain Ronald Reagan needed to create a vision of a country being taken advantage of by its poorest citizens. In this new mini-series, Josh Levin reveals the never-before-told story of a woman whose singular life was forgotten in the rush to create a vicious American stereotype. Subscribe to The Queen in Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss Kawhi Leonard’s Game 7 buzzer-beater with ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz. Slate’s Joel Anderson also talks about Warriors-Rockets and Blazers-Nuggets, and the New York Times’ Rory Smith analyzes the state of English soccer. Kawhi’s game-winner (1:51): What it was like in the arena when that shot bounced and bounced and bounced and bounced on the rim. Western Conference playoffs (19:10): Do the Rockets have a mental block against the Warriors? How annoying is Chris Paul? How good is C.J. McCollum? Soccer (42:25): An amazing week in the Premier League and the Champions League, assessed. Afterballs (59:18): Stefan on The Professor and the Madman and Josh on the word swatsmith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss the Kentucky Derby with Sports Illustrated’s Tim Layden; author David Epstein talks about the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling on Caster Semenya; and Slate’s Nick Greene discusses Kawhi Leonard and Nikola Jokic. Kentucky Derby (2:46): Did officials at the Kentucky Derby make the right call in disqualifying Maximum Security and giving Country House the victory? Caster Semenya (19:14): Everything you need to know about the controversial ruling that could end the Olympic champion’s career as an 800-meter runner. Kawhi and Jocic (40:11): A conversation about two of the NBA’s oddest superstars. Afterballs (58:38): Stefan on a disqualification at the 1968 Kentucky Derby and Josh’s 50 story ideas for ESPN the Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin talks with Aymann Ismail, the host of Man Up, the new Slate podcast about masculinity in the modern world. The two discuss Ep. 1 of Man Up, which features Eric Kelly. Kelly was so successful at fighting off bullies as a kid in Brooklyn, that he grew up to become an Olympic level boxer, until a bar fight ended his career. Subscribe to Man Up in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, or search for Man Up from Slate in your favorite podcast app.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss Warriors-Rockets and Kevin Durant with the Athletic’s Marcus Thompson; the NFL draft with ESPN’s Mina Kimes; and ESPN’s new 30 for 30 documentary The Dominican Dream with director Jonathan Hock. Warriors-Rockets (3:00): Houston is complaining about the referees. Kevin Durant is putting up huge numbers. What else can we expect in the Western Conference semis? NFL draft (17:39): Why did Mina start screaming when the Giants selected Duke quarterback Daniel Jones? The Dominican Dream (34:29): Felipe Lopez was a basketball phenom who didn’t become an NBA superstar. It’s not fair to call him a bust. Afterballs (52:29): Stefan on bat-flipping and Josh on Kevin Garnett’s move from South Carolina to Chicago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices