Hang Up And Listen

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the opening weekend of the world track and field championships. They also talk about why the Angels are so bad in spite of Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout and the Nationals’ Juan Soto dilemma. Finally, Puck’s Julia Ioffe joins for a conversation about Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia.   Track (4:07): Why an American hurdler got a raw deal.   Baseball (25:02): Is Juan Soto crazy to turn down $440 million?   Griner (44:43): Should we be more pessimistic about her fate?   Afterball (1:04:43): Stefan on the Amarillo Sod Poodles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and Ben Mathis-Lilley discuss their proposals for fixing college football. Josh then speaks with Ben Rothenberg about Novak Djokovic’s Wimbledon win over Nick Kyrgios. Finally, Joel, Josh, and Ben assess the rising stars of NBA Summer League.   College football (3:26): How will the sport reshape itself in the next five years?   Tennis (27:01): Wimbledon got the final it deserved.   Summer League (53:07): What to make of the Chet Holmgren experience.   Afterball (1:09:07): Josh on the Summer League record for most points in a single game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the Brooklyn Nets’ Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trade drama. They also talk about UCLA and USC moving to the Big Ten and assess the verbal sparring between Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon.   Nets (2:26): Could they still keep KD and Kyrie?   Big Ten (24:28): What the latest big move means for the future of college football and every other sport.   Kyrgios and Tsitsipas (45:35): The story behind the ugly tennis squabble.   Afterball (1:10:10): Joel on the latest feats of pole vault prodigy Mondo Duplantis.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Olympic gold medalist Crissy Perham to discuss what Roe v. Wade getting overturned means for women athletes. They also discuss Arch Manning’s decision to play football at the University of Texas and Ohio State getting a trademark on the word “the.”   Crissy Perham (2:56): A champion swimmer on why she’s speaking out about her abortion.   Arch Manning (23:15): America’s leading legacy athlete will be a Longhorn.   The Ohio State University (44:01): Is the school’s love affair with the definite article endearing or annoying?   Afterball (1:02:20): Josh on Billie Jean King’s abortion story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski to discuss the Stanley Cup Finals. They also talk about Dream On, the ESPN documentary on the 1996 U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team. Finally, they assess Nike upon its 50th anniversary.   Stanley Cup (2:40): Inside the match-up between the Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning.   Dream On (26:57): Looking back at a landmark moment for women’s sports.   Nike (50:25): How it became a cultural behemoth.   Afterball (1:12:00): Stefan on his daughter, Scrabble, and Steph Curry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham to discuss Steph Curry and the NBA Finals. Then, they review the Adam Sandler basketball movie Hustle. Finally, ESPN’s Kevin Van Valkenburg joins Joel and Josh to talk about the debut weekend of the Saudi-funded LIV Golf.   Steph and the NBA (3:30): The Warriors got back into the Finals with some Curry magic. Can Jayson Tatum summon some of his own?   Hustle (45:35): It’s not just a bunch of NBA cameos.   LIV Golf (1:08:23): Will the Saudis’ money take down the PGA Tour?   Afterball (1:08:23): Joel on Rickey Henderson and Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin assess the back-and-forth NBA Finals between the Warriors and Celtics. The New York Times’ Andrew Das also joins to talk about Ukraine’s loss to Wales in a World Cup playoff match. Finally, they discuss the Oklahoma softball juggernaut.   NBA Finals (3:09): How the Celtics took Game 1, and how the Warriors struck back.   Ukraine-Wales (25:00): An epic sporting event with global consequences.   Oklahoma softball (47:30): A deep dive on a remarkable dynasty.   Afterball (1:08:57): Josh on Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, Rafael Nadal, and tennis inevitability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin and Joel Anderson are joined by Jack Hamilton to discuss the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals matchup. Bradford William Davis then joins to talk about Josh Donaldson’s suspension for calling Tim Anderson “Jackie” and Tommy Pham slapping Joc Pederson for allegedly cheating in fantasy football.   NBA (2:53): What the rise of the Warriors and the Celtics says about pro basketball team-building.   Donaldson vs. Anderson (22:48): The deeper meaning behind a public war of words.   Pham vs. Pederson (44:43): How a fantasy football dispute spilled over to the baseball diamond.   Afterball (1:05:13): Josh on the “rebuilding year” as a (possibly) dying concept. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Jack Hamilton to discuss the NBA playoffs and Patrick Beverley’s chaotic media appearances; by Alex Kirshner to talk about the war of words between Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher; and by the Washington Post’s Molly Hensley-Clancy to assess U.S. Soccer’s landmark equal pay deal.   NBA (2:07): Will the conference finals get any better? And is Patrick Beverley telling the truth or spinning his own narrative?   Saban-Fisher (27:30): Where did this fight come from, and what’s it really about?   U.S. Soccer (48:53): The anatomy of a historic collective bargaining agreement.   Afterball (1:07:32): Stefan on the death of Roger Angell at age 101. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vinson Cunningham, Josh Levin, and Ben Mathis-Lilley talk about the Mavs’ shocking win over the Suns, the Celtics’ romp over the Bucks, the 76ers’ flameout, and other NBA playoff happenings. They also discuss Tom Brady’s megabucks contract to call NFL games for Fox.   Mavs-Suns (3:05): How Luka Doncic and Dallas embarrassed Phoenix.   More NBA (24:53): With the Bucks and Suns gone, who’s the favorite to win the title?   Brady (48:00): Why does he want to be an announcer? Will he be any good?   Afterball (1:08:28): Ben on Greg Norman, Joe Biden, and what it’s OK to say about Saudi Arabia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the New York Times‘ Joe Drape to talk about Rich Strike’s shocking Kentucky Derby win. They also discuss Brittney Griner’s continued detention in Russia. Finally, Shane Ryan joins for a conversation about the Ryder Cup and sports trivia.   Kentucky Derby (2:27): Inside one of the biggest upsets in horse racing history.   Brittney Griner (24:41): What comes next in the diplomatic crisis?   Ryder Cup and trivia (45:39): The evolution of golf’s showcase event, and the theory and practice of sports trivia.   Afterball (1:10:47): Vinson on Draymond Green, NBA ombudsman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vinson Cunningham and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Slate’s Jack Hamilton to talk about the NBA playoffs and the dawn of de facto free agency in college sports. Also, Kalyn Kahler of Defector discusses the NFL draft and her reporting on a rape allegation against an NFL lineman. NBA playoffs (2:03): Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to an easy win over the Celtics. Can Boston turn it around?   College sports (25:07): Name, image, and likeness rights have quickly ushered in a new era. NFL draft (42:26): Edge rushers and wide receivers, not quarterbacks, were the hot commodities in Vegas. Afterball (1:05:40): Stefan on the rise of the “edge”—or it is “EDGE”?—in the NFL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the decline of the Brooklyn Nets and the rise of the New Orleans Pelicans. They also discuss Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian athletes, and they review the HBO series Winning Time, on the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers.   NBA playoffs (3:55): What’s gone wrong for Brooklyn? What’s going right for New Orleans?   Wimbledon (25:34): Is there any logic to banning individual Russian athletes?   Winning Time (49:08): What the show gets right and what it gets wrong.   Afterball (1:09:52): Josh on hiding in sports. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the epic Game 1 of the Nets-Celtics series. They also talk about the Minnesota Timberwolves, young playoff stars, and Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai. Finally, the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh joins for a conversation about near-perfection at the start of the baseball season. Nets-Celtics (3:05): Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, and a whole lot more.   NBA playoffs (26:39): What we’re watching this postseason. Baseball (49:02): The sadness of two perfect games that almost were. Afterball (1:09:34): Vinson on the Timberwolves’ spotty playoff history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vinson Cunningham, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the death of quarterback Dwayne Haskins. Slate’s Jim Newell also joins to discuss Tiger Woods’ dramatic return at the Masters. Finally, they assess the Los Angeles Lakers’ terrible season.   Dwayne Haskins (1:29): How should we talk about athletes who die young?   Tiger Woods (24:57): What comes after his miraculous comeback?   Lakers (47:58): What went so horribly wrong?   Afterball (1:08:17): Stefan on major leaguers who went for 7-for-7 in a single game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Kansas’ win over North Carolina’s in the men’s basketball title game, and the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings joins to talk about South Carolina’s win over UConn for the women’s title. Finally, they talk about Eric Church, and when it’s OK for sports to trump social and professional obligations.   NCAA men (2:21): How the Jayhawks turned it around against the Tar Heels.   NCAA women (22:16): How the Gamecocks steamrolled the Huskies.   Eric Church (46:47): Was he wrong to cancel a concert to go to the Final Four?   Afterball (1:06:51): Josh on a crazy two months in pro tennis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slate’s sports podcast on the NCAA basketball tournaments and U.S. soccer. Plus, an interview with Bomani Jones. NCAA basketball (3:26): After two weeks of upsets, it’s Duke, UNC, Kansas, and Villanova.    World Cup (24:20): The U.S. men’s national soccer team is on the brink of qualifying after a 5-1 win over Panama. Bomani Jones (47:33): Joel interviews ESPN personality Bomani Jones about his new HBO show, “Game Theory With Bomani Jones.” Afterball (1:03:44): Stefan on watching last week’s U.S.-Mexico soccer game in Estadio Azteca. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the top storylines from the men’s NCAA tournament, and they’re joined by the Athletic’s Chantel Jennings for a conversation about the women’s tournament. Finally, they talk about the Cleveland Browns’ trade for Deshaun Watson.   NCAA men (3:07): TCU’s heartbreaking loss, Cinderella Saint Peter’s, and more.   NCAA women (24:34): Why are there more upsets all of a sudden? And has the NCAA really made its tourneys more equitable?   Deshaun Watson (48:23): What should we make of the robust market for a quarterback who’s been accused of sexual misconduct?   Afterball (1:05:24): Josh on Wordle variants for sports fans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson and Josh Levin are joined by the Ringer’s Bryan Curtis to discuss Tom Brady’s unretirement and other huge quarterback news. Alex Kirshner also joins to discuss March Madness storylines and Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley’s suspension for betting on NFL games.   Quarterbacks (3:36): Brady back to Tampa, Russell Wilson to Denver, Deshaun Watson to … somewhere.   March Madness (23:20): What to watch out for in the men’s and women’s tournaments.   NFL and gambling (47:03): Football, betting, and “the integrity of the game.”   Afterball (1:09:06): Joel on the history of conference basketball tournaments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by Yahoo’s Hannah Keyser to discuss the Major League Baseball lockout. They also talk about WNBA star Brittney Griner’s detention in Russia and assess the spectacle of Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final home game.   Baseball (3:28): When will the lockout end? What’s at stake?   Griner (23:16): Why was she in Russia in the first place, and what comes next for her and women’s basketball?   Coach K (46:35): Was this the perfect regular-season ending to his illustrious career?   Afterball (1:07:57): Stefan on Sports Illustrated’s profile of Lia Thomas and the anti-trans, anti-Thomas backlash. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices