Hang Up and Listen

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Jack Hamilton to discuss the NBA Finals. The New York Times’ Tariq Panja also comes on for a conversation about Saudi Arabia’s efforts to lure Lionel Messi and conquer global soccer. Finally, the Athletic’s Zach Buchanan discusses his piece on the pioneering mascot the San Diego Chicken.

Nuggets-Heat (3:05): How Miami tied up the series.

Saudi soccer (24:18): Can they get Messi? What are they trying to accomplish?

The Chicken (42:49): What Ted Giannoulas created.

Afterball (1:05:20): Josh on Rodney “Crash” McCray.

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Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis are joined by Joel Anderson to talk about the Celtics’ Game 7 loss to the Heat. They’re also joined by Mike Simmonds of Luton Today for a conversation about Luton Town’s rise to the Premier League. And finally, writer Sam Miller comes on to discuss the indelible image of Randy Johnson killing a bird with a fastball.

Celtics-Heat (6:49): How Boston came so far, and then collapsed.

Luton Town (28:27): The inside scoop on an incredible underdog story.

Baseball and birds (47:15): Why we’re still talking about a pitch from 2001.

Afterball (1:07:07): Stefan on Tom Wambsgans and Bill Wambsganss and Josh on whether Clarence Thomas could dunk.

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Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis discuss the Heat and Nuggets and their stars Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jokic. They’re also joined by writers Dave Zirin and Jesse Washington to talk about the life and legacy of Jim Brown. Finally, Defector’s Maitreyi Anantharaman joins to assess Brittney Griner’s return, Becky Hammon’s suspension, and other WNBA storylines.

NBA (3:10): How Miami and Denver are steamrolling to the NBA Finals.

Jim Brown (24:00): He was a football star, a civil rights icon, and a domestic abuser. How should we think about him?

WNBA (54:25): Making sense of the busiest opening week in league history.

Afterball (1:13:56): Stefan on race, wealth, and baseball in Washington, D.C.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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