Hang Up and Listen

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and special guest Louisa Thomas of the New Yorker discuss the NFL’s conference championship games and Tom Brady’s (probable) retirement. Then, they talk about Rafael Nadal’s record-setting Australian Open victory. Finally, Grant Wahl joins Josh and Stefan to assess the U.S. men’s national soccer team’s frigid loss to Canada.

NFL (2:32): How did the Chiefs blow it? Is Joe Burrow as charismatic as he thinks he is? 

Tennis (26:32): How Nadal staged the best comeback of his career.

U.S. men’s soccer (45:49): Why can’t the U.S. score? Could they miss the World Cup?

Afterball (1:06:49): Josh and Stefan celebrate the winner of Hang Up’s goofy sports idea contest.

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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Lindsay Jones to discuss the NFL playoffs. Then, Ben Proudfoot joins for a conversation about Lusia Harris, the subject of his documentary short “The Queen of Basketball.” Finally, they speak with Oliver Roeder about his book Seven Games.

NFL (2:21): How did the Chiefs-Bills magic happen? Are Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers done?

Lusia Harris (30:12): The life and legacy of a basketball pioneer.

Seven Games (50:24): How machines have changed our favorite games. 

Afterball (1:09:30): Josh and Stefan on Hang Up listeners’ goofy ideas to fix sports.

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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend. Then they talk about the rise of the Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant. Finally, Defector’s Kalyn Kahler joins for a conversation about nepotism in NFL coaching.

NFL (4:50): Do expanded playoffs mean worse games?

Ja Morant (24:55): Was his block the best ever? Is he the NBA’s next superstar?

Nepotism (44:54): How big of a problem is it, and can anything be done to fix it?

Afterball (1:08:14): Josh, Joel, and Stefan on goofy ideas to fix sports.

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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss Georgia’s win over Alabama in the college football title game. Then they break down the wild ride that was the Chargers-Raiders NFL regular-season finale. And tennis writer Ben Rothenberg helps unpack the saga of unvaccinated Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.

College football (2:44): How the Bulldogs took down the Tide.

Chargers-Raiders (23:08): The game theory behind the crazy almost-tie.

Djokovic (44:12): Why did an Australian court allow him to stay in the country? What’s next?

Afterball (1:07:03): Stefan on the Sports Word of the Year.

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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss the College Football Playoff and bowl game opt-outs. ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel also joins for a conversation about Becky Hammon, who chose to leave the NBA to become the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Finally, they talk about the life and legacy of John Madden.

College football (3:33): What are the sport’s real issues and what problems are imaginary?

Hammon (25:15): Why didn’t she get a shot to run an NBA team? Is going to the WNBA the right move?

Madden (48:11): How should the coach and announcer be remembered?

Afterball (1:10:38): Joel on Marcus Williamson and what college football takes from Black athletes.

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Josh Levin and Joel Anderson are joined by ESPN’s Kevin Arnovitz to talk about Christmas Day in the NBA. Washington Post health reporter Dan Diamond also joins to discuss the past, present, and future of COVID in sports. Finally, Josh, Joel, and Stefan Fatsis interview Mitchell S. Jackson about his award-winning story on Ahmaud Arbery and running while Black.

NBA (3:37): How did the Warriors and Suns leap to the top of the West? And how are teams dealing with all the positive tests?

COVID (25:51): What should leagues be doing, and what will they do in 2022?

Arbery (45:59): A discussion about the Pulitzer-winning story “Twelve Minutes and a Life.”

Afterball (1:06:04): Josh on the Washington Post’s coverage of Daniel Snyder.

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Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley talk about COVID running rampant through every sports league, again. Next, they discuss the end of Urban Meyer’s very brief career as an NFL coach. Finally, Joshua Neuman joins Stefan and Josh for a conversation about Kenny Washington, who broke the NFL’s color barrier a year before Jackie Robinson broke Major League Baseball’s.

COVID (3:13): How should leagues and teams respond to the next wave of the pandemic?

Urban Meyer (22:37): Why did the successful college coach flame out of the pros?

Kenny Washington (41:25): Why isn’t the pioneering Black football player an American icon?

Afterball (1:02:30): Stefan on the state of Scorigami.

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Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Slate’s Alex Kirshner talk about the controversial ending to the Formula 1 season. Next, they examine the opening months of college sports’ name, image, and likeness era. Finally, Stefan and Josh are joined by author and chess champion Jennifer Shahade to assess Magnus Carlsen’s latest world title.

Formula 1 (2:46): Who should’ve won the duel between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen?

NIL (22:55): How college athletes are capitalizing, and how it’s changing the game.

Chess (44:28): How Carlsen won, and what’s next for him and for the game.

Afterball (1:04:10): Josh on basketball on the Marshall Islands.

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Hi Hang Up and Listen listeners, we thought you'd be interested in this episode of What Next, Slate's daily news podcast. Enjoy!

When Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai accused a former Chinese Vice Premier of rape, what came next was darkly predictable: the athlete disappeared from public view while the government scrubbed all mentions of her allegations and censored searches for her name. But few expected the Women’s Tennis Association to strike back, suspending all future tournaments in China and Hong Kong.

As the WTA stands up to China - leaving millions of dollars on the table - will other sports organizations follow suit and hold the government to account over its human rights abuses?

Guest: Ben Rothenberg, senior editor of Racquet Magazine and host of the tennis podcast No Challenges Remaining.

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Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin break down college football’s playoff match-ups and Brian Kelly’s move to LSU. Insider’s Bradford William Davis joins to discuss the baseball lockout and his piece on the sport using two different balls. Finally, a conversation about sports blowouts.

College football (5:29): Does outsider Cincinnati have a chance against Alabama, Michigan, and Georgia?

Baseball (27:22): Will the sport cancel games? And why did MLB have two different balls in circulation?

Blowouts (47:36): What makes some lopsided victories great and others unwatchable?

Afterball (1:04:30): Stefan with more sports musicals.

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