Hang Up and Listen

Josh Levin and Stefan Fatsis talk with the Gist’s Mike Pesca about the Eagles’ win over the Patriots in Super Bowl LII. They’re also joined by Jeff Passan of Yahoo to discuss what can be done to fix Major League Baseball’s broken economic system.

Super Bowl LII (1:15): The original Hang Up crew discusses all aspects of the Eagles’ thrilling 41-33 victory over the Patriots, including Nick Foles’ excellent play, Doug Pederson’s gutsy coaching, Bill Belichick’s benching of Malcolm Butler, and what’s next for Rob Gronkowski.

MLB economics (35:40): Yahoo’s Jeff Passan assesses the different factors leading to baseball’s stalled free agent market, and how players and owners might resolve the stalemate.

Afterballs (53:37):

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Josh Levin talks with Paula Lavigne of ESPN and Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley about the Michigan State sexual abuse scandal. ESPN’s Howard Bryant also joins to discuss the Australian Open, and the Root’s Damon Young assesses the NBA’s all-star draft.

Michigan State (1:30): Paula Lavigne of ESPN’s Outside the Lines explains what she’s learned about the failures of the Michigan State athletic department to deal with sexual assault cases, and whether it’s right to focus on the school’s football and basketball programs.

Australian Open (16:40): ESPN’s Howard Bryant discuss Roger Federer’s 20th major championship, Caroline Wozniacki’s first grand slam title, and how American Tennys Sandgren went from a fan favorite to a pariah in record time.

All-star draft (34:55): The Root’s Damon Young helps Josh assess the NBA’s first-ever all-star draft and the seeming implosion of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Afterballs (59:50):

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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk about the Patriots’ and Eagles’ wins in the NFL’s title games; the New York Times’ Juliet Macur discusses the sex abuse scandal in U.S. gymnastics; and Deadspin’s Dave McKenna helps remember D.C. sports legend Gary Mays.

NFL playoffs (1:41): A conversation about the Patriots’ inevitability, the rise and fall of the Jaguars, the state of being Blake Bortles, and the shocking excellence of Nick Foles.

Larry Nassar (24:40): The New York Times’ Juliet Macur discusses the power of the victim impact statements from Aly Raisman and other gymnasts, and talks about how the sport should reckon with its massive sexual abuse scandal.

Gary Mays (42:52):Deadspin’s Dave McKenna memorializes the one-armed basketball and baseball star, who died last week at the age of 82. McKenna explains how Mays shut down Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor, and how he thrived despite being deprived of opportunities due to segregation.

Afterballs (1:00:21):

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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss the Vikings’ last-second win over the Saints and other NFL playoff doings; the Wall Street Journal’s Ben Cohen joins to talk about Trae Young; and Sam Miller comes on for a conversation about a 50-inning baseball game.

NFL playoffs (1:35): Stefan consoles Josh about the Saints’ tragic defeat. They also talk about whether Blake Bortles is an elite quarterback and the dominance of the Jaguars’ and Vikings’ defenses.

Trae Young (20:15): Ben Cohen explains how Stephen Curry influenced Oklahoma’s freshman superstar and other members of the “Curry Generation.”

Fifty-Inning Baseball (37:25):Sam Miller dares to imagine what might happen if a major-league game lasted much, much longer than any game has ever lasted before.

Afterballs (59:49):

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Stefan Fatsis, former NFL player Nate Jackson, and football writer Melissa Jacobs discuss the NFL playoffs. Then Stefan talks to Spencer Hall of SB Nation about the University of Central Florida’s claim on college football’s national championship. And Stefan talks to soccer writer Jonathan Wilson about Manchester City’s dominance of England’s Premier League.

NFL playoffs (1:09): Stefan Fatsis, former NFL player Nate Jackson, and football writer Melissa Jacobs discuss the first round of the NFL playoffs, more controversy over head injuries, a reported rift inside the New England Patriots, and Jon Gruden’s hiring as head coach of the Oakland Raiders.

College football (14:35): Stefan talks to Spencer Hall of SB Nation about unbeaten Central Florida’s self-declaration as the national champion of major college football.

Manchester City (29:50): Stefan talks to Blizzard editor Jonathan Wilson about Manchester City’s dominance in England’s Premier League, and the chances it can pull off an unprecedented “quadruple”—winning the league title, FA Cup, League Cup, and European Champions League.

Afterball (39:51)

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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Gist’s Mike Pesca to discuss a whole bunch of sports conundrums. Among the questions they ponder: How many seventh-grade basketball players would it take to beat LeBron James? How would you change an NBA court or an NFL field if irregularities were allowed? What’s a more worthwhile career—a few years of brilliance or a decade-plus of mediocrity?

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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Ben Strauss to discuss why academically rigorous universities like Wesleyan are betting big on football. They also speak with Rick Telander about the life and legacy of hoops legend Connie Hawkins.

Division III football (3:09): Ben Strauss joins to assess the trend of elite schools investing big in sports, and what happens on campus when universities prioritize football.

Connie Hawkins (23:15): Rick Telander, the author of Heaven Is a Playground, explains how Connie Hawkins—who died back in October—became a mythical figure on the New York playground scene, and why he’s a tragic figure.

Afterballs (33:33):

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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Andrew Brandt to discuss the allegations against Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson; by Chris Nowinski to talk about the NFL concussion protocol; and by Deadspin to assess the rise of fake sports news.

Jerry Richardson (1:41): Former Green Bay Packers vice president Andrew Brandt discusses the allegations that the Carolina Panthers owner engaged in inappropriate workplace behavior, and Richardson’s announcement that he’s going to put the team up for sale. 

NFL concussion protocol (22:04): Chris Nowinski of the Concussion Legacy Foundation joins for a conversation about the recent spate of high-profile head injuries in pro football, and how to get fans and players and teams and the league to care about the dangers of big hits. 

Fake sports news (39:41): Deadspin’s David Roth talks about fake sports news stories populating websites like viralusa.org, as well as the online hoax that had some people convinced that the Washington football team had changed its name to the Redhawks.

Afterballs (58:52):

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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Warren Cromartie and the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh to discuss Shohei Ohtani and Giancarlo Stanton; David Epstein joins to assess Russia’s Olympics ban; and Daniel Libit talks about his muckraking site NM Fishbowl.

Shohei Ohtani and Giancarlo Stanton (2:10): Former Japanese League star Warren Cromartie assesses how Japanese star Shohei Ohtani will perform in the major leagues, while Ben Lindbergh explains the economics of the Los Angeles Angels’ deal with Ohtani and the Yankees’ trade for slugger Giancarlo Stanton.

Russia’s Olympics ban (25:21): David Epstein explains the International Olympic Committee’s move to (kind of) ban Russia from the Winter Games.

NM Fishbowl (41:57): Daniel Libit talks about his year-long effort to investigate New Mexico athletics and whether the model could work nationwide.

Afterballs (1:05:55):

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Stefan Fatsis, Jeremy Stahl of Slate, and Howard Bryant of ESPN discuss the rift among NFL players over the league’s plan to donate money to social causes. Then Stefan and Josh Levin talk to Tom Haberstroh of Bleacher Report Magazine about the NBA’s new veganism. And Stefan talks about the forgotten, first black quarterback in New York Giants history, and the perception of black quarterbacks during the civil-rights era, with Louis Moore of Grand Valley State University.

NFL protests (2:05): Stefan Fatsis, Jeremy Stahl of Slate, and Howard Bryant of ESPN discuss the rift among players involved in negotiating a deal with NFL management to aid social-justice causes—over where the money is coming from and whether it is mostly aimed at ending more than a year of on-field protests during the national anthem.

NBA vegans (21:02): Stefan and Josh talk to Tom Haberstroh of Bleacher Report Magazine about his recent feature on Boston Celtics star point guard Kyrie Irving eschewing meat, and whether slimmer NBA players are better NBA players.

Hank Washington (36:20): Stefan delivers an extended Afterball about the first black quarterback in New York Giants history, and then talks about the perception of black quarterbacks in the civil-rights era with Louis Moore, an associate professor at Grand Valley State University who studies African-American and sports history.

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