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Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Undefeated’s Jesse Washington to talk about the latest allegations against Antonio Brown and the story of a high school wrestler who was instructed to cut off his dreadlocks. The Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh also assesses the disappointing Cubs and Red Sox and the surprising Twins. Antonio Brown (01:17): What we should make of the latest twists in the Brown saga, and what the Patriots should be forced to reckon with after signing Brown and then releasing him. Andrew Johnson (21:15): The high schooler went viral after a referee told him to cut his dreadlocks or forfeit his match. Here’s the story behind that story. Cubs, Red Sox, and Twins (36:05): What went wrong for the Cubs and Red Sox and how can they fix their problems? And what went right for the Twins? Afterballs (58:20): Stefan on powder-puff football and Josh on the Cubs on WGN. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by SB Nation’s Matt Brown to talk about California’s Fair Pay to Play Act; the New York Times’ Joe Drape discusses Triple Crown winner Justify’s positive drug test; and ex-NFL player Ryan O’Callaghan joins for a conversation about his memoir My Life on the Line. Fair Pay to Play Act (01:54): What does this California legislation mean for the future of college sports and athlete compensation? Justify (21:49): What we know about the horse, its trainer Bob Baffert, and the process whereby a positive drug test got tossed out. Ryan O’Callaghan (39:53): What it was like to be a closeted player in the NFL, and how his life changed after coming out. Afterballs (59:26): Stefan on the Dickerod and Josh on coaches’ wives as “recruits.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas to talk about the women’s and men’s U.S. Open finals. Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley also joins to discuss Antonio Brown’s move to the Patriots and the secrets of the Clemson football program’s success. U.S. Open (01:43): Why does Serena Williams keep losing major finals and how good is Bianca Andreescu? How did Daniil Medvedev come back against Rafael Nadal and how did Nadal hold on to win? Antonio Brown (21:15): Did Brown orchestrate his move to New England, and who’s the most to blame for his breakup with the Raiders? Clemson (41:46): Is the cohesion of Clemson’s title-winning football program impressive, creepy, or both? Afterballs (59:06): Stefan on ambulances on the field at high school football games and Josh on “Faintin’ Frank” Varrichione. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk about the first week of the U.S. Open. Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders also joins to preview the NFL season, and Sheba Rawson of the Timbers Army fan group discusses the dispute over political signage in Major League Soccer. U.S. Open (01:16): How Taylor Townsend and Kristie Ahn had the best week of their careers. NFL (22:19): What should we expect from Baker Mayfield’s Cleveland Browns and Kyler Murray’s Arizona Cardinals? Politics and MLS (38:51): Should MLS ban an anti-fascist symbol? Afterballs (55:43): Stefan on Carli Lloyd and kicking Josh on watching tennis from courtside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Jake Plummer and Nate Jackson to talk about Andrew Luck’s retirement; Billy Cundiff discusses the Chicago Bears’ bizarre kicker tryouts; and Slate’s Christina Cauterucci helps assess the state of the National Women’s Soccer League. Andrew Luck (01:53): What Luck’s sudden departure from the sport says about him and about football. Kicker tryouts (24:57): The right and wrong to audition kickers at an NFL training camp. NWSL (42:00): WhatSaturday’s huge crowd in Washington, D.C. says about the path forward for women’s pro soccer. Afterballs (59:56): Stefan on female placekickers and Josh on a pitcher who got struck by lightning. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a feature episode of a new Slate podcast. Subscribe on your preferred podcast player or listen on Slate.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss NBA playoff beefs with Slate’s Nick Greene. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski joins to talk about the NHL playoffs. Finally, Sports Illustrated’s Jack Dickey assesses Jeopardy! genius James Holzhauer. NBA beefs (4:07): Durant vs. Beverley.Dudley vs. Simmons. Westbrook vs. Lillard. What’s the best NBA beef, and which postseason beef needs more seasoning? NHL playoffs (24:12): How did the Tampa Bay Lightning get bounced after putting together one of the best regular seasons ever? James Holzhauer (40:52): The secrets of the quiz-show savant who’s destroying the Jeopardy! record books. Afterballs (57:09): Stefan on Kate Smith and the Flyers and Josh on the first player to palm a basketball. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss Tiger Woods’ Masters win with Slate’s Jim Newell. The New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham joins to talk about Kyle Korver’s essay on white privilege. Finally, ESPN’s Jeff Passan explains the logic behind Ozzie Albies’ awful contract. Tiger Woods (1:55): His win at the Masters was an all-time great sports moment. Here’s how we’ll remember it. Kyle Korver (24:32): What he got right in his Players’ Tribune essay on race and the NBA and what he left out. Ozzie Albies (44:55): If the young Braves star is happy with the “worst contract ever” then do other players have the right to complain? Afterballs (1:01:09): Stefan on the photographer Robert Riger and Josh on the Claudine Longet Invitational. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss the women’s NCAA tournament with Lindsay Gibbs of ThinkProgress. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Ballard also joins to talk about Giannis Antetokounmpo. Finally, Slate’s Jim Newell assesses Donald Trump’s cheating on the golf course. NCAA tournament (2:01): How did Baylor beat defending champ Notre Dame? And what should we make of Baylor coach Kim Mulkey and Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw? Giannis (25:59): How coach Mike Budenholzer helped transform the Milwaukee Bucks and gave the Greek Freak space to become the NBA MVP. Trump and golf (40:44): Does Rick Reilly’s reporting on Trump’s cheating tell us anything about the president that we didn’t already know? Afterballs(58:50): Stefan on the history of the participation trophy and Josh on burning infields. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Mike Pesca break down the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four and are joined by Lindsay Gibbs of ThinkProgress to discuss the women’s tournament. Ben Lindbergh of the Ringer talks about the new Major League Baseball season. And author Wayne Coffey comes on to discuss his new book, They Said It Couldn’t Be Done, about the miracle New York Mets of 1969. Basketball (2:40): Despite one of the greatest collections of young talent ever, Duke didn’t make the Final Four. Despite a perceived snub of a No. 2 seed, the Connecticut women did. Baseball (28:14): Major League Baseball has a labor problem: It has stopped overpaying older free agents but isn’t compensating its best young players at market rates. Mets (48:38): Fifty years ago, the New York Mets went from one of the worst franchises in the history of pro sports to World Series champs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin discuss Duke’s crazy NCAA Tournament win over UCF. They also talk about Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s sideline behavior, and Ian Eagle joins the show to explain how play-by-play announcers call buzzer-beaters. Duke-UCF (1:14): How the Blue Devils pulled it out, and how Zion vs. Tacko lived up to its advance billing. Tom Izzo (14:20): Assessing the national conversation about Izzo’s anger issues and how coaches should treat players. Buzzer-beaters (34:48): CBS’ Ian Eagle describes how he calls game-winning plays and explains the elements of a memorable call. Afterballs(57:32): Stefan on the origins of the term “punch drunk” and Josh on Canadian superjocks and immigration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Ben Mathis-Lilley talk about the field for this year’s NCAA tournament and Zion Williamson’s return to the court. They also discuss the college admissions scandal and the Giants’ move to trade Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns. March Madness (1:55): Did the selection committee get it right? Will Zion dominate the tournament? Should you root for LSU or Yale? College admissions scandal (22:00): The best tidbits from Operation Varsity Blues. Plus: Is the bribery at issue here a massive problem or a minor issue? Odell Beckham Jr. (39:50): Why the Giants traded their best player. (Spoiler alert: It makes no sense.) Afterballs(54:48): Ben on Terance Mann and Sam Malone, Josh on Raycom Sports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk about the basketball recruiting scandal at LSU. The New York Times’ Joe Drape also joins to discuss the deaths of 21 horses at Santa Anita Park. Finally, the Ringer’s Bryan Curtis assesses the sportswriter Dan Jenkins, who died last week at age 90. LSU (1:48): Should webe outraged about what we heard basketball coach Will Wade say on an FBI wiretap? Is Wade a villain or a victim? Horse racing (21:53): Why have so many horses died at Santa Anita in such a short period of time? What can be done to stop the epidemic? Dan Jenkins (38:14): What made the sportswriting legend a sportswriting legend. Afterballs (58:30): Stefan on Marxist sportswriter Mike Jay and Josh on the NCAA’s NET rating system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Jemele Hill of the Atlantic to discuss what’s gone wrong with LeBron James and the Lakers. They also talk about Bryce Harper’s $330 million deal with the Phillies and Jason Witten’s return to football after a year in the broadcast booth. LeBron (1:18): We knew the Lakers star would have a tough road in the Western Conference. We didn’t know it would be this tough. Bryce Harper (17:04): Was the Phillies’ record-setting outlay wise or foolish? Will Philly fans embrace Harper or boo him? Jason Witten (29:31): The Cowboys tight end had a rough first year on Monday Night Football. Is that why he’s hanging up his microphone and heading back to the field? Afterballs (45:56): Stefan on Bill Walton and Jack Scott and Josh on a crazy high school basketball ending. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Damon Young to discuss Zion Williamson and the NCAA. ESPN’s Scott Eden also joins to talk about disgraced NBA ref Tim Donaghy and Deadspin’s Dvora Meyers assesses whether breaking should be an Olympic sport. Zion Williamson (1:24): In the aftermath of his shoe explosion and knee injury, should the 18-year-old superstar leave college basketball for good? Tim Donaghy (19:46): ESPN investigated the referee for two years and found evidence that he fixed games. What should we make of his (and the NBA’s) continued denials? Breaking (40:51): If it becomes an Olympic sport, what will it look like and who will profit from it?This episode is brought to you by Capterra. Try it today, for free, at Capterra.com/HANGUP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Levin is joined by Robert Lipsyte to discuss the settlement between the NFL and ex-49ers Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid. Sean Forman also joins to explain how he built Sports Reference and Tom Junod talks about his article on his father and sports gambling.Colin Kaepernick (3:10): Robert Lipsyte opines on whether Kaepernick or the league emerged victorious and what the next step is for the quarterback.Sports Reference (25:57): Sean Forman’s network of sites gets more than 1 billion pageviews per year. He explains how it got started and how it works as a business. Gambling (44:54): Tom Junod details how illegal sports betting helped bring his father to ruin and brought his family closer together.Afterball (60:05): Josh on the pioneering 7-footer Elmore Morgenthaler. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Levin, NPR’s Gene Demby, and the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunninham discuss the big moves and non-moves at the NBA trade deadline. They also talk about Steven Soderbergh’s new NBA lockout movie High Flying Bird and the nascent Alliance of American Football. NBA trades (1:25): Anthony Davis isn’t going to the Lakers (yet) and Markelle Fultz is leaving Philly. How does that shift the league’s balance of power on the court and between players and management? High Flying Bird (22:05): A rare movie about sports and business with a pro-labor point of view, and that thinks seriously about race. AAF (39:56): Did this new spring football league learn from the XFL’s mistakes or is it doomed to repeat them? Afterball(51:45): Josh on the best comparison for Zion Williamson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Slate’s Ben Mathis-Lilley discuss the Patriots’ putrid Super Bowl win over the Rams. The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis also joins to assess Tony Romo’s performance. Finally, they critique the Knicks’ Kristaps Porzingis trade.Super Bowl (1:32): It was a bad game. Very bad. How did the defenses muck things up in such an offense-dominated season?Tony Romo (21:21): The CBS star didn’t have much great material to work with. Did he shine anyway?Porzingis (39:23): Ben says the Knicks’ move to deal their best player was “fandom-destroying.” Some smart analysts disagree. Who’s right?Afterballs (52:55): Stefan on Chip Oliver and Josh on “left, right, left, right, sit down!”This episode is brought to you by Capterra. Try it today, for free, at Capterra.com/HANGUP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Courtney Nguyen to talk about Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open win. The Wall Street Journal’s Louise Radnofsky also joins to assess the U.S. figure skating championships, and the Washington Post’s Candace Buckner discusses NBA players’ feet. Naomi Osaka (6:22): The 21-year-old backed up her U.S. Open victory with a second grand slam title. Has Osaka matured in the last five months, and how should we reconcile her shyness and on-court toughness? Figure skating (22:50): What you need to know about U.S. champions Alysa Liu (she’s 13!) and Nathan Chen. Plus, Gracie Gold opened up about her battle with depression. NBA feet (44:01): Everything you maybe don’t want to know about basketball players’ disgusting toes. Afterballs(58:55): Stefan on the Dane who invented modern team handball and Josh on the biggest feet in NBA history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by The Gist’s Mike Pesca to discuss the NFL’s conference championship games. ESPN’s Steve Fainaru also joins to talk about the collapsing football insurance market, and Ben Lindbergh of the Ringer assesses baseball’s ice-cold free agent market.NFL playoffs (3:51): The Saints got robbed. Does that mean the NFL should institute instant replay for pass interference? Also: Is there anything new to say about the Patriots?Football and insurance (32:44): It’s getting harder and harder for the NFL and other football entities to get insurance coverage. Does that mean the sport is on the verge of collapse?MLB free agency (50:01): With spring training getting closer, superstars Bryce Harper and Manny Machado remain unsigned. What’s going to break the impasse?Afterballs (68:05): Stefan on “good from 70” and Josh on Mike Tice’s Super Bowl ticket scalping. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Josh Levin is here to introduce you to What Next, Slate's new daily news podcast. UCLA’s Katelyn Ohashi wowed the internet this week with a viral video of her college gymnastics floor routine. As Ohashi’s star rises, the U.S. women’s gymnastics program is imploding. Fans of the sport wonder: What is the price of being world-class? Slate contributor Rebecca Schumann joins What Next host Mary Harris to investigate. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or sending an email to [email protected]. Follow us on Instagram for updates on the show.Podcast production by Mary Wilson and Jayson De Leon, with help from Danielle Hewitt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by The Football Girl’s Melissa Jacobs to discuss the NFL playoffs. They also talk about the state of black coaches in the NFL and Racquet’s Caitlin Thompson helps assess the career of the (possibly) retiring Andy Murray. NFL playoffs (1:16): What we saw in the divisional round—Pats! Chiefs! Rams! Saints!—and what to expect in the conference championship games.Black NFL coaches (23:18): There were recently 7 black head coaches in the NFL. Now there are 2. What happened, and what should be done to increase minority representation on the sidelines? Andy Murray (36:27): Is the fourth member of men’s tennis’ Big Four really done with the sport? And why does everyone love the three-time major champion? Afterballs (53:51): Stefan on Penn basketball player Matt White and Josh on odd football tiebreakers.This episode is brought to you by Capterra. Try it today, for free, at Capterra.com/HANGUP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Slate’s Nick Greene to discuss the NFL’s wild card weekend. Jonathan Tjarks of the Ringer also joins to talk about James Harden and Roger Bennett of Men in Blazers assesses Chelsea’s acquisition of Christian Pulisic. NFL playoffs (1:56): Lamar Jackson was bad, Cody Parkey doinked another field goal, and more happening from the opening weekend of the pro football postseason. James Harden (21:30): The Houston Rockets guard is shooting 3-pointers at a record-setting rate. Can he possible sustain this pace? Christian Pulisic (36:38): How much did marketing factor into Chelsea’s decision to sign the young American? And is the English mega-club the right place for the 20-year-old to develop his game? Afterballs(47:25): Stefan on ties (they’re OK!) and Josh on college football’s targeting rule (it’s bad!) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin take listener questions in a special year-end call-in show. Topics include which sports movies are the most realistic, what sports story would make for a great season of Slow Burn, and what would happen if women’s sports were the only ones broadcast on television. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Shirley Wang to talk about her dad’s friendship with Charles Barkley. Jane Leavy also joins to discuss her Babe Ruth biography The Big Fella, and ESPN’s Joel Anderson helps assess the Mike Tyson-Buster Douglas documentary 42 to 1. Lin Wang and Charles Barkley (1:50): Why Shirley Wang’s story about their unlikely friendship had such a profound effect on so many people. Babe Ruth (14:20): Jane Leavy explains how the Bambino changed sports and celebrity culture, and how she debunked myths about Ruth’s childhood. 42 to 1 (34:42): Looking back at one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports, and pondering what we should make of Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas today. Afterballs(53:54): Stefan on Babe Ruth’s best nickname and Josh’s continuing Pat Summerall / House of Buggin’ quest.This episode is brought to you by Simplisafe. Start protecting your home today at simplisafe.com/HANGUP. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham. They discuss Raheem Sterling and racism in English soccer, the 25th anniversary of the FOX-NFL alliance (with the Ringer’s Bryan Curtis), and Stephen Curry’s comments about the moon landing being a hoax. Raheem Sterling (2:26): How an Instagram post started a much-needed conversation about race, society, and soccer. Fox and the NFL (21:57): Rupert Murdoch’s $1.6 billion deal changed the network and pro football forever. What were the biggest repercussions and missed opportunities? Stephen Curry and the moon (39:10): Does Curry really believe that the moon landing was faked or was he just trying to go viral like Kyrie Irving?Afterballs(51:04): Vinson on the “modern NBA,” Stefan on the origin of the game ball, and Josh on Pat Summerall and House of Buggin’.This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: SimpliSafe, protect your home today with twenty-four seven monitoring for just fifteen dollars a month, visit simplisafe.com/hangup.Helix, a new kind of DNA testing. Try today for a deep discount at helix.com/hangup. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by NPR’s Gene Demby to discuss Heisman winner Kyler Murray’s impending choice between pro baseball and pro football, the Philadelphia 76ers’ chemistry issues with Jimmy Butler in the mix, and the NFL’s request for new punting proposals. Kyler Murray (2:30): Can the Oklahoma star play both football and baseball at the professional level? Should he try? Sixers (22:27): Joel Embiid is the face of the franchise. Jimmy Butler is a hyper-competitive star. Can they get along and lead Philadelphia to NBA glory? Punting (39:55): The NFL wants to “modernize” punting. What does that mean? And how can we help? Afterballs(49:01): Stefan on poet and baseball writer Tom Clark and Josh on Zach LaVine. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by ThinkProgress’ Lindsay Gibbs to discuss the Kansas City Chiefs’ decision to cut Kareem Hunt. The New York Times’ Marc Tracy also joins to talk about Alabama’s comeback win in the SEC title game and Sports Illustrated’s Grant Wahl helps assess Gregg Berhalter, the new head coach of the U.S. men’s soccer team. Kareem Hunt (3:19): The NFL clearly screwed up its investigation into Hunt’s offseason incidents. But what’s a better way to investigate off-field conduct? Alabama (22:51): Backup quarterback Jalen Hurts led the Crimson Tide to victory. Should he be celebrated for his decision not to transfer? Gregg Berhalter (42:20): U.S. Soccer’s hiring process was awful, but how will Berhalter be as a coach? Afterballs (57:27): Stefan on Mongolian knuckle-bone shooting and Josh on the worst season ever by an NFL quarterback. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by SB Nation’s Spencer Hall to discuss Texas A&M’s seven-overtime win over LSU. Joshua Robinson of the Wall Street Journal also joins to talk about the chaos in Argentina surrounding a soccer match between Boca Juniors and River Plate. And Jim Newell assesses The Match between Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.College overtime (1:23): Football players are not built to run around for seven extra periods. Also, 146 points is a lot of points.Copa Libertadores (18:29): What is it about soccer in Argentina that makes violence such an enduring part of the sport, and is there anything anyone can do to fix it?Tiger vs. Phil (33:57): “The Match” was a debacle. What will sports leagues and sports executives learn from it?Afterballs (50:11): Stefan on Olivier Giroud’s meaty French forehead and Josh on the Battle of the Bones trophy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Ethan Sherwood Strauss to discuss Draymond Green’s beef with Kevin Durant. Oliver Roeder of FiveThirtyEight also joins to talk about the World Chess Championship and the Atlantic’s Derek Thompson talks about income inequality in youth sports.Draymond vs. KD (2:40): Will interpersonal strife tear the Golden State Warriors apart, or is this just a small bump on the road to another championship?Chess (22:46): Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana have played eight games, all eight of which have ended in draws. Are we having fun yet??Youth sports (41:40): Kids from wealthy families are playing sports at increasing rates, while participation is dropping for kids from lower-income families. What’s the solution?Afterballs (1:03:50): Stefan talks to Brin-Jonathan Butler about his book The Grandmaster and Josh on a strange college basketball upset. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Wall Street Journal’s Ben Cohen to discuss Duke freshman Zion Williamson and the video game–like NBA and NFL. Baseball writer Rob Neyer also joins to discuss Bill James’ claim that baseball players are replaceable.Zion Williamson (4:09): After two games, the Duke star looks like the greatest athlete in the history of basketball. Where can he possibly go from here?Sports as video games (19:55): Record-setting offenses in the NBA and NFL owe a lot to NBA Jam and Madden. How far will sports go in mirroring their video game counterparts?Bill James (37:06): The legendary iconoclast said, “If the players all retired tomorrow, we would replace them, the game would go on.” Is he right?Afterballs (58:58): Stefan on the next “next Bobby Fischer” and Josh on the case for NFL running backs to take performance-enhancing drugs.This episode is brought to you by the following advertisers: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.