Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by FanGraphs’ Meg Rowley to talk about Seattle Mariners president Kevin Mather’s resignation and Fernando Tatis Jr.’s new contract. Alex Kirshner also joins to discuss NBA Top Shot. Finally, they interview Nick Greene about his book How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius. Baseball (2:18): What Mather’s comments reveal about the Mariners and MLB, and what Tatis’ deal says about the Padres and major-league economics. NBA Top Shot (23:38): A collecting craze + an internet-fueled bubble = investment mania How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius (43:37): What game designers, economists, and ballet choreographers can teach us about the sport. Afterballs (61:37): Stefan on Jack Inglis and Josh on a Luka Doncic rookie card. Podcast production by Margaret Kelley and Asha Saluja. You can email us at hangup@slate.com. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hang Up and Listen

What Is NBA Top Shot?

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas to talk about the Australian Open. They also discuss the NBA’s new G League player development model. Finally, they assess Anthony Edwards’ huge dunk and name their favorite dunks of all time.   Australian Open (04:06): How Naomi Osaka and Novak Djokovic won and what the future holds for Serena Williams.   G League Ignite (24:50): Jalen Green’s path to the pros could change the NBA and college basketball.   Dunks (44:50): Will Anthony Edwards’ slam stand the test of time? Which dunks will we never forget?   Afterball (01:02:32): Josh on posterization, the word and the concept. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ranking the Best Dunks Ever

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin assess the debate over whether to play the national anthem at sporting events. They also discuss what the pandemic taught us about the mysteries of home-field advantage. Finally, ESPN’s Ryan Smith joins to talk about a lawsuit alleging that the NFL’s concussion settlement discriminates against Black players.   Anthem (3:11): Why the Dallas Mavericks stopped playing it, why they resumed, and what happens next.   Home-field advantage (21:49): How home teams fare in a world without crowd noise.   Concussion settlement (38:22): Inside a lawsuit brought by pro football retirees.   Afterball (60:07): Stefan on “Star-Spangled Banner” debates of the past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should Sports Teams Stop Playing the National Anthem?

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the Bucs’ Super Bowl win over the Chiefs. Among the topics discussed: Tom Brady’s latest triumph, the Bucs’ defense, and Patrick Mahomes’ valiant effort in defeat. They also assess the rising conflict between NBA players and the league.   Super Bowl (4:39): How Tampa won, why Kansas City lost, and why we were so wrong about Tom Brady.   NBA (38:03): Why the league’s best players are so upset about the All-Star Game.   Afterballs (56:36): Josh with more on Jackie Robinson’s letter to Bill Keefe and Stefan on Muhammad Ali and One Night in Miami. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Brady Can’t Stop Winning

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the latest NFL hiring cycle, where just one Black coach got hired to run a team. They also assess Australia’s tennis quarantine and discuss whether Curt Schilling will break the baseball Hall of Fame. NFL coaches (01:52): What if anything can be done to get Black coaches more opportunities? COVID (20:52): Sports in Australia vs. sports in the pandemic-ravaged United States. Curt Schilling (35:56): Should writers consider his “character” when casting their Hall of Fame ballots? Afterballs (54:14): Josh on Jackie Robinson vs. sportswriter Bill Keefe and Melissa Kaplan on the Phillie Phanatic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Curt Schilling a Hall of Famer?

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the Packers’ mystifying field goal attempt and the Chiefs’ run for a second straight title. They also discuss the life and legacy of baseball legend Henry Aaron, who died last week at the age of 86. NFL (01:35): What was Packers coach Matt LaFleur thinking? What’s the secret to the Chiefs’ success? Henry Aaron (21:55): Remembering Aaron’s upbringing, his career, his chase of baseball’s home run record, and everything he needed to overcome to be great. Afterball (01:02:24): Stefan on the sad and courageous story of Black baseball players Leander and Jim Turgeson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remembering Henry Aaron

Joel Anderson, Josh Levin, and special guest Damon Young talk about the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. They also discuss the Brooklyn Nets’ trade for James Harden and Kyrie Irving’s absence. Finally, they review the HBO documentary Tiger. NFL (01:49): Drew Brees, the concussion protocol, and the Chiefs’ gutsy fourth-down call.  Nets (21:51): Is Kyrie Irving just misunderstood? Tiger (41:15): What the two-part doc reveals about Tiger Woods’ life and career. Afterball (59:29): Joel on the time Hakeem Olajuwon wanted out of Houston. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mystery of Kyrie Irving

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Alabama’s win over Ohio State in the college football title game. They also assess how athletes and leagues reacted to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Finally, they discuss the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend. College football (01:39): What will we remember about this season, and what should we make of the Alabama dynasty? Insurrection (21:29): Why did the NBA and NFL powers that be stay silent? NFL (38:02): The Cleveland Browns won and Nickelodeon made its playoff broadcasting debut. Afterball (52:38): Stefan on Marine AFC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alabama Is (One of) the Greatest Teams Ever

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Washington’s win over Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football. They also discuss Alabama and Ohio State’s victories in the College Football Playoff and ESPN’s Mechelle Voepel joins for a conversation about the Duke women’s basketball team opting out of the season. NFL (01:28): Did the Eagles commit fraud in their loss to Washington or was it all just a big laugh? College Football Playoff (19:27): On Justin Fields, Ryan Day, Dabo Swinney, Nick Saban, DeVonta Smith, Najee Harris, Brian Kelly and the other heroes and villains of the CFP. Duke women’s basketball (37:14): Why did the players opt out? What happens next? Afterball (55:58): Stefan remembers Penn Quaker Kevin Warren. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NFL’s Final Game Tankapalooza

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin field listener questions about how sports changed the national response to COVID, whether the pandemic sowed mistrust between owners and players, their personal players of the year, and a whole lot more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Answering Your Questions About Sports in 2020

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the end of college football’s regular season and the College Football Playoff matchups. They also discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo’s decision to re-sign with the Bucks. Finally, they ponder what pandemic-era changes will become permanent and which will be forgotten. College football (2:21) Did the committee get it right? Is it possible to make the sport more equitable? Giannis (22:14): Why did he decide to run it back with the Bucks? Is his decision good for the NBA?  Pandemic-era changes (41:48): How will players, leagues, and fans shift to a post-pandemic age? Afterball (1:01:14): Josh on how Michael Jordan could’ve been a Dallas Maverick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Giannis Is Staying in Milwaukee

In this bonus episode preview, Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin discuss “The Last Last Dance,” Joel’s special podcast on Michael Jordan’s tenure with the Washington Wizards. Topics discussed include why Jordan chose to go to D.C., how he treated Kwame Brown, and whether Jordan’s time in Washington makes him a more or less sympathetic figure. Sign up for Slate Plus here to hear this bonus episode in full. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Dance

In this special episode of Hang Up and Listen, Joel Anderson tells the story of Michael Jordan's second comeback. How did Jordan end up in Washington, D.C.? Why couldn’t he make the Washington Wizards into winners? And what does the final chapter of Jordan’s career reveal about him as a player and a person? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Last Last Dance

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the latest humiliation of the winless New York Jets. They also discuss the Russell Westbrook-John Wall trade, and Russell Dinkins joins for a conversation about his quest to save college track programs. Jets (03:55): Are they trying to lose on purpose? Should Trevor Lawrence stay away? Westbrook and Wall (23:57): The thin line between NBA superstardom and basketball sadness. Track (39:32): Why are men’s track programs disappearing, and what does race have to do with it? Afterball (58:21): Joel on the end of the Southwest Conference and the decline of the Houston Cougars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The New York Jets Are Bad

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about the Broncos playing without a quarterback and other NFL COVID chaos. They also discuss the life and death of soccer legend Diego Maradona. Finally, they assess the debut of kicker Sarah Fuller, the first woman to play in a Power 5 football game. NFL (02:03): Should the Broncos have been forced to play? Will the NFL make it to the playoffs? Maradona (22:14): Could there ever be another player like him? Sarah Fuller (40:51): What should we make of her historic achievement and her performance on the field?  Afterball (57:28): Stefan on the “Greek Maradona,” Vasilis Hatzipanagis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remembering Diego Maradona

A weekly sports discussion from Slate. Hang Up and Listen features Slate sports editor Josh Levin, writer Stefan Fatsis (author of A Few Seconds of Panic), Slate writer and Slow Burn host Joel Anderson, and a selection of interesting guests from around the sports world.

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Hang Up and Listen

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