Hang Up and Listen

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh recap a chalky March Madness marked by coaching drama and uncertainty about college basketball’s future. Then Alex and Lindsay ask Ben about the early MLB season, from the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system to a new wave of impressive rookies. Finally, the panel speaks with author and soccer journalist Ryan O'Hanlon about the real story behind Wrexham A.F.C. and how high the celebrity-owned club can realistically climb.
Ben also has an Afterball on Kenny Albert's impending record for most national broadcasts called.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members: Saudi Arabia makes a big push into esports and fighting video games.

March Madness: (6:29): Was relatively mild
MLB ABS (22:50): “You can’t challenge the robots!”
Wrexham AFC (43:34): The aging Welsh TV stars need to win now
Afterballs (1:00:33): Kenny Albert has called almost 1480 national games

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at [email protected].

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Lindsay Gibbs and Ben Lindbergh discuss the maddest moment of March—from the UConn buzzer beater, to Women’s Final Four redux. Alex Kirshner rejoins for two interviews: the first with author and professor Seth Tannenbaum about the growing class divide inside baseball stadiums, the subject of his new book, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites: Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark. The second with Nina Mandell about an Ohio gymnastics dynasty, chronicled in her book: A Fraction of a Point: A Gymnastics Dynasty on the Line.
Finally, Ben closes with an Afterball about the historic and cringey N64 video game Mia Hamm Soccer 64.
In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members: the T-Rex hunting for a draft spot in the NFL.

March Madness: (6:37): Duke’s demise
Bleacher Seats (26:32): The haves and the have-nots
Fraction of a Point (42:42): The gymnastics world beaters
Afterballs (57:49): Mia Hamm Soccer 64

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at [email protected].

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the WNBA's new CBA, which contains massive salary increases, revenue sharing, and historic precedents for all women’s sports. Then host Alex Kirshner arrives for a conversation with Ben and his Effectively Wild co-host Meg Rowley to recap the World Baseball Classic and preview the MLB season.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members, the hosts chat about the abundance of athlete-hosted podcasts –is anyone listening?

WNBA CBA: (8:18): From $66K to millions
MLB (29:34): Are the Pirates playoff material?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at [email protected].

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the thrilling World Baseball Classic semifinal between Team USA and the Dominican Republic, as well as the missed calls, Navy SEAL visits, and other strange drama surrounding the tournament. Then the panel previews NCAA March Madness tournament before closing with a look at the expanding connections between Jeffrey Epstein and figures across the sports world.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members, the hosts chat about Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point run against the Washington Wizards last week.

WBC: (4:52): The called strike heard round the world
March Madness (23:01): Chalk talk.
Epstein and Sports (42:01): The revolting revelations about Steve Tisch

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at [email protected].

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the unusually high number of NFL teams that are seeking new quarterbacks via trades and free agency amid a weak draft class. Later: Why the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks could be left out of March Madness despite an undefeated regular season. Finally, Lindsay breaks down some of the stranger aspects of the WNBA’s collective-bargaining process—and the behind-the-scenes contributions of Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart.

In this week’s bonus episode for Slate Plus members, the hosts turn to the Celtics’ improbable (and slightly annoying) dominance despite missing their best player for most of the season.

Quarterback merry-go-round: (10:34): Tua to Atlanta?
Miami Redhawks (26:36): 31-0.
WNBA CBA (41:52): A Union divided?

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at [email protected].

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Joel Meyer.

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