Slate's Hang Up and Listen

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Banner Society’s Spencer Hall to discuss the college football playoff. The Athletic’s Wosny Lambre also joins to talk about the surging Los Angeles Lakers. Finally, the Wall Street Journal’s Louise Radnofsky explains skaters’ strange obsession with Schindler’s List.   College football (01:53): Why Clemson is mad, how LSU got good, and other playoff-related matters.   Lakers (24:18): Everything is going very well for LeBron and the Lakers. What could go wrong (and when will it go wrong)?   Skating and Schindler’s List (44:56): Why do figure skaters perform Holocaust-inspired routines?   Afterballs (01:00:15): Stefan on a soccer team named after hard liquor and Josh on a Supreme Court justice remembering some guys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a live show in Washington, D.C., Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by NPR’s Gene Demby to discuss the state of sports media. Olympic gold medalist Dawn Harper-Nelson also joins to talk about her comeback as a mother. Finally, Demby, Lindsay Gibbs, and Dave McKenna ponder ethical dilemmas in sports.   State of sports media (01:38): How have our consumption habits changed since the death of Deadspin and the partial zombification of Sports Illustrated?   Dawn Harper-Nelson (16:36): The hurdling champion on the highs and lows of her career and the challenges of returning to the track after having a baby.   Ethical dilemmas (44:12): Would you report on an NCAA violation if you think NCAA rules are immoral?   Afterballs (01:00:42): Stefan on the sad fate of wonderfully named minor-league baseball teams and Josh on a peeing dog at the Egg Bowl. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin interviews the Athletic’s John Hollinger about his career inside and outside the NBA. Topics discussed include the rise of Luka Doncic, how Hollinger came up with player efficiency rating, his tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies, and trading Marc Gasol.   Luka Doncic (02:15): How the 20-year-old became a star and how he could keep getting better.   PER (07:55): The birth of the NBA’s most popular all-in-one statistic.   Grizzlies (24:15): The highs and lows of the 2013 and 2015 playoffs.   Marc Gasol (44:17): The ins and outs of trading one of the Grizzlies’ franchise players.   Afterball (51:25): Josh on the inventor of the Nerf football. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Nate Jackson to discuss Colin Kaepernick’s workout and Myles Garrett’s helmet smash; the Ringer’s Ben Lindbergh assesses the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scheme; and Asif Kapadia talks about his documentary Diego Maradona. Kaepernick and Garrett (02:58): Did Kaepernick hurt his chances to play in the NFL? And what should we make of Garrett’s burst of anger? Sign-stealing (24:59): Did the Astros do anything that other teams didn’t do? How effective is sign-stealing anyway? Diego Maradona (49:49): The director of Senna and Amy on how he made a film about Diego Maradona and what he learned about the soccer legend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by Banner Society’s Spencer Hall to discuss LSU’s win over Alabama; by Slate’s Joel Anderson to chat about the NCAA going after Ohio State’s Chase Young and Memphis’ James Wiseman; and by the New York Times’ Lindsay Crouse to talk about runner Mary Cain’s allegations of abuse against Nike and coach Alberto Salazar.   LSU-Alabama (02:17): How the Tigers broke their losing streak against the Tide.   NCAA (22:51): The foolishness of amateurism enforcement is on display in the Young and Wiseman cases.   Mary Cain (43:53): How the young runner’s allegations could change women’s sports.   Afterballs (01:05:16): Stefan on Jeff Bezos and the NFL and Josh on Don Cherry’s “you people” rant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices