Hang Up and Listen: The Catfish Got Your Tongue Edition
Slate’s sports podcast on the Ravens and 49ers, uncovering the Manti Te’o hoax, and Lance Armstrong’s calculated confession.
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In this week’s episode of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Josh Levin and Mike Pesca discuss the Ravens’ and 49ers’ conference-clinching wins, Bill Belichick’s questionable coaching decisions, Bernard Pollard’s brutal hit on Stevan Ridley, and the Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh Super Bowl storyline. Next, they speak with Deadspin editor-in-chief Tommy Craggs about breaking the Manti Te’o story and what the hoax says about sports journalism. Finally, they talk about Lance Armstrong’s interview with Oprah Winfrey and whether his doping confession was another calculated PR move.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
- The Patriots struggled with clock management in their 28-13 loss to the Ravens in the AFC title game.
- CBS analyst Shannon Sharpe criticized New England coach Bill Belichick for declining his postgame interview.
- Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs called the Patriots “arrogant pricks.”
- Ex-Raven O.J. Brigance, who is battling ALS, congratulated the Ravens after the game using a communication device.
- Baltimore safety Bernard Pollard’s brutal hit on Stevan Ridley in the fourth quarter.
- The Falcons blew a 17-0 lead and lost to the 49ers 28-24 in the NFC championship.
- Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio explains why he’s excited to see 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in the Super Bowl.
- San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh’s animated reaction after losing a challenge.
- Jim Harbaugh broke his hand in a fight with Jim Kelly 15 years ago.
- Deadspin’s Timothy Burke and Jack Dickey broke the story on Manti Te’o’s fake dead girlfriend Lennay Kekua.
- In Slate, Josh explains why sportswriters missed on the Te’o story.
- An edited transcript of Te’o’s interview with ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap.
- Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel released the transcript of his interview with Te’o.
- ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski explains why he didn’t question Te’o despite noticing red flags.
- Baseball Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Earl Weaver passed away over the weekend.
- Lance Armstrong admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs in an interview with Oprah Winfrey.
- Slate’s William Saletan on Armstrong’s “one big lie” defense.
- Saletan and Emily Bazelon argue that USADA should cut a deal with Armstrong.
- Malcolm Gladwell and Chuck Klosterman’s email conversation about Te’o and Armstrong in Grantland.
- Armstrong’s strange comments on Betsy Andreu, wife of former teammate Frankie Andreu.
- In Sports Illustrated, Michael Rosenberg says Armstrong “would be nobody” without doping.
Hang Up and Listen’s weekly Donora Greyhounds:
Mike’s Donora Greyhound: Floyd Landis can no longer compare the UCI, Hein Verbruggen, and Pat McQuaid to Col. Muammar Qaddafi.
Josh’s Donora Greyhound: Here’s to fake girlfriends, fake universities, and fake Chinese-American running backs.
Podcast production and edit by Mike Vuolo. Our intern is Eric Goldwein.
You can e-mail us at hangup@slate.com.