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In this week’s episode of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca are joined by the Sporting News’ David Purdum to talk about football gambling and whether it’s true that Las Vegas took a beating this year. Next, they discuss the fight-happy start to the NHL’s shortened season with the New York Times’ Jeff Z. Klein. Finally, they examine the ethics of trash talking and the recent feud between Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Garnett.

Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:

• A CBS This Morning report claimed that Vegas sports books just suffered through the “worst NFL season they’ve ever had.”
• David Purdum of the Sporting News explains that Nevada sports books were actually profitable this year despite losing months in October and November.
• Vegas has lost money just twice during the last 22 Super Bowls.
• William “the Refrigerator” Perry started our national obsession with Super Bowl prop bets.
• Bill Barnwell examined Super Bowl props in Grantland.
• The NCAA and four major professional leagues sued New Jersey over its plan to allow sports betting.
• NHL players have come out swinging this season, writes Jeff Z. Klein in the New York Times.
• Klein says fighting does not provide a strategic advantage.
• Carolina Hurricanes enforcer Kevin Westgarth spoke with Klein about fighting (and the lockout) in December.
• NHL attendance and television ratings are up this season.
• A study in the American Journal of Economics and Sociology on the effect of violence on hockey attendance.
• Michael J. Mauboussin’s Harvard Business Review article argues luck will play an outsize role in the NHL’s shortened season.
• Kevin Garnett reportedly told Carmelo Anthony that his wife “tastes like Honey Nut Cheerios.”
• Multiple Cheerios boxes were confiscated before Thursday’s Celtics-Knicks game in Boston.
• Knicks owner James Dolan ordered employees to record Anthony’s on-court exchanges.
• Trash talking led to Zinedine Zidane’s infamous head butt in the 2006 World Cup.
• Sports psychologists say trash talking is not productive.
• Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski called Garnett a “needlessly vicious bully” for allegedly calling Charlie Villanueva a “cancer patient.”
• Joakim Noah’s homophobic slur in the 2011 playoffs led to a $50,000 fine.
• The New York Post on the rich history of trash talking.

Hang Up and Listen’s weekly candy bars:

Mike’s candy bar: The Savage School of Physical Education made for some great sports headlines. Their athletes weren’t bad either.

Stefan’s candy bar: Everything you need to know about backwards running and world record holder Ferdie Adoboe.

Josh’s candy bar: The Lindenwood University shooting team has won nine straight collegiate Clay Target Championships.

Podcast production and edit by Mike Vuolo. Our intern is Eric Goldwein.

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.