Hang Up and Listen: The Hate, Hope, and Hockey Edition
Slate’s sports podcast on Selection Sunday, I Hate Christian Laettner, NFL free agency, and the imploding Toronto Maple Leafs.
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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 talk about Kentucky’s undefeated run, NCAA tournament snubs, and the new ESPN documentary on college basketball’s greatest villain ever, Christian Laettner. They also discuss the ludicrous amount of player movement during the NFL’s free agency period, and Bruce Arthur joins the show to assess the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and how the franchise became a disaster on ice.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
- The Kentucky Wildcats are an even money favorite to win the NCAA title.
- Comparing Texas and UCLA to Murray State and Colorado State.
- Deadspin’s Barry Petchesky says the NCAA has revealed its preference for name-brand schools.
- NPR on the new ESPN documentary I Hate Christian Laettner.
- A GQ Q&A with Laettner.
- ESPN’s John Clayton runs through the NFL’s biggest offseason moves.
- Grantland’s Bill Barnwell on “The Chip Kelly Gamble.”
- Bryan Curtis in Grantland on the NBA’s trade rumor era.
- The National Post’s rundown of the year’s many Toronto Maple Leafs controversies.
- Bruce Arthur’s Toronto Star column on bad times for Toronto sports fans.
- The Maple Leafs have not been good for a very, very long time.
Hang Up and Listen’s weekly fringe bubbles:
Mike’s fringe bubble: What is going on in this Joe Lunardi commercial for Insurgent?
Stefan’s fringe bubble: In praise of Bhutan’s soccer team, which won the “other final” in 2002.
Josh’s fringe bubble: The three worst things about the NCAA tournament: people talking about their brackets, coaches’ bonuses, and Seth Davis’ green juice.
On this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca discuss their picks for the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Slate Plus members get an ad-free version of this podcast with bonus segments. Visit slate.com/hangupplus and try it free for two weeks.
Podcast production and edit by Mike Vuolo.
You can email us at hangup@slate.com.