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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 discuss the latest innovation in college sports evildoing: programs trying to fine players for committing penalties and losing equipment. They also interview 81-year-old track star Irene Obera, the age-group world-record holder in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 80-meter hurdles, and 200-meter hurdles. Finally, they review the latest season of the HBO series Hard Knocks, starring the Houston Texans’ cuss-tastic head coach Bill O’Brien and American hero J.J. Watt.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
- The Virginia Tech football program was fining players for missing classes, drawing personal foul penalties, and “improper equipment.” The school’s athletic director says the practice has now been discontinued.
- Cincinnati is also pondering fining players.
- ESPN.com’s Lester Munson on the legality of fining college athletes. The New York Times’ Marc Tracy has a different take.
- The AP’s Ralph D. Russo on the history of football coaches withholding perks.
- The AP explains how cost-of-attendance figures are calculated.
- In Deadspin, economist Andy Schwarz says “the NCAA has always paid players.”
- The National Labor Relations Board declined to rule on whether Northwestern football players can unionize.
- Irene Obera won seven gold medals at the World Masters Athletics Championships.
- Obera’s Wikipedia page.
- Obera was ranked No. 1 in the world in six events in 2014.
- A profile of Obera in the San Francisco Chronicle.
- More profiles of Obera.
- A New York Times photo essay on masters athletes.
- Grantland’s recaps of the first, second, and third episodes of Hard Knocks.
- ESPN goes behind the scenes of this season of Hard Knocks.
- The Wikipedia page for Hard Knocks.
- Stefan’s 2008 Slate piece argued that “Hard Knocks doesn’t tell the whole truth about the NFL.”
- The Houston Chronicle reports that J.J. Watt is a hero.
- Watt’s 9,000-calorie-a-day diet.
- The time Watt stopped off to give a speech to young football players.
- Texans coach Bill O’Brien doesn’t want his mom to see him curse.
Hang Up and Listen’s weekly Pewaukees:
Mike’s Pewaukee: Evaluating the claim that “Marco Rubio likely is the biggest Miami Dolphins fan ever to run for president.”
Stefan’s Pewaukee: Baseball manager John McGraw’s thoughts on married baseball players.
Josh’s Pewaukee: Before Russell Wilson’s nanobubbles, there was Michael Cage’s juicer.
On this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment, Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca are joined by Allison Benedikt from the podcast Mom and Dad Are Fighting to discuss the best strategies for taking your kids to sporting events. Visit slate.com/hangupplus and try it free for two weeks.
Podcast production and edit by Zack Dinerstein.
You can email us at hangup@slate.com.