The You Get a Trophy Just for Listening Bonus Segment

The wimpiest sports podcast in America defends your right to get a participation trophy.

By Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca

150903_PLUS_HUAL-trophies — You get a trophy! And *you* get a trophy! And *you* get a trophy! Everybody gets a trophy!

This podcast extra is free to all readers to preview our membership program, Slate Plus. Visit slate.com/hangupplus to learn more.

In their Aug. 17 Slate Plus bonus segment, Hang Up and Listen’s Josh Levin, Stefan Fatsis, and Mike Pesca discuss participation trophies, a supposed scourge that even NPR-listening softies point to as a sure sign of American decline. Josh, Stefan, and Mike were reacting to recent anti–participation trophy comments made by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison.

I came home to find out that my boys received two trophies for nothing, participation trophies! While I am very proud of my boys for everything they do and will encourage them till the day I die, these trophies will be given back until they EARN a real trophy. I'm sorry I'm not sorry for believing that everything in life should be earned and I'm not about to raise two boys to be men by making them believe that they are entitled to something just because they tried their best...cause sometimes your best is not enough, and that should drive you to want to do better...not cry and whine until somebody gives you something to shut u up and keep you happy. #harrisonfamilyvalues

A photo posted by James Harrison (@jhharrison92) on Aug 15, 2015 at 10:09am PDT

To access each week’s Hang Up and Listen bonus segment, visit slate.com/hangupplus and try Slate Plus free for two weeks.