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In this week’s episode of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Stefan Fatsis, Mike Pesca, and Josh Levin discuss the historic Australian Open victories for Roger Federer and Serena Williams and how their matchups with Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams reflect the sustained dominance of tennis’s oldest stars. Then, Sports Illustrated’s Tim Layden joins the show to talk about his article on Somali American athlete Lopez Lomong and the sports ramifications of President Trump’s ban on immigrants from seven majority-Muslim countries. Finally, they talk to Rod “He Hate Me” Smart and director Charlie Ebersol about the new documentary This Was the XFL.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
- Serena Williams defeated her sister Venus at the Australian Open to win her 23rd grand slam title.
- Roger Federer earned his 18th major title by beating rival Rafael Nadal.
- Carl Bialik examines the prolonged dominance of tennis’s oldest stars for FiveThirtyEight.
- The Ringer explains why old tennis players still dominate the sport.
- In 2013, Federer lost to Nadal in Cincinnati after failing to challenge Nadal’s final shot, which was out.
- Tim Layden’s Sports Illustrated story on the response of Lopez Lomong, a U.S. Olympian and Lost Boy of Sudan, to Trump’s executive order.
- The New York Times report on the far-reaching ramifications of Trump’s refugee ban in the world of sports.
- Mo Farah, the British Olympic star, U.S. resident, and Somalian by birth, reacted to Trump’s executive order on Facebook.
- Sports Illustrated examines how Trump’s immigration policy could affect the NBA and its players.
- The refugee ban creates an added challenge for Los Angeles’ 2024 Olympic bid.
- Follow Charlie Ebersol on Twitter.
- Read reviews of This Was the XFL on Sports Illustrated and Yahoo News.
- Read the Wall Street Journal’s retrospective on the XFL and SB Nation’s oral history of the league.
- The 2001 New York Times report on the XFL delaying Saturday Night Live.
- Stefan’s 2001 article on the demise of the XFL for the Wall Street Journal.
- Rod Smart explains his “He Hate Me” nickname in a 2001 XFL promo.
Hang Up and Listen’s weekly Chuckwagons:
Mike’s Chuckwagon: Expect the best quarterback in the Super Bowl to be on the losing team.
Stefan’s Chuckwagon: Nike should create a Seven Nation Games: a mini-Olympics for the predominantly Muslim nations covered by Trump’s executive order.
Josh’s Chuckwagon: The extremification of sports requires the addition of trampolines. See Slamball and Ultimate Dodgeball.
On this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Stefan, Mike, and Josh discuss Carmelo Anthony and whether his tenure with the Knicks is coming to a close. Visit slate.com/hangupplus and try it free for two weeks.
Podcast production and edit by Patrick Fort.
Our intern is Adam Willis.
You can email us at hangup@slate.com.
