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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 New England Patriots’ epic comeback win in Super Bowl LI and the Atlanta Falcons’ astounding collapse. Charles P. Pierce, the author of Moving the Chains: Tom Brady and The Pursuit of Everything, joins to discuss Brady’s politics and the ethics of cheering for the Patriots. Finally, SB Nation’s Spencer Hall comes on to diagnose the Falcons’ fan base and explains why blowing a 25-point lead was quintessentially Atlanta.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
- Josh’s Slate story on the Atlanta Falcons’ catastrophic Super Bowl collapse.
- The New York Times’ report on the Patriots’ fifth Super Bowl win of the Tom Brady–Bill Belichick era.
- ESPN’s Bill Barnwell explains how the Patriots found new life in the second half of the Super Bowl.
- Julio Jones and Julian Edelman had two of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history.
- Follow Charles P. Pierce on Twitter and read his book Moving the Chains: Tom Brady and the Pursuit of Everything.
- With Sunday night’s win, Brady tied Peyton Manning for the most combined Super Bowl rings and NFL MVP awards.
- Fans booed Roger Goodell at the Lombardi Trophy ceremony.
- In Slate, Jack Hamilton provides the apologetics of Patriots fandom in the age of Trump.
- Follow Spencer Hall on Twitter.
- The Ringer breaks down the Falcons’ collapse.
- The Falcons’ fourth-quarter game plan should have been simple.
- Jeff Schultz calls the Falcons’ loss “a new low for Atlanta” in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Hang Up and Listen’s weekly Xplosions:
Mike’s Xplosion: Craig James quoting Snoop Dogg was the real Bowling Green massacre.
Stefan’s Xplosion: The much-praised Buffalo News story on retired NFL kicker Björn Nittmo is bad journalism.
Josh’s Xplosion: A few potential titles for Stefan’s imaginary XFL book.
On this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Stefan, Josh, and Mike debate who had the greatest title comeback of the year, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Chicago Cubs, or New England Patriots.
Podcast production and edit by Patrick Fort.
Our intern is Adam Willis.
You can email us at hangup@slate.com.