Hang Up and Listen: The King of the (Chess) World Edition
Slate’s sports podcast on Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, Alex Rodriguez’s battle with MLB, and world chess champion Magnus Carlsen.
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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 Tom Brady and Peyton Manning on the occasion of the Patriots’ 34-31 overtime win against the Broncos. They also discuss Alex Rodriguez’s battle with Major League Baseball. Finally, they are joined by chess champion and author Jennifer Shahade to discuss 22-year-old Norwegian Magnus Carlsen’s coronation as the new world chess champion.
Here are links to some of the articles and other items mentioned on the show:
- The Patriots defeated the Broncos on Sunday night, overcoming a 24-point halftime deficit.
- This was the 14th matchup between Manning and Brady, a rivalry that has already seen a number of memorable games.
- The Patriots’ victory has muted debate over Bill Belichick’s decision to kick off to start overtime, but the Patriots players thought the decision “was crazy.”
- Grantland’s Bill Barnwell observes that the criticisms lobbed at Manning early in his career now apply to Brady. He noted last year that players’ early playoff performances can have a disproportionate effect on their reputations.
- Alex Rodriguez’s arbitration hearing ended last week, with A-Rod proclaiming, “We crushed it. … They had nothing.”
- Bob Raissman of the Daily News was critical of Mike Francesa’s interview with Rodriguez, calling it a “pure love fest.”
- Grantland’s Jonah Keri described the theatrical nature of the proceedings.
- Also in Grantland, Charles P. Pierce argues the arbitration represents A-Rod and Bud Selig’s battle to salvage their respective legacies.
- The Miami New Times initially broke the Biogenesis steroids story in January.
- Jennifer Shahade’s website. She is the author of the books Chess Bitch and Play Like a Girl!
- Magnus Carlsen defeated Viswanathan Anand last week to become the second-youngest chess world champion.
- The New York Times explains that Carlsen won thanks to a pivotal move in the penultimate game.
- The Times of India declares Carlsen “a genius who'll only get better."
Hang Up and Listen’s weekly Bullfrog Gambits:
Mike’s Bullfrog Gambit: On the Canadian Football League’s Grey Cup and the 46-hour bus ride one fan took to get there.
Stefan’s Bullfrog Gambit: The mental health of chess champions and one interviewer’s preoccupation with the topic.
Josh’s Bullfrog Gambit: The strange NFL rule that rewards teams for committing penalties.
Podcast production and edit by Mike Vuolo. Links compiled by Casey Butterly.
You can email us at hangup@slate.com.