Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss last week’s bizarre and pandering World Cup draw with The Athletic’s Adam Crafton. Next, the team talks about the obviously controversial College Football playoff rankings, and finally the latest in an antitrust trial that involves NASCAR and Michael Jordan. 

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the gang talks about the Oklahoma City Thunder’s potentially historic rise to the top 

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

Read Jordan Bianchi's explainer for The Athletic on the upcoming week in the NASCAR antitrust trial.

Why Notre Dame will probably be back in the College Football Playoff next year.

Adam Crafton in The Athletic on FIFA's long courtship of Donald Trump:

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss Lane Kiffin’s latest dramatic exit, leaving Ole Miss for LSU right before a playoff run. Then, CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander explains the big money behind the launch of the new in-season college basketball tournament, the Players Era. Finally, the panel looks at two NBA legends: Chris Paul (nearing retirement), and LeBron James (somehow finding another gear).

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the ups and downs of Arch Manning’s first season.

Lane Kiffin (4:51): Won’t be Miss’d

College Basketball (22:25): A new mid-season tournament

LeBron (46:18): The undying career

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh speak with the Athletic’s Paul Tenorio on why Apple TV and MLS revised their deal and removed the paywall for viewers. They’re then joined by Massachusetts state senator John Keenan about his proposal to regulate online sports betting and why he’s changed his views on the issue. Finally, they wrap with a discussion of Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, the young hockey phenoms leading the NHL in scoring. Lindsay has an Afterball on the one New York team that is actually good: Gotham FC.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the abysmal football on display from both the New York Jets and Giants.

Apple and MLS (6:00): Tear down the wall

Regulating Big Gaming (25:41): Mass. state senator John Keenan wants to rein in sports betting

Hockey’s Young Guns (51:36): Shooting it out for the Art Ross trophy

Afterballs (1:07:04): The Bats win it

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh speak with Yahoo Sports writer Dan Devine about the fallout from the Luka Dončić trade and the subsequent sacking of GM Nico Harrison in Dallas. Then Slate’s Nitish Pahwa joins to unpack the latest dispute between Disney and YouTube TV and what it means for the future of sports streaming. Finally, the Ringer’s Danny Chau stops by to discuss Victor Wembanyama’s breakout season and whether this could be the year he carries the Spurs back to the playoffs.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses Shedeur Sanders' far-from-stellar  NFL debut.

Nico Harrison gets the boot (3:02): The Dallas collapse is complete

Disney vs. YouTube (26:12): What was behind the recent clash of the streamers

Wemby (42:52): The rise of the unguardable?

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Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Knicks superfan and X-Ray Vision host Jason Concepcion for a discussion on Zohran Mamdani’s Knicks fandom and the team’s presence in the mayoral race. The panel turns to yet another major betting scandal – this time in Major League Baseball. Later, journalist Nathan Fenno joins to explain the wave of high-profile burglaries targeting professional athletes.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about Project B and the future for women’s basketball around the world.

Brunson for Mayor (4:27): The Knicks and New York politics

Guardians players indicted for gambling (23:27): Baseball stars face charges for prop bets.

Sports burglaries (45:52): The rash of robberies targeting pro athletes

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Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss what was possibly the greatest World Series of all time. Then they’re joined by Matt Brown, the publisher of Extra Points, to break down the competing Republican and Democratic proposals that could reshape the future of college sports. Finally, the Hang Up podfather Josh Levin returns to introduce his new sports history podcast, Replay Booth, and shares an Afterball about a forgotten baseball hero.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses how the National Women’s Soccer League continues to lose players to European teams.

The World Series (6:28): Yamamoto heroics

College Sports and Politics (27:28): Why Texas billionaire Cody Campbell might be interrupting your Saturday football viewing experience

Josh is back! (47:48): Levin returns to tell us about his new podcast, Replay Booth

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh discuss the federal indictments of NBA players and coaches for gambling incidents and how the ubiquity of online betting plays a role.. Then the panel is joined by the host of the Ringer’s F1 podcast, Megan Schuster, to discuss the excitement and drama heading into the final stretch of the Formula 1 season. Finally, they finish with a mid-season NFL check-in.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel discusses the San Francisco Giants hiring a college baseball coach as their new manager, a first in MLB.

Gambling and the NBA (2:47): Chauncey Billups and Terry Rozier have been indicted

F1 (21:56): Can Verstappen eke out another championship?

NFL (38:14): Could Daniel Jones really be an MVP

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Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by Nate Silver, founder of FiveThirtyEight and Silver Bulletin, to discuss his new NFL prediction model “ELWAY” and what it reveals about an unpredictable football league. Later in the show, OG Hang Up host Stefan Fatsis returns to talk about his new book on the dictionary, “Unabridged: The Thrill of and Threat to the Modern Dictionary,” and to share some of his favorite sports word definitions. The panel also previews the upcoming NBA season. Stefan sticks around to give a throwback style introduction to Ben's Afterball on the goofy mule-kicker comedy “Gus”.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel has GOAT talk aboutShohei Ohtani.

NFL (3:54): The tricky world of football forcasting

NBA (26:33): Will Wemby be great?

Fatsis is back! (45:18): The prodigal host is unabridged

Afterballs (1:05:08: Hee-haw

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh are joined by the Times’s Martyn Ziegler to explain the ripple effects of the Gaza ceasefire on UEFA and Israeli soccer. Then, The New York Times sports reporter Ken Belson joins to unravel the continued drama surrounding Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show and the backdoor dealings of NFL owners. Finally, the hosts ask if the Seattle Mariners are this year’s team of destiny? Ben’s Afterball looks at NHL superstar Connor McDavid’s surprising “hometown discount” to stay in Edmonton.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel talks about Penn State’s $50 million coaching fumble

UEFA vs Israel (3:42): Trump makes nice with the European soccer

Bad Bunny (15:36): Ken Belson on the NFL’s MAGA gamble

MLB Playoffs (37:04): Big Dumper keeps dumping!

Afterballs (51:00): McDavid chases the Cup over big money.

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Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

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Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Lindsay Gibbs, and Ben Lindbergh speak to Slate’s Nitish Pahwa about prediction markets and the legally gray future of gambling. Then they turn to college football and Bill Belichick’s messy start at UNC. The panel wraps with a discussion of Napheesa Collier’s recent criticism of WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert and the backlash it caused.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Bad Bunny hits the Super Bowl halftime stage!

Prediction Markets (3:35): Kalshi’s big bet

Belichick (25:12): The greatest coach keeps laying eggs

WNBA (41:06): Collier vs. Engelbert

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at [email protected].

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

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Hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh, and Lindsay Gibbs speak to Fried Egg Golf’s Kevin Van Valkenburg about the American crowds, President, and golf lapses at the Ryder Cup. Ben previews the MLB playoffs, and the hosts discuss the purchase of Electronic Arts by Jared Kushner and a Saudi investment fund. For Afterballs, Ben dusts off a copy of Robert Redford’s oft-forgotten and underrated ski film, Downhill Racer.

On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, Lindsay recounts the drama of the WNBA semifinals.

Ryder Cup (6:18): American losers

MLB (26:19): Mets gonna Mets

E.A. Sports (42:33): It’s in the…sovereign wealth fund?

Afterballs (54:18): Remembering Downhill Racer

(Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.)

Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or visit slate.com/hangupplus for access wherever you listen.

You can email us at [email protected].

Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices