Hang Up | The WNBA’s Fever Dream

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4.4 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 27 May 2025

⏱️ 73 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

One week into a new WNBA season, hosts Alex Kirshner, Ben Lindbergh chat with co-host Lindsay Gibbs about Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, and what’s ahead in the league’s looming collective bargaining talks. Then tennis writer Ben Rothenberg joins to preview the French Open and break down key storylines on and off the court. Later, the hosts tackle the future of the controversial "tush push" in the NFL. Lindsay wraps up with an Afterball on the persistent pay gap between men and women in tennis. WNBA (3:04): It's still the Caitlin Clark show. French Open (23:59): Will Sinner return to domination Tush Push (45:44): The Eagles' favorite play is here to stay Afterballs (57:28): The long and continued history of sexism in tennis (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Want more Hang Up and Listen? Subscribe to Slate Plus to immediately unlock weekly bonus episodes. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page, or visit slate.com/hangupplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	It is Tuesday, May 27th, 2025.
0:09.6	Welcome back to Hang Up and Listen, the sports podcast here at Slate.
0:12.9	Back with you yet again.
0:14.3	I am Alex Kirshner.
0:15.5	I'm a contributing writer for Slate, and I co-host College Football Podcast split zone duo.
0:20.8	Fun show for you this week.
0:22.0	We're going to talk about year two of Caitlin Clark in the WNBA and other WMBA matters.
0:27.5	That season has gotten off to a fast start, both on the court and in terms of people watching Clark's games.
0:32.6	We'll also talk with the acclaimed tennis writer, Ben Rothenberg, about not just the French Open and a potential
0:38.8	Yannick Sinner versus Carlos Alcaraz collision course, but also the antitrust case that is
0:43.9	roiling professional tennis in the backdrop. And because we cannot resist, we'll talk about the survival
0:49.0	of the tush push, that quarterback sneaking mass play that the Philadelphia Eagles have basically
0:54.0	perfected.
0:55.0	Most of the NFL wanted it banned, but you need more than most to bake a cake.
0:59.6	As usual, joining me this week is Lindsay Gibbs, the publisher of PowerPlays,
1:03.3	a newsletter that covers the biggest stories of the moment in women's sports.
1:06.4	Lindsay, how are you?
1:07.7	I'm doing really good, Alex.
1:09.4	I am still stuck on last Wednesday night. I know it's
1:13.2	been a while. And the noise that came out of my mouth when that Tyrese Halliburton shot fell into
1:19.4	the net after going up into the rafters of MSG. I've never made that noise before. It was not a
1:26.1	noise. I knew I could make. And honestly, I'm still just replaying that moment. I love sports so much.
	...

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