The Jacobin Sports Show

The NBA slaps Suns' owner Robert Sarver on the wrist after decades of racist/sexist/bullying behavior. Hockey Canada somehow finds a way to embarrass itself even beyond paying hush money to victims of rape. And listener emails wanna know what we make of the Toronto Raptors organization plus how much money can someone have before inevitably becoming a rich asshole.

Matthew & Jonah consider the overreaction to the Queen's death in both sports and the world at-large. That plus feelings re: MLB's new rule changes, the MLBPA joins the AFL-CIO and it's hard to see why that even matters, our admittedly premature NBA feels as far as title contenders, and a reminder that Margaret Court is basically Marge Schott with a forehand. 

Matthew praises the now-retired Serena Williams as the greatest athlete they've ever seen. We then move on to less admirable characters, including Gilbert Arenas & the bizarre slander directed Giannis Antetokounmpo's way, the callous look of the Buffalo Bills in light of the Matt Araiza rape charges, Barcelona soccer modeling how different the world of debt is for the rich than the rest of us,...

We share our feelings after the deaths of two sports icons. We lament the continuing grotesquerie that is Pete Rose. Are the Arizona Cardinals racist for telling Kyler Murray he needs to study more? Plus the EPL season gets underway, the marvel that is Sabrina Ionescu and more, including Jonah singing the Hartford Whalers song.

Why are the Knicks the only team in sports that bans the press from press conferences? How realistic are the Donovan Mitchell trade rumors? How is Russell Westbrook becoming like Jason Voorhees? Plus beating the dead horse that is MLB's All-Star Game and Matthew & Jonah discuss whether it's fair to bodyshame Elon Musk.

Matthew talks with Jonathan Macri of Knicks Film School fame about life as a working sportswriter. What led Jonathan to trade practicing law for pontificating about basketball? How do the professional demands of the job create incursions into one's personal life? How are the biggest positives & negatives he's encountered in the business one and the same? The last few minutes we talk about the...

NBA free agency is underway & we have you covered, including but not limited to: Kevin Durant & Kyrie Irving's long-running soap opera introduces a new twist as both now want out of Brooklyn -- but is either player likely to yield the return the Nets seek?; in defense of Jalen Brunson to the Knicks; where do the Celtics stand after adding Malcolm Brogdon; loving the Rudy Gobert trade more...

The NBA Finals are over, but there's plenty to dissect. Jonah tells the story of nearly coming to blows with a Warriors fan at Game 4. Matthew dreams of a better world, one where the athletes and coaches who actually do the work get their hands on the trophy before their billionaire bosses. Plus information on the JSS Patreon page. Please subscribe if you can! 

Tommy Pham slapping Joc Pederson -- and the reactions to the story -- show how in one way sports media has grown over the years, and in another nothing's changed. What's at stake for Golden State and Boston in the NBA Finals? How are the two NHL conference finals not at all alike? How did English footballers strike an unintended blow for the nerds against the jocks? And what to say of an ugly scen...

Matthew & Jonah debate the sporting & human implications of Man City winning another EPL title. The Celtics and Heat are midway through alternating blowouts; where might the series turn? Plus the question of whether Arsenal missing out on 4th place in England may have impacted the Denver Nuggets' front office, and who does Josh Donaldson think he's kidding after calling the White Sox Tim A...

This episode dives into the results of the NBA's second round of the playoffs while looking ahead to its final four. We also talk about British politicians attacking Liverpool fans for daring to boo a monarchy that's repeatedly screwed them over, Jonah's dismissal of Pep Guardiola's complaints about the English press and Matthew's eternal flame of joy at Man United's struggles. There's also an eve...

In which we discuss the second round of the NBA playoffs, whether basebrawls are regressive acts of violence or progressive expressions of workers' rights, how Liverpool Football Club is like the USSR, and the NFL draft. Jonah also breaks Matthew's brain by setting him straight on a Godfather 2 misunderstanding. Follow the Jacobin Sports Show on Twitter: @JacobinSports Email us: jacobinsports@gmai...

Are Celtic fans within their rights to rain hate down on Kyrie Irving? Is Liverpool an underdog against Manchester City? Are the resurgent Mets good news or worthy of scorn? Matthew and Jonah disagree on these points and more. Follow the Jacobin Sports Show on Twitter: @JacobinSports Email us: jacobinsports@gmail.com

Destanni Henderson, Alyiah Boston, Dawn Staley, and the University of South Carolina women's basketball team handle Paige Bueckers and the University of Connecticut to take home the national championship. On the men's side, Jonah and Matthew feel different feels for departing Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. Will MLB choke on the excess of its capitalist vomit, i.e. can Steve Cohen's spending overcome...

We open with the slap heard 'round the world, then talk about the Robert Williams III injury and its implications, and LeBron's injury and performance with the Lakers. We discuss the great Phoenix Suns at length and fail to figure out who and what Kyrie Irving missed most of the season for. Plus a quick run through Will Smith's filmography, where Matthew confesses his life-long Will Smith secret t...

With the British government forcing Roman Abramovich to sell Chelsea after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, do they next turn their gaze to Manchester City and its ownership? Is this sudden stance a sign of progressive values on the rise in sports, or yet another instance of Western hypocrisy? What's left to say after the Deshaun Watson trade to Cleveland? All that and so much more. Follow the J...

Matthew and Jonah talk about old-school names dominating the headlines this week—Kevin Garnett and various Ubuntu Celtic beefs quashed in light of his number being retired; Tom Brady, socialist icon, deciding to re-join Tampa Bay shortly after announcing his retirement; Major League Baseball ending its lockout and moving toward a new season. Put on your JNCOs and flannels and take a trip down memo...

The Athletic's Antonio Morales talks about the rising cost of everything that goes into raising a five-star college quarterback. Jonah and Matthew discuss Roman Abramovich's decision to sell Chelsea, the MLB lockout, and the crashing and burning L.A. Lakers. Time-stamp highlights include the Morales interview (8:50), the village it takes to raise an elite QB prospect (13:30), how figure skaters mi...

Super Bowl LVI is in the books. How was such a hyped-up game that wasn't decided till the final 30 seconds somehow still so boring? How was the halftime show emblematic of why late-stage capitalism sucks? We also review the NBA trade deadline and what some of the big moves could mean for the near-future. Follow the Jacobin Sports Show on Twitter: @JacobinSports Email us: jacobinsports@gmail.com

We welcome John Schneider to discuss his fascinating articles about Tom Brady being a truly inspirational socialist icon. The conversation turns to the MLB Hall of Fame vote, where Matthew and Jonah disagree completely about whether PED cheats belong in the Hall. We close with NBA trade deadline talk. John Schneider co-hosts the Lefty Specialists podcast and writes Undrafted at Substack . Follow t...

This episode covers all the bases and then some: Which famous economist most deserves a hug? Should the NFL change its overtime rules? If the Cleveland Cavaliers offered a good package of young talent for LeBron James, would the Lakers do it? Why is defending champ Milwaukee struggling? How is Manchester City like the Wehrmacht? All this and much more! Follow the Jacobin Sports Show on Twitter: @J...

A very special episode with former NBA player and poet/writer/activist Etan Thomas. Etan's latest book, Police Brutality & White Supremacy: The Fight Against American Traditions , dives into the tradition and enshrinement of police brutality against Black people and talks with activists, allies, police, and media members about why and where action is needed, as well as concrete proposals to co...

The year's final episode returns to its roots by talking NBA: the league's handling of the Omicron outbreak, Jonah's ironic sympathy for the Lakers' struggles (one he does not extend to Manchester United's), the surprises in this year's standings and the hosts wondering what they'd if certain celebrities—alive and dead, sports-related and not—turned up at our non-existent house on the Rhine. Follo...

Mark Schindler and Crina Mustafa join and discuss being a fan of a team/sport while also covering them. Is it best to keep those sides separate, or have standards changed to where the fan/worker duality is acceptable, even beneficial? How is the culture of fans in New York City different from Toronto; how is that different from Cleveland or Indiana? We also brainstorm what changes we'd like to see...

Why are Knicks fans so boastful after less than a year of competence? What's behind Aaron Rodgers' anti-vaccine comments? Why is it appropriate to keep Henry Ruggs' humanity in mind? Why won't Jonah write off the Lakers? What did Matthew once say in a packed courtroom that pissed off the judge? All this and more!