Hot Takedown

Whether you love him or hate him or are somehow completely indifferent, you've probably spent at least some of the last 20 years thinking about Tom Brady. Brady has altered friendships, families and communities. He's changed the trajectory of careers and reputations, enabled fairy tale dreams to be both realized and dashed. 'Man In the Arena' is a new 10-part series from ESPN and Religion of Sports that looks at those two decades of Brady through the eyes of the fans and the haters, those in the arena and those outside. Host Gotham Chopra grapples with these big themes, while grounding the podcast in his personal relationship with Tom and his journey from a Brady fan to Tom's friend.   Using Brady's improbable comeback against the Falcons, and all his other come-from-behind victories, this episode looks at the role probability plays in our lives.   GUESTS: Neil Paine from 538, Doug Kezerian from Daily Wager, Alessandro Bonatti, game theorist from MIT, plus two coaches from the "greatest high school football game ever played." Listen on Apple Podcasts (https://apple.co/3FgQalz), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3c6q4oB), or search "Man In the Arena" wherever you're listening now.

In our last Hot Takedown, the team looks at NFL chaos from this week and college basketball chaos to come. Plus: a Rabbit Hole with a curse.

Hot Takedown discusses the World Series and a new college football playoff format. Plus: a Rabbit Hole that has all of the sports.

Hot Takedown discusses the World Series and the Chiefs' woes. Plus: a RATPOR Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown discusses our NBA predictions and the MLB playoffs. Plus: a Rabbit Hole all about first (and second) wins.

Hot Takedown discusses this last week in the NFL, MLB, WNBA and College Football and previews the NHL. Plus: A Rabbit Hole for losers.

Hot Takedown discusses the MLB playoffs and Cincinnati's CFB playoff chances. Plus: a special guest joins us for a family-themed Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown discusses Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick and the chaos in college football.  Plus: a Rabbit Hole on what's wrong with match play.

Hot Takedown discusses the Ravens' win over the Chiefs and the WNBA playoffs. Plus: a Rabbit Hole that's quite the catch(er).

Hot Takedown discusses Week 1 in the NFL and the latest no-hitter in MLB. Plus: a Rabbit Hole that messes with Texas.

Hot Takedown talks through our NFL predictions. Plus a WNBA at 25 Rabbit Hole.  

Hot Takedown surveys the college football landscape and the results at the Paralympics. Plus: an immaculate (inning) Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown discusses Miguel Cabrera's 500th home run, the Little League World Series and the fall of Topps in our all-baseball extravaganza. 

Hot Takedown discusses the NL East and the NFL preseason. Plus an interview with author Greg Larson.

Hot Takedown looks back at the Tokyo Games and looks ahead to Lionel Messi at PSG. Plus: a Rabbit Hole on the comeback of the eephus pitch.

Hot Takedown looks at the MLB trade deadline and Olympic Gymnastics. Plus a record-setting track Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown discusses the latest college football conference realignment and mental focus in the Olympics. Plus: a team name Rabbit Hole in honor of the Cleveland Guardians.

Hot Takedown discusses the Tokyo Olympics and the NBA Finals. Plus: an expansion draft Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown looks back at Game 3 of the NBA Finals and the MLB All-Star break. Plus: A rant about English soccer, as a treat.

Hot Takedown previews the NBA Finals and the controversies ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

Hot Takedown discusses MLB's crackdown on sticky stuff and the NBA conference finals. 

Hot Takedown discusses the implications of the Supreme Court ruling in NCAA v. Alston and the NBA Conference Finals. 

Hot Takedown looks at the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Brooks-Bryson rivalry ahead of the U.S. Open. 

Hot Takedown looks at Julio Jones's move from Atlanta to Tennessee and checks in on the NBA Playoffs. 

Hot Takedown discusses Naomi Osaka’s exit from the French Open and the NBA playoffs. 

Hot Takedown looks at no-hitter trend in MLB and the success of older athletes like Phil Mickelson. 

Hot Takedown looks at the start of the NHL and NBA playoffs. Plus: a Rabbit Hole that puts age before beauty in MLB.

Hot Takedown reflects on Albert Pujols exit and previews our WNBA predictions. 

Hot Takedown reviews NFL draft grades and discusses the NBA play-in tournament. Plus a Rabbit Hole about the past (and future) of tanking.

Hot Takedown discusses the top quarterbacks, after Trevor Lawrence, in the NFL draft as well as the hype around the Knicks. 

Hot Takedown looks at how a Super League would change European soccer and the state of the NBA MVP race. 

Hot Takedown looks at the start of the baseball season and previews the WNBA draft. 

Hot Takedown surveys the NCAA Tournament results and previews The Masters. Plus special guest Harry Enten brings an MLB Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown looks at the NCAA tournament’s Elite Eight and previews the baseball season. 

Hot Takedown looks at the NCAA's mistakes in this year's women's tournament and big upsets in the first two rounds of the men's tournament.

Hot Takedown looks at both NCAA tournament brackets and picks our Men and Women's Final Four.

Hot Takedown looks back at how sports adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus: a 16/16 Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown discusses where Tiger Woods’ legacy goes from here and the surprising (regular season) success of the Utah Jazz. 

Hot Takedown talks through the results of the Australian Open and previews March Madness. Yes, it is almost March.

Hot Takedown looks at the start of the NHL season and the current state of sports video games. Plus: an MLB free agency Rabbit Hole. 

Hot Takedown breaks down Super Bowl LV: how the Buccaneers dismantled the Chiefs’ offense and what this win means for Tom Brady’s legacy. 

Hot Takedown previews Super Bowl LV and discusses the tensions between MLB owners and players. 

Hot Takedown discusses the NFL conference championship games and the Baseball Hall of Fame. 

Hot Takedown discusses Drew Brees' legacy and James Harden's first days with the Brooklyn Nets.

Hot Takedown reflects on Alabama's title win and how sports will keep intersecting with politics after Trump.

Hot Takedown discusses the College Football Playoff finals and the NFL super wild card round. Plus: a Steph Curry-flavored Rabbit Hole.

Hot Takedown closes out the year with three different Rabbit Holes: QB picks, 2020 chalk, and games played on odd weekdays.

Hot Takedown breaks down our NBA predictions this year and everything wrong with the college football playoff. Plus: A Negro Leagues Rabbit Hole. 

Hot Takedown discusses the Cleveland Baseball team’s name change and the College Football Playoff. Plus: A Rabbit Hole 11 seasons in the making. 

Hot Takedown looks at tanking in the NFL and the Wall-Westbrook trade in the NBA. Plus: a chaotic good Rabbit Hole. 

Hot Takedown looks at the NFL’s uneven attempts to manage the pandemic and a historic first for college football.