Booksketball - podcast cover

Booksketball

Janelle Greene and Tami Greenebooksketball.wordpress.com
The podcast where we pit literary characters against popular athletes to determine who would triumph in a mundane everyday challenge.
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Episodes

Booksketball 28: Goneril & Regan & Cordelia vs. Tara VanDerveer & Dawn Staley & Adia Barnes

What do King Lear and the NCAA have in common? Madness! Also, a lot of extremely capable and sometimes frightening women. But which terrifying trio would be able to spend an entire day handling Tami's extremely rambunctious dogs: King Lear's daughters, or this year's female Final Four coaches? Join Janelle and Tami as they avoid gouging any eyes out as they wildly search for an answer.

Apr 02, 202147 min

Booksketball 27: Holden Caulfield vs. Tom Brady

Bundle up, New Englanders, and put on your single piece of red clothing! We're here to celebrate the Big Game and the Big Fencing Match with the men you hate to love or love to hate. Join Janelle and Tami for this tight 45 minutes of discussion on whether Holden Caulfield or Tom Brady would put together a kid's play kitchen faster. Guest appearances by Little Caesars, Matt Damon, and extensive legal fees.

Feb 04, 202146 min

Booksketball 26: Anna Dostoevskaya vs. Muffet McGraw

Get out your scarves and stamp collections, friends! It's time to celebrate two ladies who do their best to change the game. And also to decide which one of them would win a jello shot Easter egg hunt. So, listener, will literary wife Anna Dostoevskaya or hero of South Bend Muffet McGraw get their hands on more gelatin? Only Janelle and Tami can decide.

Apr 03, 201949 min

Booksketball 25: Elle Deluca vs. Elena Delle Donne

Have you ever read a tween novel? Have you ever tried to say the phrase "tween novel" out loud? Have you ever tried to eat an entire bucket of sour candy? And if you did, would you want to do it with Elle Deluca, thinly veiled fictional version of NBA superstar Elena Delle Donne, or with Elena Delle Donne herself? Join Janelle and Tami as they get hyped up on sugar and figure it out.

Sep 12, 20181 hr 9 min

Booksketball 24: Air Bud vs. Diana Taurasi

WE'RE BACK, SPORTS FANS! And readers. And people who take the time to listen to podcasts that are slightly too long. Would Air Bud, famous basketball dog, or Diana Taurasi, intimidating human woman, be better at returning a crappy lamp to a store? Join Janelle and Tami as they shed some light on this very important subject.

Sep 04, 20181 hr 13 min

Booksketball 23: Katniss Everdeen vs. Hilary Knight

Join Janelle and Tami for the triumphant, patriarchy-crushing Part 3 of this Hunger Games vs. Winter Games trilogy, and finally answer the everlasting question: would Capitol destroyer Katniss Everdeen or Canadian destroyer Hilary Knight be a better partner in a company ping-pong tournament?

Feb 22, 20181 hr 8 min

Booksketball 22: Gale Hawthorne vs. Adam Rippon

Hey, it's part two in a trilogy! That means it's time to get a little dark, a little weird, and have a pretty inconclusive ending. Join Janelle and Tami as they determine... kind of... whether Hunger Games action figure Gale Hawthorne or figure skater Adam Rippon would fare better in a board meeting. Hope you have your PowerPoint slides ready!

Feb 08, 201857 min

Booksketball 21: The Hunger Games vs. The Winter Olympic Games

Gosh, it's chilly here in this post-apocalyptic landscape and/or on top of this ski mountain in PyeongChang! Come enjoy this nice fireside chat, in which Janelle and Tami determine which organized sporting (?) event would serve better food in the concession stands. Nom nom nom.

Feb 02, 201858 min

Booksketball 20: Dragons Who Love Tacos vs. The Monstars

Everybody get up, it's time to podcast now! Here's your chance, do your dance at this podcaaaaaaaast! Alright! In one corner: Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri's fire-breathers with a taste for tortillas . In the other corner: the best characters from 90s sports documentary Space Jam . Listen as Janelle, Tami, and special guest—their brother Derek!—determine which of these groups would be best at surprising their aunt at the airport. WARNING: you'll want to listen to this one at least 37 times....

Jan 04, 201859 min

Booksketball 19: Scarlett O'Hara vs. Aly Raisman

Gone with the Wind 's Scarlett O'Hara and Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman are both known for getting things done . But which one of them has the right mix of firmness and delicacy to help our mom remodel her kitchen? Listen as Janelle and Tami turn this question into an open concept dining room.

Nov 23, 20171 hr 9 min

Booksketball 18: Macbeth & Macduff vs. Brad Stevens & Gordon Hayward

Sure, Scottish dudes Macbeth and Macduff murder other people while Celtic dudes Brad Stevens and Gordon Hayward only murder rebounds, or whatever basketball thing would work in that sentence. But which of these tragic duos would be better at helping you find a book in a used bookstore? Join Janelle and Tami as they wander around the Mystery section.

Nov 03, 20171 hr 11 min

Booksketball 17: Firepaw vs. Colin Kaepernick

Yeah, we're going there. Somewhere deeper, edgier, and more thought-provoking than ever before... the forest where warrior cats live. Which begs the obvious question: would kittypet-turned-warrior Firepaw or quarterback-turned-controversy Colin Kaepernick plan a better vacation? Come listen to Janelle and Tami figure it out, you smelly old Twoleg.

Oct 19, 20171 hr 24 min

Booksketball 16: Bertha Mason vs. Tim Duncan

If you can't stop thinking about islands these days, chew on this: would island-girl-turned-attic-dweller Bertha Mason or quietest man alive Tim Duncan make a better frozen yogurt sundae? Join Janelle, Tami, and Chef Boyardee as they argue about appropriate toppings, and then use the links below to donate to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. (Apologies for the poor audio quality. We promise we haven't permanently moved into the world's crackliest tunnel.) DONATE: Tim Duncan's 21 US Virgin...

Sep 28, 20171 hr 13 min

Booksketball 15: Laura Ingalls Wilder vs. Jared Campbell

Would you rather spend spend seven months surviving blizzards, 60 hours running 100 mountain miles, or over an hour listening to a podcast? Well, you're in luck no matter what. Join Janelle, Tami, prairie goddess Laura Ingalls Wilder, reincarnated soup god and badass Barkley Marathons-er Jared Campbell, PLUS special guests Mike and Ben (from The New Ugly ) in this action-packed, 3-challenge showdown. Baaaaaaa.

Sep 14, 20171 hr 7 min

Booksketball 14: Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom vs. Jim Harbaugh

People who make unfortunate choices: we got 'em in spades in this episode! Would John Updike's tiresome American everyman Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom or too-quirky Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh make you a better hangover breakfast? Join Janelle and Tami as they have... enough... to drink and try to decide who would best help them recover the next day.

Sep 05, 201755 min

Booksketball 13: Miss Trunchbull vs. Jay Cutler

It's about time to plan your end-of-summer grillfest! So, just like every other year, you'll have to decide whether to pick Matilda antagonist-slash-hammerthrower Miss Trunchbull or real life antihero-slash-footballthrower Jay Cutler to be your Labor Day burger chef. Join Janelle and Tami as they put on their brown smocks and yell "I DOOON'T CAAAAAARE."

Aug 17, 20171 hr 19 min

Booksketball 12: Mary Katherine Blackwood vs. Kathrine Switzer

CHUNG CHUNG! Hey, this episode of Law and Order gets real weird. First of all, it's in your ears instead of on a television. Second of all, it's actually about figuring out who would be worse at using emojis: We Have Always Lived in the Castle 's literary creep-o Mary Katherine Blackwood or inspirational marathoner Kathrine Switzer. Join Janelle and Tami as they thumbs down emoji each other. Also: get your update on Tom Hanks' many upcoming movie projects.

Aug 03, 20171 hr 23 min

Booksketball 11: Buck vs. Michael Phelps

You’ve probably read about the upcoming, made-for-TV Great White Shark vs. Michael Phelps battle. Well, bite down on this: we’re putting Mikey in the game early! Against a dog, though. For reasons. So... will Jack London’s fierce canine Buck or dolphin-turned-merman Michael Phelps be better at handing out medals to half-marathon finishers? Join Janelle and Tami in the only corner of the Internet where you could possibly hear this extremely specific argument.

Jul 20, 20171 hr 24 min

Booksketball 10: Jeeves vs. Jimmy Butler

What ho, loyal listeners! It's summertime! Who can best celebrate the season by setting off a rousing display of fireworks: the supremely competent and very British Jeeves? Or the supremely confident and very talented basketballster Jimmy Butler? Join Janelle and Tami as they explore the question of the day and suggest several terrible movie ideas. I say!

Jul 06, 20171 hr 12 min

Booksketball 9: Fictional Derek Jeter vs. Derek Jeter

Finally, a frank discussion around that universal question: How much derek would Derek Jeter jeter if Derek Jeter could jeter dereks? Listen in as Janelle, Tami, and special guests—their dad & stepmom!—figure out whether young fictional Derek Jeter (as featured in books written by New York Times bestselling author Derek Jeter) or real-life baseballer Derek Jeter would be better at taking care of a pair of very needy pugs.

Jun 22, 20171 hr 14 min

Booksketball 8: The Yellow Wallpaper Lady vs. J.B. Mauney

Short story, meet short sport! Will the Yellow Wallpaper Lady finally pipe up and be the first person who says what she wants for dinner? Or will J.B. Mauney bull-ride his way to conversational-gastronomic dominance? Join Janelle and Tami as they argue it out. And remember: it's always a full moon somewhere. That will seem a lot spookier after you listen, probably.

Jun 15, 20171 hr 6 min

Booksketball 7: The Corleone Family vs. The Andretti Family

Did you just hear a gunshot, or was that an engine backfiring? Probably both! Join Janelle and Tami as they decide whether the crime-lovin' Corleones or the car-drivin' Andrettis could do a better job designing a billboard for a local business. Come for the books and sports, stay for the 2017 Indy 500 hype + predictions! Vroom vroom! Mozzarella! Arrivederci!

May 25, 20171 hr 9 min

Booksketball 6: Vronsky vs. Secretariat

Finally, an episode with some real stakes... the Belmont Stakes, that is! Hey-o! Join Janelle and Tami as they dig into the question of whether Anna Karenina-loving Vronsky or record-setting superhorse Secretariat would...gasp... eat crunchy peanut butter. Guest appearances by Air Bud, Feelings about Crunchy Peanut Butter, and Keira Knightley.

May 11, 201759 min

Booksketball 5: The Wizard of Oz vs. Theo Epstein

One of these subjects is a great and powerful mad genius who carries the hopes and dreams of an entire city on his shoulders, and the other one lives in Oz. Join Janelle and Tami as they determine whether Chicago Cubs general manager Theo Epstein or the Wizard of Oz would be best at getting you to the front row of a concert. It's all about hustle, people. Hustle and ice cream cake.

Apr 27, 20171 hr 6 min

Booksketball 4: Hester Prynne vs. Carl Yastrzemski

Hey, what's the deal with New Englanders who stitch red letters onto their clothing? Join Janelle and Tami as they figure out whether infamous Scarlet Letter sinner Hester Prynne or famous Red Sox baseballer Carl Yastrzemski would be better at assembling furniture. Also: learn what not to do at Fenway Park.

Apr 12, 201745 min

Booksketball 3: Brother & Sister Bear vs. Reggie & Cheryl Miller

Down a sunny dirt road deep in Bear Country, Reggie & Cheryl Miller are just dunking on Brother & Sister Bear left and right. But what happens if these two sets of super-siblings have to change a flat tire? Join Janelle and Tami as they take several trips down memory lane to find out.

Mar 31, 20171 hr

Booksketball 2: Karana vs. Luol Deng

What's that off the port bow? A sea creature that can turn into a hammock, or someone's cast-off copy of The Notebook ? Join Tami and Janelle as they figure out why Tami never read Island of the Blue Dolphins , what their family motto should be, and which of this week's subjects could ride a roller coaster until they puke. Blech!

Mar 23, 201750 min

Booksketball 1: Pip vs. Martellus Bennett

In this introductory episode, join Janelle and Tami as they figure out whether the tiresome Pip or the butterfly Marty B would be better at adopting a kitten. Also making appearances: Captain Crunch, Willy Wonka, unicorns, and codfish. Wait, what?

Mar 15, 201741 min
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