Can We Keep Our Early Baseball Takes Cool?
Hot Takedown looks at the start of the baseball season and previews the WNBA draft.
Apr 13, 2021•51 min
Hot Takedown
Hot Takedown is the weekly sports podcast from FiveThirtyEight. On it, the crew uses numbers to dissect the week in sports, taking down some silly hot takes in the process.
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Episodes
An End To The Madness
Hot Takedown surveys the NCAA Tournament results and previews The Masters. Plus special guest Harry Enten brings an MLB Rabbit Hole.
Apr 06, 2021•52 min
All Hype Is Good Hype
Hot Takedown looks at the NCAA tournament's Elite Eight and previews the baseball season.
Mar 30, 2021•52 min
The NCAA Is Bad At Capitalism
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.
Mar 23, 2021•52 min
Let's Pick Our Brackets
Hot Takedown looks at both NCAA tournament brackets and picks our Men and Women's Final Four.
Mar 16, 2021•52 min
A Year Of Pandemic Sports
Hot Takedown looks back at how sports adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plus: a 16/16 Rabbit Hole.
Mar 09, 2021•50 min
Why's Everyone Writing Off The Jazz?
Hot Takedown discusses where Tiger Woods' legacy goes from here and the surprising (regular season) success of the Utah Jazz.
Mar 02, 2021•49 min
Osaka's Rise Doesn't Mean Serena Is Done
Hot Takedown talks through the results of the Australian Open and previews March Madness. Yes, it is almost March.
Feb 23, 2021•51 min
Grading The NHL's Start On And Off The Ice
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.
Feb 16, 2021•50 min
How The Bucs Sunk The Chiefs
Hot Takedown breaks down Super Bowl LV: how the Buccaneers dismantled the Chiefs' offense and what this win means for Tom Brady's legacy.
Feb 09, 2021•51 min
Baby GOAT vs. Grizzled GOAT
Hot Takedown previews Super Bowl LV and discusses the tensions between MLB owners and players.
Feb 02, 2021•49 min
The Analytics On Being Aggressive
Hot Takedown discusses the NFL conference championship games and the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Jan 26, 2021•50 min
One Super Bowl Win Isn't Enough Anymore?
Hot Takedown discusses Drew Brees' legacy and James Harden's first days with the Brooklyn Nets.
Jan 19, 2021•49 min
Alabama Was The Unstoppable Force AND The Immovable Object
Hot Takedown reflects on Alabama's title win and how sports will keep intersecting with politics after Trump.
Jan 12, 2021•50 min
Ohio State Made The Committee Look Good, And Bad
Hot Takedown discusses the College Football Playoff finals and the NFL super wild card round. Plus: a Steph Curry-flavored Rabbit Hole.
Jan 05, 2021•49 min
Let's Stuff 2020 Down A Rabbit Hole
Hot Takedown closes out the year with three different Rabbit Holes: QB picks, 2020 chalk, and games played on odd weekdays.
Dec 29, 2020•52 min
New Year, New RAPTOR
Hot Takedown breaks down our NBA predictions this year and everything wrong with the college football playoff. Plus: A Negro Leagues Rabbit Hole.
Dec 22, 2020•55 min
Along Came A (Cleveland) Spider
Hot Takedown discusses the Cleveland Baseball team's name change and the College Football Playoff. Plus: A Rabbit Hole 11 seasons in the making.
Dec 15, 2020•52 min
The Jets' Tank Is Empty
Hot Takedown looks at tanking in the NFL and the Wall-Westbrook trade in the NBA. Plus: a chaotic good Rabbit Hole.
Dec 08, 2020•51 min
Hard To Play Football Without A Quarterback
Hot Takedown looks at the NFL's uneven attempts to manage the pandemic and a historic first for college football.
Dec 01, 2020•55 min
College Basketball Tries To Stay Positive (And COVID-Negative)
Hot Takedown looks at the challenges ahead for the upcoming college basketball season. Plus: a Rabbit Hole inspired by Theo Epstein.
Nov 24, 2020•52 min
The NBA's Not-Normal November
Hot Takedown covers the big trades ahead of the NBA draft and Kim Ng's hiring as GM of the Miami Marlins.
Nov 17, 2020•52 min
What's Wrong With The NFL's Best Teams?
Hot Takedown breaks down the top five NFL teams according to our model and talks about the prospects for the College Football Playoffs.
Nov 10, 2020•53 min
All Podcasts Are Political
In an election special, Hot Takedown explores the influence of politics on sports, and how money from sports makes its way into politics.
Nov 03, 2020•54 min
Belichick Is Fresh Out Of Magic
Hot Takedown discusses the World Series so far and the divergent fortunes of the Patriots and the Buccaneers. Plus: a sartorial tour through championship patches in the Rabbit Hole.
Oct 27, 2020•54 min
More Moneyball, More Problems?
Hot Takedown discusses all things World Series: how the Dodgers and the Rays got here and who we think will win.
Oct 20, 2020•52 min
The Lakers Burst The Heat's Bubble
Hot Takedown discusses the NBA finals and the MLB postseason. Plus: a Rabbit Hole with its own mascots.
Oct 13, 2020•52 min
Bill O'Brien Set His Own Hot Seat On Fire
Hot Takedown talks about the teams struggling in the NFL and about the excellent WNBA finals. Plus: a championship ring Rabbit Hole.
Oct 06, 2020•52 min
MLB's Sweet Sixteen
Hot Takedown previews baseball's unusual postseason as well as the NBA finals. Plus: a southern-fried hockey Rabbit Hole.
Sep 29, 2020•52 min
Week Two Of The NFL Hurt
Hot Takedown looks at this week's wave of injuries in the NFL and why our predictions still discount the LA Lakers. Plus: a Padres Rabbit Hole 14 years in the making.
Sep 22, 2020•57 min
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