Welcome to this week’s episode of Hot Takedown, our podcast where the hot sports takes of the week meet the numbers that prove them right or tear them down. On this week’s show (Nov. 3, 2015), we ask whether the Kansas City Royals won the World Series or the New York Mets lost it. We also preview the NBA’s Western Conference and where FiveThirtyEight’s CARMELO NBA player projections rank Kobe Bryant this season. Plus, a look at New Zealand’s victory in the Rugby World Cup with Brett McKay, ESPN Scrum writer and host of The Cheap Seats podcast. And a Significant Digit on a New York City Marathon streak.
Stream the episode by clicking the play button, or subscribe using one of the podcast clients we’ve linked to above. Video, bonus audio and links to what we discussed are below.
How many times did the Mets blow it?
- The vine of LeBron James and Dion Waiters that Chadwick Matlin mentions on the show.
- Rob Arthur on the best Royals team ever.
- Neil Paine breaks down the cost of leaving Matt Harvey in the game.
- FiveThirtyEight’s NBA preview.
- ESPN breaks down the stats in New Zealand’s Rugby World Cup victory.
- Brett McKay on the difference between rugby in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere.
- Significant Digit: 38. That is the longest New York City Marathon streak held by a woman. Connie Brown, at 71, finished her 38th marathon; her time was 5:50:44.
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