200 episodes

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.

Hot Takedown FiveThirtyEight, 538, Neil Paine, Geoff Foster, Sara Ziegler

    • Sports
    • 4.6 • 210 Ratings

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.

    Football Is Weird, Part Infinity

    Football Is Weird, Part Infinity

    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.

    • 1 hr 3 min
    Analytics, But From The Gut

    Analytics, But From The Gut

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

    • 54 min
    It's Anybody's World Series

    It's Anybody's World Series

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

    • 52 min
    Why Our Model (Still) Hates The Lakers

    Why Our Model (Still) Hates The Lakers

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

    • 54 min
    Championships, Random-ships

    Championships, Random-ships

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

    • 51 min
    The Dodgers Need A Reseed

    The Dodgers Need A Reseed

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

    • 48 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
210 Ratings

210 Ratings

EBMG1981 ,

Please come back!

Looked forward to this show every week…golf conversation and all. Please come back in 2022. It would add some good news to a year needing it.

Fivethirtyeight fan ,

Not in a rush to try a second episode

I tried listening to Hot Takedown recently for the first time, but found it more like an episode of Car Talk than any Fivethirtyeight podcast I’d heard. All the panelists made frequent jokes, laughed at their own jokes, or paused after telling jokes to wait for their colleagues to join in the laughter. I don’t remember what the topic was, but the panelists were too busy cracking each other up to discuss it in any detail. It was clear after 10 minutes that it would be much more efficient to look up the topic in the New York Times, the Athletic, or another serious sports site. Maybe I’ll try listening to Hot Takedown again sometime, but for hosts laughing at their own jokes, give me Car Talk any day.

BTGoldberg ,

Miss this show already!

Hot Takedown was my favorite sports podcast. I’m really missing Sara, Neil, and Geoff especially now that there is an MLB Lockout. I need a rabbit hole on previous lockouts and stoppages.

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