Booksketball

The podcast where we pit literary characters against popular athletes to determine who would triumph in a mundane everyday challenge.

Booksketball 28: Goneril & Regan & Cordelia vs. Tara VanDerveer & Dawn Staley & Adia Barnes 04/02/2021

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/18577637

Booksketball 27: Holden Caulfield vs. Tom Brady 02/04/2021

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/17816198

Booksketball 26: Anna Dostoevskaya vs. Muffet McGraw 04/03/2019

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/9247847

Booksketball 25: Elle Deluca vs. Elena Delle Donne 09/12/2018

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/7035637

Booksketball 24: Air Bud vs. Diana Taurasi 09/04/2018

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/7002896

Booksketball 23: Katniss Everdeen vs. Hilary Knight 02/22/2018

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? /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/6288355

Booksketball 22: Gale Hawthorne vs. Adam Rippon 02/08/2018

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! /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/6238286

Booksketball 21: The Hunger Games vs. The Winter Olympic Games 02/02/2018

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/6216766

Booksketball 20: Dragons Who Love Tacos vs. The Monstars 01/04/2018

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 . 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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/6114625

Booksketball 19: Scarlett O'Hara vs. Aly Raisman 11/23/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5974095

Booksketball 18: Macbeth & Macduff vs. Brad Stevens & Gordon Hayward 11/03/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5906573

Booksketball 17: Firepaw vs. Colin Kaepernick 10/19/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5855328

Booksketball 16: Bertha Mason vs. Tim Duncan 09/28/2017

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: /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5785366

Booksketball 15: Laura Ingalls Wilder vs. Jared Campbell 09/14/2017

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 ) in this action-packed, 3-challenge showdown. Baaaaaaa. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5738824

Booksketball 14: Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom vs. Jim Harbaugh 09/05/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5706948

Booksketball 13: Miss Trunchbull vs. Jay Cutler 08/17/2017

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." /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5651082

Booksketball 12: Mary Katherine Blackwood vs. Kathrine Switzer 08/03/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5605542

Booksketball 11: Buck vs. Michael Phelps 07/20/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5557742

Booksketball 10: Jeeves vs. Jimmy Butler 07/06/2017

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! /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5511429

Booksketball 9: Fictional Derek Jeter vs. Derek Jeter 06/22/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5470742

Booksketball 8: The Yellow Wallpaper Lady vs. J.B. Mauney 06/15/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5450299

Booksketball 7: The Corleone Family vs. The Andretti Family 05/25/2017

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! /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5388212

Booksketball 6: Vronsky vs. Secretariat 05/11/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5346431

Booksketball 5: The Wizard of Oz vs. Theo Epstein 04/27/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5303378

Booksketball 4: Hester Prynne vs. Carl Yastrzemski 04/12/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5258920

Booksketball 3: Brother & Sister Bear vs. Reggie & Cheryl Miller 03/31/2017

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. /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5221144

Booksketball 2: Karana vs. Luol Deng 03/23/2017

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! /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5196155

Booksketball 1: Pip vs. Martellus Bennett 03/15/2017

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? /episode/index/show/booksketball/id/5161460

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