Thanks to daily Covid testing and regimented protocols, the new football season is underway. Meanwhile, most teachers, students, and parents are essentially waiting for the storm to pass. And school isn’t even a contact sport (usually).
Yesterday
How to Be a Double Unicorn, with John Urschel | Better in Person
He was thriving in the N.F.L., but then he decided to focus on mathematics — a subject he now teaches at M.I.T. John walks Stephen Dubner through the whole story, teaches him some blocking techniques, and explains why some infinities are bigger than others. If you'd like to see t ... Show More
32m 32s
Sep 11
686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?
For decades, teams have tried (and mostly failed) to predict which college quarterbacks will thrive in the pros. Is the science finally catching up? Stephen Dubner speaks with a scout, a psychologist, a data warrior, and a Hall of Fame quarterback who nobody wanted. SOURCES:Scott ... Show More
58m 20s
Apr 2021
Part 3: The Band Bus Quarantine
Last fall, as Odessa High School brought some students back to campus with hybrid instruction, school officials insisted mask wearing, social distancing and campus contact tracing would keep students and faculty safe. And at the beginning of the semester, things seemed to be goin ... Show More
36m 22s
Jun 2020
Coronavirus in the Delta, Episode 6: Delta State
College football is practically a religion in Mississippi. And for the players, it's life. As Covid-19 upended their world, the teammates at Delta State struggled to find structure and support for an off-season like no other. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices ... Show More
33m 1s
Mar 2021
Part 2: Friday Night Lights
In 1988, a high school football team in Odessa, Texas, was so good that it became the inspiration for a book, movie and, eventually, the television series “Friday Night Lights.” And in the decades since, as West Texas has weathered the unsettling undulations of the oil industry, ... Show More
43m 59s