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Episode 175b: Still Remembering When Jan 10, 2017

Show notes

Since 2016 had so much stuff to remember, Ben and Courtney split Episode 175 into two pieces so they could make it all more manageable. Here's the second part, which covers (more or less) late April until the end of the year.

Lots in there, to be sure, so be sure to chew carefully. And if there's still something worthwhile which we forgot (and there almost certainly is), let us know on Twitter or Facebook!

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR175b!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 175a: Ana, Auckland, and Anamneses Jan 03, 2017

Show notes

It's our Season 6 premiere! This is our 217th episode, and golly do Ben and Courtney have lots to reflect on before we get started with 2017. Time to look back to move forward.

First, we look back at the career and legacy of Ana Ivanovic, who played excellent tennis at times and was a joy to be around always. We discuss the role she plays in our separate and joint tennis origin stories, and what made her such a welcome presence on tour. Then, Ben chats with Auckland tournament director Karl Budge about running a tournament that has attracted increasingly star-studded fields (including Serena, Venus, and Wozniacki this year), and the differences between running ATP and WTA events.

Then we get into the meat of the show, which is our annual nostalgia trip known as "Remember When...?" It's so meaty this time that we need to carve it into two pieces, so this #175a will be followed by #175b in the near future.

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread! Engage with other listeners), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR175a!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 174: Kvitova and Kicking Back With Questions #2 Dec 25, 2016

Show notes

After recording the show earlier this week, Ben and Courtney shelved it and then retopped it to address the shocking news of the knife attack which wounded Petra Kvitova's left hand. We discuss the implications it will have, then move on to the main part of the show, which is all of your wonderful (and very varied) Kickstarter questions. From Djokovic to doubles to dissolving countries, we touch 'em all.

Hope you enjoy, and have some shiny, happy holidays!

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR174!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 173: Kicking Back With Questions #1 Dec 08, 2016

Show notes

With the off-season upon us, Ben and Courtney curl up into their mailbag of questions and use it to keep warm through the winter, while at the same time answering its contents to share the warmth of tennis to all who listen. Gosh I hope no one read that paragraph, it was not our best.

Questions come from all sides on general tennis topics such as: Legacy padding! Bro Culture! Sustaining fledgling pro careers! Singles and doubles specializations! And conflicts of interest!

If you are someone who still has some show-based Kickstarter reward you're waiting on, we'd love for you to message us with your ideas so we can deliver them to you post haste!

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR173!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 172: Stuffed With Gratitude Nov 22, 2016

Show notes

The tennis season, save for that pesky Davis Cup final, is finally over, and so Ben and Courtney digest it (before the heavier duty digestion of Thanksgiving) by discussing who the men's player of the year should be. Andy Murray is the year-end #1 after winning London, but there's a sturdy case to be made for Novak Djokovic, too.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, Ben and Courtney then serve themselves heaping helpings of thankfulness for things we treasure in tennis and beyond. It's a gravy boat of gratitude.

To close, Courtney likes a movie and Ben's rant...disappeared?

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR172!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 171: Regime Change Nov 12, 2016

Show notes

The world has undergone some changes since Ben and Courtney last spoke. Firstly, as this is a tennis show, we guess, we discuss new ATP #1 Andy Murray, what his ascendancy to the top of the rankings means for his career and legacy, and also how alarmed/confused we should be about Novak Djokovic's slide and his enlistment of an unorthodox spiritual advisor.

Also, we briefly wrap up Courtney's trip to Singapore, and the unlikely winner there, Dominika Cibulkova.

Then, in an expanded rant/feelings segment, we talk about the new man soon to be atop the United States government, and our emotions about that. We have several.

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR171!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 170: The Boys Are Back in Town Nov 02, 2016

Show notes

After a WTA-centric episode last time, Ben catches up on the ATP side of the equation this week with special guest Ricky Dimon, fresh off his running the Marine Corps Marathon this past weekend in Washington. After a brief contemplation of the round-robin format after another champion in Singapore went 1-2 in group play, we dive into how this unusual (and underwhelming?) season of men's tennis is wrapping up, especially in regard to the unexpected disappearance of Novak Djokovic.
Will Murray pass Djokovic for #1 before year's end? And would an entirely different octet of players be better in London? Also, we discuss the race for the final few spots in London, and the trend of homogenized slow court speeds around the tour.
And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR170!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 169: Steve Simon (and the Streams) Oct 29, 2016

Show notes

With the WTA season wrapping up in Singapore this week, there's no better time to check in with women's tennis boss Steve Simon, who is finishing up his first full year as the tour's chief executive. It's been a turbulent year in tennis, at times, but Simon also made waves of his own this fall by expressing interest in revamping the tennis scoring system to shorten singles matches, including eliminating third sets in lieu of super tiebreaks. Speaking to Ben by phone from Singapore on semifinal Saturday, Simon discusses that as well as other various tour quandaries, including what, if anything, the WTA has planned to cover for its exodus from the ATP Media controled streaming platform, TennisTV, starting in 2017.

Speaking of streaming, we then shift to an issue that more affects the journalistic side of the equation: the live streaming of press conferences. After a snippet of the Steve Simon's State of the WTA address via the WTA Insider podcast, We bat around the topic in a roundtable with two NCR favorite guests, Reem Abulleil and Simon Cambers.

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR169!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

(This episode title is not a band name...yet.)

Episode 168: Sinking, Tanking, and Politicking Oct 20, 2016

Show notes

Ben and Courtney are reunited at last, and have lots to catch up on. First, how is WTAsia doing? What to be made of Kerber's underwhelming fall swing, and Serena's (again) nonexistant one?
Also, we discuss Djokovic's increasingly worrying malaise, Kyrgios' finally cracked down upon tanking, and whether or not players should discuss politics.
Lastly, the highs and lows of air travel.
And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR168!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

Episode 167: The Sharapova Resolution Oct 12, 2016

Show notes

NCR is back after an unforeseen delay (our apologies), and we start by catching up with the conclusion of the Maria Sharapova meldonium case, as Ben welcomes back guest Richard Ings, who had previously discussed Sharapova's positive test with us back on Episode 145A when she announced it back in March. What have we learned over the course of this case? How much should this affect Sharapova's reputation, and should she be labeled a "cheater"? What can ITF do to prevent its athletes having similar pitfalls in the future? All that, plus transparency, TUEs, and more.
Reading material referenced in this episode:

The initial ITF decision against Sharapova
The CAS decision overturning the ITF decision and reducing ban from 24 to 15 months.
Ben's interview with Sharapova in the New York Times
ESPN's Outside the Lines report critical of tennis anti-doping systems.

And as always, thanks for liking us on Facebook (leave comments on the episode thread!), following us on Twitter (discuss this episode with hashtag #NCR167!), and subscribing/reviewing on iTunes or whatever your podcasting app/platform of choice may be.

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