The WNBA Finals, the decline of the New England Patriots, and Diana Nyad on Hang

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the Athletic’s Sabreena Merchant to talk about the WNBA Finals matchup between the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty. Aaron Schatz of the FTN Network also joins to discuss the badness of the New England Patriots and whether Bill Belichick’s job is at risk. Finally, Defector’s Dave McKenna comes on for a conversation about swimmer Diana Nyad and the adversary committed to exposing her as a fraud.

• Support Hang Up and Listen by subscribing to Slate Plus.

• Read Sabreena Merchant in the Athletic and listen to her on the Athletic Women’s Basketball Show.

• After the Aces’ Game 1 win, Merchant wrote about Las Vegas guard Jackie Young. Before the series, she wrote about the rivalry between A’ja Wilson and Breanna Stewart.

• The WNBA is expanding to the Bay Area and (maybe) Portland.

• Read Aaron Schatz at FTNfantasy.com.

• ESPN’s Bill Barnwell says the New England Patriots are one of the NFL’s six worst teams.

• The Washington Post’s Mark Maske says letting Bill Belichick go would be the Patriots Way.

• Read Dave McKenna’s story in Defector, “Diana Nyad’s Swimming Brought Her Glory, Fame, and an Adversary Dedicated to Exposing Her Lies.”

• In the Los Angeles Times, Josh Rottenberg wrote that the swimmer’s “exaggerations” have “cast a pall” on a new biopic about Nyad starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster.

• Read Daniel Slosberg’s blogs, Nyad Fact Check and Diana Nyad Fact Check Annex.

Hang Up and Listen’s weekly hamburger flipper:

Stefan’s hamburger flipper: The Miami Hurricanes are the latest team to lose a game after failing to take a knee, going back to the New York Giants and the Miracle at the Meadowlands in 1978.

On this week’s bonus segment, Stefan, Josh, and FTN Network’s Aaron Schatz discuss whether San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is the real deal.

Podcast production and edit by Kevin Bendis.

You can email us at hangup@slate.com.