Only A Game Senior Producer Gary Waleik offers his thoughts on the music featured in this week’s show.

Louisville, Kentucky native Emily Foerster brought competitive fun to her hip neighborhood when she started the “Spleling Be”, a spelling contest for adults. Bill Littlefield reports on the competition that allows community members to get in touch with the ghosts of spelling bees past.

Bill Littlefield reads letters from listeners.

Bill Littlefield asks Charlie for his winning picks for the NHL and NBA finals. Charlie commends Barry Bonds for an act of kindness and talks about Texas’ legalization of noodling, a sport in which participants catch catfish with their bare hands.

Bill Littlefield explores the tension between enjoying sports and being discouraged by those who run them.

In his book High Strung Stephen Tignor writes about the rivalry between John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg. While McEnroe was defined by his wild behavior, Borg was concerned with protecting his reputation as a consistent and unflappable player. Bill Littlefield talks with Tignor about the very different approaches that McEnroe and Borg took to tennis.

The Charlotte Motor Speedway has added a new attraction to get fans in the seats this year: the world’s largest HD video screen. The screen is 200 feet wide and 80 feet tall, making it wider and taller than the White House. NASCAR hopes that the screen will create an experience that surpasses what fans get at home through television, the Internet and their phones, and therefore will attract more people to the Speedway.

Mardy Fish is the lone remaining standard-bearer for the U.S. on the men’s side of the French Open. Bill Littlefield talks to Sports Illustrated’s L. Jon Wertheim about the American presence in the tournament.

The Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat are gearing up for the start of the NBA Finals on Tuesday. Bill Littlefield talks to Sports Illustrated NBA writer Chris Mannix about the upcoming series and his prediction about who will win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The NHL Stanley Cup Finals are set to begin on Wednesday. The well-rested Vancouver Canucks are enjoying the unfamiliar joy of being considered the favorites to win it all. Bill Littlefield talks with hockey guru Helene Elliott of the LA Times.