Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa retired after his team won the 2011 World Series and partnered with Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to write a book about his 50 years in baseball. La Russa joins Bill to discuss his book and his philosophy as a manager.

This week Nike, Anheuser-Busch, Trek, and RadioShack were among the pack of advertisers pulling away from former cyclist Lance Armstrong. Bill speaks with Michael McCarthy, who covers sports business for Sports Biz USA and Advertising Age.

It’s been a good year for Bay Area baseball fans. The San Francisco Giants reached the playoffs again. And the Oakland Athletics made a surprising appearance in this year’s playoffs. KQED’s Dan Brekke reports on the franchise that battled the best in the American League while its owner angered fans.

The NFL has been labeled the ‘No Fun League’ for its regulation of player conduct, but the NBA may rival this reputation with its new 90-second limit on players’ pre-tipoff routines. Should it now be the “Not Benevolent Association”? Bill talks with Henry Abbott of ESPN’s True Hoop blog.

Bill Littlefield responds to comments from listeners.

Natalie Nakase, a video intern for the L.A. Clippers, wants to become the first female coach in the NBA. ESPN’s Kate Fagan wrote about the former NCAA and professional player, and talked with Bill about Nakase’s work ethic and determination to succeed.

Bill and analyst Charlie Pierce discuss: A-Rod’s time on the bench, Lance’s lost sponsors, and the NHL’s latest Hall of Famer.

As college teams battle for a top-25 designation, Bill Littlefield comments on the nature of college football, the dynamics of the season, and how players feel about their roles as student-athletes.

Only A Game’s Karen Given delves into the world of Canstruction, where architecture, design, engineering, and construction firms spend a Saturday fighting hunger…by building enormous sculptures out of food cans.

Only A Game’s Gary Waleik offers elucidation of this week’s musical choices.