Lately I've been listening to a bunch of podcasts on my way to work. I listen to all the usual stuff, like Hockey Central at Noon and Hockey Today and Marek vs. Wyshynski, and a dozen other hockey ones when they all update, but because the season is over the podcasts are sadly drying up.

I've had to turn to my original sport, ballet, to keep me occupied. I kind of love the Balancing Pointe podcast because it's smart (run by a lawyer) and about smart people (ballerinas are overachievers in all kinds of ways), and also gossipy. You wouldn't believe the amount of intrigue and drama in your average ballet company -- or maybe you would, because if you're reading this, you're the fan of a hockey team.

And so it made me wonder.

What would a ballet podcast be like if it were run by, say, Jeff Marek and Greg Wyshynski? And further, what if people covered ballet in the same way they covered hockey?

I think it would be kind of cool.

This is where my imagination led me:

MAREK VS WYSHYNSKI PODCAST 3 OF THE BALLET POST-SEASON

Wysh: -- And we're once again starting this episode of Marek versus Wyshynski in media res, In fact, I think we were just talking about your new unitard -- it's Capezio, right. Can't beat them for durability, or so I hear. Gotta keep up that barre work in the summer, Jeff, or people are going to question your authority to even talk about ballet.

Jeff: [laughter] Yeah, like "Do you even do developpes, bro?" I get that all the time. "Why would a wrestling guy talk ballet?" But anyway -- that's why we're here today, it's just past graduation, and we're wrapping up the season by talking about MY favorite topic, next year's stars.

Wysh: As always. Well, let's start with the East, since we know that the East has a corner on the market for strongest dancers, companies --

Jeff: Yeah... I don't mean to knock the West. I mean, we can't forget about the quality of dancers from San Francisco Ballet, who have what is arguably the best Nutcracker since --

Wysh: Now don't start. I know how you get about the Nutcracker, and we have to agree to disagree about that. I just prefer the Russian version, is all. Nothing beats Petipa's version for pageantry and spectacle -- and that's what it's about. It's about playing to the kids, and that's how it should be.

Jeff: Just because you can't stray from the Russian version doesn't mean there can't be other interpretations. Balanchine's is still the best, for me --

Wysh: Hey. He's Russian!

Jeff: OK, so now we're going THERE, eh? Fine, he's Russian, he's still the father of American ballet, end of story. ANYWAY. Let's get started with our real topic. Did you hear about the latest crop from the School of American Ballet in New York? This is a deep class, Wysh. The front runner right now is Alston McGill -- you shoulda seen her in that William Tell pas de deux -- talk about athleticism!

Wysh: Yeah, I've been hearing her name for a while now. Didn't you talk about her before? She's got a strong pointe, right? Strong turn? I hear her footwork is just a little slow, though.

Jeff: Yeah -- she's not quite small enough to have that crisp bourrée yet, but ... here I gotta say, Misty Copeland's done a lot for opening up the league to larger women, women without that "ballet body" as they say. So there's time for McGill to improve, even if she's not the smallest of dancers.

Wysh: That's just it. At what point do you say, "You can't teach size," and just let the tall ones go? I guess Copeland is the forerunner in that regard.

Jeff: I can't say enough things about Copeland. Being the first African-American prima at the American Ballet Theater -- I can't believe it's 2015 and we're saying this. But that means that she's shockingly, shockingly good.

Wysh: She...has gotta have the most powerful grand jete that I've ever seen. Talk about explosive -- she's such a powerhouse in those legs. But back to the prospects. Who else did you notice?

Jeff: How about the name Emma Von Enck, ring a bell? She's actually out of Texas, which is getting to be almost as big a source of young dancers in America as, say, Minnesota is for American hockey.

Wysh: Ice hockey or field hockey?

Jeff: ...You American you.

Wysh: You Canadian you.

Jeff: Anyway, her technique is developing by leaps and bounds from where she was at the Royal School in Texas -- but what struck me most is that she's so clearly in love with dance. That's what you've gotta spot, when you're looking at prospects. If the love isn't there, then they won't go that extra step, and it's so clearly there for Von Enck.

Wysh: Interesting. Any guys impress?

Jeff: Weeeell, you know how it is for guys in dance, the prospect pool is just never as deep. Fuller was good. Grant was energetic but he's got some work to do on his accuracy.

Wysh: Yeah. Like finding a clean penny in the subway.