Episode 10: The NBA Finals - Dynasty and Legacy

"I used to joke that if you could bottle all the emotion in a basketball game, you'd have enough hate to fight a war, and enough joy to prevent one."

Bill Russell

Jack and Ben crossover the Atlantic once more to talk about some people even taller than they are. Ahead of next week's NBA Finals, they dive into the stories of legendary ballers, iconic matchups, and how the NBA grew into the global, star-studded behemoth it is today.

We talk heroes of the past including the legendary Bill Russell and his battles with long term adversary (but never rival) Wilt Chamberlain, the changes David Stern made to the game and his impact on it, Michael Jordan (of course) as well as coaches Phil Jackson and Steve Kerr getting a mention too, the latter in particular not just for his rings but also due to his politics and pro-gun control views.

We discuss why basketball, more than perhaps any other sport, lionises the individual over the team. What other sport can players be identified so readily by their mononymous titles: Shaq, Kobe, Michael, Steph, Lebron, Magic, Kareem, Giannis and their like?

So whether basketball sparks joy, hate or simply curiosity within you, this episode will help you learn how and why it is what it is today.

Episode 9: The UEFA Champions League Final - Football’s Night of Nights

Jack and Ben are back in their wheelhouse this week as they dive into the biggest night in European club football - the UEFA Champions League Final.

From contentious calls to unforgettable comebacks, tactical brilliance to glorious chaos - this is the night where legends rise, dreams shatter, and history unfolds in 90 minutes (or more). Expect goals, drama, and miracle moments: Zidane’s majesty, United’s last-gasp heroics, Bale defying gravity, and of course, Istanbul.

There are dark days to discuss too - disasters at Heysel and Munich, as well as frank discussions on the history of British Exceptionalism and how it held back the English game - and how influenced other nations to prove them wrong. And on whether the competition - for all its undoubted merits - holds the same romance of the FA Cup, or even its predecessor, the European Cup.

So lace up your boots, cue the anthem, and get ready for the drama that only the Champions League can provide. Football, bloody hell.

Episode 8: The Monaco Grand Prix - The Jewel in the Formula One Crown

Jack and Ben are in the glamour and glitz of Monaco this week for the 82nd running of the most famous race on the Formula One calendar - The Monaco Grand Prix.

Expect more mentions of crashes and failures than of overtaking as they discuss the merits and criticisms of wide cars racing around narrow streets - it is a race that simply wouldn't exist if it wasn't for its history. But what a history it is...

From crashes into the harbour, mysterious first winners with incredible backstories, the dominance of Graham Hill and the emergence of Ayrton Senna, through to races no one wanted to win, others stopped too early and a home town hero coming good after years of toil. Monaco somehow both never fails to deliver even whilst so often being a procession.

This is the Monaco paradox: a race that's deeply flawed, yet emotionally irresistible.

So fire up your engines, roar past Casino Square and prepare yourself for the bright light of the Nouvelle Chicane, this is an event like no other through the unforgiving, untouchable and unforgettable streets of Monaco.