Talking Tennis with Taro Daniel

Taro Daniel joins The Big Chill Podcast to talk about life as a professional tennis player. Taro speaks about the reality of life on the ATP Tour, including how much players outside of the top 50 actually make and the logistical challenges of a tennis career. He also goes into details about tennis academy life in Spain, the improvements in NCAA tennis, and sponsorships and gear. Plus, he sheds light on how players reacted to Jannik Sinner's positive drug tests, rule changes he would like to see, and if players are right to be upset with electronic line judges at Wimbledon.

The European heatwave has forced Eddie to finally give in and buy himself an air conditioning unit, but will it cool his apartment? The heat has been causing issues at Wimbledon, but was Taylor Fritz right to be upset that his first-round match was stopped by the curfew? And weather has been a factor at the FIFA Club World Cup, but Eddie thinks that Manchester City, Inter Milan, and some of the other big sides will be secretly pleased with their early exits.  Malik Beasley is the latest NBA player to be caught up in a betting scandal, but was the Detroit Pistons' player fixing games? Or just padding his stats? And did the end of 'The Rehearsal' season 2 live up to the early promise?   

A review of all things Royal Ascot 2025, including the weather, the winners and losers, and Vas' unique communication style. In the NFL, Aaron Rodgers has announced that this will be his last season, but what inspiration can Tyrese Haliburton draw from the Steelers quarterback when it comes to recovering from an Achilles injury? The Oklahoma City Thunder won the NBA title, but the big sports news of the week is Lyon being relegated from Ligue 1 after going into administration. What does this mean for the future of French football, and is this a sign of things to come?  Plus, Frank's bluff gets called by Delta as he finds himself downgraded, the Netflix documentary on the Oceangate disaster, and Eddie gets an inside-the-park home run on a bunt in his softball league. 

It's National Donut Day, but Eddie is afraid that public donut consumption might make it back to Frank. But how should he handle poor gym etiquette and an awkward sauna encounter? Ange Postecoglou is gone at Tottenham, but were Spurs right to get rid of a manager who delivered their first European success and got them back in the Champions League, even if the Premier League season was disastrous?  Plus, the Pittsburgh Steelers sign Aaron Rodgers, Kurts Adams Rozentals causes a splash in Olympic Canoeing with his OnlyFans, and the finals of Roland Garros serve up a tasty treat in both the men's and women's draws. 

PSG put in a dominant performance to beat Inter Milan 5-0 in the 2025 Champions League final, but has the aftermath in Paris tainted the celebrations? Eddie explains the damage to the city and why that may overshadow the good performances from Doué, Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, and company.  Plus, JJ Watt insists on using mate when talking about Formula One, the Enhanced Games sets records that nobody cares about, and how much of 'The Rehearsal' is real?

In this episode of the Big Chill Podcast, Frank and Edward discuss adjusting to life in Minnesota, the challenges of organizing a softball team, and the competitive spirit in casual sports. There's also news from the NFL, including the Stefon Diggs controversy, and has this Premier Season brought an end to the 'Big Six', and where will Cristiano Ronaldo end up next?  Plus, the problem with Season 2 of 'The Last of Us' and why Eddie is not planning on watching 'Sinners'.

With the football season wrapping up, the FA Cup Final revealed more problems with VAR. And how does Erling Haaland's decision not to take a penalty impact his reputation as a pure goalscorer? Liverpool may have won the Premier League, but Eddie thinks the Trent Alexander-Arnold situation has revealed their supporters' true colors.  Plus a catch-up on the NBA and NHL Playoffs, some interesting rule changes in the NFL, and Eddie might finally get his way as there are talks of promotion and relegation coming to College Football. 

Frank has completed his move to Minnesota, but his trip included a strange encounter with a man in a bathroom. And Eddie has plenty of food recommendations following his weekend in San Sebastián. Pete Rose's posthumous admission to the baseball Hall of Fame show that the MLB is taking a different approach to handling disgraced former players, but is it the right one?  Plus, reaction to last week's Champions League Semifinals as Barcelona and Inter Milan served up a classic and PSG's triumph over Arsenal means that Mikel Arteta's side are facing a very disappointing season. And Bill Belichick's relationship drama continues to get attention, but will it prove to much of a distraction during his first season in North Carolina?

Liverpool wrapped up the Premier League and secured their 20th top-flight title, but Eddie doubts they'll be able to repeat the feat next season. Wrexham's promotion from League One also puts them one step closer to the Premier League, but the Championship may be their toughest test yet. The Cleveland Browns finally halted Shedeur Sanders' slide down the 2025 NFL Draft in the 5th round, but is there any justification for the accusations of racism or bias behind the drop? Eddie and Frank think it had more to do with his talent than his personality.  Plus, the Last of Us 2 season 2 is in full swing, but is Bella Ramsey capable of taking the lead from Pedro Pascal, and why have the writers made Ellie so unlikeable? 

Fan favorite Vas has found himself in another complicated dating situation, but does he have a chance? And the NFL Draft threw up a couple of surprises, but were the Browns right to trade down? Will Shadeur Sanders go in the second round? And did the New York Giants make the right move at quarterback? We're then joined by Rudy Gestede, Head of Football Operations at Blackburn Rovers, to talk about his role at the club, potential promotion from the Championship and a return to the Premier League, transfer budget management, and the supporter backlash and unrest.