Cheltenham Festival Preview with Emmet Kennedy

The Champions League threw up little by way of surprises, but Liverpool and Barcelona were both lucky to survive scares. Can PSG or Benfica overturn the odds in the second leg and will any of the other ties throw up surprises? Plus, Myles Garrett became the highest-paid non-quarterback in the history of the NFL following his decision to stay with the Cleveland Browns. Around 25 minutes in we are joined by Emmet Kennedy of the Final Furlong Podcast and Talksport to talk about the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. What are the best storylines ahead of the festival and will the heavy favourites come through for punters? Will Constitution Hill get back to his best in the Champion Hurdle. Will Lossiemouth prove too good having chosen to go for the Mares' Hurdle. And will Kopek Des Bordes and Majborough live up to the hype on Day One. Plus, Emmet thinks that Ballyburn, Jonbon, Fact To File, Dinoblue, and Galopin Des Champs should all pass potentially career defining tests. But it's not all about favourite backing, with some tips for every day of the festival. 

Frank makes his long-awaited return to ice hockey, but will McDonald's temporary rebrand as McDavid's help to cool USA-Canada tension? The MLS's reputation has taken a hit as the Houston Dynamos have offered free tickets because of a Messi no-show, and Eddie reacts to the news that the San Francisco 49ers have traded Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders. Plus, the FA Cup failed to deliver any shocks, and Manchester City look primed to avoid a trophyless season. And Blackburn Rovers' latest defeat has seen them slip out of the playoff places, but there's still all to play for in the Championship.  Eddie argues that Timothée Chalamet's acting career might be slightly overrated and Frank is finally all-in on 'The Pitt'. 

Frank's cousin put in a disappointing performance in a college basketball halftime competition, but Eddie thinks it could be reflective of some larger generational issues.  In the world of competitive sport, Liverpool can start planning their Premier League title celebrations, but Manchester City are finally showing some improvement. Frank throws out some possible NFL trades - including potential landing spots for Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Aaron Rodgers.  Plus, Frank's reaction to the first few episodes of 'The Pitt' as the HBO Shows reputation grows as a realistic medical drama. 

Frank is rejected by a former co-host, but would he accept Delta's offer for plane crash victims? It looks like the Premier League title race is all but over following Arsenal's latest slip-up and Liverpool's win over Manchester City, but Eddie thinks that Guardiola and and City could bounce back next season. Plus, the 4 Nations Face-Off delivered drama and entertainment as tensions are high between USA and Canada, but can ice hockey build on the attention? And Severance Season 2 finally got going, but what can we learn from the ethical questions that Innies and Outies face in their relationships and love lives. 

The listeners have raised some concerns over the new logo, but Eddie is here to reassure the fans that it is just a placeholder. The NBA All-Star game served up a another dud, but what can the NBA learn from the NFL and NHL? Eddie is fully on board with Canada booing the American national anthem during the 4 Nations, but Frank is more focused on the hockey.  Plus, Manchester City might finally be showing signs of life in the Premier League, but will Liverpool survive a tough run of fixtures? And Severance continues to slowly reveal itself as a show that might be too smart for its own good. 

In this episode of the Big Chill Podcast, hosts Frank and Edward discuss a variety of topics ranging from sports performances and social media engagement to music trivia and current events in the sports world. They delve into the implications of streaming quality and why Eddie might not have been wrong about his Fox versus Sky Super Bowl 4K quality assessment, have a go at a Valentine's Day quiz, and discuss Minnesota Timberwolves Star Anthony Edwards' latest drama. The conversation also covers the recent Champions League matches and another late slip-up from Manchester City, and the fallout from the Merseyside Derby. They also discuss the current state of Blackburn Rovers after John Eustace became the latest Rovers manager to walk away, the future of Aaron Rodgers in the NFL as his time with the New York Jets comes to an end, and the cultural challenges posed by Saudi Arabia hosting the World Cup. Plus, the latest episode of the series 'Severance' might raise more questions than it is answering, and that could be a problem.

The Philadelphia Eagles manhandles the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, winning 40-22 in a score that flattered the Chiefs. After a long season, the Chiefs' no-show in the Super Bowl means that Eddie feels slightly vindicated, but what's next for Patrick Mahomes after possibly the worst performance of his career? And did the Eagles put together the perfect blueprint for winning the Super Bowl? Their only slight disappointment would be Saquon Barkley getting into the endzone. Plus, President Trump continues to lie, even as he tries to fix the NFL, Eddie recommends 'The Pitt' from Amazon, and Frank is looking forward to getting back into ice hockey.

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs will face off in Super Bowl LIX, but Frank and Eddie disagree on who will come out on top. Can the Chiefs complete the three-peat, or will Saquon Barkley and the Eagles run their way to the Lombardi Trophy. Plus, Eddie rants about the lack of class that Arsenal showed in their 5-1 win over Manchester City and why their 4-0 aggregate defeat to Newcastle United in the League Cup proves that Arteta and his side do need to stay humble.

The Philadelphia Eagles cruised through the NFC Championship game. However, Eddie and Frank still feel that Jayden Daniels and the Commanders have a lot to be optimistic about after a game that could have been slightly closer. But did we see enough from the Eagles to believe that they can dominate both lines of scrimmage in the Super Bowl? Once again, Josh Allen and the Bills came up short in the AFC Championship game, but did the better team win, and were the Kansas City Chiefs helped out by some questionable officiating? Plus, another controversial decision goes against Arsenal in the Premier League, Eddie hates Gladiator 2, and Severance continues to stutter towards intriguing plotlines.

Previews and predictions for both the AFC and NFC Championship games. Jayden Daniels has had a record-breaking rookie season, but both Eddie and Frank agree that the Washington Commanders could make things difficult for the Philadelphia Eagles. The Kansas City Chiefs are seeking their 3rd straight Super Bowl win, but Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills could have too much firepower for Patrick Mahomes. Plus reaction to a set of midweek Champions League games that included an impressive comeback for PSG against Manchester City, Novak Djokovic's acting job against Carlos Alcaraz, and Severance gets off to a slow, but promising, start in season 2.