Episode 6: The NHL Playoffs and Ice Hockey World Championships – For the Cup. For the Flag. For the Love of the Game.

This week, we're checking out one of the toughest sports on the planet – ice hockey, home to the brawling, bruising, toothless titans of the rink. Jack and Ben skate through the NHL Playoffs, where 16 teams chase (quite literally) the biggest trophy in the sport: the Stanley Cup. Meanwhile, across the globe, another 16 nations face-off for international glory at the IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark.

We explore hockey’s wild history, from mysterious origin stories and fearsome enforcers to, somehow again, Kentucky Derby winners. We unpack the unwritten rules, the culture of fighting, and the darker toll of the game - including the growing conversation around CTE and player safety, illustrated through the turbulent highs and tragic lows of the legendary Bob Probert.

There's even a Cold War era subplot, with tales of invasion, rebellion, and the unifying power of sport in the face of oppression. So lace up and tune in – this is ice hockey like you’ve never heard it before.

Episode 5: The Kentucky Derby and the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing - The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports

This week, Jack and Ben are Stateside once again, heading to Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, for the iconic Kentucky Derby. But it’s not just the history of one legendary event they're diving into - they’re also unravelling the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, as they rein in the facts, tales, and controversies surrounding the greatest and most elusive title in North American horse racing: the Triple Crown.

In true American fashion, there's plenty of food, drink, flowers, and music to discuss, along with a few detours into true crime, conspiracy theories, and even a nod to Lewis and Clark - though that last bit is mostly Jack showing off his history chops. Once all that's (mostly) out of the way, there's even some racing to get into, led - as always - by endless admiration for the legendary Secretariat.

With heartache, scandal, and suspicion never far from the Triple Crown trail, saddle up as Jack and Ben take you beyond the track and deep into the history behind one of sport’s greatest challenges.

Episode 4: The NFL Draft - More Than Just a Pick

It’s Draft Day on the Sporting Almanac as Jack and Ben blitz the history of the NFL’s biggest off-field spectacle - from its humble beginnings in a Philadelphia hotel, to its main event status today - throughout war, expansion, relocations and mergers, as it forged dynasties and ended careers all at the same time.

Expect wild stories, big personalities, and sliding door moments that reshaped the league forever. From Hall of Fame careers nearly derailed before they began, to teams gambling it all on a single pick - and often losing - it's a celebration of chaos, hope when all hope seems lost, and the beautiful madness that is the National Football League.

So join Jack and Ben and go deeper into the history of the NFL Draft, the league and the players involved – all on the Sporting Almanac Podcast, your number one pick for sports history.