BLEAV Sports with Fred and The Fantastics

Fred, Art, Mark, and Matthew DiBiase lament the looming new 12-game college football playoff system. Will it truly be a matchup of the best teams or all about the underdogs? As legendary rivalries promise excitement this weekend, will the transfer portal and NIL usher in an era with fewer historic clashes like USC and Notre Dame under John McKay and Ara Parseghian? What can Mick Cronin do about th...

Fred, Art, and Matthew DiBiase bemoan the direction that historic college football rivalries have taken in the reshuffling of conferences, with the UCLA-USC classic being relegated to late-night viewing for the East Coast. Will Yankee Stadium be the battleground for a David vs Goliath clash of Army and Notre Dame? In an exciting NFL weekend, can Saquon Barkley run wild for the Eagles? Is Brock Pur...

Fred and Art are still shaking their heads over the continuing scheduling drama for LA sports as UCLA’s football and basketball are creating another Friday night viewing conflict for fans. Is Mick Cronin the cause of the recent low attendance at Pauley because of his planned recruiting strategy? Has DeShaun Foster helped the football team get into a winning rhythm? How is Lane Kiffin highlighting...

Fred and Art question the wisdom of the powers that be in college sports as USC and LSU face the dilemma of gigantic buyouts to end the contracts of football coaches Lincoln Riley and Brian Kelly. How can the universities afford to shell out $65-$95 million and still keep their programs afloat? Will Lamar Jackson stay at the top of the MVP list? Could returning RB Christian McCaffrey be the midsea...

With the Dodgers’ World Series win for the ages in the rearview mirror, Fred, Art, and Laura Snoke ponder football possibilities as the NFL trade deadline grows ever near. Bryce Young, former No. 1 overall pick, is the subject of great speculation as to where his new home might be. Will he leave the Panthers and head West? Are the 2024 Oregon Ducks reminiscent of Chip Kelly’s 2012 undefeated team?...

Fred, Art, and Laura Snoke gear up for an action-packed night of sports in LA, with the confluence of the World Series at Dodger Stadium, USC at the Coliseum, the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena, and the East LA Classic high school football game at SoFi causing “Sportsageddon Carmageddon” woes for drivers. Can the Dodgers best their historic rivals? Which SoCal native will win the Game 1 pitching battl...

Fred, Art, and Laura Snoke share their predictions for the MLB pennant winners, with some strong performances by the NL and AL teams. Whose postseason record did Max Muncy tie? Will Aaron Judge’s superstar performance guarantee the Yankees a World Series berth? Can Jhonkensy Noel keep up the home runs for the Guardians? Do the Dodgers have enough in reserve to keep Teoscar Hernandez next season? A...

Fred, Art, Laura Snoke, and Fred’s cousin Andy Baran question the networks’ decision-making process in the scheduling of UCLA and USC’s games against formidable foes on Saturday. Why the simultaneous kickoff times? Will Bruins’ coach DeShaun Foster be a match for veteran Brian Kelly? Which school has dropped six sports programs in the latest NIL development? Will Bryce Young be given the chance to...

Fred, Art, and Mark marvel over the numbers being put up by Shohei Ohtani as he inches toward an unheard-of 50-50 season. Will he cap off 2024 with a return to the mound in October and an MVP award to boot, or is the Phillies’ Bryce Harper going to give him a run for his money? How was Aaron Rodgers’ first game of the season? Should Tua Tagovailoa consider retirement after suffering yet another co...

Fred, Art, and Mark compare the coaching styles of USC’s Lincoln Riley and LSU’s Brian Kelly after their big showdown, where the Trojan’s stunning victory did not sit well with Kelly, who wasn’t shy about laying blame for the loss. Is Riley bringing the glory back to USC? Retirees Bill Belichik and Nick Saban seem to be on everything and are everywhere all at once in their new careers as commentat...

Fred, Art, and Laura Snoke are charmed by Shohei Ohtani and his dog, Decoy, who teamed up to throw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium. Further cementing his superstar status, Ohtani hit a home run for his first at-bat. Is he a lock for MVP or does Aaron Judge have slightly better odds? Will the injury crisis in the MLB, affecting pitchers and other indispensable players like Freddie Freeman of...

Fred, Art, and Laura Snoke wonder if and when the NFL will take a page out of professional soccer’s playbook and mandate grass fields over artificial turf. Could the prestigious World Cup 2026 in North America be the agent of change to protect players? Where has Justin Herbert landed in the fantasy football ratings? Do the Braves have a chance without Spencer Strider? Is Chris Taylor the answer to...

Fred, Art, and Mark are shaking their heads over Aaron Rodgers’ fluctuating position on the Covid vaccine. Will there ever be a straight answer from him and is this another factor preventing him from integrating with the team? Does Sean McVay have a career change in mind? Has Michael Harris II’s comeback given the Atlanta Braves the means to catch the Phillies? And with the Dodgers pitching staff...

Fred, Art, Mark, and sports historian Matthew DiBiase weigh in on their candidates for the Cy Young Award. After allowing just one run in 28 innings, is Dylan Cease the top pick? Which underdog MLB team claimed the number one spot in USA Today’s Sports Weekly power rankings? Will TNT’s new show featuring Bronson Balholm deflect some attention from the battle between TNT and Amazon for Thursday nig...

Fred, Art, and Laura Snoke debate the new NFL kickoff rules as teams are hurriedly trying to incorporate the changes and put them into practice for the upcoming season. Will the rules be an improvement or fall flat? How will the rookie quarterbacks fare, and are Caleb Williams, Bo Nix, and all of the class of ‘24 ready to lead? Can traditional sports media keep up with the juggernaut of the stream...

Fred, Art, and Mark prognosticate about politics, pitching, and penance. Will Mark Kelly be named the Democratic VP? How many pitchers can the Dodgers go through in one season and how will the Braves cope with the loss of their two top arms? Where is Dylan Cease going to call home after the trade deadline? Should Pete Rose, the subject of a new HBO documentary, be forgiven? And with the Summer Oly...

Fred and Art forecast which MLB teams have a likely shot at the postseason now that the All-Star game has ushered in the second half of the season. Are the Phillies, with their powerful pitching staff led by Ranger Suárez, emerging as World Series contenders? Is Garrett Crochet a potential trade chip to help the struggling White Sox? Could Clayton Kershaw be available to pitch before the end of th...

Fred, Art, and Mark hope that ALS sufferer Steve Gleason’s appearance at the ESPYs and the NFL’s new safety measures are just the beginning of more precautions to reduce the number of traumatic head injuries across heavy-contact sports. What other steps should be taken? Do the Dodgers need to bring in yet another pitcher, with Clayton Kershaw still on the injured list? Is Aaron Nola the Phillies’...

Fred, Art, and sports historian Matthew DiBiase are worried about the state of the Dodgers pitching staff, as injuries have made a serious dent in their rotation. After putting out big money for Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, many fear that isn’t enough to bring in the wins. Should LA acquire one more arm before the trade deadline? Is Caitlin Clark opening doors for bigger WNBA salaries? An...

Fred and Art wonder if Aaron Rodgers has decided to discount the team-first mentality required for success in the NFL. Rodgers skipped the New York Jets’ offseason minicamp, raising concerns about his commitment and foreshadowing his leadership style. Will this behavior affect team chemistry? Aaron Judge is the American League frontrunner for the MLB’s Most Valuable Player, but the field is much w...

Fred, Art, and Mark are adopting a wait-and-see attitude with the new Laker head coach, J.J. Redick. Will his career as a player give the Lakers the boost they need? How much time will “Hard Knocks” devote to series regulars the Bears and Caleb Williams while also spotlighting the AFC North Division? Did Willie Mays return to Rickwood Field before he passed? And does Caitlin Clark have to wait for...

Fred, Art, and Fred’s cousin Andy Baran reflect on the passing of Jerry West and Bill Walton, recounting the impact these legends have had on the world of basketball. Is Mookie Betts better suited for the outfield or should the Dodgers keep him at shortstop? Where are Charles Barkley and Inside the NBA off to next? Who is conspicuously missing from the US Olympic basketball team? And which surpris...

Fred (fighting a cold), Art, and Mark question the culture of gambling among athletes as the MLB has suspended four players for betting. Pete Rose’s punishment does not seem to be a deterrent as more gambling sites partner with professional teams. Can leagues enforce their no-wagering rules? Will D. Wayne Lukas have another win with Seize the Grey at the Belmont Stakes in Saratoga? Is Caitlin Clar...

Fred, Art, Mark, and sports historian Matthew DiBiase ponder how a judge’s ruling that allows unlimited trips through the transfer portal will change the face of college sports. What effect will this have on the $22 million UCLA has to distribute among the various revenue- and non-revenue-generating athletic programs? Did MLB umpire Angel Henandez retire or was he fired? How will Caleb Williams ha...

Fred, Art, and Mark are eager to watch the Caitlin Clark phenomenon unfold as she and the Indiana Fever take on the Sparks in her first Los Angeles game. How much are fans willing to pay for courtside tickets at Crypto.com Arena? Can she measure up to superstars of the game like Sue Bird? Is the US government firing a warning shot at all mega-companies in its suit against Ticketmaster for monopoli...