BLEAV Sports with Fred and The Fantastics

Fred, Art, and Mark lament the cancellation of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel after 29 years on the air. Is it the money or a move away from hard-hitting reporting that factored into HBO’s decision? Will Jim Harbaugh’s continued suspension affect Michigan in their 118th rivalry game with Ohio State and will Marvin Harrison Jr. lead the Buckeyes to a win? And how big is Lance Lynn’s one-year payche...

Fred and Art consider the gambling problem in the NFL and a decided lack of transparency in reporting injuries that affect how sports betting is conducted. What is Roger Goodell’s position on the matter? When did Joe Burrow really hurt his arm? Is Deshaun Watson dealing with karma? Will Sean McVay surprise the Seahawks with another Rams win? And can Travis Kelce’s love story translate into winning...

Fred and Art contemplate whether or not Travis Kelce is considered the sexiest man in football at the moment, and if so, is it on his own merit or because of his girlfriend? Will Deebo Samuel be just what the 49ers need after three straight losses? Was Michigan “scouting” and not signal-stealing? What will happen to Jim Harbaugh? And should Bronny James sit out this season to fully heal after his...

Fred, Art, and Mark wonder what lies ahead for the LA Clippers with James Harden joining the team. Will his big personality stir up some controversy? Could Cody Bellinger move a little closer to LA next season? Can fans afford to watch sports? Are Jim Harbaugh and Michigan football facing heavy sanctions for their alleged sign stealing? And is Damar Hamlin going to be on the field with the Bills i...

Fred, Art, and Mark focus on the guys in charge of the offense on the gridiron, the quarterbacks, speculating how well-matched they are against their opponents this week. With his strong completion record, is Bo Nix up to the challenge as Oregon meets Washington? Can Tua Tagovailoa resist the pressure from the Patriots at home in Miami? Is Kirk Cousins the Vikings' secret weapon? And will Tyrod Ta...

Mark has the day off, so it's down to Fred and Art to unravel what went wrong with USC in their annual duel with Notre Dame. Was the Fighting Irish running game too much for the Trojans? Did Caleb Williams’ performance change his standing in the Heisman polls? Does Michael Penix now have a better chance in the race? Has James Franklin prepared Penn State enough to beat Ohio State? And just how muc...

Fred, Art, and Mark are looking forward to some exciting time-honored college football rivalries and stand-out quarterback matchups this weekend. Are Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix the hottest contenders for the Heisman, and can their Washington/Oregon encounter give one a boost over the other? Who will emerge victorious between Lincoln Riley and Marcus Freeman in the USC/Notre Dame clash? And why d...

Fred, Art, and Mark question the cultures created by college coaches and the effect on their teams. Has Mick Cronin helped some UCLA basketball players decide to leave early? Does Lincoln Riley need stronger defensive guidance at USC? Who do Notre Dame athletes and fans prefer between former leader Brian Kelly and current coach Marcus Freeman? And is it anyone’s guess as to which NL and AL teams w...

Fred, Art, and Mark are surprised at the performance of the Pac-12 teams in their last year of remaining intact. Would this high level of play in earlier seasons have been able to keep the conference together? Is Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. looking like Heisman Trophy material? Will Deion Sanders be lauded for his coaching style in Colorado? Does Brandon Staley have a plan to boost the Chargers...

Fred, Art, and guest Laura Snoke have whittled down the possibilities of where Shohei Ohtani will land next season. Is there a chance he’ll stay in SoCal, or does Steve Cohen have a more appealing offer? Jonathan Smith’s OSU team is one of the last stalwarts in the ever-diminishing Pac-12. Will another conference swoop in and snap them up? And what are Sean McVay’s prospects in 2024, given the Ram...

Fred, Art, and Fred’s cousin Andy Baran compare predicting how the NFL season will pan out to playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Did Aaron Rodgers mentor Jordan Love enough to fill his cleats as Green Bay’s new QB? Was Josh Allen lulled into a false sense of security because Aaron wasn’t there when the Bills played the Packers? Will Joe Burrow's new haircut bring him luck? And how will the breaku...

Fred, Art, and Mark weigh in on the big football match-ups now that the season is underway. In the Buckeye State’s opener, will the Browns' Deshaun Watson and the Bengals' Joe Burrow show why they get paid some of the biggest paychecks in the NFL? Are Kirk Cousins and the Vikings favored against Baker Mayfield and the Bucs? Is the Pac-12 starting its final season on top? And will sports fans fight...

Fred and Art shake their heads in disbelief as the once mighty Pac-12 has been whittled down to the Pac-2. Is Larry Scott returning as commissioner? Are the traditions that have been the hallmark of sports falling by the wayside? Will Trey Lance have a chance to show his QB potential as Dak Prescott’s backup on the Cowboys? And is Matt Stafford on the older side of a generational challenge with th...

Fred, Art, and guest Laura Snoke share their misgivings over the future of the Pac-12 now that it has been whittled down to the Pac-4. Could ex-commissioner Larry Scott have foreseen the difficulties the creation of the Pac-12 network would unleash? Where in the world is Mick Cronin heading with the Bruins? Jennifer Cohen just became the first female athletic director for which SoCal school? And a...

Fred, Art, and Mark wonder if pushing the Preakness date out an additional one to two weeks after the Kentucky Derby could make a difference in the alarming number of equine casualties during Triple Crown season. Would Belmont organizers agree to it? Is it the right time for Damar Hamlin to be back on the field? How is Dick Vitale? And will the Washington Commanders face yet another name change as...

Fred, Art, and Fred’s cousin Andy Baran examine the possibility that Orioles announcer Kevin Brown was suspended for sharing an opinion on the team’s record that the organization did not want bandied about. Was he a scapegoat? Mike Lorenzen pitched an entire nine-inning no-hitter in his first home game with the Phillies. Would he be given the same chance by Dave Roberts if he played for the Dodger...

Fred, Art, Mark, and guest Matt Ward of Golf Today reflect upon the life of Vin Scully on the first anniversary of his passing, noting that even amid all of the curve balls thrown at him, he approached those hardships with grace and humility. With the golfing world awash in controversy, what lies ahead for Jay Monahan and Greg Norman and their respective leagues? And now that Tiger Woods is on the...

Fred, Art, and Mark are concerned that Saudi Arabia may be looking to expand its reach into other sports by creating a basketball league to compete with the NBA. Are additional rival leagues to follow, prompting the question of when money talks, do ethics walk? Will Josh Harris and Magic Johnson be the prime example of providing positive organizational cultures in their recent acquisition of the W...

Fred, Art, and guest Laura Snoke weigh in on the legislation being introduced by Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal and others in a bipartisan effort to codify laws nationally for the NIL. Some states have more advantageous laws than others, so would this bill create a better framework or be seen as federal overreach? Are running backs like Saquon Barkley and Josh Jacobs underappreciated by th...

Fred, Art, and Mark are surprised at the number of sports figures who have recently been suspended and are now facing a lot of unintended quality time in the company of lawyers. Will the NFL Network bring Michael Irvin back? What chance does Bob Huggins have of being reinstated at West Virginia after his drunk driving arrest? Did Pat Fitzgerald know about the hazing culture on his Northwestern foo...

Fred, Art, and Mark worry that there has been a paradigm shift in the focus of sports, where everything revolves around the pursuit of the almighty dollar instead of the players, fans, and games themselves. Are Billie Jean King and the WTA looking into partnering with Saudi Arabia? Did Mark Emmert foresee the problems that have resulted from the NIA and transfer portal? And will Bob Baffert ever b...

Fred, Art, and Fred’s cousin Andy Baran break down the recent expanding relationship between the NFL and gambling. Is it a case of managing public perception of a crackdown on athletes while still bringing in the betting bucks? Will Jay Monahan be able to keep the PGA afloat if the LIV deal falls through? Why is Austin Barnes catching for the Dodgers more often than Will Smith, who has a better ba...

Fred, Art, Mark, and Matt Ward, an editor of Golf Today, wonder what the true details of the alliance between the PGA and LIV might be and if they will come to light. Will upcoming government investigations answer these questions or create more? How much of a part did LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman have in making this merger happen? And was Jay Monahan referring to ill health when he said changing circu...

Fred, Mark, and guest sports historian Matthew DiBiase weigh in on the difficulties franchises are experiencing in navigating through controversies over inclusivity within their fanbases. Can athletes like Clayton Kershaw comment without fear of fan reprisals? How does the future look for Jamal Murray after his stellar NBA Finals performance? Did Rob Manfred do all he could to keep the Oakland A’s...

Fred, Art, and Mark address the issue of morality in sports as the PGA Tour has decided to join the LIV in a $10B deal. What do Commissioner Jay Monahan and Rory McIlroy, formerly against it, have to say about it now? How about the morality of athletes gambling, a la Pete Rose? And with the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s wins and the last of his descendants reaching grand old ages, should owner...