BLEAV Sports with Fred and The Fantastics

Fred, Art, and Fred’s cousin Andy Baran question the high number of casualties in horse racing lately. Is the industry taking enough precautions to ensure the horses’ safety? Why is Coach Kirby Smart concerned about the sea change in college sports since the advent of the transfer portal and NIL? And what made UCLA’s Tyger Campbell opt for basketball’s G League instead of staying for his final yea...

Fred, Art, Mark, and guest Laura Snoke lay out their predictions for the NBA Playoff series between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. Can Jayson Tatum help Boston stay in it until Game 7? Is it a slam dunk for Jimmy Butler and Miami to continue on their winning streak? Does LeBron James plan to make some changes and stay with the Lakers, or is he considering new beginnings away from LA? And will...

Fred, Art, and Mark explore the controversies running throughout the sport of kings as horse trainer Bob Baffert returns from suspension for the 148th Preakness Stakes. What is causing the alarming number of horses across racing needing to be put down in the last few years? Will Anthony Davis and LeBron James be healthy enough to play against the Denver Nuggets? And the sports world mourns the los...

Fred, Art, and Mark wonder if WVU basketball coach Bob Huggins’ suspension for homophobic slurs against rival school Xavier is merely a token sanction and not a significant discouragement. A’s broadcaster Glen Kuiper has not been back in the booth since his use of a racially inappropriate word on air. Are there some disparities here? Will Noah Syndergaard recover to pitch for the Dodgers this seas...

Fred and Art welcome guest Laura Snoke to debate the state of the Dodgers and share their predictions for the NBA Playoffs. Will the Dodgers continue their winning streak? With Cody Bellinger healthier and batting over 300 for the Cubs, should Dave Roberts have given him more healing time so that the Dodgers would benefit from Bellinger’s skills? Which team will triumph in the Lakers/Warriors seri...

Fred, Art, and Mark are surprised at the sheer number of football players that have left Colorado through the Transfer portal since Deion Sanders signed on as coach. He said he’d clean house when he took over, but did he set the bar too high for the players to reach? Aaron Rodgers faces some challenges in New York, the Atlanta Falcons drafted award-winning Bijan Robinson, and did Lamar Jackson ink...

Fred, Art, and Mark weigh in on the consequences faced by NFL players who have violated the league’s gambling policy and are currently suspended. Will they be reinstated or banned for life like Pete Rose? What circumstances are acceptable for sports gambling? Has Mick Cronin’s coaching style led to all of his starters declaring for the draft? Are the Dodgers regretting letting Cody Bellinger go? A...

Fred, Art, and Mark applaud Tiger Woods for his gallant effort to try and finish the Masters, but with rain, plantar fasciitis, and the lingering effects of his accident and injuries, he withdrew after playing only seven holes. Will he be healthy enough for future tournaments? What reception can Cody Bellinger expect as a Chicago Cub at Dodger Stadium? How does Kevin Cash coach a winning team on a...

Fred, Art, and Mark discuss the Women’s and Men’s NCAA Tournament Finals, noting the record viewership achieved by the Women’s Championship game. How will the retirement of Jim Nance affect the Men’s tournament next year? Are Dodger leaders Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts paying too much attention to analytics in adjusting to new MLB rules after the departure of some key players? And will that pu...

Fred, Art, and Mark recount anecdotes of some of their favorite golfing legends, including Fuzzy Zoeller, as they look ahead to the 2023 Masters in Augusta, Georgia. The upcoming tournament is allowing both PGA players and those from the LIV league, like Bubba Watson, to compete. Will that create more hard feelings between the leagues? Does Tiger Woods have a chance, given his injuries? And is ret...

Fred, Art, and Mark break down the World Baseball Classic, culminating in the USA facing Japan. What happened when the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani faced teammate Mike Trout? Will the MLB’s trinity of new rules enhance the quality of the game, or do they go too far? Has Lamar Jackson made his contract negotiations an unnecessary tangle by representing himself? And can Mark Few continue Gonzaga’s winning...

Fred, Art, and Mark question the decision-making process of the NFL when it comes to wooing quarterbacks. Are other positions being short-changed to attract big names, and will players end up shifting to other leagues? Is the Aaron Rodgers move to New York a done deal? Will Jimmy Garoppolo be a good fit for the Raiders? Does Russell Wilson have a better shot this season with a new coach? And can J...

Fred, Art, and Mark address the many rumors circulating about top NFL quarterbacks. Has Tom Brady had enough of retirement – again? Will the Rams keep two QBs on the payroll? Is Aaron Rodgers looking to take over the Big Apple? Does coach Josh McDaniels have trouble keeping QBs on the Raiders? And with the NCAA Basketball tournament just days away, will UCLA defender Jaylen Clark be healthy enough...

Fred, Art, and Mark weigh in on the buzz surrounding all the contract renewals up for grabs among NFL quarterbacks. Where will Aaron Rodgers have the best opportunity to break Tom Brady’s records? Will the Ravens use a franchise tag to keep Lamar Jackson? Do NFL teams have a widely varied spectrum of how players are treated by management? And now that LeBron James is injured and Russell Westbrook...

Fred, Art, and Mark speculate about all the moves happening across the sports world in anticipation of the upcoming 2023 season. Does Aaron Rodgers have his eye on another Super Bowl? Is Derek Carr heading south? How are eggs factoring into Manny Machado’s plans? Why is Bobby Wagner saying goodbye to LA? And are there sports heroes from other generations that would be considered GOATS regardless o...

Fred, Art, and Mark welcome guest Laura Snoke to delve into the physical, emotional, and legal issues that arise as more transgender athletes look to compete and how the sports world is adjusting to being more inclusive. What are the most critical topics to address? And now that the Super Bowl is over and has been dissected play by play, the most important question still must be answered: what wer...

Fred, Art, and Mark agree that Tom Brady has officially retired after several previous false starts, trading in his cleats for a headset and the announcers' booth. Can he pull in viewers on name recognition alone? Do fans watch for the commentators, especially those with strong personalities like Bill Walton? Will Commissioner Roger Goodell rethink some of the more illogical NFL rules to help cut...

Fred, Art, and Mark handicap the final four NFL teams vying for a spot in the Super Bowl after thrilling playoff games on Sunday. Can the Eagles overcome the weather conditions on the Phillies' home turf? Will Joe Burrow lead the Bengals to victory, or do Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have the secret formula to take the Chiefs to the Big Game? And the sporting world says goodbye to another broadca...

Fred, Art, and Mark lay odds on their favorites for the NFL divisional playoffs and the eventual landing places for quarterbacks pondering their next career moves. Will Tom Brady finally retire, or is he Las Vegas bound? Does Aaron Rodgers still have some of Brady’s records to break before he calls it quits? And are Brandon Staley and Sean McVay the exceptions or the rule with the recent spate of...

Fred, Art, and Mark have their NFL playoff predictions ready for the big games this weekend and opinions on having to watch them on Amazon instead of network TV. Where does it leave fans? With the passing of Heisman winner Charles White, will the NFL address traumatic brain injuries and player safety? Will Kyler Murray be a factor in securing a new coach for the Cardinals? And has Derek Carr said...

Fred, Art, and guest Mark Mancini marvel at the continued positive progress of Damar Hamlin of the Buffalo Bills and the outpouring of support following his collapse on the field after a tackle. Will he make a complete recovery? Chuck Hughes was not so lucky in 1971. Does the NFL need to face some hard truths about the sport? Is Jim Harbaugh leaving Michigan? And why has Raiders’ Derek Carr been s...

Fred and his cousin Andy Baran determine the biggest sports story of the year as 2022 comes to a close, and the world mourns the loss of yet another sports hero with the passing of soccer superstar Pelé. What lies ahead for Lionel Messi after Argentina’s victory over France in the World Cup Finals? Will Rafael Devers emerge as the new face of the Boston Red Sox, and is Bill Belichick taking a hand...

Fred, Art, and guest Mark Mancini wonder how fans are going to react to the NFL’s decision to move the NFL Sunday Ticket from DirecTV to YouTube after an almost 30-year relationship. Will they pony up the money and subscribe to the streaming service or refuse to cut the cable cord? Are MLB teams shuffling players around to their best advantage? Do the Dodgers have a secret plan? Who snatched up Ca...

Fred, Art, and guest Mark Mancini debate the merits of the UC Board of Regents’ judgment in favor of letting the UCLA Bruins leave the Pac-12 to join the Big 10. How will it affect the Pacific conference, and can UCLA’s troubles be traced back to decisions made by Dan Guerrero and Larry Scott? Does Noah Syndergaard have what the Dodgers are missing in the pitching lineup? And is Baker Mayfield bri...

Fred and Art are in a quandary about the recent shakeup of the Dodger team they know and love. Trea Turner and Jason Heyward have switched teams, and other key players are off to try their luck elsewhere. What is Andrew Friedman’s rationale for these and other changes, and how will the fans handle it? Will Baker Mayfield be able to save the Rams? And does Caleb Williams have the Heisman within rea...