BLEAV Sports

                                                                                   16:33 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 down on injuries and give coaches like Kyle Shanahan more options for play reviews? 

                                                                                   15:45 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 broadcasting legend with the passing of college basketball commentator Billy Packer.

                                                                                   15:06 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 NFL staffing turnovers?

                                                                                    15:21 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 goodbye to the Raiders? 

                                                                                   14:52 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 sidelined in Vegas?

                                                                                    21:13 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 hands-off approach with the New England Patriots?

                                                                                  23:34 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 Carlos Correa, and will AJ Pollock remain a free agent?  

                                                                                  22:25 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 bringing much-needed enthusiasm to his backup QB position on the Rams?

                                                                                  22:49 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 reach?

                                                                                  25:35 Fred and Art welcome sports Historian Matthew DiBiase, author of the books Lords of the Gridiron II: Pro Football’s Greatest Coaches and Lords of the Gridiron: College Football’s Greatest Coaches, who shares his insight on football and college and pro coaches.  Have Antonio Brown’s recent troubles stemmed from too much fame too soon?  What does Matthew think of LA coaches Kelly, Riley, and McVay?  And should Jerry Jones comment on a recently unearthed high school desegregation protest photo?