The NFL is taking steps to show that the organization is trying to curb betting done by the players, with several suspensions being meted out while at the same time partnering with major online gambling companies and making it easier for fans to place bets at the stadiums. What about the players betting on other sports outside of their own? Is it even more of a concern with the possible implications brought on by the NIL in college sports? Are the powers that be signaling that games could be compromised if players are allowed to gamble unchecked, and is a big exposé inevitable?

With the war continuing in Ukraine and the daily tragedies being visited upon innocent lives, should Russia be allowed to participate in the upcoming 2024 Olympic games? Is it fair to the athletes, and can they be considered separate from the government? Will the IOC make a political statement and allow the athletes to compete if the Russian flag is not displayed, as other international events have done?

Will the LIV/PGA merger come to pass? Are Jay Monahan and the PGA taking an “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em approach” because the organization needs the money? Even though the network exposure is much less for the LIV than the PGA, is the LIV playing the long game to spend the PGA into oblivion if the partnership doesn’t come to pass since they have the cash to do so?

Dodger Austin Barnes is hitting 100 and is a better defensive catcher than Will Smith, who is hitting 300 and has had ten home runs this season. Even though Smith is a superior hitter, why is Dave Roberts playing Barnes instead? Does he feel that the rest of the team is making up for his colder bat? There’s talk that Rob Manfred is looking to add the DH for catchers, implying an expectation that the batting productivity of catchers isn’t that crucial. Has Manfred been changing the rules so much that “the perfect game” known as baseball is becoming almost unrecognizable?

Email Fred, Art, Mark (and Andy) with questions and comments at sportsfred@aol.com