Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel — Season 23
About this season
A monthly sports newsmagazine which was "spawned by the fact that sports have changed dramatically, that it's no longer just fun and games, and that what happens off the field, beyond the scores, is worthy of some serious reporting," according to Bryant Gumbel, the host.
Episodes (12)
1. Episode 238 - The Game He Loved / Mind Games / The Hooper's Pass
Aired 24 January 2017 • 60 min
Correspondent Jon Frankel revisits the story of Kevin Turner, a former NFL player who died in 2016 from ALS and whose brain is being studied for CTE. Plus, Bryant Gumbel explores why young star athletes in Chicago are no longer protected from the city's gun violence.
2. Episode 239 - King Kraft / No Average Joe / Bloodsport
Aired 21 February 2017 • 60 min
Topics include a profile of Patriots owner Robert Kraft; a chat with baseball manager Joe Maddon, coming off a World Series triumph with the Cubs; a report on cockfighting; and a visit with Ashrita Furman, the world-record holder for world records, as recognized by Guinness.
3. Episode 240 - One Last Shot / March Myth / Curveball
Aired 21 March 2017 • 60 min
Texas Rangers reliever Matt Bush opens up about what it's like to be called MLB's biggest draft bust. Plus, Real Sports sits down with Juan Dixon, the star of Maryland's 2002 NCAA basketball title team, to learn that Dixon's storybook tale of overcoming daunting odds wasn't what it seemed.
4. Episode 241 - Valley of Death / Race Against Time / Uncaged
Aired 18 April 2017 • 60 min
Following the deaths of several Dominican MLB players in violent car accidents, Real Sports travels to the island nation to learn why it's one of the most dangerous places to drive on earth. Plus, correspondent Soledad O'Brien reports on the bittersweet story of brothers and triathletes Lucas and Noah Aldrich, who are in a race against time due to health challenges.
5. Episode 242 - Soccer’s Darkest Secret / Latino Voice / Pinball Wizard
Aired 23 May 2017 • 60 min
Segments include a report on abuse in youth soccer programs in England; a profile of the Dodgers' Spanish broadcaster Jaime Jarrin; and a visit with Robert Gagno, the autistic defending winner of the World Pinball Championships.
6. Episode 243 - Man vs. Beast / Unbreakable / American Dream
Aired 20 June 2017 • 60 min
Profile of American tennis prodigy Frances Tiafoe; the world of Spanish bullfighting; after losing his right leg in a farming accident, Jeff Glasbrenner continues to compete in sports; revisiting a teenager's campaign to resdiscover the Negro League.
7. Episode 244 - MMA Fight Club / Dying Down Under / Rod Karew
Aired 18 July 2017 • 60 min
Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, creates a world-class MMA fight club to bolster his regime; global warming has a devastating effect on the Great Barrier Reef; baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew discusses his heart transplant.
8. Episode 245 - 10-Year Agreement / Youth Sports Inc. / Ball Hawk
Aired 22 August 2017 • 60 min
Examining the NFL Players' Association and its leader, DeMaurice Smith; the new industry of travel sports tourism; profile of notorious sports fan Zack Hample, the infamous "ball hawk"; the Isle of Man hosts a dangerous sporting event.
9. Episode 246 - Gurantee Games / Lewis Hamilton / McDonough Family
Aired 26 September 2017 • 60 min
A profile of three-time Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton; exploring the consequences surrounding "guarantee games" in college sports; a profile of the McDonough family, which is rooted in the sports industry; revisiting obsessive runners.
10. Episode 247 - GeorgeTown / Patrick Ewing
Aired 24 October 2017 • 60 min
11. Episode 248
Aired 21 November 2017 • 60 min
Segments include profiles of basketball's Chris Collins and his dad Doug Collins; a visit with soccer development coach Tom Byer; a Texas high-school football teams' comeback after Hurricane Harvey; and surfer Kelly Slater's efforts with man-made waves.
12. Episode 249 - 2017 Year in Review
Aired 12 December 2017 • 60 min
A roundtable review of the show's most memorable moments of 2017, with Gumbel leading the correspondents in a discussion of the most significant stories of the year. Included are segments with Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov, pinball wizard Robert Gagno and fomer top MLB draft pick Matt Bush.