The big news in sports journalism is the demise of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The HBO show ran for 29 years, was canceled in September and the last episode will air in December. Why would HBO axe a highly acclaimed and widely watched show? Is it down to the money, or has the network changed direction to avoid controversial and political issues often featured as part of the show’s commitment to responsible news reporting? Where will Bryant Gumbel go next, and could another network pick up the series?

Michigan and Ohio State are preparing to battle it out for their 118th rivalry game, essentially for this year’s Big Ten title, with Michigan claiming more victories since 1897. Is Ohio State a late-game team? Does QB Marvin Harrison Jr. have the firepower to bring the Buckeyes the win? Jim Harbaugh has put Michigan on the map during his tenure but will miss the game due to suspension. How will his absence, the sixth this season, affect the morale of the team? Could a potential Wolverine win come with an asterisk because of the alleged signal stealing?

After the UCLA-USC rivalry game in which UCLA reclaimed the Victory Bell, Lincoln Riley’s record has come into question after starting his USC career at 11-1 and ending up 7-7 in the last 14 games. Is he taking the spotlight off of Chip Kelly’s similar record and it’s now his turn for the coaching hot seat?

Lance Lynn is returning to St. Louis after a season in LA, inking a one-year deal for $10M. Will he prove to be worth the large payday? Are the Cardinals regretting having let him go in the first place, and will they up the ante with signing bonuses? What will this mean for the Dodgers pitching rotation?

Will Shohei Ohtani end up with the Dodgers or the Cubs? If the Cubs acquire him for $500-600M, will that leave money to add Cody Bellinger?

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