So many newly hired NFL coaches for the upcoming season are young and have never held head coaching positions. How will they fare in 2024 and beyond? Are organizations surrounding the young coaches with assistants as extra support staff to try and ensure their success? Have veterans like Pete Carroll found jobs yet, and are advisory positions the likely way to go for those with many years of expertise under their belts?

In nominating inductees and casting ballots for the Baseball Hall of Fame, a lot of the voters have never seen some of the athletes of the past play, and, unfortunately, the longer it takes to be recognized, the harder it is to get in. Will many players be inducted posthumously without enjoying the accolade in their lifetimes, or maybe not even at all? Vada Pinson of the Cincinnati Reds was one of the best defensive centerfielders, reaching highs of stolen 40 bases and 25 home runs in a season, not to mention his stats on the offensive. Why has he repeatedly been passed over? Other players who have set and broken records, like Shoeless Joe Jackson, have not been inducted because of controversy. Should Pete Rose’s situation be revisited, and can his achievements outweigh his gambling scandal? Is it fair to those who played by the rules if the banned players are reconsidered?

Are the 49ers still the odds-on favorite in Sunday’s Super Bowl? Or will the defending champion Chiefs have the edge because many view Patrick Mahomes as the best QB in the league? Will the game be slowed down by the sheer number of commercials that have vied (and paid handsomely) for premiere advertising space? And does Taylor Swift cheering on Travis Kelce guarantee an unprecedented number of new female viewers for the big game? What kind of ratings will this Super Bowl bring in?

Email Fred and the Fantastics with questions and comments at sportsfred@aol.com