"Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" is by far the best sports reporting show in the business it's more than X's and O's and winning and losing, it shows the sports world's real and emotional side with true and tragic stories. This program also helps you get to know the side of sports figures the way you never thought you would thru interviews. The interviews are conducted by the best reporters in the business like Bernard Goldberg, Frank Deford, Jim Lampley and many others and all are no holds barred and fair and balanced. The host himself Bryant Gumbel does a fine job, he's such a veteran of the sports world and also has been around the news stories so long that touch our spirits, and he's worked for many different networks, in my opinion he's a real reporting legend. Some of the stories over the years that are memorable are the rise of Pete Carroll's coaching life at USC after failing in the NFL, reports on sports gambling and video games, even cock fighting. The two most tragic are first the report on how tough many ex-NFL players have it after they retire, many dealing with so many injuries that they can't even get out of bed on a daily basis. The second most tragic to me is how legendary QB Terry Bradshaw found out he was suffering from years of life altering depression and bad panic attacks, showing even the well known battle mental disorders. Some of the most memorable interviews over the years have included John Madden, Bill Parcells, Jimmy Johnson, Paul Tagliabue and even the head of many networks and leagues, and thru the interviews you find out about the history and background of each and the tough questions are also answered. The tough issues are also covered like crime, sex, and drugs and when these vices occur in the sports world then "Real Sports" isn't afraid to report them. This program is award winning, trust me once you watched it you will agree "Real Sports" shows that more important things happen than just on the playing field.
