Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel - Season 23

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

TMDB has not published a written overview for this episode yet.

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.

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.