NKU opens practice at The Bank of Kentucky Center
NKU senior guard Billy Finnell (left) challenges assistant coach Antoine Smith during a practice drill Wednesday afternoon in The Bank of Kentucky Center. NKU conducted its first practice in the new, 9,400-seat facility Wednesday.

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Reds news
The Reds’ Florida Instructional League finished today...C Devin Mesoraco was voted the Dernell Stenson Most Valuable Player Award...other award winners included Outstanding Pitcher RHP Curtis Partch and Outstanding Hitter IF Brandon Waring

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2 Bearcats and a Buckeye make mid-season team
CBS Sports

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Marvin today
On Carson: Nothing new. He is seeking different people's opinions in the area. The course of action right now is still rest. Surgery at this point is not an option. I have a time frame in mind..I don't know it will be one to two months.There is a chance we'd bring another QB in.
On Shayne Graham: Hope to see Shayne tomorrow. Dave Rayner had a great day today.
On Watson: Kenny did a good job today. Chris Perry rested today...along with TJ, Levi, Holt, Dhani and JJ
On changes: I've made some personnel decisions....and you'll see then Sunday

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Xavier #19 in Sporting News pre-season rankings
GoXavier.com
“At Xavier the bar is always high,” said Miller. “We challenge ourselves to continue to build on our tradition of winning. Each year our team faces new challenges. However, the best programs in college basketball compete for excellence every season regardless of what happened the year before. There is a difference between having a great team and having a program that can sustain excellence. We want to be that type of program.”

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10 guys that should have beeen traded
Mike Florio, The Sporting News
2. T.J. Houshmandzadeh
.....It's likely that serious talk never materialized regarding Houshmandzadeh because of the Peerless Price phenomenon effect. Though Houshmandzadeh has emerged in the past couple of years, it's still unclear whether he can carry an offense as the No. 1 wideout.....
3. Chad Johnson
......The great irony, then, is Johnson's active efforts to finagle a trade during the offseason have ultimately doomed his ability to secure a new address before the trade deadline. Because if Chad Javon Ocho Cinco had merely kept his lips zipped from January to June, he very well might have gotten his wish in October.....

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NFL Stadium Rankings: Cincinnati
CNNSI
Bengals #27

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Chiefs sign St X product
Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - The Kansas City Chiefs agreed to terms on a one-year contract with linebacker Rocky Boiman on Wednesday. No other terms of the agreement were made available.
Boiman, 28, has appeared in 86 games (19 starts) with Tennessee (2002-05) and Indianapolis (2006-07). Over his six-year career, he has totaled 194 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, five interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, four passes defensed, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery in addition to 91 special teams tackles.
The Notre Dame and St X (OH) product attended training camp with Philadelphia this year, but was released prior to the start of the regular season.

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Photo of the day
From listener John
This sits on his desk at work. The bag covers his Carson Palmer bobblehead.
He vows not to remove the bag until the Bengals win.

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Got a Man Cave photo?
Send me a picture of the place in your house that you get away, watch sports, relax....
Check out the pictures below from listeners.

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The Mayor's comments
Let me get this straight.....it's on us to support the Bengals?
Well, when is sombody going to put this where it belongs....on the Bengals and Mike Brown?
Mayor Mallory told reporters yesterday, "It is very important that we continue to support the Bengals, even when they are having tough times," he said. "They need our support more than ever."
Would this be the team that is 0-6 and has one winning season in the last 18 years?
Doesn't the mayor have this backwards?
Isn't it important for the Bengals to change the way they operate and start running a more successful organization?
Isn't it important for Mayor Mallory to worry about bigger issues in the city and stop positioning himself for a job next to Bob Bedinghaus when his term is mayor is up?
How the hell long has Mayor Mallory been a fan? What times has he suffered thru with the Bengals?
Marvin says he's hasn't been around for all 18 years....and he's only responsible for the time he's been here....exactly the point! He hasn't suffered through what fans have.
It's all bullcrap. I'm tired of it.
Spare us the advice on how we should conduct ourselves as fans.
Why is it always on us? When do the fans get something out of this?
Did the fans decide to go without a GM, hire only a handful of scouts, release Willie Anderson, bring back Chris Henry and refuse to think outside the box?
Marvin says be patient, if you are a fan be a fan, cheer louder for the Cleveland game, don't be a frontrunner.
Mike talks once a year....and then says that Massilon's in-door facility is cutting edge and ahead of his team...and consistent with his dad's belief that Massilon should be cutting edge.
When does it stop?
The fans pay for a stadium, sellout 44 straight games and get what?
Hosed, extorted by a PSL, left to find something else to do on Sunday's, but told we need to support the team.
The same franchise that is 114-195 since 1990.
Am I the only one that thinks this is insane?
Aren't you tired of being told what you need to do for this franchise?
Isn't it time for fans to tell Mike Brown something..... like take a flying leap?

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Wednesday show preview
Guests
Dave Lapham
Sean Miller
Topics
Bengals: Marvin and Carson speak
Mayor Mallory: He says you need to support the Bengals. Agree?
College football
MLB playoffs

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Questions?
Got a question for Dave Lapham or Sean Miller? Email me.

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Mayor: Very important to support the Bengals
Enquirer
"It is very important that we continue to support the Bengals, even when they are having tough times," he said. "They need our support more than ever. So I don't know why you guys are giggling and laughing." (in response to titters from a couple of the reporters) "I'm very serious, OK? I support our sports teams. We have to support our sports teams."

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Rays making run of historic proportions
MSNBC
One year ago, they weren't the worst team in their division or the worst team in the American League. They were the worst team in baseball. Kansas City won three more games than the 66 wins the Rays had. Pittsburgh had two more.
How can you not watch the show they're putting on against the Red Sox? I don't care which team you're a fan of, this is history in the making.

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DeShawn Wynn gets 2nd chance with Packers
Packersnews.com
"They were straight with him when they cut him," said Wynn's agent, Christina Phillips. "They said this is what we want to do with him, and he was all right with that. He had a couple of other (practice squad) opportunities, not real serious ones, but he really wanted to stay there."

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Where were you 20-years ago tonight?
LA Times
It was voted the greatest moment in L.A. sports history in a poll conducted by the Los Angeles Sports Council in 1995. And it will probably take something similar for the Dodgers to overcome a 3-1 series deficit to the Philadelphia Phillies and advance to the World Series this year.

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And the #1 reason to follow UFC

 

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I get the biggest kick out of it
I hear people talk about the 91-0 and 96-0 high school football games and say......"hey, suck it up....be a man...it's a life lesson....there are no mercy rules in life"
Gotta love the neanderthal mentality. All that is missing when they say it is the grunting and flexing of their muscles. Yep, sure is value in a 96-0 football game. Nothing wrong with overturning fumbles in the endzone for TD's, and instead placing the ball at the one yard line. Then watching the offense take a knee four straight times and hand it over to the other team. That's the spirit. That's sports. That's competition. If that is a real life lesson, then what exaclty is the lesson learned facing a 90 point deficit that is different than a 50, 60, 70 point deficit? Give me a break. Who wants to watch that? coach that? play in that?

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Draft record of Steelers GM holds up well
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Here are the first-rounders selected in Colbert's era: Plaxico Burress, Casey Hampton, Kendall Simmons, Troy Polamalu, Ben Roethlisberger, Heath Miller, Santonio Holmes, Lawrence Timmons and Rashard Mendenhall. Burress, Hampton, Polamalu and Roethlisberger are Pro Bowl players and among the elite of the game. Simmons, Miller and Holmes are solid starters. Holmes, who led the league in yards per catch last season, figures to be a Pro Bowl player in the near future. Timmons, although still not starting, is a major contributor and another probable Pro Bowl performer. It's too early to make a judgment on Mendenhall.

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Former TE stops by UC practice
Bill Koch, Enquirer
Celek, who completed his eligibility in the 2006 season, said he never thought the Bearcats would consistently draw the crowds that they're drawing now. He never played for Brian Kelly but he gives Kelly much of the credit for the interest that has been generated in the program.

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Former Bearcat healthy and ready to help Colts
Indy Star
The fifth-round pick out of Cincinnati started out as a forgotten man. He missed his rookie season with a sports hernia.

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Can Cobbb throw it and catch it for UK?
Lexington Herald Leader
Here's a solution that would fix the problems in the University of Kentucky passing game. Let Randall Cobb take the snap at quarterback, throw the ball up in the air, then zoom downfield to catch his own pass.

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Remember this former UC recruit?
KentNews.net
"I am excited about the opportunity to play for Kent State, and I am taking it very seriously," Evans said in an athletic department statement. "Right now, I am focused on my classes and preparing for the upcoming season. I hope to move forward and begin the next chapter in my life."

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Valaika part of Reds' farm depth
MLB.COM
"He is one of our better infield prospects, for sure," Reds Minor League director Terry Reynolds said.

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Drew Stubbs blogs from the Arizona Fall League
MLB.COM
Outside the field, it's been really laidback for my Reds teammates and I. We all live together in a large house about five minutes from the Peoria complex. It's been a little hectic at times trying to get everyone on the same page most of the time, but things have been great overall. Since games have now started, our days should be filled a little more and won't leave us with as much down time.

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Did you notice?
I didn't plan it this way.....but...we didn't have any Bengals conversation Tuesday. No calls....no topics. We will have some today...with Carson, Marvin, the tickets and what the mayors said.

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The "Perfect" event for Reds fans
Reds.com
You're invited to relive one of the most celebrated moments in Reds history. On Thursday, Oct. 16 from 7-9 p.m., join Reds Hall of Famer Tom Browning at the Reds Hall of Fame Theater for a special screening of his Perfect Game. Watch the last three innings of the game as Tom describes this historic day in great detail and fields questions from the audience.

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BK on QB
Brian Kelly checked in Tuesday and said........"I was very pleased with Tony Pike today at practice.......he showed no apparent rust from the injury". "Dustin Grutza is out of his walking boot and was taking 2-3 step drops".

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She can ring my bell anytime
Check out who rang the opening bell at the NY Stock Exchange Tuesday....Delta Lea Goodrem.

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Lineman has finger amputed to keep playing
USA Today
"I said, 'Cut it off,' " Wikre says. He took no time to ponder. "I knew right away," he says. "It wasn't a hard choice."

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Happy Birthday
Dominic West..."Jimmy McNulty, The Wire, 39

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FNL QB talks about series
LA Times
After having a starring role for two seasons on "Friday Night Lights," Zach Gilford has grown accustomed to being on a television series that doesn't exactly promise job security. But now, even if "Friday Night Lights" is able to score another season, Gilford may have an even longer wait to find out if he still has a spot on the roster.

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UC football news
CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati offensive right guard Trevor Canfield (Cincinnati, Ohio/Western Hills) has been selected to play in the 84th East-West Shrine Game, head coach Brian Kelly announced Tuesday.
The 84th edition of the Shrine Game will kick off at 4 p.m. on January 17, 2009 at Roberston Stadium in Houston, Texas. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2.
Canfield, a two-time second team all-BIG EAST selection, has started 31 straight games on the offensive line, tops of any active UC player on offense. He has played mostly right guard during his career, but switched to left guard for the final four games of the 2007 season.
Eighteen former UC players have played in the East-West Shrine Game, most recently tight end Brent Celek in 2007.

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UC news: Graduation rates
CINCINNATI - The NCAA released its annual graduation report today (Oct. 14) and the University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics showed overall improvement as the Class of 2001-02 graduated 68 percent of its incoming freshmen - a number that is up by eight percent over last year and 16 percent higher than the graduation rate of the University's general student body.
"I am continually impressed by the work of our student-athletes in the classroom," said Director of Athletics Mike Thomas. "We have seen a great amount of progress in my three years and we will continue to stress the importance of academics every day, just as we strive for athletic success."
UC's graduation rate over the last four years combined also saw an improvement of two percent (59 to 61). The men's basketball team posted a single-year graduation rate of 100 percent for the second year in a row and saw its four-year average (1998-2002) rise from 50 to 56 percent, staying above the NCAA Division I average of 46 percent. The football program also showed progress as it posted an 86 percent graduation rate in 2001-02 and now has a 73 percent rate over the four years - 18 percent higher than the NCAA average for all Football Bowl Subdivision schools.

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Pictures please
Send me a picture of your Man Cave...I'll post it on the blog
These are from listeners.........

Buckeye Mike

Mike in Florence

Kevin in Loveland

Dave in West Chester

Joe and Tracey....half Steelers, half Bengals