Single Ladies - Beyonce & Justin Timberlake on SNL...classic!
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Bengals news
* Signed G Nate Livings to the roster from the Bengals practice squad. Livings (6-5, 335; Louisiana State) is classified a first-year NFL player. He has been on the practice squad for Games 1-10 after playing in all four Bengals preseason games. He was also on the Bengals practice squad for the full 2006 season and for Games 1-15 of 2007. He was signed to the roster in ’07 for the final regular season game, but was inactive for that contest.
* Placed LB Abdul Hodge on the Reserve/Injured list. Hodge suffered an arm injury in yesterday’s game against Philadelphia at Paul Brown Stadium. Hodge played in six games (Games 5-10) after being signed from the Bengals practice squad and had four special teams tackles.
* Signed rookie C Digger Bujnoch to the practice squad. Bujnoch (6-5, 285) is a Cincinnati native, a product of Elder High School and the University of Cincinnati. He is the son of Glenn Bujnoch, who played G for the Bengals from 1976-82. Digger Bujnoch entered the NFL on May 1 of this year as a college free agent signee of the N.Y. Giants. He played in all four Giants preseason games, but suffered a knee injury in the preseason finale and was waived/injured on Aug. 30. He reverted to the Giants’ Reserve/Injured list on Aug. 31. He was waived from the Reserve/Injured list with an injury settlement on Sept. 5.
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Bowl projecetions
CNNSI
UC-Maryland
OSU-Texas
UK-Houston
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PSA of the day
Randall in Colerain called to remind me to disconnect our garden hoses in the front and back of the house. It was a year ago I failed to do this. The backyard hose froze, the pipe burst and our basement floooded.
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Tickets still remain
UC-Pitt, Saturday, 7pm
As of 5pm, you could get tickets in section 116...30 rows up...corner of the endzone.
BK Friday night: "I think it (Saturday-Pitt) is the biggest game in school history," Kelly said. "There's no question about that. If that place doesn't have 500,000 people in it, I'm going to be pissed. I'm going to be pissed because we've done everything to elevate this football program. If you can't support us next week, there's nothing else we can do. We've won, we've been consistent. It's now time for our fans to show up. They've been good, but it should be the hardest ticket to get in Cincinnati."
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NY Times love for BK and UC
Somehow, the Bearcats have managed to lead the Big East in passing offense and passing efficiency, a testament to the reputation that Kelly has forged as a creative offensive mastermind. According to Cincinnati officials, only one other team, Eastern Michigan, has used five quarterbacks this season. It is 2-8.
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5 things we learned this weekend
CNNSI
1. That the SEC was vastly overrated this year. It's funny to think that just a few months ago, people were asking me whether the SEC would ever relinquish its spot as the nation's preeminent conference. If you've been reading me for any period of time, you know I preach that conference strength is cyclical (see: preseason preview) and that every league has its ups and downs from year to year. The SEC has two fantastic teams this year in Alabama and Florida. But remember when there were five SEC teams in the Top 10? Umm ... not anymore.
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Rudi watch...yikes
Rudi Johnson vs Carolina Sunday: 5 carries for 5 yards, with a long of 7 yards.
Last week: 2 carries 4 yards
Last five weeks: 29 carries 57 yards.
Kevin Smith of the Lions rushed 24 times for 112 yards Sunday.
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Bucking the odds
The Bengals finished +3 in turnover differntial Sunday. The third time they have failed to win this year despite winning the turnover margin.
Since 200, here is the winning percentage of NFL teams by +/-
+3 .885 (Bengals tie Eagles)
+2 .846 (Bengals lose to Jets)
+1 .690 (Bengals lose to Titans)
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UC in BCS bowl game a nightmare?
Fox Sports
Sugar Bowl:
Nightmare matchup: Florida vs. Cincinnati. The Gators would be sorely disappointed and probably wouldn't travel as well as hoped, especially to face Cincy. And hey, this could happen.
Orange Bowl
Nightmare matchup: Any 8-4 ACC team vs. Cincinnati or (even worse) Ball State. Yes, it'd be fun to have an undefeated team, and David Letterman would surely watch, but how many Ball State fans are out there? If Utah and Boise get bumped off, the rankings would probably guarantee Ball State a BCS spot ... and somebody would have to take them
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Have you seen Troy Polamalo's pick!!?
Wow
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A November to remember: 1-0-1
Nov 2: Bengals beat Jacksonville
Nov 9: Bengals don't lose to the BYE
Nov 16: Bengals don't lose to Philadelphia
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Big East Honor Roll
Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati - Had 182 all-purpose yards, including a 48-yard touchdown reception, in a 28-20 win at Louisville. Had 109 yards on four kickoff returns and had five receptions for 73 yards.
Dominick Goodman, WR, Cincinnati - Had nine receptions for 134 yards and a touchdown in a 28-20 win at Louisville. Moved into fourth place on the BIG EAST career receptions chart (183) and tied a school record with his 21st career touchdown catch.
Brandon Underwood, DB, Cincinnati - Had seven tackles, including one tackle for loss, with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in a 28-20 win at Louisville.
Show update
Marvin's news conference live at 3:45
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Local product cooks despite pressure
Boston Globe
It's a level of success that was not expected out of the 22-year-old native of Amelia, Ohio. After all, Randolph wasn't even the starting signal-caller at his high school, St. Xavier in Cincinnati. That honor went to Rob Schoenhoft, who was courted by a number of Division 1 schools before settling on Ohio State.
(He won Patriot League Offensive Player of the week again today)
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Show preview
Marvin Lewis, 3pm
Topics
Bengals: A tie? I blame this on Bud Selig. Gotta be a better way of OT.
Project Mayhem: Did you go? Did you follow the boycott?
College football
College basketball: What did you think of UC, UK, X...others?
HS football
Reds reunion
UFC
Boycott reaction
Did you follow Task 3 of Project Mayhem? Who Dey Revolution called for a boycott of consessions and merchandise at PBS Sunday. Did you take food in? See anyone else? Did the boycott have an impact? I'm looking for your reaction.
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On this date 1968: The Heidi game
She changed the way we watch sports on television.
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Bengals 13 Eagles 13....where's my sister?
*Well, there goes 8-8
*How painful was that? Fitting that nobody won...because nobody deserved to win.
*Gotta be one of the Top 10 worst games in NFL history.
*Anything sillier than spending 65-85 dollars and 3+hours to see a game end in a tie?
*The teams were a combined 7 for 38 on 3rd down. Bengals 4 of 20.
*Bengals rushed 30 times for 56 yards...1.9 per carry.
*The Bengals were +3 in turnovers.....and still couldn't win.
*NFL teams that finished +3 since 2000 win .885 of the time.
*8 sacks allowed by the OL?
*How about Chris Crocker? Interception and sack
*Nice pick by Brandon Johnson
*How about TJ? Wow....12-149-TD
*The TD pass from Fitz to TJ was their best looking pass play of the entire season
*How many drops did Chad have?
*How about the attempt to tackle Baskett by Marvin White that turned into a 57-yard gain?
*1st and goal from the one foot line and they settle for a FG.
*Hey Darrin Simmons, nice special teams again....three penalties, a missed FG and a kickoff out of bounds.
*How is that Chris Henry impact working out?
*Bob B. has to be the worst play caller in the history of organized football....gotta love 3rd and 7 run in OT averaging 1.9.
*Was anyone at the game? You could hear Fitz and the PA all day.
*When was the last time Shayne made a big kick?
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What they are saying
Eagles-Bengals Fever! Catch it! Five quarters, 21 punts, 759 punting yards.-Peter King, CNNSI
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Did you know?
Bengals all-time leading scorer Jim Breech was 9 for 9 on overtime field goals in his career...an NFL record.
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Jack Bauer of '24' seeks 'Redemption' in movie
USA Today
When we last left Jack (Kiefer Sutherland) and his counterterrorist crew in May 2007, the bad guys, including his father, Phillip (James Cromwell), were vanquished. But Jack, distraught over another very bad day that ended with his love Audrey (Kim Raver) in a coma, wandered along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, a lone man with a gun.
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Say what?
What exactly is the football IQ of a 10-year NFL QB that doesn't know the OT rules ....and wonders about a tie in a Super Bowl?
"I never even knew that was in the rule book," McNabb said. "I was looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game. But unfortunately, with the rules, we settled with a tie. When the play was called, I kind of figured, 'I guess there's ties in the NFL.' I hate to see what happens in the Super Bowl or I hate to see what happens in the playoffs. You have to settle with a tie."
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Chad lined up with Eagles WR's in warmups
Philly Daily News
He caught a slant from Donovan McNabb and then raised his face and arms to the heavens, presumably rejoicing in the opportunity to catch a pass thrown by his friend and offseason confidante, as Cinco told reporters in a midweek conference call. Then McNabb and Cinco hugged.....
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What they are saying in Philly
Eagles' tie translates to loss: If you can't beat the Cincinnati Bengals, not only aren't you going to the playoffs, you don't really belong there.
Eagles all but dead for playoffs Andy Reid tossed aside the defibrillator paddles and turned off the life-support machinery at 4:51 p.m., Eastern Standard Time.
OT Rules? Don't ask McNabb And this will always be remembered as the day when the Eagles' quarterback admitted to not knowing that an NFL game could end in a tie.
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Happy Birthday
Loyal listener UC Chris turns 42 today
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The agony of the bet
Anyone bet the Steelers-Chargers game?
Pittsburgh was a 5 point favorite.
They kicked a FG with :10 to lead 11-10. San Diego took the kickoff and lateraled several times trying to keep the play alive, then fumbled. Troy P scooped it up and tumbled into the endzone...TD Pittsburgh. 17-10 Steelers....meaning they covered the spread.
After a lengthy review, officials called an illegal forward lateral by SD and waived off the TD. 11-10 the final...Steelers win...and don't cover. After the game, officials said they blew the call and the TD should have counted.
PS First time in NFL history a game ended in a score of 11-10.
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Thomas More get #8 seed
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky.) - Thomas More College will make its third appearance in the NCAA Division III Football playoffs when the Saints take on No. 2-ranked North Central College in a first round game on Saturday, November 22, at 1 p.m. Eastern Time at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville, Illinois.
The Saints (8-2) won the Presidents' Athletic Conference and claimed the conference's automatic bid to the playoffs and is the No. 8 seed in the North Central regional.
The Cardinals (10-0) are the region's top seed and an automatic qualifier into the playoffs afte winning the championship of the College Conference of Illinois Wisconsin (CCIW).
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Things noticed
VMI lost at Virginia 107-97 last night. VMI was 10-15 last year, with losses to High Point, Northern Colorado, Army, Dartmouth and South Carolina St.
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Warning
When it comes to the UL logo at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium...don't look at, pray around, step on, sit on, spill on, or cough on,....or UL coach Steve Kragthorpe will get his shorts in a bunch.
Also...check this out: FireKragthorpeNow.com
PS
Remember this classic line from Rick Minter when he was my college football analyst last year?....he was talking about the hiring of Kragthorpe:
"If you are going to be given the keys to the Rolls Royce then you better have a valid drivers' license and know how to drive the darn thing and I think that's what the coaching staff down there is finding out because that program was primed and ready to ascend to the next level. So, they have some regrouping to do."
