Thursday show preview Guests Paul Keels, voice of the Buckeyes Dan Clasgens, Fantasy Playbook, GetSportsInfo.com Erin Rynning, handicapper Topics College football: A TON of it. I'm going to start using Thursday's as more of a college football day. Would you like to play along? Come one, come all: UC, UK, OSU football fans....anyone road trippin' to your game this weekend? Ever been to Camp Randall? Ever eaten at DreamlandBBQ in Tuscaloosa? MLB playoffs Coolest movie/TV cars: Knight Rider returned to TV last night. I don't think I've ever watched an episode. But it's a cool car. What are the coolest cars all-time from TV and movies? Topics I won't cover: Chad kissing the star
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Cover 2 with Haruki Carroll County Times This week during practice the vets told the rookies how important Monday Night football is for the players. It is the only game that all the other NFL players watch, the vets said. Plus, they said your former college teammates and family would be gathered around the television.
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It's a wrap I was looking over the final season notes for the Reds. Here are a few of interest. *The Reds used a rookie starting pitcher 46 times this season: 10-23 5.21 *For the first time in franchise history they had four pitchers with 150+ strikeouts *10 Reds made their major league debut in '08 *Adam Pettyjohn became the first lefthanded pitcher to start for the Reds this season when he started the final game. It snapped a streak of 180 straight starts by RHP for the Reds. *Reds SP ranked 14th in NL 4.97 *Reds relievers ranked 3rd in NL 3.81 *Johnny Cueto started 31 games....the first Reds rookie RHP to start 30+ games since Gary Nolan in 1967 *Reds record when they homered: 57-52 *Reds record when they did not homer: 17-36 *Record when scoring fewer than 3 runs: 5-47 *Reds ranked last in the NL in hitting (.247) and 12th in runs scored *Jeff Keppinger k'd once every 20.9 plate appearances...best in NL *Francisco Cordero converted 34 of 40 save chances(85%).. including his final 14 *ERA by catchers: Hanigan 4.16, Bako 4.36, Valentin 5.05, Ross 5.09 *Record by starts at each position: SS Hairston 18-15, Keppinger 46-55, Janish 8-10 CF Hairston 11-4, Bruce 17-18, Patterson 33-49, Freel 6-13 C Hanigan 14-11, Bako 42-46, Valentin 2-4, Ross 16-27 LF Dunn 48-62...others 26-26 RF Jr 43-46.....others 31-42 *David Weathers: Last 36 appearances 2.45 ERA....last 44 appearances 2.60 *Joey Votto led NL rookies in hitting, hits, HR, total bases, mult hit games, on base percentage, slugging.....he was 2nd in RBI, runs, doubles and extra base hits. His 18 games with atleast 3 hits led all ML rookies. *8th inning runs allowed this year: 65 *8th inning runs allowed last year: 97
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Reds want to see Buchholz at SS MLB.COM "I would call it an almost seamless transition," Cincinnati director of player development Terry Reynolds said. "A majority of guys have a problem moving from aluminum to wood bats. But he didn't seem to have that issue."
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Baseball course is a hit at college MSNBC The course was first offered at the small liberal arts college in 2005, a year after the Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino by winning the World Series. This year's class, the second time it has been offered, is open only to freshmen, who get full academic credit toward graduation.
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The passion for Marshall football Bill Koch, Enquirer When I talked to Rick Minter yesterday he said he was impressed by the passion that Marshall fans have for their fooball team. He didn't say this, but that must be a nice change for him, considering that there was very little passion for UC football while he was there
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Are you ready? Marshall fans are From the Marshall team website Which 2008 home football game are you most looking forward to? Cincinnati - 36.9% (1013 votes) UCF - 18.5% (508 votes) Tulsa - 15.7% (431 votes) Houston - 15.2% (417 votes) Memphis - 10.6% (292 votes) Illinois State - 3.0% (81 votes) The Marshall athletic department is conducting "Whiteout '08" and 7,500 white t-shirts will be distributed to fans at at the game. The first 1,000 students will also receive white rally towels and an additional 1,000 fans will receive "rolla banner" signs.
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If you go: OSU-Wisconsin Columbus Dispatch Thomas supplies Buckeyes fans with a few restaurant and sightseeing options as Ohio State prepares for its showdown with the Badgers. And, with a bye week, Thomas might even be jumping around with the fans in Camp Randall Stadium. If you don't take advice from a Badger, Big Ten travel guru Paul Keels is back with his five-star dining selections
Tressel makes his point: Best will play Columbus Dispatch "Nobody's job is safe," said Jim Cordle, who should know. He was the starting center through three games until left guard Steve Rehring suffered a sprained foot at USC.
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"Mount Cody" looms for UK Louisville Courier Journal "We all know it's going to be a challenge to get back to the line of scrimmage, let alone gain any yards, against Alabama's rush defense, because look what they did to one of the best backs in the nation last week," Brooks said. "That guy's a great player, and they destroyed Georgia's running game."
Rib meat and greet is absolute Dream USA Today "If Alabama had an official restaurant, this would be it," University of Alabama senior Tim Chandler said. "Look at the walls. You see Coach Bryant's photo. Coach (Nick) Saban. Coach (Gene) Stallings. It's the best ribs in the world, and it's all from a cee-ment shack."
The Office: Jim's best pranks Entertainment Weekly As the Dunder Mifflinites get settled into a new season, we revel in 16 of Jim Halpert's best schemes of seasons' past -- mostly at the expense of poor Dwight Schrute
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Mr Clean dead at 92 CNN House Peters Jr., a TV actor who became the original Mr. Clean in Procter & Gamble's commercials for household cleaners, died Wednesday. He was 92.
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Holliday and Atkins news Denver Post If shopped aggressively, Holliday, 28, would be arguably the best player on the market. He has power, athleticism and a work ethic that would make a monk blush. He also has Scott Boras as an agent, who confirmed Wednesday that there has been no progress on a long-term contract. The left fielder is signed through next year at $13.5 million - so the Rockies stand to lose leverage in trade talks every day he creeps closer to free agency.
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UC offense "Conference USA like" The Charleston Gazette "No more Wisconsins, no more Illinois States, slowly getting out the huddle and running the ball. This is basketball on grass at its best, so really, it's not only a challenge for us, but it's an opportunity to mold and shape ourselves to all the conference teams."
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Mint(er) condition The Charleston Gazette Rick Minter will tell you, with a straight face, that this is just another week in the football coaching business.
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Longhorn coach says he's proud of Benson American Statesman "I'm really proud for Cedric Benson that he got a chance to restart his professional career," Brown said Wednesday. "Good for him. I told the team yesterday, and they are all very proud of him."
****** Forget the NFL-I'm pro college Paul Daugherty, Enquirer It could be a symptom of 20 years of living in Cincinnati, where the NFL dwells sporadically. It could be 30 years in the business, and a longing for times not so cynical. It could just be that college football is the better entertainment. Regardless, I know what I Knowshon: College or pro no longer is a debate.
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The 49ers' Football Intellect Wall Street Journal He had made his professional reputation with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1968 through 1975 under the tutelage of his mentor, the legendary Paul Brown. Mr. Walsh blossomed with the Bengals and it was widely assumed that Mr. Brown was grooming him for the head coaching slot. But that didn't happen Not only did Mr. Brown snub Mr. Walsh, he actively bad-mouthed him when the coach left to pursue other NFL opportunities. Mr. Harris suggests that perhaps Mr. Brown became jealous of his protégé. Because of Mr. Brown's august status and his failure to appoint Mr. Walsh as his successor, football people assumed something must have been wrong with him. Mr. Walsh instead left the NFL to coach Stanford to respectability in the always tough Pac-10 conference.
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Did you know? For the first time since 1973 Xavier will be playing a varsity college football game on Oct 11th. They will be playing Lincoln College of Missouri who is a NCAA division 2 school coached by former Bengal Lamar Parrish.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 06:03 PM EST [General]
UK football news LEXINGTON, Ky. - Quarterback/wide receiver Randall Cobb, linebacker Micah Johnson and defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin, who have been sidelined since Sept. 13 because of high-ankle sprains, might see action at Alabama, Coach Rich Brooks said after Wednesday morning's practice. "We made some progress with our high-ankle sprain guys," Brooks said. "They all didn't have a major setback from yesterday. They all did a little more today. I'd say Ricky Lumpkin is the most likely guy to be able to see action this week. That's assuming what they did today doesn't bring any major setbacks in the next 24-48 hours. They'll all three make the trip and possibly be available if needed."
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Would ya? According to a recent survey, 88% of White Sox season ticket holders said they would rather NOT make it to the World Series if it meant losing to the Cubs. David Kaplan (Who joined me earlier) of WGN radio in Chicago, and lifelong Cub fan, agrees. He'd rather NOT make it to the World Series and lose to the Sox. How about UC and X basketball fans? What about getting to the NCAA championship game and losing to the other? How about OSU and UC or OSU and Michigan football fans? What about getting to the BCS championship, only to lose to the rival? Yes or no?
Chad: Trouble is good C Trent's blog *Our '05 season we were unbelievable. Our '05 season is the year everybody went to jail and got arrested. That year everybody got in trouble. So maybe the bad was a good thing. It sounds dumb to say, but look at it. We have cleaned house and nobody is getting in trouble anymore, no DUIs, no arrests, now we're getting our **** whopped. Maybe I don't know, maybe I should go out have a drink, get in trouble. *On Chris Henry: "You know what? It just makes us that much more explosive. It makes us that much more potent. I am so freakin' happy that he's back. *And back toChad: "If I score Sunday, I love Dallas so much, I'm going to take my helmet off, pay the fine, and kiss the star." CLICK headline link for the rest of C. Trent's stuff
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Coming up Marvin Lewis, leads into my show at 2:45
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Carson today on HOMER "Nothing's changed. I'm preparing to play. I'm expecting to play, I'll be a little bit limited in practice, but I'm getting as many reps as I can. It looks like it's going to come down to a decision later in the week. It's definitely getting better. It's progressing day-to-day. I just cross my fingers and keep praying and hope it keeps progressing."
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Must see TV It's back....tonight...Direct TV..Friday Night Lights. Season three begins on Direct TV only for now....then is picked up by NBC in February. Fantastic show...great cast, writing and storylines. It's football...but it's not. Probably 10% of the show is game action. Seaons 3 scouting report TV writers roundtable
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Time to change the playoff structure? The Sporting News We play 162 games to determine the best teams, but why even bother if an 83-win team wins the World Series? Why not just play 30 games and then have a long playoff season? Otherwise, baseball's regular season becomes almost as useless as hockey's regular season.
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Show preview Guest David Kaplan, WGN, Comcast....from Wrigley on Cubs, Sox and Benson Topics Bengals: Marvin and Carson speak. You react to Cedric Benson. Reds MLB playoffs: You watching? Got a team you are rooting for? Your first: One hundred years ago today Henry Ford debuted the Model T. What was your first car? Got a story?
***** My first car I had just turned 16....I wanted a car...I needed a car. How else would I get to Wendy's for my role as French Fry Guy? My dad and I combed the classifieds. We found it! A Datsun. Don't remember the year. We went to the owner's house...and gave it a test drive. I had to have it. So I think we paid $1,100 for it. My dad followed me home as I drove it. Within the first 10 miles...the car stopped....just stopped somewhere off of I-465. I think we popped the hood, stared a while, then kicked something....and boom...it started again. But it wasn't til the first rain that I realized the rusted through hole in the driver side floord board. If it rained hard enough, the rain would splash up and slosh around my feet. My dad remembers it would stop runnning once a week....usually on a Friday night. Within a year we found some poor sucker to take it off our hands...for $500. Ah, my first car.
(Not acutal car...closest picture I can find for it)
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Mo live from the scene Friday Mo Egger will take his show on the road Friday. He will broadcast from Huntington, WV from the radio booth for UC-Marshall that night.
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Benson's big break? Pro Football Weekly If Benson is in shape, and if he is willing to work at his craft, he'll have a chance to push for a significant role in the offense, especially if Perry doesn't pick up his play. But if Benson falters in any way, all bets are off, and his NFL career very well could be over.
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Benson reaction "Good luck with him" "You can have him" "They were going to cut him anway (trouble or not) "Nobody in that lockerroom will miss him" "The running joke when he was cut was either the Bengals or Raiders would sign him" -From various radio/TV/newspaper/Bears people I know in Chicago and talked to last night
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Benson reaction ProFootballTalk.com Though a grand jury opted last week not to indict Benson on any of the pending charges, the decision of the Bengals to add a player with a troubled past will only reinforce the team's standing as a franchise that simply doesn't care about the perception that more than a few of its players are turds. Hey, but at least those talented-but-flawed players are helping the Bengals win lots of football games.
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Congrats to Jr! White Sox beat the Twins 1-0 to advance to the playoffs vs Tampa Bay. Jr gunned down Michael Cuddyer at the plate in the 5th inning and lined a double in the 7th.
Griffey, Thome enjoy rebirth Sun Times ''I told them this may be the last time they ever play for a pennant race,'' Guillen said. ''No matter whether you are [Alexei] Ramirez or Jim Thome or Junior, you never know how this is gonna turn around.
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Condolences Eddie Brinkman, a member of the White Sox coaching and scouting staffs from 1983 to 2000, died Tuesday afternoon in his hometown of Cincinnati. He was 66. ChicagoWhiteSox.com
Eddie was born December 8, 1941, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He attended Western Hills High School where he was a teammate of Pete Rose. My dad always tells me about the summer league he played in with Rose, Brinkman, Jimmy Wynn and Roger Staubach. Brinkman was considered a better player than Rose at the time. In my dad's final game at Woodward, Brinkman no-hit them. My dad says he's never seen any amateur baeball player hit the ball as hard as Eddie did in high school. He was 19 years old when he broke into the big leagues on September 6, 1961, with the Washington Senators. He spent 15-years in the majors as a slick fielding shortstop, winning a Gold Glove......and finished in the Top 10 of MVP voting with the Tigers in 1972. He was an All-Star in 1973.
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Tressel: "Our guys look forward to Camp Randall" Columbus Dispatch "Our guys (the current Buckeyes) have never played there," Tressel said. "I think knowing our guys, they'll be energized by the atmosphere because it will be loud and it will be fun. And the hitting will be stepped up just because of all the energy that will be translated or transferred into the people on the field. I think they're going to enjoy the experience of playing.
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Adding and dropping a show We have added The Mentalist, CBS....after watching the pilot last night (TIVO from last week) I'm dropping (Kelly is not) Desperate Housewives. They jumped the shark by skipping ahead five years and the women aren't nearly as hot as they used to be.
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Rocky Boiman hopes for another shot Indy Star "I'm not down about it," he said. "I'm clearly disappointed, but I firmly believe things happen for a reason. Bottom line, I've played six years in the league, I've got a Super Bowl ring, I've made a few bucks, so I'm not hurting.
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UK needs positive plays vs stout Bama defense Lexington Herald Leader "We've got to try to run," Brooks said. "If we don't keep the defense honest with the fact that we're going to try, even if we don't have great success, then our quarterback will be in trouble throwing the ball from a protection standpoint."
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Gillispie sees more ways to win this year Lexington Herald Leader "If healthy, we've got a chance to be the best defensive team I've been around," he said, "because of their size and athletic ability."
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Cowboys tell "Pacman" to be less visible off field Fort Worth Star Telegram One of the stipulations of Jones' reinstatement was that he stay away from parties and nightclubs as well as gentlemen's clubs, according to a source. He was even reprimanded for going to a Hooters restaurant in August.
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Cowboys well-fixed for '09 draft Dallas Morning News As the Cowboys move into October, they do so with a roster filled with talent. Pro Bowlers litter the offense and defense, and their core players mostly are entering their prime and signed well into the future. The Cowboys also find themselves in excellent salary-cap shape as the NFL heads toward economic uncertainty regarding the collective bargaining agreement. But all teams build through the draft, and the Cowboys are set up there as well with at least nine picks coming next April.
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Franklin to fight Henderson in Dublin The Sun "This is the fight my fans have wanted for a long time now, and they want to see me fight Rich Franklin."
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For offensviley challenged Bengals, it adds up to zero Fort Worth Star Telegram Despite some solid weapons, the Bengals have one of the worst offenses in the league. Cincinnati ranks 29th in passing and 30th in rushing. It has not scored more than 23 points in a game this season and has been held to one touchdown in three of its four games. The woeful running game is averaging just 82 yards per game after only 69 yards in last week's loss to Cleveland. The Bengals were also held below 225 yards for the third time this season.
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Snyder sizes up Bearcats Herald-Dispatch "It's an opportunity for him," he said. "These guys (Mickens and Smith) are being looked at by every NFL scout and they have them very highly rated. They are very good football players and this is an opportunity for him."
Bengals news The Bengals today signed free agent HB Cedric Benson and placed HB DeDe Dorsey on the Reserve/Injured list. Dorsey, a third-year player from Lindenwood College, played in this season’s first four games but suffered a hamstring injury last weekend against Cleveland. Benson (5-11, 220; Texas) is a fourth-year NFL player. He was Chicago’s first-round selection in the 2005 draft (fourth overall) after a Texas career that included 5540 rushing yards and the third-most touchdowns (64) in NCAA history. Benson played in 35 games with 12 starts for the Bears from 2005-07, rushing for 1593 yards on 420 carries (3.8) with 10 TDs. He also had 26 receptions for 180 yards. He had an additional 104 rushing yards with a TD and 24 receiving yards in the 2006 postseason, as Chicago advanced to Super Bowl XLI against Indianapolis. Last season, though missing five games with an injury, he posted career highs for rushing yards (674), receptions (17) and receiving yards (123). He started Games 1-11, but suffered a season-ending ankle injury on Nov. 25 vs. Denver and was placed Nov. 27 on Chicago’s Reserve/Injured list.
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Charges dropped Austin American Statesman "I hope that this situation reminds us all that not every person who is arrested for a crime is guilty," said Sam Bassett, Benson's Austin-based attorney.
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Benson news Chicago Sun Times-September 26 "I appeared before two grand juries yesterday and finally got the chance to tell my side of the story," Benson said. "I am grateful that the grand jurors agreed that I did not commit any crimes. "This ordeal is finally behind me, but I will use the experience to continue to grow as a person and as a professional football player." A day after two grand juries in Austin, Texas, cleared former Bears' first-round draft pick Cedric Benson of all charges from his two alcohol-related arrests this spring, he released a statement through attorney David Cornwell:
Monday, September 29, 2008, 06:02 PM EST [General]
Heard it from Hoard GoBearcats.com Normally, the prospect of starting your fourth option at quarterback (if you include Mauk) is terrifying. With that trio of candidates and Coach Kelly's track record with quarterbacks, I'm optimistic that the 'Cats can keep winning.
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Congrats to Elder The Elder Pathers are the 1530 HOMER/Team Fitz Graphics HS team of the week. The Pathers beat rival St X 33-15 in front of over 10,000 fans at The Pit Friday night. It was Elder's first win over St X since 2003. The win moved Elder to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the GCL South. Congrats to Elder and coach Doug Ramsey. Don't forget to nominate for next week. The 1530 HOMER/Team Fitz Graphics HS Team Of The Week Your team can't win if they aren't nominated Tell me why your HS football team is deserving for the week. I will accept email nominations until 6pm each Monday. The chosen team will receive a 4ft by 6ft 1530 HOMER/Team Fitz Graphics Team Of The Week banner for their lockerroom.
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Browns FB hit by flying beer at PBS Cleveland Plain Dealer "The bottle flew out of the stands," Vickers said. "It hit the top of my helmet and the top of the bottle, the part you drink out of, came across my eye, and I had beer all over my face." He said the cut was small, but joked, "but it's messing up my modeling career." Vickers said he didn't know what had happened at first, if he had been poked in the eye or what. Then he smelled beer and thought, "I know I haven't had anything to drink." When he figured out what it was, "I kind of snapped because why would somebody throw a bottle on the field? When I jumped up, I'm looking at the ref, and I'm kind of angry and upset. He was like, 'I can't do anything about it.' I didn't see anybody running over there to try to see who did it. I was more upset than anything."
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Show preview Guest Brian Kelly, UC football Topics Reds: A wrap-up and look ahead to the offseason Bengals ????
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Clip and save Free agent shopping for MLB this offseason
Talking Bengals I will always maintain I have the best job in the word. I work in the toy department of life. I talk sports. And I get paid to talk sports in the town I grew up in. In my job I try to make you think and make you laugh. I give you my opinions and ideas and hope for the same from you. I try to cover what you are talking about....from the water cooler to the message boards to the dinner table. It doesn't matter if we agree or disagree.....but nothing beats a good sports debate. Here's the question: Where do the Bengals fit in that equation right now? Am I beating a dead horse with Bengals talk or am I feeding you what you crave? Should I do more? Should I scale back? After doing this for a decade since moving back to town I feel like I don't have anything new to add. I feel like I continue to spin the carnival wheel and wait for it to land on the next Bengals topic. The topics never change....no matter what year it is: blame Mike, blame the coach, it's the play calling, gotta be scouting, hire a GM, where's the leadership?, no accountability, what's wrong with defense?, what's wrong with the offense?, why go to games? who should be the next coach? clock management issues, how can we force Mike's hand? why doesn' the league step in?, which team should we adopt?, who should they draft? what free agents do you want? what did you do Sunday? are you renewing season tickets? will a strong finish mean anything? When is the last time we had a new debate on the Bengals? It seems stale. Or maybe it's simply what happens after 10 years of doing this. Thoughts?
***** Reds' questions for 2009 John Fay, Enquirer Can the Reds land a big bat? The offense has been woeful - last in the NL in average, third last in runs. A right-handed force in the third hole would make a huge impact on the lineup as a whole. Matt Holliday is the name talked about. The Reds would have to give up one or two of their young pitchers to swing a deal like that.
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Quotes of the night *"We have some injuries that we need to deal with, that is part of football and we will deal with it," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "Our standard of expectation will not change. We have to go to Jacksonville on a short week, such is life in the National Football League." *''We lost a lot of guys,'' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. ''I was more emotional, more vocal than I've ever been at halftime. I screamed at our offense. We were terrible in the first half. Not that we were great in the second half, but we bounced back.'' *"We're tired of people pointing the finger at us and sputtering as an offense," said center Justin Hartwig. "We said enough is enough, and put some drives together in the second half." *"I haven't seen Ben THAT aggressive," said Santonio Holmes, smiling. "He's pulled us to the side before, he's talked to us. But the way he came in, it was really what we needed. Guys fed off it. ... It was very effective." *"I was tired of getting embarrassed," Roethlisberger said. "I was tired of getting booed. That's not us."
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Local recruits picks NC St Cincinnati Winton Woods TE Anthony Talbert has given his word to N.C. State, committing to the Wolfpack after an official visit this weekend, Rivals.com reported. Talbert (6-5, 222) also reported scholarship offers from Cincinnati and several MAC schools."I feel like it was the right fit for me,"Talbert told Rivals.com. "The coaches were all nice and they've got all the best interest of the players, and the players were real cool. They seem like they really care about one another. I got a good vibe down there."-The Sporting News Today
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Ex-Bearcat injures spine on MNF Enquirer A collision between two former University of Cincinnati players sent Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Andre Frazier to a hospital with a spinal injury Monday night.
(AP Photo)
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Bama will reveal where UK stands Lexington Herald Leader "This is an opportunity to see where we stand in the SEC hierarchy and whether we'll have an impact in this league or not," Brooks said. "This is a game where we're going to find out if our defense is really improved and up to the standards of SEC defenses. Also, has our offense progressed to the point where we can move the football on a great defense? Those are questions that are out there."
Rudi wins starting job The Detroit News "Yeah, I've been told, 'We're going with a change of pace,' " said Smith, who still leads the team with 29 carries for 102 yards this season. "Personally, I don't like it. Not personally against Rudi. I've got nothin' against Rudi. Rudi's a good back. If they want to play him, play him."
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Bearcats uncertain under center The Charleston Gazette Kelly hasn't been through such a situation in his 18 years of head coaching, but he joked that "they don't give you points for complaining about it." And with the game Friday, he even gets less time to prepare his passers.
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Uncertainty the name of the game for UC Herald-Dispatch Starting four different quarterbacks in the past five games has dominated storylines in the Queen City. Cincinnati's secondary equally is uncertain, however, transforming team strength to troubling question mark.
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All pain, no gain Todd Jones, Columbus Dispatch The Bengals are 97-180 with one winning record in the past 18 seasons since 1991, including an 0-4 start this season. As usual,the team doesn't need a Halloween costume. With the Bengals, it's always been there, dung that. And yet, somehow, someway, there are still Bengals fans living and breathing among us. They're harder to kill than Rasputin. This fascinates me. I grew up in the Cincinnati area and used to write about the Bengals a lot for the Cincinnati Post. I had an up-close-and-personal look at the mayhem. I had Carl Pickens haunt my days. I covered Dave Shula's last team and lived to tell about it. I have scars. But at least I was getting paid to watch Bengals games.
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Friday show update Former Bengals OT Joe Walter ('85-'97) will join me Friday from 3-4:30. David Fulcher has to go out of town for NFL business.
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What they are saying in Dallas If you think it's bad here, look at Cincinnati Dallas Morning News Cowboys defensive end Marcus Spears said, "It's always a big atom bomb dropped any time we lose." That's nothing compared to what's going on in Cincinnati, where the Bengals are 0-4.
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UC vs non BCS teams on the road this year UC has back to back road games at non BCS schools....Akron last week and Marshall this week. In fact, UC has three non BCS road games this season, including the trip to Hawaii. UC is the ONLY BCS school with three road games vs non BCS teams this year. By my count today..... *19 BCS schools play one road game vs a non BCS opponent this year *One BCS school plays two road games vs non BCS opponents this year: South Florida...at Central Florida and at Florida International. Why so many for UC? They are leftover games from the previous coach/administration. A couple of years ago UC negotiated a 2 for 1 with Akron....when Mike Thomas was at Akron. And Mark Dantonio agreed to play at Marshall as a favor to Marshall coach Mark Snyder, a friend and assistant with him at OSU. The Hawaii game was Brian Kelly's idea and is more of a showcase for boosters/alums. Although....the timing could be dicey for UC if they were to play in the St Petersburg Bowl. UC plays at Hawaii Dec 6....they have exams the next week and then would have to be in St Petersburg, Fla the week of the 15th for the St Petersburg Bowl December 20.
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UC football news CINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati football players Drew Frey and Tony Pike both underwent successful forearm surgery at University of Cincinnati Hospital Monday. The Bearcats' team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Angelo Colosimo performed both operations. Both players were injured in UC's 17-15 win over Akron in the Rubber Bowl on Sept. 27. Pike, a junior quarterback, had a plate inserted in his left (non-throwing) arm to correct a fracture of his radius. He is expected to be out three to four weeks. Pike leads the BIG EAST and ranks 15th nationally in passing efficiency with a 160.6 quarterback rating. Prior to his injury against the Zips, he was 23-for-34 for a career-high 320 yards and two touchdowns. Frey, a redshirt freshman defensive back, had a plate inserted in his right arm to correct breaks in both his radius and ulna. He will be out 8-10 weeks.
Sunday, September 28, 2008, 09:50 AM EST [General]
Bengals news The NFL today granted the Bengals a one-week roster exemption for WR Chris
Henry, who has completed a four-game league suspension.
Henry will be allowed to participate in all team activities until
next Monday without counting against Cincinnati’s roster limit. For Henry to
play against Dallas this Sunday, the club would have to open a spot on the
53-player roster and add Henry to the roster.
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UC news CINCINNATI - The University of
Cincinnati Department of Athletics announced Monday that its Homecoming football
game vs. Rutgers University on Saturday, Oct. 11 will kickoff at Noon in a game
televised on the BIG EAST Network. The football game can be seen on WKRC-TV
(Channel 12) in Cincinnati and WKEF-TV (Channel 22) in Dayton. Following the
football game at 4 p.m., 2008 UC Basketball Fan Jam will tip off as head coaches
Mick Cronin and Kelley Hall debut their new squads.
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Quote of the day “they are playing their little tails off” -Marvin on the defense
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Bengals get one week roster exemption for Henry Ludwig At Large The Cincinnati Bengals applied for — and received — a one-game
roster exemption for wide receiver Chris Henry, whose four-game, league-mandated
suspension ends today, Monday, Sept. 29, 2008.
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Big East honor roll Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati - Had seven receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns in Cincinnati's 17-15 win at Akron. Had at least one touchdown pass for the fourth straight game. Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati - Had a game-high 14 tackles with one tackle for loss and three pass breakups in Cincinnati's 17-15 win at Akron.
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OSU news COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Ohio State-Purdue football game on Saturday, October 11, 2008, at Ohio Stadium will kick off at 3:30 p.m. Eastern, the Big Ten Conference announced today. The contest will be televised on a regional basis by ABC.
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Show preview Marvin Lewis, 3pm Topics Bengals College football: What a weekend UC football: Where is Demetrius Jones? MLB: Wow!
Opening observations *Thank heavens for the NFL Ticket, fantasy football, gambling and college football *Hey, at least I made money watching the game....Browns +3 *Was tailgating enough to make that fun? *Final score: 65,541 fans *How many season ticket holders would be in favor of a bailout? *Hey, it's just preseason *Marvin's record drops to 42-43 *Line of the day: "God have mercy on Bengals fans for the remainder of the year"-'Brad Johansen *Top 100 college seniors *Has there ever been an NFL coach to mishandle timeouts, the clock and challenges like Marvin Lewis? *For those that wanted Fitzpatrick...you got him......now what? *No timeouts with 13:00 left in the game? Bet there was a bad connection with the headsets again. *Under Marvin, the Bengals were 34-5 when leading after three quarters going into Sunday *Browns '08 7th round pick (#231) Alex Hall blows by franchise tagged Stacey Andrews for a sack. *Why did Carson practice and throw Wed and Thur with a sore elbow? Why not give those reps to Fitzpatrick and check on Carson Friday? And if Ryan and Jordan got hurt, Carson was going in? Hurt last Sunday, no MRI til Thursday? *Carson's elbow? I'm thinking it's just a bone bruise *What will the opening point spread be for Bengals vs Cowboys? I'll guess 17.5
Penalties Sunday CIN-Da.Jones, Personal Foul, 15 yards, CIN-F.Rucker, Defensive Offside, CIN-L.Jones, False Start, CIN-D.Dorsey, Personal Foul, 15 yards, CIN-A.Whitworth, Offensive Holding, CIN-A.Odom, Neutral Zone Infraction, Penalty on CIN, Defensive Offside, declined.
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What the rest of the country is saying *Here's why no one cares what Chad Johnson/Ocho Cinco calls himself: He has no game with more than 37 yards receiving. *A year ago, Cleveland and Cincinnati combined for 96 points in one game. This season they combined for 98 ... in four starts. -Clark Judge, CBS Sports *We're not prepared to suggest that the Bengals will go winless, but we're feeling pretty certain that they won't generate enough victories to help coach Marvin Lewis to extend his career by another year.-Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk.com *Marvin Lewis - what can you say anymore? Carson Palmer's sore elbow probably seals his fate. *Elbow problems? That's bad news for a quarterback who puts so much torque on his arm throwing the football. It sure makes you wonder about Palmer's slow start. *Loathed: Watching Cincinnati's Chris Perry run the football. He's averaging 2.9 yards per carry and not looking all that explosive. It can't be long before Kenny Watson gets another starting shot in that backfield. -Charles Robinson, Yahoo Sports *Carson Palmer is worried about his elbow. Marvin Lewis told me last night it's 70-30 Palmer will play at Dallas next week (now there's a reward for you), but the inflammation in there did not go down over the weekend.-Peter King, CNNSI
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Line of the morning "It's becoming the same thing over and over," Bengals CB Leon Hall said.
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No lipstick for this pig Columbus Dispatch CINCINNATI-On a perfect afternoon for football, 65,541 chose instead to watch the Bengals and Cleveland Browns. They endured the Cincinnati debut of Ryan Fitzpatrick, sat through another frustrating performance by Derek Anderson and saw little to suggest either team is headed for better things.
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Opening lines No line Bengals-Dallas UC -3 1/2 @ Marshall OSU - 2/12 @ Wisconsin Kentucky + 16 1/2 @ Alabama Miami -7 vs. Tempe
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What they are saying in Cleveland Jamal Lewis got his wish and the ball Coach Romeo Crennel said the players had been told the first two plays Sunday would be runs and they'd go from there. Lewis gained 6 yards on his first run and 18 on his second. "The running plays were successful so we stayed with them," he said. "We drove down the field and scored, so it was a good drive."
Gutty, gutty, gutty! Did you see C.C. Sabathia? Third straight start on three days rest. Complete game vs Cubs! What a stud. Dale Sveum let him bat, leading off the bottom of the 8th in a 1-1 game. Later in the inning Ryan Braun homered to break the1-1 tie vs Cubs. Brewers are bound for the postseason as the Marlins beat the Mets! Poor Mo Egger....he was at the final at Shea. I love the Direct TV baseball package!
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Former Withrow WR not at game, but far from forgotten Indy Star "It was very emotional," Davis said. "There were about six of us that went. The hardest thing was seeing him sit there and know he can never play football again. We all cried."
Reds will bring entire staff back in '09 MLB.COM The Reds entered the night ranked 16th out of 16 National League teams in hitting with a .247 team average, and near the bottom in fielding. The pitching staff came in ranked 11th with a 5.04 ERA, but the bullpen made considerable improvement to be ranked third in the NL.
