Lance

    Wednesday

    Tuesday, September 9, 2008, 07:46 PM EST [General]


    Quote of the day
    Wednesday Marvin Lewis news conference
    Q: What advice do you have for the fans?
    Marvin: "Do what you gotta do. I'm not going to keep......I don't.....if you are a fan, be a fan.
    You get to determine that"

    I continue to be amazed by the smug, condescending arrogance of a Lewis.  
    Where and how does he summons the nerve to continue to dismiss fans that have followed and supported  this product for 18+ years?
    Almost five years ago he said the fans didn't have an investment in this team.
    November 2003
    Asked if he understood that Bengals fans carried the baggage of 12 consecutive non-winning seasons before he was hired in January, Lewis said: "I understand that. But again, when you don't have anything invested in it, how can it be baggage for you? (Team employees are) the ones that carry this around."-Enquirer
    And all the while he does this living off  a reputation built off Ozzie Newsome's draft picks in Baltimore? Stunning.
    But hey, .......do what you gotta do Coach.

    ****

    Grutza update
    University of Cincinnati quarterback Dustin Grutza (Maysville, Ky./Mason County) underwent successful surgery on his right leg Wednesday.
    The surgery was performed by Dr. Angelo Colosimo, the Bearcats’ team orthopedic surgeon.
    Grutza suffered a fractured right fibula and high ankle sprain in the fourth quarter of UC’s 52-26 loss at No. 4/4 Oklahoma on Sept. 6.
    He is out indefinitely and no timetable has been set for his return.

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    Bengals stuff
    C. Trent's blog

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    Can this be fixed?
    Paul Daugherty, Enquirer

    Twenty years following the football team, I’ve sensed a different mood this year among Bengals faithful. The hot air of frustration always blows around the Cincinnati Bengals. Until now, that’s all it has been. Empty threats, overwhelmed by a love of Sunday afternoons.
    The feel now isn’t like before.

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    Carson prediction
    USC 42 OSU 17
    "It'll be close early and then SC pulls away in the 3rd and 4th quarter"

    ****

    Show preview
    Topics

    Bengals: Marvin and Carson speak
    Carson concerns: Legit or not?
    UC's QB situation
    OSU-USC
    UK: What's up with the fans vs Rich?
    Reds
    20 Best athlete names

    ******

    Look what they are turning into a movie!
    The Greatest American Hero
    Here is the intro for the TV version

    ******

    How 'bout those Reds!?
    They beat the Brewers in 11 innings.
    I actually stayed up til 12:30 to watch the end.
    That's three straight 1-run wins in their last at-bat.
    That's 8 of 11.....and 14-12 since the Dunn trade.
    And that is three in a row and 4 of 5 vs the NL Central leader and the Wild Card leader.

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    Typical Reds?
    Contrary to popular belief....the Reds don't "always play well in September".
    In fact, prior to this September, the Reds have had seven consecutive September's without a winning record.
    2007 10-17
    2006 13-14
    2005 11-17
    2004 13-15
    2003 10-16
    2002 12-15
    2001 11-11
    Total: 79-105 .429
    Last winning September
    2000 (18-10)
    Last time they had a winning record in final 40 games of a season: 2000 (25-15)
    The question is....what do you make of this September and the fact they have gone 14-12 since turning the page? Something? Nothing? Hope? False hope?


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    20 Most Appropriate Athlete Names
    The Love of Sports
    Like Bolt, every so often there's an athlete whose name is perfectly suited for his profession, position, style of play or particular team. There are also athletes who have names which are completely contradictory to their abilities or specific role.

    ******

    Timeout needed for Young
    David Climer, The Tennessean
    The hints have been out there for a while, even if we failed to pick up on them. In May, Thomas George of NFL.com wrote that Young said he "really thought long and hard" about retiring prior to the '07 season because of the pressures of being an NFL quarterback and other factors.

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    OSU looking to restore reputation
    Chicago Tribune
    Losing to top-ranked USC would add to the perception that Ohio State can't dance with the nation's elite. There's also a practical element to the win-or-be-eliminated talk.

    *****

    Critics won't have OSU to kick around: Saturday is must win
    Paul Daugherty, Enquirer
    Perception is reality in the BCS' tangled web of voters and computers. The Buckeyes won't survive a loss to USC on a schedule that includes Youngstown State, Ohio U. and Troy, even if the Big Ten is better than we supposed a month ago. The playoff mob will have to seek fresh flesh.

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    Bengals tickets in the bargain basement
    Enquirer
    "Every year, we could always count on the home opener being a really good game," said Jeff McDonald, spokesman for Riverfront Choice. "This year, it's scary. These prices we have are absolutely ridiculous, because we have to sell the tickets."

    *****

    OSU-USC goes deeper than football
    Columbus Dispatch
    The old wounds resurface this week. Like that nagging football injury from back when, the mere mention of playing Southern California has many Ohio State fans rubbing the sore spot on their psyches.

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    Can't win if you don't nominate
    I've gotten a number of emails complaining Team A, B or C wasn't named The 1530 HOMER/Team Fitz Graphics HS Team Of The Week.
    There is a simple answer to why......they didn't get nominated.
    Each week I take your email nominations.
    Tell me why your team is deserving for the week.
    Did they pull off an upset? Beat a rival? Tell me who they played, score, record, coach, etc.
    I will accept email nominations until noon each Monday.
    I will announce the winning team each Tuesday.
    The chosen team will recieve a 4ft by 6ft 1530 HOMER/Team Fitz Graphics Team Of The Week banner for their lockerroom.
    I will only accept emails sent to the address to the right, by my photo.
    This week: Congrats to the Milford Eagles
    The Eagles are 3-0 and off to their best start since1956 following their 27-13 win over Little Miami last week. In a driving rain, QB Ethan Daiker was 6 of 9 passing for 119 yards and rushed for a TD. RB Nathan Termuhlen rushed 12 times for 84 yards and two TD's.
    Congrats to Coach Pat Fagan and the Eagles!
    Next up for Milford: Woodward

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    Alabama star picks IU over UK, UL and others
    Indy Star
    Watford is ranked No. 34 in the nation in the Class of 2009 by rivals.com. He becomes the highest-ranked player in an IU recruiting class that also includes three other players ranked in the top 110.

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    The Wire..Seaon 4....spoiler alert
    Wow...we finished off the final two episodes last night.
    After a slow start it rallied big time. Fantastic....from the mayor's race to the school's to Omar vs Marlow. A listener had emailed me a while back encouraging me to hang with the show and describing it as "heartbreaking". It was.
    It took me a few episodes to adjust to the plot change. But what a look inside the school systems. I spent the final episode thinking various characters would be killed off....and hoping they would not. Dang, my guy Bode!
    I would rank this season 2nd best....Kelly puts it as the best.
    My rankings:
    Season 3: Stringer
    Season 4: Schools
    Season 1: Gets it all started
    Season 2: The docks

    ****

    Titans news
    Young "hurting inside and out," mother says
    The Tennessean
    A psychologist was among those who met with Young at his Brentwood home on Monday, and what she concluded and told team officials led to a bizarre, 24-hour period that ended just after midnight Monday. That's when Fisher met with Young and police at Baptist Sports Park.
    Simms takes back-up job for Titans

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    No gain for Patterson, no pain for Cats
    Lexington Herald Leader
    Patterson gained only one pound and 1 percent body fat in the time between ankle surgery and the beginning of his rehabilitation this off-season, UK Coach Billy Gillispie said Monday.

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    Phillips done
    In the 11th inning of last night's 5-4 victory at Mil, 2B Brandon Phillips suffered a broken right index finger when he was hit by a pitch on a bunt attempt...in that same plate appearance he singled to drive in the game-winning run...he is scheduled to be examined in Cincinnati later today and will not play the rest of the season.

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    E.D. to be roving instructor in '09
    MLB.COM
    "We'll probably have him in the instructional league some," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. "He wants to work with us, but he's not ready to do it full-time. He adds a lot with his knowledge of the game, obviously. He's still well respected and revered by today's players that recognize who he was and what he was as a Reds player. He'll be another valuable asset to the organization that will be able to provide some resource for these guys to go to, and supplement our coaching staff at the Major or Minor League level."

    0 (0 Ratings)

    Tuesday

    Monday, September 8, 2008, 09:01 PM EST [General]

    Wouldn't you love to hear Marvin say this?
    Herald Tribune
    "I didn't quite punch myself in the face this morning, but I was angry with myself," Zorn said

    ****

    Reds news
    Today the Reds recalled from Class AAA Louisville
    IF Paul Janish (#7)
    IF Danny Richar (#62)
    IF Adam Rosales (#60)
    LHP Daniel Ray Herrera (#52)
    Selected from Louisville the contracts of RHP Jon Adkins (#64), LHP Adam Pettyjohn (#63) and RHP Josh Roenicke (#65)
    Placed on the 60-day disabled list RHP Josh Fogg
    Recalled from Louisville and placed on the 60-day disabled list RHP Matt Belisle
    Designated for assignment RHP Todd Coffey.

    THRILLERS: In each of the last 2 games - Sunday's 4-3 win vs Chi and last night's 5-4 win at Mil - the Reds trailed by 2 runs in the ninth inning and scored 3 times...for only the second time in franchise history the Reds have won consecutive games when trailing by at least 2 runs in the ninth or later...the 1976 Big Red Machine did it in a 4-3 win at Mtl on 7/7/76 and a 12-11 win vs Pit on 7/9/76 (courtesy Elias Sports Bureau).

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    DUI crackdown at Bengals games
    Enquirer

    The Ohio State Highway Patrol is teaming with Cincinnati and Kentucky state police agencies to try to deter and stop impaired drivers. Officers will patrol interstates and metro areas near Paul Brown Stadium.

    *****

    Anyone need a ticket?
    Cincinnati, OH – The Bengals loss last week is the Cincinnati fans gain. Bengals fans are being encouraged to come down to the jungle this week by 333seat, which is offering tickets starting at less than face value for the home opener. Since 1982, 333seat has never sold tickets for a Bengals home opener at less than face value.

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    NKU #1
    The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team has reached the
    pinnacle of NCAA Division II men's soccer for the second straight
    season, as the Norse have vaulted to No. 1 in the national poll that was
    released Tuesday.
    NKU (4-0) completed a perfect weekend in non-conference play, defeating
    Carson-Newman by a 1-0 score in double overtime on Friday before
    tackling Findlay by a 2-0 margin on Sunday. The Norse were ranked No. 3
    nationally last week.
    NKU has remained unbeaten during its last 32 regular-season games
    (31-0-1) dating back to Sept. 15, 2006, the only blemish being a
    scoreless draw with Rockhurst on Oct. 6 of that same year. NKU has won
    26 consecutive regular-season games since that tie.

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    Police searched for Titans QB
    ESPN

    Nashville police were asked to search for Vince Young on Monday evening after family members placed a call to the Tennessee Titans informing them of their concern for the quarterback's state of mind.

    *****

    Tressel says Wells will play
    ESPN
    "I saw him on the side a little bit running," linebacker James Laurinaitis said on a conference call with reporters Monday night. "He looked good, kind of doing drills, testing it out. From what I could tell he looked really great, but who really knows but him?"

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    My stat of the day: Things that make you go hmmmm
    The Reds have won 4 of 5 and 7 of 10.
    They took 2 of 3 from first place Chicago over the weekend
    They took game one at Wild Card leader Milwaukee last night
    They have played 25 games since the Dunn trade:
    Record 13-12
    Runs scored per game since trade: 4.76 (4.29 prior to trade)
    ERA since trade: 4.39 (4.65 prior to trade)
    Unearned runs allowed:
    65 in first 119 games prior to trade (unearned run every 1.8 games)
    3 in 25 games since trade (unearned run every 8.3 games)
    Team batting average:
    .246 before trade, .252 since trade
    K's per plate appearance
    Before trade: 1 every 5.53 plate appearances
    Since trade: 1 every 5.48 plate appearances
    Walks draw per plate appearance
    Before trade: 1 every 10.8 plate appearances
    Since trade: 1 every 10.9 plate appearances
    HR's per game
    Before trade: 1.14
    Since trade: 1.12

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    Show preview
    Guest
    Brian Kelly
    Bengals: Now what?
    UC football: If Saturday was a measuring stick game....how did they measure up to the #4 team in the country?
    Reds: Have they moved back on your radar to any extent? Have you noticed what they are doing?
    Akili's: Got one? See below

    ******

    Akili's
    Joe Posnanski

    Here's my latest attempt to add a word to the dictionary: I call this an "Akili Question" or just an "Akili."
    Akili (Ah-KEE-lee). Noun. A question that people believe they can answer intuitively but one that, actually, has no answer. Akilis lead to endless and fun arguments. The word derives from the utterly unanswerable question: "Would quarterback Akili Smith have been a good football player had he been drafted by a team other than the stunningly clueless Cincinnati Bengals?"
    Many sports questions, I believe, are really Akilis: Was Babe Ruth better than Barry Bonds? Would Tiger Woods have dominated Jack Nicklaus in Jack's prime? What happens it you put Jim Brown or Otis Taylor or some other physical marvel from forty and fifty years ago in today's game? Nobody really knows, but it's fun to scream at people about it. Then there are a lot of non-sports Akilis out there too. You know what I love? I love reading those books that take a moment in history and takes a look at the alternative, like: What if Lee had not attacked at Gettysburg? What if the Germans had discovered the atom bomb first. And so on. I should do a book of sports Akilis, don't you think?

    *****

    60 day medical suspension for Franklin
    MMAJunkie.com
    The Georgia Athletic and Entertainment Commission has issued medical suspensions to all 18 fighters who competed at this past Saturday's "UFC 88: Breakthrough" event, and eight were more than the standard seven days.

    *****

    Former Franklin opponent dead at 37

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    Pollack takes radio gig
    AJC
    David Pollack has returned home - with a new job.

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    Huh?
    "We've got to go back and start from scratch"
    -Marvin Lewis, Sunday Sept 7, 2008
    "We've got to start from scratch. We have to blow it up and empty everything.
    -Marvin Lewis, Saturday Dec. 29, 2007 (Columbus Dispatch)

    *****

    What purpose does Tony K serve on MNF?
    Cold Hard Football Facts
    Kornheiser talked about Favre so often that even his own booth-mate, Mike Tirico, finally had to shut him off at the start of the second half: "You're limited to five mentions (of Favre)," said Tirico, generously discounting the number of times "Favre" rolled off Kornheiser's tongue.

    ****

    After 18 years, OSU, USC to get an ending
    MSNBC
    "There were 2½ minutes left on the clock, and now we'll never know," the former Ohio State quarterback said Monday.

    *****


    (AP photo)
    Memories of '88 now seem tarnished
    USA Today
    "People have done a lot of retrospective second-guessing," Selig says. "In 1998, you would have had a hard time convincing people in Chicago and St. Louis and all over the country that they weren't witnessing some remarkable event."

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    Jones could see increased role for UC
    ESPN
    "I definitely think we go into this bye week with an eye towards getting him out there," Kelly said on the Big East coaches' teleconference. "Clearly, the knowledge base is the bigger issue now. He's physically a lot farther along. We feel like, physically, he can go in there and compete. It's the knowledge base of the offense right now."

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    Grutza will need surgery
    Enquirer
    It's unclear until the surgery is performed how long Grutza will be out, but it will almost certainly be longer than the original four-week estimate.

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    5 areas to fix before its' too late
    Chick Ludwig, Dayton Daily News
    4. Leaders must lead
    OK, captains Palmer, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Bobbie Williams, Dexter Jackson and Dhani Jones, it's up to you guys. You're the leaders. So lead. It's your job to pick your teammates up, grab 'em by the front of their "NOW" T-shirts and show 'em the way.

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    Q/A with Xavier assistant Chris Mack
    College Chalk Talk
    Derrick Brown is a tremendously talented player. But as I've told him, truly great players produce, they're not just about potential. Derrick understands that if he is going to be one of the best players in the conference, he needs to be able to impact games all the time, not just in three minute spurts. He doesn't have to score twenty points every night... but he needs to be a presence rebounding the basketball, blocking shots and scoring inside.

    *****

    Browns will face more of same if they don't adjust
    Cleveland Plain Dealer
    If the Browns take the field this week against Pittsburgh with the same passive, timid game plan on defense, it will be a rerun of Sunday's 28-10 loss to Dallas.

    *****

    Wells isn't part of OSU practice
    Columbus Dispatch
    "I don't know if he was running, jogging -- I have no idea if he was walking, riding a (stationary) bike," Boeckman said. "I really can't give you any details on what he was doing."

    *****

    Vince Young battles demons on two fronts
    The Tennessean
    Since selecting Vince Young with their first pick of the 2006 NFL Draft, the Titans have needed patience in dealing with the talented yet emotional quarterback. Just a few days into the 2008 season, that patience continues to be tested.

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    Boo to you, spoiled UK fans
    John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader
    What is wrong with you people?
    Apparently, you are spoiled when you have no right to be spoiled.
    Apparently, you think you know better when you don't know better.

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    Nothing big about football in Big East
    Rick Bozich, Louisville Courier Journal
    There is no clarity. There is no overwhelming favorite. There is nobody to fear -- which should generate an entertaining conference race.
    But there is also no respect, not nationally. The Big East is missing from the top 15.

    *****

    Things noticed
    Charleston Gazette
    Five Charleston baseball figures, including former Cincinnati Reds pitcher and broadcaster Joe Nuxhall, make up this season's class of inductees in the West Virginia Power Wall of Fame.
    Pitching for the Senators of the Class A Central League, Nuxhall spent 1949 and 1950 in Charleston - the first two seasons of Watt Powell Park's existence.
    In 1944, Nuxhall appeared in a Reds game at the age of 15, making him the youngest player ever to reach the majors.
    As a Reds broadcaster, he made frequent trips to Charleston to promote the team.

    ****

    Did you know?
    The Bengals have not scored an offensive TD in their last two games vs Baltimore:
    Nov. 11, 2007: 21-7 win, seven FG's by Shayne Graham
    Sept. 7, 2008: 17-10 lose, one FG by Shayne Graham

    0 (0 Ratings)

    Flacco's TD run

    Monday, September 8, 2008, 10:08 AM EST [General]

    Reds news
    Last night Louisville was eliminated from the International League playoffs with a 9-1 loss at Durham...tomorrow the Reds are expected to promote IF Paul Janish (#7), IF Danny Richar (#62), IF Adam Rosales (#60), RHP Jon Adkins (#64), LHP Daniel Herrera (#52), LHP Adam Pettyjohn (#63) and RHP Josh Roenicke (#65)...

    **No Drew Stubbs? .293-2-10 in 75 AAA ab's

    ****

    Thoughts and prayers to John Fay
    John's blog

    I underwent an angioplasty procedure Thursday. A stent was inserted in the my circumflex artery to open a 90 percent blockage. I'm fine. My leg's a little sore where they went in. But other than that I'm the same middle-aged, slightly overweight, semi-stressed-out guy with mortgage and a job. Probably like a lot of you.

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    Thought of the day
    Reds offense produced 4 runs Sunday
    Bengals offense produced 3 points Sunday
    -Listener Mike K

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    Joe Flacco or Forrest Gump?

     

     

     

    *****

    Photo of the day


    (Baltimore Sun photo)
    "I started running, and I was thinking, 'first down, first down, first down,'" Flacco said of the run that came on first-and-10. "I got to the first-down point, and I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, I don't think there's anybody there.' I just started going upfield, and I just thought, 'I'm going to get in the end zone here.'"

    *****

    Big East Special Teams Player of the Week
    UC's Marty Gilyard set a BIG EAST record with 246 yards on kickoff returns and had a school-record 365 all-purpose yards in the Bearcats' 52-26 loss at No. 4 Oklahoma. He scored a touchdown on a 97-yard kickoff return and also finished with seven receptions for 119 yards.

    *****

    Heard if from Hoard
    GoBearcats.com
    Good lord.
    After seeing Oklahoma play in person, I would rank the Sooners #33 in the country.
    As in the 33rd NFL team.

    0 (0 Ratings)

    Monday

    Sunday, September 7, 2008, 08:52 AM EST [General]

     

    What they are saying around the country
    It figures. One week Cincinnati releases Deltha O'Neal; the next he's making the game-saving play for New England. That tells you something about both franchises.
    -Clark Judge, CBS Sports
    My bottom five: 32. St. Louis 31. Cincinnati 30. Detroit 29. San Francisco 28. Miami
    -Clark Judge, CBS Sports
    I think I'm starting to think Carson Palmer belongs in Jay Cutlerville. He hasn't been a commanding presence on the field for some time, I'd say going back to mid-2006, and I'm hard-pressed to think of him in the same league with the top five or six quarterbacks. I did put him there in my top 50 in the SI NFL Preview issue, but after watching him Sunday, I almost wish I could have that one back.
    -Peter King, CNNSI
    6. Marvin might be done soon
    -Mike Florio, The Sporting News
    Forget Chad Ocho Cinco; everyone on the Bengals' roster is probably fantasizing about an identity change right about now.
    -Michael Silver, Yahoo
    What we learned is physicality usually prevails in the AFC North, and Cincinnati will have to improve in that category if it wants to win inside the division, particularly on the road.
    -James Walker, ESPN.COM


    *****

     

    What they are saying in Baltimore
    Defense shows its mettle is rust-proof
    Baltimore Sun
    Backed up against a wall early and late, pulling out schemes they hadn't shown all preseason, leaning on the chemistry built over years of continuity, and facing a Bengals offense that gives them chronic headaches, they gave up one field goal

     

    Ravens' report card
    The Ravens dominated the Bengals up front, particularly in the second half. The Ravens found a lot of yardage to the left side behind tackle Jared Gaither and guard Ben Grubbs.Center Jason Brown was dominant at the point of attack.

    ****

    Kelly: No reason to circle the wagons
    Enquirer
    "You're going to think I'm crazy, but I think we can play with the very best," Kelly said when asked what he learned from UC's 52-26 loss to the Sooners.

    ****

    Notes from the North
    Cowboys outclass Browns on both sides of ball
    Cleveland Plain Dealer
    Beneath the glitz and glamour, the Cowboys are a quality team. They showed it on both sides of the ball Sunday in a 28-10 victory over the Browns in Cleveland Browns Stadium.

    Steelers nearly perfect
    Pittsburgh Post Gazette
    "I think we played a good game in virtually all three phases," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "It was not perfect but I liked the energy and enthusiasm from the people who went out and made plays."

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    Bats done
    Louisville Courier Journal
    Despite winning a franchise-best 88 games during the regular season, Louisville had no answer as the Bulls pounded 15 hits in the decisive win.

    ****

    My weekend
    UC gets ripped by Oklahoma
    Dustin Grutza breaks leg
    Bengals get embarrassed
    Had Indy in my survivor pool with Dan Clasgens
    Took Tom Brady with 5th pick in fantasy draft

    ****

    On this date: 1985
    Reds player/ manager Pete Rose singles twice against the Cubs' Reggie Patterson at Wrigley Field. His fifth-inning hit enables him to tie Ty Cobb's all-time hits record of 4,191.
    The game ends in a 5-5 tie because of darkness.

    ****

    For openers
    Bengals -2.5 vs Titans
    OSU +10.5 vs USC

    ****

    More observations
    Mismatch of the weekend:
    Harbaugh, Cameron and Ryan vs Lewis, Bratkowski, and Zimmer

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    Next up Titans: Young has maturity issues
    The Tennessean
    It took only one game - a victory over Jacksonville, no less - for the season to take a strange turn. This team has issues at quarterback, be it a tight hamstring, a sprained knee, a bruised ego, a bad attitude or all of the above.

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    Don't forget
    Marvin Lewis leads off my show Monday at 3pm.
    Insert his laughter here __________

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    Postgame
    From C. Trent's blog

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    Top 32 NFL draft prospects for '09
    Scout.com

     

    ****

    Dogs chasing tails
    Callers to postgame:
    "Mike needs to step down"
    "They need a GM"
    "He should sell the team"
    "They should move"
    What a fascinating study in fans realizing the problem....fans being able to articulate the problem....but fans never doing anything about the problem.
    Results of chasing tail?
    *One winning season in 18 years
    *Season already sold out
    *A new franchise record 44 consecutive games sold out with the Dec 28 season finale vs Kansas City
    *No GM
    *Smallest scouting staff in NFL
    *Lots of interest collected and money made

    ****

    Ex watch
    Rudi  Johnson 3 carries for 14 yards....long of 12 yards for Lions
    Deltha O'Neal 3 solo tackles for Patriots

    ****

    Opening thoughts
    *Is this heaven? No...it's Armagedon.
    *And now you know why I asked for optimism last week. I can't imagine feeling this way all of last week before the season even started.
    *Hey, it could be worse....you could have Tom Brady on your fantasy team. Oh wait, I do
    *Best word to describe it? Brutal
    *Is it still preseason?
    *Line of the day: "I can't watch it", Casey at 6:17 of the 2nd qt as he left the room
    *Damn I'm glad I don't have season tickets for this team. I love the NFL Ticket and Red Zone!
    *Can a season be over after one game?
    *What a failed test of manhood. What a bunch of girls compared to how physical the Ravens were on both sides of the ball.
    *Phrase that should no longer be uttered:  This is a high powered offense.
    *Points produced by offense Sunday: 3
    *Offensive production in '07:  11 games of 20 points or less
    * Points by offense in '07 (Not including defensive/special team TD) :  20, 45, 19, 13, 20, 31,13,14,21,20,35,10,19,13,19,38.
    *When do pitchers and catchers report?
    *Has there ever been a player with more talk/theatrics and less production than Dexter Jackson?
    *Chad's new name?: Uno...for the number of catches
    *Why draft a punt returner when Chatman can return four punts for an average of 2.8 yards?
    *Marvin told Lap they did a good job against the run, other than the two big runs and the last drive? Huh. Far be it from me to point out the following in the 4th quarter:
    3rd and 1 for 9 yards
    3rd and 1 for 10 yards
    3rd and 3 for 12 yards
    3rd and 1 for 4 yards
    *The Ravens ran off the last 7:15 of the clock, running on 10 of 11 plays....and converting their final six 3rd downs.
    *Has there ever been a team with a rookie coach, QB and RB win their debut?
    *I blame Cory Patterson
    *How can the Ravens replace their entire OL and run for 200+ yards?
    *Still think the offense will be ok when they get Chad and TJ back? Oh wait....they were back...next
    *Sights of the game:
    1. Pryce pushing Ghiaciuc backwards like a blocking sled
    2. Neal running over Mayes
    3. McClain carrying five tacklers for a 7 yard gain
    4. Scott blowing past Andrews to blow up Perry
    5. Flacco's 38 yard bootleg
    6. Clayton double reverse 42 yards for TD
    *I've said for years I wanted a TE to throw to. I actually meant a TE who could catch once you threw it to him.

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    Hold onto your Ocho
     While the NFL has recognized the legal name change of Chad Johnson to Chad Ocho Cinco, the league informed the Bengals today that certain issues remain to be resolved before Ocho Cinco will be permitted to wear his new surname on his jersey. He will wear the name Johnson on his jersey today and will be referred to as Chad Johnson on the official play-by-play sheet.  Further questions should be directed to the league office.

    *****

    Bearcats battered, Grutza broken
    The Oklahoman
    Said Bearcats coach Brian Kelly: "We'll have to figure out where we go from there."
    Cincy wideout Mardy Gilyard accused the Sooners of some dirty doings.
    "I actually watched it all happen. It was kinda... it was really hard just to watch our quarterback get folded like he did and the things that went on underneath that pile, that the refs didn't see.
    "Grutza was kind of twisted up underneath a couple guys. I seen a couple of guys reaching and grabbing and doing a little twisting that they shouldn't have been doing around his face, rolling over on his ankle here and there. Just stuff that wasn't good ball in my opinion, just wasn't good ball."
    Grutza didn't bite on the claims. And there was constant bickering going back and forth throughout the game.

    ******

    Congrats to Rich
    Rich Franklin scored a 3rd round TKO over Matt Hamill in UFC 88 Saturday night Atlanta.
    Moving up to 205 pounds, Rich dominated and ended the fight 39-seconds into the 3rd round.

    *******

    Brooks fires on UK fans
    John Clay, Lexington Herald Leader
    "I'm going to get this off my chest," Brooks said. "I am sick to my stomach that our fans in Commonwealth Stadium would boo Mike Hartline when he came out to start the second half. There is no place for that in our stadium."

    ******

    Nice Q/A with Dhani on biking
    I tried to convert some guys. A couple of them tried it, but they got cold. You have to know how to dress. A lot of them laughed at me. They still laugh at my "expensive hot seat," as they call it. But then I'll upgrade my bike and they're like, "That's kind of cool." There's a column across from my locker that I rest the bike on. All of a sudden it'll be away from my locker and I'm like, "Okay, who rode my bike?" Some of them actually know how to ride fixie. They're not going to do it all the time. But each person has a different style of doing things and you shouldn't criticize their way of living.

    *******

    Buckeyes lose ground after homely win
    Bob Hunter, Columbus Dispatch
    The long faces suggested a plague of locusts, a devastating earthquake or a loss to Michigan.
    As long as the Big Ten is perceived to be no better than the fourth- or fifth-strongest conference in the nation, Ohio State can forget the benefit of the doubt. Next week's game at No. 1 Southern California has always had an all-or-nothing feel, because if the Buckeyes lose, they might not be able to make up lost poll ground by winning games against "weak" opponents in the Big Ten.

    ********

    Our guy
    Our handicapper Erin Rynning went 3-1 in his season debut
    *WON Benals/Ravens under 39
    *LOST Browns +6
    *WON UC/Oklahoma over 48
    *WON  Miami +15
    He will send you his free season guide at 1-800-575-3069

    0 (0 Ratings)

    Saturday

    Friday, September 5, 2008, 09:23 PM EST [General]

    I just had to go and do it
    UC +22.5

    ****

    I'm ready for Sunday
    *Just entered my fantasy players in the Player Tracker section of NFL Ticket/Super Fan
    *Took Bengals -1, had the Redhawks +14.5
    Menu set
    Wings
    Popcorn Chicken
    Chips
    Salsa
    Sushi (yea, so deal with it)
    Old Speckled Hen beer
    Red Bull

    *****

     

    Did you know?
    Joey Votto's 70rbi are the most by a Reds rookie since Johnny Bench produced 82rbi in 1968

     

    ******

    MAC not that far behind Big 10
    Columbus Dispatch
    As former Ohio State coach Earle Bruce put it this week, "The lower-rung Big Ten teams are now like MAC teams. That's a problem, because now we're playing MAC teams in the Big Ten and also actual MAC teams."

    ******

    UK QB recruit update...Go Hounds!
    Carmel HS QB Morgan Newton threw two TD's and ran 71 yards for a TD as #1 Carmel beat #2 Center Grove 33-32 last night in front of nearly 7,000 fans last night.
    The UK recruit was 12 of 17 passing for 145 yards and an interception.
    Down 7, with no timeouts and facing 4th and 1 with :33 remaining he fumbled on Center Grove's 8-yard line.  
    The ball bounced off several players and was scooped up by one of Newton's teammate who ran in the for the score. Carmel was going to kick the PAT to force OT when Center Grove called timeout. Carmel then decided to end it...went for two and won the game. Go Hounds.

    ******

    Wow!
    Thanks to everyone that showed up for the first edition of Bengals Breakdown at Buffalo Wings and Rings Friday. There were listeners sitting at front row tables when I arrived around 2:15. The place was packed. Cool place. It's huge. Great food. Catch you next week.

    ******

    Alexander to the Bengals?
    NFL.COM
    "They want me to be Tres Siete," Alexander said Friday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, laughing at the twist on the Bengals star receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson now being officially recognized as Chad Ocho Cinco, to match his uniform number 85 in Cincinnati.

    ******

    Scouts buzz: Perry ready to be featured back?
    CNNSI
    "His play during the preseason has been impressive," said an AFC scout. "He has three-down potential. He is a tough runner and a credible receiver. If he stays healthy, he could be a difference maker for them."

    ******

    Dunn just wants chance to win
    Arizona Republic
    "I hate to say I don't care (about the money), because nobody will believe you, but I'm so sick and tired of losing," he said. "It takes years off my life, dude. Not hours, losing has taken years off my life. I can't do it anymore. The money, it will be there. Yeah, I want to win."

    *******

    Clip and save
    ESPN Page 2
    Prediction No. 2: Marvin Lewis will either quit or resign before the first week of the playoffs.

     

    0 (0 Ratings)

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