College Football is back tonight! We've all been there,
the day of the first college football game at your Alma Mater (or
current university). I can remember my days at Miami U in Oxford
(during the Ben Roethlisberger era), and how crazy we got the day
of...and day before a game. I remember keg parties and cornhole....5am
parties and tailgating on the lawn near the stadium. Do you have any
crazy or interesting college traditions? I'd love to hear em. Check in
on the show or Email me.
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Final warmup for crucial to some C. Trent Sure, it seems useless, but for some players, the final preseason game does actually mean something. No,
not guys like Carson Palmer or Chad Johnson, who will be wearing
baseball hats instead of helmets, or even T.J. Houshmandzadeh who will
play, but for several guys this could be the biggest game (or last) of
the season.
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Bengals telecast could get bumped Enquirer.com Channel 12, which will broadcast the Bengals-Indianapolis Colts game
starting at 7 p.m., will switch to CBS News' Democratic National
Convention coverage at 10 p.m. if the game is not over. The final minutes of the last preseason game would air on Channel 12's sister station, the CinCW, also being called Local 12.2.
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Former UK QB getting his shot tonight against Bengals Indy Star With Manning and Sorgi out, much of the attention this evening will focus on Jared Lorenzen and Quinn Gray, who will split time at quarterback. The Colts might break from their tradition of keeping only two QBs on their regular-season active roster and retain a third because of the uncertainty regarding Manning and Sorgi. Lorenzen simply wants to give further evidence that he could handle the offense in a pinch. "I'm not here to be the starting quarterback,'' he said. "I'm not here to be the backup. I'm out there to prove that just in case something God-awful goes wrong, I can step in and run this offense and I'm not going to lose the game."
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UC vs. EKU Game Notes The University of Cincinnati looks for its fourth-straight win in a season opener when the Bearcats play host to Eastern Kentucky on Thursday, Aug. 28 in Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats have won four-consecutive openers on three other occasions, 1918-21, 1975-78 and 1983-86. The all-time record for consecutive wins in opening games is eight, set from 1928-35 and 1958-65. Cincinnati opens its season on a Thursday night for third time in the past four years. The first of six non-league contests, the Bearcats are set to face 13 foes during the 2008 regular season.
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Whose town is it anyway? Paul Daugerty Who says that by late next Sunday afternoon, this won't be a college
football town? Who believes that isn't as crazy as it sounds? Isn't it time to turn perceptions on their collective ear? UC goes
to Oklahoma and wins. The Bengals go to Baltimore and don't. The former
is less likely than the latter, but not impossible. Ten years ago,
who'd have even pondered the scenario? Let's see. In this corner,
17th-ranked team from last year returns 13 starters. In that corner,
chronic loser bolsters depleted wide receiver corps with Rap Sheet Man,
who can't play until October, if he lasts that long. Over here: charismatic, media-friendly coach whose team overachieves. Over there: grim, media-tolerant coach whose team doesn't.
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Breaking down the Big Ten Yahoo Sports 1. Ohio State: No other NCAA football team has more to prove in 2008 than the Buckeyes. After two straight BCS Title losses, Jim Tressel’s crew took a lot of heat from the media and fans. With 18 returning
starters, the Buckeyes are a top-five ranked team in 2008 and have the
title in their sites. The team will rely heavily on tailback Chris
Wells to carry the load on offense. Maybe the best power-back they have
had since Eddie George, Wells is a Heisman Trophy candidate and should help lead Ohio State to a third outright and fourth overall straight Big Ten title.
2. WIsconsin: Maybe one of the most underrated team in the country, Wisconsin has 17
returning starters and two of the best tight ends in the country in
Travis Beckum and Garrett Graham. An end of season bowl loss to Tennessee left a bitter taste in their mouths, but the Badgers are hungry for
wins, hoping for their first Big Ten title in almost ten years.
3. Michigan: This may come as a shock to many, but Michigan still should have a
decent year, even though they a ton of question marks on offense.
Almost zero experience at quarterback, only one returning offensive
lineman and their two best wide-receivers from last year now playing in
the NFL could only mean bad things for Ann Arbor. Enter Rich Rodriguez…
you can say whatever you want about him, but this is a good choice for
the Maize and Blue. It will be very interesting to see how Rich Rod’s
spread offense will do against some of the defenses of this division.
The Wolverines defense should be one of the better ones of the Big Ten.
4. Illinois: The Illini are the upset pick of the Big Ten. Sure, Ron Zook’s crew are fun to watch but I am still not convinced they are better than
the three teams above them. Granted, they have a potential star
quarterback in Juice Williams (my favorite name since Kirby Dar Dar)
and a sure-fire top ten pick in cornerback Vontae Davis, but they still
need a couple more years of solid recruiting before they can contend
for the title. Watch out for wide-out Arrelious Benn. That kid can flat
out motor.
5. Penn State: This has to be JoePa’s last year, right? Look, I am going to keep this
simple. Penn State has a lot of talent this year and could easily jump
a few teams on this list, but until they get a “new” blood in the
coaching staff, they will stay a mediocre team. The injury to Sean Lee
did not help their ranking either. Expect Derrick Williams to have a
huge senior year and become a Biletnikoff award finalist.
6. Michigan State: Another sleeper team in the Big Ten, the Spartans have a lot of speed
and a ton of potential, but it all needs to come together to get them
to move up the standings. Losing Devin Thomas to the draft
hurt, but tailback Javon Ringer and quarterback Brian Hoyer are two of
the best offensive weapons in the Big Ten. An inexperienced offensive
and defensive-line could be troublesome, but the Spartans should have
enough fire-power to get them into a bowl game.
7. Purdue: In Joe Tiller’s swan song year, the Boilermakers are experienced
(13 starters returning) and have a top-flite quarterback in Curtis
Painter. The defense is going to have to keep the points down if they
want to contend. They gave up an average of 26.5 points a game last
season, including 48 points in their bowl win against Central Michigan
8. Northwestern: The Wildcats are due to have their usual “surprising” season, where
experts pick them to finish at the bottom of the standings and they
emerge as one of the best Big Ten teams, winning eight to ten games.
Will it be this year? Only the Wildcats know. They do have some
exceptional offensive talent in quarterback C.J. Bacher and tailback
Tyrell Sutton. If they offensive-line can hold up, they should at least
be in every game this season. An easy non-conference should help their
push for a bowl bid.
9. Iowa: What has happened to the Hawkeyes? 12-13 the past two season and losses last season to Iowa State and Western Michigan have the fans in Iowa City looking to Kirk Ferentz to turn things
around. If he does not find his touch, you can bet he will be looking
for a new position very soon.
10. Indiana: They lost their big wideout in James Hardy, but quarterback
Kellen Lewis is back from suspension and could lead an exciting
offense. Lack of talent and depth should get the best of this group,
but they could bite some teams if they catch them sleeping.
11. Minnesota: They are returning the worst defense in the nation from last season and
thanks to the Gophers, Michigan was not the only Big Ten team to lose
to a D-I FCS opponent. Those pesky North Dakota State Bison got the best of them last season. At least they are getting a new field soon.
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Maybe the Bengals should give us a "money-back guarantee" Since
they have a waiting list the length on I-75...this probably wouldn't
work...but they should offer us, the fans, an opportunity to get our
hard-earned / easily spent money back if the Bengals tank it. Maybe
that would motivate MIke Brown to get a GM and start winning.
Better yet...a precedent has been set. Thank you Stanford! The
Stanford athletics marketing department has little choice but to take a
big chance and hope that the payoff finally comes - first on the
football field and then, maybe, in the stands of its sparkling but
half-empty stadium. The deal works like this: New season-ticket and new
"Family Plan" buyers can ask for the "Gridiron Guarantee," and if
unsatisfied with the "entertainment value" at season's end, the cost of
the season tickets will be refunded.
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Manning won't play in tonight's game Indy Star He might
be in uniform for Thursday night’s preseason finale against Cincinnati
in Lucas Oil Stadium, but he all but certainly won’t play. He said
Tuesday that he planned to be ready for the Colts’ Sept. 7
regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears.
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Palmer won't either....obviously "I mean, I'm healthy, I could play, (it's) just not in the cards this
week, I think mainly because we played Saturday and turn around and
play again on Thursday," said Palmer, who had a protective brace on his
nose and packing in his left nostril. "I just want to be 100 percent
and healthy and feeling great going into the Baltimore game."
Name: Allison Michelle Humbert School: The Ohio State University Birthdate: October 12, 1987 Hometown: Green, Ohio Year: Sophomore Major: Undecided
1. I love Ohio State, but I almost went to: Kent State
2. My favorite class is: Human Development and Family Sciences.
3. Movies I can't live without:How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Dumb & Dumber, RENT, Mean Girls, Radio. I could go on forever!!!
4. Music I can't live without: ALL Country- Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Keith Urban, Justin Timberlake, The Beatles...I listen to pretty much anything!!
5. TV shows I can't live without:Grey's Anatomy, ELLEN, Full House, Friday Night Lights
6. One misconception about cheerleaders: That we aren't real athletes. Our season is longer than many other
sports and we practice/train just as hard as any other athelete. Not to
mention all the injuries cheerleaders have from performing very
dangerous skills!
7. My favorite sport is: Basketball & Wrestling. I love the intensity!
8. My favorite professional sports teams are: the Cleveland Cavs & Cleveland Indians
9. My one guilty pleasure is: Coldstone Creamery
10. My best physical feature: my smile :)
11. Strange and unusual fact about me: I used to play the trombone & violin.
12. My friends would be surprised to know that I: used to be obsessed with X-Men & WWF Wrestling when I was younger. (Thanks to my older brother!)
13. Favorite foods: Any kind of pasta, chicken, peanut butter and chips & salsa!
14. Five people I'd like to have dinner with (living or dead): Steve Irwin, Julia Roberts, Ellen DeGeneres, My grandfather Julius Lettrich, and Kelly Ripa.
15. Three people who annoy me: Richard Simmons, Rosie O'Donnell & Andy Dick
16. Next risk I want to take: Scuba-diving! I love the ocean.
17. Typical day: Wake up, class, practice, study, relax with some friends then bed to rest up for the same thing the next day!!
18. I think facial hair on guys is: HOT...but only the scruffy look!
19. If I won the lottery, the first thing I'd buy: Plane tickets to travel around the world! I love vacations!!!
20. Describe the worst date you ever went on: I've been lucky enough to never experience a horrible date!
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ESPN pays $2.25 billion for SEC rights For
those of you UK fans looking for an SEC TV Network...sorry, your SOL.
The Southeastern Conference has signed a 15-year deal with ESPN
reportedly worth more than $2 billion to televise sporting events,
including football and men's and women's basketball. The agreement
announced Monday is the longest ESPN has ever
signed and matches the length of the powerhouse league's deal with CBS
earlier in August. The deal begins with the 2009-10 season and ends the
league's look into starting a network to carry its sporting events.
ESPN will have rights to every SEC home football game not on
the network package and all league matchups will be shown on some
outlet, including at least 20 a year on ESPN or ESPN2. That includes
two primetime Thursday night matchups and Saturday night games.
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Colts lose center, and we all know how it feels not to have a center Indy Star The agent for Jeff Saturday said the Indianapolis Colts
center will likely miss the first six weeks of the season and possibly
more if he has surgery on ligament damage in his right knee, The
Indianapolis Star reported.
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RedHawks open season tonight against SEC foe Dayton Daily News The Miami RedHawks are confident about their defense as they begin a
season in which they hope to win their second straight Mid-American
Conference East Division title and post their first overall winning
record in three years. The big play. That's what worries them. On offense.
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LPGA working out details of English proficiency USA Today The LPGA tour will use the next four months to
create evaluation procedures for its new policy requiring its member
golfers to speak English or face suspension. All players who have been on the tour for two
years could be suspended if they fail to pass an oral evaluation of
their English proficiency starting at the end of the 2009 season. The evaluation will assess communication skills,
including conversation. Players will be required to conduct interviews,
interact with pro-am partners and fans and give acceptance speeches in
English and without the help of an interpreter, according to LPGA
deputy commissioner Libba Galloway.
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Chargers' Merriman forgoes surgery to play ESPN The surgeon's knife can wait. Shawne Merriman is going to play football, two torn knee ligaments and all. A day after visiting a fourth doctor, the San Diego Chargers outside linebacker decided Wednesday to play this season rather than have his damaged left knee repaired now. "To
be as simple as possible, I just want to play football," Merriman said.
"That's what it comes down to. I know what's on the table, I know
what's on the line. I put a lot of work in this and I want to play."
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Tony Romo's season is cursed People.com Happier personally and professionally than she's been in a long time, Jessica Simpson tells PEOPLE that boyfriend Tony Romo is her "perfect guy."
"I just told him today, 'You're the love of my life,' " she
confesses in the latest cover story. "I don't really ever say that to
anybody."
Simpson, 28 (as is Dallas Cowboys quarterback Romo), also
co-wrote a song for her man, "You're My Sunday," which is featured on
her new country album, Do You Know (out Sept. 9). And, in a
true modern-day sign of devotion, changed her cell phone number and
e-mail address to cut off any potential communication from her exes. "I don't want anybody that's been in my life [before] in my
life anymore," she says. "I don't even want them to have any way of
contacting me."
Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 03:31 PM EST [General]
Could Leinert be starting in Arizona after all? Arizona Republic Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt won't deny that Matt Leinart had a bad game Saturday night against the Oakland Raiders. He did, however, deny that he or anyone on his coaching staff was a
source to an ESPN.com report Sunday that stated the Cardinals were
ready to name Kurt Warner as their starting quarterback. "Nothing's changed. We have not made a decision. We have not named
Kurt Warner the starting quarterback," Whisenhunt said after a one-hour
practice Monday at the team's Tempe training facility. "So that was
inaccurate and it's unfortunate it was out there, and it was
unfortunate Matt has to see those things."
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Merriman will play, but could be less effective for your team Pro Bowl linebacker Shawne Merriman will forgo knee surgery and play this season for the San Diego Chargers despite the fact he has two torn ligaments in his left knee. "I'm going to play," Merriman texted the San Diego Union-Tribune. "I'll deal with it when it's time to get surgery." Merriman said Saturday that he has been told by doctors that he could
suffer a possible career-ending injury if he attempts to play without
having surgery.
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No surprise, Steven Jackson looks good Jackson looked "really sharp" in practice Tuesday, according to coach Scott Linehan, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. It's uncertain if the Rams will bother trying to get Jackson any
carries in the preseason finale, but don't count on it. Basically, he's
on a crash-course to prep for the season opener, in the wake of his
recently-ended holdout.
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Looks like Ryan Grant is gonna be a backup Head coach Mike McCarthy said that he would like to limit Grant's
carries this season, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Packers think that Brandon Jackson has shown significant
improvement over last season and would like to get him more involved in
the offense. How much he takes away from Grant's carries is open to
debate, but expect McCarthy to give Jackson a few carries each game to
keep Grant fresh.
10. Brett Favre: Over the past three seasons, Favre has been . Last year, Favre had a
sensational regular season, throwing for 4,155 yards and 28 touchdowns
against 15 picks. In 2006, he had a 1-1 touchdown to interception
ratio. The year before, Favre threw nine more picks than touchdowns. If
the Jets see the Favre of 2005, they will win seven games. If the Jets
see the Favre of 2007, the playoffs are very possible.
9. Saints Defense: I think Jon Vilma is going to have a great season, but it has to happen
now. And it starts with his health. Jason David has been a total bust.
I put a lot of stock into Sedrick Ellis and Tracy Porter, but they are
rookies. The Hollis Thomas injury hurts the depth on the defensive
line. Will Smith and Charles Grant are due to have bounce-back seasons.
8. Titans passing attack: I feel like Vince Young gets unfairly blamed for everything. But there
is no question he has to improve off of a poor 2007, where he
inexplicably tossed 17 picks against nine touchdowns. But it's his
receivers who also need to share blame. There isn't a go-to guy in the
bunch. Justin Gage and Roydell Williams are not big-time players. There
isn't a legit No. 1. Heck, there isn't a legit No. 2! The presence of
Alge Crumpler at tight end and rookie back Chris Johnson will help, but
I think this unit will struggle mightily.
7. Aaron Rodgers mindset and execution: I don't worry about Rodgers' play. He's a good player. He has a very
good supporting cast. Rodgers' head coach is a quarterback guru. I am
concerned about the ultimate comparisons to Brett Favre. I am concerned
about the fans getting to him and not giving him a chance. I think he
can block it all out. I truly believe that. But it can be a spoiler for
the Packers.
6. Tarvaris Jackson's consistency: Jackson's 2007 season was akin to a rollercoaster ride. He was
efficient and a winner from Week 11-14, beating the Super Bowl Champion
Giants, Lions, Niners and Raiders. But in two nationally-televised
games against the Bears and Redskins when Minnesota needed wins to make
the playoffs, Jackson was wretched. The pieces are in place for a
Minnesota run to the postseason, including the signing of receiver
Bernard Berrian to help the young quarterback. Jackson's consistency
will determine if the Vikes go and how far this dominant defense and
running attack can go in the playoffs.
5. Phillip Rivers' development: Forget about Shawne Merriman's injury. The biggest key to the Chargers
making a run to the Super Bowl is Rivers becoming a great player.
Rivers' numbers were solid last year, with 21 touchdowns, 15 picks,
3,152 yards and a 60-percent completion percentage. He can play much
better. He has to in order for the Chargers' offense to completely
become balanced and explosive. It's time for Rivers to be a star. A
full season with Chris Chambers should make a difference. But Rivers
needs to stop jawing with the opposition, stay levelheaded and most
especially, stay healthy, which he wasn't at the end of last year or
this offseason.
4. Steelers Special Teams: After the 2007 season, Steelers director of football operations Kevin
Colbert told me that this was the No. 1 area that needed fixing.
Pittsburgh was horrible on every level. If you are a Steelers fan, you
can conjure up fresh nightmares from last year, starting with Joshua
Cribbs dancing down the field. The coverage units must improve. The
Steelers were dealt a blow when punter Dan Sepulveda was lost for the
season. He had a great rookie season in Pittsburgh. The Steelers are
hopeful Mewelde Moore can improve the return game.
3. Jaguars Receivers: Color me very skeptical on Jerry Porter was signed to take over as the
No. 1 receiver, but hamstring surgery has curbed the enthusiasm. Troy
Williamson has had a great camp, but he couldn't catch a cold in
Minnesota. Reggie Williams is coming back from knee surgery while Matt
Jones was caught using cocaine in the offseason and has been unable to
catch the ball consistently throughout his NFL career. I have no
confidence in this group whatsoever.
2. Health of Colts' stars: Peyton Manning returns to practice this week, but for an entire season,
and postseason, after coming off knee surgery. Marvin Harrison looks
like Marvin Harrison this preseason, but he's been oft-injured, is
coming off surgery and has had to deal with off-the-field distractions.
Bob Sanders' health is a concern because coming off shoulder surgery,
the human missile continues to throw his body around with such force.
And then there's defensive end Dwight Freeney whose surgically repaired
left foot could hamper his speed.
1. Dallas Soap Opera Dramas: The only thing that scares me about the Cowboys this year: the Cowboys
themselves. There is drama, at every turn. My guy Tony Romo appears in US Weekly more than Sports Illustrated.
While it is idiotic that his focus is ever questioned (he is one of the
most diligent workers in the league), Romo has to deal with ridiculous
questions about Jessica Simpson when he plays poorly. Terrell Owens is
a great player who can bring negative attention to the Cowboys with one
wrong answer or press conference. Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson are
both an off-the-field issue away from never playing again. But hey,
Jerry Jones loves the spotlight.
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Reggie Brown may miss season opener There's a chance Brown's injured hamstring will prevent him from
playing in the Eagles' season opener, Delawreonline.com reports. I know I have him as a third receiver on a couple of my teams....so this might affect you as well as me. "It's just one of those injuries that, you have to take your time with
it," Brown said. "If you don't take your time with it, then you'll have
it for a whole year." Brown's latest injury is an ominous sign for the
fourth-year receiver who didn't have the breakout 2007 season he and
fans expected. He already missed time in training camp with an
Achilles' strain that took him out of the first preseason game. When
the season opens, Brown will have played a total of one snap during the
preseason.
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If you were dumb (or unlucky) enough to have Kyle Boller....sorry Boller (throwing shoulder) could be out for the season after the
results of an MRI came back unfavorably, the Baltimore Sun reports. Boller reportedly struggles to raise his right arm over his head, and
was seen reaching across his body to scratch his right ear with his
left hand. The team is still waiting on a second opinion, but signs are
not looking good. If Boller is lost for the season, the Ravens could
look to sign another quarterback before the season opener.
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Harvey inks with Jags...but may not play until midseason Harvey agreed to a five-year contract that could be worth up to $33.4
million in incentives, according to the Florida Times-Union. Harvey was the draft's lone remaining holdout, and will immediately be
plugged into the defensive end rotation that has been already decimated
by injury. Expect Harvey to take some time acclimating himself to the
Jags' defensive schemes, but we suspect he'll be starting by
mid-season, if not sooner.
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Lendale White and Chris Johnson might be tandem in Tennessee White may see as much as 60 percent of the carries, or as little as 50
percent, if both he and Chris Johnson stay healthy, according to coach
Jeff Fisher, the Titans' official site reports. "We're going to use them both (White and Johnson) depending on the game
plans and it makes sense to take advantage of both of their abilities.
I think we'll have a better gauge once we get to the middle part of the
season how the carries and the touches are going to work. Provided
they're healthy week in and week out I would assume it would be close
to 50-50, maybe 60-40 (White)," Fisher said. Assuming the Titans run
the ball 500 times and Vince Young gets 80 carries, which are both
reasonable, White would get in the neighborhood of 210-250 carries.
This is much less than the 304 times he carried the ball in 2007.
Unless White increases his touchdown total significantly, this could
significantly reduce White's value while significantly increasing
Johnson's.
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Today's Sleeper Pick Ted Ginn, Jr., WR - Miami Dolphins He's showing decent chemistry with new quarterback Chad Pennington,
and should be much improved upon his rookie numbers with a year's
experience and a better quarterback slinging him the ball. Ginn should
also reprise his role on special teams, a nice little bonus for fantasy
owners. He has already returned a punt for a score in the preseason,
and in ESPN standard leagues, that's a six-point play. A lot of people
seem to be going nuts over return man/receiver Devin Hester, but it's Ginn who might have the better chance at consistent production.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008, 10:04 AM EST [General]
Remember when... We were all screaming for Bronson Arroyo to get the hell out of Cincinnati? Well, lately he's become one of the Reds most effecient pitchers. That's great for the team and for him. But at the end of the day, Arroyo has been doing what he has done during his entire career....rise to around .500 - maybe a bit above - with a decent ERA. Feel free to be happy for him...as you should....but realize that he's doing what he has always done.
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Strahan staying retired Fox Sports A family vacation to Greece has given Michael Strahan the chance to learn about the origins of Western civilization. Another type of history lesson convinced Strahan he should stay retired. As a star New York Giants defensive end the previous 15 years, Strahan
knows the level of commitment needed to succeed at a high level.
Without it, don't bother.
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No big surprise here.... Fox Sports Quarterback Carson Palmer will skip Cincinnati's last preseason game, resting his broken nose while running back Rudi Johnson makes his first — and what he thinks could be his last — appearance in a Bengals uniform. Palmer didn't participate in practice again Tuesday, watching while the
rest of the team got ready for its game Thursday night in Indianapolis.
Palmer broke his nose and cut his lip on a sack Saturday night during a
13-0 loss to New Orleans.
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Brady Quinn era set to begin in Cleveland?? Browns.com Quarterback Derek Anderson practiced -- if only briefly -- with the
Browns on Tuesday for the first time in eight days, but backup Brady
Quinn is still likely to get the start against the Chicago Bears in
Thursday night's preseason finale at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
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Congrats to Cordero Reds.com eds closer Francisco Cordero is expected to rejoin the Reds bullpen on Wednesday. Cordero missed the last two games to be with his wife for the birth of
their son, Michael Javier. He might have been used both times since
they were one-run games.
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Bronson, Reds get first complete game of 2008 Enquirer.com Bronson Arroyo pitched the Reds' first complete game of the year. He
allowed the one run on five hits. He walked two and struck out three.
He got three double plays and 15 groundball outs in all. "Yeah, we aware of it," Arroyo said of the no-complete game streak. "Even on an off year, you usually sprinkle in a few." Ryan
Hanigan gave the Reds the lead with a home run in the eighth. (Writer's
interjection: Hanigan looks pretty good to me. He had good at-bats.
He'll take a walk. He's caught gems in his last three starts. He's only
started seven games. But he was worth taking a look at). "We still had to finish out the game," Hanigan said. "The story of the game is Bronson."
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Who's gonna fill Cueto's spot? Reds.com Saturday's Reds rotation spot -- Johnny Cueto's spot -- remained listed as "TBA." Reds manager Dusty Baker and general manager Walt Jocketty had not
conferred as of Tuesday afternoon. The options they have were limited. "A couple of guys throwing well down there [at Triple-A
Louisville] aren't on the [40-man] roster, so we'd have to make a
move," Baker said. "Or we can pitch two guys on short rest. Those are
our options." Baker was referring to left-handers Adam Pettyjohn and Matt Maloney, who are enjoying nice seasons for Louisville.
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Yonder Alonso update Reds.com Top draft pick Yonder Alonso made his professional debut tonight
for High A Sarasota. He doubled in his first at-bat. He ended going
1-for-3 with a walk in a 4-1 loss to Clearwater. Alonso
circumstances are different with him signing late. But starting him in
High A -- even if only for a few days -- may signal a shift in
philosophy. Drew Stubbs was drafted out of college, like Alonso. Stubbs
was the eighth pick, Alonso the seventh. Stubbs played his first season
in rookie ball, his second season at low A Dayton. He didn't even get
to Sarasota until this year.
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Some Reds don't like instant replay Reds.com "You're going to make mistakes, but how many are really going to be so
significant that you're going to change the course of a game?" Reds
starting pitcher Aaron Harang said on Tuesday. Harang also is the Reds' players association representative.
Because many of the conference calls with the union happened on days he
pitched, he said he wasn't able to participate. "It's going to take the human error out of the sport," Harang
said. "This sport is based on the human element. It's not like football
or basketball, where there's contact and players are so close
together."
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Jay Mariotti resigns from Chicago Sun Times Sun-Times.com Sports columnist Jay Mariotti has left the Chicago Sun-Times to pursue
other opportunities. Mariotti, also a regular panelist on ESPN's
"Around the Horn," joined the Sun-Times in 1991. Maybe he needs to break out the mullett.
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Roster had be been Marvin's domain Dayton Daily News Arguably the greatest sin any team owner can commit (other than
sneaking off to Baltimore and giving the figurative finger to those who
supported him for 30 years) is to undermine his coach or manager. This appears to be happening with the Cincinnati Bengals, where
Marvin Lewis is learning he doesn't call all the personnel shots. Not long after Lewis publicly announced receiver Chris Henry (five
arrests) would not be wearing the striped helmet again, here comes
self-appointed redeemer Mike Brown waving a contract under the guy's
nose, joyously welcoming him back into the fold. I'm all for second chances, but it's got to be a decision the entire
organization can get behind, especially if your head coach supposedly
has the final say on roster issues. The whole thing made Lewis look silly and weak. He put on a happy face, but I suspect he's seething.
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Harang has future ideas for GABP Dayton Daily News Harang is willing to take his ideas — no charge — to Cincinnati Reds
owner Bob Castellini on how to eliminate cheap home runs in Great
American Ball Park. "What they should do is remove two rows of seats in the right-field
stands and raise the wall to the same height as it is in left field (12
feet)," Harang said. "That would eliminate line-drive home runs that
barely clear the wall (8 feet) and end up in the first row. "And they should raise the wall to the same height in center to
eliminate home runs that barely clear the wall and land in the grass,"
he added.
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Pryor to start for Buckeyes Dayton Daily News The most talked-about player on Ohio State has never played a down
in scarlet and gray and won't start in the season opener on Saturday
against Youngstown State. Terrelle Pryor, acclaimed as the top quarterback recruit in the
country last winter, is listed as No. 3 on the Buckeyes' depth chart
behind starter Todd Boeckman and backup Joe Bauserman. Coach Jim Tressel said Tuesday that he was hoping all three would
get to play in the opening half against Youngstown State, a
Championship Subdivision opponent the Buckeyes beat 38-6 a year ago.
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Watch out Berman...you're goin down USA Today ESPN pays the NFL far more for its TV rights —
$1.1 billion annually just for Monday night games and no playoff games
— than the other networks carrying NFL action. But that, obviously,
doesn't buy it any special favors. Consider that the league's own NFL Network has announced it will this season debut its first-ever pregame show — the two-hour NFL GameDay —
to air Sundays from 10 a.m. ET to noon. The show won't conflict with
Fox and CBS pregame shows, which start at noon ET, but will compete
with ESPN's NFL Countdown.
Great news for Bengals / bad for potential fantasy owners Cleveland Browns wide receiver Joe Jurevicius will miss the first six weeks of the regular season while he recovers from knee surgery. The Browns placed Jurevicius on the physically unable to perform list Tuesday. Jurevicius
had swelling and discomfort in his right knee related to a previous
operation and needed another procedure in June to further clean it out. After the sixth week of the season, the Browns have three weeks to allow Jurevicius to start practicing.
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And to think, he could have been a sleeper pick Wide receiver David Tyree was placed on the physically-unable-to-perform reserve list by the New York Giants
on Tuesday, meaning the player who made a game-saving catch in the
Super Bowl won't be making any for at least the first six weeks of the
season. The Giants can take Tyree off the PUP list any time from the first day
after the sixth week of the season until the last day of the ninth
week. Once he is taken off the list, he has 21 days to either be
activated or he is finished for the season.
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Colts activate Manning, green light him on your draft board Peyton Manning is finally healthy enough to start practicing with the Indianapolis Colts. Coach Tony Dungy says the team activated the two-time NFL MVP on
Tuesday, clearing the way for him to begin working out with his
teammates. Manning had been on the physically unable to perform list
since training camp opened after surgery to remove an infected bursa
sac from his left knee July 14. He didn't appear with the
team until last week when he lobbed a few passes to teammates as the
Colts practiced at the new Lucas Oil Stadium. Manning was expected to go through team drills for the first time Tuesday afternoon.
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Jeremy Shockey should not your top choice at TE...but he's close Shockey (leg) will make his preseason debut this Thursday against the Dolphins, the Times-Picayune reports. "I'm ready to play," said Shockey, who hasn't seen any live action
since he broke his left leg last December. "It's been a long time, and
it's so important to get some reps to get the game speed down and to
actually have some contact." The plan is for Shockey to play about one
quarter in Thursday's game. Shockey expects to be at full speed in time
for the team's regular season opener.
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Antonio Gates on the other hand...should be your top choice at TE Gates (toe) did not play in Saturday's preseason game against the
Seahawks, but he did work out before the game, the San Diego North
County Times reports. Gates was not expected to play, but he continues to work out. The
feeling in San Diego is that he will be ready for the regular season
opener on September 7, so as long as we don't hear about any setbacks,
he should be fine.
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Reggie Bush injury update Bush, who left Saturday's preseason game with a thigh injury, appeared
to miss practice Monday and had his right thigh wrapped, the
Times-Picayune reports. Part of Monday's practice was closed to the media, so it's possible
that Bush participated during that time. Bush wasn't available for
comment on Monday, but he and head coach Sean Payton said on Saturday
that the injury is a thigh bruise and is not considered serious.
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Don't run for Nate Burleson...but if he's there late...consider him Burleson had one catch -- a 68-yard touchdown -- in Monday night's preseason game against the Chargers. It was only his third catch of the preseason, but he's been working
without Matt Hasselbeck, who is nursing a back injury. Hasselbeck
should be fine for Week 1 and Burleson -- who has climbed up the depth
chart following injuries to Deion Branch and Bobby Engram -- could
emerge as a low-end No. 2 or high-end No. 3 fantasy receiver.
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Lookin for a backup QB? Rivers will be a great pick After sitting out San Diego's last preseason game, Rivers (knee)
returned against the Seahawks on Monday night, going 11-for-21 for 143
yards. Rivers still looked a bit tentative on his knee at times, but nothing
that should cause you to panic. Remember he's just seven months removed
from ACL surgery, so it's likely that he'll only continue to get
stronger and more confident as the season wears on.
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Could Julius Jones be a bust? It's not unlikely Jones had eight carries for 30 yards in Monday night's preseason game against the Chargers. Jones finished with more carries that Maurice Morris, but Morris got
the start and has outplayed Jones throughout the preseason. The third
game is usually treated like a test run for the regular season, so it's
interesting to note that Jones began the game on the sidelines. If
Seattle turns into a full-blown running back by committee, it's
unlikely Jones will live up to his draft position.
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Tuesday's Sleeper Pick Brandon Jackson, RB - Green Bay I can't remember if I've put him on my list this year...but although Ryan Grant
has become the staple of the Packers backfield, Jackson has fallen in
line behind him on the depth chart. And while it's Fantasy 101 to have
the backups of your primary RBs on your roster, Jackson might end up
with a bigger role than people expect. Grant, who settled on a new
contract in the middle or training camp but didn't play much preseason
ball because of a hamstring injury, will still have the bulk of the
work. Jackson's versatility as a receiver (11 catches in three starts
last season) could make him a candidate for third-down work, and maybe
a little more. Moreover, how reliable is Grant to keep up the
production he amassed in the second half of 2007 without Brett Favre as
his quarterback? Jackson is a sleeper in the deeper drafts compared to
standard 14- and 15-round leagues.
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Several reasons why not to trust the Browns on your team ESPN Now, let's add to the mix the injury problems the Browns already have so far in 2008: Star pass-catcher Kellen Winslow is coming off another knee surgery and has missed preseason action because of hamstring problems, and Braylon Edwards has stitches in his foot and might not be available for Week 1. Joe Jurevicius' knee might force him to miss the season, and Kevin Kasper suffered a neck injury and minor concussion and might not make the roster. Wide receiver/return man Josh Cribbs has a high ankle sprain, and running back Jamal Lewis suffered a pulled hamstring last week. Outside of Donte' Stallworth, will there be anyone else around to catch the ball?
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Jabar Gaffney should be on your draft chart....later in the draft Donte Stallworth was supposed to be the third member of the crew, but he was outplayed by No. 4 option Jabar Gaffney.
Stallworth (46 catches, 697 yards) had more catches and yards than
Gaffney, but Gaffney (36 catches, 449 yards) scored two more touchdowns
and became one of Tom Brady's favorite targets toward the end of the year. This season, Gaffney enters the year at No. 3 with Stallworth now in
Cleveland. It's now Gaffney's turn to hold off No. 4 options in Chad Jackson and Kelley Washington, who are ready to emerge as offensive weapons. The winner of this battle could be a great sleeper in Fantasy leagues.
With defensive coordinators focusing their attention on Moss and
Welker, the Patriots third receiver could be a viable reserve and
potential starter, especially since New England uses multi-receiver
sets a lot during games.
Maurice Jones-Drew hurt, but will still share carries The bad news remains that Jones-Drew is still hobbled by an ankle
injury. But the good news is that it appears as though he has avoided a
serious problem that could keep him sidelined to open the season. Most
starters hardly play in the team's final preseason game, so it's not a
big deal if Jones-Drew doesn't dress Thursday. He'll share carries with
Fred Taylor once again this season, but Jones-Drew does so many other
things, which is why he's considered a solid No. 2 Fantasy option.
Rudi being shopped?? During the halftime show on Monday Night Football, Chris Mortensen said that the Bengals are shopping Rudi Johnson in exchange for a "legitimate" wide receiver. Could Chad's injury be worse than has been led on? Plus, what do they think they can get for a recently injured RB?? We'll discuss.
Reached at his home around 8:30 p.m. by The Enquirer, Johnson said, "I haven’t heard anything." The Bengals don’t comment on speculated player moves, public relations director Jack Brennan said.
Fifth-year
tailback Chris Perry and backup Kenny Watson have gotten most of the
preseason carries with Johnson injured. Four wide receivers – Chad
Johnson, Houshmandzadeh, Marcus Maxwell and Andre Caldwell – have been
injured; Maxwell is out for the season with a thigh injury.
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Bengals worth considering, but not happening Fox Sports The offense may emerge in '05
fashion, lighting up the league. But the defense — Marvin Lewis'
specialty — just isn't there yet. Justin Smith and Madieu Williams, two
of the unit's bright spots over the past few seasons, are playing
elsewhere in '08. Keith Rivers and Antwan Odom should be nice
additions, but won't be enough. Look for the Bengals to win 7-9 games,
not enough in the loaded AFC.
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Locker room happenings C. Trent Chad on shoulder: "It’s good. There’s nothing wrong with me. I need surgery. But there’s still nothing wrong with me."
TJ on playing Thursday: "I
think that's probably too far to look ahead. I'll let you know probably
tomorrow, depending on how today goes."
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Chad has partially torn labrum (shoulder) ESPN A source told ESPN.com's John Clayton on Monday that the wide receiver has a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder. The team had said the injury, which occurred in a preseason game on Aug. 17, was a sprained shoulder. The source said that Johnson is expected to wear a harness but may be able to avoid surgery and play this season. The same source said that Browns tight end Kellen Winslow played last season with a similar injury.
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No more rushing the field at Nippert GoBearcats.com The BIG EAST Conference and its member institutions passed new sportsmanship legislation banning non-credentialed individuals from entering the playing surface after the completion of a game. As a member of the conference, the University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics will comply with the new rules and beginning with the 2008 football season will discontinue the practice of allowing fans to enter onto the playing surface following a game at Nippert Stadium.
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Three former Reds on 2009 H.O.F. Ballot
Sherry Magee, Carl May, and Bucky Walters will appear on 2009 H.O.F. Ballot under area of Pre-1943 players list.
Magee played from 1904-1919 with the Phillies, Braves and Reds (1917-19). He led the NL in RBI four times.
Mays was 207-126 from 1915-29 for the Red Sox, Yankees, Reds (1924-28) and Giants. He won 20-plus games five times and ranks 62nd all-time with a .622 winning percentage. He was 3-4 with a 2.35 ERA over the course of four World Series, two of which Mays’ teams won.
Walters was 198-160 for 16 years from 1934-48 and 1950 for the Phillies, Reds (1938-48, inducted into the Reds Hall of Fame in 1958) and Braves. He was 4-3 with a 2.79 ERA in two World Series for the Reds, helping Cincinnati win in 1940. He won the 1939 NL MVP award en route to the Triple Crown, leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He went on to lead the NL in wins in 1940 and 1944.
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They have an accord!!! Big Ten and Time Warner agree to deal Dayton Daily News Time Warner Cable and the Big Ten Network announced Monday, Aug. 25,
that they have reached an agreement-in-principle on terms of carriage
for the Big Ten Network and its high-definition and video-on-demand
programming on Time Warner Cable's line-ups throughout the Big Ten
territory, including Ohio and Wisconsin.
The pending agreement will ensure that Time Warner Cable's customers
across these Big Ten states will have access to this Saturday's Big Ten
college football season openers and all future Big Ten Network
programming on an expanded basic level of service.
The Ohio State-Youngstown State game will be available on Time Warner on Saturday.
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Good news on Johnny Cueto John Fay's Blog I just talked to Walt Jocketty. They only expect him to miss one start. “That’s really good news,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. “Any time you’re dealing with a young pitcher like that you’re concerned.” Jocketty said it hadn’t been decided whether Cueto would even go on the disabled list. Jocketty was planning to talk manager Dusty Baker and pitching coach Dick Pole today to decide the options. “I haven’t talked to them yet,” Jocketty said. “We’ll figure out what we want to do.” Even though the injury is considered minor the Reds will proceed with caution when comes to Cueto, but Jocketty said shutting down Cueto for the year has not been discussed. “But you have to be careful,” Jocketty said. “I don’t know if we’ll shut him down. But he’s in uncharted territory.”
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Mauk denied again, has one last chance for appeal USA Today Quarterback Ben Mauk lost another round Monday
in his attempt to get one more season of eligibility from the NCAA,
leaving him down to his last appeal. Mauk, who led Cincinnati to a No. 17 final
ranking last season, was turned down by the NCAA's staff for the fourth
time on Monday. Mauk has failed to convince the association that
injuries cost him significant playing time during his career at Wake
Forest and Cincinnati. However, the NCAA's reinstatement committee scheduled a phone
conference with Mauk on Thursday, giving him one last chance to state
his case for a reversal.
