The Greatest Show on Earth

I have seen the greatest show on earth...and it's called Pearl Jam. I was one of the lucky 18,000 that were in attendance Tuesday night when the best rock band in the world played the greatest venue in the world, Madison Square Garden. I have to be honest, I've had a 16 year love affair with P.J. since the first time I heard Black back in 1992. Their stories and songs are poignant, poetic... perfect. They're comprised of a group of great musicians but the best instrument on the stage rests in the throat of lead singer Eddie Vedder. His beautiful baritone is flawless, never missing a note. And while I don't always agree with Vedder's politics we can agree on something... war sucks. When he sang a song inspired by a wounded war vet that he's recently met, it was as thought-provoking and meaningful as anything ever written or performed by the great activists, including the likes of Guthrie, Dylan or Lennon. It was a two and a half hour marathon that I will never forget. I now have one last Pearl Jam wish. I want to be in Cleveland in 2011 when the world's greatest band is inducted into the world's greatest musical shrine, The Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. So thanks guys for giving me a night I'll never forget.

Rufus

Confession to Make...

I figured I'd come here to make a confession. It's been, what, 33-years (almost) since Boston last played a game in Cincinnati. My first chance to see the Red Sox and the Reds in Cincinnati...ever...and guess what? I watched, maybe, 10 pitches from the game. Wasn't out on a story, wasn't busy editing. What was I doing? Glued to Tiger's back 9 at Torrey Pines.

Fox19 sports editor Eric Staub (you might recognize his work on the weekly Carstar collision play or just about any good editing with music, effects, etc you might see during our weekend shows) and I were discussing why we like to root for Tiger. Eric, is a huge Tiger fan. I've always rooted for him, but never really knew why. I'm not a bandwagon guy, in fact, I'm the cliche pull for the underdog sports fan. But, there's something about Tiger that I'm drawn to. And, I think I know why.

No, it's not the bet I have with my brother that he'll have 25 majors by the time he's 40-years-old (although the prize in this bet is great...the loser...has to buy and drink a six pack of beer...of the winner's choice...hmmmmmmm...I hope Matt likes Nati' Light!). I root for Tiger because I want to say 'I watched the best'...'I witnessed history." I want my kids to say, "Dad, how good was that Tiger guy?" Wouldn't it have been cool to be around to see Babe Ruth play? That's kind of what we get to see watching Tiger. The best...in his prime.

I promise to watch more of the Reds game tomorrow. Youk is playing and Volquez pitching is must watch TV for me. But, if you hear loud clapping from the Fox19 newsroom during the middle of SportsWrap tomorrow night...forgive Eric and I...Tiger has a late tee time tomorrow...

- Joe D.

Tuesday Thoughts

- Josh Hamilton now has 4 home runs in 4 consecutive games...what a season!

- But, I still think the Reds did the right thing trading for pitching. Volquez is legit and...

- How about the other player in this deal...Danny Herrera? Man, that guy is small! But, what a major league debut. Striking out Howard and Burrell with the bases loaded takes you know what

- Do you have players you just for some reason don't like? I'm talking about players that are good, seem to be good people, but you just can't jive with? I added Chase Utley and Joba Chamberlain to my list today. No major reason why. They seem like cool people and are great athletes. I just don't like Utley's swing...and I wish someone would bend Joba's hat bill...and get him a new number

- Who would've thought Aaron Harang would be 2-8? Man, I chalked up 14-16 wins for that guy before the season started

- I have a feeling Homer Bailey is going to pitch well this season. Just a hunch.

- Has anyone else noticed Ryan Freel's bubble blowing? Well, it's actually not bubble blowing all the time, but he always lets his wad of gum hang on when he's making a big play. The dash home on Saturday...gum out. The diving catch on Tuesday...gum out. When he hurt his hamstring...gum out. Just a random observation.

- Sweet, 300 is on...

- Chad......the back-pedaling begins...

- I'm having a heated debate with a college buddy about future Hall of Famers. He thinks Jeff Kent is a first ballot lock and Chipper Jones is an "eventually gets in" Hall of Famer. His argument is Kent produced his numbers as a 2nd baseman. That's fine, Kent will get in, but Chipper is just a better baseball player and will be a first ballot HOFer. Kent should lose a few votes for the 'stache, too.

- Alright...time to get my Leonidas on...

- Joe D.

Monday Thoughts from a Sports Fan

Watched a bunch of sporting events today...here are some random thoughts:

- I had a great debate with Derek "Big Red" Froelich (our chief news editor) about how the old Celtics and Lakers teams would do against the current Celtics and Lakers teams. He doesn't think the '80's teams could keep up with today's teams. Certainly, I think a team of Magic, Byron Scott, Kareem, Worthy and Cooper could (and I think would) beat either team in the NBA Finals this year. The Celtics team of Bird, McHale, Parrish, DJ and Ainge might not seem like they could hang athletically with today's guys, but who is going to bet against that bunch? I'd put my money on the '80's teams against these two teams this year.

- I was out at Lakota West high school today as the Firebirds get ready for the State Final 4. Those kids love Jay Bruce. They used words like "stud", "beast" and "monster" to describe his game.

- Does anyone else pick up their phone and start texting/calling their buddies every time Jay Bruce does anything at the plate? Man, I can't think of the last time this city was so excited about a player. I don't think Homer created this kind of buzz. I'm gonna' say Carson Palmer.

- Man, I thought GABP was a small yard. It seems like routine fly balls are 10 rows deep at Citizens Bank Park in Philly. That place is just torture for pitchers.

- Bright spot for the Reds - Gary Majewski. Told the media on Sunday he's sick of coming up here and not doing his job. He's running out of chances. He knows it's time to perform.

- I think Joey Votto is on pace to set an MLB record for first baseman assists in one season. The guy seems to have 3 a game.

- I hope you saw some of the quotes from Junior today. I just wish he would open up like that with the TV folks here in Cincy. Kind of stinks for us that he said such great stuff in Philadelphia.

- I always keep the MLB scoreboard on my desktop at work to keep an eye on other games. Every time I look up Josh Hamilton is getting on base. What a stud. I hope he plays 150+ games. His numbers could be awesome.

- Speaking of all-stars...if they named the rosters today...I'm thinking Volquez and maybe Cordero for the Reds.

- Oh, and as far as post-season awards. There's a chance the Reds could have three candidates for rookie of the year. Votto (who is still considered a rookie), Cueto and Bruce. Certainly, Cueto and Bruce have a lot of catching up to do. But, with the talent they've flashed, who knows.

- Funny moment on Sunday. I stopped Volquez to translate a Johnny Cueto post-game interview for us. He happily agreed, but when we got back to the station, we could barely even tell what Volquez was saying in english. I guess it helps to have a translator who speaks very clear english. Also, I'm sure when they're speaking spanish to each other, they're no doubt making fun of me. That's cool.

- Cueto's outfit on Sunday. White button-down shirt, black dress pants, white shoes. Awesome. Twice he smiled when I was speaking english...when I said "shoes" and when I said "no-hitter" (referencing his no-hit bid into the 6th inning)

- Watched the overtimes of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight. Overtime Stanley Cup hockey rules.

- Hockey announcers are good. What a hard sport to call.

- I'm going back and forth between the College World Series regionals and 'Hoosiers' right now. I'm to the point in 'Hoosiers' now where I only enjoy the basketball scenes. Watching Gene Hackman nearly devour that woman with his lips on the farm is gross. Sweet, Shooter is about to stumble onto the court drunk...I love that part...

- Joe D.

Hockey Town

Here are some of my observations from covering Game 2 of the Kelly Cup finals at U.S. Bank Arena Sunday night:

- I haven't been to a sporting event that exciting since covering the NCAA tournament in March
- The Cyclones play very "pretty" hockey. Almost to a fault. Head coach Chuck Weber wants them to muddy up the crease and get more ugly, tip-in goals
- Surprising number of Las Vegas fans in the building. I'm sure they were family and close friends, but a few dozen people in enemy colors was a surprise
- There's really nothing better than a hockey game that's a scoreless tie with less than 5 minutes to play. At that point, it's basically sudden death.
- Tough break for Cedric Desjardins. He played a great game. Stopped about a half-dozen should've-been-goals, but the one that got in was just a bad break.
- Chuck Weber said the winner of this series will be beat up and bruised by the time it's done. I believe him after watching that game. Those two teams don't like each other
- The Cyclones aren't upset about the loss. They feel like they played a very good game, but caught a bad break. They said they knew the series wouldn't be a 4-game sweep and were prepared to win big games on the road
- I heard a fan tell an usher as he left the game, "best $10 I ever spent! I'll be back!" Couldn't agree more.

- Joe D.

Why Cut Odell Now?

The Bengals stood by Odell Thurman through various substance abuse transgressions, a DUI, a two-year NFL suspension and a reinstatement. Marvin showed him "tough love" along the way, by kicking him out of the locker room. But right before Thurman could finally play again, the team cut him. Why now?

The centerpiece on a 2005 defense that created turnovers like you and I drink ice water, Thurman led the team in tackles. The Bengals D never re-captured its playmaking identity with Thurman out of the picture. So he must have really ticked Marvin and Mike Brown off to get a pink slip.

Reportedly Marvin told Thurman's agent that Odell "wasn't around the stadium enough", in so many words. Odell's grandmother recently passed away in Monticello, GA, and Thurman traveled back for her funeral. Betty Thurman helped raise Odell, who lost his mother in a car accident when he was 10 years old. The LB missed voluntary workouts, a chance to "catch up" on the football field, to tend to family matters.

But it has to go deeper than that. Maybe Odell wasn't showing the team enough commitment when he wasn't coping with family issues. I know if I was in Odell's shoes, with so much to lose and this my last chance in Cincinnati, that I would be living at the stadium, in my coach's office, and in the weight room, in an effort to re-gain the trust that was broken with a series of bad off-the-field decisions.

Shortly after Thurman's reinstatement, Marvin Lewis said "He needs to do things the right way. Constantly." Evidently that inconsistency convinced Marvin to part ways with one of the best defensive playmakers PBS has had in some time.
~Zach

Zach Loves the Dunn Chatter!

I forgot to sign my comment.
But I love the Dunn Chatter.
And I love Cincinnati.
---Zach Wells

LOVE the Dunn Chatter!

Perhaps no athlete in Cincinnati, aside from Chad Johnson, stirs up as much debate as Reds LF Adam Dunn. This cat is a strong, strong man, and productive at the plate. 40 HRS for the past 4 consecutive seasons doesn't happen by accident, but the strikeouts are troubling. Making $13 million and hitting in the 7-hole shouldn't happen (and his recent hot streak will move him up in the lineup). In fairness, Dunn made a few nice defensive plays in the home series with the Cleveland Indians, but as a body of work his "prowess" in the outfield leaves a lot to be desired.

I think Joe Danneman raised the most applicable question: "Is this what we're gonna get from Adam Dunn, or is there more?"

I think this is what we're gonna get.
Which is unfortunate.

It's just not in Dunn's personality to be a clubhouse leader. He's a goof off, a big kid, and not one to hold others accountable. I'm not with Dunn in the offseason, so I don't know how much he works on his game, or works on his defense, or conditioning. I see a guy who doesn't appear to be in the best shape. Which begs the question, how good COULD he be...if he truly worked at it? Shouldn't a former quarterback in high school, like Dunn was, have a little bit better throwing arm?

A few weeks ago, I asked Pete Rose what he thought of Dunn. The Hit King stopped short of saying "underachiever", but he said Dunn would be a much different player if he managed the Reds, that he'd take Dunn on as a personal project.

I'm just thinking out loud, but I love the Dunn chatter. He's a guy who sparks debate...for good reason.

Taking the Celtics Off the Front Page

For one day anyway, I'll bet the Celtics get bumped from the cover story in the Boston Globe. And for good reason. Growing up, I loved the Boys from Beantown, still do, but Doc Rivers and the Crew can take a backseat for good reason.

Down at Fenway Park, Jon Lester was the toast of Boston.

A few years back, doctors diagnosed Lester with a rare form of non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. But the Red Sox lefty beat cancer, and eventually mowed down the Kansas City Royals on Monday night for a no-hitter at Fenway Park in front of a capacity crowd.

From the sounds of it, Lester is a guy who "gets it". The pitcher called Manager Terry Francona a "father-figure" during his troubles. And Sox catcher Jason Varitek, behind the plate for a MLB record 4 no-hitters, lifted his pitcher in the air to celebrate. There was something different about this one.

And for good reason. Good for Jon Lester. He deserves it.
--Zach

I Feel Your Pain

Didn't realize what a pain it is to try and post a comment on this blog until I took the time to try and do it. We'll work on that. In the meantime... thanks for your patience.
Here's what I was trying to post in response to one of our earlier comments.

Do we want Adam Dunn to be something he's not? Maybe.

First of all...
Thanks to "jimmyjaim" for checking out the blog.
And you make a good point about Dunn. He showed an all-around game this weekend that I don't think I've seen before.
Some not so surprising 440 foot bombs... but they were clutch home runs too.
How 'bout 3 strikeouts the entire homestand?
And the defense. That's right... I said defense. Dunn tracked down a couple of deep balls in the gaps in the Indians series. Also went in the stands to snare a foul ball... and played a ball off the wall to cut down a runner at second base. His arm still "looks" terrible... but it was at least effective.
Leads the team in HR and RBI but still hits .221.
Still not my favorite player... but he's been huge during the winning streak.

The Friendly (and full) Confines

I was in the Chicago area this weekend for a wedding and had a chance to catch my first game at Wrigley Field.

Yup, one of those "Bucket List" places I can cross off my ballparks to visit list (along with Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium).

Beautiful weather, party atmosphere and good baseball. It was a great experience. Just to watch a game played in front of a sold out crowd was energizing. From the highlights I saw, it looked like a lot of the games this weekend at GABP were packed as well because the Indians were in town.

If you're one of the fans that have watched the Reds play in front of 12,000 fans earlier this year and also experienced one or more of this weekend's games, how different did it feel? Did a full house energize the ballpark?

Now if I can just get to AT&T Park in San Francisco...

- Joe D.

Zach is "The King"

Fun experiment for the next time you take in a Reds game with Zach Wells.
(No wagering - we frown on that here of course.)
But strictly for the sport of it... make a pregame guess at which number will be higher. Total number of strikeouts for the Reds starting pitcher... or the number of Arnold Palmer's Zach will consume over the course of nine innings.
Today's tally? Edinson Volquez 5 K's in 6 innings. Z Wells... 4 AP's thru six innings. You'll have to ask Wells if he kept up the same pace once the bullpen came in the game.
Either way... 6 straight good ones for the Reds.
And we can all drink to that.

BG

Keep it Up, Kepp

If you're not bummed out about what happened to Jeff Keppinger Tuesday you're either....

A) An opposing pitcher who's had to face him

or

B) Cold, insensitive and not capable of genuine human emotion.

How can you not love the guy? His entire professional career "baseball people" have knocked him. Too small... too slow... not good defensively... etc. etc.

It's been an uphill battle for Keppinger to get to the big leagues despite hitting at every level he's ever played.
Even in Cincinnati the Reds were forced to give Keppinger a chance last year and this year because Alex Gonzalez can't go.
All he's done is play a very solid shortstop (1 error) and lead the team in every major offensive category.

Now he's hurt.
Here's hoping he's back in about a month and picks up where he left off.
Great player. Great story. Plus... he wears his pants the right way. Rockin' the "High socks" is old school.

BG

Cy-Clone Me a Fan

Count me as one of those "playoff hockey fans." You know, the sports fan who loves to watch compelling, meaningful games? Well, what gets better than overtime hockey in the playoffs?

I used to be big into hockey. When you go to school in the Northeast, it just becomes a part of everyday living. Plus, having a college roommate who would miss an exam before missing a New York Rangers game doesn't hurt.

Now that I'm back in Cincinnati and hockey kind of on the national back-burner, I don't follow hockey like I should, but the Cincinnati Cyclones are grabbing my attention.

I played golf with head coach Chuck Weber this past summer and had a blast. Chuck is a good dude and can hit a golf ball a good 150-yards with hockey gloves on. You'll probably never get a chance to try that, so take my word for it, it's tough.

My point is this...give it up for the Cyclones. They play an exciting style of hockey and they're just flat out good. With 6 more wins, they're ECHL champions and right now, a professional championship in Cincinnati would be a rare accomplishment.

- Joe D.

Bengals Talking to Alexander

My first memory of Shaun Alexander is from my freshman year in high school. I was 4-feet-11, 88 pounds (literally) and watched the Cov Cath football season opener from the stands.

I had heard stories about this great running back from Boone County. He couldn't be as good as they said, right? Well, it didn't take long for Alexander to drop my jaw. He took the opening kick back 80 yards or so and made defender after defender slip and fall trying to tackle him.

I'll never forget my older brother's best friend (who played safety and was on the kickoff cover team) shaking Alexander's hand in the endzone and kind of shaking his head as if to say, "wow, you're good." Alexander scored, if memory is correct, 6 touchdowns that night (in a CCH win) and the rest is history.

It seems like the Bengals are pretty interested in bringing the former MVP back to his hometown. We'll just have to wait and see if it happens, but I think it would be a good thing. I know Rudi Johnson is geared up to re-gain his role as the every down back after a disappointing 2007, but when is competition or depth ever bad? Especially, if the price is right. Plus, Alexander's seemingly spotless record would be good for the locker room.

I have a friend who lives by Kenny Irons and sees the running back out jogging often in his attempt to recover from a torn ACL. But, we just don't know how soon he'll be ready. Chris Perry sounds like he's ready to play, but he's only played 22 games in 3-years. Kenny Watson and Dede Dorsey will both have roles as change of pace backs. So, it remains to be seen how Alexander would fit in and how he'd react to a far lesser role than the one he starred in for Seattle.

What do you think? Would you like Shaun Alexander in Cincinnati if the price is right?

- Joe D.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

I'm from Texas. No big secret.
We live for high school football in the lone star state. Also a well-known fact.
Where am I going with this? Easy.
I don't really miss it because the high school football here is so good.

They officially set the schedule for this year's Crosstown Showdown today. Three months from now... the season starts with three straight days of great games.

Given that it looks like we're in for another long baseball season... I can't wait.
The big one on Friday August 22nd is Colerain and St Xavier. The full schedule is on fox19.com.

Check back later when I'll preview the 2021 season. That's when I'm expecting the recruiting letters to start pouring in for Zachary and Brock Giesenschlag.

BG

Seen and Heard Monday at GABP

Here are some tidbits Zach Wells and I saw at Great American Ball Park on Monday:

- David Weathers did not like Jeff Brantley's comments in Atlanta. Brantley claims some players appear to be happy just going through the motions and collecting a paycheck. Weathers didn't blast Brantley, but did say Jeff doesn't know everything that goes on in the locker room and said it's up to every player to "tend to their own garden." Translation - each player is accountable.

- Dusty Baker got a big bear hug from Derrek Lee. Obviously, someone in a Cub uniform still likes Dusty.

- Dunn spent almost all of batting practice hitting the ball to the opposite field. After the game, he says he's never felt better at the plate and is seeing the ball better than ever. I think he thinks a hot streak is coming.

- Lou Piniella couldn't stop smiling when talking to reporters about Cincinnati.

- Did anyone see Lou joking with Billy Hatcher when arguing a call at first base? If I read his lips correctly, Lou said something like, "Hey, Hatch. Oakland still hasn't figured out how to get you out." Just kidding.

- All the Reds up on the railing of the dugout for the last couple outs of the game was pretty cool. Seems like the guys really wanted that one.

- Kudos to Junior for gutting out a game after the news of his good friend's passing. Great play in right field, better play by Pie to rob Jr. of #598.

-- Joe D.

Delivering a Promise

Before NFL Draft weekend, how many of you had heard of Jerome Simpson? Count me among the many that answered no to that question.

A 2nd round pick for a kid from Coastal Carolina seemed like a stretch when the name popped up on the screen. But, his measurables are as good as any receiver in the draft. Long arms, great vertical, huge hands and a great attitude.

Will he be able to make the jump from small school to the NFL? We'll see. He dropped a lot of passes this weekend in rookie camp, but what happens in May won't matter come training camp and regular season.

Simpson originally wanted to play at ECU. But, the coaches there wanted him to commit during his visit. Jerome wanted to visit some more schools, so ECU gave the scholarship to another player. That's how a super-talented kid ended up in relative obscurity.

Without the big school perks, Jerome had to work in college to make ends meet. His job of choice? Pizza Hut delivery guy. He says he loved the gig because he ate free wings and pizza every night...so did his roomates.

Jerome says he has a big chip on his shoulder because he hears the whispers of a no-name 2nd round pick. "I read the message boards," Jerome said. "But, the (Bengals) coaches believed in me and I'm gonna' make believers out of them. I'm gonna' put this city on my back. This city is gonna' love me."

With his personality, if he performs at a high level, I think he might be right.

- Joe D.

Leadership

With millions in the bank, Carson Palmer could be doing just about anything on a Friday morning in the offseason. Surfing in the Pacific Ocean, playing a round (or two) on just about any golf course in the world, or just hanging out with his dogs at home in Southern California. So where was #9 on Friday, May 2nd?

On the sidelines at PBS, scouting a batch of first-year NFL players at the Bengals Rookie Weekend Minicamp.

"You want to see if they're better than you think, or worse than you think. (The rookies) have exceeded expectations," Palmer said.

We're all about "Fair and Balanced Coverage" at FOX. And given all of Chad Johnson's inflammatory comments about the Bengals organization this offseason, it's only fair to point out leadership when you see it. Entering his 6th season in the NFL, Carson has emerged as a true leader in the Bengals locker room.

Palmer also got a first-hand look at a couple of promising new targets. The Bengals drafted WRs Jerome Simpson in the 2nd Round from Coastal Carolina and Andre Caldwell from Florida in the 3rd Round. From the sounds of it, Palmer likes what he sees and expects an impact, especially from young players selected so high in the NFL Draft.

It's easy sometimes to focus on the negative. Things aren't going very well for the Reds so far down at Great American Ball Park. Their neighbor (or if he had his way, "former neighbor") down the way Chad Johnson seems far more worried about "who has his back" than winning a Super Bowl.

If you're a Bengals fan, and see the Face of the Franchise at PBS, when he isn't required to be there, that has to be encouraging.
-ZACH

My Bad

Since I periodically bash Zachary Wells for not signing his posts... I guess I deserve a shot of the same medicine.

The "Jersey Boys" post - that was me.

BG

Krivsky Calling

Just got off the phone with Wayne Krivsky.
He called me. Seriously. Said he's calling a lot of people to say thanks. Thanks for treating him fairly... thanks for the chit chat around the dugout... just thanks.
I always liked Wayne. Mainly because he was approachable and probably because he treated us "TV folks" with the same respect every general manager treats print media.
Wayne remembers names and returns phone calls.
Two years ago when the Reds were looking for a GM to replace Dan O'Brien... Krivsky's name had come up a few times so I called the main switchboard with the Minnesota Twins and somehow found my way to his voice mail. Left a message and expected absolutely nothing in return. Instead... he called me back. Said he couldn't talk about it... but he called me back and was polite. Not only that... a few weeks later when he was introduced at GABP as the Reds new GM... he remembered me when I introduced myself and he apologized for not being able to tell me more than he did when I called.
That was all I needed. Doesn't take much to win over the TV guys. Like I said before... most coaches and GMs treat beat writers and electronic media differently. For the most part they should. We're typically not around the team every single day... aren't as well connected ... don't break as many stories. We (and this is completely our fault) haven't earned the same level of familiarity and trust.
With Wayne it wasn't like that. So I'll miss him.

All of that said... I never worked for him or with him.
Sounds like that might not have been a walk in the park - according to my print media brethren. Seems like there's an awful lot of smoke for there not to be some truth to that.

Either way...Wayne told me he's going to take a vacation with his wife and then hopefully get on with another team as a National League scout for the rest of this season. Says he would like to be based at GABP. Fine by me. I like the guy. And who knows... maybe he'll give me a call when he lands another GM job.

BG

Jersey Boys

First off... question for Joe. Do you own any normal clothes?

My list is short and sweet.
1980 Tony Dorsett. Loved that one. Cowboys home whites with the shiny blue #33. Plus... had the Dorsett cleats. Remember... the white / blue Converse with the fold down "mud flap" in the front on top of the laces. Sweet. One side note though... it's only acceptable to wear cleats in social situations if you're under the age of 10. Wore mine everywhere - church, school, you name it.

Quite a few years went by before I bought my Michael Jordan. Got the cheap version though. Didn't wear it much. Also never did buy the kicks to match.

And finally (unless I'm forgetting one) Ryne Sandberg. Grew up in Texas watching the Cubs on WGN. Loved Ryno. Got the Sandberg jersey just before a trip to Wrigley after graduating high school. It's classic. Timeless. Always will be. No name on the back... just #23.

All of that said...
Cincinnati and Pittsburgh seem to be the most "jersey crazy" sports fans I've ever come across. Ever been to a Steelers game at Heinz? Kids, adults, old people...it's unbeleivable.
I'll put a good jersey on my boys. Not sure how cool it is these days for their old man.

Jerseyless in Cincinnati

Inspired by Koch's Sporting Goods giving away Cyclones tickets in exchange for Chad Johnson jerseys, I started to look through my closet tonight for the jerseys I regret having.

I almost said I regret my child-size David Robinson jersey, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The Admiral will always be my favorite player (although Kobe's making a strong run), even though I can't stand the Spurs now (that's a blog entry in itself...summed up in one word...flop).

What else do I wish I could give back in my closet? Hmmm, boy, there are some vintage jerseys in there. How about a Priest Holmes! A Jeff Blake! A Peyton Manning Tennessee Volunteers jersey? HAHA, that's a funny story. Three Carmelo jerseys, no lie. All gifts. Some random Packers jersey. It's Sterling Sharpe's number, but it was in the family before he started playing in the NFL. Ah, yes, the Troy Smith jersey. Still smells like vanilla (if you know what I'm talking about, you're laughing loudly). Three World Cup jerseys. Those are cool jerseys because you can actually wear them as a grown-up. The crown jewel? The Maurice Clarett Broncos jersey! How about that for a wedding present from a college buddy. Just what my wife wanted!!

I don't really regret any of them. Maybe, my Andy Katzenmoyer Patriots jersey. That was a gift, though. I asked a friend in Boston for a t-shirt jersey when New England drafted him, but he hooked me up with the real thing just to watch the Big Kat flop in the NFL.

What about you? Do you have any jerseys you'd like to get rid of? Does your significant other have a jersey? My wife has a Carson Palmer jersey. She feels a certain kinship because she twice tore her ACL playing sports in high school. Oh, boy, the night Carson tore his ACL she was a basket case. HAHA, I'm starting to ramble.

BG, Z-Wells, Rufus...I'd love to know what jerseys you wore back in the day.

- Joe D.

Please, Give the Man an MVP

I'm about to commit the ultimate basketball sin...ready...is Kobe Bryant as good as Michael Jordan?

I tried to talk it through with my wife tonight, but she chose to go to sleep instead of watching the 4th quarter of the Nuggets/Lakers game late Monday night. So, congratulations, you get to read my inner monologue argument.

Kobe Bryant is simply unguardable. I remember watching Jordan a lot as a kid, but admittedly have watched much more of Kobe as an adult. I believe Kobe can get 40 points every single night without taking bad shots. He's that good of a scorer.

How about his defense? The best defender on the court for Team USA last summer.

I've never even thought it possible, but it jumped in my head tonight and I just couldn't stop thinking about it. All the time we're looking for "the next Jordan"...are we missing something better?

My answer, no. Kobe is amazing, but Jordan is just Jordan. Kobe might finish with better stats, but a more successful statistical career doesn't make a better player or a larger legend. I don't think the gap is as far as some people think, but Jordan is still the best.

Still, can we get Kobe an MVP? Can you believe that? The best player in the NBA for several seasons now is MVP-less. That's wrong. I love Steve Nash, but c'mon. Heck, can we get the guy a nickname while we're at it?

- Joe D.

Marvin Sends a Message

So, the Bengals took three wide receivers in the 2008 NFL Draft. Chad Johsnon, are you paying attention?

Marvin says it has nothing to do with Chad, the loss of Chris Henry or the fact that T.J. Houshmandzadeh is in the last year of his contract. In fact, Marvin says they drafted three wide outs to underline his commitment to the run game, arguing, more vertical threats will keep defenses busy and off the line of scrimmage.

I'm not buying it. I think the writing is clearly on the wall for Chad Johnson and that writing says the Bengals are preparing to play whether or not you want to. This is going to be one interesting training camp.

Rookie camp, meanwhile, starts this weekend. Keep it locked on Fox19 for what's always a fun weekend at Paul Brown Stadium.

- Joe D.

NFL Draft: Bengals Day 1 Recap

There are only a few people who know exactly how highly the Bengals coveted a stud defensive tackle. Maybe Marvin's telling the truth when he said the team valued Keith Rivers equal to the other defensive players drafted in the same area of the first round. How badly they wanted a Glenn Dorsey or Sedrick Ellis, we'll probably never know, but the chance to get either of them was there. With 10 picks to play with, it seemed logical to trade with New England and pick Ellis at the 7 spot like New Orleans did. Instead, the Bengals waited for the draft to come to them and took the best value meets need player left on the board.

I'm sure Keith Rivers will be a solid player, but the Bengals need a stud defensive tackle and they seemingly missed that chance.

The second round pick caused quite a buzz in the media room at Paul Brown Stadium. Everyone reached for their computers, notes, player blurbs, etc...anything...to find out who Jerome Simpson was. I tell you what, though, I'm excited to see this kid play. He might've played at a small football program, but his combine measurables are off the charts. Also, have you seen his ability to go get the ball? There were a lot of big name receivers left, but the Bengals got their guy in the second round.

Look, there's a reason Marvin Lewis and everyone else in that war room gets paid a lof of money. Either they get it right and look good, or they get it wrong and look bad. Funny thing is, we won't know if they're right or wrong for quite a while until we get a chance to fairly judge these players on the NFL level.

The Wrong Scapegoat

Wayne Krivsky isn't perfect.
But if the powers-that-be at Great American Ball Park concluded that the former Reds GM was the biggest problem in the organization, then the home team needs far more help than its 9-13 record indicates.

In the same room where Krivsky took the job in February of 2006, his replacement Walt Jocketty said something about how the "culture in the clubhouse" needs to change...and how it needs to reverberate throughout the organization.

A quick observation:
It's not Krivsky's job to run the clubhouse.
It's Dusty Baker's.
And I doubt Baker has the capable lieutenants in there to hold the players accountable and echo Baker's mission and expectations. When the Reds kicked off the season against Arizona, on what should be a ballplayer's most anticipated game of the year, I heard one big bat on the roster say, "Man I can't wait till Opening Day is over."

Just the other day, another guy who easily carries enough clout to be a clubhouse leader said, "Chad Johnson is my hero." (An apparent reference to Chad's overall disdain for Cincinnati).

Krivsky made mistakes, to be sure. The Lopez-Kearns for Majewski-Bray deal hasn't yet panned out. But the former GM often described having "sleepless nights" when making tough decisions. The emotion of it all sometimes brought Krivsky to tears, maybe the most revealing reflection of his passion.

More passion than certain players who are dressed, showered and out the door about 10 minutes after finding themselves on the wrong side of another blowout.

The Reds scapegoated the wrong guy.
--Zach

KRIVSKY SHOCKED

WAYNE KRIVSKY SAID HE WAS SHOCKED THAT HE GOT FIRED ON WEDNESDAY. AND REALLY I WAS TOO. KINDA.
NOT THAT EVERYONE DIDN'T SEE IT COMING. WHEN WALT JOCKETTY WAS HIRED IN JANUARY THE CLOCK STARTED TICKING ON KRIVSKY. BUT KRIVSKY'S STAMP ON THE REDS IS NOT THIS YEAR'S 9 AND 12 START.
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT THE MAIN THING THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE REDS NEEDS TO DO IS FIND A WAY TO GET GOOD PLAYERS IN UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS. SMALL MARKET TEAM? NOT MUCH REVENUE? FINE. BE CREATIVE. I DON'T KNOW... LIKE FINDING BRANDON PHILLIPS ON THE SCRAP HEAP. GAMBLE AND WIN ON JOSH HAMILTON... AND THEN BE SMART ENOUGH TO SELL HIGH AND INSIST ON EDINSON VOLQUEZ FROM THE RANGERS. GET JARED BURTON FOR NOTHING. HITTING MACHINE JEFF KEPPINGER COST THE REDS A SINGLE-A PITCHER. MIKE LINCOLN LOOKS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD PICKUP AND I DON'T THINK TEAMS WERE LINED UP FOR A GUY WHO HADN'T PITCHED IN FOUR YEARS.
46 MILLION DOLLARS OF BOB CASTELLINI'S MONEY LURED FRANCISCO CORDERO TO CINCINNATI... BUT INSIDER'S SAY KRIVSKY HAD THE DEAL DONE BEFORE MILWAUKEE EVEN KNEW WHAT WAS HAPPENING.
KRIVSKY DIDN'T MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION EVERYTIME... AND THE REDS OBVIOUSLY AREN'T WINNING. THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE. BUT DUSTY BAKER IS THE FIRST MANAGER KRIVSKY HIRED. HE HASN'T EVEN BEEN ON THE JOB A MONTH. HERE'S HOPING BAKER GETS MORE THAN TWO SEASONS TO TURN AROUND A TEAM THAT'S BEEN LOSING FOR THE BETTER PART OF THIS DECADE.

BG

MARV-elous

On Tuesday morning, Marvin Lewis told the local media, in more or less words, if Chad wants to threaten to sit out, be a man of your word and do it.

There are rumors that other organizations are making a play to get Chad out of Cincinnati, but Marvin isn't backing off his original defense of not trading Chad.

Some of the offers, if true, sound great, but why let Chad get his way? I know Mike Brown, Marvin Lewis, the coaches and 53 players aren't in the business of "making examples". They are paid to win football games. But, if Chad gets traded, he wins. I say well done to Marvin Lewis and the front office if they call Chad's bluff and mean it...forcing him to sit out the season.

What do you think of Marvin's statement? Do you want the Bengals to trade Chad and get something in return or would you rather Chad sit like he threatened?

Extra Inning Ed-WIN

It's a saying that's become a sports staple, "don't let one mistake turn into two."

Edwin Encarnacion could've easily gone in the tank after booting an inning ending double play ball in the 10th inning of Sunday's Reds/Brewers game at GABP. Instead, Encarnacion went to the bat rack and started the Reds game-winning rally in the bottom of the inning.

In the clubhouse, after the game, I got the sense that his teammates were happy for Edwin because he really cares about his craft. Ken Griffey, Jr. said no one knows how hard Edwin works to get better. Dusty Baker described Edwin as an "internal bleeder" when he makes a mistake.

The third base job, for now, is his despite 6 errors less than 20 games into the season. But, how will it change when Alex Gonzalez gets back. Dusty will have three players with only two positions. So, who do you sit? Gonzalez is a great defensive shortstop with a decent bat. Keppinger plays solid defense and is an on base machine. Encarnacion is in the middle of a ten-game hit streak and might be the team's best clutch hitter.

Good problem to have or is three a crowd?

Stay Classy, Bronson

Bronson Arroyo is in a slump. He'll be the first to admit it. He says he feels good on the mound, but things "aren't clicking."

I asked him after Friday's game if the fact that he feels good, but is pitching poorly concerns him. He said he'd be more worried if he felt bad and was pitching well than vice versa. His point being, my stuff is fine, I'm just missing spots and when I hit those spots, I'll put up zeroes.

What's refreshing about Bronson is he's honest with the media. In a town saturated with Chad Johnson's soap opera, Bronson doesn't dodge tough questions or pound his chest when things are going well. He seems to have an appreciation for the game, the history, the players, the way the game is played. I'm sure some of that comes from playing in Boston, where that historical appreciation is probably a must for all Red Sox players.

Sure, Bronson is paid to win baseball games. I'm not here to defend or chastise his performance on the mound. The results will speak louder than anything I can say on this blog. My guess is Bronson will bounce back. He's a streaky pitcher. But, good game or bad game, he'll give you his time. That's all a reporer can ask for.

Well, if it's not too much to ask, maybe I'll ask him to re-think the "Together Again" JTM commercial. To think we'll have to see/hear that all summer long...

- Joe D.

They Picked the Right Joe-y

After Joey Votto's big day at the plate Thursday in Chicago, I did a quick google search of the young Reds first basemen. Not to find his birthdate (September 10th, 1983 in case you were wondering Zach. Well I'm sure you knew that considering he shares birthdays with Arnold Palmer. The man responsible for Zach's favorite drink), but to read up a little on his past.

Anyway, a majority of the hits that popped up discussed the off-season rumor of the Reds trading for Joe Blanton. Remember that? The rumors say the A's wanted either Homer Bailey or Johnny Cueto and Joey Votto for Joe Blanton. Blanton's allowed 41 hits in 34 innings so far this year and only has 11 strikeouts. He's an innings eater and typically avoids major trouble, but I've got to think the Reds are happy they didn't pull the trigger on this one. Votto is hitting .330+ in his 37 MLB games (dating back to last year), Cueto appears to be special and Homer is only 21-years-old and won 4 of his 6 decisions in his first taste of the big leagues.

Oh, and that September 10th birthday also belongs to Big Daddy Kane. Who happens to be the artist of one of my all-time favorite songs "Ain't No Half Steppin'".

- Joe D.

Back to Work

He's one of the most colorful characters in college basketball. And it sure was great to see Miami Head Coach Charlie Coles today at Millett Hall in Oxford. Coles was laughing and relishing his "big chance".

His chance to live.

Ten years ago, Coles suffered a near fatal heart attack during the MAC Tournament Championship. Paramedics revived him on the court. And just last month, he underwent a complicated, 14-hour quadruple bypass surgery at Mercy Hospital in Fairfield.

The health issues forced him to miss the end of the regular season and the conference tournament in Cleveland. But he's back to work, for about 2 1/2 hours a day. Coles even walks the concourse at Millett to get his blood going.

He admits the upcoming season will "probably" be his last in Oxford. But if he's able to get through the season, and finish it out, Coles admits he can walk away just fine with that.

Cards and well-wishes keep pouring into his mailbox at home. From fans, former players, colleagues, and complete strangers. Even the Ohio University Bobcats sent something, a sign that rivalries can take a backseat in circumstances like this. "It means a lot to be cared about," he said, "My wife's in the process of answering all of 'em."

Not one person in his family ever suggested he step down, Coles says. And, from the information he gets, Coles should be able to get back to the quality of life he enjoyed before the most recent heart procedure.

He's so good for college basketball. And an even more enjoyable guy to talk to.

-Zach

Adios Ocho?

I understand the financial ramifications of trading Chad Johnson, but there is no way this guy can play for the Bengals again.

How could Chad possibly walk back into that locker room and look guys like Willie Anderson, Carson Palmer and even T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the eye? If what he told ESPN's John Clayton is true (wanting to be traded and telling Carson to stay out of his business), the Bengals have to move him. The problem for the Bengals...they lose a pro-bowl wide receiver and Chad wins. He gets what he wants.

In a perfect world, the Bengals hold onto him and suspended him for the year. But, that doesn't make dollars and sense. So, they really have two choices...play him or trade him. Right now, I just don't see how they can play him after everything he's said about the organization.

I just wish more guys would take pride in being part of the solution instead of compounding the problem. Chad just doesn't seem willing to do that and it appears he's lit the match and the bridge is burning.

Bengals Schedule Released

Initial reaction when I saw the 2008 Bengals schedule? Wow. Exciting. Challenging.

It's difficult to gauge how difficult a schedule is because, for example, the game at Indy looks daunting. But, what if Peyton Manning is injured? What if Eli is banged up for the game in NY? What if the Chiefs are out of it and decide to sit Larry Johnson in week 17?

But, on an injury free piece of paper, the Bengals are looking at an uphill climb to the playoffs.

Some of what I'm looking forward to:

1. at NY Giants - playing on the champs' home turf
2. at Dallas - love Tony Romo's game, love Marion Barber's game could be a lot
points in 'Big D'...oh yeah...Chad vs. TO (gulp)
3. Jacksonville - Maurice Jones Drew has to be fun to watch in person
4. Philadelphia - ditto for Brian Westbrook
5. at Pittsburgh - Bengals vs. Steelers in prime time is big time
6. at Cleveland - a late division game could be big for either CIN or CLE

What's your knee-jerk reaction? Looks pretty juicy to me.

- Joe D.

Pryor Decisions

This Saturday is the Ohio State spring football game. Amazing. It feels like yesterday Fox19 Sports Director Brian Giesenschlag, photographer Dan Wood and myself were on Bourbon Street looking for colorful characters for BCS Championship coverage.

This will be an interesting year for Ohio State football. It's funny that a BCS team with only one regular season loss the past two seasons is maybe one of the most ridiculed programs in the country. I guess that's what back-to-back lopsided losses in the BCS Championship game will do...oh yeah...there's that winless record in bowl games against the SEC hanging over the heads.

The Bucks could get back to the national championship game again this year and America would hate it. If Ohio State goes to USC and wins and runs through a Big 10 schedule that includes road bumps at Wisconsin and Illinois, Ohio State will get its 4th shot in the BCS big one.

OSU can get there because the roster oozes with talent. I was stunned Malcolm Jenkins and James Laurinaitis returned for another season. Vernon Gholston gone, a a healthy Lawrence Wilson will step in and go for 10+ sacks. That said, OSU needs to play better defense. Hard to believe one of college football's most dominant defensive teams in recent memory could play any better, but they can. They need to be more explosive defensively. They need to be nasty. More turnovers and score touchdowns. They need to play tougher in the secondary. SEC defenses are nasty. Ohio State has that talent, they need to be unleashed.

Chris Wells is an absolute beast and could be a major hurdle for Tim Tebow's run at Archie Griffin's back-to-back Heisman benchmark. But, the key to OSU's offense is the passing game. Todd Boeckman needs to be more poised in the pocket against a strong pass rush and the Brians (Robiskie and Hartline) somehow need to create more separation for Boeckman to be successful.

All that said, the big story in Columbus is the arrival of Terrelle Pryor. The nation's #1 rated QB obviously won't play this Saturday because he's still finishing up high school, but how Jim Tressel will use Pryor this season will be fun to watch. He could be that athletic X-factor that's been missing the past couple of BCS championship games for OSU's offense. A backfield threat of Wells, Brandon Saine and Terrelle Pryor would keep NFL defensive coordinators up at night. I can't wait to hear the crowd reaction the first time Pryor runs onto the field at the 'Shoe.

Check out SportsWrap Saturday night for full coverage from Ohio State's spring game.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, the BCS Championship game this coming year is in Miami.

- Joe D.

Master-ful Sportsmanship

I'm a Covington Catholic grad so, certainly, I was rooting hard for CCH's Steve Flesch this weekend. Unfortunately, Steve couldn't keep up with Trevor Immelman on the last day. But, what's more impressive, is the way the Union, Kentucky resident handled himself afterward.

All weekend long, he handled the media like he was a man with nothing to lose, saying, he would enjoy the moment no matter what happened and he didn't disappoint.

Flesch just kept hanging around...that name on the leaderboard bridging the leaders and the lurking Tiger Woods. Flesch eventually made some mistakes that cost him a shot at the green jacket, but even on Sunday at Augusta with microphones in his face and the memories of "what could've been" still fresh, Flesch handled himself the same way he did on Thursday with an "aw shucks" smile and class. He said it didn't really matter what happened, he'd have fun. Heck, this was Augusta and he was in contention.

Good for you, Steve. How many of us would like a top-5 Masters finish on our resumes?

- Joe D.

"LOB" Me an Answer

I left the Dodgers/Padres box score on my home laptop screen Friday night before going to bed. So, my wife gets up to use the computer the next morning to check her e-mail and find out who's dating who in Hollywood and comes across my idle screen. Her question: "what does LOB mean?" She actually pronounced it "lob", like lobbing a pass. Anyway, it took me a second to figure out what she was talking about until I put two-and-two together and realized she meant "L-O-B", as in "left on base."

I bring the story up because it's the story so far in Pittsburgh for the Reds. 14 hits Saturday and only 3 runs. The kind of stuff that will drive a baseball team mad.

The biggest culprit is Edwin Encarnacion. He left 7 runners on base Friday night and three more Saturday. Dusty has his hands full with the Reds' third basemen. He has two of the team's biggest hits so far this season, but not much else. He's hitting below the Mendoza line and committed his third and fourth errors of the young season on Saturday.

If you're Dusty, what do you do? Do you let him play every day to work his way through it? Send him to Louisville to fix the problem like last year? When Alex Gonzalez is ready, do you move Keppinger to third? Play manager and send me what you think.

- Joe D.

The Big Frease

This weekend is the annual Ohio/Kenutcky "Battle at the Border" High School All-Star event. Both squads are packed with talent. However, when we (as sports reporters) look at the rosters, we look for stories and there's no bigger story in this event for our broad audience than Xavier recruit Kenny Frease.

Friday was the ALl-Star skills competition. Much like what you see in the NBA on All-Star weekend. 3-point contest, dunk competition, plus a little 3-on-3. Anyway, Fox19 photographer Dan Wood and I set up at NKU early so we could interview Kenny before the festivities started. I've never met Kenny, nor has Dan, so it was funny when Dan asked me, "how will we recognize him?" I said, "just look for the biggest person to walk through the door."

Sure enough, Kenny was the biggest person in the building. At 6'11", Frease is a monster. He looks much older than a high school senior from a distance until you talk to him. Once you start a conversation, his facial expressions make him look his age.

His favorite word is "sweet". Xavier's program is "sweet". Xavier's run to the Elite 8 was "sweet". Being a big-time recruit was, you guessed it, "sweet". He seemed to really enjoy being interviewed and talking about the recruiting process. He's glad his mind is made up and he'll be playing at X, but he also said he enjoyed "the process" and wishes more kids would take time to enjoy being recruited instead of feeling like it's a job.

I didn't get to seem him play. He didn't compete in any of the skills competitions, but will play in Saturday's All-Star game. The buzz around the NKU gym was a combination of Josh Duncan and OSU's Kosta Koufus. Not bad, eh.

Keep it locked on Fox19 the next couple of weekends for more on Kenny, including highlights from Satuday's game and excerpts from my interview with him. He's a great kid (calls himself a people person) who says his favorite part of basketball is passing. Plus, you won't want to miss why Sean Miller wants Kenny to call himself the "Greg Oden of Xavier".

- Joe D.

Bottoms Up

Pick your storyline from the Reds' win Thursday. Aaron Harang dominates for 8 innings. Francisco Cordero returns to Milwaukee and goes 1-2-3 in the 9th in 8 pitches. But, take a closer look at the box score. The top of Cincinnati's order (1-4) went a combined 0-16 and the Reds still won.

How? Because the bottom four in the line-up had a great day. The bats of Encarnacion, Hatteberg, Bako and even Harang went a combined 7-11 with 2 doubles, a home run and all 4 RBI. Most surprising, might be Paul Bako. The journeyman catcher hit less than .210 the last two seasons, but is hitting a team best .364 so far. He might be the biggest surpise in the majors at catcher this side of Jason Kendall.

Cincinnati's stars will hit, but if the bottom of the line-up can give Dusty Baker consistent production, the Reds will be that much tougher to beat.

- Joe D.

Lead-Off Down Patt

Of all the major off-season and early season storylines, the play of Corey Patterson in the lead-off spot is going under the radar.

Francisco Cordero and Goodyear, Arizona stole the off-season headlines. Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez are the talkers since opening day. But, what about the play of the Reds new center fielder?

The former 3rd overall pick in the 1998 MLB Draft isn't going to hit for a high average and isn't a prototypical lead-off hitter. But, he's off to a great start and while the Reds sluggers are slumping, Patterson is coming up big in big situations.

I picked out who I thought are MLB's best lead-off hitters to compare Patterson's (very) early season numbers...take a look:

Patterson's three home runs and 6 RBI are more than players like Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Brian Roberts, Ichiro, Alfonso Soriano, Grady Sizemore and Jimmy Rollins.

Patterson's 6 runs scored are also second best of that same group. Only Hanley Ramirez (7 runs) has scored more.

Sure, it's early, very early. But, Patterson could be a big part of Cincinnati's team. He says he's not a home run hitter and wants to hit more line drives. However, two game-tying home runs in the late innings just one week into the season is big time stuff.

- Joe D.

You Never Know Who's Listening

Hall of Fame RB Gale Sayers was an honorary captain for the Reds on Monday at Great American Ball Park, and stopped to talk to Joe Danneman and I about disgruntled Bengals WR Chad Johnson.

It really didn't matter which national microphone was in front of him this offseason. Ocho was willing to talk, and it turns out Sayers, a standout back with the Chicago Bears in the 60s and 70s, was listening.

And not having any of it.

"I think the players on the teams that I played on would say, 'Hey, get the hell outta here. We don't need this. We don't need this.'"

Sayers remembers making $25,000 a year and playing for the love of it. "Today," Sayers says, "the players are playing I believe for just the money. Championship? They don't even care about winning a Super Bowl. They wanna say I'm the highest paid Wide Receiver."

Sayers owns his own business in the Chicago area, a venture he undertook in 1984. He says athletes like Chad, unhappy while in the midst of a $35 million dollar contract, are "sad", and should remember that athletes of the past paved the way for today's stars to flourish under the bright lights.

"They're standing on somebody else's shoulders. You know, players that played 5, 10, 15 years ago, they made this game what it is today. And a lot of players today think they made the game. No they did not."

Finding Perspective

Winning or losing finds its proper perspective when tragedy strikes on Opening Day. The Reds lost to Arizona 4-2, on a day that UK Head Basketball Coach Billy Gillispie called "one of the saddest days of his life", for reasons that had nothing to do with the scoreboard.

The equipment manager for the UK Basketball Team, Bill Keightley, was on a trip to Great American Ballpark to watch his favorite team. His biography on the Wildcats website bills the 81-year-old as an "avid" Reds fan. But yesterday Keightley suffered a fall. Evidently he started bleeding internally from an undiagnosed tumor on his spine. The same guy who made sure guys like Dan Issel, Jack Givens, Kenny Walker, Rex Chapman and Ron Mercer had all the equipment they needed...died at University Hospital last night. On a day that was supposed to be so much fun, Coach Gillispie drove up to Cincinnati to say goodbye to a man he called one of his best friends.

I can't even imagine dedicating my life to a university, and to a particular job, like Keightley did. Nicknamed "Mr. Wildcat", Keightley had been on the sidelines for nearly fifty years, dating back to the Adolph Rupp years in Lexington. Through National Championships, and leaner years, you could always see the guy in the blue sportcoat with the gray hair, sitting in the first seat on the bench. The stories he had would have made for fantastic conversations over a beer or two.

Sour Ending to "Sweet" Season

I think it's pretty safe to say this is the best season in Xavier history. A school record in wins (30), advancing as far as any Musketeer team (Elite 8) and playing the most difficult schedule Xavier has ever cooked up speaks for itself.

The locker room was as you would expect. Quiet, blank stares and some tears, but the Muskies were very respectful to UCLA. A few themes from the players' answers:

1. UCLA just flat out beat us
2. The seniors will be missed greatly
3. One loss will not ruin a great season

I've watched UCLA play several times this year and this was one of their best offensive performances of the season. They've struggled to hit shots all year long, but stepped up in the biggest game, so far, this season.

The loss is especially tough for X because they just didn't play well. Xavier had to shoot well to win. Instead, they shot very poorly, rebounded poorly, gave up too many open shots and overall looked a little overwhelmed.

Xavier is losing a special senior class. Burrell, Duncan and Lavender will be hard to replace. But, the cupboard is far from empty. A good group of returning players and a great recruiting class means X should get back to the tournament next year. If Sean Miller stays for a while, he will get Xavier to the final four.

Melancholy Opener by Rufus

I'm on record as saying that baseball is my favorite sport...however, I'm not looking forward to Monday's opener. It's not because of my lack of confidence in the Reds but it's the first baseball season I won't be able to share with my father. My father passed away last August. Some of my fondest memories of him involve Reds baseball. We watched Homer Bailey pitch last year from his hospital room and, though it wasn't spoken, we both knew it would probably be the last time we could share a game. I miss dad and it will never be more apparent then when Aaron Harang tosses that first pitch Monday afternoon. I'll be in the stands with 42,000 optimistic Reds fans...make that 42,001. If I know dad he'll be watching.

Biggest Shot in X History?

I'm sitting in my room here in Phoenix, the day winding down, thinking, "was B.J. Raymond shot(s) the biggest in XU history"?

X fans will argue Lenny Brown's buzzer beater to knock off #1 UC on their home court in 1996, but given the magnitude of Thursday's game against West Virginia, it's a pretty tough argument.

I hope you caught my interview with Stanley Burrell on the 10 O'clock News Thursday night. I hoped to interview B.J., but deadlines are deadlines and Raymond had a pack of about 10 reporters around him. Anyway, I asked Burrell if this means "the computer" (what B.J. calls himself for his sometimes mechanical shooting efficiency) was back on-line. Stanley joked, "we took the computer to Best Buy and re-worked the hard drive."

Saturday's game against UCLA has all the makings of a great one. It's been several weeks since Xavier's played as an underdog. I think they're going to relish the opportunity to play one of the nation's best on one of the biggest stages as the "hunters" instead of the "hunted".

- Joe D.

Practice Makes Perfect?

Growing up, I thought nobody did it better than Larry Bird.
The Hall of Fame forward played for the Boston Celtics from 1979-1992, and maybe put in more time shooting the ball than any other player in the NBA. While everybody else was caught in Boston traffic, Bird was shooting jumper after jumper in the Boston Garden...two hours before the game started.

Bird said he was never nervous when getting the ball in the clutch, because he knew he had put in the necessary time to earn the right to take the big shot.

On Monday afternoon at Cintas Center, you could hear just a few basketballs bouncing on the floor inside the arena. Head Coach Sean Miller's three sons were shooting with their grandfather, Sean's Dad, John Miller. And B.J. Raymond was putting in some extra shooting practice, long after his teammates had hit the showers.

Why?
I'm guessing B.J. knew he wasn't shooting the ball as well as he had all year.
By no means were his numbers disappointing. In Xavier's first two NCAA Tournament games against Georgia and Purdue, Raymond shot a combined 3-9 (33%) from three point range, noticeably below the 42% he shot from distance for the season.

And who made arguably the biggest shots against West Virginia to extend Xavier's stay in the Big Dance? Raymond's two three pointers were HUGE. One beat the shot clock and lifted Xavier to within one victory of the Final Four in San Antonio.

Sometimes coming up clutch, with the whole country watching, can be attributed to the time that a player puts in long after the cameras have been shut off for the day.

---Zach

Body Language?

Don't know if it means much but I think I've seen Sean Miller smile more in the last six days than I've seen all year. He looks relaxed. He looks confident.
There was a time earlier in the season when Miller and his players talked a lot about the growth of the program. They had plenty of opportunities to do it. Scheduling major conference teams and beating them instead of just competing. (Indiana,K-State) Turning down the "Mid Major" player of the week award. Setting themselves apart from the rest of the A-10.
They were trying to make a point to the rest of the college basketball world and at times sounded like they were also trying to convince themselves.
Hearing them now (and watching the body language) it sounds like the Muskies believe.

BG

Is Carson Becoming Like Willie?

Until this past season, Bengals Offensive Lineman Willie Anderson was about as physically dependable as they come. Big Willie didn't miss a regular season game for more than seven seasons. Leg injuries limited Anderson's availability in 2007. But still, that's pretty impressive durability, considering he makes his living in the NFL trenches.

Big Willie has seen a lot of football on the Cincinnati Riverfront. Some good, some terrible, some mediocre. And, from a reporter's perspective, he's a go-too-guy in the locker room, a leader who isn't afraid to lend a veteran's perspective to any issue facing the Bengals.

Our friend Chick Ludwig, who covers the team for the Dayton Daily News, refers to #71 as "The Rock of Gibraltar".

I would argue that Carson Palmer is embracing a leadership role on the Bengals that is "Willie-like". Palmer knows he can say whatever he wants, but doesn't abuse the privilege. At the end of last season, one that Palmer described as the most disappointing of his life, he said "he didn't think" the Bengals could win with the current coaching staff. And in response to the on-going Chad Johnson saga, Palmer's voice carries tremendous clout. When asked if Chad's comments, and absence from the voluntary offseason conditioning program would be a distraction, Palmer said, "Not for me." And the quarterback added that he's focused on the guys at PBS who are working out. The Bengals have some "mature guys", Palmer pointed out, who won't let off-the-field distractions steer the team away from the work they have to do.

I'm interested to hear your take. Are Carson and Willie the "leaders" in the locker room?
---Zach

Roots in the Steel City

Both Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis and Xavier’s Sean Miller share much more in common than presiding over two of Cincinnati’s high profile sports teams.
The two are from the Pittsburgh area. In fact, Lewis worked as an assistant coach for the University of Pittsburgh football team in the early 90s, at the same time Sean Miller played point guard for the Panthers. Even long before then, Lewis remembers Miller showing off his ballhandling skills as a youngster on the Johnny Carson show. When asked about Xavier’s success, Lewis said, “It’s great. I remember when Sean was the dribbling phenom as a youngster in his dad’s videos. So I’ve known of Sean for a long long time. I’m very happy with Xavier and where they are. They’ve got a big game Thursday night in Phoenix.”

Bob Huggins and the 7th seed West Virginia Mountaineers await the Muskies at US Airways Center. They’ll tip at 7:10.
It turns out Miller and Huggins have known each other since Sean was a teenager.
" Huggins is a flat-out winner,” Miller said.

Alexander "The Great"

I watched all 6 games at Verizon Center in Washington D.C. this weekend and left very impressed with West Virginia's Joe Alexander. The 6'8" Junior was the best individual player in the region. His ability to rise and use his length to shoot over defenders like an NBA player is fun to watch. He's a very soft-spoken kid, but plays with an edge on the court. Hard to believe a guy who scored 32 points in back-to-back games against UConn and Pittsburgh in the regular season, couldn't even get on the court at Hargrave Military Academy.

Alexander credits his improvment from a pedestrian 10 points/game as a sophomore to maybe the best player in the Big East by the end of his junior season to one man - Bob Huggins. He says "Huggs" forced him to learn how to play in the post and threatened long treadmill sessions if he didn't rebound (and those threats weren't empty...just ask Joe).

I'm assuming Derrick Brown will get the Alexander assignment on Thursday to keep Josh Duncan out of foul trouble. Brown is active, athletic and consistently executes Miller's defensive mantra of "high hands" on jump shooters. Alexander will probably play all 40 minutes, unless he's in foul trouble. So, Josh Duncan might get a few minutes to battle with WVU's big man.

As good as Alexander is, he did only make 11-of-34 field goal attempts in the first two rounds. Plus, Duke and Arizona aren't exactly dynamic defensive teams.
Xavier will need to play very well to move on to the Elite 8 for the second time in school history.

- Joe D.

Tuesday Basketball

We spend a whole lot of time around the sports office talking about basketball. And that makes sense with the Big Dance and all. But for us it’s a year-round conversation because of what happens on Tuesdays.

From 11-1, we play pick-up ball at Mt. St. Joseph. It’s unreal. Our editors Eric Staub and "Big Red" Froelich show up, so does Joe Danneman, our Producer Rufus and I, and Brian did until a little “mishap” a few months ago.

For months, we tried to convince Brian to come out and ball. He has two small children and lives 45 minutes away, so sometimes it’s a little challenging to set aside time. But he was finally able to do it, only to tear his Achilles tendon on the second trip to the Mount. Do I feel guilty? Yes. Have we stopped playing? No. But we’re thinking about wearing patches on our gear with the initials “BG” until he returns. And he will return. “I’ll be back at the Mount in late summer or early fall,” Brian promised shortly after surgery.

On Tuesday afternoon and evening, before the 10 O’Clock News, we love to summarize what happened on the court that day.

A Quick Scouting Report:

Rufus: Wants it bad on defense. Will put you in the “Millennor Straitjacket” and pick you up full court. His nickname—“The Glove”. Can stick a shot especially under pressure. The Godfather of Tuesday Basketball.

Joe: Best scorer on the floor. One time while Joe was on fire, a guy looked at me and said, “You guys might want to bring the cameras out….because Joe D is lighting ‘em up tonight.”

Big Red: Loves it. Can take you outside or post up Inside. Gets a look of determination on his face when shooting a three.

Eric: Boundless energy. Pete Rose-like effort on the basketball court. Touches the rafters with his three pointer. Plenty of arc to be sure.

Brian (pre-injury): Mixes it up down low. Keeps possessions alive with effort and can slash and score inside.

Zach: Foot speed a concern. Very slow. Maybe known to hit an outside shot every now and again…but that’s about it.

X Focuses on D



According to Joe Danneman the Xavier Musketeers spent exactly 67 minutes of their 90 minute practice on Friday… working on defense. The major concern? Purdue’s 3-pt shooters. The Boilers took 20 three point shots against Baylor and made nine.

In addition to guarding the perimeter… Sean Miller thinks the Muskies big men are stronger and more athletic than the Boilermakers.

Not to mention more experienced. Two freshmen, two sophomores in the starting lineup for Purdue.

The question is can XU pick up where it left off in the second half against Georgia. If so… a trip to Phoenix for the Sweet 16 is probably next.



BG

How are your NCAA Tournament brackets?

When I woke up this morning and studied the action from the first day, I saw that 14 of 16 top seeds advanced, with only a little drama to speak of. I had a hunch that Friday would raise everyone's blood pressure a little bit, and the 5-12 game between Drake and Western Kentucky got the hearts around the FOX 19 Sports Office going a little bit faster than normal.

Down 99-98 in overtime, with about 5 seconds left, the ‘Toppers traveled the full length of the court and Ty Rogers (the pride of Eddyville, KY) hit a beyond-the-NBA-three-point-line bomb at the buzzer to advance. One of my favorite parts of the Big Dance is watching the bedlam that erupts on the basketball court following an upset. The red from the Hilltopper uniforms took over the floor during the post-game celebration. They lived to play another day.

Of his heroics, Rogers said, "It kind of worked out good."

I suppose so.

--ZW

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Selfless Stan

Is there anyone in college basketball who scores so little and has a bigger impact on the game than Stanley Burrell?

Burrell has put up more than a thousand points in his career at XU but has only made one shot from the field in his last three NCAA tournament games.

Talked to Joe Danneman who's in DC for us. Burrell told him he doesn't care if he ever scores again as long as the Muskies keep winning.

Not a bad job at all by Burrell on Sundiata Gaines (13 pts). That guy can play.

Up next for the A-10 defensive player of the year.... Purdue's leading scorer E'Twaun Moore.

BG

FOX19 Sports Blog

It finally happened.
Those of us in the sports department at FOX 19 have been nudged into the world of blogging. Didn't take much of a push, really. Because the way we see it, it's really just allowing more of you to sit in on the random conversations we have everyday.
I guess a good place to start would be to explain who "we" are. That I can tell you. Whether we're interesting enough to be worthy of a few minutes of your time is entirely up to you.
The cast of characters is as follows...
Brian Giesenschlag - Sports Anchor.
More easily identified as the bald, 30-something, soon to be father of three. Ask Zach Wells why I may never again walk without a limp.
Zach Wells - Sports Anchor.
The person who replaced BG as the new guy a little more than a year ago. Easily has the most passion for the job. Ask him if he loves it. Yes, that's his real voice.
Ron "aka Rufus" Millennor - Executive Sports Producer.
"The Glue" that holds the entire operation together. Lifelong Westsider. Will someday have a table at Skyline Chili in Covington named in his honor. Has never seen Star Wars.
Joe Danneman - Sports Reporter.
Somehow was able to remain unbiased, composed and totally professional in covering both of Ohio State's BCS title game losses. But also wore a Troy Smith jersey to his own bachelor party.
Unfortunately for the Cov Cath teams of the late 90's, Joe was a late bloomer on the basketball court.

That's a start.
More engaging conversation to come.

BG