Winker unfazed by crowded Reds outfield
6 years ago
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Bearcats Top #10 UConn; Stephenson Continues to Shine
Last night, the Cincinnati Bearcats beat the Connecticut Huskies in a thriller that was closer than it should have been. The ‘Cats led by 10 or more points on multiple occasions only to leave a lane open to the hoop allowing UConn to make a comeback each time. Lance Stephenson continued his rookie domination scoring 21 points with two of those points coming via free throws with 0.7 seconds left to put the Cats up. Stephenson also had four rebounds and three assists.
Senior guard Deonta Vaughn came out of his shell and ended his 3-for-23 behind the arc skid as he was 3-5 from the three point line and finished with 17 points before fouling out towards the end of the game. Sophomore forward Yancy Gates didn’t show up in this game, as he scored just six points to go with three rebounds while struggling with four fouls on the night.
The Cats will need more consistent play from the team to compete against the likes of Syracuse, West Virginia and Georgetown in the Big East. Vaughn and Stephenson will need to play this way every game while red shirt freshman guard Cashmere Wright will need to step up his game, shoot smart shots and make them. Same goes for Yancy Gates and Ibrahima Thomas, as Gates is very inconsistent throughout his young career. This game was Thomas’ fifth game of the year, and besides the Lipscomb and Winthrop games, has missed way too many shots that include a 1-6 performance in the overtime loss to Xavier and 1-7 from the field in last night’s win.
The win puts the Bearcats in the right direction after two very disappointing losses to Xavier and UAB. A win against a top 10 conference opponent to start conference play definitely helps build confidence for the younger players on the team, as the Big East Conference is loaded with nine, ten and eleven plus win teams. At the current moment, the Big East has four teams in the top 10, and five in the overall top 25. Georgetown is currently #13. Besides Providence and DePaul, each team in the Big East has at least nine wins and other than Providence and DePaul, Marquette is the only school in the conference with more than three losses.
If the Bearcats plan on making a late run in March, the conference games ahead need to end up like this one; long, hard fought battles that end in our favor. Strong showings against teams like Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova and UConn could lead to strong showings against the likes of Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Duke and UNC. But before looking two months ahead, the Cats need to focus on now, and that’s playing well and playing smart and not beating yourself, but beating the other team.
Senior guard Deonta Vaughn came out of his shell and ended his 3-for-23 behind the arc skid as he was 3-5 from the three point line and finished with 17 points before fouling out towards the end of the game. Sophomore forward Yancy Gates didn’t show up in this game, as he scored just six points to go with three rebounds while struggling with four fouls on the night.
The Cats will need more consistent play from the team to compete against the likes of Syracuse, West Virginia and Georgetown in the Big East. Vaughn and Stephenson will need to play this way every game while red shirt freshman guard Cashmere Wright will need to step up his game, shoot smart shots and make them. Same goes for Yancy Gates and Ibrahima Thomas, as Gates is very inconsistent throughout his young career. This game was Thomas’ fifth game of the year, and besides the Lipscomb and Winthrop games, has missed way too many shots that include a 1-6 performance in the overtime loss to Xavier and 1-7 from the field in last night’s win.
The win puts the Bearcats in the right direction after two very disappointing losses to Xavier and UAB. A win against a top 10 conference opponent to start conference play definitely helps build confidence for the younger players on the team, as the Big East Conference is loaded with nine, ten and eleven plus win teams. At the current moment, the Big East has four teams in the top 10, and five in the overall top 25. Georgetown is currently #13. Besides Providence and DePaul, each team in the Big East has at least nine wins and other than Providence and DePaul, Marquette is the only school in the conference with more than three losses.
If the Bearcats plan on making a late run in March, the conference games ahead need to end up like this one; long, hard fought battles that end in our favor. Strong showings against teams like Syracuse, West Virginia, Villanova and UConn could lead to strong showings against the likes of Kansas, Texas, Kentucky, Duke and UNC. But before looking two months ahead, the Cats need to focus on now, and that’s playing well and playing smart and not beating yourself, but beating the other team.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
David vs. Goliath is What We Wanted, Right?
For the last two seasons, Cincinnati Bearcat Football fans have heard rants and raves from other colleges, fans, sports networks and sports blogs from around the nation regarding our team’s true “greatness.” Bearcat and Buckeye fans would go back and forth, exchanging words, gestures and eventually punches to prove which team owns the right to call themselves the “real football school of Ohio.” Certainly over the past two years, including this year’s undefeated season, the Bearcats are looking to bump the Buckeyes off their pedestal and claim the title of Ohio’s best, but for the Bearcat’s to have that chance a Sugar Bowl win is needed to help heal the wounds from the three disappointing losses of 2008 and prove all the naysayers wrong.
If Sam Bradford were still playing, I would love to see a rematch as I think the ‘Cats would give the Oklahoma Sooners a true run for their money. Fact is, Bradford’s done and NFL bound and the Bearcats have no chance to get redemption for last year’s 26-52 pounding the Sooners put on them in the second game of the year. That was the first true test for the Bearcats in former Head Coach Brian Kelly’s pursuit to the top, as facing the number 4 team in the nation and upsetting Bob Stoops’ crew could have done wonders. But that loss, along with another blowout loss to the mediocre UCONN Huskies showed the nation this team wasn’t ready for the big time.
As Big East Conference Champions, the Bearcats were given a BCS Bowl bid and boy did they disappoint the Bearcat Nation and receive the “I told you so’s” from all across the nation. In their first ever BCS Bowl, the Bearcats received an eye-opening and tear jerking loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl.
Not only did three losses, one of those in the biggest game of the program’s history and the other two coming against the team that went on to lose in the BCS National Championship game to the Florida Gators and the other against an 8-5 Connecticut team. With the losses, the Bearcats were forced to start the year outside of the Top 25 and must now remain content with being undefeated and not playing for a national championship.
But now, with the 12-0, third ranked Bearcats facing off against the 12-1, fifth ranked Florida Gators, who are still probably the best team in college football, the Bearcats can prove once and for all that they belong in the top ten and in the same conversation of Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, LSU, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas etc. The ‘Cats can show the rest of the world exactly what the fans in Cincinnati have been cheering about all year.
This is the perfect stage for the Bearcats to come out of their shell and became a yearly contender, a national power, and a recruit’s dream school. It’s a David vs. Goliath story which could only make the win sweeter. You have the Florida Gators who have been the National Champions in the 06-07 and 08-09 seasons with the Heisman trophy winning quarterback and the Cincinnati Bearcats who are 23-3 in the last two years, undefeated this past year, and entering their second ever BCS Bowl looking for redemption after last year’s debacle. The Bearcats are 12 point underdogs in the contest and have been since the day following the BCS Bowl Selection Show.
The stage is set, the players are ready and the time has come for the Cincinnati Bearcats to live up to the hype and finish what was started in the beginning of the season. A bowl win to cap off the undefeated season, complete with the Allstate Sugar Bowl Trophy that would look beautiful in the trophy case next to the two Big East Championship Trophies is the only thing that’s missing in not only the player’s mind, but the fans’ also.
If Sam Bradford were still playing, I would love to see a rematch as I think the ‘Cats would give the Oklahoma Sooners a true run for their money. Fact is, Bradford’s done and NFL bound and the Bearcats have no chance to get redemption for last year’s 26-52 pounding the Sooners put on them in the second game of the year. That was the first true test for the Bearcats in former Head Coach Brian Kelly’s pursuit to the top, as facing the number 4 team in the nation and upsetting Bob Stoops’ crew could have done wonders. But that loss, along with another blowout loss to the mediocre UCONN Huskies showed the nation this team wasn’t ready for the big time.
As Big East Conference Champions, the Bearcats were given a BCS Bowl bid and boy did they disappoint the Bearcat Nation and receive the “I told you so’s” from all across the nation. In their first ever BCS Bowl, the Bearcats received an eye-opening and tear jerking loss to the Virginia Tech Hokies in the 2009 FedEx Orange Bowl.
Not only did three losses, one of those in the biggest game of the program’s history and the other two coming against the team that went on to lose in the BCS National Championship game to the Florida Gators and the other against an 8-5 Connecticut team. With the losses, the Bearcats were forced to start the year outside of the Top 25 and must now remain content with being undefeated and not playing for a national championship.
But now, with the 12-0, third ranked Bearcats facing off against the 12-1, fifth ranked Florida Gators, who are still probably the best team in college football, the Bearcats can prove once and for all that they belong in the top ten and in the same conversation of Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, USC, LSU, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas etc. The ‘Cats can show the rest of the world exactly what the fans in Cincinnati have been cheering about all year.
This is the perfect stage for the Bearcats to come out of their shell and became a yearly contender, a national power, and a recruit’s dream school. It’s a David vs. Goliath story which could only make the win sweeter. You have the Florida Gators who have been the National Champions in the 06-07 and 08-09 seasons with the Heisman trophy winning quarterback and the Cincinnati Bearcats who are 23-3 in the last two years, undefeated this past year, and entering their second ever BCS Bowl looking for redemption after last year’s debacle. The Bearcats are 12 point underdogs in the contest and have been since the day following the BCS Bowl Selection Show.
The stage is set, the players are ready and the time has come for the Cincinnati Bearcats to live up to the hype and finish what was started in the beginning of the season. A bowl win to cap off the undefeated season, complete with the Allstate Sugar Bowl Trophy that would look beautiful in the trophy case next to the two Big East Championship Trophies is the only thing that’s missing in not only the player’s mind, but the fans’ also.
Elusive Tenth Win Leads to Division Title
This past Sunday, against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Cincinnati Bengals clinched the AFC North Division with a 17-10 win over the now 3-12 Chiefs. The clinching win, which has given the Bengals their second 10 win season since the Bengals went to the Super Bowl in 1988 with a 12 win season, stops the Bengals recent skid. Starting in Oakland, the Bengals lost three of the five games they played prior to Sundays, giving ESPN even more reason to keep calling this team the Cardiac Cats.
In a game that most thought would end in a blowout, the Chiefs stayed with the Bengals the entire game until Leon Hall’s interception within the two minute warning to end the game. The biggest problem in the game was not that Carson Palmer was held under 150 yards passing, but that former USC and current Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga went down with a season-ending broken ankle, giving Rashad Jeanty and Brandon Johnson their chances to shine. Jeanty, who lost the starting position to Maualuga in the pre-season, is in his fourth year with the Bengals out of the University of Central Florida. Both Maualuga and Jeanty were pushing each other in the pre-season to perform and execute better. Maualuga eventually won out. Johnson has been a force on special teams and as a replacement for Keith Rivers when Rivers was injured earlier in the year.
Losing Maualuga for the final game of the year and the playoffs definitely hurts the Bengals as he had been a force with his 63 tackles and 3 forced fumbles. But if there is one man I want replacing Rey, its Jeanty. Maualuga won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player of the year in 2008 along with the CBS Sportsline.com Defensive Player of the Year Award. Off the field issues don’t win you that award, on the field play does. Just because Maualuga had a history doesn’t write him off as being one of the biggest steals in this past year’s draft. To be able to push that type of player to be better, and lose the starting job by so little says a lot about the type of player you are.
The returns of Domata Peko and Chris Crocker on Wednesday will definitely help the defense, as Peko is one of the best tackles in the game when it comes to disrupting plays in the backfield and getting to the quarterback. Crocker is vital in the passing defense, which has lapsed since his injury. The defense this Sunday will have their hands full with the League’s third leading rusher in Thomas Jones and a collection of talent on the receiving end in Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, David Clowney and Dustin Keller. Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall will have their hands full, but as they have been all season, they will show up to shut down.
Following Sunday Night’s Prime Time game on NBC, the Bengals will most likely know who they will be facing in the first round. The San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts have first round byes and won’t be seeing anyone until that third weekend in January. More than likely, the first game will be at Paul Brown Stadium since the Bengals have a better record than every team vying for a wild card berth. Of the teams still alive, there are seven, I like the Bengals chances against them all at home. The only match up that I believe would pose as a challenge or threat would be a third rematch against the Baltimore Ravens or Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers coming to Cincinnati for a playoff game brings back memories of the 2005 game in which Palmer went down with a destroyed knee courtesy Kimo Von Dream Killer. I would like to think that this game would be very different.
A rematch with the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans is possible if the cards all fall in the right place. If the Bengals lose to the Jets, there could also be a possibility of the Bengals and Jets playing two weekends in a row. Still in the hunt, but with a lot of help needed are the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets and Baltimore Ravens control their own destiny as if they win they’re in. There are ten different ways the Broncos can get in, three different ways for the Steelers and Texans to get in, five different ways the Jaguars can get in and only one way the Dolphins can get in. For the now 10-5 Bengals to clinch the AFC #3 seed, they need a win and a New England Patriots loss.
Back to Sunday’s game, the Jet’s have a blitz happy defense and the offensive line will need to protect Carson Palmer better than they have been, because this team can’t afford to lose their franchise quarterback the week before the playoffs. At the same time, Carson will need to be more efficient as throwing for 139 yards may not cut it against the Jets. He completed a high percentage of his throws, 17 of 25 which is a 68% completion percentage, but 139 yards passing as a former Heisman-winning franchise quarterback is unacceptable. Whether it is the inability to stretch the field or the lack of depth and skill at the wide receiver position besides Chad OchoCinco, the passing game needs to be on the same page as the running game.
A running game isn’t anything if the passing game isn’t in sync and the ability for play action isn’t there. Same goes for the passing game if Cedric Benson and Larry Johnson aren’t able to push through the Jets defense and scrounge up yards to keep the Bengal defense off the field. However way you spin it, this Sunday night, the Jets and Bengals will be fighting for every yard, pushing for that Wild Card Spot or that #3 seed.
In a game that most thought would end in a blowout, the Chiefs stayed with the Bengals the entire game until Leon Hall’s interception within the two minute warning to end the game. The biggest problem in the game was not that Carson Palmer was held under 150 yards passing, but that former USC and current Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga went down with a season-ending broken ankle, giving Rashad Jeanty and Brandon Johnson their chances to shine. Jeanty, who lost the starting position to Maualuga in the pre-season, is in his fourth year with the Bengals out of the University of Central Florida. Both Maualuga and Jeanty were pushing each other in the pre-season to perform and execute better. Maualuga eventually won out. Johnson has been a force on special teams and as a replacement for Keith Rivers when Rivers was injured earlier in the year.
Losing Maualuga for the final game of the year and the playoffs definitely hurts the Bengals as he had been a force with his 63 tackles and 3 forced fumbles. But if there is one man I want replacing Rey, its Jeanty. Maualuga won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the best defensive player of the year in 2008 along with the CBS Sportsline.com Defensive Player of the Year Award. Off the field issues don’t win you that award, on the field play does. Just because Maualuga had a history doesn’t write him off as being one of the biggest steals in this past year’s draft. To be able to push that type of player to be better, and lose the starting job by so little says a lot about the type of player you are.
The returns of Domata Peko and Chris Crocker on Wednesday will definitely help the defense, as Peko is one of the best tackles in the game when it comes to disrupting plays in the backfield and getting to the quarterback. Crocker is vital in the passing defense, which has lapsed since his injury. The defense this Sunday will have their hands full with the League’s third leading rusher in Thomas Jones and a collection of talent on the receiving end in Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery, David Clowney and Dustin Keller. Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall will have their hands full, but as they have been all season, they will show up to shut down.
Following Sunday Night’s Prime Time game on NBC, the Bengals will most likely know who they will be facing in the first round. The San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts have first round byes and won’t be seeing anyone until that third weekend in January. More than likely, the first game will be at Paul Brown Stadium since the Bengals have a better record than every team vying for a wild card berth. Of the teams still alive, there are seven, I like the Bengals chances against them all at home. The only match up that I believe would pose as a challenge or threat would be a third rematch against the Baltimore Ravens or Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers coming to Cincinnati for a playoff game brings back memories of the 2005 game in which Palmer went down with a destroyed knee courtesy Kimo Von Dream Killer. I would like to think that this game would be very different.
A rematch with the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans is possible if the cards all fall in the right place. If the Bengals lose to the Jets, there could also be a possibility of the Bengals and Jets playing two weekends in a row. Still in the hunt, but with a lot of help needed are the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets and Baltimore Ravens control their own destiny as if they win they’re in. There are ten different ways the Broncos can get in, three different ways for the Steelers and Texans to get in, five different ways the Jaguars can get in and only one way the Dolphins can get in. For the now 10-5 Bengals to clinch the AFC #3 seed, they need a win and a New England Patriots loss.
Back to Sunday’s game, the Jet’s have a blitz happy defense and the offensive line will need to protect Carson Palmer better than they have been, because this team can’t afford to lose their franchise quarterback the week before the playoffs. At the same time, Carson will need to be more efficient as throwing for 139 yards may not cut it against the Jets. He completed a high percentage of his throws, 17 of 25 which is a 68% completion percentage, but 139 yards passing as a former Heisman-winning franchise quarterback is unacceptable. Whether it is the inability to stretch the field or the lack of depth and skill at the wide receiver position besides Chad OchoCinco, the passing game needs to be on the same page as the running game.
A running game isn’t anything if the passing game isn’t in sync and the ability for play action isn’t there. Same goes for the passing game if Cedric Benson and Larry Johnson aren’t able to push through the Jets defense and scrounge up yards to keep the Bengal defense off the field. However way you spin it, this Sunday night, the Jets and Bengals will be fighting for every yard, pushing for that Wild Card Spot or that #3 seed.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Fans Should Not Bail Now, Team is Just Getting Started
After this past Sunday’s loss to the San Diego Chargers, the Cincinnati Bengals have now fallen to 9-5 and now control the third seed of the AFC. The team has now lost three of their last five games and will no longer receive a first round bye in the playoffs. After facing the Minnesota Vikings the week before, the Bengals nation was rocked to the core with the death of wide receiver Chris Henry on Wednesday morning.
Although the game and rest of the season had been dedicated to Henry, a win for the Bengals was bleak and not very promising. After trailing 24-13 in the fourth quarter, the “Cardiac Cats” scored a touchdown, two-point conversion and a field goal to tie the game with a little over 50 seconds left in the game. Those 50 seconds proved too much for Philip Rivers, as he drove his team downfield for the game-winning field goal.
Following the loss, fans started believing what they had been hearing all season long on ESPN. That the Bengals weren’t a legitimate team and couldn’t hang with the big boys (Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers or Minnesota Vikings). Have no fear Bengals fans, because a loss to the Vikings and Chargers doesn’t write the ship off yet.
If we think about the game against the Vikings, there were five specific targets in cornerback Leon Hall’s direction. Of those five throws, Brett Favre completed four of them for 30 yards and an interception. On the other side, there were six throws towards Jonathan Joseph in which Favre went one-for-six for seven yards. Problem here is that J-Jo and Leon can’t cover every target on every play. This goes to show that the problem is with covering the tight ends or even the number three or four receivers, not the top two receivers of a team.
Granite, Leon didn’t have a great game in San Diego, but Vincent Jackson has been on fire lately, and with a receiving core of 6’3” or 6’4” guys, the Chargers have one of the better passing games in the entire NFL.
Bengals fans should not be worrying about this team folding under the pressure or being a one and done in the playoffs. The Bengals will clinch this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium. The following week, in New York against the Jets, I have a feeling the defense will put Mark Sanchez on the ground on more than one occasion.
The offense, which has been on the receiving end of criticism as of late, showed signs of life on Sunday when Carson Palmer connected with eight different targets and throwing for two touchdowns on 314 yards. Finally, someone other than Chad OchoCinco was able to step up and have a big game as tight end J.P. Foschi and wide receivers Laveranues Coles and Quan Cosby had good games catching the ball. Hopefully this game is a wake up for the Carson’s elbow and the receivers’ hands, as we’ll need a big game from Carson, Cedric Benson, Chad and more to win more than one ball game in January.
After two straight losses, now is not the time to get off the bandwagon. After coming from two possessions behind in the fourth quarter, on the road in a hostile stadium after the loss of a teammate, the Bengals lost. In the process, the Bengals have gained something, and that something is what it’ll take to beat the Chargers on the road again in the playoffs. A rematch is likely, and I expect the Bengals to come through in the clutch like they have earlier in the year when it really matters most.
Although the game and rest of the season had been dedicated to Henry, a win for the Bengals was bleak and not very promising. After trailing 24-13 in the fourth quarter, the “Cardiac Cats” scored a touchdown, two-point conversion and a field goal to tie the game with a little over 50 seconds left in the game. Those 50 seconds proved too much for Philip Rivers, as he drove his team downfield for the game-winning field goal.
Following the loss, fans started believing what they had been hearing all season long on ESPN. That the Bengals weren’t a legitimate team and couldn’t hang with the big boys (Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers or Minnesota Vikings). Have no fear Bengals fans, because a loss to the Vikings and Chargers doesn’t write the ship off yet.
If we think about the game against the Vikings, there were five specific targets in cornerback Leon Hall’s direction. Of those five throws, Brett Favre completed four of them for 30 yards and an interception. On the other side, there were six throws towards Jonathan Joseph in which Favre went one-for-six for seven yards. Problem here is that J-Jo and Leon can’t cover every target on every play. This goes to show that the problem is with covering the tight ends or even the number three or four receivers, not the top two receivers of a team.
Granite, Leon didn’t have a great game in San Diego, but Vincent Jackson has been on fire lately, and with a receiving core of 6’3” or 6’4” guys, the Chargers have one of the better passing games in the entire NFL.
Bengals fans should not be worrying about this team folding under the pressure or being a one and done in the playoffs. The Bengals will clinch this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs at Paul Brown Stadium. The following week, in New York against the Jets, I have a feeling the defense will put Mark Sanchez on the ground on more than one occasion.
The offense, which has been on the receiving end of criticism as of late, showed signs of life on Sunday when Carson Palmer connected with eight different targets and throwing for two touchdowns on 314 yards. Finally, someone other than Chad OchoCinco was able to step up and have a big game as tight end J.P. Foschi and wide receivers Laveranues Coles and Quan Cosby had good games catching the ball. Hopefully this game is a wake up for the Carson’s elbow and the receivers’ hands, as we’ll need a big game from Carson, Cedric Benson, Chad and more to win more than one ball game in January.
After two straight losses, now is not the time to get off the bandwagon. After coming from two possessions behind in the fourth quarter, on the road in a hostile stadium after the loss of a teammate, the Bengals lost. In the process, the Bengals have gained something, and that something is what it’ll take to beat the Chargers on the road again in the playoffs. A rematch is likely, and I expect the Bengals to come through in the clutch like they have earlier in the year when it really matters most.
Friday, December 18, 2009
With Loss of Henry, Bengals Could Go Two Different Ways
For the third time this season, the Cincinnati Bengals have been devastated and rocked to the core. The first tragedy came in the form of an earthquake in the nation of Samoa which triggered a tsunami. The Bengals have four players on their roster that are from Samoa or have family ties to Samoa. They are Domata Peko, Jonathan Fanene, Fui Vakapuna and Rey Maualuga. The second tragedy occurred early in the season, when Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife Vicki passed away. The third tragedy, the one that will and has hit the hardest, is the sudden loss of wide receiver Chris “Slim” Henry.
With the ups and downs of an NFL season, players sometimes become on edge and fatigued. Towards the end of a season, when tragedy strikes, sometimes players become overcome with everything that has happened, and are unable to stand firm under the pressure. They become physically and mentally exhausted and struggle to complete what is left of the season. That is the one thing that I’m worried about with the three remaining games, especially Sunday’s. One of two teams will show up in orange and black on Sunday, and it’ll either be the “burnt out, emotionally and physically unable” Bengals, or the “filled-up with emotion, jacked up to beat the San Diego Chargers for Slim and Vicki” Bengals.
After the loss to the Brett Favre-led Minnesota Vikings, the Bengals have been up and down answering questions about what the problem on offense was and if Carson Palmer’s elbow was healthy. Now they have to answer questions about what type of person Chris Henry was and how much he had changed. I’m positive they’d rather be answering questions about they’re performance than who Slim was.
Hopefully the Bengals will ride the emotional high this season has been to the end. A win against the Chargers would greatly increase their chances of winning the second seed in the AFC and receiving a first round bye. The win could utterly continue to Paul Brown Stadium next week when the Bengals face off against the Kansas City Chiefs. The last game on the schedule is against the New York Jets, and two straight wins heading into that game against a game desperately trying to make the playoffs would definitely help with momentum. What the Bengals will do, or who they’ll sign/draft/trade for, to replace Henry remains to be seen. That is something that needs to, and will be addressed in the off season by Head Coach Marvin Lewis and Owner Mike Brown & Co.
The task at hand is more important than finding his replacement. It’s finishing what he helped start. After a 7-2 start, the Bengals have lost two of their last four games and are now struggling to win that first round bye. Bengals wide receiver Chad OchoCinco has asked for permission for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to wear Henry’s jersey Sunday. This has since been rejected, but “Jungle” fans know Chad, and it sounds as if Chad may break the rules, AGAIN! What should happen is that Goodell should allow it to happen, auction off the jersey, and then take the proceeds and put it towards Slim’s kid’s college funds.
With the loss of Henry, the rest of the Bengals season could go in two different directions. This season will either up in flames, or straight to the bye week. We will see where they go starting Sunday, but a bye week in the first round of the playoffs would definitely help this team heal up and ready themselves for the biggest fight since Marvin Lewis’ tenure began.
With the ups and downs of an NFL season, players sometimes become on edge and fatigued. Towards the end of a season, when tragedy strikes, sometimes players become overcome with everything that has happened, and are unable to stand firm under the pressure. They become physically and mentally exhausted and struggle to complete what is left of the season. That is the one thing that I’m worried about with the three remaining games, especially Sunday’s. One of two teams will show up in orange and black on Sunday, and it’ll either be the “burnt out, emotionally and physically unable” Bengals, or the “filled-up with emotion, jacked up to beat the San Diego Chargers for Slim and Vicki” Bengals.
After the loss to the Brett Favre-led Minnesota Vikings, the Bengals have been up and down answering questions about what the problem on offense was and if Carson Palmer’s elbow was healthy. Now they have to answer questions about what type of person Chris Henry was and how much he had changed. I’m positive they’d rather be answering questions about they’re performance than who Slim was.
Hopefully the Bengals will ride the emotional high this season has been to the end. A win against the Chargers would greatly increase their chances of winning the second seed in the AFC and receiving a first round bye. The win could utterly continue to Paul Brown Stadium next week when the Bengals face off against the Kansas City Chiefs. The last game on the schedule is against the New York Jets, and two straight wins heading into that game against a game desperately trying to make the playoffs would definitely help with momentum. What the Bengals will do, or who they’ll sign/draft/trade for, to replace Henry remains to be seen. That is something that needs to, and will be addressed in the off season by Head Coach Marvin Lewis and Owner Mike Brown & Co.
The task at hand is more important than finding his replacement. It’s finishing what he helped start. After a 7-2 start, the Bengals have lost two of their last four games and are now struggling to win that first round bye. Bengals wide receiver Chad OchoCinco has asked for permission for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to wear Henry’s jersey Sunday. This has since been rejected, but “Jungle” fans know Chad, and it sounds as if Chad may break the rules, AGAIN! What should happen is that Goodell should allow it to happen, auction off the jersey, and then take the proceeds and put it towards Slim’s kid’s college funds.
With the loss of Henry, the rest of the Bengals season could go in two different directions. This season will either up in flames, or straight to the bye week. We will see where they go starting Sunday, but a bye week in the first round of the playoffs would definitely help this team heal up and ready themselves for the biggest fight since Marvin Lewis’ tenure began.
A Week to Reflect, and All Eyes Are Now on Sugar Bowl
On Thursday, December 10th, 2009, the University of Cincinnati Football Program received it’s biggest lost in the history of the program, losing Head Coach Brian Kelly to Notre Dame. We all know what Kelly did here and the great things he did for our program. But that was eight days ago. Since then, the Bearcats have returned to the practice field under Interim Head Coach Jeff Quinn and have started preparing for the match-up against the Florida Gators in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
The biggest thing for fans to do is forget about Brian Kelly. It’s not fair to these players to see and hear fans bickering and complaining that Kelly left. It’s not fair to the players that played their hearts out for 12 games, winning them all, earning a BCS Bowl Bid and ending the year as the third best team in the country. This is the game, the moment, the time in which fans, and the nation for that matter, will find out whether or not UC Football is a program or a coach. As I’ve said earlier, at the end of the day, the game is won by the player’s, not the coaches. Come January 1st, 2010, the true test arrives for the football players of UC.
Before BK gets the fans wrapped around his finger again, let’s move on to the Sugar Bowl. I haven’t seen the line lately, but last I knew was that the Bearcats were underdogs. Boy, that didn’t take long. I would like to think that the Bearcats will play better as underdogs, and who knows, they may. The biggest test of the game will be mentally. Getting Brian Kelly out of their mind and focusing on the game is the key. Many players have come forward and been very disapproving of what BK did. But they need to forget about it and move on. If they mull over it, and let it eat at them, they won’t be ready to play, mentally or physically.
It’s going to take a lot to beat the Florida Gators. The Gators, who are led by 2007 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow, have won two BCS National Championships in the last three years, winning in 2007 and in January of this year. The defense is just as good too, as they allowed more than 20 points once, and that was to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Quarterback in waiting Zach Collaros could learn from watching Tebow from the sidelines, as next year UC will march out the “run first, pass second” quarterback. With the way Tebow executes the play fake, and then runs through the middle or to the side, it would benefit Collaros greatly to experience Tebow and watch him from the sideline.
Cincinnati’s quarterback Tony Pike will have to find his inner Heisman like he did in the comeback victory against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Big East Championship Game. Hopefully Pike finds that inner Heisman at the start of the game this time though, because I’m not sure how many times, if any, the UC defense will be able to stop the Gator offense. Pike will have to pick his spots and throw only when the window is there, as this defense gets after the ball.
The receiving corps of Mardy Gilyard, Armon Binns, D.J. Woods and tight end Ben Guidugli will need to create separation, run the right routes and catch the ball to keep in the game. I’m not writing this team off just yet, but a mistake or two and the Bearcats could find themselves in a hole they might not be able to climb out of.
I hope Gilyard brought his running shoes, because his ability and necessity on special teams is important to the Bearcats victory. In the Pitt game, it was Gilyard’s kick return that brought the momentum back to UC’s side and kept them in the game.
The biggest thing for fans to do is forget about Brian Kelly. It’s not fair to these players to see and hear fans bickering and complaining that Kelly left. It’s not fair to the players that played their hearts out for 12 games, winning them all, earning a BCS Bowl Bid and ending the year as the third best team in the country. This is the game, the moment, the time in which fans, and the nation for that matter, will find out whether or not UC Football is a program or a coach. As I’ve said earlier, at the end of the day, the game is won by the player’s, not the coaches. Come January 1st, 2010, the true test arrives for the football players of UC.
Before BK gets the fans wrapped around his finger again, let’s move on to the Sugar Bowl. I haven’t seen the line lately, but last I knew was that the Bearcats were underdogs. Boy, that didn’t take long. I would like to think that the Bearcats will play better as underdogs, and who knows, they may. The biggest test of the game will be mentally. Getting Brian Kelly out of their mind and focusing on the game is the key. Many players have come forward and been very disapproving of what BK did. But they need to forget about it and move on. If they mull over it, and let it eat at them, they won’t be ready to play, mentally or physically.
It’s going to take a lot to beat the Florida Gators. The Gators, who are led by 2007 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Tim Tebow, have won two BCS National Championships in the last three years, winning in 2007 and in January of this year. The defense is just as good too, as they allowed more than 20 points once, and that was to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. Quarterback in waiting Zach Collaros could learn from watching Tebow from the sidelines, as next year UC will march out the “run first, pass second” quarterback. With the way Tebow executes the play fake, and then runs through the middle or to the side, it would benefit Collaros greatly to experience Tebow and watch him from the sideline.
Cincinnati’s quarterback Tony Pike will have to find his inner Heisman like he did in the comeback victory against the Pittsburgh Panthers in the Big East Championship Game. Hopefully Pike finds that inner Heisman at the start of the game this time though, because I’m not sure how many times, if any, the UC defense will be able to stop the Gator offense. Pike will have to pick his spots and throw only when the window is there, as this defense gets after the ball.
The receiving corps of Mardy Gilyard, Armon Binns, D.J. Woods and tight end Ben Guidugli will need to create separation, run the right routes and catch the ball to keep in the game. I’m not writing this team off just yet, but a mistake or two and the Bearcats could find themselves in a hole they might not be able to climb out of.
I hope Gilyard brought his running shoes, because his ability and necessity on special teams is important to the Bearcats victory. In the Pitt game, it was Gilyard’s kick return that brought the momentum back to UC’s side and kept them in the game.
Possible Moves Could Lead to Young Rotation
Reports from the last few days are that Cincinnati Reds Starting Pitchers Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang, the top two pitchers in the Reds starting rotation, could be moved to opposite ends of America. Arroyo, who will make $11 million in 2010, had one of the greatest second halves in his career, as his last 12 starts lasted no shorter than seven innings and no more than three runs. Harang, who will make $12.5 million in 2010, was one of the best pitchers in the National League in 2006 and 2007 before he lost his touch, giving up a run more a game in 2008 and 2009.
Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti has been in contact with the Reds about acquiring Aaron Harang. The talks are in the early stages, but if it were to happen, the Reds would most likely have to send some money to L.A. along with Harang. The Reds are looking to acquire to players on the Dodgers roster, and I would expect one to be an infielder. The way this club went after Craig Counsell, which still doesn’t make any sense to me, you would have to guess that even the older players, Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal, could be involved. It would be nice to get two prospects that are just about big league ready, but the Reds need to watch out on acquiring more lefty’s, as the club is already loaded with them.
The New York Mets have also been in contact with the Reds, as General Managers Walt Jocketty and Omar Minaya are in “serious talks” about a trade involving Bronson Arroyo. Just like with the Dodgers, don’t expect this trade to happen quickly as there are multiple players involved-more Reds than Mets-along with the Mets having “a player under contract that needs to be moved in order for the deal to be expanded.” The way this sounds, with more Reds than Mets players, a fire sale could come soon. But I didn’t expect one until at the earliest, after the 2010 season depending on where the Reds finish. Who the Reds may acquire is also a big question mark, as Arroyo has been the Reds most durable starter since his arrival, continuing his streak of throwing at least 200 innings which has reached five years.
Depending on whether or not these trades go through, and who may be involved, losing these two starters would leave the Reds with a young and rather raw rotation. Homer Bailey, the young phenom who showed flashes of brilliance and domination toward the end of last season, and Johnny Cueto, the young Dominican with strikeout king potential would be the front runners to start Opening Day.
Edinson Volquez, the Reds lone All-Star in 2008, won’t be back until the earliest September. He is coming off Tommy John Surgery, and he will need a year, 2011, to get back into the groove of pitching every fifth day. Reds fans should not expect the ’08 Volquez back until the earliest, 2012. If the trades do go through, the Reds will need young, inexperienced guys to step in and win games. Expect 2008 long man Micah Owings, Justin “King” Lehr, Daryl Thompson, Matt Maloney and 2009 first round draft pick Mike Leake to all compete for a rotation spot come spring.
Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti has been in contact with the Reds about acquiring Aaron Harang. The talks are in the early stages, but if it were to happen, the Reds would most likely have to send some money to L.A. along with Harang. The Reds are looking to acquire to players on the Dodgers roster, and I would expect one to be an infielder. The way this club went after Craig Counsell, which still doesn’t make any sense to me, you would have to guess that even the older players, Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal, could be involved. It would be nice to get two prospects that are just about big league ready, but the Reds need to watch out on acquiring more lefty’s, as the club is already loaded with them.
The New York Mets have also been in contact with the Reds, as General Managers Walt Jocketty and Omar Minaya are in “serious talks” about a trade involving Bronson Arroyo. Just like with the Dodgers, don’t expect this trade to happen quickly as there are multiple players involved-more Reds than Mets-along with the Mets having “a player under contract that needs to be moved in order for the deal to be expanded.” The way this sounds, with more Reds than Mets players, a fire sale could come soon. But I didn’t expect one until at the earliest, after the 2010 season depending on where the Reds finish. Who the Reds may acquire is also a big question mark, as Arroyo has been the Reds most durable starter since his arrival, continuing his streak of throwing at least 200 innings which has reached five years.
Depending on whether or not these trades go through, and who may be involved, losing these two starters would leave the Reds with a young and rather raw rotation. Homer Bailey, the young phenom who showed flashes of brilliance and domination toward the end of last season, and Johnny Cueto, the young Dominican with strikeout king potential would be the front runners to start Opening Day.
Edinson Volquez, the Reds lone All-Star in 2008, won’t be back until the earliest September. He is coming off Tommy John Surgery, and he will need a year, 2011, to get back into the groove of pitching every fifth day. Reds fans should not expect the ’08 Volquez back until the earliest, 2012. If the trades do go through, the Reds will need young, inexperienced guys to step in and win games. Expect 2008 long man Micah Owings, Justin “King” Lehr, Daryl Thompson, Matt Maloney and 2009 first round draft pick Mike Leake to all compete for a rotation spot come spring.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Chris Henry: Too Young with Lots of Promise
Reports all morning are that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry has passed away this morning at 6:36. The news comes one day after he and his fiancé were involved in a domestic dispute. Visiting the Charlotte area where his fiancés parents live, Henry’s fiancé started to drive in a pick-up truck when Henry jumped into the bed of the truck. About a half mile from the home, Henry was found in the road and rushed to the hospital. It is not known exactly what injuries Chris was suffering from, but reports are that it was a “very serious head injury.” At this point, all that’s known is that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are reporting that Henry “came out of the back of the vehicle” at some point during the dispute. Henry, who was 26, was in the final year of a two-year contract with the Bengals. He has been on the Injured Reserve List since November 8th when he broke his forearm, requiring season-ending surgery.
Henry, who was drafted in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft has dealt with on and off the field issues, as he has been arrested a total of five times since December of ’05. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Henry on two different occasions, and his fifth arrest led to his departure from the Cincinnati Bengals in 2007. Owner Mike Brown did give him a second chance, as since his return, Henry has done nothing but work his butt off and prove that he can be a deep threat for Carson Palmer. Since his fifth arrest, Henry has stayed out of trouble and straightened his life out. In an on-air interview/segment with Cincinnati Radio Personality Lance McAlister, Henry stated that without his fiancés help he would not be where he is. McCalister stated that after the interview, when Henry walked out, he was “surprised at the improvements and strides he has made to be a better person and right the ship.”
Henry, although his season was cut short, had 12 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns. During the season, Henry was the Bengals main deep threat, as his longest catch of the year was 73 yards. He also recorded 11 first downs. It remains to be seen how the Bengals will improve the passing game without Henry, as since his departure it has been very dismal. It is worth noting that since he changed his life around, he had garnered a lot of popularity with the fans in Cincinnati.
Henry, who was drafted in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft has dealt with on and off the field issues, as he has been arrested a total of five times since December of ’05. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has suspended Henry on two different occasions, and his fifth arrest led to his departure from the Cincinnati Bengals in 2007. Owner Mike Brown did give him a second chance, as since his return, Henry has done nothing but work his butt off and prove that he can be a deep threat for Carson Palmer. Since his fifth arrest, Henry has stayed out of trouble and straightened his life out. In an on-air interview/segment with Cincinnati Radio Personality Lance McAlister, Henry stated that without his fiancés help he would not be where he is. McCalister stated that after the interview, when Henry walked out, he was “surprised at the improvements and strides he has made to be a better person and right the ship.”
Henry, although his season was cut short, had 12 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns. During the season, Henry was the Bengals main deep threat, as his longest catch of the year was 73 yards. He also recorded 11 first downs. It remains to be seen how the Bengals will improve the passing game without Henry, as since his departure it has been very dismal. It is worth noting that since he changed his life around, he had garnered a lot of popularity with the fans in Cincinnati.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Shootout Leaves Mixed Emotions
It does not take a die hard Cincinnati Bearcat fan or a die hard Xavier Musketeer fan to know a great basketball game. Whether these two teams are playing each other in the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout or facing off against conference foes, one thing is certain, these two teams can “play ball.” But we’ve always known this. For years, 77 years to be exact, college basketball fans located in Cincinnati have been treated to great games between the UC and X. This year’s shootout did not disappoint. The first double overtime game in the series turned out to be one of my favorites, although I hate the fact that UC lost. Here are some of my thoughts on the “Sunday Night Showdown from the Crosstown Shootout:”
*The chemistry between our three best guards needs to get better…with the additions of freshman superstar Lance Stephenson and highly touted red shirt freshman Cashmere Wright, senior guard Deonta Vaughn should not need to have the ball in his hands all game. You saw what happens when he doesn’t, as he missed to important and easy lay-ups, and in the first half, was 0-2 from the field with two turnovers. There needs to be give and take between the three, as a balanced attack will force the opposing team to focus on not one, but all three.
*Easy and stupid fouls need to stop. Jaquon Parker’s foul on Xavier’s Terrell Holloway with 19 seconds left in the first half was what brought the Muskies back in the game. If Parker isn’t as aggressive on Holloway’s drive, and he still scores, X is still down one. UC was leading at the time and fouling Holloway, who was perfect all night from the line, let alone fouling when you’re team is leading, is stupid.
*Forwards Rashad Bishop, Yancy Gates, Ibrahima Thomas and Darnell Wilks along with Centers Anthony McClain and Steve Toyloy need to do a better job containing opposing big men. Xavier’s Jason Love had 19 rebounds and the games final five points to give the Musketeers the victory. I realize this was Ibrahima Thomas’ first game back, but in the seven minutes he played, he had two points, two rebounds, and two personal fouls. Again, we go back to the personal fouls. Senior guard Deonta Vaughn led the team with nine rebounds, and behind him were Gates and Stephenson each with six. As good as we have been rebounding this year, these numbers are horrible. Overall, each team had 43 rebounds, but it took nine boards from Vaughn to keep it that way
*Free throw shooting and overall shooting was pathetic. The Bearcats were 10-22 from the line while Xavier was 28-36. Only one player from the Muskies that shot free throws had missed more than one and that was Jason Love. The Bearcats had four players miss more than one free throw. If the Bearcats are to compete in the Big East Conference and make a run in March, Cashmere Wright will need to be better than 1-4 from the field, as does Stephenson (9-19) and Vaughn (6-19). The rest of the team fared the same as Dion Dixon (0-3), Larry Davis (2-8), Yancy Gates (8-16), and Ibrahima Thomas (1-6) all missed an allotment of shots.
Overall, this game was very winnable. Lance Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn took over late in regulation and both overtimes to try and send UC over X. Lance Stephenson showed why he could be a “one-and-done” at UC, with his reverse spin on the baseline followed by a reverse lay-up, sick crossover and ability to take over the game. On an emotional and maturity level, I’m not sure if he’s quite ready for the NBA. You saw that during the game when he taunted the Xavier bench and had words with Xavier Head Coach Chris Mack. He didn’t receive a Technical Foul, but the referee did give him a dirty look. With the way Cincinnati Head Coach Mick Cronin recruits, Cincinnati’s basketball program may only be a few years away from returning to glory. Glory we haven’t seen since Bob Huggins left.
*The chemistry between our three best guards needs to get better…with the additions of freshman superstar Lance Stephenson and highly touted red shirt freshman Cashmere Wright, senior guard Deonta Vaughn should not need to have the ball in his hands all game. You saw what happens when he doesn’t, as he missed to important and easy lay-ups, and in the first half, was 0-2 from the field with two turnovers. There needs to be give and take between the three, as a balanced attack will force the opposing team to focus on not one, but all three.
*Easy and stupid fouls need to stop. Jaquon Parker’s foul on Xavier’s Terrell Holloway with 19 seconds left in the first half was what brought the Muskies back in the game. If Parker isn’t as aggressive on Holloway’s drive, and he still scores, X is still down one. UC was leading at the time and fouling Holloway, who was perfect all night from the line, let alone fouling when you’re team is leading, is stupid.
*Forwards Rashad Bishop, Yancy Gates, Ibrahima Thomas and Darnell Wilks along with Centers Anthony McClain and Steve Toyloy need to do a better job containing opposing big men. Xavier’s Jason Love had 19 rebounds and the games final five points to give the Musketeers the victory. I realize this was Ibrahima Thomas’ first game back, but in the seven minutes he played, he had two points, two rebounds, and two personal fouls. Again, we go back to the personal fouls. Senior guard Deonta Vaughn led the team with nine rebounds, and behind him were Gates and Stephenson each with six. As good as we have been rebounding this year, these numbers are horrible. Overall, each team had 43 rebounds, but it took nine boards from Vaughn to keep it that way
*Free throw shooting and overall shooting was pathetic. The Bearcats were 10-22 from the line while Xavier was 28-36. Only one player from the Muskies that shot free throws had missed more than one and that was Jason Love. The Bearcats had four players miss more than one free throw. If the Bearcats are to compete in the Big East Conference and make a run in March, Cashmere Wright will need to be better than 1-4 from the field, as does Stephenson (9-19) and Vaughn (6-19). The rest of the team fared the same as Dion Dixon (0-3), Larry Davis (2-8), Yancy Gates (8-16), and Ibrahima Thomas (1-6) all missed an allotment of shots.
Overall, this game was very winnable. Lance Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn took over late in regulation and both overtimes to try and send UC over X. Lance Stephenson showed why he could be a “one-and-done” at UC, with his reverse spin on the baseline followed by a reverse lay-up, sick crossover and ability to take over the game. On an emotional and maturity level, I’m not sure if he’s quite ready for the NBA. You saw that during the game when he taunted the Xavier bench and had words with Xavier Head Coach Chris Mack. He didn’t receive a Technical Foul, but the referee did give him a dirty look. With the way Cincinnati Head Coach Mick Cronin recruits, Cincinnati’s basketball program may only be a few years away from returning to glory. Glory we haven’t seen since Bob Huggins left.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Air Collapse
Whether it has to do with the loss of Chris Henry, or the elbow of Carson Palmer, or the departure of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the Cincinnati Bengals’ passing offense is lacking. It doesn’t matter if the opponent is the Detroit Lions or the Minnesota Vikings; the offense can not get a pass more than 20-25 yards past the line of scrimmage. At 9-4, the Bengals are still leading their division but still need a win to clinch their division. As long as we can win one more game, even if the Baltimore Ravens tie us with an overall record, we will still win the AFC North Division while owning the tiebreaker. But ending with six losses on the year does not do anything good for this team. When the Bengals lost to the Oakland Raiders 20-17, the team started a downhill, back to earth descent in which they have lost two of the last four games they have played.
After losing to the Minnesota Vikings this past Sunday, the San Diego Chargers beat the Dallas Cowboys to take over the number two seed in the AFC Playoff picture. If this team plans on receiving a first round bye, we must beat San Diego next week and win the last two games of the year against the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets. If we lose one of the two games, the chances of the Bengals winning the number two seed is unlikely due to the Chargers having to play the Tennessee Titans, in Tennessee and the Washington Redskins in San Diego. If Vince Young is the quarterback for the Titans, then there’s a chance the Titans could pull an upset, but don’t hold your breath.
This past Sunday, we saw what happens when the passing game is non existent. Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis has said multiple times this season that this team is going to have a more balanced attack while trying to stuff the run down the opponent’s throat. This style of play has worked for the Bengals before, but in this game, Carson Palmer did not help the cause as he could not have been any less accurate. If there is no passing game to compliment the running game, then opposing teams will dare Palmer to throw the ball, knowing full well he won’t hit any of his targets, wide open or not. Defenders can then stay in the box and stop the Bengals one-dimensional running game. Cedric Benson had a decent day running the ball, piling up 96 yards on 16 carries but without a passing game that can produce more than six yards a pass, the offense is doomed from the start.
There are four obvious possibilities that the Bengals passing game is lacking in yards and efficiency. The first, and most fearful, is the fact that Carson Palmer’s elbow is not entirely healed. We know what happened in New York last year with Brett Favre, and I guarantee that Brett Favre made the decision of not being placed on the weekly injury list. Yes, Eric Mangini and the Jets should be held responsible in some way for not displaying the problem to the rest of the NFL, but it was Favre’s ultimate decision. The same situation could be happening in Cincinnati. Palmer elected against surgery and decided to rehab over the spring and summer. Whether or not it was a smart move, Carson hasn’t been the same since he got injured.
The next obvious problem is the loss of T.J. “Who’s Yo’ Momma” Houshmandzadeh. T.J. was Number 9’s third down target over the last few years because of his great hands and ability to gain yards after the catch. During the off-season, the Bengals signed former New York Jet wide receiver Laveranues Coles to a four year, $27 million dollar deal. Thus far, his signing has been a very big disappointment as he has dropped an allotment of passes that exceed the amount of fingers on both hands.
The third possibility that the passing game is faulting could be due to the loss of Chris Henry for the season. With his size, 6’4”, Henry is able to jump over almost all defensive backs when Palmer throws the ball in the air deep downfield. Before his injury, Carson Palmer was averaging 229.7 yards a game with 14 total touchdowns through the first eight games. Since his injury and placement on the Injured Reserve list, Palmer is now averaging 161.8 yards per game with three touchdowns. The last set of statistics is for the last five games. Henry only had 12 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns through eight games, but you can see the influence he had on the field, as Carson average 67.9 yards more per game with him lining up in the slot.
The final reason that the Bengals are lacking through the air could be due to the fact that second round pick Jerome Simpson is yet to dress for a game this year. In his career, he has so far dressed for only six games, with all of those coming from last year. The following are Simpson’s career stats: one catch for two yards and one kickoff return for eight yards. By the way, all of these occurred in week seven last year against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The fans know it, the NFL knows it, and believe me, Marvin Lewis and Owner Mike Brown knows it, the Bengals made a boo-boo. DeSean Jackson was selected three picks after Simpson and look how well he’s flourishing with the Philadelphia Eagles. It might help that he has Donovan McNabb throwing him the ball. Bengals Vice President Troy Blackburn has stated that when the Bengals passed on Jackson, it was because they believed he had “character issues.” Obviously this is hilarious to Bengals fans because draft history shows, the Bengals LOVE to draft players with character issues (see Henry, Chris or Thurman, Odell for examples). In the end, you have to give the Bengals credit. When they drafted guys with character issues in the past, it seemed as if the staff hit the jackpot. That is, until they were arrested. When the Bengals finally tried to do the right thing, and go with the receiver not known for having character problems, they ended up with Jerome Simpson.
The scouting staff has a lot of work to do, as the depth at wide receiver is quickly diminishing. Laveranues Coles is over the hill and will never be worth the money they’re paying him. Chad OchoCinco is the only receiver putting up numbers worth noticing as he needs just 63 more yards to reach his seventh season of 1,000 yards receiving. But age is catching up with him, as he is now 31 years old and his longest catch this year is 50 yards, which is his worst since his rookie campaign and last year’s debacle. Andre Caldwell has shown lots of promise, but will need another year or two before he has his breakout season. Maurice Purify and Quan Cosby just started to appear on the roster and are untested along with unknown. Mardy Gilyard, the wide receiver from the University of Cincinnati, has the chance to be available in the second round, and he would add depth, quickness, and a jolt of youth into this receiving corps.
For this team compete in the playoffs, the passing game must be addressed. The Bengals can no longer ride the coat tails of Cedric Benson on the way to a win. We saw this Sunday as the Vikings bullied the Bengals to a dominating and playoff clinching win. To beat the Indianapolis Colts, the Bengals will need to play shootout. The New Orleans Saints may have more weapons, but their main weapons, Drew Brees and Marques Colston, do not come close to touching Peyton Manning or Reggie Wayne.
After losing to the Minnesota Vikings this past Sunday, the San Diego Chargers beat the Dallas Cowboys to take over the number two seed in the AFC Playoff picture. If this team plans on receiving a first round bye, we must beat San Diego next week and win the last two games of the year against the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets. If we lose one of the two games, the chances of the Bengals winning the number two seed is unlikely due to the Chargers having to play the Tennessee Titans, in Tennessee and the Washington Redskins in San Diego. If Vince Young is the quarterback for the Titans, then there’s a chance the Titans could pull an upset, but don’t hold your breath.
This past Sunday, we saw what happens when the passing game is non existent. Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis has said multiple times this season that this team is going to have a more balanced attack while trying to stuff the run down the opponent’s throat. This style of play has worked for the Bengals before, but in this game, Carson Palmer did not help the cause as he could not have been any less accurate. If there is no passing game to compliment the running game, then opposing teams will dare Palmer to throw the ball, knowing full well he won’t hit any of his targets, wide open or not. Defenders can then stay in the box and stop the Bengals one-dimensional running game. Cedric Benson had a decent day running the ball, piling up 96 yards on 16 carries but without a passing game that can produce more than six yards a pass, the offense is doomed from the start.
There are four obvious possibilities that the Bengals passing game is lacking in yards and efficiency. The first, and most fearful, is the fact that Carson Palmer’s elbow is not entirely healed. We know what happened in New York last year with Brett Favre, and I guarantee that Brett Favre made the decision of not being placed on the weekly injury list. Yes, Eric Mangini and the Jets should be held responsible in some way for not displaying the problem to the rest of the NFL, but it was Favre’s ultimate decision. The same situation could be happening in Cincinnati. Palmer elected against surgery and decided to rehab over the spring and summer. Whether or not it was a smart move, Carson hasn’t been the same since he got injured.
The next obvious problem is the loss of T.J. “Who’s Yo’ Momma” Houshmandzadeh. T.J. was Number 9’s third down target over the last few years because of his great hands and ability to gain yards after the catch. During the off-season, the Bengals signed former New York Jet wide receiver Laveranues Coles to a four year, $27 million dollar deal. Thus far, his signing has been a very big disappointment as he has dropped an allotment of passes that exceed the amount of fingers on both hands.
The third possibility that the passing game is faulting could be due to the loss of Chris Henry for the season. With his size, 6’4”, Henry is able to jump over almost all defensive backs when Palmer throws the ball in the air deep downfield. Before his injury, Carson Palmer was averaging 229.7 yards a game with 14 total touchdowns through the first eight games. Since his injury and placement on the Injured Reserve list, Palmer is now averaging 161.8 yards per game with three touchdowns. The last set of statistics is for the last five games. Henry only had 12 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns through eight games, but you can see the influence he had on the field, as Carson average 67.9 yards more per game with him lining up in the slot.
The final reason that the Bengals are lacking through the air could be due to the fact that second round pick Jerome Simpson is yet to dress for a game this year. In his career, he has so far dressed for only six games, with all of those coming from last year. The following are Simpson’s career stats: one catch for two yards and one kickoff return for eight yards. By the way, all of these occurred in week seven last year against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The fans know it, the NFL knows it, and believe me, Marvin Lewis and Owner Mike Brown knows it, the Bengals made a boo-boo. DeSean Jackson was selected three picks after Simpson and look how well he’s flourishing with the Philadelphia Eagles. It might help that he has Donovan McNabb throwing him the ball. Bengals Vice President Troy Blackburn has stated that when the Bengals passed on Jackson, it was because they believed he had “character issues.” Obviously this is hilarious to Bengals fans because draft history shows, the Bengals LOVE to draft players with character issues (see Henry, Chris or Thurman, Odell for examples). In the end, you have to give the Bengals credit. When they drafted guys with character issues in the past, it seemed as if the staff hit the jackpot. That is, until they were arrested. When the Bengals finally tried to do the right thing, and go with the receiver not known for having character problems, they ended up with Jerome Simpson.
The scouting staff has a lot of work to do, as the depth at wide receiver is quickly diminishing. Laveranues Coles is over the hill and will never be worth the money they’re paying him. Chad OchoCinco is the only receiver putting up numbers worth noticing as he needs just 63 more yards to reach his seventh season of 1,000 yards receiving. But age is catching up with him, as he is now 31 years old and his longest catch this year is 50 yards, which is his worst since his rookie campaign and last year’s debacle. Andre Caldwell has shown lots of promise, but will need another year or two before he has his breakout season. Maurice Purify and Quan Cosby just started to appear on the roster and are untested along with unknown. Mardy Gilyard, the wide receiver from the University of Cincinnati, has the chance to be available in the second round, and he would add depth, quickness, and a jolt of youth into this receiving corps.
For this team compete in the playoffs, the passing game must be addressed. The Bengals can no longer ride the coat tails of Cedric Benson on the way to a win. We saw this Sunday as the Vikings bullied the Bengals to a dominating and playoff clinching win. To beat the Indianapolis Colts, the Bengals will need to play shootout. The New Orleans Saints may have more weapons, but their main weapons, Drew Brees and Marques Colston, do not come close to touching Peyton Manning or Reggie Wayne.
Friday, December 11, 2009
At the End of the Day, Games are Won by Players, Not Coaches
Today is the most upsetting and depressing day that University of Cincinnati Football fans have ever encountered. Never before has UC’s football program excelled and competed the way they have in the last three years of Brian Kelly’s tenure only to lose our most prized athletics coach since Bob Huggins. After leading the Bearcats to a 9-3 record in 2007, a 10-2 record in 2008 and a 12-0 record in 2009, Kelly will leave the program and become Charlie Weis’ successor at the University of Notre Dame. In his three years here, he led the Bearcats to three bowl games. In ’07, Kelly led the ‘Cats to a win in the Papajohns.com Bowl, a loss to Virginia Tech in the program’s first ever BCS Bowl Game(Orange Bowl) last year and this year Kelly will not coach in the Sugar Bowl as the Bearcats will face the Florida Gators in their second BCS bowl game in as many years.
Fans are angry and upset that Brian Kelly lied to his players, the media, University Officials, and most of all, us. But as fans, we can not blame Kelly for what he did. He did everything in his power to keep the attention off himself and onto the players and their match up against the Pittsburgh Panthers. The players would not have responded with a great attitude if Kelly said before the game, “Hey guys, I know that if we win we might go to the BCS National Championship, but I might be going to coach at Notre Dame.” If Colt McCoy would’ve thrown the ball a second later, or if Hunter Lawrence missed the last field goal, UC would be playing for the championship in Pasadena on January 7th. Chances of Kelly leaving with the ‘Cats in the title game are slim to none. Although, I’d love to know how many coaches resign before the biggest game in the program’s history after going undefeated in the regular season.
Fans want to yell and scream that Notre Dame broke the rules and contacted him before the bowl game, but UC did the same thing with Kelly back in 2006-07 when they needed a coach for the International Bowl. Then, Kelly was the coach of Central Michigan, leading them to the Motor City Bowl in which he did not coach. So, if fans are going to be mad at Notre Dame for contacting him before the bowl game and Brian Kelly lying to everyone, then we must also be mad at the University of Cincinnati for contacting Brian Kelly before his former team’s bowl game. It’s worth noting that at the moment, UC has received permission from the University of Houston to speak with their Head Coach Kevin Sumlin about UC’s recently vacated Head Coaching position.
We may be angry that the man who has led our team to 34 wins in 3 years left in the middle of the night, but the time has come to let the anger go and move towards the Sugar Bowl. At the end of the day, Brian Kelly couldn’t throw the game-winning touchdown to Armon Binns to put UC in the Sugar Bowl. Nor could Brian Kelly make the four straight stops on defense to put the game in Pittsburgh away. It was not Brian Kelly’s play calling that won 12 games this year. The play calling does have some impact, but it’s the execution of the play by the players that rack up first downs, score touchdowns and win ball games.
Brian Kelly was and is a great motivator and is able to get players to follow him by believing in the system himself. He believes in his system and knows that it wins ball games. When a coach believes in their own system, it’s only a matter of time until the player’s start believing. That is the key behind Brian Kelly’s success. That is the kind of coach UC needs to be looking for to replace the once loved Brian Kelly. Sure, a Bob Stoops or Urban Meyer would work, but a coach that can come into a program that is experiencing its first major coaching departure and set up a system around soon to be starting quarterback Zach Collaros is what this program, the players and the fans need.
A new head coach needs to be found fast. If the Bearcats don’t find a new head coach soon, high school players that have already committed to UC could decide that a program without a head coach is not where they want to play. A program whose coach leaves before the biggest game in their history does not look good to a prep star. But a program that finds a coach quickly who possesses the skills needed to succeed in Cincinnati may save the program from losing top recruits.
University of Cincinnati President Mike Thomas will interview those already working in the program. Once Brian Kelly left, Offensive Coordinator Jeff Quinn was named Interim Head Coach and will coach the ‘Cats in the Sugar Bowl. If Quinn is not given the head coaching position, it’s expected, and almost guaranteed that he will follow BK to Notre Dame. That’s not the worst thing that can happen. Whoever is named head coach will most likely bring in their own offensive coordinator. The worst thing that could happen is the departure of Associate Head Coach Kerry Coombs. Coombs was the head coach at Colerain High School for 16 years and is one of the most popular Prep Coaches in Ohio. If Coombs leaves his ties to the area and relationship with the prep players and their families could destroy UC’s recruiting in their own city.
Whether we like it or not, this is sports. In sports, coaches leave or get fired, players get traded or leave, and fans get happy or mad. We love sports because of the storylines. This is what we signed up for when we decided to be sports fans. We knew these things could happen. It’s all fun and games until it’s your coach or player leaving. Brian Kelly came to UC as a coach who had yet to really prove himself. He left as a coach who can take even the worst teams from the bottom of the pile and into the BCS title game picture. Love him or hate him, you have to thank Brian Kelly. Look at how far he’s brought our football program in just three short years. For that, I thank him and wish him well at Notre Dame. Brian Kelly walked into the UC Football program and did what nobody, including us, thought was ever possible and that was transform our football team into championship contender. For that, we will forever keep him immortalize him in our hearts as the start of something beautiful.
Fans are angry and upset that Brian Kelly lied to his players, the media, University Officials, and most of all, us. But as fans, we can not blame Kelly for what he did. He did everything in his power to keep the attention off himself and onto the players and their match up against the Pittsburgh Panthers. The players would not have responded with a great attitude if Kelly said before the game, “Hey guys, I know that if we win we might go to the BCS National Championship, but I might be going to coach at Notre Dame.” If Colt McCoy would’ve thrown the ball a second later, or if Hunter Lawrence missed the last field goal, UC would be playing for the championship in Pasadena on January 7th. Chances of Kelly leaving with the ‘Cats in the title game are slim to none. Although, I’d love to know how many coaches resign before the biggest game in the program’s history after going undefeated in the regular season.
Fans want to yell and scream that Notre Dame broke the rules and contacted him before the bowl game, but UC did the same thing with Kelly back in 2006-07 when they needed a coach for the International Bowl. Then, Kelly was the coach of Central Michigan, leading them to the Motor City Bowl in which he did not coach. So, if fans are going to be mad at Notre Dame for contacting him before the bowl game and Brian Kelly lying to everyone, then we must also be mad at the University of Cincinnati for contacting Brian Kelly before his former team’s bowl game. It’s worth noting that at the moment, UC has received permission from the University of Houston to speak with their Head Coach Kevin Sumlin about UC’s recently vacated Head Coaching position.
We may be angry that the man who has led our team to 34 wins in 3 years left in the middle of the night, but the time has come to let the anger go and move towards the Sugar Bowl. At the end of the day, Brian Kelly couldn’t throw the game-winning touchdown to Armon Binns to put UC in the Sugar Bowl. Nor could Brian Kelly make the four straight stops on defense to put the game in Pittsburgh away. It was not Brian Kelly’s play calling that won 12 games this year. The play calling does have some impact, but it’s the execution of the play by the players that rack up first downs, score touchdowns and win ball games.
Brian Kelly was and is a great motivator and is able to get players to follow him by believing in the system himself. He believes in his system and knows that it wins ball games. When a coach believes in their own system, it’s only a matter of time until the player’s start believing. That is the key behind Brian Kelly’s success. That is the kind of coach UC needs to be looking for to replace the once loved Brian Kelly. Sure, a Bob Stoops or Urban Meyer would work, but a coach that can come into a program that is experiencing its first major coaching departure and set up a system around soon to be starting quarterback Zach Collaros is what this program, the players and the fans need.
A new head coach needs to be found fast. If the Bearcats don’t find a new head coach soon, high school players that have already committed to UC could decide that a program without a head coach is not where they want to play. A program whose coach leaves before the biggest game in their history does not look good to a prep star. But a program that finds a coach quickly who possesses the skills needed to succeed in Cincinnati may save the program from losing top recruits.
University of Cincinnati President Mike Thomas will interview those already working in the program. Once Brian Kelly left, Offensive Coordinator Jeff Quinn was named Interim Head Coach and will coach the ‘Cats in the Sugar Bowl. If Quinn is not given the head coaching position, it’s expected, and almost guaranteed that he will follow BK to Notre Dame. That’s not the worst thing that can happen. Whoever is named head coach will most likely bring in their own offensive coordinator. The worst thing that could happen is the departure of Associate Head Coach Kerry Coombs. Coombs was the head coach at Colerain High School for 16 years and is one of the most popular Prep Coaches in Ohio. If Coombs leaves his ties to the area and relationship with the prep players and their families could destroy UC’s recruiting in their own city.
Whether we like it or not, this is sports. In sports, coaches leave or get fired, players get traded or leave, and fans get happy or mad. We love sports because of the storylines. This is what we signed up for when we decided to be sports fans. We knew these things could happen. It’s all fun and games until it’s your coach or player leaving. Brian Kelly came to UC as a coach who had yet to really prove himself. He left as a coach who can take even the worst teams from the bottom of the pile and into the BCS title game picture. Love him or hate him, you have to thank Brian Kelly. Look at how far he’s brought our football program in just three short years. For that, I thank him and wish him well at Notre Dame. Brian Kelly walked into the UC Football program and did what nobody, including us, thought was ever possible and that was transform our football team into championship contender. For that, we will forever keep him immortalize him in our hearts as the start of something beautiful.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Right or Wrong, Reds May Make Move
As of the end of the season, it looked as if the Cincinnati Reds 2010 payroll would decrease by a decent amount. With most of the payroll being tied between Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang, Fransisco Cordero, Scott Rolen and Brandon Phillips, the Reds aren't going to have much more room to make many moves. The one necessity that has yet to occur has been the signing of Jonny Gomes.
For the past few years, the Reds and their fans have been crying for a power bat that swings from the right side of the plate, and the answer is Jonny Gomes. In 98 games, Gomes hit 20 home runs with a .267 average. In 37 games down in Louisville, he hit nine home runs. The Reds can not let this power bat leave via free agency. If given a chance to play 162 games, who knows how many home runs Gomes can end up with.
At the same time, we have yet to see Joey Votto or Jay Bruce play a full year. Votto has hit just over 20 home runs the past two years, and he missed 30 plus games in 2009. A full season and Votto could top 30 home runs. Same can be said for Bruce, as he missed time last year after breaking his wrist. In 108 games in 2008, Bruce hit 21 home runs, and in '09 Bruce hit 22 home runs. If Bruce can stay healthy, there may be a chance for 35 to 40 home runs each and every year.
Over the last few years, the Reds have made two different moves that have baffled fans and flamed out. The worst would have to be Willy Taveras, who just can't hit. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez just couldn't stay healthy and was, well, overpaid. When Gonzalez was healthy, he could play, and at times he provided some nice offense along with his spectacular defense. Although, his defense did seem to decline during his tenure here. Taveras was signed in December of '08 and seemed like a good move. This would give the Reds speed in center field and a real lead off threat. Only problem was Taveras suddenly couldn't hit his way out of an open field.
Recently, there have been reports that the Reds are interested in signing utility man Craig Counsell. Yes, the same Craig Counsell that was drafted in 1992. The same Craig Counsell who will be 40 years old come August 2010. The same Craig Counsell who has never hit more than nine home runs in a season, which he did in 2005 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That year was the only year in which he hit more than four home runs. The move could work if the Reds were going to sign him as a back up second baseman as he owns a very nice .991 career fielding percentage, but the Reds are looking more at shortstop. Counsell's career fielding percentage is .981, which is ok, but Paul Janish is much better defensively.
Counsell does have some pop in his bat, as last year for the Milwaukee Brewers he hit .285. Before that, Counsell has hit .282 in 2002, .275 in 2001, .316 in 2000, and .299 in 1997. In his 14 year career, Counsell has hit .275 or over just five times. The other seasons in which he did not hit .275, he hit at least .256 or under.
The Reds signing Counsell would be very risky. They'd be asking a lot of someone who has been spotty at the plate most of his career. The Reds would be better off sending Janish out to short every day next to third baseman Scott Rolen and waiting until Todd Frazier or Chris Valaika are big league ready.
If the General Manager Walt Jocketty is going to keep making statements that the Reds won't make any moves besides re-signing players, then Jocketty should not be in contact with Craig Counsell's agent. Trying to field a young team can be difficult at times, but adding a 39 year old utility man is definetely not the way to go.
The Easy
For the past few years, the Reds and their fans have been crying for a power bat that swings from the right side of the plate, and the answer is Jonny Gomes. In 98 games, Gomes hit 20 home runs with a .267 average. In 37 games down in Louisville, he hit nine home runs. The Reds can not let this power bat leave via free agency. If given a chance to play 162 games, who knows how many home runs Gomes can end up with.
At the same time, we have yet to see Joey Votto or Jay Bruce play a full year. Votto has hit just over 20 home runs the past two years, and he missed 30 plus games in 2009. A full season and Votto could top 30 home runs. Same can be said for Bruce, as he missed time last year after breaking his wrist. In 108 games in 2008, Bruce hit 21 home runs, and in '09 Bruce hit 22 home runs. If Bruce can stay healthy, there may be a chance for 35 to 40 home runs each and every year.
Over the last few years, the Reds have made two different moves that have baffled fans and flamed out. The worst would have to be Willy Taveras, who just can't hit. Shortstop Alex Gonzalez just couldn't stay healthy and was, well, overpaid. When Gonzalez was healthy, he could play, and at times he provided some nice offense along with his spectacular defense. Although, his defense did seem to decline during his tenure here. Taveras was signed in December of '08 and seemed like a good move. This would give the Reds speed in center field and a real lead off threat. Only problem was Taveras suddenly couldn't hit his way out of an open field.
Recently, there have been reports that the Reds are interested in signing utility man Craig Counsell. Yes, the same Craig Counsell that was drafted in 1992. The same Craig Counsell who will be 40 years old come August 2010. The same Craig Counsell who has never hit more than nine home runs in a season, which he did in 2005 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That year was the only year in which he hit more than four home runs. The move could work if the Reds were going to sign him as a back up second baseman as he owns a very nice .991 career fielding percentage, but the Reds are looking more at shortstop. Counsell's career fielding percentage is .981, which is ok, but Paul Janish is much better defensively.
Counsell does have some pop in his bat, as last year for the Milwaukee Brewers he hit .285. Before that, Counsell has hit .282 in 2002, .275 in 2001, .316 in 2000, and .299 in 1997. In his 14 year career, Counsell has hit .275 or over just five times. The other seasons in which he did not hit .275, he hit at least .256 or under.
The Reds signing Counsell would be very risky. They'd be asking a lot of someone who has been spotty at the plate most of his career. The Reds would be better off sending Janish out to short every day next to third baseman Scott Rolen and waiting until Todd Frazier or Chris Valaika are big league ready.
If the General Manager Walt Jocketty is going to keep making statements that the Reds won't make any moves besides re-signing players, then Jocketty should not be in contact with Craig Counsell's agent. Trying to field a young team can be difficult at times, but adding a 39 year old utility man is definetely not the way to go.
The Easy
Chance to Win Back Huggins' Fans; Ball's in Team's Court
For the first time since the 2005-2006 season, the University of Cincinnati Men's Basketball team is in the Associated Press and USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll. The Bearcats, who are ranked 19th, have started this year off with a 5-1 record, including an appearance in the Maui Invitational in which the 'Cats beat Vanderbilt and Maryland before losing to Gonzaga in the finals. Head Coach Mick Cronin has been, and is the perfect replacement for UC coaching legend Bob Huggins. At one time, Cronin was an assistant for Huggins during his tenure at Cincinnati.
When former UC President Nancy "Nazi" Zimpher forced Huggins into retirement, many UC fans left and followed Huggins to Kansas State. Those that stayed wouldn't be staying long as Zimpher did not give the head coaching position to then interim head coach Andy Kennedy. This move caused a lot of commotion as Devan Downey, the emerging star freshman point guard left for the University of South Carolina. Cronin has done an excellent job in replacing Downey with back-to-back all BIG EAST guard Deonta Vaughn, along with the rest of the team.
The time is now for Mick Cronin to rally his troops and retake the glory that is college basketball in Cincinnati. I miss the days when the only thing a basketball fan in this town needed was Huggs. Those days are long gone but the chance is there for the taking. Mick and his boys can re-capture the heart of this city with the only kind of basketball we know, and that is a Crosstown Shootout victory, 20-plus wins, and deep play when March Madness arrives.
At one point, members of the UC football team were appearing in games, with the most notable being Houston Texans Defensive End Connor Barwin. My how far this team has come as there are no longer football players taking up roster space. Mick Cronin has been able to field a squad full of 12 scholarship players. UC Football Head Coach Brian Kelly finally got it right when he started recruiting players in and around the Cincinnati area due to the fact that high school football in Cincinnati is close to the best in the country. Cronin followed in Kelly’s path and it has paid off in stand out Yancy Gates.
With the emergence of Cashmere Wright and Lance Stephenson and the continued presence of Dion Dixon, Rashad Bishop, Deonta Vaughn and Yancy Gates, this team could propel themselves farther up the ladder of the Top 25. The debut of highly touted 6-11 Junior Forward Ibrahima Thomas this week could cause problems for the rest of the Big East Conference, as for the first time since Jason Maxiell, UC will have a large presence under the basket.
The only thing I’m rooting for right now more than anything, is to have the old swagger of UC basketball back. We won’t ever get Huggins back as a coach, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get behind Cronin and watch this team compete nationally for a championship every year from here on out. Mick Cronin may not be Bob Huggins, but he’s the next best thing.
Tonight, the Bearcats face off against the Miami Redhawks at the U.S. Bank Arena. A win tonight and a win Sunday against the Xavier Musketeers could throw UC in the Top 10. The only thing the players can do is play. As fans, we need to sell out home games and give this team the support it deserves.
When former UC President Nancy "Nazi" Zimpher forced Huggins into retirement, many UC fans left and followed Huggins to Kansas State. Those that stayed wouldn't be staying long as Zimpher did not give the head coaching position to then interim head coach Andy Kennedy. This move caused a lot of commotion as Devan Downey, the emerging star freshman point guard left for the University of South Carolina. Cronin has done an excellent job in replacing Downey with back-to-back all BIG EAST guard Deonta Vaughn, along with the rest of the team.
The time is now for Mick Cronin to rally his troops and retake the glory that is college basketball in Cincinnati. I miss the days when the only thing a basketball fan in this town needed was Huggs. Those days are long gone but the chance is there for the taking. Mick and his boys can re-capture the heart of this city with the only kind of basketball we know, and that is a Crosstown Shootout victory, 20-plus wins, and deep play when March Madness arrives.
At one point, members of the UC football team were appearing in games, with the most notable being Houston Texans Defensive End Connor Barwin. My how far this team has come as there are no longer football players taking up roster space. Mick Cronin has been able to field a squad full of 12 scholarship players. UC Football Head Coach Brian Kelly finally got it right when he started recruiting players in and around the Cincinnati area due to the fact that high school football in Cincinnati is close to the best in the country. Cronin followed in Kelly’s path and it has paid off in stand out Yancy Gates.
With the emergence of Cashmere Wright and Lance Stephenson and the continued presence of Dion Dixon, Rashad Bishop, Deonta Vaughn and Yancy Gates, this team could propel themselves farther up the ladder of the Top 25. The debut of highly touted 6-11 Junior Forward Ibrahima Thomas this week could cause problems for the rest of the Big East Conference, as for the first time since Jason Maxiell, UC will have a large presence under the basket.
The only thing I’m rooting for right now more than anything, is to have the old swagger of UC basketball back. We won’t ever get Huggins back as a coach, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get behind Cronin and watch this team compete nationally for a championship every year from here on out. Mick Cronin may not be Bob Huggins, but he’s the next best thing.
Tonight, the Bearcats face off against the Miami Redhawks at the U.S. Bank Arena. A win tonight and a win Sunday against the Xavier Musketeers could throw UC in the Top 10. The only thing the players can do is play. As fans, we need to sell out home games and give this team the support it deserves.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Bengals Can Clinch with a Win; So Could Vikings
Before the Cincinnati Bengals played the Pittsburgh Steelers for the second time, I wrote that the game between the two was the biggest game of the year. At the time, it was. A win against the Steelers would have given the Bengals a 5-0 record in their division, with one game, against the Cleveland Browns, left. With only the Browns left, as a Bengals fan, you had to feel pretty good about your chances of sweeping the division. After that, all the Bengals would have to do is stay at least a game ahead of both the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens and the division is theirs. The worst that the Bengals could give is to allow one, or both teams to tie them with overall records, and the Bengals would still be division champions.
It is now Week 14; the Bengals beat the Steelers and Browns and for the first time in franchise history, swept their division. After a few weeks, I’ve come to realize that the Pittsburgh game wasn’t the biggest game of the year. It’s still a very important division game, but not as important as this one. This year, the Bengals are fighting for one of the top seeds in the AFC, looking to receive a first round bye. The Bengals are out for respect from the league, the other teams and the players. All year, this team has been preaching the fact that they’re better than people give them credit. To this point, they have been.
A fluke loss to the Denver Broncos, two fumbles by Andre Caldwell against the Oakland Raiders, and a loss to the Houston Texans in which this team did not show up to play, have kept the Bengals from being undefeated this year. After a 9-3 start, the time has come for the Bengals to play with the big boys in the NFL. When I say big boys, I am talking about the Minnesota Vikings, the Indianapolis Colts, the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints. Combined, the four teams have 43 wins, and five losses.
Now, waiting in the wings for this Sunday’s match up is the Minnesota Vikings. Perhaps the Bengals biggest regular season game of the year. This Sunday, Brett Favre will go up against the very first team he ever faced in the Cincinnati Bengals. Favre, who has led the Minnesota Vikings to a 10-2 record this year, can help his team cling the NFC North Division with a win against the "Cardiac Cats". The same can be said for the Bengals, as a win would give them their first AFC North Division title since 2005. There is more to this game than just the idea of clinching either team’s respective division, it is about credibility. This game is about the Vikings beating the team they are supposed to beat in the Bengals. It's about the Bengals stepping in, putting their hand up and saying, “No, not today. You Sir Mr. Favre and you Adrian Peterson will not run over us today”.
The Bengals games so far this season have been against teams with a combined 45-63 record. When the remaining four games added, that record goes to 73-83 through 12 games. So far, the Bengals have only played four teams that STILL have winning records. They lost to the Broncos and beat the Green Bay Packers. Still remaining are the Vikings and the Chargers. The last game of the season is against the New York Jets, and if they can rattle off a couple wins before then, they’ll play the Bengals with a winning percentage over .500.
Back to the main point, the Bengals biggest game of the year is this Sunday, against the Minnesota Vikings. If the Bengals want to be taken seriously, and be considered a Super Bowl contender, then a win against the third best team in the league is needed. If the Bengals can shut down Adrian Peterson like they’ve shut down other backs this season, then they’ll be able to shut down LaDainian Tomlinson. If the Bengals’ front four can put pressure on Brett Favre to allow the defensive backs to make plays, then look for the same to happen against Philip Rivers. If the Bengals can rise up to the challenge and shut down the Vikings and follow that up with a big win in San Diego, the Bengals will walk away from the regular season as the #2 seed in the playoffs. In doing so, they will receive a first round bye and an extra week to allow their players to heal up and get healthy.
If the Bengals do not beat the Vikings this week, then all Hell may break lose in Cincinnati. One loss could easily turn into four, and a 9-3 start would be ruined by a 9-7 finish. Looking toward 2010, the piled up losses and disappointment of 2009 could cause another dismal 4-11-1 season, even with Carson Palmer as the starting quarter back. Let’s hope that the Bengals will get it right this week, because I don’t want to live through another season like 2008, or 2002 for that matter when the Bengals were 2-14.
The Easy
It is now Week 14; the Bengals beat the Steelers and Browns and for the first time in franchise history, swept their division. After a few weeks, I’ve come to realize that the Pittsburgh game wasn’t the biggest game of the year. It’s still a very important division game, but not as important as this one. This year, the Bengals are fighting for one of the top seeds in the AFC, looking to receive a first round bye. The Bengals are out for respect from the league, the other teams and the players. All year, this team has been preaching the fact that they’re better than people give them credit. To this point, they have been.
A fluke loss to the Denver Broncos, two fumbles by Andre Caldwell against the Oakland Raiders, and a loss to the Houston Texans in which this team did not show up to play, have kept the Bengals from being undefeated this year. After a 9-3 start, the time has come for the Bengals to play with the big boys in the NFL. When I say big boys, I am talking about the Minnesota Vikings, the Indianapolis Colts, the San Diego Chargers and the New Orleans Saints. Combined, the four teams have 43 wins, and five losses.
Now, waiting in the wings for this Sunday’s match up is the Minnesota Vikings. Perhaps the Bengals biggest regular season game of the year. This Sunday, Brett Favre will go up against the very first team he ever faced in the Cincinnati Bengals. Favre, who has led the Minnesota Vikings to a 10-2 record this year, can help his team cling the NFC North Division with a win against the "Cardiac Cats". The same can be said for the Bengals, as a win would give them their first AFC North Division title since 2005. There is more to this game than just the idea of clinching either team’s respective division, it is about credibility. This game is about the Vikings beating the team they are supposed to beat in the Bengals. It's about the Bengals stepping in, putting their hand up and saying, “No, not today. You Sir Mr. Favre and you Adrian Peterson will not run over us today”.
The Bengals games so far this season have been against teams with a combined 45-63 record. When the remaining four games added, that record goes to 73-83 through 12 games. So far, the Bengals have only played four teams that STILL have winning records. They lost to the Broncos and beat the Green Bay Packers. Still remaining are the Vikings and the Chargers. The last game of the season is against the New York Jets, and if they can rattle off a couple wins before then, they’ll play the Bengals with a winning percentage over .500.
Back to the main point, the Bengals biggest game of the year is this Sunday, against the Minnesota Vikings. If the Bengals want to be taken seriously, and be considered a Super Bowl contender, then a win against the third best team in the league is needed. If the Bengals can shut down Adrian Peterson like they’ve shut down other backs this season, then they’ll be able to shut down LaDainian Tomlinson. If the Bengals’ front four can put pressure on Brett Favre to allow the defensive backs to make plays, then look for the same to happen against Philip Rivers. If the Bengals can rise up to the challenge and shut down the Vikings and follow that up with a big win in San Diego, the Bengals will walk away from the regular season as the #2 seed in the playoffs. In doing so, they will receive a first round bye and an extra week to allow their players to heal up and get healthy.
If the Bengals do not beat the Vikings this week, then all Hell may break lose in Cincinnati. One loss could easily turn into four, and a 9-3 start would be ruined by a 9-7 finish. Looking toward 2010, the piled up losses and disappointment of 2009 could cause another dismal 4-11-1 season, even with Carson Palmer as the starting quarter back. Let’s hope that the Bengals will get it right this week, because I don’t want to live through another season like 2008, or 2002 for that matter when the Bengals were 2-14.
The Easy
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The Greatest Game in College Football History...EVER!!!
As a Florida State Seminoles football fan, I have lived through some of the greatest, gut-wrenching, wire-to-wire football games in history. At that same time, I've lived through some of the worst, dream killing, heart breaking college football games ever. Trust me when I say this, I know great football games. I was excited and pissed with "The Choke at Doak". I cried every time Florida State lost by missing a field goal, five different times. I was happy when Brian Monroe botched the snap and FSU won, and this year, I was disappointed when Christian Ponder's pass fell short in the end zone. All in all I know great football games, and this year I witnessed the greatest football game ever.
On Saturday, November 5th, 2009, I sat watching my Cincinnati Bearcats play the Pittsburgh Panthers for the Big East Championship and a BCS Bowl bid. UC had at least nine lives on this day, and unfortunately, that last life ended when the University of Texas' Hunter Lawrence kicked the game winning field goal with one second left in regulation to lift the Longhorns over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. But before we go any further, let's wind the clock back eight hours or so to the Bearcats game.
The conditions had to suck for fans in attendance, players and coaches but as a fan, that's the way football is supposed to look like in December. With the snow falling, temperatures dropping, and bodies flying all over the field, the UC Bearcats were in for a real treat with the Pitt Panthers waiting for them. As for the game itself? The first half was very reminiscent of last year's Orange Bowl between UC and Virginia Tech in which Virginia Tech ruffled up and beat on the Bearcats. Tony Pike was the quarter back for both games, and unlike the Orange Bowl, Tony was able to muster up enough in the fourth quarter to lead the Bearcats to their second straight Big East Championship and BCS Bowl game.
With so much on the line, the Brian Kelly and the Bearcats did not disappoint following halftime. Pitt took a 31-17 lead to halftime before all hell broke lose on Heinz Field during the second half. There was only one scoring play during the thrid quarter, and that was Mardy Gilyard scoring a 68-yard touchdown on a pass from Tony Pike. In the fourth quarter, Pitt scored again, giving the Panthers another two touchdown lead. In a matter of six minutes and 20 seconds, Cincinnati's defense stuffed the Panther offense, allowing Tony Pike and Isaiah Pead to tie the game up on two different scoring drives. But please wait, because here is where all hell breaks lose.
I can not remember a football game that has meant so much, that pumped me up, and got me excited as this one did. Last year's Orange Bowl was the Bearcats first BCS Bowl game, and was very important for the program, it's players and coaches fans but I don't specifically remember jumping up and screaming during the Orange Bowl like I did when Armon Binns caught the game tying touchdown pass. Nor do I remember high fiving strangers, yelling and singing the fight song with them. Either way, I came away happy with back-to-back Big East Championships and a second BCS Bowl bid in as many years against former #1, and still power house team in the Florida Gators. On January 1st of the new year, UC will have the chance to prove to the country just how good they are in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Gators.
In a game that saw a total of six lead changes, with three of those coming in the fourth quarter alone, and a total of 89 points, the two teams put on a show that displayed heart, soul, dedication and want. But what UC wanted that BCS bid more. UC had a chance, that is, until Hunter Lawrence broke their hearts, and mine with his game winning kick. With so much on the line, the Bearcats completed their greatest season to date and now wait for New Years Day, when a chance to start inside the Top 10 next year could be on the line. The dust has settled, the stands have cleared, and the only thing that's still here is the memory of the greatest football game in college football history. That's not including the Big East trophy, "River City Rivalry" trophy, or their game against Florida in the Sugar Bowl that they walked away with when the clock struck zero.
The last four weeks, UC has played UConn, West Virginia, Illinois and Pitt. West Virginia and Pitt were both ranked in the top 25 in their games against the Bearcats and while Illinois may not be a power house, they are still a Big Ten team. Against UConn, UC won 47-45, 24-21 against West Virginia, 49-36 against Illinois and now 45-44 against Pitt. I'd rather have teams test the Bearcats, give them a run for their money, and still have the Bearcats pull out. A close game where UC and it's young defense must fight, scratch and claw their way to a win is better than a 70-3 blowout over Southeast Missouri State.
Brian Kelly is one of the greatest coaches when it comes down to halftime adjustments. It showed against Pitt, as he was able to help Tony Pike find his inner Heisman and lead this team to a win. If he hadn't gotten hurt, Tony Pike would be the next Heisman Trophy winner. But, he got hurt, and now, he'll play his final game in the Sugar Bowl, and go on to lead an NFL team in need of a dependable quarterback.
There's only one piece of business to tend to before that bowl game, and that's Brian Kelly. If he stays this year, then he'll be here for a long, long time. If he turns down the Notre Dame job, you'll see Brian Kelly coaching the Bearcats for 30 more years, as he will try to challenge Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden as most dominating football coach ever.
'Cats, here's to all of you...and BK, please stay!
The Easy
On Saturday, November 5th, 2009, I sat watching my Cincinnati Bearcats play the Pittsburgh Panthers for the Big East Championship and a BCS Bowl bid. UC had at least nine lives on this day, and unfortunately, that last life ended when the University of Texas' Hunter Lawrence kicked the game winning field goal with one second left in regulation to lift the Longhorns over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. But before we go any further, let's wind the clock back eight hours or so to the Bearcats game.
The conditions had to suck for fans in attendance, players and coaches but as a fan, that's the way football is supposed to look like in December. With the snow falling, temperatures dropping, and bodies flying all over the field, the UC Bearcats were in for a real treat with the Pitt Panthers waiting for them. As for the game itself? The first half was very reminiscent of last year's Orange Bowl between UC and Virginia Tech in which Virginia Tech ruffled up and beat on the Bearcats. Tony Pike was the quarter back for both games, and unlike the Orange Bowl, Tony was able to muster up enough in the fourth quarter to lead the Bearcats to their second straight Big East Championship and BCS Bowl game.
With so much on the line, the Brian Kelly and the Bearcats did not disappoint following halftime. Pitt took a 31-17 lead to halftime before all hell broke lose on Heinz Field during the second half. There was only one scoring play during the thrid quarter, and that was Mardy Gilyard scoring a 68-yard touchdown on a pass from Tony Pike. In the fourth quarter, Pitt scored again, giving the Panthers another two touchdown lead. In a matter of six minutes and 20 seconds, Cincinnati's defense stuffed the Panther offense, allowing Tony Pike and Isaiah Pead to tie the game up on two different scoring drives. But please wait, because here is where all hell breaks lose.
I can not remember a football game that has meant so much, that pumped me up, and got me excited as this one did. Last year's Orange Bowl was the Bearcats first BCS Bowl game, and was very important for the program, it's players and coaches fans but I don't specifically remember jumping up and screaming during the Orange Bowl like I did when Armon Binns caught the game tying touchdown pass. Nor do I remember high fiving strangers, yelling and singing the fight song with them. Either way, I came away happy with back-to-back Big East Championships and a second BCS Bowl bid in as many years against former #1, and still power house team in the Florida Gators. On January 1st of the new year, UC will have the chance to prove to the country just how good they are in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Gators.
In a game that saw a total of six lead changes, with three of those coming in the fourth quarter alone, and a total of 89 points, the two teams put on a show that displayed heart, soul, dedication and want. But what UC wanted that BCS bid more. UC had a chance, that is, until Hunter Lawrence broke their hearts, and mine with his game winning kick. With so much on the line, the Bearcats completed their greatest season to date and now wait for New Years Day, when a chance to start inside the Top 10 next year could be on the line. The dust has settled, the stands have cleared, and the only thing that's still here is the memory of the greatest football game in college football history. That's not including the Big East trophy, "River City Rivalry" trophy, or their game against Florida in the Sugar Bowl that they walked away with when the clock struck zero.
The last four weeks, UC has played UConn, West Virginia, Illinois and Pitt. West Virginia and Pitt were both ranked in the top 25 in their games against the Bearcats and while Illinois may not be a power house, they are still a Big Ten team. Against UConn, UC won 47-45, 24-21 against West Virginia, 49-36 against Illinois and now 45-44 against Pitt. I'd rather have teams test the Bearcats, give them a run for their money, and still have the Bearcats pull out. A close game where UC and it's young defense must fight, scratch and claw their way to a win is better than a 70-3 blowout over Southeast Missouri State.
Brian Kelly is one of the greatest coaches when it comes down to halftime adjustments. It showed against Pitt, as he was able to help Tony Pike find his inner Heisman and lead this team to a win. If he hadn't gotten hurt, Tony Pike would be the next Heisman Trophy winner. But, he got hurt, and now, he'll play his final game in the Sugar Bowl, and go on to lead an NFL team in need of a dependable quarterback.
There's only one piece of business to tend to before that bowl game, and that's Brian Kelly. If he stays this year, then he'll be here for a long, long time. If he turns down the Notre Dame job, you'll see Brian Kelly coaching the Bearcats for 30 more years, as he will try to challenge Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden as most dominating football coach ever.
'Cats, here's to all of you...and BK, please stay!
The Easy
Friday, December 4, 2009
All I Want for Christmas is the Playoffs in Cincinnati
Do you remember the first time your parents told you about Santa Claus? No? Ok, how about the first time you sat on his lap and he asked you, "What do you want for Christmas?" You do? Good, now keep that memory in your head. No, don't place it on the back burner, put it on the small front burner and continue with me. Do you remember how you felt on Christmas morning, and you saw a present from Santa, and it was exactly what you wanted? Of course you remember, what child doesn't. The child that was on Santa's naughty list doesn't remember, but he doesn't count.
Let's fast forward to the mid to late 1990's and early 2000's. Let's try 1991 to 2004 to be exact. We'll even add in 2006 to 2008 for those of you who just started to become fans. You're a Cincinnati Bengals fan, and you just want a winning team. For some reason, you can't ever get one. Year in, and year out, the "Bungals" continue to disappoint you. From David Klingler to Jeff Blake. From Jeff Blake to Neil O'Donnell and then back to Jeff Blake. Then Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown said, "Hey, let's follow that trio with Akili Smith that lineup." No Mike, how about we don't do that. Well, Mike listened, and after a year, he Bengals fans Jon Kitna. Now, I have no personal vendetta against Kitna, but no offense Jon, you're not cut out to be a Quarterback in Cincinnati. It's those small hands of yours that bothers me.
Don't worry though Bengals fans, because the Messiah, Carson Palmer, was on his way. After being drafted by the Bengals in 2003, Palmer sat out the entire year as the Bengals followed a 2-14 2002 with an 8-8 record under first year Head Coach Marvin Lewis. Everything changed in 2005 when the Bengals went to the playoffs for the first time since winning their division in 1990. That is, until Kimo Von Dream Killer crushed any hopes of the Bengals winning the Super Bowl that year.
Stay with me young grasshoppers, I know it's been a long flight, but I promise, we're getting close to the climax. In '06, Palmer came back, and the Bengals finished with an 8-8 record for the 3rd time in four years. But that was ok, because Palmer was getting his feet wet again, and in '07, the Bengals would surely be in cruise control all year into the Playoffs. Nope, you're wrong. A 7-9 record in '07, and a dismal 4-11-1 record in 2008, and voila, you have the Cincinnati Bengals at their finest. Breaking hearts, and losing games.
Like I said grasshopper, we're close to the end, as now, we're to the present in 2009, and the 8-3 Bengals are leading the AFC North Division by two games over both the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, and on a side note, we beat both of them, TWICE! By the looks of their remaining schedule, if the Bengals were to lose any more games, it would probably happen in Minnesota against the Minnesota Vikings, possibly San Diego against the San Diego Chargers, and you can never count out those "J-E-T-S, NEW YORK JETS!"
Let's tie this all together now young grasshopper. The Bengals sucked, for a lack of a better term, from 1991 to 2004. In 2005, we were treated to Air Palmer, the Chad Johnson Show, and criminal activity. From 2006 to 2008, the Bengals, again, sucked. Now, in 2009, the Jungle's rockin', seats are selling out (barely), and the Bengals are winning again.
So, what do I want for Christmas? Well Santa, I'd sure love a Bengals team that doesn't blow it down the stretch, Lord knows the Cincinnati Reds are great at that. I'm tired of hearing about the Shittsburgh Squeelers, I mean Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. I want a Bengals team to beat the teams they're supposed to beat (Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, and maybe the Jets). The Bengals need to compete with the Vikings and the Chargers. Definetely Sand Diego because if the Bengals win that game, count them in for a first round bye.
If you're listening Santa, and I know you are, I want the playoffs in Cincinnati, and this time, leave out the image of Number 9 sprawled out on the ground grabbing his knee. And while you're at it, sell out the Chiefs game, because I'm sick of hearing about the possibility of a blackout. If you want to make this Christmas better for all those that lost their jobs, then you'll give the Bengals a playoff spot, more wins, and a spot in the AFC Championship Game. I don't mind watching the Bengals against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, whether or not they win, at least they made it there. Don't worry, I'll be calling for help next year. It might be for the Reds though, because I'm not sure where the light at the end of the tunnel is.
The Easy
P.S. Don't worry Santa, I'll leave milk and cookies.
Let's fast forward to the mid to late 1990's and early 2000's. Let's try 1991 to 2004 to be exact. We'll even add in 2006 to 2008 for those of you who just started to become fans. You're a Cincinnati Bengals fan, and you just want a winning team. For some reason, you can't ever get one. Year in, and year out, the "Bungals" continue to disappoint you. From David Klingler to Jeff Blake. From Jeff Blake to Neil O'Donnell and then back to Jeff Blake. Then Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown said, "Hey, let's follow that trio with Akili Smith that lineup." No Mike, how about we don't do that. Well, Mike listened, and after a year, he Bengals fans Jon Kitna. Now, I have no personal vendetta against Kitna, but no offense Jon, you're not cut out to be a Quarterback in Cincinnati. It's those small hands of yours that bothers me.
Don't worry though Bengals fans, because the Messiah, Carson Palmer, was on his way. After being drafted by the Bengals in 2003, Palmer sat out the entire year as the Bengals followed a 2-14 2002 with an 8-8 record under first year Head Coach Marvin Lewis. Everything changed in 2005 when the Bengals went to the playoffs for the first time since winning their division in 1990. That is, until Kimo Von Dream Killer crushed any hopes of the Bengals winning the Super Bowl that year.
Stay with me young grasshoppers, I know it's been a long flight, but I promise, we're getting close to the climax. In '06, Palmer came back, and the Bengals finished with an 8-8 record for the 3rd time in four years. But that was ok, because Palmer was getting his feet wet again, and in '07, the Bengals would surely be in cruise control all year into the Playoffs. Nope, you're wrong. A 7-9 record in '07, and a dismal 4-11-1 record in 2008, and voila, you have the Cincinnati Bengals at their finest. Breaking hearts, and losing games.
Like I said grasshopper, we're close to the end, as now, we're to the present in 2009, and the 8-3 Bengals are leading the AFC North Division by two games over both the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Oh, and on a side note, we beat both of them, TWICE! By the looks of their remaining schedule, if the Bengals were to lose any more games, it would probably happen in Minnesota against the Minnesota Vikings, possibly San Diego against the San Diego Chargers, and you can never count out those "J-E-T-S, NEW YORK JETS!"
Let's tie this all together now young grasshopper. The Bengals sucked, for a lack of a better term, from 1991 to 2004. In 2005, we were treated to Air Palmer, the Chad Johnson Show, and criminal activity. From 2006 to 2008, the Bengals, again, sucked. Now, in 2009, the Jungle's rockin', seats are selling out (barely), and the Bengals are winning again.
So, what do I want for Christmas? Well Santa, I'd sure love a Bengals team that doesn't blow it down the stretch, Lord knows the Cincinnati Reds are great at that. I'm tired of hearing about the Shittsburgh Squeelers, I mean Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens. I want a Bengals team to beat the teams they're supposed to beat (Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, and maybe the Jets). The Bengals need to compete with the Vikings and the Chargers. Definetely Sand Diego because if the Bengals win that game, count them in for a first round bye.
If you're listening Santa, and I know you are, I want the playoffs in Cincinnati, and this time, leave out the image of Number 9 sprawled out on the ground grabbing his knee. And while you're at it, sell out the Chiefs game, because I'm sick of hearing about the possibility of a blackout. If you want to make this Christmas better for all those that lost their jobs, then you'll give the Bengals a playoff spot, more wins, and a spot in the AFC Championship Game. I don't mind watching the Bengals against the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game, whether or not they win, at least they made it there. Don't worry, I'll be calling for help next year. It might be for the Reds though, because I'm not sure where the light at the end of the tunnel is.
The Easy
P.S. Don't worry Santa, I'll leave milk and cookies.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Bengals Receive Extension; More AFC North News
Cincinnati Bengals:
The Cincinnati Bengals announced today that they have received a 24 hour extension to sell out the remaining tickets for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. The extension will end tomorrow at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. If the Bengals fail to sell the 3,500 tickets left, their 50-game regular-season and post season sellout streak will come to an end. Taking a look at the big picture, the game probably won't sellout. Why? The Local Fox affiliate in Cincinnati, Fox 19, only receives two chances a year to broadcast Bengals games. This year, the Chicago Bears were the first, and now, the Detroit Lions. Both of them are at home, and I don't see any T.V. show producing more fan fare and couch potatoes in Cincinnati than the Bengals. Either Fox 19 will step up and buy the tickets, or Chad Ocho Cinco will buy them and give them away. Wait, isn't he broke? Oh well, if you can't be at Paul Brown Stadium for the action, there's no better place than from the confines of your own home, settled in the middle of the dent in the couch.
Just remember though, the Bengals must sell out. Failure to do so will show ESPN that even in the thick of a playoff hunt, fans don't want to pay outrageous prices for seats, food, and drinks. Bengals Owner Mike Brown should be used to hearing this, as Cincinati sports talk show host Lance McAlister preaches this week in and week out. In addition, it'll show Mike Brown that not everyone has money like he does, and the economy is actually very rough on most people, and at times, unless they're free, Bengals tickets will be passed over by your blue collar fans.
Cleveland Browns:
The Cleveland Browns face off against the San Diego Chargers this week, and I'm not seeing an upset in the horizon, but a blow out. The Browns are a team that will break your heart play after play, game after game, year after year. Trust me, I know one when I see one, I've been a fan of one since I was a kid. This is not the team to upset an 8-3 Chargers team, but rather a team that will lose in dramatic fashion to the Bolts. When I say dramatic fashion I mean Brady Quinn going 8 of 39 for 65 yards and 3 Interceptions dramatic fashion. I think this team might be worse than last years Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams. There's that possibility that they're the worst team in football, and I wouldn't doubt it. If there's one thing I've learned while growing up in Cincinnati, it would be this: If it's Brown, flush it down!
Baltimore Ravens:
This week's matchup of the Baltimore Ravens and the Green Bay Packers recieves my AFC North Game of the Week Award. The Ravens have more at stake than the Packers do, considering their 6-5 record ties them for 2nd place in the AFC North Division with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens do own the tie breaker at the moment, but their week 16 matchup could decide who wins the Wild Card. If Baltimore loses, their 6-6 and no shot of the playoffs. One more loss for the Steelers and they're out. Expect the Ravens to try and get up early, if that doesn't work, you'll see Joe Flacco taking the ball away from Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain and putting it in the air, which isn't always a good thing.
Pittsburgh Steelers:
The Pittsburgh Steelers matchup with the Oakland Raiders this week is my AFC North Trap Game of the Week. You saw what happened to the Bengals in Oakland, now watch out, because they could do it to the Steelers, and in a more humiliating way. The Raiders will definetely be coming into this game with a chip on their shoulder, knowing they can beat the Black and Gold, and beating the reigning Super Bowl Champion Steelers sounds better than beating the 7-2 Cincinnati Bengals. I expect the Steelers to win, but not until late in the fourth quarter. Both teams execute a rough and hard hitting style of play, and it'll take more than a miracle for the Raiders to beat the Steelers, but Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski may be the miracle Oakland's been looking for.
The Easy
The Cincinnati Bengals announced today that they have received a 24 hour extension to sell out the remaining tickets for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions. The extension will end tomorrow at 1 o'clock in the afternoon. If the Bengals fail to sell the 3,500 tickets left, their 50-game regular-season and post season sellout streak will come to an end. Taking a look at the big picture, the game probably won't sellout. Why? The Local Fox affiliate in Cincinnati, Fox 19, only receives two chances a year to broadcast Bengals games. This year, the Chicago Bears were the first, and now, the Detroit Lions. Both of them are at home, and I don't see any T.V. show producing more fan fare and couch potatoes in Cincinnati than the Bengals. Either Fox 19 will step up and buy the tickets, or Chad Ocho Cinco will buy them and give them away. Wait, isn't he broke? Oh well, if you can't be at Paul Brown Stadium for the action, there's no better place than from the confines of your own home, settled in the middle of the dent in the couch.
Just remember though, the Bengals must sell out. Failure to do so will show ESPN that even in the thick of a playoff hunt, fans don't want to pay outrageous prices for seats, food, and drinks. Bengals Owner Mike Brown should be used to hearing this, as Cincinati sports talk show host Lance McAlister preaches this week in and week out. In addition, it'll show Mike Brown that not everyone has money like he does, and the economy is actually very rough on most people, and at times, unless they're free, Bengals tickets will be passed over by your blue collar fans.
Cleveland Browns:
The Cleveland Browns face off against the San Diego Chargers this week, and I'm not seeing an upset in the horizon, but a blow out. The Browns are a team that will break your heart play after play, game after game, year after year. Trust me, I know one when I see one, I've been a fan of one since I was a kid. This is not the team to upset an 8-3 Chargers team, but rather a team that will lose in dramatic fashion to the Bolts. When I say dramatic fashion I mean Brady Quinn going 8 of 39 for 65 yards and 3 Interceptions dramatic fashion. I think this team might be worse than last years Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams. There's that possibility that they're the worst team in football, and I wouldn't doubt it. If there's one thing I've learned while growing up in Cincinnati, it would be this: If it's Brown, flush it down!
Baltimore Ravens:
This week's matchup of the Baltimore Ravens and the Green Bay Packers recieves my AFC North Game of the Week Award. The Ravens have more at stake than the Packers do, considering their 6-5 record ties them for 2nd place in the AFC North Division with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens do own the tie breaker at the moment, but their week 16 matchup could decide who wins the Wild Card. If Baltimore loses, their 6-6 and no shot of the playoffs. One more loss for the Steelers and they're out. Expect the Ravens to try and get up early, if that doesn't work, you'll see Joe Flacco taking the ball away from Ray Rice, Willis McGahee and Le'Ron McClain and putting it in the air, which isn't always a good thing.
Pittsburgh Steelers:
The Pittsburgh Steelers matchup with the Oakland Raiders this week is my AFC North Trap Game of the Week. You saw what happened to the Bengals in Oakland, now watch out, because they could do it to the Steelers, and in a more humiliating way. The Raiders will definetely be coming into this game with a chip on their shoulder, knowing they can beat the Black and Gold, and beating the reigning Super Bowl Champion Steelers sounds better than beating the 7-2 Cincinnati Bengals. I expect the Steelers to win, but not until late in the fourth quarter. Both teams execute a rough and hard hitting style of play, and it'll take more than a miracle for the Raiders to beat the Steelers, but Quarterback Bruce Gradkowski may be the miracle Oakland's been looking for.
The Easy
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Review and Preview, Bengals Keep on Rolling
The Cincinnati Bengals have hit gold. The entire team is made up of guys who went undrafted, guys who were run out of their former city, or guys who haven't made a name for themselves yet. An entire crew of players that were outplayed, outwitted, and outcast to another city, another team. Guys like Tank Johnson, Cedric Benson, Laveranues Coles, and yes, Larry Johnson, although just for the first game so far. As I said before, and I shall say again, whether or not this marriage works out, the addition of Larry Johnson was not only beneficial to Larry, but to Cedric Benson, Bernard Scott, and the rest of the Cincinnati Bengals.
The offensive line for the Bengals is not nearly as good as it will be in the future. This is a very young, and very talented line that will continue to grow and get better the more snaps they perform together. The entire team is young and talented, and although the O-line is not exceptional, but rather, the entire group of 300 plus pounders are playing exceptionally well. There will be bumps in the road the rest of the season, and seasons to follow for that matter. But what is important, is that after a 4-11-1 season, and a 8-3 start to a season that, according to ESPN, was doomed from the first OchoCinco tweet of the offseason, this team isn't letting any player, or team for that matter decide their fate for them.
The line is creating the same holes that Ced ran through for nine games, and now, we see that it's not just Ced who can run the ball behind this line, but Bernard "Great" Scott and Larry Johnson can too. We see, that through two games, Scott has racked up over 200 yeards rushing, and Larry taking the load against Cleveland, rushing for 107 yards on 22 carries. The addition of Johnson, and the health of Ced will greatly increase the Jungle's chances of witnessing a playoff game with a better outcome than the 2005 debacle.
Cedric can do it all, and we've seen that from him through nine games. Bernard is our kick-off specialist, while resembling a younger Chris Johnson in doing so. Add a fullback/halfback hybrid in Brian Leonard, who can pass protect on 3rd down and provide Carson Palmer with a receiving option coming out of the back field, and you have three great options of running backs to throw out there on Sundays. But wait, there's more, WAY more. The Bengals were able to sign, at a pro rated deal for half the season, former Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson, who in 2005 ran 336 times for 1,750 yards, a 5.2 yards per carry with 20 Touchdowns. Add 33 catches for 343 yards, a 10.4 average with one touchdown, and you have a season that can't be topped...but he did. In 2006, the year he set the NFL carries record, Johnson ran 416 times, for 1,789 yards, and 17 touchdowns along with 41 catches for 410 yards, a 10 yard average and two touchdowns. Two great seasons, one troubled back who wasn't used the proper way in a city in which their NFL team is sinker faster than the 2008 Detroit Lions, and you have Larry Johnson in Cincinnati.
Larry is able to plow through defenders and leave them lying on the ground crying trainer, while using the Pittsburgh Steeler-Baltimore Raven "Stuff it Down your Throat" theory that I hate. But I'll admit when I'm wrong, and while I won't say I like it, i will say it's worked.
As for Sunday at PBS with Detroit coming to town? The sellout streak is in jeopardy, which doesn't surprise me, and shouldn't surprise you at all either. Why? It's Detroit. I'm surprised fans wanted to go watch the Cleveland Browns come to town and lose, but, again, I was wrong. After Detroit, the Kansas City Chiefs come to town, and that game as well will be in jeopardy of a sellout, being as how the Chiefs are quite a lackluster team. Cedric Benson will play, while Bernard "Great" Scott might not after suffering that turf toe injury early in the second half sunday, leaving the Bengals with a backfield shaped of Ced, Larry, and Leonard. To qoute the Ocho, Chad OchoCinco that is, and end this on a good note, I will leave you with one final word.
This is The Easy
FROM TWITTER:
"@OGOchoCinco: The baby has been kissed, goodnight and may you all sleep with angels! Zzzzzzzzzzz"
The offensive line for the Bengals is not nearly as good as it will be in the future. This is a very young, and very talented line that will continue to grow and get better the more snaps they perform together. The entire team is young and talented, and although the O-line is not exceptional, but rather, the entire group of 300 plus pounders are playing exceptionally well. There will be bumps in the road the rest of the season, and seasons to follow for that matter. But what is important, is that after a 4-11-1 season, and a 8-3 start to a season that, according to ESPN, was doomed from the first OchoCinco tweet of the offseason, this team isn't letting any player, or team for that matter decide their fate for them.
The line is creating the same holes that Ced ran through for nine games, and now, we see that it's not just Ced who can run the ball behind this line, but Bernard "Great" Scott and Larry Johnson can too. We see, that through two games, Scott has racked up over 200 yeards rushing, and Larry taking the load against Cleveland, rushing for 107 yards on 22 carries. The addition of Johnson, and the health of Ced will greatly increase the Jungle's chances of witnessing a playoff game with a better outcome than the 2005 debacle.
Cedric can do it all, and we've seen that from him through nine games. Bernard is our kick-off specialist, while resembling a younger Chris Johnson in doing so. Add a fullback/halfback hybrid in Brian Leonard, who can pass protect on 3rd down and provide Carson Palmer with a receiving option coming out of the back field, and you have three great options of running backs to throw out there on Sundays. But wait, there's more, WAY more. The Bengals were able to sign, at a pro rated deal for half the season, former Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson, who in 2005 ran 336 times for 1,750 yards, a 5.2 yards per carry with 20 Touchdowns. Add 33 catches for 343 yards, a 10.4 average with one touchdown, and you have a season that can't be topped...but he did. In 2006, the year he set the NFL carries record, Johnson ran 416 times, for 1,789 yards, and 17 touchdowns along with 41 catches for 410 yards, a 10 yard average and two touchdowns. Two great seasons, one troubled back who wasn't used the proper way in a city in which their NFL team is sinker faster than the 2008 Detroit Lions, and you have Larry Johnson in Cincinnati.
Larry is able to plow through defenders and leave them lying on the ground crying trainer, while using the Pittsburgh Steeler-Baltimore Raven "Stuff it Down your Throat" theory that I hate. But I'll admit when I'm wrong, and while I won't say I like it, i will say it's worked.
As for Sunday at PBS with Detroit coming to town? The sellout streak is in jeopardy, which doesn't surprise me, and shouldn't surprise you at all either. Why? It's Detroit. I'm surprised fans wanted to go watch the Cleveland Browns come to town and lose, but, again, I was wrong. After Detroit, the Kansas City Chiefs come to town, and that game as well will be in jeopardy of a sellout, being as how the Chiefs are quite a lackluster team. Cedric Benson will play, while Bernard "Great" Scott might not after suffering that turf toe injury early in the second half sunday, leaving the Bengals with a backfield shaped of Ced, Larry, and Leonard. To qoute the Ocho, Chad OchoCinco that is, and end this on a good note, I will leave you with one final word.
This is The Easy
FROM TWITTER:
"@OGOchoCinco: The baby has been kissed, goodnight and may you all sleep with angels! Zzzzzzzzzzz"
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Crazy Larry a Bengal, Crazy Larry Could Play
Earlier this week, the Cincinnati Bengals announced the signing of former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson. With the injury and the signing, Cedric Benson fans should not be worried that Ced may become the team's number two back. Yes, Larry Johnson did have a history of problems in KC and at times has showed signs of having a mind full of "It's about Larry world" ideas, but that doesn't mean he's not an effective and useful back to have on the roster, even at the "old" age 30.
Veteran Leadership:
Larry Johnson can help this team more than you think, whether or not he's taking five to ten carries a game. Larry Johsnon did go to the playoffs with the Chiefs, and can provide some additional veteran leadership to a young team. The Bengals are in a winning situation, and the young team is hungry and seeking a playoff run. Given the environment, Larry Johnson can thrive and help save Ced for that late January run. The Bengals have an exceptional and young offensive line that week in and week out exceeds expectations. Larry Johnson did not experience that in Kansas City this year, and everyone knows that a good running back starts with a good offensive line.
Making Room in the Backfield:
Giving Johnson the ball five to ten times a game makes perfectly good sense. He can help take the load off of Cedric Benson, which will save him for December and the playoffs. The Bengals plan on using Larry as an insurance policy, but trust me, a horse like Larry Johnson won't be an insurance policy for long, as he'll be seeing game time soon. Rookie Bernard Scott has the chance to be a replica of LaDainian Tomlinson but this is his first year, give him some time. Former St. Louis Rams running back Brian Leonard is a receiving threat coming out of the backfield and can be used deadly when in the right formation. Give Johnson five or ten carries a game, let Leonard and Scott see about five or so snaps a game and give Benson 15 carries, and the backfield is set, with nobody wearing down.
Strong Locker Room Leadership:
Until the last year or two, the Cincinnati Bengals have constantly been looking for that locker room leadership that you only get with the likes of the Indianapolis Colts or New England Patriots. That's changed, as the Bengals locker room is loaded with veterans that carry themselves well off the football field. The most obvious example, Carson Palmer. Along with Palmer, there are at least four more leaders on the offensive side of the ball. Included are Bobbie Williams, the 32 year old right guard, Tackle Andrew Whitworth, the anchor of the offensive line, Tackle Scott Kooistra, who can play anywhere on the line, and Tight End Reggie Kelly. Although Kelly is out for the year, he provides lots of leadership in the locker room to rookie Chase Coffman.
On defense, you have cast-offs from around the league that found a home and locker room to lead here in Cincinnati. Of these players, Dhani Jones, Roy Williams and Chris Crocker are providing a lot of the leadership, as all three have been to the playoffs, and have tasted glory. Throw in Robert Geathers, the longest tenured defensive player at the age of 26 and Domata Peko, and you have yourself a mix of young and veteran players that are working to bring a Super Bowl to the Jungle.
The overall point? Larry Johnson doesn't have a chance to come into the locker room and live up to his "bad boy" act from Kansas City. He won't even get a word out before someone, probably Carson Palmer, comes to him and tells him how it is here, and how we act here. If Johsnon can't deal, he can leave. He won't, he's got nowhere else to go.
The Easy
Veteran Leadership:
Larry Johnson can help this team more than you think, whether or not he's taking five to ten carries a game. Larry Johsnon did go to the playoffs with the Chiefs, and can provide some additional veteran leadership to a young team. The Bengals are in a winning situation, and the young team is hungry and seeking a playoff run. Given the environment, Larry Johnson can thrive and help save Ced for that late January run. The Bengals have an exceptional and young offensive line that week in and week out exceeds expectations. Larry Johnson did not experience that in Kansas City this year, and everyone knows that a good running back starts with a good offensive line.
Making Room in the Backfield:
Giving Johnson the ball five to ten times a game makes perfectly good sense. He can help take the load off of Cedric Benson, which will save him for December and the playoffs. The Bengals plan on using Larry as an insurance policy, but trust me, a horse like Larry Johnson won't be an insurance policy for long, as he'll be seeing game time soon. Rookie Bernard Scott has the chance to be a replica of LaDainian Tomlinson but this is his first year, give him some time. Former St. Louis Rams running back Brian Leonard is a receiving threat coming out of the backfield and can be used deadly when in the right formation. Give Johnson five or ten carries a game, let Leonard and Scott see about five or so snaps a game and give Benson 15 carries, and the backfield is set, with nobody wearing down.
Strong Locker Room Leadership:
Until the last year or two, the Cincinnati Bengals have constantly been looking for that locker room leadership that you only get with the likes of the Indianapolis Colts or New England Patriots. That's changed, as the Bengals locker room is loaded with veterans that carry themselves well off the football field. The most obvious example, Carson Palmer. Along with Palmer, there are at least four more leaders on the offensive side of the ball. Included are Bobbie Williams, the 32 year old right guard, Tackle Andrew Whitworth, the anchor of the offensive line, Tackle Scott Kooistra, who can play anywhere on the line, and Tight End Reggie Kelly. Although Kelly is out for the year, he provides lots of leadership in the locker room to rookie Chase Coffman.
On defense, you have cast-offs from around the league that found a home and locker room to lead here in Cincinnati. Of these players, Dhani Jones, Roy Williams and Chris Crocker are providing a lot of the leadership, as all three have been to the playoffs, and have tasted glory. Throw in Robert Geathers, the longest tenured defensive player at the age of 26 and Domata Peko, and you have yourself a mix of young and veteran players that are working to bring a Super Bowl to the Jungle.
The overall point? Larry Johnson doesn't have a chance to come into the locker room and live up to his "bad boy" act from Kansas City. He won't even get a word out before someone, probably Carson Palmer, comes to him and tells him how it is here, and how we act here. If Johsnon can't deal, he can leave. He won't, he's got nowhere else to go.
The Easy
Thursday, November 12, 2009
McGwire's Legacy is Steroids, Not Home Runs
Mark McGwire has had nearly five years to figure out what to say next. Yet here we are, weeks after the St. Louis Cardinals hired McGwire to be their new hitting coach, and still not a word. No news conference. No teleconference. No statement. No nothing.
If a quivering McGwire was unwilling to speak under oath at a March 2005 congressional hearing on steroids, what makes you think he wants to speak about the S-word -- and his alleged use of the juice -- in November 2009? That's easy, McGuire doesn't.
McGwire would rather chug pine tar than sit in front of another conga line of microphones, in front of an SRO crowd of reporters, and have to explain his relationship with performance-enhancing drugs. But this is the situation he created and a situation only he can resolve. "I think that's going to be needed, yes," Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak said when asked by ESPN writer Gene Wojciechowski whether McGwire should address the controversy. "How we'll define that I think we'll still use our time to still figure that out. But that does seem logical."
Logical. Necessary. Unavoidable.
Remember, McGwire is the man who hid behind his retirement from baseball, who slithered around the truth, who, when Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., asked him that March day in 2005 whether he was invoking his Fifth Amendment rights, said famously and disastrously, "I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm here to be positive about this subject." Problem is, the past won't go away. It's stuck to his reputation like a wad of bubble gum and chaw. In McGwire's case, the past is still his present. There is no timetable for a McGwire public appearance. If anything, it sounds as if Mozeliak, the Cardinals and, most of all, McGwire, were unprepared to deal with the premature release of the news of his hiring.
"I think on the McGwire topic right now, the way I'd like to address it is that there's still some things we're talking through," Mozeliak said. "I recognize that it's a very sensitive topic … there's going to be a wide range of what people are hoping to hear or something along the lines of what he may say. For me personally, I'm not, we're not there yet. We don't know what that looks like. Hopefully in the next week or so, we can work through that." Added Mozeliak, "It's not something we're ignoring or hoping will go away."
McGwire must be dreading this. He is a private person who, even during his then-record-breaking 70-homer season in 1998, had to be pulled out of his personality shell by Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa. They were baseball's odd couple. Sosa would later forget how to speak English at those same congressional hearings. This past June, The New York Times reported that Sosa was one of 104 players who tested positive for PED use in what was supposed to be an anonymous 2003 drug survey. Gee, what a surprise. But in 1998, McGwire and Sosa mesmerized a nation with their homers. In 2005, they mesmerized it with their laughable and lawyered-up testimony.
The smart move, the only move, is for McGwire to do what Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez and even Manny Ramirez -- all previously accused of PED use -- did before him: acknowledge, confess and explain. That's because the minute McGwire decided to accept Manager Tony La Russa's job offer is the minute he forfeited his baseball privacy. This is standard damage-control doctrine. Have a one-time news conference, answer every question, then move forward.
"I thought Manny needed to explain himself," said Los Angeles Dodgers GM Ned Colletti. "He's still an active player. He's still a player on the payroll. He's somebody who's vital to the organization and, in a lot of ways, the face of the organization. I think it was incumbent upon him to say something, which he did."
And this from New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman: "[Pettitte and Rodriguez] came forward to the degree that they felt they could, and I believe they both moved past it and put it in their rearview mirrors. Those were very difficult times in their lives regarding choices they made at certain times of their lives. Thankfully, they emerged and moved on and have continued to be a part of the game they loved." Do you want to be a part of the game you loved Mark? I think fans may be willing to dismiss the fact that you turned your back on not only the fans, but the sport that you were supposed to love. "The only thing I ever discussed with [Pettitte and Rodriguez] was if they talked about it publicly that they do not lie," Cashman said. "Whatever they decide to give publicly, make sure it's accurate. Because there are no secrets. So if you say something in public that's not accurate, then eventually it will be proven inaccurate. Whatever you speak to, make sure it's accurate. And don't try to mislead people."
McGwire was the face, the arms, the legs, the everything of the St. Louis franchise for years. When he steps into the Jupiter, Fla., sun for the first day of spring training -- even as a hitting coach -- he will become a prominent part of the Cardinals once again.
But you can't put on a big league uniform, especially a uni that represents one of the most respected organizations in the majors, without addressing your demons. Anyone who watched McGwire's credibility evaporate in front of that congressional hearing knows he has a bat rack full of them.
Now McGwire gets a rare second chance. At baseball. At the truth. A rare second chance at not only the truth for the fan's sake, but for his as well. Just like all the ball players that used, he made a mistake, and a very bad judgement call. Let's hope he makes the right one this time, because McGwire does deserve to be back in the spotlight. The ball is in his court, and now it's the waiting game to see how he serves it back.
Four years and nine months ago, McGwire sat in front of the country and misled it. He did a verbal tap dance. He evaded. And then he disappeared into the darkness. Soon, he'll sit in front of those microphones again. This time, let's hope he sees something different. This time, let's hope he sees the light.
If a quivering McGwire was unwilling to speak under oath at a March 2005 congressional hearing on steroids, what makes you think he wants to speak about the S-word -- and his alleged use of the juice -- in November 2009? That's easy, McGuire doesn't.
McGwire would rather chug pine tar than sit in front of another conga line of microphones, in front of an SRO crowd of reporters, and have to explain his relationship with performance-enhancing drugs. But this is the situation he created and a situation only he can resolve. "I think that's going to be needed, yes," Cardinals General Manager John Mozeliak said when asked by ESPN writer Gene Wojciechowski whether McGwire should address the controversy. "How we'll define that I think we'll still use our time to still figure that out. But that does seem logical."
Logical. Necessary. Unavoidable.
Remember, McGwire is the man who hid behind his retirement from baseball, who slithered around the truth, who, when Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., asked him that March day in 2005 whether he was invoking his Fifth Amendment rights, said famously and disastrously, "I'm not here to talk about the past. I'm here to be positive about this subject." Problem is, the past won't go away. It's stuck to his reputation like a wad of bubble gum and chaw. In McGwire's case, the past is still his present. There is no timetable for a McGwire public appearance. If anything, it sounds as if Mozeliak, the Cardinals and, most of all, McGwire, were unprepared to deal with the premature release of the news of his hiring.
"I think on the McGwire topic right now, the way I'd like to address it is that there's still some things we're talking through," Mozeliak said. "I recognize that it's a very sensitive topic … there's going to be a wide range of what people are hoping to hear or something along the lines of what he may say. For me personally, I'm not, we're not there yet. We don't know what that looks like. Hopefully in the next week or so, we can work through that." Added Mozeliak, "It's not something we're ignoring or hoping will go away."
McGwire must be dreading this. He is a private person who, even during his then-record-breaking 70-homer season in 1998, had to be pulled out of his personality shell by Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa. They were baseball's odd couple. Sosa would later forget how to speak English at those same congressional hearings. This past June, The New York Times reported that Sosa was one of 104 players who tested positive for PED use in what was supposed to be an anonymous 2003 drug survey. Gee, what a surprise. But in 1998, McGwire and Sosa mesmerized a nation with their homers. In 2005, they mesmerized it with their laughable and lawyered-up testimony.
The smart move, the only move, is for McGwire to do what Andy Pettitte, Alex Rodriguez and even Manny Ramirez -- all previously accused of PED use -- did before him: acknowledge, confess and explain. That's because the minute McGwire decided to accept Manager Tony La Russa's job offer is the minute he forfeited his baseball privacy. This is standard damage-control doctrine. Have a one-time news conference, answer every question, then move forward.
"I thought Manny needed to explain himself," said Los Angeles Dodgers GM Ned Colletti. "He's still an active player. He's still a player on the payroll. He's somebody who's vital to the organization and, in a lot of ways, the face of the organization. I think it was incumbent upon him to say something, which he did."
And this from New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman: "[Pettitte and Rodriguez] came forward to the degree that they felt they could, and I believe they both moved past it and put it in their rearview mirrors. Those were very difficult times in their lives regarding choices they made at certain times of their lives. Thankfully, they emerged and moved on and have continued to be a part of the game they loved." Do you want to be a part of the game you loved Mark? I think fans may be willing to dismiss the fact that you turned your back on not only the fans, but the sport that you were supposed to love. "The only thing I ever discussed with [Pettitte and Rodriguez] was if they talked about it publicly that they do not lie," Cashman said. "Whatever they decide to give publicly, make sure it's accurate. Because there are no secrets. So if you say something in public that's not accurate, then eventually it will be proven inaccurate. Whatever you speak to, make sure it's accurate. And don't try to mislead people."
McGwire was the face, the arms, the legs, the everything of the St. Louis franchise for years. When he steps into the Jupiter, Fla., sun for the first day of spring training -- even as a hitting coach -- he will become a prominent part of the Cardinals once again.
But you can't put on a big league uniform, especially a uni that represents one of the most respected organizations in the majors, without addressing your demons. Anyone who watched McGwire's credibility evaporate in front of that congressional hearing knows he has a bat rack full of them.
Now McGwire gets a rare second chance. At baseball. At the truth. A rare second chance at not only the truth for the fan's sake, but for his as well. Just like all the ball players that used, he made a mistake, and a very bad judgement call. Let's hope he makes the right one this time, because McGwire does deserve to be back in the spotlight. The ball is in his court, and now it's the waiting game to see how he serves it back.
Four years and nine months ago, McGwire sat in front of the country and misled it. He did a verbal tap dance. He evaded. And then he disappeared into the darkness. Soon, he'll sit in front of those microphones again. This time, let's hope he sees something different. This time, let's hope he sees the light.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Bengals keep winning; Owner keeps rolling
Very interesting is the fact that the first place AFC North Cincinnati Bengals are 6-2, and so far 4-0 in the division. Next Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is the most important game of the year. If the Bengals win in the Steel City, we're 5-0 in the division, and will have swept the season series with not only the Steelers, but the Baltimore Ravens also. It's worth noting that last year, the Bengals went 4-11-1, and the Ravens and Steelers faced off in the AFC Championship game. The Bengals are winning, and are two games away from sweeping their division. The last time the Bengals were 6-2? Try 1988, when they went to the Super Bowl. The last time the Bengals swept their division? Never. Since their inception into the NFL in 1968, the Cincinnati Bengals have never swept their division. This year sounds like and looks like a good year to change that.
It is our job as fans to fill the seats, winning or losing, but it's Mike Brown's job to make sure we never leave. Well Mikey, we left, and if you want us back, YOU have to come crawling back. You have to show us support and dedication like we showed you. It's a two way street. We met in the middle for years, but you were no where to be found. Now it's time for us as fans, and you as the Owner of the Cincinnati Bengals to meet in the middle, and root, cheer, and watch our Bengals to a Super Bowl.
The Easy
The sad part? The economy combined with the outrages prices at Paul Brown Stadium, fans either can't afford to go to the games, or don't want to spend that much money. All the while Cincinnati Bengals Owner Mike Brown is rolling in his money while others struggle. The way it seems, Brown doesn't care about the fans and never has. That's gotta change. Correct that, that's GOING to change. If he wants to look better to the Bengals Faithful, Brown has to change the way he's running not only the football team, but the ticket office also. Before the season started, a large number of season ticket holders had to sell their tickets or not purchase them, because along with the economy, it wasn't affordable. With the Bengals pushing for a playoff run reminiscent of the 2005 season, most fans should be buying tickets like crazy. But they aren't. Thus, we've had to settle for a few close blackouts, only to be saved by the likes of Kroger, Chad OchoCinco and Motorolla. Don't expect to see either of the last three games on tv, as frugal fans don't want to see the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns or the Kansas City Chiefs.
What should be done? Owner Mike Brown should get the fans back. Fans in Cincinnati loath the owner, and what better way to get the fans storming into PBS with second thoughts about Mike Brown than by giving the season tickets back to the former season ticket holders. Whether they left because of last year's debacle, or because of the recession, the fans still watch their Bengals, and should be compensated. I'm not saying let the fans buy the tickets back at half price, I'm saying that for Mike Brown to gain a little bit of trust back from the fans, he needs to give back the season tickets to the former season ticket holders. This will save us from not only blackouts, but also save our Cincinnati Bengals from playing in front of a weak crowd when they are winning.
The Easy
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