Tri-State Teams are Ready to Dance

Lets talk...Bearcats:

They're in! Whew, what a sigh of relief it was when I saw them pop up on that screen, and as a nine seed at that. I kept saying that even with the crazy 4OT loss against UConn they should be in, but when I saw Temple, I got a little nervous I will admit. I was thinking more like an 11 seed, so I'm pleasantly surprised. The Cats will face number eight seed, St. Joseph's. They finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 this year with an overall record of 27-7. I won't lie, I haven't watched much of this team all year, but from their stats, it looks like they can score. They average just over 77 points per game. If the Bearcats hope to advance, they'll need to play their style of hard-nose defense and keep the Hawks in the 60s. The only thing I'm not happy about is that they are in the West Coast Region. They don't play until 10PM this Friday night!

Lets talk...regions:

I'm not a Kentucky fan, nor am I a Kentucky hater, but come on. They are a four seed, and they barely have to travel far from home with any advancement they make in the tourney. Don't get me wrong, their region is no cakewalk, but we all know UK fans travel well. Hell, look at the SEC Conference Championship game on Sunday against Texas A&M. It was practically a home game for them in Nashville. They do have Xavier in their region. I think it would be interesting to see these two teams go head to head against each other this year. Although, I don't have that matchup happening in my bracket. There is a good chance that the Wildcats will meet up with Indiana which I'd love to see too. After the bracket was finalized, I think we can all agree on one thing...t
here is no reason for the Selection Sunday show to EVER, I mean EVER, be two hours long again :)

The MADNESS has Begun; Not Just Talking College Hoops

Lets talk...free agency:

Tis' the time of year where we must say farewell to some of our favorite players due to free agency. If you are a fan of Cincinnati sports, you should already be warmed up to this idea seeing as the Reds gave away half the roster in the off season for prospects...I'M JUST SAYING. Anyways, the Bengals have said goodbye to a couple offensive elements in the mere beginning of free agency, including wideout Marvin Jones. Jones has signed with the Detroit Lions, and reports say that the Bengals gave him a competitive offer. However, I can see why Jones wants to be in Detroit. With Calvin Johnson retiring, there is a need for a number one receiver. Jones was a great asset for the Bengals, but he also was in the mix with a lot of great receivers, all falling in line of course behind A.J. Green. I don't know if Jones has the ability or height to become an elite receiver such as Green or Johnson, but he will definitely get more looks being in the Lions' lineup.

Next up to ship out was Mohamed Sanu. Another great compliment to our number one Green, and I'm sad to see him go to the Falcons. Sanu was a good receiver and made some clutch catches for us this season, but off to Atlanta he goes. The silver lining here is that our former offensive weapons are going to teams OUTSIDE of our division. We won't be matching up with either Sanu or Jones in a divisional grudge match against the Steelers or the Ravens, and that does bring me some relief.

The one trade I don't want to see would be AJ McCarron going to the Broncos. After Brock Osweiler decided to go to the Texans for the mullah, the defending Super Bowl Champs are on the hunt for a starting QB. Now, they could draft a rookie and hope that pans out, or the more viable option...pick up someone in free agency. The list of free agent, veteran QBs is a little sad. You've got your pick between RGIII, Colin Kaepernick, and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Against those three, I'd take AJ McCarron any day. I am a little biased, but the kid showed a lot of poise and control after taking over for Dalton. He should've had a post season win, but I won't rehash those memories. I just hope he stays in Cincinnati because we learned last season that injuries can happen at the worst time, and I want a reliable back-up when they do.

We are doing a solid job on the defensive side. The Bengals have resigned George Iloka, Adam Jones, and linebacker Vincent Rey. As much as everyone wants to boohoo about Jones' behavior, (including myself), you can't deny his talent. He's a great corner, and a good punt returner. An attitude adjustment would definitely help his cause, but lets face it, he can get rid of the nickname but he's had these issues his whole NFL career. All we can do is hope for the best.

Lets talk...the real madness, March:

One of my favorite times of the year. The journey to the tourney is underway in the form of Conference tournaments this week. Cincinnati will face off against Connecticut tomorrow for the third time this year in the American. They've had the Huskies' number, sweeping their previous two meetings which could be good or bad. Both games went right down to the wire, and I'm sure UConn is looking for some revenge. The Bearcats made a good push for an at-large bid by beating #24 SMU on Sunday, but a good showing in their conference tourney should seal the deal.

And as much as I have neglected Xavier this year because of my pure hatred for them, I will give credit where credit is due. Musketeer Head Coach, Chris Mack, was the winner of the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's Henry Iba Award for National Coach of the Year. It's an impressive honor that warrants a two-clap from me. Mack and his #5 Muskies go up against Marquette tonight on their quest to become Big East Tournament Champs. Regardless of their conference tournament outcome, Xavier is looking at either a #2 or possibly a #1 seed in the Big Dance.

I'm all about that Tourney, bout' that Tourney, No Bubble

Lets talk...this past week:

Wednesday was rough to watch. I was at Fifth Third Arena when the Bearcats PUMMELED Tulsa in their first meeting, and then an overtime loss to them on the road? Tough to stomach, that's for sure. Especially since the Cats are battling for an at-large bid to the tourney. Yes, 95% of their losses this season have come down to the wire. The only problem with that is, they have eight of them. The sad truth being that after watching this team all season, I almost expect them to lose in a close game. I need a cushy 10-point lead to feel comfortable that they'll snag a victory. It's definitely not what I would have predicted in the pre-season. I mean, on paper this team is the best Cronin has had in his head coaching stint at UC.


The Cats redeemed their loss to Tulsa with a big win over Connecticut on Saturday in front of a sellout crowd. UConn had just beaten top 25 opponent SMU prior to this game which helps the Cats' cause. Also, the fact that they swept Kevin Ollie's team this season doesn't hurt.

Lets talk...the bubble:

UC is smack dab in the middle of the bubble conversation. With the regular season winding down, I think they can solidify an at-large bid if they win out. They have East Carolina next, which should be an easy W. Then, they face a tough Houston squad on the road and round out their season with big, bad SMU. When they faced #15 ranked SMU in the beginning of January, they narrowly lost on the road, 59-57. This time they'll need a win on their home court.  It helps us bubble teams that there are teams like SMU that have been ranked all season, but because of NCAA sanctions are unable to participate in the tournament. Hey, every little thing counts. The Bearcats also need to make a convincing run in the American Conference tournament to make a trip to March Madness.

If they can make it to the NCAA Tournament, I think they can do some real damage. If Gary Clark can keep being a dominant presence underneath and keep playing great defense, he's going to do big things. They've got Troy Caupain as their floor general who somehow hits the biggest shots at just the right times. The freshmen have been a delight to watch this year. Justin Jennifer can handle the point when Caupain needs a breather, and Jacob Evans III looks more and more confident with each game I watch. Throw in our other big men, Ellis and DeBerry, and it's a recipe for success! As long as Ellis can keep that attitude of his in check.  I know I'm a little biased, but I'm not the only one that thinks this team has a real shot. ESPN's Myron Medcalf believes that out of all the teams in the American, Cincinnati has the best chance to make a run at the Final Four. They could easily have 4 more wins on the season if not more, they just have to learn to finish in close games.

Lets talk...baseball...only because we have to:

Pitchers and Catchers have reported! Usually that would be an exciting statement, but I'm keeping my hopes low for this season. After last season's ugly ending, and all the liquidation of assets they had this offseason, the Reds cease to excite me. Of course I'll watch the games and cheer on my hometown team as always, but being a pessimist by nature, I don't expect much. I assume I won't even know half the 25-man roster because of all the "prospects" we've received. And Bryan Price, much like other professional coaches in this town...has another chance to show what he can do when in reality, he doesn't deserve it. He's a pitching coach. That's what he's good at, and that's what he should return to. He's not a team manager and I don't have faith that he'll turn it around.

Speaking of turning it around. Jay Bruce, after trade rumors swirled around all offseason, still remains on the team. I've loved Bruce since he came up, but my love is running short. He needs to step up or get out for how much money we threw at him. I'm almost embarrassed to own the man's jersey. He's only 29, and I feel like he's already washed up. He did show good faith to the team by showing up to spring training two days early this year. However, the only thing that will really get my attention, is if he shows up batting in the high .200's for longer than a week.

A Tale of Two Defenses Plus, Why We All Love Tyler Eifert

Lets talk...Bearcats at Huskies:

Forgive me readers, for it has been 20 days since my last post. Honestly, I have just now gotten over the Bengals loss, and can begin to discuss Cincy sports again without such distain, but we'll talk football in a minute. First, lets talk about the Bearcats match up tonight against the UConn Huskies. Two teams that used to hold their own against the monster Big East opponents of a couple years ago, are now floating in the middle of the American Conference. Not holding anything against the American, they do have some quality teams, including both the Cats and the Huskies. But lets face it, Tulsa is no Georgetown. In order for the Bearcats to even THINK about getting into the tourney, they need to take care of business within their conference. That means a quality road win tonight, and it won't come easy.

Defense is the Cats' bread and butter, but the past two games against both Memphis and Tulane they have been an offensive machine. They almost put up 100 in the Tulane game where Coach Cronin got his 200th win! Nothing made me happier than to see Kenyon Martin out there celebrating with him. Although, I wish they could've saved some of those points because UConn is almost a spitting image of UC. Their defense can shut down their opponent, only allowing an average of 62.6 points per game, compared to the Bearcats' 62.4. The Huskies are allowing opponents to shoot only 37.3% from the field, (courtesy of gobearcats.com). This means two things to me; One, the Cats will have to score a good amount of their points on the run in transition, before the Huskies' defense can get set. And two, they can't rely on making an absurd amount of three pointers. This has been the Achilles heel in almost all of their losses. You live by the three, you die by the three. I've always believed in that saying, especially when it comes to this squad. They'll need to focus on feeding it down low to their big men, Clark, Ellis and DeBerry. Points will be hard to come by in this game, so they'll need to take more high-percentage shots if they want the win.

Lets talk...my ever growing love for Tyler Eifert:

Tyler Eifert. The list of adjectives to describe this man goes as follows: talented, athletic, gorgeous, and you can add humble on there too. After the playoff debacle that lead to most NFL fans thinking the Bengals were nothing but dirty thugs, Eifert got some positive publicity for our team on Wednesday night. Eifert is in Hawaii for the NFL Pro-Bowl and he is used to giving out his signature to fans. Instead, he decided to highlight the people that fight for our freedom by having members of our military autograph a football helmet that he had. The link to the vine is below for a small glimpse of Tyler's good will.  Eifert is one of seven Bengals selected to this year's Pro Bowl which includes: Geno Atkins, Andrew Whitworth, Cedric Peerman, AJ Green, Carlos Dunlap, and the late addition of Adam Jones.

https://vine.co/v/iiL7LbxLFpp

Bearcats Fall, Who Dey Nation Ready for the Steelers

Lets talk...logic:

Forgive me that it's been so long since I have posted anything! But I have a lot to talk about this afternoon, starting with last night's game. The Bearcats were the last team to go on the road at SMU and bring home a victory. They have faltered against Top 25 teams so far this year, but I actually had a good feeling about this game going in. After stumbling in a loss to Temple, the Bearcats bounced back with a beat down over Tulsa on their home court. I got to take in the game from my seat in the Bearcat lair :) Mind you, Tulsa is nowhere near the #15 team in the country, but the defense was staggering in that game. I think Tulsa may have only had two points at the 10 minute mark of the first half. That's beside the point. The cats needed a signature win over a worthy opponent and they should've had it.


I blame Mick on this one. I hate to do so, but it all comes down to his use of timeouts. We were up seven with three and some change to go. All of a sudden, the lead dissipates. Ok, they've blown the lead, but they still had a good chance to win, (although, the Bearcats find themselves on the losing end of most games like this). If we hadn't been shooting threes like it was going out of style all game, and feeding it to Gary Clark, we may have had an even bigger lead on the road. Farrad Cobb may be the leading scorer on this team, but I'd have the most points too if I chucked up 15 threes a game. Yes, many of them do go in, but his shot selection is POOR. He's either off balance, got a hand right in his face, or there is 25 seconds left on the shot clock! It's frustrating to say the least.

When it came down to the winning shot, Farrad Cobb is shooting an ill-advised jumper from beyond the arc with four whole seconds left on the game clock, and the cats only down one. But can you really blame the 20 something for the shot? Or do you blame Mick, with one timeout left and 20 seconds remaining for not calling a timeout and drawing up a play to feed your next leading scorer, Gary Clark? Clark looked excellent in this game. He even drove the ball to score at times, which is more than I can say for the rest of the team. When he backs his defender down, and throws that hook over his right shoulder, it's almost guaranteed that it's going in. So why not call the timeout and draw something up? If not to Clark, than at least something that ends in a higher percentage shot! Coulda, woulda, shoulda I guess. That loss puts the Bearcats at 11-5 and near the bottom of the American Conference. They will need to secure a signature win by the end of the season if they hope to get in the tourney, and rack up some conference wins because as of now they sit at 1-2.

Lets talk...playoffs:

The playoff picture unfolded last Sunday, and of course our worst fears were recognized. It will be a matchup against the division rival, Pittsburgh Steelers, at Paul Brown Stadium Saturday night. After the last game between these two, the NFL decided to take action before they even take the field. Both teams have been warned that if any extra-curricular activities go on after the play, players will be ejected from the game.

Of course the big hype around this game is not just the intense hate for the Steelers, but the burning question, "Can the Bengals win a playoff game?". That question will be answered without the play of Andy Dalton. The cast is off his thumb, but AJ McCarron will be our QB in primetime. The good thing is that while he's only played in a couple games this season, the first one just so happened to be the massacre against Pittsburgh. He's seen their defense, knows what to expect, and he's got a little more experience under his belt this time around. Regardless of our QB situation, our defense is going to have to have a huge game. Whoever wins the turnover battle, will have the playoff W. Big Ben is tough to take down so the pass rush will need to be relentless. I think one benefit to the last game we played against the Steelers is that we did lose. The Bengals will be out for revenge on their home turf. It's primetime in the Jungle baby, LETS ROAR!

 

Cincinnati Sports World Rocked this Week

Lets talk...the latest:

Todd Frazier traded his Red Stockings in for White Sox. The update I read on my phone yesterday had me downright depressed. I love Todd Frazier, and everything he's done for this city. He was a great ambassador for the All-Star Game this summer, and took home the Home Run Derby crown for god's sake. Overall he is a great player, and a guy that really no one could hate. Sadly, he has been traded and even more sad, I'm not quite sure if the crew we got for him will ever pan out.

"Who'd we even get?", you ask...that's a great question. In a three-way trade, the Reds acquired infielders Jose Peraza and Brandon Dixon, and outfielder Scott Scheblerand from the Dodgers. Peraza looks to be the most promising of the three. At age 21, he hit .293 this year with 33 stolen bases in triple A. Schlebler, 25, spent the majority of last season in triple A, but did make it into the big leagues in 19 games for the Dodgers. In those 19 games he had 3 home runs and 4 RBI. Finally, Dixon, age 23, spent most of last season bouncing between single and double A clubs. He put up decent numbers in each, but nothing that will knock your white sox off. Not sure if the Reds are in rebuild mode, but I'm not seeing the big picture here. Hopefully, I'll eat my words and it'll all become clear in April.

Lets talk...QB situation:

Losing to the Steelers was bad, but losing our starting quarterback didn't do anything to help soften the blow. Andy Dalton, after a "what the f$%@" interception, throws himself into a lineman and ends up with a fractured thumb. The good news, if you can call it that, is that Dalton won't need surgery on that thumb. Facing the mighty 49ers this Sunday, (notice the sarcasm), this just may be the perfect full start for AJ McCarron.

Lets face it, with Andy Dalton's return not probable until the post-season, if this season at all, McCarron is going to be our guy. Even if Andy is healthy enough for post-season play, the game will most likely be played in cold weather, and a thumb injury proves quite problematic on the throwing hand of a QB. We need McCarron to get as many reps as possible with this offense. Yes, the playbook will be a much shortened version with him at the helm, no matter what Hue Jackson says. The Bengals offense is so skilled and has so many threats, but they're used to the QB they've been working with all season, so the switch will be a heck of an adjustment. Although, we've seen it is possible to make the big plays with that touchdown from AJ to AJ Green. He will need to connect with the offensive weapons he will have to work with on Sunday because Tyler Eifert did not participate in practice today. Out with a concussion, the Bengals' tight end has been a huge asset this year, and will be missed if he sits out on Sunday against the niners.

Am I nervous, heck yes. But there are a few things on our side. First, two out of our last three games are against sub par opponents. Second, Denver is also playing with their back-up quarterback awaiting the return of a beat up Peyton Manning. The two seed is not out of our reach whatsoever, and that means a bye week. One more week for either Andy to heal and prepare to come back, or one more week of practice with the offense for McCarron. Lastly, McCarron knows what it's like to be a winner, a champion. The kid came out of one of the most highly acclaimed collegiate programs in the last decade...ALABAMA. He also played behind an offensive line that would probably measure up to most in the NFL, but a winner he is nonetheless. And we need that man to show up for us these next three weeks.

Lets talk...my beloved Bearcats:

Well, as if losing the Crosstown Shootout wasn't enough to put me in sports depression, the football team has joined in on the Cincinnati sports downfall this past week. Star running back from Lasalle, Jeremy Larkin, de-commits from UC and is now bound for Northwestern. Having a hometown kid that had the high school stats that he has had would have been huge for the cats.

On top of ALL OF THAT, there are reports that Gunner Kiel will not be playing in the Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve due to a personal matter. The Cats will face off against San Diego State likely with freshmen QB Hayden Moore. I am upset that Gunner won't get to finish out this season. His years at UC have been plagued with injury, and it would be nice to see the guy finish on a strong note; However, Hayden threw for over 500 yards in the Memphis game when he replaced an injured Kiel. And, he's going to be our QB for the next three years so ending his freshmen year in a bowl game is just more experience to bank for the future.

Beware of the Bandwagoners

Lets talk...last night's game:

8-2. For any team in the NFL, that is an impressive record. Oh but wait, bring on the "fans" who are ready to trash the Bengals and jump right off the bandwagon. Good riddance. To see what I saw out of our fan base posted to social media is despicable. On a night where pass protection was non-existent, the Andy Dalton haters came out to play. Don't get me wrong, I had my fair share of criticism for Andy last year, but I have been pleasantly surprised with his level of play and leadership thus far this season. The Texans loss, yeah that was pretty bad. Losing on Monday night to a subpar team wasn't a good look, but we are talking about the Cardinals. Most people have Arizona as a Super Bowl contender this year. We were on the road, against a very good team, and it came down to a last second field goal to win the game. Granted, we weren't on the winning side of that kick, but we hung tight.

Lets talk...perspective:

The Bengals clearly didn't play up to their potential last night. The offense didn't move the ball for most of the third quarter. Andy got no help from his offensive line. Our entire secondary was depleted in a matter of about 10 plays. Speaking of which Dennard will need shoulder surgery, and is now out for the season. It's a tough break, but c'mon people we still have a great shot at not only making the playoffs but WINNING A GAME! If the Bengals hadn't started 8-0 and maybe lost these two games more in the beginning or middle of the season, I don't believe these fans and "experts" would be so harsh. I mean look at the Packers for god's sake. They were undefeated then lost three in a row! But guess what, they just beat a Vikings team whose offense has been tearing people up lately. Just because you drop a couple games doesn't mean you'll never win again; a little nugget of wisdom for all you so quick to turn on your own team.

Lets talk...Top 25:

Some good news came on Monday for Cincinnati sports fans...the Cincinnati Bearcats check in at No. 24 in the AP Poll. This comes after they put a hurting on Arkansas-Pine Bluff yesterday, 99-50. The Cats have been lighting up the scoreboard in their first four games posting at least 83 points or more. No, they have not played the juggernauts of college basketball, but to see the offense gel is a wonderful thing. Since the exit of star Sean Kilpatrick, running an offense that can score consistently has been a real problem for Mick Cronin and his team. I believe they will always be a defense-first cast, seeing the oh so familiar full-court press that Mick loves so much proves that. However; if they can keep up the intensity on the defensive side, and score points, that is a deadly combination for opponents to combat. Farad Cobb posted his second 20-point game in a row yesterday, hitting four of six from beyond the 3-point line. Four other bearcats also scored in double figures.