Jim Nabors sings "Back Home Again In Indiana"

****

"My Old Kentucky Home"

Happy Chandler sings "My Old Kentucky Home"

****

Things I'm told
Jay Johnson, OF for Dixie Heights, Xavier and in the Boston Red Sox organization before getting hurt, has signed with the Florence Freedom.
He was drafted in the 13th round by Boston in 2005.
The Freedom now have two of the top baseball players to come out of Northern Kentucky in the past 10 years. Jay Johnson and Tim Grogan (Cov Cath '02). That makes two former AA players on the roster this year.

*****

Connor Barwin All Access
Cool stuff from the NFL Network....including his visit in-studio last week

****

Bengals news
The Bengals today added a 10th college free agent for 2009, signing WR Quan Cosby. Cosby (5-9, 196) played at Texas and is from Mart, Texas. The Bengals announced nine CFA signings yesterday.

****

Akili and family on Family Feud
It looks like Akili Smith and his family will advance to the next round of The Family Feud on Monday. (10am Direct TV 12)

****

House committee hears BCS official
ESPN
Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Texas said Friday that efforts to tinker with the BCS are bound to fail. He told a House hearing that the BCS is like communism and can't be fixed.

****

Kevin Barnhill Field Dedication
MAINEVILLE, OH---After over two years of tireless labor, Bill and BJ Barnhill will finally get to see kids play baseball on the field they built in honor of their son, Kevin.
The Kevin C. Barnhill Championship Field at Testerman Park will be the signature baseball and softball facility for the greater Hamilton Township area and will service the Warren County Little League and District #34 Little Miami Knothole Youth Baseball League.
The official dedication of the field is scheduled for Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Noon at Testerman Park, located at 8373 Loveland-Maineville Road., Maineville, OH 45039. The public and media are invited.
"It's been a two year labor of love" said Bill Barnhill. "We could not have brought this project to completion without the support of many project partners including Reds Community Fund, Baseball Tomorrow Fund, MSA Architects, National Bank and Trust Company, Hamilton Township Park Board, and construction partners Team All-Sports, Jackson Construction, Ashlee Fence Company, NeCamp Construction and Paradigm Construction."
A $55,000 grant from the Baseball Tomorrow Fund, a joint initiative of MLB and the MLB Players Association, gave the project a significant boost toward the $300,000 fund-raising goal.
The field was designed by Michael Schuster Associates Inc., the same company that designed the Reds’ home, Great American Ball Park. Features include continuous fencing around the perimeter of the field, enclosed dugouts and bullpens, an electronic outfield scoreboard, a concourse area with stadium-style bleachers and a press box, and a memorial plaza dedicated to Kevin Barnhill and those who have contributed to the project.
In addition to the field dedication, a Champions Baseball clinic will be held from 9 to 11:45 am, Reds great George Foster will be signing autographs from 11 am to 2 pm and kids can meet Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs from 10 am to 2 pm.

****

The winner is...
RHP Edinson Volquez was the pitcher selected as the Fans' Choice Bobblehead to be given to the first 30,000 fans on Sat, 7/18 vs Mil. Volquez received 3,047 of the 7,344 votes (41.5%) cast online at reds.com....his bobblehead is part of a collectible set of 4 that also features Joey Votto (Sat, 5/9 StL), Jay Bruce (Sat, 7/4 vs StL) and Brandon Phillips (Sat, 8/15 vs Wsh).

****

Smith starts at LT
Bengals.com

****

Friday schedule
3-6pm HOMER.....Me
5pm Marvin Lewis mini-camp news conference, LIVE
Topics
Reds: Should they invest in Bonds. At 11-10, heading into May, which player needs to step up the most?
Bengals
KY Derby: Ever been? What about doing it at night, under the lights?
Boxing: I might have to buy the fight this weekend. You watching?

*****

Thanks
Night one of Sports Talk is in the books. Thanks for tuning in. That was fun!
It has been a crazy week. I appreciate you hanging through all of this.
Bare with me as I adjust to the schedule and all that comes with it...including giving the correct call letters and phone number.
I got home by 9:35 and got to see Casey and Peyton, talk about their day and give them a kiss goodnight.
They each had nicknames for Votto!
So...I was up with them Thursday morning for school, got to see them when they got home from school and got to put them to bed. After they went to bed I popped Pizza Rolls into the oven.
My eating habits are really going to go down the tubes with this schedule. Kelly and I caught up on a show and I was up to see the 3rd OT of Bulls-Celtics. UNREAL game. Catch you Friday....3-6....on HOMER.

****

The best clutch steal/dunk in NBA history

****

Ever been to The Derby?
Does it get any better than My Old Kentucky home? Click to listen
Ever had a Mint Julep?

****

Should the Reds invest in Bonds?
Jason Whitlock makes the case for the Royals pursuing Bonds.....what about the Reds?
A caller to the Inside Pitch Wednesday made the case it would boost the offense and the attendance.
Agree? Disagree?

****

The Ewing Theory at work last night
The Orlando Magic closed out their series with the 76ers last night.
They won114-89 without Dwight Howard who was suspended for an elbow in game five.
Another case of the Ewing Theory?

***

Fall TV cheat sheet: What's in? What's out?
How can The Unit be a long shot?
Castle is too good to pass on
Flashpoint is worth saving

Say it 'aint so....Julianne Hough won't return to Dancing With The Stars

****

Best commercial on TV

****

Pacquiao, Hatton get serious
USA Today

Hatton (45-1, 32 knockouts) only lost when he moved up seven pounds to challenge Floyd Mayweather Jr. for the welterweight crown in 2007.
Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs), who began his career 34 pounds south of junior welterweight, is riding a wave of momentum after the Filipino's destruction of Oscar De La Hoya five months ago.

****

Rookie minicamp opens for Bengals
Enquirer
How the roster shapes up....

****

Things I'm told
"Votto-matic" seems to be gaining support as the nickname for Joey Votto.....at least it was in discussions among Reds personnel last night.

****

Let's make a deal
The Cleveland Plain Dealer looks at the 10 best/worst trades in city history.
How about a Cincinnati list?

****

Gomes' outlook shaped by hardship
Louisville Courier Journal

"I've gone through a lot," he said. "I think it's molded me into the person I am today and the player I am today. It's just character checks the whole way through. When you have a couple of brushes with death you understand that a 3 for 4 or 0 for 4 is just part of a game in your career."

*****

Former XU recruit to visit Arizona this weekend
Tucson Citizen
The University of Arizona looks like a perfect spot for basketball recruit Kevin Parrom.
It has a good coach he's comfortable with and UA's situation---few scholarship players are on the team-- would provide him a chance to play and have an immediate impact in 2009-10.

****

Chiefs sign Eric Ghiaciuc
KC Star
The Chiefs may have found their new starting center.
The club announced on Thursday the signing of unrestricted free agent center Eric Ghiaciuc, who has been the Cincinnati Bengals starter for the past four years.

*****

About the attendance
ESPN
We kid you not. The average crowd at a baseball game this April was just 287 customers smaller than the average game last April--even with one fewer weekend to draw from.

*******

Mock it: 2010 NFL Mock Draft
ESPN

*****

What's the difference?
The Reds hosted the Braves in a three game weekend series and drew 92,402.
The Reds hosted the Astros in a three game weeknight series and drew 34,924.
Friday vs Braves 30,606
Saturday vs Braves 33,015
Sunday vs Braves 29,327
Monday vs Astros 12,365
Tuesday vs Astros 9,878
Wednesday vs Astros 12,681
What is the difference in the attendance? Is it simply because of work and school during the week?
The weekend offered a variety of things to do/watch..the NFL draft, UC's spring game, Cyclones in town.
The weather was much better over the weekend.
There were giveaways for each of the weekend games..
Does the opponent matter?
Is it the economy? The economy didn't stop 92,402 from showing up Fri-Sat-Sun.
Will the Reds draw 90,000+ for each weekend series the remainder of the year?

*****

Oaks picks
Handicapper Dan Cronin
1st race 10:30 am Luna Vega w Syrianna Song and Susie gal
2nd Love Lost Village w my new lady ,Full Strut
3rd Desired Best bet On a roll Ivory express
4th2 bombs St Augistine Jump this
5th1,7,9,11 Warrior reward pick 4 2,3,4,6,7 W 1,3,7,8 w 1,2,3,4,10 w 1,7,9,11 $200 for 50 cent
Could pay about $2500.
6th bomb Hewitts w Cannonball and Cham bridge
7th UPSET One caroline will beat Zenyatta
8th BOMB BOMB 1,2 both 20-1 look out take a shot big prices
9th Dr. Pleasure and Bullsbay, with Macho Again
10th CINCH Battle of Hastings MORTAL CINCH
11th Rachel Alexandra looks way the best Flyin spur little chance Gabby golden girl little chance
Pick 4 ALL with 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,10 w 3 w 6 $48 for 50 cent All w 1,3,4,5,8 w 3 w 4,6,8 $90
1,2,4,7,10 w 1,3,4,5,8 w 1,3,5,6 w 6 $50 for 50 cent

Derby picks
Handicapper Dan Cronin
Class of the field: I want Revenge and Dunkirk
Just below: Friesen Fire and Pioneer of the Nile
Big chances at huge prices: Mr. Hot Stuff, Hold Me Back, Chocolate Candy all 15-1 or higher.
Very little chance but could run 3rd or 4th:
West side Bernie, Musket Man, Advice, papa Clem, General Qtrs.
NO CHANCE AT ALL: the rest of the 8 horses.
My derby trifecta will be the top 2 withthe next 5 with the 5 and other 5
2* 6*9 $108
then put the top 2 in 2nd for a total of $216.
13,15 with 3,5,6,11,13,15,16 with 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,11,12,13,15,16
3,5,6,11,13,15,16 with 13,15, with 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,11,12,13,15,16

*****

How about the Kentucky Derby under the lights?
Rick Bozich, Louisville Courier Journal
There have been other illuminating sports milestones, but I'll leave the rest of the list to Thomas Edison fans. I'm here to ask if I'm the only one thinking the lights will be turned on at the Kentucky Derby one day.

*****

Bengals news

The Bengals today announced the signing of nine college free agents.
The list includes two players with local/regional connections. CB Rico Murray of Kent State is from Cincinnati (Moeller High School) and WR Greg Orton of Purdue is from Dayton, Ohio (Wayne High School).
One or more additional CFA signings are still possible this weekend, but below is the complete list as of today:
*Colin Dow, G, 6-5, 310; Montana; Billings, Mont.
*Billy Farris, QB, 6-3, 234; Colorado State; Baton Rouge, La.
*Marlon Lucky, HB, 5-11, 216; Nebraska; North Hollywood, Calif.
*Rico Murray, CB, 5-11, 191; Kent State; Cincinnati, Ohio
*Tom Nelson, S, 5-11, 200; Illinois State; Arlington Heights, Ill.
*Greg Orton, WR, 6-3, 207; Purdue; Dayton, Ohio
*Chris Pressley, FB, 5-11, 257; Wisconsin; Woodbury, N.J.
*David Richmond, WR, 6-2, 197; San Jose State; Anaheim, Calif.
*Dan Skuta, LB, 6-2, 251; Grand Valley State; Flint, Mich.
The CFA signees are having their first work with the team during this weekend's minicamp for rookies and eligible first-year players at Paul Brown Stadium.
TRYOUT PLAYERS
The Bengals also have arranged for a number of unsigned players to work with the team during the minicamp on a tryout basis.
Twelve of the tryout players have local/regional connections:
*QB Todd Boeckman played at Ohio State and is from St. Henry, Ohio.
*DE Dan Cline played at Western Kentucky and is from Centerville, Ohio (Centerville High School).
*LB Torry Cornett played at the University of Cincinnati and is from Columbus, Ohio (Independence High School).
*S Brandon Gathof played at Eastern Kentucky and is from LaGrange, Ky.
*LB Ryan Manalac played at the University of Cincinnati and is from Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington High School).
*TE Andrew Mooney played at Ohio University.
*G/OT Will Nolte, from Davidson University, is from Cincinnati (Indian Hill High School).
*DT Pernell Phillips played at Central State (OH) and is from Cincinnati (Taft High School).
*G/OT Steve Rehring played at Ohio State and is from West Chester, Ohio (Lakota West High School).
*OT Steve Sutter played at Miami University and is from St. Henry, Ohio.
*LB Curtis Terry played at Ohio State.
*CB Eric Thatcher, from the University of Pittsburgh, is from Cincinnati (Moeller High School).
Names of other players participating on a tryout basis will be available during the minicamp.

****

Show preview: Sports Talk
Guests
Cris Collinsworth, NBC Sunday Night Football
Mike Battaglia, Kentucky Derby Handicapper
Julie Isphording, former Olympic Marathoner, talks Flying Pig
Topics
Reds one year later: The Reds are 11-10. 21 games into last season Wayne Krivsky was fired. Are the Reds better off one year later? What do you think of the direction of the franchise now?
Attendance: 92,402 over the weekend. 34,924 this week. Why?
Nickname it: We begin to zero in on a nickname for Joey Votto
Kentucky Derby: Anyone for moving the Derby under the lights and racing at night?

****

Bengals news
The Bengals today signed K Shayne Graham, who became a free agent following last season and was designated in February as the team's franchise player.
Graham (6-0, 205; Virginia Tech) is a ninth-year NFL player in 2009. He exercised his option to sign a one-year contract for a salary equal to the average of the top five place kickers in the NFL in 2008.
"We're happy Shayne is signed in advance of our offseason camps," said head coach Marvin Lewis, "and this does not preclude our continuing to talk to Shayne and his representatives about reaching a longer-term agreement."
Graham is in his entering his seventh Bengals season. He holds numerous team records, including career field goal percentage (87.5), points in a season (131), field goals in a season (31), field goals in a game (seven) and consecutive field goals made (21).
Graham ranks fourth all-time in the NFL for field goal accuracy (85.6 percent). His career league percentage includes action elsewhere in the NFL prior to his joining the Bengals.
Graham is also a Bengals leader in service to the community. His "Kicks for Kids" program provides a wide range of assistance for at-risk children in Greater Cincinnati, and he has been a board member of the Cincinnati FreeStore/FoodBank. In 2008, he helped organize the nation's most successful "Taste of the NFL" event, raising more than $170,000 for meals for the hungry.

*****

Note on Edinson
Elias Sports Bureau
Edinson Volquez allowed only one hit in eight innings in his 3–0 win over the
Astros on Wednesday, after giving up just one hit in five innings in a loss to
the Braves in his last start. The last pitcher with consecutive starts of
five-plus innings and no more than one hit allowed was the Nationals' Shawn
Hill, who did it spanning a trip to the disabled list in 2007. The last Reds
pitcher with consecutive starts like that was Ron Villone in 1999; the last
before him was Johnny Vander Meer, who had consecutive no-hitters in 1938.

*****

No way! Akili Smith on The Family Feud?
From UC and several emailers tdoay
"The Smith family just defeated the Walsh family on Family Feud.
The #1 guy for the Smith family that introduces the family
went by the name Kili. I swear to you that was Akili Smith and his family
playing the Feud! It's a family tournament so they will be playing again...maybe
tomorrow or Monday....tune in at 10am-direct TV 12"

******

Re-grading the Bengals draft for 2006
CBS

******

One year later

The Reds are 11-10 after 21 games this season.
After 21 games last year the Reds were 9-12 and Wayne Krivsky was fired.
"We've just come to a point where we're not going to lose anymore," Reds owner Bob Castellini.
"I fought for an hour to keep my job," Krivsky said. "I did not see this coming at all. I still think it's a gold mine. That's what hurts so much, not to see the job through to the end and bring that winner to Cincinnati. I've had visions of being in the clubhouse with champagne being poured all over everybody."
Are the Reds better off as an organization one year later?
They are 76-86 since Walt took over. Do you feel better about the team and their direction?
Why? Why not?

****

The search for a nickname continues
From Matt in Lebanon

****

Best reason to root for the Blackhawks
Their Ice Crew

*****

K-Mart's playoff special
Denver Post
Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony have scored more points, but the key to Denver winning the series was K-Mart's stifling defense on David West.

*****

A coach's tweet nothings
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Twitter is all the rage in sports.
First, it's Shaquille O'Neal. Then, the NFL with its tweets from last weekend's draft. Now, college coaches.

*****

Volquez dazzles
Enquirer
Edinson Volquez pitched threw one of the best games in recent Reds history Wednesday night, in no small part because he threw strikes.

*****

More on WR that commits to UC
The Chronicle-Telegram
“It (UC) has a great campus, strong academics and an outstanding coaching staff,” Russ said. “I was eager to commit to join such a strong program, and my family was very supportive.”

******

Clones keep rolling
ELMIRA, New York--The Cincinnati Cyclones scored
three special teams goals in a 4-2 win at Elmira on
Wednesday night. The win gives the Cyclones a three
game to none lead in the best of seven series for the
North Division Finals title. A club playoff record
two shorthanded goals guided the way, as the Cyclones
ran their road record in the postseason to a perfect 4-0.
Game four of the series will be played at First Arena
in Elmira, NY on Friday night (May 1) at 7:35pm.

********

Bengals reach out
Anyone take part in this?
From Bengals.com
Join our first ever live Fan Forum teleconference, a special event exclusive to our season ticket holders, this Thursday, April 30, from 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
As a valued season ticket holder, the Bengals would like to invite you to join this special one-hour Fan Forum teleconference where you will be able to pose questions to our top six draft picks. Marvin Lewis will provide an introduction and then Dave Lapham, radio voice of the Cincinnati Bengals, will moderate as you ask questions for all of the newest Bengals, including Andre Smith, Rey Maualuga, Michael Johnson, Chase Coffman, Jonathan Luigs, and Cincinnati native Kevin Huber. This is your chance to get to know the team's recent draft picks before they even step on the field in a Bengals uniform.

********

A new nickname?
From listener Scott
Hey Lance,
It's never too early!
I think Adam looks dead on the Count from Sesame Street.
We can call him "The Count" and count up his hits..... Uhhhhhhh one.... uhhhhhhhh two... etc.... The Reds could use actual Count video and have him say the number after each home hit.
It's perfect!
Take care Lance.
Scott

*****

Shout out
Congrats to the Western Hills Girls Varsity Softball Team of the CMAC.
They are currently 9-0 and clinched the league title yesterday.
The win was sealed by a Micalah Sims grand slam and by stellar defense in the bottom of the 7th inning to hold off Withrow 16-11. Ms. Troescher is the Head Coach. Mr. Amrein is the Asst. Coach.

******

2009 NFL Impact Rookies
WhatIfSports.com
#7: Andre Smith, OL, Cincinnati
Andre Smith is listed here for the same reason he was drafted so early by the Bengals – for what he did on the field. The beauty of this analysis is that it is not bias (and does not know what the guy looks like without his shirt on). If a player has "issues" we work those into his playing time projection, but we don't let that impact how is projected to play when he does. Smith is dominant run blocker who warranted Heisman conversation last season and is much closer to being number one on this list than he is to being a bust.

Show preview
Topics
Reds: They've lost 4 of 5. Short term issues or long term problems?
What's the most exciting play in sports? Anyone see Jacoby Ellsbury steal home Sunday night?
NFL rookie pay: Anyone have an issue with unproven rookies making more than proven veterans? Matthew Stafford makes more than Tom Brady?
Top 10 Traditional American Sporting Events: I'll reveal the RealClear Sports list.

Looking for C. Trent?

*****

Yesterday, today and the future
Tuesday was a difficult and sad day. A number of friends and co-workers lost their jobs at Clear Channel.
Sadly it is a sign of our economic times and the changing radio industry.
I wish the best of luck and offer my thoughts and prayers to all involved.
As a result of what has happened my role will change.
Easiest explanation:
*When the Reds play at night.....I will host the 3-6pm slot on 1530 HOMER.
I will also host the Inside Pitch on 700 WLW.....the pre-game show for the Reds.
*When the Reds have an off day, play a day game or it's the off season.....I will host Sports Talk 6-9pm on 700 WLW and Mo Egger will host 3-6pm on 1530 HOMER.
Example
Today: I'm on 3-6pm on HOMER and 6-6:30 on WLW for the Inside Pitch
Thursday: I'm on 6-9pm for Sports Talk, 700 WLW, Mo Egger will host 3-6pm on 1530 HOMER
There will be a quiz later in the show today.

If you have comments about the changes/lineup you can contact my bosses here

*****

Honorary Bat Girls
In celebration of Mother's Day, Major League Baseball and Susan G. Komen for the Cure are looking for honorary bat girls for games scheduled for Sun, 5/10.
MLB.com is hosting a contest in which fans can share stories of "going to bat" against breast cancer in their daily lives....the initiative is aimed to raise additional awareness and support for the annual Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer program, a joint partnership between MLB and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
One Reds fan will be picked by MLB to be the honorary bat girl for the Reds vs Cardinals game on 5/10 at 1:10 p.m. at Great American Ball Park.
Fans can submit stories and vote for their favorites on www.mlb.com/honorarybatgirl.
Deadline is Friday, May 1 at 12:01 am.

*****

Look At Me Shirts
One step ahead of us

Bad news
I'm told when Joey Votto played briefly at GABP in 2007, they played "Mr Roboto" a few times when he came up to bat, and he asked them to stop.

*****

Top 25: OSU 10, UC 21
CNNSI
Spring star: WR/K Danny Milligan. You read that correctly. Milligan caught three passes for 83 yards and a touchdown and kicked field goals of 32 and 42 yards in the spring game.

*****

To suspend or not to suspend....that is
I realize most of you didn't watch this game last night. However, I believe there is a juicy "star treatment" question that comes out of the game.
Watch Dwight Howard of the Magic elbow Samuel Dalembert of the 76ers. The blow drew a technical on Howard. He stayed in the game. The league is reviewing the elbow. Should he be suspended for a flagrant foul?
Should the NBA protect a star and protect the series? Orlando leads 3-2 in the series.

How about a suspension for Rajon Rondo of the Bulls for his foul on Brad Miller last night?
Should it have been ruled flagrant, meaning two shots and the ball?

*****

What is the most exciting play in sports?
Stealing home: Adding a dash of excitement
USA Today
Red Sox starting pitcher Justin Masterson told news reporters the steal "took my breath away," while Jason Bay, who was standing in the on-deck circle, said the heist was "something I won't forget."

*********

Rookie pool numbers for Bengals
ProFootballTalk.com
AFC North
Ravens: $3,372,231
Bengals: $6,636,324
Browns: $4,928,948
Steelers: $4,284,902

*****

Bruce and Votto provide optimism in Cincinnati
ESPN.COM

The maturity level and approach to the game shown by the Reds' Joey Votto and Jay Bruce has been phenomenal. Often times you find a lot of young players who play off of their own natural ability, but these guys have something special.

*****

Ice Cream Alert
31-cent scoops tonight

*****

Sports world chirping about Twitter
USA Today
LSU football coach Les Miles is, in his words, "a twittering kind of guy." Though he also contends he's "old school," Miles wants to stay ahead of the competition in this age of 3G recruiting. This fall, Miles will twitter before games, at halftime and after games. He will dictate his observations to a staff assistant who will then type in Miles' "tweets" or microblogs of 140 characters or less on the social networking site, Twitter.com.

*****

Scout on Phillips
Dayton Daily News
"What's wrong with the second baseman Brandon Phillips. I filed a report that because he is batting fourth he thinks he needs to hit home runs every time, pull everything, especially with runners on base. Personally, I think he is a better No. 2 hitter."

*****

WR picks UC
Cleveland Plain Dealer
"I went to Cincinnati on a junior day and it has a great campus, strong academic programs and an outstanding football staff that has quickly built a national contender," Russ said. "When given the opportunity to join such a great program I was ready to commit. My family was very supportive."

*****

NFL rookie pay structure needs major overhaul
Indy Star
Before the first day of the NFL draft, Indianapolis Colts president Bill Polian was asked if he would trade a pick in the middle of the first round for, say, the fourth overall pick in the draft.
Straight up.
He said no.
Vociferously.

*****

Wandy waves a wand over Reds again
MLB.COM
As Wandy Rodriguez allowed five hits and a run while striking out five in seven innings, Ivan Rodriguez hit a solo home run in the second and then smashed a double in the fifth that scored Geoff Blum. Considering the catcher entered the game hitting .215, his 2-for-3, three-run performance Tuesday seemed a just reward for his effort.

*****

Ryan Freel is not happy with Orioles
MASNsports.com
"I'm not very happy. I was at the game (last night). All I can say is they basically sent me down there and cleared me to play. When I got there they wanted me to take an impact test, right when I got in the door. Under the circumstances when you take that test you want some privacy. I wasn't put in the environment to take that test. The test didn't match up to what their standards were."

****

Draft fall reveals Maualuga's stripes
Times Standard
The knock on him, according to ESPN, who was broadcasting the event, was that he is undisciplined and a liability on passing downs. Despite being voted the best defensive player in the country last year and the face of what many consider the best college defense in history, he wasn't even the first player taken at his own position.

*****

Bengals news
Terminated the contract of P Kyle Larson, releasing him to free
agency. A sixth-year NFL player for 2009, Larson joined the Bengals as a college
free agent in 2004 and held the team’s No. 1 punting job the last five seasons.
He has career totals of 379 punts for a gross average of 41.9 yards and a net
average of 35.7, with 109 inside-20 kicks and 32 touchbacks.
Waived P Ryan Plackemeier. A fourth-year NFL player for 2009,
Plackemeier played last season for Seattle and Washington, and had been acquired
by Cincinnati on waivers from Washington this past Feb. 13.

*****

Time for Rose and MLB to make peace
The Sporting News
Year after year goes by and Pete Rose remains an outsider to major league baseball. With each passing day MLB a sport that continues to be rich because of its past ignores one of its most historic players. I don't want to see MLB finally acknowledge Rose once he is too old to appreciate the accolades he deserves. He admitted to his misdeeds its time to move on. Rose at this point should be a major part of All-Star weekend and getting young people excited again about playing baseball.

****

Hard Knocks/Bengals?
Jack Brennan of the Bengals tells me that the team has had discussions with HBO and NFL Films about being the subject of HBO's training camp show "Hard Knocks"
He added HBO will be in control of the actual release of which team they will feature.

******

Who Am I?
We have a winner. Mark S was first in with Rickey Henderson.
Henderson homered off 300 game winners Steve Carlton and Phil Niekro, of the Indians, in the same game in 1987.

*****
50 Hottest Models of All-Time
PopCrunch.com

*****

*****

Xavier star of the 50's passes away at age 77
He was inducted into the St X Hall of Fame in 1988
Huck continued playing basketball at Xavier University. In his senior year he was co-captain of the team. The '52-'53 Xavier yearbook refers to Huck as "one of the most outstanding X cagers of the past several seasons" and goes on to point out that in that season Huck set the (then) all-time XU season scoring record with 501 points. Huck scored 26 points in XU's win over UC that year.

Edwin to DL, Rosales recalled
3B Edwin Encarnacion today went on the 15-day disabled list with a chip fracture in his left wrist suffered on a swing during his final plate appearance last night. He will be in a cast for 1 week, after which time the cast will be removed and he will be re-evaluated.
IF Adam Rosales will be recalled from Class AAA Louisville to replace Encarnacion on the roster. Rosales wears uniform number 23.
In today's game vs Indianapolis, Rosales collected 2 more hits to lift his batting average to .431...he's currently riding an 11-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in all 17 of his games…the 17-game on-base streak is the longest this season in the International League...through today’s games, he ranks among IL leaders in most offensive categories, including batting average (.431, 2nd), hits (28, 1st), doubles (7, T3rd), on-base percentage (.479, 4th), slugging percentage (.754, 1st), extra-base hits (12, 1st) and runs scored (18, 5th). He also has 4 home runs.

****

Mel on the Bengals
ESPN.COM
Risk-Taker Award: The Bengals got some "key entities," as Kiper put it. They drafted Maualuga in Round 2 (a steal, according to Kiper) and they got Georgia Tech DE Michael Johnsom in Round 3. "He will make or break this draft," Kiper said. Despite his off-the-charts athleticism, Johnson slipped to the third round because of his work ethic and motivation. However, Kiper said, "If he can't do it for Marvin Lewis, no one is going to motivate this kid."

****

Sending Edwin down
The last time the Reds sent Edwin to AAA was 2007
He began the season with the Reds.
His first 31 games: .218-1-14...6 errors
He was sent to AAA for 11 games: .413-3-7....only 4 k's in 46 at-bats
After he was recalled: .307-15-62 in 108 appearances. Including hitting .351-8-29 in his last 42 games.

****

Scary thought on Edwin
In May he is a career .227 hitter......worst of any month
April .270
June .292
July .284
August .283
September .253

****

A way-too-early Top 25
ESPN

****

Bengals news
The kickoff time for the Bengals' Sept. 27 home game vs. Pittsburgh has been changed to 4:15 p.m. to accommodate broadcast patterns. The Steelers-Bengals game now will be featured as part of a CBS doubleheader on September 27.

****

Show preview
Topics
Reds: What do you do with Edwin? Why is hustling an issue for Phillips? Why can't they win at home?
Joey Votto: Needs a nickname. Got one?
Bengals: Continuing draft reaction

****

Your assignment, if you choose to accept it
From emailer Tom:
"After the first few weeks of the season, one thing is clear---Joey Votto needs a nickname. Sure, we as fans could wait until he is starting to get national pub and a few MVP votes. But that would be a bit bandwagon-ish, wouldn't it? Do we really want Votto's nickname coming from ESPN's Sports Center? I'll start off the brainstorming with "The Canadian Hit Man".

****

Bengals undrafted free agent signing
Wisconsin FB Chris Pressley
He's a 4.0 student and I'm told he's an awesome kid. He's a 6'1, 260 lb sledgehammer.

****

Rosales watch

Adam Rosales went 3 for 3 last night with a double, run and 2 rbi in the Bats win.
He is now hitting .426 with a .471 OBP in 61 at-bats.

*****

Tough to watch
This city has shown over the years that it appreciates athletes that hustle and play the game the right way.
The Reds are falling short in those categories.
I don't expect everyone to hit .300 or pitch complete games. I do expect them to know how to play the game and to play hard.
Last night Dusty said they missed a sign, again. Edwin Encarnacion failed to run out of the box.
Sunday the guy that wants to lead and be the face of the franchise turned a double into a single by not hustling. Hustle is not an option it's how you should play.
From pitchers failing to cover first to outfielders missing cutoff men to bad base running it becomes mind numbing. And for a franchise that tried to sell fans on "defense"......I'm still waiting....they are tied for 3rd in errors.
Honestly, the outfield play has been brutal.
Is this little league or the major leagues?

*******

Top 30 undrafted free agents
Scout.com

*****

What they are saying about UC draft picks
BearcatSportsPage.com

*****

Tressel belongs in Hall of Fame-sooner than later
The Sporting News Today

*****

Astros own GABP
From Mark Wagner
Reds Longest Home Losing Streak Vs Any One Opponent
(Since 1901)
Brooklyn Dodgers JUN-22-1947 - MAY-22-1949 19
New York Mets MAY-05-1985 - JUL-23-1986 10
New York Giants MAY-18-1951 - SEP-18-1951 10
St. Louis Cardinals AUG-01-1930 - MAY-23-1931 10
Houston Astros SEP-25-2007....current 10
Chicago Cubs MAY-31-1906 - APR-30-1907 9
Brooklyn Dodgers MAY-06-1952 - AUG-19-1952 9
Chicago Cubs AUG-21-1937 - APR-20-1938 9

*****

Quote of the day
Marty Brennaman: "I've always maintained that if Ted Bundy was a good college football player the Cincinnati Bengals would have drafted him."-Dayton Daily News

*****

Stat of the day
From Mark Wagner
Since 1960: Reds players with 20+ RBI's in April
1 Tony Perez 1970 26
2 Vada Pinson 1962 25
3t Edwin Encarnacion 2006 24
3t Ken Griffey Jr. 2000 24
5 Sean Casey 2001 23
6t George Foster 1979 22
6t Brandon Phillips 2006 22
8 Dave Concepcion 1981 21
9tJoey Votto 2009 20
9t George Foster 1977 20
9t Tony Perez 1974 20
(NOTE: In 2003, Austin Kearns recorded 20 RBI "through April" which included 1 RBI in March.....the above chart is 20+ RBI in April only)

*****

Reds recap
C. Trent

*****

Cosby signs with Bengals
The Daily Texan

"Quan Cosby was an older guy when he came here, and he showed outstanding leadership for our young guys since the day he got here," said Texas head coach Mack Brown. "He's a playmaker. Some people talk about what he doesn't have. What he does have is heart and the ability to beat you."

*****

Bengals will look at OSU's Boeckman
The Columbus Dispatch
"I'm a Browns fan," Boeckman said yesterday, a bit sheepishly, "but it's nice just to get an opportunity to go somewhere and get a chance. I'm looking forward to it."

*****

Thompson wins again for Bats
Louisville Courier Journal

"I'm pretty satisfied," Thompson said. "I threw a lot of sliders. I usually don't do that. I felt pretty good. I guess I'm 100 percent. The thing is to get back on the mound and get my location back. I feel like I'm getting better each time I go out there."

******

Event for a cause
Lockland Police Officer Brandon Gehring was injued last Monday putting down stopsticks on I-75 to try and stop a fleeing suspect. He was accidentally hit by a West Chester Police Officer involved in the pursuit.
Brandon remains in the hospital in critical conditon.
BRANDON GEHRING BENEFIT PARTY
When: Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
Where: Metropolis Nite Club, Cincinnati Mall (CINC Mills)
Time: 8:00pm
Cost: $10.00 at the door
If you wish to make a donation, whether it’'s a monetary or a prize for the raffle,
contact Officer Keith Ryan, 513-761-1699 or Scott Hughes, 513-623-2465.

*******

Andre Smith's agent details a remarkable story
Darren Rovel, CNBNC
Darren: What did it for Cincinnati? Because we didn't see anything that would have made it obvious.

*****

Nebraska RB gets Lucky, signs with Bengals
Omaha.com
"They called, actually, right at the end of the seventh," Lucky said. "I have to go out there and compete for a job, but their coach said they would give me every opportunity. I just can't wait to show them what I have."

Bio

******

Compare and contrast
From C. Trent

Come and get 'em
Order any Bengals 2009 draft pick jersey now

*****

Bengals news
Terminated the contracts of S Mike Doss, TE Nate Lawrie and HB Chris Perry, releasing them to free agency. Doss, a sixth-year NFL player for 2009, joined the Bengals as a free agent on Dec. 9 of last season and played in the last three games. Lawrie, a fifth-year player for '09, played in eight games for Cincinnati last season. Perry, a sixth-year player for ’09, was the Bengals' first-round draft choice in 2004 and battled numerous injuries while playing 35 games with nine starts from '04 through last season. Perry's career statistics include 606 rushing yards on 177 carries (3.4) with two TDs and 83 receptions for 474 yards (5.7) with two TDs.
Waived DE/LB Eric Henderson and HB Gary Russell. Henderson, a third-year player for '09, played in two games for Cincinnati last season. Russell, also a third-year pro, played the last two seasons for Pittsburgh and had been acquired by Cincinnati on waivers this past April 17.
*****

Agent: Levi on his way out
ESPN
Levi Jones has been informed by the Bengals that they plan to trade or release the eight-year veteran, according to agent Kenneth Zuckerman.

****

OSU free agents
From OSU

Alex Boone signed free agent w 49ers
AJ Trapasso signed free agent w Tennessee
Todd Boeckman has a tryout Sat w Bengals
Rory Nicol has a tryout Sat w Redskins
Brandon Smith going to Bears mini-camp this weekend on tryout basis
Ben Person tryout w Detroit Thursday
Steve Rehring tryout w Bengals
Nader Abdallah tryout w Jacksonville this weekend

From UK
Tim Masthay (Indianapolis)
Johnny Williams (Jacksonville)
David Jones (Baltimore Ravens)

*****

Honors for Homer
Class AAA Louisville RHP Homer Bailey was named the International League's Pitcher of the Week....in 2 starts last week Bailey went 2-0, 2.92 with 18 strikeouts in 12.1 innings (10h, 6bb), including a 3-2 win at Columbus and yesterday's 10-3 victory at Toledo...in yesterday's start, over 6.1 innings he struck out a career-high 15 batters to tie the Louisville single-game record....between the third and sixth innings he retired 9 consecutive batters by strikeout.

*****

Remember this guy?
Ben Davis recorded his second professional save for the Sarasota Reds yesterday.
That is the same Ben Davis, who as a catcher, was the 2nd pick overall in the 1995 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres. Davis is now 32-years old and trying his hand at pitching.
He's 0-0 with 3 saves and a 3.00 ERA in three appearances for the Reds this season.
He played in 486 ML games as a catcher for the Padres, Mariners and White Sox. You may remember the heat he took for bunting to break up Curt Schilling's perfect game bid in the 8th inning of a game vs Arizona in 2001.

More free agents for Bengals
NEPatriotsDraft.com
QB Todd Boeckman (OSU) tryout
FB Chris Pressley (Wisconsin)
DB Rico Murray (Kent State)
C Colin Dow (Montana)

I loveeeeeeeeeeeee drafting!
As a fan of the Bengals this might be the best I've felt after the NFL Draft.....ever!
They used 11 picks to cover a lot of needs. They were equal opportunity position group up-graders.
6 on offense: C, OL, RB, FB, TE, WR
5 on defense: 2 DE, LB, CB
1 punter
They got "value" with guys. They got a number of guys a round or two later than anticipated.
Granted, some players fall because other teams drop them, or don't have them as highly rated. Some teams simply aren't willing to look past some issues...on and/or off the field.....the Bengals were.
The Bengals appeared to let the players come to them, rather than getting desperate and reaching.
The coaching staff took advantage of the Senior Bowl experience to learn more about some of these guys.
I found myself getting ancy, wanting a certain position or player in a round, only to see those options still available in later rounds.
They got a lot of players (not all) that played for winners, in big time conferences. They got players who were three and four year starter, that won individual awards and own good football IQ's. Some were team captains.
Do some players have red flags and concerns? Sure. But when you have 11 picks you have some wiggle room and room to roll the dice.
There are players that this staff will have a chance to coach up and hopefully tap into their full potential.
There are players that will come in with a chip on their shoulder, trying to prove they deserved to guy higher.
I like that.
*If Lap thinks Andre Smith is the best OL in the draft I'll take his word for it. Case closed..
*Rey Maualuga dropped to #38 for a variety of issues. He may be reckless and undisciplined. All I know is he's a bad ass hitter. He's an impact player. I'll gladly hand him to Jeff Fitzgerald to work with. And I like putting him with other USC guys, Rivers, Carson and Frostee.
*Michael Johnson was projected as a Top 10 pick going into the season. I'm ok taking a 3rd round flyer on a specimen like that when he drops.
*Chase Coffman was too good to pass up. All he did was catch passes. His injury dropped him down boards. I'll take a TE with hands like that.
*I worry about center Jonathan Luigs...only because I heard the same worries about him as I do Eric G. Doesn't seem like he's big and strong enough. I thought sure they'd take Caldwell if the Top 3 centers were gone.
*I'm fine using a 5th round pick on a punter. Did you see Huber? He changed games. He flipped field position.
He's an impact player.
*The CB Morgan Trent should help secondary depth and special teams.
*I kept shouting RB at the screen as they hit the 4th-5th-6th round. I thought sure they'd taking the kid from Liberty at some point. I guess I don't believe there wasn't a RB worth taking that hasn't been arrested multiple times. You just ask for it when you draft a guy like that.
*They needed a FB. They got one. His cousin was the one the Bengals offered in free agency.
*I wouldn't know McDonald or Brown if they walked in the room.
*I would like to have seen maybe one more OL taken....heck...I thought they'd take UC's Canfield in the 7th round.
*How good was the draft? So good that fans are not even worried about Mike Brown's GM bonus.

My grade: Just for all of those that get so bothered when people grade the draft
....I'll give it a B+/A-

******

Things I'm told
Here's an update on Reds minor league OF/former Indiana WR Andrew Means
"Andrew Means will be returning to the Reds on Wednesday, April 29th...While Andrew is disappointed that he did not get drafted in the NFL Draft (he did received 9 free agent contract offers Sunday evening) he is excited to rejoin the Reds and pursue his goal of playing in Cincinnati in the future. I cannot thank the Reds Organization enough for how fair and accommodating they have been throughout this entire process."
Joe Speed, Vice-President of Baseball
Sterling Sports Management

******

Heard it from Hoard
I got a wonderful surprise recently when the Cincinnati Reds called me to see if I could fill-in for Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman next weekend.

******

Congrats to a local product
Graham Taylor made his MLB debut yesterday for the Marlins, getting the start on the mound vs. the Phillies. Graham graduated from Dixie Heights HS, and Miami of Ohio

******

Mack adds Kelsey
Xavier University men's basketball head coach Chris Mack announced today that he has hired Wake Forest University assistant coach and former Xavier team captain Pat Kelsey to fill the final opening on his Musketeer staff. The 33-year-old Kelsey, who has spent the last eight seasons at Wake, will be Xavier’s associate head coach.
"I am ecstatic to announce the hiring of one of the top assistant coaches in all of college basketball to our coaching staff," said Mack. "Pat Kelsey is regarded as one of the best assistant coaches in America. He has been pursued by some of America’s top programs and has been involved in several head coaching vacancies but decided to return to his hometown of Cincinnati and Xavier, our alma mater. I view his hiring as a major coup for the Xavier Nation. He's the Pete Rose of college coaching. He's going to out work, out hustle and out effort the competition. Most importantly, Pat embodies what Xavier stands for and believes in the total development of our student athletes. Welcome home Kels."
Kelsey was equally excited about his return to Xavier and the City of Cincinnati. "It is a thrill to return to Xavier to again be a part of the storied history of basketball excellence," said Kelsey. "Xavier is home and it is an honor to serve XU once again. I am excited to work with Chris whom I firmly believe is one of the brilliant young head coaches in America. Xavier has become one of the premier programs in college basketball and I hope to contribute to even greater success."

******

Free agents for Bengals
DraftDaddy.com
LB Dan Skuta, Grand Valley
RB Marlon Lucky, Nebraska
FB Chris Pressley, Wisconsin
FS Tom Nelson, Illinois State
WR Quan Cosby, Texas
WR Greg Orton, Purdue
QB Billy Farris, Colorado State
DT TY Steinkuhler, Nebraska

*****

Things noticed
I was looking back at Mel Kiper's Draft Guide for last year.
He had a look ahead to 2009 with early rankings.
Overall rankings by position
TE: Chase Coffman, #3
OL: Jonathan Luigs, #9
DL: Michael Johnson, #4
LB: Rey Maualuga, #2

*****

Show preview
Bengals: What do you think of the draft? Did they fill their needs? Did Mike Brown earn his GM bonus?
Grade It: What grade do you give the Bengals? I love draft grades....because they drive people crazy that believe we should wait 5-years to grade a draft. I ask you, what fun would that be?
Reds: Should be interesting to hear how the conversation goes.....will it be about Bruce, Votto, Owings and the win or Phillips, Edwin and losing the first two games?
Cyclones: Up two games to none!
Your weekend: Did you attend a Reds game? 92,402 for the three game series.
How about Cyclones? Bearcat Bowl III?

****

Homer K's 15
Louisville Courier Journal
After getting no more than five strikeouts in his first three starts, Bailey matched the Louisville franchise record set by Ken Hill on May 10, 1990, against Indianapolis and also set a Fifth Third Field mark.

*****

Bengals put aside charcater issues in pursuit of talent
NFL.COM
The bottom line here is that, like it or not, the Bengals' margin for error in this area is smaller than most teams. Many of their peers are comfortable pointing a finger at the Bengals and taking the heat away from themselves. Many critics are comfortable having a team to represent the character issue, a team to label as the one to watch in this regard. And the Bengals are the choice.

*****

By my count
The Reds attendance was 92,402 for the three game series.
That ranks 7th out of 15 teams that hosted a three game series this past week.
The Reds drew more than: Florida, Houston, San Diego, Cleveland, Baltimore, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City and Oakland.
The Reds drew fewer than: Boston, NY Mets, St Louis, Arizona, Anahiem, Boston and Colorado.
The Reds topped 92,402 in three home series a year ago: Boston (119,760), Atlanta (111,542) and Cleveland (110,068)

*****

C. Trent has the draft wrap-up
1530Homer.com

****

Sam Wyche feature, The Sporting News Today

******

What they are saying about the Bengals

John Clayton, ESPN
9. What's going on with the Bengals? Cincinnati's Day 2 drafting was as solid as its Day 1 selections. There were no reaches, no controversies and even a nice story. The Bengals earned good grades for first-day selections Andre Smith and Rey Maualuga. On the second day, they left themselves without much criticism after taking defensive end Michael Johnson, tight end Chase Coffman and center Jonathan Luigs, who might start. The good story was taking University of Cincinnati punter Kevin Huber, who learned of the selection while golfing. The secret to their success was the Senior Bowl; the Bengals coached four of their draft choices in that game.

Don Banks, CNNSI
For a team known through the years for its penchant of making some dubious choices early in the draft -- see Frostee Rucker, Odell Thurman, and Chris Perry--the Bengals impressed me in 2009. Offensive tackle Andre Smith in the first round, middle linebacker Rey Maualuga in the second round, and defensive end Michael Johnson in the third round strike me as great value in just the right draft slots.

The National Football Post
Finally, speaking of character concerns, if you really think the Bengals are changing their viewpoint on the value of a prospect’s character, look no further than this draft. Not only are there slight concerns with their first two picks, OT Andre Smith and ILB Rey Maualuga, but their sixth-round pick, RB Bernard Scott, has a track record second to none. Scott was kicked off his high school football team and was also dismissed from Central Arkansas for hitting a coach. We’re not saying this is a bad draft class for the Bengals, just pointing out the lack of stock they still put into character.

James Walker, ESPN
This is the ultimate boom or bust draft for the Bengals. They probably drafted more pure, athletic talent than any team in the division, which could turn out to be all that matters. But players like Smith and Johnson will need to be constantly monitored, and there has to be some reason every team passed on USC linebacker Rey Maualuga as well. Perhaps many general managers felt he was overrated, which remains to be seen.
Overall, these draft picks have the potential to either lead to Cincinnati's resurgence or add to its recurring problems.

Larry Wiseman, USA Today
B+...........OT Andre Smith carries some question marks but he is a superior blocker and got great references from Alabama coach Nick Saban. Conditioning and weight will always be questions. LB Rey Maualuga slipped into second round, should bring some toughness to the middle of a leaky run defense. He's a hitter. Some saw DE Michael Johnson as a first-round talent and Bengals got him in third. Edge rusher. TE Chase Coffman is a steal in the third.

Clifton Brown, The Sporting News: Grade A
Love this draft, if tackle Andre Smith and middle linebacker Rey Maualuga keep their heads on straight. Smith might be the best tackle, and Maualuga has first-round talent. Defensive end Michael Johnson is highly skilled but must be more consistent, and tight end Chase Coffman could be a nice target for Carson Palmer.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Grade B+
For a team that has been ripped for poor drafting the past decade or so, they did a really nice job. This draft might just make them a playoff team.

Peter King, CNNSI
Cincinnati. Hard to knock this draft. Impossible, quite frankly. Might be the most starry top four since Hunley-Koch-Blados-Esiason of 1984. Andre Smithis a potential star left tackle who needs coaching and someone to lean on him ... Rey Maualuga is the best tackler in the draft and shouldn't have been there when the Bengals picked at 38 ... Michael Johnson, as inconsistent a player as this draft featured, is a pass-rush-prospect steal at 70 ... Chase Coffman could play early as a second TE for Carson Palmer. Nice day for once for the Bengals.

Jason Cole, Yahoo
Positives: Smith, Maualuga and Johnson have plenty of talent.
Negatives: Attitude and work ethic issues with both Smith and Johnson.
Bottom line: B-. As usual, the Bengals got the best players at whatever spot they drafted. Andre Smith was arguably the best left tackle in the draft before his stock fell after leaving the scouting combine without telling anybody in February and then being out of shape for his pro day workout. Maualuga is a terrific pickup in the second round, arguably the best inside linebacker in the draft and continues to upgrade the Bengals linebacking corps after getting Keith Rivers last year. Likewise, Johnson is a tremendously gifted athlete as an edge rusher with his height and reach, but his work ethic has been questioned. The Bengals simply don’t factor in character when they pick, making their choices almost always boom-or-bust propositions.

*****

Bob Hunter, Columbus Dispatch: Experience tells Bengals, Browns fans to be wary

******

Draft show
Wow....thanks to everyone that showed up for our Draft Show Saturday. The place was up for grabs. I've never seen Dickmann's that crowded. Thanks to David Fulcher and John Thornton for joining us. Thanks to promotions, sales and everyone else that helped pull it off.

*****

Bearcats/NFL draft
CINCINNATI--The University of Cincinnati football team had a record-setting NFL Draft with five selections on day two of the annual event for six overall draft picks. Kevin Huber (fifth), DeAngelo Smith (fifth), Brandon Underwood (sixth), Mike Mickens (sixth), and Trevor Canfield (seventh) all were second-day picks, while Connor Barwin (second) was a day-one choice.
UC's six overall draft choices was the most in school history, bettering the previous mark of five, which had occurred three times, in 1998, 1960, and 1947. The six selections were the most of any BIG EAST school, and the Bearcats were one of nine institutions in the nation with six or more players drafted.
CINCINNATI BEARCATS IN THE 2009 NFL DRAFT
Player Round Pick Team
Connor Barwin 2 46 Houston Texans
Kevin Huber 5 142 Cincinnati Bengals
DeAngelo Smith 5 143 Dallas Cowboys
Brandon Underwood 6 186 Green Bay Packers
Mike Mickens 7 227 Dallas Cowboys
Trevor Canfield 7 254 Arizona Cardinals

******
Arizona recruiting takes a hit
Arizona Daily Star
After two weeks of strong forward momentum, the recruiting pendulum quickly turned backward for Sean Miller.

****

Conference breakdown by total draft picks
1. SEC- 37
2. ACC- 32
3. Pac 10- 31
4. Big 12- 29
5. Big Ten- 28
6. Big East- 26
7. Mountain West- 16
8. (Tie) MAC, WAC, C-USA- 10
11. Sun Belt- 2

Non D-I FBS- 23

******

More about the picks

Clinton McDonald
The pain was evident in his voice. The normally effusive Clinton McDonald was cordial and respectful---as he always is, as he was taught by his parents Larry and Bonnie---but his responses were brief and to the excruciating point.

Michael Johnson
A tall, speedy former Georgia Tech defensive lineman, Johnson is expected to make an immediate impact on the professional franchise, as it hopes he can help shore up a mediocre defensive front and enhance its pass-rushing presence.

Johnson vows to prove his worth
"Any complaint that anyone might have is what I'm going to focus on more now until it becomes a strength,"Johnson said.

Chase Coffman
Coffman said he made just two visits, with the Eagles and Chiefs, and had no clue that the Bengals were interested in him. "But when they told me, I was excited. Something that I've always dreamed of doing is being in the NFL, and now I'm a member of the Bengals."

Jonathan Luigs
"Jonathan Luigs will play a long time on the next level," Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said. "He is flexible enough to stay healthy. He is very, very smart. He will know what to do and will immediately pick up the offense. He has the physical tools to do it."

Steals.....CNNSI
Rey Maualuga/MLB/ Cincinnati /38th: Maualuga came into the draft process physically out of shape and unprepared mentally. Regardless, he is still a dominant middle linebacker when hitting on all cylinders. He was worth a roll of the dice at the top of Round 2.
Michael Johnson/DE/ Cincinnati/3rd round: Johnson was rated as the top senior prospect coming into the season and offers early first-round athleticism. His consistency on the field leaves much to be desired but he was worth a roll of the dice in the third round.

*****

Pre-draft interview with Jonathan Luigs

<object classid='clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000' codebase='http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0' width='320' height='305' id='embeddedplayer'><param name='movie' value='http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-kthv-3324-pub01-live/current/articleplayer/singleclip/client/embedded/embedded.swf'/><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true'/><param name='allowScriptAccess' value='always'/><param name='scale' value='noscale'/><param name='salign' value='LT'/><param name='bgcolor' value='#000000'/><param name='wmode' value='window'/><param name='FlashVars' value='playerId=articleplayer&referralObject=1098499031&referralPlaylistId=playlist&adServerBasePath=http://gannett.gcion.com/adrawdata/.0/5111.1/506906/0/0/header=yes;cc=2;cookie=info;alias=&adPositionId=video_prestream&adSiteId=video.todayshtv.com/&gpaperCode=gntbcstkthv&marketName=Little Rock&division=broadcast&pageContentCategory=video&pageContentSubcategory=articleplayer'/><embed type='application/x-shockwave-flash' src='http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-kthv-3324-pub01-live/current/articleplayer/singleclip/client/embedded/embedded.swf' id='embeddedplayer' pluginspage='http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer' menu='false' quality='high' play='false' name='articleplayer' height='305' width='320' allowFullScreen='true' allowScriptAccess='always' scale='noscale' salign='LT' bgcolor='#000000' wmode='window' flashvars='playerId=articleplayer&referralObject=1098499031&referralPlaylistId=playlist&adServerBasePath=http://gannett.gcion.com/adrawdata/.0/5111.1/506906/0/0/header=yes;cc=2;cookie=info;alias=&adPositionId=video_prestream&adSiteId=video.todayshtv.com/&gpaperCode=gntbcstkthv&marketName=Little Rock&division=broadcast&pageContentCategory=video&pageContentSubcategory=articleplayer'/></object>

7th round: Freddie Brown, WR, Utah

****

7th round: Clinton McDonald, DE, Memphis

More on McDonald
McDonald earned his opportunity by being a force on the defensive front. McDonald, 6-2 and 285 pounds, was selected to the 2008 All-Conference USA first team after leading the UofM in sacks, including six during back-to-back midseason wins over Arkansas State and UAB for 50 yards in losses.

****

7th round: FuiVakapuna, FB, BYU

#1 in video

*****

6th round: Bernard Scott, RB, Abilene Christian

Running from trouble, NY Times
He did not play his senior season after being involved in an off-field fight. He has been arrested at least five times and is finishing 18 months of probation for giving false information to a police officer during a traffic stop. He is attending his fourth college since 2003.

Stats

*****

How 'bout Homer today!?
Homer Bailey: 6.1, 4 hits, 2 walks, 15 k's, 1 run.
119 pitches, 79 for strikes

*****

Three game attendance
Reds-Braves: 92,402
Friday: 30,060
Saturday: 33,015
Sunday: 29,327

*****

Reds' bats come alive
MLB.COM
Jay Bruce homered twice to back starter Micah Owings, who earned his first victory since joining the Reds in an 8-2 win over the Atlanta Braves in the finale of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

*****

6th round: Morgan Trent, CB, Michigan

****

Draft tracker
*Bearcats

*Buckeyes

*****

5th round: Kevin Huber, P, UC/McNicholas

****
Congrats to a local product
Robert Brewster (Ball St) was drafted 75th overall (3rd round, pick 11) to Dallas. Robert graduated from Wyoming High School (Wyoming, Oh), class of 2005.

*****

One month ago today
Things I'm told (from March 26)
An NFL source, traveling to Pro Day this week, tells me a key member of the
Bengals' brass indicated the team still has Alabama's OT Andre Smith high on the
draft board. At least one member of the Bengals decision-making staff wants to
take Smith, according the the discussion. In the same conversation, the
Bengals official said he liked the way the draft board could fall and sensed
running back will be the value position when the team is on the clock in
the second round. UConn's Donald Brown was mentioned by name.

*****

Things I'm told
Pete Arbogast, voice of USC football, on Rey Maualuga
"20 years from now, 31 teams will be wondering what the hell they were doing when they passed on this guy, one team will be shaking and and looking smart. Best LB ever at SC, including Seau. Misses a few plays here and there being over agressive in pursuit. Makes up for it ten other times a game. Stud. Huge and fast. Freak. Quiet, family guy, nice guy, monster on the field, like polamalu that way"

Rookie reaction: Rey Maualuga
I talked to Coach Lewis and he said, 'you are about to be a Cincinnati Bengal.' I was so excited. My dream has finally come true to play in the NFL. I also talked to the defensive coordinator

*****

4th round: Jonathan Luigs, C, Arkansas

Pre-draft story on Luigs
"I think he's got a little Jeff Saturday in him," Kiper said, comparing Luigs to the Indianapolis Colts' center, a 10-year NFL veteran. "Jeff Saturday had a nice career at North Carolina, but his stock kind of dropped throughout the process and he ended up having a nice career in the NFL. Luigs is kind of like that.

TV interview with Luigs

*******

3rd round: Chase Coffman, TE, Missouri

*****

3rd round: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech

*****

C. Trent has the draft covered
1530Homer.com

*****

OSU draws 95,722 for spring game

*****

Draft fall reveals Maualuga's incredible stripes
Times Standard
After what seemed like hundreds of hugs, kisses, high-fives and handshakes -- half of which he admitted came from people he had never met -- Maualuga gave an impromptu speech. He immediately thanked his family and talked about proving all the doubters wrong.
He mentioned his father Talatonu, who died of brain cancer in 2006, and tried to charge through his speech, but he couldn't. He paused as tears filled his eyes and he talked about how much he missed his dad, the man who he said gave him his morals. ”
It was good to see my mom happy. She was over there dancing a little bit,” Maualuga said. “Nothing like this was ever expected for our family.

******

Uh, John Clayton....hello?
7. Bengals owner Mike Brown would rather draft a top offensive lineman than a skill-position player.
In 2002, Brown drafted left tackle Levi Brown instead of tight end Jeremy Shockey in the first round. So it shouldn't have been a surprise to see the Bengals take offensive tackle Andre Smith over wide receiver Michael Crabtree, despite Cincinnati's need at receiver after the loss of T.J. Houshmandzadeh in free agency.-ESPN

******

More on Andre Smith
The Birmingham News

It was quite the scene. Smith was picked sixth overall by the Bengals, but took more than an hour to emerge from the presidential suite at the Sheraton.
When he did, there was cheering, screaming, yelling, lots of hugging, maybe some kissing and a bunch of tears. Andre's mother Nesa must've said "Hallelujah!" about 10 times when she got on the mic to address the crowd of 250.

*****

Team analysis: Bengals
The Sporting News Today

*****

Pike sharp in spring game
AP
Pike was 25-of-35 for 210 yards and a touchdown, leading an offense that moved the ball easily against a defense that lost most of its starters. Pike led the Bearcats to the Orange Bowl last season despite breaking his non-passing forearm.

*****

Draft doesn't go as planned for Maualuga
LA Times

"Friends would text me and I'd feel the phone vibrate," Maualuga said in a phone interview Saturday from his home in Eureka, Calif. "I thought, 'It's cool, I'm getting picked.' Then I'd say, 'Dang.' "

******

Miller settling in at Arizona
Green Valley News
With all this time on the road attempting to rebuild Arizona’s recruiting, Miller has been able to spend only six or seven days in Tucson attempting to get to know the current roster.
“That has been my biggest regret thus far,” Miller said. “I haven’t spent as much time as I would’ve liked with the current guys.”

******

Cyclones stir up a comeback
CINCINNATI, Ohio---The Cincinnati Cyclones wiped out
a three goal deficit and used a short overtime to
claim a 5-4 win over the Elmira Jackals on Saturday
night. Jimmy Kilpatrick’s second playoff goal at
1:46 of the extra session off a rebound gave
Cincinnati a two games to none edge in the best of
seven series for the North Division title. The
winner of the series advances to play the winner of
the Florida-South Carolina series in the South
Division for the American Conference championship.
Frederic St. Denis started the game winning play with
a feed to Ian McKenzie at the Elmira blueline.
McKenzie hustled down the slot and fired a shot that
Michael Teslak knocked away. The rebound came back
into the slot and Kilpatrick, who was trailing the
play, rifled the shot home.
Game three of the series will be played at First
Arena in Elmira, NY on Wednesday night (April 29) at
7:05pm.

*******

What they are saying
CNNSI
If teams simply drafted on talent alone, Rey Maualuga would have gone in the first round. He probably would have been the first of the celebrated USC linebacker trio to get selected. As it was, not only was he the last to be selected, he also fell all the way to the second round before Cincinnati picked him and reunited him with former Trojan teammate Keith Rivers.
The problem with Maulauga is that as much of a wrecking ball as he is on the field, he's a bit of a space cadet. I'm not just talking off the field, where he reportedly scored a 15 on the Wonderlic and didn't know who Vice President Joe Biden was, but on it as well. No one frustrated USC coaches more than Maualuga. He looked like he was running around with his head cut off and looking to hit anything that moved. The more tape pro coaches watched on Maualuga, the more times they probably saw him being saved by his teammates on missed assignments.
Huge hits might make for great highlights in college but if you can't play within the confines of a structured defense in the NFL, you might end up on the other end of those highlights.

******

Rey's best move?

*****

World Champs!
GoBearcats.com

Three months after being crowned national champions, the University of Cincinnati Dance Team has conquered the world as Team USA.
Shortly after the 2009 national championship, the Bearcats learned they would represent the United States in the International Cheer Union's World Cheerleading Championship in Orlando, Fla., on Friday, April 24.

Clones win
5-4 in overtime....lead series 2-0

******

Casey on the mound
Casey made his debut on the mound in his first season of kid pitch.
He pitched the first two innings. He K'd the first two hitters in the first inning and again in the second inning.
He hit a batter, walked a batter and scattered a couple of hits. I think he allowed three runs.
I had to leave before the game was over to get to the draft show.
Most important was that he seemed to really enjoy it and that after all he's been through he's healthy enough to play. Nothing beats watching your kids play sports. Nothing is more nerve racking than watching your kids play sports. He and Peyton are spending the night at my dad's. He was icing down his arm last I heard.

*****

Congrats to Connor Barwin
2nd pick of Houston Texans, pick #46 overall
As the 46th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Connor will jet down to Houston first thing tomorrow morning for a press conference. "I'm pumped-- I can't wait to be a Texan and rush the passer at the next level," says Barwin, "I'm so appreciative that I was able to be with my family all day today---good stuff."
"I've seen Connor rise to every challenge throughout this process, and I'm so proud of him. The Texans are getting an exceptional athlete and an even better person," says Scott Smith, agent from X-A-M Sports.

*****

It's Rey Maualuga, USC LB, in the 2nd round

It's Andre Smith at #6

*****

Decade of hindsight guides Akili Smith
San Diego Times Union

"I've put away those childish things," Smith said, proudly, "and I'm finally starting to become a man."

******

(Enquirer photo)

Mike Brown got 'GM bonus'
Enquirer
As the Cincinnati Bengals gather to select players in this weekend's draft to improve player talent, some have renewed calls for the team to hire a football-wise general manager.
Those critics likely were unaware, though, that the team has had a general manager since 1991 - or at least has been paying Mike Brown a bonus of $1 million or more each year for that job.

Mike Brown testimony

*****

By the number
Last 10 NFL drafts
2,548 players were drafted
1,195 played in the postseason
330 never played
195 made the Pro Bowl
175 won a Super Bowl
3 were named MVP
-ESPN The Magazine

******

Benches clear, Braves win
AJC
Volquez surrendered three runs, one hit and seven walks with seven strikeouts in five innings. His 97 pitches included 40 in the fourth inning, when he became the first pitcher to walk five in an inning this season.

*******

Walk this way....
RHP Edinson Volquez walked 5 batters in the top of the fourth inning.
He is the first pitcher in the majors to walk 5 batters in an inning since Washington's Jason Bergmann walked 5 in the top of the third inning vs the Mets on 8/13/08.
He is the first Reds pitcher to do it since Ryan Dempster walked 6 batters in the bottom of the second inning on 4/30/03 at Colorado.

******

Things I'm told
Bengal WR's Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson showed up to roller skate at Jimmie's Rollerdome in Elsmere Wednesday night. They didn't rent skates, they each bought a pair. They had a blast.

*******

Reds apologize
The Reds apologize to fans who were inconvenienced or delayed entry Friday night because of the tickets.com system failure that affected the walkup kiosks at Great American Ball Park. Questions can be directed to (513) 765-7500.

*******

Clones explode
CINCINNATI, Ohi----The Cincinnati Cyclones set a club
playoff record by scoring eight goals in an 8-3 win
over Elmira on Friday night. Ian McKenzie and Dustin
Sproat each had a pair of goals and a pair of assists
to lead the offensive attack. A four goal third
period effort blew open the game for the Cyclones.
Game two of the series will be played at 7:30pm on
Saturday night at U.S. Bank Arena. Tickets can be
purchased at the U.S. Bank Arena box office---which
will be open tomorrow afternoo---or by contacting
TicketMaster at 1-800-745-3000
(www.ticketmaster.com).

Heard it from Hoard
GoBearcats.com
Fans who attend Bearcat Bowl III will certainly be paying close attention to how Barnett and Jones fare on defense, and should also keep an eye on Marcus Waugh who is moving from fullback to middle linebacker. Could one of them repeat Barwin's feat of being named First Team All-Big East is their first year on defense?

****

Bengals sign Jeremi Johnson
The Bengals today signed free agent FB Jeremi Johnson, who played in every Cincinnati game for five seasons (2003-07) before sitting out the 2008 regular season.
Johnson suffered a knee injury in practice on Sept. 1 of last year. He was placed Sept. 3 on the Reserve/Injured list. He was waived from the Reserve/Injured list upon completion of his rehab on Nov. 26, rendering him a free agent.
Johnson (5-11, 270; Western Kentucky) is a seventh-year NFL player in 2009. He was a fourth-round Bengals choice in the 2003 draft, and held the team’s No. 1 FB position for the next five seasons. He supported the top two individual rushing seasons in Bengals history (Rudi Johnson's 1458 yards in 2005 and 1454 yards in ’04), and over 2004-06, he helped Rudi Johnson post the most rushing yards by a Bengal (4221) in any three-year span.
Jeremi Johnson has career receiving totals of 55-for-269 (4.9 avg.) with six touchdowns, and career rushing totals of 48-for-141 (2.9 avg.) with two touchdowns.

They will settle a score from 1993
CNN
The players are now grown men in their early 30s. Hair is starting to turn gray, and waistlines have expanded. Some are family men, and most have full-time jobs. They had eight weeks to get back in game shape, and most jumped at the chance.

*****

Court case reveals Bengals' millions
Enquirer.com
Mike Brown received millions in "general manager" bonuses, even though the team has no such title.
VonderBrink testified the team paid a "general manager" bonus of $1,237,000 in 1999 and $1,947,695 in 2001. Brown testified in the trial he received a bonus every year since he took over running the team in 1991.

*****

Reds news
*Chris Mack, the new Head Coach of Xavier University's Men's Basketball team will offer up one of our ceremonial first pitches as part of Xavier University Night at GABP.
*Anthony Collins, starting offensive lineman for the Cincinnati Bengals & 2008 4th round draft choice, will offer up another one of the ceremonial first pitches as a salute to the upcoming 2009 NFL Draft being held this weekend in New York City.
*David Nail, Mercury Records Nashville recording artist, will serve as the Honorary Captain & will also lead the crowd in singing Take Me Out to the Ballgame.
Tonight is the first postgame Fireworks Friday games of the season. The show will begin approximately 15 minutes after the end of the game and last for 15 minutes.

******

Bengals bring back Jeremi Johnson?
ProFootballTalk.com

******

A draft day reminder for Mike Brown

(Enquirer photo)

*******

Show preview
Guests
Jason Collins Baker, previews Bearcat Bowl III, 3:45
Jerry Jones, 5pm, I'll take you calls...I think I'm out of questions
Topics
Bengals Pick 6: Who do you want at #6? Who would you be ok with? Who don't you want?
Reds
Who needs four?, 4:30
Donatos Continuation, 5:45

******

Who needs four?
I'll give you a shot to win four tickets to the Cyclones Game 2 Saturday night.
Below is Clones announcer John Hamel's call of the Game 7 winner Monday night.
I'll ask you to call in and create a game winning goal call. Keep it short and simple.
Best call gets the tickets.....and an autographed copy of the game program from John Hamel.

******

UK news
LEXINGTON, Ky----The University of Kentucky men's basketball program has signed Miami-Dade Community College standout Darnell Dodson, Coach John Calipari announced on Friday.
Dodson, originally from Greenbelt, Md., attended Miami-Dade Community College last season where he helped guide the Sharks to a Southern Conference Championship and a 26-2 regular season record. The 6-7 small forward averaged 15.7 points and 5.6 rebounds while shooting 76.7 percent from free throw line en route to First Team All-Southern Conference honors.
Dodson joins DeMarcus Cousins (Mobile, Ala.), Kentucky Mr. Basketball Jon Hood (Madisonville) and Daniel Orton (Oklahoma City, Okla.) as members of UK’s 2009 signing class.

*****

Stat of the day
The Reds are 9-6. The last time the Reds were three games above .500 was April 7, 2007...when they stood 4-1.
That is a span of 334 games since they were last three games over .500.

******

HS basksetball player to Europe after Jr year

DeCourcy: Experiment makes no sense
Pioneers are supposed to move forward, though. Every piece of evidence we have suggests Tyler is traveling in reverse -- going from a nation and a system that have given the basketball world Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala to one that has produced precisely one all-NBA first-team player. Ever.

Staples: Criticism is simply unfair
The reaction to the news of California high schooler Jeremy Tyler's plan was as predictable as it was tired.

******

Draft debate: Andre Smith
NFL Network
If you take this kid off your draft board because of this kind of thing, you're crazy. To me, Andre Smith is a top-10 pick in this draft. Maybe a top-five pick.

UC news
CINCINNATI--The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics will play host to a garage sale of used and new athletics items in the west concourse of Fifth-Third Arena from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2009.
Some of the items available include Nike and adidas shoes and cleats, some brand new and some game worn.
Nike and adidas logoed team practice and game apparel, including polos, mocks, workout shirts and shorts, jackets, and rain suits will also be on sale.
Cash and credit cards will be accepted.

*******

Warning: Earworm

*****

MLB Network covers all the bases
Newsday
"We want to showcase every team, whether it's the Yankees or Royals, on an equal basis,'' senior VP of production John Entz said.
Is that agnosticism dictated by the commissioner's office? Network president Tony Petitti said simply, "We just think it's the right thing to do.''

*****

Madden cover: It's Fitzgerald and Polamalu
The Sporting News

******

What if Bills jump Bengals to take Smith?
Scout.com

A league source told Scout.com's Adam Caplan that the Bills are trying to trade up--past the Cincinnati Bengals at No. 6 overall ---to land Alabama tackle Andre Smith. Both Buffalo and Cincinnati are in need of a starting

*****

The fall and rise of Andre Smith
USA Today
He could land in Saturday's draft exactly where he was projected after the end of the college season -- in the top 10. But not without a roller coaster ride in between.

*****

NFL Network mock draft
Bengals select Andre Smith

******

Bengals preview
The Sporting News Today

******

Bats slap their way past Toledo
Louisville Courier Journal
Louisville exploded for 14 hits, including solo home runs by Chris Valaika and Gomes. Gomes was 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, and Adam Rosales had a double and a triple in a 2-for-5 night that lowered his batting average to .408.

*****

Warning: Earworm

******

Draft odds
From Bodog
Who will be the sixth player (Cincinnati Bengals) drafted in the NFL draft?
Eugene Monroe 9/4
Brian Orakpo 5/2
Andre Smith 7/2
Jeremy Maclin 6/1
B J Raji 8/1

******

Former UK recruit to Arizona?
Indy Star
Deon Ferguson said Kentucky is still in the mix, as are Indiana and Purdue, but said his son as a ways to go before he whittles down his list again. A possible fit is Arizona. New coach Sean Miller recruited Ferguson while he was at Xavier.

Miller talks recruiting

******

Follow Calipari on Twitter
LEXINGTON, Ky.--University of Kentucky men's basketball head coach John Calipari will never be out of reach.
Calipari has joined the latest Internet craze and created his own Twitter account. With the launch of Calipari's official Twitter account, UKCoachCalipari, fans can receive instant updates, or "tweets," directly from Coach Calipari on the Internet or on their mobile phone.
Fans can go to http://twitter.com/UKCoachCalipari to follow Coach Calipari's Twitter account. Users must create an account to join. Once logged in, fans have the choice of following other users, and they can activate their mobile devices to receive "tweets" as other users, including Coach Calipari's account, post them.

*******

Reds news
Big walk-up crowds expected this weekend at GABP: In anticipation of large walk-up crowds this weekend, the Reds would like to remind fans the Great American Ball Park ticket windows open at 9 am each day. Walk-up tickets can also be purchased at kiosks on Crosley Terrace at GABP…and on Fountain Square and at the Skyline Chili at 4th & Sycamore in downtown Cincinnati. Internet ordering: go to Reds.com. By phone: 513-381-REDS or 877-647-REDS (7337).

******

Event for a cause
Building Blocks For Kids Golf Outing
This is the local charity that steps up for special needs and terminal kids when their insurance steps out (ie providing therapy and covering medical related costs for kids that their insurance will not cover).
TPC River's Bend in Maineville, OH
Monday, May 4, 2009
The Building Blocks for Kids Charity Golf Outing is back and bigger than ever.
TPC Riverbend is a beautiful 18 hole challenge designed by Arnold Palmer, named
among the "Top 10 Best New Private Clubs in the U.S." by Golf Digest when it
debuted in 2002, and was voted Best in the State of Ohio for 2007-2008. Break
out the sticks and come on out for an action packed day!!!
Registration and Lunch: 11:30 am
Shotgun start: 12:30 pm
Awards Presentation: 5:30 pm
Box Lunch Provided

And this one belongs to the Reds!
7-3 road trip...say it with me.......I LOVE WINNINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

*****

Jocketty not worried about hitting woes

*****

Commercial earworm

*******

TE Gonzalez to Falcons for 2nd round pick

*******

The case for Andre Smith
C. Trent

*******

Bengals news
The Bengals today waived G Kirk Barton, a second-year NFL player from Ohio State.
Barton, from Massillon, Ohio, was inactive on the Cincinnati roster for one game last season before being placed on the Reserve/Injured list following a Dec. 4 practice injury. He was a seventh-round choice of Chicago in the 2008 draft and played in one game for the Bears. He spent inactive time on the Miami and San Francisco rosters before being signed by the Bengals from the Miami practice squad on Nov. 28.

Show preview
Guests
I'll get the gang together for in-studio visits today
3-4pm: Joe Reedy, Enquirer and Chick Ludwig, Dayton Daily News
4-5pm: Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com and C. Trent
5-6pm: Dave Lapham

*****

Heineken Poll Question
Yesterday 67% voted to select OL Eugene Monroe at #6.
Ok....let's assume he is gone....now who should the Bengals pick? VOTE

*****

Alsono hits one Yonder...again
Charlotte Sun
Reds first baseman Yonder Alonso had been a pain to the Stone Crabs, and Wednesday was no different. Tuesday evening, he ended Alex Cobb's night prematurely after knocking two doubles and a homer off the Stone Crabs starter. Wednesday, Alonso bid adieu to Darcy after a two-run blast tied the game.

*****

The Thursday Night Throwdown
With Chuges and friends

*****

Chad situation could get ugly
ESPN

What Ocho Cinco does at this point is up to him. The Bengals have been working out as a team for several weeks, therefore Ocho Cinco can either get with the program or once again make his unhappiness a major spectacle.
Cincinnati is hoping for the former, but Ocho Cinco's history leans toward the latter. The Bengals will find out how Ocho Cinco handles this situation soon enough.

*****

On the clock with the Bengals
"There are a lot of voices here that would like to convince Mike Brown it's time to let Chad go"---Brad Johansen, voice of Bengals

*****

Mock draft 3.0
USA Today staff
Bengals: 4 pick Eugene Monroe, 3 pick Andre Smith, 1 picks Michael Oher

*****

What they are saying in Chicago
Sun Times
The Cubs finally got cleanup hitter Milton Bradley back in the lineup Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds. And they were shut out for the first time this season, with the $30 million free agent getting his boo-bird initiation when he struck out for the third time in the ninth inning.

*****

Reds vs Bengals: UK edition
Who Dey Revolution
Unfortunately this hospitality and friendliness was not continued across at Paul Brown Stadium, as some weeks later I received an e-mail from the Bengals stating that as there were no tickets left please contact "stubhub." A generic 3 line e-mail saying thanks but no thanks was the reward for 40 years support, I didn't want free tickets and that was never the intention of the e-mail but to be shown such disregard and contempt was difficult to accept considering how the Reds greeted us. To compound this and to really highlight the complete polar opposites of the two franchises we got tickets for the Bengals-Titans game...........from the Reds hall of fame staff.

Saarloos beats Thompson and Bats
Rosales was 4 for 5 with a double to raise his average to .409, fourth-best in the International League

*****

Time running out: $14 Reds tix for $8
There are four Kid Glove games this season involving the Reds.
Ticket vouchers are just $8. They can be exchanged for a $14 View Level seat at GABP.
All proceeds go towards the purchase of baseball and softball equipment for youth in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Monday, April 27 vs Astros 7:10
Tuesday, April 28 vs Astros 7:10
Tuesday, May 19 vs Phillies 7:10
Wednesday, May 20 vs Phillies 7:10
Teams receive 100-percent back from their ticket voucher sales to purchase equipment for the following year.

Form #1 Kid Glove info
Form #2 Order form

*****

Best and worst NFL draft decision makers
Fox Sports
Bottom 5 Draft Minds
1. Mike Brown, Bengals owner
The Bengals lead the league in drafted players no longer in the NFL. The coaching staff has way too much influence at times, a bad idea considering they are not on the road scouting and don't always have good personnel judgments.

*****

Wrigley fans won't let Dusty forget
MLB.COM
"I don't really understand it," Cubs first baseman and Baker friend Derrek Lee told Chicago reporters on Tuesday night. "I don't know why he's getting booed. I don't know what he did to still be getting booed here."

*****

Cavaliers spoof Heineken commercial
The original commercial from Heineken

Cavaliers

Now, this is a par 3!

*****

Coming soon: Collegiate Snuggies
CNBC

If you go to the big sports schools like Michigan, North Carolina and Texas, you’ll be able to buy a Snuggie with your school’s logo on it this Fall. The price will be $19.95 and will be sold on television, in drug stores and, in some cases, campus stores, according to Crystal Sims, director in non-apparel marketing of the Collegiate Licensing Company, the IMG firm that represents nearly 200 schools on licensing endeavors.

******

Event for a cause
March for Babies
From listener Mark
I am very excited to be a part of March for Babies, please support my participation by making a donation.The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Warning: Commercial earworm!

Posnanski on Phillips
Around The Horn

*****

Show preview
Guest
Jerry Jones, NFL draft, 4pm (I'll take calls for him today)
Topics
Reds
Bengals
Best stadium/ballpark/arena traditions: See below
Top 10 Non-Sports Sporting Events: Stuff other than the games....Real Clear Sports says the World Cup Soccer Draw is #1. Agree?
Earworms: The songs and jingles that get into your head....and you can't get them out.

******

College hoops news
2009 Big Ten/ACC Challenge schedule
Monday, Nov. 30 Penn State at Virginia
Tuesday, Dec. 1 Maryland at Indiana
Michigan State at North Carolina
Northwestern at N.C. State
Virginia Tech at Iowa
Wake Forest at Purdue
Wednesday, Dec. 2 Boston College at Michigan
Duke at Wisconsin
Florida State at Ohio State
Illinois at Clemson
Minnesota at Miami

******

Big East/SEC
The third annual SEC/BIG EAST Invitational will be held December 9-10 in New York City and Tampa, Fla., ESPN Regional Television announced today.
The two-night men’s college basketball event begins with a doubleheader Wednesday, Dec. 9, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The matchups feature
Georgia vs. St. John's on ESPN2, followed by Kentucky vs. Connecticut on ESPN.
On Thursday, Dec. 10, at St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla.,
DePaul will take on Mississippi State on ESPN2, followed by Syracuse vs. Florida on ESPN.

******

How about four straight no-hitters?
Tampa Tribune

Schuster, 18, is still filling out his 6-foot-2, 165-pound frame. He throws a 90-mph fastball, a wicked slider and a baffling curve. And the combination of all of these things was enough to bring out a dozen professional scouts to his most recent performance.

*****

Old powers getting schooled at NFL draft
Wall Street Journal
Cincinnati will be among the leaders in total selections, with as many as eight. The Bearcats have had one player drafted in the first three rounds this entire decade, but they could see three this weekend--pass rusher Connor Barwin, cornerback Mike Mickens and guard Trevor Canfield

*****

We didn't have a chance to get into this Tuesday
What else could make this list?
Top 10 Non-Sports sporting events

*****

Brandon's slump
Brandon Phillips is hitting .143 this year (6 for 42)...he's 0 for his last 21 and 1 for his last 30.
But keep in mind...this isn't an April thing. He hit .225 after the all-star break last year.
He hasn't been the same since August 1st of last year.
Phillips since August 1st......48 games
.193 (35 for 181) 6 hr, 18 rbi, 20 walks, 28 k's, 2 sb's
What has changed since August 1st? Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr are gone from the order.
For goodness sakes, get him a day off, and then put him some place else in the order.
News flash....the Reds don't have #4 hitter. I get that. But why does that mean you keep hitting Phillips there?
Do something. Do anything. Do it for a game. What indicates status quo is working? Unless Dusty is ok watching Phillips swing for 5-run homers. Dusty is all about protecting his players. He does it well with the media. He's not doing it in this case.
What's the worst thing that could happen if Phillips is moved out of that spot?
Another 0-fer in another spot in the order? And?
Try anyone else to at least give Phillips a break from it. I think Joey Votto would best be able to handle it mentally. But I'd like Joey to get as many ab's as possible and get a first inning at-bat each game.
No way I'm putting Edwin there...at least until he starts to hit and get some confidence. The last thing you want to do with Edwin is put more on his plate when he's struggling. I think Bruce has enough issues to deal with.
If the goal is to beat down Phillips, and see if he'll break, Dusty is doing a pretty good job of that.

*****

Songs that get in your head
Entertainment Weekly
I've been infected by an earworm.
My friend the Longhair says that's what you call songs that burrow into your head and commence chewing your brains. The dreaded earworm can turn even a great song into something you'd run from, screaming at the top of your lungs. If only you could. The most recent example from my own life is......
Earworms 101 from UC

*****

Remarkable run all but done for Miami
CBS Sports
The streak has that Joe DiMaggio feel to it. Those who witnessed it may never see it matched. LSU currently has the next-longest streak at five consecutive years with a first-round choice. From 1995 through 2008, Miami had at least one player taken in the first round, 33 total. From 2001 to 2004 it had a combined 19, averaging almost five per year, with a high of six in 2004.

*****

Best available vs need: Philosophies collide
NFL.COM
Typically, teams say they want to draft the best player available. That's like most people saying they want to drive the best car available (that they can afford) or live in the nicest house available (in a neighborhood with good schools for the kids) or take the most beautiful available girl to prom (if she doesn't mind the sky-blue tux and mom being the chauffeur).

*****

Best stadium/ballpark/arena traditions
Few things better than the national anthem at a Chicago Blackhawks game.
The fans cheer throughout the anthem. The tradition began in 1985 during the playoffs. This is the most famous moment, prior to the 1991 All-Star game, played right after the start of the first Gulf War.
Got another tradition at a ballpark, stadium or arena?

Or this one...the octopus in Detroit

Or..."The Jump" in Wisconsin

LeBron and the powder

*****

Scouting the OT
The Sporting News Today
Andre Smith down to #7

*****

Baker booed, Cubs in 7-2 win
Chicago Tribune
Baker was booed every time he went to the mound for a pitching change, but Ramirez thinks it's a bum rap.
"It wasn't his fault. No one could have managed that team we had in '06," Ramirez said of Baker's final season in Chicago. "… You give Dusty this team, I guarantee we're going to play well too."

******

Bats win, Homer pitches better
Louisville Courier Journal
Bats starter Homer Bailey (1-2) went six innings, allowing both runs, six hits and four walks while striking out three.

******

Analyst split on how big man duo would work for UK
Lexington Herald Leader
"I don't think it's a good fit together," Meyer said. When asked why, he cited "a lack of foot speed" for Orton and Cousins as either played power forward against perimeter-oriented teams with a smaller, quicker "four-man."

*******

Mack already a UD villain
Enquirer
The incident resurfaced in whispers around the time of Mack’s April 15 introduction as XU’s new coach. After a little digging, it was clear that there’s no love lost for the Evansville-turned-Xavier transfer player in Dayton annals: first because of the Coffee incident, and second for his decades-old allegiance to the archrival Musketeers.

*******

Doc: Never too early for Reds

*****

The Upside of Ugly
Men's Journal
There are two kinds of grotesque athletes: the good ugly, who help you win by frightening and distracting teams for a game or two a year, and the bad ugly, who offend God every day of the week. Here, a scorecard.