I love Charlie Coles

****

UC football delivers big TV ratings
*West Virginia at Cincinnati ESPN2, Friday, Nov 13 at 8:00pm rated 2.64
*Highest rated ESPN2 telecast of the year for any conference thus far on the network
*Second highest rated ESPN2 game ever involving a Big East team (WVU at USF, 9-28-07= 2.72)
*Highest rated ESPN or ESPN2 Friday telecast of the year for any conference thus far on the network
* Fourth highest rated ESPN2 telecast of all time ( LSU @ Tenn 3.10 (2005-Mon 9/26); Hawaii @ Boise State 2.75, and WVU-USF 2.72, both in 2007)
*Fourth most viewed ESPN2 game of all time (behind those above)
* Second most viewed ESPN2 game ever involving a Big East team (2,599,568 viewers) (USF was slightly higher)
Cincinnati market ratings
*UConn at Cincinnati ABC, Sat, Nov 21 at 8:00pm ;
Recorded a 22.4 rating in Cincinnati DMA on WCPO
*West Virginia at Cincinnati ESPN2;
Recorded a 17.5 rating in Cincinnati DMA on ESPN2
*Point of Comparison: Cincinnati DMA rating on Fox WXIX for Orange Bowl was 27.4 .

****

LJ doesn't deserve another chance
The National Football Post
L.J. has gotten plenty of second chances the past six years. The Bengals just gave him another one. Why this is a good idea I don’t know. But I do know I’ll be watching the situation with great interest, waiting to see how he deals with being the fourth running back on a playoff-bound team. My guess? Not too well

****

A chance to help
The Hughes HS wrestling team is taking a trip to Tennessee for a tournament.
They are in need of money to help finance the trip.
To help raise money the team is selling parking for the Elder and Anderson game on Saturday at Hughes High School (right down the street) on Clifton
This is from Coach Godbey:
We are in need of money for hotels, transportation and food for these kids. Last year we were able to get hotel rooms for around $40 a night. Anyone that is willing to donate would in return receive a team picture from us in Tennessee with a gracious thank you note from the team.
We are leaving school on Sunday December 20th around 2pm.
We are traveling to Pigeon Forge High School in Pigeon Forge Tennessee.
We will wrestle ten matches in two days starting on the 21st.
We will return home on the 22nd.
My contact information is
Joe Godbey
Head Wrestling Coach
My email is coachgodbey@hotmail.com

****

Bengals news
Bengals HB Bernard Scott is among five finalists for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors for games played Nov. 12-16, the NFL announced today. Fan voting will determine the winner, and fans can vote for one of the finalists on NFL.com/rookies through Friday at noon. The winner will be announced Friday evening on NFL.com/rookie. Scott, a sixth-round draft choice from Abilene Christian, was a key performer in last week’s 18-12 Bengals victory at Pittsburgh. He scored the game’s only touchdown on a 96-yard kickoff return and averaged 41.2 yards for five returns for the day. His 206 total kickoff return yards for the game rank third in Bengals history. Scott also had 54 yards from scrimmage in the victory, rushing 13-for-33 and adding a 21-yard reception.
Signed free agent HB Larry Johnson, a seventh-year player with 6015 career rushing yards and two Pro Bowl appearances. Johnson (6-1, 230; Penn State) has seen all his previous action with the Kansas City Chiefs, who selected him in the first round of the 2003 draft (27th overall). Johnson played in Games 1-7 for the Chiefs this season, rushing for 377 yards on 132 carries and adding 12 receptions for 76 yards. He was released by Kansas City on Nov. 9. He earned Pro Bowl berths in the 2005 and 2006 seasons, with 1750 rushing yards in ’05 and 1789 yards the following year. He has 30 career games of 100 or more rushing yards and has 55 career rushing TDs.
Waived second-year DT Orien Harris of Miami (Fla.). Harris was signed Oct. 20 as a free agent and has played in one game.
Terminated the contract of WR Antonio Chatman, releasing him to free agency. Chatman was released from the Reserve/Injured list. A seventh-year NFL player, Chatman opened the 2009 preseason with the Bengals but suffered an ankle injury in practice on Aug. 7. He was placed Sept. 5 on Reserve/Injured and has completed his rehab.
Terminated the contract of TE Ben Utecht, releasing him to free agency. Utecht was released from the Reserve/Injured list. A fifth-year NFL player, Utecht opened the 2009 preseason with the Bengals but suffered a concussion in practice on Aug. 5. He was placed Aug. 31 on Reserve/Injured and has completed his rehab
Signed S Brannon Condren to the practice squad. Condren (6-1, 205; Troy) is a third-year NFL player. He opened 2009 with Indianapolis, but was waived on July 29. A fourth-round draft choice of Indianapolis in 2007, he played in eight games for the Colts that season, with two tackles, a pass defensed and four special teams tackles. He was waived by the Colts on Aug. 30, 2008. Later in ’08, he was inactive for four games with St. Louis and played in four games for Miami, with three special teams tackles.

*****

Cloning fans
CINCINNATI---The Cincinnati Cyclones set a club record for regular season weekday attendance, drawing 8944 for the Ohio Lottery presents Education In Hockey Day game played this morning. The previous regular season weekday attendance record of 6211 was set in a 2-1 shootout win over Idaho on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 during a NASCAR Night promotion. The club also takes over the ECHL lead for average attendance with today's crowd.
The 8944 is the largest regular season weekday attendance in the ECHL in at least ten years. The biggest weekday attendance in 2008-09 was 8115 for Stockton at Ontario on March 18, 2009. The biggest during the three seasons (2006-07 to present) that the Cyclones have returned to ECHL play was 8661 set when Las Vegas visited Bakersfield on November 14, 2007.

****

Catch you Wednesday
I'm off today
Reds Hot Stove 6-7pm
Xavier basketball, 7pm
I'm back Monday 6-7pm with Bengals Sports Talk with Lap and Trump

****

Did you know?
Big East basketball has a combined 22-0 record thus far in 2009-10. The Big East and Big 12 are the only conferences without a loss to this point.

****

Dig a little deeper
Dan Hoard, GoBearcats.com
I'm not disputing that the Bearcats were not as intense as they should have been
at the start of Monday's season-opener against Prairie View A & M, but frankly,
that's not unusual for an early-season matchup between two schools from opposite
ends of the college basketball spectrum. It's not an indictment of Mick Cronin
any more than Kentucky falling 18 points behind Miami is an indictment of John
Calipari.

****

(Baltimore Sun photo)
Get well Haruki
Best wishes to former Bearcat Haruki Nakamura who broke his right ankle Monday night in the Ravens' game vs the Browns.

*****

Weis should not be back for 6th season
David Haugh, Chicago Tribune
Nothing that happens in Weis' final two games possibly could alter any logical conclusion drawn by Swarbrick about the state of affairs in Year 5. In fairness to a once-proud football program and Weis, end the charade now, Notre Dame.
Through 60 games, Weis has proved to be nothing more than Bob Davie with better bling. Going 35-25 at Notre Dame wasn't good enough for Davie to return for a sixth season. Nor should it be for Weis.

****

Bengals' recent success too late for some
Dayton Daily News
After years of frustration and just two winning seasons since 1990, Bengals fans deserve a winner. I have to wonder, though, is it too late?
For some fans it is. I know a few Bengals fans who in recent seasons hopped off the bandwagon.

****

Time for Irish to make the change
Al Lesar, South Bend Tribune
Bag the bowl. Circle the wagons. Round up the usual suspects. There's no quick fix for the negativity surrounding the Notre Dame football program.
Charlie Weis' hand-over-heart promise to do better after last season won't cut it this time.

****

LJ to officially join Bengals today
KC Star

****

UC, TCU title worthy?
SI
After seeing Cincinnati in person, I believe the Bearcats -- while certainly fun to watch -- aren't in the same class as Florida/Alabama/Texas. There's no disputing their offensive firepower, but their defense isn't BCS-caliber. They'd also suffer in a national-title matchup due to their lack of a physical red-zone option.

****

LJ reaction
Wow...what a difference a week makes. Last Thursday night I made the case for bringing in Larry Johnson.
I was mocked. I might have been called names.
89% of those voting in the poll question said NO to LJ.
Not even a week later the poll is running 76% YES to LJ. What changed?
As I said Thursday night........even before Ced was hurt.....why not?
LJ fills a position of need
Cedric already had 198 carries....and was on pace for 396, the 7th most carries in NFL history.
Benson's career high is 214....meaning he's about to hit uncharted territory for his NFL career.
Most teams rely on at least two backs to carry the load
It's going to get cold and snowy and tough down the stretch
LJ could give you 10-15 carries a game to spell Cedric
Nobody was going to feel comfortable handing things to a rookie down the stretch, in cold weather (Bernard Scott)
No way you can count on Scott to carry 25 times
This team has been built on second chance guys/castoffs
LJ would be moving from a losing situation to a winning situation
He averaged 4.5 yards per carry last year
If he wants to keep his career alive, he will play with his head on straight here.
Use the final half of the season for LJ to rebuild/polish his resume and to help the Bengals
This is a strong locker room with good leaders. As Marvin said, he has problem fixers....guys that have taken ownership of the locker room. Let them keep LJ in line. He does it their way or hits the highway
What's the downside? There isn't one.
I can't figure out why everyone thought this was such a bad idea.
What do they have to lose?

*****

Cedric the signer
Just a reminder that Cedric Benson will be signing autographs at the Pro Shop, 12-1pm Tuesday, 200 tickets will be handed out starting at 10am.

*****

Who do Notre Dame fans want as their coach next year?
Bob Stoops 31.9%
Brian Kelly 25.53%
Jim Harbaugh 19.95%
John Gruden 14.89%
Charlie Weis 8.51%

*****

Ruling the Buckeye State
WhatIfSports.com
In 10,000 simulations between Ohio State and Cincinnati, the Bearcats win three-quarters of the time--- 75.2% to be exact---and by an average final score of 30-23. With such a convincing victory, maybe the question shouldn't be which team is the best college team in Ohio, but which team (after the Bengals) is second best at any level in the state of Ohio (and if the Browns would finish fourth or worse in that debate).

*****

The bests of times?
The Bengals (7-2) and Bearcats (10-0) have a combined 17 wins.
The two teams have at least 10 games remaining (UC 2 regular season+ bowl game/Bengals 7 regular season games).
The most wins by the Bengals/Bearcats combined since 1968 (first year of Bengals)
20: (1981) Bengals *14/Bearcats 6 (*includes 2 playoff wins)
19: (1976) Bengals 10/Bearcats 9
17: (2009) Bearcats 10/Bengals 7
17 (1988) Bengals *14/Bearcats 3 (*includes 2 playoff wins)
17 (2007) 10 Bearcats/7 Bengals
17 (1975) 11 Bengals/6 Bearcats

*****

SOS
From Statman
Remaining strength of schedule