DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ENDS.....Don't forget to set your clocks back 1 hour before you go to bed Saturday night!!!

**************************

My favorite Halloween Candy....TWIX

**************************

Bengals happy with tight end play
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Less than a week into training camp, Bengals tight ends coach Jonathan Hayes knew that this year was going to be a work in progress. Through seven games, that process keeps evolving. Going into next Sunday’s game against Baltimore, J.P. Foschi has moved past Dan Coats on the depth chart while rookie Chase Coffman continues to learn the position.

**************************

Palmer, Benson sweep FedEx awards....Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer and running back Cedric Benson were named winners of the FedEx Air and Ground NFL Player of the Week awards, the NFL announced Friday. Benson rushed 37 times for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown against the Chicago Bears, his former team, in Cincinnati's 45-10 victory last Sunday. Palmer completed 20 of 24 pass attempts for 233 yards and five touchdowns to help the Bengals remain in a share of the AFC North lead with a 5-2 mark.

**************************

Three recommendations for Bengals during the bye
ESPN.com

1. Take a mental break....

No team has had a more emotionally draining start to the season than the Bengals.

On the field, Cincinnati had its first five games come down to the final possession. Sometimes it didn’t work -- such as the loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 1 -- but most of the time it did as a four-game winning streak followed for the Bengals. But every game presented new challenges and new ways to come down to the wire.

Off the field the Bengals’ organization, coaches and players had to deal with the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer’s wife, Vikki, and this is the first extended break for the team since her passing. Hopefully this time off will allow all parties involved to take a step back and recover from a tough situation.

2. Get Andre Smith up to speed
Cincinnati’s first-round pick Andre Smith is cleared to practice but has yet to see his first NFL action. It’s the job of the training staff and coaches to get the rookie right tackle prepared to contribute after the bye.
Smith joined the Bengals with lofty expectations after the team chose him with the No. 6 overall pick in last April's NFL draft. But a lengthy contract dispute caused him to miss all of training camp and the preseason, then a broken bone in his foot forced him out of the first seven games in the regular season.
The Bengals are 5-2 without Smith, but that doesn’t mean they can’t use him. Look for Smith to gradually contribute next month and get up to speed, before he is eventually thrown in the starting lineup for the stretch run.

3. Prepare for Baltimore
The Bengals will take the field next on Nov. 8 against the rival Baltimore Ravens (3-3) at Paul Brown Stadium. This will be one of the most important games of the season for both teams as Cincinnati tries to create further separation and the Ravens attempt to keep the AFC North a three-team race.
Cincinnati already beat the Ravens in Baltimore. That puts a lot of pressure on the Ravens to even the series and negate the head-to-head tiebreaker. It’s going to be very difficult for the AFC North to get three teams into the playoffs. So the Bengals have an advantage of extra prep time for his huge matchup.

**************************

What do ya know....Bud Selig is against technology. And people wonder why people like the NFL better than MLB?.....MLB commissioner Bud Selig said he has been soliciting outside opinion from managers and general managers the past few weeks and said no one offered a good explanation why the umpiring was so bad in the first rounds of the postseason. He also declined to call for further use of replay.

**************************

Pike ruled out for Saturday's game at Syracuse....Brian Kelly has all but eliminated the possibility that quarterback Tony Pike will play Saturday at Syracuse. Kelly said on his radio show tonight that the cast Pike was wearing on his left forearm had been removed for awhile today to allow Pike to do some rehab.

**************************

Buckeyes add 2011 recruit...Steve Miller, a defensive end from Canton McKinley, orally committed to Ohio State's 2011 recruiting class yesterday. Miller is 6-4, 235. Last season as a sophomore, he had 116 tackles and 13 sacks. So far this season, he has eight sacks.

**************************

Babe of the Weekend....Amber Lancaster

**************************

Weekend Food Porn....introducing the Banana Java Twinkie Supreme

12 mashed Twinkies, heavy cream, syrup and bananas baked in pie crust and topped with whipped cream.

**************************

Today's Definition of Duh....Police received a call Friday night that two men with hooded sweatshirts and painted faces had tried to break into a man's home in Carroll, Iowa. There were no ski masks or stockings pulled over their heads; instead, Matthew Allan McNelly, 23, and Joey Lee Miller, 20, streaked their faces with permanent black marker.

**************************

Halloween at the Playboy Mansion
COED Magazine

**************************

Did you catch Ochocinco on Letterman last night? You didn't? Well, you're in luck. Mo has the video...

****************************

Ochocinco says Bengals are better than Broncos....Among the comments was that the 5-2 Bengals are better than the undefeated Denver Broncos. Denver, at 6-0, is regarded as one of the NFL’s elite teams. But the Broncos needed a fluke tip in Week 1 to edge Cincinnati, 12-7. "We’re the better team," Ochocinco said. "They’re playing very well, by far. But us offensively, I believe we have the better quarterback, a better running back ...The receiving corps, it speaks for itself because the numbers don’t lie."

****************************

Palmer looking in 2005 form
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Early in the season, he was known for putting together late come-from-behind drives, but during the last four weeks Carson Palmer has shown an all-around game that also has started to pay dividends for the Bengals. From showing mobility in the pocket to creating touchdown plays to getting receivers involved, Palmer is beginning to approach his level of play from 2005, when he passed for a league-best 32 touchdowns and led the Bengals to a playoff berth.

****************************

Chick's Prediction for the Bengals 2nd Half
Ludwig at Large

Here’s how I see the remainder of the season:
Game 8 — W at home vs. Baltimore on Nov. 8. (Ray Lewis pays for his hit on Chad Ochocinco.)
Game 9 — L at Pittsburgh on Nov. 15 (Road to the Super Bowl goes through Pittsburgh).
Game 10 — L at Oakland on Nov. 22 (My upset special. Bengals play about as well on the West Coast as the Buckeyes play in BCS national championship games.)
Game 11 — W at home vs. Cleveland on Nov. 29 (Browns resemble an expansion team.)
Game 12 — W at home vs. Detroit on Dec. 6 (Lions still is Detox from Matt Millen era.)
Game 13 — L at Minnesota on Dec. 13 (Adrian Peterson is a swivel-hip faker & six-point maker.)
Game 14 — L at San Diego on Dec. 20 (Security is tight; music’s too loud; Bengals suffer from jet lag.)
Game 15 — W at home vs. Kansas City on Dec. 27 (Chiefs still searching for answers.)
Game 16 — W at New York Jets on Jan 3 (Bengals respond in final regular-season game at Giants Stadium.)

AFC Division winners:
Patriots, Steelers, Colts and Broncos.

Wild Cards:
Bengals and Bills.

****************************

Tickets still remain for Bengals vs Ravens
Official Release
<blockquote>There are approximately 5000 tickets still available for the Bengals’ Nov. 8 home game vs. Baltimore, the club’s ticket office announced today.

The Ravens game, following a bye for the Bengals this weekend, is a key matchup among contenders for the AFC North Division championship. The Bengals now are tied for first place with Pittsburgh, but Baltimore will be in position to tie the Bengals on Nov. 8 if the Ravens defeat Denver this weekend.
The Bengals currently have a franchise-record streak of 48 consecutive sellouts for regular-season and postseason games.

To purchase tickets for Baltimore, fans may call the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 866-621-TDTD (8383). The Hotline will be open today until 7 p.m., on Friday from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., on Saturday from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Hours on weekdays next week will be 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Also, tickets are available online 24 hours per day at www.ticketmaster.com. For more information, fans can visit www.bengals.com, the team’s official web site.</blockquote>

****************************

Cats look to avoid letdown on Halloween afternoon at Syracuse....UC will be back on the road for a Halloween matchup at the Carrier Dome with Syracuse at Noon on ESPNU. The two schools will meet for the 10th time with UC holding a 5-4 edge in the all-time series. The Orange lead 3-2 in games played at the Carrier Dome, but UC has won two straight in Syracuse and four straight overall in the series. UC enters with an offense that ranks No. 2 in the nation in scoring (40.7 ppg), No. 2 in passing efficiency (163.80), and No. 7 in total offense (458.6 ypg), while the Bearcats defense leads the country in sacks (4.14 spg), tackles for a loss (10.4 tflpg), ranks No. 3 in turnover margin (1.57), and No. 11 in scoring defense, allowing only 13.7 points per game.

****************************

UC welcomes back Connor Barwin for WVU game....The University of Cincinnati and the Department of Athletics are excited to announce that former Bearcats football standout and 2009 NFL Draft Pick Connor Barwin will be in attendance for UC's sold out football game against West Virginia on Friday, November 13, televised live on ESPN at 8 p.m. Barwin will be on campus to not only support the Bearcats in a tough BIG EAST Conference battle with rival West Virginia, he will also be lending a hand in support of Mitch Stone, honorary Bearcat.

****************************

Look who's in the latest NFL Mock Draft Top 10....
Sporting News

10. Dolphins....Mardy Gilyard, WR Cincinnati. Ted Ginn does not look like he is ever going to develop and Miami needs a big-play receiver to play opposite the huge Pat Turner and give Chad Henne some real targets.

****************************

MLB's prices too high for Reds to win
P-Doc, Enquirer
For us here, it’s like working as a server in a five-star restaurant or cleaning rooms in somebody else’s house. Much of the time, the difference between what’s wishful and what’s real is nothing more than cold, hard cash. This wouldn’t happen in the NFL, our favorite league. Teams have a chance to keep their good players. Fans approach every July with a realistic sense of optimism. In MLB, some fans approach every March hoping that if everything goes right, their team might win half its games.

****************************

Cliff Lee isn't phased by the Yankees....

****************************

College basketball's top 25 is out: Let the debate begin
Mike Decourcy, Sporting News

****************************

TGIF Babe of the Day.....Jakki Kirchner

****************************

Friday Food Porn...introducing Where the Buffalo "Rome"

Triple-decker pizza stack (1 ham, 1 sausage, 1 pepperoni) layered with boneless buffalo chicken wings, topped with a ranch and buffalo sauce, sprinkled with bacon bits. Served with a side of ranch dressing.

****************************

WTF of the day...

****************************

Letters to Annoying Halloween People
Holy Taco

more here

****************************

If you contract an STD...probably not a good idea to announce it on Facebook...

****************************

This has gotta be the most expensive Halloween costume EVER....

****************************

FAIL of the day.....or really smart sales setup...

****************************

On Halloween eve....here are the 50 best candies of all-time...

13. Rolos....Each one of these bite-sized, caramel-filled chocolates is a piece of gooey perfection. For years, their slogan has been "Do you love anyone enough to give them your last Rolo?" and our response is still the same to this day: No. Is you crazy??

****************************

Collection of castoffs behind Bengals success
Sporting News
Welcome to Cincinnati, the NFL's Island of Misfit Toys. There isn't a Charlie-in-the-Box, a toy bird who swims instead of flies or a train with square wheels here. What you will find are a bunch of castoff football players. Every NFL roster has them -- players who weren't wanted or needed by their former teams -- but the Cincinnati Bengals have more than most, including nine who are starters. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer started the Nobody-Wanted-Us refrain during training camp to inspire his players. But that could be a rallying cry for the entire team.

******************************

Congrats to Carson Palmer
Official Release
<blockquote>Bengals QB Carson Palmer, continuing his successful comeback after missing 12 games with an elbow injury in 2008, was named today by the NFL as AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Palmer posted a career-high 146.7 passer rating in last week’ 45-10 Bengals victory over Chicago. He completed 20-of-24 passes (83.3 percent) for 233 yards, with five TDs and no interceptions. His plus-five differential between TDs and INTs was his career-best and tied a Bengals record set only once previously, by Boomer Esiason against Tampa Bay in 1989.

In the first seven possessions against the Bears, Palmer led the offense to six TDs and one field goal. He threw first-half TD passes of nine yards to Chris Henry, eight yards to Chad Ochocinco, three yards to J.P. Foschi and eight yards to Laveranues Coles. He threw a second TD pass to Ochocinco in the third quarter. He played only one snap in the fourth quarter.

This is the second AFC Offensive Player of the Week award for Palmer. He won in 2004 for a comeback win at Baltimore. In September 2005, Palmer was named AFC Offensive Player of the Month.

The most recent Bengal to win AFC Offensive Player of the Week was WR Chad Ochocinco, for a 2007 performance vs. Tennessee that included 12 catches for 103 yards and three TDs

The most recent Bengal to win any league Player of the Week award was DE Antwan Odom, who earned the defensive award for a five-sack performance on Sept. 20 of this season at Green Bay. Odom also won September’s nod as AFC Defensive Player of the Month.</blockquote>

******************************

Palmer's step forward helping launch 5-2 Bengals
Clark Judge, CBS Sports
There is no quarterback out there less appreciated for what he's doing right now than Cincinnati's Carson Palmer. The Bengals are 5-2, on top of their division and a serious playoff contender. Yet the reasons for their success vary from the inspired play of their defense to the running of Cedric Benson to the resuscitation of Chad Ochocinco...everything but the performance of their quarterback. And that's not right.

******************************

FINALLY.....Tight end Dan Coats’ problems with drops and ball security have pushed him behind J.P Foschi on the depth chart. Foschi, who is in his fourth year, has eight receptions for 74 yards, including a 3-yard TD in Sunday’s win over Chicago. His best game was against Cleveland when he caught six passes for 65 yards.

******************************

In Marvin We Still Trust
Ludwig at Large
There’s no better time than the Cincinnati Bengals’ bye week to examine an important issue. This topic is lukewarm right now, holding steady on the club’s back burner, but it’s going to get hot-Hot-HOT at some point. We’re talking about head coach Marvin Lewis’ future here in the Queen City. The Marvinator’s contract expires at the end of the 2010 season, and I propose that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse Plus One - Mike Brown, Pete Brown, Paul H. Brown,. Troy Blackburn and Katie Blackburn - get an extension done with The Marvelous One A.S.A.P.

******************************

One of my favorite Bengals stars from HBO's Hard Knocks finds a team.....The Buccaneers have added depth at fullback by signing Chris Pressley from the Bengals practice squad. Pressley entered the NFL with the Bengals as an undrafted free agent in April but was released in September and signed to Cincinnati's practice squad.

******************************

AFC North Bloggers Blitz
ESPN.com

******************************

Bengals Huber right at home in NFL
John Erardi, Enquirer
The Bengals’ Kevin Huber grew up practicing punts on Benham Court in Anderson Township. So maybe it’s no surprise he’s tied for 10th in the NFL with 12 punts inside the 20-yard line. The man has touch. Touch is what allows a punter to flutter a ball inside the 20, pinch a return man against the sideline or hang the ball high enough that the return man has to fair-catch it.

******************************

Five title bouts we beg the BCS not to produce
Sporting News

5. Texas vs. Cincinnati
If a Big Ten team in the big game would frustrate fans, then a Big East team would horrify them. Again, this is about reputation and perception, not the statistics or the reality of how teams look on the field. But even if the Bearcats go 12-0 with late-season victories over West Virginia (which lost to 5-3 Auburn) and Pittsburgh (which lost to 3-4 N.C. State), seeing Cincy in the title game wouldn't sit well with fans of a one-loss SEC or Pac-10 champ. The Longhorns would face similar scrutiny thanks to a weak nonconference schedule. Its two marquee wins would have come against Sam Bradford-less Oklahoma (for most of the game, at least) and Dez Bryant-less Oklahoma State. Even with two undefeated teams, this matchup would leave most of the country shouting for a playoff.

******************************

More national attention for the Bearcats...The ESPN/DirecTV Drive To The National Championship bus rolled through Cincinnati Wednesday, making a stop on the University of Cincinnati campus for an interview with head football coach Brian Kelly. The bus, which is a tour bus converted into a mobile TV studio, was parked on O'Varsity Way in front of the Richard E. Lindner Center for a couple of hours and coach Kelly took a break from his preparations for UC's game at Syracuse Saturday to tape an interview for College Football Live Wedneday afternoon.

******************************

Brian Kelly has high praise for Syracuse QB....From the moment he heard about it, University of Cincinnati football coach Brian Kelly loved the concept of Greg Paulus playing quarterback at Syracuse. “It’s exactly the kind of thing I would do,” Kelly said last August at Big East Media Day as he applauded Syracuse coach Doug Marrone for thinking outside the box. Nearly three months later, as No. 5 UC prepares to play at Syracuse on Saturday, Kelly hasn’t seen anything to change his mind.

******************************

For what it's worth.....Due to scheduling conflicts, the University of Cincinnati men's basketball program will play Saginaw Valley State University of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) in its first exhibition game on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Fifth Third Arena instead of Bluefield College, head coach Mick Cronin announced today. The date and game time of the first exhibition has not changed, just the opponent.

******************************

The only way if this is acceptable, if is they're playing hockey with the ice girls.....An Idaho junior hockey team was banished temporarily from a city ice rink after players engaged in a game of "strip hockey" -- shedding a piece of equipment every time a practice shot missed its mark.

******************************

Skip Prosser Classic has a new logo....

******************************

Cyclones add forward
Official Release
<blockquote>The Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, announced this afternoon they have signed forward Bryan Marshall and made additional roster moves heading into the weekend.

Marshall, 26, is in his second professional season and went to training camp with Kalamazoo (ECHL) before arriving in Cincinnati. His rookie season was spent with Lake Erie (AHL), where Bryan saw action in 50 games and had six goals and eight assists for 14 points. He also played one game with Johnstown (ECHL) and had a pair of assists.

The six-foot, 170 pound native of Livonia, MI, played four seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. At UNO, Marshall played in 147 games and collected 49 goals and 101 assists for 150 points. He notched 43 points (13-30-43) during his senior year to finish fifth in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association’s (CCHA) scoring race. Bryan was also selected to the Second-Team All-CCHA squad. He is the second-leading scorer in Mavericks hockey history.

In other Cyclones news, center Barret Ehgoetz has been placed on the three-day injured list, defenseman Dwayne Zinger has been transferred to the seven-day injured list, while defenseman Jamie Coghlan and forward Mark Voakes have been assigned to the 21-day injured list.

The Cyclones head to Elmira for a showdown with the unbeaten Jackals (5-0-0) on Friday night (Oct. 30). The game is at 7:30pm and 1530 Homer – The Sports Animal will have the pregame at 7pm.</blockquote>

******************************

Fantasy Football Thursday....

- Brian Westbrook a game time decision?...

- Contrary to a report...Chris Cooley will return this season, eventually...

Top 10 Waiver Claims for Week 8
Fox Sports

2. Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco....He stepped in quickly in his first action as a pro, catching five passes for 56 yards. He will be helped by Alex Smith returning as the starter at quarterback. Various reports indicate that Smith is considered a better intermediate and deep passer than Shaun Hill. This bodes well for Crabtree's yardage and scoring potential. Of note, Crabtree caught three passes for 34 yards from Smith last game.

Add Em / Avoid Em for Week 8
CBS Sports

ADD 'EM

Sam Aiken, WR, New England
Owned: 3 percent of leagues
Week 7: Caught two passes for 66 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay in London.
Analysis: The Patriots like to use their No. 3 wide receiver, and Aiken and rookie Brandon Tate will likely share the role with Julian Edelman (foreman) injured and Joey Galloway gone. There usually aren't many targets available behind Randy Moss and Wes Welker, but Fantasy owners have gotten some production from Jabar Gaffney in recent years. Aiken could fill that role and is worth adding. In deeper leagues, the same goes for Tate (1 percent ownership). Keep in mind that Tom Brady is spreading the ball around to Benjamin Watson, Chris Baker and Kevin Faulk as well, but Aiken showed against the Bucs that he could be a playmaker when given a chance.

Donnie Avery, WR, St. Louis
Owned: 51 percent of leagues
Week 7: Caught two passes for 58 yards against Indianapolis.
Analysis: We liked Avery in Week 6 at Jacksonville, and he had one catch for 17 yards and a touchdown before getting hurt in the first half and leaving the game. He likely would have had a stellar outing before the hip injury. We didn't like Avery in Week 7 against the Colts because he was playing hurt and had a tough matchup. But like we told you in the Jaguars game, you can use Avery when the matchup is right. And in Week 8 he faces the Lions. Add Avery again this week and consider him a good No. 3 Fantasy wide receiver or flex option since Detroit struggles in pass defense. The Lions have allowed 17 passing touchdowns in six games.

Fred Davis, TE, Washington
Owned: 1 percent of leagues
Week 7: Caught eight passes for 78 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia.
Analysis: Chris Cooley broke his ankle Monday night against the Eagles, which opens the door for Davis to be the starting tight end for the Redskins. In his second season, Davis has the chance to be a solid Fantasy option the rest of the year. Cooley averaged five catches for 52 yards prior to the Eagles game with two touchdowns, and the Redskins will likely be throwing often while playing from behind. If you own Cooley and need a replacement, Davis is your man. And if you're looking for a second tight end or a sleeper on a weekly basis, then it pays to add Davis in all formats. While Jason Campbell isn't a very good quarterback, he should connect with Davis quite a bit.

Mike Wallace, WR, Pittsburgh
Owned: 38 percent of leagues
Week 7: Caught three passes for 72 yards and a touchdown and had two carries for 19 yards against Minnesota.
Analysis: On our Fantasy Football Today show for Week 7, my colleague Brian Jones said "Mike Wallace is the key to the Steelers offense." He might be on to something since Wallace is a top 25 Fantasy wide receiver in a standard-scoring league with 50 points -- three points behind Santonio Holmes. He is also the No. 2 rookie wide receiver in Fantasy points behind Hakeem Nicks (53), and he's been better than Austin Collie and Johnny Knox. The Steelers are throwing the ball with enough success to count on Wallace -- who has 21 catches for 368 yards and two touchdowns and has been targeted 33 times -- as a reserve for your Fantasy roster.

AVOID 'EM

David Clowney, WR, New York Jets
Owned: 4 percent of leagues
Week 7: Caught four passes for 79 yards and a touchdown at Oakland.
Analysis: Clowney has done a good job of trying to help the Jets with Jerricho Cotchery (hamstring) injured the past three weeks. In Week 5 at Miami, Clowney had four catches for 72 yards before going without a catch against Buffalo in Week 6. But that's the problem: He's been inconsistent, and Cotchery should be back soon. The Jets need someone to step up in the passing game to help Braylon Edwards, but Cotchery will likely fill that role. And with the way Mark Sanchez has been playing, you don't want to run out and get the secondary targets for the Jets when there are better options available.

Patrick Crayton, WR, Dallas
Owned: 49 percent of leagues
Week 7: Caught two passes for 9 yards and a touchdown against Atlanta.
Analysis: Crayton might be better than Roy E. Williams, but Williams and Miles Austin will remain in the starting lineup and have more upside, especially Austin. Crayton is clearly a forgotten option in the passing game despite his touchdown against the Falcons. The Cowboys need Crayton to play well on special teams as a return man, and his Fantasy value is minimal. Prior to scoring against the Falcons, Crayton had 11 catches for 108 yards in four games. And the touchdown against Atlanta came on a broken play where Tony Romo just found Crayton in the back of the end zone.

Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco
Owned: 1 percent of leagues
Week 7: Completed 15 of 22 passes for 206 yards, three touchdowns and one interception and had two carries for 16 yards at Houston.
Analysis: Smith is the new starting quarterback for the 49ers after Shaun Hill struggled against the Texans, but don't expect Smith to all of the sudden become a Fantasy star and live up to his draft status as the No. 1 overall pick in 2005. Smith has the same weapons that Hill had to work with in a rushing offense, and the 49ers were throwing the ball out of desperation in a comeback attempt against the Texans. That's not the way Mike Singletary wants to play. Smith might have some moments with Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis (maybe Week 9 vs. Tennessee for example) but not enough to make him a viable Fantasy option on a weekly basis, especially with the bye weeks almost done.

******************************

I guess the new circus craze is bears playing hockey....here's another video...

hat tip to Kenny for the link

******************************

Spend your Thursday with Shannon Czyz....

******************************

Thursday Food Porn....introducing She’s Krafty

Kraft Mac N Cheese, Bumble Bee tuna, American cheese and bacon on a grilled cheese sandwich.

******************************

FAIL of the day....

******************************

TGIT....Here's your Cheerleader of the Week
Nichole Howarth - Virginia Tech

Name: Nichole Howarth
Hometown: Chesterfield, Va.
School: Virginia Tech
Year: Senior
Major: Business Management, Human Resources

I love my school, but I almost went to: University of Louisville.

My best physical feature is: My eyes.

If I had to watch one movie on loop forever, it would be: What Happens in Vegas.

If you looked at the "most played" songs on my iPod, you'd see a lot of: The Fray and John Mayer.

The shows I DVR/TiVo are: The Bachelorette, The Bachelor and Grey's Anatomy.

My favorite Web Sites are: Facebook.com, VictoriasSecret.com.

My favorite people to follow on Twitter are: I don't use Twitter.

My worst habit is: I'm a perfectionist.

My gameday superstitions are: Not touching the Hokie-Stone.

The talent I'd most like to have that I don't possess is: Singing.

These three things top my bucket list: An African safari, see the Seven Wonders of the World, skydiving.

I'd want my last meal to be: A big cheesy pizza with cinnastix.

The most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me during a game is: Getting dropped by my partner and subsequently straddling the male cheerleader. next to me.

Three things I'd take to a desert island are: Cheese pizza, satellite phone and a coke.

My favorite pro sports teams are: The Utah Jazz and the Redskins.

My one guilty pleasure is: Ice cream.

My celebrity crush is: David Beckham.

Five people I'd like to have dinner with (living or dead) are: Tom Brady, Teddy Roosevelt, Marilyn Monroe, John Mayer and Oprah.

My friends would be surprised to know that I: I love to cook.

The next risk I want to take is: Going into the "real world."

The worst date I've ever been on was: I was walking down the beach by the Mediterranean on the French Riviera with this amazing guy when all of the sudden his ex-girlfriend came up, cussed us out and obviously put an end to our date. It all worked out in the end, though.

******************************

What her Halloween Costume says about her
AskMen.com

The Halloween slut
Any Y-chromosome-bearing individual shouldn’t need help spotting the Halloween slut, but on the off chance some of you don’t get out much, just look for a short skirt and thigh-high stockings. Don’t even contemplate the potential for something meaningful with this one; however, if your intention is just a one-nighter, she’s the perfect gal for you. Odds are, she’s looking for the same thing. The odds are so good, in fact, you might not even need to buy her breakfast come November 1.

The clever costume
If you find yourself chuckling when you see her costume, she’s definitely in this category. Witty banter will abound with this one, but know there might be a degree of smugness and arrogance behind her clever retorts (and costume). Putting that much effort into a Halloween costume comes with a certain degree of obsessiveness. She has all the makings of a control freak. Proceed with caution.

******************************

Why you need to have DirecTV....Friday Night Lights...which means Minka Kelly...

******************************

I'm a HUGE Julianne Hough fan...but I'm starting to think that Joanna Krupa is the hottest person in Dancing with the Stars history...

******************************

Top 20 Cartoons of the 1990's
Brainz.org

18. Talespin

Production Period: 1990-1994
Using characters adapted from the 1967 movie, The Jungle Book, Talespin was set in the town of Cape Suzette. Baloo the Bear is out of work until he lands a job as a pilot. An orphan boy and former air pirate named Kit Cloudkicker attaches to Baloo and becomes his navigator. The pair share their adventures as Baloo becomes a permanent fixture in the child's life.

******************************

Today's Definition of Duh....After holding up the cashier at a Taco Bell, master criminal asks the manager for an employment application. They'll keep his resume on file for future consideration.

******************************

Chad's gonna be a busy man tomorrow...Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco spends all day Thursday at ESPN before taping Late Show with David Letterman for his Thursday night appearance. Ochocinco will make guest appearances on "First Take," debating Skip Bayless, "The Herd" radio show with Colin Cowherd and both "NFL Live" and "SportsCenter."

*************************

Benson and Palmer up for weekly NFL awards...Benson is one of three finalists for FedEx Ground Player of the Week along with Packers running back Ryan Grant and Jets running back Shonn Greene, while Palmer is one of three finalists for FedEx Air Player of the Week with Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

*************************

Bengals offensive line big surprises
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Over the past couple weeks when talking about his group, there’s been more of a gleam in offensive line coach Paul Alexander’s eye. Now that the Bengals are 5-2 and at the bye week, that gleam has been substituted for sheer joy.

*************************

Week 8 AFC North Power Rankings
ESPN.com

Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
Last week: No. 9
Current ranking: No. 6
Analysis: After dropping three spots in Week 7, the Bengals made a quality jump up three spots following an impressive 45-10 blowout of the Chicago Bears. It was the most complete game the Bengals played all season and clearly caught the attention of ESPN.com’s panel. Cincinnati has made one of the most significant jumps of any team from the beginning of the season to now. The Bengals entered the year at No. 24 and currently are tied for their highest ranking of the season.

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
Last week: No. 8
Current ranking: No. 7
Analysis: The high-profile game between the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings didn’t have much of an impact on the power rankings. Pittsburgh moved up just one spot to No. 7, while the Vikings dropped one spot this week to No. 4. It’s difficult this time of year to have much movement at the top. Cincinnati owns the head-to-head matchup with the Steelers, so that’s likely why the Bengals are one spot ahead of Pittsburgh this week. Teams like the Vikings, New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts also have been at the top of the rankings all season.

Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
Last week: No. 11
Current ranking: No. 14
Analysis: Sometimes teams are forgotten quickly in the NFL, and that was certainly the case with Baltimore. The Ravens didn’t play last week and dropped three spots in the rankings during their bye. Impressive wins last week by the Green Bay Packers (No. 13) and Philadelphia Eagles (No. 12) caused those teams to move up at Baltimore's expense. The Ravens can significantly improve their standing with a big game Sunday against the undefeated Denver Broncos.

Cleveland Browns (1-6)
Last week: No. 29
Current ranking: No. 30
Analysis: The Browns dropped into the 30s for the first time this season. Cleveland hovered in the high 20s all year until the panel decided this week to move the winless Tennessee Titans up one spot to No. 29. The Browns are the only team with a win that’s rated below a winless team. The Browns lost 31-3 to the Packers Sunday, and have one more game before the bye week.

*************************

At least one source predicts the Bengals will make the playoffs....

4. Cincinnati (5-2) - Vendetta! Natalie Portman has nothing on Cedric Benson. The former Longhorn went straight Nikita on the Cutlers, carrying the ball nearly 40 times in a blowout that could’ve easily approached Patriots-Titans proportions - if Marvin Lewis weren’t such a nice guy. You don’t want a nice guy as your coach. Hire Belichick, hire the assassin. Kill the family, leave no children.

*************************

AFC North Stock Watch
ESPN.com

Rising

2. Carson Palmer, Bengals quarterback....Palmer had the most efficient game of his career in Cincinnati’s 45-10 thrashing of the Chicago Bears. He completed 20 of 24 passes for 233 yards and five touchdowns. Palmer's passer rating of 146.7 was a career high.
It’s scary to think of the numbers Palmer could’ve put up if he wasn’t pulled early in the fourth quarter. He was in the zone in terms of reading coverages and getting the ball to his receivers with pinpoint accuracy. It will be interesting to see if Palmer maintains this momentum following Cincinnati's bye week.

3. Cedric Benson, Bengals running back....Benson was equally as good running the football for the Bengals. He was motivated to have a big game against his former team and set a career high with 189 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries.
The Bengals had no problem giving Benson every opportunity to stick it to his former team. It will probably be a game Benson will never forget. With Palmer airing it out and Benson running the football, Cincinnati’s offensive performance against Chicago was as close to a perfect game as you will find in the NFL.

*************************

Looks like Collaros may get the start again this week for UC.....Fifth-ranked Cincinnati is getting quarterback Zach Collaros ready to play at Syracuse on Saturday while Tony Pike tries to adjust to a new cast on his non-throwing arm. It's likely that Collaros, a sophomore backup, will make his second straight start for the Bearcats (7-0). Collaros threw for three touchdowns and had only two incompletions in a 41-10 victory over Louisville last Saturday.

*************************

BCS Bowl Projections
Sporting News

BCS National Championship game: USC vs. Texas
Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Iowa
Fiesta Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Florida
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. TCU
Orange Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Georgia Tech

*************************

BCS one game UC can't win
P-Doc, Enquirer
The BCS is ingenious in the way it gets us all worked up about college football. Around here, it’s great we have the chance to get worked up personally. It beats planning the roadie to the Papajohn’s.com Bowl. But America isn’t supposed to work this way. We compete. We tap gloves and come out fighting, may the best man win. My mousetrap against yours. We compete. We play off. Computing for a champion doesn’t compute.

*************************

An undefeated UC will still need help for title shot
Bill Koch, Enquirer
For the Bearcats to have a chance, they have to win their remaining five games and hope for at least one loss by two members of the current top three of Florida, Alabama and Texas. Jerry Palm said that UC is hurt by the national perception of the Big East Conference as the weakest of the six BCS leagues and by the fact that the Bearcats are new to this discussion.

*************************

UC front court best in Big East?.....For what seems like forever all anyone wants to talk about are guards. Stephenson is amazing. Deonta will finally get to play off the ball, Cash Wright is a real point guard. You’ve heard all that and it sounds really great. Now can the big fellas get some love?

*************************

Speaking of UC, they've reeled in another top area recruit....Wyoming senior defensive lineman Jibreel Black has orally committed to UC after he had committed to Indiana this summer. Black, who is 6 feet 2 and 260 pounds, has five sacks and 38 tackles for the Cowboys (9-0) this season.

*************************

Failed to mention this yesterday, Miami Hockey still #1....Despite its first loss of the season Saturday night, Miami retained its No. 1 ranking in both major Division I hockey polls Monday. The RedHawks are atop the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports Poll.

*************************

Speaking of puck, the Cyclones hit the road this weekend.....The ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones play at Elmira on Friday and at Wheeling on Saturday. Elmira leads the East Division and is 3-0-0 on the road and 2-0-0 at home. Cincinnati is tied for second place in the North Division with six points (3-1-0). Elmira beat Cincinnati 5-2 on Oct. 16 to improve to 8-7-3 all-time in the regular season against the Cyclones. The Cyclones are the only team in the ECHL that has yet to yield a power play goal. Cincinnati is a perfect 16-for-16 mark on the penalty kill. Rookie goaltender Jeremy Smith is tied for league lead with three victories.

Programming Note: Friday's game can be heard on 1530 Homer starting at 7pm!

Former RedHawk Kevin Roeder is a member of the Cyclones this year...you'll wanna watch him play....he can hit...

hat tip to Dave for the photo

*************************

For those of you who thought Tony LaRussa would come to Cincinnati....sorry....

*************************

Fantasy Football Wednesday....

- A return of Vince Young coming soon?...

- Chris Cooley out for the season....

- Same thing for Jets RB Leon Washington....

Week 8 Fantasy Projections...

QB's

RB's

WR's

TE's

*************************

Hump Day = Jennifer Stano....

*************************

Wednesday Food Porn...introducing Deep Fried Chocolate Cake

Battered and deep fried slices of chocolate cake served with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

*************************

FAIL of the day....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PsroGiSNGdk&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PsroGiSNGdk&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*************************

As you prepare for your Halloween Parties this weekend...check out these sweet Jello Shot recipes....

*************************

Too soon for a Chris Farley DirecTV commercial? I don't think so....

*************************

The 10 people who will always be on your flight
Holy Taco

3. The Semi-hot chick.....It seems like really super-hot chicks never fly on planes. While there may not be one of those to gawk at for the six hour flight, there's bound to be at least one woman on your flight that's semi-attractive. After you're in your seat and the other passengers are still filing in, you'll inevitably start thinking about disaster scenarios, and what roles each of these people would play if the plane crashed in the middle of the ocean or something. Who would carry the conch shell? Who would start fires with their glasses and then get their head bashed in with a rock? The semi-attractive woman is the one that you'd totally bang if you had to. You never know when some ball lightning might take out one of the plane's engine and force it into a crash-landing scenario, so you may as well flirt with her a little to lay some groundwork, just in case.

*************************

The strongest 5-year old you'll see today....lets see the kids from John and Kate Plus 8 do this....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKPe-FnT5As&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NKPe-FnT5As&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*************************

WTF of the day....

*************************

Get into the Halloween spirit with the Baco-lantern....

*************************

For those of you who care...here is the opening sequence of Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day....

*************************

Sickest hockey goal you'll see today....check out the video....

*************************

Today's Definition of Duh....Authorities say a Baltimore city police officer pulled his gun on a chain-saw-wielding haunted house worker who was trying to get "one last scream" out of him. Baltimore County police say Sgt. Eric Janik has been charged with assault for pulling his service weapon on the worker, who was dressed up as the killer from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

hat tip to Matt B. for the link

**************************

Looks like Andre Smith and Roy Williams will be good to go after the bye week....It is not official until next week, but head coach Marvin Lewis said Monday heading into this week's bye that he thinks rookie right tackle Andre Smith and safety Roy Williams are going to be probable for the Nov. 8 game against Baltimore at Paul Brown Stadium. Smith has yet to be active after breaking his foot Sept. 1 in his third day of practice and Williams has missed three of the last four games with a badly bruised forearm.

************************

So many wrong on Benson
P-Doc, Enqurier
You wonder how it all went nasty in Chicago. Even now, years later, after the story has been told a thousand times. How could so many people be so wrong about Cedric Benson? A better question: How could Benson allow it? He’s at the podium after Sunday’s game. He’s wearing what looks to be an argyle sweater. He speaks softly and clearly, candidly without rancor. This isn’t a guy who needs to flap his wings. He’s too grounded.

************************

Palmer all the way back
ESPN.com
When it mattered on the field Palmer was nearly perfect. He completed 20 of 24 passes for 233 yards, five touchdowns and a career-high 146.7 passer rating in Cincinnati's 45-10 blowout win over Chicago. The Bengals haven’t looked this good in a long time, and neither has Palmer. After missing most of last season with an elbow injury, it's not only safe to say Palmer is back -- he’s all the way back.

************************

Congrats to Brian Kelly....University of Cincinnati head football coach Brian Kelly earned a spot on the watch list for the 2009 Paul `Bear' Bryant College Football Coach of the Year Award, the Bryant Awards committee of the American Heart Association announced. Kelly is in his third season at Cincinnati with a record of 29-6. He led UC to the 2008 BIG EAST Conference Championship and is the two-time defending BIG EAST Coach of the Year.

************************

Kelly is happy with UC's position....Despite slipping from fifth to eighth in the BCS standings this week after a 41-10 pounding of Louisville, University of Cincinnati football coach Brian Kelly said Monday he believes the Bearcats are perfectly positioned for the season’s stretch run.

************************

Tony Pike up for major award....University of Cincinnati senior quarterback Tony Pike (Cincinnati, Ohio/Reading) was named one of 15 semifinalists for the 2009 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.

************************

Mardy Gilyard up for one too....University of Cincinnati senior wide receiver Mardy Gilyard (Bunnell, Fla./Flagler Palm Coast) was named one of 10 semifinalists for the 2009 Biletnikoff Award, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club Foundation Announced.

************************

Xavier basketball tickets on sale today....Individual game tickets for both the 2009-10 Xavier Men's and Women's Basketball seasons go on sale to the general public beginning Tuesday, at 9:00 a.m. Individual game tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster at any Ticketmaster outlet (including select Kroger locations), by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000, or online at Ticketmaster.com.

************************

Tuesday Time Vampire....Crystal Klein

************************

Tuesday Food Porn....introducing Taco Bell’s Crispy Potato Soft Taco

Tater tots smothered in spicy mayo topped with cheese inside a taco.

************************

Bengals demolish the Bears as Cedric Benson gets his revenge....45-10...

- Well, it looks like they offense finally clicked, huh? For a team that could do practically nothing right last week against the Texans, the Bengals made a MAJOR statement on national TV. I can safely say nobody on earth saw this one coming. The offense had a more than a breakout game, the defense responded in a BIG way, and the playmakers for the Orange and Black made plays. Oh, and Chicago....thanks for giving up on Cedric Benson! The Bengals head to the bye week 5-2 and relevant!! WHO DEY!!

THE GOOD:

- Cedric Benson, Cedric Benson, Cedric Benson....revenge tastes sooo good. Like saltwater taffy...or a chunky. He ended up rushing 37 times for a career high 189 yards and a TD against his old team. He was driven, consistent, and relentless. His performance vs. Chicago was 8th highest total for a Bengals RB. Adrenaline is a powerful drug....no doubt he was using it. With the HUGE day...he's once again the NFL's leading rusher.

- Ochocinco is officially back. Wow was he freaking productive! He surpassed 100 yards receiving in the 1st half alone and finished with 10 catches for 118 yards and 2 TD's. Amazing. He now has back-to-back 100 yard games for the first time since September of 2007.

- Carson Palmer looked like the Carson Palmer I remember from 2005....I can't remember the last time Number 9 looked that confident. 20-for-24, 233 yards and 5 TD's. That's efficiency at it's finest. Hopefully this is the start of something great for the offensive side of the ball.

- 5 TD's to 4 different receivers.....that's spreading the wealth!

- You've gotta give a bunch of credit to the Bengals offensive line as well....Benson doesn't find nearly has many holes without them. Just as important...the Bears defense didn't record a single sack.

- Bengals Red Zone Efficiency: 100% 6 TD's, 1 FG.....'nuff said.

- A touchdown to a tight end? Did I see that right?

- Love to see the use of the wildcat....albeit one time. I never thought I'd see Bratkowski use it. Hat tip to him. Quite frankly, he's has taken a ton of criticism for his play calling...but he called a great game against Da Bears.

- Talk about redemption for the defense. After looking porous and weak last Sunday against the Texans, they came out and hit the Bears in the mouth. Great pressure on Jay Cutler, 4 turnovers (3 INT's), and a swagger we had become accustomed to before the Houston game. Also consider the defensive unit was playing without multiple starters...Odom (obviously) and Roy Williams. Amazing turnaround.

- Dave Lapham mentioned it after the game, but I was also impressed with the lack of penalties against the Bengals. In the first 6 weeks, they've killed themselves with bad penalties. Not on this day.

- Marvin Lewis is now 6-0 against the NFC North.

- Got anything to add? Email me.

THE BAD:

- Ummm....they don't get to play next week. Kinda wish they could carry this momentum into the second round of division games without a break.

- Anybody know what happened to Rey Maualuga??....I don't remember seeing him at all. He's gonna be a big factor in the Bengals next two games out of the bye....vs. Ravens and at the Steelers. Hope he's ok.

- Anything else? Email me.

**************************

Benson has last laugh against Bears
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Earlier this week Bengals special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons said he was waiting for that one game when all three phases – offense, defense and special teams – would be firing on all cylinders at the same time. Simmons, and the rest of the Bengaldom, finally got that game on Sunday. The offense scored on its five possessions, the defense forced four turnovers and special teams did a solid job as the Bengals rolled to a 45-10 victory over Chicago at Paul Brown Stadium.

**************************

Benson bowls over Bears
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
The Bengals offense came out crisper than at any point since the 2006 season Sunday when quarterback Carson Palmer buried the Bears with points on all seven of his possessions as he pitched five touchdown passes to four different receivers while building a 45-10 lead early in the fourth quarter before a giddy full house of 64,900 at Paul Brown Stadium.

**************************

Bengals / Bears recap
Fox Sports

**************************

Bengals bear down
Ludwig at Large
Who in the world would have ever thought this would happen? Anybody? The Cincinnati Bengals finally got the breakout performance they so desperately wanted and needed, smashing the Chicago Bears, 45-10, at sold-out Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday. The Bengals improved to 5-2 and hold the AFC North tiebreaker over the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2), who defeated previously-undefeated Minnesota (6-1), 27-17, at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field.

**************************

Chad is at it again....he is used to making news. Now, he's going to try to break some. The receiver has dubbed his venture OCNN, for the Ochocinco News Network. He says he'll be competing with mainstream media to tell fans what's going on.

**************************

Collaros, UC demolishes Louisville....Standing on the sideline in a sweat suit and baseball cap, injured quarterback Tony Pike watched his backup do a nearly perfect job. Sophomore Zach Collaros threw only two incompletions while passing for 253 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, steadying fifth-ranked Cincinnati to a 41-10 victory over Louisville in the Bearcats' first game without their marquee quarterback.

**************************

Bear with it: Cincinnati is in the BCS Argument
Sporting News
OK, snobs, soak in the reality of the Cincinnati Bearcats. With each week of ugly that passes this season, Cincinnati looks more and more attractive. Maybe even BCS national championship game attractive. While the nation's heavyweights continue to struggle, No. 5 Cincinnati used a backup quarterback and moved to 7-0 for the first time since 1954 with an easy 41-10 win over Louisville.

**************************

Katz on the Cats: Cincy doesn't miss a beat.....Much of the credit for Saturday's blowout victory must go to Collaros, Gilyard and a Bearcats defense that made Louisville's 2007 Orange Bowl victory seem like decades ago. But Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly has made a habit of this. He takes the backup quarterback, makes him the starter out of necessity and then rides him to victory. In the 35 games of his tenure at Cincinnati, Kelly has needed a backup on six occasions and the Bearcats are 6-0 in those contests. You want to talk about molding a game plan to your quarterback's abilities and talents, Kelly knows how to make that happen.

**************************

Collaros more than just a stopgap quarteback
Bill Koch, Enquirer
When you have a 30-0 record as a starting quarterback in high school, as Zach Collaros did at Steubenville High School, you get used to the idea that your coach will want you on the field as much as possible. So when Collaros was mired at No. 3 on the depth chart behind Tony Pike and Chazz Anderson after two years at the University of Cincinnati, he asked UC Coach Brian Kelly what he had to do to become more of a factor.

**************************

Some notes on UC's win over Louisville....

- The Bearcats' 41 points are their most in a conference home game since joining the Big East in 2005.
- Cincinnati wideout Mardy Gilyard tied Dominic Goodman's school-record with his 22nd career touchdown reception.
- Bearcats start 7-0 for the first time since since 1954

**************************

Look who made the cover of the Sporting News Today....

**************************

For what it's worth....

**************************

Pryor, Buckeyes rebound by beating Minnesota....Pryor threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead Ohio State (No. 19 BCS, No. 18 AP) to a 38-7 win over Minnesota on Saturday. A week after a devastating 26-18 loss at two-touchdown underdog Purdue, the Buckeyes (6-2, 4-1 Big Ten) made Minnesota (4-4, 2-3) pay for its bad plays. The Golden Gophers had two major misplays in the secondary and two turnovers inside their own 20 that gave the Buckeyes 28 points.

**************************

UC drops is BCS and USA Today Coaches Poll, but maintains ranking in AP....

BCS Rankings

**************************

Cyclones win home opener, 3-1....For the second straight night, the Cincinnati Cyclones defeated the Wheeling Nailers, this time 3-1 Saturday night in their ECHL home opener before 5,086 at U.S. Bank Arena. Matt Pierce had a goal and an assist, and Chris Mueller had a pair of goals for the Cyclones. Rookie goalie Jeremy Smith stopped 19 shots to run his record to 3-0. Cincinnati improved to 3-1 -- in second place in the North Division, while Wheeling dropped to 1-4.

**************************

Speaking of the Cyclones....I'll be hosting another week of the Coors Light Cyclones Coaches Show TONIGHT at 7pm from Jefferson Hall in Newport on the Levee. Stop on by for food, beer, fun, and hockey! Have any questions for the coach? Email me.

**************************

NFL referees with helmets? Coming soon.....After watching players collide with umpires far too often in this and in recent seasons, the NFL's Competition Committee will address the safety of its officials after this season, two NFL sources said. Ultimately, umpires could be equipped with helmets like the players they try to officiate, or they could be shifted to different areas of the field further away from danger.

**************************

Monday's Hangover Cure....Alessandra Ambrosio

**************************

Monday Food Porn....introducing Twinkie Sushi

**************************

Best sign you'll see today....spotted in Cleveland...

hat tip to Michael for the photo...

**************************

It's Monday...this seems appropriate...

**************************

Hula-Hoops have a much higher interest level when they're used on bikini-clad girls....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cp0LTdviQNQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cp0LTdviQNQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

more here

**************************

FAIL of the day....(or an epic parenting win)...

**************************

The Modern Day Oregon Trail

**************************

Best beer commercial you'll see today....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6csOu-ZWnMU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6csOu-ZWnMU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

**************************

Your "Real or Fake" video of the day....I'm goin' fake...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_6MHpFIyjcY&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_6MHpFIyjcY&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

**************************

Fantasy Football Weekend....

WEEK 7 INACTIVES....

1PM GAMES

New England at Tampa Bay

Green Bay at Cleveland

San Francisco at Houston

Minnesota at Pittsburgh

Indianapolis at St. Louis

San Diego at KC

4PM GAMES

Chicago at Cincinnati

Buffalo at Carolina

New York Jets at Oakland

Atlanta at Dallas

New Orleans at Miami

- Lots of Chargers hit hard by the flu....keep an eye on their status....

- Jerricho Cotchery will not play Sunday....

- Greg Jennings probable for Sunday?

Week 7 Start Em / Sit Em
James Morris, Bengals.com

START EM

Eli Manning: From the bench to the front of the line this Manning brother has gone. This week the Giants face the Cardinals and their 31st-ranked passing defense. I look for both Manning brothers to have a great weekend, but it will be Eli that has the bounceback game.

Ben Roethlisberger: I normally will never tell you to start Big Ben because he has always been the classic scenario of NFL value not being equal to fantasy value. But, I am starting to believe in him this season and the Vikings give up 248.3 YPG in the air and are tied for sixth in the NFL for most passing touchdowns allowed with nine. This is a week where I play Roethlisberger.

DeAngelo Williams: Another player that you have never seen on my start list is Williams. But, this week the helpless Panthers offense gets to play the league’s worst run defenders in the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have managed to allow 181.8 rushing YPG and the third-most rushing TDs at eight. The Panthers may try to get Steve Smith involved some more this week, but Williams and perhaps even Jonathan Stewart are must starts at RB and the flex, respectively.

Frank Gore: The Texans are 24th in the NFL against the run but Gore has missed the team’s last 2 7/8 games with an ankle injury (he had just one carry for four yards in Week 3, so that is the 7/8). So why do I say to start him? Because the 49ers are a running team and Gore will shred them up like a starving man with a Thanksgiving turkey!

Wes Welker: A lot of people think that Brady’s Week 6 performance could mean a Week 7 letdown, but that isn’t the case here. New England faces off with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and they are ripe for the picking. The Patriots are a pass-oriented team, so Welker is a must start this weekend as high as a WR1 in most cases.

Miles Austin: Not that he is EVER going to get you 250 yards receiving again, but Austin is someone I think will have a great game in Week 7 against the Falcons. Atlanta gives up 241 yards in the air and Tony Romo is just chomping at the bit to get all the haters off his back. Play Austin as a solid WR2.

Vernon Davis: Davis will benefit from Michael Crabtree more than Crabtree will help the team. Meaning that Davis won’t be covered as much with Crabtree on the field and he can get open when the Niners decide to throw the ball. If there were anyone I would say will benefit from the play of Crabtree, it would be Davis. FYI: Don’t be one of the people who pick up Crabtree, not worth the roster spot yet.

Indianapolis Colts: The Colts were on the waiver wire in about half my leagues, and with them facing the St. Louis Rams this weekend they shouldn’t be. I snatched them up and so should you. I mean the Rams average just 277.8 total YPG.

SIT EM

Donovan McNabb: This week the Eagles face the Washington Redskins' third-ranked pass defense. McNabb looked noticeably off last week against the Raiders as he failed to throw a touchdown and took an astounding six sacks. I’d find a different option this week.

Shaun Hill: So many people are going crazy over Michael Crabtree that they are actually considering starting Shaun Hill over guys like Carson Palmer or even Matt Cassell. Don’t be one of the people chasing this fool’s gold. Hill isn’t worth owning, let alone starting.

Pierre Thomas: Miami is holding opposing teams to just 76.4 YPG on the ground, so Thomas isn’t a great option. I have a problem putting him in here because if the Saints passing game shreds Miami then the team will run it late and Thomas could snag a late garbage TD. But, I still think the odds are against Thomas and he should be sat on most benches this weekend.

Matt Forte: Forte has quickly become one of the leading candidates for fantasy bust of the year. The Bears have no identity on offense and even though my friend Chris (diehard Bears fan) thinks that makes them more dangerous, I wonder who they are a danger to exactly, the other team or themselves? Sit Forte until you have a reason not to.

Roy Williams: With the emergence of Miles Austin, Roy Williams and all his shortcomings are starting to show. I’d play Austin over Williams this week even though it should be a high scoring game indoors at home.

Santana Moss: I wanted to put Crabtree or Josh Morgan here, but there are only so many times I can tell you someone isn’t worth owning or playing. The Redskins have problems from ownership to the players and everywhere in between. Jason Campbell isn’t doing Moss any favors, so see if you can trade Moss based on his one good game this season.

Chris Cooley: Cooley is one of those guys that is truly all or nothing. One week he will get you 60 yards and a TD, then the next week he goes catchless or racks up a hollow 38 yards. I’d sit him this week against the Eagles because I don’t think Campbell can get the job done anymore and the owner is starting to catch on.

Miami Dolphins: Miami has one of the better fantasy defenses, but so did the Giants and the Saints just decimated them last week. I wouldn’t come near Miami’s defense this week even if my Def1 has a bye and there are no other defenses on the waiver wire. Just take the 0 and move on.

*************************

Crocker promises "angry" defense
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
Bengals safety Chris Crocker sees his defense showing up good and mad Sunday in the 4:15 p.m. game against the Bears at Paul Brown Stadium. “I can promise you a very, very, very angry defense this weekend,” Crocker said before Thursday’s practice. “I wouldn’t say it’s been a tougher week. But it’s been more focused and more intense.” And angry, because defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has been fuming since Sunday about what is by consensus the worst defensive display of the season for a unit that has been the centerpiece of a 4-2 start. The 472 yards were the most the Bengals have allowed in 22 games under Zimmer.

*************************

Bengals vs. Bears....5 Things You Should Care About
SI.com

1. Revenge of the Soldier Field rejects. Not one but two ex-Chicagoans who were unceremoniously dumped in the wake of off-field trouble will suit up against the Bears: running back Cedric Benson and defensive tackle Tank Johnson.

2. Cincy's defensive line may have lost its teeth. There's finally good news for the Bears' offensive line, which has fluctuated between serviceable and seriously lost throughout five games. (Sad stat: Jay Cutler's 10 sacks are just one fewer than he took over 16 games in 2008.) Cincy will definitely be without Antwan Odom, victim of a torn Achilles'. His eight sacks ranked just behind Elvis Dumervil for the league lead. A big green-and-gold asterisk goes by that stat considering that more than half of his sacks came against the porous Packers offensive line (he's only logged one since), but at 28, Odom was a rising star and the first memorable Bengals pass rusher in some while. See ya in 2010, Antwan.

3. Are we still trusting Lovie Smith when he says, "I like my linebackers"? That's been Lovie's stance on a unit decimated by injuries -- first Brian Urlacher (wrist), then Hunter Hillenmeyer (ribs), and finally Pisa Tinoisamoa (knee). The Bears have filled in here and there with Nick Roach and Jamar Williams, and Hillenmeyer is expected to return this week, but the fact is that Chicago will have, at best, one linebacker on the field Sunday who was projected to start at the beginning of this season. And that ain't changing anytime soon. How bad can that be? Rewind the tape and check out Roach's coverage -- or lack thereof -- against Tony Gonzalez in a second quarter touchdown last Sunday for the answer. It's not pretty.

4. Bears receivers vs. Leon Hall. Here's a question that should catch the attention of Earl Bennett, Devin Hester and Johnny Knox: Who will draw cornerback Leon Hall in coverage? Hall has typically handled his opponent's top-billed receiver, and he's already done a number on Brandon Marshall (four catches, 24 yards) and Greg Jennings, Braylon Edwards and Derrick Mason (all went catchless).

5. The desperation factor. And here's the number one reason you're reading Bears-Bengals as the Game of the Week: Neither team can afford to suffer a third loss given the strength of their divisions -- the two divisions I consider the strongest in their respective conferences. If the Bears lose, they could fall a potentially insurmountable three-and-a-half games behind Minnesota and into the wild card picture with contenders like Green Bay and Atlanta, each of which already has a leg up on Chicago based on head-to-head play. If the Bengals lose, they could fall behind the Steelers and into a second place tie with the Ravens with both of those teams looming after a Week 8 bye.

*************************

The most ominous stat you'll see this weekend....The Bengals have allowed a league-worst 25 plays of 20 yards or more.

*************************

The most promising stat you'll see this weekend....Marvin Lewis is 5-0 against the NFC North.

*************************

Chick's Pigskin Preview
Ludwig at Large
Home teams are supposed to take visitors to the woodshed. In Cincinnati, it’s the opposite. The Bengals (4-2) are the only division leader with a losing record at home (1-2), where they perform poorly. They seem distracted by all the distractions, and that better change in a hurry. If you don’t protect your turf, you don’t make the playoffs. Without Odom, the Bengals’ pass rush is suspect at best. The cornerbacks will be forced to cover longer. Translation: Cutler should have a big game with his big arm. The Bengals must enjoy first place while it lasts. The final: Bears 27, Bengals 24.

*************************

Zimmer's defense seeks answers
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
After his defense was carved up for 472 yards by Houston last week, Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is dealing with many of the same problems as the offense. On one side, the defense is forcing a lot more three-and-outs than last year. But they have allowed a league-leading 25 plays of 20 yards or more. So as they prepare for Sunday’s game against Chicago, consistency and discipline have been words mentioned a lot this week.

*************************

Scouting the Bears
John Erardi, Enquirer

*************************

Yet another Bengals / Bears prediction...
James Walker, ESPN.com
Analysis: This is a toss-up. But I would be surprised if the Bengals fall to 1-3 at home this season.
Pick: Bengals, 24-21

*************************

Tony Pike UPDATE....Cincinnati QB Tony Pike planned to throw Friday afternoon and again Saturday before kickoff of the No. 5 Bearcats' game with Louisville. A source told Sporting News on Friday that Pike has some pain and swelling in his injured left wrist.

*************************

Second Half Preview for UC
Brian Bennett, ESPN.com

Nobody in the Big East has a higher upside for the rest of the season than Cincinnati.
The Bearcats, already No. 5 in the BCS standings, can make a run at the national title if they keep winning and get a little help from the teams above them. The schedule is conducive to such a run as well, with the most difficult road game left coming in the season finale against Pitt. Cincinnati right now has to be considered the favorite to win the Big East for the second straight year.

Best case: Cincinnati runs the table and finishes 12-0. Texas, Iowa and USC all suffer one more loss, and voters reward the Bearcats for having a stronger schedule than Boise State. Cincinnati goes to the BCS title game against the SEC champion.

Worst case: Tony Pike's left arm injury causes him to miss extended time. The Bearcats get beat at home by West Virginia and lose at Pitt to end the year. Instead of a BCS bowl, they're knocked all the way down to the Papajohns.com Bowl as West Virginia and Pitt finish ahead of them.

Prediction: Sugar Bowl

*************************

Babe of the Weekend....Milena

*************************

Remember that ice skating bear I told you about yesterday? Well, here's the video....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YQIvKD747GI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YQIvKD747GI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*************************

FAIL of the weekend...

*************************

It was only a matter of time until someone created this website: ClevelandFrowns.com

*************************

The best part of fall weather.....the sweaters....

*************************

WTF of the weekend...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nBo4wZmH0UQ&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nBo4wZmH0UQ&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*************************

Weekend Food Porn....introducing the Windows 7 Whopper...

Burger King Japan’s 7-layered Whopper for Windows 7 release.

*************************

The Real of Fake clip of the Weekend....I'm going real...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/D2iTImhexm0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/D2iTImhexm0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*************************

Well...this would basically put my blog out of business. Freaking FCC...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2NDPT0Ph5rA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2NDPT0Ph5rA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*************************

If I'm ever in Vegas...I wanna see this Cirque du Soleil...

*************************

Leno at 10pm continues to drown....

*************************

The 10 Rules of Internet
Telegraph

3. Rule 34 States: "If it exists, there is porn of it." See also Rule 35: "If no such porn exists, it will be made." Generally held to refer to fictional characters and cartoons, although some formulations insist there are "no exceptions" even for abstract ideas like non-Euclidean geometry, or puzzlement.

*************************

Bengals vs. Bears Projection
WhatIfSports.com

Bengals 20, Bears 18

WhatIfSports.com "played" the 2009 Week 7 - Chicago Bears vs. Cincinnati Bengals game 10,001 times. The Cincinnati Bengals win 54.1% of the time by an average score of 19.9-17.6.

************************

Benson downplays reunion with Chicago
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
The Benson Bowl turned into the dust bowl for those looking for the juicy bits of tabloid Wednesday in preparation for running back Cedric Benson barreling smack into his past and his old Bears defense via a Bengals zone run in Sunday’s 4:15 game at Paul Brown Stadium.

************************

Roy Williams is day-to-day.....Bengals safety Roy Williams has missed two of the last three games with a bruised forearm and has missed the first two practices of this week as he grapples with the pain of a severe bone bruise. And he’s calling himself day-to-day, not knowing when he’ll be able to go.

************************

It's been a long, winding road for Benson
ESPN.com
Sometimes there just isn't a convenient reason why a player with the physical tools and the athletic gifts is a bust with one team and busts out with the next. Sometimes it was a bad fit in the first place. Sometimes it takes a while for a player to be mature enough to handle a pro career. Benson, in typically candid form, said he isn't out to prove anything when his 4-2 Cincinnati Bengals face the 3-2 Bears on Sunday.

************************

Bengals reportedly wanted to trade for a tight end......Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones turned down a trade offer for one of his young players before Tuesday's trade deadline. A league source told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen that the deal in question was the Bengals attempting to acquire tight end Martellus Bennett, who was a second-round pick of the Cowboys in 2008. The source offered no other details of the proposed trade, which was ultimately turned down by Dallas.

************************

Week 7 Bengals Notebook
Joe Reedy / John Erardi, Enquirer

************************

The Governator makes another push for NFL in LA....

************************

First half college football surprises try to keep it rolling
Sporting News Today

************************

Pryor appears more relaxed, humbled
Columbus Dispatch

************************

Speaking of Pryor...he's now getting advice from LeBron...

************************

Dayton atop A-10 Preseason Poll, Xavier is number 2.....

The Flyers (27-8/11-5) received 33 of the 57 first-place votes cast by the panel of coaches and media members. Leading UD will be preseason first-team All-Conference selection Chris Wright, who averaged a team-high 13.3 points and 6.6 rebounds a year ago. The junior forward is among 50 preseason candidates for the John R. Wooden Award and Dayton boasts a 41-10 record with Wright in the lineup. Senior guard Marcus Johnson (11.8 ppg.) is a preseason second-team selection, while senior guard London Warren (4.1 ppg.) is on the preseason All-Defensive Team.

Xavier (27-8/12-4) received 18 first-place votes and placed second in the preseason poll. The Musketeers seek to become the first A-10 program to win four consecutive regular season titles since Massachusetts captured five straight from 1992-96. One of just nine Division I programs to win at least 25 games in each of the last three seasons, Xavier will be under the direction of first-year head coach and former two-time XU captain Chris Mack.

************************

Speaking of Xavier, they land another 2011 recruit....Junior wing Dezmine Wells today announced his verbal commitment to Xavier’s men’s basketball program, giving Chris Mack and staff an impressive start to the Class of 2011.

************************

A preseason look at Ohio State Basketball
Mike Decourcy, Sporting News
Ohio State does not have the depth to absorb another protracted injury absence. It was able to squeeze into the NCAA Tournament without Lighty last season, but it's not a top 20 team unless all its players are healthy. The Buckeyes don't have any freshmen, so they need some contributions from players already in the program.

************************

A few Reds notes
John Fay, Enquirer

–He said his deal is for three years, which is pretty standard for someone in demand. It’s noteworthy here because Dusty Baker is in the last year of his contract.

–Walt Jocketty said that the pitching coach would be involved in the pitching philosophy in the minors. Price will be. He said he’s spoken to minor league coordinator Mack Jenkins. “What you want is a consistent plan of development,” he said. “I’m looking for is a meeting of the minds and good communication. I have my ideas. But I’m not going to come in and tell everyone how to do their jobs. I’ve been on the other end of that and it doesn’t work.”

–Price worked with Brandon Webb, the king of the sinkerballers in Arizona, but he doesn’t force the pitch on his staff. “I’m an advocate of it,” he said. “But I also know that very few pitchers can get that type of action on the ball. You need your hand to work in the certain way and have a loose wrist to get the ball to come out that way. Until you work with someone, you can’t say who does and who doesn’t.”

–Price has talked to Jenkins and bullpen coach Porky Lopez to get a feel for the staff. He’s also is having video coordinator Jeff Graupe get him video of pitchers. He hasn’t talked to any of the pitchers. “It’s a little early to talk about next seen,” he said.

************************

Fantasy Football Friday....

- Marshawn Lynch primed for a big week.....

- Same can be said for Thomas Jones...

- Troy Polamalu looks like a go for Sunday....

History says these players will enjoy Week 7...

Anquan Boldin........TD, 11 receptions, 87 yards vs. Giants in '08
Tim Hightower........Two TDs vs. Giants in 2008 meeting
Thomas Jones.......159 rush yards at Oakland last year
Eli Manning............240 yards, 3 TDs at Arizona last season
Neil Rackers..........Made 3 of 4 field goals, two XPs vs. Giants last year
Kurt Warner...........351 yards, TD, INT, FL vs. Giants in '08

************************

TGIF Babe of the Day....Ardis Vanfossan

************************

Friday Food Porn....introducing Spreadable Bacon Jam....

************************

Beer Pong, by Nike...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/0AfbN9e5KAA&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/0AfbN9e5KAA&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

************************

Bar Refaeli shows off the goods on the Red Carpet...

more here

************************

Yep, someone did not think this one through....

************************

FAIL of the day....now which letter is for Neutral again...the "D" right??....

************************

Today's Definition of Duh....A woman is suing the maker of Louisville Slugger aluminum baseball bats over the 2003 death of her son, who was hit with a ball during a youth league baseball game. Opening arguments began Tuesday in Helena's district court.

************************

Bears were not meant to ice skate. When they're forced to skate, they get pissed...

************************

"Benson Bowl" Begins
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
They are calling it "The Benson Bowl" in Chicago as Bengals running back Cedric Benson goes against the Bears team that cut him a year ago in a wave of controversy. On Wednesday he went out of his way to downplay it. "It has some significance for me personally just because I was there, the kind of history I had and the way things went down," he said. "Besides that, it's as important as any game..."I'm definitely not looking for revenge."

....but Benson did say the Bears blackballed him...

******************************

Bengals signing autographs for Tsunami Relief
Official Release
<blockquote>Bengals defensive starters Jonathan Fanene, Rey Maualuga and Domata Peko, plus other selected teammates, will sign autographs at 5 p.m. this Friday (Oct. 23) as part of the Bengals Bash in downtown Cincinnati.

Fanene and Peko are natives of American Samoa, and Maualuga is the son of Samoan parents, and the players will also be seeking donations for relief efforts in support of the recent tsunami disaster in American Samoa.

The Bengals Bash takes place in the Backstage Alley area, across Walnut St. from the Aronoff Center and adjacent to Nicholson’s Tavern & Pub.</blockquote>

******************************

Andre Smith back to practice....No blocking, no knocking around. First-round draft pick Andre Smith wasn't allowed to bump into anybody during his first in-uniform practice with the Cincinnati Bengals on Wednesday, an indication that he's still a long way from playing regularly. At least he got to wear shoulder pads and a helmet.

******************************

Fanene will start at DE for Bengals
Chick Ludwig
Jonathan Fanene has been tapped the Bengals’ starter at right defensive end against the Chicago Bears on Sunday as he attempts to fill the monster shoes of sack man Antwan Odom, who is out for the season with a torn right Achilles. Fanene is a natural end with the versatility to play tackle. Don’t be surprised if he moves inside in the nickel defense, which allows a now-healthy Frostee Rucker to bring pressure against Bears quarterback Jay Cutler.

******************************

Ochocinco has kind words for Bears....wait, what?
ESPN.com
Ochocinco began by raving about Chicago Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, his likely adversary in the secondary this weekend at Paul Brown Stadium.

******************************

AFC North Blogger's Blitz
ESPN.com

******************************

TJ Houshmanzadeh says Bengals offer this past offseason was "very, very close"....Appearing on Two Deep Zone with Artrell Hawkins and Charles Fisher this week, Houshmandzadeh admitted that the Bengals' bottom-line offer was "very, very close" to the deal he accepted in Seattle.

******************************

Jeff Fisher making headlines with this...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2C6HiSOlquc&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2C6HiSOlquc&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

If I'm a Tennessee fan, I'm really not all that pissed. Sure, my team this year sucks. And sure, it's not exactly a GOOD idea to sports a division rivals jersey. However, comparing the situation down there to the situation in Cincinnati is apples to oranges. Fisher is the only man to have coached the Titans since they made the move from Houston. They've been very successful...they were a yard away from a Super Bowl title. All in all, in hindsight, it's really not that big of a deal.

******************************

UC and Louisville battle for Keg of Nails Saturday...The No. 5/6 University of Cincinnati football team welcomes BIG EAST Conference rival Louisville into Nippert Stadium in the 49th Battle For The Keg Of Nails on Saturday. UC (6-0, 2-0 BIG EAST) looks to extend an eight-game home winning streak. Louisville (2-4, 0-2 BIG EAST) has taken the past five meetings between the two schools at Nippert, dating back to 1999. The Bearcats feature the No. 4 scoring offense in the country (40.67 ppg) and a defense that leads the country in tackles for a loss (10.17 per game), and ranks second nationally in sacks (4.17 spg).

******************************

Mick Cronin and company picked to finish 7th in Big East....For the first time since joining the BIG EAST Conference in 2005-06, the University of Cincinnati was picked to finish in the upper division of the league in the preseason poll being selected to finish seventh by the coaches. The Bearcats also earned individual preseason honors as senior guard Deonta Vaughn earned first-team all-BIG EAST plaudits and freshman Lance Stephenson was named the league’s Rookie of the Year.

******************************

XU women picked to win A-10....

******************************

Cyclones get Roeder back from AHL
Official Release
<blockquote>The Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, announced this afternoon they have received defenseman Kevin Roeder from his loan to Syracuse (AHL).

Roeder played in the season opening loss for the Cyclones at Elmira on October 16 and was loaned to the Crunch after the game. He did not see any game action with Syracuse.

Roeder is available to play when the Cyclones travel to Wheeling on Friday night (Oct. 23). The game can be heard at 7:30pm on 1530 Homer – The Sports Animal. The pregame show airs at 7pm.

Tickets for the 2009-10 Cincinnati Cyclones season are now on sale. The Cyclones Sales Department can be reached at 513-421-PUCK, extension 3. The Cyclones open host their home opener at U.S. Bank Arena against Wheeling on Saturday, October 24 at 7:30pm. There will be a special divisional championship banner raising ceremony prior to that game.</blockquote>

******************************

There's a new "Worst Job in the World" opening....Bowl Championship Series officials are considering hiring a permanent point person to be a full-time advocate for the often criticized postseason system. If a new position were created it likely would take over much of the high-profile responsibilities of the BCS coordinator -- a two-year post that rotates among the commissioners of the Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East, Big 12 and Southeastern Conference.

******************************

So you're saying Steve Phillips decided to risk his reputation at ESPN and his family circle by tagging THIS??

******************************

Fantasy Football Thursday...

- Adrian Peterson limited in practice...

- Eli Manning has a good history against Arizona....

- Trent Edwards likely out another week for Bills...

- Anquan Boldin missing more practice....

Top 10 Waiver Claims
Fox Sports

5. Ricky Williams, RB, Miami
Though he cedes most of the carries to Ronnie Brown, Williams has recorded three straight solid fantasy games. He totaled 84 yards and a score in Week 3; he collected 96 yards and a touchdown in Week 4; and he amassed 138 yards in Week 5. He's also averaged 16 touches during the past four contests. Williams will serve as a viable bye-week replacement with Miami already having a Week 6 bye.

Week 7 Projections
CBS Sports

QB's

RB's

WR's

TE's

******************************

Spend your Thursday with Tori Black....

******************************

FAIL of the day....an oldie but a goodie....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JXeVxf4c0Rk&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JXeVxf4c0Rk&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

******************************

Thursday Food Porn....introducing the Powdered Pancake Donut Surprise

Inspired by the favorite desert of the character, Cartman, on “South Park,” 9 12” pancakes with 2 sticks of butter, 1 cup of chocolate syrup and 1 cup of maple syrup between each layer, all topped with powdered donuts and powdered sugar.

******************************

TGIT...Here's Your Cheerleader of the Week
Vanessa Marrero, FIU

Name: Vanessa Marrero
Hometown: Portchester, N.Y.
School: Florida International University
Year: Senior
Major: Advertising

I love my school, but I almost went to: I always planned on going to FIU.

My best physical feature is: My hair.

If I had to watch one movie on loop for ever, it would be: The Notebook.

If you looked at the "most played" songs on my iPod, you'd see a lot of: Hip-Hop.

The shows I DVR/TiVo are: The Hills, America's Best Dance Crew.

My favorite Web Sites are: Google, Facebook.

My favorite people to follow on Twitter are: I don't use Twitter.

My worst habit is: I procrastinate.

My gameday superstitions are: Never leave my house without my boots on.

The talent I'd most like to have that I don't possess is: Play the guitar.

These three things top my bucket list: To visit Australia and Hawaii, to go scuba diving, to be a professional dancer.

I'd want my last meal to be: Bistec de palomilla with moros.

The most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me during a game is: My rookie year, while we were on the sidelines at a game, my team started a dance a routine while I just stood there distracted and not dancing.

Three things I'd take to a desert island are: My shoes, coconut lotion, My iPod.

My favorite pro sports teams are: Yankees, Miami Heat.

My one guilty pleasure is: I love vanilla cake.

My celebrity crush is: Paul Walker.

Five people I'd like to have dinner with (living or dead) are: My great grandparents, Walt Disney, Paul Walker, Britney Spears and Wade Robson.

My friends would be surprised to know that I: Play wiffle ball.

The next risk I want to take is: To go scuba diving.

The worst date I've ever been on was: With a guy that took me to dinner and barely spoke and chewed louder than a camel. There was a lot of awkward silence and his hands were always sweaty when he touched me. He also had on way too much cologne. By the end of the date I felt like puking.

******************************

Sweetest invention you'll see today....introducing the Port-a-Pint....

The Port-a-Pint Collapsible Beer Glass makes sure you never miss out on spontaneous drinking. Just keep it in your pocket, backpack or briefcase, and flick your wrist for a full pint glass. If being able to drink anytime anyplace wasn't enough, just think of all the plastic cups you won't be wasting. That's right - you're saving the planet while you drink.

******************************

Trust me, this is worth ALL 4 minutes of your time.....Seduction for Dummies....

<object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/uYzg1CYeEhU&border=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/uYzg1CYeEhU&border=1&color1=0xe1600f&color2=0xfebd01&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="349"></embed></object>

******************************

The Breakdancing Cat Attack....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bTlVhpeJiqU&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bTlVhpeJiqU&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

******************************

RIP Dr. No....

******************************

The Return of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to TV??? Hell yeah....

******************************

WTF of the day....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iAiK1TDOAi4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iAiK1TDOAi4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

******************************

If Wedding Reception Seating Charts Were Honest...

******************************

Three and Out: Bengals vs. Bears
Joe Reedy, Bengals.com

1. Finally, the Benson Bowl: It's the game Cedric Benson has had circled (along with Chicago writers) on his calendar since the date was announced in April. Benson had a season-low 44 yards last week in the loss to Texas. He could be ready to atone against the Bears. The previous time Benson struggled this year, which was in the opener against Denver, he responded with 141 yards at Green Bay. Chicago enters the game sixth in rush defense. Defensive tackle Tank Johnson is also facing his former team for the first time, but is not as caught up in it.

2. Offensive weapons: In his first year with the Bears, Jay Cutler has thrown for 1,201 yards with 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions for an 86.9 passer rating. Rookie Johnny Knox leads the NFL with a 33.7 kickoff return average and leads all rookies with four total touchdowns (three receiving). There's also the dangerous Devin Hester and workhorse running back Matt Forte.

3. Getting to the bye week: The Bengals need to regain momentum after playing their worst game against Houston. Taking a look at the post-bye schedule, they would be in pretty good shape if they could win on Sunday and get to the bye at 5-2. If they lose, it makes for a long two weeks and a difficult November with back-to-back games against Baltimore and Pittsburgh.

*********************************

Bengals add DT
Official Release
<blockquote>The Bengals today signed free agent DT Orien Harris, a second-year NFL player. Harris (6-3, 300, Miami-Fla.) played in 16 games for the Bengals in 2008, with 14 starts, logging 24 tackles. The Bengals traded him to St. Louis on May 7 of this year, with Cincinnati acquiring HB Brian Leonard. St. Louis traded Harris to Detroit on July 22, and he was with the Lions in preseason.

He made the Lions’ opening 53-player roster, was inactive for the season opener, and was waived on Sept. 16.

Harris first entered the NFL in 2006, as a fourth-round draft choice of Pittsburgh. He opened the 2008 preseason with New Orleans and was acquired by the Bengals for 2008 on an Aug. 31 waiver claim.
Harris fills a Bengals roster spot opened yesterday, when DE Antwan Odom was placed on the Reserve/Injured list.</blockquote>

*********************************

Chad and Jay Cutler engage in Twitter warfare....

*********************************

AFC North Power Rankings
ESPN

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
Last week: No. 13
Current ranking: No. 8
Analysis: Despite beating the struggling Browns, the Steelers were able to move up five spots to No. 8. Pittsburgh benefited from several teams ahead of them losing, such as division rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati. The Bengals own the head-to-head advantage over the Steelers. But according to this panel, Pittsburgh is rated slightly ahead of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
Last week: No. 6
Current ranking: No. 9
Analysis: A convincing loss at home to the Houston Texans didn’t hurt the Bengals' standing all that much. The Bengals are still in the top 10 with a 4-2 mark after six games. The panel respected the team’s four-game winning streak. But Cincinnati will have to fend off a pretty good Chicago Bears team Sunday to avoid its first two-game losing streak of the season.

Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
Last week: No. 11
Current ranking: No. 11
Analysis: A missed field goal by kicker Steve Hauschka was the difference in Baltimore pulling off a big road win against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings or suffering a three-game losing streak. The Ravens are playing good football in some areas but not enough to win close games against quality opponents. Their three losses have all been against division leaders. The Ravens have a bye and a chance to fix some of their problems this week.

Cleveland Browns (1-5)
Last week: No. 28
Current ranking: No. 29
Analysis: For an inconsistent team on the field, the Browns have surely remained consistent in the power rankings. Cleveland has been either No. 28 or No. 29 every week, and after losing to Pittsburgh the Browns dropped one spot back to No. 29. As long as Cleveland has a win under its belt, expect the Browns to remain above winless teams like the St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans.

*********************************

Bengals' Joseph says mistakes are correctable......Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph says the team’s flaws in the 28-17 loss to the Houston Texans are “very correctable.” Now the Bengals have to change whatever they did last Sunday to make sure the Chicago Bears this Sunday can’t carve them up the way the Texans did. The Bengals yielded 392 yards and four touchdowns through the air.

*********************************

Wanna be even more connected to Ochocinco? There's an app for that...

*********************************

Ludwig at Large returns....

*********************************

What we've learned: Kelly wins with what he has
Sporting News
With all that tumult as the background, the Bearcats have won 17 of 20 games since the start of last season. Yeah, this Kelly guy can coach. It's probably safe to say Cincinnati can find a way to beat Big East lightweight Louisville this weekend with Collaros. Or frankly, with you or me under center. While Kelly continues to work his magic and not only make Cincinnati football relevant, but among the nation's elite at No. 5 in the BCS poll, you have to wonder if a major BCS power—Florida State, Texas A&M—will spend a bundle to buy out a coach to get their hands on Kelly first.

*********************************

Pike out until tomorrow (at least)....UC quarterback Tony Pike had a medical procedure done this morning to repair a plate in his arm and he will miss the next two days of practice. He'll be evaluated on Thursday and could still play on Saturday against Louisville (2-4). A cast will be put on Pike's arm Thursday, and he will try to practice then. He'll be evaluated then on his ability to handle the snap. Doctors will also look for swelling in the arm.

*********************************

Jim Tressel comes to the defense of Terrell Pryor....."From the film grade standpoint, he probably had less minus plays than he did in the past couple weeks," Tressel said on Tuesday. "Now, that's the good news. Here's the bad news: The minuses that we had were those triple minuses."

*********************************

Crawford eager to help XU
Shannon Russell, Enquirer
Basketball season couldn’t have come a moment sooner for Jordan Crawford, a transfer player from Indiana who figures to be key component of Xavier’s attempt at a fourth straight Atlantic 10 Conference regular-season title and fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

*********************************

Cyclones open their home slate on Saturday night....The ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones, who have raised their attendance by 68 percent from 2006-07, will host Wheeling at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in their home opener at U.S. Bank Arena. First, the Cyclones play the Nailers at Wheeling on Friday night. Saturday will be the first time the squads have met in Cincinnati since Game 7 of the North Division semifinals last May. The Cyclones will unfurl another North Division championship banner in a special pregame ceremony.

*********************************

Hump Day = Brittney Lynn

*********************************

Wednesday Food Porn...introducing the Peanut Butter French Toast

A giant peanut butter sandwich, coated in french toast batter and bran flakes, fried in a griddle and served with caramelized bananas and brown sugar syrup.

*********************************

Say what you want....Halloween is for us grown-ups...and I for one, think we should encourage that...

*********************************

FAIL of the day....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fRGf5sNGsUw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fRGf5sNGsUw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*********************************

Best Tabloid Cover you'll see today...

more here

*********************************

Olivia Wilde is tremendous....

more here

*********************************

The Office causes a prison riot....

*********************************

Jeff Reed is one classy SOB....

*********************************

This dude has the best job EVA....

*********************************

David Wells owns up to farting on set....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cFb5lrjFC8k&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cFb5lrjFC8k&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*********************************

Today's Definition of Duh.....this guy...

*********************************

I can't believe this worked....

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxDMnT0UYLc&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CxDMnT0UYLc&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*********************************

Funniest commercial you'll see today...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pviJqB6jO80&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pviJqB6jO80&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

*********************************

And there goes the TV...

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lZGajz8cgi4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lZGajz8cgi4&hl=en&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

hat tip to Matt B. for the link

*********************************