Bengals / Raiders Prediction
WhatIfSports.com

Bengals 24, Raiders 13

WhatIfSports.com "played" the 2009 Week 11 - Cincinnati Bengals vs. Oakland Raiders game 10,001 times. The Cincinnati Bengals win 85.4% of the time by an average score of 24.2-12.5.

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Benson unlikely to play against Raiders
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Running back Cedric Benson did not practice for a second straight day and is unlikely to play Sunday at Oakland. That means Larry Johnson's timetable to be somewhat comfortable with the playbook is accelerated. "It's a new offense and they have to get comfortable with trusting me to step in there," said Johnson, who celebrated his 30th birthday Thursday. "The plays are the same handing off and right now the exchange has been pretty good between Carson (Palmer) and myself."

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Midseason tests
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
At 7-2, these Bengals have gone where no stripes have gone before. A 5-0 division record and a 4-0 road record built with a Woodstock locker room of peace and love. Indeed, this is the kind of game the 2007 team lost enough to dribble themselves out of contention at 7-9. The Bengals lost on the road to a four-win team (Kansas City), a five-win team (San Francisco) and a seven-win team (Buffalo). They take care of business and there are 10 wins. But now they have guys like safety Chris Crocker. In six previous seasons he’s never played on a team that won more than seven games. He can end that Sunday.

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Two good backs are better than one
Ludwig at Large
The newest Cincinnati Bengal should play, and play a lot, against the Raiders in Oakland on Sunday. With starting tailback Cedric Benson rehabbing a right hip flexor strain and unable to practice, Johnson is getting a crash-course in the offensive scheme and preparing for his Bengals debut. The Bengals would be best served by deactivating Benson and allowing his hip to heal, and deploying the ol’ tailback-by-committee approach featuring rookie Bernard Scott, veteran Brian Leonard and Johnson.

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AFC North Playoff Forecast
ESPN.com
Cincinnati Bengals (7-2)
With the Denver Broncos fading, the Bengals are now the NFL's biggest surprise through nine games. Cincinnati, with a strong running game and physical defense, is built like an AFC North team for the first time under coach Marvin Lewis. If Cincinnati takes care of business, it will be 10-2 after this stretch and in prime position to secure a home playoff game and a possible bye. Even one slip-up would give the Bengals a solid 9-3 mark with four games remaining, which would make them very hard to catch in the AFC North.
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LJ's former coach says he'll do well in Cincinnati...."He put himself in position and made some choice that he can’t make. He understands that he has to salvage his career. It’s a good situation for him. He’s not coming in as a star while in Kansas City he was the star. Cincinnati has a bunch of good playmakers and people in that locker room."

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Congrats to Mardy Gilyard....University of Cincinnati wide receiver/kick returner Mardy Gilyard was named one of 15 Players to Watch for the 2009 Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year award, the fourth oldest college football award in the nation. He leads the BIG EAST Conference in total receiving yards, catching 68 balls for 930 yards and eight touchdowns. He has three 100-yard receiving games and has caught a pass in 15-straight contests.

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Collaros told to comply with court or face jail time....A judge warned Cincinnati sophomore quarterback Zach Collaros on Thursday that he could spend the bowl season in jail if he doesn't get his act together after being accused of showing a fake ID at a bar. Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge Bernie Bouchard scolded Collaros for failing to begin a court-ordered program on the dangers of underage drinking. Bouchard told Collaros he had until Dec. 7 or would face jail time. "Got it? Are we clear?" Bouchard asked him. "You're not going to get another chance." Collaros said through his attorney that he would begin the program right away.

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New coach Chris Mack carries on long tradition at Xavier
P-Doc, SI.com
This one's for anyone who refers to Xavier University as "Eggs-avier'" or, come on, "Eggs-avier of Ohio" when crunching a bracket in March. The other Xavier is in New Orleans. Fine institution. Not basketball-relevant. Eggs-avier of Louisiana. This one's for people who lob the term "mid-major" at XU like a hand grenade in a men's room, who couldn't tell you where XU is if you gave them a Rand McNally and a GPS. It's especially for those who refer to the Musketeers as "the Gonzaga of the East."' Xavier: Isn't that where good coaches go to leave? This one's for you.

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Reds won't be busy in free agency
Mark Sheldon, Reds.com
Free agency opens for business at 12:01 a.m. ET on Friday, and that means it will be buying season for all 30 clubs. Don't expect the Reds to be busy free-agent shoppers, however. "I don't see us being very active with free agents," general manager Walt Jocketty said at season's end. "It's not a very strong free-agent market from what we see." Sure, there are unsettled situations for the club in left field and at shortstop, but economics will be the overriding factor in how the Reds maneuver to fill those needs.

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Ouch....In a season such as Miami's, a team will take its bright spots wherever it can find them, even in a 42-17 Mid-American conference loss to Buffalo. Wednesday night, they came from two senior wide receivers - Brayden Coombs and Dustin Woods. Miami (1-11, 1-7) set the single-season school record for losses, surpassing the 0-10-1 1988 season.

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Cyclones claim Matt Robinson off waivers
Official Release
<blockquote>The Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, announced this afternoon they have claimed forward Matt Robinson off of the ECHL waiver list.

Robinson, 24, is in his fourth professional season, having played twelve games with Johnstown (ECHL) this season. He has scored three goals and added six assists for nine points and 13 penalty minutes. He has a pair of three point games this season, including a goal and a pair of assists in his last game with the Chiefs versus Wheeling on Sunday (November 14).

The six-foot-one, 186 pound native of South Surrey, BC, has played all four pro seasons in the ECHL. Robinson has appeared in 143 career games with 46 goals and 43 assists for 89 points and 130 penalty minutes. He spent his first two years with Alaska (ECHL), before being traded to Johnstown before the start of the 2008-09 season.

Matt Robinson is not related to Cyclones rookie forward Brett Robinson.</blockquote>

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Cyclones on 1530 Homer TONIGHT....Chuck Weber's bunch travel up I-75 for a two-game weekend set against the Toledo Walleye. You can hear tonight's game starting at 7pm on 1530 Homer and 1530Homer.com.

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You HAD to see this one coming....Four major carriers -- American, Delta, Northwest and United -- will tack on a $50 surcharge for all passengers flying out of the three southern Florida airports on February 8, the day after the Super Bowl.

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TGIF Babe of the Day....Charlie Kristine

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Friday Food Porn....introducing the Bacon Beer Mug...

hat tip to Sloanie from OneQuickBeer.com

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Cyclones fan likes to jump around....

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Today's Definition of Duh.....The case of one of four teens who were cited after rapping their order at a McDonald's in Utah appears headed for trial. Police in American Fork, about 30 miles south of Salt Lake City, cited the teens for disorderly conduct last month after the drive-through rap.

hat tip to Matt B for the link

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WalMart could really make some money if they sold "back-bras".....

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Rob Schneider doesn't like waiting to do interviews. In other news, Rob Schneider is still doing interviews...

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FAIL of the day...

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No wonder the Mayans predicted the end of the world in 2012....Oprah is calling it quits...

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Three and Out: Bengals vs. Raiders
Joe Reedy, Enquirer

1. Raider dysfunction: It could be JaMarcus Russell, Bruce Gradkowski or even Charlie Frye. One of the more telling comments from Raiders coach Tom Cable Monday came when he was asked about the viability of Charlie Frye as the starting quarterback. Russell, the former No. 1 draft choice, has been awful and has just two touchdowns against nine interceptions.

2. Easy stretch: After back-to-back games against the Ravens and Steelers, the Bengals face three of the worst teams in the league - the 2-7 Raiders, 1-8 Browns and 1-8 Lions - over the next three weeks. Although it might look like a three-week vacation until the Dec. 13 game at Minnesota, Lewis might be even more focused this week in terms of not trying to prevent a letdown.

3. And at running back...: Cedric Benson's hip will receive extra scrutiny, and everyone will see how quickly Larry Johnson can pick up the playbook and possibly adjust to playing on five days notice, if Benson can not go.

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Raiders, in fact, bench Russell....Raiders coach Tom Cable, who yanked Russell for Bruce Gradkowski during Sunday's 16-10 loss to the Chiefs, said Wednesday that Gradkowski is the new starter. Per RaiderBeat.com, Cable called the move an "easy decision."

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LJ looking to convert history
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
His agent describes Larry Johnson as a football historian and when it came to a pop quiz on his new team, he passed with flying orange and black. Asked Tuesday what he knew about the franchise, Johnson quickly churned out, “The coach here also coached Jimmy Brown and Ernie Davis in Cleveland.” Not bad. Marvin Lewis, the current Bengals head coach who is four wins away from passing Paul Brown into second place on the club’s all-time list, is calling on history as he welcomes the star-crossed Johnson to his team. But it’s a little more recent.

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Benson guarded about Johnson signing
James Walker, ESPN.com
Most Cincinnati Bengals players are accepting the addition of troubled running back Larry Johnson as a move to improve the team. The player who could be most affected doesn't have much to say, and that's the most telling reaction of all.

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Signing Johnson will test Bengals chemistry
Kyle Nagel, Dayton Daily News
More than that, Johnson - as any new player would, whether or not he has a history — will test the Bengals’ locker room chemistry. Things have clearly been better on the field, and much of that comes from harmony off the field. Injecting a new presence into that mix will test the Cincinnati leadership.

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Larry Johnson wants to earn his stripes
ESPN

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LJ's role will depend on Benson
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Although everyone continues to stress that everything is operating smoothly, it is looking more like Larry Johnson could be in the lineup for the Bengals Sunday in Oakland. Johnson practiced with the team for the first time Wednesday and did get a couple of snaps, but mostly tried to immerse himself in the playbook. Also on the field was Cedric Benson, but he did not practice as he continues to recover from a hip flexor injury.

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It's a QB's world in the NFL
Alex Marvez, Fox Sports
It's a quarterback's world. The rest of the NFL is just living in it. That's how the 2009 season is unfolding. Quarterback hasn't just stayed football's most important position. It has never been played better. For the first time since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, there are nine signal-callers with at least a 95.0 passer rating 10 weeks into the season. The three leaders — Minnesota's Brett Favre (107.5), New Orleans' Drew Brees (104.6) and Indianapolis' Peyton Manning (104.2) — play for the franchises with the league's best records.

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Congrats to Bernard Scott
Official Release
<blockquote>Bengals rookie HB Bernard Scott today was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week by the NFL.

Scott returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to help lead Cincinnati to an 18-12 victory at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. In a game that decided current first place of the AFC North, Scott’s score was the only touchdown by either side (the game included eight combined field goals by both teams otherwise). It gave the Bengals a 6-3 lead at the time, and it proved to provide the winning point margin.

In his first action as the No. 1 kick returner this season, Scott returned five total kickoffs for 206 yards (41.2-yard average) at Pittsburgh. Those 206 KOR yards rank as the third highest single-game total in Bengals history. Scott’s 96-yarder was the team’s first for a TD since Nov. 4, 2007, when WR Glen Holt returned one 100 yards at Buffalo.

Scott, a sixth-round draft pick out of Abilene Christian, has seven kickoff returns for 261 yards (37.3-yard average) for the season.

This the third time this season that a Bengals player has received an AFC Player of the Week honor. DE Antwan Odom, currently on the team’s Reserve/Injured list, was named Defensive Player of the Week for his five-sack performance at Green Bay in Week 2. QB Carson Palmer earned the AFC Offensive Player of the Week honor for his play in Week 7 vs. Chicago.

The last Bengal to win an AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award was WR Tab Perry in Week 13 of 2005.</blockquote>

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UC QB Collaros due in court Today....Zach Collaros has helped thrust the University of Cincinnati football team into the national championship picture, but it’s what he didn’t do that will have the sophomore quarterback before a judge Thursday. Collaros was cited May 15 for presenting a fake ID – a Tennessee driver’s license – as he tried to enter the Holy Grail, a Corryville bar. Collaros turned 21 in August.

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Vote for Bearcat is in the Capital One Mascot Challenge....

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UC is #1 in BCS, academically.....Of the top 10 teams in the BCS standings, Cincinnati, now fifth in the standings, was the only school to top 70 percent in both reports. Texas, which is third in the standings, and Georgia Tech, which is seventh, had the lowest scores. Both came in at 49 percent (NCAA) and 41 percent (federal).

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Bearcats vs. Pitt game info....The University of Cincinnati football team will face BIG EAST Conference rival Pittsburgh at noon on Dec. 5 at Heinz Field and the game will be televised nationally by ABC, the BIG EAST Conference office announced Wednesday. The game will decide the 2009 BIG EAST Champion and the winner of the league's automatic Bowl Championship Series berth. The No. 5 Bearcats (10-0, 6-0 BIG EAST) have a bye this week in advance of playing Illinois (3-7) at Nippert Stadium on Nov. 27. No. 8 Pittsburgh (9-1, 5-0 BIG EAST) take on West Virginia on Nov. 27 before playing the Bearcats.

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UC hoops ink another recruit....Kelvin Gaines, a 6-foot-10, 225 pound center from Ocala, Fla., has signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the University of Cincinnati men's basketball team beginning in 2010, fourth-year head coach Mick Cronin announced today. Gaines averaged 10.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 6.2 blocks in 2008-09 playing for Jason Niblett at Heat Academy in Martinsville, Va. The Heat finished the season with a record of 50-8 and was ranked as as high as No. 12 in the national prep school polls.

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King James to be a Cleveland Brown??....If LeBron James truly believes he can help the Cleveland Browns, coach Eric Mangini has an orange helmet waiting for him. “I think he should come on down,” Mangini said. The NBA superstar, who was an All-State wide receiver in high school, said Tuesday night that if he put the time and commitment into it, he could be a good football player. Mangini agreed, calling James “a freak athletically” and said the 6-foot-8, 260-pounder could be dangerous at tight end, wide receiver or even outside linebacker.

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Joe Morgan to start selling cars....Former Cincinnati Reds second baseman Joe Morgan hopes to sell some red machines – and plenty of vehicles in other colors – at his new auto dealership in southwest Ohio. Morgan took part in groundbreaking Tuesday for the future site of Joe Morgan Honda. He is the majority owner of the business that will be just off Interstate 75 in Monroe, roughly midway between Cincinnati and Dayton.

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Maybe there's hope for Bud Selig after all....baseball plans to cut down on off days during the postseason next year. Commissioner Bud Selig said Wednesday he's working on tightening up the 2010 playoff schedule so there will be fewer gaps between games. Selig also said he would continue to discuss instant replay. It's not expected to be a major topic when owners have a full meeting Thursday morning, even though there were several missed calls by umpires during the postseason.

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Thursday's are better with Joanna Krupa.....in honor of her Playboy cover...

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Thursday Food Porn....introducing Eggs Benedict Poutine

French fries, brown gravy and cheese curds topped with a poached egg, bacon, Hollandaise sauce.

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Speaking of food...need help on where to eat? Use this handy flowchart...

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Today's Definition of Duh....Teachers at a Bronx school are being portrayed as dunces for letting students play dodgeball with hard soccer balls in a crowded gym - leaving left one kid with busted teeth. The city offered 12-year-old Shane Reese $20,000 Monday to head off a lawsuit stemming from a head shot he took in the crazy game last year at Intermediate School 219.

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FAIL of the day....Steelersr fnas can't spelle reel goode....

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Because when you think classy dining....you think McDonald's.....Danish Modern furniture. Flat-screen TVs. Free Wi-Fi. You want fries with that? A McDonald's in midtown Manhattan became the first in the U.S. this fall to undergo a sleek, European-style makeover similar to what McDonald's has done at thousands of outlets around in France and the United Kingdom.

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The only hope for Dancing with the Stars is Joanna Krupa....cuz Julianne Hough is done...

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I hate Steelers fans and all, but I wouldn't poison one.....A Pittsburgh man in town to watch the Steelers play in September says he had to be rushed to the hospital on the verge of death after accepting a drink from a Bears fan. Police are investigating whether Zack Heddinger was drugged or whether his drink was spiked at Kitty O'Shea's bar where he and some friends went after watching the Steelers lose to the Bears 14-17 at Soldier Field Sept.20.

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Wal-Mart is the home of great mullets....amongst other life failures...

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TGIT...Here's your Cheerleader of the Week
Chelsie Stefano, University of Minnesota

Name: Chelsie Stefano
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minn.
School: University of Minnesota
Year: Sophomore
Major: Advertising, and Management Minor

I love my school, but I almost went to: I knew that the U of M was where I wanted to go because of the education and dance team.

My best physical feature is: My eyes, or unique voice.

If I had to watch one movie on loop for ever, it would be: Dumb and Dumber, for sure. I never can get sick of such a classic movie.

If you looked at the "most played" songs on my iPod, you'd see a lot of: Country and rap. No particular artists because I like a variety depending on the mood I am in.

The shows I DVR/TiVo are: So You Think You Can Dance.

My favorite Web Sites are: YouTube, Facebook, and Yahoo.

My favorite people to follow on Twitter are: Don't have one ... yet.

My worst habit is: Talking really loud, or being a perfectionist.

My gameday superstitions are: Standing next to Toni in our team huddles before we perform.

The talent I'd most like to have that I don't possess is: Singing, for sure. I wish I had a nice singing voice so I could sing and dance!

These three things top my bucket list: Study abroad in Spain; Go to Hawaii because I haven't been there yet; Run a marathon.

I'd want my last meal to be: A delicious meal from Ichibans ... steak and chicken, with fried rice and shrimp sauce. To top it off, a warm chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream!

The most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me during a game is: Haven't really had anything happen.

Three things I'd take to a desert island are: My cell phone, tanning lotion and water!

My favorite pro sports teams are: The Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys.

My one guilty pleasure is: Sweets.

My celebrity crush is: Robert Pattinson.

Five people I'd like to have dinner with (living or dead) are: My Grandpa, Megan Fox, Carrie Underwood, Robert Pattinson and Adrian Peterson.

My friends would be surprised to know that I: I am not Italian. Stefano definitely seems like an Italian name, though.

The next risk I want to take is: Try out for So You Think You Can Dance, and find a successful job after I graduate.

The worst date I've ever been on was: Luckily, can't say I have ever been on a bad date.

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As if you haven't heard by now...Larry Johnson is officially a Bengal...

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LJ is not a "4th Running Back"
John Thornton, AllProBlogger.com
Bengals owner Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis probably see this as a chance to add another starting RB on a squad that is a power running team. I don’t see Larry screwing up the chemistry on this team because he will probably be on his best behavior, ala WR Terrell Owens. And I love Marvin Lewis, but I’m not buying his explanation that Larry will be the 4th RB if brought to Cincinnati. Really? If Larry would be the 4th RB, why not bring in Dede Dorsey, Kenny Watson, or any other guy that can play that role. Larry Johnson isn’t going to be running down on kickoffs, or blocking on punt returns. Marvin has to say that out of respect for the RB’s on the roster now and LJ isn’t signed at this point.

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Johnson signing is strange
P-Doc, Enquirer
It’s too soon to say whether signing Larry Johnson is good or bad for the Cincinnati Bengals. It’s just strange. Marvin Lewis has spent a couple years removing problem children from his locker room. The room is for grown-ups now. Where does Larry Johnson sit? Why do the 7-2, first-place-and-rolling Bengals still need to be the home office for career rehabilitation? It’s a business, not a halfway house. Once you’ve cured the headache, you don’t look for the nearest wall to slam. At least in other NFL places.

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Embattled tailback Johnson aims to move forward
CBS Sports
When Bengals coach Marvin Lewis doesn't want you around, he's not shy about making his feelings known -- even if team owner Mike Brown is intent on, in his own words, redeeming a fallen player. Ask wide receiver Chris Henry, who's stayed out of trouble since rejoining the team in Week 5 of 2008 but who often disappeared from the game plan this year before an arm injury ended his season. Ask fullback Jeremi Johnson, who was buried on the depth chart by Lewis to start this season after making a habit of showing up to training camp overweight.

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Joey Galloway had a tryout with Bengals yesterday...Adam Schefter of ESPN reports the Bengals worked out the former Patriot/Buc/Cowboy/Seahawk on Tuesday, in addition to safety Mike Doss and defensive tackle Ed Johnson. The Bengals have replaced Chris Henry from within to this point, but Galloway could be an option down the line if the team feels it needs another vertical threat.

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No joke, Bengals are serious contenders
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports
Crazy. Nuts. Stupid. Typical Prisco. I know that's what many of you said, and it's what many of my colleagues said, when I picked the Cincinnati Bengals to make the playoffs. But in the past few weeks, I'd be a rich man -- OK, I would be able to buy a nice tuna sandwich -- if I had a dollar for every time I've heard this: "When you picked the Bengals, I laughed. I guess you were right." Halfway home, I might be. We've seen teams fall apart in the second half of a season -- especially teams like the Bengals, who have had a dark cloud following the franchise for years. But I'm starting to get the idea this is a different Cincinnati Bengals team.

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Rest easy, Bengals fans
Ludwig at Large
Rest easy, Bengals fans. I command you to relax and chill over the Cincinnati Bengals’ signing of ex-Chiefs tailaback Larry Johnson on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009. And, please, don’t lose any sleep over it. I guarantee — right here, right now — that the Bengals’ fifth Johnson will not be a disruption or a distraction on the glory road to Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida. The seventh-year veteran from Penn State will not step out of line, get in trouble, make waves or moan and groan about his limited role with this year’s AFC champion Bengals.

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Bernard Scott up for weekly award....Bengals HB Bernard Scott is among five finalists for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors for games played Nov. 12-16, the NFL announced today. Fan voting will determine the winner, and fans can vote for one of the finalists on NFL.com/rookies through Friday at noon. The winner will be announced Friday evening on NFL.com/rookies.

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Scott won't run from troubled past
Gregg Doyel, CBS Sports
Bernard Scott knows what he did. He returned a kickoff 96 electric yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and then he filled in capably for injured tailback Cedric Benson, and at the end of the game the Cincinnati Bengals were in first place in the AFC North ... and Bernard Scott was an anonymous sixth-round draft pick no more. And that's not necessarily in his best interest. See, Bernard Scott has a past, and it's not the greatest of pasts, and now that he has outed himself as a fabulous football talent, people will start digging into that past. They'll wonder who he is, where he came from, how come he's so old (25) for a rookie.

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AFC North Stock Watch
ESPN.com

Rising

1. Bengals defense: The very underrated Cincinnati defense registered four sacks, one interception and held Pittsburgh to 226 yards of total offense. The Bengals controlled the pace of the game through their defense, which continues to surprise opponents with physical play. Cincinnati also was money in the red zone. The Bengals made big play after big play to keep the Steelers out the end zone and hold the defending champs to field goals. That kept the game within reach on the road as the Bengals eventually pulled away.

3. Bernard Scott, Bengals tailback: In a big game between two division rivals, you had a sense that a surprise player would step up and make a huge difference. And that player was Scott. Not only did Scott fill in for injured running back Cedric Benson (hip) in the second half, but his 96-yard kickoff return turned out to be the only touchdown Sunday. With Benson’s status unclear for this week, Scott may get more opportunities with the Bengals.

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Bengals making plenty of roster moves...in addition to the signing of Larry Johnson, they've done the following:

- Terminated the contract of wide receiver Antonio Chatman, releasing him to free agency. Chatman was released from the Reserve/Injured list. A seventh-year NFL player, Chatman opened the 2009 preseason with the Bengals but suffered an ankle injury in practice on Aug. 7. He was placed Sept. 5 on Reserve/Injured and has completed his rehab.

- Terminated the contract of tight end Ben Utecht, releasing him to free agency. Utecht was released from the Reserve/Injured list. A fifth-year NFL player, Utecht opened the 2009 preseason with the Bengals but suffered a concussion in practice on Aug. 5. He was placed Aug. 31 on Reserve/Injured and has completed his rehab.

- Signed safety Brannon Condren to the practice squad. Condren (6-1, 205; Troy) is a third-year NFL player. He opened 2009 with Indianapolis, but was waived on July 29. A fourth-round draft choice of Indianapolis in 2007, he played in eight games for the Colts that season, with two tackles, a pass defensed and four special teams tackles. He was waived by the Colts on Aug. 30, 2008. Later in ’08, he was inactive for four games with St. Louis and played in four games for Miami, with three special teams tackles.

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AFC North Power Rankings
James Walker, ESPN.com

Cincinnati Bengals (7-2)
Last week: No. 4
Current ranking: No. 4
Analysis: Cincinnati continued to shock the NFL with another huge win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it didn’t help much in the Power Rankings. Movement is very difficult at the top as the Bengals remained solid at No. 4. The panel got this one right. You cannot move Cincinnati ahead of the top three teams in the Minnesota Vikings and undefeated New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. The Bengals have a chance to pad their record over the next few weeks with easy games and will have to wait for one of these top three teams to fall off.

Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)
Last week: No. 5
Current ranking: No. 6
Analysis: After a respectable, hard-fought loss to a top five team in the Power Rankings, the Steelers dropped just one spot to No. 6. Similar to the Bengals, Pittsburgh’s schedule eases up over the next several weeks. The Steelers should have their way with the Kansas City Chiefs this week. But Troy Polamalu’s injury status will have a huge impact on this team’s potential if he is out longer than a game or two. The Steelers just aren’t the same team when he’s not on the defense.

Baltimore Ravens (5-4)
Last week: No. 14
Current ranking: No. 11
Analysis: Who knew a win over the lowly Cleveland Browns could do so much? The Ravens moved up three spots to No. 11 and continue to be one of the most schizophrenic teams in ESPN.com's Power Rankings. It’s been hard to get a read on this team all season due to their streaky and inconsistent play. Baltimore played an average game Monday and still manhandled Cleveland. But the team will have to play a lot better to have a shot this weekend at knocking off the undefeated Colts.

Cleveland Browns (1-8)
Last week: No. 32
Current ranking: No. 32
Analysis: There is no doubt the Browns are currently the worst team in the NFL. It’s been that way for several weeks, but it took previously winless teams to get its first victory of the season for our panel to take notice. Cleveland’s offense is hard to watch. I’m not sure what its trying to accomplish most weeks than to run out the clock. The defense is OK, but it gets worn out too quickly and can’t put together four good quarters. This could be an ugly final seven games in Cleveland.

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Charlie Weis says he doesn't think his future has been decided...."Oh no, I don't think that any decision's been made because I probably would know, and I don't know," Weis said Tuesday. "With that being said, it's full speed ahead to UConn, full speed ahead to Stanford and full speed ahead to recruiting. That's exactly the way we're approaching it."

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Cronin places gag order on freshmen....Under a new policy instituted this year by UC head coach Mick Cronin, neither Stephenson nor fellow freshmen Sean Kilpatrick and Jaquon Parker are allowed to talk to the media.

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

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Speaking of the Clones, they won yesterday morning
Official Release
<blockquote>The Cincinnati Cyclones used a two goal performance from Scott Reynolds to pace the club to a 3-1 win over the Trenton Devils on Tuesday morning. The win snapped a three game winless streak (0-2-1) for the club.

The contest was the annual ‘Ohio Lottery presents Education In Hockey Day’ event with a crowd of 8944. It was the fourth-largest regular season crowd and biggest weekday regular season attendance in team history. It was also the biggest regular season weekday crowd in the ECHL in at least ten seasons. Cincinnati now leads the ECHL in attendance, averaging 6653 per game.

The EIHD program utilizes the 16 college educated players on the Cyclones roster teaching math, science, geography and physical education elements to students in the Tri-State area. Pupils from the second through twelfth grade were on hand, a total of 76 schools and nearly 9000 students attended.

The Cyclones took Trenton to school early, as Matt Pierce tipped home a Jason Jozsa shot from the right point. Pierce’s tenth goal of the season was also assisted by rookie Brett Robinson. Trenton evened the score at one when Kyle Kucharski converted a two-on-one break with a shot just inside the right post for his fifth score of the campaign. Tim Kunes and Andy Thomas had the assists. Cincinnati regained the lead when Scott Reynolds tallied his fifth lamplighter at 6:14. Dustin Sproat and former Devil Mark O’Leary had the helpers. The shots on goal favored the Cyclones, 9-6, in the opening frame.

The second period finished scoreless, but Cincinnati had chances. The Cyclones had four minutes of five-on-three power play time after a major penalty and a pair of minors in a scrum near the Trenton goal. All told, Cincinnati had four power plays and nine minutes of man-advantage time—but was unable to score. Devils netminder Dave Caruso stopped all 14 shots he faced in the stanza. The Cyclones outshot Trenton, 14-9.

Reynolds’ second goal of the afternoon and sixth of the season came on the power play at 3:26. Pierce and Sproat handed out the assists on the score. The shots once again favored the Cyclones, 10-8. For the game Cincinnati held the upper hand in shots, 33-17.
Jeremy Smith picked up the win, his fourth of the year—stopping 16 shots. Dave Caruso was pinned with the loss despite stopping 30 shots. Cincinnati was one for twelve on the power play, while Trenton was one for four with the extra attacker.

Cincinnati is now 6-5-1, while Trenton is 5-6-3. Cincinnati and the Devils meet again tomorrow night (November 18) at 7:30pm, also at U.S. Bank Arena. The game can be heard on the internet at: www.cycloneshockey.com.</blockquote>

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Just another reason I'm proud to be a Miami RedHawks alum: Charlie Coles....when asked by "How did this one get away from you?" Coles responded with this:

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The Bengal-Mobile....now I'm not exactly a ladies man, but I'm guessing this isn't gonna help you pick up chicks...just a guess...

hat tip to Alex in Indy for the photos

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Hump Day = Kayleigh Pearson

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Wednesday Food Porn...introducing The Toaster Orgy

A toaster strudel topped with cream cheese, strawberry jelly, butter and Aunt Jemima syrup sandwiched between two waffles, all covered in strawberry cream cheese and more syrup.

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WalMart is like the Ellis Island of shopping....they welcome all kinds....

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WTF of the day....damn you spandex, damn you!!...

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Jerry Jones likes his booze....

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Coolest transformation you'll see today...

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hat tip to Sloanie at OneQuickBeer.com for the video

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Thinking about growing a mustache? This flowchart will help...
Maxim

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FAIL of the day....

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One less reason to watch House....

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Today's Definition of Duh.....Anthony Carrazco, 19, practically arrested himself after he was going door-to-door attempting to sell weed, but he knocked on the wrong door. Police say Carrazco had a gun, marijuana and went up to a police officer's front door and asked him if he wanted to buy some weed. They say Carrazco even had his own scale.

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Bengals rally around new motto
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Following Sunday’s 18-12 win over the Steelers, the AFC North-leading Bengals were greeted with long-sleeve shirts in the locker room with the initials "N.D.C.Q". Rey Maualuga has talked about the theme repeatedly during the season.

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L.J. to Bengals may actually work
ESPN.com

Despite Johnson's troubled past, here are several reasons this move could work for Cincinnati:

1. Little risk
This move has Bengals written all over it, because they are purchasing a stock at its lowest possible point. According to Smith, the deal is expected to be prorated for the rest of the season at the league minimum. With seven games left in the regular season, Cincinnati is getting a former Pro Bowler virtually for free. If it doesn’t work, the Bengals can cut ties with Johnson after the season as easily as they got him.

2. Benson factor
As evident by his recent hip injury, it was just a matter of time before wear and tear began to take hold with Bengals starting tailback Cedric Benson. He was on pace for more than 400 carries this year, and with Cincinnati (7-2) expected to get into the postseason, the team needs to make sure Benson doesn’t peak too early. Signing Johnson allows that to happen. A workhorse in his own right, he can take a lot of the pounding down the stretch that Benson otherwise would take. It’s unknown at this point if Benson will be ready for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders. But having Johnson paired with rookie Bernard Scott next week might not be a bad move while resting Benson.

3. L.J. adds depth
Benson putting up Pro Bowl numbers through the first nine games masked one of Cincinnati’s few weaknesses this year. The Bengals were pretty thin at tailback. The aforementioned Scott broke out in a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday on special teams but hadn’t shown much in the backfield during the first half of the season. Brian Leonard is a converted fullback who received some carries and did well with limited opportunities. But mostly it was all Benson all the time. Johnson is a proven commodity who adds experienced depth at the position.

4. Strong locker room
In the past, Cincinnati adding a troubled player would be a disaster. But this is as professional a Bengals team as you’re going to see. Cincinnati has very good chemistry this year and a strong enough foundation to take on Johnson. Winning also helps as the Bengals are one of the best teams in the AFC. Players are not worried about their contracts and all have a common goal in mind of finishing strong and doing well in the playoffs. As long as Johnson concentrates on playing hard for the team and reestablishing his own image individually, this experiment could work for the Bengals.

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UC basketball rallies to beat Prairie View A&M....Deonta Vaughn came off the bench in the second half and scored 12 of his 15 points, helping Cincinnati rally from an early 15-point deficit to a 69-62 win over Prairie View A&M on Monday night. The Bearcats (1-0) still trailed by eight points at halftime, struggling to run their offense against the smaller Panthers (1-1). Vaughn, Cincinnati's top returning scorer, missed all six of his shots in the half.

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UC will finance practice fields
Cliff Peale, Enquirer
The University of Cincinnati plans to borrow $9.7 million to start construction on several athletic practice fields on its main campus. To be completed by fall 2010, the fields are a critical factor in UC’s strategy to retain football coach Brian Kelly. The athletic department will pay for the $10.7 million project, repaying the temporary bonds through private donations and proceeds from game contracts.

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UC football scheduling note....The University of Cincinnati football team will face Illinois at noon on Nov. 27 on Senior Day at Nippert Stadium and the game will be televised nationally by ABC, the BIG EAST Conference office announced Monday.

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Bearcats will play Virginia Tech in 2012....Virginia Tech has secured yet another game in the D.C. suburbs, agreeing to play Cincinnati at the Washington Redskins stadium in 2012. The game will mark the Hokies' third trip to FedEx Field, following a meeting with Southern California in 2004 and a matchup with Boise State next year.

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Reds reach agreement with Ramon Hernandez....Only a few days ago, reports said the Reds were preparing to slash payroll, prompting speculation a salary dump might be near. That concern could be somewhat premature in light of Monday's transaction. The Reds have brought back primary catcher Ramon Hernandez after he was re-signed to a one-year, $3 million contract with a vesting option for 2011.

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Speaking of Reds, Walt Jocketty talks payroll....."We’re still working on that. I talk to Mr. (Bob) Castellini about everything we do. He signed off on this obviously. We have some flexibility. What I’ve said is we won’t be active in free agency. If you look where we are, it doesn’t make much sense."

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Despite weekend ties, Miami Hockey is still #1.....Despite a pair of weekend ties at home against unranked Ferris State, the Miami RedHawks (8-1-3) retained the No. 1 ranking in all three major NCAA Division I hockey polls for the sixth consecutive week. The RedHawks are atop USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Top 15, the USCHO.com Top 20 and Inside College Hockey Ratings.

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Speaking of Miami, gotta give the basketball team some props for nearly upsetting Kentucky....John Wall proved to be worth the wait. The heralded Kentucky freshman scored 19 points – including the game-winning jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining – to lift the fourth-ranked Wildcats to a 72-70 win over Miami University Monday night. After Miami’s Kenny Hayes hit a 3-pointer to tie the game at 70 with six seconds left, Wall raced down the floor and pulled up from the wing. The ball fell through the net and Wall raced up the floor pounding his chest in celebration as the crowd roared.

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If you work in the NFL, flippin' the bird will cost you $250,000....

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Tuesday Time Vampire....Kim Smith

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Tuesday Food Porn....introducing The Irish Hog

A deep-fried spiral-cut potato encasing a strip of deep-fried bacon, served with brown sugar BBQ sauce.

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FAIL of the day....

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Plenty more to come....stay tuned...

BREAKING NEWS....Former Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson was en route to Cincinnati on Monday and, barring a last-minute breakdown, he expects to sign with the AFC North-leading Bengals, a source familiar with the negotiations told ESPN's Michael Smith.

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Bengals sweep Steelers for first time since 1998....winning Sunday 18-12

- This is what championship football is all about!! A long, rough, drag-out football game against the perennial Bengals killer. Not this time. Not this year. It was the kind of performance that makes you believe this team is built to win on a regular basis in this division. They beat the Steelers at their own game. It's a GREAT time to be a football fan in Cincinnati.

THE GOOD

- The defense was absolutely outstanding. They made multiple redzone stops and held Ben Roethlisberger to just 174 yards passing. Also, for years the Steelers found a way to run over the Bengals every time. On Sunday, Pittsburgh totaled just 80 yards on the ground. Bottom line, Mike Zimmer's unit was relentless and strong from start to finish. How many times did Ben find a way to escape pressure over the years? Plenty. But not on Sunday. They managed to take down one of the NFL's most elusive QB's 4 times.

- Once Cedric Benson went down with the injury, I had no idea where the offense would go...but you've gotta hand it to Bernard Scott for filling in admirably. That's not to mention his success on special teams. Without that kickoff return for a TD...I think the Bengals lose that game. Just like Brian Kelly's philosophy at UC, the Bengals seem to have found success with the "next man in."

- Dhani Jones was the team leader in tackles, including 1 of the team's 4 sacks. You also have to give major kudos to Brandon Johnson....that guy was EVERYWHERE! There consistent pressure helped hold the Steelers offense to a 3-for-15 day on 3rd down. Tremendous.

- Also give credit to Shayne Graham for coming through with a 4-for-5 day in the kicking game. And consider the one he missed had plenty of leg from 50 yards. 12 of the Bengals 18 points came off of his foot.

- The Bengals won a road game without scoring an offensive TD for the third time in team history.

- Pittsburgh was held without a TD for the first time since Week 11 of last season.

- Carson Palmer won a game without a passing TD for the first time since Week 14 of the 2007 season.

THE BAD

- Cedric Benson misses most of the game with a hip injury....hopefully it's a minor thing that will pass quickly.

- Ummm....can't really think of anything else.

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Bengals Steeler-ed the Steelers
P-Doc, Enquirer
The win was sweet for the Cincinnati Bengals, in so many ways. It was a dirty-shirt brawl that handed the home team a fistful of its own teeth. The Bengals came to Pittsburgh and Steeler-ed the Steelers. That last drive was pure religion. Cincinnati expanded a three-point lead to six by pounding Pittsburgh’s prideful defense for 11 plays, four first downs and much hostility between the tackles. After a drive that consumed four minutes of the remaining six, Shayne Graham delivered the Amen with a 43-yard field goal, straight into a cloud of little, yellow hankies. Winner by technical knockout, 18-12, the challenger. And now the Bengals are alone and dominant. They’re 7-2, they’ve beaten Pittsburgh twice and Baltimore twice. They’re entering the soup kitchen portion of the program: Oakland, Cleveland and the Lions, in the next three weeks. Free lunch!

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Defense comes up big, Bengals alone in 1st place
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
Before the second biggest crowd in Heinz Field history, Sunday’s AFC North showdown became a battle of field goals. The Bengals tied that battle (four to four) but won the one that counts as they walked off with an 18-12 victory that gives them a sweep of the season series with the Steelers and first place all alone in the AFC North with a 7-2 mark. The victory was bittersweet, however, as the NFL’s second-leading rusher, Cedric Benson, was slowed by a sore hip flexor that knocked him out of the game and he didn’t appear for the second half.

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Bengals home free only if Ochocinco keeps it buttoned up
Gregg Doyel, CBS Sports
With pending home games against the dregs of the NFL -- Cleveland, Detroit and Kansas City -- Ochocinco looks to be the last remaining danger on the Cincinnati schedule. If the Bengals win those three gimmes, and then win just one of their remaining four road games -- I'm thinking the trip next week to Oakland -- they would finish 11-5 with a perfect record in the division. Those are the credentials of a playoff lock. But the Bengals can't be called a playoff lock yet, because they still have to traverse the mental minefield that is Chad Ochocinco.

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Bengals sweep Steelers
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
With first place in the AFC North on the line, Sunday’s battle between the Bengals and Steelers ended up being one of those grind it out slugfests where every yard was crucial, each third-down conversion was huge and one extra point loomed large. And after 60 minutes of division football at its most rugged, the Bengals emerged with what could be the most hard-fought win in the 42-year history of the franchise.

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Defense, Graham lead Bengals to sweep of Steelers
ESPN.com
Finally after 40 years of being pushed around and dominated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cincinnati Bengals refused to be bullied any more. The Bengals beat the Steelers at their own game in their own stadium, relying on a defense that smothered Ben Roethlisberger and the Super Bowl champions by holding them to four field goals, and one big special teams play for an 18-12 victory Sunday that put them in control of the AFC North.

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Bengals didn't follow Steelers script
Alex Marvez, Fox Sports
We all know the script. The Steelers get the football while tied or trailing late in the game. Ben Roethlisberger marches Pittsburgh down the field. Steelers score. Game over. But on this Sunday, it wasn't the same old story. That's because these aren't the same old Cincinnati Bengals.

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With Benson's injury, could Larry Johnson be coming to Bengals?....Free-agent running back Larry Johnson has previously worn orange on a few occasions. He could soon be wearing it for a living. With rumors linking Johnson to the Bengals already growing, the absence of starter Cedric Benson from Sunday's game at Pittsburgh due to a hip injury could prompt the team to get Johnson in the building sooner rather than later.

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Bengals / Steelers Remaining Games

Bengals
Nov 22 @ OAK 4:15 PM
Nov 29 CLE 1:00 PM
Dec 06 DET 1:00 PM
Dec 13 @ MIN 1:00 PM
Dec 20 @ SD 4:05 PM
Dec 27 KC 1:00 PM
Jan 03 @ NYJ 1:00 PM

Steelers
Nov 22 @ KC 1:00 PM
Nov 29 @ BAL 8:20 PM
Dec 06 OAK 1:00 PM
Dec 10 @ CLE 8:20 PM
Dec 20 GB 1:00 PM
Dec 27 BAL 1:00 PM
Jan 03 @ MIA 1:00 PM

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FAIL of the day....

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College Football Rankings...

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Let's talk some puck....I'll be hanging out at Jefferson Hall at Newport on the Levee from 7-8pm for another week of the Coors Light Cyclones Coaches Show. Chuck Weber's bunch had a rough weekend, losing both games to Kalamazoo. We'll break it down and look ahead to a big week of hockey here in town. Hope to see you there!

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UD survives tough test....Up by double digits in the opening half, Creighton was looking at its biggest road upset since the days when Larry Bird was hitting jumpers at Indiana State. Chris Johnson and Chris Wright weren't into that kind of history. Johnson had a double-double on Saturday, and Wright led a second-half surge that swept No. 21 Dayton to a 90-80 victory in an opening matchup of teams that won 27 games apiece last season.

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Monday's Hangover Cure....Stephanie Farris

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Monday Food Porn....introducing the Pizza Pocket 2.0

Oversized, deep fried, giant pizza bite filled with cheese and marinara sauce.

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Poker Face...performed by Lady GaGa, Eric Cartman, and Christopher Walken...

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Plenty more to come.....stay tuned....

Castoffs giving Bengals a shot at AFC North title
Alex Marvez, Fox Sports
With a 6-2 record, the 2009 Bengals aren't the same sad sacks who had gradually reverted to laughingstock status after a rare playoff appearance four years ago. Three key offensive players - quarterback Carson Palmer, running back Cedric Benson and wide receiver Chad Ochocinco - are enjoying a career resurgence. An aggressive young defense is actually allowing fewer points per game (16.9) than the vaunted Steelers (17.4). And for the first time since becoming head coach in 2003, Marvin Lewis has a roster with strong veteran leadership. Players regarded as misfits and castoffs have taken advantage of the opportunity to get their careers back on track. This group also has avoided the off-field trouble that made Cincinnati an NFL embarrassment in 2006.

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Bengals keys to victory over Steelers
Ludwig at Large

Blitz pickup - When Bengals TB Cedric Benson isn’t hammering away between the tackles for valuable yardage in the ground game, he must help pick up the Steelers’ blitz coming from all directions. Benson is a complete back who can run, catch and block. His blocking ability will be severely tested as the Bengals seek a series sweep against Pittsburgh

Corral Big Ben - Pressuring Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger isn’t the problem. Sacking him is. Ben is a big, mobile, athletic QB with great vision and arm strength. He keeps plays alive with this feet, sheds tacklers with his size and strength, and keeps his eyes focused downfield for receivers breaking open on the scramble drill. DTs Domata Peko and Tank Johnson must get a solid push up the middle, and ends Robert Geathers and Jonathan Fanene must keep Roethlisberger contained to the pocket. The goal is to hit him, hold on and hope help arrives quickly.

Cover Three - As much as the Steelers like to run the ball with physicality, their WR corps of Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace has emerged as a true strength. If the Bengals’ front seven doesn’t apply the necessary pressure up front, the secondary will be forced to cover longer, and that will likely spell doom for the Bengals. However, if the pressure is there, CBs Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph will make quicker breaks on the ball, giving the Bengals an opportunity to create turnovers.

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Bengals might not really want to win in Pittsburgh
Sporting News
Four years ago, the Cincinnati Bengals went to Pittsburgh and beat the Steelers. The victory cemented the AFC North for the Bengals, and it prompted league observers to declare that a changing of the guard had occurred. But then the Steelers woke up, won the rest of their regular-season games, made the playoffs as the sixth seed, went to Cincinnati for the first round of the playoffs, blew out Carson Palmer's ACL, beat the Bengals, Colts, and Broncos, and ultimately won the Super Bowl.

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Ochocinco fined for "dollar" stunt against Baltimore
ESPN.com
Chad Ochocinco has been fined $20,000 by the NFL for flashing a dollar bill at an official during a replay challenge - a joking attempt at what the Bengals receiver referred to as a "bribe" - in last week's Cincinnati-Baltimore game.

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Roy Williams placed on IR, Purify signed
Official Release
<blockquote>Placed S Roy Williams on the Reserve/Injured list. Williams, an eighth-year NFL player, has missed three of the last four games due to a forearm injury suffered Sept. 27 vs. Pittsburgh. He started this season’s other four games, with 30 tackles and three passes defensed.

Signed WR Maurice Purify to the roster from the Bengals practice squad. Purify (6-3, 226; Nebraska) is classified a first-year NFL player. He was with the Bengals in preseason, logging four receptions for 46 yards. He was waived Sept. 5 and signed Sept. 6 to the practice squad. He spent a portion of his rookie 2008 season on the Bengals practice squad.</blockquote>

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Bearcats hold on against West Virginia, climb to 10-0
GoBearcats.com
Far from perfect, No. 5 Cincinnati was good enough to stay unbeaten. Tony Pike threw two touchdown passes in a cameo appearance Friday night, and the Bearcats overcame a self-destructive first half to beat West Virginia 24-21 for the best start in school history. Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0 Big East) struggled offensively because of uncharacteristic mistakes--a fumble, a dropped touchdown pass, a missed field goal, and an interception--all in the first half. Isaiah Pead ran for a career-high 175 yards, and sophomore Zach Collaros threw for 205 yards in his fourth start for Pike, who is recovering from an injury to his non-throwing arm.

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Rushing Stamp-Pead rescues UC
P-Doc, Enquirer
When everyone around you is flying, who notices your wings? That was Isaiah Pead’s issue before Friday night. He’d run for 512 yards this year. Compared to the Tony Pike-Zach Collaros flying machine, that’s barely airborne. But great offenses aren’t one dimensional for long. UC needed Collaros’ legs last week against UConn. It needed Pead’s this week. His dancing was as starry as Collaros’ had been. And every bit as necessary.

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Cincy's QB drama proved more interesting than Kelly-to-Irish talk
Mike Decourcy - Sporting News
There was an intrinsic beauty to the quarterback debate that seized this town during the six days before the Cincinnati Bearcats put their perfection at risk against West Virginia. It was extraordinary on account of the fact it involved Cincinnati football, and never let it be forgotten that subject generated as much buzz as cable access only four years ago.

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Solid Bearcats just don't have that title-game look
Gregg Doyel, CBS Sports
Looking for love, I came to Nippert Stadium on Friday night. It was my first visit to the 114-year-old home of the Cincinnati football team, and it was beautiful. Small but spectacular. Great view of the city behind the stadium. Great sightlines. Great atmosphere. The game started, and I was feeling amorous. Let's go, Bearcats. Show me something. Something special, I mean. Show me something special. Don't show me a three-point win. Against unranked West Virginia. With one touchdown that was a touchdown only in Braille.

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Kelly can win it all here
P-Doc, Enquirer
So why should we believe Kelly when he says he wants to be here? Beats me. A hunch. A feeling. A couple decades of dealing with coaches who leave. So few coaches finish what they start. They arrive, they win, they yell at the movers. You could see that in Thad Matta at Xavier, from several miles away. You could sense it in Kelly’s predecessor Mark Dantonio. Kelly enjoys the construction work in getting UC into the very big time. The glad-handing, the chicken dinners, the wooing of big money people. His father was a politician; Brian started his career working for a presidential candidate. Plus, he’s Irish and naturally full of himself.

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It's a Sellout After Sellout Era for UC Football....It’s a scene most longtime UC football fans never dreamed possible – capacity crowds at Nippert Stadium, national television broadcasts, BCS Bowl aspirations. The arrival of head coach Brian Kelly, who led the Bearcats to a Big East Conference title and Orange Bowl berth last season, has Nippert rocking and fans keeping close watch on national rankings and BCS standings.

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Mick Cronin reels in ESPN Top 100 recruit....The University of Cincinnati men's basketball program signed Justin Jackson (Jacksonville, Fla./Arlington Country Day) to a National Letter of intent for the 2010-2011 season, head coach Mick Cronin announced today (Nov. 11). Jackson, who is ranked No. 92 among the top ESPN 100 recruits, is the first player to sign during the early period with the Bearcats.

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For those of you LeBron fans who bought his Number 23 jersey....get ready to fork over more cash...

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Speaking of NBA stuff....Dwayne Wade is kinda good...

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Fantasy Football Weekend....

- Brian Westbrook will see action on Sunday...

- Jones-Drew limited in practice....

- Clinton Portis is out Sunday....

Week 10 Start Em / Sit Em
James Morris, Bengals.com

START EM

Ben Roethlisberger: The Bengals pass rush isn’t the same without Antwan Odom and they are ranked 25th in the NFL with 241.6 passing YPG allowed. I’m looking for Big Ben to finish the week in the top 5 for fantasy QBs and I have no problems starting him after Brees, Peyton Manning and Rodgers.

Brett Favre: OK, so I’ve finally shown Favre some love in the fantasy Start 'Em section. This week the Vikings host the helpless Detroit Lions, and doesn’t it just seem like when you watch the Discovery Channel and you see the lion stalking the poor zebra? You know he is about to get eaten, yet the zebra has no clue what is about to happen to him. As a change the Lions will be played by the Vikings and the zebra will be played by the Lions.

LeSean McCoy: Since there is a Thursday game this week and a lot of rosters will lock early, I will have to give McCoy a start this week against the San Diego Chargers. McCoy is a capable back that has shown the talent to handle the load while Westbrook is out and I wouldn’t have a problem putting him in the flex spot even if Westbrook is active for this game.

Ricky Williams: Sticky Ricky is someone that I normally wouldn’t put on the start list because he is a backup to Ronnie Brown. However, the Buccaneers are ranked 30th against the rush (163.4 YPG) and since the Dolphins are a run first, second and third team, Williams is a top-tier RB2.

Wes Welker: Welker is the No. 2 to Randy Moss, but since I think the Sunday night game will be a passing game, I like Welker as a low end WR1. I could see close to 100 yards and a score from him.

Sidney Rice: I’m not a big fan of Rice, but since Favre should tee off against the Lions Rice is an interesting WR2 pick this week. Favre has found his go-to guy in Rice and you should feel safe playing him this week.

Kellen Winslow: I am not excited to play anyone on the Tampa Bay team. But, Winslow is about all the Bucs have to rely on and they will need him to play up to his talent level against a tough Dolphins defense.

Denver Broncos Defense: The Broncos defense will have the task of shutting down a Redskins offense that can’t get itself started. Clinton Portis is out, Jason Campbell is dealing with an ankle injury, and they lost their failsafe in Chris Cooley. Denver is my No. 1 ranked defense this week.

SIT EM

Trent Edwards: Those in two QB leagues or deeper leagues may be looking at Trent Edwards since he has regained the starting role in Buffalo. Even those who have guys like Matt Stafford or Matt Cassel are looking at Edwards as a possible late season savior. He will have a lot of rust to shake off this week and Terrell Owens is dealing with a mysterious hip strain. I’d let him show something before I put any faith in a QB from Buffalo.

Kyle Orton: Orton reverted back to the Orton of old last week as he failed to throw a TD yet threw three interceptions. Orton hasn’t thrown a TD in the past two weeks and the Redskins are ranked No. 1 against the pass with their 159.9 passing YPG. If you have any other options, use them this week.

Ledell Betts: many people are rushing out to snag Betts off the waiver wire, but I wouldn’t be so quick to do so. The Broncos are ranked eighth against the run and Washington is ranked 24th in the league for rushing attempts.

Kevin Smith: I had some high hopes for Smith since the rest of the Lions are terrible, but Smith has hit the 100-yard mark just once this season and that was back in Week 3. Since then, he hasn’t had more than 67 yards rushing and hasn’t scored in the last four weeks.

Mike Sims-Walker: This is a week I think the Jaguars will have a hard time moving the ball on offense and Sims-Walker is going to suffer. The Jets are ranked No. 2 against the pass and David Garrard has been up and down all season long.

Roy E. Williams: I am not a big fan of Williams to begin with, so playing the Packers eighth-ranked passing defense doesn’t make me feel any better for his chances. Add to that the fact that Miles Austin has taken over the No. 1 WR role in Dallas and I would sit Williams this week.

Visanthe Shiancoe: I’ve seen rankings that have Shiancoe ranked in the top 5 for fantasy TEs this week. I, however, do not feel the same about him and think he will finish the week out of the top 12, making him not worth starting.

Green Bay Packers Defense: While I don’t like Williams at WR, I do think Marion Barber, Miles Austin, Jason Witten and Tony Romo will do enough damage to make the Packers defense not worth playing this week.

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Babe of the Weekend....Cat Anne

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Weekend Food Porn....Upside Down Mac & Cheese Pizza

A layer of mac & cheese sandwiched between two cheese pizzas.

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The Japanese have figured it out....they have bikini golf...

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FAIL of the weekend...

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Yet another Bengals / Steelers Prediction
Fox Sports

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh: Dating back to Dec. 14, the Bengals have won 9 of their last 11 games. With a season sweep of Baltimore and one win over the Steelers already under their belts, Cincinnati is a victory away from sole possession of the AFC North lead. But I can't see them strolling into Heinz Field and coming out on top. Dating back to last year, the Steelers have won 9 straight at home and Mike Tomlin's never lost to an AFC North opponent in Pittsburgh. Gimme the champs, somehow, some way, under the media radar at 6-2.

The Pick: Steelers 27, Bengals 17

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Roy Williams has setback
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
More questions on the Roy Williams front. After going full go with his forearm injury on Wednesday, he wasn't dressed Thursday and there appears to be concern that the pain just isn't going away and what that means for the rest of the season since it is the same arm that he fractured last season in Dallas. That could mean more exams for an injury that has never been officially described, although defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer indicated last month that it wasn't broken.

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Purify still waiting for a decision
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Much like Jerome Simpson, Maurice Purify is still waiting for a decision from the coaching staff for Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh. While Simpson is waiting to see if he will be one of the 45 active, Purify is waiting to see if he will get moved up from the practice squad to the active roster. A move would have to be made either today or tomorrow.

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Bengals corners create a big edge....In their third year of playing together, the Bengals' Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall are beginning to establish themselves as one of the NFL's top cornerback tandems. At the season's midpoint, the Bengals are one of only two teams to have two players with at least four interceptions (Philadelphia is the other). They are tied for second for most interceptions in the AFC behind Buffalo's Jairus Byrd, who has seven.

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More rave reviews for J-Jo and Hall
ESPN.com
Never one to mince words, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer made a strong statement this week about Bengals cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. Hall and Joseph have combined for eight interceptions, 23 passes defensed and 71 tackles through eight games. They are tested constantly by opponents but are a major reason why Cincinnati is fifth in the league in points allowed (16.9) this year.

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Bearcats battle West Virginia TONIGHT....The University of Cincinnati football team plays host to No. 23 West Virginia Friday at Nippert Stadium in UC’s annual Ring of Red game. The Bearcats, one of six undefeated teams in the nation, have a 10-game winning streak at Nippert Stadium, and a 15-game regular-season winning streak. The Mountaineers are 7-2, 3-1 in BIG EAST play on the year. The Bearcats and Mountaineers have met 17 times on the gridiron with WVU holding a 14-2-1 advantage in the all-time series. WVU has a seven-game winning streak at Nippert Stadium, but UC knocked off WVU, 26-23, in a 2008 overtime thriller in Morgantown.

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Kelly will use both QB's tonight....The Bearcats plan to let the sophomore Collaros make his fourth start in place of Pike, who hurt his non-throwing forearm on Oct. 15. Pike, a senior, will get into the game at some point, his first action since the injury. And the Mountaineers (7-2, 3-1) will be forced to deal with the Bearcats' very dynamic duo.

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Mountaineers plan to mix it up....Connecticut picked apart unbeaten Cincinnati's defense with a 35-point second half last Saturday before the Bearcats prevailed 47-45. UConn's Jordan Todman romped for 162 yards on 26 carries and scored four touchdowns - three in the second half - and Cincinnati surrendered a season high for points. But West Virginia coach Bill Stewart doesn't plan to copy UConn's game plan.

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Bearcats / TCU might become BCS debate
Sporting News

A Texas loss down the stretch might leave TCU and Cincinnati fighting for a spot in the BCS national championship game. Both enter showdowns this weekend - Cincy-West Virginia tonight , TCU-Utah on Saturday. Who has the better BCS resume?

No. 5 Cincinnati (9-0)
- Sagarin schedule rank: 67th
- Road wins over Sagarin No. 13 (Oregon State) and No. 15 (USF)
- No. 3 in total offense by yards gained and No. 1 in passing efficiency
- Undefeated co-leader of a conference with three wins in its last four BCS bowls

No. 4 TCU (9-0)
- Sagarin schedule rank: 47th
- Road wins over Sagarin No. 22 (Clemson) and No. 28 (BYU)
- No. 3 total defense and No. 5 in scoring defense
- Undefeated co-leader of a conference that is 2-0 in BCS bowl appearances

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I can only imagine how much hate-mail Fox Sports Ohio is gonna get after this announcement....Xavier and UC basketball fans should get should get used to being slammed against the boards by the Blue Jackets and slam dunked on by the Cleveland Cavaliers, thanks to FSO. Ten local college basketball games - starting with XU’s opener 7:30 p.m. Friday with Youngstown State - have been bounced off Fox Sports Ohio this fall in a FSO programming philosphy change giving statewide preference to pro sports telecasts, instead of bouncing them for the local schools on the regional feed for Cincinnati.

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TGIF Babe of the Day....Camilla Mendes

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Friday Food Porn....introducing the Bacon Lamp....After the lamp is on for awhile, the light bulb cooks the bacon!

hat tip to Sloanie

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WTF of the day....

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Today's Definition of Duh.....Danvers High School is banning students from uttering the word "meep," a trademark of Beaker from "The Muppet Show." The Urban Dictionary defines meep as another way to say "ouch,"or "uh-oh." It can also be a substitute for a swear word.

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Carrie Prejean says Larry King is being inappropriate....

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Sweetest Beer Pong Table you'll see today...

more here

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Top Ten 80's Comedies
Muffslap

3. Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Year Released: 1986
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey
Best Quote: “The key to faking out the parents is the clammy hands. It’s a good non-specific symptom; I’m a big believer in it.” (Ferris Bueller)

I’m not sure this movie needs much explanation as it is unarguably one of the best movies of the decade. In a constant cat and mouse game between Ferris’ and the principle at his school, Ed Rooney, you quickly find out how to skip school in style.

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Why are we not funding stuff like this??

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WalMart is bar-none the best place to people watch....

Whoooooo wishes he was gangster but is a huge dork? SPONGE DOUCHE NO FRIENDS!

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Orgy...The Board Game. Order yours NOW
Sublime Blog

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The 10 Most Regrettable Tattoos a Man Can Get
Brobible

Knuckle Tats

I saw a guy on the subway this weekend with these blatantly awesome knuck tats. He was homeless and begging for money. And that, my friends, brought a smile to my gorgeous face.

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FAIL of the day....

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Have you ever heard of F-My-Life? Well, now there's a F-My-Sex-Life. I apologize in advance for how much time you will waste on this website.... (Obviously the content maybe NSFW)

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Bengals / Steelers prediction
WhatIfSports.com

Steelers 23, Bengals 16

WhatIfSports.com "played" the 2009 Week 10 - Cincinnati Bengals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers game 10,001 times. The Pittsburgh Steelers win 67.9% of the time by an average score of 23.3-16.1.

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Marvin discourages Ochocinco "gifts"....Ochocinco said on Wednesday that Lewis has prohibited him from sending anything to Pittsburgh. Last week, the receiver sent deodorant to some of the Baltimore Ravens a few days before their game. The Ravens came to Cincinnati and lost 17-7, with Ochocinco having a big game.

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Steelers DB has message for Chad....Wide receiver Chad Ochocinco said after the Bengals beat the Ravens that he was going to be sending something in the mail for the Steelers secondary. If a package does arrive safety Ryan Clark has his own thank-you gift in mind. Clark said on Chicago’s ESPN Radio 1000: "We don’t do a lot of trash talking, we just play with our pads, so if we get some we’ll accept it, everybody likes gifts, you can never have too much deodorant. You know I’ll use it, I like Chad, just remember he plays receiver and receivers get caught in bad situations."

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For his next trick, Chad wants to fight in the Octagon....Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has found yet another way to draw attention to himself on Twitter, this time asking the president of the UFC to give him a fight in the Octagon.

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NFL 2nd Half Predictions
Fox Sports

7. The Bengals will be your AFC North champions....Who knew that the stars of Hard Knocks (who looked more dysfunctional than the Griffins of Quahog) would now be co-leaders with the defending Super Bowl champs? But before Steeler fans get their you-know-whats in a tizzy over the game this weekend, please do understand that I also think there's no way in hell Cincy goes into Pittsburgh and wins this weekend. None. But looking ahead, the Bengals have many more winnable games (Raiders, Browns, Lions, Chiefs and Jets) to win the division over Pittsburgh (who have two blood battles with the Ravens, plus a trip to Miami). Now, if Cedric Benson could only revive the Ickey Shuffle...

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Midseason AFC North Report Card
ESPN.com

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Bengals 2nd Half Outlook
ESPN.com
Palmer said in the summer that this was the best group of guys that he’s played with, and so far he’s proven to be correct. This Cincinnati team is even better than the group in 2005 that last made the playoffs. This year, the Bengals have a tough, physical defense to go with a balanced offense. So they can beat you in a variety of ways. The schedule gets much easier for Cincinnati in the second half, meaning the Bengals are here to stay. They are a tough matchup and the type of team no one wants to face in the postseason.

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UC faces familiar foe Friday....UC, which faces the Mountaineers again Friday night at Nippert Stadium on ESPN2, went on to win the Big East and play in the Orange Bowl. West Virginia settled for the Meineke Car Care Bowl. “We knew that was the game we needed,” said UC wide receiver Mardy Gilyard, “not just for ourselves mentally but for our program. We needed to show that we could compete with the big dogs in the Big East and of course West Virginia is that big dog.” UC sealed the victory with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Tony Pike to Kazeem Alli, but it was the way it started – with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Gilyard - that set the tone.

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The best way to prevent football head injuries may be to get rid of helmets....so says the Wall Street Journal....

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Walt Jocketty downplays trade talk
John Fay, Enquirer
Reds Walt Jocketty told a reporter at the general managers meeting in Chicago that the Reds’ payroll is likely to be less for 2010 than it was 2009. That has led to speculation that the Reds are putting veterans on the trading block. “I mentioned that we’d be restricted as far as payroll,” Jocketty said. “We’ve been saying that all along. We won’t be active in the free agent market. We have to be creative.

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Cyclones send two more players to AHL
Official Release
<blockquote>The Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, announced this afternoon they have had defenseman Reid Cashman recalled by the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL). The club will have defenseman Jason Jozsa reassigned to it also.

Cashman, 26, is in his third professional season and had appeared in Cincinnati’s first nine games of the season. He collected a goal and nine assists for ten points. Reid ranks second among ECHL defensemen in scoring (ten points) and assists (nine). He also ranks third among league rearguards with six power play assists and seven power play points. He appeared in 18 games (two goals, four assists for six points) with Wilkes-Barre last season.

Jozsa, 28, played in four games with Milwaukee after being recalled from the Cyclones. Jason has already played in three games for Cincinnati this season.

Cashman is the sixth Cyclones player to earn an AHL promotion this season, after 17 players earned the nod to the AHL last year. In the three-plus seasons that Chuck Weber has been the coach of the Cyclones, 54 players have earned promotions to the AHL.

The Cyclones travel to North Division leader Kalamazoo for games Friday and Saturday night. Face off both nights is at 7:30pm and the games will be carried on the team’s website at www.cycloneshockey.com. The team is next at home for a pair of games next week when Trenton comes to U.S. Bank Arena (Tuesday, November 17 at 10:30am and Wednesday, November 18 at 7:30pm).</blockquote>

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Thursday Time Vampire....Daisy

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Thursday Food Porn....introducing The Steakinator

Two 8-ounce Prime Angus steaks with braised short rib, cheddar cheese, bacon and a fried egg on a toasted cheese and garlic sourdough bun.

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If you can’t find the book you want, you must have gone to the…

hat tip to Steve B for the photo

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WTF of the day...

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Is this shirt acceptable? I'm goin NO....

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This just CANNOT be for real....can it??

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If you had to coach minor league hockey in Louisiana, you'd probably lose your mind too....

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The hottest sneeze you'll see today...

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Because old people's "walkers" are very valuable...

hat tip to Matt B for the photo

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FAIL of the day....

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TGIT....Here's your Cheerleader of the Week...
Lisa Buys - Oregon

Name: Lisa Buys
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
School: University of Oregon
Year: Senior
Major: General Science

I love my school, but I almost went to: University of California Santa Barbara or University of Arizona. I love the sun!

My best physical feature is: My smile.

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

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

My worst habit is: Biting my nails or drinking too much coffee.

My gameday superstitions are: Hair tie on my right wrist, a tradition me and one of my teammates started freshman year.

I'd love to trade places for a day with: Serena Willams.

The talent I'd most like to have that I don't possess is: Speaking a second language.

These three things top my bucket list: Seeing the pyramids in Eygpt, Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and watching the ball drop in Times Square.

I'd want my last meal to be: Italian, probably some kind of pesto pasta, with bread, salad and definitely dessert!

The most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to me during a game is: We have multiple pairs of the same shoes, so one time I brought two left feet, and had to dance in them.

Three things I'd take to a desert island are: Friends, jet skis, and board games.

My favorite sport and professional sports teams are: Gymnastics and tennis are my favorite sports. I'm an Andy Roddick and Lakers fan!

My one guilty pleasure is: Sour gummy worms.

My celebrity crush is: Will Smith.

Five people I'd like to have dinner with (living or dead) are: Barack Obama, Tina Fey, Britney Spears, Josh Keller and Kevin Costner.

My friends would be surprised to know thatI: Like math and puzzles.

The next risk I want to take is: Traveling around the world, or applying to med school. Can't decide which I want to do first

The reality show I'd do best on is:America's Next Best Dance Crew.

The worst date I've ever been on was: One time, a guy took me up in the mountains to go hiking and he decided to go off roading on the way up there. Long story short, the car got stuck in the mud, we had to call Triple A and wait for hours to get the car out!

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Benson up for FedEx award once again....Benson is one of three finalists for FedEx Ground Player of the Week along with running backs Chris Johnson of Tennessee and Atlanta's Michael Turner. Benson rushed 34 times for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Bengals victory and surpassed 100 yards rushing against the Ravens for the second time this season. On October 11 Benson became the first rusher in the previous 39 games to top 100 yards against Baltimore. His effort helped Cincinnati remain tied for the AFC North lead with Pittsburgh with a 6-2 mark.

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Bengals in Beast Mode.....Turns out the Bengals are pretty good copycats. In only half a season, they've changed their identity. Instead of trying to win games with fancy passing, they've adopted the ways of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, who have won championships with solid defenses and dependable running games. The Bengals (6-2) are beating them at their own game.

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Three and Out - Bengals vs. Steelers
Joe Reedy, Enquirer

1 Run stoppers: The Steelers are the league's top team against the run, giving up 70.4 yards per game while the Bengals rank second at 83.9 yards allowed per game. However it should be an interesting matchup between running backs. Cedric Benson is second in the league with 837 yards. Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall rushed for 155 in the win over Denver.

2 Revenge motive: Pittsburgh led by 11 early in the fourth quarter before the Bengals scored two touchdowns to rally. Take away a questionable Mike Tomlin going for it on fourth down and Limas Sweed's drop in the end zone, and the Steelers should've had a comfortable lead. If the Steelers do get up by more than one score, don't expect Tomlin to make the same mistakes twice.

3 Knocking down Big Ben: Ben Roethlisberger is one of the toughest quarterbacks to bring down, but the Bengals did get a sack in the first meeting and have 21 on the season. Defensive tackle Domata Peko said the biggest key for the defense will be putting pressure on Roethlisberger and also forcing him to throw it to spots where the Bengals want him to throw.

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Week 10 AFC North Power Rankings
ESPN.com

1. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)
Last week: No. 6
Current ranking: No. 4
Analysis: The Bengals moved up two spots to No. 4 with an important 17-7 win over the Baltimore Ravens. This is the highest power ranking of the season for Cincinnati. The Bengals are clicking on all cylinders. Tailback Cedric Benson is running the football hard, quarterback Carson Palmer is healthy and the defense is playing very well. Cincinnati will try to run away with the AFC North next week and improve its ranking with a huge game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
Last week: No. 7
Current ranking: No. 5
Analysis: The AFC North is the only division with two teams in the top five, which is quite a feat. The defending champion Steelers came in at No. 5 after pummeling the Denver Broncos, 28-10. Pittsburgh looks like a complete team that can beat opponents in a variety of ways. The Steelers can run and pass effectively and shut teams down on defense. For the past few weeks Pittsburgh has been rated right behind the Bengals, because Cincinnati currently owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.

3. Baltimore Ravens (4-4)
Last week: No. 10
Current ranking: No. 14
Analysis: After moving up four spots last week, the Ravens dropped four spots this week after a loss to Cincinnati. The panel is showing respect for Baltimore's talent. The team has lost four of its last five games but remains in the top half of the league. The Ravens no longer have any margin for error and need to start winning games if they want to fight for a wild card. It starts with next week's matchup against the Cleveland Browns.

4. Cleveland Browns (1-7)
Last week: No. 31
Current ranking: No. 32
Analysis: The Browns have officially hit rock bottom. They ranked dead last this week for the first time this season. You had a feeling this would happen as soon as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers collected their first win, which they did Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Cleveland is struggling in every phase of the game right now, and it’s hard to pinpoint anything this team does well. A nationwide audience will get to see the Browns in action on "Monday Night Football" when they host the Ravens.

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Bearcats going with Collaros again this week....the sophomore will start for fifth-ranked Cincinnati against West Virginia on Friday night, with Tony Pike expected to play as well for the first time since he hurt his non-throwing arm. Coach Brian Kelly announced Tuesday that Collaros will be his starter. The sophomore backup has played spectacularly and kept the Bearcats (9-0) in the national title conversation while Pike heals from surgery to replace a metal plate in his left forearm.

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Bearcats can't go wrong with either Pike or Collaros
P-Doc, Enquirer
n the coaches’ offices at West Virginia, they’re tossing DVDs of Cincinnati’s offense around the room, like little Frisbees. Tony Pike is going to be UC’s quarterback. Unless he isn’t. Zach Collaros is the man. At least he was Tuesday. Maybe Wednesday, it’ll be Chazz Anderson or Ken Anderson or Anderson Cooper, the guy on CNN. What the....? It’s hard enough to prepare to defend Pike, a sixth-year senior quarterback who snuck into the Heisman talk briefly last month. But then, you bring in Collaros, a kid who last week threw for 480 yards and ran for 75 more. How is an opponent supposed to defend either of them, let alone one or the other, or both? That Brian Kelly, he’s a piece of work.

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Reds unveil first Cactus League schedule....

REDS 2010 Spring Training Schedule
Goodyear, Az.

Date Opponent Time
3/5 CLEVELAND INDIANS 1:05 PM
3/6 Cleveland Indians 1:05 PM
3/7 Milwaukee Brewers 1:05 PM
3/8 KANSAS CITY ROYALS 1:05 PM
3/9 ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS 1:05 PM
3/10 Los Angeles Angels 1:05 PM
3/11 LOS ANGELES DODGERS 1:05 PM
3/12 Los Angeles Dodgers 1:05 PM
3/13 Chicago Cubs 1:05 PM
3/14 CHICAGO WHITE SOX 1:05 PM
3/15 OAKLAND ATHLETICS 1:05 PM
3/16 Arizona Diamondbacks 1:05 PM
3/17 MILWAUKEE BREWERS (SS) 1:05 PM
3/17 CLEVELAND INDIANS (SS) 7:05 PM
3/18 Cleveland Indians 1:05 PM
3/19 SEATTLE MARINERS 1:05 PM
3/20 San Francisco Giants 1:05 PM
3/21 CHICAGO CUBS (SS) 1:05 PM
3/21 Oakland Athletics (SS) 1:05 PM
3/22 COLORADO ROCKIES 1:05 PM
3/23 OFF DAY
3/24 SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS 1:05 PM
3/25 Colorado Rockies 1:05 PM
3/26 Seattle Mariners 1:05 PM
3/27 San Diego Padres 1:05 PM
3/28 LOS ANGELES DODGERS 1:05 PM
3/29 Chicago Cubs 1:05 PM
3/30 SAN DIEGO PADRES 1:05 PM
3/31 Oakland Athletics 1:05 PM
4/1 TEXAS RANGERS 1:05 PM
4/2 Cleveland Indians 7:05 PM
4/3 CLEVELAND INDIANS 1:05 PM
4/4 Workout/Rally @ GABP TBD

HOME GAMES IN CAPS
All times Mountain Standard Time (MST), 2-hour time difference through March 13
Daylight savings time begins March 14 (3-hour time difference)

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Whuddya know, MLB decides to stay in the 20th century for another year...Baseball general managers failed to take a vote Tuesday on expanding instant replay following a postseason filled with blown calls by umpires. Baseball began video review in August 2008 but only to determine whether potential home runs were fair or foul or cleared fences..

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Cyclones trade for forward
Official Release
<blockquote>The Cincinnati Cyclones, ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators, announced this afternoon they have completed a trade with the Johnstown Chiefs for forward Ryan Del Monte. In return, Cincinnati sends forward Bryan Marshall to Johnstown.

Del Monte, 26, is in his second professional season, having played 69 games of his rookie season with Johnstown. He scored 16 goals and added 32 assists for 48 points and was assessed 81 minutes in penalties. He added 14 multiple point games, to go with a +19 plus/minus rating there. In addition, Ryan played in five games with Lake Erie (AHL) and had two assists with the Colorado Avalanche’s ‘AAA’ affiliate.

The six-foot, 190 pound native of Mississauga, ON, played collegiately at Brock University (CIS) and played in 91 games, scoring 45 goals and collecting 58 assists for 103 points and adding 185 penalty minutes. This season, Del Monte has played in nine games and had a goal and two assists for three points and 32 penalty minutes.

Marshall played in five games with the Cyclones, registering two goals and two assists for four points.

In other Cyclones news, goaltender Robert Mayer has been reassigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) by the Montreal Canadiens (NHL). Mayer is the fifth Cyclones player to earn an AHL promotion this season.

The Cyclones travel to North Division leader Kalamazoo for games Friday and Saturday night. Face off both nights is at 7:30pm and the games will be carried on the team’s website at www.cycloneshockey.com. The team is next at home for a pair of games next week when Trenton comes to U.S. Bank Arena (Tuesday, November 17 at 10:30am and Wednesday, November 18 at 7:30pm).</blockquote>

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Speaking of the Cyclones...they're packing the place so far....Chuck Weber's bunch are third in ECHL home attendance with 5,889 fans per game, an increase of 89.7 percent from last season when they averaged 3,104 per game, according to the minor pro hockey league. Last season, the Cyclones led the ECHL and ranked second in pro hockey with an attendance increase of 23 percent.

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Congrats to Miami Hockey goaltender Cody Reichard....Miami's Cody Reichard has been named national player of the week by Inside College Hockey, the website announced today. Reichard earned Central Collegiate Hockey Association goaltender of the week honors Monday. Reichard was in goal for both of top-ranked Miami’s wins at then-No. 4 Michigan this past weekend. The 3-1 and 5-1 decisions marked the first time an opponent had swept the Wolverines in Yost Ice Arena since Oct. 26-27, 2001, a span of 45 series.

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As if there was any doubt....The top-ranked Miami RedHawks (8-1-1) received all 33 first-place votes in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and 49 of 50 first-place votes in the USCHO.com poll after a rare two-game sweep at No. 4 Michigan last weekend. No. 2 North Dakota received the other first-place vote.

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Hump Day = Brittany McGraw

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Wednesday Food Porn...introducing Cupcake Kebabs

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My good friend Scott Sloan has a new website....it's outstanding...OneQuickBeer.com. Make it among your daily blog visits...

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WTF of the day...

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Best new product you'll see today...

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Your "Oh S**T" moment of the day...

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Jennifer Love Hewitt pole dancing on CBS...that is all...

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The Best Football Touchdown Celebrations of All Time
Holy Taco

OchoCinco is an obvious first choice for this list. I mean, they named the "No Excessive Celebration" rule after him for a reason, and that's because of shit like this. He's like the Carrot Top of football. He'll always think of something so stupid that it's funny. What? A rear view mirror on a toilet seat? That's crazy! Bribing a referee on the field with a one dollar bill? Hilarious!

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more here

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Being a tennis ball-boy has its perks...

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This is one way to get your community service badge...

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FAIL of the day....

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Bengals take control of the AFC North by beating Ravens 17-7

- How good does 6-2 feel?? 4-0 against the AFC North. We've been saying it all week...if they could manage to get a split with Baltimore and Pittsburgh, they'll be in GREAT shape. Once again, the Bengals win with a solid running game, stingy defense, and a great day from Carson Palmer.

THE GOOD

- It can't be said enough...scoring first helps. The Bengals took the opening kickoff and drove down 73 yards for a score. Setting the early tone (especially at home) was huge. Even better, after forcing the Ravens 3-and-out, they found the endzone again...this time an 80-yard drive. Any time you can lead 14-0 after the first quarter, you're gonna do okay. They are now 4-0 this season when scoring first.

- How good has Chad Ochocinco been this year? I was among those people who felt like enough was enough with 85...but he has completely redeemed himself. Dude finished with 5 catches and 66yards against the Ravens and leads on the team with 639 yards.

- Gotta give credit to Laverneus Coles too...he's had his fair share of struggles this season. But against the Ravens yesterday, he had his best day as a Bengal. 6 catches for 72 yards.

- Would you believe the Bengals ranks 6th the NFL in redzone offense?? That's the kind of efficiency they're gonna need if they wanna make the playoffs.

- Cedric Benson was tremendous again...34 carries, 117 yards and a touchdown. He is the first running back to have two straight 100-yard games on the Ravens since Ricky Williams in 2002-03.

- Last but certainly not least, the Bengals defense, once again, shines....in the 1st half alone, they held the Ravens (the NFL's 4th best offense) to just 44 yards. When all was said and done, the Ravens could only muster 215 total yards of offense. Not to mention the secondary hauled in a pair of interceptions and the D-Line came up with 4 sacks. Looks like Mike Zimmer's unit picked up right where they left off before the bye week.

- One more defensive note, in 8 quarters vs. Baltimore, the Bengals defense only allowed 2 offensive touchdowns. WOW.

THE BAD

- Chris Henry left the game with a nasty arm injury.....word is that it's a broken forearm. He could be done for the season.

- Ochocinco has to find a way to secure the football. As mentioned, he's really been a positive offensive factor this season but he has also coughed up the football on multiple occasions. Gotta have better ball security.

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Bengals dominate Ravens, 17-7
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Respect might be a little easier to come by for the Bengals now. In the first of a crucial two-game stretch against the perennial contenders in the AFC North, the Bengals scored on their first three possessions to defeat Baltimore 17-7 before 64,313 at Paul Brown Stadium.
The win completes a season sweep of the Ravens, who advanced to the AFC Championship game last year, and marks the first time in team history that the Bengals have won their first four division games.

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Bengals are no joke
ESPN.com
For a majority of the past 18 years, the Bengals were clearly the laughingstock of the NFL. Whether it was personnel decisions, coaching hires or overall play on the field, Cincinnati football often produced more comedy than athletic prowess. But you can stop laughing now. The 2009 Bengals are legit. Cincinnati, one of the NFL's biggest surprises, pummeled the Baltimore Ravens in a 17-7 victory at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday. Cincinnati improved to 6-2 and 4-0 in the AFC North, which includes a season sweep of Baltimore (4-4).

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Take off the blinders....time to believe in Bengals
Gregg Doyel, CBS Sports
If this were anyone but the Cincinnati Bengals, you would believe in them by now. OK, maybe you wouldn't believe in the Lions or Browns yet, either. Or the Rams. But anyone else ... and you would believe. But it's time. The Bengals didn't just defeat Baltimore 17-7 on Sunday. They mugged Baltimore, jumping to a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter. They took away the Ravens' running game and their passing game. They ran for almost 150 yards and passed for almost 225 more. The Bengals are 6-2 and leading the AFC North because they out-hit, out-thought and out-hustled what had been -- what still is -- one of the better teams in the NFL.

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Meet the New Same Old Bengals
P-Doc, Enquirer
Each week, we come to the stadium expecting a leak or a crack or a sign of a relapse, and each week we are wrong. “Same Old Bengals’’ has assumed such a different meaning, we wonder if we missed a highway exit and ended up in Pittsburgh. Or, you know, Baltimore. The New Same Old Bengals (NSOBs) play exacting team defense and score when their quarterback believes it’s required. The Same Old Bengals were fractured and ego-driven.

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Bengals help North cause with win over Ravens
ESPN.com
No last-minute comeback needed this time. With Cedric Benson topping 100 yards again, the Bengals got ahead early and ground one out. Cincinnati scored on its first three possessions Sunday, then spent the rest of its time chasing Baltimore's Joe Flacco around the field, setting up a 17-7 victory that kept the surprising Bengals unbeaten in AFC North games. Cincinnati, which beat every team in the division at least once, can take the AFC North with a win next week over the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2).

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Bengals sweep Ravens
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
After racing to a 17-0 lead in the first half, the Bengals defense took over the game in the second as frenzied Paul Brown Stadium Sunday celebrated a 4-0 AFC North record and a sweep of Baltimore with a 17-7 victory that pushed Cincinnati to 6-2 and the Ravens to 4-4. As 64,313 watched a win that marked a sea change in the division, the Bengals gave Baltimore a taste of its own medicine with three straights sacks that ended their last legitimate chance.

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Bengals 17-7 win was well deserved, but costly
Ludwig at Large
With both arms outstretched and raised, I look up, Up UP to the heavens and scream. “This,” I proclaim, “is strong. This is redemption. This is pure unadulterated, domination.” How sweep it is for the Cincinnati Bengals. They flexed their muscle and punished the Baltimore Ravens, 17-7, at sun-drenched, sold-out Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday, Nov. 8. The Bengals improved to 6-2 overall and 4-0 in the AFC North Division, including 3-0 against the two teams - Baltimore (2-0) and Pittsburgh (1-0) - that competed for the AFC championship last season. Sunday’s game was physical. It was raucous. It was fun … and, yes, it was costly. Extremely costly.

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Henry breaks forearm and might miss season
Joe Reedy, Enquirer
Bengals receiver Chris Henry broke his left forearm Sunday when he was tackled after a catch, putting the rest of his season in doubt. Henry caught a 10-yard pass and was tackled by Ravens cornerback Fabian Washington, who landed on him as they hit the ground. Henry immediately grabbed his left forearm, just above the wrist. The medical staff put an air cast on the forearm and brought a cart to take him off the field.

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Apparently Ochocinco carries cash during games....

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UC wins a wild one, 47-45.....Zach Collaros kept No. 4 Cincinnati unbeaten with the second-best passing performance in school history, one that will make it tough to send him back to the bench. The Bearcats' near-perfect replacement threw for 480 yards and a touchdown Saturday night, ran for two more scores and led a clinching touchdown drive in the closing minutes of a wild 47-45 victory over Connecticut that let Cincinnati match the best start in its history. Cincinnati (9-0, 5-0 Big East) is off to its best start since 1951, when it won the Mid-American Conference title. The stakes are much higher this time-- the Bearcats are keeping themselves in the conversation about national title contenders. The win over Connecticut (4-5, 1-4) provided more talking points.

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Bearcats escape upset....Led by sophomore quarterback Zach Collaros, the University of Cincinnati turned in the most dazzling offensive performance in school history Saturday night, but the Bearcats still needed a defensive stop on a two-point conversion attempt and the recovery of an on-side kick to keep their unbeaten season and national title hopes alive with a 47-45 victory over Connecticut.

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Kelly rethinking quarterback position.....After Zach Collaros produced a school record 555 total yards tonight, Brian Kelly said he might have to rethink whether Tony Pike is his starting quarterback next week even if he's healty. Collaros has been that good the last three games, completing 70 of 89 passes for 1,100 yards. "I think I'll have to reconsider my decision," Kelly said.

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Gilyard comes up big for UC
Jeff Walker, Enquirer
Less than two minutes remained in the first quarter and the sellout crowd at Nippert Stadium had just settled into its seats on Saturday night when Bearcats receiver Mardy Gilyard made a 14-yard catch to eclipse the 100-yard receiving mark for the third time this season. Gilyard finished with 12 receptions for 172 yards, an average of 14.3 per catch, in the Bearcats' 47-45 victory over UConn. He also had five kick returns for 144 yards, including a 43-yarder.

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Not surprisingly, Collaros up for national weekly award....For the third time this season, a University of Cincinnati football student-athlete is one of four finalists for this week's AT&T All-America Player of the Week Award with quarterback Zach Collaros earning a spot on this week's list. He joins Stanford RB Toby Gerhart, Ohio State DE Cameron Heyward, and Texas WR Jordan Shipley in this week's top-four.

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What we learned in Week 10
ESPN.com
1. Cincinnati has flaws, after all: It was tough to spot any weaknesses in the Bearcats before Saturday. They were among the nation's leaders in nearly every statistical category and hadn't played a close game all season. But the 47-45 nail-biter over UConn exposed some areas to exploit. A team with a big, physical offensive line and strong running game can overpower Cincinnati's defense, as Ryan Mathews first showed in the Fresno State game and Jordan Todman and the Huskies screamed on Saturday night. There's one opponent left on the Bearcats' schedule that fits that description.

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Behind Pryor, Ohio State spanks Penn State....Terrelle Pryor tiptoed his way around the Penn State defense, then smiled and danced all over the Beaver Stadium turf. Quite the happy homecoming Saturday for the dual-threat phenom from western Pennsylvania. Pryor threw for two touchdowns and ran for another in his first game back in his home state and No. 15 Ohio State reclaimed control of the Big Ten race after beating No. 11 Penn State, 24-7 in a duel of the league’s top two defenses.

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UC remains 5th in all 3 College Football polls....

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For what it's worth....

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Irish need to speed it up if they want to replace Weis
CBS Sports
This year's top model, Cincinnati's Brian Kelly, is out there, a Roman Catholic with a magic touch about to lock down his second consecutive Big East title. All indications are that Kelly would be available if, and only if at this point, Notre Dame came calling.

Kelly is the 2009 version of Meyer in 2004, a coach who would leave his current job better than he found it and significantly enhance his new program. Kelly's team is undefeated, having won the last three games with a backup quarterback. Zach Collaros replaced injured Tony Pike, who began 2008 something like fifth on the depth chart.

Notre Dame, though, has to reach out. It has to contact Kelly and judge his interest. If he stays committed to Cincinnati, then fine, move on. ND can keep Weis or perhaps go to the next name on its list.

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Miami Hockey completes weekend sweep of No. 4 Michigan....Top-ranked Miami scored five unanswered goals after falling behind 1-0, and Cody Reichard made 20 saves as the RedHawks earned an historic sweep of No. 4 Michigan Saturday night, 5-1. The pair of wins marked the first by a visiting team at Yost Arena since Oct. 26-27, 2001, a span of 45 series.

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Speaking of puck...the Coors Light Cyclones Coaches Show is LIVE tonight at Jefferson Hall in Newport from 7-8pm. We'll talk some hockey with Cyclones Head Coach Chuck Weber. Hope to see you there!

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Top 5 College Football Coaching Performances This Season
Brobible
3. Brian Kelly, Cincinnati
The most surprising team in the nation? Perhaps. With Kelly's offense you know what you are going to get - lots of big plays.

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Monday's Hangover Cure.....Melina Pitra

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FAIL of the day....

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For you Star Wars nerds....this pic of Carrie Fisher and her body-double sunbathing is sure to get you going....

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Today's Definition of Duh....A 24-year-old Oakland man is under arrest after authorities say he stole a car to make a court appearance on an auto theft charge. California Highway Patrol investigator Chris Linehan said he arrested Samuel Botchvaroff Tuesday as he sat inside a stolen 2000 Range Rover at the Vallejo courthouse. Botchvaroff had just left his arraignment on auto theft charges stemming from an Oct. 31 arrest.

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America's Most Toxic Cities
Forbes

1. Atlanta
2. Detroit
6. Cleveland
19. Cincinnati
20. Pittsburgh

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