lazy frustrations

Back on Track

2010-05-27T16:44:00.006-04:00

Hello world. Been a while, no?

I plan on getting back on track with this, among other things. Will you be able to keep up? (Probably, because I'm a slow white dude. Bengie Molina could outrun me.)

____________________

I know I'm late to the party, but the fact that Joey Votto is not gaining votes for the All-Star game is an atrocity. I know it's only May and voting goes on for another six weeks or so, but I'm not saying this because I'm a Reds fan. I'm saying this because the numbers don't lie.

Here are the numbers for the current top five in NL 1B voting (courtesy of Elise Lotz):

Albert Pujols, St.Louis Cardinals - 165 AB, 25 R, 50 H, 8 HR, 29 RBI, .303 AVG

Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies - 177 AB, 28 R, 53 H, 8 HR, 32 RBI, .299 AVG

Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers - 166 AB, 28 R, 45 H, 7 HR, 19 RBI, .271 AVG

James Loney, L.A. Dodgers - 173 AB, 28 R, 51 H, 4 HR, 28 RBI, .295 AVG

Lance Berkman, Houston Astros - 103 AB, 10 R, 24 H, 5 HR, 14 RBI, .233 AVG

Now, for Mr. Votto:

Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds - 166 AB, 29 R, 51 H, 10 HR, 33 RBI, .307 AVG

Need I say more?

Vote Votto.

____________________

What happened in yesterday's White Sox-Indians game is an absolute disgrace to the game of baseball.

In case you missed it, veteran umpire Joe West was making the calls at first base yesterday at Progressive Field. He called White Sox starting pitcher Mark Buehrle for a balk in the bottom of the 2nd inning on a pickoff attempt, the same pickoff move that the lefty has used throughout his career. After the runner advanced to 2nd base, Buehrle said something to West from the pitcher's mound. West, who was standing about 20 feet behind 1st, began walking towards the mound and was yelling at Buehrle. This caused the candid White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen to emerge from the dugout to defend his starting pitcher, and rightfully so. West proceeded to eject Guillen from the game. Guillen took out his lineup cards and threw them on the warning track in front of the White Sox dugout before leaving for the clubhouse.

Just one inning later and with a runner on 1st base, Buehrle made the same pickoff move. West called Buehrle for a balk again. In disgust, Buehrle tossed his glove to the ground. Within three seconds, as Buehrle picked up his glove, West ejected Buehrle from the game. Buehrle tried to talk with West, but Buehrle was held back by 2nd base umpire Angel Hernandez. Meanwhile, West stood on the edge of the grass up the 1st base line with his arms crossed while bench coach Joey Cora talked with him, wanting nothing to do with the disqualified player.

After this, West needs to be not only fined but suspended. To try to instigate a player to keep talking so he could be ejected and then eventually tossing him because he rightfully disagreed with an absolutely terrible call is a shame. It's a shame to Mark Buehrle, Ozzie Guillen, the Chicago White Sox, the Cleveland Indians, and all teams in Major League Baseball.

Most of all, it's a shame to Joe West.

____________________

Really, really looking forward to the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 1 is Saturday night at 8:00.

Mainly, I am excited because I have been rooting for the Philadelphia Flyers since the days of the Legion of Doom. But this should be one hell of a series. The Chicago Blackhawks are on a roll after sweeping the top-seeded San Jose Sharks and the Flyers were on the brink of elimination but have since won 8 or their last 9 games for the chance to play for the most coveted prize in hockey.

Niemi and Leighton. Toews and Richards. Blackhawks and Flyers.

This is gonna be fun.

____________________

That's all I have for now.

Oh, and I'm graduating on June 12. Blame the University of Cincinnati. Or Dusty Baker. Or Mick Cronin. Whatever your preference.

2010 BearcastRadio.com NFL Mock Draft Results

2010-04-22T11:37:00.002-04:00

Representatives

AFC North: Dylan Moody (DM), BearcastRadio.com Sports Director, host of "The List"

AFC South: Jason Garrison (JG), BearcastRadio.com sports member, host of "Gridiron Gurus," writer for CincyJungle.com

AFC East: Brandon Kisker (BK), BearcastRadio.com Assistant Sports Director, host of "5 Minute Major"

AFC West: Dan Fisk (DF), BearcastRadio.com DJ, host of "Beardcast"

NFC North: Dr. John Owens (JO), BearcastRadio.com Faculty Adviser, Electronic Media professor at UC

NFC South: Sam Elliott (SE), Sports Editor at The News Record

NFC East: Michael Schneid (MS), WhatIfSports.com

NFC West: Jonathan Machuga (JM), former BearcastRadio.com Sports Director

1. St. Louis Rams (JM): Sam Bradford - QB, Oklahoma

2. Detroit Lions (JO): Ndamukong Suh - DE, Nebraska

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (SE): Gerald McCoy - DT, Oklahoma

4. Washington Redskins (MS): Russell Okung - OT, Oklahoma State

5. Kansas City Chiefs (DF): Bryan Bulaga - OT, Iowa

6. Seattle Seahawks (JM): Eric Berry - S, Tennessee

**TRADE** Cleveland trades the 7th overall pick to Jacksonville for the 10th overall pick and their 2010 4th round pick

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (from Cleveland) (JG): Derrick Morgan - DE, Georgia Tech

8. Oakland Raiders (DF): Colt McCoy - QB, Texas (typical Al Davis-style move)

9. Buffalo Bills (BK): Anthony Davis - OT, Rutgers

10. Cleveland Browns (from Jacksonville) (DM): Jimmy Clausen - QB, Notre Dame

11. Denver Broncos (from Chicago) (DF): Rolando McClain - ILB, Alabama

12. Miami Dolphins (BK): Jerry Hughes - OLB, TCU

13. San Francisco 49ers (JM): Joe Haden - CB, Florida

14. Seattle Seahawks (from Denver) (JM): CJ Spiller - RB, Clemson

15. New York Giants (MS): Trent Williams - OT, Oklahoma

16. Tennessee Titans (JG): Jason Pierre-Paul - DE, USF

17. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina) (JM): Brandon Graham - OLB, Michigan

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (DM): Maurkice Pouncey - C, Florida

19. Atlanta Falcons (SE): Mike Iupati - OG, Idaho

**TRADE** Houston trades the 20th overall pick to Green Bay for the 23rd overall pick

20. Green Bay Packers (from Houston) (JO): Earl Thomas - S, Texas

21. Cincinnati Bengals (DM): Dez Bryant - WR, Oklahoma State

22. New England Patriots (BK): Ryan Mathews - RB, Fresno State

**TRADE** Houston trades the 23rd overall pick to Baltimore for the 25th overall pick

23. Baltimore Ravens (from Houston via Green Bay) (DM): Jermaine Gresham - TE, Oklahoma

**TRADE** Philadelphia trades the 24th overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings for the 30th overall pick

24. Minnesota Vikings (from Philadelphia) (JO): Kyle Wilson - CB, Boise State

25. Houston Texans (from Baltimore) (JG): Taylor Mays - S, USC

26. Arizona Cardinals (JM): Dan Williams - DT, Tennessee

27. Dallas Cowboys (MS): Bruce Campbell - OT, Maryland

**TRADE** San Diego trades the 28th overall pick to Buffalo for their 2010 2nd round pick and RB Marshawn Lynch

28. Buffalo Bills (from San Diego) (BK): Tim Tebow - QB, Florida

29. New York Jets (BK): Everson Griffen - DE, USC

**TRADE** Philadelphia trades the 30th overall pick to Pittsburgh for their 2010 2nd round pick and their 2011 1st round pick

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (from Philadelphia via Minnesota) (DM): Kareem Jackson - CB, Alabama

31. Indianapolis Colts (JG): Jahvid Best - RB, California

32. New Orleans Saints (SE): Jared Odrick - DT, Penn State

Top 5 Dunks

2010-02-25T17:19:00.006-05:00

Here is the inspiration for this list, courtesy of "Born Ready" Lance Stephenson:

5. Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic (1993 Regular Season)

4. Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls (1994 Eastern Conference Finals)

3. Jerome Lane, University of Pittsburgh (1988 NCAA Tournament)

2. Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls (1991 Eastern Conference Finals)

1. Vince Carter, Team USA (2000 Olympics)

Honorable Mention (in no particular order)

Darryl Dawkins

LeBron James

Kobe Bryant

Melvin Levett

Tracy McGrady

Other Dunks (Sent in by listeners)

Dwight Howard

Michael Jordan

Dwyane Wade

Julius Erving

The List & Something Very Important That I Need Your Help With

2010-02-11T15:22:00.005-05:00

On tap for tonight...

Bearcats basketball going downhill. The past two games lacked any hustle or energy on the parts of the players and any smarts on the part of Mick Cronin. The remaining schedule doesn't do the Bearcats any favors either based on the way they have played and the way their upcoming opponents have played. Can this team make up for lost ground and somehow squeak into the NCAA Tournament? Is Mick Cronin's time in Cincinnati running out?

The New Orleans Saints are your Super Bowl Champions. The highest rated television program of all-time. Drew Brees wins the game's MVP award. Sean Payton makes one of the gutsiest calls in Super Bowl history with the onside kick. Tracy Porter picks off Peyton Manning late in the 4th and takes it to the house to seal it up. What does this do for not only the Saints organization, but the city of New Orleans? Did this loss tarnish the legacy of Peyton Manning?

Weekend filled with sports. Start of the 2010 Winter Olympics from Vancouver, NBA All-Star Weekend, & Daytona 500 this weekend. Which are you looking forward to the most?

Tonight's List. Send your top five undrafted NFL players of all-time to thelist.bearcast@gmail.com.

____________________

I normally reserve this blog for sports-related content only, but this is very important to me so I feel the need to bring it up. Congress is trying to pass the Performance Rights Act, which would essentially bring local radio industries around the country to their knees. Because of all of this, the ones that would be affected the most are small radio stations and college radio stations.

This comes from Andrew Scott of The Dakota Student, the student publication at the University of North Dakota...

The Performance Rights Act is a proposed bill that would essentially "bail out the record industry," requiring radio stations to pay royalty fees, similar to a tax, when music is played on the air; the breakdown: record labels would receive 50 percent, artists 45 percent, musicians and background singers 5 percent.

Who would be hit the hardest? Small and independent radio stations such as college radio. An annual flat rate that would be calculated according to a radio stations' revenue, an estimated $500 a year for small stations, $5,000 for medium stations and much more for larger stations. Many say that's big money adding up year after year that they don't have.

If this bill passes, it will put small radio stations out of business and put hundreds, if not thousands, of people in the radio industry out of jobs, adding to the long list of those that have already been laid off.

Here's another article from CreativeDeconstruction.com with five reasons containing why the Performance Rights Act is a bad idea.

I ask you to please read over those two articles and then visit SaveYourRadio.org and sign the petition against this bill. This only takes a few clicks and just a matter of seconds to do. And on behalf of BearcastRadio.com and other small/college radio stations around the country, it would be greatly, greatly appreciated.

In Case You Missed It...

2010-01-21T21:55:00.003-05:00

Here are my lists from tonight's edition of "The List" on BearcastRadio.com. Feel free to add your input.

TOP FIVE MLB ACQUISITIONS OF THIS OFFSEASON

1. Cliff Lee, Mariners

Traded from Phillies to Mariners on 12/16/09 for pitchers Phillippe Aumont and Juan Ramirez, and OF Tyson Gillies. Adds another dimension to rotation with Felix Hernandez and Ryan Rowland-Smith. Helps make Mariners into AL West contender next season.

2. Vladimir Guerrero, Rangers

Signed with one-year , $6 million deal with Rangers on 1/11/10. Big upgrade in the DH slot from Andruw Jones a season ago. Compliments an already dangerous lineup that includes Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, and Elvis Andrus. Puts Texas in discussion for AL West.

3. Jason Bay, Mets

Signed a four-year, $66 millions deal with Mets on 1/5/10. Helps an injury-depleted team from a year ago. Great for driving in the speedy Jose Reyes and Luis Castillo, and can take pressure off guys like David Wright, Jeff Francoeur, and Carlos Beltran (when he returns). Phillies still the team to beat in the NL East, but Mets get better with this signing.

4. Roy Halladay, Phillies (born Harry Leroy Halladay - there ya go, Mets fans)

Traded from Blue Jays to Phillies on 12/16/09 for P Kyle Drabek, OF Michael Taylor, and Travis d'Arnaud. Led to Cliff Lee being sent to Seattle. Halladay finally gets out of Toronto to play for a World Series contender in a rotation with Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, JA Happ, and Jamie Moyer. 17-10 record should improve with one of the best lineups in baseball behind him. Phillies World Series chances should also improve.

5. Aroldis Chapman, Reds

Signed a six-year, $30.25 million deal with Reds on 1/12/10. Defected from Cuba and was one of the best pitchers in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Should start the year in either single-A Dayton or AA Carolina. Could come up to the Majors this year, but a lot of scouts saying he has to work on his control before that happens. Should see him sometime at the end of this season at the earliest or in 2011 at the latest. Sets up the Reds for a future rotation of Chapman, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, and Homer Bailey, with 2009 first-rounder Mike Leake possibly as the fifth starter. Could also lead to the Reds dealing Bronson Arroyo, Aaron Harang, or Brandon Phillips if the Reds aren't in contention and Volquez is on schedule to return from Tommy John surgery.

TOP FIVE SEASONS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHING CHANGES (SINCE 1947)

1. 1973: 36 coaching changes amongst 126 teams (28.6%)

2. 1987: 24 coaching changes amongst 104 teams (23.1%)

3. 1971: 27 coaching changes amongst 119 teams (22.7%)

4. 1955: 23 coaching changes amongst 103 teams (22.3%)

5. 1974: 28 coaching changes amongst 128 teams (21.9%)

TOP FIVE BILLBOARD SONGS ON APRIL 5, 1964

1. "Can't Buy Me Love" - The Beatles

2. "Twist and Shout" - The Beatles

3. "She Loves You" - The Beatles

4. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" - The Beatles

5. "Please Please Me" - The Beatles

Busy Busy Busy

2010-01-12T20:54:00.011-05:00

So, let's see. In the past week, a lot has happened in this town. The Bengals continued to show their unimpressive down-the-stretch selves, only this time it was in the playoffs. The Bearcats have failed to look like a team that defeated then-No. 10 UConn almost two weeks ago. The Reds have actually done something impressive in the offseason by signing Cuban phenom pitcher Aroldis Chapman. Xavier has re-entered themselves into the NCAA Tournament discussion.

Yup. A lot going on in the Queen City.

____________________

JETS 24, BENGALS 14

Here's my thoughts from Saturday's postseason opener/finale:

The Bengals didn't finish down the stretch. Not in this game and not this season. Par for the course.
Shayne Graham. Nice to know you. Saying anything further could cost me a future job.
What happened to Carson Palmer? Better yet, what happened to the offense? Palmer was overthrowing receivers and his vision was one-dimensional. Andre Caldwell dropping passes. Laveranues Coles dropping passes and fumbling away possessions. Chad Ochocinco being covered like a Christmas gift by Darelle Revis.
There's no way anyone can tell me there isn't something wrong with Carson Palmer.
The absences of Rey Maualuga and Pat Sims did the Bengals no favors.
Challenge scoreboard: Rex Ryan 3, Marvin Lewis 0. After the first quarter. Marvin, what were you thinking?
Cedric Benson's day goes for naught. 21 carries for 169 yards, including a 47-yard TD run.
Shonn Greene's day does not go for naught. Neither does Mark Sanchez's.
The fact about the entire day that may surprise you: Until the final two plays of the game, the Bengals offensive line gave up only one sack.
Standing in well-below freezing temperatures for seven hours only to see your hometown team lose is not much fun.

Bottom line: The Bengals not only lost this game, but they didn't deserve to win it.

____________________

"HERE WE GO AGAIN"

Dan Hoard wants to know when the Bearcats season actually ends. I share the same thoughts.

____________________

THE REDS SIGNED WHO?

Here's a short background on who the Reds have signed:

Name: Aroldis Chapman
Age: 21 (turns 22 on Feb. 28)
Hometown: Holguin, Cuba
Number: 54 (for those who want the jersey already)
Left-handed pitcher
Signed six-year deal worth $30 million
Fastball can reach 102 MPH, nasty breaking stuff
Named top LHP from 2008 World Baseball Classic

The signing of Chapman is the biggest acquisition for the Reds since acquiring Ken Griffey Jr. from Seattle back in February 2000. It is up in the air as to whether Chapman may pitch in the majors this season, but it's not like anybody is expecting much from the Reds in 2010 anyway. It seemed odd that the Reds would strike such a large deal with this young man, but the contract is so backloaded that it should not matter.

What does this deal do for the rest of the team? Well, it opens up the possibility of trading either Aaron Harang or Bronson Arroyo in order to dump salary. However, don't expect for it to happen before the season (it would be surprising if it did, but not a huge shock either). There's a good chance that it could happen around the All-Star break, but it all depends on the progression of Edinson Volquez, who is rehabbing his right arm following Tommy John surgery. If Volquez is ahead of or on schedule for a healthy return, expect Harang or Arroyo to be shipped elsewhere.

And just to give Reds fans something to fantasize about, the 2011 pitching rotation could look something like this: Aroldis Chapman, Homer Bailey, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez, Mike Leake. Could it happen? Maybe. Can a Reds fan dream? Absolutely, because there hasn't been much to get excited about over the past few summers.

____________________

Pete Carroll goes to the NFL. Lane Kiffin goes to the west coast.

____________________

Mark McGwire took steroids. In other news, the sky is blue.

For the record, Bob Costas did an absolutely amazing job interviewing McGwire last night on MLB Network. His questions were on point. He didn't cross any lines, but he certainly didn't throw any softballs either. I'm convinced now that Costas needs to be the one to interview Tiger Woods when he decides to speak. Nobody else. Not even Oprah.

____________________

"The List" starts up again this Thursday at 8 on BearcastRadio.com. Expect to see lists up tomorrow.

Until then, enjoy former Kansas Jayhawks football coach Mark Mangino.

Preparation

2009-12-08T19:50:00.004-05:00

We've heard all of the rumors and all of the speculation. Bearcats fans, it is time to prepare for the darkest day in University of Cincinnati football history. Believe me when I say that Brian Kelly is going to be the next head coach at the University of Notre Dame.

Now, I am as upset about this as anyone. But first, can you really blame the dude? He's going to be the head coach at the mecca of college football for a ton of dough. Who wouldn't want to do that?

The reason I am upset is because the team had a meeting on Thursday and he said that he wasn't going anywhere and that he was going to stay in the Queen City. Turns out that he lied. To the team. To the coaching staff. To the athletic department. To the fans. To everybody.

Cincinnati football fans are about to experience what it's been like to be a Xavier basketball fan in recent years. Thad Matta told the Musketeers and the press that he wasn't going anywhere. Wrong. Bolted to Ohio State. Same with Sean Miller and Arizona.

In potentially less than 48 hours, Brian Kelly will be to Cincinnati what Thad Matta and Sean Miller are to Xavier.

Personally, I don't know if I will return to Nippert Stadium. At this point, I feel like it would be too painful for me. I've been a student here for four years and I have only missed two games due to family conflicts. I know that wouldn't be fair to the 70+ student-athletes that pull on that uniform on Saturdays between late August and early December, but I truly believe that we will not see the program reach this point again for some time.

When it was announced that the Bearcats would be facing Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl one year ago, Brian Kelly told Thom Brennaman that the Cincinnati job was "no longer a stepping stone." Apparently he also lied about that, because that's what the job will be viewed as from now on. Mark Dantonio and Brian Kelly have proved that.

Will Kelly be the head coach of the Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl? I don't know, and I frankly don't care at this point. It's time for the players to step up and show Mr. Kelly what he is leaving behind.

Get ready, Bearcats fans. Our own coaching search may already be underway.

He's a man of his word...

2009-11-19T23:41:00.002-05:00

Former Bengals and WVU defensive tackle John Thornton was on "The List" last week. He made a bet with me on the WVU-UC football game. He lost. Here's his end of the deal. Enjoy...

There was a football contest today...

2009-11-15T18:43:00.003-05:00

Need I say more?

"The List" Preview - 11/12 Edition (John Thornton!)

2009-11-11T22:40:00.005-05:00

Here's what's going on this week...

LISTS

Top 5 Athletes to Serve the USA: Wednesday was Veteran's Day. As a tribute, give me your top five athletes that wore a much more prestigious uniform than the one they competed in.

Top 5 Sports Figures to Follow on Twitter (suggested by Elise Lotz): Athletes, coaches, GMs, and owners are on the biggest social networking site since Facebook. Who should we be following?

Top 5 Comedians: Pretty self-explanatory. Who makes you hardly able to contain yourself?

E-mail your lists to thelist.bearcast@gmail.com

ALSO

Former Cincinnati Bengals and West Virginia Mountaineers defensive tackle John Thornton will be my guest at about 8:10. We'll discuss this weekend's matchups as the Bearcats host the Mountaineers and the Bengals travel to Pittsburgh. And maybe...just maybe, I can try to wager a bet with him. We'll see...

Listen in on Thursday night from 8-10 PM on BearcastRadio.com!

"The List" Preview - 11/5 Edition

2009-11-04T21:29:00.005-05:00

Here's what is on tap for the show on Thursday...

LISTS

Top 5 Upsets of All-Time: Pretty self-explanatory. One team was supposed to win. The other team shocked the world. Give me your five best.

Top 5 BCS Games of All-Time (suggested by Jonathan "Chuges" Machuga): Nobody likes the BCS. We know this. But there have been a few times where they got it right. Top five. Go.

Top 5 Costumes that you saw on Halloween: We all know you were out last Saturday, or saw costumes in some way, shape, or form (literally and figuratively). What were the five best that you saw (not including your own)? Looking for creativity, humor, and even some originality.

"The List" Preview - 10/29 Edition (UPDATED!)

2009-10-27T22:47:00.005-04:00

Here's what's up for this week's show:

LISTS

Top 5 Screwjobs of All-Time: To go along with the theme of the Bearcats getting shafted in the BCS Rankings and the umpiring crews being less than stellar in this year's baseball playoffs, give me the five worst calls/non-calls that you've ever seen.

Top 5 Ejections (suggested by Elise Lotz): We've seen some great reactions from coaches and managers to calls. But which ones rank above the rest?

Top 5 Scary Movies: Halloween is on Saturday. This one is too relevant to ignore.

Send lists to thelist.bearcast@gmail.com...

"The List" Preview - 10/22 Edition (UPDATED!)

2009-10-21T15:11:00.005-04:00

I apologize for putting this up a bit later than usual. One word: Midterms. Need I say more?

Here is what's on tap for this week:

LISTS

Top 5 Athletes Bigger Than Their Sport: When you think of a sport, is there one name that comes to mind before all the rest? Give me your top colossal sports giants.

Top 5 World Series Matchups (suggested by Jason Garrison): Looks like we're headed for a Phils-Yanks Fall Classic. Does it make the list of best World Series matchups of all-time?

Top 5 Bands/Artists You Rock Out to in Your Car: You're crusing along I-71 (or whatever highway you use) and a song comes on, which leads you to go into a music-induced spaz attack. What bands/artists give you a near-seizure while driving? (Give me a few songs by each band/artist, too.)

TOPICS

Bearcats defeat South Florida, 34-17. Big win, but not without some trouble. Tony Pike goes down. Zach Collaros steps up. Now, the Bearcats are in control of their own destiny. Could they go to the National Championship game? What would have to happen to get to that point? Could this team compete with a team like Florida or Texas?

Homecoming for the Keg of Nails this weekend. Your #5 Bearcats host lowly Louisville (or as Chuges would say, "Loserville") on Saturday at 3:30. Should Tony Pike play even though this team would win without him (at least on paper)?

Ohio State fans are livid. Sorry, Bucknuts. But not really. I mean, you kind of did this to yourself...

Interview with Cyclones assistant coach Dean Stork! Cyclones start their season up on Saturday night. I'll talk with Coach Stork around 8:30 about who we will see back with the team this season, what to expect from the Clones, and much more. (Have a question for Dean? Leave it in the comment box below or e-mail it to me at the address below.)

Baseball's Championship Series are winding down. Looks like we're headed for a Phillies-Yankees World Series. Can anyone stop the Bronx Bombers? How did Brad Lidge suddenly turn it around? Have you even been following along? After seeing some of the calls made this postseason, is it time to expand the use of instant replay?

Here's what to do. Send your lists and/or questions for Coach Stork to thelist.bearcast@gmail.com. Then, listen to BearcastRadio.com from 8-10 PM on Thursday night. You never know what might happen in that time. We'll see...

For your entertainment purposes...

2009-10-08T22:26:00.002-04:00

Yes, that is me in the red hat...

"The List" Preview - 10/8 Edition (UPDATED! x2)

2009-10-06T19:36:00.006-04:00

Here's a preview for the 10/8 edition of "The List" on BearcastRadio.com:

Lists

Top 5 Division II or Lower Athletes: Not all of the greats came from Division I schools. Some of them played down in the unknowns. Give me your five best.

Top 5 College Football Stadiums (suggested by Brent Housel): Pretty self-explanatory if you ask me. Where do you need to go to watch a game before you die? Hit me with it.

Top 5 Nickelodeon Shows from the 90s: Don't act like you didn't watch Nickelodeon when you were a kid. You loved that stuff. Tell me your five favorite Slime Network shows from your childhood.

Topics

Bearcats ranked ahead of Ohio State: First time since 1951 that feat has been accomplished. What does this say about the state of college football in Ohio? Is the tide turning?

Bengals barely beat Browns, face Ravens for first place on Sunday: The OT win up in Cleveland put the Bengals at 3-1. They face the Ravens on Sunday in Baltimore. Can the Bengals move into first place?

MLB Playoffs starting up: Who ya got? Why? Can anybody stop the New York Free Agents?

NFL Transactions: Braylon Edwards sent to the Jets. Michael Crabtree finally signs with the 49ers. Winners? Losers? Can Edwards finally be the receiver he was expected to be in Cleveland? Will Crabtree go back to the form he was when he last caught a pass ten months ago?

THELIST.BEARCAST@GMAIL.COM

BearcastRadio.com

"The List" Preview - 10/1 Edition (UPDATED!)

2009-09-29T20:01:00.005-04:00

Here's the lists and topics for this week's episode of The List:

Lists

Top 5 Down-to-the-Wire Moments: Bengals beat the Steelers this week with a TD with :14 to go. Brett Favre does it again, this time for Minnesota with :02 left. Whether it's a game-winning TD, buzzer-beating shot, walk-off homer, or [fill in the blank], I want to hear about it. Go.
Top 5 Phobias: Whether it is something as common as spiders, or something weird like bobbleheads, send it my way.
Top 5 First-Round Draft Busts: Of the four major American sports, the top draft picks with all of the hype that never panned out. (Suggested by Jason Garrison)

Topics

Did God forget that this was Cincinnati? One of the best weekends in years for this city. Were you there to watch the Bearcats top Fresno State? What about for "The Drive" at Paul Brown Stadium? When was the last time this city could collectively smile about it's sports, even if just for a few days?
Bearcats ranked #10 AP, #11 Coaches. The best time to ever be a Cincinnati Bearcats football fan. Is anybody going to stop this team? I'll also look ahead to this weekend where we travel to face the dismal Miami Redhawks. (Don't catch H1N1 up there!)
Bengals shock the Steelers at home. First time since 2001 have the Bengals defeated the Steelers at Paul Brown Stadium. Easily the best game I've attended as a Bengals fan. Can the Bengals feed off of this momentum? What happens to the 1-2 Steelers from here?
MLB Playoffs preparing to start up. Reds miss the playoffs for the 14th consecutive season. When will this franchise recover? Which team is the favorite to win it all? What about the dark horse?
Kings Island does one of the stupidest things ever. If you haven't heard about it, here's the story. I'm sure you'll feel the same way that I do.
Top 25 College Football & NFL Picks. I was correct on 17 out of 24 picks in the college ranks last week (including South Carolina over #4 Ole Miss) and 13 out of 16 in the NFL (including Bengals over Steelers).

E-mail your lists to thelist.bearcast@gmail.com!

My Apologies to Kole Ross

2009-09-24T22:00:00.001-04:00

I forgot to read his list for "Top 5 iPhone/iPod Apps" on the show, so here's his list. Don't forget to listen to his show "Stand Under The Don't Tree And Riddle Me This." Also, visit DontTreeRiddle.com.

1. Remember the Milk ($25 per year)
Excellent productivity app that integrates with the supremely useful to-do list organizer of the same name.

2. Stanza (Free)
E-book reader with immediate access to a complete library of public domain works, including the complete works of H.P. Lovecraft, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and Oscar Wilde. You can even put your own e-books on there, from any format.

3. Drop7 ($3)
Supremely addicting puzzle game that's a cross between Tetris and Sudoku. Rules are too complicated to explain here, so go check out the free "Lite" version. This game made subway ride bearable while I was in NYC.

4. Evernote (Free)
The perfect omni-note-taking app. You can store text notes and picture notes as well (all of the text in a picture is scanned by the software so your pictures are searchable by content). The creator says that this app "Makes the human memory obsolete," and that's not hyperbole.

5. Tweetdeck (Free)
The iPhone was made for Twitter. This puts the best desktop Twitter app on your iPhone. It is good.

Preview for "The List" 9/24 Edition

2009-09-23T18:54:00.003-04:00

Here's what to expect on Thursday night's pilot episode of "The List":

The Lists:

Top 5 Two-Sport Athletes
Top 5 Worst Third Jerseys (Suggested by Brandon Kisker)
Top 5 iPhone/iPod Apps

Bearcats Football on a roll. Look ahead to Saturday's tilt with Fresno State. Could this team play for it all in Pasadena?
Bengals coming off a big win. Steelers coming off a tough loss. Could the Bengals pull the upset again on Sunday? Will Keith Rivers seek revenge on Hines Ward? If not, who could?
Plaxico Burress locked away for two years. Will we ever see him back in the NFL?
Season winding down for the Reds. Will Willy Taveras be in Cincinnati next year? Stubbs or Dickerson in center? Does Gomes return? What about Hernandez? Lots of decision ahead for your Redlegs.
My picks for the NFL and Top 25 in College Football from upsets to no-brainers.

PLEASE E-MAIL YOUR LISTS TO THELIST.BEARCAST@GMAIL.COM

"The List," Thursday night at 8 on BearcastRadio.com. LISTEN UP PEOPLE!

"The List"

2009-09-22T20:24:00.002-04:00

Hi. Welcome back.

Since I'm (hopefully) going to be doing the inaugural episode of "The List" this Thursday night, maybe I should run a few things by you, the faithful listener.

"The List" is a one-man show. I thought about finding a partner-in-crime to co-host with me, but I finally came to the decision to do this myself. Why? Because I don't think anybody can replace Chuges, my partner-in-crime of the last two years on the "Throwdown." However, there will be different members of the Bearcast Sports team that will help me out.

The way "The List" will work is sort of like the "Throwdown," but with a little twist. The first hour will mainly consist of my thoughts on things going on at the time (UC Football, Reds, Bengals, how much I can't stand Chris Berman, etc.). Of course, I encourage you to chime in with your calls, IMs, and e-mails.

Hour number two will be where I'll start to dive into the actual "List" portion of the show. We will cover three lists: one involving sports (duh), one that is suggested by one of you, and one that is completely random and may or may not have anything to do with sports. I will give my top five in each of these topics.

When it comes to this part of the show, I would prefer that you e-mail me your own lists and your responses to my lists. This way, it makes it much easier for me to get to each of you within the hour. I will try to read all of your e-mails on the air, but I can't make any guarantees or promises.

For the pilot episode, I have come up with the following:

Sports List: Top 5 Two-Sport Athletes
Your List: [This is where you fill the void. Give me your ideas!]
Random List: Top 5 iPhone/iPod Apps

PLEASE SEND YOUR E-MAILS TO THE NEW ADDRESS FOR THE SHOW: thelist.bearcast@gmail.com

With that being said, I'm looking forward to putting out an enjoyable product for you and everyone else in Internet radio land. Let the lists roll in...

It's been a while...

2009-07-20T14:29:00.003-04:00

...but guess who's back. :-)

____________________

Here's a little update on what's been going on with me. I'm still working at GABP as a member of the John Morrell Reds Rally Pack, and now I'm interning at News 5 with Ken Broo and the gang. Here's a link to Ken's blog, "The Broo View." Check it out.

Other than that, I've been good. I'm constantly trying to come up with ideas for the new show starting in September (GET READY!).

If you didn't hear, the new show will be called "The List." It will consist of different topics to which we will list off the top five. I will come up with a list every week for anywhere between 2-4 topics. I will also be reading off lists sent in by YOU. As soon as I can come up with some good ones, I'll post them. I'm also very open to any and all suggestions. These will mostly be pertaining to sports, but I don't mind other topics (music, etc.).

____________________

Having Ramon Hernandez out with knee surgery for 4-6 weeks will give Ryan Hanigan the opportunity to prove himself as an everyday catcher. While I feel that he will fill the role accordingly, his performance will tell the story of whether the Reds will look to re-sign Hernandez after his contract runs up following the 2009 slate.

____________________

How awesome was watching Tom Watson this past weekend? I think that was more exciting than if we would have had to sit through Tiger Woods going after another major. Probably one of the great feats and collapses in British Open history, and it happened in the same tournament.

____________________

Now, this has bugged me for a few weeks. I'm with a lot of fans when I say the Reds should be buyers prior to the upcoming and looming trade deadline on July 31 at 4:00 PM.

There's reports that the Reds may be interested in Blue Jays 3B Scott Rolen, but he won't get you over the hump. Plus, it looks as if Edwin Encarnacion has found his stroke (which will probably be lost again now that I have typed that statement). Rolen has good defense and a good bat. Not anywhere near where it used to be, but still good.

Then there's Matt Holliday of Oakland. Everyone is still sold on him because of the insane numbers he was putting up in Colorado. But this year, he's hitting .276 with 9 HR and 47 RBI, compared to the past four season with the Rockies where he hit over .300 each season, and over .320 in three of those years (including a .340 campaign in '07). Why was Holliday so good with Colorado and not as lights out with Oakland? He was playing for Colorado. The ball flies -- and I mean FLIES -- out of Coors Field. Oakland Coliseum is not Coors Field.

Sticking with the Rockies, I think the Reds should go after Colorado's RF Brad Hawpe. Hawpe was an All-Star this year, and would have had a go-ahead homer for the National League if it weren't for the catch that made Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford the game's MVP. Why should the Reds go after Hawpe? He's hitting .325 and will likely finish with his most productive season ever. Nobody is going to catch the Dodgers in the NL West and the Giants are going to run away with the Wild Card spot, so I think selling is in the Rockies best interest.

Now, who should the Reds give up? If I'm Walt Jocketty, I see how Bronson Arroyo holds up against the Dodgers in his start on Wednesday night. If he does well, that makes his trade stock as high as it's been all season long. Not only would the Reds be getting a bat that can hit for contact just as much as he hits for power in Hawpe, but they would clear up money with Arroyo's contract ($12 mil this year and next; Hawpe making $4.5 mil this year) and get an right fielder to take the place of Jay Bruce while he's out. Not only that, but Hawpe still has the 2010 season left on his contract. That would make him expendable to trade for a top starter either in the offseason or next season, when Bruce will be back as the everyday right fielder.

That's my take on the Reds at the trade deadline.

But hey, what do I know?

WHOAAAAA

2009-04-03T11:54:00.006-04:00

How awesome is the new scoreboard at Great American Ball Park?

Probably the only bright spot on what is looking to be a dreary, cold, wet, and possibly white Opening Day.

____________________

Thanks to everybody who tuned in last night and those who called in to wish me a happy 21st birthday. It really means a lot.

You know where to reach me.

Throwdown Preview 4/2 (CYCLONES TICKETS GIVEAWAY!)

2009-04-02T13:18:00.004-04:00

No Chuges tonight, so I'm flying solo. I'll be giving my thoughts on the Final Four, the start of baseball season, the Reds, UC football starting spring practice, the close of the NHL regular season, and a little bit on the NFL Draft coming up in less than a month, along with anything else YOU want to discuss. Also, we have a Double Pick 'Em Game of the Week with both Final Four matchups coming up on Saturday night (Michigan St.-UConn & Villanova-UNC).

On top of all of that, my guest will be Cincinnati Cyclones Head Coach Chuck Weber. He just led the 'Clones to yet another playoff berth and will be looking for back-to-back Kelly Cup Championships. Any questions you want me to ask him? Let me know.

We will also be giving away TWO PAIRS OF TICKETS TO SATURDAY NIGHT'S SEASON FINALE AGAINST THE JOHNSTOWN CHIEFS during random times of the show. Saturday night is Fan Appreciation Night, where there will be $1 beers, $1 hot dogs, and tons of giveaways.

LISTEN TO THE THROWDOWN TONIGHT ON BEARCASTRADIO.COM FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

Oh, and I turn 21 tomorrow, so feel free to wish me a Happy Birthday. ;-)

You know where to reach me.

Wow

2009-03-03T21:45:00.005-05:00

South Florida.

Really?

The 14th-place Bulls of USF.

Just like the Reds in 1999 that couldn't finish the job against Al Leiter and the Mets.

Just like the Bengals in 2006 that couldn't finish the job against the Broncos and Steelers.

Just like Bearcats football in 2008 (technically, 2009) that couldn't finish the job in the Orange Bowl against Virginia Tech.

If the nickname has read "Cincinnati" before it in the last ten years, it must mean that the team can't finish the job down the stretch.

Cincinnati Bearcats 59, South Florida Bulls 70

Welcome, Cincinnati basketball. We've been expecting you.

See you in the NIT.

You know where to reach me.

What Do You Think?

2009-02-19T00:39:00.003-05:00

The NFL Draft is coming up in about two months and the Bengals have the 6th overall pick. Everyone is talking about us taking an offensive lineman like Alabama's Andre Smith, Baylor's Jason Smith, or Eugene Monroe of Virginia. But would anybody be against taking a defensive lineman like Brian Orakpo from Texas?

Think about it. Brian Orakpo is literally a monster. 6'4", 260 pounds of solid muscle, and 11 sacks last season for the Longhorns. There's a guy that could easily replace John Thornton on the D-Line.

If you pass up on A. Smith, J. Smith, or Monroe, you miss out on the best offensive linemen in the Draft. But at the same time, there are still some solid guys that could be picked up in the later rounds. Guys like Louisville's Eric Wood (out of Elder High School...because Chuges would kill me if I didn't mention that), Cal's Alex Mack, Oregon's Max Unger, or Duke Robinson from Oklahoma. A good example of this: 2006, 2nd round, Bengals select LSU's Andrew Whitworth. Also, in the 2nd round in 2003, the Bengals took Iowa's Eric Steinbach.

Anyway, just some food for thought. What do you think?

You know where to reach me.

Throwdown Preview 2/12

2009-02-12T19:31:00.002-05:00

Here's a preview for tonight's show on BearcastRadio.com.

Bearcats Hoops. Can this team make a run at the NCAA Tournament? Can we pull off some upsets to get us there? Will the Bearcats possibly catch Pitt looking ahead to their matchup on Monday against top-rated UConn? Also, we'll talk about Mick's comments from today.
Wild Week in Baseball. A-Rod on steroids. Roberto Alomar allegedly having sex with women when he has AIDS. Darryl Strawberry having sex with women during games. Miguel Tejada facing jail time and/or deportation. Roger Clemens charges could be coming soon. What's next? Will you ever watch the game in the same way?
Anything you want us to talk about.
Pick 'Em Game of the Week: Monday's matchup between #4 Pitt and #1 UConn. Who ya got?
Funny Clip & Most Annoying Person

Check out The Throwdown, tonight at 8 on BearcastRadio.com.

Could this be any more awkward?

2009-02-12T11:54:00.004-05:00

Joaquin Phoenix on Letterman last night. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see this because the power decided to shut off for an hour and it just happened to be during the show.

Wow. He is so weird. And Letterman is on top of his game.

Where do the 'Cats stand?

2009-02-11T11:21:00.004-05:00

With the Bearcats rolling along in conference play, there is talk surrounding the team and their chances to be dancing in March. Here's where different "bracketologists" have the Bearcats projected to fall when it comes down to it.

Joe Lunardi, ESPN: First team off the board (Updated 2/9)
Andy Glockner, SI: No. 12 seed, facing No. 5 Villanova in Round 1 (Updated 2/9)
Mike Huguenin, Rivals.com: No. 9 seed, facing No. 8 Florida State in Round 1 (Updated 2/11)
Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: No 11 seed, facing No. 6 Minnesota in Round 1 (Updated 2/11)
Bracketography.com: No. 10 seed, facing No. 7 Texas in Round 1 (Updated 2/8)

There you have it. If there are any other sites that I haven't posted with March Madness Tournament predictions, please send them along and I'll make sure to post them.

You know where to reach me.

Challenge

2009-02-10T10:56:00.001-05:00

I'm calling out all members of RallyCats and The DEN to come up with something innovative like this...

My Apologies

2009-02-09T11:02:00.006-05:00

I've been slacking on the blog here for the past month or so due to school just taking over my life. Nothing beats last week, though. Four midterms in four days, including two the day after Super Bowl Sunday. Any professor that schedules that is a tool. Yes, I'm talking to you Prof. Dunning and Prof. McSwiggen (picture Mike Krzyzewski with grey hair, a beard, and glasses).

____________________

A big win on Saturday for the Bearcats. I know Georgetown is on the decline this year, but to take a home-and-home from them 10 days apart can't be overlooked.

I said at the beginning of this season that Dion Dixon could be a difference maker on this team. Dixon has given a decent effort this season by averaging about seven points in just under 22 minutes a game, not first-team freshman numbers by any means but it gets the job done. But where has Larry Davis come from? Mick Cronin has lit a fire under Davis after talking to him following the loss to Villanova, telling him that he needs to be more aggressive and be the difference. He hasn't disappointed. Before taking on Notre Dame, Davis was averaging just under six points in about 20 minutes a game. The last two games, he's averaging 16 points and 31.5 minutes a game. There's your difference maker.

Here's how I see the end of the season playing out. They'll defeat St. John's on Wednesday night at home before the stretch that will make or break their season (at Pitt, Louisville, West Virginia, at Syracuse). They'll drop the first two at Pitt and at home versus Louisville, but they'll rebound and defeat West Virginia in the Bob Huggins-Cincinnati reunion in the Queen City, and go to Syracuse and knock off the Orange at the Carrier Dome. Then, they'll round out the season with wins at South Florida and on Senior Day vs. Seton Hall. That puts the Bearcats at 21-10 with a 11-7 BIG EAST record. Add a win on the second day of the BIG EAST Tournament and I think the Bearcats and their 22 wins are dancing in March.

____________________

I must admit that when I first heard about A-Rod's alleged steroid use that it surprised me. But after the smoke has cleared (for now at least), it doesn't surprise me. I felt the same way when I heard about Roger Clemens.

I also don't really care usually when Curt Schilling has something to say. The dude is very outspoken. But I have to agree with him when he says to name the other 104 players, not just A-Rod. Make the others pay for their sins as well. (Also, check it out because Sean Casey weighs in on the situation in this article.)

____________________

Here comes a lot of videos. Prepare yourself.

WWE Wrestler Chris Jericho gets into an altercation with some fans following a show in Victoria, Canada on Saturday

President Obama slams Jessica Simpson (sent along by my dad)

The "YouTube Flavor-of-the-Month" Video: David After Dentist

...and the REMIX!!!!

____________________
A final note: After waiting for almost three months to get it fixed, I finally can connect to the internet on my PS3 (Thanks to Scott Waldrop of "5 Minute Major" for helping me out). If anyone wants to play a friendly game of Madden 09, NCAA Football 09, or NHL 09, just let me know. I'd love for you to probably kick my ass.

You know where to reach me.

Ugh

2009-02-01T22:49:00.002-05:00

This sucks.

At least Springsteen was incredible.

I'm sorry, what was that?

2009-01-14T11:13:00.005-05:00

I'm sitting in Tangeman University Center at UC during my one-hour break from 11 to noon and I'm doing the whole web surfing thing. I'm on ESPN.com and I scroll down to their "Featured Comment." This doozie comes from a user that calls themself "j-bridges"...

"[Michael] Crabtree is nowhere near the best receiver ever in the Big 12. [Roy] Williams and [Limas] Sweed were better."

Um, what? Are you kidding me?

Let's take a look at the numbers, shall we?

Michael Crabtree (two seasons at Texas Tech): 231 catches, 3,127 yards, 41 TD
Roy Williams (four seasons at Texas): 241 catches, 3,866 yards, 36 TD
Limas Sweed (four seasons at Texas): 124 catches, 1,915 yards, 20 TD

So "j-bridges," you're saying that a receiver that is entering the NFL Draft (which is only three months away and I'm already stoked for) with only ten less catches and five more TDs than Williams and double the TDs (plus one) more than Sweed in HALF THE TIME that either Williams or Sweed played is NOT the greatest receiver in Big 12 history? Might want to get your eyes checked because Mr. Crabtree is running right by you into the end zone (again) with a bright NFL future.

By the way, what exactly has Williams and Sweed done since their departure from Texas? Answer that one for me, "j-bridges."

If you're going to be a fan, be a fan. If you're going to say something like that, think before you say it. That's all I ask.

The truth can hurt, Longhorns fans, but you need to respect the player that Michael Crabtree was at Texas Tech, no matter how much you may hate that program. Hell, Cincinnati football fans hate Pat White (myself included) for how he dismantled the Bearcats in his first three years at West Virginia. But Pat White is a damn good football player and arguably the greatest quarterback in BIG EAST history. I can't argue that. Nobody can. Same goes for Crabtree. He's the elite receiver in Big 12 history.

You know where to reach me.

NFL Mock Draft

2009-01-05T16:02:00.005-05:00

From NFLDraftSite.com:

Bengals Draft

Round 1 - Fili Moala, DT, USC

Round 2 - Alex Boone, OG, Ohio State

Round 3 - Ryan Purvis, TE, Boston College

Round 4 - Jeremy Lomax, DE, Georgia

Round 5 - Ian Johnson, RB, Boise State

Round 6 - Louie Sakoda, K, Utah

Round 7 - Paul Fanaika, OG, Arizona State

Only two O-lineman would drive me up the wall.

Bearcats in the draft

Round 1

9. Green Bay - Mike Mickens, CB

Round 2

34. St. Louis - Trevor Canfield, OG

35. Kansas City - Connor Barwin, DE

55. Minnesota - DeAngelo Smith, CB

Round 5

129. Detroit - Brandon Underwood, CB/FS

142. NY Giants (from New Orleans) - Terrill Byrd, DT

They also had Mardy Gilyard going in the 5th round (154 overall) to Miami, but he said that he will return for his senior season. Also, Dominick Goodman was listed as the 3rd best wide receiver and Kevin Huber was the 3rd best punter in the college free agent pool.

Throwdown Bowl Picks

2008-12-19T21:59:00.006-05:00

Saturday, December 20, 2008

EagleBank Bowl: Wake Forest (7-5) vs. Navy (8-4)

Dylan and Chuges both take Navy

Result: Wake Forest def. Navy, 29-19

New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State (6-6) vs. Fresno State (7-5)

Dylan and Chuges both take Fresno State

Result: Colorado State def. Fresno State, 40-35

St. Petersburg Bowl: Memphis (6-6) vs. South Florida (7-5)

Dylan and Chuges both take South Florida

Result: South Florida def. Memphis, 41-14

Las Vegas Bowl: #16 BYU (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5)

Dylan and Chuges both take #16 BYU

Result: Arizona def. #16 BYU, 31-21

Sunday, December 21, 2008

New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss (6-6) vs. Troy (8-4)

Dylan and Chuges both take Troy

Result: Southern Miss def. Troy, 30-27 (OT)

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Poinsettia Bowl: #9 Boise St. (12-0) vs. #11 TCU (10-2)

Chuges takes #9 Boise St., while Dylan takes #11 TCU

Result: #11 TCU def. #9 Boise St., 17-16

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii (7-6) vs. Notre Dame (6-6)

Dylan and Chuges both take Hawaii

Result: Notre Dame def. Hawaii, 49-21

Friday, December 26, 2008

Motor City Bowl: Florida Atlantic (6-6) vs. Central Michigan (8-4)

Dylan and Chuges both take Central Michigan

Result: Florida Atlantic def. Central Michigan, 24-21

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Meineke Car Care Bowl: West Virginia (8-4) vs. North Carolina (8-4)

Dylan and Chuges both take West Virginia

Result: West Virginia def. North Carolina, 31-30

Champs Sports Bowl: Wisconsin (7-5) vs. Florida State (8-4)

Dylan takes Wisconsin, while Chuges takes Florida State

Result: Florida State def. Wisconsin, 42-13

Emerald Bowl: Miami (7-5) vs. California (8-4)

Dylan and Chuges both take California

Result: California def. Miami, 24-17

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Independence Bowl: Northern Illinois (6-6) vs. Louisiana Tech (7-5)

Dylan takes Northern Illinois, while Chuges takes Louisiana Tech

Result: Louisiana Tech def. Northern Illinois, 17-10

Monday, December 29, 2008

Papajohns.com Bowl: North Carolina St. (6-6) vs. Rutgers (7-5)

Dylan and Chuges both take Rutgers

Result: Rutgers def. North Carolina St., 29-23

Alamo Bowl: #21 Missouri (9-4) vs. #23 Northwestern (9-3)

Dylan and Chuges both take #21 Missouri

Result: #21 Missouri def. #23 Northwestern, 30-23 (OT)

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Humanitarian Bowl: Maryland (7-5) vs. Nevada (7-5)

Dylan and Chuges both take Maryland

Result: Maryland def. Nevada, 42-35

Texas Bowl: Western Michigan (9-3) vs. Rice (9-3)

Dylan takes Western Michigan, while Chuges takes Rice

Result: Rice def. Western Michigan, 38-14

Holiday Bowl: #13 Oklahoma State vs. #17 Oregon

Dylan takes #13 Oklahoma State, while Chuges takes #17 Oregon

Result: #17 Oregon def. #13 Oklahoma State, 42-31

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Armed Forces Bowl: Houston (7-5) vs. Air Force (8-4)

Dylan takes Houston, while Chuges takes Air Force

Result: Houston def. Air Force, 34-28

Sun Bowl: Oregon State (8-4) vs. #20 Pittsburgh (9-3)

Dylan and Chuges both take #20 Pittsburgh

Result: Oregon State def. #20 Pittsburgh, 3-0

Music City Bowl: #24 Boston College (9-4) vs. Vanderbilt (6-6)

Dylan and Chuges both take #24 Boston College

Result: Vanderbilt def. #24 Boston College, 16-14

Insight Bowl: Kansas (7-5) vs. Minnesota (7-5)

Dylan and Chuges both take Kansas

Result: Kansas def. Minnesota, 42-21

Chick-Fil-A Bowl: LSU (7-5) vs. #14 Georgia Tech (9-3)

Dylan and Chuges both take #14 Georgia Tech

Result: LSU def. #14 Georgia Tech, 38-3

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Outback Bowl: South Carolina (7-5) vs. Iowa (8-4)

Dylan takes South Carolina, while Chuges takes Iowa

Result: Iowa def. South Carolina, 31-10

Capital One Bowl: #15 Georgia (9-3) vs. #18 Michigan State (9-3)

Dylan and Chuges both take #15 Georgia

Result: #15 Georgia def. #18 Michigan State, 24-12

Gator Bowl: Nebraska (8-4) vs. Clemson (7-5)

Dylan takes Nebraska, while Chuges takes Clemson

Result: Nebraska def. Clemson, 26-21

Rose Bowl: #8 Penn State (11-1) vs. #5 USC (11-1)

Dylan and Chuges both take #5 USC

Result: #5 USC def. #8 Penn State, 38-24

Orange Bowl: #12 Cincinnati (11-2) vs. #19 Virginia Tech (8-4)

Dylan and Chuges both take #12 Cincinnati (duh)

Result: #19 Virginia Tech def. #12 Cincinnati, 20-7

Friday, January 2, 2009

Cotton Bowl: #25 Mississippi (8-4) vs. #7 Texas Tech (11-1)

Dylan and Chuges both take #7 Texas Tech

Result: #25 Mississippi def. #7 Texas Tech, 47-34

Liberty Bowl: Kentucky (6-6) vs. East Carolina (9-4)

Chuges takes Kentucky, while Dylan takes East Carolina

Result: Kentucky def. East Carolina, 25-19

Sugar Bowl: #6 Utah (12-0) vs. #4 Alabama (12-1)

Dylan and Chuges both take #4 Alabama

Result: #6 Utah def. #4 Alabama, 31-17

Saturday, January 3, 2009

International Bowl: Buffalo (8-5) vs. Connecticut (7-5)

Dylan and Chuges both take Connecticut

Result: Connecticut def. Buffalo, 38-20

Monday, January 5, 2009

Fiesta Bowl: #10 Ohio State (10-2) vs. #3 Texas (11-1)

Dylan and Chuges both take #3 Texas

Result: #3 Texas def. #10 Ohio State, 24-21

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

GMAC Bowl: #22 Ball State (12-1) vs. Tulsa (10-3)

Dylan and Chuges both take #22 Ball St.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

BCS National Championship: #2 Florida (12-1) vs. #1 Oklahoma (12-1)

Chuges takes #2 Florida, while Dylan takes #1 Oklahoma

Chuges: 17-15

Dylan: 14-18

WHOA!

2008-12-19T14:33:00.002-05:00

If there is any reason to like the Cubs, this is it...

Throwdown Preview 12/18

2008-12-18T13:03:00.004-05:00

I apologize for becoming lazy over the past week. Just when I thought I would get a break following finals, there was working at RedsFest, the Crosstown Shootout, and Christmas shopping. Ho-ho-freakin'-ho.

Here is what's on tap for tonight's program:

No Chuges tonight. Flying solo on this one. He'll call in during the 9:00 hour to discuss the BCS bowls.
Looking ahead to the Orange Bowl. Are you going? What's the biggest factors for the Bearcats? for the Hokies?
Recapping the week in Bearcats basketball. Do we start to worry about the progress of this program? Do you blame the officials or the Bearcats for the loss against Xavier? How about if the 'Cats lose to Mississippi State? Would you then feel Mick Cronin's seat getting warmer? Are you worried about the mere 6,000 people coming out to games in a 13,000+ seat arena?
Chick Ludwig from the Dayton Daily News will join me around 8:40. We'll discuss the Bengals, the 2009 draft, Marvin Lewis vs. Dustin Dow, and other things of that sort.
Andy Kennedy arrested. Some homecoming, eh? Former Bearcats interim coach gets 'cuffed for punching a cab driver.
Joe Paterno signs a 3-year contract extension. Do you think JoePa should keep coaching or hang it up? What does this mean for Penn State football? What does this mean for Joe Paterno?
Baseball Hot Stove. What does the acquisition of Ramon Hernandez mean for the Reds? the departure of Ryan Freel? How much of the economy does the New York Yankees control? Who will sign Mark Teixeira? Manny Ramirez? Adam Dunn?
Pick 'Em Game: Since there will be no shows until January 8, 2009, the same night of the BCS National Championship game, that very game will be tonight's Pick 'Em. So, who do you like? #1 Florida or #2 Oklahoma?
Funny Clip (if I can find one/have time for it)
Most Annoying Person

There you have it. Tune in tonight from 8-10 PM on BearcastRadio.com.

You know where to reach me.

CC to the Yankees

2008-12-10T11:23:00.002-05:00

Good News: CC Sabathia is close to a deal with the Yankees, thus moving him away from the NL Central and the Reds lineup.

Bad News: CC Sabathia is close to a deal with the Yankees, thus giving him the United States economy.

You know where to reach me.

Ranking the Bowl Games

2008-12-08T23:44:00.004-05:00

From top quality matchups to snoozers...

BCS National Championship: Florida vs. Oklahoma
Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. USC
Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Utah
Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Texas
Holiday Bowl: Oklahoma State vs. Oregon
Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati
Poinsettia Bowl: Boise State vs. TCU
Sun Bowl: Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
Cotton Bowl: Mississippi vs. Texas Tech
Capital One Bowl: Georgia vs. Michigan State
Outback Bowl: South Carolina vs. Iowa
Alamo Bowl: Missouri vs. Northwestern
Chick-Fil-A Bowl: LSU vs. Georgia Tech
Gator Bowl: Clemson vs. Nebraska
Meineke Car Care Bowl: West Virginia vs. North Carolina
GMAC Bowl: Tulsa vs. Ball State
Las Vegas Bowl: BYU vs. Arizona
Insight Bowl: Kansas vs. Minnesota
Champs Sports Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Florida State
Music City Bowl: Boston College vs. Vanderbilt
Emerald Bowl: Miami (FL) vs. California
Humanitarian Bowl: Maryland vs. Nevada
Texas Bowl: Rice vs. Western Michigan
Armed Forces Bowl: Houston vs. Air Force
EagleBank Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Navy
International Bowl: Buffalo vs. Connecticut
Liberty Bowl: Kentucky vs. East Carolina
St. Petersburg Bowl: Memphis vs. South Florida
Papajohns.com Bowl: North Carolina State vs. Rutgers
Hawaii Bowl: Hawaii vs. Notre Dame
Motor City Bowl: Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan
New Orleans Bowl: Southern Miss vs. Troy
Independence Bowl: Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State vs. Fresno State

You know where to reach me.

"Finally...

2008-12-05T13:55:00.007-05:00

...the Rock has come back to Cincinnati!"

I know. I'm a dork.

______________________

Could the past week be any better to be a Cincinnati Bearcats football fan? Let's recap:

Last Friday: Pitt defeats West Virginia, 19-15. Cincinnati clinches a share of the BIG EAST Championship and the BIG EAST's BCS bid.
Saturday: Cincinnati defeats Syracuse, 30-10. Cincinnati wins the BIG EAST Championship outright.
Sunday: Nothing. And when I say nothing, I mean the Bengals played.
Monday: Lane Kiffin introduced as the next Tennessee head coach.*
Tuesday: Brian Kelly announces he is not interested in going to another school. Mike Thomas announces that Nippert Stadium will be expanding and there will be new practice facilities put in place.
Wednesday: Notre Dame announces that Charlie Weis will remain as the Fighting Irish head coach, preventing BK from pulling a "Saban" or "Petrino."

On a personal level, I got to hang out with Connor Barwin on Monday night. Really nice guy and absolutely enormous. Pretty funny, too. He enjoys watching "The Hills." Who knew?

What an amazing time to be a Cincinnati Bearcats football fan.

____________________

Chick Ludwig (aka "The Chickster") went out to dinner on Wednesday night with Chad Ocho Cinco.

"We're going to go over there (Indianapolis) and get our asses kicked."

-Chad Ocho Cinco

At least he knows.

____________________

(I know this is a little dated but since I've been busy and didn't make an appearance on "The Throwdown" last night until close to the end, I'm addressing it now.)

Really, Mike Brown? Really? You actually know something about football? Really?

In case you missed it, Mike Brown came out of his Batcave on Monday and addressed the season. Your thoughts, Mr. Brown?

Q: Where have things gone wrong this season?
A: “It is hard to have success in this league without your key players. We’re playing with literally less than half of the people we thought would be our starters. … We lost Carson Palmer, who is our linchpin player. We lost our best defensive player before the season started, (linebacker) Odell Thurman.

"The linebacker corps we thought that we would be playing with was (Keith) Rivers, Thurman and (David) Pollack. They are all gone, two for good.

“When you have that kind of erosion on your football team, it is hard to be successful. We have not managed to overcome it.”

He was relying on Odell Thurman and David Pollack to anchor this defense and help Keith Rivers? Wow.

Q: Will Marvin Lewis have the chance to overcome this season?
A: “You cannot answer that question without undercutting someone. I am not going down that path. I think in many ways he has done an incredibly good job. Our players still try hard. He has them out there trying to the best of their ability.”

A really good job? You can't be serious, man. Have you watched any Bengals football (or attempt at it) this season?

Q: Did Marvin Lewis make the sole decision on Chad Ocho Cinco in Pittsburgh when he disciplined him?
A: “(Lewis) sent Chad home without talking to me. When he did, I backed up his decision. (Discipline of players) has been all his and it is all his.”

But wait. I thought this was your team, Mike? Since when did you give Marvin control of the team like most owners and general managers.

Q: Are you going to essentially fire yourself and hire a general manager?
A: “I call them themes. They (fans and customers) like to talk about different themes when things don’t go well. Part of being in this job, the good side of the coin is it shows the emotional connection the fans have with this football team.”

Um, what? Way to sidestep that one, jackass.
____________________
The 3rd annual Women's Crosstown Shootout is this Sunday. Coverage begins at 2:00 PM on BearcastRadio.com. Josh Katzowitz gives an insight to this contest on his blog.

You know where to reach me.

So Damn Busy

2008-12-01T13:40:00.003-05:00

Sorry I haven't been updating lately. It will continue to be tough to do so for the next two weeks with finals going on this week and next, but after that it will be smooth sailing back to the good ol' blog.

____________________

On Mo Egger's blog, a listener of his show sent in an e-mail that I found to be the exact definitions of UC football and Bengals football.

Has there ever been a bigger contrast between days?

Saturday; people tailgating early all over Clifton with an air of optimism. The weather was perfect; sunny, mid-forties, every one heading to watch a team on the cusp of winning the Big East championship outright.

Sunday; empty parking lots all over the river. The weather was brutal; cloudy, rainy and cold. A few people walking into a stadium looking like they were going to a funeral.

Perfect description.

____________________

I love Mardy Gilyard. From Josh Katzowitz's blog:

"We want to play O State," Gilyard said. "I'm trying to find the best way to say this the right way. We want to settle that big brother/little brother argument. We're not the little brother no more in the state. We're not. We feel we're the big brother in the state, but you've got guys up north that might say otherwise. I say: Play us and find out. We can end it right there."

Sounds good to me. Even though it won't happen in the BCS, where Ohio State is likely to get a at-large bid barring a major USC collapse against UCLA this weekend, I would love to end it once and for all. Bring on the Bucks.

_____________________

Brian Kelly to Washington? Get the hell outta here.

_____________________

Even though it hasn't been made "official," Princeton quarterback Spencer Ware will be transferring to Colerain. Damn.

_____________________

Gotta go to class for now. I might add on to this later. Then again, I might not.

You know where to reach me.

YES!

2008-11-30T21:34:00.003-05:00

I'm feeling a little Orange today

2008-11-24T10:30:00.006-05:00

Can you believe it?

With a 28-21 win over #20 Pittsburgh on Saturday night, the Bearcats are very close to heading to a BCS bowl game (most likely the Orange Bowl). And for those wondering, yes I was on the field early both times. Don't blame me, the clock said :00 and Stull looked like he was down.

The 16th-ranked Bearcats will be ensured a BCS bid with either a Pittsburgh win in the Backyard Brawl against West Virginia on Friday night or a win over Syracuse on Saturday afternoon.

If you would have told me at the start of the season that the Bearcats would be on the doorstep of a BIG EAST Championship and a BCS bid on the shoulders of Tony Pike, I would have probably told you to have another drink. But Pike has become a star as the starting quarterback of the soon-to-be conference champs. He had another brilliant performance on Saturday night, going 26-for-32 for 309 yards and 3 touchdowns. And when he wasn't looking downfield, he was getting out of the pocket and picked up 45 yards on the ground.

The defense was stellar, as well. They sacked Bill Stull eight times, including three by Connor Barwin, Brandon Underwood had an interception, and they did what I thought was the key to winning the game by holding Lesean McCoy to under 100 yards rushing (86 yards). Oh, and they did it without All-American cornerback Mike Mickens who was out with a sore knee.

Personally, growing up as a Cincinnati sports fan has been kind of tough. Whenever a team is put in a big game, they usually wind up not performing or something happens to hinder their original gameplan. The Bengals in 2005 (although I think they win that game if Palmer doesn't get blindsided), the Reds in 1999, the UC Basketball team in 2000 (they win the national title if K-Mart is healthy), and I wasn't old enough to remember the wire-to-wire 1990 Reds World Series Champs. It's so refreshing to see a team that I have grown to love come through and be successful.

Let's do something we'll never forget. I'm requesting that FedEx ships the Cincinnati Bearcats under express priority service to the Dolphins Stadium in Miami, Florida for the Orange Bowl.

____________________

Before the season, I said it would be Oklahoma taking on Florida in the BCS National Championship game. It could happen...

____________________

It's being reported that if Pacman Jones has one more run-in with trouble that he'll be banned from the NFL for life. About time.

____________________

I'll leave you with Bo Burnham's new song. I wish someone would tell Katy Perry that Halloween was last month.

You know where to reach me.

Throwdown Preview 11/20

2008-11-20T15:49:00.004-05:00

Here's what's on tap for tonight's show:

UC-Louisville Review/Giving Chuges more crap for picking the Cards
Preview of the biggest game in UC football history vs. Pitt
Bengals-Steelers tonight. Chad benched. Does anybody care? Are you tired of Chad?
Bearcats basketball. First impression of Yancy? Toyloy? Dixon? Are we THE BIG EAST sleeper team?
Big Pick 'Em Game of the Week: #2 Texas Tech vs. #5 Oklahoma
Funny Clip of the Week
Most Annoying Person of the Week
Anything else that YOU want to talk about!

Tune in to THE THROWDOWN tonight at 8:00 on BEARCASTRADIO.COM!

Give us a shout on AIM at tntbearcast.

What the french, toast?

2008-11-17T13:38:00.003-05:00

"I didn't know that. I've never been part of a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book." -Eagles QB Donovan McNabb

Wow.

So, in case you decided to crawl into a hole dug by Shia Labeouf on Sunday, the Bengals didn't beat the Eagles. But the Eagles didn't beat the Bengals either.

That's right. They tied.

Shayne Graham misses a 47-yard field goal attempt with :07 left in OT. Final score: Eagles - 13, Bengals - 13.

And now the debate begins. Should the NFL keep their current OT system or switch to college-style OT?

My personal opinion is that it's time for a change. Yesterdays grueling and painful 5th quarter was enough to put me over the edge. Darth Goodell needs to pull the trigger and change the rules.

C. Trent Rosecrans has a pretty good perspective on this, too.

____________________

People are looking WAYYYY too much into this whole thing that President-elect Barack Obama is going to overthrow the BCS system and put in place a playoff system for college football.

I think he has more important things to worry about. Saving the economy, dealing with the war, ya know...stuff like that.

____________________

--Gotta go to class. More to come later.--

Been A While

2008-11-15T16:23:00.013-05:00

I apologize for not doing any posting this week. I've been crazy busy and struggled to keep up. But without anything further, here we go...

____________________

Chuges did the unthinkable on the show the other night. In case you missed it, my partner in blabbering about sports picked Louisville to beat Cincinnati, 28-24. Excuse me while I clear my throat.

Ahem.

Suck it, Chuges.

Saturday is easily the biggest game in school history. Brian Kelly especially knows this:

I think it is the biggest game in school history. There is no question about that. If that place doesn't have five-hundred thousand people in it, I'm gonna be pissed. I'm gonna be pissed. Because we have done everything to elevate this program. If you can't support us next week, then there's nothing else we can do.

If that place isn't filled to capacity a week from tonight, not only will I be pissed, but I may go on a shooting rampage. There is absolutely NO reason that Nippert Stadium should not have 35,097 people in it when the 'Cats take on Pittsburgh. The winner of that one will most likely go to the BCS.

It's so close that I can smell it. Next Saturday, I wanna see it. But if that time comes, I don't wanna taste it until January 1, 2009.

____________________

Since when was it a bad thing to have a prayer on a football field before the game?

When the Bearcats arrived last night in Louisville, they did their usual pre-game ritual by holding hands in a circle around midfield and have a team prayer. Word got back to the Kragthorpe and the rest of the Cardinals, leading to some of the players and coaches coming out of the locker room to confront the Bearcats. Apparently, somebody told Louisville that the Cincinnati players were stomping on the Cardinals logo at midfield. The Bearcats did that exact thing four years ago before their matchup against The 'Ville (Louisville won that game, 70-7).

Before the game while the players were stretching, Kragthorpe and Kelly had what was reported to be "a short but heated discussion" about what happened. There was also a report that after the game that the two coaches did not shake hands. That report was later denied and they did shake hands, although it may not have been the friendliest of them all.

Now, here's what gets me kind of fired up. At the end of the game, the ESPN2 broadcast booth team of Sean McDonough and Chris Spielman jumped all over Kelly for waving his hand in a "Get Outta Here" motion towards the Louisville sideline, assuming that was meant for Kragthorpe. They called Kelly "unsportsmanlike" and "ridiculous."

Photo courtesy of C. Trent Rosecrans

Yeah, that looks like a team coached by an unsportsmanlike guy to me. What do you think?

A word of wisdom to McDonough and Spielman: To assume means making an ass out of U and me. That's exactly what you did.

Way to go, asses.

____________________

Oh, how the (historically) mighty have fallen in college football and college basketball. Yikes.

____________________

Will the Bengals carry their momentum over from the win over Jacksonville and use it to defeat the Eagles?

Unfortunately, they will not.

Eagles win, 31-16.

____________________

If I had a say in the AL and NL MVP Awards, my votes would go to Dustin Pedroia and Albert Pujols.

____________________

A text message I received on Friday at 3:24 PM from Ken (of the college football contest):

If Tennessee had not peed down their leg last week, I would pick Penn State this week.

Classic.

____________________

David Weathers is "turning the page" on the Reds.

The Cubs "closed a chapter" and will not bring back Kerry Wood.

Would anybody be against Wood in a Reds uniform? I wouldn't mind seeing a spring training battle for the setup role between Wood and Jared Burton.

____________________

BEN MAUK GRANTED SIXTH YEAR; KELLY SAYS HE WILL START AGAINST PITT

Not really, but now that I have your attention, for those who don't know my parents are Chris & Janeen, the hosts of "Married With Microphones" on local radio station WGRR 103.5. Now, I know what your thinking. How could such awesome local celebrities have such a weird and borderline insane son? Trust me, I wonder that every single day.

All genes aside, my parents are in a contest sponsored by WKRC Local 12 to determine which local morning show is the best.

PLEASE CLICK HERE AND VOTE FOR CHRIS & JANEEN! THANK YOU!

____________________

I meant to do this a long time ago, but my boy Travis Holmes has started a college basketball blog for The Lot D. He's been working hard on it and he puts a lot of effort into it, so check it out. Tell him Dylan sent you.

You know where to reach me.

A whole bunch of stuff I suppose I believe I think

2008-11-09T12:02:00.009-05:00

First things first. The college football contest results from yesterday:

Andy: Texas. They smash Baylor at home. He's in.
Brent: Penn State. Oops. See ya, BCS Title Game. He's out.
Ken: Tennessee. Wyoming? Really? Really? He's out.

So there you have it. Congratulations to Andy, the winner of the college football contest.

____________________

Did anybody else have a near-heart attack last night around 10:15? Yeah, me too. The Bearcats were up 20-7 in the 4th quarter, and then the walls just imploded.

As I sat there and watched Kevin Huber run out of the back of the end zone for a safety, a touchdown and two-point conversion, a recovered onside kick, and 52-yard field goal by Pat McAfee, I let out a loud and worrisome "OH. MY. GOD!" And I felt like I had died.

Oh, and in case you missed it, all of that happened in the final 71 seconds.

But what looked like what was about to become the toughest loss in the history of the program became it's biggest win.

Tony Pike does a play-action, rolls to the right, and as I screamed for what seemed like an eternity "OH MY GOD, HE'S WIDE OPEN!", Pike finds Kazeem Alli for a 2-yard touchdown in overtime. The Bearcats win, 26-23. And I'm resurrected.

The overtime score led to being one of four finalists as the ESPN Pontiac Game Changing Performance. While the touchdown gave the 'Cats a victory over the defending Fiesta Bowl Champions, I have to argue that it was not the biggest game changer for Cincinnati.

On 3rd & 3 from the 7-yard line in OT, Pat White was rolling out of the pocket when he was sacked from behind by Terrill Byrd for a 3-yard loss. If Byrd doesn't give the hustle that he gave to make that play, West Virginia probably scores at TD and the Bearcats go into their OT possession against a Mountaineers defense with a massive amount of momentum on their side. For that, Byrd gets my game ball.

And how good is Mardy Gilyard? Returns the opening kickoff 100 yards for his second kick return for a touchdown this season (he had a 98-yarder at Oklahoma). It still amazes me that two years ago, he had his scholarship removed and he was working four jobs while living out of his car. Now, he's the best return man in the BIG EAST and one of the best in the country. In-freaking-credible.

While we should savor arguably the biggest win in program history, the 'Cats cannot overlook Louisville. Yes, the Cardinals lost to Syracuse. Yes, their starting quarterback Hunter Cantwell, who was supposed to be the second coming of Brian Brohm, was pulled yesterday in the second quarter. Yes, they got crushed by Pittsburgh yesterday 41-7. But if the Bearcats have any hopes of taking back the Keg of Nails for the first time in six years, they need to get to work and stay focused on getting to that first BIG EAST Title and a BCS bowl birth.

After all, it is a short week.

____________________

****UPDATE: AP and USA Today polls just came out. The Bearcats are ranked #22 in both polls.

____________________

Of all the teams to shake up the BCS, I never in my wildest dreams imagined that it would have been Iowa.

They beat previously unbeaten #3 Penn State (now #7) and completely start the BCS standings over again from scratch.

And the fans that are hurting from this the most are not the Nittany Lions fans. It's Buckeye Nation.

With Penn State losing, they fall to 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten and out of the BCS Title picture. If Penn State wins their remaining two games over Indiana and Michigan State, the current Big Ten leader with a 6-1 conference record, they will get the automatic BCS bid and will likely play in the Rose Bowl. This means Ohio State would have to hope for an at-large bid to the BCS.

Chances are the Buckeyes will get in because they're Ohio State and they bring in a huge fan base, which means more money for the NCAA.

Should they get in and Cincinnati wins the BIG EAST, anybody think we could see a battle of Ohio in the BCS?

____________________

Kenyon Martin has a new tattoo. Miss Piggy would be proud.

____________________

I'm surprised I didn't have a hernia from laughing at this.

____________________

Would anybody else really be opposed to seeing Alabama's defense (allowing a 7th-best 13.1 points per game) against Texas Tech's offense (scoring a 3rd-best 47.9 points per game) for the crystal football?

____________________

Since the Reds don't have the money to go after a guy like Pat Burrell or Manny Ramirez, I wouldn't mind seeing them go after Garret Anderson or Raúl Ibáñez (holy accent marks, Batman).

____________________

Final Thought: Andrew Whitworth's $10,000 fine is pretty bad, but the fact the John Henderson was only fined $15,000 is absolutely astonishing. Whitworth nearly gets a role in SAW VI courtesy of Henderson trying to gouge out his eyes and then Whitworth throws three punches to defend himself. OK, fine. It's understandable that in almost every professional sport that if you throw a punch, you're going to get fined. But Henderson should have been fined way more than he was and possibly should have been benched for one game.

To the NFL, this isn't Tyson-Holyfield. It's football. Grow a pair and stand up to Henderson by giving him a harsher penalty so this doesn't happen again. Pansies.

You know where to reach me.

College Football Contest Picks

2008-11-07T12:06:00.002-05:00

Here's the picks for this week in the contest:

Andy: Texas over Baylor
Brent: Penn State over Iowa
Ken: Tennessee over Wyoming

Listen to women's basketball action tonight on Bearcast as the Cincinnati Bearcats women's basketball team takes on the OGBR All-Stars in an exhibition contest. Myself and Brian Gates will have the call. Tip-off is at 7:00 PM on BEARCASTRADIO.COM!

Throwdown Preview 11/6

2008-11-06T14:10:00.004-05:00

Here's what is on tap for tonight's show:

Bearcats at WVU Football Preview
Bengals win a game!
College Basketball Preview
Pick 'Em Game: #9 Oklahoma State vs. #2 Texas Tech
Funny Clip of the Week
Most Annoying Person of the Week
Anything else that YOU want to talk about!

Tune in at 8:00 tonight for THE THROWDOWN, only on BEARCASTRADIO.COM!

IM us on AIM. The screen name is tntbearcast.

On the brink of insanity

2008-11-03T19:09:00.004-05:00

I'm seriously about to lose my mind.

All I've heard today is Obama this, McCain that. I understand the election is tomorrow and it's potentially the biggest in the history of this country. But for the love of God, shut the hell up. I respect your choice to vote for whoever you're voting for because I'm not affiliated with any party and I'm voting for who I think will do the best job. That's it. If I hear one more person give me a hard time because they don't agree with who I've chosen to give my vote to, I'm going to put them through the wall.

I think some people have forgotten that THIS IS AMERICA.

Final word: I can vote for whoever I damn well please. That's what is great about this country. Don't try to tell me that I can't.

____________________

Now, on to some sports.

The Bengals are now "Jacksonville and 8." I attended the game yesterday afternoon. Yes, I know what you're thinking. "But Dylan, you said you were done for the season with this team. Why are you forking more money over to Mike Brown?" I was invited by my girlfriend's dad after her brother's girlfriend's uncle (confused yet?) gave them four tickets that he couldn't use.

Oh, and back to the politics for a minute. To hell with Obama & McCain. Vote Andrew Whitworth.

____________________

I hate NFL Thursday Night Football. That means I, along with everyone else, have to set my fantasy team three days earlier than normal. Lame.

____________________

C. Trent Rosecrans has a written an open letter to the two major Presidential candidates in regards to their interviews on Monday Night Football with Chris Berman. Needless to say, I'm on his side.

____________________

I'm starting to get into Season 2 of "Celebrity Rehab" on VH1. Gary Busey is a nutcase, but that's old news. This show kind of makes me feel sad for these people because of how they've practically ruined their lives, but it is very good and hard to turn away from because you find yourself rooting for some of them. Check it out sometime. Tell your TV set that Dylan sent you. Chances are it won't give you a discount though.

____________________

That's all I have for now. Everyone make sure they go out and vote tomorrow so we can put an end to all of this and finally have some peace and quiet.

You know where to reach me.

College Football Contest Results

2008-11-03T15:06:00.003-05:00

Here's the results from the college football contest for this week:

Andy: USC. They shutout Washington...by 8 touchdowns. He's in.
Brent: LSU. They roll over Tulane. He's in.
Ken: USC. See Andy. He's in.
Brandon: Boston College. Clemson apparently woke up.
Oops. He's out.

And then there were three: Andy, Brent, and Ken. Sorry Brandon.

Andy
Two picks remaining: Big Ten, Big 12
One pick remaining: ACC, Big East, Pac-10, SEC
No picks remaining: N/A
Cannot pick: Georgia Tech, South Florida, Florida, USC

Brent
Two picks remaining: ACC, Big Ten, Big East, Pac-10
One pick remaining: N/A
No picks remaining: Big 12, SEC
Cannot pick: Any team from the Big 12 or SEC

Ken
Two picks remaining: ACC, Big Ten
One pick remaining: Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, SEC
No picks remaining: N/A
Cannot pick: Cincinnati, LSU, Oklahoma, USC

Bearcats Athletics All Around

2008-11-01T19:52:00.008-04:00

Thursday night, the Bearcats took on #24 South Florida at home. What a great game. Amazing atmosphere (except for some of the fights in the stands) with the blackout and an amazing victory.

Tony Pike looked good despite his broken arm. Matt Grothe looked bad despite looking good against everyone else. His career stats against Cincinnati are now 1 TD, 8 INT. Ouch.

And what can you say about Mardy Gilyard? 98 yards receiving and a touchdown reception. Not to mention what he did after nearly accidently decapitating 7-year-old Garrett Monroe. That was very classy of him. I heard someone say it was the epitome of what is great about student-athletes. And to think that two years ago Gilyard lost his scholarship and was living out of his car while working four jobs. Now he's making plays and making fans around the country. Garrett, on the other hand, is not (at least with the fellas)...

Little bastard. Glad he's OK though.
____________________
Went to the UC-Carleton exhibition basketball game today. Not the best effort from the Bearcats, but they defeated the Ravens 64-54.*

*Carleton lost to Kansas by only one point in exhibition play this past August.

It was nice to see some new faces out there like Mike Williams and Yancy Gates. Mike was getting good looks but got fouled almost every time he went up. Yancy would get it inside and put it in, but he needs to work on moving with the ball and sticking his man on D.

Deonta Vaughn, as usual, looked good. But this team is missing Cashmere Wright.

Also saw John Riek in the stands today. For the love of God, I hope he passes that test. Everyone would love to see him in a Bearcats uniform before BIG EAST play gets underway.

Larry Davis looked kind of lost today. Hopefully, he'll work on that.

Biggie looked better following surgery this past offseason.

Rashad Bishop looks like he will be in the starting lineup this season as well as a small forward. He looked good on defense today.

Dion Dixon led the team in rebounds and played aggresively every time he was on the floor. I think he'll be the sleeper that could rise up on this team and make a bigger difference than people expect.
____________________
That's all I got for now.

You know where to reach me.

College Football Contest Picks

2008-10-31T15:02:00.004-04:00

Here's this week's picks for the college football contest:

Andy: USC over Washington
Brent: LSU over Tulane
Ken: USC over Washington
Brandon: Boston College over Clemson

I'll post something later on the Bearcats big win over South Florida last night.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Congratulations Phillies

2008-10-30T09:25:00.002-04:00

From my World Series Preview post on October 22:

MY PREDICTION: PHILLIES IN 5
WORLD SERIES MVP: COLE HAMELS

How do ya like them apples?

Oops

2008-10-29T00:03:00.004-04:00

From GoBearcats.com:

Anybody else notice something wrong here?

College Football Contest Results (and a few other things)

2008-10-26T12:14:00.007-04:00

Here's the results from this week's college football contest:

Me: Vanderbilt lost...to Duke. Unbelievable. I'm out.

Kara: Georgia Tech lost to Virginia. What is going on??? She's out.

Andy: Florida beat Kentucky. And when I say beat, I mean annihilated. He's in.

Brent: Missouri shuts out Colorado...by 58. He's in.

Steve: Cincinnati loses to UConn. Oops. He's out.

Brian: South Florida drops one to Louisville. Lame. He's out.

Ken: Oklahoma takes it over Kansas State. He's in.

Brandon: Minnesota squeaks by Purdue. He's in.

So there you have it. Half of the field, including yours truly, is out. Andy, Brent, Ken, and Brandon are still in. Good luck, fellas.

____________________

With all due respect to Texas, Penn State is the best college football team in the country. And at 82 years old, JoePa still has it.

____________________

"If you don't vote, you're a moron." -Craig Ferguson

____________________

R.I.P. Cellphone

____________________

Bengals win today?

Nah.

You know where to reach me.

College Football Contest Picks

2008-10-23T12:25:00.005-04:00

Here's the picks for this week's college football contest:

Me: Vanderbilt over Duke

Kara: Georgia Tech over Virginia

Andy: Florida over Kentucky

Brent: Missouri over Colorado

Steve: Cincinnati over Connecticut

Brian: South Florida over Louisville

Ken: Oklahoma over Kansas State

Brandon: Minnesota over Purdue

Here's the deal with Brandon. He's been sending me picks every week, but I didn't get his pick from the first week but he's shown me proof that he did send me an e-mail. All of his picks so far have been correct (Cincinnati over Rutgers two weeks ago, Kentucky over Arkansas last week), so I am allowing him to be recognized in the contest, mostly because I'm a dumbass.

You know where to reach me.

My World Series Preview

2008-10-22T15:09:00.006-04:00

Here's my breakdown of the matchup between the Rays and the Phillies by position:

CATCHER

Dioner Navarro (Rays) vs. Carlos Ruiz (Phillies)

The All-Star Navarro and the sophomore Ruiz are fairly similar as far as offensive production as concerned. But Navarro has a cannon of an arm and has caught 14.9% more basestealers than Ruiz (28 of 45, 38.4% for Navarro; 20 of 65, 23.5% for Ruiz).

Edge: RAYS

FIRST BASE

Carlos Peña (Rays) vs. Ryan Howard (Phillies)

Peña had a nice breakout season for the Rays, batting .247 with 31 HR, 102 RBI, and 96 walks, but had a monster 166 strikeouts. Howard did what he usually does every year: .251, 48 HR, 148 RBI, 81 walks, 199 strikeouts. While Howard's numbers at the plate (not including the strikeouts) are better, Peña has a better glove. The Rays first baseman only committed two errors in his corner this season. Howard had a whopping 19.

Edge: PUSH

SECOND BASE

Akinori Iwamura (Rays) vs. Chase Utley (Phillies)

Iwamura is not exactly at household name status like Utley is. But Iwamura and Utley are somewhat similar in the field. Both make big plays when their team needs them and they are very acrobatic middle infielders. However, Utley takes the cake when it comes to swinging the bat.

Edge: PHILLIES

THIRD BASE

Evan Longoria (Rays) vs. Pedro Feliz (Phillies)

Rookie of the Year candidate Longoria could have been the goat in the ALCS after his error in the 9th inning of Game 5 against the Red Sox. But his six postseason homers definitely make him a threat every time he comes up. While Feliz has decent numbers, Longoria has him beat in almost every aspect of his game.

Edge: RAYS

SHORTSTOP

Jason Bartlett (Rays) vs. Jimmy Rollins (Phillies)

These two play a similar game. Both are under 30 years of age (Bartlett is 28; Rollins 29), both play with great determination, both can steal a base or two (or 20 if you're Bartlett, 47 if you're Rollins). Both are great players. But they don't just hand out MVP awards anymore.

Edge: PHILLIES

LEFT FIELD

Carl Crawford (Rays) vs. Pat Burrell (Phillies)

I find these two to be opposites (not sure if their extreme though). Crawford often gets it done in the field more than at the plate, and vice versa for Burrell. But Burrell's bat is going to mean more to the Phillies than Crawford's glove will to the Rays (even though I'm on the "Defense Wins Championships" bandwagon).

Edge: PHILLIES

CENTER FIELD

BJ Upton (Rays) vs. Shane Victorino (Phillies)

This is my favorite matchup in this year's Fall Classic. These two were huge for their respective clubs during each of their Championship Series. Upton is young, fast, can get to the ball from anywhere in the outfield, and has a cannon of an arm (16 outfield assists during regular season). Victorino (aka "The Flyin' Hawaiian") is like Upton in almost every way but has shown that he plays with his head more than anything, a quality which Upton still has work to on.

Edge: PHILLIES (slightly)

RIGHT FIELD

Gabe Gross (Rays) vs. Jayson Werth (Phillies)

Gross and Werth had almost equal statistics during the regular season. Gross hit .242 with 13 HR, 38 RBI, and 75 strikeouts. Werth was .273 with 24 HR, 67 RBI, and 119 strikeouts. In the field, Gross had only one error in 120 games. Werth had two in 134 games. But I'll take Werth's .243 postseason average over Gross' .063 any day of the week.

Edge: PHILLIES

DESIGNATED HITTER

Cliff Floyd (Rays) vs. Matt Stairs/Chris Coste (Phillies)

Stairs hit the pinch-hit homer that ultimately killed the Dodgers in the NLCS. But Cliff Floyd has been raking it on a regular basis since April.

Edge: RAYS

BENCH

Rays vs. Phillies

The Rays have younger talent on the bench with the likes of Willy Aybar, Ben Zobrist, Michel Hernandez, Rocco Baldelli, and Fernando Perez. The Phillies have a more veteran approach with Stairs, Coste, Eric Bruntlett, Greg Dobbs, Geoff Jenkins, and So Taguchi. Aybar, Zobrist, and Baldelli have been the bench threats this postseason for Tampa Bay. On the Phillies side, it's been mainly Stairs and Bruntlett. With the Phillies looking as if they have a better lineup, the Rays bench will mean more to them in the Series.

Edge: RAYS

STARTING PITCHING

Rays vs. Phillies

The Rays will send out Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Matt Garza, and Andy Sonnanstine in the first four games of the Fall Classic. The Phillies plan to counter with Cole Hamels, Brett Myers, the ageless Jamie Moyer, and Joe Blanton. The Phillies have relied on their offensive production throughout the postseason. The case is the same for the Rays and their starting pitching.

Edge: RAYS

BULLPEN

Rays vs. Phillies

Grant Balfour, Chad Bradford, and Trever Miller have been great for the Rays, but the Phillies have the best bullpen ERA in the NL and the second-best in the Majors (Toronto). You don't mess with that.

Edge: PHILLIES

CLOSER

Dan Wheeler (Rays) vs. Brad Lidge (Phillies)

Wheeler has been used with flexibility in the postseason. Lidge has nothing been dominant and has regained his pre-Albert-Pujols-monster-homer-in-the-2005-NLCS form.

Edge: PHILLIES

MANAGER

Joe Maddon (Rays) vs. Charlie Manuel (Phillies)

Manuel is in it to win it for his mother, who passed away during the NLCS. However, Maddon's story is as incredible as anything. He took a team and turned them from worst to first. Like I've said before, if he doesn't win the AL Manager of the Year Award, they might as well give the NL MVP to Corey Patterson.

Edge: RAYS

FINAL COUNT: PHILLIES 7, RAYS 6, PUSH 1

MY PREDICTION: PHILLIES IN 5

WORLD SERIES MVP: COLE HAMELS

You know where to reach me.

Two more weeks of this crap

2008-10-21T17:34:00.009-04:00

I'm so sick and tired of hearing about "McCain this" or "Obama that" or "Palin something." Two more weeks before we elect a new President in an election that I can't believe I'm going to be voting in. I understand that no President is perfect, but all I ever hear from these two is them bashing one another. How about telling us something about you?

Two more weeks. And it's finally done.

____________________

For the first time since 2004, I'm excited for the World Series. If you would have told me that the Rays and Phillies would be in the Fall Classic one year ago today, I would have laughed in your face and told you to finish your beer.

I'm excited for this one because it's something new and fresh. Faces and names that we haven't seen before this late in October. Instead of Johnny Damon and Alfonso Soriano, we have BJ Upton and Shane Victorino. Instead of Alex Rodriguez and Joe Crede, we have Evan Longoria and Pedro Feliz. Instead of Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson, we have Matt Garza and Cole Hamels. Instead of Mariano Rivera and Jonathan Papelbon, we have Brad Lidge and David Price. Instead of Joe Torre and Tony LaRussa, we have Joe Maddon and Charlie Manuel.

But we still have to deal with Joe Buck.

Damn.

____________________

Seriously, who thinks this is a good look?

____________________

Welcome to the world, Elizabeth Anne Moody.

On Monday at 3:53 PM, my brother Chris and his wife Katie gave birth to their third child. Elizabeth Anne Moody was born at 8 lbs., 3 oz. and was 21" long. She joins her older siblings, Olivia (4 years old) and William (3 years old).

Oh yeah. She'll fit right in. :-)

____________________

My schedule through the end of next week:

Friday - Advertising Midterm

Next Monday - Human Sexuality Midterm

Next Tuesday - Logic Midterm

Next Thursday - Euro Civilization Midterm

This is going to suck.

Wish me luck.

____________________

This news makes me sad.

____________________

33 years ago today, this happened.

____________________

Final note: As much as I hate Hines Ward and the Steelers, the hit on Keith Rivers was legal. Unfortunately, Rivers is out for the rest of the season with a broken jaw. This is a firm reminder of why Ward's teammates love him and his opponents hate him. And another reminder of why football is not a "pansy game," Troy Polamalu.

You know where to reach me.

College Football Contest Results

2008-10-20T22:47:00.010-04:00

Me: Penn State. They rolled over Michigan. Still in.
Kara: Oklahoma State. Smashed Baylor. Still in.
Andy: South Florida. Crushed Syracuse. Still in.
Brent: Alabama. Just squeaked by Ole Miss. Still in.
Steve: Florida State. Pulled it off over NC State. Still in.
Brian: Maryland. Gutzy call for not only the upset, but the shutout over Wake Forest. Still in.
Ken: LSU. Win by a touchdown over South Carolina with some help from the referee. Still in.

So everyone is still in. Here's a breakdown of the picks everyone can still make:

Two picks left from ACC, Big 12, Big East, & SEC

One pick left from Big Ten & Pac-10

Cannot pick Oregon State or Penn State

Kara

Two picks left from ACC, Big Ten, Pac-10, & SEC

One pick left from Big 12 & Big East

Cannot pick West Virginia or Oklahoma State

Andy

Two picks left from Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10, & SEC

One pick left from ACC & Big East

Cannot pick Georgia Tech or South Florida

Brent

Two picks left from ACC, Big Ten, Big East, & Pac-10

One pick left from Big 12 & SEC

Cannot pick Texas Tech or Alabama

Steve

Two picks left from Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, & SEC

No picks left from ACC

Cannot pick any team from the ACC

Brian

Two picks left from Big Ten, Big East, Pac-10, & SEC

One pick left from ACC & Big 12

Cannot pick Texas or Maryland

Ken

Two picks left from ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, & Pac-10

One pick left from Big East & SEC

Cannot pick Cincinnati or LSU

Simply stunning

2008-10-17T18:20:00.016-04:00

So, today is Friday. Friday is two days before Sunday. Most NFL games are played on Sundays. You may already know this. Today, I saw a girl wearing a Carson Palmer jersey and at least four people with Bengals gear on. The last time I checked, the Bengals still had not won a game this season and they were only one of two teams in league still without a victory. I am all for supporting your team, through the good times and the tough times. But did you people not hear me the last time? Do I need to speak louder and/or clearer? Let's try this again.

I w i l l g o v e r y s l o w f o r y o u.

Purchasing and wearing one of these...

will lead to more of these...

(Everyone still with me? Good. Let's continue.)

in the pockets of one of these...

Things like this make me sad to be a Bengals fan.

But the team sucks too, so that helps.

____________________

Since Chuges and I had our show last night, we missed about the first half of the Rays-Red Sox ALCS Game 5. When we left the Bearcast studio, the Rays led 5-0. When we got back from our 5-8 minute walk to our apartment, it was 7-0. We thought that was it and we would keep watching to see the Rays celebrate their first trip to the World Series in franchise history while flipping back and forth between that and Letterman (McCain was his guest...weeeee). But, in the words of Lee Corso, "not so fast, my friend."

A rally in the 7th, capped off by David Ortiz breaking out of his slump with a 3-run shot around the Pesky Pole in right field. 7-4 Rays.

Another rally in the 8th with a JD Drew 2-run homer to make it 7-6 Rays, followed by a Coco Crisp RBI single that scored Mark Kotsay. 7-7 going into the 9th.

Full count. Two outs. Cincinnati native and former Bearcat Kevin Youkilis at the plate. Ground ball to third, we're going to extras...

Oops.

Evan Longoria puts it in the dirt, Youk winds up on 2nd, Jason Bay is intentionally walked, and JD Drew comes through again. Sox win 8-7 going back to Tampa for Game 6 tomorrow night.

A game like last night's is a big reason why I chose the Red Sox to go all the way at the start of the postseason. This team doesn't know the meaning of the word "fail." In 2003, the probably would have packed it in and told themselves they would try harder next year. But this postseason, Papi seems to have possibly found his groove, JD Drew is swinging the bat, Youkilis is coming through in place of Mike Lowell at 3rd base, Pedroia is showing why he could be an MVP candidate. The pieces are seeming to come together after last night. This isn't your father's or grandpa's cursed Red Sox anymore. This is a new era of baseball in Boston.

But there is still one guy that I am happier for than anybody else on that Red Sox team and the main reason why I'm still pulling for Boston...

Need I say more?

____________________

Sports this weekend on Bearcast:

Men's Soccer - Saturday, 7:00 PM

Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

You know where to reach me.

Throwdown Preview 10/16

2008-10-16T13:43:00.003-04:00

Here's what's on tap for tonight's show:

Recap of the Bearcats victory over Rutgers.
Phillies in the World Series.
Rays one win from worst team to AL pennant.
Cincinnati sports and their consistency with losing.
Pick 'Em Game: #12 Ohio State vs. #20 Michigan State
Funny Clip of the Week
Most Annoying Person of the Week

"Thursday Night Throwdown," tonight from 8-10 PM on BearcastRadio.com

You know where to reach me.

College Football Contest Picks

2008-10-15T23:32:00.007-04:00

Here's the college football contest picks for this week:

Me: Penn State over Michigan

Kara: Oklahoma State over Baylor

Andy: South Florida over Syracuse

Brent: Alabama over Ole Miss

Steve: Florida State over North Carolina State

Brian: Maryland over Wake Forest

Ken: LSU over South Carolina

Midterms suck

2008-10-15T13:06:00.006-04:00

One of my quotes from an experience I had at Paul Brown Stadium was featured on the SI.com review of the home of the Bengals:

What was the worst incident you have witnessed against an opposing fan or yourself at the ballpark?

In 2001, the Bengals and Browns played each other [a game which the Bengals won] at Paul Brown Stadium and two fans got into it right in front of us after the Bengals fan called the Browns fan "pregnant." Police were involved in the breakup of the fight and I believe both men were arrested.

That was a fun day...

____________________

I know I picked the Red Sox to defeat the Phillies in the World Series prior to the start of the postseason, but how can you not root for the Tampa Bay Rays? They're one win away from going from worst team in baseball to American League champions. And the future looks very, very bright for these young men. If Joe Maddon does not win AL Manager of the Year, then they might as well give the NL MVP Award to Corey Patterson.

____________________

This guy thinks that the Bearcats victory over Wisconsin in the '99 football season is one of the biggest upsets in college football history.

____________________

That's all for now. Possibly an update later...

You know where to reach me.

Pacman Jones, Tony Romo, 3 draft picks, & the 2008 Dallas Cowboys

2008-10-14T18:25:00.004-04:00

"Boom. Outta here."

Do three NFC East teams still make the playoffs? Give me your thoughts.

You know where to reach me.

With the first pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select...

2008-10-13T17:29:00.013-04:00

Who do you want to see the Bengals take in the draft next year? With Carson's elbow problems, Marvin's fourth quarter smiles, and that satanic bast...I mean, Mike Brown still running this franchise, it's pretty imminent that the Orange and Black will be selecting #1 in April.

So, who do you want to see the Bengals take? Leave me some good ones.

____________________

College Football Pick of the Week update...

Me: Oregon State. They dominated Washington State. I'm still in.
Chuges: Illinois. They lost to Minnesota. He's out.
Brandon: Michigan. They lost to Toledo...in The Big House. WTF! He's out.
Kara: West Virginia. They won over Syracuse. She's in.
Andy: Georgia Tech. They barely won over...Gardner-Webb?? He's in.
Brent: Texas Tech. They won in OT over Nebraska. He's in.
Steve: Georgia Tech. He's in.
Brian: Texas. The new #1 after beating the old #1. Gutzy pick. He's in.
Ken: Cincinnati. They pull it off over Rutgers. He's in. GO BEARCATS!

So, there you have it. Me, Kara, Andy, Brent, Steve, Brian, and Ken are still in the running. Chuges and Brandon have hit the pine only one week in.

You know where to reach me.

Throwdown Preview 10/9

2008-10-09T15:09:00.005-04:00

Here's what is on the agenda for tonight's show:

Bearcats Homecoming game vs. Rutgers
New College Football Contest (Enter to win!)
NLCS gets underway tonight, ALCS tomorrow
Best and worst alternate/third jerseys in sports
Pick 'Em Game: #5 Texas vs. #1 Oklahoma
Funny Clip of the Week
Most Annoying Person of the Week

If you want to enter the college football contest, here are the rules:

Only BCS conferences apply (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, SEC)
Pick one of the teams from these conferences that you believe will win that weekend
Once you pick that team, you cannot pick them again
You can only pick two teams from each conference (Example: If you pick Florida this week and Georgia two weeks later, you cannot pick another SEC team for the remainder of the season)
If the team you picked loses, you are out of the competition
Whoever lasts the longest with their picks will win

If you would like to participate in this contest, leave you name and your pick in the comments section below. I will be taking entries until midnight on Friday. Because Clemson and Wake Forest play tonight, they will not be eligible this week. Please leave your Pick 'Em vote for #5 Texas vs. #1 Oklahoma in the comments section below, as well.

Listen to the THURSDAY NIGHT THROWDOWN tonight from 8-10 PM on BearCast!

Things I can't stand (in no particular order)

2008-10-07T17:27:00.002-04:00

Tony Kornheiser on Monday Night Football. Worst commentator ever.
Mike Brown.
The Ohio State Football Program.
Ohio State fans.
Bobby Petrino.
When Chad Johnson runs his mouth when the Bengals haven't won a game all season. Win a game and then come talk to us.
Listening to Marvin Lewis' press conferences.
Dusty Baker.
It's not Football Bowl Subdivision. It's D-I Football.
Bengals fans that continue to wear their gear in public (see a few posts below).
People that eat really loudly.
Bad drivers.
People that constantly bail or call off something.
Hearing cliché phrases ("Let there be light," "Mornin', sunshine," etc.)
Hines Ward.
Ben Roethlisberger.
Bill Cowher.
Jerome Bettis.
(See the trend here? I'll end this now.) The Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Cleveland Browns.
Tom Brady.
Corey Dillon.
Takeo Spikes.
The New York Yankees.
Anyone with the last name Steinbrenner.
People that think they know everything about everything.
People that have no sense of personal hygiene.
Parents that put their kids on leashes. They're not dogs, they're humans.
College kids that start or end a sentence with "when I grow up."
The Louisville Cardinals.
The Clemson Tigers.
The Xavier Musketeers.
A.J. Pierzynski.
The Chicago Cubs.
Chicago Cubs fans.
New York Yankees fans.
PeoPLe WHo TYPe LiKe THiS.
Guys that don't flush the toilet in a public restroom.
Bill O'Reilly.
Rick Reilly.
Chris Berman.
ESPN.

More to come later...

Sayanora, Corey

2008-10-07T12:38:00.002-04:00

To quote Phillies pitcher Brett Myers, "Boom. Outta here."

Thoughts from this weekend

2008-10-05T23:24:00.003-04:00

The Bearcats looked awesome on Friday night. They win 33-10 at Marshall with their 3rd string QB Chazz Anderson, a redshirt freshman who looked like he had been under center for the Bearcats for a couple of years already. I would be surprised if he didn't start next week against Rutgers for Homecoming.
______________________________

A lot of people usually get their "15 seconds of fame." Kimbo Slice only got 14 seconds.
______________________________

I watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall on DVD. Hilarious movie. I would definitely recommend it, but only if the kids are in bed or in school.
______________________________

I forgot how funny Superbad is...until I watched it last night.

______________________________
I have a simple philosophy in football. Your offense is only as good as your offensive line. Consider the following:

Cincinnati Bearcats: 4-1, 32.2 points per game, 9 sacks allowed
Cincinnati Bengals: 0-5, 14.8 points per game, 12 sacks allowed

Any questions?

______________________________

My new favorite SNL character: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin.

______________________________

The Bengals and Chicago Cubs have something in common: They often go 3 and out. The only difference is the Cubs have been doing this for about 70 years longer than the Bengals.

You know where to reach me.

Time between classes

2008-10-03T13:12:00.007-04:00

I have an hour between classes to kill, so I figure this would be an opportune time to do some writing. What else could I be doing with my time? I don't know, but I'm doing this.

______________________

Plans for the rest of the day are as follows:

E-Media Advertising class
Drive back to Mason
Pick up my check from work that came in the mail
Cash my check
Possibly pick up some Quiznos
Drive back to Clifton
Work/Train newbies in the studio for the women's soccer game tonight at 7:00
Watch the Bearcats take on Marshall on ESPN

After that, I don't have a clue.

_______________________

I just read on Mo Egger's blog that the big news down in Huntington, WV (site for tonight's UC-Marshall game) is that a Taco Bell will be opening there soon. Incredible.

_______________________

This may only interest me because I actually got to witness it. I'm sitting here in Mary Emery Hall, home of the College-Conservatory of Music at UC, and have just been reminded that there are some goofy people here in CCM. These two girls just walked by and the door had been open for some time for them to walk on to the fourth floor of the building. But right when they began to walk by, the door thought it would be a good time to start closing. Of course, the girl closer to the closing door got hit by it because she wasn't paying attention. Instead of doing something like laughing it off or being casual and acting like nothing happened, this girl decided to go completely off the walls and kick the door open as if she were Dane Cook in a bathroom stall.

Relax, sister. It's Friday.

______________________

Do I think Cedric Benson could make a difference on Sunday when the Bengals travel to The D? Yes.

Do I think Chris Henry could make a difference? Yes.

Do I think Carson Palmer will play? Yes.

Do I think Chad Ocho Cinco will kiss the star? I could care less.

Do I think the Bengals will pick up their first win of the season? Not a chance. Not even a prayer.

______________________

Am I the only one that thinks professional sports could be playing a reason why the economy is in the crapper right now? Major League Baseball in particular.

Note to Bud Selig: Salary cap.

______________________

I don't care what anyone says. Pittsburgh beating #10 South Florida down in Tampa last night doesn't mean a thing when your team is led by Dave freakin' Wannstedt. This will be their signature win that will still ultimately get them nowhere or at least in the International Bowl.

______________________

Even though Florida lost last week, I'm sticking with my prediction of Oklahoma over the Gators in the BCS National Championship game.

______________________

Final Thought: Anyone who has not seen Foo Fighters live really needs to. I'm not just saying this because they are my favorite band. I'm saying this because they put on a better show than Cirque du Soleil. It is very, very loud though. As frontman Dave Grohl said at the show I saw in Indianapolis, "Sorry about your jobs because it's going to hurt a little bit when you wake up in the morning."

You know where to reach me.

These things amaze me

2008-10-01T17:29:00.008-04:00

Why do Bengals fans still wear their Bengals gear in public? I understand that you want to be true to your team and want to support them through thick and thin. Hell, I still wore my Reds stuff when they were in the cellar earlier this season.

I still support the Bengals as a team, too. But when you have an owner like Mike Brown who only cares about taking it to the bank, that's where I feel like the line should be drawn.

While I was leaving the game on Sunday, I noticed that the Pro Shop was packed. WHY? Personally, I have hung up my Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson jerseys and my Bengals hat for the season. If the fans continue to attend the games and buy the merch, then Paul Brown's bouncing baby boy/checkbook won't care how that team does.

_________________________________

Also, why are Bengals fans pissed about the signing of Cedric Benson? Do you really think that Shaun Alexander or James Johnson were better options?

Consider the facts: Benson helped the Bears get to the Super Bowl in 2006, he's still young, he's averaging 3.8 yards per carry, and he's fumbled only four times in his career, the same number of fumbles that Chris Perry has in 2008. Shaun Alexander is old, washed up, and can't hack it anymore. His career is virtually over. James Johnson is a rookie and is unproven.

Right away, every Bengals fan was asking themselves "Why would they sign him? He's a criminal." Even I am guilty of that. Yes, Benson was arrested in May for boating while intoxicated and resisting arrest, and again in June on a drunk driving charge. What everyone fails to realize is that THE CHARGES WERE DROPPED LAST WEEK.

So there you have it.

Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengal. Take it or get the hell out.

__________________________________

My 2008 MLB Playoffs Predictions:

ALDS: Red Sox over Angels, Rays over White Sox

NLDS: Phillies over Brewers, Cubs over Dodgers

ALCS: Red Sox over Rays

NLCS: Phillies over Cubs

World Series: Red Sox over Phillies (in 5 games)

__________________________________

Best Shirt Ever.

__________________________________

My 2008 MLB Awards:

AL MVP: Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians (22-3, 2.54 ERA, 223.1 IP, 34 BB, 170 K)

NL MVP: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (.357, 37 HR, 116 RBI, 104 BB)

AL Cy Young: Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians (sorry K-Rod)

NL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants (18-5, 2.62 ERA, 227 IP, 84 BB, 265 K)

AL Rookie of the Year: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays (.272, 27 HR, 85 RBI)

NL Rookie of the Year: Geovany Soto, Chicago Cubs (.285, 23 HR, 86 RBI)

AL Manager of the Year: Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays

NL Manager of the Year: Lou Pinella, Chicago Cubs

__________________________________

Listen to the show on Thursday from 8-10 PM at bearcastradio.com

You know where to reach me.

NFL Picks Results, Week 4

2008-09-30T11:46:00.002-04:00

After week 4 of the NFL season, here are the standings:

T-1. Chick Ludwig 19-10 (8-5 this week)

T-1. Dylan Moody 19-10 (6-7 this week)

T-3. Nickel (Coin Flip) 17-12 (9-4 this week)

T-3. Mo Egger 17-12 (5-8 this week)

5. Jonathan Machuga 15-14 (4-9 this week)

6. Ryann Walton 14-15 (5-8 this week)

NFL Picks, Week 4

2008-09-29T11:28:00.000-04:00

Here's the NFL picks for week 4:

NFL Picks Results

2008-09-24T10:41:00.008-04:00

After the first week in which we did the NFL picks contest (week 3), here are the results...

1. Dylan Moody.................13-3

2. Mo Egger.......................12-4

T-3. Jonathan Machuga...11-5

T-3. Chick Ludwig............11-5

5. Ryann Walton.................9-7

6. Nickel (Coin Flip)...........8-8