Random thoughts for a Wednesday

The Bengals say they need to change their attitude this week. Huh? You've got seven months to prepare for an NFL opener and you're already talking about 'changing your attitude'? Really?

I think last Sunday was just the case of a good team having a bad day. Period.

But Cedric Benson will have to rush for more than just 2.9 yards per carry for this team to have any chance of having a good season.

I think Ochocinco is in line for a very big year. Last Sunday was just a 'taste'.

The Reds appear to be running out of steam. Or at least, some of their better players need a few days off. But when you still have a "Magic Number" of 12, that's almost impossible. Good to see Rolen getting a night off tonight.

Lot of UC fans are getting a little anxious over the Bearcats 1-1 start (particularly with the way the team looked in the second half of the Fresno State loss and the first half of the Indiana State win.). But the facts are this: the team lost its best impact player from last year, it's number one wide receiver this year and the defense has switched back to a 4-3. Mix in a new coaching staff and anyone who thought this would be a seamless transition from Brian Kelly to Butch Jones isn't paying attention....

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Random thoughts on an icy night in the 'nati.....

I really want to pick the Cardinals in this upcoming Super Bowl. But look at their record. Every time they've played a team with a better than average defense, they've lost. Dick LeBeau will simply not allow Larry Fitzgerald to beat his team. It's the Steelers defensive coordinator's track record. His game plan is to neutralize the other team's best player and make someone else try to make plays.

Steelers 23 Cardinals 13.

I did an interview with Reds General Manager, Walt Jocketty today. He's convinced the team will contend this season and won more than it loses. It's a far cry from Bob Castellini's guarantees. But if the Reds win six more than they lose, that'd be an 84-78 record, and a legit Widl Card contender. Can they do it? I don't see how a team can go from a 'power' team to a 'pitching, defense and speed' team overnight and became a contender. Maybe it's happened before. But I can't remember when. The Reds are banking a lot on their pitching this year. And while the back end of the rotation is better than most team's, the front end (Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo) has to pitch as billed, something it didn't do last season.

Jocketty says he's a Homer Bailey fan. Well, that's one. Bailey has been nothing but a disappointment since his big league arrival two summers ago.

If you watch the Super Bowl only for the commercials...get a life. But if you watch for the GAME as well as the commercials, well here's a taste of the new Coke ad. It's an update on the ad Coke did over 30 years ago with former Steeler, Mean Joe Green.

Loved what I've seen of it so far...pretty much 'spot on'

I was reading an issue of Sports Illustrated from late December, the other night. I always read this stuff weeks after publication, just not enough hours in the day. In the magazine was a story about how Dick LeBeau developed the 'Zone Blitz' defense as he prepared to take over the Cincinnati Bengals defense in 1984. He spent time at LSU discussing it with then LSU head coach, Bill Arnsparger. On my radio show last Sunday, on 700 WLW, former Bengals head coach, Sam Wyche confirmed the story. Wyche said it wasn't known as the 'Zone Blitz' back in '84. But from then until LeBeau and Wyche left the team in '92, several key elements of today's top defense were implemented. Down linemen were dropped back into pass coverage. Linebackers rushed the passer. Often times, only two players lined up in a 'two point stance'. And since the late Bill Walsh admitted that his self designed "West Coast Offense" was really formulated when he was with the Bengals back in the early 70's, you have two of the most effective football schemes ever diagramed and implemented here in Cincinnati.

I often wonder if Paul Brown had to do it over again, if he would have given the head coach's job to Walsh and not his long time friend and assistant coach, Bill Johnson.

How can a Xavier basketball team be this good and not generate any 'buzz' in Cincinnati? Radio sports talk host always complain about it? Is it that 10,000 people watch the Muskies play at the Cintas Center and, in reality, they're the only people who really care about the team? I hope not, but I wonder about that.

All UC basketball fans want to do is grumble about Mick Cronin and Nancy Zimpher. Get over it. Bob Huggins isn't coming back. Zimpher might leave, but don't bet on it. And Cronin inherited a program in complete disarray, with recruiting three to four years behind every other Division I school.

9 Big East teams will make the NCAA Tournament and 14 may wind up playing in post season tournaments. Now, we have a 16 team event, just announced last night, called the CollegeInsider.com tournament. That goes with the CBI, the 16 team tournament that debuted last season for non-NCAA and NIT teams. So, if you're scoring at home, 113 Division I NCAA teams will get to play in a post season tournament after this season.

Just booked for my Sunday morning radio show on 700 WLW: Mike Lombardi, former NFL general manager now with the nationalfootballpost.com. I'm on from 9am-Noon EST. If you don't live in the greater Cincinnati area, and you have a Sirius-XM radio, I'm on channel 173.

Hi from Vegas, the city that doesn't sleep, or stops taking your money. Thank God I don't gamble. I don't see how anyone with even a remote addiction to 'action' can survive in this town. But in all honesty, when you get beyond "The Strip" this is a pretty cool area, big growth area. I've done Red Rock Canyon, beautiful topography and only about a half an hour drive out Charleston Avenue. But one of my more favorite places is Valley of Fire, about an hour north of the city. I'm there Friday. It's simply breathtaking.

Spent a large chuck of today inside the world's largest broadcast technical show, the NAB. Lots of gadgets for tech-heads (I don't like the word geek, in this sense, probably because I am one.) Let me just say this about what's here, the world as we know it is exploding with communication technology. Equipment that was cutting edge just a few years ago is obsolete. And everthing is digital.

I was helping some friends of mine who are in the sports production business shop for new equipment. In the process, we ran into their funder (venture capitalist) and got into the discussion of where all of the anologue equipment is going to go when over the air television must go digital in Feburary, 2009. The short answer is there will be no after market for the tape machines and microphones and editing equipment that has been broadcast standard for the last two decades. Expensive boat anchors, I belive is the term that was used. Oh well, enough with the technology, onto sports.

Why did Jerry Narron lift Aaron Harang so early tonight? I guess Harang was still woozy from his bout with the flu. Great for second guessing, considering how awful Todd Coffey and Rheal Cormier were. My guess is, Cormier is headed for a DFA, as soon as someone down on the farm separates themselves from the pack. I know that Reds' GM Wayne Krivsky tried to deal Cormier in the spring. But he also signed him to an extention last fall.

Josh Hamilton again??? Is there a better story anywhere in sports than this guy?

Mick Cronin recruits better than the Marines. First, he gets the best player in the city to commit earlier this week. Yancy Gates will be a huge, huge college player. I'd like to say you heard it here first...but I've got to be at least top 20 on that call. Now, Anthony McLain is in for a visit. He could, could sign by the end of the week. But if he does, by my math, somebody has to go from the current UC roster.

The Bengals continue to court middle linebackers. Now, they've got former Falcons starter, Ed Hartwell in for a visit. That's something that has to make you go 'hmmmmmm". First, they annoint Ahmad Brooks as their starting middle linebacker and now Hartwell is here for a visit. Is this an indication that Odell Thurman may be fading again, from the proverbial picture?

Check back again....

Sometimes, you have to get up early to get the 'scoop'.

I was up before sunrise today, filling in for Richard Skinner on 1530 WCKY "The Sports Animal" in Cincinnati. I'd forgotten there was another 6 o'clock in the day. That's what happens when you work nights.

It was a full range of sports talk. Chick Ludwig, the talented writer from the Dayton Daily News who covers the Bengals for a living, was one of my guests. He isn't putting much stock ni the 'back to the future' Marvin Lewis, who is vowing to get tough with his team again. Chick believes the only way that will occur is for the Bengals to clean house, somewhat, and get rid of some of the players that Marvin needs to get tough with.

Among other issues we talked about: Marvin Lewis leaving to coach the Steelers. Not going to happen. Marvin is under contract through at least 2010 with the Bengals and because of the relationship between Mike Brown and Steelers owner, Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh won't be robbing the Bengals stable.

What do the Bengals need most now? A pure, pass rushing defensive lineman is the top priority. That may have to be addressed through free agency, as the Bengals draft 18th this year and the top rushers may be gone. Defensive back, Chick says, is another priority, given the age and attitudes of Deltha O'Neal and Tory James.

Ohio University football coach, Frank Solich, was another of my guests. His Bobcats (my Bobcats) will play Southern Mississippi in the GMAC Bowl Sunday night. Solich told me he had no doubt his team would rally after starting the year 2-0, then falling to 2-3. It did. The Bobcats ripped off seven straight wins. Solich also agreed with me when I mentioned the Bobcats workhorse running back, Kalvin McRae, reminded me of some of the running backs you'd find in the Big 12, where Solich spent his entire coaching life before arriving at Ohio.

There's a lot of buzz out there that Solich may be ready to move on after only two years at Ohio.
The University of Minnesota is one rumored place. I asked Solich if he'd 'found a home' in Athens, Ohio. And while not specifically addressing his immediate future, he took great pains to compliment the people he works for, Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt and Ohio President, Dr. Roderick McDavis.

Personally, I don't think he's going anywhere. He's got scholarship offers out all over the country to high school seniors and he appears to be motivated more by situation not money.
He works for a university president who wants to make athletics the 'face' of the school. How many schools want that in this day and age? Frank is 62 and has worked in the 'big time'. He's made a lot of money. And while a Big 10 or SEC school could offer him more 'dough' in one year than he'd make in five at Ohio, I know he's living comfortably with what he's making coaching the Bobcats.

As long as McDavis remains school president and Hocutt stays at AD, I believe Solich remains. I'm no visionary on any of this. It's merely a gut reaction, after talking with the man on live radio today.

Finally, Marc Lancaster, the talented Cincinnati Post writer joined me. Marc has covered the Reds the past four seasons. He's leaving to take a similar job with the Tampa Tribune. He and his daily blog will be missed.

Marc thinks the Reds still have one more major trade or signing left before heading to spring training and it may involve Ryan Freel. Like me, he thinks signing Alex Gonzalez to play short stop is a big time move, shoring up the defense. But, losing Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez last season put a serious dent in run production. The Reds may be trolling for offense now.

And, he doesn't see pitching phenom Homer Bailey in the rotation to start the season.

Friday, I'm back on 1530 Homer again. Among my guests, the national writer for cbssportsline.com, Gregg Doyel and the head coach of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats, Brian Kelly.

The University of Cincinnati made their call today. It was a good one. They've hired Brian Kelly to be their next head football coach. Kelly is fresh from Central Michigan University, where he just coached his team to the MAC Championship. He runs a high tech offense and has an enthusiasm about him that should be infectuous.

UC football has fallen on hard times, from an attendance standpoint. Not enough fringe fans attend games and there hard core base isn't as big as it used to be. It's a shame. Nippert Stadium is one of the great places to watch a college game. There've been some terrific coaches in the last 20 years and a lot of terrific players. But UC has never been able to capture enough 'buzz' in the city to make going to its football games 'the thing to do. Kelly's wide open approach to offense may change that. Good hire.

The latest Bengals Report is up and running on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. If you're in a hurry, just click here and it'll take you right to our latest podcast.

The latest Broo View podcast will be up and running no later than mid day Tuesday.

More coming later tonight!

Ken

On the eve of "The Big Game", there are a couple of other games I want to deal with. First, is the 'other big game' in college football Saturday. Unbeaten Rutgers invades Nippert Stadium for a 7:45pm match up with the University of Cincinnati. This game may have as many playoff implications as the one in Columbus.

The battle between OSU and Michigan will probably eliminate one team from the BCS Championship game. A win by UC Saturday will surely eliminate Rutgers from any championship game consideration. Rutgers is still a long shot, even with a win in Cincinnati.

But in a sense, this is a much bigger game for UC. It has been on national television twice this season, winning once, losing once.. But the bigger story than the games with Pitt and South Florida has been the pathetic attendance. It was so bad at the South Florida game, that the ESPN director was instructing his camera people to 'shoot tight' to avoid showing the enormous amount of empty seats.

UC football has never been the 'thing to do' in Cincinnati. It's campus is tough to get to, tough to find parking on and not exactly surrounded by the safest neighborhood in Cincinnati. For all of those reasons, the discretionary ticket buyer has avoided UC football.

There's another reason why UC struggles to get fans to Nippert: it's brand of football hasn't exactly been the most exciting variety. Under previous coach, Rick Minter, defense was stressed. Under current coach, Mark Dantonio (one of the truly great people and rising stars in the coaching profession), ball control offense has been the hallmark.

Like it or not, what will attract a crowd to a product that historically has struggled (and it doesn't matter if it's football or food products) is excitement, a 'buzz', a 'got to get there, got to have it' kind of thing. UC football is competing for the entertainment dollar. It has to appeal to the fringe fan, who would just as well spend his or her dollar on a movie as they would go to a football game in Clifton. The way to create that excitement, that buzz, is to field a team that has an offense that can score from anywhere, 'light it up'. Most coaches hate that, because it takes a large amount of control out of their hands. Turnovers become more of a factor, your defense will have to spend more time on the field because you either turn it over of score quickly, and your quarterback needs to he 'on' every game. Coaches hate to give up control of anything, most of all their on field product.

But, if UC were to go down that road, I believe it would begin building a stronger following. Remember, this is still a commuter school. Students and faculty leave the campus in droves Friday evenings and don't return until the following Monday. UC is battling that, too. But, everybody loves a good time, everybody loves a party. Create that atmosphere on the field, and that program will have a chance. It's a leap of faith, philosophically, for Dantonio and his staff. But I believe they have the talent to pull it off.

Now, to the other 'big game'. Unless you've lived through it, unless you've attended Ohio University, suffered with their football team and its string of broken promises, bad coaches and awful records, it's tough to fully appreciate what happened in Athens, Ohio, Thursday night. Last night, Ohio University won the MAC East division.....in football. Just stringing those words together would, in most years, be cause for loved ones to have you seek help.

Ohio (they've pretty much dropped the University part and for God sake, don't ever say Ohio U again) dominated Akron, enroute to a 17-7 win. It pushed the Bobcats record this season to 8-3, with a game at rival Miami coming up next Friday. The 'Cats have a spot in the MAC Championship game on November 30 against Central Michigan.

The architect behind all of this is head coach, Frank Solich. Fired by Nebraska in 2004 for having the audacity to only go 9-3 (and a win over Miami next week would give him the same record at OU), Solich has taken a rag tag bunch of left overs from his predecessor, added two of his own recruiting classes and has pulled the Bobcats out of the abyss with an option offense and a defensive strategy straight out of the Big 12. The Bobcats have gone on the road this season and beaten MAC pre-season champion pick Northern Illinois, MAC east division pre-season pick Kent State and pulled off an upset win at Big Ten Illinois. Their only losses were to Bowling Green, at Missouri and at Rutgers. This isn't a Cinderella season in Athens, Ohio. This is Walt Disney opening the entire vault.

The brains behind this operation is Ohio University school President, Dr. Roderick McDavis, who hired Solich and paid him a salary the second highest on campus, only to his. McDavis watched in late 2004 when five MAC football teams marched to bowl games (and minimum $750,000 pay days) and figured hiring a big time coach and finally fixing the football team would accomplish two things. One, if it won, it would bring in money that would help pay for the rest of his athletic program that had often operated in the 'red'. Two, it would get some positive publicity for his school, often confused nationally with Ohio State and worse Miami, Ohio.

Academia, I'm told, scoffed at the idea and bristled when McDavis paid Solich a salary approaching $250,000 a year. Memo to academia: nobody in the chemistry department, or biology lab or in the english department gets in the newspaper or on the nightly TV news unless they find a formula for synthetic gas, develope a cure for the common cold or write modern day Shakespeare. That's a tough one for academia to handle, I know. I love teachers. None of us would be where we are without them. But in colleges, athletics have always been the calling card for a university to sell it's other products. Get 'em in the tent with athletics, then tell them the good news about your academics. McDavis 'got' that.

With Thursday night's win, Ohio (U) will go to a bowl game. Solich will be hailed and probably forgiven for his DUI in Athens last winter. The University can now tell its story to the nation on a higher platform. It's Scripps School of Journalism, its radio-tv department, its business school, it's school of oesteopathic medicine and the rest of what makes Ohio University special will get more of a national spotlight.

It's been a long time coming. It may be only football. But this is why it matters. It is great to be finally out of the hole.

Come on over to my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I'll see you there!

Ken