Here's why the the Bengals MUST get an early lead on the Steelers: Pittsburgh will run the ball down the Bengals' collective throat if it gets the lead. And we all know, the Bengals can't stop a running attack if their lives depended on it. If Pittsburgh gets up 14-0 on the Bengals, you are going to get a lot of Willie Parker and Najeh Davenport....maybe 45 carries worth.


The game plan could not be more basic and obvious. But, like anything else, it doesn't matter what we know. It's whether or not the Bengals players can execute it.


Just posted on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/ is the latest "Bengals Report Podcast". We've got a look back at the Bengals big win over the Jets. Check it out now. The next edition will be up tomorrow, when Marc Hardin and I scope out Sunday's game against the Steelers.


Some internet/blog buzz that the Reds may be big players in the free agent market this season, now that they've hired Dusty Baker. A blog devoted to Cubs baseball (one of about a million) predicts the Reds will chase Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez, now that Dusty is here. Reds owner, Bob Castellini would have to take a leave of mental absence for either of those two scenarios to happen. Bonds is about to become radio-active again, with the Mitchell report release on the horizon. Whether or not Bonds is implicated, he's been linked to the story since day one. That should end any thought, knowing the conservative Castellini. As for A-Rod, unless Bob has a printing press in his basement, where will he come up with the money for that?

A-Rod is making $25 mil a year right now. Only a few teams figure to have the dough to bid on him, if he elects to leave the Yankees. And one of them isn't named the Reds.


I'm talking sports, a lot this weekend. From 9am-11:30am this Sunday, I'll be on 700 WLW in Cincinnati, co-hosting Sunday Morning Sportstalk with Gregg Doyel. If you live outside of the greater Cincinnati area, you can listen on line at www.700wlw.com or on XM satellite radio channel 173. Then, after the Bengals vs Steelers, I'll be hosting "Bengals Feedback" on 700 WLW and 1530 WCKY. And Sunday night at 11:35pm, I'll be in the WLWT channel 5 studios co-hosting Sports Rock! with our usual cast of characters, breaking down what went down at Paul Brown Stadium.


I thought Sunday was a day of rest!

Not exactly local...but an interesting thing on the new contract Barry Bonds has signed. If he's indicted by the federal government in its steroid investigation of major league baseball, the San Francisco Giants can void his contract. Bond's personal trainer is in prison for refusing to testify before the jury whether or not Bonds perjured himself in 2003. Then, Bonds told a grand jury he didn't knowingly use any steroid or performance enhancing drug. Stay tuned on this one. Almost $16 million dollars are on the line.

Just posted today on my web site, www.kenbroo.com is the latest "Broo View". I've got an interview with Cincinnati Reds pitching phenom, Homer Bailey in this latest edition. Also, brand new and on the front page is my latest feature: the Broo Ha Ha of the week. Check it out.

Ken

OK, OK...I know it's been a long time (OK a loooooooong time) since I've been here. Apologies up front and now excuses. My resolution (this week at least) is to be better at being more consistent.

I like the Bears and I like the Patriots this week. Which means, the Colts and Saints can start making Super Bowl plans. But here's why I think this will be a repeat of the '86 game. The weather in Chicago will be the mitigating factor. And the indoor friendly Saints will have trouble dealing with it. I don't think the Bears are the better team. The elements will be the deciding factor.

I think the best, big game coach in the NFL, maybe in all of sports, is Bill Belichick. I have no doubt Indy is the better team and the Colts are playing at home. But when you have to win a game, what coach do you want doing your scheming? Exactly. I think Lawrence Maroney will have a large game and the Pats will do just enough to slow down Peyton Manning. Though the Bengals aren't yet in the same league as the Colts, I watched the Patriots grind the Bengals to a nub in Cincinnati this fall. I think they'll do it again and punch their ticket to Miami.

Have you been to my web site this week? It's www.kenbroo.com. Check out the lastest edition of Broo v. Broo, the hottest sportstalk show in cyber space. There's other cool audio there for you to download too.

What will make the University of Cincinnati basketball team shoot better (and let's face it, they're not real good at it)? Better passing. That's the diagnosis from head coach Mike Cronin. Mick told me this week the better you pass, the deeper you go into the shot clock. And while admitting his poor shooting team has to shoot more to increase its percentage of actually making a basket, Cronin also tells me deeper you go into the shot clock increases the chances of your opponent suffering a defensive lapse. If your best shooter takes a shot early in the clock, chances are the opposition has him defended. If he shoots later in the clock, chances are better for a better shot. Honestly, most UC fans would say...whatever, just make more shots.

It gets no easier for UC. Here comes West Virginia Saturday.

You think the San Francisco Giants will back away from their deal with Barry Bonds? If Bonds faces any suspension time, they'll be tempted. And given steroid investigator George Mitchell's latest comments, that if owners don't cooperate with his investigation into 'roid abuse they'll run the risk of government involvement, the Giants may ultimately believe Bonds isn't worth the trouble. If they back away, will any other team try to sign him? If no team does, then Bonds, who's been convicted of nothing, could play the collusion card. The owners could have the federal government attack from the right flank, and the players union from the left. It's a mess.

Do you have "Beckham Fever"? Me neither. I've been down this road before, aging international soccer star leaves Europe or South America and heads to the USA where he will single-handidly raise the sport to the same level as baseball and football. Pele, Chinalgia, Beckenbauer, Best and on and on. It never happened in the now defunct NASL and it won't happen now in the MLS.

Americans haven't taken to soccer for two very basic reasons: we have too many other professional sports and soccer simply doesn't offer enough pertinent statistics.

We are a stats driven society. We want to know how man RBI a baseball player in a given game, how many home runs, stolen bases, strike outs. In football, we want to know how many tackles, completed passes, receiving yards and sacks a player had. In basketball, how many points, assists, rebounds and steals a player had. In soccer, the stats are limited, because most of the games don't offer more than two or three goals.

It's big in Europe, because there is no MLB or NFL or NHL or NBA. Soccer is all they've got.

Sorry, it hasn't happened here in 50 years of trying and as good as Beckham is, or has been, it's not going to happen now.

Happy Wednesday....

The latest Bengals Report, second of the week, has just been published on my web site, www.kenbroo.com. It's on the front page, right hand corner, easy to find. If you're in a hurry, just click here. It'll take you right to it.

Headlines: Marvin Lewis believes his team still has a shot to win the AFC North. Statistically, he's correct. In fact, the Bengals could be within a game of the lead Sunday night. A win over the Raiders coupled with a Ravens loss at Kansas City would leave the Bengals a game back with three to play. But, looming are those two road games at Indianpolis and Denver.

Levi Jones is out again this week. Rich Braham is out, too. But Kelley Washington is back, for the first time since October 15th. His injured hamstring is finally healed.

I don't know what I'm getting for Christmas. So I took care of myself today. I've bought tickets to watch my beloved Ohio Bobcats at Louisville this Friday and Saturday. 'Cats against the Cards on Friday. Then Saturday in the NABC Classic, it's Ohio against Bellermaine. After I dropped $125 on that, I figure, what the hell, and bought two courtside seats to the Ohio vs Cincinnati game in Cleveland December 30th. I'm anxious to see what kind of mix coach Tim O'Shea has this season. I really, really like Sonny Troutman's game, when he's into it. Sometimes, though, he seems to get lost on the court. Also want to catch junior forward Leon Williams. Last time I saw him in person, he dropped 29 on Buffalo.

No deals so far today for the Reds. The Mark Loretta rumor is just that, same for the Eric Gagne scenario. I'm told Barry Bond's agent has his client in tow, making the rounds at the winter baseball meetings in Orlando. Other than putting pressure on the Giants, I don't know what that accomplishes. Who would want him?

Ken