You ever play ‘what if’? It’s something that can be fascinating, time consuming and totally non productive all at the same time. It’s all about the road not traveled, about decisions made in life that might have turned out differently had another road been taken.

I found myself playing ‘what if’ this week. I was sitting inside of US Bank Arena the other night, watching the Cyclones win another Kelly Cup. 13-thousand 482 other people were sitting there with me. The building had life in it, it hasn’t seen in a long time.

I was wondering, ‘what if’ the National Hockey League had placed a franchise here all those years ago. You know, we came close to getting an NHL franchise three times in the last 35 years or so. That building was once known as Riverfront Coliseum. It was built on spec, hoping to attract an NHL team. The league was expanding. Three towns were competing for two franchises that would join the league in 1974: Kansas City, Washington DC and Cincinnati. Didn’t happen that time.

Instead we got the World Hockey Association’s Cincinnati Stingers. That was a wild group. I know, I was the team’s first public address announcer back in 1975, the Wildman Walker of that era. When the WHA finally forced the NHL into a merger in 1979, the Stingers were offered a chance to join. There was also a cash payment the owners could take to simply fold and go away. Bill DeWitt and his group, including Bob Castellini, took the money.

And in 1997, the Hartford Whalers were shopping for a new home, before settling in Raleigh, we got a look. But we never got the team.

Would the National Hockey League have worked here? If we got a franchise in 1974 instead of DC or KC, would it still be here today? Was there enough money in the region to support three major league franchises. What if it had happened, would it have been the Stanley Cup being paraded around that arena Friday night instead of the Kelly Cup.

What ifs work with the Reds. What if Pete Rose never placed a bet on a baseball game or what if he never got caught. Would he still be the manager of the Reds today? Would he have managed the Reds to a wire to wire World Series win in 1990, as Lou Piniella did? What if he stayed on the job, would Paul O’Neill have been traded to the Yankees? One of the biggest reasons why O’Neill was traded was because he and Piniella were oil and water. Would the Yankees have won all of those World Series titles without O’Neill?

What if Marge Schott wasn’t so bullheaded and tried to keep Piniella here, rather than running him off. Would the Reds have won another World Series?

What if Jim Bowden never made the trade that brought Ken Griffey, Junior here in 2000. What if, in the end, Junior decided to remain in Seattle? Would Carl Lindner have spent that money on other players? A lot of Reds fans seem to think so. But you don’t know that he would’ve , neither do I. Lindner probably doesn’t either.

What if the Reds didn’t fire Jack McKeon and replace him with Bob Boone? Would McKeon have won a World Series with his 2003 Cincinnati Reds team, like he did with the Florida Marlins?

What if in 1992, the Bengals didn’t draft quarterback David Klingler and instead used that first round pick on tackle Leon Searcy or tackle Bob Whitfield, both of whom went onto be Pro Bowlers. Its not like Boomer Esiason was washed up in ’92. Would the Bengals have been as abysmally bad as they were in the ‘90’s if they built around Boomer instead of running him off to the Jets?

All this I was thinking about, as I was watching the Cyclones skate to another Kelly Cup the other night. See what I’m saying about what if?

It can drive you crazy….

What if, the Board of Trustees at the University of Cincinnati didn’t hire Nancy Zimpher in 2003? What if she turned them down and they had to move onto the next candidate? Would that candidate have come to town with Bob Huggins in the crosshairs? And what if Huggins had stayed here? Would the University and the school’s athletic department be as strapped for cash as they are now? Would its basketball team have been more successful than it’s been lately? If Huggins stayed, would his team have generated enough revenue to renovate Fifth Third Arena or Nippert Stadium by now?

Sports, like anything in life, give us decisions to make that produce ramifications. The trade made, the botched draft pick, the triumph of money over dreams, the road not traveled. Chances are, a lot of this stuff would have turned out much the same as it did. And that’s OK. Cincinnati is a pretty good to call home. But sometimes you wonder, at least I do, how different things might’ve been around here, save for a handful of situations and decisions that were largely out of our control. Next time someone tells you life is what happens when you’re making other plans, at least when it comes to sports, you might want to offer up a ‘what if’ of your own.

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Random thoughts from a random mind for a random kind of Friday...

If Willy Tavares is 1-for his last 45-at bats, why does Reds manager Dusty Baker keep putting him in the line-up? Is it because Reds owner, Bob Castellini is paying Tavares $6.8 million for two seasons and GM Walt Jocketty is the guy who found Tavares? Is Willy Tavares no more than a 2009 version of 2008 over-paid bust, Corey Patterson?

I've been consistent on this: the Reds should have put offensively challenged but defensively solid Chris Dickerson, making the major league minimum, in centerfield this season and taken the $6.8 million they spent on Tavares and signed a legit big time player, for one season, to play left field. Bobby Abreu anyone? Swing the deal for Jermain Dye, mayhaps? You only needed a stopgap in the outfield, because in 2010 either Drew Stubbs will be in left field or Yonder Alonso will be on first base, with Joey Votto in left. It's beyond disappointing, the number of games the Reds would have won this season, had they just had a timely base hit. They're hitting .213 with runners in scoring position...

There is no future in baseball anymore. 2010 for your Cincinnati Reds? What if a series of injuries keep them from being competitive? They have the pitching now to compete. But the front office failed their fans and a majority of that big league roster by not adding another big time bat. By the way, exactly which Cincinnati Red right now strikes fear in the heart of an imposing pitcher?

Ochocinco isn't moving in with Carson Palmer. Mrs. Palmer, mother of Carson's newborn twins, shot down the idea. Palmer said Thursday he doesn't need another kid (85) running around the house, either.....

The Bengals will be better in 2009. But they won't be playoff better. Ochocinco guaranteed the team will make the playoffs. But honestly, do you see eleven wins on their schedule? And it will take eleven to get into the playoffs. Things may be different come September. But with the Ravens and Steelers in the Bengals division, with the Titans, Texans, Jags, Dolphins and Bills as legit candidates for the the two wild cards, exactly how does Cincinnati get into the playoffs?

2010, with Rey Maualuga and Andre Smith with a year under their belts? Different story.

Shaq is going to make LeBron better? Really?

One of my guests this Sunday on 700 WLW (9am-Noon ET) will be college football guhru Phil Steele. His pre-season magazine is a 'must get' for any real fan. He'll join me at 10:05 am.

Geoff Hobson from bengals.com, former Bengal Eric Thomas and WEBN's Wildman Walker join George Vogel and me on Sports Rock this Sunday night 11:35pm on WLWT in Cincinnati.

I read where Seleena Roberts' book on Alex Rodriguez has sold a grand total of 16,000 copies. Can you say 'Bargain Rack at Barnes & Noble" by September? I get the feeling no one who actually reads books (an increasingly aging demo) cares about steroids and human growth hormones.

Watching the Pittsburgh Penguins parade around that city's downtown with the Stanley Cup makes me wonder if a scene like that might've been possible in Cincinnati. In 1979, when the NHL 'expanded' (it refused to call it a merger) the WHA's Cincinnati Stingers were offered an option: pony up a franchise fee and join the NHL or take a cash buyout and fold. The Stingers money guys, which included current Reds' owner Bob Castellini, took the money and ran.

I think the NHL would have been big in Cincinnati. We'll never know.

Whatever happened to original Stingers Dennis Sobchuck, or Dale Smedsmo?

If the Minnesota Vikings actually sign Brett Favre, they deserve him. I thought only wide receivers were allowed to be divas.

Anybody notice, that with 18 games to go BEFORE the halfway point of this 2009 baseball season, the Nationals Adam Dunn has 18 home runs and 46 rbi? He's averaged 40/100 over the last five seasons. And the Reds did absolutely nothing in the off season to replace the numbers Dunn took away with him.

Just askin'....

Not a great joke, but worth a smile: guy walks into a bar with a pile of asphalt on his shouler. He says to the bartender "Gimmee a beer, and give me one for the road"

Baboom-ching. Have a great weekend!

At some point, the Reds will have their Opening Day 25 man roster together again. When? The latest to go on the shelf, of course, is Joey Votto and Edinson Volquez. Now, Willy Tavares is out of the line up tonight in St. Louis, nursing a sore hamstring that apparently caused him to misplay a fly ball at the worst time Tuesday night. There's only so long you can juggle a line up and expect to win. I sense that time is quickly approaching for your Cincinnati Reds.

Just posted, the latest Broo View Podcast. It's on the front page of www.kenbroo.com. I've got some comments from Carson Palmer, about how he believes the offense will be better, and different, in 2009. And I also have an in depth interview with Josh Peter, of yahoo.com on the NFL's inordinate number of DUI arrests since 2000. The number will astound you. If you're on the fly, you can download Broo View Episode 209 here. It's worth the listen.

I told Bengals safety, Chinedum Ndukwe that I'm following him on twitter. He told me he's selling his restaurant, or at least his stake in it, in Mt. Adams. Bummer. I hope the food continues to be as good as its been with Chinedum's money in it.

I don't believe for a minute that the Pittsburgh Penguins are going to win the Stanley Cup this year. They'd have to win twice in Detroit to do that (in games 5 and 7 no less) and that's not happening. But I'm glad it's not a sweep. These are the two best teams in the NHL, but the Red Wings are light years ahead of everyone else.

Good Cincinnati story line in the Cup finals. Mike Babcock coached the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks (where there was such an animal) and one of his players was current Pens Coach Dan Bylsma. They teamed up in Anaheim a few years ago to win a Stanley Cup. Now their on opposite benches. Just goes to prove, if you follow minor league sports, you never know who might do what, later in life.

NBA? Lakers in six. It can't go seven, because I don't think there's anyway the Lakers lose a game 7 on their home court. But Dwight Howard is amazing. I just saw a pregame interview with him a few minutes ago. Howard's shoulders are so wide, I think a small plane could lane on them.

Ramblings on a Thursday night, getting ready for the 11p sports....If the Bengals are going to win their first game of the season Sunday in New Jersey, they'll have to be able to run on a very good Jets front seven. If the Bengals can't do that, they'll be less than successful throwing against a weak Jets secondary....Brett Favre throws 3 touchdown passes Sunday vs Bengals....I keep hearing that Carson Palmer's inflamed elbow is 'getting better'. But he continues to get limited practice time....The fine UC Bearcats 'beat' writer from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Bill Koch, raises an interesting question this week: what if Brian Kelly coached the Bengals. Koch's angle is the way Kelly merrily approaches his job compared with the almost always dour Marvin Lewis. Nice thought, good column, it'd never translate. Coaches who come from the college ranks into the NFL fail miserably. Why? Because they don't have the same kind of control in the NFL they have in the collegiate ranks. Want a list? Bobby Petrino, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, even Lou Holtz.....

The Reds front office says it's not going to pursue free agents Paul Bako and Corey Patterson. Hallelujah!....If Walt Jocketty wanted to blow up the entire roster, save for Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez, fine by me.....Dodgers win the NLCS, Red Sox win the ALCS. Great story lines: Manny back to Boston, Joe Torre managing against the Sox again...Wondering tonight if this miserable economy we're mired in will affect the amount of money teams will toss at free agents this off season. Tough time to be Adam Dunn....I heard it's so bad around the greater Cincinnati area, car buyers (car buyers, not home purchasers) can't get financing. They want to buy, dealers want to sell, banks can deliver the note...

By the way, I'm over all of this political advertising. I know it's keeping a lot of television stations floating. But honestly, have you heard anything from the two principals running for US President that gives you any hope they actuall now how to fix our economy? Me neither....

You've got one player to build your NFL franchise around, only one. Who would it be? Might be a topic for me this Sunday morning, at 9am EDT on 700 WLW....

Tomorrow morning, when you check back here, I'll have a couple of nuggets for you. I'll have the latest Bengals Report Podcast posted. Marc Hardin and I preview the Bengals vs Jets game this Sunday. And, I'll also have my latest video podcast posted, as I pick my two 'locks' for this week in the NFL.

I really, really want to get into the NBA this season. But that has to be the second toughest sport to follow if you don't live in an NBA franchise city. The toughest is hockey. But I'm an NHL freak. I've got the best one-two goaltending in my fantasy league (yes I play fantasy hockey, 14th consecutive year for that) Martin Brodeur and Marc-Andre Fleury.....Detroit wins the West again this year. I'm not quite there yet on the East....I kinda like the Devils.....Tough admission for a life long and former season ticket holding Rangers fan...

I can't believe college basketball begins this weekend. Midnight Madness will be held at a number of schools around the USA. I have a sneaking suspicion Xavier, here in Cincinnati will be very good again.....I think Mick Cronin will have UC in the upper tier of the Big East and will qualify his 'Cats for the NCAA Tournament....I really believe Indiana will be good. I know all about the sanctions and defections....I think Tom Crean knows what he's doing....He'll be the best basketball coach at IU since Bob Knight's prime (which was a long time ago).

Is there anything better than high school football at this time of the year, particularly here in the greater Cincinnati area. Shameless plug for the best high school sports web site on the planet: www.highschoolplaybook.com.

I'll see you tonight at 11p on News 5 and tomorrow night 'live' from the Hamilton at Oak Hills game. It's the latest stop on the now, seemingly mythical High School Tailgate Party....I made that 'seemingly mythical' stuff up....It's only mildly mythical...

One of the sincerest forms of flattery is to mimic or borrow something from a contemporary and use it as part of your act. Rip off is another way of putting it. But I prefer the word borrow.

Lance McAllister has his “I believe” bit…good stuff, puts a lot of work into it. Most of the time, what he says makes sense. Look forward to it each week on his show.

Peter King, the terrifically talented writer for Sports Illustrated and a commentator on NBC’s Football Night In America has a weekly column that he posts on si.com called “10 Things I Think”. Writes and posts it every Monday. Love it. One of the first things I read every Monday. King has a long and storied history in print journalism. Really began his career here in Cincinnati with the Enquirer over 20 years ago.

So with all that in mind, here are some things I think might happen around here in the next few months. I was out of town on Thursday and Friday doing some work for channel 5’s Olympic coverage, traveling around the country. So I’ve had some time to think. Always a dangerous prospect with me, but anyway not I Believe or 10 Things I Think but perhaps, the rantings of a sports lunatic…..or what I do when I’m sitting at home and the TV is broken.

Off the top of my head, but here goes….

Jerry Hairston, Junior is this year’s Jeff Keppinger. Like Keppinger last year, Hairston is hitting everything in sight. Fastballs look like beach balls to Hairston. But the question I have is…can Hairston do the same thing in 2009? And are the Reds convinced he can, convinced enough to give him the everyday short stop role from here on out. And how badly was he hurt Sunday in Milwaukee?

And if so, do you part with Keppinger or Encarnacion this winter?

I don’t think another starting pitcher, or cheaper outfielder is the number one target for the Reds this winter. It’s a catcher. There is no major league ready catcher in the farm system or on the horizon. Of the every day eight, it’s the weakest position on this team right now.

I think the second most important thing for this team this winter is to find better bench players. This is barely a Triple-A bench the Reds have this season.

I think the Reds have a real shot at making a run at the wild card this season.
The key in these final 65 games won’t Volquez, Junior or Phillips. The key will be how well Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo pitch. Volquez could win 20. But after him, Cueto is a 500 pitcher. Harang and Arroyo will need to put up nine wins each in their final 13 starts. Tall order? Yep. Do-able, Yep.

I think Sunday was a showcase event for Homer Bailey. I don’t think he’s in their long range plans. They’ll say otherwise. But if Bailey can win a couple or three before the trade deadline, he’s gone.

I think the Reds might be nipping at the heels of the Cubs right now, if they had drafted Tim Lincecum in the first round of the 2006 draft instead of Drew Stubbs. Stubbs has wheezed his way up to Double-A. Lincecum iis battling Edinson Volquez for the National League strike out lead. Could you imagine a Reds rotation of Volquez, Lincedum, Cueto, Harang and Arroyo?

Would the Reds have traded away Josh Hamilton if they had drafted Lincecum in 2006?

I don’t think the Reds are going to trade Adam Dunn or Ken Griffey, Junior. I think they re-sign Dunn and I think Junior takes it to the ranch after this year.

I think the Bengals can win the AFC North, with an 8-8 record. I don’t think any team in the North will be any better than 9-7. You’ve seen the schedule, right?

I don’t think the Bengals have upgraded their defense all that much.

But I think Keith Rivers is going to be a good player for a long time in the NFL

The biggest problem for the Bengals this season isn’t going to be Chad Johnson. It’s going to be running the ball. And the biggest problem is going to be an offensive line that has protected Carson Palmer well the last two years, but hasn’t shown lately that it can run block.

I think anyone who believes Marvin Lewis is on the ‘hot seat’ is delusional.

I think the Cleveland Browns will have one of the best offensive lines in football this season. And I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs.

I think the Colts will get caught by the Jags in the AFC South this season, I think the Patriots reign in the AFC is over. Watch out for the Titans. I don’t think the Ravens will suck.

I think Brett Favre will be the starting quarterback, of the Minnesota Vikings.

I don’t think Sean Miller has a chance to be the best coach in the history of Xavier. I think he already is.

Nothing will be easy for Brian Kelly and UC football this year. The Bearcats may be better than last year, but have a worse record.

I think Ohio State better take it easy on my Bobcats in week two of this season or I’m going to stop being a Jim Tressel fan.

I think Cincinnati would’ve been a helluva NHL town. The guys who owned the Stingers back in the day should’ve never taken the money and run. They should’ve given it a shot.

I think the Cyclones deserve another crowd of 12-thousand on opening night this fall.

I think the tennis tournament that comes to Mason every summer is a Cincinnati treasure. But I think unless you’re a hard core tennis fan, you’re not interested unless it’s Federer, Roddick or Nadal.

I think it’s a crime we don’t have a PGA tournament stop in greater Cincinnati.

I think I’m thinking too much. And if it’s giving me a headache, it’s probably giving you one too.

Another week goes by without the Reds taking the interim manager tag off Pete Mackanin. In fact, they’re only paying Mackanin through the end of October….and…at the rate of pay he was making as a scout….before taking over the team in July.

Mackanin isn’t getting this job unless four or five other contenders turn it down.

Joe Girardi, Bob Brenly and Dusty Baker have been rumored to be candidates. Here’s why you want a “big name guy” to get this gig. The only way one of them will take the Reds’ job, is if they get a commitment from the owner, Bob Castellini, to aggressively pursue pitching help. That means, increasing the payroll from the $69 million spent this year to the $85 million range. Even in a pitching poor free agent pool, there are a few guys who can help. The Indians Paul Byrd and the Twins Carlos Silva come to mind.

That’s what a “big name guy” will demand.

Why else would any established manager want the job? To go through the same frustration that Jerry Narron, Dave Miley, Bob Boone and Jack McKeon did? I don’t think so.



Look for the latest "Broo View Podcast" tomorrow morning on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. I'll have some comments from Cincinnati Bengals players and a look at some of the more horrific injuries in the NFL from this past Sunday.



Wednesday, it's the Broo-meisters with "The Ultimate NFL Cyber Show". You can find that on http://www.theflypod.com/.



Blog alert! If you're into hockey, particularly the NHL, a good buddy of mine has a must read:

Ted's Take. The owner of the Washington Capitals, Ted Leonsis is blogging daily about his team and professional hockey. Now, if we could just get Mike Brown and Bob Castellini cyber current....

In the National League Central Division, where all things are possible, it's crazy to say the Reds are dead. Not now. The Brewers jumped out like rabbits, but have come back to the field. And as of early tonight, the Reds are just 9 games out of first, with 108-games to go.

The key for the Reds to jump back into the race is to play defense, and get pitching, like they've had the past three games. Starters pitch deep when their defense performs and when starters pitch deep, it doesn't tax the bullpen.

Josh Hamilton homered again tonight....and again, in his rehab assignment in AAA. That's three home runs for "The Natural" in his two games with the Louisville River Bats. With the Reds a little thin in the outfield, look for Hamilton to rejoin the team when his DL stint is up, on Sunday.

I'm a hockey freak. Truth be told, I used to be a season ticket holder, while in high school, with the New York Rangers. I would hop a bus from north Jersey after school and do my home work in Madison Square Garden, waiting for the Rangers games to begin. I've also had season tickets for the Tulsa Oilers in the CHL and the Cincinnati Cyclones, when they played in the IHL.

But I'm troubled by the TV ratings the Stanley Cup Playoffs are getting. Only a little more than 500,000 homes tuned in to watch game one between the Ducks and Senators. That's probably because not too many fans can find the games, now on the Versus network. This weekend, the games flip to NBC and channel 5 here in Cincinnati. I know NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman wasn't playing a strong hand when he made his latest TV deal. The NHL is still suffering from it's lockout/strike of a couple of years ago. But for the good of the game, Bettman needs to re visit with ESPN. This is a sport that desperately needs casual fans to rejoin its party. And the casual fan simply can't, or won't, find Versus.