I'm not sure what it means, but Chad Johnson said today he's playing horribly this season. It's a bit of an over statement. Johnson is among the league leaders in catches, on pace for an 1,800 yard season. Maybe he's talking about touchdowns. Through four games, Johnson has only three TD catches, which means only three TD celebrations. Maybe that's what the self marketing Johnson is talking about.

Carson Palmer's take on the underachieving Bengals is that he's disappointed, not depressed. Most of the fans of this team would ask, can you be both? Most of them are. Here's the deal: the Bengals are a team with a great quarterback, a handful of outstanding players and a whole lot of headaches after that. The headaches would be either injuries or suspensions. But this is anything but a championship calibre team.

We should have seen this coming. Since 2003, the Bengals have lost an inordinate number of top draft picks to injury, suspension or ineffectiveness. Their inability to run consistently has led to defenses playing 'cover two', or two deep safeties. The Bengals inability to find an effective third wide receiver, while Chris Henry sits out his suspension, has led to a struggling offense. Defenses have let TJ Houshmandzadeh and Johnson to run up their personal stats, without affecting the outcome of a game. Think I'm wrong? Check third down efficiency and time of possession stats. The Bengals are converting only 33% of the time on third down. And in time of possession, they've lost the battle in three of their first five games.

Their schedule gets easier now. But at 1-4, who of their opponents is looking at their game against the Bengals and are saying 'We can't win this one". My guess, not many.

The lastest "Bengals Report Podcast" is posted and ready for your downloading or listening on line pleasure. It's on the front page of my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/.

Now, some quick hits. I love the Rockies story this season. Winning 21 of 22 in a row and making it to the World Series on a $35 million budget. But can they consistently win with that low a payroll. In a word, no. So enjoy it now Denver.....Why am I afraid that a talented, promising career in the person of golfer Michelle Wie has been ruined?......The longer it goes on, the more it looks like Joe Torre stays with the Yankees....The NBA is playing exhibition games in China this week. For what? Do you honestly believe there are 18,000 people in China who could afford an average NBA ticket price of $100.00 per game? So if expansion to Beijing is out of the question, what are you doing there? Promote you wheezing game in the USA, in markets that can't see live games....like, oh...Cincinnati? Don't tell me this is to pump the Olympics. Please....Speaking of the Olympics, will we ever watch those games again without wondering which athlete is on the 'juice'? .....Here's what the UFC will allow local television stations to photograph at their event in Cincinnati Saturday night: video of what goes on between the fights, but not the actual fights....like what, guys burping in between swigs of beer? Or maybe the line to get into the mens' room.....But they'll beg you for pre fight coverage....If that's the way "Vegas type events" operate, please stay in Nevada.

First things first: the latest "Broo View Podcast" is up and running and available for listening at http://www.kenbroo.com/ and downloading, among other places, at Itunes and http://www.podcastalley.com/.

I've got thoughts on the Reds hiring of Dusty Baker and why the Bengals are in the dumper. You'll hear comments from front office folks, coaches and players.


I can't believe the amount of flack the Reds are taking on hiring Baker. Positive articles are few, other than the locals here in Cincinnati.


Check out this article from The Chicago Daily Herald.

Ray Ratto from cbssports.com has his take on all the Dusty bashers.

Here's what the Colorado Rockies are proving: you don't have to spend mega dollars to make a run at a pennant. The were basically a .500 team untl September. Now, they're on a rocket ride, having won 21 of their last 22 and have earned a spot in the World Series. They should enjoy it. Their bargain baseball payroll will have to increase, if they want to be a perenniel contenders. You don't find consistent winners in major league baseball with limited payroll. Colorado, enjoy it while you can.

The Yankees want to dump Joe Torre? For Don Mattingly? Excuse me, exactly what has Don Mattingly managed in his life? Even his restaurant in Evansville, Indiana, went under. Mattingly is George Steinbrenner's golden boy. But King George is relinquishing control of his team to his sons. That could, could buy Torre a repreive. The problem with the Yankees is they've over paid for aging pitching and their farm system has been ravaged by trades for 'talent' they'd hope would win them another title. And how does GM Brian Cashman get a free pass for this?

So it's Dusty Baker. Good. I'm glad the Reds owner, Bob Castellini, settled on a manager with a healthy resume. All due respect to Jerry Narron, Pete Mackanin, Dave Miley and any other bargain contender, hiring a manager with proven big league experience means the Reds can't go cheap, when it comes to players. The Reds will now have to spend money to keep players, and attract better ones.

Why else would Baker or any other proven manager want to take a job managing a big league club?

A lawyer of some note (OK I my kid) sent me a list of Mark Prior's 2003 appearances, while pitching for Baker in Chicago. 17 times, Baker allowed Prior to throw 115 or more pitches in a ballgame. Six of those appearances, Prior threw 124 or more, topping out at 133 twice.

A lot of fans around here want to point to that and say Baker ruined Prior. Kerry Wood gets thrown into the discussion as well. Wood apparently had some medical issues long before Baker arrived on the scene in Chicago. But the Prior situation is disturbing. Baker said today, that he learned some lessons in Chicago about handling pitchers. But he also pointed to his time in San Francisco, where his staffs pitched well and relatively injury free.

Honestly, the biggest news coming out of today's news conference was Castellini's declaration that he'd like to keep Adam Dunn on the team. It sounds as though the team is trying to work out a long term deal with Dunn, who shares the same agent with Baker.

Baker is one of the top hitting instructors in the history of the game. Not allowing him to work with Dunn would be foolish now for the Reds. If Baker can harness Dunn's free swinging, while allowing him to keep his power, would be a terrific 'value added' to whatever gravitas Baker brings to the Reds dugout.

The latest "Broo View Podcast" should be up and running by Tuesday morning. You'll be able to find it on my web site: www.kenbroo.com

Here's what I'll be looking for this weekend....in no particular order.

How many of the nine unbeaten Division I (or whatever they're calling it this week) teams win. Can the University of Cincinnati and the University of South Florida stay on a collision course for a November 3rd showdown? That could be the game that decides who wins the Big East title.

Can Kentucky beat LSU? Don't laugh, UK is good, last week's loss to South Carolina not withstandings. And could LSU experience a letdown, after a late rally last week to beat arch rival Florida?

How badly will Southern Cal beat Arizona? If the Trojans are the team I think they are, I think the Wildcats will be the team that pays for the Southern Cal loss to Stanford last week.

Sunday, I'll be looking to see if the Bengals can win a game they're supposed to. Yep, they're banged up. But the Chiefs aren't that good. It will be interesting to see if the KC running game gets healthy against a pourous Bengals defense. But this is a game that could make or break the Bengals season. How will they respond?

I really want to see if the Cowboys are for real. They barely got by the Bills last Monday night to remain unbeaten. The week, they have to play another unbeaten team, New England. The combined record of Dallas' opponents this season is 6-19. This will be their first, real test of the season.

I'll be keeping an eye on the Houston at Jacksonville match up. These are two upstart teams in the AFC South, which is becoming the toughest division in the NFL.

Outside of football, I want to watch the Rockies and Diamondbacks. Both are writing terrific stories on how to put together a major league baseball team and then, how to execute the game on the field. I think the Rockies will ultimately prevail in this series. But the emergence of both is a great sign for the game of baseball.

I also want to see if the Yankees pull the trigger on Joe Torre. Because until and if they do, the rest of the teams with managerial openings, like the Reds, are on hold. If Torre goes, does Tony LaRussa head to New York opening the way for Joe Girardie to take the Reds job. Or do the Reds dream big and make a run at Torre?

These may be some of the topics I hit this Sunday morning from 9am until Noon on 700 WLW in Cincinnati. I'll be in my usual "Sunday Morning Sportstalk" seat, fielding your phone calls, leading up to the Bengals pre-game show.

Then, at 5:30pm, I'll be on 1530 Homer in Cincinnati, fielding your phone calls on the Bengals post game show.

And to top it off, Sunday night, after the Saints and Seahawks game on WLWT channel 5 in Cincinnati, I'll be hosting "Sports Rock"! It's always the last, best word on the Bengals. Join George Vogel, Dave Lapham, Box Miller and me for the liveliest sports show on the planet. How's that for hype!

And, head on over to my web site: www.kenbroo.com. The latest edition of Bengals Report Podcast is posted on the front page. Bengals Report executive editor, Marc Hardin and I preview the Bengals vs Chiefs game.

It's a big weekend in sports. Have fun!

When I confirmed this afternoon that the Reds had indeed interviewed Dusty Baker about their manager's opening, I began to think: is this just complying with the Major League Baseball edict to interview minority candidates or is Baker is legitimate contender for the job?

Baker is an interesting study. He was a terrific hitter as a player. He's been successful as a hitting coach in his career. And he also led the Giants to the World Series five years ago. He's unfairly remembered as flaming out in Chicago, managing the Cubs and being at the center of the Sammy Sosa meltdown. But he knows the game, knows hitting. And that could help immensely with current Reds Adam Dunn, Josh Hamilton and Edwin Encarnacion. All three showed both brilliance and frustration at the plate this past season.

My gut still tells me the Reds aren't 'there' on Baker yet. There is still some interest, I'm sure, in Joe Girardi, possibly even Bob Brenly. Putting everything on hold is Joe Torre's situation in New York. If Torre stays, it may open the door to negotiate with Tony LaRussa, who almost certainly is done in St. Louis. It would also open the door for Yankee manager-wannabe Girardi to look elsewhere for his next opportunity.

But if it's Baker, I wouldn't be disappointed. Any manager worth his salt has been recycled. Maybe for Dusty, and the Reds, the third time is the charm.

When you're the NFL's version of The Sopranos, you get no breaks. The Bengals, and all of us, were reminded of that again today. No the Bengals haven't 'whacked' anyone or anything, except maybe their playoff chances. But like Tony and his TV crew, they run afoul of the law, constantly. And now, it's again affecting their game prep.

Second year cornerback, Jonathan Joseph was arrested last January in Northern Kentucky and the cops found pot in his back pack (tucked neatly next to a video game system). Joseph copped a plea, did community service and the charges were eventually dropped. But in the NFL, it ain't over until the commissioner says it's over. And Commissioner Roger Goodell is gunning for guys like Joseph these days, particulary if they wear Bengal stripes.

Because of Chris Henry, Odell Thurman and a laundry list of other Bengals offenders, Joseph will pay a stiffer price for his offense. In an unusually harsh sentence for a first time offender, Joseph has been suspended for this Sunday's game against the Chiefs. He can rejoin the team for next week's game with the Jets. But Joseph will be playing for free. As part of his punishment, he'll be fined a full game check IN ADDITION to the check he'll not get this week.

Maybe this will be a wake up call for a young player with a bright future in the NFL. That's the hope. But the real hope this week lies with the Chiefs, who suddenly got more interested in passing the ball on a bad Bengals defense that got a lot worse Tuesday afternoon.

More coming later today, including some thoughts on the Reds' manager situation. But heads up: my latest Broo View Podcast is now posted on my web site: www.kenbroo.com

You can find it in the "Podcasts & More" section. And you can download it from Itunes as well.

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....

Several things I'll be looking for this weekend, as I settle into watch a boat load of football games.

Saturday, I want to see how UC's defense handles the first good running back they'll face this season. Ray Rice of Rutgers has made a lot of teams look foolish, trying to stop him. Maryland figured it out. But few teams have been able to stop Rice, a legit Heisman candidate. And I want to see UC operate against a hostile crowd, that spewed venom at a Navy team.

I want to see if Purdue really has what it takes to beat Ohio State. Because if Purdue doesn't, I don't see OSU losing until it has to play at Ann Arbor. And even then, I'm not sure Michigan will be able to derail the Buckeyes. Who would've thought the Buckeyes would be serious BCS championship contenders, this late in the season.

I want to see if my beloved Ohio University Bobcats can rebound from two very bad losses. They took the ball away from Wyoming seven times....seven times....and lost by a point. Then, they followed that up with a bad loss at home on Parents Weekend to Kent. The 'Cats hit the road for Buffalo.

Sunday, I want to see if the Packers are for real. They play Sunday night in Chicago, and on WLWT (NBC) channel 5 against the Bears. If the 4-0 Pack beats the Bears, I think they'll win that division. This game is that big.

I want to see if the Steelers can rebound from a bad loss at Arizona. Hines Ward is out. But the rest of that Steelers offense should be able to move the ball on Seattle. And defensively, I think the Steelers can shut the Seahawks offense down. But, we'll see.

And, I want to see who wins the early season survivor game between the Broncos and Chargers. Denver is 2-2. San Diego is 1-3. They meet in Denver. Three teams in that division are 2-2 and the Chargers only one game worse. In a tight division race, this game is BIG.

And I want to see you watching SPORTS ROCK! if you live in the greater Cincinnati area. We're on every Sunday night after SNF, on or about 11:35pm. This week, former Bengals Dave Lapham and Eric Thomas join us. We'll have another visit from the "Wizard of Kenwood", and our Bud Lite Stats Girl, Audra, will be in with all the numbers from Sunday's games.

And Sunday morning from 9am-Noon, I'll be talking sports on 700 WLW. If you don't live in the Tri-State, you can dial me in on XM Radio 173.

The latest "Broo View Podcast" is posted. It's on my web site www.kenbroo.com. Go to the podcasts and more page. I'll break down what's really available to the Reds in the free agent market and you'll hear comments from the Bengals about their Monday Night Football meltdown against the Patriots.

Have a great weekend!

I'll be hosting Sunday Morning Sportstalk on 700 WLW this Sunday, starting at 9 AM EDT. If you live outside the greater Cincinnati area, you can catch me on XM 173. One of the topics I'll be dealing with is the realistic chance the Reds can better themselves in 2008.

The only realistic way they get better, is to find better pitching. And the list of potential targets is slim.

Listen to the top names: Paul Byrd, Matt Clement, Bartolo Colon, Josh Fogg and Carlos Silva. Impressive, right?

Byrd is 36 and though he went 15-8 with Cleveland this year, he cost $7 million. Fogg won ten in the rarified air of Denver and made 27 starts. His ERA is under five. He made $3.7 million. Silva made 33 start, won 13 of 27 decisions and put $4.35 in his pocket. Clement didn't pitch this year, recovering from shouldar surgery and Colon was told to get elbow surgery last fall, didn't, rehabbed his arm and managed a 6-8 record and 100 innings for the Angels. All he cost that team was $14 million.

You think it's any better in the bullpen? The top three candidates are Todd Jones, Francisco Cordero and Scott Linebrink. Jones saved 38 for the Tigers, exactly one less than every year of his life. Jones will turn 40 in April. Linebrink is a set up guy. Cordero 'closed' for the Brewers, saving 44 and pulling down $5 million. He could double that salary now on the open market.

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. The latest "Bengals Report Podcast" is posted on the front page. Marc Hardin and I recap that awful Monday Night loss by the Bengals. But hey, we make it interesting!

As another famous Ohio University alum likes to say...things that make you go hmmmm.

The St. Louis Cardinals fired General Manager Walt Jocketty today. Fired the guy who constructed one of the more solid franchises in baseball. Jocketty and his owner, Bill DeWitt, haven't seen eye to eye in over a year. Now, Jocketty is out. The current Reds' owner, Bob Castellini, is a former Cardinals minority owner. In fact, he's been a business partner of DeWitt's in St. Louis and in Baltimore, when they both were minorty shareholders with Peter Angelos. They also were in business with President Bush, as minority shareholders with the Texas Rangers, back in the mid-90's.

Would Castellini pick up the phone and call his buddy DeWitt (they both live in the Cincinnati suburb of Indian Hill) and ask him all about Jocketty? And if Jocketty and DeWitt didn't part by tossing grenades at each other, would Castellini then entertain the idea of signing Jocketty as his GM in Cincinnati, knowing that might be the carrot to lure Tony LaRussa here to manage the Reds. Current GM, Wayne Krivsky, would have to be sent packing. But to get a package deal of the best GM-Manager tandem in baseball, is that not a price worth paying?

Things that make you go, hmmmmm.

Check out my latest NFL podcast at www.theflypod.com. I do the show with a guy named Matt, who's still learning the broadcasting ropes. But together, we break down the latest issues in the NFL. The show is call The Ultimate NFL Cybershow and it's new, every Wednesday and on www.theflypod.com national page.

Marvin Lewis has time, but not much. He's got 12 days to fix his team. While the physical hurdles are finding enough healthy bodies to field a defensive side of the ball, the mental hurdles will be the toughes to negotiate.

Monday night's loss to the Patriots left the Bengals looking like bickering, clueless fools. Chad Johnson's behavior was nothing more than childish. Before dissing his quarterback, the best the Bengals have ever had at that position, Chad went through pantomine agony over not being able to negotiate one final yard for a touchdown. It didn't matter to Chad that his team eventually scored. What bothered him was it denied him a chance to deliver another side show.

This part of Johnson is becoming tedious. This week, as the Bengals were preparing for a national showcase and trying to snap a two game losing streak, I received two separate emails from one of Chads PR people, wanting me to remind you that if Chad scored a touchdown, his celebratory 'dance' would include throwing his arms in the air to raise awareness for human hunger. Not four hours before kickoff Monday, I received a voice mail from another one of Chad's PR people, asking me to ask you to log onto his web site, because Chad wasn't happy with the traffic it was generating.

I've got nothing again any one working for a charity. If we have the ability to do that, we all should. I have nothing against someone having their own web site (you're on mine, right?). But first things first: you have to take care of business. No one will care what dance you do for what charity and no one will gravitate to your web site UNLESS you do what you get paid to do.

There has long been a belief, among the media, that Lewis has a double standard: one for Chad, one for the rest of the team. Lewis is in danger of losing the locker room, unless he puts an end to dances, lists and whatever else his star receiver dreams up. Chad Johnson is paid to score touchdowns.

Johnson's behavior is one thing that needs to be corrected. Another is poor tackling and another is the Bengals inability to establish any kind of a running game. Marvin Lewis has a bye week and 12 days to fix an under achieving 1-3 football team. The season can be salavaged. But right now, it's all on the head coach's plate.

The latest "Bengals Report: The Podcast" is now available for downloading. You can find it on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. It's on the front page!

Sorry I've been away. I've had a lot on my plate. But I'm back now and ready for some Monday Night Football. I think....

When the Patriots ride into town next week, it will be a stark reminder of how bad football has been around here since we last saw them. That Pats rolled the Bengals last season. Including that loss, the Bengals have gone 6-10 in their last 16-games. And now, at 1-2, things are looking so hot for a seventh win.

You don't have to be a football Einstein to figure out why things are going so poorly. Just look at the roster. The Bengals number one pick in the 2004 draft has been a rumor, almost since day one. Chris Perry might as well be doing commercial for an HMO. The top three picks from the Bengals 2005 draft are all missing. David Pollack may never play again. Odell Thurman might, but probably not in a Bengals uniform. And Chris Henry is supposed to be back after the first eight games are in the books. But that guy is one good DUI from a full year suspension. Add in the season ending injury Kenny Irons, the second round pick in this year's draft, and you realize why things are the way they are. Those are a lot of 'hits' to take.

Subs are now starters. Waiver wire players have replaced the subs on special teams. And on defense, there are few playmakers. To win, the Bengals defense has to take the ball away. There hasn't been enough of that, so far in 2007.

And here comes New England. If the Patriots have been spying on the Bengals, they know about their problems. But does it matter? This is a team that plays fast and loose with the salary cap, and always seems to find just enough money to sign the best players. Randy Moss is having the biggest comeback since Lazarus. Adalius Thomas was the most lucrative free agent in this past off season. Guess which team got both of them? Right.

Can the Bengals win Monday night? Sure. It'll be a packed house, loud and more than a few will be liquored up. Remember a few years ago when Denver rolled in here on a Sunday night, a heavy favorite? The Bengals stepped up and pulled off the upset.

But realistically, there won't be many picking Cincinnati to win this game, at least not with a straight face. And at 1-3, at the bye week, the Bengals will have to get healthy, and better in a hurry if they want to play any games in January.

1-0 in the AFC North, the Bengals have an excellent chance to make it 2-0. The Browns stink. After watching their game against the Steelers last Sunday, that is absolute fact. I'm still in awe of a team managing to draw four separate penalties on one play. The Browns not only managed that, they ran their starting quarterback out of town after only one game.



Charlie Frye is gone. Derek Anderson is next. And he's only renting. Eventually, this will be Brady Quinn's mess. And regardless of whatever talent and ability he has, Quinn seems doomed to the same fate of the nine other starting quarterbacks the Browns have had since rejoining the league in 1999.



You wonder if the team's ownership group wants to allow Quinn to play under the present coaching staff, which seems destined to be launched any day now. You think Bill Cowher would know what to do with Brady Quinn?



The Bengals enter Cleveland about a 6.5 point favorite. That looks like easy money: take the Bengals lay the points. But Cleveland probably isn't as bad as it played last week, or as bad as I have them in paragraph one of this post. And the game is in Cleveland. The Browns defense simply ran out of gas from being on the field too much last week. But I don't see that changing this week.



More on the Bengals on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. On the front page is the latest Bengals Report "The Podcast". Marc Hardin and I recap the Bengals Monday night win over the Ravens.

With two more home runs Tuesday night, can the Reds not pick up Adam Dunn's option for 2008? How can they honestly tell their fans they're intent on winning a pennant or a World Series when they allow a consistent 40-home run a year, 100-rbi a year threat, to take a walk?

The issue for Bob Castellini isn't picking up Dunn's contract. It's buying some pitching. Dumping Dunn's $13 million salary and buying pitching are not mutual exclusive. If they are, he needs to sell the team and find another line of work. You either want to play the game to win, or you don't. Past ownership didn't play to win. Castellini says he wants to. This winter, it's put up or shut up time.

I talk sports every Sunday morning from 9am-Noon Eastern time on 700 WLW in Cincinnati. It's streamed on line and you can also catch the show on XM Satellite radio, channel 173.

And right after the Bengals-Browns game Sunday, I'll take your calls on 1530 Homer's "Bengals Feedback" from 5:30p-8:00p Eastern.

And right after that, you can catch me on "Sports Rock", the last best word on the Bengals every Sunday night. It's on Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, channel 5, after Sunday night football.

Looks like Sunday is going to be a busy day.

Here's what I want to see when the Bengals take the field Friday night to finish up the pre-season. I want to see Carson Palmer and that first team offense play one series. In that series, I want to see Palmer toss the ball to each of his wide receivers and let Rudi rip off a long run. I want to see Tab Perry step up and catch a touchdown pass. I want a long drive where the Bengals can show all the doubters that their offense is one of the top three in the NFL.

On defense, I want to see the first teamers hold the Colts to three and out, in Indy's first drive. I want to see the first teamers take the ball away, the second time the Colts get the ball.

Then, I want to see every one of the 22 first teamers on the bench. That would be the perfect way to end the pre season.

What do you think the chances are of that happening?

The Bengals are banged up. Willie Anderson is back practicing. But we'll be lucky to see him on the field by opening night. Anderson's foot injury isn't getting better. He'll need corrective surgery when his career is done. Now, it's just a matter of dealing with pain.

Just posted, the latest Bengals Report Podcast. It's on my web site, www.kenbroo.com. I've made it easy for you. It's sitting on the front page, ready for downloading.

The Reds are back to seven games out. I want to believe. But here's what's keeping me from doing that. No pitcher on the roster you can count on who's not named Aaron Harang. Even the Reds #2 starter, Bronson Arroyo is now an iffy proposition. He left after throwing only 80 pitches in Pittsburgh Monday night, claiming fatigue. Arroyo was wheezing after the second inning, by his own admission. Mark Belisle, Tom Shearn (who?) and whomever else the Reds can round up to fill out the rotation aren't good enough for this team to be seriously taken as a contender.

I may be wrong. I hope I am.

I'm not worried about the Bengals offense. Willie Anderson will be back at right tackle by the season opener and all will be right with that side of the ball. It has the ability to average between 28-31 points per game. BUT, having to average that amount of points to win is an entirely different deal.

It's the other side of the ball I'm worried about. Other than using a first round pick to draft cornerback, Leon Hall, the Bengals have done little to fix a defense that hemmoraged points last season. Yes, rookie safety Marvin White, will be a good player and sure, they brought in a number of defensive linemen in the off season. But I've seen nothing to make me believe that this year will be better than last year, defensively.

We won't get any updates in this pre season finale Friday night when the Colts gallop into town. You'll be lucky to see any starters play in that game. I remember two years ago, when the Colts came here to finish the pre season, Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and the rest of those first team offense stars were rumors. They never played a down. I doubt if it'll be different this year.

Looking at the tape of the Bengals and Saints co-workout today, it made me think of just how 'old school' the Bengals are. Today was the first time they ever shared a practice field with another team, in their 40-year history.

It's common around the NFL these days to see two geographically close teams scrimmage before the pre-season begins. When I worked in Washington, DC, I covered the Redskins-Steelers scrimmages every summer. And that's plural: scrimmages. Once a summer they'd meet in Frostburg, Maryland, then the 'Skins summer base. Once a summer, the teams scrimmaged in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. The Bengals, for 40-years have only held an intra-squad scrimmage. Some coaches have told me they don't like this. When you scrimmage against yourself, your offense against your defense, it doubles the chances of you players getting hurt. Today, it was a full speed, non contact workout with the Saints. Maybe it'll lead the Bengals into the same turf the rest of the NFL has been enjoying, for year.

I'm now officially concerned about Willie Anderson. The big tackle showed up today wearing a protective 'boot' on his right foot. Anderson was injured in December, 2006, in a game against the Colts. Apparently, the injury never healed properly. And today, Anderson hinted he may not be ready for the season opener, now in just 25 days. This week, Anderson went to Atlanta to see doctors other than those who tend to the Bengals. His injury, in his words, was 're-injured' to promote healing. That, to me, sounds like the re-breaking of a bone that had healed improperly. Anderson, one of the greatest players in Bengal history, said there's a 60 percent chance this will help heal the injury. If it doesn't, could it mean the end of a possible Hall of Fame career? I hope not.

More on the Bengals can be found on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. On the front page, you'll be able to download The Bengals Report Podcast. In the "Podcasts & More" section, you'll get the latest Broo View Podcast. And of course, if you live in the greater Cincinnati area, I'll see you tonight at 6p and 11p on WLWT Channel 5.

I'll have more detailed entries as the night progesses. But I wanted to get a head up out to you that the latest edition of The Broo View Podcast is up and running. You can find it at my web site, www.kenbroo.com in the "Podcasts & More" section.

Also, the latest edition of the Bengals Report Podcast is just out. You can find that, on the front page of www.kenbroo.com.

Back with you soon....

Just some random thoughts on this Tuesday night....

The top 50 mens tennis players in the world are in Cincinnati this week. It's been that way for more than a generation. Amazing, isn't it, that we host a tournament of that magnitude in a town the size of Cincinnati? I got to talk with Roger Federer tonight, the number one player in the world. He's down to earth, self deprecating and very funny. Maybe he's that way, because he grew up in the game of tennis not only playing, but serving as a ball boy at at number of events....

Federer is great. But Andy Roddick plays with the kind of passion that Jimmy Connors brought to the game. Gee, wonder who Roddick's coach is?

If the Reds pick up Adam Dunn's $13 million dollar option, it's really a $12.5 million dollar deal. To let him walk after this season, it'll cost the Reds a half-million. In this day and age in pro baseball, if you can't afford a 40-45 home run, 100-110 RBI player at $12.5 mil, you should get out of the business...

Of course, it's not my money....

I want to believe the Bengals will be better this season, but why should I? The offense has lost its third wide receiver for the first eight games and it's back up running back. The defense has a number one draft pick in its secondary this year. But should we expect Leon Hall to play anything but like a rookie?

I'm saying 9-7, but that could win the division....

The Ravens will not have the kind of season they had in '06. They're playing a first place schedule this season, not the 6-10 schedule they played in last season....

Why do I think Barry Bonds will have a lot of company in the soon to be finished steroid investigation Major League Baseball is conducting?

I'll give you Bill Bray and David Weathers. Name me one other current pitcher in that Reds bullpen who you think will be back in '08.......

The more I watch Pete Mackanin, the more I'd like him to return as manager in 2008. But I don't think it'll happen. He suffers from the Miley-Narron syndrome: minor league, interim managers who were eventually hired full time and did not work out.

I'm talking sports every Sunday morning on Cincinnati 700 WLW from 9am-Noon. The electrifying Gregg Doyel of cbssportsline.com fame is with me. If you don't live in and around the Tri-State, you can catch us on line at www.700wlw.com and on XM channel 173.

Later this week on my web site www.kenbroo.com, you'll hear my latest Broo View Podcast, as well as the latest edition of the Bengals Report Podcast. Check in late Wednesday for both.

I've been putting off writing this latest entry, hoping that what happened last Thursday really didn't, hoping that it was just some bad joke.

It wasn't.

Along the road that is the journey of life, you meet certain people you never forget. Some people you remember because of who they are, or what they did or how they impacted your life. Someone once told me, you'll be lucky to find five people in your time on earth who'd be like that. I'm not sure if Skip Prosser was one of those five. But I know I'll never forget him.

Prosser, as I'm sure you're well aware of by now, died too suddenly and too soon last week. He was 56 when his heart gave out on him. His resume says he was a basketball coach. He was more than than.

Prosser had been at Wake Forest the last six years. But I knew him first, as an assistant coach at Xavier under Pete Gillen, later as the head coach of the Musketeers. He was a man who could quote Wooden in one sentence, Thoreau in another. And he always knew something about who he was talking with.

Prosser loved to needle me about Ohio University. He knew I bleed hunter green. It wasn't anything big, things like 'tell those guys in Athens to stop ducking Xavier' or 'you know your Bobcats have no shot against Miami'. It was his way of letting you know he knew what was important in your life. It wasn't just me. He was like that with everyone, if you listen to some of the testimony about him since his death.

The world we live in is filled with bad things and a lot of bad people. There aren't enough good people in our world. And we just lost one.

I know where Skip Prosser is tonight. I just wish he was in the world I live in.

On the eve of reporting to training camp, the Bengals still don't know if they'll have Odell Thuram this season. He's still waiting to hear whether or not commissioner Roger Goodell will reinstate him from a year long suspension. The betting here is, Thurman will hear soon. And the betting is it'll be good news. But it's my feeling that the Michael Vick fiasco is holding up a lot of business at the NFL office these days. And Goodell is going to go the extra mile with Thurman and anyone else who's sitting out to take sure there are no 'bad news bombs' waiting to drop on his league.

Meantime, the Bengals are chipper about their chances this season. At their annual pre training camp luncheon this week, Marvin Lewis told me he expects his team to be better this season than last. What else can he say, right? I see nothing yet that will make me believe the Bengals defense is any better this year than last. They still have a lot of questions in their secondary. And the defensive lineman they've brought in seem pedestrian. But it's not always great talent that wins championships. It's usually good talent playing together.

Offensively, this team is 'as billed'. There should be no drop off from last year. And honestly, with Chris Henry suspended for the first eight games, it may give rookie Kenny Irons a real opportunity to show his stuff.

It's too early for a prediction. I'll save that, for down the road.

We're six days from the MLB trading deadline and the Reds have yet to make a move. They may be in line for one after tonight. Kyle Lohse tossed a pretty fair game against the Brewers: 5.2 IP, 5 Hits and 2 Runs. Statistically, despite being 6-11, Lohse is one of the top pitchers available. I wouldn't be surprised to see him go by the end of the week.

And why Scott Hatteberg isn't in a Yankees uniform yet is amazing to me. Even if Jason Giambi is now playing his way back into shape, Hatteberg is one of the best left handed bats on the market. But internet buzz persists the Yankees may be more interested in the ageless Jeff Conine.

If you watched any of David Stern's one hour news conference Tuesday, you saw a man trying desperately to hide abject agony. He's trying to put a good spin on one of his referees who's been accused of point shaving and dealing inside information. But even Stern knows that if another ref or a player is caught being a part of this, he has a conspiracy to deal with. And if that happens, the NBA will be looked at as the WWE with a baskebtall. Stern says that Tim Donaghty is nothing more than a 'rogue'. For Stern's sake, he better hope that's all this is.

Check out my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. There's a new Broo View Podcast to check out and a fresh Bengals Report on the horizon.

I like the new head football coach at the University of Cincinnati, so I'm willing to give Brian Kelly a pass on this one. But he was either ill advised or wasn't thinking when he shot his mouth off at the annual Big East Conferecne football media day this week.

Kelly was upset that no local media from the greater Cincinnati area was on hand to participate in the day. He said, among other things, that the local media now has no credability when it comes to covering his team and chastised his predecessor, Mark Dantonio, for not being more agressive in getting the local radio, TV and newspaper folks to this annual event when he coached the Bearcats.

Two thoughts on all of this. One, win some games before you start telling people how to do their jobs. Two, never pick your battles with someone who buys his ink by the barrel.

Cincinnati is a lot of things. It's a great place to live, outstanding city to raise a family and offers great amenities, even sports. One thing Cincinnati has never been, at least in the 20 odd years I've called it home, is worldly in its politics or its taste in sports. It is a very parochial town, with the majority of its interests lying inside the I-275 beltway. We have a lot of interest in what happens with UC athletics and are anxious to see what the new coach does with the football team. We have little interest in what the other seven Big East football coaches have to say about their programs. When it comes time for them to play UC, we'll probably have some interest. But the majority of our intrique will come from what Kelly and his team will do that week.

Let me put it another way. You could put West Virginia University football coach, Rich Rodriguez on Fountain Square at high noon any day of the year and no one would know him from some 'suit' who works at P&G.

Of the eight cities that field Big East football teams, only one sent television crews to the conference media day. Both were from the Connecticut market. By the way, I got everything I needed from my network, NBC, which provided a feed to every one of its affililates across the country.

So I had no interest in sending a crew, nor asking for my news director to send a crew, to Newport, Rhode Island, for two days of schmoozing with coaches no one in my town really cares about. That would be approximately $1,500.00 that will be better spent on something else, maybe when UC goes to a bowl game this winter.

Cincinnati is first and foremost interested in Reds baseball, Bengals football, high school football and then whichever other sport may be in season. You can get angry with me saying that. But when you're done doing that, you'll still have the same situation I just described.

I anticipate covering UC football like a blanket this season. I'm geeked about what Brian Kelly brings to the table. But the new coach needs to worry about his job. I'll worry about mine

NFL training camps open up in a week. I'm sitting here wondering why I should believe the Cincinnati Bengals will be any better than 8-8. In three of the four years Marvin Lewis has coached this team, that's exactly what they've been. And while back in the '90's, 8-8 would've ben cause for a downtown parade, right now, fans in this town are expecting more, a lot more.

But the offense is basically the same as last year, without Chris Henry for the first eight games of the season. That offense has proven it can score points. But can it score enough points with the defense the Bengals will field.

There's the problem. The Bengals did nothing to appreciably upgrade their defense from last season. Sure, they've got a promising young cornerback in Leon Hall, their first round draft pick. But what else do they have that's different than last season. They've brought in a couple of journeyman defensive linemen. And they misplayed the Justin Smith scenario, badly.

Smith played out his contract in 2006. Rather than sign him to a long term deal before last season (or during, for that matter), the Bengals elected to let the contract run its course and slap a franchise tag on Smith, holding onto him for 2007 by paying Smith the average salary of the top five defensive linemen in the NFL. Amazingly, they chose to do this just two weeks before the start of the 2007 free agent period. By tying up $8.2 million in salary to keep Smith, rather than signing him long term and pro rating the bonus money, the Bengals were unable to make a run at the most desirable free agent on the market, linebacker Adalius Thomas. Somehow, the Patriots figured out how to pursue this difference maker. The Bengals didn't.

So here we sit, a week before camp opens. And I'm looking for anything that will make me believe this team is any better than it was last year. You got any ideas? I'd love to hear them.

The latest Broo View Podcast has just been posted. You can find it on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. Just click on the 'Podcasts and More' section to find it.

My guess is, the Reds keep Adam Dunn for the rest of this season. If they trade him, they'll do that after exercising his $13 million dollar option for 2008. And even at that, $13 million for a power hitting, if strike out challenged, outfielder will be a bargain.

I could be wrong. My sense is Reds owner, Bob Castellini doesn't want to blow up his current team and subject his city to another rebuilding plan. Whichever way it goes, we saw something Sunday why sluggers like Dunn don't come around these parts often.

Sunday, against the Mets, Dunn hit one of the longest and most damaging home runs in Shea Stadium history. His 5th inning blast hit about 40 feet up on the scoreboard in right centerfield, hitting the board so hard, he knocked out a half dozen lights. It was reminiscent of the scene in the movie "The Natural", when Roy Hobbs hit a ball that blasted apart part of a light tower. Art imitating life.

Those are the kinds of things that sell tickets. And fielding the team with the second worst record in Major League Baseball, Castellini needs to sell ticket. I know, it's always easy to spend someone else's money. But why would the Reds' owner want to deal away a box office attraction for a couple of players who may never get a whiff of Great American Ball Park. Because with the way Dunn's contract is structured, that would surely be all Castellini would get.

Check out my web site www.kenbroo.com. I've got a lot of cool audio to listen to and tomorrow, Tuesday, I'll have the latest edition of The Broo View Podcast posted.

When you think about the size of Cincinnati and the enormity of the Tennis Masters Series, it makes no sense. It borders on the absurd that a tournament this big could be help in a market so small.

But it's become one of the biggest sports events every year in Cincinnati and one of the biggest tournaments in international tennis. This year, every one of the top 42 players in the world will descend on the Queen City, beginning August 11th. And for the next eight days, the stars you see every year at Wimbledon and the US Open will smack the ball around in the shadow of Kings Island.

For this tradition, you can thank one man: Paul Flory. He is mister tennis in Cincinnati, and the chairman of this stop in the Tennis Masters series. Shephard would be a better moniker for Flory, who's guided this tournament through it's rapid growth and through uncertain times. His latest coup, was the sale of the Tennis Center facility, second only in class to Forest Hills where the Open is played every year, from Carl Lindner to the city of Mason. That sale ensured the tournament stability for decades.

Next month, for eight days, Cincinnati and its surrounding area will be showcased world wide. The benefits of that will be measured in tourist dollars, down the road. The finale on Sunday August 19th could offer us a Wimbledon rematch, as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will surely be on opposites sides of the draw. Along the way, we'll get to see Andy Roddick, James Blake, Tommy Haas and every other major tennis star in the universe. All of this, in the 33rd television market.

The numbers don't add up, but they don't have to. We have Paul Flory, whose vision for this tournament has been crystal clear since it arrived here 30 years ago. Cincinnati has hosted championship tennis for over a century. But it's only since Flory's arrived, that it's blossomed.

Thank you Paul.

As we cruise into the weekend, just a thought about Reds pitcher Kyle Lohse, maybe the most infuriating pitcher on the entire staff. He was absolutely 'aces' Friday night, taking a one hitter into the 9th inning before settling for an 8-1 win over the Diamondbacks. It was a complete game win. But look at his record. Lohse is only 5-10 on this season.

That's because, Lohse has been nothing but inconsistent. One game, like Friday, he pitches like a 'number one' on a staff. The next time out, he'll pitch like he belongs in "A" ball. Lohse is making $4 million this season. He's free agent eligible, which means even with a below '500' record, he'll be in line for a pay raise. The Reds can afford to pay a pitcher in the $6 million range, they're already doing that with Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang. But they can't afford to do it with Lohse. Inconsistent is something the Reds must put in their wake, on the road to becoming a contender.

Here's your chance to play Reds owner. You are now free to spend Bob Castellini's money, without retribution. Whom would you like for your new manager?

Would you go to the Yankees and try to pry Joe Girardi from the broadcast booth? Or to Chicago and do the same with current Cubs broadcaster, Bob Brenly. Do you wait until the end of the season and hope the Yankees part ways with Joe Torre? Maybe the Cardinals will do the same with Tony LaRussa. You know that Castellini covets anyone with that St. Louis franchise.

Any one of those candidates will cost you between $2-5 million dollars. You might get Girardi for less, it might cost you more for LaRussa.

My choice? It'd be Bob Brenly. OK, enough with the Ohio University stuff. I'd like this guy managing the Reds even if he wasn't a fellow Bobcat. I think he's patient (he stuck with Tony Womack as his lead off hitter for three years in Arizona even though Womack's OBP was bad) and he's a winner. The Diamondbacks contended every year he was there and won it all in 2001. And, Brenly is from Ohio. He even lived in Cincinnati for a year, before taking the manager's gig in Phoenix.

Torre would be nice, in the fact that he brings a pedigree second to none. And, his wife's family lives in Cincinnati, another nice connection. I seriously doubt LaRussa would leave the Cardinals. They'd be nuts to let him walk. And as for Girardi, he'd be the tough no nonsense guy a lot of these current Reds need. But despite winning the NL manager of the year award with the Marlins, he had a celebrated blow up with his owner that ultimately cost him his job. But still, he's a winner.

This short list is impressive. But I'm still touting Brenly. I know he's interested. I hope the Reds are too.

Almost from the start of this season, Jerry Narron was doomed. His 'every day 8' was chock full of free swingers who could not hit for aveage, his number two starter was slow out of the gate and slower as the season began and his bullpen was atrocious.

And worse, expectations were high. The Reds finished just three and a half games behind the Cardinals last season, carrying the pennant race into the final two weeks of the season. As the Reds GM, Wayne Krivsky, told me today there was no one in the organization who saw the 'bummer of '07 coming. Narron certainly didn't. After losing his job late Sunday night, he'll have a long time to reflect on what might have been this season.

What if his bullpen had featured a legitimate closer in Eddie Guardado? The lefty arrived from Seattle with a bad arm that needed surgery late last summer. But in the off season, the Reds did nothing to address the most key component of any bullpen. You build a pen from the back. Without a legit closer, set up pitchers like David Weathers and Mike Stanton had to close. And while Weathers did well in that role, it left his normal spot, set up, to middle relievers. Long relievers had to middle relieve. In essence, every pitcher was out of position in the bullpen. And with Gary Majewski still sore-armed from last summer and Billy Bray hurt in spring training, the Reds bullpen became a real liability, losing more games than any pen in major league baseball this season.

Bronson Arroyo was the 'steal' of 2006. When Krivsky swung a deal to get Arroyo here for Wily Mo Pena, and when Arroyo performed like a stud, the Reds suspect rotation became, over night, strong. But Arroyo was slow out of the gate and, in back to back games, tossed in excess of 120-pitches. Narron was forced to keep Arroyo in close games longer than he'd like, because his bullpen was abysmal. Arroyo paid the price with a tired arm.

Which brings us to the free swingers. The Reds 'every day 8' never saw a pitch they didn't think they could jack out of the park. 2-1 counts, 3-0, 0-2, 2-2, it didn't matter. The Reds would swing for the fences. They led the National League in home runs when Narron was fired Sunday. But hits with runners in scoring position, advancing the base runner, bunting and sacrifice flies were as rare in Cincinnati as low humidity in July.

It all caught up with Narron on Sunday. And a very good and decent baseball man is out of work. Don't cry for Narron. His contract runs through the 200 season and he'll collect evey nickel of the approximately $750,000 he has coming.

But the franchise he leaves behind remains in shambles, covered with the finger prints of three general managers, two owners and now four fired managers in less than seven seasons. The Reds farm system has yet to recover from the atrophy it fell into under owner Marge Schott, who held scouts in disdain. It's yet to recover from her general manager, Jim Bowden, who never met an over age free agent he didn't fall in love with. It's yet to recover from general manager, Dan O'Brien who understood how important rebuilding the minor league system was, but did it at the expense of making prudent major league roster adjustments.

Jerry Narron was fired Sunday. But he may be the lucky one in this equation. He doesn't have to clean up the mess he was handed.

Just hours away from July 1, you wonder how long it will be before the Reds fire sale begins. It's no secret, for the right price, you can have anyone on the roster, with the exception of Homer Bailey and Aaron Harang. Here are my odds for who goes first:

Scott Hatteberg 1-2
Jeff Conine 2-1
David Weathers 3-1
Adam Dunn 8-1
Bronson Arroyo 10-1
Ken Griffey, Jr 15-1

I think Hatteberg is the right price, is hitting as well as he's ever hit in his career and is a left hander who hits for average. The Yankees are interested, I'm hearing. Conine fits the same suit, from the right handed side of the plate.

Weathers would be a perfect set up guy for the Yankees, Mets and Phillies. Dunn's salary and the fact he can terminate his option year of $13 million in 2008 makes trading him problematic. But the Reds may so inclined to deal him, to get out from under that deal. Arroyo is throwing better than he did in May. But he appears to have a 'tired arm'. Still, I'm told at least one contending team inquired about Arroyo right around opening day this year. The Reds weren't interested in dealing him then. They would be now.

As for Griffey, Jr, I'm hearing he's close to being untouchable. The Reds are said to be less interested in dealing him, as Junior is a local guy, chasing a milestone (600 career HR's) and is a box office attraction. As the Reds aren't expected to be good in 2008, Junior can be counted on to sell tickets.

The big question in all of this, is what can the Reds legitimately expect in return for any of their players. The answer, as you'd expect at this time of the year, is not much. You normally get prospects for 'stars' in mid season. That's what the Reds got from their fire sale in 2003. Eventually, like Harang in '03, you'll get a nice payoff for a mid season sale. But it's a payday that's years away.

Homer Bailey got a lesson in major league baseball tonight. He was rocked in Philly. The phenom only made it through two outs into the second inning, allowing six runs in the process.

This shouldn't be a shock to anyone. Every great pitcher, early in his career, has growing pains. Whether or not Bailey becomes a great pitcher will be determined in the next few years. But what happened to him in Philadelphia tonight, shouldn't do any long term damage. If he's what we think he is, it will probably make him determined to atone, his next time out.

The Mitchell Commission may or may not get to the names of the stars involved in steroid abuse in major league baseball. It may be nothing more than just a ceremonial group, designed to appease the fans, maybe the US Congress. But if it does nothing more than just expose the use of that drug, it will have served its purpose. Look no further than suburban Georgia to see why the side effects of steroids may be so lethal.

Police are just finishing up their investigation into the double murder-suicide of professional wrister, Chris Benoit and his family. Investigators are now saying that Benoit strangled his wife, then suffocated his son and then killed himself using a pulley from a weight machine in his home. Steroids were found, when investigators began their search of the house.

Whether or not 'roid rage' is to blame for this horrific event is something that a coroner will have to determine. But clearly, steroid abuse has sent many professional wresters to an early grave. Eddie Guerrero, Curt Henning, Davey Boy Smith all pro wrestlers, all died early and in their wake, friends and family blamed steroid use (abuse?) for their deaths.

Steroids are a real problem for some professional athletes. But the real concern is how steroid use (abuse?) is becoming a problem with high school athletes. Some states, including New Jersey, have begun mandatory testing of high school athletes to determine whether or not they're taking these illegal drugs. Is it too young to start? Is 43 too young to die? That's how old Benoit was.

Just posted on my web site www.kenbroo.com is the latest "Broo View Podcast" Just go to the "Podcast and More" section to download it and check it out. I've got some comments from the new head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky, Billy Gillespie.

Clip and save this! I don't think the Reds are going to trade Ken Griffey, Junior this season, or next. Here's why.

The Reds are brutal, a team pieced together haphazardly and with the hand prints of three different general managers and two ownership groups. It is a classic example of how not to build a baseball team. Worse, there is a whole half of a season upon us with more than half of a home schedule to play. What would make you buy a ticket and watch this team play (other than a loaded gun to your head or a bad case of machochism?) The answer: Griffey.

As he closes in on 600 career home runs, there is at least that drama. And that drama will sell tickets. Bob Castellini is taking a "bath" this season. Next year isn't looking so hot either. The 'buzz' from his buying the Reds has been replaced by the 'fizzle' of wondering if he and his front office know what they're doing. Don't think I'm right? Listen to radio talk shows in Cincinnati or read some chat boards. The ticket buy public isn't happy.

By keeping Junior, Castellini at least keeps a box office attraction. It won't be the same as fielding a winning team. But it will allow Castellini to cut his losses. After the Rheal Cormier, Mike Stanton, Kyle Lohse and other brilliant moves, cutting losses have replaced wins as a barometer for success, for the Cincinnati Reds.

The world lost a true gentleman today and the college football world lost a great coach. Indiana University football coach, Terry Hoeppner lost his battle to brain cancer early this morning. He died just after sunrise, on another glorious day on the Bloomington, Indiana, campus. It was going to be a day of celebration at IU. Groundbreaking was scheduled for a new $55 million dollar athletic complex that included, among other things, an end zone facility for the IU football stadium. In a way, a benchmark for the rebuilding that Hoeppner was doing with the Hoosiers' football program.

Terry Hoeppner was the head coach at Indiana. But to me, he'll always be the head football coach at Miami, Ohio. It's there where I first met him, first as a long time RedHawk assistant and for six years, the head football coach. He knew I was an Ohio Bobcat. But he also knew I respected the job he'd done with the 'Hawks. Not only did they consistently beat my beloved 'Cats, his RedHawks did it with class and style. I always asked Terry to take it easy on my team. He always laughed and said 'no way'. I loved that about him, just loved it.

It says a lot about the man when you look at how he landed Ben Roethlisberger. Hoeppner began recruiting Roethlisberger, when Ben was a receiver at Findlay High School. Roethlisberger didn't quarterback his high school team until he was a senior. And while Ohio State and other bigger schools caught onto him when he blossomed as a senior, Big Ben didn't forget the classy coach who'd been wooing him with the beauty of Oxford. Roethlisberger signed with Miami. And, you know the rest of that story.

The world doesn't have enough Terry Hoepnners. Certainly, the coaching fraternity doesn't have enough. If my son were fortunate enough, or good enough, to have played collegiate football, there are a finite number of coaches I would have wanted him to play for. Even with "green and white" running through my veins, Terry would have been one of those coaches.

May he rest in peace. And may all he touched in his too short life remember how good a person he was.

Here's the problem with dealing Adam Dunn. The best the Reds will get for Dunn is a couple of prospects, probably prospects still a couple of years away from playing in the majors. Is it worth it for the Reds to unload their best power hitter for that?

It's a question that has to be making the rounds of the Reds front office. Dunn is infuriating with his ability to hit for power, tempered with his inability to field and his propensity for striking out. He'll also be making $13 million dollars next year, if the Reds hold onto him. If they don't, if he's traded, Dunn can void the final year of his deal. He'd be a free agent after this season. So that's why he won't bring the kind of payback he would have even a year ago. A "rental", which is what Dunn would be, usually only brings minor leaguers, low level minor leaguers.

And here's the other question the Reds brass has to be asking itself: where do you find offensive numbers that Dunn puts up and at what price? An established outfielder who can approach 30 home runs and drive in 90 (numbers under Dunn's yearly average) would cost between $5-6 million. That's if you can find one on the open market. So in reality, the Reds would be saving $7-8 million in dumping Dunn, regardless of what players come to Cincinnati in the deal. And they'd have to go find an outfielder, as the best outfield prospect in the Reds system is "A" star, Jay Bruce, still years away from the majors.

So it's not quite so simple as merely unloading Dunn and believing that the Reds will get immediate help at the major league level. Dunn may be going. But what comes in may not be what you think.

As Dave Mason once rhapsodized....'Been away, haven't seen you in awhile, how ya been?'

I've been out east the past week and away from the blog. Hope you're well. Sports in a moment. First, my brush with greatness.

I don't know if you're a "Sopranos" fan or not. I am and truly believe it's one of the classic television programs of all time. In a writer's medium (television) the recently concluded HBO series 'raised the bar' to new heights. The fact that it was shot in and around the neighborhoods I grew up in was merely a side light for me.

The ending of the series last Sunday night was controversial, in that it provide no clean and definitive end to its eight year run. So what? was my reaction. If you followed this series, you knew its creator, David Chase, wouldn't go down that road. His disdain for episodic over the air television is well documented, with each hour neatly packaged with a beginning, middle and end.
That controversy aside, to my brush with "The Sopranos".

The final, controversial scene was shot at an ice cream parlor I've been to dozens of times, mostly as a kid and not in the last 20 years. It sits on Passaic Avenue in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Holsten's is a landmark in that town, a great place for a burger and fries and an ice cream cone. It's also about ten minutes from the home I grew up in. So, on a lark after lunch Tuesday, not 48-hours after the airing of the final "Sopranos", I took a quick drive to Holsten's. Not wanting to be just a gawker, but gawking anyway, I entered the store and bought some candy. While the owner took care of that, I looked around, found the booth where the Sopranos family sat for the filming of the final scene and checked for bullet holes! None found, by the way. It looked exactly how it did in the final episode, and exactly how I remembered it from all those years ago.

I bought the obligatory T-shirt, paid for the candy and left. Though I've spent my entire adult life in television, it was actually pretty cool to be exactly where the penultimate scene of a great television show was filmed.

I'm a geek, I admit it. But if you were into it like I was for the past eight years, you'd do that same thing.

Homer Bailey made his second start for the Cincinnati Reds today. Not great, but not bad either. 101 pitches, only 67 for strikes. He continues to get too cute with marginal hitters and winds up getting in trouble. But I believe he's here to stay.

The more troubling trend is the ineptitude of the Reds bullpen, particularly the centerpiece of that now controversial trade the Reds made last summer. Gary Majewski is either still hurt, or not good. But it's clear now, Reds GM, Wayne Krivsky (whom I still like) should not have made this trade. He sent one quarter of his every day line-up to the Nationals for a pitcher who showed up with a sore arm (Majewski) another pitcher who's developed a sore arm (Bill Bray), a washed up short stop (Royce Clayton) and an infielder that the Reds gave up on who's now tearing it up with Tampa Bay (Brendan Harris).

If you're Bob Castellini and you've seen this mess, do you now allow Krivsky to deal Adam Dunn without first holding Krivsky's feet to the fire over that horrid deal he made last summer? I don't. Dunn is scheduled to make $13 million next season and can opt of that and become a free agent if he's traded before 2008. That means which ever team deals for Dunn is getting basically a 'rental', a player for just the balance of this season. At best the Reds will get prospects in return. That's a major, major step for this organization. Castellini will not only have to sign off on it, he should also make sure he gets a second, unbiased opinion from someone outside the Reds organization that what happened last summer, when Krivsky dealt Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez for a bucket of spare parts, doesn't happen again.

Not bad....not bad at all. 114 pitch night for the phenom....and Homer Bailey only lasts five innings. But he stuck around long enough to leave with a 4-2 lead and pick up his first ever major league win.

He didn't get a lot of help from the Reds defense (welcome to Cincinnati, Homer). A first inning run would've been avoided had Norris Hopper hit the cut off man. But he did get decent run support from Brandon Phillips (solo home run), Jeff Conine (two run home run) and Ken Griffey, Junior (solo home run, career #577).

Bailey needs to concentrate on his 'out' pitch a little more in his next start. He had the count at 2-2 and 3-2 several times and lost the batter. But for starters, no bad, not bad at all.

It's not like the NFL draft. You won't see any of the players the Reds (or any MLB team) drafted today in the major leagues any time soon. But the first pick was more than interesting.
The Reds selected Pennsylvania high school catcher, Devin Mesoraco. He's an interesting choice. Mesoraco missed an entire season of high school ball, recovering from Tommy John surgery. But he built his arm strength up and now has one of the best arms in the country.

Mesoraco has a full ride waiting at the University of Virginia. But he left no doubt today that he'll sign with the Reds, instead.

The countdown to Homer Bailey-mania (not to be confused in Cincinnati with Brennaman-ia) is on. The phenom makes his major league debut Friday night, at Great American Ball Park against the Cleveland Indians. Tough opponent to draw in game one. The Indians have one of the more potent line-ups in the game.

Another thing to watch for Friday is whether or not charges will be filed in Georgia against Bengals linebacker, Odell Thurman. Two man and a woman have filed a coplaint with the Monticello, Georgia, police about an incident that happened at a party in that town last weekend. The complaint alleges that Thurman beat up a man and that one of his relatives, a cousin, was involved with theatening a party goer with a gun.

If charges are filed against Thurman, who has the right to apply for re-instatement to the NFL this Monday, it will further his supension that is coming up on a year.

I laugh a lot when I hear fans call for a manager's head. We hear it a lot here in Cincinnati and we're hearing it a lot this season. A lot of fans want Jerry Narron gone. Like last week.

Criticism of Narron ranges from his inability to manage his bullpen to being too placid inside the dugout. He caught a lot of heat a few weeks back when he didn't bolt from the dugout and corral an umpire for a bad call on a third strike. The fact that the game was over and that the next manager to win a 'ball strike' argument will be the first manager to do so didn't matter. They wanted Narron to bust a vein.

I laugh a lot, because I've heard it all before in Cincinnati. It was the same criticism that Bob Boone attracted, Dave Miley too. When things go badly, first blame the manager. Team broadcasters, stand by, you're next.

The facts about our Cincinnati Reds are this: they can't hit with runners in scoring position, they have the worst bullpen in the National League and their defense is anywhere from passable to atrocious.

Narron has control over the third of those problems. Why he hasn't demanded daily infield practice, which was a major league staple for all teams up until about ten years ago, is beyond me. But you can't hold him responsible for his roster. He only has imput, but not the final say.
That rests with his general manager.

The Reds are where they are by no accident. The new owner hasn't been in charge long enough and the owner before him wasn't interested in spending money for players, after signing Griffey, Jr, to a greatly discounted deal in 2000. The owner in the late 80's through the late '90's did her best to dismantle a once prideful minor league system. And her GM failed to sign and develope a starting pitcher of major league quality in eleven years on the job.

But if you fire Jerry Narron, it'll fix all of that right?

It's official. Homer Bailey makes his major league debut this Friday night in Cincinnati against the Indians. The Reds decided to move him up a day, much to Bailey's surprise. Immediately after getting the news he was coming up, he began phoning friends and family members. Within an hour, the Reds brass had changed their minds. It's Friday, not Saturday they told Bailey. Homer scrambled to let his family know. But by then, he was riding a bus back from Durham, NC, through the hills of West Virginia. No cell service ment the update had to be put on hold. Eventually, everyone got the news. And a large contingent from Texas will be at Great American Ball Park Friday night, watching the Reds phenom toss his first major league game.

More thoughts on Bailey are in my latest Broo View Podcast. You can find it on my web site, www.kenbroo.com. It's in the 'Podcast and More' section.

If you're the Orlando Magic, would you force Billy Donovan to honor his contract? They won't, of course. But in the real world (where you and I live) you know we'd be forced to honor it. It just proves the absurdity of contract law in professional and collegiate sports. The written word means nothing. College coaches can walk on contracts that have two, three, five years left on them. College presidents allow them to. Now we know that a five year, $27.5 million dollar deal is worthless, for a team trying to make a coach adhere to his written word. What does that say about the spoken word of good faith. Right.

I'm sure the Reds have thought this through. They'd have had to. Homer Bailey will get the call sometime this week to join the team and start Saturday's game against the Indians. His arrival has been hailed and expected for over a year, every since he began making his meteoric rise from the depths of the Reds minor league system to where he is now, "AAA". He is the phenom, the first legitimate pitcher the Reds have developed in almost 20 years.

But think about this: if Bailey comes up and pitches well on Saturday, what happens? A team as desperate as the Reds for a kick start to this dismal season really can't afford to have Bailey here for one start and then banish him back to the minors. They would have to keep him here, right? Well if they do, then what? The next time the Reds would be in need of a fifth starter would be in early July. Surely, they won't let Bailey sit on the bench, or in the bullpen waiting until then. So that means either Kyle Loshe or Matt Belisle must leave the rotation to make room for Bailey. If he pitches well Saturday, keep an eye on that situation.

Waiting in the minors along with Bailey is another phenom: first baseman Joey Votto. Right now, Votto is hitting .318 with 8 homers and 34 runs batted in. And, Votto has been playing some left field. New contact lenses have helped Votto at the plate this season. He could be another call up. If the Reds are out of the running for the NL Central title, and as bad as that division is, no one is out of it right now, then Scott Hatteberg would be a likely candidate for trade. Like Hatteberg, Votto is a left handed hitting first baseman. It's a natural exchange: Hatteberg traded somewhere for whatever the Reds can get. Votto up from the minors.

Votto doesn't strike out a lot, 43 times in only 236 plate appearances. As much as Bailey's call up is anticipated, Votto should draw the same excitement.

Now Chad Johnson wants to race a horse. And he'll do it, for charity, one week from this Saturday at River Downs in Cincinnati. Johnson will race a thorobread, with the money raised from betting going to one of Marvin Lewis' Foundation charities.

It's not the first time a Cincinnati Bengal has raced a horse. It's not even the second time. In 1983, a young Cris Collinsworth raced against a horse that was winless. The horse left CC in the dust. Collinsworth repeated the effort ten years later....he lost again, badly.

Johnson will certainly meet the same fate on Saturday June 9th. You just hope he doesn't pull a hamstring in the process.

Watching the Cubs Carlos Zambrano and Michael Barrett rumble in their dugout this afternoon made for great theatre. The fact that Lou Piniella now manages the Cubs made it even better. Piniella had an infamous club house dust up with his relief pitcher, Rob Dibble that was caught on tape. Piniella took awhile to explode over the situation. When he did, he said that team mates should fight the opponent, if they have to, not each other.

And they say people don't learn things when they get older.

Have a great weekend. If you live in the greater Cincinnati area, I'll see you Sunday night on "Sports Rock", at 11:35pm on channel 5 WLWT. Among our guests, UFC's Rich Franklin.

And I'm hosting "Sunday Morning Sportstalk" on 700 WLW from 9am-Noon EDT. If you live outside the greater Cincinnati area, it's on XM channel 173.

Just posted on my web site www.kenbroo.com is the latest editions of The Broo View podcast, as well as Broo v. Broo, the most opinionated podcast in cyber space.

Check it out....and to make it easier for you, here's a direct link to The Broo View podcast.

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.

The good news is, Ryan Freel will be OK. He's sore tonight, after hitting into fellow outfielder, Norris Hopper and then slamming into the turf at Great American Ball Park.

But the heads up play of the day goes to Hopper. Replays show that Hopper, before the umpire arrived on the scene, put the baseball back in Freel's glove, as Ryan lie motionless on the ground. It appeared that Freel made the catch, anyway, as he took at stumbling step after catching the ball before hitting the turf. Though the TV replay didn't show it, the ball apparently fell out of Freel's glove, while his body sheilded it from view.

Fast one by Hopper, but quick thinking.

And this game showed what Kyle Loshe can be. He went the distance, throwing his fifth complete game of his career. But he'd lost his last six decisions, lasting only an out into the second inning in one of those games. In this game, he pitched ahead in the count, and won for the first time since April 15.

Here's a stat. In their last 17 games, the Reds are 5-12. Division leading Milwaukee is 3-14.

Somebody who'll remain nameless, wrote a less than flattering email to me today, questioning why I'm so 'hard' on the Reds and the Bengals. Negative, was his implication.

The fact that teams are what they are, and reporters merely report, is often lost on some alleged fans. They want cheerleaders, not journalists. But my guess is, these kind of fans would howl bloody murder if the team slighted them, say by its players not signing autographs or jacking up ticket prices.

I explained to my critic that rather than being upset with something someone on TV or in print says, be upset at the team; the Bengals for all of their player arrests, the Reds for now having the worst record in all of major league baseball.

You pay for the players' salaries with inflated ticket prices (or by investing your time watching the games on TV if you're too cheap to buy a ticket.) Think of the team as a stock. If the investment doesn't return what you believe it should, hold it accountable. Don't get upset with the folks who report what's going on.

Eventually, the Bengals will keep their players out of jail and the Reds will win again. But along the way, understand the role of the journalist. He or she is there to represent you, ask the questions you want answered and report on the team you live and die with.

My guess is, at the end of the day, the guy who takes for fall for releasing the misinformation on Chris Henry will be Kenton County, Kentucky, attorney Gary Edmondson. If you're not living in the Tri-State, you might not have heard that early Monday, Edmondson admitted to a lot of news outlets that Henry had flunked a random drug test. And because of that, Edmondson stated, Henry had violated his parole and was going to jail.

Turns out, a second test on the same sample was clean. And for the moment, Henry is back to his former status: suspended for the first eight games of this season. Edmondson says a third test on that same sample will be conducted.

If it's even possible, it's turned Henry into something of a sympathetic figure. His multiple misteps leads even a rational person to believe he'd be guilty of flunking a test. But it just shows how the wrong information about the right person can lead to a very dangerous situation.

I wouldn't be surprised if Henry seeks legal action against the Kentucky attorney. The tests are supposed to be held in strict confidence.

Funniest story I've seen today involves former heavyweight boxing champ, George Foreman. He's now saying his trainer gave him something to drink before his classic fight with Muhammad Ali that had some sort of medicine in it. Foreman said he spit it out but "After the third round, I was as tired as if I had fought 15 rounds"

Foreman has this in a new book he's written. All of that is rich. Foreman wasn't drugged. He 'punch drunked' himself...flailing away at a defensive Ali in the African heat. By the eighth round, Foreman could not have stood upright, even if he was attached to a derrick.

Makes for a good story, though.

I had to laugh today, listening to the local radio here in Cincinnati. A sports talk host and a lot of his callers were upset that Jerry Narron didn't rush out to argue a ball four call that forced in the winning run from third base. It was a walk off 'walk' for the Padres on Wednesday night, a night when Narron left his starting pitcher, Bronson Arroyo, in for a nine inning 129-pitch game.

Like Narron getting up in an ump's face AFTER a game is over would have a different.

Look, get made with the way Narron handles pitching. Get mad because he doesn't force his woefully inept team to take infield practice. But getting on the guy for not screaming at an umpire? It never works as a motivational tool in major league baseball. That's high school, show pony stuff.

Here's what you should get mad at. The Reds bullpen is pathetic, save for David Weathers a complete untrustworthy bunch. The defense is dreadful. And the only organization with fewer hits, is NBC prime time programming.

Narron is one of the last things the Reds and their fans need to worry about right now.

If you head to my web site right now, you'll catch the lastest edition of Bengals Report, our off season look at the Cincinnati Bengals. Bengals Report newspaper executive editor, Marc Hardin joins me. Also, there's a fresh edition of the hottest sports show in cyber space: Broo v. Broo.

You can find it all on my web site: www.kenbroo.com

Sam Adams was sent packing by the Bengals today. He had to see it coming. For the last month, the Bengals were attempting to get younger on that defensive line. They drafted a player in April and signed two other free agents.

The fact that Adams was still recovering from knee surgery and that he struggled last summer with his weight and missed most of training camp had to factor in this decision.

Cap money, apparently wasn't an issue, as Adams was only going to count about $700,000 against the cap in 2007.

It's a shame, really. If Adams had been in any kind of shape like he was in Buffalo the year before he arrived here, he would have really helped this defense. As it was, he started all 16 games last season and help the Bengals defensre shore up against the run.

He'll remain in town for awhile, as we continues to run the AF2 team in Cincinnati, the Jungle Kats. But my guess is, a 14 year veteran recovering from a surgically repaired knee may have a tough time finding another NFL team.

This is a hillarious story, confirmed to me by Ken Griffey, Junior's agent, Brian Goldberg this afternoon. It happed at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, a verbal spat between Junior and a fan. Here's a link to the story, that appears on the fan's my space page: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=40172915&blogID=263990044

I think it shows that Junior has a sharp sense of humor, which he parlayed into being named the National League player of the week.

I'll have some more things here in my blog as the night progresses. But I wanted to get this to you, now that I've stopped laughing.

The Bengals are filling in the blanks. That's what you have to do when you spend a second round draft pick on a player who's really a luxury, and you need help on defense.

Ed Hartwell, a linebacker, Blue Adams a cornerback and Kendrick Allen, a tackle, all signed free agent deals with the Bengals this week. Be still my beating heart.

While the Patriots load up on established super stars and mortgage the future to win now, the Bengals are bargain hunting.

That's the difference between the two franchises. One will take a mortgage out on their future, the other wants to pay bills with cash now.

Two weeks after the draft, I still contend that Kenny Irons, while gifted player who will be a star in the NFL, was a luxury pick. The Bengals defense was crying out for help and was neglected in this draft. Maybe the fourth, sixth and seventh round picks will pan out. But you rarely find impact players that low in the draft. Instead of Irons, the Bengals could have taken defensive tackle, Turk McBride out of Tennessee or defensive end Tim Crowder out of Texas, both excellent young players with tremendous upside. Irons, with Rudi Johnson, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Chad Johnson and other wide receivers, may only get on the field a handful of times during a game. Few teams use two man backfields anymore.

I hope I'm wrong. I'll admit it if I am. But I've seen nothing so far since the end of last season, that makes me believe this season the Bengals defense will be any better.

The Reds bullpen remains a real liability. And unless I miss my guess, GM Wayne Krivsky is trolling for a solution. He didn't blink when he pulled the trigger on a deal that brought bullpen help (allgedly) last season. He won't now.

Gary Majewski should be ready to pitch in the majors again in a few weeks. He's been on the DL since the end of spring training but has pitched well at AAA. Monday, Eddie Guardado threw off a mound, amazingly just nine months down the road from Tommy John surgery.

But here's a solution that may be too tempting for the normally cautious Krivsky to pass up. At AA Chattanooga is a pitcher named Calvin Medlock. Through Sunday, Medlock is 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA, His numbers have been just as strong before this season. At 5'9" Medlock won't scare anyone by sight. But his repetoire of pitches will do that for him. Medlock is also averaging a strike out per inning.

Don't be put off by the fact that Medlock is only at the AA level. Current Reds reliever, John Coutlangus was a AA pitcher coming into this season and has been a nice surpirse so far in 2007.
Medlock could be the same thing.

If it happens, remember, you heard it here, first.

The Reds bullpen remains a real liability. And unless I miss my guess, GM Wayne Krivsky is trolling for a solution. He didn't blink when he pulled the trigger on a deal that brought bullpen help (allgedly) last season. He won't now.

Gary Majewski should be ready to pitch in the majors again in a few weeks. He's been on the DL since the end of spring training but has pitched well at AAA. Monday, Eddie Guardado threw off a mound, amazingly just nine months down the road from Tommy John surgery.

But here's a solution that may be too tempting for the normally cautious Krivsky to pass up. At AA Chattanooga is a pitcher named Calvin Medlock. Through Sunday, Medlock is 0-1 with a 1.50 ERA, His numbers have been just as strong before this season. At 5'9" Medlock won't scare anyone by sight. But his repetoire of pitches will do that for him. Medlock is also averaging a strike out per inning.

Don't be put off by the fact that Medlock is only at the AA level. Current Reds reliever, John Coutlangus was a AA pitcher coming into this season and has been a nice surpirse so far in 2007.
Medlock could be the same thing.

If it happens, remember, you heard it here, first.

This weekend and next, NFL begin the spring ritual of mini camps. Most of the early camps are for rookies and undrafted college free agents. Here in Cincinnati, the Bengals open their on Friday. There is one player that should draw lot of interest.

Kenny Irons is a gifted running back. In this current draft, he was the best of all the senior runnings back available. In the middle of round two, Irons was considered a good 'get' for any team. But for the Bengals, it was a reach.

This is a team that has no shortage of fire power. It can score from just about anywhere on the field. That's the good news. The bad news is, any team playing the Bengals can score from just about anywhere on the field. The Bengals defense is, to put it gently, pourous. So why would a team so desperate for defensive help choose a running back with its second round pick? Simply put, the Bengals were seduced by Irons' break away speed.

They thought they had that a few years ago, when they drafted Chris Perry number one. But he has been nothing but hurt in his time in Cincinnati. So this choice of Irons was really a make up pick. The thinking is, Irons will be a great change up from Rudi Johnson and insurance should Johnson get hurt. But if you're going to apply that logic to whom you pick, why not take a quarterback in round one, just in case Carson Palmer gets hurt? You don't, because that philosophy is usually termed a luxury. And few NFL teams can afford luxury picks.

The Bengals think they can. If their defense isn't any better this year than last, look back to draft day for at least one reason why.

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. Friday, I'll be posting my latest Broo View podcast!

Any recovering alcoholic or drug abuser will tell you life is one day at a time. It's true for the Reds' Josh Hamilton, back in organized baseball for the first time in four year. Hamilton has been clean and sober for over a year and a half now. He never play an inning of major league baseball before this season. But for a man living life one day at a time, what a month April was.

Hamilton banged out six home runs, drove in 14 and hit .266. Wednesday, Hamilton was named the National League rookie of the month.

Hamilton has been a terrific story so far this season. It would be crazy to think he could keep up the pace, never having played above "AA" baseball before this season. But so far, he's written one of the best stories in Reds history. They took a gamble with him. He's paid off. With any recovering abuser, it could all end in a second. Hamilton has given no indication that second is in sight.

The Bengals adios'd linebacker Jason Berryman today. This is the guy the Bengals signed hours after Marvin Lewis declared he was going to clean up his act and take in only good citizens to his locker room. Berryman was kicked off the Iowa football team, for among other things, spending close to 300 days in jail for theft.

In another town, with another team at another time, Berryman might have been a good pick up. But not this town or this team. He should have never been signed in the first place, even if things for him are better now.

Just posted on my web site tonight, the latest Broo v. Broo podcast. Go to www.kenbroo.com and click on the "Podcast & More" section. This is the most opinionated sports show in cyber space. Guaranteed.

Check back...

The Reds have announced that they're going to retire Davey Concepcion's number 13 this summer. And while that's a great honor for the slick fielding short stop, it occured to me what an injustice it is that Concepcion is not in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.

Concepcion was without arguement, the best fielding short stop of his time. He defined the way the position was played on astro turf, a common playing surface in the 70's. Not that the little Venezuelan wasn't good on real turf. He was. But on the plastic grass, he exceled.

He was often over looked in the dream line up the Reds ran onto the field every night in the 70's. Pete Rose at third, Joe Morgan at second, Tony Perez at first and of course, Johnny Bench behind the plate. But no Red of that era fielded his position better than Concepcion.

20 years or so ago, the big injustice was, if you listened to the New York media, Phil Rizzuto not getting into the Hall. It was New York bias, to be sure. But Rizzuto was eventually elected by the veterans' committee. Now facing his final year of eligibility with the writers, Concepcion will have to wait another ten years before the veterans can judge his case, should he not be elected by the writers this fall.

Let's look at the numbers. Rizzuto played 13 seasons, all the the Yankees. He hit .273, hitting 38 home runs and driving in 563 runs. He fielded his position at .968.

Concepcion played 19 seasons, all in Cincinnati Red. He hit .267, hitting 101 home runs and drovein 950 runs. He fielded his position at .971. Aside from Concepcion's better power number, they're basically the same player.

Davey belongs in the Hall.