Edwin Encarnacion will drive you crazy. On the most routine ground balls, he'll look like he's never played the game in his life. He already has eight errors this season. Yet, Monday night in St. Louis, here was Easy Edwin on his knees, throwing a runner out at second and ending a 7th inning threat. And then, Encarnacion made a spectacular catch near the Reds dugout to end the game. We'll never know how close he came to a demotion earlier this month. My guess is, fairly close. But now that he's hitting again (2-4, 2 RBI Monday night) Encarnacion has one of the more potent bats in the Reds line-up.

So just to set the record straight, fired GM Wayne Krivsky had this give and take with hall of fame baseball writer, Hal McCoy in the Dayton Daily News.

Meantime, Krivsky's successor, Walt Jocketty may be busy soon, according to foxsports.com.

I've got a confession: I rarely watch ESPN anymore. I have ESPN News on my satellite dish and find myself watching that channel more than the "Mothership". Why? Well, here's an example of what the original all sports network has degenerated into:

ESPN News gives you the highlights and the facts. ESPN caters to the egos of the network's 'stable of the stars', such as they are.

My buddy Mike Florio, from profootballtalk.com has some perspective on the Chiefs trading Jared Allen to the Vikings.

When it happened, I'm sure Bengals LT Levi Jones made a bee-line for the 2008 schedule. Easy, big man, the Vikes and Bengals don't play each other this season.

I've never been a big "Dr. Z" fan. I think he was relevant at one point during the Reagan adminstration. But if the Bengals are looking for someone who thinks they did a good job in the 2008 draft, "Dr. Z" is their guy. Here's what he's saying today on SI.com.

The latest "Broo View Podcast" is up and posted and ready for you to download. Here's the link. It's on the home page of my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/.

That's it for tonight. I now have to figure out what's the problem with Johnny Cueto, who didn't make it through two innings tonight. See you on WLWT channel 5 in Cincinnati!

On the day after the NFL draft, the grades for the Bengals are all over the map. The median grade seems to be a 'C'.

But USA Today has an interview with ESPN' Keyshawn Johnson, who leads you to believe the real loser on draft day was Chad Johnson.

And at SI.com, Don Banks thinks the Bengals stocking up on wide receivers may be a sign that they're willing now to deal Johnson. Don't bet on it.

Pro Football Weekly seems to think, like a lot of us, that the Bengals got outmanuevered by the Saints.

As for the specific grades, the worst comes from yahoo sports. Not a whole lot of love.

But foxsports.com is a little more forgiving to the Bengals class of 2008.

And did you catch this draft day exchange on ESPN between Mel Kiper, Jr and Todd McShay. When you encourage egos to spar, you often get this. Kiper appears to be ready to light his wig on fire. It is a wig, isn' it?


The Reds finally found their muscle this past weekend. They put up 20 runs in two games, ten each on Saturday and Sunday. For a team as anemic as it was during last week's home stand, 20 runs seems like a season's worth. If it continues in St. Louis and Atlanta later this week, it may delay some big moves that be coming. The folks in Seattle would like to see the Reds make at least one major move. The Seattle Times wants the Mariners to bring Junior home.

My latest "The Broo View Podcast" will be posted over night. You can download it from my web site: www.kenbroo.com. You'll find it on the front page. And in the "Podcasts & More" section, you can easily download a lot of the past episodes.

Well, you knew this was coming, sooner or later. The more Chad Johnson is whining and begging to be traded, the sooner you'd get a web site like this one. Fangmann is an Ohio Bobcat (home of the football 'messiah' Frank Solich) who also graduated from Moeller High School. You can hear him on my Sunday morning talk show on 700 WLW this weekend.

Meantime, enjoy this bit of theatrics from Johnson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Even he has trouble keeping a straight face delivering this!

In Indian Hill tonight, Mike Brown is gufawwing himself to sleep.

The draft starts Saturday at 3pm Cincinnati time. One more preview, this time cornerbacks, from the man who runs profootballtalk.com. Mike Florio knows his stuff!

Florio also 'moonlights' for sportingnews.com and has this take on Mike Brown's refusing to trade Chad.

It's still Sedrick Ellis for the Bengals. If the Southern Cal defensive tackle is available when they pick at number 9, they will pounce on the man.

Now, the Reds, beginning a nine game road trip tonight ni San Francisco. But down at "AAA" Louisville, Jay Bruce must be wondering if the Reds have lost his phone number. He did it again, last night. Read about it in the Louisville Courier-Journal.

As for the Reds, teetering on the brink of ambivalence (14,000 for a game against the Dodgers this week?), they may soon begin shopping players. Buster Olney has this today on espn.com.

I'm talking sports this Sunday on 700 WLW, 9am-Noon. You can listen on line, over the air and if you have it, on XM Radio channel 173. Draft expert Jerry Jones will join me in the 9 o'clock hour to handicap the second day of the draft, which begins at 10am.

Sunday night at 11:35, it's another rousing edition of Sports Rock! on WLWT Channel 5. We always have to last, best word in sports. We'll be looking for you.

And for the best in sports, check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. The latest BROO VIEW PODCAST will be posted sometime this weekend. It'll be on the front and easy to download.

Have a great weekend!

Whether or not the Reds changing general managers works out in the long run, in the short run, team owner, Bob Castellini is getting lampooned nationally for firing Wayne Krivsky and giving the GM's job to long time acquaintance, Walt Jocketty. ESPN is having a bit of a field day with this.

We'll let Buster Olney lead off, with his criticism. He says the signing of Josh Fogg during spring traning was something that ticked the Reds owner off.

Batting second today, espn.com's Keith Law who, among other things, suggests firing Dusty Baker should be Jocketty's first move.

Moving over to cbssports.com, we find Scott Miller, who picks up flag for the departed Mr. Krivsky.

Add to all of this, epsn.com's Jayson Stark's radio rant today about how the firing of Krivsky is being met with amazement and anger in the baseball executive world, you've got an 'inside baseball' Broo Ha Ha (sorry)

What does it mean? Nothing really to Castellini, who's only obligation is to his fellow shareholders and the Cincinnati fans. If the move works out, if the Reds turn this season around, it will be viewed as a watershed moment. But if it doesn't and Castellini and/or Jocketty have to go out and begin hiring personnel because current Reds staffers have left or been fired, they may find the pickings slim.

As the countdownto the draft continues, Drew Rosenhaus released another video tape today, in which he begs (literall) for the Bengals to trade Chad Johnson. Meantime, profootballtalk.com claims Marvin Lewis' "play for us or retire" ultimatum earlier this week has earned Lewis some major points inside his locker room.

If you see Mike Brown back down on this one, it will mean aliens from another planet have taken over his body.

Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com has another draft preview out. Here's his 'take' on the crop of defensive ends available this weekend.


Meantime, most mock drafts, including this latest one by espn.com's Mel Kiper, Jr. has DT Sedrick Ellis coming to the Bengals. Let's hope and pray.

I'm talking sports this Sunday on 700 WLW here in Cincinnati. You can listen online, on the radio or, if you have one, on satellite radio XM Channel 173.

See you tonight on Cincinnati's WLWT Channel 5!

Not for a moment, am I shocked that Wayne Krivsky got the 'boot' today. But I am shocked by the timing. You might have to look hard, long and deep to find a major league baseball team that has fired its general manager just 21 games in to a season. Jim Bowden's mid season firing in 2003 was out of the ordinary. Usually, most GM's are launched in the off season.

But the fact that Krivsky, a really engaging guy incidentally, was fired is not a shock. Walt Jocketty has been a "GM in waiting" since Bob Castellini hired him in January. In St. Louis, for 12 years, Jocketty was the consumate baseball general manager. Most of his trades involved sending promising minor league talent to other teams for established veterans. I don't think he'll do that here, not yet. But I wouldn't be surprised to see him place his hand print (foot print?) on the roster soon. He has some big decision to make, along with Castellini.

The owner likes Adam Dunn. But does he like him enough to lay about $60 million on him for the next four years? Bringing back Ken Griffey, Junior at $16 million next season wasn't going to happen, regardless who the GM is. But will Jocketty want to renegotiate a longer deal in exchange for less money with Junior?

As for Krivsky, I hope he lands another GM job in his career. He made some bold moves here, and some that were doomed from the start. Getting hoodwinked by predecessor Jim Bowden on a trade for relief pitching in 2006 didn't help him. But on the whole, says espn.com's Rob Neyer, Krivsky did well.

And Richard Justice, an old acquaintace of mine from the "DC Days", thinks the move will pay off big for the Reds. Justice has this on sportingnews.com.

His immediate concern has to be the performance of Bronson Arroyo, who was lit up again Wednesday night. Arroyo hasn't made it out of the sixth inning in any of his starts. Last Friday, against the Brewers, it took him 100 pitches to make it through the fifth. Wednesday night, against the Astros, Arroyo lasted just two outs into the fourth, allowing ten hits and eight earned runs. And he needed 91-pitches to accompish that.

The NFL draft is Saturday. Another videocast below from our good friend, Mike Florio of profootballtalk.com. Today, Mike is scoping out the position the Bengals hope to cash in on in round one: defensive tackles.

If Sedrick Ellis is there at #9 when the Bengals pick, I don't see how they pass on him.

My man, Chick Ludlwig of the Dayton Daily News is on the same page as me. If you give in to Chad Johnson's antics, you're just asking for trouble down the road.

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I'll have another Broo View Podcast posted within the next 24 hours. But the latest installment is on the front page. And you can access any of the archived Broo View Podcast in the "Podcast & More" section.

You wonder why Marvin Lewis doesn't trust the media. He worked for Brian Billick and Bill Cowher, two head coaches who have a solid working relationship with the media in their towns. Lewis, apparently, didn't go to the same school.

We got another example of that today, when Lewis gathered the media to talk about the upcoming draft. But he had to know that questions were coming about Chad Johnson's status with the Bengals. Johnson, I'm sure you know, has been yapping since January that he wants out of Cincinnati. For whatever reason, he feels he's been mistreated. At least three times since the end of this season, Lewis has said, flatly, that Johnson wouldn't be traded and that he expected Chad to honor the terms of his contract, which runs through the 2011 season.

But Tuesday, ESPN's Chris Mortenson reported that the Washington Redskins had offered the Bengals their #1 pick in Saturday's draft and a conditional third round pick in 2009, that could become a first rounder, depending on how Johnson would perform this season.

At his news conference, Lewis was asked by a reporter if the Redskins had offered the Bengals two first round picks, in exchange for Johnson, a technical misquote as the trade offer was for a first rounder and third rounder that could become a first. Lewis said that Mortenson's reporting was 'errant' and then said that Mike Brown, the Bengals owner, hasn't entertained any trade offers for Johnson. And, by the way Marvin said, Johnson isn't available.

Later in the day, Marvin had to eat his words and apologize to Mortenson, whose report was confirmed in the DC media. Lewis has taken on some water for this, his credibility with the local media remains shaky.

But lost in that is this: Mike Brown will not trade Johnson until Brown wants to. If it took three years of moaning and complaining by Corey Dillon, it'll take at least that by Johnson. Brown is a man of principle. A deal is a deal, with Mike. Besides, this Bengals team needs Johnson performing at his peak to have any chance of making the playoffs this season. The other memorable quote from Lewis today was that if Chad doesn't want to play for the Bengals then he should retire. "He has a contract through 2011. He's stated without an opportunity to go to a different team and a new contract, he wasn't going to play. I think he's a man of his word and says not going to play, so don't play."

Don't be surprised if the whole thing wasn't leaked by Johnson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Reportedly, the Redskins were set to offer Chad a new contract with $21 million in bonus money.
But, also, don't be surprised by this: Mike Brown doesn't have a history of caving into anyone. Don't look for Johnson to go anywhere, soon.

My buddy, Mike Florio, of profootballtalk.com is talking about offensive linemen in his weekly video podcast. Check it out.

Now, if the Bengals believe that Rudi Johnson is finished and that last year's second round pick, Kenny Irons isn't fully recovered from his knee surgery, they have an option. The Seattle Seahawks have released veteran running back, Shaun Alexander. And Alexander calls greater Cincinnati home. He was a big time high school running back at Boone County HS, where he rushed for over 100 touchdowns in his career.

I'm talking sports again this Sunday on Cincinnati's 50,000 flame thrower, 700 WLW. I'm on from 9am-Noon AND we have a toll free number, if you want to talk sports.

Sunday night at 11:35pm on Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, WLWT, it's the last best word on the NFL draft and the rest of the week in sports. Join us for Sports Rock!

And you can check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. The latest edition of the Broo View Podcast is ready for download!

He's baaack! Late Monday, NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell, re-instated Bengals linebacker, Odell Thurman. Thurman burst onto the NFL scene as a rookie in 2005. But soon, he fell into the wrong crowd and accumulated a series of arrests. Banned from the league the past two seasons, Thurman is now eligible to practice with and play for the Bengals. Read all about it, right here on espn.com.

No telling what kind of impact Thurman will have. Two years away from the game is along time, by NFL standards. But I think for any player who plays a reactionary position, it's a little easier to return. Now, the big question is, can Thurman stay clean and sober.

Well, at least based on one night, the Reds need to do more than just tweak the roster. Up from the minors came infielder, Jerry Hairston, Jr, and pitcher Matt Belisle. Belisle got the start Monday night against the Dodgers, and again showed just how big the gap is between the Majors and AAA. Belisle had a number of good starts, rehabbing a sore arm. But the Dodgers made Belisle look like he was throwing batting practice. Hal McCoy has the inside scoop in his daily blog "The Real McCoy" on the Dayton Daily News web site.

Belisle's line: 4 ip (he got no one out in the 5th) 12 hits and seven runs, five earned. He'll get at least a couple more starts. But he looked suspiciously like the Belisle we've seen before in Cincinnati.

Marvin Lewis holds his annual pre draft news conference Tuesday. I'm sure he'll be peppered with Chad Johnson questions. Lewis has said on three different occasions the Bengals will 'not' trade Johnson. If he says the same thing Tuesday, I'm convinced the Bengals will force Johnson's hand. If he elects to sit out part or all of the season, he will be heavily fined.

Check back later Tuesday for more. And my latest podcast will be posted over-night on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. The latest episode will be on the front page. In the "Podcasts & More" section, you can download all of the past episodes.

If there’s one person who’s keeping the Reds off the hot burner today, it’s you know who. Corey Patterson, Adam Dunn, and Scott Hatteberg should drop down on the Mendoza Line they stand on and give thanks today for Ocho Cinco. Without him, they’d have you speed dialing this morning.

Chad Johnson has gone from being the most loveable player on the Bengals roster to just another modern day athlete, spoiled rotten by money, attention and a media willing to lap up whatever drips out of his mouth. He has followed the gospel according to “TO” like it was written by Matthew, Mark, Luke or John. Only it wasn’t. It was written by one Drew Rosenhaus, agent for both.

I did the check list, the other night on channel 5. Step one, insult team management, the same people who made you one of the highest paid people on the planet. Step two, diss your coach. In TO’s case, it was Andy Reid, an old school indifferent sort, but a very good football coach. In Johnson’s case, it was one of the few people in that Bengals locker room who claims to understand him. A lot of people in the media, a lot of fans, are calling Marvin Lewis Johnson’s enablier, patting him on the back when Johnson really needed a swift kick to butt. If so, imagine how he feels today.

Step three, the most heinous of all, throw your quarterback under the bus. Last I checked, Donovan McNabb and Carson Palmer are pretty good quarterbacks. Last I checked, there hasn’t been a wide receiver in professional,,,,or any other kind of football… who’s managed to throw AND catch a forward pass. Like “TO” before him, Johnson this week attacked the sacred cow. Eventually, the Eagles had enough of Terrell Owens, suspended him, benched him and then eventually let his ‘walk’. Owens, if you’re scoring at home, is now in Dallas with a better team and still pulling in millions.

So it didn’t take a genius to figure out, this is exactly Chad Johnson’s end game: follow the TO blue print, insult enough people, get the Bengals to tire of your act and release you….or trade you.

There have been fans, talk show host, journalists, good people this week, who have said…enough…let him go, he’s a distraction and will be an even bigger one if this is allowed to continue. There have been people who believe it will be best for the Bengals to simply trade Johnson and be done with the head ache. But I know one person who isn’t saying this and it will be a long time before he will: Mike Brown.

I don’t know Brown as well as I did back in the ‘90’s, when I called Bengals games on radio and spent just about every practice day with him on the sidelines. But a leopard doesn’t change his spots and Mike Brown doesn’t do anything unless it benefits his team.

Brown has been skewered, on this radio station among other places, more than shish-ka-bob in the summertime. He’s cheap, doesn’t know how to draft players, hates to play the free agent game, wouldn’t know how fast a player was, even the player stepped on Mike’s neck enroute to a 4.4 40. You can believe all of that to be true….and incidentally, I don’t…but even if you do, you must give him this: the man can conduct business.

Remember, this is the guy who beat the IRS in tax court….twice. That’s like the Washington Generals beating the Harlem Globetrotters. This is the guy who twisted Hamilton County’s government so tightly, back in the 90’s, he made it look like it was their idea to fund a 500-million dollar stadium

So do you believe for a moment, some agent in a three piece suit and Chad Johnson are going to back Mike Brown into a corner and win? Really?

Here’s what I saw, when I watched Rosenhaus interviewed on ESPN Friday: a guy with a loose cannon for a client, up against an owner whose answer to him on everything is ‘no’. Rosenhaus didn’t say it, I wouldn’t have either if I were him, but that sounds exactly what Brown is telling him. Rosenhaus wants a trade, Brown says, no. Rosenhaus wants a new deal for Johnson, more money, more than the money they gave Johnson less than two years ago, Brown says no.

I think, down deep with a tinge of disgust, Brown is probably amused a little by all of this. The more Johnson opens his mouth, the more he embarrasses himself…and makes Rosenhaus squirm. See, Brown knows, he’s got Johnson locked down through 2010, with an option Brown holds through 2011. If Chad elects to sit out this season, he not only can be fined for every day he misses, starting with training camp, the deal automatically renews for 2011,

If Chad holds out, Brown actually MAKES money. Does this sound like somebody in a bad spot?

We heard this week, well, if this continues and Chad eventually reports, he could become a distraction. Could. But the Bengals are supposed to be running the football more often this year. Marvin said so a couple of weeks ago. They just signed a tight end, who supposedly will have passes thrown to him…a novelty, I know for the Bengals. What happens if Chad comes back and this team is winning? What happens if its 4-0, 5-0, 6-0, when he decides to report.

I’ll tell you what it will be: a story for one day and then every one of us in the local media will be back to reporting on a team that might be on a championship run.

So no, Chad Johnson won’t be traded on draft day, unless it benefits the Bengals. Mike Brown won’t take the cap hit and he won’t let a player back him into a corner and win. And he’s smart enough to realize, the kind of talent Johnson brings to a football team doesn’t come rolling down the street often.

But if I were advising Mike Brown, and since I’m doing a radio talk show, I guess I am.,I’d tell him to pack a bag, pick up Marvin and drive to the airport. They should fly to Miami for a ‘sit down’ with Ocho Cinco and Drew Rosenhaus. And Brown should lay it all on the table. He should ask Johnson specifically, who did what to him and when. What’s the basis for his behavior the past three months.

I’d remind Chad that he gushed over the contact he signed back in 2006, the money, the front office, his desire to make the team a winner.

I’d remind him of the number of place he could be traded to that could nuke any shot he may have winning a championship, let alone having a decent pass thrown to him. Oakland, Tampa Bay, Kansas City come to mind.

I don’t think Brown will do any of that, but he should. I don’t think Johnson would take the meeting, but he should.

The real losers in this are you….who bleed orange and me, who has to talk about this stuff and not the NFL draft.

Check out my latest podcast at www.kenbroo.com. And check me out weeknights at 6 & 11pm on WLWT in Cincinnati.

Here's what I think is going on. Chad Johnson is following the same blueprint as Terrell Owens did when Owens wanted 'out' of Philly. Remember, they both have the same agent, Drew Rosenhaus. In 2005, Owens did the following: insult management, throw his quarterback 'under the bus', dissed the coach and got his release. What has Johnson done this winter and spring? The exact same things. You think this is a coincidence? Negative. This is a game the agent is running.

When Johnson refuted an innocent comment Carson Palmer made this week (Palmer said in a TV interview with WLWT that he talked with Chad and Johnson assured him he'd be in Cincinnati when 'he had to'. Johnson immediately called his quarterback a liar) it was the same path that Owens followed in 2005, when he trashed his quarterback, Donovan McNabb. In early 2006, the Eagles released him and Owens wound up signing with Dallas.

I don't sense Mike Brown is going to be bullied like his Eagles counterpart was three years ago. Brown does nothing unless it benefits his team. Letting Johnson go now, taking a $8 million salary cap hit and losing a wide receiver who consistently delivers over 1300 yards per season is something that will hurt the Bengals in 2008, not help. TJ Housmandzadeh will draw double teams. And the rest of the wide receivers on the roster, at least at this point, are nothing more than pedestrian. You must remember, it took Corey Dillon four years of moaning to get out of Cincinnati. Only then, did Brown let him walk, when Dillon was just about at the end of his career.

You don't push Mike Brown into a corner and win. Ask any player who's sat across the table from him on a contract negotiation. Ask the IRS. Brown has twice beaten the IRS in tax court. That has to be some sort of record.

Now we have TJ weighing on on this thing in a story posted on espn.com.

And if Palmer thinks he's got a problem with Johnson, wait until they read this story, from the Dayton Daily News, in Cleveland.

As always, I'm talking sports this Sunday morning on 700 WLW in Cincinnati. I'm on from 9am until Noon, EDT. You can listen on line at www.700wlw.com and on XM Radio channel 173.
Many guests, many topics and a lot on Chad Johnson and the plight of our Cincinnati Bengals!

I asked this question Sunday morning on 700 WLW: at 6-6 (now 6-7) is the Reds' glass half empty or half full? Tonight, with the Reds only a game out of the cellar in the National League Central Division, you have to wonder.

The surprises have been the better pitching, and the lack of hitting. It's flat out staggering how poor the Reds are hitting with runners in scoring position. They left 32 men on base in last weekend's three game series at Pittsburgh.

Now, they're in Chicago for three, a homecoming for Dusty Baker, the former Cubs manager who'll at least get a good reception from the players he left behind, accoring to the Cubs' official web site.

The Chicago Tribune has another take on his homecoming.

The NFL will release it's schedule Tuesday at 2pm. My prediction: One Monday Night game and one Sunday Night game and that's it for our "Men In Stripes".

And with the draft coming up, thoughts on who the Bengals take with that 9th over all pick are lacking a consensus. Let's hope the Dayton Daily News is off base with this call.

Will they need a WR? I'll be the Bengals take at least one in the first four rounds. Remember, they have multiple picks in every round from the third on. But Seth Wickersham on espn.com makes a good case why the Bengals don't really need to rely on a third wide receiver this fall.

SI.com has video of just about every player who could go in the first couple of rounds. I hope they're right and Sedrick Ellis, the DT from Southern Cal, is the Bengals' pick at #9. Take a look at this guy!

And just in case they don't get a good return guy in the draft, no problems. With the new rule change, the Bengals can always 'defer' if they win the coin flip. Marvin Lewis has already said, he'll take the option a lot. My good friend, Mike Florio, at profootballtalk.com has some more thoughts on the new 'defer option', in one of his latest TV segments.


That's it fo rnow. If you're in Cincinnati, see you tonight on WLWT Channel 5. And you can always check out my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/.

It's not even May, and already there's an NFL 'coaches on the hot seat' out. Look what espn.com is saying about Marvin Lewis and others.

I'm not sure I entirely buy it. I think Marvin needs to produce a playoff team this season and cut down on the 'thug' image his team has. But he's working for Mike Brown, who fires coaches about as often as the guards at Buckingham Palace smile.

But yet another 'take' on Marvin and the Bengals from The Sporting News, in one of their 'your turn' deals.

One of my favorite guests on my Sunday morning sportstalk show on 700 WLW in Cincinnati is Mike Florio, the editor of the highly informative profootballtalk.com web site. Mike occasionally does TV segments. Here's his opinion of Chris Henry's dismissal from the Bengals, after yet another arrest.


Goodbye Sarasota, hello Goodyear, Arizona. It's official now, the Reds are moving their spring training headquarters west in 2010. Even the local paper in Sarasota knows its hometown blew this one.

I remember when Pete Rose bumped umpire Dave Pallone in the 1988 season and got a 30-day suspension. I wonder what would've happened if Rose had done this to Pallone. Check out this video from the Japanese League!

Rose would've been gone for life. Oh wait a minute, he is.

Johnny Cueto is again, dazzling tonight, as the Reds and Brewers play on in Milwaukee. But a disturbing trend is the Reds lack of run production and their 'big swingers' inability to get going this season.

One of the funniest pieces of video I've seen in a looooooong time. It's from a professional tennis match in Florida and the culprit is Mikail Youzhny.

How big if an idiot do you think he feels like? Or...how much endorsement money could he make from say....Advil, or Tylenol or Band-Aid?

A child will test a parent. He will push a parent as far as he can, just to see how much he can get away with. Every parent knows this. And every kid knows it too. Chad Johnson is playing child these days to Marvin Lewis' parent. And Johnson has been testing his coach. His behavior on radio row during the Super Bowl and his rants since then on national stages have embarrassed his head coach.

Johnson has said, to anyone who'll listen, that he wants to be traded. He's threatened to sit out this season if the Bengals held onto him. The fact that he signed a five year deal just a couple of years ago for over $30 million is apparently insignificant to Johnson. He's not happy in Cincinnati. God knows why, as the fan base here will tolerate anything from the Bengals. Just look around Paul Brown Stadium any given Sunday and see the number 15 Chris Henry jerseys.

But the parent has grown tired of the child's antics. And today, at the NFL meetings in Florida, Marvin Lewis, very gently told the assembled media that Chad basically has two choices: play for the Bengals in 2008 and beyond, or retire. He can sit out the season too. But if Johnson chooses to do that, his contract will automatically extended an extra season, through 2012.

Lewis told bengals.com today "We've been dealing with this inside for over a year and we'll be prepared to move on. He has a contract through 2011. If he plays NFL football, it will be in Cincinnati, or he has to do what he says and that's retire. That would be a shame. We'll do everthing we can to help him out of this and try to restore his image."

For a coach who rarely scolds his players publicly, this spoke volumes. I'd have put it a different way. I'd have said "We've had one winning season with him, since he joined the team in 2001. We were, for the most part, a bad team with him. We can be a bad team without him."

But maybe that's why I didn't go into the coaching profession.

Chad Johnson just lost his safety net. Enjoy the fall.

Random thoughts from Opening Day in Cincinnati (my 19th as a paid journalist).....Brandon Webb is one of the best pitchers in the Majors. But the Reds have dragged a disturbing trend from 2007 into 2008: the inability to move base runners along and the lack of big inning rallies. To be sure, they'll face easier pitchers than Webb. But I wanted to see more today....Corey Patterson will cover a lot of turf in centerfield. But Junior saved him big time on a catch off Stephen Drew....Patterson must have a great percentage of successful stolen bases, as infrequently has he gets on case. He had 82 the last two seasons, while in Baltimore....The entire Reds team wearing Joe Nuxhall's number 41 for pre game introductions was one of the best tributes I've ever seen. Whoever came up with that idea needs a pay raise, immediately....I talked with the Diamonbacks' Erick Byrnes after the game. He says the goal, everytime Webb pitches, is to score three runs. Three is plenty for Webb, says the DBacks' outfielder...Bronson Arroyo will have a much easier time of it on Wednesday night in game two of this series than Aaron Harang had today. Harang was good, good enough to win. But the rain delay didn't help him and neither did the annual distractions of Opening Day. He's a pro and needs to deal with those things and he did. But Arroyo will benefit from the typical second game of the season start Wednesday.

It may be just days before the start of another baseball season. The NCAA Tournament is moving into the Sweet 16. But in Cincinnati, it's never an off season for "Chad". Another week brings another round of news on Ocho-No Show. Johnson, as he promised to do, failed to show up for the start of voluntary workouts this week. He's still mad at some un-named folks in the Bengals front office for some un-named slights directed at him during the 2007 season. Marvin Lewis re-iterated Monday in an NFL Network interview that the Bengals will not trade Johnson.

But Chad has kept the fires burning. Here's what he had to say in an ESPN interview this week.

And, of course, that just spurned all kinds of opinions on what the Bengals should do. The Sporting News says, salary cap be damned, the Bengals should trade Johnson immediately.

And if he is being shopped (again Lewis has said the team won't trade Johnson), the feeling from Philadephia is, send him there. A good take in the Philadelphia Daily News.

Meantime, check out this video. It's one of the best baseball plays I've seen this spring.

Anybody think that rookie Edison Volquoz has NOT nailed down a spot in the starting rotation? Here's his 'line' from today's start vs the Phillies in Clearwater, Florida: 5 innings, 5 hits, 1 run and 5 strikeouts. Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquoz and Josh Fogg as the starting five? OK, I'll go with that. It's the best 'five' the Reds have had in years.

Xavier by eight over West Virginia Thursday and UCLA by 19 over Western Kentucky. But those are just my early 'lines'.

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com

Here’s what I’ve taken away from the first round and a half of this NCAA Tournament. There are no great teams anymore in college basketball. None. I think it’s the one year rule, early entry, the fact that just about every team in the top six conferences plays on TV virtually every game…all of that are the reasons why there are no great teams. Kansas, North Carolina, Duke, UCLA, they’re reputations, not greatness. Not anymore. The on court difference between a UCLA and say, a Villanova is one player. The difference between great and good is that razor thin.

You know, when I was a senior at Ohio, then known as Ohio University, we played UCLA in Pauley Pavilon. UCLA had Keith Wilks, Bill Walton and the wizard, John Wooden on the bench. We had Denny Rusch, Walter Luckett and a coach who’s nickname was Gentleman, Genntleman Jim Snyder on the bench. We had no shot of keeping this game within 20.

For the most part, in Division I basketball, those kind of days are gone. No team, like UCLA, is in any danger of going on an 88-game winning streak.

Want more proof that there are no great teams in college basketball anymore. Take a look at your bracket this morning. It was a mess before the second games of opening day.

This is important to understand, given where Xavier is this morning. Yes, it’s in the round of 16. It’s one win away from equaling the best NCAA Tournament run in school history. But what team still standing today has better guards than X? Are the inside players that UCLA, Stanford and Kansas have really that much better than Xavier’s? No. Which is why I believe there is not reason to believe that Xavier can’t make it to the Final 4. West Virginia is hot. So was Georgia. UCLA has talented big men, some with outstanding pedigree, so did Purdue. I’m not predicting Xavier will make the final four. Because to do that, would run against my theory that no great college teams are anywhere this morning. But I am says that the path to the final four is as wide open to Xavier today as it is to any other team.

Xavier is the right team, with the right combination of players are the right time in the game of college basketball. Terrific guards, good inside players, smart coach and a team that plays excellent defense. Not saying the final four is going to happen. But tell me today, what team has a better chance of getting to San Antonio, right now, than Xavier. I’ll tell you: no team.

We are exactly one week from opening day. One week from tomrrow, the games start to count. Bronson Arroyo was smacked around pretty good by the Astros Saturday. He says he’s not concernred. I am. Arroyo pitched a grand total of six innings before Saturday. He want six yesterday and gave up four runs, three earned.

What I’m more concerned about. And what I’d like to talk about today, is what’s going on in centerfield. Is there anyone around here who’s wondering exactly what the Reds smart guys are thinking about?

I have a theory. And I know there are a lot of people who think exactly the opposite. My theory is, you never trade someone who has the potential to win 162 games a year for you, for a guy who can potentially win a game for you once every five days. In other words, you never trade an everyday player for a pitcher. Unless that pitcher’s name is Greg Maddux and the year is 1995.

But I understand some of baseball’s smart guys don’t agree with that. And that’s OK. So when the Reds wanted to deal Josh Hamilton in the off season and they got the Rangers’ best pitching prospect, Edinson Volquoz, I said, OK, it opoens up a spot for Jay Bruce in the outfield. Sounds good to me. Well, where is the best prospect the Reds farm system has produced since Johnny Bench today? I’ll tell you where: on some back lot, on some water logged turf in Sarasota. The big club plays on the Big One this afternoon. Jay Bruce will be playing on a field with a chain link back stop..

Your opening day centerfielder will be Corey Patterson. The Reds traded away one of the top five outfield arms in baseball to open up a spot for Corey Patterson. Sounds like a plan to me!

And what, exactly did Jay Bruce do to lose his fight for a starting spot to Corey Patterson? He got hurt, missed five games with a sore leg. He only hit ‘262’. There is a theory now, that Jay Bruce will be a better corner outfielder than a centerfielder. I wonder if that theory has anything to do with Adam Dunn making 13-million in the final year of his contract and Ken Griffey, Junior, a year away from a team option 16-million dollar season?

Here’s what would have been the best path for the Reds to travel this spring with the man voted the best player in all of minor league baseball last season. Are you ready? Stand by. This is a radical concept that may need some thinking. Why not just begin the spring by telling Bruce: centerfield is your job this season. You have nothing else to prove by playing another inning of minor league baseball. Son, grab a bat, go up there and hit. The job is yours even if you fall flat on your face. We have that much faith in you and your talents. If I’m a major league baseball prospect and my manager or general manager told me that, I’d run through the left field wall for them.

Instead, what Jay Bruce was told was: go to Louisville. We’ll call you when we need you. Jay Bruce, the best prospect the Reds have developed since Johnny Bench, the best in over 40-years. Losing out in the battle for centerfield to Corey Patterson and Norris Hopper. Norris Hopper, who’s hitting ‘238’ this spring and has gotten on base a grand total of 28-percent of his at bats. A man still looking for his first major league home run.

Josh Hamilton for Edinson Volqoz. OK, fine, Marge Schott decimated the Reds scouting department so badly during her regime it couldn’t find a pitching prospect with a GPS. I understand it. But you open an outfield spot and give it to a combination of Patterson and Hopper? And you send the best player in all of minor league baseball back to the minors? 

Really?

I may be wrong. It wouldn’t be the first time. But I think this is a big mistake.

Check out my web site:  www.kenbroo.com

Good Morning!   Let the games begin.  For the record, Pitt, Kansas, UCLA and North Carolina are my final 4.  I think Xavier moves on with a win over Georgia today.  But I think Marquette KO's Kentucky.

Check out my latest Broo View Podcast.  It's on the front page of my web site:  www.kenbroo.com.   You'll hear comments from Xavier players and coaches on their first round match up.

Chad Johnson is shooting  his mouth off again.  Now, he's saying he'll not only skip voluntary workouts, Johnson is also not committing to playing for the Bengals this season.  Hmmmm, seems to me he's under contract in Cincinnati through 2011.  And now, the NFL Network says Chad's running buddy, TJ Houshmandzadeh may sit out the workouts too!  Check it out here.

Wonder how Marvin Lewis is going to handle all of this, when the voluntary workouts begin Monday.  I'm sure his 'spin machine' will be working in over drive.

The Reds had their one and only off day of spring training Wednesday.  When they reconvene, Dusty Baker and his staff will have some tough decisions to make.  Homer Bailey, Matt Belisle and Josh Fogg are all in a foot race for the fifth and final spot in the rotation.  Belisle may win by default, as Bailey, still a decent prospect despite his flat curve ball and shaky attitude, needs to pitch every fifth day.  A fifth starter in major league baseball pitches infrequently in the early season.  

The other big decision Baker has, is who's on first.  Not the Abbott and Costello bit, but rather who starts at first.  It appeared to be Joey Votto's  job to lose as camp opened.  It appears Votto has succeeded in losing it, with a poor hitting performance.  Veteran Scott Hatteberg, thought to be a bat off the bench, looks to have regained the job he held the past two seasons.  Hatteberg is sorching the ball.  Like Bailey, Votto needs to play consistently and won't, sitting on the bench watching Hatteberg.  Phenom centerfielder, Jay Bruce has just about punched his ticket to AAA.  So it now appears that the three most promising prospects in the Reds system, all given chances to win jobs at the major league level, have failed to do so.  Things could change in the final ten days of camp.  I wouldn't bet on it.

Sorry for the delay on the postings. I'm in lovely Sarasota, Florida, home of the early bird specials, 'blue hairs' in running suits (who never run) and the spring home (for at least one more spring) of the Cincinnati Reds.

I'm just back from Clearwater, Florida, where tonight I saw the future and the future will be astounding, so long as Johnny Cueto keeps it up. He worked four innings tonight of scoreless baseball and if he doesn't make the Reds starting rotation this year, it will only be because Wayne Krivsky will have acquired Roy Oswalt, Josh Beckett and Dice-K before opening day. Cueto is the buzz of this camp. Bronson Arroyo started tonight and tossed five solid innings, allowing only a run. Put that with what Aaron Harang did against the Astros Tuesday and the Reds rotation is off to a flying start. But remember, it's only March.

Check out the latest Broo View Podcast. Its on the front page of my web site, www.kenbroo.com. In this latest edition, I have an extensive interview with Harang. Another podcast is coming Thursday.

Back with more Thursday.

I was thinking about this yesterday while I was shoveling snow. And let me just say this before anything else, shoveling snow may be the most useless thing a grown man can do. The beauty of having kids is watching them do the menial tasks while you relax with a beer. I think its reason number three to have children, right up there with carrying on the family name and extending the love you and your spouse have. I really believe that when God said, ‘be fruitful and multiply’ that he knew that Cincinnati would be hit by the mother of all blizzards in March of 2008 and children would be needed to shovel snow. But I digress.

Here’s what I was thinking as I discovered my driveway again:

Maybe it wouldn’t be all that bad if Chad Johnson wasn’t a Cincinnati Bengal anymore. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to grant the man his apparent wish and trade him away. You’ll remember, of course, Chad’s radio row marathon at the Super Bowl, where he vacillated between cryptic and blunt just how under appreciated and how mistreated he’s been here in Cincinnati.

Now, we’ve been told Chad has calmed down in the last month. And Marvin Lewis is on record as saying the Bengals won’t trade Johnson. And even though I’m on the record, numerous times, as saying that the Bengals are much better with Johnson than without him….as I was shoveling white death, I had one of those revelations: why not trade the guy?

See, what triggered the thought was the video of Shaun Smith at some banquet the other night, up in Cleveland. If you remember Shaun Smith, you remember him for his mouth. Because the man talked a much better game than he played, at least around here. Smith left the Bengals last season in free agency and got the Browns to drop a whole lot of money on him, a whole lot more than his game deserved. At this banquet the other night, Smith was asked about what really happened in the Bengals locker room, at halftime in the one and only playoff game they’ve managed to qualify for since the current President’s father was our president.
You know the set up. Bengals and Steelers. First play from scrimmage for the Bengals, Carson Palmer goes down. In comes Jon Kitna, big heart, small hands, team heads for the locker room, its offense sputtering.

What happened next, has been more Bengals lore and rumor than actual fact. Nobody in the locker room, on the record at least, has said what happened. Not until the other night, when Shaun Smith confirmed that Chad Johnson, in a fit of anger over who really knows what, took a swing at and connected with Marvin Lewis’ eye. Then, according to Smith, took another swing and connected with then Bengals wide receivers coach Hue Jackson. Old Shaun had the Cleveland crowd’s attention now. And he certainly wasn’t misquoted. The entire thing was taped and on youtube within minutes. One of the biggest moments in Bengals lore, right up there with what really happened when Barry Foster quit after one day and why Gary Reasons tugged Dave Shula’s cap on national television…..one of the biggest moments confirmed.

Well, by the next morning, the youtube video was eradicated and Smith was back pedaling like a cornerback. But it got me thinking about how much the Bengals really need Johnson.

Let’s say they trade him. What do you figure they could get for Johnson? The conventional thinking is a second round draft pick. But what if they got a draft pick and a player? Shaun Rogers fetched the Lions a starting cornerback and a third round pick. You don’t think Chad Johnson would bring at least that? What if Johnson got the Bengals a starting tight end and a second round pick, or a starting defensive tackle and a draft pick?

Would you make the deal? Yesterday afternoon, I was ready to pull the trigger. Look, I like his game. His talent is not easily replaced. You don’t simply go to the wide receiver store and find a guy who can deliver 14-hundred and 40 yard season. And most of the time, the best deals are the ones you never make. But it may be time for a parting of the ways. The Carl Pickens divorce, the Corey Dillon divorce, those were nasty separations. This doesn’t have to be.

The timing isn’t right now. The big name free agent wide receivers are locked up, guys like Donte Stallworth and Randy Moss. But Justin McCareins is out there, so is David Patton and some other not so great but serviceable wide receivers. And if trading Johnson does bring a player plus a pick, who’s to say you can’t use that pick on a receiver?

The popping off on radio row, now the Shaun Smith confirmation of the locker room meltdown, maybe it’s time. Or maybe it was just a lack of oxygen to my brain as I shoveled away. But I do know this: the Bengals were mediocre the last couple of seasons with Chad Johnson. They can certainly be at least that without him.

If you haven't already noticed, the video I posted last night of Shaun Smith, the former Bengal, confirming that Chad Johnson took a swing and connected to Marvin Lewis in an up til now rumored locker room scuffle at halftime of the Bengals vs Steelers playoff game two years ago, has been removed from youtube.com. One of my favorite destinations, profootballtalk.com has the skinny.

Mike Florio also has free agent winners and losers in his videocast. Check out the teams he designated as loser, in the first week of free agency.


I've had a lot of people ask me today whether or not I think the Bengals should try to bring LB Takeo Spikes back. Spikes has just been released by the Eagles, the second team he's played for since taking a walk in 2003. Spikes never gave Lewis a chance to prove he could turn the Bengals ill fortunes around (he hasn't really done that yet, to be honest about it). But that has nothing to do with the reason why I don't think the Bengals will make a play for Spikes. For openers, Spikes appears to have little left in his tank. Secondly, which Bengals current linebacker is Spikes better than? Rashad Jeanty? Ahmad Brooks? Dhani Jones? If Odell Thurman is re-instated, it's more reason not to pursue Spikes.

The Bengals ended the week by watching LB Landon Johnson take a hike. Johnson signed with the Carolina Panthers: three years $10 million. I like Johnson. He's a good locker room quote. But I don't think he's a guy who would wind up starting on this Bengals defense, when and if it gets good.

I'm heading to spring training next week. I wonder if my interview will Bronson Arroyo will be as good as this one, conducted by something called foxxynews.com.


Speaking of our Cincinnati Reds, did you catch the pitching line of 22 year old phenom, Johnny Cueto? Cueto started against the Pirates today: 3 innings pitched, ten batters faced (one over the minimum) four strike outs, one hit, zero runs. If he strings together three or four more starts like that before the spring ends, he'll be in the Reds rotation come opening day. Guarantee!

As we gear up for another weekend of college basketball, what's been the big reason for the big turnaround the UK Wildcats are delivering? Mark Story has an interesting take in the Lexington Herald.

I don't think their loss to St. Joe's on Thursday night will hurt the Xavier Muskies all that much. Even if they were able to 'run the table' and win out through the Atlantic 10 tournament, they'd be no better than a #3 seed in the NCAA's.

Thursday night's loss to DePaul shouldn't hurt UC all that much either. The Bearcats had no shot at an NCAA tournament bid. But if they want to play in the NIT or the new CBI tournament (that one takes an additional 16 teams, meaning 103 division one teams make a post season tournament this year) they'll have to win at least two games in the upcoming Big East Tournament.

I'm talking sports again this Sunday on 700 WLW, the 50,000 watt flame thrower here in Cincinnati. Among my guests, Bengals beat writer Mark Curnutte, Xaver TV analyst, Steve Wolf and mlb.com's Mark Sheldon, direct from spring training. I'm on from 9am-12:30pm. If you live outside of this part of the Midwest, you can always catch my show on line, at http://www.700wlw.com/ or on XM Channel 173.

Sunday night, on Cincinnati's channel 5, I'll be hosting another edition of Sports Rock! Former Bengal Eric Thomas and WEBN's "Wildman" Walker join George Vogel and me. From bengals.com, Geoff Hobson stops by to talk about a wild week in "Bengal-dom".

And if you're snowed in this weekend, check out my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/.

Have a great weekend and don't kill yourself shoveling snow.

I first saw this posted tonight on profootballtalk.com. Now, watch this video below. It's Shaun Smith, former Bengal, now with the Cleveland Browns. He asserts what's been rumor around Cincinnati since that Bengals vs Steelers playoff game in January, 2006. Smith says Chad Johnson did indeed take a swing at head coach Marvin Lewis and, according to Smith, connected.

profootballtalk.com originally reported the incident, quoting an anonymous Bengals source in the week following that playoff loss. Now, if one more Bengal, former or present, goes on the record, we've got a major stinko concerning Ocho Cinco.

Not that these games mean a whole lot, but did you catch the final from Sarasota today? 12-8, the Reds beat the Yankees. True, the Yanks didn't bring Jeter or ARod or Posada. But enough of their stars were their to make you sit up and take notice, particularly when you saw that Aaron Harang tossed three innings of shutout baseball. $46 million dollar closer, Francisco Cordero followed with a shutout inning featuring two strike outs.

The Bengals have made one big splash in free agency, signing defensive lineman Antwan Odom away from the Titans for $29.5 million. Might they want to bring back the one time focal point of their defense? Check out this from foxsports.com.

And when it comes time to draft, in April, here's the latest guess from nfl.com. Personally, you've got about 15 so called experts each selling their opinions on round one of draft day. And each figures to change his or her mind at least five times between now and then.

I'm supposed to spend next Friday watching the Reds play the Yankees in Sarasota with my good friend Jerry Springer. Maybe then I'll get an answer as to what exactly was going on in this clip from one of his shows.

You gotta love, 'mascot tension'


UC holds its 'Senior Night' tonight before the Bearcats and DePaul tip off. It's always a special night, but even more so this year. The five UC seniors who play their final game at Fifth-Third Arena helped ressurect the Cincinnati basketball program from the ashes. It's not that long ago, when Andy Kennedy and Bob Huggins were both either forced or chased out. Mick Cronin came to town and had to throw together a team just to compete. With a lot of work from the "departing five", UC made a bit of a run at an NCAA Tournament bid. The 'Cats have qualified for the post season Big East Tournament and, with a couple of wins there, could secure an NIT bid. Not bad for a program left for dead a couple of springs ago.

Now, less than four weeks until Opening Day, do you think the Reds signing Corey Patterson is another hint that Dusty Baker isn't interested in playing young players? That reputation dogged Baker when he managed the Cubs. Now this week, we not only hear stories of how concerned Baker is with what he perceives to be recurring leg problems with phenom, Jay Bruce. We also got a double dose of baseball Dusty style Monday, when the Reds signed infielder Jerry Hairston, Junior, and Patterson, both of whom played for Baker in Chicago.

Of coures, if Dusty really has trouble with younger players, how do you explain this? If this pitcher is that good, he's liable to be on the mound Opening Day 2010!

With Brett Favre retiring today, it brought back memories of his first action as a Packer. It was September, 1992. Dave Shula brought his first-ever Bengals team to Wisconsin, fresh off a 2-0 start. The Bengals had the Pack on the ropes and knocked starting quarterback, Don Majkowski out of the game. Off the bench came Favre, acquired just that year from the Atlanta Falcons. Favre led the Packers to a stunning comeback win. Matter of fact, check out the NBC-TV post game coverage from that day. If you're not interested in the game, you'll see OJ, while he was still employable.

Two teams that ultimately went in opposite directions. You could argue the Bengals never really got over that loss, though all the players from that team are long gone.

Would you trade Chad Johnson to the Oakland Raiders, as suggested in this story? If you really wanted to send him to the NFL's version of Siberia, Oakland would be the place. That's a team that is going nowhere fast. And by the time Jamarcus Russell finds him stride as an NFL quarterback, Johnson would be ready for retirement.

Speaking of trades, why did the Bengals proposed deal with the Jets for defensive lineman, Dwayne Robertson fall through? Robertson's agent said Monday night it was because the Bengals wanted Robertson to re-negotiate his contract, that's due to pay him $9.8 million in 2008 and $8.5 million in 2009. But today, while introducing newly signed free agent, defensive lineman Antwan Odom, to the Cincinnati media, Marvin Lewis bristled at the suggestion that money was involved with the deal falling through. But check out this article today from the New York Daily News.

Lewis says Robertson still may wind up with the Bengals. Since it's a real possibility that the Jets will release Robertson in June if they can't find a trade partner, he may well wind up in Bengal stripes this summer.

Whoops. Not so fast. Apparently that deal the Bengals had with the Lions has fallen through. And it may not be salvagable. Rogers is reportedly now off to Cleveland. According the several reports, including espn.com, compensation was the key issue. The fact that Rogers was involved in a strip club incident last year didn't help either. The official line from the Bengals all day was, nothing to report. Turns out, that might be the the final word on this.

Rogers arrivial would have been the strongest signal that the Bengals will play a 3-4 defense in 2008. It was also a pretty strong indication that they didn't think their target in round one, Southern Cal's Sedrick Ellis, would be available when the Bengals pick 9th overall.

SI.com has the round up of the first day of NFL free agency, busy to say the least. The Bengals have lost Madieu Williams to the Vikings for a crazy deal. And Justin Smith, as expected, will be with some other team before the weekend is out.

The injury news out of the Reds camp tonight isn't encouraging. It appears Alex Gonzalez will be completely inactive for the next three weeks. Only then, will his stress fracture in his knee be re-evaluated. And the possibility for surgery exists. Sounds like Jeff Keppinger will be the opening day short stop.

The set up is a bit long, but you have to see this halftime slam dunk attempt that went terribly wrong. If you don't cringe, there is something wrong with you.

If you live in the Midwest, tune me in this Sunday morning on 700 WLW. I'll be hosting Sunday Morning Sports Talk, as always. Among my guests, Reds broadcaster Jeff Brantley, Bengals beat writer Chick Ludwig, profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio and UC basketball radio analyst, Chuck Machock. You can listen on line at www.700wlw.com and also on XM Channel 173.

And Sunday night at 11:35pm on Cincinnati's WLWT Channel 5, it's another rousing edition of 'Sports Rock". Among our guest, fitness guhru and inadvertant comedian, Rocco Castellano.

Be sure to check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I'll have the latest edition of "The Broo View Podcast" posted Saturday.

Have a great weekend!

The clock is ticking. Midnight is coming. And midnight begins the free agent signing period in the NFL. espn.com has a round up of who's done what so far today, lopping players off their rosters and clearing cap space.

The Bengals appear to be ready to part ways with WR Tab Perry and safety Madeiu Williams. But LB Rashad Jeanty, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick and LB Cory Mays all received tenders, meaning the Bengals retain exclusive bargaining rights.

In Sarasota today, the Reds banged around teh Twins, 6-1. The box score shows you a lot of guys played. But the 'big swingers' like Dunn and Junior got another day off.

Matt Belisle and Josh Fogg, two pitchers penciled in to the starting rotation at this point, both threw shutout baseball. Each went two innings.

Nice story by my friend Gregg Doyel on cbssports.com. It's about UK basketball coach, Billy Gillispie, who hasn't been universally welcomed in Lexington, Kentucky. Maybe this will help some people a coach is also a person.

Trading deadline has come and gone in the NHL. Not quite the mega-deals we saw in the NBA a week ago. But The Hockey News has its list of winner and wieners.

Roger Clemens is now officially being investigated by the FBI. At issue, is whether or not Clemens lied in his testimony before Congress a couple of weeks ago (and in a sworn affadavit before that) when he told a subcommittee that he never used human growth hormones or steroids. Clemens will probably stick to his story. But he's not getting out of this one easily. The FBI's chief witness is Brian McNamee, Clemens' accuser. He not only says he injected Clemens with HGH, McNamee also says he saved the needles, guaze and syringes he used to complete the job. At the Congressional hearing, the FBI and others from the Justice Department sat behind McNamee and Clemens as the testimony droned on. McNamee is their dog in the fight. I think Clemens is in a lot of hot water now.

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. And I'll see you tonight at 11p on Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, WLWT channel 5.

One of my favorite guests on my Sunday Morning Sportstalk show on 700 WLW is Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com. It's a great resource for all things professional football. Mike is doing a position by position look at the upcoming NFL draft...and on camera, no less!


As for our Bengals, it's looking more and more like they're switching to a 3-4 defense this season, under new defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer.

A not so auspicious debut for the Cincinnati Reds in exhibition play today. They lost to the Phillies, 8-1. Gary Majewski, who arrived as "damaged goods" in Cincinnati mid-summer 2006 when the Reds were in the thick of a pennant race was lit up: one third of an inning, six hits and six earned runs. Lefty Jeremy Affeldt, signed in the off-season for $3 million this season, didn't do so bad: two innings, three hits and only one run.

And the Reds got a little good news today, when Baseball America released their Top 100 prospects in the game.

That's it for now. Check out my web site www.kenbroo.com first thing tomorrow morning. I'll have my latest "Broo View Podcast" posted!

Let the games begin, at least the spring games. Exhibition baseball begins tomorrow.

Interesting read here on former Red Josh Hamilton, who apparently has his support net in place in Texas.

The smartest man in baseball is at it again. SI.com says Tony LaRussa will do it again this season.

Just a thought: what does batting the pitcher eighth do for the confidence of the guy who has to hit 9th. Know any Reds pitchers you'd like to see hitting in the "8 hole"? Me neither.

Bet you didn't know, the University of Cincinnati has a hockey team. It's just a club sport. But the head coach, is former Cincinnati Stinger, Blaine Stoughton. You want to take a trip back in time? Check out this video a friend of mine sent me. Superfly lives! Stoughton was a terrific goal scorer.

The worst thing in the world is to have family leave this earth. A close second would be losing friends. Here's a picture that's about 27 years old.
It was our weekday anchor team at WTSP-TV in Tampa-St. Petersburg. On the left is main anchor Don Harrison, who went on to great success with CNN. Don passed away several years ago. That's me in the middle, at the time a very young weekday sports anchor. On the right, is meterologist Dick Fletcher, who, sadly, passed away today. "Fletch" as he was known to his co-workers had a wicked sense of humor. We'd trade 'jabs' all the time. He got me back good several years after this photo was taken. To shoot a promo of the anchor team, we had rented a yacht and set sail for Tampa Bay from the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. I had the sea legs of a Nebraska farmer and wasn't doing so well. Not only breakfast was being delivered over the railing and into the bay, so too was the dinner and lunch from the day before. It didn't help that our anchor at the time, John Wilson, was hitting just about every buoy he could find. Knowing that he was 'one down' to me for the week, Fletch let me have it pretty good. "You OK", he asked feigning concern. I couldn't answer him, I was so nauseous. "You know", he said, "it's times like this that I really enjoy some nice, cold Mexican food". Another hurl over the railing and more uproarious laughter from all aboard. "John", Fletch yelled to our poorly navigating captain, "when we're done today, how about we swing by that hot dog place on 4th Street for some of those chili dogs, you know with onions and....". You simply never got the last dig with Fletch.

Here's something else about him. Dick Fletcher was a terrific weatherman. He knew that in time of crisis, the calmest voice would be heard above all others. I remember one afternoon, along about 4pm, I was arriving back at the station from a story and Fletch was standing by the back door, looking at the sky. "What are you doing"?, I asked. "Looking at the sky", he said. "That's where the weather is. Inside it's clear and 72". Not enough current weather people take the time to look at the sky. Maybe it's too 'old school'. They'd rather look at their computer models, weather maps and animated graphics. And most of them couldn't forecast gas after a baked bean dinner.

Fletch was good at what he did. And he was my friend. I miss him already.

See you tonight at 11pm, on Cincinnati's NBC affilate WLWT Channel 5.

As Cincinnati recovers from a heavy does of Baraka-o-mania....UC football coach, Brian Kelly found out just where he is on the pecking order, even in his own building. While the Obama rally was in full swing inside the Fifth Third Arena, Kelly was on his way to his team's locker room to, shall we say, relieve himself. That's when he ran smack into the secret service detail assigned to protect the Illinois Senator. Sorry coach, he was told, you'll have to take your ' business' elsewhere. The locker room was in full lock down mode. Kelly, who campaigned for Gary Hart in his failed run for the Presidency, took the news in stride, perhaps a quicker stride as he searched for another bathroom.

Down in the fun and sun, the concerns begin. Tonight, short stop Alex Gonzalez is in a Sarasota hospital getting an MRI down on his aching knee. A bad knee short circuited Gonzalez' 2007 season. He doesn't think it's anything. But as they say in the medical profession "The MRI Don't Lie"

Yet another preview of our Reds, courtesy of foxspots.com.

Meantime, over at cbssports.com, another take on the Reds, courtesy of Scott Miller.

And now, from the NY Daily News, this take on Reds.

I find it amusing that most 'experts' couch the Reds as contenders only because of the weak division they play in. Seems to me, I heard the same thing in 1990. Now, this current team doesn't even approach that group. But, in '90, the Reds stormed out to an early lead and never relinquished it. I think 85-87 wins will win the NL Central this year. Last year, the Reds finished 72-90. Is this team 13-15 wins better than last years? I don't think it's much of a stretch to say it is.

Exhibition play begins Wednesday against the Phillies.

Now, check out this video of Oscar Robertson, simply the best basketball player I've ever seen. Lebron before Lebron, Mike before Mike, Magic before Magic. Back when the NBA was hot in Cincinnati, it was The Big O at the center of the flame.

If Oscar played in the NBA today, in his prime, the team that he played for would have to pay him so much, he would've been part owner.

For a Friday, this has been a hectic day all over the Tri-State sports map. Let's start with the quickly degenerating situation at Indiana, where now, apparently, some of the IU players may boycott if Kelvin Sampson is fired. The Indianpolis Star has the story.

But here's the take from cbssports.com basketball writer, Craig Parrish, which hits the nail on the head with his take.

Meantime, down in the fun and sun, no major news out of the Reds, but more buzz from the hiring of Dusty Baker. USA Today offered this story on the Reds in Friday's edition.

Can UC continue its magic on the road this Saturday? I don't it. Georgetown is the real deal and playing that team anywhere, let alone DC, is a daunting task. Still, I see an NIT bid for the Bearcats after this season is over. And for Mick Cronin, that's getting it done.

Xavier should beat Dayton Sunday. The Flyers have been fading lately. But anytime you catch them in the UD Arena, it's a tough deal. But Xavier's defense lately has been kiler. The Muskies held Duquesne to 48 points Thursday night, exactly 22 under the Dukes' average.

The Bengals and the rest of the NFL teams are in Indianpolis this weekend for the annual scouting combine. Dennis Dillon, the talented writer for The Sporting News wrote this story about the Bengals new defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer.

If the Bengals don't draft defense, exclusively in this April's draft, they're out of their collective minds.

Finally, a shout out to our ECHL franchise, the Cincinnati Cyclones, who have now won 13 in a row and are home tonight and Saturday night at the US Bank Arena. This is a team with a legit shot to win its league championship. There's only one thing wrong with this team: where it plays. If Cincinnatians have said anything about local sports in the last 30 years, its that they don't want to drive downtown to watch anything unless its Bengals or Reds. For whatever reason, US Bank Arena offers no appeal. It's where franchises go to die. The Cyclones are the latest artisitc hit and box office flop. Attendance has been better since the team lowered ticket prices to $8. But I wouldn't be surprised to see the team leave after this season. Very sad.

I'm talking sports this Sunday, as always on 700 WLW, from 9AM until Noon. Among my guests will be Dustin Dow, from the Cincinnati Enquirer. We'll get into some serious college hoops talk. John Donovan, the talented writer from SI.com will join me from Spring Training. And we'll get knee deep in the hoopla from Indiana University with the sports director of the WTHR-TV NBC affiliate in that town, Dave Calabro. You can listen online, should you like, at www.700wlw.com and on XM Radio Channel 173.

Sunday night at 11:35, it's another rousing edition of Sports Rock! on Cincinnati's channel 5. Among our guests will be former Bengals defensive back, Eric Thomas and "Wildman Walker", the local legend from WEBN's Dawn Patrol.

And, check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I'll have a new "Broo View Podcast" posted on the front page Saturday morning!

Have a great weekend!

His reputation, preceding him here in Cincinnati, was that Dusty Baker has never been enamored with young ball players. Loved veterans, cringed at the thought of playing a kid. Dusty has denied that to the Cincinnati media. But then, we see this, on yahoo.com today.

Proof will be how it plays out, not how it reads.

Xavier keeps rolling. Another win Thursday night. What stops this team this season? Maybe a post up offense that features a dominating big man. But how many teams like that will Xavier face before the elite eight?

Done deal, Josh Fogg signs with the Reds. Love it, absolutely love it. Why send two good prospects to the Oakland A's for Joe Blanton, when you can sign a free agent for $1 million. Fogg is no Blanton. But the price for Blanton, who pitched half his games in the spacious Oakland stadium was far too high. If Fogg winds up winning 12 this season, which he could with the Reds offense, it'll be a steal.

Check out the countdown to Opening Day on the home page of my blog http://kenbroo.blogspot.com, if you're not already there. Then really get into the mood with this, from my man Freekbass

Freekbass is a protege of the legendary Bootsy Collins, a local guy who is red hot on the college circuit. He'll tour Europe and Japan this summer. You can check him out at http://www.freekbass.com/. Check out his podcasts.

I'm no mathmatician, but it seems to me the number in this salary cap report don't add up to a championship atmosphere for our Cincinnati Bengals. Good homework by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Wherever you are tonight, I hope you're a lot warmer than we'll be here in the Tri-State. Cincinnati is headed for a low of 9* and then more snow and ice on Thursday.

But there are a lot of things heating up. Not the least of which is Kelvin Sampson's situation in Indiana. He appears headed for a rough fall....and his spring isn't shaping up so hot either. Look at what espn.com is saying about Kelvin today. I tend to agree with the scenario: suspend him, probably with pay and then gather more information. To allow Sampson to coach under this latest scrutiny for continuing bad behavior would be a travesty.

Meantime, down in the fun and sun, every Reds position player is in camp. Bob Castellini showed up today, spreading a little sunshine himself. He says he believes the Reds will be in the NL Central division race all season, not a tough thing considering it one of the weakest in major league baseball.

My guess is, this story isn't going away. And neither is the federal government's interest in who's lying, Clemens or his accuser, Brian McNamee. Good story here from Associate Press TV.

Meantime, scroll down on this story from the Ft. Worth Star Telegram to see the latest on former Reds Josh Hamilton and Eddie Guardado.

When you're done reading that, hit my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. On the front page, you can find my latest "Broo View Podcast" for your downloading enjoyment.

For a guy who could use more than a little exercise, check out how Jim Bowden is maneuvering around the Washington Nationals spring training camp. Yikes! The Washington Times gets the award for 'Picture of the Week'.

I think UC can make the Big East Tournament (12 teams make it, everyone makes it next season). But they'll need at least four more wins to qualify for an NIT berth. Here's my question, will the tie breaker in whether or not UC makes the NIT be the poor attendance at Fifth Third Arena games this season?

Xavier continues to win. But on my radio show "Sunday Morning Sports Talk" on 700 WLW, RPI ratings expert, Jerry Palm, says the best seed the Muskies can hope for in the upcoming NCAA Tournament is a third seed. And Palm says Xavier is no better than a '3', even if they run the table.

By the way, you can catch "Sunday Morning Sports Talk" from 9am-Noon EST on both 700 WLW and XM Channel 173. It's also streamed on http://www.700wlw.com/.

See you later tonight and tomorrow on WLWT Channel 5 in Cincinnati

In case you missed it, Bob Knight was Jay Leno's guest on my television station last night WLWT (and every other NBC affiliate, of course). Watch Knight's entrance and listen to Leno's first jab a the way Knight is dressed.

He's 67. But I have the feeling Knight will surface at some other school, perhaps in a more prominent enviornment than Lubbock, Texas.

If you were Bengals owner, Mike Brown, would you make this deal? Look what the Washington Post is reporting today about the Redskins interest in Chad Johnson.

I was thinking about this the other day, reading some of the quotes that Ocho Cinco had about how under appreciated he is here in our town. He’ll talk to anyone about it, stop him at the Kroger, he’ll talk to you, unless you work for the local media. Because apparently to him, we’re just pond scum.

But I was thinking about how all of this could backfire on Chad Johnson. He doesn’t have to go too far back in history to see what happens to a local sports hero who’ve done what he’s doing now. Carl Pickens comes to mind.

That guy was a great, great talent. Big, solidly built, hard to bring down, good speed. Hated playing here. Hated it. But he kept signing contracts.

Corey Dillon was a great, great talent. Big, solidly built, like Pickens, hard to bring down. Long about 1999, hated playing here. Absolutely hated it. The ‘flipping burgers’ thing was priceless. But he kept cashing the checks.

Now comes Johnson. He’s certainly not as bitter as Pickens and Dillon were. But maybe we should give him some time. Or more money.

But here’s the problem. Cincinnati, so far as I can tell, isn’t a super star town. Never has been, probably never will be. Cincinnati is a team town. Love the team, hate the supers star. We’ll take hustle and a dirty uniform over super star who behaves like one. It explains why we become so infatuated by Norris Hopper and Ryan Freel and so infuriated with Ken Griffey Junior. Freel can run into a wall, or the stands or Hopper’s elbow and miss half a season and we call it great hustle. Junior can dislocate a shouldar diving for a fly ball and we’ll get deluged with calls at this radio station about how he’s always hurt.

Super stars seem to have trouble here: Boomer, Eric Davis, Not all. Anthony Munoz and Chris Sabo come to mind. But a lot of them do.

Mostly, it’s about team in Cincinnati. The ’75 Reds had great individual players, hall of famers, but who was better? Rose or Morgan? Bench or Concepcion? We remember the 75 Reds, the 76 Reds, the 90 Reds. Team first, individual player after that. In the bigger towns, New York, Chicago, LA, it tends to be the opposite. It’s Reggie, Sammy, Roger, Pedro. Maybe it’s because bigger towns can afford bigger names and have more media outlets than we do in Cincinnati. But it seems like they love their super stars first, their teams second.

I like it the way it is here. Nothing, no one should be bigger than the team. If you make headlines, you should make them helping the team win.

Chad Johnson has made a lot headlines helping the Bengals win. Great touchdown catches, fun celebrations in the end zone, great quote machine in the locker room.

But it seems as though the minute an athlete in Cincinnati starts making headlines more about himself than about the team he plays for, that’s when the trouble begins. I sense that the trouble has already begun for Ocho Cinco. It’s not too late to fix it. I just wonder if he knows that, or if it matters to him.

It's National Letter Of Intent day all over the country. The University of Cincinnati did just fine, signing 24 recruits, including the running back who broke all of Archie Griffin's rushing records at Columbus Eastmore, Isiah Pead. Kelly is particularly pleased with the speed of this, his second UC recruiting class.

You can find plenty of other information on the best destination for high school sports anywhere, highschoolplaybook.com.

And my man, Frank Solich, had himself a good day of signings at Ohio University. Solich got a terrific option quarterback out of California, as well as some stout linemen. Among his haul this season, Bakari Bussey, the son of former Bengal Barney Bussey. Solich beat out Indiana to get a wide receiver who has solid speed.

Well check this out!


You know what this sounds like to me? Renegotiation. Johnson signed a six year, $35.5 million deal in 2006. 16 million of that has already been paid, meaning Johnson will average just under $4.5 million for the deal that runs through the 2011 season. That's under value for a receiver his his talent in today's market.

Rosenhaus and Johnson can request a trade. But knowing Mike Brown, it won't happen on their terms. Remember, when Corey Dillon began making noise, it took him four years to get out of Cincinnati. I'd be expccting Johnson in a Bengals uniform for the forseeable future.

Wonder what Mike Brown, the Bengals owner, thinks about this. scrum.com is reporting that Bengals linebacker, Dhani Jones is about to become a professional rugby player. In fact, Jones will see some action in a match Saturday night in England. Here's the story.

For the record, I like the Patriots over the Giants. I'm not being seduced by the fact the Giants kept it close in the December 29th game or the fact that the Giants have won ten straight road games. I think New England finishes the season a perfect 19-0.

But I sincerely hope this story in the New York Post isn't true.

The Reds signed catcher Paul Bako and reliever Scott Sauerbeck to minor league contracts today. Both have an excellent chance of making the big club, espeically Bako, a former Reds draft pick, who played for Dusty Baker. If I'm Javier Valentin, I'm not exactly comfortable tonight. Then again, Wayne Krivsky loves having three catchers on his 25 man roster.

Good news about "The Mayor". No not Rudi Guiliani or the pitching-challenged Mayor Mark Mallory. The Boston Globe has the scoop on Sean Casey finding work. $800K may seem like a pittance to a man making $8 million a year ago. But hey, it's work. And Casey has a chance to win a World Series again. He came close in Detroit a couple of years ago.

I'm talking sports again this Sunday on 700 WLW. You can listen on line at www.700wlw.com, in case you're not living in the greater Cincinnati area. Among my guests will be former Bengals coach Sam Wyche, who is writing a book about his life in the NFL, draft expert Jerry Jones, author of The Drugstore List and Damon Durante from www.betusa.com. Sunday Morning Sportstalk is from 9:00am until Noon this Sunday and every Sunday on 700 WLW. You can also catch in on XM Radio channel 173.

And this Sunday night at 11:35, it's our Super Bowl Sports Rock show on Cincinnati's channel 5, WLWT. Our guests will include "Wildman" Walker and the renaissance man, Wayne "Box" Miller. You can also get an internet only version of Sports Rock every Monday on www.wlwt.com.

Have a great weekend!