Good Monday Morning!

Chris Mack said ‘no’ this week. It was the right answer. You know Mack, young, local guy makes good head coach at Xavier. Maybe not the greatest player in his high school and college days, but played the game hard. A much better coach than he ever was a player.

Mack has it good right now. A traditionally strong program, great arena to play in and a big time recruiting class just about every year. There’s nothing that Butler is doing right now that Xavier can’t do. Similar stories, in a lot of ways.

Mack watched Skip Prosser take Xavier basketball to a whole new level. He followed Prosser to Wake Forest and got all the clippings, saw all the highlights about ‘X’ was doing under Thad Matta and Sean Miller. Came home to help Miller as an assistant.

Every one of those coaches, Miller, Matta, Prosser all left Xavier for better money in bigger conferences. He probably heard Prosser lament, once or twice, about leaving Xavier, a good deal with a nurturing community. He watched Miller leave for a school that never misses an NCAA Tournament. He knew all about Matta going to Columbus and the opportunity to excel at a school where basketball was an after thought to spring football.

He’s smart, Chris Mack. You don’t have to around him for five minutes to get that. He knew this week that Ohio State, Wake Forest and Arizona were all better situations than the one that was wide open to him at Tennessee.

Tennessee is a cess pool right now. Toxic by collegiate sports standards. Bruce Pearl thought so highly of his boss that, at the first sign of trouble, he lied to the man. The man Pearl lied to about the recruiting violations that ultimately got him fired, is the same man who’s responsible for the Lane Kiffin fiasco. It’s better than even money that the Tennessee athletic director, Mike Hamilton, is gone before the next basketball game. So why listen for a moment to any offer he, or his school had on the table.

Eight years, $16 million dollars, according to CBS Sports. That was the offer that Tennessee was dangling in front of Mack. Heady stuff for a guy who’s been a head coach just two seasons. Big time money, the kind that would take care of his family for life, even if he never earned another dollar after that deal.

Mack had the brains to say no. Or knowing Mack, the brains and the politeness to say “no thank you”

We’re all tempted by the greener grass on the other side of the fence. Sometimes, we jump over the fence to get to it. I did. Maybe you’ve done it once or twice yourself. I know when I got there, the grass I left behind looked pretty good. Maybe Mack had that figured out all along.

I asked a coach once, not long ago, when none of them seem to honor contracts anymore. Why a guy signs a five year deal at one school, and two years into it is moving on to someplace else. I told him it seemed sleazy to me. His answer startled me a little bit. He said coaches do that, because school presidents and athletic directors have no commitment to a coach beyond the piece of paper that both parties sign. One or two bad seasons, and all of a sudden the school starts looking for a new coach, because the boosters, the money guys who keep an athletic department afloat get antsy. If the school will do it, the coach reasoned, than he had to play the same game too.

Maybe that’s why Matta, Prosser and Miller took off. Probably not, Xavier doesn’t strike me as that kind of place. Maybe they didn’t think they could ever get to a final four with Xavier, let alone win a national title. Matta and Miller are still searching for that. Prosser, of course, is no longer with us.

Maybe Mack sees something at Xavier that they didn’t. Maybe that’s why he said ‘no’ this week. Other schools will come after him, maybe not this year, but soon. The right offer may bring a different answer next time.

But this time, Mack gave the right answer. This time, it wasn’t about the money. It was about the ‘fit’. If you’re a Xavier fan, your coach just turned down more money than you’d make in ten lifetimes. You oughta feel good about that.

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Random Toughts On A Random Thursday...

Scott Rolen made back to back errors in this exhibition game today vs the Rangers? Will never happen in 162 games this coming season...

Now Jonny Gomes.....

Actually, look it up. Gomes only committed four errors last season. As a team, the Reds only committed 72. Brandon Phillips won a Gold Glove, largely because he booted the ball only three times in 702 chances.

For the record, Rolen had eight E's in 2010.

Decent outing for Bronson Arroyo today, which is good considering he's been sick for about two weeks. Today in a minor league game vs the Dodgers, Arroyo went 5.2, allowed 6 hits and three runs. He whiffed six and walked only one. I believe Arroyo has walked just two batters all spring.

I also believe aliens are programming several of my DirecTv channels. But that's a story for another day....

NFL owners are now saying that Mike Brown was a visionary back in 2006, when only he and Bills owner, Ralph Wilson voted against the CBA that just ended. The Giants John Mara said "We should have listened to him", back in 2006. Jim Irsay chirps in as well, in an article written by Geoff Hobson on the Bengals official web site.

Brown is one of the smartest people I've met on this earth. But he places no value on what his image is. Or offensive linemen, again a story for another day.....

I still think the NFL labor situation spills into the season. Both sides have to hurt for this to be settled. And the only way hurt enters into the equation is for players to miss game checks and owners to miss revenue stream. We're a long way from that. I'm sure the judge in Minnesota who'll hear the suit filed by several players to end the lockout will rule shortly after the April 6th hearing. And I'm equally sure the NFL or the players will appeal whatever decision she makes. But I laugh when I hear that one side or the other will 'cave' after a non-favorable ruling. The owners have a 'war chest' to operate from. The players are out nothing until September. Why would they want to settle now? To get ready for mini-camps? Really?....

Elizabeth Taylor's best movie was Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolfe. But I'll watch Butterfield 8 anytime, anywhere. Who's left from the Golden Age of Hollywood? Can't think of any....

Zsa Zsa Gabor was rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news of Taylor's death. Her publicist says Zsa Zsa's blood pressure went sky high. She feared she'd be the next to go. True story.....

Eva Gabor, totally unappreciated, particularly in her finest role as Lisa Douglas on "Green Acres"....

Is Merv Griffin still with us?.....

Does any college basketball coach tell the truth when he talks about an opponent before an NCAA Tournament game? Today, John Calipari was gushing over the Ohio State Buckeyes, making it sound as though if he team beats OSU Friday night, it'd be the biggest upset since the election of '48. Just once, I'd love to hear a coach say "Well, they're lucky to be here. We're so much better than this team, I hope we don't die of boredom before the final horn". I'd be the mother of all sound bites...

Of course, the coach who says that gets villified, then fired, win or lose...

And OSU is 5-0 all time against Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament.

Still....

It's gotta be me, but all of the network TV shows I like have been or are about to be canned. Loved "Flash Forward" last year in ABC. Gone. They even left a cliff hanger for a season that would never be. This year, it's "The Event" (on life support) and Detroit 1-8-7 (Lt. Louis Fitch, my kinda cop) who both figured to get whacked. I would rather watch a yak fall asleep than watch Kirstie Alley prance around a stage. But 50 million people can't be wrong, right?

See you tonight at 6p & 11p on WLWT, News 5 in Cincinnati.

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I'm Done With It

So today's news is that the Bengals will now entertain offers for Carson Palmer (after a new collective bargaining agreement is reached between the NFL owners and the players union. That should be the spring of 2013, right?).

Yawn

Palmer is done with us. I'm done with him.

I’ve thought a lot about this lately: Palmer wants exactly what we’ve been doing lately.

He wants a public debate of his trade request, his alleged threat of retirement. He wants it, without being directly involved in it. In short, Palmer wants the publicity, but doesn’t want to work for it. And for the last six weeks or so, we’ve been playing into his hands. You, me and everyone else who’s been debating this issue.

If he’s dumb enough to turn his back on 50-million dollars, if he’s that non competitive that he doesn’t want to play anymore, that’s his life, let him live it. If Mike Brown doesn’t get that he should he solicitous of the most identifiable player on his team, rather than engaging him in some sort of wild west, dirt street stare down, then have at it.

Me, I’m done with it. Bored. They were 4-12 with Carson Palmer last season. They can easily be 4-12 this season without him. Call me when you’ve got your act together.

I’m moving onto the Reds.

Speaking of the Reds, how is it that Edinson Volquez can get into this country with a visa that’s only good for sight seeing, rather than one that helps his team win another division title. Have you heard about this? He was supposed to be the starting pitcher in Sunday’s exhibition opener against the Cleveland Indians. But late last week, the Reds discovered because he’s in the country with a visa that’s good only for a tourist, rather than a wage earner, he can’t pitch. Not in front of a paying crowd. And worse, he now has to go back to the Dominican Republic to apply for a visa that will let him work for the Cincinnati Reds.

Now how did that happen?

Two words: substance abuse. Volquez was suspended for 50 games last season when it was discovered that he was using a substance banned by major league baseball. It was a fertility drug. He says he was taking it, so he and his wife could produce a little Edinson. But Major League Baseball says that drug is really used as a mask, to avoid detection for steroid use.

Because of that, Volquez could only get a visa for sight seeing in our country, not working. Now, it could be a while before he gets the visa he needs to strike opposing batters out, or walk them, depending on how things go.

Do you mean to tell me one of the smart guys in that Reds front office, Walt Jocketty, one of his minions or even Big Bob couldn’t figure this out before now? You actually go ahead and announce Volquez as, not only your exhibition season opening pitcher but your pitching on Opening Day and you don’t know you have this problem? Really?

Here’s a bat signal out to Jean Schmidt, Steve Chabot and Rob Portman: while you’re busy solving the debt crisis that’s consuming all of us, can you pick up the phone and grease the skids so the Reds can get their ‘ace’ back in the country for Opening Day? Somebody in some government office surely could use a couple of diamond club seats for the opener on March 31^st.

It’s called taking one for the team.

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I Read It But I Couldn't Believe It

Sometimes you read things beyond belief. I had one of those moments Saturday and maybe you did too, if you read the comments of one Terrell Owens, otherwise known as TO, otherwise known at “Batman”. Otherwise known as reason for therapy for people like Wade Phillips, Tony Romo, Donovan McNabb, Andy Reid and Jeff Garcia, just to name a few.

Speaking on the NFL Network, TO spotted some daylight under the Greyhound. So he sprang into action as only a Batman can.

He said…quote….I think if you look at the talent we had in that locker room this year and we mustered four wins, that should let you know something is not right,” Owens said. “Throughout the year, I saw some things that really wasn’t right.

Well, OK, so far so good. No problems yet. The Bengals were classic under achievers and “Batman” was certainly a part of that. But TO was only warming up.

Obviously if you have your franchise quarterback who is supposed to be that guy for your team (and) trying to get out of there, that’s kind of telling the organization something, and that’s telling a lot of people out there something as well.

OK. But the problem begins with his TO-ness trying to bring it home.

Another quote: I’ve made a comment about if you’re trying to win some championships, it starts from the top down…..I think even before I got there, they said the owner was a little different. Obviously, I saw that. You start with the head coach, and then you start with the staff on both sides of the ball. … Offensively, we really didn’t have the coaching that we really needed to muster what we had on the offensive side of the ball.”

All that, before lunch. You’ll notice, TO didn’t mention whatever it was that he did or didn’t do, like cutting off routes early, not fighting for the ball to prevent interceptions and leaving the field early to get some sort of fluid injected into him. You notice, he didn’t mention his running buddy in any of his comments. That’d be “Robin”, who chose to dance with the stars all last spring while the rest of his teammates were actually trying to get a head start on the 2010 season.

Mike Brown is as culpable as anyone for the disaster that is the Bengals. Marvin Lewis is a co-conspirator. You got the titles, you take the heat. But in one brief interview, we got a glimpse of why TO has bounced around the NFL like a flu bug; and a glimpse of why the Bengals way of doing business breeds this kind of stuff.

He arrived here only because what passes for a front office and a now dismissed medical team signed off on a one legged Antonio Bryant. Owens arrived here because a quarterback, who now wants out, became the primary Bengal official scouting the artist soon to be known as “Batman”.
What Owens said Saturday on the NFL Network was an insult to Brown, Lewis, you and me. We should be insulted, but not surprised. They snickered in Philly and Dallas when TO landed here. Now we know why. I guess, now it’s our turn.

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Jay Gruden On The Job

I hope by now we’re by the ‘who’s he’, and ‘why now’ and how come not John parts of the Jay Gruden hire. Honestly, I think this is a smart move the Bengals pulled off this week.

Look, I know, you and I lived through the “Dave, not Don Shula” era. If you’re a Reds fans with a long memory, you’ll remember, we once had a Guerrero playing here, Wilton, not his brother Vladimir. But in Jay Gruden, the Bengals have at the very least gone outside the family tree, starved for sap as that is right now.

Jay Gruden’s dad was a very good coach, a position coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, surviving the acerbic wit of John McKay for a lot of years, as well as enduring a lot of losing seasons. We know what Jon Gruden has done. And if any of what his father and brother have accomplished has managed to rub off on Jay Gruden, offensively the Bengals are in a lot better shape today than they were a week ago.

Jay Gruden said this week that he wants to pound the ball between the tackles. Good, it’s what they should have been doing all of last season. If talk is cheap, it may get Cedric Benson back here for a lot less money than what the Bengals might’ve had to have spent if they maintained the status quo.

He says the Bengals won’t throw the ball down field 60-times a game. That’s also good news. Look up any box score from the last ten years in the NFL. If you see 40-or more passing attempts next to a quarterback’s name, you’ll probably see an ‘L” next to how his team did that day.

Gruden says he’s going to tone down the no huddle and the shotgun formation. Good and good. This isn’t 2005 and that entire offensive line, except for Bobbie Williams doesn’t live here anymore.

This sounds like a breath of fresh air, which is something the mildew-infested Bengals need. But Jay Gruden is no savior. And that isn’t a white horse he’s riding into town on tomorrow.

The bad news here, is that Gruden inherits an entire set of assistant coaches. This, of course, is called ‘business as usual’ in Bengal-dom. At Paul Brown Stadium they treat assistant coaches like family jewels. Here’s a lovely piece from the Wyche Dynasty I’m sure you’ll love wearing. It’s not that these guys are bad coaches, or bad guys. It’s just that they’ve been around awhile. They’re not ‘dead wood’. But they haven’t exactly floated the good ship Bengals like the Queen Mary either. Gruden will have to work around that.
And one other thing we got to get straight here now that he’s gone: Bob Bratkowski wasn’t the boogey man. He was just a good coach whose offense had grown stale. The Bengals lost their way last season. And Bratkowski had a huge hand in it. But his wasn’t the final word on any game preparation, on any game day or any play call.

But if you’re long for change, change that matters, hiring Jay Gruden is at least a start. There a lot more that needs to be done. And if all the change the Bengals make between now and their next game is bouncing Brat and hiring Chuckie Junior, there won’t be a lot more than four wins again next season.

This is a team that needs serious upgrades at left guard and right tackle. It needs to find a running back. It needs more and better playmakers on defense. Bengal fan, stop lying to yourself and look into the mirror. There is not a player on that Bengals roster that is a difference maker the likes of James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, Tramon Williams or Clay Matthews. Carson Palmer can be a good quarterback again. But he has a long way to go before he’ll be mentioned in the same sentence as Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger.

The NFL is the easiest of the four major professional sports leagues to engineer a turnaround. It can be done overnight. In Peyton Manning’s rookie season, the Colts were 3-13. The following year, the Colts finished 13-3. The 2000 Patriots were 5-11. In 2001, they went 2001 and won the Super Bowl. It can happen, even here. It will take more than Jay Gruden arrival and Bob Bratkowski’s departure. It will take a lot more to get Palmer back here, and more than that for Mike Brown to convince his skeptical and tortured fan base he really means business this time.

But it’s a start. Help us Obi Jay Gruden. You’re our only hope.

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My latest Broo View Podcast is all about Carson Palmer's trade value. Mike Florio, from profootballtalk.com joins me. You can find it on the front page of kenbroo.com or here's a link to the show.

DO YOU KNOW THE BASICS RULES OF TWEETING?

Just posted ot my web site kenbroo.com is my latest Broo View Podcast. Today's topic, the 13 Golden Rules of Tweeting. My guest expert on the subject is CNBC's sports guru, Darren Rovell. Here's a direct link to the audio. And you can always subscribe free to my Broo View Daily Podcast through Itunes.

IS SIGNING JOHNNY CUETO LONG TERM A RISK?

A couple of things caught my attention about your Cincinnati Reds this week. And maybe they caught yours too.

They spent all this money on Aroldis Chapman, right? What was it, 30-million dollars, total? The guy throws in excess of 100-miles an hour, consistently. And though he had trouble holding base runners on during his stint in the majors last summer and even though he was a bit wild at times, 100-mph is equaled by few in big league baseball. I envisioned as a top of the rotation guy some day. I thought, this is a guy who could make up with the other guy’s ace, an invaluable piece, particularly when the Reds would arrive at playoff time. Think mature Chapman up against Roy Halladay. That kind of deal.

Turns out, my vision is through a jaundiced eye.

The second suit in command at Great American Ball Park is Bill Bavasi. He’s Walt Jocketty’s right hand man. This week, Bavasi was on the proverbial rubber chicken circuit, speaking at a gathering near Dayton when the subject of Chapman was raised. Here’s what he said….quote…

“A decision has not been made, but I think it is going to be impossible to get him out of the bullpen. You build your pitching staff from the back to the front - if we can shut you down in the eighth and ninth innings, you aren’t going to beat us.

Now I know the numbers game and I know the Reds have six guys right now for five rotation spots. But really? Bavasi made a good point: Chapman as a starter isn’t going to throw in excess of 105 an hour. But what about 98 miles and hour, with a slider that tops out around 93? Who else has that kind of stuff wearing Cincinnati Red?

I get the bullpen importance. It’s clear, they’re thinking ahead of the curve. Francisco Cordero could be gone as soon as mid season and if Chapman is the closer, it makes sense. But to use the kind of ‘stuff’ that Chapman has in a set up or mid relief role, to me, is a waste of his talents and Bob Castellini’s money.

The other thing the Reds did this week was commit a lot of money to pitcher Johnny Cueto. I believe the figure is four years, $27 million. That’s big dough to a little pitcher.

How about this stat that was sent to me by one of our faithful listeners. Since the end of World War II, 1945, only 32 right-handed pitchers under six feet tall have managed to deliver 100 or more starts in their careers. 519 right-handed pitchers over six feet tall have made 100 or more starts. Just 32 of them under six feet. For the record, Cueto stands 5-10 and has made 92 starts.

The all time leader in starts for right-handed pitchers under six feet is Camilo Pascual, who left Cuba and had 404 starts in the majors, one for the Reds when he pitched here briefly in 1969. Pedro Martinez is second on the list with 380 starts.

The point being, under sized right handed pitchers don’t last particularly long in Major League Baseball. Cueto is just eight starts away from reaching the 100 mark. But 15 of the ‘under six foot right handed starters’ never made it to 200 starts. That just a little under half of them.

So is it risky money they Reds have committed to Cueto? If he turns out to be Camilo Pascual or Pedro Martinez, obviously no. But it certainly bears watching, particularly on the back end of that four year days, when Cueto is due to make $10 million in 2014.

This blog may not be reproduced, re-transmitted or re-purposed in any manner, in whole or in part, without the written consent of Ken Broo.

Just posted to the front page of my web site kenbroo.com is my latest Broo View Daily Podcast. Jim Trotter from Sports Illustrated weighs in on the Bengals

IN BENGAL-DOM, IT ONLY GETS WORSE

You reap what you sow in life. And now we see more of what Mike Brown has planted. It's so bad in Bengal-dom, Carson Palmer is apparently willing to leave $50 million dollars on the table rather than continue to be the Bengals starting quarterback.

He's a modern day Elvis Grbac.

In case you missed it, ESPN's football smart guy, Chris Mortenson reported Sunday that Palmer has requested that the Bengals trade him. And if they don't, Palmer is reportedly willing to call it a career. The last Bengal to try this was Ochocinco, a couple of years back. That worked out so well, he all but crawled back to the Bengals, kissing Brown's ring upon arrival.

Palmer is a different story. He's the franchise quarterback, under achieving certainly in recent years. But he is the epitome of a good soldier. He always says the right things in public, stoic on the field and never in headlines outside of the sportscasts.

There's a temptation to say, if (and if is a very big operative word in this case) this is true, Palmer is quitting on his team mates. He's quitting on Bobbie Williams and Andrew Whitworth and the rest of the offense charged with protecting his butt and helping score touchdowns. But can you blame him?

None of this was in the brochure, when the Bengals drafted him with the number one overall pick in 2003. There was nothing in the brochure about dealing with diva wide receivers, idiot team mates who got arrested with regularity in 2006-2007. There was nothing in the brochure about an owner who stubbornly refuses to operate his team like a 20th century business. You couldn't expect in your wildest dreams it would operate as a 21st century business, now could you?

Years ago, when the Bengals were desperate for a quarterback (as they've been far too often in the last 20 years), they chased Elvis Grbac, a free agent who'd spent some notable time with the Chiefs and Ravens. Grbac was a free agent, looking for a new team. The only team that showed an interest were the Bengals. They dropped a very big offer on him, something not befitting his resume. Grbac, instead, opted to retire rather than play in Cincinnati. Now, reportedly, Palmer is at that same destination.

What he wants to remain here isn't clear. Maybe it's a new offensive coordinator, and few would blame him for wanting that. Maybe is a return to the normalcy that contending football teams operate under. You don't hear about the nonsense that goes on in Bengal-dom in any other franchise that consistently contends. Maybe he wants the Bengals to staff a front office with personnel people who can find the kind of talent that teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore can find. Maybe it's all of that or maybe he's just tired of it all.

But I do know this: if Palmer is traded, or allowed to simply quit, good luck to Mike Brown trying to resurrect this mess anytime soon. Good luck attracting quality free agent talent with your franchise quarterback walking on you. Good luck selling club seats and suites with Palmer wanting out on the heels of yet another atrocious season.

You reap what you sow. Barren is a word that's coming to mind today.

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JOEY VOTTO IS RICH & THE REDS HAVE COST CERTAINTY. NOW WHAT?

If a $38 million dollar paycheck could be a 'win win' for both sides, then this is it. Joey Votto has most of his baseball career ahead of him, if he remains injury free. He'll earn tens of millions of dollars in addition to this latest contract he's signed with the Cincinnati Reds. He's set for life. The Reds avoid the nasty process of arbitration, surely to lose with each upcoming round to Votto. The total dollars of this deal most probably would have been for more than the $38 million they're spending now on their NL MVP first baseman.

But what does it mean to you and me?

Nothing.

Look, I'm happy for Votto and I think it's a wise move by the Reds. But the real game wasn't coming for three years anyway. All this deal does is cover Votto's arbitration years. In three years, he can still become a free agent. And if he continues to produce the kind of numbers he has the past two seasons, he'll simply be unaffordable in Reds-land. In St. Louis, Albert Puljos (who incidentally shares the same agent as Votto) might price himself out of that market. And if the Cardinals, who consistently draw three million fans each season, can't afford to pay Puljos (he'll probably command and get $20 million a year from some team), how can the Reds expect to pay Votto when he become eligible for free agency?

Joey Votto wasn't going anywhere for the next three years. The Reds simply made life for him, and them a little more palatable. But for you and me, this deal means nothing. Get back to around Christmas 2013.

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Who Needs A Bigger Personnel Department?

Less than two weeks after Mike Brown declared that it will be business as usual for his spartan front office, I'm beginning to wonder if he's got it right. You're saying, Ken, a moment please. You spent the better part of the Fall lamenting the Bengals inability to compete front office for front office with the Ravens and Steelers (to say nothing about some of the other solid organizations in the NFL). You are correct. But...

Look at the Bengals last couple of draft classes. OK, Andre Smith is well on his way to 'bust ville' (literally, as well as figuratively). But after Smith came Rey Maualuga and Michael Johnson, two players who will be counted on heavily to produce in the coming years. In that same 2009, they got a decent cover corner in Morgan Trent, in round six. Later in that round, the Bengals drafted Bernard Scott. So after round one, not bad.

From the 2008 draft, the top five picks remain with the team and all are contributing at various levels. First rounder, Keith Rivers, has been a bit of a disappointment. He simply doesn't make enough plays. But Rivers played the majority of 2010 with a bad foot. Second round pick, Jerome Simpson, whom you could not find with a search warrant, finally blossomed in the final three games of 2010. Was it the real deal? Or is Simpson just a couple of dropped balls away from the same road to 'bust ville'? Pat Sims, Andre Caldwell and Anthony Collins are are potential starters for the Bengals in the future.

Brown has a compelling argument for continuing business his way by pointing to the success his few personnel people have had in the past two seasons. But his position takes on a lot water when you continue back in time.

2005? First round pick David Pollack lasted a season and a half before a neck injury ended his career. OK, probably couldn't have predicted that one. But second round pick, Odell Thurman was a red flag for a lot of teams that year, at least the one's who had enough front office people to do a thorough background check on him. Same thing was true, with the late Chris Henry. The ONLY player from that draft who's had any kind of career to speak of is the player the Bengals took in the seventh round, Jonathan Fanene. 2005 came as close to a complete whiff as any team has ever had.

2006 was better with Jonathan Joseph, Andrew Whitworth, Frostee Rucker and Domata Peko taken with the first four picks. But the number of draft busts the Bengals have had make up a not so impressive list. Quarterback David Klingler in 1992, linebacker Reinard Wilson in 1997, quarterback Akili Smith in 1999 just to name first round flame outs. Along the way, there are plenty of examples of later picks that never panned out. Who can forget the chain smoking tight end from San Jose State the Bengals took in round 3 of the 2001 draft, Sean Brewer?

Has every team whiffed badly in the NFL draft? Yep, even the great Patriots, even the great Steelers. But those teams have won Super Bowls. And the Bengals haven't won a playoff game since 1991.

Recent history may suggest things are getting better. Maybe they are. But when you look at the total picture, you gotta wonder.

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RANDOM THOUGHTS ON A RANDOM THURSDAY NIGHT

The great guessing game in Cincinnati these days is which, if any, of the Bengals assistant coaches are going away. The early line says, none. Don't kid yourself, Marvin Lewis would love to shake up his staff. He. like every Bengals coach since Paul Brown, has been forced to inherit assistant coaches from previous regimes. Lewis was forced to do that in 2003 for a lot of reasons, not the least of which was he was a rookie head coach desperate for a head coach's position.

Lewis wanted to make changes several times since taking the top job in Cincinnati. He got his wish on the defensive side of the ball, going through three coordinators in his eight seasons. Reportedly, two years ago, he wanted offensive coordinator, Bob Bratkowski out. Owner Mike Brown would let Lewis do that. Brown reportedly has a soft spot in his heart for the son of a former coaching legend, perhaps finding a little common ground with Son Of Zeke.

On the final day of the 2010 season, when all signs pointed to Lewis skating from the Bengals, he hinted that he wanted more say in a lot of things in Bengal-dom, including who was on his staff. Quickly, his tune changed. The offers he thought would be coming his way didn't. And by all indications, Lewis went back to Brown, hat in hand, trying to keep his job.

The bigger issue here isn't whether or not Lewis will get to make changes on his staff (he should, every NFL head coach should be able to hire and fire the people who will help determine his success.). The bigger issue is how will the Bengals organization sell a new season of hope to a fan base, which now has to be on the brink of complete disillusion. Hope and belief that better days are close at hand only works if you've given someone a clear indication that there may be some truth in the statement. Seen any of that around here lately?

So it should be no surprise to anyone if the Bengals way of doing business changes little this winter. Mike Brown has never been someone who's offered sacrificial lambs to his now dwindling fan base. And Marvin Lewis may have over played his hand.

Bengals fever catch it.

I'm happy the Reds addressed their left field shortcomings by signing a major league veteran like Fred Lewis. But I still believe Scott Podsednik would have been a better option. But neither are long term answers to that position. Nor is Jonny Gomes. The Reds must find out this summer if either Todd Frazier or Chris Heisey can answer that challenge.

I'm thinking Juan Francisco plays more than a few games at third base this season. Over/under I've got at 40. What are you taking?

We can talk all we want about which team did what this off season. Zach Greinke to the Brewers, Lance Berkman to the Cardinals, Matt Garza to the Cubs, etc. You and I both know the key element to a team winning a division title is health. If the Brewers lose Ryan Braun or Prince Fielder for any appreciable amount of time, they're toast. The Reds stayed relatively healthy in 2010 and won.

I'll take the Steelers over the Ravens this Saturday and the Patriots over the Jets on Sunday in the AFC playoffs. But I feel a lot stronger about the Pats than the Steelers...

NFC? I'm going with the Bears and Packers.

Lebron needs to let it go. He defeated Dan Gilbert last summer.

OJ Mayo gets into a fight with a teammate in a card game on the Memphis Grizzlies charter? Really? Trouble has been hounding him since high school.

I'm enough of a cynic to admit that I believe the soft schedule UC played leading up to their Big East Conference schedule will do as much harm and good come NCAA Tournament selection time. But you've got to give it to Mick Cronin for this: it built confidence for a team that was desperate for it.

But UC better win at least 10 regular season conference games if it wants to get in.

The paper had an article this week from some recruiting guru who thinks Butch Jones will have the best 2011 recruiting class in the Big East. He better. Broad-based interest in UC football is so fragile, it'll sink into the abyss again with another season like this past one.

UK wide receiver and utility man, Randall Cobb declared for the NFL draft today. He says he's been told that he'll go anywhere from rounds two through four. Whoever drafts him is getting a steal. I think his Sunday afternoons will be busy for a long time.

Among my guests this Sunday on 700 WLW will be none other than Sprint Cup driver, Joey Logano. He's won the Nationwide Series race at the Kentucky Speedway each of the last three years. You think he might be the favorite for the first-ever Cup race at Kentucky this July? You think?

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Time For A Quickie Divorce?

Ochocinco, It was nice knowing you. Now here's a version of the 'home game'. It's time. You need to move on and the team needs to move on without you. What you both want in life don't intersect anymore. You've grown apart. You're not the same people who 'married' all those years ago.

It's time.

Look, the artist formerly known as Chad Johnson will forever be remembered here. And some day down the road, maybe sooner than later, he'll be remembered fondly. Ochocinco is not only the Bengals all time leader in receptions and receiving yards. He's also a player who never once did anything to bring harm to the franchise. Ever. In the winter of 2006 and 2007, when Bengals were being arrested on a nightly basis, Ochocinco was a model Bengal-citizen. He could infuriate us with his bizarre and narcissistic behavior. Who could forget his insipid ramblings along radio row at the Super Bowl a few years back, demanding a trade. He could confound us with what seemed to be warped priorities, Dancing With The Stars while the rest of his teammates were busy preparing for a football season. But he could also disarm us with his crazy comments, silly stunts that he pulled on the opposing team, with his end zone celebrations.

Ochocinco is a character, with strong character. He'll always be a Bengal. But it's time for him to go.

The Bengals, by all account, have sufficient talent to continue without Chad and his off field priorities. Jordan Shipley, Andrew Caldwell, Jerome Simpson and Jermaine Gresham form an adequate receiving corp. Maybe Quan Cosby needs to finally get a chance. Maybe there's a wide receiver in this next draft that can give the Bengals that deep, down field threat they've been missing. Remember, the Steelers found Mike Wallace in the third round of the 2009 draft.

The last thing the Bengals need, as they try to rebuild this mess of an offense that is of their own creation, is a wide receiver whose interests have moved onto the internet, cable TV shows and tweeting. It's just going to get in the way, like signing another narcissist, Terrell Owens got in the way this season.

Ochocinco is due $6 million this season. That's a lot of money to pay someone who might be, at best, the third best wide receiver on the team. $6 million will probably buy you an impact player on the free agent market, or at least provide a pretty good down payment on one. Face it: Ochocinco isn't an impact player anymore. It's been awhile since he has been.

Does that mean he's finished in the NFL? Hardly. In the right circumstance, with the right team poised to contend for a Super Bowl title, Ochocinco could be the right fit. In a big market, with lots of media, Ochocinco could be a big hit. Maybe he's outgrown Cincinnati. Maybe the Bengals are at a point where to grow, they need to do it without him.

For all of that, it's probably time to say goodbye. Divorces are never easy. But sometime, it's the right thing to do. Often times, both parties move onto better lives.

It's time for the Bengals and Ochocinco to declare irreconcilable differences. It was fun while it lasted. But it's time to move on.

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THE CASE AGAINST DRAFTING A QUARTERBACK IN ROUND #1

The temptation is there, isn't it? The Bengals sit with the 4th pick in this year's draft and they know, or at least have to know, that Carson Palmer's days as their quarterback are numbered. Maybe not after this next season, or the one after that. But soon, they'll have to replace him. He's 31 now, has a major knee surgery on his resume and probably should have had a major elbow surgery as well.

The temptation is there to use that 4th overall pick on a quarterback of the future. Andrew Luck will sit this draft out. But Arkansas' Ryan Mallett will be there. So will Auburn's Cam Newton.

The Bengals would be fools to draft either one of them.

Since 1995, 22 quarterbacks have been among the top 10 picks in their respective drafts. The investments made by the teams that selected them has had mixed results. For every Peyton Manning, there's an Alex Smith, or worse.

The Tennessee Titans (then the Houston Oilers) drafted Steve McNair with the number three overall pick in 1995. Two picks later, the Carolina Panthers took Kerry Collins. While Collins was in the league as late as this past season, McNair had significantly more success.

Three of those 16 draft classes produced no quarterbacks taken among the top ten picks. You want the Bengals to take a quarterback with their 4th overall pick this year? You must've forgotten the 1999 draft. Tim Couch, number one overall to Cleveland. Donovan McNabb, number two overall to Philly. Akili Smith, you need a refresher course in that?

The year the Bengals took Carson Palmer with the number one overall, 2003, the Jaguars took Byron Leftwich with the seventh overall pick. How'd that work out? They're still gagging in Houston over the Texans taking David Carr number one overall in 2002. Same year, the Lions took Joey Harrington with the third pick. Joey Lawrence would have been a better selection.

And we won't even get into the Raiders and Jemarcus Russell in 2007.

Of the eight teams who played this past weekend in the NFL playoffs only two, Manning and Michael Vick, were number one, overall, picks.

When you watch the Patriots play the Jets this Sunday, remember that Tom Brady was drafted 199th overall, a 6th round pick. Remember that Bart Starr was selected 199th, in the 17th round of the 1956 draft. Remember that Starr is in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame and Brady will be there shortly. So will Jemarcus Russell, if he buys a ticket for the tour.

The liste of quarterbacks who weren't first round picks who won Super Bowls includes six Hall Of Famers, and a lot more who are destined to get there. Johnny Unitas wasn't drafted until the 9th round and was cut by the Steelers before winding up in Baltimore. Cincinnati's own, Roger Staubach was a 10th round pick.

The point of all of this is that the Bengals are in trouble. They have talent at a lot of positions, sure. But at critical positions, right tackle, left guard, safety, defensive end, they have critical needs. Taking a quarterback with a #4 overall pick addresses none of that. And addressing none of that will continue the abyss they find themselves in now.

For better or worse, Carson Palmer should be the quarterback here next season and for the next few beyond. His replacement has to be found. But not this year. And now with the 4th overall pick.

For the latest Broo View Podcast, visit my web site www.kenbroo.com. And, you can always follow me on twitter: @kenbroo

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Just posted to the front page of my web site www.kenbroo.com is the latest Broo View Daily Podcast. Today, we're talking about whether or not the Bengals should bring Carson Palmer back in 2011. He's due $11.5 million next season. Pete Prisco from cbssports.com offers a comment.

The Marvin Watch Day #1

If Mike Brown decides to give Marvin Lewis what he wants, a beefed up personnel department, inflatable bubble over a practice field, the ability to hire his own coaches and not accept hand me downs, is Brown admitting that the way he's conducted business over the last 20 years is wrong?

Mike Brown doesn't need Marvin Lewis to tell him that. All Brown has to look at is the won-loss record since he took the control of the franchise in 1991. But Marvin calling out Mike publicly makes it less likely that Lewis will get what he wants to stay here. Mike Brown hates, let me re iterate this HATES to have his negotiating aired publicly. He also seldom, if ever, loses a negotiation, public or private. So my guess is, Brown doesn't budge on any of this and Marvin leaves. Maybe the next guy in will get some of these things that Lewis wants. But when Marvin's agenda began leaking to the national media over the weekend, that might have been the final straw for Brown.

Factor in a fragile economy, suites and club seats that must be sold and the uncertainty of a collective bargaining negotiation the NFL is conducting with it's players union, and the economic landscape for Mike Brown doesn't look so good. He has to re-invigorate his fan base. And Marvin Lewis my have unwittingly played into Brown's hands. Now, Mike can let Marvin go, citing irreconcilable differences. He can then begin selling 2011 as a fresh start with a new head coach and a new direction. He might be able to convince that new head coach (particularly if the guy has never had that lofty a gig before) to take some of the assistant coaches who've been passed on from regime to regime over the last 25 years. Brown would view that as a win-win for himself. He wins by not caving into Lewis, who's made this fight public. And he wins by being able to say "See, Marvin didn't really want to stay here. But look at this new guy. Wait 'til you see what he's going to do."

As for Lewis, leaving Bengal-dom isn't all that bad. He's made his millions here. He can either contend for some of the other NFL jobs that have and will open up, or park himself in a TV studio until the right deal comes along.

The more I think about this, the more I see it playing out this way. I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. But I think I'm right.

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Random Thoughts On The Last Random Tuesday Of 2010

OK 'men of a certain age', 2011 is hours away. Show of hands, who thought they'd make it this far? Liars....

Carson Palmer threw the ball so well Sunday because his offensive coordinator did NOT abandon the running game, despite averaging just 2.7 yards per rush. The Bengals ran the ball 38 times Sunday. Regardless of the yardage, when a team commits that much to the run, the safeties MUST come up for support. That left a lot of one on one coverage. And that's the reason why Palmer was so effective throwing. The Bengals are a team built to run the ball. Why it took them 13 games to figure that out, God only knows. But it's further proof that changes need to be made on the coaching staff. It lost its soul this season...

The Bengals OL had its best day in years, not allowing a sack to a team that came in with a league best 44. Again, that was because the Bengals RAN the ball for 38 snaps.

Bengals left tackle Andrew Whitworth deserves to go to the Pro Bowl. You can make a case that the other four spots on that OL need upgrades, in some instances serious upgrades.

Cedric Benson should be the Bengals number one target for signing team free agents this off season. I'd franchise tag him, except that would be a salary in excess of $10 million and the Bengals already are in dutch to Palmer for $11.5 million. But ask yourself, would the Patriots do it? Would the Colts do it? Would the Steelers do it?

Interesting that the Reds were pursuing RHP Brandon Webb. That would mean another 'shoe' would had to have dropped, with Arroyo, Cueto, Bailey, Wood, Volquez already penciled into the starting rotation in 2011. My guess is, there was another deal in the works. Maybe not so much now.

I still think the Reds pursue Scott Podsednik for at least a platoon in LF, maybe a bigger role.

I think Mick Cronin did the right thing by padding his early season schedule with patsies. Some of those teams, you couldn't find on a map if your name was Rand McNally. But the Bearcats better win at least 10 of their 18 Big East Conference games this season or they'll have no shot at making the NCAA Tournament, even with an expanded field. With one more out of conference game to play (the traditional in city Crosstown Shootout with Xavier) UC will need at least 22 wins and a better than .500 conference schedule. From what I've seen of this team, I think they can pull it off. They'll have to, with a strength of scheduling rating right now of 333rd among all Division I teams.

Best sports Christmas season story has to be the University of Albany offering Xavier guard, Mark Lyons a ride from Albany to Cincinnati on the team bus. Lyons, like a lot of Northeasterners, was stranded in his hometown of Albany by the blizzard that hit the East Coast. His flight was cancelled. He had no way to get back to Cincinnati in time for the game against the Great Danes. So graciously, the Albany head coach offered Lyons a seat on the bus, and the sophomore guard made the nine hour trip sitting with players he'll do his best to beat tonight at the Cintas Center. I couldn't tell you two things about University of Albany basketball, but now I'm a fan. Good stuff....

Heard this song the other day for the first time in a long time. Absolutely beautiful in its simplicity of chord structure and lyrics. Tom Springfield, the brother of the late Dusty Springfield and group leader wrote this for The Seekers. The female lead is Judith Durham, who is just terrific.


We'll see you tonight at 6p and 11p on News 5, right here in the greatest city in the world, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

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Jerome Simpson, Is That You?

He's been basically a rumor, since the Bengals drafted Jerome Simpson in the 2nd round back in the 2008 NFL draft. In fact, Simpson could walk through Fountain Square at high noon on any day of the week and chances are, no one would recognize him. If it wasn't for Andre Smith, Simpson would be considered the Bengals biggest draft day bust, in the last ten years.

Sunday might've changed some of that. Sunday, Simpson had his best day ever as a pro. That's not saying a lot, since Simpson hadn't been good enough, or smart enough, or just enough to get onto the field on Sundays in the fall. But against the Chargers, Simpson got his first start as a pro. He made the most of it, catching six passes for 124 yards and two touchdown receptions. To say the least, a lot of Cincinnati (at least the part of it that still pays attention to the Bengals) was shocked.

Simpson arrived in the spring of '08 from Obscure U, otherwise known as Coastal Carolina. He could leap, had big hands, but seemed to a lot of Bengal watchers are a 'stretch'. For almost three seasons, he struggled in practice, struggled to get onto the field, struggled to stay on the active roster on game days.

But Sunday, the Bengals were without their Dynamic Duo, the twin duds known a Ochocino and TO, who like to refer to themselves as "Batman and Robin". Both were hurt (TO done for the year and Ochocinco, like TO maybe done in Cincinnati). Simpson and his 2008 draft-mate, Andre Caldwell took over, catching 10 passes between them.

The few Bengals fans paying attention were just downright giddy after their performance. But don't count me in that crowd. I've seen it far too often around here: late season, contending team comes to town, Bengals stink, contending team thinks it just has to throw its collective helmets onto the field to get a win, contending team goes home beaten. The following year, the Bengals still stink. One game does not a season, nor a wide receiver make.

But for about three hours Sunday, we got to see what the Bengals might've seen before they spent a high draft pick and a lot of time on Jerome Simpson. Whether or not he's the future is a matter of great debate. But at least after Sunday, Simpson has an immediate future in Cincinnati. And that's a lot more than what he's had up until now.

Should the Bengals bring Carson Palmer back for another season, even though he's due to make $11.5 million in 2011? That's the subject of today's Broo View Daily Podcast. You can find it on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

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Some Pre-Christmas Eve Ramblings

While decking the halls, some things that are coming to mind.....

Aren't you about over the Marvin-Ochocinco marriage? And for Lewis to chastise media members on Thursday for reacting to him referring to Ochocinco as 'moping' is about as disingenuous a thing as I've heard in awhile. Lewis said it, Chad reacted to it. This is a 24/7 365 media and it became a rather large story. I'm wondering if, as a child, Marvin tried to put the toothpaste back in the tube. Further reason why Mike Brown should just blow this whole thing up after this season. They all need to go, Lewis, Ocho, TO, Palmer. Goodbye, thanks for playing. It didn't work out good luck in your next life....

But Brown won't....

I heard an interesting theory the other day that might be a good way for Brown to gracefully admit that his way of conducting a football team simply doesn't work. Rather than hiring a general manager (which he should do) and admitting that he's been an abject failure at that end of things, Brown could keep the title and simply hire a fleet of good, competent scouts. The theory being that Brown probably knows football but consistently operates with bad or insufficient information on players because he doesn't have enough eyeballs on the college game.

Think about this: is the reason why the Bengals take so many chances on players with character issues because the team doesn't draft well and, not being free spenders, chooses to fill in the holes with bargain basement guys who've washed up because of their off field indiscretions?

I think the answer to that question might be....yes.

I really don't want Carson Palmer to go. I want to see him resurrect his career here. But he's simply been polluted by the situation in Bengal-dom. I'm not exonerating him at all for this year's debacle. I just don't think he'll ever again be the quarterback he was before he got Von Oelhoffen'd. And with the Bengals looking at a rebuilding project for the next two seasons (don't kid yourself, that's what this thing is) Palmer at 33 years old when this team has a pulse again isn't so appealing.

The Texas Rangers have signed Arthur Rhodes. On one hand that's too bad. He gave the Reds some terrific work in his time here. But at his age, I wasn't one counting on much from him going forward. Dontrelle Willis? Your ball.

Mick Cronin's Bearcats unbeaten going into the Christmas break. No one not named Cronin would ever have predicted that, forget about the quality of teams that UC has played.

You can have every one of the bowl games that New Year's Day will offer. I'm watching the NHL's Winter Classic. It's Washington vs Pittsburgh outdoors at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh. The teams are meaningless. It's the spectacle of NHL hockey on an outdoor rink. Fabulous viewing on an HDTV.

If the NCAA had any real clout and, well you know, those other things, it would have suspended those five Ohio State players for their bowl game. I could care less that Terrell Pryor or any other Buckeye was trading tickets and game used jerseys for tatoos. They should be able to do whatever they want with that stuff, so long as it wasn't taken illegally. But don't make it sound like you're taking some high and mighty road by suspending the "Buckeye Five "for games next season. That may only hasten their road out of Columbus and into the NFL.

Merry Christmas to all. I hope you have a wonderful time. I know I will. And I know for me, it will be a helluva lot better than last Christmas. For background on that, go back about a year in the archives.

Peace.

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