Breaking news from the Reds today. Bob Castellini went shopping and dropped about $15 million in payroll for next season. Today, the Reds picked up the option years on Adam Dunn, Scott Hatteberg and Javier Valentin. They took a 'pass' on the $3 million the Reds would've owed Eddie Guardado, although 'Everyday Eddie' is on the radar screen for a new deal at less money.



All of it makes sense. Dunn is a cornerstone of this team, despite a hefty $13 million he's now due in 2008. The Reds have several options here. They could try to sign Dunn to a long term deal. After their lunch, Castellini came away a big Dunn fan. They can't trade Dunn now, per his contract, until mid-June and only then to about ten teams of his choosing. Hatteberg is a bargain at just over a million for next year and could be used as trade bait. Valentin, due $1.5 mil in 2008 now, is a solid left handed bat off the bench, and wound up as the everyday catcher after Jerry Narron was fired.


Just posted on my web site, http://www.kenbroo.com/ is the latest 'Bengals Report Podcast". It's right on the front page for easy downloading. Marc Hardin and I break down the loss to the Steelers. Look for another "Broo View Podcast" at the same address later tonight.


Speaking of our Bengals Rudi Johnson was back at practice today. But it appears to be another week without RT Willie Anderson and middle linebacker, Ahmad Brooks. Both are officially 'out' for Sunday's game at Buffalo.


And check out this piece of work from foxsports.com on our Bengals. Ouch.


Among other things, we're tracking with great interest tonight's tipoff to the UC basketball season. The Bearcats have an exhibition game scheduled against Northern Kentucky University. Mick Cronin's team suffered mightily last season, from defections and a late start on recruiting. The players he's brought in since, seem to fit more of his up tempo style. I'll have highlights of that game, and exhibition games at UK and Ohio State tonight at 11p, on Cincinnati's channel 5.


And to close it out, an update from our good friend Pete Rose, again courtesy of foxnews.com.
This could be revisionist thinking on Rose's part, who probably is beginning to wonder if he'll ever be welcomed back by major league baseball before he dies.

I don't think he will, frankly.

I'm writing this latest entry in and around preparing my 6p sportscast. Look for some Bengals, Dusty Baker and HS football tonight at 6p.


First things first, the latest "Broo View Podcast" is posted and ready for your download on http://www.kenbroo.com/. Just go to the "Podcasts & More" section and scroll down to the latest show. Maybe you'll be able to figure out why Marvin kicked a field goal instead of trying to convert on 4th and two last Sunday against the Steelers. Then again, maybe you won't.


Speaking of Baker, I participated in a conference call with the Reds new manager today. He's just getting into his new gig full time, having arrived back from his ESPN work Monday. He says he has a large amount of reading ahead of him, scouting reports sent to him by Reds GM Wayne Krivsky. Baker has been allowed to hire only two coaches and made those decision known today. Former major leaguer, Chris Spier will be his infield instructor and bench coach. Juan Lopez was hired as his bullpen coach.


I asked Baker if the 'recruiting' part of his job has begun. Remember, he said at the news conference introducing him as Reds manager that he'd use his name and reputation to lure free agents to Cincinnati. Baker says he hasn't had time to do that. And says published reports that he spoke with former Cub Mark Prior and soon to be former Cub, Kerry Wood, are true. But, Baker says, those conversations were about everything BUT baseball.


Baker says he and Krivsky will lay the groundwork for trades and acquisitions before the winter baseball meetings in December. He sounded like a guy who expects to make up of his new team to change somewhat.

It ws a day off for the Cincinnati Bengals. They continue to get no love. Power Rankings all over the internet have them in the bottom quarter of the NFL.

And then there's this on Sporting News.com.

I said this before the season began and I'll repeat it today: it will take any AFC team, with the possible exception of the AFC West champ, 10 wins to make the playoffs. The Bengals would need to finish 8-1 in their final 9 games to reach 10 wins. Have you seen anything this season that would allow you to believe they'll win 8 of their final 9? Me neither.

Marvin Lewis is all over the map explaining his decision to kick a field goal on fourth and one from the Steelers two yard line Sunday. He kicked and took three, got booed and second guessed for the rest of the game, then said in his post game news conference he made the wrong decision. Today, Lewis said he'd though about it over night and that his initial decision to take the '3' was the right call.

Let me help him out. I understand why he kicked the field goal. Think about it and you might agree too. Most of the Bengals-Steelers games have been tight, particularly in the last five years. Last year's game at Paul Brown Stadium went to overtime, before the Steelers won. So with just over 2:30 to play in the first half Sunday, Lewis figured take the '3', it'll probably be that close again. I understand how he thought that way. But it was the wrong call. Lewis placed his faith on the wrong side of the ball. He said Monday he believed his defense would stop the Steelers ensuing drive and the Bengals would go to the locker room down only eight, geting the ball to start the second half.

I don't know what defense Lewis has been watching this season. But if he was watching his, he'd have known his Bengals defense hasn't stopped ANYONE this season. It was a bad call. Lewis got it right immediately after the game. He should've stuck with that story. Tonight, he appears to be someone indecisive

And are the Bengals now officially dead in 2007? They're 2-5 and only three teams since 1990 have started 2-5 and made the playoffs. The national media is piling on. Check out what the very fine writer from cbssportsline.com Clark Judge has to say:

Black The Right Color For Bengals
cbssportsline.com

Now come two very lose-able games. Buffalo could very well be 5-2 instead of 3-4. Dallas needed a field goal, at home, at the gun to beat the Bills. And Buffalo has beaten Baltimore, the team the Bengals will face in Maryland in two weeks.

Bad times in Bengal-dom, to say the least.

Right now, Ohio State and Boston College are unbeaten. But could we have a scenario this year where no major college football team plays for the national title unbeaten? There's a good chance. In fact, we may have a two loss team contending for the title in the national championship game.


Ohio State still has rough road games remaining at Penn State and Michigan. Boston College still has games on the schedule at Maryland and Clemson and dicey home tilts with Miami and Florida State.


Oklahoma, LSU and Oregon are the best of the one loss teams. But each faces choppy water between now and the end of the season. LSU's toughest test will be at Alabama. But that could be it for the Tigers, until the SEC Championship game. Oklahoma still has a dicey road trest at 6-2 Texas Tech and a home game against instate rival, Oklahoma State. West Virginia could be lurkiing at the end. But the Mountaineers have some tough Big East games coming up, including one at Cincinnati.

My guess is no team will be unbeaten come early December. And that is yet another compelling reason to have a playoff system. But I'm not holding my breath, waiting for one.

Just posted today the latest "Bengals Report Podcast". You can find it on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. It's on the front page, easy to find.

Sports Rock! rocks this Sunday night at 11:35p on Cincinnati's Channel 5 WLWT. My guess is, we'll have plenty to talk about in the wake of the Bengals vs Steelers game. Check out our 'internet only' version of Sports Rock! on www.wlwt.com.

And if you can locate the Colorado Rockies offense, please call the team. It's 'gone missing' and they need it badly.

Have a great weekend!

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


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


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


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

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


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


I thought Sunday was a day of rest!

First things first, the latest "Broo View Podcast" is up and running on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. You can find in in the "Podcast & More" section. Good stuff on the Bengals win over the Jets.

The buzz from the weekend was a report on ESPN that the Bengals are considering trading Chad Johnson this winter. As the report goes, the Bengals are supposedly tiring of Johnson's sideline and off field antics and will try to get equal value on the market after this season. The reported quoted a 'high ranking Bengals official."

Marvin Lewis had an interesting take on this. While not flatly denying the report, the Bengals head coach said Monday that there is only 'one voice' in the Bengals organization and it's his. And Lewis then denied telling anyone at ESPN about shopping Chad this coming winter.

Do I think the report was accurate? Yes. Do I think Lewis is telling the truth? Yes. I'm sure ESPN's Craig Mortenson talked with someone in the Bengals front office. He's too good of a reporter to not have factual accuracy. And I'm certain there's been some discussion about whether or not Chad is really worth the trouble. But the ultimate decision on whether or not to trade a player the status of Chad Johnson rest with Lewis and owner Mike Brown. And I'm equally certain neither has arrived at that point.

To trade Johnson, signed under market to a long term deal just two years ago, the Bengals would take a huge salary cap 'hit' on Johnson's bonus money. The Bengals never really approach the ceiling of the salary cap any year. So to dump Johnson and have accelerate his bonus payment is just not the way this team does business.

So my guess is, barring some tremendous blow up or off-field incident which would be totally out of character for Johnson, he stays. But it's a long time from now until next draft day.

Before we all get giddy about the Bengals win Sunday over the Jets, let's remember this: these were two bad football teams and one of them was bound to win. Sunday, the Bengals figured it out in the second half of the game, and the Jets crashed.

Yes, the Bengals running attack returned. It was great to see a good player and equally good person, Kenny Watson, rip apart the Jets defense. Watson's longest run was only 12 yards, which means he simply wore the Jets defense down. In reality, it was the Bengals big offensive linemen who took the under-sized Jets defensive linemen to the shed, mash blocking holes for Watson to run through.

But make no mistake about it, the Bengals still have serious deficiencies. They gave up over 30-points again Sunday, a number they've averaged the entire season. The Jets put up over 350 yards of offense. This from a New York team that's struggled to do anything offensively coming into this game. And, the Bengals gave up a hundred yard receiving day to Lavernius Coles.

The road to the playoffs get a little less bumpy with this win. The Bengals still have to finish out 8-2 in their final 10 games to get to ten wins. And this season, 10 wins may be the minimum amount needed to either win the AFC North or qualify as a wild card. The schedule does get easier, with teams like Arizona, St. Louis and Miami on the horizon. But two games remain with the Steelers, one with the Ravens and there's a home game with the tough Tennessee Titans to come.

But the road to ten wins is a bit easier at 2-4 than it would've been at 1-5. And that's good. But not good enough to get all giddy about it. Beat the Steelers, and then we'll talk.

Check out my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I'll have the latest "Broo View Podcast" posted over night and you can either download it or listen on your computer early Tuesday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


Check out this article from The Chicago Daily Herald.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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



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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a great weekend!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Things that make you go, hmmmmm.

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

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

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

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

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

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