THE BROO VIEW with Ken Broo

First, a confession: I haven't watched any college bowl games so far this week. Just a bit of the Motor City bowl, but that's it. I may get interested a bit tonight. Two intriguing teams are playing in separate games: Boston College plays Michigan State and Maryland, a team I once did radio 'color' for, plays Oregon State. Obviously, the bigger games begin next Tuesday.

It's looking more and more like the Reds will go into spring training next March with their current pitching staff and maybe...maybe one more low level free agent starting pitcher. The only name that's out there that even remotely interests me is Livan Hernandez. The others seem to be a collection of bad rotator cuffs and sore elbows. So if the season were to start today (bad day to start in Cincinnati 44* and light rain) the rotation would be Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo, Homer Bailey, then probably Matt Belisle and ???? Don't count out Johnny Cueto, who was on the fast track to the majors until, for whatever reason, was sent down to "AA" from "AAA" Louisville last August. And that was despite pitching pretty well in "AAA" ball. Cueto's demotion didn't go so good. He was rocked on his return to the Reds farm club in Chattanooga. But just about every scout who's seen Cueto says he trumps Bailey as the best pitching prospect the Reds have developed in generations. Edinson Volquaz, just picked up in the Josh Hamilton deal has a shot to make the rotation too. Let's put it this way, Volquaz will get 'favored nation' status, since current GM Wayne Krivsky made the deal.

Disturbing news out of Florida today. Jim Leyritz grew up on the east side of Cincinnati and played his high school ball at Turpin before becoming a decent back up catcher for the Yankees and Padres.

The Bengals are off to Miami tomorrow for their game Sunday against the Dolphins. The Bengals are banged up, Rudi Johnson and Madieu Williams are among the starters who won't play. But they should win this game. Waiting on them is a Dolphins franchise that is now in the hands of Bill Parcells. Warning to the denizens of Dolphin-ville: get ready to get rocked. Parcell pulls few punches.

This is one of the funnier moments from Parcells' stint as the Cowboys head coach.


Imagine that kind of 'quote machine' around here! You know, back in the late 80's and early 90's we had some of the best 'sports quotes' in America zooming out of Cincinnati. Pete Rose and Sam Wyche were contemporaries, each managing and coaching the two major sports franchises in Cincinnati. At the University of Cincinnati, Bob Huggins didn't pull any punches with the local media. And at Xavier, Pete Gillen was often times a stand up comedy act with some of his one-liners. Now, everybody is wrapped up in trying to say the right thing.

Also waiting on the Bengals, and left tackle Levi Jones, is Dolphins linebacker, Joey Porter. Joey didn't have to be reminded, as we read in the Sun Sentinel, the fine Florida daily.

In case you missed it, Fox Sports had the security came video of the incident:


I don't know about you, but when I'm in Vegas, I try to stay by the pool, in the shade with a frozen drink. I guess it's all about what you want to do with your free time, right?

I'm talking sports again this weekend on 700 WLW and 1530 WCKY. Both of those stations are streamed on the internet and WLW is available on XM channel 173. Sunday morning, I'll be in my regular seat as host of "Bengals-Sunday Morning Sports Talk". Among my guests, the outstanding columnist from the Cincinnati Post, Lonnie Wheeler. For those of you outside of the greater Cincinnati area, the Post and afternoon tradition for nearly a century, will cease publishing with its Monday edition. Marc Hardin, the executive editor of Bengals Report, will be in for a chat as will "The Governor", former Bengals kicker Doug Pelfrey.

Then, at 5:30pm EST, I'll be back on both signals with "Bengals Feedback", fielding your phone calls with reaction to the game. Sunday night, after the Titans vs the Colts, I'll be serving up another helping of Sports Rock! on Cincinnati's NBC affiliate, WLWT. George Vogel and I welcome Eric Thomas and "Wildman Walker" to the studio. We'll also have another visit from the all seeing, all knowing "Wizard Of Kenwood". It's going to be another full Sunday.

As for you....have a great weekend and I'll see you back on the air Monday at 6pm and 11pm on News Five!