Happy New Year's to you and yours. To get you off to the right start in 2009, you can download my latest Broo View Podcast here. Then, head on over to my web site: www.kenbroo.com and you can catch back episodes of the Broo View Podcast. In this final episode of 2009, we hear comments from Bengals head coach, Marvin Lewis and Chris Crocker, Dhani Jones and defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer.

Just booked for my Sunday Morning Sportstalk Show on 700 WLW: USA Today national baseball writer, Bob Nightengale. He'll be 'on' in the eleven o'clock hour.

Orange Bowl prediction: UC 27 Va Tech 17. USC wins the Rose Bowl, too fast and too strong for Penn State.

Less than a couple of hours until midnight here in the east coast. How about a little "Guy".

2009 has to be better than 2008, doesn't it?

Happy New Year!

Things I'm thinking about tonight, including why I didn't 'bigfoot' George Vogel and take the trip to Miami for the Orange Bowl. Actually, we made a deal: he goes because he's a UC grad, but I go when the Ohio Bobcats play in the Orange Bowl. He drives a tough bargain that Vogel

Here's something to 'sigh' over. 20-years ago right now, the Bengals were marching to Miami too, on their way to the Super Bowl.

Random thoughts on an icy night before the night before Christmas...how many bowl games are too many? I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to tonight's Poinsettia Bowl...UC will beat Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. That's not a 'homer' pick. UC's defense will control this game...The Bengals elected 'not' to raise ticket prices in 2009. And we should be happy about this? After this season, they should've lowered ticket prices for next season...How do the Yankees do it? The economy is in the dumper and they've just been hit with a $26-million luxury tax for their payroll in 2008. And today, they go out and sign Mark Texeira for $181 million. That's on top of what they're paying CC Sabathia ($160 million) and AJ Burnett ($80 million). And Alex Rodriguez continues to haul in $26 million per year. Forget the federal government, the auto companies should ask Hank Steinbrenner for a bailout...How's that Reds offense looking now? Last summer, when I screamed for the Reds to re-up with Adam Dunn, I was hooted down in a number of corners. Dunn was a consistent 40 HR 100 rbi man, but his defense was bad and his attitude seemed too laid back. A lot of Reds fans wanted him out of here. OK, he's gone now. So what 'bat' is replacing him? So far, none. If the season started today, your Cincinnati Reds would start this outfield: Jay Bruce in center, Chris Dickerson in left and Norris Hopper in rightfield. I can hear the Cardinals and Cubs shuddering.

That latest Broo View Podcast has been posted. It's on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. My indepth interview this week is with profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio. On the fly? You can download it here.

Our latest Bengals Report Podcast should be up and ready for download Christmas Eve
night.

Speaking of Christmas....

Burl Ives was one of the best folk singers in the world. But he's best remembered for that song, and probably that video clip.

You'll have to scroll down, but at least somebody likes the Reds in 2009, at least at mlb.com.

Here's something to ponder as you take the next few days off: If you had enought money to buy just one ticket to one sporting event at any point in history (past or present) what would it be. I'd like to hear your answers.

As they used to say in that classic cop show back in the day....be careful out there.

Good Morning (or afternoon or evening depending on where you are around the world). The NFL's 2008 regular season is down to only one more week. We know this: the road to the Super Bowl goes through East Rutherford, New Jersey, at least in the NFC. The Giants and Panthers played a terrific game Sunday night. But the Giants prevailed because they did what you have to do to succeed at this time of the year: they ran the football effectively.

What an end to the season we'll have now. The Broncos and Chargers play a winner take all, loser go home game next Sunday night in California. It's a rematch of the week #2 game, when Denver won thanks to a blown call by the officiating crew. Carolina has to beat New Orleans, on the road, in order to hold onto the number 2 seed. If the Panthers lose and the Falcons win, the Panthers (who had a chance Sunday night to lock up home field advantage throughout the playoffs) could fall as far as the number 5 seed. In the NFC, the Cowboys, Bucs and Eagles remain alive for a final playoff spot. In the AFC, the Jets Chargers and Ravens are all alive, too.

Last week I promised to share with you my favorite Christmas song of all time. And here it is:


Now, for the story behind the song. One of my guests this past Sunday on Sunday Morning Sports Talk on 700 WLW in Cincinnati was the woman with the incredible voice who sings lead on "All I Want For Christmas Is You", the incomparable Lisa Layne. For three years, Lisa was the featured singer with Vince Vance and the Valiants. And how, the story behind my favorite Christmas song. Just click here to listen.

Just posted on the front page of my web site is the latest Broo View Podcast. This episode features an indepth interview with cbssports.com's Clark Judge. Of course, the plight of your Cincinnati Bengals is a hot topic.

Or, you can download the show here.

Ouch! I was one of the many thousands who believed the Muskies would beat the Dukies today. Got that one wrong. This was a harsh lesson in basketball for Sean Miller's team, which came into the game as the #1 rated RPI team in the country. Too many turnovers and not enough defense. It'll get you every time.

Getting psyched for my 700 WLW Sunday Morning Sportstalk show. Among my guests, Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com, Mark Curnutte the Bengals 'beat' writer from the Cincinnati Enquirer, live and direct from Cleveland and author Dave Steidel, whose latest work is "Remember The AFL", a 400-plus page history of the American Football League. Good pictures, and lots of inside stuff. Plus, my favorite Christmas song of all time and the story behind it from the woman who sings it. I'll see you tomorow (Sunday) morning at 9am EST on 700 WLW, or online at 700wlw.com or on Sirius-XM channel 173.

As they say, there are two sides to every story and the truth lies somewhere in between. My guess is, that applies to Andy Kennedy and his run in with a Cincinnati cab driver early Thursday morning.

If you haven't heard, the former UC interim head basketball coach was in town with his Ole Miss team, scheduled to play Louisville Thursday night at the US Bank Arena. Early Thursday, Kennedy and his assistant coaches were having some late night beverages at The Lodge Bar in downtown Cincinnati. Depending on whom you believe, Kennedy and his crew either became too rowdy and were asked to leave, left on their own peacefully, got into a heated argument with a cabbie that involved racial slurs and punches or defended themselves from the cabbie in question.

Kennedy and another Ole Miss associate were arrested and charged with assault. He has a trial date the middle of next month. But after denying the charges and convincing his athletic director of his innocence, Kennedy was allowed to coach the Rebels against Louisville.
I don't know whether or not Kennedy is guilty or innocent. But I do know this. If I'm a school president or AD, the last place I want my head coach and his staff the night before a game is getting lubricated. How can you demand your players keep a curfew, if you can't?

The rich get richer, if you believe this report from espn.com. Mark Texeira to the Bosox? Now that seems really unfair, doesn't it?

I'll have a new Bengals Report Podcast posted over night. Mark Hardin and I preview the Bengals vs Browns game this Sunday. You can find it on the front page of my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/.

My upcoming Sunday Morning Sportstalk show on 700 WLW is beginning to take shape. Among my guests, Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com, Dave Steidel who's written a terrific book calle "Remember The AFL". Lots of great facts and pictures in that book. And I'll have the story behind my favorite Christmas song of all time. I'm on from 9:00am--11:30am EST. You can listen on-line, over the air (if you live in the Midwest) or on Sirius-XM channel 173.

My latest Broo View Podcast will be posted on http://www.kenbroo.com/ sometime late Friday. It will feature an indepth interview with the national NFL writer from cbssports.com, Clark Judge.

Here's something to get you in the Christmas mood, from one of the smoothest voices in the history of music: Nat King Cole.

The man endured far too much in his life and he died far too young. What an exceptional talent.

I've earned a return engagement! After anchoring News 5 on Thanksgiving night and the following day, I now get a chance to anchor the news at 11p on Christmas Eve. I'm the Holiday News King!

Good Afternoon! (At least in the EST part of the world)

To get us going today here's a link to my latest Broo View Podcast. This episode, we chat with espn.com's national college football writer, Ivan Maisel. But for more great audio and the latest in sports, head on over to my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

Hell froze over in Cincinnati Sunday. The Bengals won. Here was the difference between the Bengals and Redskins in this game. The Bengals played hard. The Redskins played like they hadn't been coached in a decade. The greatest compliment you can pay to a coach of a team that isn't very good is that his team played hard, didn't quit. The Bengals played hard, didn't quit. Say what you want about the talent level on the current Bengals squad (and it isn't very good), it plays hard for Marvin Lewis.

That said, this game meant nothing, except that the Bengals moved further away from the number one overall pick next April.

And maybe massive offensive tackle, Alabama's Andre Smith. Bummer.

The Redskins are DOA come the final regular season game. The Steelers and Giants get the top seeds for the upcoming playoffs.

Now, in DC, how close do you think the impetuous 'Skins owner came to launching coach Jim Zorn after Sunday's meltdown? More, in the Washington Post.

17,000 plus found their way into "Redsfest" this past weekend. But you tell me: do you think either the Cubs or Cardinals are shuddering, now that the Reds have picked up catcher Ramon Hernandez and reliever Arthur Rhodes? That'll make up that 22.5 game deficit the Reds delivered last season.

Of course, if Ken Rosenthal at foxsports.com is correct, the Reds may sign outfielder, Milton Bradley and that'll fix everthing.

Our pal, Mike Florio, who'll join me this Sunday morning on 700 WLW at 10am, have an interesting take on the legal battle playing out between some Minnesota Viking players and the NFL.

My dough is on the league. Too many lawyers, too much money.

Finally, to begin our holiday season (OK, we're late to the game), please enjoy one of my two favorite Christmas songs, courtesy of two of the giants in the entertainment industry: Dean and Frank (no last names needed).

Next week, my all time favorite Christmas song. This Sunday on 700 WLW's Sunday Morning Sports Talk at 9am EST, I'll have the story and the voice behind it.

Couple of updates...the latest Bengals Report Podcast is now ready for downloading on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. Mark Hardin and I preview the upcoming Bengals vs Redskins game at Paul Brown Stadium this Sunday.

And here are my predictions for this Sunday. Three NFL games in my video podcast

I'm talking sports, as always, this Sunday morning on 700 WLW. Among my guests, Ivan Maisel from ESPN, the college football expert, as well as Ross Tucker from SI.com and the nationalfootballpost.com. You and I will talk, Sunday at 9am!

It's posted and ready for your downloading pleasure, the lastest Broo View Podcast. My guest in this episode is the man who invented instant replay, former CBS Sports director, Tony Verna. You can find this Broo View episode on my web site, www.kenbroo.com. If you're in a hurry, you can download it here.

Just posted on my web site, the latest Bengals Report Podcast. In this latest episode, Mark Hardin and I break down the Bengals most recent loss (great we have to say things like that, right). You can find it on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. But if you're in a hurry, you can download it right here.

And my latest Broo View Podcast will be posted sometime after midnight. I have an indepth interview the man who invented instant replay, changed television forever in the process. That too, will be on my web site.

You'll have to scroll down a bit, but Ken Rosenthal of foxsports.com has an interesting tidbit in his blog from the Winter Baseball Meetings about the Reds pursuit of Jermaine Dye. Apparently, it isn't completely dead.

He's one of the best football beat writers in the biz. I got to know Mark Maske when I worked in DC a few years back. Not a very complimentary article turned in by the Washington "Postee" about your Cincinnati Bengals.

Not that we have to worry about it here in the 'nati.....but our good pal Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com has a look at some of the more potent AFC teams heading into the NFL playoffs in his latest video-cast.

Personally, I like the Titans, Steelers and Jets in that order. But the Jets better get busy.

ESPN baseball insider Keith Law's take on the Reds-O's trade. Law makes it sound like it's a bit of a risk for the Reds.

Sometimes, you need to see it to believe it. Check out this video of an unfortunate cheerleader at a soccer match

And as we like to say: Folks, you know that's gotta hurt.

Looooooooooved what Ross Tucker had to say about the Bengals and the Bengals in his column this week. Might need to get Ross back on my Sunday Morning Sportstalk show this week on 700 WLW.

The Reds finally made a deal. They sent Ryan Freel to the Orioles and got catcher Ramon Hernandez in return. The Reds had to toss in some prospects and the O's are sending the Reds $1 million to off-set Hernandez' $8 million dollar deal this season. But I like the trade. The Reds have no everyday catcher, there's none in the immediate pipleline and Hernandez is a consistent .250 hitter. He'll be 33 in May. But Hernandez is an immediate upgrade. Now, it's onto securing a centerfielder and a corner outfielder.

Just posted on the front page of my web site, www.kenbroo.com, is the latest edition of Bengals Report Podcast. Mark Hardin and I break down the Bengals loss to the Ravens this past Sunday. In addition to hearing comments from some of the Bengals players, we'll also analyze the statements made by owner Mike Brown this week, about the state of the team. If you're on the fly, you can also download the Bengals Report Podcast here.

Overnight, tonight I'll post the lastest Broo View Podcast. It will feature an indepth interview with Reds 2008 Most Valuable Player, first baseman Joey Votto. You'll find it on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

All due respect the The Clash (Should I stay or should I go) , you gotta have somewhere to go first. And as of this hour, Charlie Weis is still the head football coach at Notre Dame. And Brian Kelly is in his UC office, breaking down game film for the Bearcats next opponent: Hawaii.

The tossed oranges hadn’t been picked up, the last student hadn’t left the field, the last UC player hadn’t showered Saturday before collegefootballtalk.com and national radio talk shows began floating this scenario: if Notre Dame loses big at Southern Cal, Weis is out. Enough big check writers with Notre Dame connections were willing to pony up millions just to get a moving van to back up to old Charlie’s house. Oh and by the way, Notre Dame has already begun courting the Messiah In Clifton, Lord Kelly, or so these reports would have you believe.

If you’re a UC fan, you’d have to be in complete denial today if you didn’t accept the fact that Brian Kelly is now the ‘hot’ coach. The “It coach” in college football. And there is a ton of internet buzz that has Notre Dame ready to hire Kelly. All it has to do first is fire Weis and write a check to him for $12 million. Maybe they could see Nancy Pelosi for a bailout.

If you’re the Notre Dame athletic director, do you really want to pull the plug on another head coach? Remember, this is the school that would never fire a coach, ever. But then along came Gerry Faust, later Bob Davie, later Ty Willingham. Notre Dame, Touchdown Jesus, where principal had always trumped dollars had become just another Division One football factory trying to appease alumni and boosters.

If you’re a Notre Dame alum or booster, don’t you have to ask yourself this question this morning: if my school is so good, if my football team is so fabled, how come my school can’t get it right when hiring a football coach?
And if you’re Brian Kelly, who’s got it $1.5 million dollars a year ‘good’ in Clifton, don’t you have to ask yourself: exactly when did Ty Willingham or Bob Davie get stupid?

Because they were pretty smart, successful coaches before they landed in South Bend, ‘flavors of the month’ like Kelly might wind up being.

Look, I don’t know if Notre Dame is going to launch Charlie Weis. He’s apparently ticked off some alums and boosters with his brashness. And he’s lost a lot of games for a guy who’s supposedly delivering all of these great recruiting classes.

But if I’m the Reverend John Jenkins, the Notre Dame school President, how do I justify in this economy, accepting a check for $12 million dollars from a group of my big shot donors to pay a coach to go away?

How do I sell that to my faculty of 780 professors, who wouldn’t get 12-cents from a booster to go away? Where’s this guy’s conscience in all of this?

And don’t give me ‘this is big time college football and it happens all of the time”. No, this is Notre Dame, not Oklahoma, Miami, Florida or some other factory. And correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it the Reverend John Jenkins who signed off on the big contract extension that Weis got last season? If Jenkins OK’s a $12 million dollar deal that will run his coach out of South Bend, what does that say about Jenkins and his decision making ability?

I have no idea if Notre Dame is going to fire Weis or if Kelly would be interested in replacing him. My gut tells me Kelly is staying put. But if he is interested in Notre Dame, here’s the first thing I’d do in the negotiating process. I’d tell my lawyer to get the same kind of buyout that Weis is allegedly going to get. Because the way things are going in South Bend lately, Kelly’s going to need it.

Spending T-Day working, anchoring the NEWS believe it or not. Had some great help this evening at 5p & 6p from my colleague Michelle Hopkins. But YIKES! I'm anchoring solo tonight at 11p.

Just posted the latest Broo View Podcast. I have an indepth interview with Brian Kelly, the football coach at the University of Cincinnati, as well as BCS expert, Jerry Palm. You can find the BVP on my my web site, www.kenbroo.com. But if you're in a hurry to get to all of those "Black Friday" bargains, you can also download it here.

When will the NFL give us all a break and NOT schedule the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. Who cares about tradition, when a team is as lousy as the Lions. Get good first, then we'll put you on national television. Same thing with the Cowboys, but for different reasons. Rotate teams so that every club has a chance to play on T-Day. There are now three games, six teams, who play on this day every year. 32-teams populate the NFL. That means, a team would get to play on Thanksgiving Day every five years or so. That, to me, makes more sense than sticking on a turkey like the Lions, on national television every Thanksgiving Day.

The mess in Cleveland continues. Romeo Crennel appears to be on his way out. Quarterback Brady Quinn's season is over. And, according to our pal Mike Florio (WHO STILL HASN'T ANSWERED ANY OF MY RECENT EMAILS!) general manager, Phil Savage might be shopping for a U-Haul. Check out Mike's videocast.

The Browns will celebrate ten years of futility for their 'new' team (to go with about 40-from the "old" Browns, next season.

Just posted, the latest edition of Bengals Report Podcast. Mark Hardin and I preview the Bengals upcoming game with the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday. Plenty of good 'sound' from Bengals players. The podcast is posted on my web site, as well as right here!

Tomorrow, I'll have another Broo View Podcast ready for downloading. I have indepth interviews with UC football coach, Brian Kelly, as well as BCS expert, Jerry Palm. It should be posted sometime around 2am Thursday EDT.

More, later tonight.

Random thoughts on a ramdom Tuesday night before Thanksgiving.....

Carson Palmer will test his aching elbow on December 7th. If it isn't the size of a Buick on the 8th, he'll play the following Sunday against the Redskins. Here's a thought: why? Palmer says he's bored standing around the sidelines and watching the rest of the Bengals play. Bored is about as nice a word as you'll find to describe the Bengals these days. With nothing on the line (season wise and offensive line wise) it's absurd to put your $100 million quarterback on the field just to soothe his ego. My guess is someone in the Bengals front office realizes the folly of this and tells Palmer to cool it. But then again, these are the Bengals.....

The Bengals should hire the NY Giants' offensive line coach, just so he can tell them how he pieced together the best line in football.....

What happens if the Giants host the NFC Championship game and the Jets host the AFC Championship game. Has any smart 'suit' in the NFL office thought about that prospect?....

If the UC Bearcats beat Syracuse Saturday afternoon at Nippert Stadium, both the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl will be possible destinations. In the BCS pecking order, the Sugar Bowl will get to pick first. This might come down to UC or Utah for the Sugar Bowl. If you're the city of New Orleans, which group of fans would you want spending dollars on Bourbon Street? Right. I think the Sugar Bowl is more of a possibility for UC than a lot of fans think....

BREAKING NEWS...foxsports.com is reporting that Browns quarterback, Brady Quinn is done for the year. His broken finger will make it impossible for him to continue in 2009. Meantime, our buddy Mike Florio at profootballtalk.com (WHO HASN'T RETURNED MY EMAIL MESSAGES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS!) says Bill Cowher is indeed a possible replacement for Romeo Crennel in this latest video-cast.

Late this afternoon, the Browns' owner said he'll hold Crennel and GM Phil Savage accountable for this mess of a season....but only after the end of the season....

Our latest Bengals Report Podcast will be posted and ready to go by mid-day Wenesday. You can find it on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/....

Still piecing together my Sunday Morning Sportstalk show on 700 WLW here in Cincinnati. But among my guests, so far, will be Reds first baseman, Joey Votto and from the nationalfootballpost.com, Mike Lombardi. I should have some addition guests to announce by Friday. If you live outside the greater Cincinnati area, you can listen on line or on Sirius XM channel 173....

Found this on Sports By Brooks. It's some hilarious cheerleader mishaps (hilarious, I guess if you're not the cheerleader involved)....

And as I like to say....folks, you know that's gotta hurt!

Just posted, my latest Broo View Podcast. This week, I chat with former Cincinnati Reds star, George Foster, who wants to join the cast of Dancing With The Stars, the wildly popular TV show. It's on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. If you're on the run, you can download it here, as well.

Couple of new things to check out on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. I have the latest Bengals Report Podcast posted. Mark Hardin and I preview the Bengals vs Steelers game Thursday night. And, the latest Broo View Podcast is up and running. I've got an indepth interview with foxsports.com's Alex Marvez.

I'm off to Pittsburgh Thursday (driving, five hours of my life I'll never get back) for the Bengals vs Steelers game. This will be a great game to see, if you're into watching natural disasters. The Bengals will start a rookie at left tackle, his first NFL start and a guard that they signed off their practice squad will line up next to Anthony Collins. This, against a defense that's ranked #1 in the NFL in rushing defense, passing defense and over all defense. It's the same Steelers defense that sacked quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick seven times last month, when the Bengals starting offensive line was playing.

And it'll probably snow.

Listen to my Bengals Group Therapy radio show after the game, approximately 1 AM Friday. It should be good for the soul. You can hear it on 1530 Homer in Cincinnati, www.1530homer.com online.

One more time, there was nothing wrong with the hit Steelers' WR Hines Ward laid on Bengals linebacker, Keith Rivers back in October. But it's a back drop for Thursday night's game. More here, from USA Today.

Just finished watching UC toy with Texas Southern. It was a typical D-1 warm-up game. Two things about this game impressed me. One, was the scoring that is now on this UC team that wasn't there last year. Alvin Mitchell and Steven Toyloy look like they're ready to have big seasons. Toyloy, in particular, is a terrific inside addition. He appears to be the perfect compliment to Biggie McLain. The other thing that I noticed was how well UC played tonight without the ball. By that I mean, the the four Bearcats who didn't have the ball either worked to get open, or worked to get the man with the ball an open look.

The Bengals reconvened today for their short work week. Today, they appeared to be wearing pajamas as they worked out for the Steelers game Thursday night. Matching sweat shirts and pants were all the Bengals were wearing.

They may start a rookie at left tackle. Are you salivating yet, James Harrison? Anthony Collins, a 4th round pick from Kansas this past April, hasn't played a down so far in his rookie season. But because of injuries to Andrew Whitworth and Levi Jones, he may start against the number one defense in the NFL. How much do you think Dick LeBeau's offense will abuse him?

Just posted, the latest Bengals Report Podcast. Mark Hardin and I review the Bengals tie with the Eagles. You can find it on the front page of my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. If you're in a hurry you can download it here.

Some things that have been rattling around in my head like a broken ping pong ball this weekend…is our baseball team still in business? The free agent signing period began Friday. I hear the Yankees are going to break the bank and sign CC Sabathia. I hear the Braves are hot after Jake Peavy. I hear the Reds think Ryan Hanigan is a good catcher…what?

Why do I think, if Brian Kelly walked into a dice game in Vegas, he’d let it all ride on the first roll? I love cavalier way he deals with the media. But up seven on the road and going for it on four and one from your own 30. and in the first quarter? Really? Same guy who called for a fake punt, with 30-seconds to go and up only five on South Florida last year? BK, I’m with you win or tie, but you almost lost me there brother…

I’m watching the UK-Vandy game last night, and I’m wondering: if Louisville can do it, if Ohio State can do it, if Pitt and UC can do it, why can UK have both a strong basketball and football program? I know UK has had some bad luck in recent years with injuries, but this is the best they can do?

And speaking of UK: VMI? Last year, Gardner Webb and this year VMI. What’s next year for Billy Gillispie, Slippery Rock?

None of the college football games I watched Saturday, none, held my interest. Ohio State toyed with Illinois, Georgia was never really out of control dealing with Auburn and I already told you about UK. But I’m already salivating over the prime time game next Saturday night: Number one Texas Tech at number five Oklahoma. With Pitt playing at UC for the right to go to the Orange Bowl, this time next Sunday I’ll be reporting to you with carpel tunnel syndrome.

And congratulations to Doug Ramsey and the Elder Panthers. They knocked off Colerain in double overtime Saturday night at Nippert. It was terrific high school football. Colerain is a young team, a surprise to even it’s coach, Tom Bolden. Next year was supposed to be a big year at Colerain. But this year was pretty large. If the Cardinals could have held onto the ball, they might be playing next Saturday night, not Elder. But Elder’s defense had a lot to do with Colerain’s turnovers. Elder can run and throw. And it’s a typical Ramsey defense: hit hard, attack the ball. With Anderson still alive, pursuing a back to back championship in division two and Elder in the state semi’s as well, in D-I, Thanksgiving weekend could be very, very large.

He didn't know you can play to a tie in the NFL? Really?

OK, here's the latest Broo View Videocast with my predictions for this, week #11 in the 2008 NFL season. I was three for three last week. Let's see how I do this time.

Predictions for this weekend: Eagles beat the Bengals 30-17. UC beats Louisville 31-10. The Bearcats and the Muskies win their basketball season openers with ease. Elder and Winton Woods play on in the Ohio High School playoffs.

Just posted, the latest Bengals Report Podcast. You can find it on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. Or, if you're in a hurry, you can download it here.

I'm not an anarchist by nature, however, these guys at whodeyrevolution.com are certainly inventive. Bet if you go to the game Sunday you'll still see a lot of grown men and women in Bengals attire. I wonder how many morons will show up in a '15' jersey? I still see some of them and laugh every time I do.

Good update here from espn.com's Jayson Stark on what MLB teams are looking for in this off season. Are you ready for some Mark Mulder Cincinnati?

I've got a new Broo View Podcast posted on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. This episode has an indepth interview with Sports Illustrated's John Donovan, who's one of the national baseball writers for that magazine and web site. John and I discuss how the bad economy, and the new tax plan President-Elect Obama wants to implement, may affect free agent signings. If you're in a hurry, you can download the show here. But you'll find the entire archive of Broo View Podcasts on my web site, as well as the latest Bengals Report Podcast.

It’s a bye week. The best thing about this bye week is that the Bengals neutered bye week jokes by winning last Sunday. You knew what was coming if they didn’t beat the Jaguars last weekend, right? Bengals bye week, it’s the bye week minus three.

So with no game to preview this week, here are a couple of things I’ve been wondering about. Because there’s nothing worse than me with free time.

Who exactly was it who thought it would be a good idea to begin this season with three third down running backs on the roster, and nobody who could carry the ball effectively on first or second down? Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey (incidentally, do you remember some of the callers we had on my WLW radio show last season salivating over DeDe Dorsey being the every down back?). The three of them are great, if you begin with third down. I don’t know if Rudi Johnson would’ve have done any better than this group. But I do know this: the Bengals had to scramble to find someone, anyone when Perry proved that he isn’t the same running back he was before getting hurt. And I also know this: the Bengals caught a major break when Cedric Benson was on the street, even if it was because of a couple of DUI arrests.

Here’s something else. At what point did it dawn on the Bengals smart guys that they didn’t have a fullback? It certainly wasn’t when Jeremi Johnson showed up in Georgetown like he did his off season training at Hooters. Watching the Bengals line up tight ends in the backfield, hoping they can pick up the blitz has been comical. When Marvin Lewis arrived, Lorenzo Neal was checking out. Neal didn’t want to be around here anymore. But he was on his couch eating Doritos and out of work in September. The Ravens found him. Did the Bengals even look?

I’m sure there’s an answer to this, but not one I’d like or maybe believe, but why do you use two of your top three draft picks to take wide receivers in April and neither has done anything to help you win a game? OK, Andre Caldwell has been hurt. Jerome Simpson was supposed to be some sort of Spiderman leaper with hands as big as Buicks. Where has this guy been. It’s not like this team has a luxury of drafting players for positions of depth.

You knew you had the artist formerly known as Chad Johnson under contract for the next three seasons. And if you want to keep TJ, all you have to do is slap a franchise tag on him this winter. Presto, you wide receiver problems are over. Now you draft two guys at that same position, who you know full well won’t play. Add the ongoing redemption of Chris Henry to the mix and you’ve done something that seven months down the road looks completely illogical. Hello, your offensive line can stop good defenses and your defense has a grand total of nine sacks and five interceptions in nine games.

So I pick up a copy of USA Today this week and there are the salary totals for every team in the NFL. I see the Bengals checking in at number 20, 20th out of 32 teams. That’s better than it’s been. But look at the teams who’ve spent less and gotten more this season: Baltimore, Denver, Indy, New England and Tampa Bay. What do they all have in common? They all have a shot at going to the playoffs. Better shot than our Cincinnati Bengals do. Yeah, of course, there are teams that spent less and stink. Detroit and Kansas City would come to mind. And there are some that’ve spent more and stink. Oakland and the 49ers would come to mind. But how do teams spend less and do better than the Bengals? Less, better?

Now the battle cry from inside the Bengals locker room is run the table and finish 8-8. They would have to win eight in a row to accomplish that. And the last time the Cincinnati Bengals won eight in a row was exactly when? Four in a row, 2005. Seven in a row in 1970. Six wins to start the 1975 and 1988 seasons. Five in a row in the middle of the 1981 season. Eight in a row? That would have been, never…

And that would get them to 8-8. And how many teams have actually qualified for the playoffs with an 8-8 record? Well, the Rams made it in at 8-8 after the 2004 season. It’s happened. Not often. But let’s get real. You watch football. Philly is due in here next Sunday. Then four days later, they have to go to Pittsburgh. And the Ravens and Browns have both beaten this team. Don’t forget that little trip to Indianapolis.

And that leads to this question. Why is Carson Palmer flying around the lower 48 seeing every orthopedic surgeon not named Tim Kremchek? Is it Palmer who’s looking for someone, anyone in a white coat who’ll tell him it’s OK to play? Or is it the Bengals telling him to take these trips? And if you’re in dutch to Palmer for 100-million over the next six seasons after this one why would you even think twice about letting play another down this season?

You know, maybe I’m too cynical for my own good. But along with frustrating the stripes out of me, your Cincinnati Bengals do something else that’s really tedious. They make me think. Fans shouldn’t have to think. They should only have to root. Thinking is a Monday through Friday thing. Even God rested on the seventh day. With the Bengals, no rest for the downtrodden and mentally weary.

Welcome to the weekend! To get you going, my latest video podcast with some NFL predictions for week #10


Must see for me on Saturday is UC's game with West Virginia. The chance to play in a BCS bowl game is riding on this one, for the Bearcats. Defending WVU quarterback, Pat White, will be no small trick. But to win, UC will have to figure out a way to do that.

We'll get to see how some of our college basketball teams are shaping up between now and Monday, starting with Xavier tonight, at the Cintas Center. The Muskies take on Findlay College. Yep, we'll have the highlights on channel 5 tonight at eleven, along with all of the high school football action.

Just posted on my web site www.kenbroo.com is the latest Bengals Report Podcast. This week, Bengals Report executive editor, Mark Hardin and I have a rare thing to talk about: a Bengals win!
You'll hear comments from Marvin Lewis, TJ Houshmandzadeh and Cedric Benson. If you're in a hurry, you can dowload the latest Bengals Report Podcast here. But check out my web site anyway for past episodes of Bengals Report Podcast and The Broo View Podcast.

Random thoughts bouncing around inside my head like a ping pong ball on this Wednesday night...Brian Kelly's name will come up for every head coaching opening from now until/if he leaves UC. It's the reality of coaching at at a non-mega major. But ask yourself this, as I'm sure Kelly has: would he have a better chance of playing in the national championship game by going unbeaten at UC or coaching at a mid to low level SEC or Big 12 school? There are only a few jobs that I think Kelly will be interested in. Boston College, Notre Dame and Southern Cal come to mind. But those gigs are taken. As long as UC makes a genuine effort, and delivers on keeping him happy, Kelly will stay.....Mick Cronin's UC basketball team beat a good exhibition opponent last week. Carleton has smacked around some big time D-1 schools this fall.....Penn State will suffer, unfairly, from Ohio State's poor performances in recent BCS Championship Games. So long as the Nittany Lions remain unbeaten, they'll go. But, if they fall into the "Land of the One Loss" teams, they'll have no shot.....Alabama will not go unbeaten this year....Watch out for Southern Cal. I still think if they have only one loss by bowl time, they could get to the championship game.....

The Tennessee Titans are good, but they're also very lucky. You get both, when you have a team and a season going like Tennessee has....The Giants are the best team in the NFL, terrific 'front seven' on defense, a magnificent offensive line and their three headed attack at running back is just unreal....The Bengals were talking today like they could run the table and finish 8-8, with Carson Palmer suggesting that 8-8 might get them into the playoffs. I thought he had an elbow injury, not a head injury....The only way Chris Perry carries the football again for the Bengals this year is if Cedric Benson gets hurt.....Perry is finished in Cincinnati, after this season....as if he ever started....

Toughest thing to do is get into a sport if your city doesn't have a franchise....the NBA is a non starter for me....the games on TV are great. But you can't follow a team unless you have indepth coverage from your local media. The NHL is the same way.....

Brandon Phillips won a Gold Glove tonight, which goes to the best fielding player at each position. It's well deserved. He actually should have won it last season....Phillips has become the 'face' of the Reds organization. It's a perfect fit....Good luck and best wishes to our new President. Barak Obama has energized the youth of this country like no politician such JFK. Like Ronald Reagan, he's the right person for the job at the right time. But like Reagan, Obama will soon realize what he's promsing and what he can deliver are far different. With our economy in a full-fledged crisis and a continuing war, the President-elect's honeymoon will be short. Reagan endured and flourished with his personality and charm. He delivered. Obama has the same charisma and the same chance. Delivering is an entirely different thing.....

I'll have a new Bengals Report Podcast ready for you to download on Thursday. Mark Hardin and I will be reviewing the Bengals win over the Jaguars. And Friday, look for my NFL Week #9 predictions in my latest video podcast. You can find both on my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

Just posted, the latest Broo View Podcast. It's on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. If you're in a hurry, you can download it here. But, be sure to head to my site for previous Broo View Podcasts and Bengals Report Podcast.

Great to be the King...Marvin Lewis reacted to his team finally winning a game by giving it six of the next seven days off. Wednesday is the only mandatory day for players to report, with this coming Sunday being the 'bye' weekend. 1-8 never was so great!

Anyone who doesn't think Pittsburgh is at least the second best team in the AFC is insane. Further proof came Monday night, with another outstanding effort by the Steelers defense. Here's cbsportsline.com with the game story.

Stand by, it will only be a matter of days before you'll hear UC Coach Brian Kelly's name linked to the University of Tennessee job. UT adios'd Phillip Fulmer (nice $7 buyout!) on Monday. Kelly's name will come up a lot this winter, as most national football experts still view UC as a 'stepping stone' job. I don't think UT is a destination for Lord Kelly.

Texas Tech was amazingly good in Saturday night's win over Texas. The Red Raiders are now #2 in the latest BCS poll. But Tech is now in the middle of a grueling stretch. Next up, Oklahoma State Saturday night, then Oklahoma and finally Missouri. If Texas Tech navigates through that without a loss, they may leap frog to number one in the BCS poll, regardless of what Alabama may do.

I still maintain Southern Cal isn't completely out of the running for a spot in the National Championship game. But Ohio State is.

Now go vote. As a wise man once said: "If you vote, you may not get what you want. But if you don't vote, you'll surely get what you deserve." Actually, Jerry Springer told me that years ago. You can see him on our election coverage Tuesday night on WLWT Channel 5. Former Secretary of State (Ohio) Ken Blackwell, too.

As we hit yet another big weekend of football (Texas at Texas Tech should be must viewing for any football fan Saturday night), what better time than now for some predictions for week #9 of the 2008 NFL season. From the kitchen of my palatial estate in suburban Cincinnati, I mull over three games, while dining on the "Breakfast of Champions".

Actually scientists in four out of five states agree, eating a chocolate cupcake for breakfast will improve your mental acumen and make you a more valuable employee. Well, OK, not really but feel free to use that on your friends.

We're off to the Kings at Turpin Ohio Division II playoff game for tonight's High School Tailgate Party finale. This should be a great game. Turpin has lost once this sesason, to Kings at Turpin about a month ago. Revenge is in the air.

Anyone going out trick or treating tonight dressed as Sarah Pallin? Only about a million, would be my guess.

More later...and look for the latest Bengals Report Podcast sometime Friday night on my web site: www.kenbroo.com

Up and posted for you downloading delight the latest Broo View Podcast. This episode features an indepth interview with Sports Illustrated's Don Banks. The hot top is Bengals football, which unfortunately, isn't so hot this season. You can find my latest Broo View Podcast on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. It's on the front page. Or, you can download it here.

Good Morning!

Some things I’ve been wondering about. Good things to discuss as we begin a new week here in the tri-state. You know, when you discuss things, often times they get better and you feel better. At least that what my wife tells me, every time I’m wrong.

How close are we to total apathy about our professional football team? I realize that’s a question we seem to ask every year along about this time. Butt really, have we ever been closer to apathy with your Cincinnati Bengals? The opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s apathy. At 0-8, with Palmer probably cooked for this season, I’m smelling apathy a lot lately.

Here’s something else. It’s pretty clear one of two things are going to happen at the end of this season. Marvin Lewis is going to leave. Or Marvin Lewis is going to stay and have to make drastic changes to his offense. And remember, this offense didn’t get bad when Palmer got hurt. We had flashes of just how bad this offense was going to be in the summer. Remember the exhibition game against the Saints? Eleven possessions, ten punts. After eight years on the job, Bob Bratkowski’s job is on life support. So if he goes, how about this? Hire Brian Billick as offensive coordinator. OK, I know, around here he’s viewed by a lot of us as the anti-Christ. But remember, when he ran the offense in Minnesota, those Vikings teams were good. The only thing he couldn’t get in Baltimore was a quarterback. And how much of that was his fault? Or Ozzie Newsome’s fault? I don’t know how he left it with Marvin, when Lewis had to leave Baltimore. Remember, Lewis quit because he thought he had the gig in Tampa, then didn’t get it and Billick wouldn’t take him back. But still…if we’re looking for solutions in 2009, why not consider this one?

And I was thinking about this. If you’ve got Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson, do you really need TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson? He’ll probably catch three touchdown passes today, after I say this. But I gotta believe even Mike Brown will come to the realization that Chris “I can’t do anything but go long” Henry isn’t money well spent. So let ‘em all go…or keep one, probably TJ. Slap him with the franchise tag and go young at wide out. Trade Ocho Cinco. You’re not going to get a sucker like Dan Snyder to pony up two number one picks now. But if you get a couple of mid rounders for him, do it. Use it to rebuild your offensive and defensive lines.

And that’s another thing. There are only two kinds of playing the Bengals should pursue for the next two years: players who protect Palmer and players who attack the opposing quarterback. In other words, offensive and defensive linemen.

The Bengals have dropped some serious dinero on both lines. They signed Levi Jones long term, Bobbie Williams long term, Andre Whitworth long term. They tagged Stacy Andrew and they’re paying him $7.5 million this season. How’s that working out? Don’t tell me the only problem on that line is Eric Ghiacuc. He’s become the whipping boy for this under performing bunch.

And on the other side, here’s some money well spent: 34-million two years ago for Robert Geathers and 30-mil plus on Antwan Odom this past winter. What does that Bengals defense have through seven games? Right, five sacks total. You can always ask each of them to give some money back. But here’s a better thought. Hire some more scouts who can actually go out and watch other NFL teams on Sundays, scouts who actually know what they’re doing and what to look for. The Bengals don’t have enough scouts and they ones they have apparently aren’t very good. Remember, this is the bunch that gave you Kendrick Allen, Michael Myers and Ed Hartwell in 2007. They couldn’t find Adalius Thomas with a map and a compass.

This came to me Thursday night after a bad piece of fish I had for dinner. Go find a guy who can score unconventional touchdowns. That’s the buzz phrase in pro football these days ‘unconventional touchdowns’. It means any touchdowns not scored by the offense. We don’t seem to have a lot of conventional touchdowns around here any more. So go get a guy the other team has to actually game plan for. An example: go get somebody like Devin Hester. OK, maybe he’s a once in a generation kind of guy. But Josh Cribbs isn’t. Antwan Randel-El wasn’t. Ed Reed isn’t. When was the last time you remember the Bengals actually drafting or trading or signing a player who can score an unconventional touchdown. Radical thinking, for the group at Paul Brown Stadium, I know. But maybe someone down there can eat the same bad fish I had Thursday and wake up with a revelation.

I watched Hines Ward deliver that hit to Keith Rivers last week. And incidentally, it was a good clean hard football hit. Plain, simple, end of story. Sorry that it ended Rivers season. He’s got a long career ahead of him. But my immediate thought after watching that transpire: when was the last time you remember a Bengals player delivering a hit like Rivers took. When was the last time you saw a Bengal hit an opposing player that had the entire league buzzing? Hello, never? Maybe once in the late 80’s?

If you believe the national commentators, the experts, some of whom live here in Cincinnati, the Bengals have the reputation of being a soft team. Worst thing you can call a defense is a ‘finesse defense’. It’s a code phrase for soft. I heard that description of the Bengals defense a couple of weeks ago on a national radio show. And I laughed this week when I heard Marvin chastise a reporter for asking if the Bengals should have retaliated for the hit on Rivers. The word retaliate was the wrong word to use. But the spirit of the question was dead on. Lewis chose to pounce on the word ‘retaliate’ but never addressed the real question. When you get hit in the mouth, figuratively…or in the case of professional football literally, you hit back, just as hard, just as clean, just as legal. If you don’t, the hits will just keep on coming. After Ward laid out the prized rookie last Sunday, Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe, said rather disingenuously that the Bengals would get Ward next time. Right. People who talk about next time soon discover ‘next time’ rarely comes. The time to lay a direct hit on Ward was the next play. The Bengals had a chance to do it. And the pulled up on an incomplete pass to Ward. The ‘finesse’ label stuck a little bit better to the Bengals after that.

Another huge weekend of football is upon us. Big regular season finales in high school football in the greater Cincinnati area, including Ryle at Boone County where tonight, we make our latest stop with the now, seemingly mythical High School Playbook Tailgate Party.

Saturday, I think UC wins on the road at Connecticut and Ohio State beats Penn State in Columbus. And Sunday? Well check out my latest Broo View Video Podcast below!

To borrow from Rod Serling, I have a couple of things 'submitted for your approval'. First the latest Broo View Podcast is posted. I have an interview with NBC Sports and si.com's Peter King. It's on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

When you get to my web site, check out the 'Podcasts & More' section for the archived Broo View Podcasts.

Also, the latest Bengals Report Podcast is on my front page. Bengals Report executive editor, Mark Hardin and I review the Bengals latest loss (sigh), this time to the Steelers. You'll hear comments from Marvin Lewis, TJ Houshmandzadeh and others.

Chad Ocho Cinco said tonight on channel 5 he believes the Bengals are only one win away from an 8-8 season. Get that first win, Chad figures, and there's no reason why the Bengals can't go 7-1 in their final eight game. Of course, that first win would have to come this weekend, when the Bengals jet to Houston to play the Texans. Remember, the Texans are 2-4 and should really be 3-3 They've got one of the best defensive ends in the game (Mario Williams) a terrific wide receiver (Andre Johnson) and the top tight end in the AFC (Owen Daniels). What if they lose this weekend and finish 8-0? I guess that math works for old Ocho.

I was working in the Tampa-St. Petersburg television market in the 80's when they had competing baseball groups, one trying to bring a franchise to Tamps, the other to St. Petersburg.
The Tampa group bought 40 percent of the Twins, hoping to lure that franchise to Tampa. It never happened and the group eventually sold its share. The St. Petersburg group took a different track. Throwing caution (and conventional wisdom) to the wind, the St. Pete group built a stadium without the guarantee of a franchise. After making a play for the White Sox (who used St. Pete to get a new stadium in Chicago), major league baseball finally gave an expansion team to Florida's "Bay Area". Until this season, it was baseball's Siberia. The original owner was clueless. The attendance at games was sparse.

I never doubted a major league baseball franchise would work in that area. I knew Florida was a hot bed for baseball fans and tourists who travel by the millions to that state every year. But did I see this year coming for the Rays? No way. And neither did anyone else. If they tell you otherwise, they're lying. But what a terrific story, for a great, great place. Sorry Phils, go Rays.

I've looked at the video at least a half dozen times. No, repeat no, it was not a 'dirty hit' that the Steelers Hines Ward laid on Bengals rookie linebacker, Keith Rivers. You can make a case for whether or not Ward's block on Rivers was necessary. But it was well within the parameters of a good football hit.

Let me ask you this: with as much 'beat' as the officiating crew (led my Mr. Buff, game referee Ed Hoculi) has been under in the last month, don't you think it would have erred on the side of caution and someone on that crew would've thrown a flag, if for no other reason than to keep the wrath of the NFL office off its back. There was NO flag thrown. And while the crew may have debated later about not tossing a penalty flag, the bottom line is NONE was thrown. Again, I've just looked at the video for a seventh time: Ward hits Rivers with his shouldar and seems to throw a forearm into Rivers' helmet. There is no 'crown of the helmet' lead on the part of Ward.

Now, was it a necessary hit? Absolutely not. But even some Bengals players were admitting in the locker room at the game, they'd have done the same thing, if they were Hines Ward.

And by the way, where exactly was the Bengals retaliation for the hit on Rivers. There was ample opportunity to deck Ward as the game progressed. But like they did in January, 2006, when the Steelers knocked Carson Palmer out of that playoff game, and the quarterback suffered a knee blow out, the Bengals proceeded to play with only a wimper.

You know what that is? A complete lack of team leadership. I'm not talking about Mike Brown or Marvin Lewis. I'm speaking of a zero amount of leadership from the Bengals PLAYERS. Maybe it's because Brown has weeded out all of the potential leaders on this team. But could you imagine the Baltimore Ravens suffering something like what happened to Rivers? With Ray Lewis on the field? Somebody's head would roll. SHAME on this soul-less Bengals team.

We saw some more disturbing trends on Sunday.

The Bengals defense, better this year than last, hasn’t been able to generate enough heat to keep a closet warm this season: seven games, five sacks. But it doesn't change the fact that football talk in Cincinnati can't progess past "our team stinks" and "Mike Brown needs to hire a GM".

In other towns, except in St. Louis and Detroit, you turn on a radio station like ‘The Big One’ and ‘Homer’ and what you’ll hear all week, but particularly on game day, is how does the home team match up with the opponent. Fans race to web sites like espn.com, or si.com and look at what the experts predict what’ll happen. We don’t need to do that in Cincinnati. We’re still wondering when this team will win a game.

It’s a bummer, isn’t it? I mean, don’t you ever wonder how it is for fans in Nashville, Philly, even Pittsburgh, don’t you ever wonder what it’s like to really get into the nuts and bolts of your team? Here, losing has blocked any discussion. I know the Steelers are mentioned in the same breath as the Soviet Union is around here. But admit it, just once, you want your Cincinnati Bengals to be just like them. The 5 Super Bowl rings are one thing. The attitude and swagger, and the winning, are another.

When was the last time you remember the Steelers allowing their quarterback to get so hard his nose broke and then did nothing about it?

It’s be nice to sit here today and talk about how the Bengals, with the fourth ranked defense against the pass, should've beeen able to deal well with the Steelers, who have a pass offense ranked just 23rd in the entire league.

But then you remember, your team is 0-6 and the back up quarterback has been the team’s leading rusher in the two previous games he’s started.

Welcome to Cincinnati, the NFL's version of Siberia.

The latest edition of Bengals Report Podcast is posted. Mark Hardin and I preview the Bengals vs Steelers game this Sunday in Cincinnati. You can find the podcast on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. If you're in a hurry, it's here.

Random thoughts as we head into what looks to be a beautiful fall weekend in southwestern Ohio....I'm sick of campaign ads. You can't escape them, even when watching college and pro football. Here's an idea: ban all of them and make the candidates actually campaign. Have a minimum of ten debates. It worked for Lincoln and Douglas. Actually, it worked for Lincoln a lot better than Douglas.....I've got this hunch that Michigan State beats Ohio State Saturday. It wouldn't be an upset. The game is in East Lansing, both teams are 6-1, 3-0 in the Big 10....I wouldn't want to be Kansas Saturday. I've got another feeling that says Oklahoma will take out its wrath, from losing to Texas last weekend.....That 'ooops' you heard Thursday was from BYU....I think the Big East will be the best conference in college basketball this season. UC will do well to crack the top eight. If Xavier gets Jordan Crawford eligible, I don't see a team in the Atlantic 10 that beats them....If I'm Mike Brown, I'm shutting Carson Palmer down for the balance of this season. At 0-6, the Bengals are just playing out the string. Palmer is under contract for the next six seasons, through 2014. If he needs surgery, and it appears that has at least been discussed, why not have it now and be ready for a fresh start in '09? By the way, I'm holding to my contention that the Bengals will NOT go 0-16. Remember, the Chiefs are coming to town in December....So let me get this straight, you think enough of Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell to draft them in the second and third rounds respectively and you don't even DRESS them for games? Really? When you KNEW you needed help along your offensive line and defensive line? I don't want to hear about all of Chad Ocho Cinco's off season trade demands and TJ Houshmandzadeh's contract being up after this season. You have Chad under contract through 2010 (and he wasn't going to sit out) and you can always slap the franchise tag on Houshmandzadeh. This is another classic example of a team with no plan. It simply caroms from one crisis to another.

Who was happier on Thursday: the Red Sox for extending the ALCS for one more game, or Fox Sports, for extending the possibility of a Boston vs Philadelphia World Series? Tampa Bay vs Boston in the World Series might be a ratings disaster for Rupert's Network.

I'm talking sports Sunday on 700 WLW. Among my guest on Sunday Morning Sports Talk is NBC-Sports Illustrated's Peter King. I'm on from 9am-11:30am. You can catch me 'over the air', on line or on XM Channel 173.

Have a great weekend!

Just posted the latest Bengals Report Podcast! Mark Hardin and I review the Bengals loss last Sunday to the Jets. And you'll hear comments from Marvin Lewis, Carson Palmer, Dhani Jones and Chinedum Ndukwe, who had that sweet fumble recovery for a touchdown. You can find the Bengals Report Podcast on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. If you're in a hurry, you can download it here.

Just posted, the latest Broo View Podcast. I've got an indepth interview with the national football writer from USA Today, Larry Weisman. We talk about the myriad of problems the Bengals have. And we also discuss some other hot topics in the NFL. You can find the latest Broo View Podcast on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. But, if you're in a hurry, you can also download it here. But take a minute to check out my web site. There are archived Broo View Podcasts, as well as Bengals Report Podcast. I'll have a new one of those posted sometime overnight, Tuesday.

Your Cincinnati Bengals are NOT going to go 0-16. It’s harder to go 0-16 in the NFL than it is to go 16-0. Even in the deep, dark bad old days (and I know anyone under 20 can believe there were bad old days worse than these new days), even back in the David Klingler, Artie Smith, Rod Jones-The First, Jeff Query bad old days, the Bengals never managed to go 0-16. Always, late in those lost seasons of the 90’s, there was a team or two that’d swagger into Riverfront Stadium all full of itself and expecting a win just for showing up. Invariably, the Bengals would get a win. Doug Pelfrey would kick a last second field goal, Harold Green would watch a couple of defenders slip and run for a score. Presto, 3-13 season. Believe in those miracles. They could happen this year too.

What we’re witnessing this season should come as no surprise to anyone. It’s the mythical tri-fecta of bad football: poor drafting, bottom feeding in free agency, injuries. That not opinion. It’s fact.

Look at the Bengals drafts since 2003, the year Marvin Lewis arrived. They had the number one overall pick that season. Hard to miss on Carson Palmer. Who were you going to take besides him? Byron Leftwich? Terrence Newman? How about Charles Rogers. That would’ve been a stellar selection. Fact: any of the other 31-teams would’ve taken Palmer with that first overall. Everyone of the first 10 teams selecting needed a quarterback that season. But look what happened after that.

Eric Steinbach in round two, good selection. Bad business decision to let him walk after the 2006 season. They passed on Antwan Peek from right here at UC and Lance Briggs. Rounds four through six, busts. Only tackle Scott Koostra remains. They took him in round seven.

2004, trade down with Denver. But, there’s Steven Jackson sitting there. Oh, wait a minute, here comes Chris Perry. Up until this season, a litany of injuries.

2005 draft. We know that sad story. David Pollack round one, Odell Thurman round two, Chris Henry round three.

At a time when high draft picks should be playing in their prime in Cincinnati, they’re either out of the game, or someplace else.

And what about the free agent market? Best free agent on the block in 2007 was Adalius Thomas. He was done in Baltimore. But what a ride he had there. The Ravens played him at linebacker, down lineman, even safety. He was a playmaker, difference maker. Would he have made a difference here? Are you kiddin’ me? Did the Bengals make a run at Thomas? Are you kiddin’ me? No, they dropped a chunk of bonus money on Justin Smith two weeks before free agency began that winter. They couldn’t, or wouldn’t do a long term deal with Smith before the 2006 season. That money they used to tie up Smith with a franchise player tag would’ve been a nice part of a deal that might’ve attracted Thomas here. Instead we got this bucket of bolts in free agency that winter: defensive linemen Kendrick Allen and Michael Myers and linebacker Ed Hartwell. Allen and Hartwell were gone by the final cut of the 2007 training camp. Myers turned out to be, just a guy.,

Thomas, meanwhile, helped the Patriots to a 16-0 regular season.

And injuries: Pollack broke his neck, done with the game. Perry hasn’t been healthy, really, until this season. 2007 second round pick, running back Kenny Irons blew out his knee in an exhibition game last summer. He’s never recovered and has been released.

So where the Bengals are today should be anything but a surprise. They have a good quarterback, two, maybe three good wide receivers. If this was arena league football, they’d be all set. On defense, it’s better this season, but where are the playmakers? Why do they constantly lose the time of possession,? Allow, consistently 200 yard rushing days by their opponents? Where is the defensive lineman who can rush and sack the quarterback?
Opening remarks pp.3

The Bengals want to do it there way. They don’t want to hire a general manager, they have a small scouting staff, they don’t manipulate the salary cap like the Patriots, Cowboys and Redskins.

Can they win doing it their way? Yep. Why not? But their wiggle room, their margin for error, is a lot tighter than it is for most of the other teams in the NFL. It’s a lot of pressure to get it right.

Doing it their way, the Bengals have to “hit it out of the park” with every draft pick and with every free agent they sign. They haven’t, they’ve had too many whiffs.

No secret, no mystery why they are now 0-6

As always, I'm talking sports this Sunday on the 50,000 watt flame thrower, 700 WLW, this Sunday morning. Belterra Casino Sunday Morning Sports Talk airs from 9am-11:30am EDT. Among my guests: Bill Koch, the UC Bearcats 'beat' writer from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Mark Curnutte, the Bengals 'beat' writer and Larry Weisman, the national football writer from USA Today. If you have XM Radio, it's on channel 173.

No Carson Palmer against the Jets this Sunday? Yikes!

Bummer, because according to my hometown paper, the Newark Star Ledger, you can beat the Jets with passing.

Picking up on my 'take' on the New England at San Diego game this Sunday, here's a more indepth look at what I think is a 'must' win for the Chargers from profootballtalk.com's Mike Florio.

Just posted, the latest Bengals Report Podcast. It's on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com as well as here. Bengals Report executive editor, Mark Hardin and I preview this Sunday's Bengals vs Jets game. You'll hear comments from Marvin Lewis and Carson Palmer...

Good Morning! Here you go, a couple of NFL Week #6 predictions for you, as I relax in the backyard of the palatial (but ever decreasing in value thanks to the economy) estate in suburban Cincinnati.


Also, you can now download the latest Bengals Report Podcast from the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. Mark Hardin and I are previewing the Bengals vs Jets game this Sunday in the Meadowlands. You'll hear comments from Marvin Lewis and Carson Palmer. But, if you're in a hurry, you can also download it here. And you can subscribe to all of my podcasts through Itunes.

More to come on this Friday...

Ramblings on a Thursday night, getting ready for the 11p sports....If the Bengals are going to win their first game of the season Sunday in New Jersey, they'll have to be able to run on a very good Jets front seven. If the Bengals can't do that, they'll be less than successful throwing against a weak Jets secondary....Brett Favre throws 3 touchdown passes Sunday vs Bengals....I keep hearing that Carson Palmer's inflamed elbow is 'getting better'. But he continues to get limited practice time....The fine UC Bearcats 'beat' writer from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Bill Koch, raises an interesting question this week: what if Brian Kelly coached the Bengals. Koch's angle is the way Kelly merrily approaches his job compared with the almost always dour Marvin Lewis. Nice thought, good column, it'd never translate. Coaches who come from the college ranks into the NFL fail miserably. Why? Because they don't have the same kind of control in the NFL they have in the collegiate ranks. Want a list? Bobby Petrino, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier, even Lou Holtz.....

The Reds front office says it's not going to pursue free agents Paul Bako and Corey Patterson. Hallelujah!....If Walt Jocketty wanted to blow up the entire roster, save for Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto and Edinson Volquez, fine by me.....Dodgers win the NLCS, Red Sox win the ALCS. Great story lines: Manny back to Boston, Joe Torre managing against the Sox again...Wondering tonight if this miserable economy we're mired in will affect the amount of money teams will toss at free agents this off season. Tough time to be Adam Dunn....I heard it's so bad around the greater Cincinnati area, car buyers (car buyers, not home purchasers) can't get financing. They want to buy, dealers want to sell, banks can deliver the note...

By the way, I'm over all of this political advertising. I know it's keeping a lot of television stations floating. But honestly, have you heard anything from the two principals running for US President that gives you any hope they actuall now how to fix our economy? Me neither....

You've got one player to build your NFL franchise around, only one. Who would it be? Might be a topic for me this Sunday morning, at 9am EDT on 700 WLW....

Tomorrow morning, when you check back here, I'll have a couple of nuggets for you. I'll have the latest Bengals Report Podcast posted. Marc Hardin and I preview the Bengals vs Jets game this Sunday. And, I'll also have my latest video podcast posted, as I pick my two 'locks' for this week in the NFL.

I really, really want to get into the NBA this season. But that has to be the second toughest sport to follow if you don't live in an NBA franchise city. The toughest is hockey. But I'm an NHL freak. I've got the best one-two goaltending in my fantasy league (yes I play fantasy hockey, 14th consecutive year for that) Martin Brodeur and Marc-Andre Fleury.....Detroit wins the West again this year. I'm not quite there yet on the East....I kinda like the Devils.....Tough admission for a life long and former season ticket holding Rangers fan...

I can't believe college basketball begins this weekend. Midnight Madness will be held at a number of schools around the USA. I have a sneaking suspicion Xavier, here in Cincinnati will be very good again.....I think Mick Cronin will have UC in the upper tier of the Big East and will qualify his 'Cats for the NCAA Tournament....I really believe Indiana will be good. I know all about the sanctions and defections....I think Tom Crean knows what he's doing....He'll be the best basketball coach at IU since Bob Knight's prime (which was a long time ago).

Is there anything better than high school football at this time of the year, particularly here in the greater Cincinnati area. Shameless plug for the best high school sports web site on the planet: www.highschoolplaybook.com.

I'll see you tonight at 11p on News 5 and tomorrow night 'live' from the Hamilton at Oak Hills game. It's the latest stop on the now, seemingly mythical High School Tailgate Party....I made that 'seemingly mythical' stuff up....It's only mildly mythical...

Coaches on the hot seat? Two are already gone. So is the GM in Detroit (that'd be the General Manager of the Lions, not GM the car manufacturer). Who's next? Here's our buddy Mike Florio from profootballtalk.com.

When we first heard the rumor (and it turns out, that's all it was) that the Bengals were shopping TJ Houshmandzadeh, it seemed strange. But with the way the Bengals conduct their business, not totally out of the range of possibility. Here's the history.

Tuesday, on its web site, the Dayton Daily News reported that the Bengals and the 49ers were in discussions about a deal that would send TJ out west. The trading deadline in the NFL is next Tuesday. So the timing made some sense. Here's what didn't: Houshmandzadeh is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. Why would a team, particularly the 49ers who are a long shot to make the playoffs, deal for a player that has a good chance of leaving in free agency next winter? Turns out, several sources and web sites were shooting down the alleged interest on the part of the 49ers by the middle of last evening. Today, at his regularly scheduled news conference, Marvin Lewis torpedoed the story as well.

The Bengals spent two high draft picks on wide receivers last spring. Neither Jerome Simpson nor Andre Caldwell have played much at all this season. They might soon, with this season spiraling out of control. But until and if they show they can play at this level, any thoughts of trading or letting Houshmandzadeh go are simply nuts.

It's posted! The latest Bengals Report Podcast. Marc Hardin and I review the Bengals vs. Cowboys game. You'll hear comments from Marvin Lewis and TJ Houshmandzadeh. You can find the Bengals Report Podcast on my web site: www.kenbroo.com OR you can download it here!

Just posted, the latest Broo View Podcast. It features an interview I did this past weekend on my radio show Sunday Morning Sports Talks, on 700 WLW in Cincinnati. My guest in this latest podcast is Jarrett Bell, the national football writer for USA Today. You can find the latest Broo View Podcast on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. But if you're in a hurry, you can also download it here.

I caught this piece of video on youtube. Can you imagine Mike Brown reacting to a win (of course, the Bengals would have to win first) the way Redskins' owner, Dan Snyder, is reacting here? Me neither.

The reaction is coming in fast and furious from the Bengals latest loss, this time in Dallas. From the Dallas Morning News, this on how the Bengals played it.

Clark Judge of cbssports.com is here, and check out number 14 on his list of judgements this week.

And of course, what would a Monday be without the highly reccomended Monday Morning Quarterback column by si.com's Peter King? Have to dig deep to see his thoughts on Marvin Lewis and the Bengals.

0-5 and with a road game in New Jersey up next against the Jets, then home against the Steelers and back on the road to play at Houston. It could be an 0-8 start for the Bengals.

The Bengals are 0-5. No NFL team has started a season 0-5 and made the playoffs. So we can officially end that charade right now. Five games into this season, the Bengals are four games off the AFC North lead, in a one playoff team division at best. If you were one of those fans who watched the Bengals lose in overtime to the Giants and believed they were real close and showed a lot of improvement, welcome back to us who live in the real world.

This game with Dallas went about the way I thought it would. I predicted, on Sunday Morning Sports Talk on Cincinnati's 700 WLW that the game would be well within the 17 point spread. My theory, factually supported, is that and big underdog team that plays on the road in an opposite conference venue more often than not plays within the spread. The Bengals actually should have won the game.

And it wasn't as though the Cowboys aren't immune to losing back to back home games. It's happened several times in this decade. But it didn't happen Sunday.

NFL.com, incidentally, is reporting that Marvin Lewis has been told by Bengals owner, Mike Brown, that Lewis can remain with the Bengals as long as he wants. That should end speculation that Lewis is about to be fired. Of course, he could always quit. But don't count on that.

I watched, maybe like you did, the UC-Marshall game Friday night. It got me thinking about last season, and how the Bearcats were unbeaten, ranked in the top 25 and students were camping out over night to buy tickets. We called it Kelly-ville on channel 5. The head coach even delivered pizzas to the students waiting over night. I was thinking about this because there are still tickets available, not great seats but still tickets to most of the remaining home games at Nippert.

I think if you’re a UC fan, it’s time to step it up. I’ve conversed with a lot of you this week, by phone, email and in a chat room. I know you’re passionate about your football team. Light a fire under a friend, a neighbor, your brother in law. As good as that team was last season, Brian Kelly is doing, in my opinion, a better job this year than last. What is he down to on the depth chart, a fourth string quarterback. By the end of that game Friday night, Chazz Anderson looked like he got it. Anderson was more poised as the game wore on. He throws a nice ball.

But think of the work the coaching staff had to put in to get Anderson, a red shirt freshman, ready. Was the playbook pared down from the one Dustin Grutza or Tony Pike was using? Kelly says no. I believe him. Which means Anderson, who had a limited amount of practice time, if any, with the first team before the Akron game, made up a lot of ground inside of a short week. That’s coaching.

I admit, I’m ‘in the tank’ for Kelly. In over 30 years of covering sports, I’ve never seen a head coach work as hard on and off the field, as this guy does. He’s a born salesman. I wanted to throw a shoe trough the television set Friday night. The announcers who were doing the game wouldn’t shut up about how it’s only a matter of time before Kelly moves on to some big time program.

No. UC is a big time football program. But you have to behave that way too. Buy tickets. Don’t let an ESPN camera ever see an empty seat. Take Uncle Harry to the game this Saturday when they play Rutgers.

Trying to jump start things....been very, very busy this week. But a couple of things worth mentioning. I've got the latest Bengals Report Podcast posted on my web site: http://www.kenbroo.com/. It part of a conversation I had this week with former NFL safety, Matt Bowen, who now writes for http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/. Very interesting comments about the Cincinnati Bengals. You can find it on the front page of my web site, and the you can check out past episodes of The Broo View in the "Podcasts & More" section.

Also, the latest edition of Bengals Report Podcast is posted on my front page.
Finally, some thoughts on two upcoming games this week, on my video podcast.

Taps soon for the Bengals. As far as the 2008 playoff race is concerned, the 0-4 Bengals are dead. This is a team that wasn't very good going into the season. And it's playing down to it's talent. How else do you explain how poorly this team played against one of the worst teams in the league, the Browns? Cincinnati foolishy used a time out on the first play of the third quarter to challenge a Cleveland non scoring play. Why would you do that, knowing you had a quarterback playing in a real game for the first time in almost three years? Don't you think someone on that Bengals sideline would've thought, gee, maybe we should save a few TO's to help Ryan Fitzpatrick out later in this game. The other two TO's were burned because their defense couldn't get the proper personnel on the field. Bad, bad bad.

If you’ve been with me all along on this program, you know where I’ve stood with regard to the Bengals, ever since their reported to Georgetown. I don’t think they’re a great team. I don’t think they stink. 0-4 record aside, they’re not one of the five worst teams in the NFL. There are teams with a win that’re worse: Seattle, Miami and Oakland. But they’re no playoff team. I didn’t think they were in July, and since the last team to start 0-3 and make the playoffs was eleven years ago, they aren’t now. Not at 0-4. The Bengals are like 20-or so other NFL teams. They will finish this year with a record somewhere around 6-10 to
8-8.

Now, the Reds. I’m not buying any of this stuff that’s been going on since late August. Great, they’re playing better. It would have been a tough job to play any worse than they did in May and June.

Let me ask you a very basic question: as the Reds conclude another bummer of a season, do you honestly think the everyday eight they’ve been running out there has a chance to compete with the everyday eight the Cubs will trot out in 2009?

Ryan Hanigan? Nice story. But if he was this good, why did it take the Reds until late August to bring him up here? Jay Bruce will be one of the three outfielders in 2009. Who are the other two? Do you honestly think the Reds will contend with an outfield of Bruce, Chris Dickerson and Ryan Freel? Move Joey Votto to left field. OK, who plays first? Edwin Encarnaction? Really? The guy who’s committed 23-errors this season?

Now you want him handling the ball four times as much as he would playing third base?

I keep hearing the grand plan includes finding a right handed power bat in free agency? That would be Pat Burrell and who else? And Burrell, who’ll probably sign one more big contract in his career would want to come here because….

At his age, Burrell will want to go somewhere we he can win a championship. And if he is the best right handed bat available this winter, don’t you think the free spending Yankees or Angels or Red Sox chase him?
Money and a chance to go to an instant contender. The Reds offer neither, at this point.

Burrell, incidentally, is Adam Dunn from the right side of the plate. And we already know what they thought of Dunn.

I don’t doubt Walt Jocketty’s baseball brains or Bob Castellini’ wallet. But I’m having a tough time believing that the Reds will be contenders in 2009. Are you?

And I watched a lot of college football Saturday. This is a revelation: I usually don’t. It’s my one day away from sports in any week. I usually catch the highlights on ESPN News. But I watched the UC game Saturday.

I have a simple question: what was UC doing, scheduling a game at Akron?
Whose bright idea was that? As Brian Kelly is fond of saying, the Bearcats are one of only two BCS teams in Ohio. In your wildest, alcohol or other substance induced dreams, could you ever imagine Ohio State agreeing to play a football game in Akron?

Along about six o’clock Saturday night, Kelly had to be cursing whatever athletic director is was that sent him to the home of the Zips. But he was probably busting a sweat over losing another quarterback. Or maybe knowing that he’s got another bus trip next Saturday to Huntington, West Virginia to play a Conference USA team on the road.

His current AD should have bought the Bearcats out of both of these games. Isn’t that what the other Ohio-based BCS team did to UC this past winter?

Maybe Kelly signed off on this. Maybe there’s some sort of payoff coming back to UC down the road. All I know is this, when you’re a major-major, you get nothing out of playing on the road against a mid-major. If you win big, you’re supposed to. If you lose, and don’t win your conference you knock yourself out of any big bowl consideration at the end of the season.
If you win close, this should be the lesson: Act like a BCS team. Don’t ever do this again

I posted this picture back in February, when WTSP-TV (Tampa) meteoroligist, Dick Fletcher passed away. It's Fletch, Don and a me, the primary WTSP-TV anchor team. How good they were to me, how young I look and how this picture seems like only yesterday.

Stumbled onto this on the Washington, DC television web site www.dcrtv.com. It's a clip from former WBAL-TV anchor, Don Harrison. I worked with Don in Tampa, back in the early 80's. He was one of the nicest people I ever met in my business, warm, funny and genuinely interested in who you were, not only what you could do. Don, who went onto become the first anchor at CNN Headline News and the 'voice' of CNN liners and promos, was a rare breed. He died far too young. Don Harrison, was a 'pro's pro'.