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.