THE BROO VIEW with Ken Broo

Random thoughts for a random Friday....

The Bengals defense looked good in the team's exhibition game win over the Patriots...but....remember that the Bengals left their first team defense in the game long after the Patriots had pulled their starters.

Ochocinco's placekicker was very impressive. He has many athletic gifts. But it makes me sad that the artist formerly known as Chad Johnson hasn't always shared them fully with us.

After watching JT O'Sullivan and Jared Palmer work tonight my one thought is this: if Carson Palmer is injured the Bengals should immediately call the Bills and ask if they can get Ryan Fitzpatrick back...

Wide receiver Jerome Simpson, just about legally a bust, will have a lot of trouble making this roster. Two pass interference penalties, one that wiped out at touchdown, might have sealed it for him....

Hard Knocks was better this week. But where's the drama?

The Reds should pull out all stops and trade either Aaron Harang or Bronson Arroyo (or both) right now. Neither pitcher has ever had higher trade value. Both have baggage. Harang carries about $25 million in guaranteed salary for the next two season. Arroyo's salary is close to that. But his baggage is the PEDs he admitted to using between 1998 and 2003....

When Willy Tavares went to the DL this week, was that the last we'll see of him? I don't think Bob Castellini will 'eat' Tavares guaranteed $4 million next season. But don't be surprised if the Reds send him to another team and pay a large chunk of that.

$7.8 million for Tavares and $3 million last year for Corey Patterson. All that, for two men who get on base about as often as a dead man.....

Here's the Reds starting outfield next season: Chris Heisey in left, Chris Dickerson in center and Jay Bruce in right field. They all be under contract for less than $1.3 million. You heard it here first....

Don't be completely surprised if the Reds wind up trading Brandon Phillips this off-season. He has two years to go on a 4 yr $28 million deal. Phillips value is reasonably high and the Reds have a second baseman in waitng at AA in Todd Frazier.

They're not going to contend next season, so why not?

Will Dusty Baker return for his third and final season? The short answer is, absolutely. They owe Dusty $4 million. It'd take at least $1-1.5 million to hire his replacement. The Reds are in no positon to 'eat' $5.5 million just to make Dusty leave....

Guests on my Sunday AM radio showon 700 WLW include Dave Laurila from Baseball Prospectus and Dr. Peter Weyand, a sports physiologist from SMU who believes a sub 9 second 100 meter dash is a real possibility. Put that in your Usain Bolt and smoke it. My show airs from 9am-Noon EDT and can be heard on 700wlw.com, as well as the 50,000 watt flame thrower.

I don't think there are a lot of University of Kentucky basketball fans who care that John Calipari left a mess in Memphis, now with that school vacating a Final 4 season and 38 wins. But there should be some uneasy folks in Lexington, KY. Coach Cal has a track record. It's the second Final 4 season one of his teams has had to vacate wins. UMass, being the other school...

So let me get this straight. Browns WR Donte Stallworth kills a pedestrian and gets 30 days in jail and Giants WR shoots himself in the leg with a gun in a NYC nightclubs and gets two years in the slammer. Huh?

Have a great weekend. You tood Plaxico.