Random thoughts on a random Tuesday night waiting for 'white death' to hit the Tri-State. Nothing like a forecast for a good inch or two of snow to set off panic...OK, you go out and drive in it with those morons who think rear wheel drive is the only way to go....Oh, wait a minute, I have rear wheel drive...ooops.


No trades for the Reds yet. Apparently, most teams that have what the Reds want (pitching) want what the Reds won't give up (Jay Bruce). My guess is, there's middle ground somewhere that will get a potential third or fourth starter here for less of a price (Edwin Encarnacion, Ryan Freel?). But the deal may not get done until everyone is back from Nashville...Why trade Bruce if everyone else thinks he's the real deal and he's a home grown talent. Look at the Rockies, most of them are home grown....

A wonderful man has received a tremdous gift from his fans. Joe Nuxhall died a few weeks ago. But the long time Reds broadcaster is the overwhelming vote getter from baseball fans, according to the Baseball Hall Of Fame. It's only a piece of the puzzle. Nuxie and two other broadcasters now join seven others selected by a committe. That pool of ten will produce one winner this year of the Ford Frick Award and induction into the Hall. You did your part. Now let's hope the committee has heard you and inducts The Old Lefthander.

The Bengals may be out of the playoff race, but the season isn't over. They've got four games to play and should make every attempt to win all of them. That could be a spring board for a fast start in 2008. Look at home 2006 ended: three straight losses. You don't think that carried over to this season, when the Bengals started 1-4? What was the worse Bengal loss this season? At Cleveland? At Kansas City? Home against the Cardinals? I'm asking now, just hoping the answer at the end of the year isn't at Miami.....amazing, isn't it, that so many national 'experts' think that's when the Dolphins will get their first win, when the Bengals arrive in Miami on December 30.

The latest "Broo View Podcast" is up and running on my web site, http://www.kenbroo.com/. It's in the "Podcasts & More" section. Good stuff on Sunday's Bengals vs Steelers game, if I do say so myself. The latest "Bengals Report Podcast" will be on http://www.kenbroo.com/ Wednesday morning. You can find that on the front page.

What do you think of my 'widgets" to the right that gives you the current weather here in Cincinnati and links to top sports stories from ESPN? Check out the countdown to opening day here in Cincinnati. Technology....

I can't begin to tell you the overwhelming sadness I feel today, over the loss of Joe Nuxhall. I wasn't as close to Joe as some other people. But if you knew Joe and he knew you, that's all it took.

Nuxhall died late Thursday night, after a long battle with cancer. He beat it once, in the early 90's. But those who've been touched by this insideous disease know you never really beat it. Yet, until the end, Joe was Joe. He played golf last Friday with Marty Brennanman, his broadcast partner and life long friend. He led our Octoberfest celebration in downtown Cincinnati this year in the annual "Chicken Dance". He was one of a kind.

If a generation is defined as 25 years, then more than two generations of Reds fans knew nothing if not Joe Nuxhall in the summertime. His title of the "Youngest Ballplayer In Major League History" is well documented. But he was more than that, of course. He had a solid major league career and when that ended, an easy transition to the Reds broadcast booth. He remained there for more than 30 seasons, part time of course the last few.

Joe would mangle the English language, but would say later he wasn't an English major and if you understood what he was saying, what was the problem? Fly balls would go to 'right-left-centerfield'. He'd simply say 'one day, I've got to get that right'. Pete Rose related to me today one of Joe's classic calls. It was a west coast game, and well after midnight back in Cincinnati. Pete said Joe called a double play and then said "And if you're scoring in bed back in Cincinnati, that was six to four to three". Only Joe.

They don't make baseball announcers these days like they used to. Too many are caught up in stats, batting averages with runners in scoring position, OPS, OBP...mostly BS. They think the game is all about numbers. It's never been about numbers. It's all about people. The Old Lefthander got that. And we got him. How lucky we were.

I spent some time on the phone tonight with Joe Nuxhall. The beloved Reds broadcaster is out of a Florida hospital tonight and back home. In fact, Nuxie under went the first of his chemotherapy treatments immediately after getting out of the hospital. He then went to visit friends at the Reds training complex. After that, it was out to buy a set of tires for the family car.

He continues to battle lymphoma. But he told me tonight, he'll be at Great American Ball Park for Opening Day. We'll roll out the red carpet for you, I told Nuxie. He said "I'll walk on it."

ESPN's poll has Ohio State number one in mens college basketball. AP has Wisconsin number one (though not for long, after Michigan State beat the Badgers on Monday night). I don't think either of them are the best team in the country. Florida is, despite its loss last weekend at Vanderbilt. There is no team in America that wants to face the Gators in the NCAA's.

You think by Bernie Williams refusing to accept a minor league deal from the Yankees, he's actually admitting he doesn't have it anymore? The Yankees aren't in a position to offer him a spot on their 25 man roster. But he would have every opportunity to earn one with a solid spring training. Williams isn't even returning phone calls to Joe Torre or the Yanks GM, Brian Cashman. Sad way for one of the last links to the latest Yankee dynasty to go out.