33rd edition of My Random Thoughts: Sports, TV, music, food, life.......
Things that popped into my head this week
After having to play 11 straight weeks, I'd think the Bengals getting the No. 1 seed and a bye week to start the playoffs would be rather important.
What is happening with Reds prospects at Louisville doesn't make me mad because they aren't here, it makes me excited because they soon will be.
Walking around Washington Park and TQL for the FC Cincinnati match last week, I was struck by the large number of kids, teens, young adults.
I've probably been Jose Barrero's biggest backer/apologist. He's not improving. His trademark defense has taken a step back. His seeming nonchalant approach to things really bugs me.
I think the mute button on Twitter is very underrated.
I did an on-the-fly prediction for the Bengals record with Mo and Tony Thursday night at our show. We came up with 13-4.
In high school, I might have worn a Don Johnson/Miami Vice white jacket....with a solid colored t-shirt underneath.
Anyone remember Bearcat Nikki from back in the day?
I lived in the basement west wing of Ross Hall at Butler. The dorm rooms had 10 foot high ceilings. We drilled a basketball goal into the wall, moved the dorm furniture and played a lot of hoops. Our RA wasn't pleased.
Try jotting down where Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion Strand are going to play. I wonder how Jonathan India would react if the Reds asked him to move to LF....on the fly....this season.
I really don't worry about it, or think of it as disrespect, and I understand games will likely still be flexed....but I'm surprised 10 NFL teams got more primetime games than the Bengals. I would have lost a bet they wouldn't max out their 6 games allowed.
Still hard to believe the team I covered in my first TV job in 1988 was Notre Dame football's last national championship team. 35 years ago? I lived across the hall from QB Tony Rice.
Keep in mind, we can see the stats of minor leaguers. But we don't know the pitches they are having success with, the ones they are struggling with and the quality of those pitches. Rest assured, ML pitchers will feed them a steady dose of the ones they struggle with.
In my early 20's I basically lived off a tub of ice cream in my freezer and putting crushed up cookies on top + sausage biscuits premade and placed two to a ziploc bag in the freezer.
You know what bad owners and organizations do? They promote a player in order to sell tickets.
We finished Black Bird on Apple TV. Really good. Some tremendous performances.
I spent a lot of Saturday mornings pumping quarters into the batting machines at Lunken Airport as a kid.
The posted win total for betting purposes for UC football is 4.5? Yikes. They did win four games in 2017 and 2018.
Career games played at Triple-A: De La Cruz 18, CES 16, McLain 35.
I've probably been Nick Senzel's biggest backer/apologist. I'm happy for his recent success.
Zac Taylor is so much more enjoyable to listen to and watch interact with people than Marvin Lewis. One never seems annoyed, the other always seemed annoyed.
We saw the very best of Eric Davis this month in 1987....in 22 games he hit .329-.404-.841-1.246 with 12 HR, 3 grand slams, 36 RBI, 23 R, 11 SB for the month. Player of Week. Player of Month. He was on the cover of SI. All of this will be a topic next week in appreciation of Eric The Red.
There is a really cool vibe of pride and ownership that I always feel from fans towards the team at an FC Cincinnati match.
The Reds showed no hesitation in putting Jonathan India on the Opening Day roster out of AA/spring training. They didn't hold back Tyler Stephenson, Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, Alexis Diaz, Graham Ashcraft. They jumped Jose Barrero from A-Ball. The narrative crafted by some doesn't fit.
Did you know ESPN's Mike Greenberg hosted CLTV's Sports Page in Chicago after I left?
Not sure why some fans roll their eyes at how hard a ball is hit. The year-to-year numbers show the harder you hit the ball the better your chances of getting hit. Do soft liners and flairs drop in for hits? Sure. Do you line outs find a mitt? Sure. But the numbers are the numbers. Look 'em up.
What a bummer if the Western & Southern Tennis event moves to Charlotte. We've attended about a dozen years. It's our favorite Date Night of the year. Love the tennis, people watching, shopping, live music, etc.
In my lifetime my team has played in four World Series, three Super Bowls and back to back CBB national championship games. I'm lucky.
The best question I'm asking these days is: Is why do you think the Reds have not called up any of the top prospects. The answers are very interesting.
Keeping three catchers is going to end soon for the Reds. Tyler's games will have to increase behind the plate in order to open 1B/DH more for others.
You know why networks show the Cowboys and Yankees vs Red Sox. Because people watch them. It's a simple eyeballs=$ equation.
So cool to hang out with former Bengals Solomon Wilcots on our schedule release show. Anyone have that SWAT Team poster? Iconic.
We have started The Diplomat on Apple TV. Big fan of Keri Russell and Ato Essandoh.
I've always thought it was kinda cheap when teams drop minor leaguers down to lower levels to play in the postseason for other teams.
I feel badly for Tyler Mahle facing Tommy John surgery in his free agent season. Nick Krall got Christian Encarnacion Strand and Spencer Steer in that deal. Damn.
It fascinates me how many people suddenly found an interest in The Flying Pig because there was something to complain about.
Don't worry about things you don't care about.