41st edition of My Random Thoughts: Sports, TV, music, food, life.......
Things that popped into my head this week:
I hope fans appreciate how quick this Reds turn around has been. They went from winning record 2021 to a 100 loss teardown in 2022 to this in 2023. This certainly isn't a finished product, but rebuilds are not supposed to happen this quickly.
I hope everyone has something they are as passionate about as Taylor Swift fans are about her music.
First impressions are important. I'm not impressed by the roll out of the new social media app, Threads. It's lacking.
My favorite part of MLB All-Star games growing up (1) Poking out my picks on the paper ballot when I voted. Riverfront Stadium ushers would pass ballots down the aisle and I'd always grab a handful. (2) Seeing the player introductions on the base lines. We rarely got to see the AL guys.
Many "Mid Season Awards" stories will be written during the All-Star break. I'd think all would have to include Nick Krall in the Executive of the Year conversation....David Bell in Manager of the Year and De La Cruz, McLain, Steer and and Abbott for Rookie of Year. Amazing.
UC football picked 13th in a 14 team Big 12 preseason media poll? Toto, I've got a feeling we're not in the American anymore.
Entering Friday night, the Reds have gone from 8 games under .500 to 10 games over .500 in a span of 66 games. Incredible.
It's such a shame that jealousy over his contract has skewed so many fans' appreciate for/understanding of Joey Votto.
Ever grow to appreciate a TV show that you never watched when it was first on, but now catch in reruns? For me it's Parks and Recreation.
Once again Corey Dillon revealed the type of guy he is with his profanity laced tirade to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. He ripped Bengals fans, the organization, former teammates and other former Bengals: "It’s damn-near criminal, what (Bengals Ring of Honor voters) are pulling off, to be honest with you. I’m pretty sure they will put f—ing Jon Kitna in there before they put me. Matter of fact, Scott Mitchell will end up in that motherf—er before I do."
The Ring of Honor process is backlogged. He would have eventually gotten in. But he's not more worthy than any Bengal already in the Ring of Honor or going in this time around. And he certainly doesn't have their class. PS...Always good to rip the people you want to vote for you.
FC Cincinnati will be fine. They were making it look easy. It was always going to get harder. And they are still without Brandon Vasquez and Matt Miazga, who are with the U.S. Men's National Team.
Make no mistake, the depth and versatility of this roster and the resulting ability for David Bell to mix and match vs opposing pitchers and situations makes this Reds team one that is a growing problem for MLB.
I have no issue with the gamesmanship by Nationals manager Davey Martinez. Check a bat, check a ball, check a spot on a pitcher's cap. Cool. My issue is with Martinez calling out Elly's behavior as 'antics' and declaring 'we don't need that'. That's bulls#*t. (1) Worry about your own team (2) Elly pointed towards the Reds dugout when he pointed at the bat handle.
I collected UDF sundae mini-baseball helmets one summer as a kid. I put the helmets in the cardboard standings board. I ate a lot of sundaes that summer in Anderson Township.
Fumbling through the end zone and losing possession of the football is my biggest rules pet peeve in sports. The contact play in baseball is my biggest strategy pet peeve.
One benefit to Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo missing time is they won't feel the wear and tear and be dealing with innings issues they would have if fully healthy all season.
I can't get worked up about All-Star game selections/snubs: Any process with a fan vote and requirement for each team to be represented is going to have issues.
Can somebody please pressure wash the logos on the Bengals practice bubble? Looking rather dingy.
I really wish Elly De La Cruz would not slide head first.
The only non-game sports shows I currently watch is MLB Central and MLB Tonight on MLB Network. The rest is just noise.
MLB All-Star week is one of my favorite weeks of the year for hosting Sports Talk. Lots of room for fun and creative show topics!
Underrated TV show I rarely hear mentioned: The Wild Wild West....James West and Artemus Gordon! I loved how they filled in a piece of the picture each time they went to commercial.
I'd like to see the Reds add an Old-Timers game.
Two Concacaf Gold Cup Quarterfinals will be played Sunday at TQL Stadium: 5:00 PM Guatemala vs Jamaica, 7:30 PM United States vs Canada. Whether you like soccer or not, that's really cool for the city and TQL.
Don't worry about things you don't care about