42nd edition of My Random Thoughts: Sports, TV, music, food, life.......
Things that popped into my head this week:
All-Star week means four nights of no Reds games to draw you to Sports Talk. I really enjoy the full shows and room for stuff. I created a number of fun topics. Those topics only work with you. You took them and ran with them. Thank you!
A year ago the Reds started the 2nd half 34-57, 15.5 games out of 1st place. Man.
Is it wrong to have some sense of excitement that the mole in my yard has made a path towards my neighbors yard?
We have tied Joe DiMaggio! We hit Wandering Monsters (Anderson Township) as our 56th brewery within 50 miles of home. Cool new place. Nice selection of beers. Their Viator Obscura: Caramel & Chocolate is superb. The smoked turkey sandwich w/ side of mac & cheese was $16, little on the pricey side, but really good. They were slammed for Saturday lunch, props to staff.
Considering the Bengals played over 50 years of football prior to deciding to roll out a Ring of Honor, they should have done an expanded introductory class of, let's say 11, including Paul Brown. It would have alleviated the backlog issue and expedited entry for older players.
Parent life: Casey and Peyton drove to Indy last night for the Dominic Fike concert. I finally fell asleep when they walked in the door around 1:30am.
There seems to be a growing sense that the Reds MUST, MUST, MUST trade for a starting pitcher. Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo should return at some point in August. They would join Graham Ashcraft, Andrew Abbott, Ben Lively and Brandon Williamsons. Does a trade really feel like a must? At what cost?
A leader does not value hazing. And either Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald knew what was happening and conded it, or he didn't know and wasn't in control of his program.
I'll never understand MLB going dark with no games Wednesday and Thursdays in the dead of summer. Why not play the Futures Game one of those nights and promote the future stars of the game?
As I continue to evolve and catch up as a new country music fan, I've discovered The Band Perry, "Better Dig Two' and Cole Swindell, "Drinkaby"......and a more recent release, Kane Brown's 'Bury Me in Georgia'.
I'll be hanging out at Barleycorn's Brewhouse in Wilder on Wednesday. 3-5pm. Stop by, talk some Reds and win prizes.
I think it says a lot about Lucho Acosta (Argentina) and Obi Nwobodo (Nigeria) that they wanted to talk to FC Cincinnati fans and were willing to do LIVE interviews, all in English, on Sports Talk.
I have developed an addiction to cans of 'Bubly' sparkling water and La Croix sparkling water. I drink at least one a day.
I have to keep reminding myself that as much as I'm bugged by some Votto and Bell critics, when I taunt the critics over the success of Votto and Bell it spirals the conversation away from that success.
I find it curious that as much as he's struggled, Jonathan India is the only Red to play in every game.
Really hope this is finally the year for Kenny Anderson and the HOF. When I threw a Nerf football in the backyard I was Kenny. When I caught a pass I was Isaac Curtis.
Not a fan of the Home Run Derby: All the swings and homers run together. There is a sameness/redundancy to it. And homers were being hit so rapidly that the split screen made it tough to watch.
Nothing beats meaningful Reds games in the summer.
Hard Knocks with Aaron Rodgers at the Jets? Yea, no.
After 25 years of marriage, I learned that Kelly does not believe in putting fruit in a regular garden salad. It was troubling. What's wrong with strawberries, perhaps sliced apple? Are you Team Lance or Team Kelly?
Remember, this is a lot of the draft/international signing wave of the Reds rebuild...Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Andrew Abbott. The trade wave still to come down the road could include Christian Encarnacion Strand, Noelvi Marte, Connor Phillips, Edwin Arroyo, Chasey Petty. etc.
Amir Garrett walked 24 batters in 20 innings and was released by one of MLB's worst teams. Been there. Done that. No thanks.
I don't understand the line of thinking that because MLB has a relationship with gambling/sports books, Pete Rose should no longer be banned. The rule hasn't changed. Players can't bet on baseball games. They have never been allowed to bet on games.
Man, how about that Chicago PD season finale? Wow. Ruzek and the kid! And the look the kid gave Atwater when he's being patted down!
I really appreciate anyone that thinks enough of the show to call in. Remember....I give out the number when I'm taking calls. We take calls on our topic of discussion. I like debating and showing my work. To have a variety of voices and opinions, we don't take a listeners calls on back-to-back days, and try to limit calls to a couple a week. And I hope it's like two people talking sports on a barstool. It's just sports. If you've never called, join us!
The MLB draft needs uniformity. All foreign prospects should be funnelled into the MLB draft. And.... you should be able to trade any/all draft picks.
Quote from my dad: "I'd rather lose the NL Central by a game than break from the plan and trade the likes of Christian Encarnacion Strand or Noelvi Marte."
That sounds like a topic.
I hosted a 2015 All-Star remote broadcast at the Holy Grail with all three of The Nasty Boys. Talk about walking a tightrope and trying to keep order. Wow.
Can we pump the brakes on Rhett Lowder pitching for the Reds this season? Even Mike Leake, drafted in June of 2009, pitched in the Arizona Fall League and then went to spring training before he made the Reds roster to start 2010.
Florence Y'alls baseball is a fun time. Love the ballpark. They have a 1B, Brennan Price, who is 6-9 300 and hitting .307 with 12 HR and 47 RBI. Former Reds OF, 33-year old Patrick Kivlehan, was playing for the NY Boulders in the game we were at. And La Torta Loca has a stand at the ballpark!
For the love of everything holy: The Reds are not, will not, should not trade for Ohtani.
Don't worry about things you don't care about