Reds

Reds 4 Cubs 3 (10): One of the most improable wins by the Reds that I can recall.

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UK-IU

Statement from UK Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart on Indiana men’s basketball series… “We are extremely disappointed in Indiana’s decision to end our annual men’s basketball series. We were under the impression that we were in continued negotiations with Indiana University on signing a two-year contract to play the annual game at neutral sites. After the NCAA Championships, both schools verbally agreed in principle to play for two years at neutral sites (December 8, 2012 and December 7 or 14, 2013) and agreed to revisit campus sites upon completion of the two-year deal. The public comments by Indiana prior to today over the last week led us to believe that our previous verbal agreement could be in jeopardy, but at no point did we ever have any mutual discussions with Indiana to end the series.  We were contacted by Indiana today shortly before 2 p.m. ET and informed that due to our desire to move to neutral sites they were moving on for the 2012-13 season and would revisit continuing the series at a later date. Our desire to play the series at a neutral site was due mainly to the success of the series from 1992-2006. It allowed the fans of both schools to enjoy the experience of one of the greatest rivalries every year.  Everyone that watched or attended those games said it was a great atmosphere for college basketball. We looked at this as an opportunity to recapture that atmosphere and unfortunately it ended today.”

IU's side of it
Indy Star
"While we understand that such neutral site games could be quite lucrative, we think the series should be continued as it is, home and home," Glass said. "Playing on campus enables our students to attend these marquee games which we believe is a great component of the overall college experience.
"Playing in the historic venues that are Assembly Hall and Rupp Arena is also a tremendous experience for our student-athletes.''

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Tweet of the day

I wonder how many parents woke up today, read about Seau and Saints bounties, and said: "I'm not letting my kid near a football field."

Peter King, on Twitter (@SI_PeterKing)

Remember what Troy Aikman said about the future of the NFL?
From the LA Times, February, 2012:........League officials and owners are “very concerned about concussions,” said Aikman, who is now a television analyst.
Aikman does not have a son, but said, “if I did, I wouldn’t tell him he couldn’t play football. If he wanted to, I would say ‘OK, great.’ But I don’t know if I would be encouraging him to play. Whereas, with the other sports, you want your kids to be active and doing those types of things.”

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Show preview
6:05 Sports Talk, 700 WLW
Topics
Reds
NFL: Do you a children that plays or is interested in playing football? Are you concerned?
Kentucky Derby: Time to run it under the lights

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Reds

On this date: 1975
Cincinnati Reds manager Sparky Anderson decides to switch Pete Rose from left field to third base, opening a lineup spot for promising slugger George Foster. Over the next four seasons, Foster will average 36 home runs, 117 RBI, and a .302 batting average to help the Reds to two World Championships. (Baseball-Reference.com)

Edwin Encarnacion has hit 9 HR's in Toronto's last 21 games.
Scott Rolen has hit 9 HR's in the Reds last 242 games.
(From listener Jeff)

Former Notre Dame wide receiver dominates Reds

Power-challenged Campana not so dismissible now

Cardinals make forecasts look silly
Bernie Miklasz, St Louis Post Dispatch
The Cardinals’ existence without Albert Pujols was supposed to be a lot more difficult than this. With the bodyguard gone, NL Central rivals finally had their chance to slap St. Louis around.
Right.
The Cardinals have destroyed that theory — and more than a few pitchers. Pirates righthander A.J. Burnett absorbed such a horrific beatdown Wednesday, his fastball was declared DOA at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Burnett was violated for 12 earned runs in 22/3 innings.

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Down on the Farm

Cingrani extends scoreless streak to 20 innings at Bakersfield
Milb.com
Cingrani was on his game, recording six of his last seven outs via the strikeout. The 22-year-old left-hander faced four over the minimum while not allowing a run for the fourth time in five starts for the Blaze.
"Just using the fastball, throwing a couple of changeups in there and the slider worked for a little bit," Cingrani said. "Overall, a pretty good outing."
Cingrani (3-1) last allowed a run in the third inning of Bakersfield's 2-1 loss to San Jose on April 15, a stretch of 20 frames. His 0.32 ERA is the best in the Minor Leagues and he is third in the California League with 37 strikeouts.

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Bengals

Hoard: Pike grateful for opportunity

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Kentucky Derby

Night racing a hit, but not yet for Kentucky Derby
AP
The past two spring meets at Churchill opened at night, including last Saturday. Its Stephen Foster Handicap, one of the top races for older horses, will be run at night for the first time in June. Several other stakes races are set for prime time.
But its signature event, the Kentucky Derby, is decidedly a daytime spectacle. Again on Saturday, the most famous two minutes in sports will be raced more than two hours before sunset, in a time slot shared by the start of Super Bowls and Rose Bowls.
Speculation that the Derby would buck tradition and shift to prime time began as soon as lights were installed. It was the horse racing equivalent of putting in lights at baseball's Wrigley Field.

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Junior Seau

Is Junior Seau death part of a bigger problem?
USA Today
There is a chill in the air. A growing awareness that the price tag for playing professional football is more than high. It has been deadly, and Wednesday might have been again.
You are the NFL — the commissioner, the players, the union — and you look at Wednesday and wonder how best to go from here. The Saints and their bounties are not the issue. The culture of the game is the issue.
Early Wednesday afternoon, angry voices from NFL players filled the airwaves, castigating Goodell for going too far. Football is a dangerous and physical place, and that's that. Free the New Orleans Four.
Meanwhile in Oceanside, Junior Seau is dead.

Another life cut short by an unforgiving game
Ron Borges, Boston Herald
Pro football and the men who run it have much to think about this morning beyond grief. They have to think about where their game is headed.

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Congrats!

Shannon Minor is part of the 2012 class of the Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame.