United Indoor Football League
The Cincinnati Commandos have notified the UIFL they are leaving the league.
From the UIFL: The Cincinnati Commando’s owner Dennis Whitman and the Marion Blue Racers owner LaMonte Coleman have notified the league of their intention to leave the league at this time. While we are saddened by the departure, we know that this announcement will only increase the UIFL efforts to improve the product. We wish only good things for Dennis, LaMonte and the teams involved.
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All business: Votto ducks limelight as All-Star
MLB.com
David Wright, who, like Votto, has put up MVP-type numbers thus far this season, dressed at the locker next to Votto's and marveled at the approach his NL teammate takes to each at-bat.
"It would be difficult to find a guy who has more of a plan and more of a sense of his swing and his approach than him," Wright said. "I think he's one of the best, if not the best, hitter in baseball. You see a guy that understands what he's capable of doing and the approach that he takes, and it's amazing to watch. There are just no holes. If you're lucky enough to get him out once, you're not going to get him out the next time, and that's very, very rare."
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MLB
It doesn't make sense to me....how about you?
I need baseball. I want baseball. I crave baseball. It's summer. It's baseball time. And yet MLB comes to a grinding halt and goes dark Wednesday AND Thursday of All-Star week? There is NOTHING going on in sports. Wednesday after the All-Star game is the slowest sports day of the year. And with no game today it has becomes a double header of nothing.
I listen to and watch baseball. I follow on line. I tweet. I talk about the game. Geez, I keep clicking on my ESPN Fantasy Baseball Scoreboard and then I remember there are no games. I didn't even realize there are no games today until I checked the schedule. Why would MLB concede two days? Why not take advantage of an opportunity to hog a spotlight that's void of action? Instead, NFL training camp and ticket news and NBA free agency/trade news grabs for our attention. That's a dropped fly ball by MLB.
I still don't get playing the Futures Game this past Sunday at 5pm. That is a game meant to showcase the talent of the future, to promote what's coming.
Sunday I wanted to watch Billy Hamilton play for the USA Team. I had to keep flipping back and forth from Reds-Padres to the Futures Game. Why hide the game behind ML games and split coverage and attention? Sunday I tweeted I would either play the Futures Game on Sunday night (as a stand along game) or Wednesday night of All-Star week. MLB/ESPN scheduled Red Sox-Yankees in their Sunday night slot (shocking, I know). Why penalize those two teams by starting their All-Star break later than the other teams?
The sports world is here for the taking this week. Yesterday and today seem like a perfect chance to grab our attention and promote MLB. I get this is supposed to be a break and a chance to recharge the batteries of players. But no games on back to back days? How does that help the game? Heck, if MLB needs another day off on the schedule, make Hall of Fame Sunday a day off for MLB games. Put the focus on the Hall of Fame ceremonies. If MLB needs another off day give the MLB draft a day without games to promote that process.
Heisey preliminary winner of Heart and Hustle Award
FROM MLBPAA
Colorado Springs, Colo. - The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) is pleased to announce the 30 preliminary winners of the 2012 Heart and Hustle Award. This esteemed award honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit, and tradition of the game.
The MLBPAA formed 30 committees, comprised of Alumni players with established relationships to each team. One player from each Major League team is chosen by the committees based on the passion, desire, and work ethic demonstrated both on and off the field. These players will be recognized prior to an upcoming home game. As the season draws to a close, fans, all Alumni and active players will vote to select the final winner from the 30 team winners. The previous overall winners are Craig Biggio (2006, 2007), Grady Sizemore (2008), Albert Pujols (2009), Roy Halladay (2010), and Torii Hunter (2011).
The final winner will be announced on November 13, 2012 at the 13th Annual Legends for Youth Dinner in New York City.
The 30 Individual Team Winners are as follows:
Baltimore Orioles- Adam Jones, Boston Red Sox- Dustin Pedroia, Chicago White Sox- Alex Rios, Cleveland Indians- Jason Kipnis, Detroit Tigers- Austin Jackson,
Kansas City Royals- Jeff Francoeur, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim- Mike Trout,
Minnesota Twins- Jamey Carroll, New York Yankees- Curtis Granderson,
Oakland Athletics- Jonny Gomes, Seattle Mariners- Munenori Kawasaki,
Tampa Bay Rays- Ben Zobrist, Texas Rangers- David Murphy,
Toronto Blue Jays- Edwin Encarnacion, Arizona Diamondbacks- Willie Bloomquist, Atlanta Braves- Martin Prado, Chicago Cubs- Darwin Barney,
Cincinnati Reds-Chris Heisey, Colorado Rockies- Michael Cuddyer, Miami Marlins- Jose Reyes, Houston Astros- Jose Altuve, Los Angeles Dodgers -Jerry Hairston, Milwaukee Brewers- Corey Hart, New York Mets David -Wright, Philadelphia Phillies- Carlos Ruiz, Pittsburgh Pirates- Andrew McCutchen, San Diego Padres- Nick Hundley, San Francisco Giants- Melky Cabrera, St. Louis Cardinals David Freese, Washington Nationals Bryce Harper.
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Tweet, tweet
A good Twitter follow for college basketball is @JonRothstein
College Basketball Insider for CBS Sports Network and WFAN, Contributor for CBSSPORTS.COM, Studio Host for Compass Media
Here is his series of tweets about UC last night after talking with Mick Cronin:
*on Cincinnati "We'll play faster. We've spent all spring + summer learning 2 play the way we did when Yancy was out last yr"
*on Jermaine Sanders "He's a completely different player than he was 12 months ago. He's lost 20 pounds."
*on Shaq Thomas "He's the forgotten guy. People from North Jersey know just how talented he is."
*on Titus Rubles "He's a perfect fit for our system. He's a true faceup player. I hope he can a Jae Crowder type."
*on Gelawn Guyn "He's got more confidence now. He's got a chance to excel with our tempo."
*on Justin Jackson "Having an energy guy is a component I like to have. He's always revving everyone up."
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ESPY Play of the Year
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Event for a cause
Sponsor a deserving kid for the Ultimate Reds Experience
Presented by Most Valuable Kids
WHAT:
Sponsor a deserving kid for the Ultimate Reds Experience and be registered to WIN the chance to be the Honorary Captain at the Reds vs. Cardinals game on Sunday, August 26th.
As the Honorary Captain you will accompany a Reds Coach or Manager to Home Plate with the line-up card and receive an up-close-and-personal look inside the Ground Rules meeting between the Umpires and Coaches from each team. Your name will be announced to the crowd and shown on the video board and scoreboard. Additionally, you can bring three guests to enjoy the experience from the field. Experience includes four infield box seats.
Most importantly, you will be providing an opportunity of a lifetime for deserving kids in our community!
HOW:
Sponsor a kid for $50 at www.mostvaluablekids.org. Or mail a check to MVK, 7530 Fernwood Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45237.
Sad and tragic story: Can you help out the O'Keefe family?
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Down on the Farm
Billy Hamilton's Double-A debut: 1 for 4, triple, RBI, SB 105
What they are saying in Pensacola
Hamilton blazes a trail in Double-A debut
Milb.com
After striking out in his first two at-bats, Hamilton reached base in the sixth inning on a forceout. With the Minor League leader in stolen bases (104) on first, the Lookouts paid careful attention to Hamilton, having pitcher Matt McGill throw over to first three straight times. With an 0-1 count, the Lookouts called for an well-timed pitchout as Hamilton took off for second. The 21-year-old shortstop still beat the throw, giving him his first Southern League stolen base.
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Classic Sports Games
Tonight: 8:05
With the passing of the inventor of Electric Football we will pay tribute to classic sports games: Board, dice, card, and hand held games.....
Bas-ket Ball
APBA
Super Jock
Classic Baseball
Electronic Football
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Stuff
Esquire: Most stylish baseball hats of All-Time
Louisville Bats:
The Bats have the best hat in baseball. Period. Let's wrap this up and grab a drink, because no one can touch this guy. The problem with most minor-league logos and a decent number of major-league ones (I'm looking at you, Chief Wahoo) is that they're too over the top to be truly great. Sure they can be kitschy great, but the plain old awesome is hard to come by. Enter the Bats. They had a beautifully simple logo designed. A logo that could actually be considered iconic. That's rare. These are hats for bats that Pedro Cerrano would definitely steal.
ESPN: Kudos to Xavier and Butler
Former Musketeer Romain Sato headed for Turkey
Durham golfer finds tee shot on par 4 in unlikely spot
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Kids
Casey and Peyton have been on vacation in North Carolina with Grandma and Grandpa. They visited Colonel Harlen Sanders first Kentucky fried chicken restaurant in Corbin KY.
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Bengals camp schedule observations
Based on my count/calendar: Bengals have 16 practices (5 PBS/11 practice field)
9 of the practices are on same day/night Reds are in town and play.
Only 1 of 9 dates sees an overlap between Reds game and Bengals practice...perfect for a day of double dipping. In fact...5 of dates have the Bengals going 3:15-5pm...then Reds home at 7:10.
Start times for practice: 2:45 (1), 3pm (2), 3:15 (8), 3:30 (2), 6pm (3)
Bengals announce training camp schedule
From the Bengals
This season, for the first time in Club history, the Bengals will conduct their Training Camp in Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium. Camp will run from Friday, July 27th through Sunday, August 19th. All practices will be free and open to the public. Practices will be held both in Paul Brown Stadium and on the Bengals practice fields, located just west of Paul Brown Stadium.
“This change will provide our hometown fans a unique opportunity to see the 2012 team as it comes together,” said Katie Blackburn, Bengals executive vice-president. “We hope it will also help attract fans from outside Greater Cincinnati to not only training camp, but to all the great summer activities going on downtown.”
The Club encourages fans to first consider attending one of the several practices that will be conducted inside Paul Brown Stadium, where capacity will not be an issue and no tickets will be required.
Temporary seating will be installed for sessions on the practice fields, but capacity will be limited, and tickets (free) will be required. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of each practice, beginning at 10 a.m.
The Club will issue advisories for sessions which have been filled, and though fans arriving at the practice fields without tickets may be able to obtain them starting two hours before practice, this availability will be dependent on daily demand and cannot be guaranteed.
Full information on ticketing can be found below.
Parking is available through Hamilton County at the parking lots located adjacent to the Stadium, along Mehring Way for $10.
PAUL BROWN STADIUM PRACTICES:
(Practice times are subject to possible change. It is advisable to check Bengals.com on the day of the practice for the latest update).
The best opportunity to watch Training Camp will be at the practices that will be held in Paul Brown Stadium. These practices are free, open to the public and do not require tickets. The in-stadium practices will take place on the following dates and times:
THURSDAY, AUG. 2
-- Gates open at 4 p.m.
-- Practice from 6-8 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 4
-- Gates open at 1 p.m.
-- Intrasquad Scrimmage, 3-4:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUG. 5
-- Gates open at 4:00 p.m.
-- Black/White Mock Game, 6-7:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUG. 12
-- Gates open at 1:30 p.m.
-- Practice, 3:30-5:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUG. 19
-- Gates open at 12:45 p.m.
-- Practice, 2:45 p.m.-4:45 p.m.
PRACTICE FIELD PRACTICES
(Practice times are subject to possible change. It is advisable to check Bengals.com on the day of the practice for the latest update).
FRIDAY, JULY 27
-- Practice from 3-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1 p.m.
SATURDAY, JULY 28
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, JULY 29
-- Practice from 6-8 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 4 p.m.
MONDAY, JULY 30
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:15 p.m.
TUESDAY, JULY 31
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:15 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 3
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:15 p.m.
TUESDAY, AUG. 7
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:15 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 8
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:15 p.m.
MONDAY, AUG. 13
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1 p.m.
TUESDAY, AUG. 14
-- Practice from 3:15-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 18
-- Practice from 3:30-5 p.m.
-- Tickets available starting at 10 a.m. at the North Ticket office located on PBS plaza
-- Gates open at 1:30 p.m.
TICKETING
Paul Brown Stadium Practices
Tickets will not be required for the practices that are conducted in Paul Brown Stadium (see dates for PBS practices above). Seating will be general admission seating.
Practice Field Practices
Practices that are conducted on the practice fields will have a limited capacity, and tickets will be distributed for each day’s practice in the following manner:
Beginning at 10 a.m. and running until noon each day, tickets will be available at the Bengals North Ticket Office located on the Paul Brown Stadium Plaza just east of the Bengals Pro Shop. Tickets will be distributed on a first come/first served basis. If any tickets remain when the ticket office closes at noon, the balance of the tickets will be distributed at the entrance to the practice fields located at the corner of Pete Rose Way and Central Ave. beginning two hours prior to the start of practice.
There will be a hotline (513) 621-TDTD (8383) that fans can call to get updates on the availability of tickets for that day’s practice. The information will also be updated on Bengals.com.
The Club anticipates that the practice field practices will fill up quickly and encourage fans who want to attend to get tickets at the North ticket office beginning at 10 a.m. the day of the practice.
ADMISSION GUIDELINES
Fans will be allowed to bring small soft-sided coolers and unopened bottles of water and food into all practices.
No chairs or other temporary seating will be allowed. Bleachers will be available for seating for sessions on the practice fields.
AUTOGRAPHS
At the conclusion of every practice, groups of players will be available for autographs for 15 minutes after practice ends. For the safety of pedestrians, no autographs will be allowed as players enter or leave the practice fields.
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Listener photos
Listener Scott Eppert and his 9-year old son Sammy take in the All-Star game Tuesday night in Kansas City.
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Thanks
Thanks to everyone that stopped by for lunch today! I was honored to be involved. 700 WLW partnered with Matthew 25 Ministries for the return of our Grillin' Partners. We served free lunch from John Morrell, Klosterman, Grippos and 7-UP. We were a well oiled machine. There were two lanes set up for cars. As listeners pulled in we reacted like a fine tuned Nascar Pit Crew. Drivers pulled up and rolled down their window and we handed them a lunch and filled their drink order. Boom...out in 30-seconds. Thanks to all the volunteers and sponsors that helped make the day possible. I'm always impressed by the mission and work of Matthew 25 Ministries.
Matthew 25: 11060 Kenwood Road Blue Ash, OH 45242
Getting ready for the lunch crowd
Here we go
John Morrell had the grill cranked up
I commend Seg for passing out more food than he ate
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Butch on Sports Talk
Thanks to Butch Jones for spending an hour in-studio Tuesday night.
We covered just about everything:
New NCAA playoff format and what it means for UC/Big East
Conference realignment
Big East without a bowl tie-in
Bearcat Nation and growing the fan base
Leadership
Navy Seal training
His relationship with Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra
Nippert's future
Scheduling
Storylines for camp
Recruiting
OSU playing Spring Game at PBS
New WR, former Texas Ranger, Braxton Lane
Click HERE for the podcast
Reds TweetUp 2012
Please join us for an evening of socializing and tweeting on Sunday, July 15 as the Reds take on their NL Central rival St. Louis Cardinals. The atmosphere will be electric as the game is being nationally televised by ESPN. Enjoy the game from a special #RedsTweetUp section, alongside Tweeting Reds fans and media.
For only $25, the special #RedsTweetUp package includes:
- One Field Box ticket (reg. $34)
- An exclusive, limited edition Reds TweetUp t-shirt
Order HERE
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Tayshaun Prince will host a summer Basketball Camp for Greater Cincinnati
COVINGTON, Ky. Olympic and NBA Champion Tayshaun Prince, a former Kentucky Wildcat and currentstarter for the Detroit Pistons, will partner with Kicks For Kids to host a Basketball Camp July 24th-26th. Tayshaun just completed his 10th season in the NBA. The former UK All-American was a first round pickof the Pistons and has established himself in the NBA as a small forward that is a threat on the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. In addition to being a starter on the NBA Champion Pistons in 2004, Tayshaun was a member of the ‘Redeem Team’ -- the 2008 USA Olympic team that won gold and thus restored our country’s basketball prominence after the 2004 team’s shocking performance.
Tayshaun will appear and participate every day of the camp. The three-day clinic will provide quality basketball instruction and be a fun and positive experience for boys and girls entering the 4th, 5th or 6th grades in the
upcoming (2012-2013) school year. The camp will be held at Scott High School in Taylor Mill, Kentucky. In addition to focusing on the proper technique for shooting, passing, rebounding, ball handling and defense, the camp will also give the participants the chance to compete against each other in skill contests and games.
The youth that attend will be offered breakfast, provided lunch on a daily basis, and receive a camp shirt. The cost for attending is $75.00 per child (KFK reserves the right to waive or reduce this fee at its discretion). Proceeds benefit KFK, the charity organization founded by Doug Pelfrey in 1995 to level the playing field for
local children at risk. Note: The camp will be capped at 125 participants, with reservations being given on a first-come, first-serve
basis. As a result, please contact KFK (ted.kluemper@kicksforkids.org or 859-331-8484) for more information or to reserve a spot in the camp. At that time the necessary Registration and Release forms will be sent to you.
A set must be returned for each camper no later than Wednesday, 7/18/12 at 5:00 PM. Please make checks payable to Kicks For Kids, Inc.
Address: Kicks For Kids, Inc.
812 Russell St., Suite 100
Covington, KY 41011
