MLB
Yasmani Grandal suspended 50 games after testing positive for a high testosterone level.
***
Show preview
6:05, Sports Talk
Topic
The Cuban Missile Plan: What to do with Chapman?
Guests
Ryan Clark, author, 100 Things Wildcat Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die
Milt Stegall, Roger Bacon/Miami/Bengals--inducted into CFL HOF
8:05, Butch Jones Show
***
Reds
No debate: Chapman should remain Reds' closer
MLB.com
None of us is smart enough to know if a starting role is what's right for Chapman. But with all this evidence at hand, I'm swinging toward the conclusion that the Reds ought to leave Chapman in the ninth. It will be interesting to see if the Reds swing that way, too.
(US Presswire)
Reds seek a closer so they can move Chapman to rotation
CBS Sports
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- The Reds hope to move mega-talent Aroldis Chapman from the bullpen to the rotation. That much is becoming clear.
Winter forecast for Reds
ESPN
Via free agency, someone like Michael Bourn would fill the bill for a leadoff man, which would perhaps free them to shop Drew Stubbs to teams looking for a premium defender in center. Torii Hunter might represent a classic Baker-minded addition: The established veteran looking for a good situation with a contender, and a guy whose power stroke would get a boost from the Gap. And if they move Chapman, adding a late-game righty reliever to mix and match with Sean Marshall would make sense.
***
College basketball
Dez Wells wins appeal, gains eligibility
USA Today
"We're excited for Dez because at the end of the day, the NCAA made the right decision," Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said in a statement. "Our staff did an incredible job in putting this NCAA waiver appeal together on Dez's behalf. Dez has been a welcomed addition, a great teammate, and has made a seamless transition in getting acclimated to our campus. This has been a long process for him and his family, and we're grateful he can put it behind him and focus on being a student-athlete at the University of Maryland."
SI this week
#1 Indiana 1 of 4 regional covers ( #2 Louisville, #3 Kansas, #11 Syracuse).
Cody Zeller is first Indiana Hoosier to make cover of SI since DJ White in 2007.
Xavier
Xavier announces Pledge4good
From Xavier
CINCINNATI - Tip-off for the Xavier men's basketball season is set to begin November 9 against Fairleigh Dickinson. In an effort to keep you up-to-date with the team accomplishments, Xavier Athletics has partnered with Pledge4good.com to create a fun and exciting way to track the team's activities during the games. For every 3-point basket scored during this season, you can pledge to donate as little as $1 to support the men's basketball team.
***
Bengals
Marvin talks leaders
Midseason Coach Power Rankings
NFL.com
23. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals:
No one throws more perplexing challenge flags than Lewis. The Bengals have taken an expected step back this year.
ReFo on Bengals vs Broncos
ProFootballFocus.com
While many Bengals fans are hugely excited by the emergence of Vontaze Burfict (-2.4), and his growing tackle count, there may be a reason other than his off-field issues that saw him go undrafted. While he’s a perfectly competent player coming forward, his work in coverage is highly suspect.
Linebacker Emmanuel Lamur, in just eight snaps in coverage, managed to do something neither Vontaze Burfict or Rey Maualgua have been able to do in 130 combined snaps the last two weeks; stop a ball being completed.
Player vote: Worst organization in NFL
The Sporting News
As always in our midseason poll, players were not allowed to name their teammates or head coach for any of their answers.
Which is the worst organization in the NFL?
Cleveland Browns 20
Jacksonville Jaguars 19
Oakland Raiders 19
Buffalo Bills 9
Cincinnati Bengals 7
Kansas City Chiefs 5
New York Jets 5
Carolina Panthers 3
Dallas Cowboys 2
Patriots voted best organization
Most underrated coaches/Most overrated coaches
***
Congrats
Milt Stegall
The Roger Bacon and Miami graduate, and former Bengals WR, was inducted into the Candadian Football Hall of Fame over the weekend.
(Winnipeg Sun photo)
Hall of Fame induction 'humbles' Stegall
Winnipeg Sun
“This is pretty cool,” said Stegall, a slotback who spent his entire 14-year career with the Bombers. “I’m being inducted and being inducted in the city where I played my entire career. It’s overwhelming, it’s humbling, it’s a great feeling.
“To say Milt Stegall is speechless would be an understatement.”
Playing career
Slotback
1995-2008 – Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Awards and Honours: 2002 – CFL most outstanding player; 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006 – CFL all-star
Grey Cup participation: 2001, 2007
Noteworthy: Born on Jan. 25, 1970, in Cincinnati … holds CFL touchdown record with 147 and league’s receiving touchdown record with 144 … was CFL’s receiving yards leader at the time of retirement … was an eight-time CFL division all-star … set a CFL record of 26.5 yards per catch in 1997 … set CFL single-season touchdown record with 23 in 2002.
***
Reds
Billy Hamilton Watch: 2 for 5 last night, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB (8), CS (2), .250/.333
Reds 2013 Top 20 prospects
Projected salaries for Top 40 free agents
Don't expect big names coming off board at GM meetings
Newsday
The Orioles' Dan Duquette asked around for nearby dinner spots. The Brewers' Doug Melvin and the Reds' Walt Jocketty toured the pool area. As for Brian Cashman, well, showing up Tuesday in a new location just meant facing the same old question: Do you anticipate teams "feeling you out" about Alex Rodriguez?
***
College football
College football's battleground states
Wall Street Journal
The college-football battleground map looks a bit different than the political one. Ohio is the furthest thing from a tossup: 70% of respondents in a PPP survey said they're fans of Ohio State, Ohio's sole traditional power.
Tressel at UK?, Hey, why not?
Columbus Dispatch
The University of Kentucky is in the market for a new football coach. Yes, it is that time of year in Lexington.
Is Jim Tressel in the running?
Do not laugh. It is a legitimate question. In fact, there have been rumors swirling for weeks that Tressel is a favorite of certain well-heeled alumni in that state down south.
Bowl projections
CBS Sports
Belk Bowl: UC vs Duke
GoDaddy.com: Ohio vs La Lafayette
Independence Bowl: Miami vs La Tech
Video: Butch Jones weekly press conference
From UC
On if he thinks it's the fans or media not giving Cincinnati football attention:
“It’s a combination; sometimes we take things for granted and we have a great product here in Cincinnati. Looking at our success, and I still say for our football program to grow, Nippert Stadium needs to be sold out. There are so many great storylines of what is going on with individuals on our football team, the way this team has great resolve. Are we disappointed in the two losses? Absolutely, but our goals and aspirations are to contend for the Big East Conference championships games and graduate our players and for the most part we are doing that. Everyone here needs to embrace it and it is our obligation to put a product on the field that everyone wants to come and play. The way we play football is a great representative of our great city.”
On if he was disappointed in the crowd vs. Syracuse:
“The people that were there did a tremendous job of making it a home field advantage but as we continue to move forward and progress, Nippert needs to be sold out and it’s an overall conscious, awareness developing our football program but the people that came out were loud and got into the game. They created some momentum for us, especially when Syracuse was coming out, the one turnover was in the student section so I thought they did a great job of really being involved in the game.”
On why he thinks fans didn't come to the game:
“I don’t know but there a lot of things that go into a noon start, the elements, weather conditions but I was grateful for the individuals who did come out and really helped us win that football game.”
***
College basketball
Kamall Richards heading to Xavier
Zags Blog
The 6-foot-6 small forward from South Kent (Conn.) verbally pledged to Xavier at the SNY studios on Tuesday, selecting the Musketeers over St. Joe’s, Seton Hall, Providence and Penn State.
“I’ll be going to Cincinnati to play for Xavier,” Richards said. “I decided on Xavier because it’s the best fit for me. I’ll be able to come in right away, be an impact player and that’s what I need as a freshman to be able to make mistakes and not be penalized and play through my mistakes and get better. So the sophomore year I can really be a main guy for the team.”
Jamaree Strickland picks Cincinnati
Cincinnati.247Sports.com
The Cincinnati Bearcats added to their 2013 recruiting class on Tuesday night with a commitment from 6-foot-9 240 pound center Jamaree Strickland.
Strickland in #44 (dark jersey) from a game in February
***
Yearly reminder
It's that time of year. Please remember to unhook your hoses from around the outside of your house. I learned my lesson three years ago when water froze in my line and busted the pipe leading to our basement. Our basement flooded. Thanks listener Mike Flanagan for the heads up.
***
