Xavier
From Xavier:
Xavier sophomore Dee Davis was named today as Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Week and previously was named as one of ESPN’s “Best of the Best” Top Performers of the weekend after scoring a career-high 22 points on the strength of a career-high five 3-pointers to go with a career-high 15 assists in Xavier’s season-opening win over Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday. The 15 assists are a new XU sophomore record and tied for second-best in school history.
***
Bengals
The Bengals today made the following practice squad moves:
* Signed LB Ben Jacobs of Fresno State. Jacobs (6-4, 243) is a second-year NFL player. He entered the NFL in 2011 with Cleveland as a college free agent and played in the season’s last five Browns games (no statistics). He was on the Browns practice squad for Weeks 1-12 of 2011. He opened 2012 training camp with the Browns, started the regular season on the practice squad, and was released from the practice squad on Oct. 9.
*Released OT Jeff Adams, a rookie from Columbia. Adams spent the ’12 preseason with Dallas as a college free agent. He was waived by the Cowboys on Aug. 31 and had been on the Cincinnati practice squad since Sept. 2.
Top 10 Tailgating Crews
Tailgate Fan
5. The Bengal Bomb Squad
At first, I was surprised at how “extreme” these guys seemed, until I remembered the Bengals have tiger stripes on their helmets, for God’s sake. Their website shows the Bomb Squad as a team of superheroes uh… partying? And their tailgates feature a full bar, a secret cooking competition, “Paul Brown Cider,” “Bengal Bombs” and face paint for the kids. That, uh… actually all sounds pretty great.
***
NL Rookie of Year announced tonight
Finalists
Todd Frazier, Cincinnati
.273, 19 HR, 67 RBI, .331 OBP, .498 SLG, .829 OPS
Hit .305-8-32 when Votto was injured.
6 for 12 .500 as a PH.
Made 36 starts at 1B, 66 at 3B and 7 in OF.
Reached base 30 consecutive games in a stretch during season.
Hit in six different spots in batting order.
.245 w/RISP
Slumped late: .176-1-5 in 81 September plate appearances
WAR: 1.9
Ringolsby: Frazier versatility sets him apart from NL rookies.
Wade Miley, LHP, Arizona
16-11 3.33, 1.18 WHIP, 144 K, 37 BB, .255 BAA in 194.2 innings.
18 quality starts, NL All-Star.
6th NL wins, Top 10 NL ERA
5th NL rookie to win at least 16 games over last 40 years (Elias)
Tied for most wins by rookie in '12: Yu Darvish
K/BB ratio 10th in MLB, 1st among rookies
1st among rookies: Wins, ERA, win %, innings, K
September: 2-2 5.40
WAR: 3.2
Bryce Harper, Washington
.270, 22 HR, 59 RBI, .340 OBP, .477 SLG, .817 OPS
26 2B, 9 3B, 18 SB
.284 w/RISP
September: .330-7-14, 1.043 OPS
WAR: 5.0
Castrovince: Why Harper deserves NL Rookie of Year---Only one other teenager (Tony Conigliario, in 1964) hit more home runs in a single season. Only one other teenager (Buddy Lewis, '36) scored more runs. Only one other teenager (Ty Cobb, '06) stole more bases. Only one other teenager (Rusty Staub, '63) drew more walks. Only two other teenagers (Mel Ott in '28, Conigliaro in '64) posted a higher OPS.
***
Flashback
***
Bengals
See you tonight for Bengals Line at the Holy Grail.
Join me, Lap and the players for food, fun, football, autographs and prizes.
What they are saying
Next up Kansas City
The Chiefs have not had the lead in regulation this season, a span of eight consecutive games and 480 minutes of football. The Chiefs only lead came September 23, when they beat the Saints in overtime.
Chiefs on verge of historic futility
KC Star
Such futility went unmatched in the NFL for 83 years. Until now.
Your 2012 Kansas City Chiefs will own the dubious distinction alone — nine full games without a lead in regulation — unless they can jump ahead at any point in Monday night’s game against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. If the Chiefs don’t take a lead, the Bisons, and coach Al Jolley, will be erased from the record book.
Newsday: The Giants had all kinds of harbingers, omens and trends to battle besides the Bengals (4-5). They had never won in Cincinnati, a streak that has reached six games. Their November record under Coughlin is 13-21, including losses in the last five. They were one of the top teams in the NFL at winning heading into the bye, but not even that statistical life preserver could save them Sunday.
Fox Sports Ohio: For the Bengals, 4-5 never looked so good. Timing isn't everything in the NFL, but timing matters. The Bengals caught a tired, struggling Giants team that badly needs its bye next weekend. Now, the Bengals play the hapless Chiefs on the road and host the Raiders in their next two games. See where this is going?
USA Today: "It's unbelievable. That's the most disappointing loss I think I've ever been a part of," Umenyiora told USA TODAY Sports. "I mean, they played well; Cincinnati played well. But we had a lot of stake in this particular instance and to come out here and play the way we played, there's no way we should've played like that. It was a terrible loss for us — a terrible loss. We've got to have a lot more pride than that."
Associated Press: A.J. Green was partly correct. The defending Super Bowl champions do have a lot of holes on the defense. And everywhere else, it turns out.
ESPN New York: The New York Giants are officially on their bye week now, but their offense went into bye week mode a long time ago. The champs were smashed by the Bengals 31-13.
Clark Judge, CBS Sports: 20. Yep, it was Cincinnati's A.J. Green who said, "I feel like [the Giants] have got a lot of holes in their defense" ... and that was before the game. People scoffed, but not anymore. I'm consulting him for stock tips.
AFC North/ESPN What it means: In their first win over a team with a winning record in more than a year, the Bengals (4-5) ended their four-game losing streak and keep their faint playoff hopes alive. They did so in impressive style against the reeling defending Super Bowl champion Giants (6-4). Cincinnati cracked 30 points for the first time since its Sept. 23 win at Washington. This was the Bengals' second win in five home games this season.
Geoff Hobson: The Bengals drove a ton of demons out of PBS. It was their first win since Sept. 30, the first victory over a winning team in eight games since last year's Nov. 6 victory in Tennessee, and their first win over a Super Bowl winning quarterback in 11 tries.
Joe Reedy: The Bengals began the second half of the season in a most unexpected way – with their best performance of the season.The Bengals began the second half of the season in a most unexpected way – with their best performance of the season.
Paul Dehner, Jr: Going forward: Bengals -- The playoff picture looks rosier for Cincinnati. Riding the wave of Sunday's blowout win they travel to dreadful Kansas City then host struggling Oakland and Carson Palmer. A three-game win streak and 6-5 record seems within reach.
Hoard: Dominant D-Line makes a statement
CBS Sports: Bengals B+ Big-time performance from their defensive line as they picked up 3 1/2 sacks on Manning. Dalton made some very nice throws and picked up four touchdowns. Having guys like Mohamed Sanu and Andrew Hawkins keep stepping up will be critical for the Bengals down the stretch.
Opening observations before I watch it again
Bengals 31 Giants 13
*Well, I tweeted prior to the game the Bengals would win. But never expected that.
*Easily best all-around performance of the season.
*Next up Kansas City and a chance to get to 5-5 with 6 games remaining.
*The pregame flyover was unreal....and a little scary. It was coming right at us in section 308.
*First win over team with winning record since November last year at Tennessee.
*Bengals beat defending SB champs by 18 and callers to postgame show doubt, reject and/or second guess the win. Classic. Never have figured out fans that criticize the losses and criticize the wins. Can't imagine being that miserable.
Offense
*How about the OL? Was Andy touched?
*Career high 4 TD passes to 4 different guys
*Loved the early no-huddle and red zone/3rd down TD's
*3 scoring drives started in NYG redzone?: 11, 12 and 16 yard line.
*Big tone settter on 5th play when Andy had a beauty of play fake, rolled right and found Green wide open for TD.
*Andy targeted AJ on first five passes of game.
*AJ 7 catches on 10 targets....TD 8 straight games. Did he have 2nd half catch?
*What a leaping grab by Gresham in back of endzone.
*What a one hand grab by Hawkins for TD...he should have had 2 TD.
*Nice job by WR core positioning and fighting for the ball.
*Sanu has some nice hands.
*Liked the carries for Peerman. Season: 13 carries 108 yards (8.0).
*Sorry, BJGE just keeps getting little out of something.
*BJGE had a long of 7 yards, last week he long was 6. He just seems slow to holes.
*14 points in 1st quarter and 14 points in 3rd quarter.
*Just 2nd time in 48 games scored 2 TD in 1st QT (per Fox)
Defense
*How about the DL? 4 sacks/8 QB hits and plenty of pressure.
*4 takaways...the game is so much easier with turnovers.
*Best job this season of pursuing as a group, wrapping and bringing down.
*Longest pass completion: 16 yards.
*16 players had at least 2 combined tackles, 6 had at least 5 combined tackles.
*Forced 3 & out after Bengals 1st 2 TD's.
*Loved FG hold after Tate fumbled punt and NYG took over at Bengals 27, down 14-0.
*Loved 3 & out coming out of half.
*Big Jones FR after Dunlap knocked loose with NYG at Bengals 27.
*Carlos Dunlap was all over the place: 5 TKL, 1.5 SK, 1 TFL, 1 FR, 3 QB hits. Had gone 4 weeks w/o sack.
*Big MJ tipped pass and Sims INT.
*Wallace Gilberry keeps makes plays.
*Welcome back Pat Sims.
*Back to back strong performances from Rey.
*Did allow 6.5 yds per carry...20 for 129....but most was in garbage time.
Special teams
*Huge bobbing and weaving 68-yard return by Adam Jones...what moves. Why did Tate return next one?
*Huber 2 more punts inside 20....that's 18 for the season. Opponents: 7.
*73 yard swing on punt. Weatherford punted out of bounds at Bengals 16, penalty Giants, re-kick Jones returns to Giants 11 yard line.
*Excellent KR coverage: Giants started at 20, 12, 18, 26, 18, 22 on 6 kickoffs...average start: 19.3.
***
Photos from Sunday
Casey is all smiles as he prepares to watch his favorite player, Eli Manning.
2 tickets to Bengals-Giants=$126
Parking at Fountain Square=$10
Peanuts and bottled water outside stadium=$5
Watching Bengals hammer Casey's Giants=priceless
Not sure which Batman movie this is from, but here is a Batmobile on display at PBS.
A Danny Kanell jersey? Really?
How about this hair cut by the kid in front of us in 308? Nice.
****
Stuff
College basketball
Bearcats roll over UT Martin, Musketeers dominate in opener, Kentucky outlasts Maryland.
Building a bridge to a blowout: Thomas More 75 Mt St Joe 6
Holy!: Did you see that punch that KO'd Rich Franklin?
VIDEO: Story of the weekend: ESPN's Tom Rinaldi featured Clemson walk-on WR Daniel Rodriguez. Rodriquez served nearly two years in in Iraq and then a year-long tour in Afghanistan. He fought in the Battle of Kamdesh on Oct. 3, 2009. Rodriguez was one of 22 American soldiers wounded in that battle. He was awarded a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal for valor.
***
Listener photos
From Steve
The four of us (Matt, Steve, Zach, and Todd) live down in Atlanta and work for Delta so we made the trek up to Philadelphia for the Cincy/Temple game last Saturday.
