Bengals
Nick Lachey kicked out of Bengals-Chargers
FromTMZ
Nick Lachey-- a HUGE Cincinnati Bengals fan -- was escorted out of the stands at the San Diego Chargers football game this weekend .. after security decided his TRASH TALK crossed the line.
Photo gallery from Sunday
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Xavier
CINCINNATI --- Freshman Semaj Christon (Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods HS/Brewster Acad. [N.H.]) has earned Atlantic 10 Conference Rookie of the Week honors for the second straight week.
Christon had a tremendous game on Saturday at Purdue in his first true road game as a Musketeer. Christon had a career-high 25 points on 8-of-12 from the field and 8-of-8 from the free throw line to go with four assists, four rebounds and three steals and was the only player on either team to play all 40 minutes.
Christon leads Xavier, 6-1, in scoring at 16.0 ppg. and assists at 6.2 apg. Xavier hasn’t had a freshman lead the team in scoring for an entire season since Stanley Burrell (12.7 ppg.) in the 2004-05 season. He is bidding to become the first freshman to lead Xavier in assists since Dedrick Finn at 4.3 apg. in the 2002-03 season.
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UC football
Belk Bowl ranked 25th of 35 bowl games
Ranking college football programs this year: UC 39, Purdue 70, Colorado 115
Butch Jones: Representing another "C"?
(Getty Images)
Jones hiring hinges on Colorado sealing the deal
Woody Paige, Denver Post
If Colorado can sell its football vision, the university, Boulder and the Flatirons to Butch Jones on Monday, he will become the Buffaloes' football coach Tuesday.
CU coaching search: Comparing Colorado to Purdue for Butch Jones
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Bengals Line: Monday, 6-9pm
Special guests:
Bengals
NFL playoff picture
Sunday the Colts (4 point underdog) rallied from a 10 point road deficit to beat the Lions on the final play. The Steelers (7.5 point underdog) won in Baltimore, with Charlie Batch at QB. A day that began with hopes of the Bengals gaining ground, turned into a day of them simply maintaining.
Division Leaders
*Texans 11-1
*Patriots 9-3
Ravens 9-3
*Broncos 9-3
Wildcard
Colts 8-4
Steelers 7-5
In The Hunt
Bengals 7-5
Jets 5-7
Bills 5-7
Dolphins 5-7
*Clinched playoff spot
What's left
Bengals: Dallas, at Philadelphia, at Pittsburgh, Baltimore
Ravens: at Washington, Denver, NYG, at Cincinnati
Steelers: SD, at Dallas, Cincinnati, Cleveland
Colts: Tennessee, at Houston, at Kansas City, Houston
Up next: Dallas
Cowboys beat Eagles, stay alive in playoff hunt
NFL.com
Romo threw three second-half touchdown passes to answer a strong game by Philadelphia's rookie duo of Bryce Brown and Nick Foles, and the Cowboys sent the Eagles to their eighth straight loss with a 38-33 victory Sunday night.
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Reds
Could Fowler for Bailey heat up at Winter Meetings?
Fox Sports
Both players are coming off career-best seasons. Rival teams have said the asking price is exceedingly high for Fowler, the switch-hitting center fielder who amassed an .863 OPS this year. Bailey inched closer to his considerable potential this year, making 33 starts and surpassing the 200-inning mark for the first time while cutting his ERA to 3.68.
Thoughts Dexter Fowler
I like him for Mike Leake. I really, really don't like him for Homer Bailey.
He has warts. He's Coors reliant, he's not the glove of Stubbs, he Ks' a lot, but he's trending up and he's under contract control.
Age: 27, switch-hitter, '12 salary $2.35M
2012: .300/.389/.474/.863
'12: 18 2B, 11 3B, 13 HR, 72 R, 12 SB, 7 bunt hits.
Career: .271/.364/.427/.791
Career: Home: .295/.395/.487/.882.....Road: .248/.331/.367/.698
vs RHP .263/.356, vs LHP .289/.380
K totals last four years 2012-2009: 128, 130, 104, 116
Contract: Rockies control through 2015, 3 arbitration remaining--should get around $4.5M for '13.
Rockies need starting pitching.
Career stats.
Crasnick: Rockies unlikely to deal Fowler.
Trending up: Last three years 2010-2012
BA: .260, .266, .300
OBP: .347, .363, .389
SLG: .410, .432, .474
OPS: .757, .796, .863
Due to come back to pack?
His BABIP (Batting average balls in play) jumped from .354 in '11 to .390 in '12.
Stone hands?
Average/below average as defensive CF. Errors: 8 in '11, 6 in '12.
Reds speculation continues at Winter Meetings
Mark Sheldon, MLB.com
Jocketty and his inner circle of advisors and scouts will continue to look for upgrades, mostly centered on the leadoff spot in the lineup. The Reds also have needs for a left fielder and help on the bench. The club already addressed its goal of getting a new closer when Jonathan Broxton signed a three-year, $21 million contract on Wednesday.
Five years later Hamilton's future up for grabs
CBS Sports
But the Reds went 72-90 that summer, finished fifth in the NL Central and badly needed to improve their starting pitching. "I wasn't looking to trade Josh Hamilton," Krivsky says of the last time Nashville hosted the winter meetings in December 2007. "If anyone was interested in him, they had to be willing to part with a young starter with a high ceiling. "That was the only way I was going to entertain trading Josh."
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Day one for UK coach Mark Stoops
Not a bad weekend
Bengals rally on road to make it four straight wins
Bearcats beat UConn to clinch share Big East football
Bearcats invited to Belk Bowl vs Duke
Bearcats beat Alabama on a Cashmere Wright buzzer beater
Xavier goes to Purdue at beats the Boilermakers
Moeller, Highlands, Clinton Massie and New Catch win state titles in football.
Crosstown Classic: Xavier women beat UC women in double OT.
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Bengals: Opening observations
Bengals 20 Chargers 13
Huuuuge win.....West Coast, 4-row, 7-5.
2 teams ahead Bengals (Steelers/Colts) and 2 teams behind (Jets/Bills) won.
Bengals teams of the "past" don't win that one.
Outscored 10-0 in 4th.
How often do you see a quarter with one possession for each team?
Win, on row, with 3 turnovers.
Injuries: Peeerman, Sanu and Dre.
Offense
Opening TD drive of 16 plays, 91 yards? Longest year. Wow. 5 diff caught passes, converted 3rd downs and a 4th down.
Strike first/fast: Opening drive TD 3 last 4 games.
4th QT comeback for Dalton...nice dive for TD.
Andy's 4th pick six....and 5th pick six by SD of their 10 picks. Wow.
Andy's 1st pick in 107 attempts.
Andy's 5th 4thQT comeback, 1st since Week 11 '11 vs Cleveland.
Go-ahead drive: Bengals convert three 3rd downs...14 plays/70 yards.
Oh Andy missed some throws..had AJ for TD.
3rd good again: 7 of 14.
BJGE 3 straight 100+ yd days...1st time since Dillon '99.
Gresh TD, but killer penalty and fumble.
Great to have Hawk back.
Whalen with a catch...had just 1 target/1 catch previous 3 weeks.
Killer tip/pick that Marvin Jones has to catch...but he blocked his rear off.
Loved the end around/throwback: Hawk-Dalton-Jones.
Struggled to start 2nd half, with starts at own 40,37,44,45-INT, F, P, P.
Defense
No TD allowed, 2 4th QT takeaways.
Big Newman/Burfict stop before half to force FG.
No pressure early w/ Rivers throwing screens and short passes.
Reggie Nelson the sealing pick.
4 weeks row with 4 sacks.
How about Dunlap? 2 sacks, 2 FF, 2 FR.
Gilberry a sack.
Big 3 and out to begin 2nd half after SD FG to end half.
Special teams
I just don't get Tate. They could kick into first row of seats and he'd bring it out.
Tate muffs opening kick and Bengals start at 9-yard line.
Lawson block in back wiped out big Jones return.
Cheerleaders
How impressive were the Charger Girls?
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What they are saying:
King: 12. Cincinnati (7-5). Just saying you don't want to be playing the Bengals right now. Three straight wins by an average of 21 entering the game at San Diego Sunday, then a 16-play, 91-yard drive to open that game, taking half of the first quarter. They can play defense, and they have a variety of ways to score.
Reedy: This was a game that for most of it had all the earmarks of a loss. The Bengals were struggling on offense and kept shooting themselves in the foot with stupid penalties and turnovers. However, they got the key scoring drive when they needed it the most.
Hobson: Improvisation and resiliency produced quarterback Andy Dalton's six-yard diving touchdown run that won the game for the Bengals on Sunday and became the face of the rather unglamorous but resourceful and revealing 20-13 victory over the Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium.
Twitter: Bengals might win that division now/Pete Prisco (@PriscoCBS), NFL writer
How about this postgame handshake between Tomlin and Harbaugh?
ESPN: What it means: The Bengals (7-5) kept pace in the AFC playoff race with their fourth straight win. Cincinnati remains tied with Pittsburgh for the sixth and final playoff spot in the AFC. Like the Steelers, the Bengals closed to within two games of the AFC North-leading Ravens (9-3) with four weeks remaining. The Chargers (4-8) lost for the fourth straight time.
CBS Sports: B- Cincinnati went on the road and won, which is great, but it wasn't a great win, you know? Benjarvus Green-Ellis ran really well, but Andy Dalton made some serious mistakes during this game. Fortunately for the Bengals, the Chargers (and the Cincy defense) was completely willing to bail out the offense in this one.
Hoard: Leave it to Jay Gruden to invent a word to describe the Bengals 20-13 win in San Diego. “It was a ‘grindy’ game,” said the Bengals offensive coordinator.
Grind + ugly = grindy.
Union Tribune: It’s like Norv Turner said last night, not for the first time over the past few weeks, at some point it just doesn’t matter what you’re doing or what you’re trying. You are what you are.The Chargers are losers.
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UC football
Bearcats bound for Belk Bowl
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati football team has accepted a bid to play Duke University in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 27, 2012 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The game will kickoff at 6:30 p.m. ET and air on ESPN.
"We are pleased to accept a bid to the Belk Bowl," head coach Butch Jones said. "We are excited by the prospect of a great number of Cincinnati fans being the team behind the team and helping us celebrate the holiday season in Charlotte.”
In addition to the game, the Belk Bowl FanFest will feature a free concert with Lady Antebellum outside the stadium prior to kickoff.
Tickets are on sale now at CATSTIX.com and are available at three pricing levels. Tickets are priced at $50 for upper level seats, $75 for lower endzone, $85 for lower sideline and $100 for club seats.
The Bearcats and Blue Devils have never met on the gridiron despite being two of the older programs in college football. UC (1885) is celebrating its 125th season of football while Duke (6-6, 3-5 ACC) has been playing since 1895.
Belk Bowl website
Date: December 27, 2012
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location: Charlotte, N.C.
Stadium: Bank of America Stadium (Video: Take tour of stadium)
Founded: 2002
Payout: $1.7 million per school minimum
Teams: ACC vs. Big East
Title Sponsor: Belk
Television: ESPN
Attendance: 60,000 fans on average
TV Viewership: 25 million households
Charlotte info:
Distance from Cincinnati 479 miles
Average December temps: High 53, Low 32
Report: Jones visits Purdue, next stop Colorado
My thoughts
I'll stick with what I said Friday night: I would stay at UC, wait, coach and recruit.
I'd sign an extension, get more money and score some loyalty points with fans for not leaving. I'd wait to see what happens with realignment. I trust my recruiting.
I think he can win at UC and in Big East again next year. Perhaps UC gets into ACC, if they don't, he is still going to have opportunities after next season. Sure, the Big 10 has stability, and sure Purdue offers a better stadium and support, but what else does Purdue offer him? I'm not leaving UC for the 7-8-9th best job in the Big 10. Let's be honest, if he leaves UC for the Purdue job it shows you just how grim the future of UC football really is.
PS: It's UC vs Purdue at Nippert to open next season.
12:02pm Sunday
Cincy coach Butch Jones (left) arrives at Purdue to interview for its open head coaching position. pic.twitter.com/sdwVuGzQ
GoldandBlack.com @GoldandBlackcom
Video/story from Journal and Courier
Butch Jones top target for Colorado
Denver Post
"Coach Jones' offense is really hard to go against," said Broncos rookie defensive tackle Derek Wolfe, who played at Cincinnati. "You don't know what they're going to do because they do so many misdirection things. A play might look like it's going to be pass, and the next thing you know they're running power. It's nuts. There's a lot of stuff for defenses to prepare for."
Ranking the Big 10 coaching jobs
ESPN
9. Purdue: It's a very close call between Purdue and Minnesota, but the Boilers get the nod. Purdue has a stronger recent track record, and while both programs face recruiting challenges, Purdue is more centrally located. Like Illinois, Purdue fights the "basketball school" stigma, although Joe Tiller made this a more appealing job with his successful tenure.
Butch Jones: Comparing Purdue and Colorado
Journal and Courier
Football budgets:
Purdue: $19.2 million in revenue. $13.8 million in expenses.
Colorado: $24.2 million in revenue. $14.2 million in expenses.
Cincinnati: $15.2 million in revenue. $12.5 million in expenses
Hope firing came down to numbers
The Exponent
“We’ve lost a third of the fan base … but we can’t do what we need to do, resource-wise, with losing a third of the fan base, okay?” Burke said.
Purdue is approximately $1.5 million behind its projected ticket sales numbers.
Purdue is at the bottom of the Big Ten, paying the full coaching staff $2.5 million per year.
Looking at Purdue football
2012: 6-6
2011: 7-6
2010: 4-8
2009: 5-7
2008: 4-8
Last Big 10 title: 2000
Last 9 win season: 2003
Recent bowls: UC/PU
Purdue
2006 Champs Sports Bowl (L 24-7 Maryland)
2007 Motor City Bowl (W 51-48 Central Michigan)
2011 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (W 37-32 Western Michigan)
2012 TBA
Cincinnati
2007 International Bowl (W 27-24 Western Michigan)
2007 PapaJohns.com Bowl (W 31-21 Southern Miss)
2009 Orange Bowl (L 20-7 Virginia Tech)
2010 Sugar Bowl (L 51-24 Florida)
2011 Liberty Bowl (W 31-24 Vanderbilt)
2012 TBA
Stadium
Ross-Ade Stadium capacity: 62,500
Attendance 2012: 43,588
Review of Ross-Ade Stadium
ESPN: Ranking the Big 10 stadiums: #11 Ross-Ade
Shively Stadium Club
Buchanan Club
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Bengals
Check out the new AJ Green t-shirt from Josh Sneed and the gang at CincyShirts.com. TODAY (Sunday), the shirt is only $18.
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Listener photos
From Patrick: Here I am with my father Mike & our Charger buddy Jim at Bengals Chargers!!!
Listener Kenny and his son in San Diego:
