UC football


Tuberville Names Eddie Gran Offensive Coordinator
CINCINNATI – Former University of Cincinnati assistant coach Eddie Gran will return to Clifton as the Bearcats offensive coordinator, head coach Tommy Tuberville announced Thursday.
He served as UC’s wide receivers coach from 1992-93.
Gran is wrapping up his 26th season of collegiate coaching and his third season at Florida State, where he serves as associate head coach, tutoring the running backs and coordinating special teams.
In 2012, Gran’s coaching and position group responsibilities helped lead the Seminoles to their first ACC Championship since 2005, first 11-win season since 2000 and ninth Orange Bowl appearance. Gran will coach the Seminoles in the Orange Bowl against Northern Illinois before joining the Bearcats.
“I’m pleased and excited Eddie has agreed to join us here in Cincinnati,” Tuberville said. “We have a lot of history together and have won a lot of football games at Auburn and Mississippi. He’s has proven himself to be a great coach and outstanding recruiter. He knows this area well from his previous coaching stop here so it was a natural fit.”
Gran's 26 seasons in the college ranks includes stops from coast-to-coast. It began at his alma mater Cal Lutheran, where he played four seasons as a wide receiver. He spent 15 seasons as a running backs coach and special teams coordinator in the SEC, including 10 years at Auburn, followed by a stop at Tennessee before coming to Florida State in 2010.
He has also established himself as one of the nation's top recruiters. He has spent the better part of two decades recruiting Miami and greater South Florida as his primary territory. He helped the Seminoles attract the nation's No. 1 recruiting class in 2011 and was named one of ESPN.com's Top 25 Recruiters of the Year in 2011.
Gran has a strong record for developing backfield talent. During his 14 seasons as the assistant to Coach Tuberville at Ole Miss and Auburn, he sent eight running backs to the NFL, including former Tigers Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, Rudi Johnson, Brandon Jacobs, Heath Evans and Kenny Irons. They were preceded by former Rebels Deuce McCallister and John Avery. Rest of release from UC. Bio. Cool feature on Eddie Gran

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College
Big East basketball-only schools to split
NY Post
Sources said those basketball-centric schools will look to link up with teams from the Atlantic 10 - such as Butler Dayton, St. Louis and Xavier. Whether that comes in the form of a super conference with 21 teams - the seven Big East schools and the 14 A-10 schools, is unclear.
A source said the Big East was leaning towards a second option - adding schools. It wants to return to its days as a 10-12 school conference with a homogenous membership headlined by elite basketball programs in urban markets.
What is certain is that programs such as Temple, which is set to join the Big East in basketball next season, Cincinnati, Connecticut and South Florida, are in terrible limbo.
Key issues emerge as Big East Catholic schools prepare to break away
SI
Who will be added?
The seven schools will have to decide whether they want to consider UConn and Cincinnati, two powerhouse hoops programs. The downside to those is that the Catholic schools have been disappointed in how they've publicly lobbied to leave the Big East. And their inclusion likely wouldn't last long, as they'd jump at the first offer of another conference in order to improve their lot in football. Simply put, inviting those schools would be inviting the problems the conference is attempting to leave.
Temple could be a different story if the Big East breaks up and it ends up in another league for football. Perhaps the league would consider the Owls on a dual-membership basis, although Villanova would likely object.
For now, the Xavier, Butler, Dayton, St. Louis and Creighton are the leaders in the clubhouse. But that's far from settled, and there's plenty more options to discuss.

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Show preview
No show: Bengals vs Eagles

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Reds

Fay: Jocketty on the signing, Rolen's future


Reds announce signing of Hannahan
CINCINNATI - Cincinnati Reds President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Walt Jocketty today announced the signing of free agent IF Jack Hannahan to a 2-year contract through the 2014 season with a club option for 2015.
          "Jack is known for being a great teammate and a clubhouse leader everywhere he's been," Jocketty said. "He's very good defensively and is capable of playing any infield position. We think he was the best utility player out there."
          Hannahan, 32, in 105 appearances for the Cleveland Indians last season hit .244 with 16 doubles, 4 HR and 29 RBI despite a minor back injury that limited his playing time.
            In his career, Hannahan has appeared in 451 games at 3B, 39 games at 1B, 9 games at SS and 1 game at 2B for the Indians, Detroit Tigers, Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners.

Griffey Sr stays put
With all the minor league managerial shuffling announced by the Reds, I've been asked about the status of Ken Griffey Sr. I'm told he will be managing High-A Bakersfield again this season. The Reds really like Sr there because they feel he has the right temperament and rapport with the kids. Bakersfield is a tough spot.
It is the only Reds affiliate out west, they play in the middle of Dodger territory, they don't get much fan support and don't have the best of facilities. I still remember the radio voice of the Blaze telling me how impressed he was with Sr never complaining about the situation and always spinning the positives to the players. The Blaze did announce plans last month for a new stadium.

Did you miss him?


Drew Stubbs joined me last night on Sports Talk. He talked about how he learned of the trade, what it's like leaving the organization that drafted him, what went wrong, his future in Cleveland and dealing with the criticism and boos in Cincinnati.

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Reds
Does Choo trade make Reds favorite in Central?
St Louis Post Dispatch
The question posed Wednesday morning on Twitter was whether the trade the Cincinnati Reds completed for outfielder Shin-Soo Chooon Tuesday made them the favorite to repeat as division champ in the National League Central.
It's a bit of a trick question. They probably already were.

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Big trouble for Big East
Source: 7 Catholic schools leaning towards leaving Big East
ESPN
The presidents of the Big East's seven Catholic, non-Football Bowl Subdivision schools are expected to decide on their future in the Big East in the coming days, and it "would be an upset" if they remained in the league, sources told ESPN.
Big East Catholics could announce split soon
Providence Journal
The seven Catholic, or basketball, schools will target three schools to join them in a 10-team league. Xavier, Dayton and Butler are the leading candidates. Each now resides in the Atlantic 10 but would be very interested in joining a league with Midwest regional rivals like Marquette and DePaul and an opportunity to come East and play Georgetown, St. John's and Villanova instead of George Washington, Fordham and La Salle.
Big East in a state of perplexity
CBS Sports
"We have no clue what's going to happen," said one Big East head coach. "And there's nothing we can do about it."
"The landscape is changing," another told CBSSports.com. "And nobody has the answer.

Mike DeCourcy rankes the 35 greatest moments in NCAA tournament history.

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Bengals
Bengals should be too muich for Eagles
Sporting News
The Bengals have everything going for them on paper. They have shown just how good they can be, and before losing to the Cowboys, Cincinnati soundly beat the Redskins and Giants from the NFC East. If they can clean up a few things against the Eagles, it should be enough to finish 3-1 on the season against that tough division. The pick: Bengals 27, Eagles 20.
Every game crucial for Bengals
AP
Three victories — or only two if they’re against Pittsburgh and Baltimore — guarantee the Bengals their second straight playoff appearance for the first time since 1981-82. They lost to Houston 31-10 in a wild-card game last January.

Big John and he Bengals Bomb Squad

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Stuff

Yikes: How Maurice Clarett Lost His Way, Bombed Out Of The NFL, Planned A Murder, Missed An Exit, And Found Himself (And Warren Buffett) In Prison

107-2 girls basketball game attracts national media, questions of sportsmanship


(Robin Marchant/WireImages)
TLC launches Pete Rose reality show
NY Daily News
Pete Rose, whose spectacular hitting on a baseball diamond was sometimes matched by his errors off the field, moves into a new game next month when he stars in a TLC reality show.
“Pete Rose: Hits and Mrs.,” will follow the current life of Rose, who is baseball’s all-time career hit leader and is also banned from baseball for life because he bet on games.
MJ takes to the court

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Reds Hall of Fame announces Legacy Brick Campaign

Purchase a personalized brick to support the Hall of Fame’s statue project
CINCINNATI (Dec. 12, 2012) — The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame & Museum is offering fans the opportunity to build their own legacy at Great American Ball Park and support the museum’s statue projects by sponsoring a new personalized brick paver at the entrance to the museum.  
The Legacy Brick Campaign includes a limited number bricks outside Great American Ball Park. Upon ordering, you can choose from the following locations:
• At the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum entrance
• Surrounding the Johnny Bench statue near the Hall’s entrance
• Surrounding the forthcoming Joe Morgan statue (to be dedicated in Sept. 2013 and location to be determined)
Proceeds from the Legacy Brick Campaign will support the Hall of Fame’s efforts to preserve and promote Reds history and the creation of statues of Reds legends around the ballpark, beginning with Joe Morgan’s which is  scheduled for unveiling during the 2013 baseball season.
“For everyone, attending a game at the ballpark has a special meaning and is a place where memories are made and families and friends connect,” said Rick Walls, Reds Hall of Fame and Museum executive director.  “Participating in the brick campaign will allow fans to celebrate an important day or moment, recognize a special person in their life, or record a memory, while at the same time support a worthy cause.”
Personalized bricks are available in two sizes, 4”x8” and 8”x8”, with prices beginning at $150.
A brick sponsorship includes an installed legacy brick, a complimentary replica brick with affixed commemorative plaque and an individually numbered keepsake certificate suitable for framing. Shipping is included to the 48 contiguous United States (excludes HI and AK).
Bricks can be ordered online at RedsMuseum.org or by calling 1-855-FAN-BRIX.  
The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is a 501(c)(3) organization and therefore a portion of your contribution may be tax-deductible as allowable by law.  
Installation of bricks at the Hall entrance and Johnny Bench statue are currently scheduled for July. The bricks around the Morgan statue will be installed in September.