“Reds Collegiate Invitational”
(UC Athletic Director Whit Babcock, UC baseball coach Brian Cleary, Cinicinnati Reds C.O.O. Phil Castellini)
CINCINNATI (Feb. 8, 2013) — The Cincinnati Reds announced the inaugural “Reds Collegiate Invitational” will feature the University of Cincinnati and University of Louisville baseball teams playing at Great American Ball Park on Sat., April 6, 2013.
The UC vs. UofL BIG EAST Conference matchup will begin 30 minutes after the Reds vs. Washington Nationals game at 1:10 p.m., marking the first NCAA game played at Great American Ball Park since opening in 2003.
The announcement was made Friday evening by Reds COO Phil Castellini, UC Director of Athletics Whit Babcock and UC baseball head coach Brian Cleary in the Riverfront Club at GABP during UC Baseball’s First Pitch Reception, a UCATS Diamond Club fundraising banquet benefiting the Bearcats baseball program.
“The University of Cincinnati and University of Louisville are two fine universities representing Reds Country and it’s important to our organization that we foster baseball at all levels including supporting local colleges,” said Phil Castellini, Reds Chief Operating Officer. “We are proud to be hosting UC and UofL for the first ever college game at Great American Ball Park.”
“The opportunity for our students, fans, and alumni to see our baseball team play at Great American Ball Park is special,” said University of Cincinnati Director of Athletics Whit Babcock. “It is a reward for our student-athletes, a great recruiting tool and shows the region that UC is fully committed to excellence in not only football and men’s basketball, but our Olympic sports as well. We want the UC brand aligned with the Reds brand in this city. We’re proud of that. We’re grateful to the Castellini family and Hamilton County for allowing us the opportunity to showcase our baseball program in such an outstanding venue.”
“This is another example of the commitment by Reds ownership to the greater Cincinnati community,” said Brian Cleary, UC baseball head coach. “Our players are excited about the opportunity to play a heated rival in a major-league venue. This is a significant event in the development of UC baseball as we will have an opportunity to introduce our program and college baseball to an even greater number of people. I know that all associated with this game are anxious to play in front of as many baseball fans as possible. Our community can make this a game that is noticed across the nation.”
Fans who purchase tickets to the Reds vs. Nationals game can stay and watch the Bearcats face the Cardinals.
For those interested in attending only the UC vs. Louisville game, tickets will be available for $5 at the Reds Box Office beginning in the eighth inning of the Reds vs. Nationals game, subject to availability.
Show preview
6:05, Sports Talk
Guests
Brian Cleary, UC baseball/Phil Castellini C.O.O Reds
Topics
6:05
UC hoops...where do they stand 36 days from Selection Sunday
Reds.........with pitchers/catcher about to report what how did Walt do this offseason?
7:05, The Unusual: In honor of the Super Bowl power outage, the most unusual things you've seen happen during a game.
8:05, Sports Grammys: Best TV sports intros all-time. Wide World of Sports?
Podcast: Randy Slack and Lindsay Patterson
OSU Spring Game Tickets
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Tickets for Ohio State’s 2013 LIFESports Spring Game, presented by Nationwide and set for April 13 at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, will go on sale March 1. Prices for the 1 p.m. game will be $18 for club seats, $12 for general reserved seats and $5 for ages 2-6 with children under the age of 2 admitted free.
All seats are reserved seats. Fans interested in purchasing tickets can do so starting March 1 online at OhioStateBuckeyes.com, charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000, in person at the Athletics Ticket Office in the Schottenstein Center, or at any Ticketmaster location.
Ohio State students will receive free admission in designated student sections. Specific details will be communicated directly to students by March 1.
Ohio Stadium is under renovation, prompting the change of venue for the spring game. Paul Brown Stadium opened in 2000 and has a seating capacity of 66,319, including 7,600 club seats.
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Kerry Coombs Named OSU Special Teams Coordinator
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State University cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs has been named the team’s special teams coordinator. Head coach Urban Meyer announced the promotion of Coombs today.
“Kerry Coombs is an excellent coach who has a great deal of experience and expertise with special teams,” Meyer said. “He is an outstanding teacher, an excellent motivator and he has a true passion for special teams.”
Coombs is in his 31st year of coaching, including his seventh on the collegiate level. Prior to his position at Ohio State, he spent five years at the University of Cincinnati and he was the special teams coordinator for three seasons, from 2009-11.
“I am incredibly excited and honored to be given the responsibility of special teams coordinator,” Coombs said. “The special teams have always been a part of the game that I have enjoyed coaching. These plays are so critical to the success of a team, and they can really swing momentum. I look forward to having an increased role in the development of them.”
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Cool event Sunday
Mitch's Mission: Playdate with the Bearcats
Playdate is a family fun event that includes swimming, rock-climbing, basketball, games, food, a raffle and hanging out with UC Athletes.
$15/person $50/family. All proceeds go to Mitch's Mission, a nonprofit organization that sends pediatric cancer and blood disease patients from Cincinnati Children's Hospital to summer camp. This year's Playdate with the Bearcats is scheduled for next Sunday, Feb. 10th from 2 to 5pm at the UC Rec Center.
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The unusual
In honor of the Super Bowl power outage we will remember the strange, bizzare and unusual in sports. The things that actually happened during games. Like this:
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Did you miss him?
Urban Meyer joined me last night. He discussed his 2013 recruiting class, the spring game at PBS, his declaration to "smother" and "own" the city of Cincinnati and his love for Reds baseball. Interview at 14:25 of podcast:
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College basketball
Big East power rankings
ESPN
8. Cincinnati. It really wasn’t a surprise that the Bearcats lost to Providence. They’d been playing with fire for weeks, starting against Rutgers and blowing a 20-point lead against Seton Hall. The problem is Cincinnati’s once-prolific offense has hit the skids. In the last four game, the Bearcats are averaging only 58 points. Points will be tough to come by in their next one, at Pitt.
Hoard: The coaching life takes a toll
Atlantic 10 chaos
The Sporting News
There are five Atlantic 10 teams in Sporting News’ most recent Field of 68 projection—Butler, VCU, Saint Louis, Temple and La Salle—and several others still harboring NCAA dreams. Three teams are tied for first place at 6-2, five teams are a game behind at 5-3 and three more are two games back at 4-4. Add up those numbers, and you see that 11 of the 16 A-10 teams are .500 or better, with everyone seemingly capable of beating anyone on any given night.
SI: Curse of No. 1 strikes Indiana
Video: The 65-foot buzzer beater
Shane Larkin takes after famous father
Sports Grammys
Forget Sunday night's Grammys, let's focus on sports music.
What are the best sports songs and broadcast intros?
Old school!
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NFL
NFL Free Agency Rankings
Taking a 2nd look at 2012 NFL draft's 1st round
SI.com
17. Bengals (Original Pick: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB)
Re-do Pick: Justin Blackmon, WR. Bengals third-round receiver Mohamed Sanu was just starting to find the end zone when he got hurt, and that left Cincinnati still seeking another pass catcher to draw some coverage away from A.J. Green. The Bengals need another threat for quarterback Andy Dalton to throw to, and got nothing from Kirkpatrick in 2012.
27. Bengals (Original Pick: Kevin Zeitler, G)
Re-do Pick: Kelechi Osemele, OL. Zeitler was more than solid for the Bengals at guard, but Osemele was a revelation of sorts for the Super Bowl champion Ravens. Taken in the second round, K.O., as they call him, started all 16 regular season games at right tackle, and then slid over to left guard in the postseason, putting together four quality games and helping cement a Baltimore offensive line that was almost flawless in the playoffs.
Woodson says PED use part of NFL
NFL.com
Woodson reasoned that the difficulty of naturally recovering from the rigors of an NFL game might lead players to PEDs. When testing is ramped up, Woodson said, many more players will fail.
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College football
Football’s Prunty Named Scout.com BIG EAST Recruiter of the Year
CINCINNATI – University of Cincinnati associate head coach Robert Prunty was named the football recruiter of the year Thursday by Scout.com/FOX Sports Next.
Prunty, entering his first season at UC, has won the award in three consecutive years with the previous two coming while on the staff of UC head coach Tommy Tuberville at Texas Tech.
UC announced a 22-member signing class on Feb. 6, 2013 that Scout.com ranked among the Top-50 in the nation and second in the BIG EAST Conference.
Prunty is a 20-year coaching veteran with strong ties to the east coast of the United States. He previously served as the head coach at Hargrave Military Academy where 27 of his former players went on to play in the NFL.
Middletown's Marshall will bring speed to Buckeyes
Cleveland Plain Dealer
“If I was a coach I'd want the ball in his hands every single play,” said Troy Everhart, Marshall's coach at Middletown High School, between Dayton and Cincinnati. “And the only place to do that is at quarterback. He has a love for the game and he wants to be great. I'd want that guy to be my bell cow. I don't want him getting it 10 or 12 times a game.”
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