UC football
Fordham replaces TCU on UC football schedule
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MLB
The 2011 World Champion St Louis Cardinals had 8 different pitchers record saves last season.
Saves/pitcher:
24 Fernando Salas
9 Jason Motte
5 Eduardo Sanchez
4 Mitchell Boggs
2 Octavio Dotel
1 Lance Lynn
1 Trever Miller
1 Ryan Franklin
From ESPN's Page 2: 2008
Closer: The most overrated position in sports
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Who is Cincinnati's most beloved sports figure?
VOTE now: Pete Rose, Joe Nuxhall, Bob Huggins and more....
Latest voting
32% David Fulcher
23% Pete Rose
19% Joe Nuxhall
7% Anthony Munoz
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NCAA/Final Four
Ohio coach John Groce next name on Illinois list
CBS: A-10 in discussions to add Butler, VCU and George Mason
(Getty Images)
UK's Davis looks to break curse of the 'one and done'
Wall Street Journal
Kentucky's roster features 6-foot-10 freshman Anthony Davis, who is universally acknowledged to be college basketball's best player.
And here's the problem with that: It's been 22 years since the college-basketball team with the NBA's most coveted player has won the national championship.
The cast of all-stars who have failed to do so could hardly be more distinguished, starting in 1992 with LSU's Shaquille O'Neal and continuing through Duke's inability last year to win with Kyrie Irving. Among others in between were Chris Webber, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Elton Brand, Derrick Rose and Blake Griffin. All of whom went on to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
DeCourcy: Calipari hates 'one and done' rule, but dominates competition with it
UK vs UL: Get ready for unprecedented buildup
CBS Sports
Think about it.
The only thing worse than Calipari losing in the Final Four with this roster would be Calipari losing to Pitino's Cardinals in the Final Four with this roster. It would crush the Big Blue Nation more than Christian Laettner's buzzer-beater in the 1992 East Regional final and sink Calipari worse than Mario Chalmers' buzzer-beater in the 2008 national title game.
Kentucky fans might really never get over it.
Calipari almost certainly wouldn't.
Louisville next after Kentucky cruises over Baylor
Lexington Herald Leader
ATLANTA — Except for freshman sensation Anthony Davis crumbling to the floor and clutching his left knee, Kentucky's advance to this year's Final Four Sunday held little suspense.
The Cats cruised past Baylor 82-70 in the South Regional finals.
"We lost to a Goliath," Baylor guard Brady Heslip said of UK. "They're No. 1 for a reason. They showed it."
Las Vegas Hilton says
UK -8.5 over UL............total 138.5
OSU -2.5 over Kansas...total 136.5
Really?
Photo Gallery: Lexington Herald Leader
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Congrats to a local product
Senior Abby Ballman (Mercy) of Shawnee State was named to NAIA D1 1st Team All-Ammerican Womens Basketball squad. She was third team All-American last year.
She broke her arm in her last regular season game at Rio Grande College.
She was operated on three days later and played 13 days later in the NAIA D1 National Tournament.
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Reds
Today the Reds optioned to Louisville RHP Andrew Brackman, OF Denis Phipps and IF Chris Valaika; reassigned to minor league camp RHP Carlos Fisher, LHP Ron Mahay, LHP Clayton Tanner, RHP Kanekoa Texeira and LHP Clay Zavada.
Short deal adds hurt to Madson
Ken Rosenthal, Fox Sports
Ryan Madson's pillow contract just turned into a bed of nails.
Madson needs Tommy John surgery and is out for the season. The Cincinnati Reds closer won’t command a lucrative multiyear guarantee next winter. Instead, he will be rehabilitating his right elbow and likely sign a short, incentive-laden deal.
So much for the “pillow contract,” a coin termed by Madson’s agent, Scott Boras, to describe a contract that gives a free agent coming off a down season a soft, temporary landing before he goes back on the open market.
The Marshall Plan
"Don't kid yourself, if the Reds were fine with Marshall closing they would not have spent $8.5M on Madson."
"Kid can pitch. He might be a damn good closer someday. He's not a closer right now. And he's now facing the most pressure of his career"
-Scout I talked to Sunday morning
Marshall career numbers: By inning
7th: 95 games, 66.2 innings, 3.10 ERA, .226 BAA
8th: 119 games, 119 innings, 2.60 ERA, .227 BAA
9th: 42 games, 34.1 innings, 3.67 ERA, .284 BAA
2011 in 9th inning: 15 games, 13.1 innings, .270 ERA...5 saves
Madson sidelined for season
Mark Sheldon, MLB.com
"He obviously feels terrible about it," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. "He felt fine all spring until lately. Even after he sat out a little bit, he felt real good. After his last session the other day, it got real tight. Even before he left yesterday, he said he felt fine. Obviously, he wasn't."
More on Madson
AP
Dr. Kremchek explained to Jocketty that bleeding made it appear the tear was recent.
Madson's contract calls for a $6 million salary this year, of which $2 million is deferred until Nov. 1 and $2 million until Nov. 1, 2013. The agreement includes a $11 million mutual option for 2013 with a $2.5 million buyout.
Taking the 5th: Bailey or Chapman?
Saturday
Homer Bailey: 3.1 innings, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 3 K (L) 7.98 ERA
Aroldis Chapman: 5 innings, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K (W) 1.50 ERA
Mark Sheldon on the 5th spot
John Fay more on the 5th spot
(AP photo)
Chapman throwing 95 mph, could start
AP
On Saturday, he threw 78 pitches and walked one.
Chapman says he's taking less time between pitches.
"I've been working on the command of my pitches and controlling the location," Chapman told the Associated Press through a translator. "One of things I did today was working faster. I've been listening to my teammates and coaches talking about taking less time between pitches and it was working today."
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March Madness
(US Presswire)
Final-Four bound Buckeyes take cue from coach
Yahoo
Matta for years never spoke publicly about his situation. His brace isn’t visible under the suits he wears for games. The only sign anything is different is that he wears black sneakers, not dress shoes. During the summer, when he’d occasionally wear shorts, he’d tell people he was recovering from an ankle sprain.
Outside of the Ohio State basketball family, almost no one knew there was anything wrong. And even within it, or with his family, he rarely mentioned it. “He never brings it up,” Barbara Matta said Saturday. “It’s amazing. I think he’s hurting, but he doesn’t complain.”
OSU is Final-Four bound
Cleveland Plain Dealer
"He probably doesn't get the credit he deserves, but this is probably the best coaching job he's done since he's been here," OSU assistant Jeff Boals said. "He kept on coaching these guys and staying positive and pushing the right buttons on a daily basis. He's an unbelievable coach."
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OSU football
(Enquirer photo)
Buckeyes looking to build a bridge to Cincinnati
Columbus Dispatch
“Absolutely, it’s going to change,” he said. “I don’t think it’s going to change. I know it’s going to change. I know those coaches. Those coaches run great programs. They want the very best for their kids. It is our job to present to them that what we have for them here is the No. 1 option for them athletically and academically.”
Coombs promised to be “relentless” in his pursuit of Cincinnati’s top players.
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Holy triple digits Batman!
Cincinnati quarterback Tyler Sheehan threw for a UIFL and franchise record 10 touchdowns as the Commandos defeated Huntington Saturday, 104-12, at the Cincinnati Gardens. It was the most points scored in a UIFL and Commandos history. The previous UIFL record of 88 was set Friday by Erie.
Phillip Barnett finished with six receptions for 86 yards and four touchdowns, while Mack Ogletree hauled in 89 yards on four catches and three scores. Cincinnati improves to 3-0 on the season and will play Western PA on April 7.
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40 years ago Monday: March 26, 1972
Cincinnati Royals play final NBA game in Cincinnati
Check out this website for the history of the Cincinnati Royals
1965-66 NBA All-Star game at The Cincinnati Gardens
The tragic story of Cincinnati Royal Maurice Stokes...injured in final game of 1958 season.
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Bengals
(Bengals.com)
Signings boost Lewis
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
PALM BEACH, Fla. — In the wake of the Bengals signings since free agency opened last week, head coach Marvin Lewis says the Bengals have "all options" available in next month's NFL Draft.
Speaking here at The Breakers Sunday a day before the NFL annual meetings opened, Lewis said he's "jacked" about the bevy of moves the Bengals have made since free agency opened last week.
Reedy: Lewis discusses free agency so far
13. Bengals, Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
(Projected trade with Cardinals). Even with this week's signing of BenJarvus Green-Ellis, I can't rule out Cincinnati as a likely destination for Richardson, the draft's top rusher. The Bengals want to go to a three-headed backfield under OC Jay Gruden, and if Richardson gets out of the top 10 as I expect, Cincinnati (at No. 17 and 21) is one of the best-positioned teams to make a move for him. The Bengals' cornerback need could still get attention at No. 21.
21. Bengals, Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama
I don't know how Bengals fans could be anything but ecstatic with the team's first-round haul for the second year in a row if it nabs both Trent Richardson and Kirkpatrick, thereby addressing major needs on both sides of the ball. Many analysts have Kirkpatrick as the draft's second-highest rated cornerback overall, but I think South Carolina's Gilmore runs him down and passes him up by late April.
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Event for a cause
