Reds
Reds should challenge Cardinals, Brewers
SI.com
Drew Stubbs can fly, and he can hit it out of the park, too. If he ever makes more contact, he's off the charts, a premium centerfielder. He should be more of a 15 home run guy and hit for a better average -- stop pulling off balls, trying to hit them way up in the stands...
Joey Votto to Introduce VottO’s Cereal
Cincinnati, OH Exciting news for Cincinnati Reds fans, and especially fans of MVP Joey Votto, Kroger stores in Cincinnati and Dayton will be the only grocery store in town where customers can pick up a box of the new cereal branded for Cincinnati Reds All-Star first baseman Joey Votto. In commemoration of this exciting launch, Votto is introducing his very own cereal at a press briefing at 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, April 3 at the Kroger Marketplace located at 130 Pavilion Parkway in Newport, KY. The cereal is called “VottO’s” and is now on sale exclusively at Cincinnati-area Kroger stores and online at www.plbsports.com.
VottO’s is a honey nut toasted oat cereal packaged in a 14-ounce limited edition collector’s box featuring custom artwork of the 2010 NL MVP and 2-time NL All-Star. The artwork was done by Celebrity Sports Artist Kevin-John. Fans can purchase lithographs of the artwork featured on the front of the box at www.plbsports.com. Joey’s cereal is the latest athlete-endorsed food product from PLB Sports. Earlier this spring PLB Sports launched Justin Verlander’s Fastball Flakes in Detroit.
“Kroger and the Cincinnati Reds are long-time partners and friends, “said Sukanya Madlinger, President of Kroger’s Cincinnati/Dayton division, “Being the only grocery store in town where you can purchase a box of VottO’s is really exciting for Kroger as it further solidifies the relationship we’ve spent many years building. We’re proud to offer a quality product that pays homage to one of our hometown sports heroes.”
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UC football
Former Bearcat picks the brain of Pro Bowler
Philly.com
This February, at Mudd's behest, Kelce headed for Indy to meet with former Colts center Jeff Saturday. They didn't talk much about Mudd, the prickly, 70-year-old legend who cut the Eagles' sack total by 17 in his first year on the job. Kelce figured he was doing fine with Mudd, what he really needed was some situation-specific advice.
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Bengals
The Bengals today re-signed LB Manny Lawson, an unrestricted free agent who played in every Cincinnati game last season with 16 starts, including the club’s Wild Card playoff game.
Lawson (6-5, 240; North Carolina State) is a seventh-year NFL player in 2012. He ranked fifth on last year’s team in tackles (78) and had 1.5 sacks. He ranked fourth on the team in tackles-for-loss (seven).
Lawson is entering his second season with the Bengals. He played his first five seasons for San Francisco, which drafted him in the first round in 2006. He has 80 career games played (regular-season) with 71 starts. His career totals include 16 sacks, eight forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and 18 passes defensed.
“Manny was a big part of our success last season, and I look for him to take his game to a higher level this year,” said Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. “He moved to essentially a different position with us, playing outside in a 4-3 (scheme) after being in a 3-4, and he kept getting better as the year went on. He was very good against the run and in coverage, and this year I think we can take better advantage of him as a pass rusher.”
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R.I.P Bailey the Beagle
Bummer of a day. We had to put Bailey to sleep this afternoon.
About a month ago she started having seizures. She was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and doctors found numerous tumors. We didn't think she would make it home after a night at MedVet. But she woke up the next day and was in good spirits. We decided to bring her home and enjoy the time we had with her.
Doctors gave her steroids and anti-seizure medicine. She spent the last month happy and playful. We joked no dog, diagnosed with cancer, had a more enjoyable last month than Bailey. But last night she starting going down hill. She was up most of the night. I wound up sleeping on the hallway floor with her to calm her down.
We said all along we would not let her suffer. So this morning Casey and Peyton said goodbye to her before leaving for school. Kelly and I took Bailey in this afternoon. Six years ago we picked Bailey out of a litter in Verona, Kentucky. She became a best friend to our family. She will be missed.
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Reds
NL Central Preview: Reds 2nd
USA Today
Scouts' take: This was a team everyone liked going into spring, but now they don't look better than anyone else in the division. They lose Madson for the year, and now Nick Masset goes on the DL, too. Bill Bray doesn't look good either. They've got no choice but to put Chapman back in the bullpen. … The rotation hasn't looked too good either. They're counting on big things from Latos, but he's just been OK. Homer Bailey has been erratic, and Bronson Arroyo has been getting roughed up. … (Rookie) Devin Mesoraco can catch, but you wonder about the offense.
Chapman continues to impress as starter
Mark Sheldon, MLB.com
"I felt really well today," said Chapman, who threw 89 pitches.
The most important question to come out of the game: was it enough to earn Chapman the fifth spot in the rotation? For now, that is still unanswered
"I don't know, man," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "We haven't come up with [the answer] yet. Honestly, we have not decided yet. There are more people involved here than just Chapman."
One of those people is Homer Bailey, who is out of options. The Reds are also short in the bullpen because of injuries to closer Ryan Madson and set-up man Nick Masset. Chapman was a reliever the last two seasons while Bailey has never worked in a bullpen role.
Aroldis Chapman
Thursday:
5 IN, 7 H, 0 BB, 6 K, 2 ER
Totals for spring
17 IN, 17 H, 2 BB, 18 K, 4 ER.....2.12 ERA
Homer Bailey
Thursday
Class AAA Nashville: 6 IN, 4H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
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Final Four
Despite denials, Calipari is in absolute must-win situation
Louisville Courier Journal
He isn’t just in pursuit of a national championship, one which, by the way, if he doesn’t win, will set off a cacophony of questions over whether he ever will win one after coming close in the past three seasons — losing a lead late with Memphis in 2009, missing with a team that had five NBA draft picks in 2010 and falling in the Final Four last season.
No, he must first clear the hurdle of history, with Rick Pitino and U of L waiting unexpectedly in the semifinals.
Calipari shrugs off suggestions of pressure.
“I’m not looking at it (winning a title) like validation; I’m just not,” Calipari said. “When a Gene Keady or a John Chaney have never won a national title, I can name 50 coaches that have not been in this kind of situation, that haven’t won it. I’m at Kentucky. One way or another we’re going to play the best we can every year.”
(Getty Images)
The Bluegrass Divided
Grantland.com
Ah, kings at each other's throats — flawed, driven, prideful men scheming for power and empire. Theirs is a tale replete with willful violations of rules legal, moral, and ethical. Ghosts move in the shadows. Blood is on everyone's hands. How delicious that all this is told inside a basketball game this weekend in New Orleans — Kentucky against Louisville, Calipari against Pitino.
Someone should get press credentials for W. Shakespeare.
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Stuff
Saturday ABC debuts "Ball Boys", a reality TV show based on a sports memorabilia shop
Hoard: Munchie looks to makes his case
Dallas man shouts "Go Cowboys!" after his lethal injection
Happy Friday...here is Alyssa Miller in SI....and here is more, or less of her
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Bengals
Free-agency grades
ESPNInsider
Analysis: The Bengals opened free agency with a ton of money to spend. With a surplus of early draft picks and this cap room at their disposal, Cincinnati was in a great position to really improve its roster. While I am a proponent of not overspending on other teams' castoffs, and bearing in mind that the Bengals have a great opportunity to add quality talent in the draft with two first-round picks, I can't help but feel that the Bengals let a golden opportunity slip through their hands this offseason. I would have attacked a high-end free agent or two such as Carl Nicks or Cortland Finnegan. The Bengals did well to keep their secondary intact by retaining Nelson and Jones, and overall, they are a pretty deep team. Upgrades should be in store from the draft, where they won't have to reach for a particular position.
Grade: B-
Season ticket renewals at nearly 100 percent
Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com
So far it has been a lot better when it comes to selling tickets as the club looks to wipe out the six blackouts from last season. Bengals vice presidents Katie and Troy Blackburn say the renewal rate and a Paul Brown Stadium schedule that includes the Super Bowl champion Giants, the Carson Palmer-led Raiders and the Peyton Manning-quarterbacked Broncos is spicing sales.
"The renewal rate has been good. There has been a strong fan reaction," Troy Blackburn said. "We have renewed near 100 percent. It has been going positive."
"We are doing pretty well but we have our work cut out for us," Katie Blackburn said.
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