FIVE MO' THINGS, 1/22/13
1) We're getting the 2015 All Star Game, a story that John Fay broke last night, and something that's seemed almost inevitable for a while now.
We deserve this, and while all of us hope that we get to hope even bigger baseball events between now and July of 2015, the All Star Game, as much some often complain about it, is one of the signature sporting events of the summer. It gives the cities that host it a chance to show off a little, and it's one of those rare opportunities for a city to get a three-hour commercial on national TV.
Yes, the All Star Game in Cincinnati is a little overdue, but with the area around the ballpark blooming, and with downtown much farther along than it was in the years after GABP opened, it will be worth the wait.
2) UC's loss to Syracuse. Here's the fun part: The program has graduated from wondering if they'll ever be relevant again. Instead of hoping that they'll simply be a part of the NCAA Tournament conversation, we've got a team and a program that's expected to appear in the event every season. And we have a team that barring a total collapse (looking for something wooden to knock on), that's heading there.
We've shifted the conversation about UC basketball from a lot of the big-picture issues and residual anger from what happened to the program nearly a decade ago (though conversations about large-scale problems like conference affiliation and the arena the Bearcats play in will, and should, continue), to the actual games themselves.
And that's a good thing. It's also a hell of a lot more fun, especially when the team is enjoying a good season.
And the Bearcats are enjoying a good season. They're 16-4, likely headed to the NCAAs with a good team, capable of making a run in March comparable and maybe even better than last years because they do have so many things going for it. Among them is that they can go on the road, stare down the third-ranked team in the country and almost pull it out.
But nearly pulling it out isn't what we hang our hats on anymore.
Don't get me wrong, there's no need for hair-pulling or teeth-gnashing after yesterday's loss. After beating Marquette Saturday, this team was in effect playing with house money, with a point guard coming back from a knee injury on the road against a very, very, good team. UC's resume is no worse off for losing to Syracuse, and while they still have some work to do, it's not like they're desperate for wins right now.
But still...up by seven, less than six minutes to go, their best scorer feeling it from behind the arc, and they lose the game....with SK barely touching it down the stretch?
I love Cashmere Wright. Every UC fan loves Cashmere Wright. I could spend all day listing the big plays and important shots he's made for the Bearcats. And when you're so dependent on one guy to come up big so often for you, sometimes you'll lose when he doesn't.
But I watched Cash try to do a little bit too much yesterday. And again, we saw a team with too few legit offensive options to overcome a bad game from their point guard. And I don't understand how Kilpatrick can only get two shots off in the game's final 11 minutes.
If you're interested in blame, throw some at the players, throw some at the coach, throw some at a roster that still has too many unknown variables (there are still too many guys on this team that simply can't be counted on for productive minutes. They contribute one game, then are absent the next. Sanders, Nyarsuk, Guyn, all fit that description yesterday), but yesterday's biggest issue, and there were a few, was the a high-volume shooter who was having a good day from behind the arc, barely touched the ball in the game's most crucial minutes.
That is a little head-scratching.
At the end of it yes, they're 16-4. And they have nine days between games, which can't hurt given that Cash likely still needs some rest. But in the time between games might be all that's left for this team to find some more offense. It's one thing to look at their losses - all four have come by a combined ten points, and three of them came against NCAA-bound teams - but it's another to look at bad their offense was in those games. Yesterday was the third time UC held an opponent to 57 or less and still lost. The good news is that this is a very, very, good defensive team. The bad news is that they still have games where they can't compliment their prowess on defense with any kind of consistent scoring.
And 20 games in, I'm not sure that's changing, especially if their hottest shooters aren't getting the ball in the biggest situations.
3) The San Francisco 49ers. A few months ago, I was watching Game Two of the NLDS at the Holy Grail when Joe Montana appeared on the screen. My response was to boo. Loudly.
No one else joined me.
In fact, not only did no one else join me, many looked at me as if I'd just announced that I'd be giving away free lap-dances.
It hit me: A) I'm old. B) We have a generation of Cincinnatians who don't understand why Joe Montana would be persona non grata here.
This brings me to the Super Bowl.
The San Francisco 49ers are in it. We don't root for the San Francisco 49ers. Got it?
I know their opponent is a division rival of the Bengals, but the Ravens don't work up bile the way the Steelers do. And while they are direct descendants of the Cleveland Browns, there's simply not the history between the franchises that exists between the Bengals and Browns. The Bengals and Ravens have played some good games, and each team has tasted bitter defeat at the hands of the other, but there's never been any real animosity between the two, and my experience with Ravens fans at PBS has been rather pleasant.
I know you might not like Ray Lewis, and I'm kinda Ray Lewis-ed out, but if Ray decided to join the Bengals at any point during his career, you would have done one of his dances to celebrate.
Maybe you don't like the Ravens, but you're supposed to hate the 49ers.
Know how a certain song reminds you of a time in your life, or maybe of a woman? Seeing those 'Frisco colors always brings me back to being an 11 year-old heartbroken Bengals fan right after Super Bowl 23. I see Colin Kaepernick, I think of Joe Montana. I see Michael Crabtree, I think of John Taylor. I see Justin Smith, I think of, well frankly I think of having to hear people talk endlessly about his stupid high-motor when he was a Bengals.
But you get the point.
I know we have people among us who don't remember either of the Bengals Super Bowl losses, who have no idea of the heartbreak is caused, and who have no idea how the San Francisco 49ers helped rip the soul out of this city, not once, but twice.
It's our duty in advance of Super Bowl 47 to educate them properly, and ensure that like any good Cincinnatian, that they never, ever, cheer for the 49ers.
Unless they play the Steelers.
The Asian play-by-play of Super Bowl 23's final moments doesn't make it any less painful, but it is still mildly amusing.
4) Jordan Crawford's buzzer-beater. The Wizards are still terrible.
5) Manti Te'o's eHarmony ad. This was to be expected, and I'm quickly growing tired with the story, but this was pretty well-done
We've got a radio show today at 3:04 on ESPN1530. Anyone wanna talk some hoops? Anyone? Anyone?
