Baseball cards
Casey got packs of baseball cards from Grandma last night.
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Reds
McCoy: Frazier still has a lot to prove
(AP photo)
Reds look at Choo in CF
AP
After a few weeks, Baker will decide how to configure the outfield. Choo knows he's got things to learn about playing center.
"I've talked to Jay Bruce, (Chris) Heisey and the coaches," Choo said. "I've worked in center field, and I'll do the best I can. After that, the middle of spring training or the end, Dusty will make a decision."
Fay: Votto calls his shot
Video: Eric Davis on Billy Hamilton
Reds to put Phillips in No. 2 hole
ESPN
The Reds think at least two other hitters will benefit from their new-found stability with the arrival of Choo. Phillips, who has routinely bounced around manager Dusty Baker's batting order, will settle into the No. 2 hole. And Cozart, who was ill-suited for the leadoff spot but still started 101 games there in 2012, will probably bat seventh.
Sheldon: Phillips believes flashy ways cost him
Chapman moves into rotation
ESPN
General manager Walt Jocketty and pitching coach Bryan Price have endorsed the transition, under the thinking that Chapman has considerable upside as a pitcher and will ultimately be more valuable throwing 200-plus innings a year as a starter rather than 70 in the bullpen. They're convinced that's true even if 140-150 innings might be the best they can hope for this season.
Cincinnati’s marketing folks also seem cool with the arrangement, judging from the Chapman Pick 6 ticket plan that the team is pushing and the inclusion of Aroldis Chapman Bobblehead Night on the schedule May 11 versus Milwaukee.
Reds manager Dusty Baker … not so much. Conventional wisdom is that Baker preferred the old system because it was so comforting to hand the ball to Chapman in the ninth inning, watch him flirt with triple digits or surpass it and know that within a matter of minutes, he was almost certain to be shaking hands with catcher Ryan Hanigan or Devin Mesoraco.
Baker: Chapman not guaranteed to start
Hal McCoy, FS Ohio
“I’m the one speaking, but this is an organizational decision. This makes me feel a little uneasy. I’m not the whole organization. When asked to speak about it, I’ll have a vote.”
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That was cool
\
(Matt Cashore/University of Notre Dame)
Loved watching Miami vs Notre Dame hockey at Solider Field in Chicago.
The Irish beat the Redhawks 2-1. I want one of those special edition sweaters Miami was wearing Sunday. Attendance was 52,051. Soldier Field holds 61,500.
What would hockey at GABP look like?
I'm still loving the suggestion by a Twitter follower last week:
The Queen City Winter Classic!: Miami vs Ohio State at GABP.
From Mark in Maineville:
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College basketball
Latest RPI
CBS Sports
Louisville 7, Indiana 12, Butler 18, Ohio State 28, Cincinnati 40, Kentucky 44, Akron 48, Ohio 74, Xavier 98, Dayton 121, Purdue 126, Wright State 147, Miami 262.
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What the?
How about the wardrobe choice of TNT's Craig Sager, for the NBA All-Star game last night?
(TNT photo)
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Holy Cow!
Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Caray died 15 years ago today. He was truly one of a kind. I had the pleasure of first meeting him when I worked for CLTV in Chicago. I'll never forget being at work one day and hearing him mention my TV show, "Sports Page", during a Cubs game on WGN. He invited me to the booth and interviewed me during the 3rd inning of a game. We once sat down and recorded an hour long Christmas special for CLTV. He ended the interview by raising his glass of beer to the camera and say, "this Bud's for you, Merry Christmas!".
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Bengals
Tweet, tweet
From Pete Prisco, CBSSports.com, NFL writer (@PriscoCBS)
*The more tape I watch of Michael Johnson, the more I am convinced he is the No. 1 guy on the market. Strong. Tough. Fast. Plays hard.
*I love the way Michael Johnson chases run plays down from the backside. And he holds the point. Better run player than I thought.
*Pat Sims is worth a look for a team looking for a big body too
Ranking the NFL QBs
ESPNCleveland
25. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati: Without A.J. Green, it’s doubtful anyone would know his name.
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College basketball
Catholic 7 chart a new yet familiar path
John Feinstein, Washington Post
There has been a good deal of speculation about who the other schools in the new league might be since the Catholic 7 informed the Big East in December that they were leaving the floundering league. In all likelihood, four schools are virtual locks to be invited: Dayton, Xavier, Saint Louis and Butler. The first three are Catholic schools. DeGioia and friends would probably be willing to make an exception for Butler because the school has become a national basketball power and would make the league’s television package a good deal more lucrative.
The state of college basketball
Associated Press
The college game, quite frankly, is in need of a major overhaul.
"Our game is brutal to watch right now," said Jay Bilas, an analyst for ESPN.
In case you haven't noticed — and how could you not? — scoring hasn't been this low since at least 1982, and one has to go all the way back to the early 1950s to find another season that beats this one for offensive ineptitude. Field-goal percentages are at 1960s levels. Three-point shooting has never been this bad since the long-range line was added in the 1980s.
Searching for a few more buckets
Dan Hoard, GoBearcats.com
It's become blatantly obvious to me that the Bearcats really miss one of the seniors from last year's team.
No, not Yancy Gates.
I'm talking about Dion Dixon.
You haven't thought about him in a while have you?
Bearcats being exploited in Big East play
Jux Berg, Quick Fix Sports
Last season, when UC defeated more ranked teams than anyone in the country and reached its first Sweet Sixteen in a decade, the offense was built around creating and exploiting mismatches from a spread set. The Bearcats still ranked near the bottom in the conference in field goal percentage at just 42.0, but the offense had five threats on the floor at the same time, which allowed for Cincy to get buckets late in games—an area of major struggle this season.
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Check 'em out
I was talking to Josh Sneed last week. CincyShirts.com is rolling out a new line of vintage college t-shirts. They have shirts for XU, UD, Miami, Wright State, OU, and Kent State. By the end of this week they should also have Butler, NKU, and Cincinnati State.
They are also introducing HomeShirts.com. This new site has taken the Cincy Shirts business model and they are applying it to unlimited other cities. One city they've chosen for the launch of the site is Indianapolis.
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Stuff
Anyone else watch Cincinnati boxer Adrien Broner on HBO last night?
He beat Gavin Rees with a TKO at 2:59 of the 5th round. Rees’ trainer, Gary Lockett, tossed the towel to stop the fight after a brutal body shot by the 135-lb Broner. Nicknamed "The Problem", Broner is 23-years old and the WBC lightweight champ. The shot to the stomach rippled Rees's body. Early in the fight, Rees took it to Broner, and probably won the first two rounds. But Broner turned it on from the 3rd round. As HBO's Max Kellerman said to Broner after the fight, "You beat the hell out of him.". When analyst Roy Jones Jr saw the replay of the body shot he said, wow". Broner delivered a crusher of a right upper-cut that knocked Rees down earlier. Rees landed 88 punches to Broner's 149. Broner has big time power and quick hands. His combinations are impressive.
Broner apologized to the crowd and viewers, "I didn't give you much to see tonight". Broner said of the fight being stopped, "Rees was going to go to sleep anyway, rock-a-bye-baby, you know?. HBO's Jim Lampley concluded the broadcast by saying, "Floyd Mayweather Jr and Andre Ward are the two best American fighters. How long before Broner enters that conversation?".
Broner is a showman. His best lines: "I'm fresh, I'm fly, I'm flashy".
Kellerman asked him what his best shot was?. Broner replied,"My best shot?, when I take a picture".
Clones: Goaldtender Brian Foster scores goal
From Nick Brunker: During a delayed penalty, Brian Foster made a save and the puck was unintentionally sent all the way down the ice by the Trenton Titans and slid into the empty net. Since Foster was the last Cyclones to make contact with the puck, he was credited with his first pro goal. It was the 11th time in ECHL history and the first in Cyclones history that a goaltender has scored.
The Cyclones play this afternoon at 2pm.
$41,400 for this Andrew Luck Card?
From ebay
This is it... this is perhaps the best sports card from 2012. The 2012 Playoff Contenders Andrew Luck Championship Ticket 1/1!!! Card # 201. Serial # 1/1. This is arguably Andrew Luck's BEST rookie card. He signed an exclusive deal with Panini America. Yes this is the best of the best of Playoff Contenders. There are no Andrew Luck cards in SP Authentic. This may be the only time you get to own, let alone see, this amazing card. The # 1 overall draft pick of the Indianapolis Colts. This card was pulled from a pack on 2/9.
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