The Draft (From a Young G's Perspective)

Another draft has come and gone. This year's class was considered one of the "deepest" drafts in recent memory, but at this point, Jim Mora would let us know that doesn't mean diddly poo. When it comes to the NFL draft and evaluating talent, I typically take a backseat to watch my boy Mel Kiper Dos do his thing. His system of judging players consists of several very important aspects of length, upside, intangibles, wingspan, hand size and release point (all of which I receive a plus) which has proven quite effective with the likes of Akili Smith, Charles Rogers, and Courtney Brown (among others). I often wonder if all that hair gel is going to his head. Besides that fact he looks like a knockoff Jack Bradfield, (see Rookie of the Year) MK II is just another overpaid d-bag who gets to sit on his ass all year, watch football, and still be wrong. Correct me if I'm wrong, but to me that sounds like a glorified weatherman. Ok, I feel better now.

From a Bengal's fan perspective, you've gotta love what they did. They addressed several keys needs, and in the meantime gave Carson some real decent targets. Although some might be concerned with a lack of a pick at safety, I advise them to cool their j-e-t-s jets jets jets as it appears Kenny Hamlin with be in Bengal stripes here shortly. Overall, Mel Kiper rated this Bengals draft a C, so they must have done something right. And now for a look at the picks...

Round 1, 21st Overall
Jermaine Gresham

Gresham will join a long line of Bengals greats at the tight end slot. Names like Sean Brewer, Tony Stewart, Marco Battaglia, and Daniel Coats grace numerous record books...for sucking horribly. My main concern is do the Bengals know what to do with a talented tight end? TE has never been the focus of this team's offense, and it's hard to imagine the adjustment they'll be sure to make. No doubt Gresham can play. This guy was money in 2008 as he and Sam Bradford tooled around some of the staunchest defenses in the land. At 6-6 and 261 pounds, Gresham undoubtedly has the build of an elite tight end, and his 4.7 40 time indicates he can run with the big boys too. His blocking has been an area of concern, but Cedbrick Benson prefers running people over anyways. Bottom line is that Gresham’s the real deal. He can run, he’s big and he can catch. All in all, love this pick as it will add another dimension to this offense.

Round 2, 54th Overall
Carlos Dunlap

HE IS A FREAK. It's players like these that make me wonder how hammered scouts are when they evaluate talent. Needless to say, I was delighted to see the Bengals secure this young fella. He's 6-6 and 277 lbs, and eats quarterbacks for breakfast. Very rarely do players tear up the SEC (aka NFL of Saturdays) and not do the same in the NFL. Mike Zimmer stated his intentions of playing him at both DE and DT, so you got to love his versatility among other assets. Dunlap is just too good not to be a force at the next level, and I look forward to his tenure as a Bengal.

Round 3, 84th Overall
Jordan Shipley

Classic example of a tremendous talent falling out of the first two rounds...because he's white. Although I'm sure Jordan apologizes for not having Jerome Simpson-esque sized hands or a large wingspan, he won't be apologizing when he is an absolute menace across the middle for years to come. His productivity was off the charts in the college ranks. Do scouts think players just all the sudden lose the ability to catch the ball at the pro level? I mean seriously how does the best receiver in college football fall here? Point proven, thank you rocktards. I see Shipley as a combination of Hines Ward, TJ Housh-ma-zill, and Wesley Welker...except better.

Round 3, 96th Overall
Brandon Ghee

Although I was slightly disappointed the Bengals rescued Ghee from his 28 hour stay in the green room, you have to like the move. Ghee is known for going with the visor and taped finger look, so at least he's got the fashion police on his side. All in all though, he was the fastest corner in the draft and is said to be an above average tackler, and so this coupled with the fact both Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph's contracts are expiring makes this a very solid move.

Rounds 4-7

The pass rush need continued to be addressed as the Bengals added both DT Geno Atkins (Georgia) and LB Roddrick Muckelroy (Texas) in the 4th round. The 5th round featured OG Otis Hudson (Eastern Illinois) which is a cool name I guess. WR Dezmon Briscoe (Kansas) fell to the Bengals in round 6. This could be a sleeper pick as Briscoe was a 1st team all Big 12 performer and HUGE numbers the past 2 seasons in a pass happy offense. He's still only 20 years old, so I think it's safe to say he's got some room to grow, and could turn some heads down the road. Finally, the 7th round selection was C Reggie Stephens (Iowa State). He, like Hudson, will be a project that will most likely be an eternal scrub. So that's that.

Did I give you any credible or useful information in "my analysis"? Probably not. I could have thrown a bunch of stats and Kipersims your way, but I know your better than that. Keep it real, Burnside no esta aqui.

Fuerto's Thoughts on the Draft

1 St. Louis Rams – Sam Bradford QB Oklahoma
I think Sam’s Why couldn’t anyone trade up for this pick? look as soon as it was announced sums this pick up. No question, I think Bradford is a hell of a quarterback, but there is no one around him. I’m willing to bet that none of their receivers will be rated over a 75 in Madden, and there’s not much of an O-Line either. I’m also a little questionable about Bradford’s ability to win big games. The 2008 Florida and Texas games come quickly to mind. Bradford even struggled against the Mormons before getting hurt, which may have been the toughest defense he faced on the field his senior year. But, it’s hard to go wrong with a potential franchise QB given their effects on a team. Just ask Danny Snyder and the Skins.

2 Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh DT Nebraska

Wow. I'm not gonna lie, knowing the Lions, I was kind of hoping for Dez Bryant. Already had a paragraph rant for it, but the Lions actually do something smart. If anyone has an argument that Ndamukong Suh is not the best player in the draft, I would really like to hear it. I'm just gonna say I'm glad he's going to the NFC North, not the AFC.

3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Gerald McCoy DT
Oklahoma
Not a lot to complain about here. In most drafts, McCoy is the best D-Lineman available, but Suh is a once-in-a-generation freak. Even John Gruden liked this pick. So, nothing to rip yet but here come Dan and the Skins...

4 Washington Redskins - Trent Williams OT Oklahoma
Did Roger Goodell really just refer to him as Trent "Silverback" Williams? Anyways, it appears that Trent has a lot of "upside" so obviously it was a great pick.


5 Kansas City Chiefs - Eric Berry S Tennessee
Thank God he's not headed to the AFC North. If you happened to watch a Vols game last year, you know what I'm talking about. Berry is probably a better prospect than Ed Reed and would wreck havoc in the already Safety loaded AFC North, as many mocks had him going to Cleveland. Moral of the story? Sucks to be a Browns fan.

6 Seattle Seahawks - Russell Okung OT Oklahoma St
This is so weird. It's like the GMs are going with the questionable strategy of solidifying their O and D Lines, then letting skill positions grow around them. Well, Fuerto's been doing that since Madden 2005, so I'm not impressed.

7 Cleveland Browns - Joe Haden CB Florida
OK, so maybe it was a little bit of a reach, but compared to the Tim Couch, Brady Quinn, and Courtney Brown standards, it was a great move. With that said, according to Scouts Inc., his tackling is well below the NFL level, so I can't wait for Cedric Benson to lower a shoulder into him next fall. Sorry, Jewell.

8 Oakland Raiders - Rolando McClain LB Alabama
So, Oakland wins the first team to draft a player not at the draft award. Like much of the booing crowd, I was very disappointed with this pick. Ricky Brown doesn't need any competition.


9 Buffalo Bills - CJ Spiller RB Clemson
As much as it hurts to say this as a Gamecocks fan, Spiller is amazing. He's the most dynamic offensive playmaker in the draft, and will be a great fit in Buffalo's run heavy offense. This is my third favorite pick of the draft, after Suh and Berry. However, I would like to point out that he failed to show up to a certain rivalry game late in the year. 34-17.

10 Jacksonville Jaguars - Tyson Alualu DT California
Yes! Mel Kiper is finally pissed! I can't really blame him, though. Alualu looks like a Domata Peko wannabe. They actually would have been better off going with Tebow. Kiper said he is reminiscent of Tyson Jackson, becoming the second player (after Jason Pierre-Paul) to earn that "honor".

Some thoughts later on the round:

Ryan Matthews from Fresno St heading a couple miles south to San Diego is a great move. Matthews is a tough runner who will be a great successor to LT. Anyone who watched the New Mexico Bowl will agree with me.

As Burnside knows, I was ready to rip into whoever drafted Jason Pierre-Paul. He is a classic "upside project player" who never seem to do well in the pros. Todd McShay called him a less physical Tyson Jackson. My cat is more physical than Tyson Jackson. But, with the Giants he can develop under Osi, Justin Tuck, and Kiwanuka instead of being handed a starting job in Oakland or Cleveland. Not a bad pick at all.

Usually I would say that its not a very good idea to spend a first rounder on someone from Idaho (or any WAC school not named Boise, Fresno, or Hawai'i for that matter) but Mike Iupati, going to the Niners, may be an exception. I'm not really sure how good he's gonna be, but those are some sick tattoos he has.

Burnside will give you the scoop on the Bengals draft in a couple of days, but I want to say that I like Gresham pretty much. I know a lot of people wanted Dez Bryant, but I think some white guy who completely dominated him in college (when Bryant wasn't suspended) shut those guys up.


Finally, everyone's favorite pick of the draft. Tim Tebow to the Broncos at 25. This is easily my favorite pick of the day. When it comes down to it, Timmy Tebow wins ballgames. That's what he did at Florida, that's what he's gonna do in Denver. A lot of people think he's gonna fail because of his mechanics. In that case, just think of him as Ben Roesthlisberger minus the rapes. Or Vince Young, which in all reality is who I think he most resembles. As much as people hate on Vince, he's 25-12 as a starter in the NFL and has played in 2 Pro Bowls. A lot better than say, Matt Leinart. And the only reason he hasn't played more is because Kerry Collins turned into Superman for a year and a half. Bottom line is this: Tim Tebow WILL win a Super Bowl for the Broncos.

The NBA Playoffs: Now and Then

I've got a lot of things to discuss. I apologize it has been awhile. Burnside really has been laying in to me lately. No excuses Hew, its go time:

Wanted to first of all give the Bisher Ticket running for St. X student council a shout out via MIB. Best of luck to you guys. My one and only suggestion (and it may have already been addressed and fixed) but the restrooms right by the Berning Gym on the second floor at the end of the English hall back in my days used to have three stalls and the farthest one to the left had no door! The majority of people would rather hold it in than poop with an open door, but usually my daily ditch and dump in Engber/Roberson/Creason's classes (yeah top that for english teachers for your first three years....the opposite of reered) often found me dumping in door-less stall 3. Why might you ask? I NEVER had to put t.p. down because I knew it was a pretty good chance that my buttcheeks were the only neanderthal cheeks touching that bare toilet seat all day. Crazy? Maybe. But I used to be able to spend half-hours posting in there, reading the walls...some of the most vulgar and gosh-dern-hylarious things I have ever read in my life. I may have even added my two cents worth in via Sharpie as well. Let's just say I didn't get Seabass' phone number in there. Bisher and fellas, do work. I'm expecting big things, especially from the VP of Spirit. Sgo.


Okay, apologies for my rant. Onwards we go to the topic of the day: the NBA Playoffs. I know there are many mixed feelings about the League, the effort exerted, and the baggage that comes with many of these "athletes." Hate it or love it, the GREATEST athletes in the world play in the National Basketball Association. Are you going to tell me that Lebron wouldn't be a Pro-Bowler, Steve Nash couldn't be starting center midfielder for a top-tier club over in England, and Joakim Noah couldn't be going shot for shot with Nadal at Roland Garros (well that might be a stretch, but tennis IS in his ...and he clearly didn't get the hot genes from his mom, Ms. Sweden). You can't argue it, these guys can do things with their bodies that most in the world cannot even fathom. Derrick Rose had me dropping my jaw numerous times last night with the way he was freakishly twisting his body around the hoop and getting shots to drop in. Speaking of the Bulls, did anybody hear Noah bash the city of Cleveland?! haha I lost it...and honestly, for the most part it's accurate: there is nothing to do there and all there are are factories. Ouch. If you're ever up in the Cuyahoga region of Ohio, make sure not to light a match around the river. Yea...nasty. Gotta love the trash talking that comes with the energy of the NBA Playoffs!

I have loved the NBA for as long as I can remember. Basketball has been my favorite sport to play and watch ever since I was a young boy. I remember playing one on one vs my bro-dog Patrick. I would be Michael Jordan or Shaq and he would be Patrick Ewing or Hakeem "the Dream" Olajuwon. We would put on our jerseys, shoes, headbands, jacked up socks, and hoop it up in the basement on our Michael Jordan 6 foot plastic hoop. I would watch the NBA on NBC on Sunday afternoons and just get so jacked that during timeouts and halftime, I would have to let out some excitement and energy on the rim and my younger brother. I know most would agree...but how UNREAL is the NBA on NBC jingle. Wow. Still gives me chills listening to it. It's on the same level as the NCAA tourney music on CBS. Yea I said it. Lotta rugburns down there though in the basement. Lotta good times too...spurred on from my early love and admiration for the NBA and all that it represented.

I grew up in the Jordan Era and remember vividly watching the Bulls in the 90's and always rooting against them. In looking back on it, as much as I hated them then, it was just because they were so damn good and I have always liked seeing dynasties fall (Cowboys, Patriots, Yankees, etc). I feel nothing short of privileged to have been able to see what those guys did though. The Bulls were nothing without Jordan but his supporting crew knew their roles and GOT IT DONE. Even though I have lived in the great city of Cincinnati, OH all of my life (without an NBA team), I think college basketball in this town more than makes up for the void left by the Royals back in the 60's. Do I wish we still had an NBA team? Absolutely. But I don't mind picking and choosing who I root for year in and year out. It makes the playoffs more entertaining for me anyway. For the record I am a New Orleans Hornets fan. They have my all-time favorite Muskie as well as NBA player in David West, my second all-time in James Posey (2 rings), and they are lead at the point position by Skip-coached CP3. They're fun to watch for sure. I'm disappointed the Bugs played so inconsistently this year but hopefully they can get a good high draft pick and build around their nucleus. Also, FYI if D West ditches town and goes elsewhere, his new team will be MY new team. Respect the loyalty.

I want to finish off this blog post with a few of my favorite Playoff memories as a kid. I am feeling more negative energy than I think is deserved on the NBA, both the regular season and the postseason and I feel I owe it to the league that has given me so much to at least throw out there some reasons in past 15 or so years why the playoffs are so sick. Weather you jump on the Cavs bandwagon as a fellow Ohioan (or root for whomever they play as a fellow Ohioan like me), root for the underdogs (gotta love the dogs), or take a specific liking to a team for whatever reason, I advise you to screw the homework, tune into Marv Albert and Co., and give 40 Games in 40 Nights a good hard shot. Are the playoffs like they used to be? Not exactly, but I think the NBA contains more talent currently than it ever has. There will not be another decade of the Celtics or Bulls. Too much parity now. You can't get complacent, you always have to continue to get better, and many times even that won't get you to the promised land because the league is just so rich with talent. The NBA hasn't been exactly the same since Jordan's days with the Bulls as well as the lockout of 1999. It's been a long uphill climb and it's up to us as the next generation of viewers to give in to the temptation and really take a liking to watching the best athletes in the world handle the rock. Ahhem...you guys.

Just a few of my favorite NBA moments (thrilling and heartbreaking alike):

1) Magic v. Rockets, 1995 NBA Finals: Picture a young, athletic Shaq and a point guard in Penny Hardaway that were too young realize the gigantic stage that they were playing on. That Christmas prior to their run to the Finals, I got all Orlando Magic gear for Christmas and jocked that team hard. SICK pinstripe jerseys. Penny had some of the hottest kicks of all-time and did so for a few years in a row. If you don't remember Nike's Lil' Penny Commercials, I advise you to youtube it.


2) 97-98 Finals: The tail-end of the Bulls run brought about one last worthy (but unsuccessful) opponent: Fuerto's Utah Jazz. The Jazz squad lead by arguably the best PG-PF combo ever in Stockton Malone just couldn't get 4 against the Bulls. I remember rooting for them so hard. Jordan's famous flu performance sticks out in my mind as well as of course, "the shot" when he crossed over Byron Russell and stroked one last j in a Bull's uni for nemero seis. MJ thanks for the memories.

3) Late 90's-early 2000's: After the Bulls, the Spurs were good but the Lakers really stick out in mind as the next team I d. I d Shaq when he left Orlando. I d young Fro-y Kobe (I love Kobe now...hands down better than LBJ). Two teams I loved and got my heart broken though by because of the Lakers.

a) Portland Trailblazers: They had Pippen post-Bulls, JR Rider, Steve Smith, Dale Davis, Not Yourdvidas, Not Mydvias, but Ardvidus Sabonas, and most importantly XU-grad Brian Grant (unreal dreads). They lost the elimination game to the Lakers and I specifically remember the dagger when Kobe lobbed one to Shaq and the Big Man "threw it down (marble-mouth Bill Walton)" one handed. Blazers given the axe right then and there.

b) Sacramento Kings: They consisted of C Webb, Vlade Divac, Mike Bibby, Doug Christie, Bobby Jackson, and Peja just to name a few. They were damn good and really choked in the Conference Finals to the Lakers. They bound and poised to make the finals a couple years in a row but just couldn't get through the Lakers. Great playoff battles. I specifically remember a shot by Big Shot Bob Horry at the buzzer when the Staples Center erupted like I have never seen. Horry is ICEEEEEE.

4) I don't think the Knicks-Heat rivalry in the late 90's gets enough credit but probably because what they were playing wasn't even really basketball. They would just flat-out brawl. Anybody else like how guys just care a tad bit more when it's win or go home?

2001 Playoff Run- BA's Philly Sixers. This squad was one of my favorite of all-time. They had MVP Allen Iverson who couldn't be stopped and then just a bunch of guys who complemented him aka got out of his way. They had another all-time great Muskie in Tyrone Hill, Temple-grad Aaron McKey, the biggest oaf in the history of the league Todd McCullough, Eric Snow (he blew bad), and Dikembe Mutombo. These were probably my favorite playoffs ever. The Raptors were up-and-coming that year and Vinsanity was taking over the US and Canada alike. The Bucks were tough too I remember specifically. The lasting image though was the 3 in the corner in the Finals by AI. He got knocked down, got back up, and stepped up and taunted the out of Tyron Lu. God AI was dirty...and such a bitch to play against. Loved it!

Feel free to add your favorite and/or most heartbreaking moment personally to the comments. I'm curious to hear. If you the NBA or just flat-out don't want to give it a chance, well, you're missing out. These guys battle like there's no tomorrow and they truly are the cream of the crop when it comes to pure athletes in the entire world. Don't take it for granted.

Over and out from here. Hopefully the Reds don't suck donkey dick this week. Less than two months away from the World Cup...that is THE BEST sporting event in the world. No argument!

MGBJR

Love basketball but hate the NBA? Check out the Jazz

For many of you college basketball fans, March is the greatest month of the year. Nonstop college hoops, Bill Raftery going nuts, and 65 teams in the hunt to be national champs. Unfortunately, after 1 weekend, only 16 teams are left, and by the first week of April, it is all over. Now most Cincy area hoops fans pack it up and start tracking recruits or wait for preseason tournament fields to be revealed. However, basketball continues until June. That's right, I'm talking about the National Basketball Association. But, El Fuerto, I hate the NBA. All the tattoos, off-court scuffles, and undisciplined basketball are embarrassing to watch. Okay, I understand the problems in the NBA. Too much flash, not enough defense, players bringing guns in the locker room, refs fixing games, half-hearted effort, no team in Cincinnati. But to all you haters out there, I introduce the Utah Jazz.

The Jazz are the closest thing to a college program in the NBA. Jerry Sloan has been the coach since 1988, and since 2001 has been the longest tenured coach in American Big 4 sports. You gotta love the tight leash Jerry runs, as his teams have always played the most fundamentally sound basketball in the league. They also are well known for their lack of off-court problems/ player arrests. Basically, you won't be seeing J-Slo letting Gilbert Arenas or Jason Williams on his team. He won't even let players on the court if they refuse to execute the offense, regardless of talent. You will not see him put up with a player not getting back on defense, except, of course, when Kosta Koufos passes out during his third time running down the court, but you get the picture. GM Kevin O'Connor shipped Ronnie Brewer out of town earlier this season, ridding the team of its last athletic "upside" guard that mediocre franchises try to build around. Instead, they are dividing the shooting guard minutes among the much more disciplined trio of Wesley Matthews, C.J. Miles and the high energy white guard, Kyle Korver.

Next, I would like to point out the absence of tattoos on the roster. While most NBA teams are loaded with "Birdmen" and Rasheed Wallaces, only 3 Jazz players have tattoos. Even better, Wesley Matthews only has one on each arm (but he's also a 4 year college player). Carlos Boozer is only a couple of months away from being shipped out of town, which would bring the number down to 2. D-Will is covered, but he averages damn near 20-10 a game, which makes up for them. So, not only do this Jazz play like a respectable college team, but they look like one, as well.

Now, I've probably already convinced you at this point, but let's get to player specifics. Andrei Kirilenko is probably the biggest fan favorite of the team. Not only is he easily the best looking player in the league (with close competition from Brian Scalabrine and Walter Herrman), but he's actually pretty good. He plays lockdown defense with over 1,000 career blocks and is closing in on 1,000 steals. More importantly, he brings that Russian intensity and is a major intimidation factor every time he steps on the court. Mehmet Okur is a 6-11 white guy from Turkey who occasionally decides he needs to wear a shooting sleeve. I already have mentioned Kyle Korver in numerous articles, but I'll go ahead and remind you that his 54% shooting from behind the arc is by far the best in the league (Daniel Gibson and Mike Miller are tied for second with 47%). Ronnie Price doesn't really do much, but he is the only NBA player from Utah Valley St. Likewise, Othyus Jeffers is the only product from Robert Morris. I'm talking about Robert Morris in Chicago, not even the one that got a 15 seed. That's pretty impressive. Paul Millsap is ready to take over the 4 spot after Boozer leaves, and while most fans will be disappointed, Utah has had a pretty solid history with power forwards from Louisiana Tech. To top off the roster, Utah has a pair of awkward, white, uncoordinated, Eastern European big men in Kyrylo Fesenko and Kosta Koufos. Although the Jazz have never truly recovered from the retirement of Greg Ostertag, this is about as well as they can possibly recover.

With that said, it is very obvious that Utah has a bright future. They are flying under the radar now, but when AK-47 locks down Kobe and they upset the Lakers, they will become America's Team. Here is your chance to claim them before everyone else. With that, Fuerto is out, but stay tuned because I'm sure KFW is brewing up something good as we speak.

One Week In...

Evidently, my compatriots KFW and El Fuerto have either been tanked this past week or are still a little too choked up about the tribute to pump out some blogwork, so I figured I'd step up to the plate. First off, thanks to everyone for their support on the tribute. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback, and that's really what it's all about. In other news, the Nasti Nati Redlegs have just completed week one of the 2010 season, and yall must be crazy if you don't think I'm not just bubbling with observations at this point. Let's make it happen.

I was going to apologize for the lack of the bullpen preview I'm sure all our readers were giddy to get a hold of, but I'll allow 7.16 ERA and two "L"s from the pen alone to speak for itself. Coming from a bullpen that ranked 3rd in the league, this is slightly disturbing. If Masset and Herrera simply "reer'd" it last year and aren't clutch as Robert Horry again this year, we might be seeing ERA's from these guys comparable to Mr. Clakny's after serving up right hook hoagies to Pablo Sanchez in bp. (For those of you who no habla Backyard Baseball lingo, that's pretty goshdarn high) Before you get too steamed though, I advise you to slow your roll, and just envision Rhodes, Masset, and CoCo: 7th, 8th, 9th...BALLGAME. Bottom line, these guys know what's up, and a turnaround in the near future is likely.

To be brief, real disappointed with the hitting. It seems like these guys have made every starter so far look like Henry Rowengartner (After all, even Barry Bonds couldn't catch up to that heat). Stubbs and Bruce have practically been providing the GAB and its attendees me with air conditioning with all the K's they're racking up. We saw first hand what happens when you put the ball in play when Jonny Gomes hit a weak liner to left and Fonso Soriano did his sweet little bunny hop, dropped the ball of course, and wall-ah, RUNS. It's early, so I'll give them the benefit of the doubt, but Bruce might be suiting up for Billings if he doesn't get his shtuff together asap. After all, anytime your batting average is lower than your alcohol content, and for Jay Babay (.053) its gettin pretty damn close, you might as call it quits.

The core of Rolen, Votto, B-Phil have all been doing there thing...which is expected. I thought Cabrera was getting the hang of it until he fanned with a runner of 3rd at a crucial part in yesterday's ballgame after being ahead 3-1 in the count. C'mon Son. Really liking what Dickerson brings to the ballclub day in and day out, and I'm not just saying this because he's homo either. Of the little I saw Juan Francisco play, I had seen enough. He had himself a solid golden sombrero Saturday (0-4, 4 K's) and was promptly shipped back to Louisville in exchange for none other than Mike Leake. Gotta love his major league debut. Excuse the 7 walks, and this guy had a heckuva ballgame. What a better way to start of the career than loadin up the bases, then sitting down the next three chums. Then to see him going 2-2 from the dish...gotta love the chutzpah of the young fella. With Aroldis simultaneously mowin down some Mud Hens on Sunday, there's no doubt you might need to put on some shades when you're lookin at the future for this Redlegs ball club.


Other than that, the 3-3 start was respectable. As KFW puts it, the "Big Road Machine" will commence on its road adventures tonight against a Marlins squad. The Reds were 18 games under .500 last year against non NL-Central opponents, so road series like this against a non division opponent will really define the kind of ball club the Reds will be this year. Arroyo on the bump tonight looking extend his streak of 13 consecutive starts of pitching at least 7 innings and allowing 3 runs or less. Talk about consistency; the leg kick at its finest.

Possibly Fuerto and Kevin Frey Wannabe will awaken from their slumbers and enlighten you in the next few days, but in the spirit of capitalism, I'll just worry about myself. With that, Burnside over and out. S'GO Redlegs.

MJ 78: A Tribute

When I received word of Matthew's death on Friday, I first thought it was some sick joke. I then received the same message several times, and my parents received a call too from a family friend informing them of the tragedy. I was in shock and didn't know how to react. I tried to sort out the madness with some other friends who were close to Matt, but still couldn't make any sense of it. Fortunately, I was able to attend the impromptu vigil Friday night, which was amazing, but I left and still have a heavy heart and many questions.

I was fortunate enough to know Matthew since my grade school days. Even back then, his head took up half the hallway, and I could only look up in awe. As a 6th grader, he was already playing with the 8th graders; he was no doubt a big boy from day one. I'll always remember just laughing watching him play basketball in 8th grade missing layup after layup, getting his own rebound numerous times as his arms would tower above all the other kids around him, until he would finally lay it in. He was relentless. There was no doubt he was a project, and I can recall his dad (who is by the way, along with entire James family, truly one of the most genuinely nice people I have EVER known) working with Matt after our football Visitation practices on his foot work and speed.

Throughout high school, it was amazing to see this kid who I had known as a big uncoordinated, awkward guy develop into a tremendous blue-chip athlete at St. X. On both the basketball court and football field, Matt had an undeniable swagger that was a joy to watch. He accomplished amazing things, and I had the privilege to watch him. By the time Matt was a sophomore, he was already a force on the O-Line for the #1 team in the nation the St. Xavier Bombers. My brother, Patrick Berning '08, who was a senior running back on the 2007 state championship team with Matt had this to say:

"We lost one of the best thats for sure...in every aspect of life.Talk about a class act and a hard working kid....I remember my senior season you would go every play to the whistle, and usually that extra second longer...Man, you were one tough kid with a huge heart. Matt we went way back...Visitation domination then moving up to the big leagues at St. X...I have so many great memories of you and I thank you for that.....nothing better than running through a gigantic hole with big 78 leading the way..now you can lead the way to heaven...WE will miss you and remember you forever."


I personally grew particularly close to Matt these past fews months. I was the team statistician for the basketball squad, which Matt was a part of, and would always challenge Matt and his broke jump shot to some 3 point challenges in the pre game shoot arounds. He had a surprisingly soft touch, but I of course typically emerged the victor. He didn't get much playing time, and he was there more than anything to scare the living shit out of the opposing team as he warmed up on the opposite end of the floor. Passing in the halls, Matt would typically grab me by the head with his massive hand, and jokingly say "Berning, 1,000 points tonight" (as he knew I had control of the game stats) and I would always let him know I don't want the GCL's (aka God's Chosen League) leading scorer to be someone even I could take in a game of horse. He had a great sense of humor, and above all else was a great guy.

Just this past Wednesday, Matt and I were discussing Obamacare during free bell. We humored each other with our incredibly conservative remarks about Mr. Obama, and there was no doubt Matt was a fervent Conservative, or as he would put it, an "Amurican." It was just simple conversations like this where I really got to know Matt well and get an idea of the kind of person he was. I hardly even thought of Matt as this big time college football player, because I had known him since he couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time, and he was really just a big ole teddy bear to me. I'm about half his size and to most people just some scrawny ass junior, yet Matt would always go out of his way to joke around with me before he went on his merry way.


Matt's passing is truly devastating for the entire St. Xavier community and beyond, but something tells me we'll all be better people because of this. I'll always remember Matt as a great guy both on and off the field, who wasn't afraid to put his ego aside in order to make people smile. He's gone now, but will never be forgotten. I think it would be legit if the big 7-8 got retired, but whether or not this is done, I have no doubt the St. X community will pull together to remember the great person and athlete Matthew was. Regardless, it's hard to know you're gone Matt, but we love you man. Prayers for the James family, especially our good friend Max James, who are certainly going through some rough times mourning the loss of MJ 78.

We are Xavier Men FOREVER. LONG LIVE KING JAMES!!

2010 Reds Preview (Part 3): Infield

This is it. All but two NCAA teams have hung up the jerseys, the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are finished, and its time to get psyched about the 2010 Cincinnati Reds as they begin their 162 game conquest of the Central Division, the National League, and finally the entire MLB. While Burnside and KFW have given you the scoop on all the question marks and unproven youngsters needed to step up, El Fuerto has some good news for you: the infield. This is the backbone of the team, the area Dusty has had set since he stepped foot in Arizona. While the pitching and outfield are make or breaks for the Reds, the infield should be the stable constant. Let's take a look at who Cincy will be leaning on this summer.


First Base: I'll admit that I have been very harsh on Reds first basemen even since the awful day when Sean Casey was shipped out of town. However, Joey Votto has really grown on me. He is a 26 year old Canadian with a swing as big as Greg Ostertag. Votto batted .322 with 25 home runs last year, and should be able to improve on this. He is the Reds best hitter and needs to have another big year if they are going to compete.

Second Base: Brandon Phillips is one of the best second basemen in the league (top five with Utley, Pedroia, Cano, and Kinsler?) He went 20-20 last year (20 HRs and 25 SBs) and has 100 RBI potential (98 last year.) Throw in his 2008 Gold Glove and the fact that he is still only 28, and you have yourself a top notch talent at the position. Veterans Aaron Miles and Miguel Cairo will be used as insurance policies in the infield.

Shortstop: Now, normally I'm not big on throwing $4 Million at a 35 year old, but getting Orlando Cabrera was a necessity. It was either this or give Paul Janish and his .211 batting average a full time role. Anyway, we know how much Dusty likes his veterans and it was only 3 years ago when Cabrera won an AL Gold Glove. So if nothing else, we should have a double play tandem to rival the likes of Fontenot-Theriot, Utley-Rollins, Cano-Jeter, and Kinsler-Andrus. Orlando is also good for a solid batting average (.284 last year), some RBIs (77), and even a few stolen bases (13).

Third Base: Scott Rolen is getting up there in age, but still can contribute a lot to the team. He churned out 67 RBIs and a .455 SLG. despite only playing 128 games. Rolen is still a top defensive player and a good fit in the five slot in the order. He should be fine at third all year as long as he avoids injuries and/or pitchers drilling him in the head.

Catcher: This is definitely the part of the infield that makes me most nervous. Ramon Hernandez is decent behind the plate (5 errors but only 18 runners thrown out compared to 33 steals allowed) but can't hit at all. He batted .258, which is okay if you have power, but not if you are only good for 5 HRs and 37 RBIs. Ryan Hanigan is an alright backup, but nothing more than that. He hit an alright .263, but has absolutely no power, shown by his .331 SLG. He draws a lot of walks (37 in 251 ABs) which I guess is good, but he allowed more passed balls and committed just as many errors as Hernandez. While they aren't horrible options, just remember that we are only one injury away from Corky Miller seeing extensive time behind the plate...