Bleacher Report - Articles by Jux Berg

Cincinnati-Gonzaga: Bearcats Make Case For Top 25 in Maui

Jux Berg — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:25:45 -0500

The Cincinnati Bearcats will fly home tonight from Maui on the red-eye without the championship trophy, but with the respect of the college basketball world.

Head coach Mick Cronin's squad suffocated No. 24 Vanderbilt (27.5 percent FG) and No. 21 Maryland (35.8 percent FG) before suffering a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of traditional sweet 16-caliber Gonzaga, 61-59 in overtime, in the Maui final.

The Bearcats, led by freshman Lance Stephenson's hard-fought 15 points (7-14 FGM-A), held a 40-30 lead with about eight minutes to go before the wheels fell off. UC had some open looks from deep but the shots weren't falling (8-31 3PM-A), and Gonzaga made just enough "plays" to force the extra session.

You've got to give the Zags some credit for the comeback, but if you watched the game, you know Mark Few's team got away with murder in the final seconds of regulation.

With five seconds to go, Stephenson tossed a perfect lob pass for big 6'9" Yancy Gates, who jumped up and grabbed the pass—but before he could lay the ball in the basket, 7-footer Robert Sacre blindly flailed his arm behind him, absolutely drilling Gates' left arm, causing the ball to pop out. No call.

UC (4-1, 0-0) then shot themselves in the foot in overtime, missing 5-of-7 free throw attempts, including the front end of a one-and-one.

All things considered, it was a successful trip to the Hawaiian Islands for the Bearcats, who received great post play from Gates (two double-doubles) and showed that they have the ability to turn up the defense and hold teams well below their season scoring average.

If you ask ESPN analysts Jay Bilas and Bill Raftery, I guarantee they will tell you that Mick Cronin sports an NCAA Tournament team this season.

Cronin and his dynamite staff will have plenty of teaching opportunities this week as UC rests up for a Dec. 1 clash with Texas Southern. My guess is the coaches will focus on:

1. Playing great defense without fouling (UC's opponents made more free throws than the Bearcats shot in all three Maui games).

2. Shot selection.

3. Getting to the free throw line more.

Now, let's all raise our glasses of Crown Royal to the Cincinnati Bearcats, for a spectacular effort in the Maui Invitational. I personally am excited and confident that UC will be going into the 2009-10 season with this talented group of players. Cronin has put together a nice blend of multi-dimensional guys who know how to play the game.

As the season progresses, and the young guys learn what needs to happen to win games down the stretch, this could be a team that nobody wants to f*** with in March.

Cincinnati-Toledo: The Rashad Bishop Show Leads Bearcats to 92-68 Win

Jux Berg — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:01:18 -0500

Rashad Bishop's 20-point, eight-board, five-assist night led the way for sweet-stroking Cincinnati in a 92-68 rout of the Toledo Rockets at Fifth Third Arena.

The game was much easier to watch than the opener on Monday night, a butt-ugly 69-62 win over Prairie View A&M.

Freshman sensation Lance Stephenson showed glimpses of smoothness, finishing with 16 points (three dunks, two bombs) and a beautiful dish through Toledo's 2-3 zone to Bishop on the block that caused Kris Volpenhein to swiftly and immediately rewind his DVR to get another look.

Cincinnati (2-0, 0-0) shot the ball extremely well tonight, finishing 52 percent from the field, thanks to a balanced attack and unselfish play. Two-time all-Big East guard Deonta Vaughn dished out nine assists, while the team finished with 27 assists on its 37 made field goals.

Toledo (0-2, 0-0) had a couple of creamers of its own. Freshman guards Stephen Albrecht and Jake Barnett combined to knock down 15 of 26 from the field, including eight out of 13 triples.

Sophomore monster Yancy Gates laid down a nice Dr. Dre-type beat tonight. The 6'9" power forward began by nutting two 15-footers, one from the baseline and one from the top of the key. He then scored twice in the post on turnaround jumpers, one over each shoulder.

Larry Davis then found Yancy cutting down the lane in the second half for a giant two-hander plus the foul, as the big man finished with 14 points (6-of-8 FG), three swats, and four assists.

All in all, you've got to think head coach Mick Cronin is happy with the first two games, in terms of teaching opportunities for his young team. UC struggled against PV A&M in the opener, mainly because of horrendous offense. Too much passing around the perimeter and chucking like George Costanza.

Tonight, the 'Cats got the ball inside, attacked the offensive glass, and shared the ball well.

Cronin can't, however, be happy with his team's defense. Toledo shot 48 percent from the field tonight, including a ridiculous 11-of-21 from long range.

That will need to be tightened up in a hurry, as Cronin's crew is now heading into the Maui Invitational next week. UC will take on dangerous Vanderbilt on Monday (2 PST, ESPN2) to begin the Hawaiian excursion. Go 'Cats.

Box score

Cincinnati-Prairie View A&M: For Season Opener, It's Survive and Advance

Jux Berg — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:39:46 -0500

Juniors Larry Davis and Rashad Bishop kept colder-than-a-polar bear's-toenails-shooting Cincinnati afloat as the Bearcats clawed their way back from a 15-point deficit to Final Four contender Prairie View A&M, pulling away down the stretch for a less than comfortable 69-62 win at Fifth Third Arena.

The game had the feel of an 'upset alert' NCAA Tournament game between the No. 2 and No. 15 seeds in the first round. Through the first 15 minutes of the ballgame Cincinnati couldn't buy a shot (even a wide open dunk on the game's first play bricked off the back of the rim for Yancy Gates).

Meanwhile, Prairie View A&M (representing the SWAC), was busy draining three-pointers and taking care of the ball.

The game seemed to turn late in the first half when Lance Stephenson, the highly touted freshman from Brooklyn, scored a tough leaner in traffic to cut the lead down to six points. But, the Panthers banked in a jumper as the first half ended to take an eight-point lead into the locker room.

After a below average start to the second half, Mick finally found the defensive lineup he wanted with Deonta Vaughn, Larry Davis, Dion Dixon, Steve Toyloy, and Rashad Bishop, enabling the bricklaying Bearcats to hold A&M scoreless for over six minutes—until a gigantic, loud, "monstery" dunk-tip by Toyloy's replacement Yancy Gates, gave UC its first lead since 3-0.

From there, senior Deonta Vaughn (15 pts, third all-time on the UC scoring list) and redshirt freshman Cashmere Wright (12 pts) led the Cats to the seven-point win in the season opener.

As for Stephenson, it was a so-so college debut. "Born Ready" did manage a few highlights, but his outside shot was vanquishing paint from the rim. The freshman finished with just seven points on an icy 2-10 from the field.

All things considered, we'll take the win. It wasn't easy to watch, but we'll take it. Mick Cronin's squad was applying massive pain to the rims and backboards, but UC was able to battle through adversity and a 15-point deficit to grind out a win.

Mick has said many times that you've got to know how to win when the shots aren't falling if you're going to survive in the Big East. I'm sure on some level the fiery head coach is glad the game was a close one versus a meaningless blowout, where the defensive stops aren't as critical.

Game One. It's early. Let's get back to it Wednesday at home against Toledo. The game will be at 7:30 PM EST, 6:30 PM PST, and 4:30 PM PST (or whenever you crack open an ice-cold green Rainier Ale and flip on the DVR) on FSN Cincinnati , the Big East Network , or possibly online. Go 'Cats.

Box Score

Cincinnati Bengals: Sweep of Ravens Sells This Writer

Jux Berg — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:48:54 -0500

It's time to come clean. I need to admit to the world that I, Jux Berg, threw a boycott on the Cincinnati Bengals last season.

I'd simply had enough. The 2006 and 2007 campaigns were complete debacles, and the '08 season was doomed from the start. I was tired of Chad's antics. I decided he was the cancer on the team. I wanted him traded. I decided to forget the Bengals even existed.

When Chad Ochocinco was not traded and T.J. Houshmandzadeh was not re-signed, I figured 2009 would be more of the same for the Bengals, the only team in football that places their franchise tag on a kicker.

Well, I'm glad to admit that I was wrong about this team. Sunday's utter domination of archrival Baltimore, led by Ced Benson's second 100-yard rushing performance against the typically unyielding Ravens' defense, has me knocking on the bandwagon windows asking if there are any seats left.

The resolve on this team is inspiring, to say the least. In Week 1, a ridiculous fluke touchdown by Kyle Orton and Brandon Stokley snatched a victory right out from underneath Robert Geathers and the Bengals. For some teams, that can kill an entire season.

What did the Bengals do to respond? Carson and the crew marched right into Lambeau Field and bashed the Packers around.

The following week, Domata Peko and the troops took down the defending Super Bowl champ Pittsburgh at home, 23-20. That was the win that forced me to take notice.

After a less-than-stellar performance (but a W, nonetheless) against sad-sack Cleveland in Week 4, tragedy struck the Bengal family. Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer suddenly lost his wife. It was a very emotional week for this close-knit group.

Zimmer decided to coach the next week, and his loyal soldiers on defense decided to pack a motherf***in' lunch. Bengals 17, Baltimore 14. In Baltimore. Palmer to Andre Caldwell with less than a minute to go. Incredible.

Week 6 saw an understandable emotional letdown from Cincinnati, as Houston came into Paul Brown Stadium and left with a victory.

Sitting at 4-2, the Bengals were hosting the Chicago Bears in Week 7. Cedric Benson, the former Texas Longhorn pimp, would face the team who drafted him 4th overall and then threw him out like yesterday's trash in the middle of 2008. Needless to say, Ced was hyped. And the game was a joke. Cincinnati jumped out to a 31-3 halftime lead, added two more scores in the second half, and sent Jay Cutler back to Pout-ville. 45-10 Bengals. As for Ced: 37 carries for 189 and a house-visit.

So now the Cincinnati Bengals sit atop the AFC North at 6-2 with, who else, the Pittsburgh Steelers. And whaddayaknow, the Bengals visit Heinz Field this Sunday.

I'd like to ask permission to root for this team for the remainder of the season. There were six people who stayed 100% loyal, and I'd like to acknowledge that impressive mental wherewithal: Grandpa Stan, Aunt Rochelle, J. Cossman, Liss Eardley, John Horn, and Amanda Beam.

Cincinnati Basketball: New-Look Bearcats Open Preseason With 86-58 Victory

Jux Berg — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:06:37 -0500

Darnell Wilks and the no-longer-undermanned Cincinnati Bearcats shook off an early second half rut to pull away from Division II Saginaw Valley State, 86-58, in the first exhibition game of the 2009-10 season in front of over 6,000 excited fans at 5th Third Arena.

The game was mostly sloppy, which is not uncommon at the beginning of a season for a team with new faces. Sophomore Yancy Gates, a 6'9" 260 pound beast, led UC with 16 points, including 6-6 from the foul line and a giant two-handed slam off of a full-court feed from freshman point guard Jaquon Parker.

The real story was of course the much-anticipated debut of Lance "Born Ready" Stephenson, the all-time leading scorer in the rich history of New York high school hoops. The media had speculated since Stephenson committed to Cincinnati that he may be subject to a suspension, due to assumed extra benefits received during his recruiting process.

But, at about 2:20 this afternoon, Bearcat fans across the country were elated at the news that the 6'6" tank-guard would not miss any games. I will just offer that it took all of my self control not to get up on top of my desk at work and jump up and down and pump my fist and yell. It's about &$#@in' time, NCAA!

As for Lance's night on the floor, it wasn't the thirty point lightfest many fans expected. Stephenson finished with nine points on 4-14 shooting, including 1-for-3 from downtown. But, speaking as the voice of Bearcat fans everywhere, it was just great to see him in a UC uniform, playing basketball with Deonta Vaughn and Steve Toyloy and the rest of the crew.

Also, many of the shots Stephenson missed were right on line but just a touch strong, which means he was possibly a little too jacked up for the game. Can't fault the kid for that. All signs point to a big season from the 225-pound guard/forward.

And so, the season is underway. For the first time in head coach Mick Cronin's four seasons at UC, he has a full thirteen scholarship players. Included among the stable is redshirt freshman Cashmere Wright, who sat out last season with a torn ACL. The year off may have cost Cash experience, but the rehab went well, resulting in a twenty pound weight gain and a four-inch increase in his vertical leap (from 33" to 37"!). It was simply nice to see a true point guard in a Bearcat uniform tonight. Wright finished with three points, seven assists, and just one turnover.

This looks like it should be an exciting season in Clifton. And, for patient Bearcat fans everywhere, all of the frustration starting with the NCAA snub in 2006 and running through the past three undermanned, undersized, talent-lacking seasons should make the 2009-10 Cincinnati Bearcat quest that much more enjoyable.

Let's all enjoy the journey. May the destination be as follows: Sit back in your chair, close your eyes, and imagine filling out your 2010 NCAA Tournament bracket. "How far should I pick the Bearcats to go," you ask yourself.

Cincinnati Football: QB Controversy Brewing For Brian Kelly?

Jux Berg — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:55:15 -0500

Following the season-pausing injury to sixth-year senior quarterback Tony Pike, the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats have not missed a beat, thanks to sophomore Zach Collaros.

It's an interesting situation for head coach Brian Kelly, whose record at UC stands now at 30-6 following a 28-7 victory at Syracuse on Saturday.

Late in the second quarter of what turned out to be a 34-17 win at South Florida on Oct. 15, Heisman candidate Pike re-injured his non-throwing arm. Pike then attempted one series in the second half before being relieved by Collaros, who promptly scooted through the Bulls' defense for a crowd-muting 75-yard touchdown run.

Collaros then started the next two games on the schedule, versus Louisville and at Syracuse, and has performed almost perfectly.

The Steubenville, Ohio product, who also plays centerfield for the UC baseball team, completed 15 out of 17 passes in a 41-10 rout of the Cardinals. He then chucked four touchdowns in the victory at the Carrier Dome.

Of course, Louisville and Syracuse are both, to put it nicely, absolutely horrible.

Collaros still performed well, though. So now, with the final stretch—in which the Bearcats will face three of the best in the Big East—looming, and Pike on the mend, how does Kelly work the quarterback position the rest of the way?

Will he continue to let Collaros lead the troops? Will he insert Pike as the starter as soon as he's healthy enough to play? Will he play both?

For most coaches at most programs, this could spell disaster. If you take a look at Kelly's track record, however, chances are he will make the right choice.

Last season, the Bearcats used four different quarterbacks en route to a Big East title and Orange Bowl berth (the school's first ever). Plus, in Kelly's wide open attack, the quarterback position can be an interchangeable part.

Regardless of the outcome, Bearcat fans now have a glimpse into the post-Pike era, and it's not a bad picture.

NBA: Predictions and Dunking Awards

Jux Berg — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:33:24 -0400

The 2009-10 NBA season is now underway. While all other media members predict the conference and finals champs, I'd like to take a different route: a list of random predictions.

Jason Maxiell will dunk on Shaquille O'Neal. Nobody has ever legitimately thrown down the hammer on Shaq, partly because he's a good shotblocker, partly because he is too damn big, and partly because he will foul the sh*t out of the dunk-attempter if he doesn't have good defensive position. Now that Shaq resides in the Central Division, he must face the wrath of the NBA's most devastating undersized power forward dunker four times in the regular season. The former Bearcat Maxiell already made his mark against Memphis last night when he grabbed a rebound over Marc Gasol and went right back up and murdered a one-hander all over the entire country of Spain. Shaq can hardly move anymore, and unfortunately he will get thumped on by Jason Maxiell.

The Magic will lead the league in dunks by at least 100. Dwight Howard alone is good for about three dunks per game, now Orlando has added Vince Carter and Brandon Bass to the mix. Bass will try to tear the rim down any chance he gets, and we all know about Vinsanity. This team by itself is worth the cheese to sign up for NBA League Pass.

Jonny Flynn will win Rookie of the Year and dunk on Joakim Noah. Yes, I know, this is bold. But nobody's talking about Flynn at all and the kid can play. He can also rise, as Noah will find out soon.

James White will win the Slam Dunk Contest. Of course this is only IF he is allowed to participate. Currently not on the Rockets' active roster, White did however sign a three-year deal at the end of last season. If the NBA omits "Flight" White from the contest, it will suffer major karmaic consequences for depriving its fans of one of the most electrifying dunkers to ever lace 'em up.

Ron Artest will learn to meditate and "relax." Phil Jackson, a.k.a. "Swift Eagle" as dubbed by the Dakota Sioux tribe, will take care of the meditation. And Luke Walton will dig into his father's stash to help with the "relaxing."

OK fine, finals predictions: West = Lakers over Nugs, East = Magic over Celts, Lakers win it again, YAWN.

2009 MLB Playoffs: Unbearable Broadcasters

Jux Berg — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 18:27:55 -0400

When the division series played out, pairing the Angles vs. the Yankees and the Phillies vs. the Dodgers, I thought to myself, "All right. This should be some good baseball to watch."

Then the series started, and I have a completely different opinion. I now yell out loud, "God, I can't listen to these f***in' sh*thead idiots!!"

Let's start with TBS. Chip Caray. Come on. This guy is an entire fruit display at your local grocery store. He sits there next to Ron Darling and Buck Martinez and calls the game in his annoying, eardrum-murdering voice. He has been completely awful since the day he began calling Cubs games, but, since his father was a famous broadcaster (not to mention a drunk, a racist, a mushmouth...shall I go on?), networks still believe he is the right man for the job. For the freakin' PLAYOFFS for chrissakes. Come on, TBS, get it together, will ya?

Speaking of TBS, how 'bout this little trio of clowns Ernie Johnson has to sit with before and after games? Ripken is halfway decent, but Dennis Eckersley and David Wells are so bad that they make f***in' Magic Johnson look like a genius. Listen to these guys—Wells will get a little roll going, and you'll hear him mention three different things that go in three completely different directions. Eckersley tries to deliver a point and then he finishes strong in anticipation of a big reaction...and then...nobody says a word and Ernie wraps it up and it's time to cut for the commercial.

(Gotta give Ernie Johnson credit for putting up with the talking heads on both the NBA and MLB sets. Horrible.)

Now let's shift gears and discuss this awful, atrocious, mute-button-breaking duo broadcasting the ALCS over on Fox. Can we just get over Joe Buck already? Can we? Please? Every single f***in' thing about this guy makes me want to burn off my eyeballs and ears with hydrochloric acid. His voice and tone are literally a detriment to society. His face and HAIR and smile...what can I even say? Nothing needs to be said. Just look at that ghoul. Once again, another complete yay keeps a job because his father was a famous broadcaster.

(Thank you, Artie Lange, for thrashing this guy on HBO. We all wish we could do that, but you did it. Bravo.)

This just in, Fox, there are plennnnty of other broadcasters out there. My recommendation is and always will be Dan Shulman of ESPN. Great voice, great tone, good reactions and he actually knows things about sports.

And of course, we can't leave out that clever S.O.B. Tim McCarver. If anybody ever deserved to be dubbed "Captain Obvious," it's McCarver. Either that or "Captain Doesn't-Know-Sh*t." Either way.

I can sit and watch about two innings of a Fox ALCS broadcast and point out at least ten REALLY dumb things these two yankers say. It makes me not want to watch the games. It makes lots and lots of people not want to watch.

What were the ratings for the LCS games vs. Monday Night Football last night? I rest my awesome case.

NCAA Football: Losers Usually Lose

Jux Berg — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:41:39 -0400

If you have been a consistent college football junkie for the past decade or so, you may be aware of some yearly trends. You may even be able to flip on a game and predict the outcome from time to time.

This past Saturday was a perfect example. Teams who usually lose big games found ways to lose big games. It seems as if these certain teams have perfected losing.

Let's take a look back at what happened:

1) LSU at Georgia. The oddsmakers in Vegas actually touted the Bulldogs the favorite for some ridiculous, unfounded, unresearched, history-ignoring reason. I mean really, when has Georgia ever lived up to any sort of hype or ranking (at least since Herschel Walker finished his bruising career)? When UGA found a way to answer LSU's 4th quarter touchdown with one of their own, taking the lead 13-12 (of course they didn't get the 2-pt conversion) with about a minute left, did anybody seriously think Richt's squad would actually win this game?? I sure didn't. And sure enough, LSU's slooowwww running back busted a big run to win the game. Yeah, biiiigggg surprise.

2) USC at Cal. Anybody out there think Cal had a prayer in this game? "They're playing at home...USC is missing one of their running backs...USC isn't that good...bla bla bla." Cal, in a word, is, well, NOTGOOD. Any time anybody ranks this team high or picks the Bears to win the Pac-10, you can guaran-damn-tee this team will choke gigantically. And, surprise surprise, USC took the Bears out back and bashed 'em up. What a shocker. Getting worked by five touchdowns in Eugene the week before didn't help the myth either. Did Cal even score against USC? It was 20-0 late in the game and I decided I'd rather try to shave my own back with a fork than waste any more time watching the Golden Bears try to muster a late field goal.

3) Wisconsin at Minnesota. Oh those crazy Golden Gophers, will they ever be a threat? The answer is, of course, "no, jackass, no." I'll be honest, I didn't watch much of this game. And do you know why? Because the outcome was decided before it even started. It would be a wild game, but in the end, Minnesota would come up short. No matter how many times Adam Weber threw the ball to Eric Decker (who is in his 19th year at Minnesota), the Gophers were still destined to blow it. And blow it they did. And guess what...not one person on the face of the Milky Way Galaxy was surprised.

4) Clemson at Maryland. Both these teams are the same dumb, predictable team. They both lose every game they are supposed to win. Maryland won, but what does that even mean? If Clemson would have won, it would have been the exact same result. One team is 2-3 and the other is 3-2? They should both be 2.5-2.5. I don't even know what that means, but the point is that these two teams should be stricken from Division I college football and never allowed on television or radio or in the newspapers ever again. Memo to ESPN: throw out all your files on these two teams and move on.

5) Michigan at Michigan State. With one exception to the rule, Michigan State actually won this game. But, we still have to harp on the fact that the Spartans, as usual, tried their hardest to lose. It just turned out that Michigan is f***in' terrible and they were a bit better at losing. Michigan State held a 20-6 advantage with five min left in regulation and coughed it up with the precision only a habitual loser can display. First, after a smart fumble by Michigan State, one of Michigan's slow, weak receivers caught a pass and slowly and weakly ran through about four Spartan tackle attempts without even trying. Then, the Spartans gave up a game-tying touchdown in the pouring down rain. Garbage. Both teams = garbage. Michigan State won in OT after Tate Forcier threw a pass into octuple coverage in the end zone and got picked off...and then Michigan missed 18 tackles on some unknown garbage Spartan running back for the game-winning touchdown. Whoopee.

USC-OSU: Are Buckeye Fans Growing Tired of "Tressel-Ball?"

Jux Berg — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:09:06 -0400

To put it simply, "Tressel-Ball" is a cautious, close-to-the-vest style of coaching football. Minimize risks. Attempt to control field position. Use old-fashioned methods on short-yardage situations.

And, unfortunately for the Buckeyes of late when battling top 10 teams, Tressel-Ball equals losses.

Even with a talented, hard-nosed defense, failing to take advantage of scoring opportunities can and will come back to haunt.

(Admittedly a lifelong Buckeye fan, I am writing this article from an objective standpoint.)

Last night, Pete Carroll came to Ohio Stadium to win. Jim Tressel came to be a part of a long-standing rivalry.

The first time the Trojans had the ball on offense, a 4th-and-goal from the two-yard line presented itself. Carroll went for the touchdown. After Stafon Johnson crossed the goal line, the score was 7-0.

Later in the half, the Buckeyes were presented with a 1st-and-goal inside the five in their home stadium. After a failed pass attempt, and two consecutive failed regular, up-the-middle, obvious, boring, uncreative, typical run attempts right up the gut, what does Jim Tressel do? Kicks the field goal. The Buckeyes score three points instead of seven.

The final margin of the game? Three points. There's your ballgame.

Tressel has a wonderful winning percentage at Ohio State, placing seventh among active coaches. He has a national championship on his belt. He is 7-1 against Michigan. His coaching style works most of the time, mostly against teams with less physical talent and depth.

But against teams his equal or maybe slightly better, the style seems to be quite outdated.

Were it not for a missed 30-yard field goal by the Illini in 2002, there would be no national championship. The victory over Miami (FL) in the BCS title game was impressive.

But since then, where have the big victories been? OSU lost big in back-to-back title bouts, blew a home game to eventual national champion Texas and Vince Young, dropped both contests against USC (one of them by 32 points), took zero risks and eventually succumbed in a 13-6 home loss to Penn State last season.

The bottom line is this: Tressel either opens his mind and plays to win, or the Buckeyes continue to pile up the moral victories. It's his choice.

Cincinnati Reds Make Play for Wrong Third Baseman

Jux Berg — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:08:47 -0400

Earth to Reds GM Walt Jocketty: What, uh, what was that trade?

Cincinnati just sent two of its best young pitchers, Josh Roenicke and Zach Stewart, to Toronto for Scott Rolen? Did I read that correctly?

I'm also being told by my sources that the Reds included Edwin Encarnacion in the swap. I'm replying to my sources with a gigantic "So the f*** what?"

Scott Rolen, huh? What is he, 50? I vaguely remember when Rolen was a superstar in Philadelphia. Yeah, must be because that was about ten years ago. What's he done the past few years? Anybody know? A grand total of 28 homers in the past three campaigns.

Wow, this is the first time in Reds history they've traded for or signed a former superstar who has one foot in the grave. Oh wait, never mind. Anybody remember Frank Viola? Terry Pendleton? Lee Smith?

Meanwhile, the perfect solution to Cincy's third base problem is smashing 600-foot home runs in Korea. Yes, that's right. I'm talking about none other than feared slugger Bum Ho Lee.

Bum Ho, also known as the Korean Mike Schmidt, put on an absolute clinic in the World Baseball Classic when The Man Himself went 8-for-20 with three tape-measure taters. (Pictured above rounding third after another upperdeck line-drive bomb)

I guess Jocketty and owner Bob Castellini were too busy scurrying to Country Kitchen Buffet for the four o'clock dinner special to tune in to see Bum Ho launch baseballs to the moon.

Instead of the obvious choice (Bum Ho mamma jamma Lee), the Reds went with a slow, old, injury-prone has-been who costs over $10 million! Way to go, guys! The perfect solution to a ridiculously over-inflated 2010 payroll. Well done.

Nice f*ckin' decade, Reds.

Yo, Raul Ibanez: Calm Down, Baby!

Jux Berg — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:48:00 -0400

Alright, Mr. Ibanez, lemme ask you this. Have you been living under a rock for the past five years? Haven’t you seen what happens to athletes who go out of their way to defend themselves against steroid accusations?

Come on, baby—you’re having a great season. Just sit back, relax, enjoy being on a winning ball club, take a look at that fat bank account, have yourself a giant steak and some lobster, and chill.

You see, while I understand that getting accused of doing something you did not do is infuriating, you don’t want to throw gasoline on the fire. And, speaking of “fire,” it seems to me that nobody accused you of a thing.

The blogger merely said that your gigantic statistical jump would probably raise suspicion, simply because of the recent steroid media outburst. The blogger also went to great lengths to defend you and give you the benefit of the doubt.

I mean, hey, you played in Safeco Field on a team with a garbage line-up. You had f***in' RICHIE SEXSON hitting behind you!

And now, you play in arguably the easiest park to mash and find yourself in one of the most stacked line-ups in all of baseball. Add in the change of scenery effect, and yeah, it’s entirely possible that you’re just feeling good and getting some juicy pitches to rake.

Frankly, I don’t care if you used PEDs or not. I just think you should relax and let it all go away quietly. But hey, you’re a big boy, you can do what you want. Good luck buddy.

Big East: Bearcats On The Rise, Sweep Georgetown

Jux Berg — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:17:45 -0500

Well isn’t this a nice mid-winter surprise? I’m excited to report that the young, resilient Cincinnati Bearcats have just completed a season sweep of the Georgetown Hoyas, placing Mick Cronin’s squad smack dab in the middle of the conversation for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Think back to about a month ago. UC (16-8, 6-5 Big East) was in the midst of getting roasted by Rutgers, down 29-13 at home, struggling to shake free from the death grip of a brutal four-game losing streak.

Then, junior banger Steve Toyloy calmly creamed two free throws and the lid was off. Helium-legged sophomore Darnell Wilks canned a 25-foot three-pointer to end the first half to cut the deficit to seven and swing the momentum in the Bearcats' direction.

UC came out on a mission in the second half, as juniors Deonta Vaughn (16.1 PPG, 4.6 APG) and Mike "Everything's Jelly" Williams (9.6 PPG, 70.4 percent FT) took turns wetting jumpers, and the Bearcats went on to win, going away, 71-59.

Since that spirited comeback, Brandon Miller and the ‘Cats have been on a serious roll, claiming hard-fought victories in six of their last eight Big East games. UC now sits in a three-way tie for sixth place in the Big East! Helluva turnaround, huh?

The come-from-behind triumph at Georgetown (13-9, 4-7) on Saturday was enough to make a Bearcat fan stream tears of joy. Seemingly down-and-out, time-and-time again in the second half, UC continued to hop up off the mat and throw vicious left hooks at the grills of the Hoya players.

The spark came from sophomore marksman Alvin Mitchell (36.5% 3-pt FG), who drained a deep bomb to shave the 11-point deficit to single digits with 15:17 to go. Minutes later, Mitchell again pasted a deep three, then stole the subsequent inbound pass, and found Larry Davis, who splashed another three-point bucket from the left corner.

In a matter of fourteen seconds, a ten-point deficit was cut to four, and the battle was on.

“I’m just out there fightin’,” Mitchell said. “If you leave me open, I’ma stick it. I saw my boy LD in the corner and knew I had to get the rock to him, because he can stick it too. DaJuan Summers cain’t hold me! Representin' the 9-5-4 son!”

Back and forth it went, as both teams dug in defensively down the stretch. With two minutes left in regulation, the Bearcats found themselves trailing by five to the desperate Hoyas, a team ranked in the Top 10 just a month ago, but now fighting for an NCAA bid. Vaughn then got his man in the air and calmly popped a fifteen footer to cut the deficit to three.

Then, after a DaJuan Summers turnover, Mitchell again made his presence felt. Sprinting hard off a baseline screen, the sophomore from Ft. Lauderdale swished the sh*t out of a catch-and-shoot left-wing three-pointer to tie the game at 59!

The Bearcats would then go on to win in overtime, holding the Hoyas without a field goal for the entire period. Unbelievable. F***in' unbelievable.

What a difference a month makes. I wrote an article following the Providence loss a few weeks ago questioning the cajones of these Bearcats. At the time, it appeared that they weren’t quite big enough...yet.

After the win on Saturday in D.C. though, nobody should be questioning this team’s heart…or balls. That was an incredible victory, and no matter what happens the rest of this season, Bearcat fans everywhere can be proud of our boys.

Next up: Wed, Feb 11, vs. St John’s (12-10, 3-7)

-- 4:30 PST, ESPN360

Big East: Young Bearcats Send No. 23 Georgetown Packin'

Jux Berg — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:46:16 -0500

Crack open the green Rainier Ale tallboys; the Cincinnati Bearcats have finally knocked off the Georgetown Hoyas (No. 23, 12-7, 3-5 Big East), 65-57. In the previous four matchups between these two teams Georgetown had dominated UC, winning by an average margin of 16 ppg.

“We’re learning how to win,” Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin said. “Our boys showed that they have some giant stuff in their shorts tonight.”

Junior guard Deonta Vaughn, who is currently fifth in the Big East in assists despite never playing point guard before, led Cincinnati (14-7, 4-4) with 20 points as the Bearcats eclipsed their win total from all of last season with ten Big East games remaining.

The Hoyas, once ranked in the top ten, have now dropped four straight.

“Mick has some horses now,” Georgetown head coach John Thompson III said following the upset. “They two freshmen, Gates and Dixon, boy, they both got ice water in they veins.”

Gates, the 6’9” 265-pound giant of a freshman, set the tone early with three mad rejections in his first two minutes of court time. His three offensive boards and two swipes gave his Bearcats valuable extra possessions. Meanwhile, freshman pimp Dion Dixon wetted three 3-pointers in the second half to help the cause.

After a rough 0-3 start to the Big East slate, the Bearcats have now won four of the last five conference games. Rashad Bishop, a fazed-by-nathan sophomore from Newark, NJ, has been a big reason why. Bishop leads the entire Big East conference in assist-to-turnover ratio at right about 4:1.

“I’m just gettin’ in my flow,” Bishop said in the post-game press conference. “I’m takin’ what they give me. Newark, 9-7-3 son.”

Cronin’s squad travels to Philadelphia next Sunday to battle the Villanova Wildcats (9:00 am PST, ESPN Full Court), who just knocked off No. 3 Pitt tonight by ten.

Deonta Vaughn and the resilient Bearcats prevailed in a close game last season at home over Villanova. The Newark Nack, Rashad Bishop, hit a clutch three-pointer in the final minute to seal it for Biggie McClain and the crew.

Jux's 50th Bleacher Report Article

Jux Berg — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 21:52:26 -0500

I’ve enjoyed having a place to let my thoughts be known over the past year or so, here on Bleacher Report. I have covered many topics, starting with Dwight Howard’s dad’s baby batter and concluding with my disgust at the Reds for losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates in my most recent article.

I think the only thing to do in this situation is to just pour out 50 random thoughts, in no particular order, about the teams and players that I (and most of my friends and family) love or hate.

My brain usually works best when firing out comments without thinking first—of course this can also cause girls to withhold “fun time” from me or even slap me in the face…or cause drunk people to want to knock my face off my face. But, that’s the breaks.

There’s nothing left to do but to get started. “Paging Jux’s brain, time to get to work…”

•    50) Did trading for Ken Griffey Jr. summon a curse on the Cincinnati Reds? From 1970-1990, Cincinnati went to five World Series, winning three. Cincy was in the NLCS in ’95 and then won 96 games in 1999. Then, the trade for Griffey. And then, NINE straight losing seasons. Coincidence?

•    49) Does anyone still watch the Cincinnati Bengals that doesn’t have a gun to their head?

•    48) Some fans have been frustrated and impatient with the current season for Cincinnati Bearcats basketball at times. Just remember: At least we don’t have to watch Adam Hrycianuk miss wide-open one-footers without even hitting the rim anymore! Good lord that was painful.

•    47) Dear Reds managers: Why the motherf*** do you continue to pitch to Milwaukee’s Bill Hall? Can’t you understand that this guy was born with the ability to crush home runs off of Reds pitching and hit about .156 against everyone else? Can you not read stats? Bean Bill Hall in the pie-hole already. Or at least “move to Mexico until all this Bill business blows over.”

•    46) You know what really makes me want to put my head through a car window? Every team in Cincinnati is in Wait Till Next Year Mode, except for Xavier basketball. That would happen. So obvious. And dumb.

•    45) I must admit that I have been taking more than a mild amount of pleasure in the Cubs’ misery lately. They win a lot of games in the regular season, and then get straight iced in the playoffs. That’s what Cubs fans get for coming to Cincinnati, getting drunk, and talkin’ trash about the Cubs’ half-game wildcard lead on April 25th. “Have another one you f*****’ lush.”

•    44) The career of Ohio State RB Beanie Wells offered some incredible highlights, but left a lot to be desired. Due to injuries, it seems like it was over before it really started. But at least we can remember this: vs. Michigan, Beanie rushed for over 400 yards and scored four touchdowns in three OSU wins.

•    43) You may already know that Lebron James is 6’9”. But did you know he weighs 274 pounds?! I’ve come to the conclusion that this dude is not a human being. He is a perfectly programmed robot that can dunk from the free throw line.

•    42) Will somebody please remind Cincinnati freshman Yancy Gates that he is a 6’9” 265-pound monster? Gates is averaging less than two free throw attempts per game. If that doesn’t spell “soft” then I don’t know what does.

•    41) We need to get a S.W.A.T. team together and order it to take out Stuart Scott, Vern Lundquist, Mike Patrick, George Grande, Chris Welsh, Ed Hightower, Mark May, Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Chip Caray, and Jay Williams. Tired-a them.

•    40) Memo to National League pitchers: Don’t throw Reds 2B Brandon Phillips a fastball unless you want to snap your neck from turning around so quick to see the baseball leave the stadium on the rise.

•    39) Brandon Phillips trots around the bases like a motherf*****’ pimp with some gangsta lean to it when he goes yard.

•    38) Freshman guard Dion Dixon has been a “Lil ass Gee” so far for the Bearcats. On January 22, his exclamation-point right-handed leaner posterized a helpless St. John’s defender and caused me to lose my f*****’ mind!

•    37) How ‘bout the job Brian Kelly has been doing with UC Bearcats football? He just pimped the entire Big East with his third-string quarterback and a white running back!

•    36) A guy I wish had more eligibility is Ohio State CB Malcolm Jenkins. From the first game he stepped onto the field his freshman year until the heartbreak loss to Texas in this past Fiesta Bowl, Malcolm locked up receivers, pimpedly ran back interceptions for touchdowns, laid lumber, and talked major sh*t after tackles. Gonna miss that knack.

•    35) The NCAA needs to pack up their antics and ship these antics out. We don’t want to watch college basketball when the refs routinely call hand-check fouls, off-the-ball fouls, and illegal screens the entire game. Rarely can we watch two straight possessions without a foul called. Get the f*** outta here with this.

•    34) Everyone makes a big deal out of ESPN/ABC sideline reporter Erin Andrews. But what about Holly Rowe? I like what she brings to the table with all that extra thickness. That’s my girl right there.

•    33) Dwight Howard continues to commit aggravated assault on rims and backboards.

•    32) Most overrated player in America right now: Ty Lawson, UNC. He’s not good. At all. I can think of a hundred point guards I’d rather have. A thousand. A million!

•    31) Anybody who spends more than one millisecond reading about, talking about, or thinking about the upcoming Bengals draft needs to be sent directly to an insane asylum and then punched in the face and skull 652 times in a row.

Stay tuned for the conclusion of this article, Thoughts No. 30 down to No. 1. Thanks for reading.

Dear Cincinnati Reds: Grow Some!

Jux Berg — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:31:30 -0500

As we turn the calendar to 2009, we take a look at the Cincinnati Reds and can actually say, “They don’t need to trade for any pitching.” That’s the first time anybody has said that about Cincinnati since porn only came in magazines.

Usually, a quality starting rotation and a deep bullpen lead to a contending ball club. But does this team have the cajones to make a run for the playoffs?

The Griffey Curse has been lifted. It is time for a new era. An era where the Reds can actually score a run when they have the bases loaded and no outs (without hitting into a double play!). An era where the Reds don’t make a crucial error in the top of the ninth that turns a sure win into a brick-wall-punching loss. An era where you don’t see the following stat flash on the screen: “Reds are 1-for-87 w/ RISP on this road trip.”

And an era where the Reds DON’T GET SWEPT BY THE M****F****** PIRATES!

I swear to everything holy, nothing is more frustrating and embarrassing than losing to the Pirates. The Pirates are one of the dumbest MLB teams to ever step onto a diamond. Yet the Reds seem to get beat quite often by these Rookie League rejects. Absolutely ridiculous, and it needs to stop!

Dusty needs to get that toothpick out of his mouth and grab a whip. Fielding practice every single day (double time for you, Edwin). Quit giving teams extra outs when Edinson Volquez is out there dealin’ like Bob Gibson.

Fans can at least get the sense that this ball club is heading in the right direction, with the hiring of new GM Walt Jocketty. Jocketty built the St. Louis Cardinals into a consistent contender, so the hope is that he can repeat that performance in Cincinnati.

But beyond that, it’s up to the manager, coaches, and players to get pissed off when they lose. Don’t settle for taking two out of three in a series. Get f*****’ mad that you didn’t get the sweep!

If an opposing player continues to kill you (BILL HALL), do us a favor: Stop pitching to him! Or bean him! Take a stand. Be men!

Come on already… CONTEND!!

Cincinnati Bearcats: Not Quite Big Enough Yet

Jux Berg — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:08:18 -0500

Unfortunately, Monday night showed that the Cincinnati Bearcats (12-7, 2-4 Big East) aren’t tough enough just yet. That’s not to say that this team won’t BE tough enough. It just means that at this point in time, UC has some growing to do in the balls region.

We don’t need to single out any one player or blame head coach Mick Cronin for this. This team is extremely young. Only one player in the rotation is listed as a senior. Only two players in the rotation are listed as juniors. The other seven Bearcats who get minutes are freshmen and sophomores.

It’s not that this team is afraid of being physical. The Bearcats out-rebound almost every team they face. In fact, Cincinnati has grabbed the fifth most rebounds in all of America this season.

Last night was an example of not knowing how to battle through fatigue to be strong with the ball and own the defensive backboard. The Bearcats turned the ball over 17 times and let Providence (12-6, 4-2) grab 14 offensive rebounds in a 72-63 loss at the Dunkin Donuts Center.

So far, it is evident that the Bearcats as a whole do not understand what it is to be mentally tough on a nightly basis. Of course, after playing a road game just two days before and then flying to Rhode Island, the legs aren’t going to be there.

But that’s where mental toughness comes in. You have GOT to be strong with the ball. You have GOT to block out and go get those missed shots. If you can’t do that, on the road against a good team, you’re leaving with a big fat L.

The first reflex as a fan in this situation is to say that this team is a bunch of p****** or that Mick Cronin isn’t a good enough coach. I choose to look at these setbacks as good learning experiences for a young team that is trying to get better and will get better.

Take a look at Connecticut. What are they, No. 3 in the country right now? Well where were they two years ago when the team was a bunch of freshman and sophomores? Oh yeah, not even in the NIT. 6-10 in the Big East. But they grew up, made the tournament last year, and now they are a legit title threat. It takes patience sometimes.

One quick thought about Yancy Gates though. Gates missed a bunch of close-range shots last night. If I were Cronin, I would tell Yancy that if he ever SHOOTS a shot from four feet or closer, he’s coming out of the game. I want a dunk attempt! Take a power dribble and ram that sh*t! This is the Big East. I don’t care if you foul out on five charges if all the charges come on dunk attempts. You dunk a few and guys will get out of your way. Stop with the four-footers and fade-away jumphooks. DUNK IT big fella!

Next Up: Thursday, 6:00 PST @ St. John's (ESPNU)

Cincinnati Bearcats: Time To Step Up

Jux Berg — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 11:11:34 -0500

After holding on for a 59-55 win at DePaul on Saturday, Darnell Wilks and the Cincinnati Bearcats were on their way to the apparently-gang-riddled Providence, RI area with a couple of monkeys freshly removed from their backs.

UC (12-6, 2-3 Big East) was finally able to end its nine-game Big East losing streak on Wednesday at 5th Third Arena, rallying from 16 points down to lock Rutgers up, 71-59.

(Speaking of “locked up,” has anybody seen that puffy-coated gang-banger who strolled onto the court last night in the middle of the Marquette/Providence game at the Dunkin Donuts Center after his brother Jeff Xavier was poked in the eye very lightly and unintentionally by a Marquette player? Put an APB out for that nack. And somebody print up the “Over-reaction Of The Year Award” for Mr. Xavier.)

The win at DePaul (8-10, 0-5) was the season’s first Big East road win for Mick Cronin’s young souljahs. It was the opener of a 3-game swing away from Clifton, Ohio.

Now it’s time to see what kind of balls this team really has at this point in the season.

Back on January 7, Providence (11-6, 3-2) came into 5th Third Arena and dominated the Bearcats, 87-79. The Friars shot 54 percent from the field and led by as many as 13 in the game.

On Monday night (5:00 PST, ESPN Full Court), Mike “Everything’s Jelly” Williams and the ‘Cats get an opportunity for payback.

Do they have the necessary-sized nuts to get it done, on the road, against a team who had a big lead Saturday night before falling 91-82 at home to No. 14 Marquette?

Can Cronin find someone to slow down Weyinmi Efejuku, who got wherever he wanted on the floor all night (18 pts, 11-14 FT, 7 assts) in the first matchup? And the Friars shot 12-24 from long range on Jan 7—can UC play better perimeter defense?

“It’s time to put our nuts on the table and see how big they is,” junior center Steve Toyloy said with a scowl, while eating a steak the size of Eric Hicks’ right tricep without silverware.

Back in November, Cincinnati displayed some good-sized junk when it knocked off UNLV on its home floor. The Runnin' Rebels had lost the night before and brought a desperate effort, but Alvin Mitchell, Yancy Gates, and Dion Dixon flexed harder, as UC held on for a 67-65 vic at the raucous Thomas and Mack Center.

This is a chance to get one back. I’m anxious to see what this team is made of. Not as much as Mick Cronin is, though:

“We can’t be f***** p****** in this game. We can’t be f***** stupid either. We’ve got to show these guys that we’re Cincinnati and we don’t take sh** from anybody.”

Well said, Mick. Tune in Monday evening to get a gage on the mass of this team’s collective sack.

Cincinnati vs. Memphis: Rough Game to Sit Through

Jux Berg — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:40:14 -0500

Holy lord that was a frustrating mess of a game last night between Cincinnati and Memphis. It was so bad that I bet even the Memphis fans wanted their money back after that total struggle.

Since I’m a Bearcat fan, I will list/vent the reasons why watching that game was worse than sprinting into a McDonald’s about to explode in your pants and finding people already occupying all of the stalls. Also, I will offer a few notes as to why this game is not the end of the world for UC.

Why I Would Have Rather Watched a Dharma & Greg Marathon Than Watch That Game:

1)    Both Teams Missed A Million Shots…Terribly.

I don’t know if the rims at the FedEx Forum were just tighter than the little kids' shoelaces at Play It Again Sports or what, but about 90% of all the shots taken in the game were GIANT bricks. I’m talkin’ not even close to going in. Really really awful shooting.

2)    “Hey Bearcats, You Wanna Grab That Rebound Or… “

Cincinnati played pretty solid half-court defense in this game, limiting Memphis to 37.5% from the field and a puke-inducing 11% from downtown, but on many occasions the Bearcats gave Memphis two or three extra chances. For whatever reason, UC fumbled about 10 or 12 rebounds out of bounds. And every UC blocked shot or tipped pass somehow magically went right to a Memphis player. I’m not sure I remember a game where those things happened THAT much.

3)    Ed Hightower. Period.

How does Ed Hightower continue to have a job as a referee? When he refs a game, he treats it like he gets paid commission for every whistle blown. He calls more off-the-ball fouls than anyone I’ve ever seen, and makes the correct call about 0% of the time. He starts blowin’ that whistle every three seconds and then his partners want in on the action—so they start blowin’ away.

Hightower, who must have purchased his hair rug from “The Obvious Store,” called a blocking foul on Cincinnati’s Mike Williams that was so vexing that I felt like I was captured by British aliens and catapulted off to Saturn. He was standing completely still, guarding his man in the post, when his man took a hard dribble, dropped his shoulder, and crashed into Williams, who then fell to the ground.

Hightower called a BLOCKING foul on that. What?! Williams got up and looked around completely dumbfounded, speechless as to how in the name of Moses that wasn’t a huge charge.

Neither team can get into a flow when the whistle is blown on virtually every single possession. Why would the NCAA want THAT to happen? Oh yeah, because they’re dumb.

And referees are dumb. They are dumb control freaks that need to just let the game be played and only call OBVIOUS fouls. Not ticky tacks, not “he might’ve nicked his shoulder.” And please give it a rest already with all these “illegal” screens. Unless a moving screen leads directly to an easy basket, who cares?? Oh my God, thanks for letting me vent on that.

(I’m not blaming the loss on the refs, just to be clear. I just can’t stand their antics sometimes.)

Why This Loss Isn’t the End of the World

1)    Cincinnati stands at 10-3 heading into conference play. When the schedule initially came out, most Bearcat fans were hoping for ten non-conference wins. UC was only 5-7 last year in its pre-conference schedule.
2)    Memphis was 44-2 at home in the past three seasons coming into this game. Nobody on the selection committee will punish the Bearcats for losing at the FedEx Forum.
3)    Playing poorly in a tough non-conference road game should be a good learning experience for a young team as they head into the toughest conference of all time.
4)    UC still played pretty good defense, as has been the case in all three losses.
5)    There are still 18 Big East games left!

So for those of you who suffered through this game because of my recommendation, I apologize deeply. Next up: UC at No. 25 Marquette, Sunday Jan. 4 on ESPN Full Court at 11:00 PST.

Bearcats-Tigers: Your Reasons To Watch

Jux Berg — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:27:23 -0500

Mick Cronin and his young, wide-eyed Cincinnati Bearcats (10-2, 1-0 road) will travel to Memphis, Tennessee, to battle John Calipari and his 24th-ranked Tigers on Monday, Dec. 29 (9:00 EST, ESPN2) with nothing to lose. UC has already doubled last year’s non-conference win total and not many people think the Bearcats have a chance in this game.

Memphis (7-3, 6-1 home) lost a ton of firepower from last year’s 38-1 national runner-up squad, including point guard Derrick Rose (first pick in NBA Draft) and seniors Chris Douglas-Roberts (first-round pick) and Joey Dorsey (second-round pick).

So basically, Calipari lost his best playmaker, his best wing scorer, and his best big man—that’s quite a task when you’re talking about replacing all that talent.

It’s been a rocky start for the Tigers, who have already lost three times (Xavier, at Georgetown, Syracuse).

Calipari did manage to reel in three highly touted freshman guards—but there are two problems:

1) None of the three is a point guard.

2) One of them is Tyreke Evans.

Tyreke Evans, from what I’ve seen so far, is more selfish with the basketball than Roseanne Barr is with the entire spread at Thanksgiving (you knew it was coming). He forces more shots than a slutty college chick with below average curves trying to get her groove on at the club.

Evans, a McDonald's High School All-American, leads the team in scoring at 15.4 ppg, but is shooting just 19% from long range and averages a team-high 3.8 turnovers/game. “Like MC Breed, I gotta get mines,” Evans said. “I know I have a chance to be a lottery pick so I’m all about the numbers baby.”

Meanwhile, Mick Cronin faces a similar situation with his Bearcats, in that he doesn’t have the luxury of a true point guard either. Before the season, speedy, sweet-shooting Cashmere Wright tore his ACL (injuries of this magnitude have happened too many times to count with this program).

Cronin expected Wright, an explosive scoring point guard from Savannah, GA, to run the show. He’ll of course be out for the season.

Cronin has assigned most of the ball-handling duties to junior Deonta Vaughn (15.1 ppg, 4.8 apg, Preseason First team All Big East). Deonta has never played point guard before; and none of the other four guards on the active roster are point guards, so at times, the turnovers can add up like the number of dependents on Sarah Palin's daughter's tax return.

ESPN2 has scheduled the game to follow the first major Big East/Big Monday contest of the season: (9) Georgetown at (2) Connecticut. Cincinnati has not been nationally relevant since 2004. Memphis lost all its stars from last year’s Final Four unit. Will anybody who doesn’t live in Cincinnati or Memphis be overly concerned with this game?

Probably not. So for those of you who need a reason to tune in, here’s one: Cincinnati’s 6'9", 270-pound freshman, Yancy Gates, thickly pictured above.

Big men are a dying breed in college basketball. Gates is just 18 years old, so at times he can look lost. But at other times, he can throw down gigantic two-handed rim-pain or swat shots into the upper deck. He is an absolute man-child when he wants to be.

Oh, and also, this is a rivalry game that dates all the way back to the Metro Conference of the 1980s. In the 1991-92 season, Cincinnati beat Memphis FOUR times, concluding with a 31-point clowning of the Tigers in the Elite 8 on its way to the Final Four in Minneapolis.

Two years ago, Memphis smoked the Bearcats by 33. Plenty of storylines. Check it out next Monday on ESPN2 at 6:00 PST.

Cincinnati-UAB Basketball: Mike Williams Helps Bearcats Earn Payback

Jux Berg — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 11:04:14 -0500

Payback always feels good.

Dion Dixon and the Cincinnati Bearcats (6-1, 0-0) held off the scrappy UAB Blazers, 87-80, before 6,500 fans at Fifth Third Arena Saturday. UAB (5-3, 0-0) put a hurtin’ on UC last season in Birmingham, winning by 17 points.

Mick Cronin once again received positive contributions from all 10 Bearcats in his deep rotation. Senior forward Mike “Everything's Jelly” Williams was the high scorer with 17, thanks to 11-of-14 shooting from the foul line. Explosive sophomore Darnell Wilks came off the pine to smoothly drain two three-pointers in the first half, and UC carved out a 12-point lead at the break.

Cronin held Deonta Vaughn (13.3 ppg, 4.5 apg) and Rashad Bishop (6’6” sophomore, Newark, NJ) out of the starting lineup, later revealing that neither guard practiced well during the week. It was the first time in 66 games that Vaughn did not start.

Both Bearcats responded well to the lesson—Vaughn offered 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists to the box score, while Bishop led the team in rebounds with eight.

The Blazers, led by senior Robert Vaden’s 23 points, attempted to get back in the game in the second half—cutting the UC lead to six on a Vaden triple with 15:09 to play. Vaughn then answered with back-to-back buckets as the Bearcats eventually built a nineteen-point bulge, capped by a buttery Mike Williams J with 4:45 to play.

The young, much-improved Bearcats shot 50 percent from the floor and out-rebounded UAB by fifteen. However, UC committed 16 turnovers to only 14 assists, which Cronin attributed to UAB’s pressure and the Bearcats’ lack of a true point guard.

The 6-1 Bearcats now have a week off to prepare for the Crosstown Shootout battle with 14th-ranked Xavier (a.k.a. “God’s Team”) next Saturday (8:00 EST, ESPN2).

Cronin is 1-1 vs. the Musketeers in his short tenure at Cincinnati. The game will be played in Fifth Third Arena (the home team has won the last five games in this rivalry).

Young Cincinnati Bearcats on the Right Track

Jux Berg — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:21:14 -0500

Mick Cronin and his athletic 10-man UC basketball squad flew back to the friendly confines of Cincinnati on a high note Sunday.

Faced with its two toughest challenges of the early season, matchups with Florida State and UNLV in the Global Sports Classic in Las Vegas, UC did what it needed to do, while gaining priceless experience.

In game one on Friday night, the Cats suffered the campaign's first loss, a 58-47 grinder to the Seminoles. The 11-point deficit makes this game look like Florida State dominated Cincinnati.

But, let's look inside the box score.

First, Rashad Bishop and the Bearcats still played phenomenal defense. FSU, who would go on to win the finale on Saturday night, shot just 38 percent from the floor while coughing up 18 turnovers. Most nights, those numbers will equal a solid win for UC. Unfortunately, Deonta Vaughn (two assists, six turnovers) and the Bearcats played even worse on the offensive end.

As any knowledgeable fan knows, all teams struggle offensively at some point in the early part of the season, especially young, inexperienced teams. Cincinnati has one three-year player on scholarship, while the other nine Bearcats in the rotation can only boast one varsity letter at best.

The great sign from this setback was the defensive effort. As Cronin has stressed since day one, defense must be a constant, so that when the team has an off-night shooting the basketball, it will still be in the game.

In the early game that night, tournament host UNLV was shut down by Mike Montgomery's Cal Bears, setting up the matchup Bearcat fans had wanted anyway—UC vs. UNLV.

UNLV had won 19 straight games at the Thomas & Mack Center before falling to California. Cronin knew that handing the Runnin' Rebels their second straight loss on their home floor would be a daunting task.

The game started out as a continuation of the FSU game, with the Bearcats falling behind 7-0 right off the bat. This is the point where Cronin displayed his coaching ability.

In the previous night's loss, 6'9" freshman Yancy Gates had turned in a poor performance: three points, four rebounds, and four fouls in 19 minutes. Cronin opted to start sophomore seven-footer Biggie McClain in an attempt to wake Gates up.

It worked because Gates entered the game as a man possessed. He immediately threw down a monstrous dunk, grabbed a defensive rebound, and then scored again. Gates would finish with 16 points and seven boards in that same 19 minutes, including several big buckets down the stretch.

The game was back and forth all night, as UNLV pulled ahead late in the first half to grab a 31-27 lead at the break. 6'3" freshman Dion Dixon kept the Bearcats in the ballgame, draining three three-pointers, while starting shooting guard Larry Davis struggled (0-for-10 from the field).

Late in the second half, the Bearcats found themselves down by two coming out of the under four minute media timeout. Sophomore Alvin Mitchell, the team's second leading scorer, creamed back-to-back three-pointers, and then PF Mike Williams scored on the baseline to give UC a six-point lead with under three minutes to play.

The lead would hold up, thanks in large part to two gigantic free throws by Williams with 11 seconds to play and the Bearcats clinging to a one-point lead.

So, as the Cincinnati Bearcats now enter a two-game stretch against two long-time nemeses, UAB and Xavier, Cronin and his crew can go forward with a little extra confidence and experience. UC is shooting for at least a 10-3 non-conference record, and splitting the two games in Vegas was step one to making that happen.

Stay tuned for more Bearcat excitement.

College Basketball: UNC Already Wins Title, Coaches Cancel Season

Jux Berg — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:31:42 -0500

You know what would be fun for me? I’ll tell you what would be fun for me. If I could create some sort of censoring device that would shield my eyes, ears, and brain from any further slurping of the 2008-09 North Carolina Tar Heels basketball team.

If I created this device, would you want one too?

Ever since Tyler Hansbrough “shocked the world” by announcing he would return for yet another season in Chapel Hill, playing every game with his mouth open and no expression on his face, the media has officially awarded Roy Williams his second national championship trophy.

Every preview article I read has a section entitled “How Will Carolina NOT Win It All,” or “Five Ways Carolina Could NOT Win It All,” etc. etc. etc., blah blah blah.

Why even play out the season, right guys? Obviously no other team out there will be able to beat the Tar Heels. So I say we cancel the entire season, give UNC the title, and of course, give Hansbrough his second straight player of the year trophy.

OK, enough with the blatant sarcasm. Let me get real for a second or two.

First, the fact that Hansbrough decided to return for his senior season is not at all shocking. A) He hasn’t won the title yet, and B) He’s only 6'7"—he would get absolutely manhandled in the NBA, while being dunked on more than Shawn Bradley and Patrick Ewing put together.

Second, Ty Lawson is more overrated than mustard. He’s stubby, plain and simple. He is not a great shooter, either. When I watch Carolina play (which I will do my best to limit this season), I have never, ever, once thought, “Man, Lawson is sweet.” He has never done one thing that deserves a second look.

And last, this team just has too many of the same thing. Danny Green and Wayne Ellington may as well be the same person, except that Green isn’t good. Ellington can shoot, but he takes it to the hole weaker than Fabricio Oberto (not sure why I chose to use Oberto here—oh wait, yes I am…I hate him!).

So, in conclusion, yes, I admit this team is stacked. But plenty of stacked teams have lost in the NCAA Tournament—and most of them were coached by Roy Williams!

How on Earth Do These College Football Coaches Still Have Jobs?

Jux Berg — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:29:04 -0400

I’m amazed at the loyalty certain schools show these underachieving coaches.

Let’s get right to the list.

TOMMY BOWDEN, CLEMSON

OK, Clemson athletic department, we know his last name is “Bowden,” so he’s destined to be a 700-game winner, right? The problem is, this Bowden ain’t winnin’ a damn thing.

You may have seen the stat that with last Saturday’s home loss to Maryland, that's now SEVEN times that a ranked Bowden Clemson team has lost to an unranked team at home.

Seven? Really?

If Bowden was getting the job done, his ranked, running-back-stacked Clemson team should be able to at least win the lowly, softer-than-Duke-basketball ACC shouldn’t they?

I think it’s finally time to stop torturing the hot, sexy, southern-accented girls of Clemson University with this rabid underachievement.

JOE TILLER, PURDUE

Is this guy STILL the head coach at Purdue? Really? Did they write in his contract 58 years ago “shall remain head coach until his death?”

Purdue is such a broken record. Evvverrry year it’s the saaaammmme crap. Start out by winning some boring non-conference games, lose to a weak Notre Dame team (or beat ‘em—like it makes a difference), then hover around .500 in the Big Ten...and ultimately end up in a bowl game that you can only see on Fox Sports Pakistan.

Yet I never hear a peep about Tiller being on the hot seat. I just don’t get it. I’d like someone to explain it to me. It’s frying my brain.

I think it’s finally time to stop torturing the decently attractive, bad-northern-accented girls of Purdue University with this Groundhog Day football team.

RANDY SHANNON, MIAMI (FL)

Remember when Shannon commented that Urban Meyer’s late field goal “helped recruiting more than you know. People see what kind of man you are...” and all that noise?

Well, Mr. Shannon, that’s your opinion, and you’re entitled to it. But just so you know, recruits also don’t really like it when your team is, ahem, TERRIBLE. Yeah, the top recruits want to play for a team who is, you know, GOOD.

What happened to this program? This is pathetic. I mean, honestly, I can’t name ONE player on this team. That’s how irrelevant “The U” has become.

I'll be blunt for a change: I think it’s time to fire the sh*t out of Randy Shannon.

BOBBY BOWDEN, FLORIDA STATE

Speaking of irrelevant, when’s the last time the Seminoles mattered?

Bobby, these quarterbacks you keep getting...are you serious? Can we have some of your drugs? I mean, who’s the last decent quarterback you had? Chris Weinke? Charlie Ward?

I can’t even watch Florida State anymore. Nobody can. Nobody can sit through four quarters of interceptions and bounced wide receiver screen passes.

In fact, I think I’d rather watch my house burn down than watch this atrocious, death-inducing offense try to three-yard-run their way down the field for a missed 28-yard field goal.

I know he has a ton of wins, but I think it’s finally time to send Ol’ Bobby packin’. These scorching hot, drunk, hot Tallahassee girls don’t deserve this.

What other coaches (besides Washington's Tyrone Willingham obviously) need to be canned?

MLB: Jux Berg’s Year End Awards

Jux Berg — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:41:35 -0400

This season, due obviously to regular steroid testing, nobody hit any homers and everybody struck out a ton. Let’s ignore the obvious awards and come up with some new ones.

The “Can Somebody Sneak Me A Needle” Award goes to Adrian Beltre (SEA), Miguel Tejada (HOU).

Beltre magically pumped out 48 HR while batting .334 in 2004 for the Dodgers in a contract year (of course). Thing is, if you take out that HGH-bloated season, his career highs are a .290 avg and 26 HR. This year he hit 25 HR, which was actually considered a pretty good season by the local Seattle media. In my opinion, Adrian Beltre shot up more than Lyle Alzado (“It’s a f***in’ roast, groany groan groan.”) in ‘04, and without the “special help,” Beltre is about as scary at the plate as former Philly Mickey Morandini.

Speaking of jamming a big box of steroids into your bloodstream, check out “Houston's big free agent signing” Miguel Tejada’s power numbers in ’08. The 2002 AL MVP (34 HR, 131 RBI that season) came up smaller than Roseanne Barr’s calorie count after a one-minute treadmill workout this season. Thirteen homers?! In 632 AB?! We all knew he drank the steroid cocktail (he admitted it), but to go from those kinds of numbers in pitcher-friendly Oakland Coliseum to this weak sh*t in bandbox Minute Maid Park pretty much catches Tejada red-handed (and deflated-armed).

The “What Happened To My Big Scary Arm” Award goes to Milwaukee’s Eric Gagne.

Some people say it’s tougher to tell which pitchers juiced up, but Eric Gagne is the most obvious example of all-time. Packed with confidence, a 100 mph heater, and all the finest, state-of-the-art steroids money can buy, Gagne went from a pointless starting pitcher with a 5.00 ERA to a lights out closer back in 2002. Gagne locked up 152 saves from 2002-04, while striking out a ridiculous 365 batters in 247 innings. Then, Gagne’s arm exploded. Since ’04, Gagne has been a disabled list frequenter. Yet somehow, Milwaukee gave him ten stacks to replace Francisco Cordero this season (apparently Doug Melvin doesn’t know anything at all about the after-effects of PEDs), and Gagne rewarded the Brew Crew by giving up more homers than games-saved (including one to Corey Patterson!). Yikes.

The “Worst Player In The League” Award is shared by Andruw Jones (LAD) and Corey Patterson (CIN).

You probably already know that the season turned in by Andruw Jones is basically the weakest performance of all-time. A few light-hitting middle infielders may challenge the guy, but to go from 50 HR three seasons ago to THREE in 209 AB this season while hitting .158 is inexplicable. Nobody can explic (I’m making it a word) this. Yeah, he’s fat as sh*t now, but big deal. So are a lot of major leaguers. 76 K and only 33 hits? This is a very unexpected drop-off, especially in the minds of the Dodgers’ front office, who shelled out $14.7 million (ouch!) for the former Brave. But hey, at least they made the playoffs, so it could be worse.

Now, the awful, excruciating season turned in by Cincinnati’s Corey Patterson WAS expected—by me, my boys, and pretty much anybody with an SAT score over 27. When the Reds signed this stupid little chucker because of one decent week of spring training, I wanted to punch a concrete wall. Not only is this guy absolutely atrocious at the plate (career OBP .291!!), he doesn’t seem to even care that he’s killing his team. Kudos to Dusty Baker though, showing his gigantic IQ by placing this out-machine in the leadoff spot all season. Awesome.

That’s all for now. More to come. If I feel like it.

Is Ohio State's Season Over?

Jux Berg — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:28:04 -0400

The 2008 Buckeye football season had so much promise. Most of the best underclassmen decided to stay in school for one final run at a title. Jim Tressel had secured the No. 1 ranked recruit in 6’6” robo-quarterback Terrelle Pryor.

Now, three weeks into the season, it’s a totally different story.

I flew down to Los Angeles last weekend to tailgate and party with a bunch of friends for the much-anticipated Ohio State-USC clash. Even though the Buckeyes had looked worse than a Roseanne Barr/Rosie O'Donnell girl-on-girl Penthouse spread the week before against Ohio U, Buckeye fans were still excited about the team’s chances of shocking the Trojans.

Then came the news that scary-monster-RB Beanie Wells would not play in the showdown. Even after that news, trying to stay positive, I felt that it could work to Ohio State’s advantage to have the element of surprise on their side for this matchup.

“With Beanie, USC would know exactly what we’re gonna do. Without him, they have no clue what we’re gonna do,” was my reasoning to fellow distraught Buckeye lovers.

At around 5:00 PST on Saturday, about 17 Budweisers and more than a few scattered swigs of Jack Daniels deep, I settled in to watch the ballgame in our party bus with about thirty other fans.

And, well, you all saw the game. A questionable (and I’m being nice with that word) holding call, which negated a Brian Robiskie touchdown that would have cut the deficit to 14-10, was like a Karl Malone elbow to the groin. Then a Rey Maualuga pick-six made it a full 14-point swing, and the game was basically over.

Luckily for me, I was in the midst of partying in L.A., so I was pretty numb to the fact that my team just got its collective ass kicked. But I have to admit my interest in Ohio State football has now dropped off the face of the Earth. I haven’t read a single article all week.

I found out last night that Beanie Wells is most likely still out. So as the Scarlet and Grey prepare to attempt to bounce back against oft-overlooked Troy on Saturday, I’m planning on enjoying the last bit of sunny Washington weather and going on a hike instead of watching the game.

Normally we all wake up at 7:00 AM to watch GameDay and get rowdy for the Buckeye game, no matter who they play. But now, with what’s occurred so far this season, nobody seems to care.

But relax, Buckeye Fans—it’s not that bad. Remember, this program won a national championship just six years ago. Not many programs can say that. We should also be able to enjoy a Terrelle Pryor/Beanie Wells backfield next season.

So while the USC debacle is not the end of the world, it sure looks like the end to this season. And that’s fine with me—there are plenty of other things in life to enjoy. Like It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, for one. And hot chicks. And eating. The list can go on and on.

OK, I've said my piece...now if you'll excuse me, I have to go watch the season premiere of It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia with a hot chick and a buncha junk food.

USC Football: Blowing Out Virginia Does Not Equal Invincible

Jux Berg — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 05:21:42 -0400

When the preseason polls came out, USC was not number one. Then, they went down to Charlottesville and put a hurtin’ on Virginia, 52-7. Result: Resoundingly No. 1 in both polls. Mark Sanchez and the Trojans looked so dominant that everyone immediately assumed this is by far the best team in the nation.

But what did Pete Carroll’s squad really do?

The perception is that USC annihilated a respectable BCS-conference foe on the road, while everyone else was beating FCS teams by a similar margin.

First of all, anyone who knows anything about college football knows that Virginia is one of the worst, weakest teams in the land right now. The Cavaliers snuck into a New Year’s Day bowl game last season by the skin of their ACC garbage-laden teeth on the “strength” of about five heaven-sent one-point victories.

Last year’s team featured Howie Long’s son Chris, a masterful DE who ended up a Top 5 NFL draft pick. This year’s team features, well, nobody that would even get drafted by a Chinese League football team.

Most experts who actually research and watch football agree that Virginia is one of the worst—if not THE worst—team in the ACC. The ACC. The worst in the ACC. And, as we know, that conference is softer than Roseanne Barr’s flabby, taco-stuffed stomach.

Virginia went out and showed the world what they’re made of the following week, as they jumped up off the mat and crushed FCS foe Richmond, 16-0. Sixteen whole points baby. Now there’s a respectable BCS-conference team right there!

So before you crown USC the Greatest Team on Earth, let’s see what they do against a team who can actually get a defensive lineman into the backfield in less than eight minutes.

Dear NL Central: Cincinnati Reds Fans Hate You All

Jux Berg — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:07:43 -0400

It’s only been a few weeks, and I’m already sick of the stupid NL Central. I mean, I really and truly hate every single team in the division.

Whether or not you care, I’m going to vent, and tell you why.

MILWAUKEE BREWERS

This team was total garbage back in 1999 when they luckily took two out of three from the Reds in the final series of the regular season to force Cincinnati to face f**kin’ Al Leiter in a one-game playoff.

Now, led by Bill “Yeah Right” Hall and his 17 career homers (85 total) vs. the Reds, this annoying team seems to pop up on the schedule every other week.

To make matters worse, now they have JASON KENDALL. I didn’t sign up for that. I shouldn’t be asked to have to deal with that.

I’ve had it with these a**holes.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

Oh my God. Do we really have to play these bushers this much? It seems like we play the Pirates every single week! And this team? My God, who in the name of Bob Walk are all these unknown yays?

The worst part is that they always have these really dumb left-handed starting pitchers who throw like 83 mph and we can NEVER hit them. I mean Paul Maholm shut us out the other night for God’s sake. Paul Maholm. Amazing.

I would rather watch a sex change operation than watch another Reds/Pirates game.

CHICAGO CUBS

I just hate them because they’re one of our main rivals. We usually whoop that ass (except this week) so they don’t bother me that much. But I’m still sick of ‘em.

Derrek Lee hits eight 600-foot homers per game against us too, which doesn’t help.

HOUSTON ASTROS

How many white relievers with 1995 goatees can you have on one team? This team sucks right now so I don’t really care that much, but I still hate ‘em.

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

I’ve had about all I need of Tony La Russa, first of all. His little naughty quotes about how he has sexy dreams about Albert Pujols every night have got to go.

They always have really dumb starting pitchers too. Like Woody Williams and his dumb 86 mph crap.

I really really fu**in’ hate the Cardinals. A lot.

Dear MLB: Can we PLEASE switch divisions?

Derrick Caracter: Stupid Is As Stupid Does

Jux Berg — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:34:40 -0400

I have two questions for you:

1) Did you know that Derrick Caracter declared for the NBA Draft?

2) Do you even know who Derrick Caracter is?

Derrick Caracter, in short, is a lazy, fat, slow, mildly athletic, 6’6” sophomore forward. He played 16 minutes a game for Louisville this season.

Sixteen minutes. That’s it.

If you haven’t seen him play—well, you’re in the majority, because not many people have. Let me break down his “game” for you.

Basically he can score on the low block when matched up with someone much smaller than he is. His athleticism is about a four out of 10—the only way he can dunk the ball is if nobody’s around.

And, let’s be honest here: the same goes for me, and I’m only six feet tall.

If you haven’t seen Caracter shoot a free throw, let me describe it.

Imagine, if you will, watching a three-legged dog in its final days, struggling to muster the energy and balance to pinch one off on your freshly cleaned white carpet. Caracter’s free throws give you that same uneasy feeling.

And, not only is his game weaker than a McDonald’s attempt to market towards African-Americans, but there are also numerous red flags about his work ethic and off-the-court demeanor.

Yet this guy thinks enough of himself to declare for the NBA Draft.

That’s quite an ego you got there, Mr. Caracter. We’ll be on the edge of our seats for your D-League debut.

NCAA Tournament: Xavier’s Luck Finally Runs Out

Jux Berg — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 06:39:30 -0400

As a columnist, I do my best to stay unbiased in my reporting. But hey, I'm human, so I will occasionally offer an article that shows my true colors.

I breathed a gigantic sigh of relief yesterday when I saw that UCLA was up by 20 on Xavier with just a few minutes left to go in the regional final in Phoenix.

If Xavier had somehow knocked off UCLA, it would have been my worst nightmare.

Let me explain.

Xavier’s campus is about five miles from the campus of the University of Cincinnati—my team. Cincinnati Bearcats basketball is my favorite team in all of sports. Xavier is much more than a hated rival. It’s hard to explain unless you root for either one of these two schools.

When the brackets came out, I immediately knew Xavier was a lock for the Elite Eight.

I don’t know what it is about the tournament, but this team’s karma just seems to vault them to ridiculous heights. Last year, this squad nearly knocked off Greg Oden and the Ohio State Buckeyes.

So as I watched UCLA struggle against Texas A&M and also against Western Kentucky’s pressure, I will admit—I was worried. I’ve witnessed too many of Xavier’s inexplicably lucky comebacks and wins.

I thought this would be the year that my worst nightmare came true: Xavier would make it to the Final Four (making all of this worse is that Cincinnati isn’t even at NIT level right now).

Meanwhile, Xavier slipped past former Cincinnati head coach Bob Huggins and West Virginia on Thursday by (of course) benefiting from a missed Joe Alexander free throw. Alexander later would foul out early in overtime on one of the weakest plays in basketball history, which also helped the Muskies’ cause.

I tried to avoid the game yesterday altogether, but finally I broke down and logged onto ESPN.com to check the score. When I saw the 20-point lead, I said, “Finally, your f****n' luck ran out, Xavier.”

I may sound like a hater, I may sound jealous of Xavier’s success. And hey, you’re entitled to your opinion. All I know is that my worst nightmare didn’t come true. And I’m damn happy about that.