Guestblog: Reds Spring Training

It's been too long since Cincinnati Re-adventure has posted a guest blog, especially by our very own sports writer (and my brother) Bradley Garwood!

Originally uploaded by Better Off Red

This snap of warm weather has already made me forget about football. Or, maybe it was the atrocious Bengals season. Either way, it's time to phase out the black and orange for the red and white. And while I realize we're not done with hockey or soccer yet, it's time to start looking forward to the Reds recapturing of the National League Central.

Practice, practice, practice.

But I don't want to write about anything realistic, not today. Sports can be all about managing personalities, injuries and upsets. But I'd like to give the readers (and myself) just a few more days to bask in the glory of Spring Training. Trust me, it's hard to see the blessing in disguises that is a competitive roster now, but come the post-season, it'll be worth it.

Yeah, I said post-season.

And it's no secret that the Reds roster is very competitive. But that's what I wanted to talk a little bit about, what our Cincinnati Reds might look like this year. The pitching rotation has Cincinnati fans excited to watch, as a close battle for what's believed to be the only free space available will tighten. With Johnny Cueto, Edinson Volquez and Bronson Arroyo as near sure-things, Mike Leake, Homer Bailey and Travis Wood will all put their best feet forward.

Aroldis Chapman, Originally uploaded by Reds.com

And it's hard to speculate who will make the cut, because if last year's performances indicate anything: it's that all of these pitchers have what it takes to be regular starters. And then we open the bullpen up to look at players like Bill Bray, Francisco Cordero, Nick Masset, Aroldis Chapman, and the towering giant that is Logan Ondrusek. And while they're all believed to have earned a starting spot, some names like Daniel Ray Herrera, Sam LeCure and new signee Dontrelle Willis pop up to take a shot at remaining space.

"competition breeds excellence"

Depth at catcher with Ramón Hernández, Ryan Hanigan and veteran Corky Miller (a personal favorite of mine) leave nothing to be desired. Some great batteries are going to come out of 2011. Hanigan especially, with his improved batting skills makes him a great asset.

I don't even have to add the heavy artillery we have in Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, the energy in Johnny Gomes and Drew Stubbs or the skill in Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen to get you excited for how good this team is. We have a great manager in Dusty Baker, an amazing general manager in Walt Jocketty, and to top it off a fantastic stadium to take it all in. This might just be the year we have a home field advantage.

And finally, Paul Janish steps into the role of starter. I can't imaging anyone disagreeing with how hard he's worked, or how much he deserves the spot. Fielder Chris Heisey too, both have really proven that despite the fact you might not have a starting spot, you can still prove yourself as a valuable part of a team.

And if that's the attitude the whole team can carry into '11, then we'll make the playoffs with a much bigger bang than we did last year. God damn, it's a good year to be a Reds fan.

Guestblog: We're Beating Ourselves

Guestblog by our now-and-again sports writer, my brother Bradley!

We're Beating Ourselves

And no, for once I'm not talking about Carson Palmer.

It seems like Bengals fans are wandering around, looking for who to blame-- looking for that one special person to shoulder the criticisms and be the brunt of frustrations for angry fans. A 2-4 start is not how any of us wanted this season to go. Trust me, it stings me as much as anyone when I see our team power ranked next to the Jaguars and 49ers. Weren't we the dominate kings of the AFC North just one year ago?

But what seems to burn most people's asses around the city is that when you look at Cincinnati's roster: we've got just as much talent as the rest of 'em. Big names, big draft picks, and big performers stand-out big, as underrated and undervalued players pepper the remaining slots. So for the first time in a long while, the Bengals fans have no heads to place on the chopping blocks.

For the first time in maybe ten years, we can't hid behind personnel problems.

A whole football team is really put in perspective when you've got glaring problems like the Bengals once had. Those penalties we give up don't seem so bad when Palmer has no weapons. And rushing averages don't seem so bad when your line is unhealthy. And when you can't long-snap to save your life? The little problems that've accumulated seem to take a back burner.

So for anyone who's watched an NFL draft, we're finally starting to see the emergence of player intangibles. The leadership qualities and work ethic of players. The kind of qualities that evolve only with time, experience, and working hard. My guess is that for most NFL fans, this is a hard concept to grasp. The thought of making adjustments and practicing fundamentals is grossly overshadowed by huge player salaries and constant highlight reels.

We can play football if our head is on straight and we do what we're supposed to do. We don't lack talent, we just lack focus and efficiency.
- Chris Crocker

So my biggest plea for Bengals fans: give this team the environment to grow. The players have already proven they have the physical ability it takes to impress the coaches, and the drive to make a starting spot. Let's stop hoping for changes overnight, let's stop hoping for our favorite players to touch the ball every game, and for the Bengals to play like your Madden team. Let's start setting realistic expectations.

So I'll finish out this post with something to look forward to. As former first-round draft pick Andre Smith finally gets some solid playing time, he's developing as an excellent run-blocker for Cedric Benson. When all was said and done, Benson finished (in our game with Atlanta) with a 6.1 yard rushing average behind Smith and Bobbie Williams on the right side. Now that's something to smile about.

Guestblog: Seven Days as a Grieving Bengals Fan

A new Bengals-related editorial guestblog has come in from Bradley! I learned a lot from this post, not only about the Bengals but about my brother's insane post-game rituals. It makes me yearn for the Cyclones to start up again!! Thanks for the post, my sports correspondent!

After the crushing defeat we were handed in New England a couple Sundays ago, I was moved to put together a piece on my process of what happens after a Bengals loss. My own Kübler-Ross model, if you will. Though, I'll admit having a successful baseball team helps the bounce-back a little. How 'bout them Reds?

Day One:
Game Day

I've been pumped for game day all week, and it's finally arrived. The people all around town are dressed in orange and black, yelling Who Dey at each other in any instance they can. My brother is already awake and sends me a large list of statistical data concerning a Bengals victory.

I sift through my feed reader while wearing my Thurman jersey, casually smiling at the Cincy Jungle game previews, and reading some of the NFL.com's comment section to get fired up. A quick prayer to the football gods, a sacrifice to the offensive line, a tribute to the secondary and a fast for the strength of our pass rushers.

Nothing can stop me from believing in a victory, even when it's absurd to do so. You'll hear me spout things like "one pick-six and we're in position to tie it up." I'll quote obscure statistics as through I've been cornered, and only the use of numbers can save me. "Yeah, well, Tom Brady's three-step drop gets 7.8% slower on the second snap of every 4th-quarter drive." But as my brain refuses to accept the outcome, I have already started the grieving process for the week's showdown.

It was game day.

And for the rest of that day, I generally refuse to talk about it. I just block it out of my mind. I take up interest in the other teams playing, desperately searching for one of my number twos to be doing well. Bears, Wildcats, Texans, anyone. As long as somebody who I don't hate is doing well, I can block out the Bengals for one more day.

Day Two:
Yeah... Well...

I've woken up in a somber mood. And despite the huge stack of bandwagon Facebook statuses I could repudiate, I still don't want to talk about it. I've turned my attention somewhere else, to somebody else, to something that's not football, as though it's some social conspiracy movie where I turn my head and with glassy eyes say, "What Bengals? The Bengals haven't played in thirty years! Stop being silly, honey!"

But deep inside I know that the other fans are loving it. They're torching effigies of players in their favorite bars. They're blogging about how good it feels to have taken a shit on the losers of the NFL. They're high-fiving each other as they fill their fat f**king faces with anchor-themed beer and chow-dah. They're taking everything I hold sacred about my team, and turning them into bad puns and stupid forum signatures. And I know, for one fleeting moment, that Tom Brady stands in his boxers in an apartment high above the Foxborough skyline, looking out of the window, and cracks a slow smile.

Day Three:
Fantasy Wrap-Up

The third day can add additional insult to injury if you're not careful with how you play it. And after one such fantasy football game of literally beating my opponent by .01 points, you get the sense to let the game finish before you start to make your judgments. Hence the waiting.

So as day three rolls around, most of the fantasy sites have solidified in their results. The games are tallied up and you get the bittersweet satisfaction of a little W by your team's name, or crushing abysmal feeling of the little red L. But either way, Bengals players have made their impact even in your virtual game. And trust me, no matter how many times you've played fantasy football, that week's opponent never starts one of your team's under-performers.

Day Four:
The Madden Game

I've finally reached the fourth day of a Bengals loss. That day of all days is the most important, and the most childish of all sports-related rituals. I play Madden, and as you may have guessed, it's the rematch game I wish my real team could have actually played.

And you start to get this feeling; trust me. It's not until Palmer has thrown for his 300th yard, or Benson has made his 5th rushing touchdown and after your kicker has more receptions then their top three wide-outs combined. You get this feeling that everything is going to be okay. That your team is finally the insanely over-hyped killing machine that you think they are. Er, thought they were.

Final score: Bengals 89 - Patriots 3

Day Five:
Scrutiny

I'm finally out of my slump on the fifth day, and it's finally time to take a good hard look at what actually happened. I have to look at every pass, every run, and every kick to determine what truly went wrong for my team. The more technical I can get, the better.

Passing logs comparative to the average for Palmer, for all quarterbacks, for Brady. Average YAC for receivers, passer ratings, and game film for just how fast Bernard Scott hit the hole. At the end of the day, I'm a lean, mean, statistics-quoting machine. By day's end, I know just whose head should be on a silver platter.

Day Six:
Mounting an Offensive

The previous day is crucial to the sixth day, as I finally turn my attention to the opposition. Now armed with a quiver full of data, I can set out on a journey to set the record straight. No tweet is left unguarded, no status unchecked, no e-mail unanswered as I fly solo on my mission to conquer the nay-sayers. I march to the top of the hill and firmly plant the flag into the sand, declaring that this is where our season stands. (And, you know, some slurs toward the other team's players. Sorry, Wes Welker.)

And for that small amount of time, I don't think I could be prouder to be a Bengals fan. Then again, being 19, I have yet to see the Bengals win a playoff game. We'll talk then.

Day Seven:
Forward Progress

By the final day I couldn't even tell you the score of last week's game. What? We lost? Whatever, it's a new week.

It happens that quickly. In just 144 hours I've already forgotten about last week's game in anticipation of the following week's gridiron match-up. My fantasy team's roster has been selected and checked twice, and I'm back to my pre- pre-game rituals. I've gathering all the ingredients for the brewing process of hating this week's opponent. And I suppose it isn't until now, finally, that able to fully accept a Bengals loss.

I mean, even if it was a team we could have beaten.

Guestblog & Flying Pig #10: Werkhaus

Quite some time back, an awesome reader contacted me because she'd found one of the elusive piggies. She promised to snap a pic next time she saw him, and here we have 'im! Thanks, MaryWernke!!


Werkhaus Pizza & Pasta has a red, white and blue pig which stands close enough to the road that it looks like it is waving at passing drivers. At one time it must have been a “Super Pig,” because there is a design on the back of its shirt that looks like it was once a Superman “S.”

Up close, Super Pig is not faring well in its exposure to the elements, with chipped and faded coloring and some cracks as well. Was there a time frame when these pigs were created that said how long they would last outdoors? I hope that there is a way to maintain these statues for a long time, as I like them and their cleverness very much.

As for Werkhaus, it is located at 3637 Werk Road on the border between the city of Cincinnati/Westwood and Green Township/Bridgetown. The owner is Mike Westendorf. The restaurant is a remodeled wood frame house and sits across the street from the back entrance to Toys 'R' Us.

Its main entrees are pizzas, hoagies and other pasta dishes. A small plate of spaghetti for lunch is $5.99, while the most expensive items are the large (13-inch) stuffed pizzas for $18.99. I chose a small (8-inch) original crust pizza for lunch. Its name was The Werks! (I do love the possibility for puns with this name), with pepperoni, sausage, onion and green peppers, and I substituted black olives for the bacon. It was delicious and I ate the whole thing!

Carryout is available and there is also a catering menu. Telephone number is (513) 451-9911 and its website address is www.werkhauspizza.com.

Guestblog: 17th Biennial Thimble Collectors International Convention

When my friend Cole told me she was attending a thimble convention, I begged her to write me up a guest post. Cole Imperi is creative director at Doth Brands and curator of Simplicity Embellished. Simplicity Embellished is a blog about writing letters, home & garden and more.

Thimbles.

Do you know what a thimble is?

A thimble is a small, usually metal, cap used to protect the tip of your finger while sewing. It helps you push the needle through the fabric. They are one of the most basic of sewing tools and have been in use for centuries. The earliest known thimble was found at Pompeii—that’s how old they are.

So, needless to say, there’s quite a bit of history behind them.

Last week I attended the 17th Biennial Thimble Collectors International Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio. I attended as the the guest of Lucerne Wulf, a noted and well-established thimble maker. She is one of just a handful of these artisans left and is in her 80s.

Now, I’m not a thimble collector. Before last week, I owned one thimble. It’s a little sterling silver thimble with a cat on the outside. Lucerne made it for me when I was about 13.
This week? I not only have 18 thimbles, but I also have a display rack. And I'm pretty sure you can call me a collector.

Oh, and if you are at all concerned about my cool factor, I honestly have no idea what this does to it. If I was collecting albums played at high school proms held in the 1980s, you could pat me on my back and call me a hipster. But I’m pretty sure identifying yourself as a thimble collector negates you from any social category.

Anyhoo, the convention was fascinating. It took place at the Hilton in downtown Cincinnati (one of my favorite buildings in the city) and I left each day exhausted.

You know, with any uncommon interest, it’s sometimes hard to find others who enjoy it too. The main rooms at the convention were filled with people who were incredibly knowledgeable about thimbles and insanely passionate about them too. It sounds odd, but when you stepped into the room you could definitely feel the energy inside. These people live for these conventions—in many cases it’s the only time they can really throw themselves into their passion.

Most of the attendees were older women. However, I was surprised at the number of men there. Most of the men were husbands and I assumed they just came along with their wives. Not a single man I spoke to was there because of his spouse—they were there of their own accord and interest. One man I spoke to was actually responsible for his wife’s collecting as he introduced her to that. The youngest person there was 15 and the oldest people were in their 80s. There were people there from Australia, the Netherlands, Germany, England and 33 states. This was a BFD to say the least.

On Friday, I attended the ‘Sales Mall’ from 9am-11am. This is where all the vendors set up tables and sold their wares. When I showed up that morning, I first just walked around to all the tables. I was expecting to only see thimbles but there were all kinds of antiques and vintage items like needle cases, vintage promotional needle books, old corporate trading cards, antique sewing accessories and more. I spoke with a lot of the vendors and asked lots of questions. I found that there were collectors who specialized in collecting:

• political thimbles (I spotted a small plastic one that read ‘Jesse Jackson for President '88’)
• advertising thimbles (like from companies and brand names)
• religious thimbles
• animal thimbles
• thimbles made of odd materials (I saw one made out of a carrot)
• gold thimbles (like, expensive gold thimbles)
• sterling silver thimbles

The list really goes on.

Prices started at about $1 and went up from there. I think I heard that at the auction they had a thimble that went for more than $1,000.

After browsing all the tables, I went back to purchase a few. I managed to find a few from Jerusalem with Jewish stuff on them, like a Star of David and a Hamsa Hand. I got some Pope thimbles (love you JP II--RIP) and some odds and ends that just interested me.


I asked about 15 vendors if they had any fountain pen related thimbles. NONE DID! I was shocked! (I collect and write with fountain pens, hence why I was interested.)

I also made some friends at the convention. A new friend in Australia gifted me a thimble with a kangaroo on top. In fact, I was exhausted from all the talking. Everyone there was so friendly and made a point to come meet me. And understandably so; they probably don’t get many 25 year old women at these events so I probably stuck out a bit.

So, after having digested this unique experience, it has inspired me to get more involved with the things I’m interested in and collect. And wouldn’t you know it, Cincinnati has a lot to offer here. There’s a fountain pen convention coming up soon and a stamp collecting club meets monthly here in town too. I’ll be attending those events and I’m looking forward to meeting people interested in the things I am too.

And it’s crazy, but I really adore the thimbles I’ve got. Each of them have a unique history behind them and story.

Oh, and if you are out at a yard sale and someone is selling an old thimble for 25 cents—buy it! I heard story after story of people who did just that and ended up with solid sterling silver thimbles, highly valuable thimbles or 18kt gold thimbles.

Happy Collecting!
Cole

Thimble Collectors International: http://www.thimblecollectors.com/

Guestblog: The Pressure of Being Palmer (or Bratkowski)

Guestblog! I was tempted to tag this one "Bradleyblog," as he is becoming more and more of a regular contributor thanks to his passion for local sports (which, outside of love for the Cyclones, I have a hard time brimming over with). Thank you Bradley!

I saw this juicy little piece of graph show up in my feed reader the other day, and couldn't help but share.

Now, it goes without saying that anything a sports writer says is based on the assumption that big players stay healthy, that nobody dies unexpectedly, or nobody gets arrested outside of a night club. No matter how much hype is put into a team, they can always fall apart worse than the Blues Brothers' car.

So with all the excitement of the draft picking up several key players, and having filled any major holes with the free agency, the Bengals-- like all teams-- move on to "phase two" of the off-season: cutting the fat. Off-season workouts and minicamps will start springing up like wildflowers, which means evaluating who's put in the starting position, and who gets a less-fortunate, uh... re-adventure.

So why the graph is so interesting, is that we're hearing from some two thousand people what their concerns are for who's been put under the microscope. This is a big deal, people, because football teams work like clocks, and if one gear doesn't work, well, we're off by another year.

So I'd like to just take a look at the two most important parts of the chart: Carson Palmer and Bob Bratkowski (our starting quarterback and offensive coordinator, respectively). Both have come under fire the past few years for their inability to perform at a level that the fans and the team expect. Palmer, however, faces the challenges of injuries and an equally struggling offensive line to keep him safe from sacks throughout the season. With the lack of a solid tight-end as well, he fought hard to make plays with this receivers under enormous pressure from the opposing pass-rush.

Basically, being a quarterback.

So when you cross-reference a few facts, you start to realize why Palmer is under the kind of pressure he is. First of all, he gets paid a lot. A lot. And for the kind of stats he's put up the last few seasons, the fans are expecting one hell of a bounce-back. As well, Palmer is injury prone: fighting off multiple kinds of injuries with varying severity. That kind of thing can jar a QB mentally, forcing him to get rid of the ball prematurely out of fear of being tackled-- and breaking a very important role of the quarterback: staying cool in the pocket.

Thirdly, Carson's not getting any younger. And even if he was-- which would be strangely unsettling-- I'm not sure it could launch him into the "elite" status he should have. We have to face that Palmer will soon be starting to wrap up his career as injuries take hold and age sets in. So, pressure? This guy could cook a pot-roast with the pressure he's facing.

However, has put himself in a stranger place than ever in terms of pressure. For the first time since I started enjoying football, Carson is starting a season without coming off of a major surgery, a playoff run that resulted in the Bengals shattering expectations. He's got a Ukrainian arms deal worth of weapons at his disposal, an established running game to rely on, Chad Ochocinco catching everything in his zip code, and a young group of players eager to win. With this kind of team, Palmer is facing the pressure of having to have an amazing season.

As for that little bratwurst.

Now current football theory goes something along the lines that a football team should have an established run game that can provide sufficient yardage, and a viable threat to the opposing team throughout the whole game. Once you can prove your running game is a threat, that provides the option to hit your opposing D with a multidimensional offensive plan, including a passing game. From there, "fake runs" that are actually passes, or "play action" plays can be used as the defense is still trying to cover against the run.

Or, if you're Bob Bratkowski, ignore your QB and receiving corp, don't even acknowledge the tight-end, and run the ball on every play. Establish your running game several times, and don't let up on ground attack.

Okay, so maybe I'm taking a few unfair shots at Brat, because of how bad our offense was last year-- putting up a pretty awful passing game, placing the bulk of the weight on our running back Cedric Benson. But my exaggeration comes from a place of truth. We ran the ball a lot last year,* but it never seemed to materialize into a better passing game.

*We had the second-highest running play average, behind the New York Jets.

I can't imagine how much trouble we would have been in if Benson had a more severe injury in the '09 season. Or if we would have lost key run-blockers. My point is, Bratkowski put us in a great offensive position to win several years go. We were starting to conquer our opponents with a two-headed beast of passes and runs: one complementing the other. But the past few seasons, Kowasaki has run our plans into the ground. Literally?

He's put himself in the hot seat-- one I feel is hotter than Palmer's-- for the pressure he's taking. Bengals fans hate him for not opening up our offensive to at least what it was. And more importantly, for coming under fire about play-calling. What makes it worse is that with Mike Zimmer (our defensive coordinator) as a shining example of perfection, it's hard not to notice where the Bengals are starting to falter.

But where I draw the biggest difference between 'Kowski and Palmer, is that Palmer has the Bengals Nation behind him. Coaches and players don't stay with teams in the same way, in that coaches have a much smaller room for error in terms of performance and production. With Palmer-- before putting any fault on him-- you first have to look at the strength of the offensive line, the strength of the opposing defense, and the overall climate of the game.

You see my point? Palmer has more room for error, while Bratkowski has to see immediate results in order to keep his position wearing black and orange. When you've spent as much money on Palmer as we have, and when half of Cincinnati is wearing his jersey, and when his name is synonymous with the Queen city, it's much easier to fire somebody everyone already hates, than to cut to a crowd favorite.

Guestblog: Rounding Third and Headed Home (Or, My Only Grievance with Great American Ballpark)

Sports-writer guestblog time! This time, it's a bit more op-ed. Thank you Bradley!

I love Great American Ballpark.

I hate what's written on the side of Great American Ballpark.

"Rounding Third and Heading for Home" it says, proudly displayed in big, bold red letters, stuck to the side of our stadium for all to see. No doubt it's hard to drive past a baseball stadium without vivid imagery of a classic ballgame being played, of history being made as fans excitedly jump to their feet, shrugging off now-unimportant eight dollar beers and four dollar hotdogs to cheer Griffey Jr.'s home run, or Pete Rose ironically sliding into home plate.

Especially for us Cincinnatians, who've had baseball's presence in our town longer than anyone. Not even the absence of sunlight could stop the Queen City from watching its coveted baseball games. Now through thick and twenty years of thin, that tradition is still being held in our city to this day. The recent Opening Day celebration proves just how much the Reds mean to Porkopolis.

So why in God's holy name does it say "Rounding Third and Heading for Home" on the side of our stadium, instead of the most classic phrase ever uttered by a ballgame announcer in this or any city?

"And this one belongs to the Reds"

The phrase nearly brings tears to the eyes of my father, who grew up with Marty and Joe's voice, the voice of our Cincinnati Reds for as long as the both of us can remember. It's iconic. It's classic. It's impossible to ignore the blatant disregard for such a perfect and synonymous phrase, a phrase that signifies the end to a perfect night, and that our team has just added another win to the list.

So I've looked into the matter. As it turns out, the phrase to be pasted to the building went under considerable thought. In the end however, "And this one belongs to the Reds" wasn't deemed the slogan to use on the basis that the powers-that-be felt it didn't signify that our stadium belonged enough to the fans, and that the idea of "this one belonging to the Reds" displayed the wrong sort of message.

Are you f!cking kidding me? There will never be a more perfect slogan to use. In a million years, there won't ever be a phrase that unites Reds fans the same way. Never once have I huddled around a radio with my friends to hear that the Reds were "rounding third and heading for home." Not once have I walked in from a long day to hear my dad excitedly yell that we rounded third and headed for home.

It doesn't mean the same thing. It doesn't carry the same weight, and it doesn't give Cincinnati Reds fans the credit they deserve. The team belongs to all of us, every day of every season, through thick and thin: through every injury and tragic loss, and ever nail-biting overtime inning. Ladies and gentlemen, those men in the uniforms aren't the only ones that can call themselves part of the Reds team. (If I may get sappy:) we're all a part of what makes our team -and people- this one belongs to the Reds.

Guestblog: Things Gotta Get Worse, 'Fore They Get Better

My baby brother Bradley is back, guestposting about the Cincinnati Reds this time. Lawd knows I can't do sports. Thank you, Bradley!

So now that we've had some time to cool off from the heartbreaking loss of Opening Day, I figured it would be a good time to look into the Cincinnati Reds franchise and get a little insight into what's been going on and what to look forward to.

I wish, however, that my optimism for the 2010 season could be proven by something a little more tangible, and not by just an unwavering pride for our Cincinnati sports teams. Let's be honest, it's getting harder to get excited for each season when our last playoff berth seem so distant. Hell, I'm young enough to have never even seen either of our major league teams in the position to win the national title. So excuse me if I'm a little past of the point of blowing smoke up your asses.

The way I see it, the Reds are in no chance to win the World Series this year. The sooner we come to that inevitable realization the better, and the sooner we can get to assessing what needs to be fixed in the organization, and what cuts can be cut.

We had a productive off-season for this kinda thing, albeit pretty tame for what I figured would happen. Walt Jocketty, a promising new general manager in the organization. Dumping Willy Taveras was good, and he somehow kept Aroldis Chapman out of the hands of any team with a significant amount of money. Adding Orlando Cabrera was a smart move too, and it's hard to knock Walt's ability to strengthen the team's farming.

But Jocketty's steal of Aroldis Chapman is a terrific metaphor of the Reds in 2010. Capman's fastball has been clocked at over 100 miles per hour, with a deadly accuracy. But that 100mph fastball isn't on the field yet, striking out batters. So with this amazing talent comes the time it takes to groom players to be winners for our team. The Bengals face a similar struggle with such an odd blend of rookies and veterans... both of which need to stay healthy, and both of which need time.

And isn't that what it all boils down to? Sports writers always sound like such a broken record when they say a team needs to stay healthy to win. That's a given, because consistency is the only chance teams have to win. Lucky for us, Dusty understands this, even if he does wear out pitchers.

So the aforementioned realization needs to occur sooner than usual. We're not going to be laying down any playoff wins within the next few years. Games we do win will be hard-fought in the extra innings. Off-season moves will be crucial now more than ever, and a back-to-basics attitude will have to be instilled into this team's rookies if we want a healthy development in our Cincinnati Reds.

So what to look forward to?

Look forward to some close, exciting games. This Reds team has a ways to go before it's a fierce competitor in the league, but that doesn't mean we'll just see a change overnight. As the team gets better, so will our whole ball-club, translating into a thirst for victory. Once these guys click and see their hustle brings home a win: games we "should've won" will get fewer and fewer.

Joey Votto is also deserving of some love for our 2010 season. Coming off a multitude of injuries, Votto looks to make a return to form, as he promises he's fulled healed. Gotta love that guy.

Jay Bruce will have a breakout season, as it's important to keep in mind this guy's only 23: we've got a long and fantastic relationship ahead of us with this guy. He's a crowd pleaser, he's a high-energy player, and he's what'll ignite our offense if can have an have even a decent season.

So with a whole roster of talented players, the Reds are on track to put together a future team, not just a season. And with each game, win or lose, comes the hunger for improvement and to bring the Commissioner's Trophy to its rightful home in Cincinnati.

Guestblog: "Unseen Costs: Shayne Graham's Price Tag"

Yes!! An update to the Bengals content on our blog! I love this post (written, as always, by my little brother Bradley) and I've put my favorite paragraph in bold. Even if you're not a football fan, give 'er a skim. Thank you Bradley!

As excepted, Shayne Graham's pair of missed goals during the Bengals' 24-14 wild card playoff loss to the New York Jets had a significant backlash-- one that will cost him his job.

But it's been all but subtle, as the Bengals have brought on two new place-kickers to match up against the veteran's impressive seven year stint with the Bengals, who brings with him one pro-bowl invitation, All-Pro honors, a franchise leader in field goals, and a laundry list of other highlights. But as for Graham, the hefty three-million price tag he carries around might be the most important detail to his departure.

So with the official signing of Redskins's Dave Rayner to the team, it seems that Graham's loyalty is being called into question. His dedication had been undisputed for several years, as Graham as brought an excellent work ethic and valuable skills to the table.

But has that gone to his head?

Earlier in the season, deadlines for new contracts meant no new ink for Graham, causing an uncharacteristic spout of anger toward the Cincinnati Bengals via his Facebook. Graham even went as far as ducking out of Cincinnati's locker room after his AFC Wild Card performance, and leaving early during the next day's departures.

But it's not hard to predict Graham's future. We're signing new blood left-and-right, and with examples like rookie Kevin Huber it's hard not to fantasize where that extra few million could be redistributed throughout the team. But what's also important to consider are two areas often undervalued in a player's position on the team.

Unfortunately for Graham, his most recent years have put him in a position to be hated among Bengals fans. Without his performance at the wild card game, Shayne was racking up a bad wrap for his performances. A missed goal against the Steelers, Bengals bashing and constant injuries made him a constant target by fans for dead weight. And with the current lack of depth at the receiving corp, it's easy to see fat in need of a trim.

But what's so strange about Graham's place with the fans-- which can have devastating effects-- is that he's also considered to be one of the most charitable members of the Cincinnati Bengals, and of Cincinnati as a city.

With the current economic recession, more and more charities are scaling back. Money is harder to give, and winning teams can give a fledgling city a small but well-earned edge for capital. But with Shayne Graham's departure from Cincinnati, we can kiss goodbye all of the good fortune he's brought the underprivileged kids of the Kicks For Kids program. Tack on charity dinners, his work with Goodwill, the Freestore FoodBank, collaborations with the Westin, IHOP's Read Across America, Cincinnati Veterans Administration Hospital, the YMCA, the Fraternal Order of Police and countless others, cutting Graham might be more detrimental to the City of Cincinnati than just one of its teams.

So while there's little doubt in my head that Graham's colors will remain orange and black during the 2010 season, I'm hard-pressed to imagine that his selfless acts and charitable donations will continue to occur in a city he no longer occupies. We've put our own players between a rock and a hard place with the city of Cincinnati, a problem that if isn't fixed sometime soon, will come at a much higher price than we can imagine.

Guestblog & Flying Pig #7: Karlo's Italian Bistro

The other day, my friend Evan (www.wtfcincy.com) pinged me to let me know he'd found a piggy. It's been a while since we featured one, so I was thrilled when Evan said he'd write it up for us!

After dropping off my in-laws at the airport, Sara and I went to the Florence area to hit up a Best Buy and see about finding a cheap laptop to replace our old one that just died. After giving Big Blue $500, we realized neither of us had eaten yet and decided to give Karlo's Bistro Italia a try. When we walked in, I noticed one of the Flying Pigs in the entry way. I asked our waitress if they had any information about the pig, but all she knew was that the restaurant bought it from the city of Cincinnati. There was no plaque attached to the pig... The only piece of information was a painting of the pig with the name "Sow-vatore Pastavino".

According to the Big Pig Gig site, this is number 279, done by Mary Beth Dowlin. It was originally slated to be in Sawyer Point.

Guestblog: "100 Holes, 99 Pieces of Gum: A Look at the Cincinnati Bengals"

It's been very guest-bloggy up in here lately, as I've been doing some business travel. Also, when the posts floating your way are this good, it's impossible to turn them down. My brother Bradley wrote this post... he is quickly becoming my sports writer, as that's one area of Cincinnati heritage that I can't begin to cover with any competence!

Did you ever see that scene in Vegas Vacation, when Clark Griswold is at the Hoover Dam and tries to plug the holes with his gum? I've always felt the Bengals to be in a similar situation, where the moment our running game takes off, the passing game breaks down. And as soon as our passing game tightens up, our long-snapper goes kaput. Then it's our tight ends, then it's our defensive backs, then it's this, then it's that.

Now most of that can be chalked up to the game of football. Generally, when guys collide at three hundred miles an hour, sixteen days a week for forty-two million, things aren't going to work well every time. But damnit, if it's not one thing it's another with the Cincinnati Bengals. So let's take a look at some of the holes that need to be filled in the organization, and what can realistically be hastily taped up until next year.

Arguably, the tight end is the most important position to be filled by the Bengals right now. Banter has gone back and forth about the resigning of Reggie Kelly, who was lost to a season-ending injury, but no final word has been made on a return. The Bengals then lost Ben Utecht to injury, and are finally releasing him to the free agency. Chase Coffman, same story, and I hope you're seeing a pattern here. So the position was finally given to a combination of the Daniel Coats and JP Foschi. Coats quickly earned my status as "the next Brad St. Louis," because of his inability to perform.


So, with the position in question and clearly no easy solution in sight, the Bengals have to focus this season on pursuing a tight end. This means a number of things, like further pursuing Reggie Kelly, a tested tight end who knows the team, knows the plays, and knows how much he should earn; or do we continue the Bengals' streak of finding talent in youth: spending precious draft picks on an untested college kid, or (uncharacteristically) anchor down a big name from another team, in exchange for what I can only assume would be talent from our own field.

But the bigger problem I have with the tight end position is the role the tight end plays in the line. Every site I've read so far has demanded the player be active enough to catch pass-after-pass from Palmer, and planting on the field as a security blanket for our passing game. However, after watching an often-times fearful Carson Palmer make throws off his back foot in fear of being tackled, I'd like to think a credible argument could be made that a blocking tight end could be more valuable overall. With the roster full of wide-out options, it seems silly to me to add one more to the mix, especially with the short routes that Coles can handle, and the amount of times another blocker could have prevented turnovers, or given Palmer that extra second he needed. The way I see it, Palmer needs time, not options: so let's give him just that.

And not as a direct contradiction to what I just said, but beefing up the wide-out options is the second priority of the Bengals in the off-season. With the departure of TJ Houshmandzadeh, it was quickly realized that no one man could step up to do his job: that it would take the entire receiving corp to provide the depth and openings that TJ himself provided for the Bengals. But with the unfortunate passing of Chris Henry, and the less-than-exemplary display by Coles, it's clear that the options Palmer once had need to return to what they once were, and not what "should be" by fans.

A lot of armchair writers have discussed the importance of adding more receivers to the mix, to give Palmer more hands to throw to. But is that really where we need to spend time and money, when the tight end problem is still here, and the receivers we have are still developing? And what do we expect from our passing game, to overshadow what it once was in 2005? Let's try and be realistic about what can happen in just one year. Similar to the tight end, we're left with drafting a rookie, paying big bucks for a big name, or trading away pre-existing strengths.

The solution isn't simple, and is also a matter of coaching. Where does Marvin Lewis want to take us? Where does Bob Bratkowski fit into the picture? And do we want to return to the old dynamic of two great receivers on both ends of the field, or a rotating mixture of rookies to fill the void? Do we stay the course and run the ball? And are the wideout options really the most important areas to focus on? We have young players to cultivate, and we have the team as a whole to look at, not just one side of the ball, one set of hands, or one player's attitude. Locker room chemistry can't be bought, and healthy players can go at any minute.

Let's just hope the gum holds.

Guestblog: In Defense of the Suburbs

Jennifer Reed, friend of mine and author of the blog Guerrilla Wordfare, had an idea in need of a home, and I'm thrilled to post her guestblog here. If you have any comments, please leave them here or drop Jennifer a line [guerillawordfare at gmail]!

Like many in the tri-state area, I live in a suburb and commute to Downtown Cincinnati to work. Like others who choose this lifestyle, I often feel blame from people so rabid about renewal and revival they associate anyone who lives beyond the city limits with economic failure and business closures.

I live in the Eastgate area, and I have my reasons. Sure, my house looks like the stereotypical suburbanite abode, with its white fences and a wreath on the door. But I'm also near family, own a home I could never afford if it were only one county over and enjoy an admittedly quieter everyday life than I would if I lived in the city.

That being said, I love being Downtown and work on Main Street. I spend my money on independent dining establishments and in local shops. I frequent Findlay Market and our fine museums and am often present to cheer on our Bengals and Reds. I've paid my fair share of parking fees, given to the homeless and tweet about the latest and greatest events on Fountain Square.

Why, then, do I read so many blog posts, news stories and message board comments that angrily assume that my zip code determines my love for or loathing of Cincinnati? If I'm to believe everything I read online, I'm a scared suburbanite and a silly sheep. I cross the streets to avoid other races. I am blind to the small business owner's plight and the beauty of Porkopolis. Oh, please.

Why do so many people feel the need to bash where I live? Most responses to my answer when asked are to the effect of "Why the hell do you live all the way out there?" Or worse, people are surprised by my love of museums and festivals and by my knowledge of local history when they discover I'm not a city dweller.

My answer to these jeers is this: I live all the way out here because I like it. I frequent Downtown because I like it too. The two are not mutually exclusive.

Are Downtown residents somehow more justified in their shopping habits or more culturally advanced than someone who lives mere minutes away? I'd venture to say that many frequent Cincinnati establishments for the same reason I patronize family businesses in the suburbs: primarily because they're convenient. Secondarily, because it feels good to support a local business. Am I the only one to admit that love of convenience in the city is often given the veil of doing good?

That's not to say there aren't a great deal of folks out there who are fighting a good fight to revitalize Cincinnati neighborhoods. I know you're out there. For every person who shops at a chain store, there's another who passes five to get to a local joint. There are people opening businesses, renovating old buildings and putting folks to work.

And it's also not to say that the suburbs don't, in part, deserve the bad rap. After all, any exit ramp in the 'burbs will lead you straight to strip malls and big box stores. But I also enjoy a nearby Ohio State Park, several nature preserves, drives in the country and excursions to Amish bakeries and barn sales.

What's my point? Don't judge a local by their distance from the city center. And I love you, Cincinnati. It's just that sometimes, I'm not feeling the love back.

Guestblog & Flying Pig #6: Cincinnati Museum Center

My friend Amber sent me some pictures of a flying pig that I'd somehow missed last time I was at my beloved Cincinnati Museum Center. She was awesome enough to write up a post about "Animal House"-- thank you, Amber!

Being a mom of two young kids leaves me with a lot of "what are we doing today?"s. So my husband and I decided it would be more budget-friendly to buy passes to places we knew the kids would enjoy time and time again.

The first pass we bought was to the Cincinnati Zoo. That one was a given-- both of our kids love the outdoors and animals. As for another pass, because we had decided on buying two, we were stumped. Both our children are daredevils and love amusement park rides, but aren't tall enough to ride the majority of rides, so Coney Island and King's Island didn't financially make sense to us.

One Sunday afternoon we had planned to go to the zoo, but the weather didn't agree with our plan. So since we had already planned on being in the downtown area, I suggested that we go to Union Terminal. Well, needless to say, our kids instantly fell in love with it and it soon became our regular rainy day spot.

I had seen that Erica and Dan were documenting all of the pig statues that they were coming in contact with in their Cincinnati Re-adventure, and was über-excited when I came across this one in the Children's Museum on the lower level of Union Terminal. Since I'm pretty sure Erica and Dan have never been in the Children's Museum, seeing as they have no children, I figured I would take some pictures to share with them.

Upon more research on the web, I found out that this pig is named "Animal House" and was created by Tracey Antoun. In an article I found she explained that she just wanted people to look at the endangered plants and animals displayed on the statue and think about how we don't think enough about our environment.

Animal House's Pig Profile: http://cincinnati.com/bigpiggig/profile_102300.html
Cincinnati Museum Center website: http://www.cincymuseum.org/

Guestblog: The Cincinnati Bengals

I've been needling my brother Bradley to write me up a Bengals post since we started this blog-- it seemed perfect with his love of the game and my complete lack of football know-how. You can read more of Bradley's writing at his own blog and at Defenders of the Hate. (I added the pictures.)

The Cincinnati Bengals: A Re-adventure

So it finally arrives, that golden time of year when the collective overlap of hockey, baseball and football make for a sports fan's biggest month. Mock-drafts are in the air, jerseys are being worn with pride, and Chad Ochocinco's Twitter is now rowdy with smack-talk.

Ah, it's a wonderful thing.

But new restaurants and public transportation aren't the only thing getting a revamped image in Cincinnati this year, as the Bengals look to make a playoff berth reminiscent of 2005, which was the last time the jungle was home to the division's leading team. But why the re-adventure? Why are the Bengals so suddenly contenders? as my sister asks when I run upstairs to tell her the score. The answer is simple: 9 + 85 = TD.

Ok, so there are a few more things to it than that --like excellent coaching by Mike Zimmer-- but the most important event of the season has been the return of the God of Golden Arms, Carson Palmer. After battling a partially torn ligament and tendon for most of the previous season, and a career low in passing, the "human Jugs machine" rebounded in 2009 by taking control of the team, and stepping up both as an accurate, reliable quarterback, but as a team leader that we desperately needed.

Carson is key the Bengals' success in this season. A healthy, safe quarterback means more shots at the endzone through our terrific corp of wideout options, like Laveranues Coles or Chris Henry. But more responsible for the passing game's overall success has been our offensive line, which was significantly strengthened through particularly smart drafting, and coaching. Our o-line has allowed more time for Carson to have in the pocket, increasing the effectiveness of our throws by a noticeable amount.

(And, Bengals fans, look forward to an even better offensive line when Andre Smith returns,)

Next, is my personal favorite reason why the Cincinnati Bengals have improved so much over last year: Kevin Huber. Born in Porkopolis, playing for UC, and getting drafted by the Bengals, Huber punted his way into my heart as an all-Cincinnati guy, and boasting some of the best skills the NCAA has ever seen. You can attribute quite a few great field positions to this guy, who's managed to make many a veteran punt-returner think twice before taking off.

Finally, a huge momentum shift in our team dynamic has come from the aggressive and talented group of defensive players we've collected. Players like draft pick Rey Maualuga help create an excellent pass rush, something last year's Bengals struggled with. No list could be complete without the mention of Antwan Odom as well, who made a brief but triumphant return from injuries to tie the franchise sack-record, and garner the NFL's defensive player of the month award.

So you can already see how one major change in a team can have a positive effect on other aspects of the game. A good draft leads to good offensive lines, which leads to more time for a quarterback to make the throws. But while our passing game is getting off the ground, running back Cendric Benson has managed to keep the chains moving with an amazing display of talent. Having turned his life around both on and off the field, Benson believes he's more focused than ever, which translates to Marvin Lewis having another deployable weapon on the gridiron, as opponents now face a significant threat from the air, or the ground.

But the most exciting thing about the Bengals re-adventure, is that we currently have the youngest roster in the NFL: which translates to rookies only getting better, and the team getting more experienced with every game, and every season. Ladies and gentlemen, look forward to winning.

--

And head over to One Man Crime Wave for more in-depth Bengals coverage: interviews and reviews.

Country Cruz'en

By the way, while Heather was writing her guestblog post about Gorman Heritage Farm, I was writing a post for her about Country Cruz'en in Owensville. Pop over to www.foodhussy.com to read it!

Guestblog: Gorman Heritage Farm & Sunflower Festival

My friend Heather graciously offered to write up a guest post for our blog. To read Heather's Cincinnati food review blog, visit www.thefoodhussy.com. Thank you, Heather!

A good friend of mine has always told me about going to the pumpkin patch with her now-husband. Every year - I've heard her cute little happy romantic stories of the pumpkin patch. And every year I've wanted to puke.

But now - I have a boyfriend! So pumpkin patch? BRING IT ON!

We had his daughter with us so we were looking for a family-friendly venue. Proximity was also important due to the time we had...

We stumbled across the Gorman Heritage Farm on Reading Rd in Evendale. They were having their annual Sunflower Festival - with a pumpkin patch! And it was ten minutes from the house...Perfection!

Pleasant surprise from the start was that they honored the online coupon even though I didn't print it off. When we walked in there were pumpkins and a building to describe the farm and the products they make (fresh honey, etc...).

After that we walked through a children's garden area that had theme gardens (pizza garden) and of course some kitschy plywood things for us to stick our heads through!


After the gardens and a breeze by the craft tables - we headed up the hill to the Sunflower Fields! It was the Sunflower Festival after all...


Up the hill, we got the actual farm. There are summer camps as well as Adult Educational classes. While we were there, we also found out about volunteer opportunities. We also met some great new friends of course!


These horses weren't just there to look pretty - they were also taking folks on hayrack rides. They also had a petting zoo which is always fun. Who doesn't love a little cute goat?


Those hayracks took folks out to the corn maze - but be careful when you're there - remember Children of the Corn? There's some spooky folks lurking!


Gorman Heritage Farm is another one of those hidden treasures that Cincinnati has to offer. It was definitely fun exploring the farm, going for a nice walk and enjoying a bit of the country while in the middle of the city.

And BTW - we did get a pumpkin. It wasn't really a pumpkin patch where you could pick your own right off the vine - they were already picked. But we did have a nice selection to choose from and got two great pumpkins for $5!