Sports Rock Topics

Our hot topics for Sunday night include the following:

1. U.C. coach Mick Cronin saying Syracuse would win the Atlantic 10. Mick knows talent and knows basketball, but the Syracuse team I've been watching the past couple of week's would be hard pressed to knock Xavier and Dayton off the perch. Mick's point about the Big East competition taking its toll on teams has merit, Syracuse has a ton of talent, but I see a team of Orange underachieving big time.

2. Will U.C. and Kentucky make the NCAA? If U.C. doesn't beat Louisville next Saturday, I feel the Bearcats will have to beat West Virginia to even be in the conversation. That's not asking a lot if you are a legitimate NCAA team. Perhaps they make a run in the Big East tournament, and that could change everything. U.C. fans, don't buy your NCAA ticket package yet. As for Kentucky, I think the Wildcats make it. They better because I can't wait to see Jodie Meeks on that stage.

3. The Reds no longer have the star power of Griffey Jr. and Dunn. Is that such a bad thing? I say no it's not. It may not have been Jr's fault, and it may not have been Dunn's fault, but keeping those guys around would have stunted the growth of clubhouse leadership. Leadership was clearly lacking among position players in the past. Now the young guys can grow into that role without stepping on some veteran cleats.

4. Agent Drew Rosenhaus says he's working behind the scenes (that's why he blabbed about it on a radio station) to get Chad Ocho Cinco traded from the Bengals to another team. Please, let Drew have his way. I told anyone who would listen (nobody did) to trade him last year. Now what is Chad worth on the trade market? I get bombarded by fellow Bengals followers and media members that if the Bengals had traded Chad last year the "cap hit" would have been too high. Successful teams figure things like that out. Teams like the Indianapolis Colts. And while I'm on the subject, remember the Pittsbugh Steelers letting a young, talented, Plaxico Burress take a hike while they held onto boring old Hines Ward? How did that work out? In football, you win with winners, not distractions.

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