Extended Vacation Over

For me... I actually got back to town Tuesday but you know how it is, it takes several days to catch up and get back in the groove. I'm not sure I'm grooving like jay Bruce, but I'm getting close to a return to normalcy. Bruce is maturing into the hitter we all thought he could be. That is one reason to believe the Reds will be in this for the long haul. Despite the 2-10 road trip and the starting pitching woes, I still like their chances. The starting pitching can't be this bad all season, but if it is, then I'm wrong. I'm betting it will be much better from here on out.

Bengals players are banding together for workouts the next could of weeks. The defense will be working out at Ignition in Mason. The last I heard the offense was trying to secure the Jefferson Ave. Sports Complex at U.C. for workouts. I'm told UC is more than willing to let the players use the complex but there are issues of liability to work out. In New Orleans Drew Brees had to jump through some legal hoops to get proper insurance so the Saints could work out at Tulane. It sounds like the same issues are in play here.

The Jim Tressel saga is quickly turning into the Terrelle Pryor saga. With the sweater-vested one in the rear view mirror, the headlights shine brightly on those still ahead on the Buckeyes highway to probation. But before Tressel fades from view, there are some in the know who claim Tressel is taking one for The Ohio State University. Their version of the story states that when Tressel received the original and now damning email, that he did indeed approach the compliance people at Ohio State. He was told by them to sit tight since there was a criminal investigation involved. That could just be Tressel's version of the events, and it doesn't help his cause that he forwarded the email to Pryor's older friend in Pennsylvania. But I allow myself to believe some of this, since I cannot allow myself to believe Tressel would be that stupid. Unless, of course, the tattoo for gear practice was so rampant, it seemed like no big deal to Tressel. I could believe that one too.