Another Week Of Surprises

U.C. starts pouring in the points, while Xavier gets whacked at home. The Reds make a big trade, and the Bengals are back in the hunt despite playing a less than stellar game. Outsiders may not think Cincinnati is an exciting place, but every Sunday night there are at least a couple of stories where I shake my head and say, "I can't believe it!"

I can believe the Reds deal, but I can't believe how sure many pundits are so sure it's a great deal for the Padres, or a great deal for the Reds. No one knows right now. If Mat Latos turns into Curt Schilling, the Reds probably got themselves a good deal. But, the odds are tilted in favor of San Diego. If for no other reasons than the Padres get four players, any of whom could turn out to be good. Volquez will be the least likely, but again you never know. The early line on Alonso, Grandal, and Boxberger suggests two of the three should turn out to be good players. I don't think Alonso can miss. For that reason alone I would have liked to have seen the Reds at least get a prospect along with Latos.

The Bengals won soooooooooooo ugly. This does not inspire a lot of hope from this little corner of the world that Marvin's men will finish with wins over Arizona and Baltimore. without two more wins, I don't see Cincinnati in the playoffs.

I could not have seen the blowout coming for Xavier. Sure, I though the Musketeers might struggle to win, but after the first five minutes, X got whacked. Yanking three starters from a basketball lineup is definitely a big deal. So the tournament selection committee will certainly keep that in mind when they see a huge loss on the home court.

U.C. certainly has found a way to put the ball in the basket. We'll find out soon enough if opening things up will turn the season around. First off all, the players are just playing. They have quit playing stilted and are letting it all hang out. That helps shooting. And when this team can make shots from the perimeter, and pick up some easy baskets by cranking up the tempo, it's a lot more fun for everyone involved. I can tell you this, it's much more enjoyable to watch.