Friday, December 7, 2012

Thanks for the loyalty, Butch! ...Butch?...Hello?

The Bearcats outlived the Boilers...

Then the Buffaloes...

All was clear and happy yesterday, Butch belonged to Cincinnati for good.

And with one swift, unexpected twist this morning, he's gone, moving to the SEC to coach the Tennessee Volunteers. 

Jones took this reporter by surprise, as I thought the dust had settled and UC marked up a victory amid the hit of ACC rejection.

I was wrong. Butch is gone. 

Wow.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

No three-peat for UC coaching exits

As the holiday season approaches, I bring you tidings of great joy, Cincinnati: Butch Jones is still a Bearcat.

A story that dragged on for days, UC's football coach withdrew his name from consideration for the Colorado job today, after the Denver Post reported Wednesday that he he had accepted the position.

After the Post's announcement, Jones denied the claims, reportedly turning down $13.5 million over five years with the Buffaloes.

According to Cincinnati.com, if Jones had decided to leave, he would have been the third coach in a row to leave UC after three years (Mark Dantonio to Michigan State after 2006 season, then Brian Kelly to Notre Dame after 2009 season).

UC is 23-14 under Jones after three years and is scheduled to play Duke in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 27 in Charlotte.

The UC athletic department is currently in talks with Jones about redoing his contract. Last season, they extended his existing contract through 2017 after he reportedly turned down offers from Illinois, North Carolina, and UCLA, according to Cincinnati.com.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Butch, Bearcats, Boilers, and Buffaloes

Amid the conference-realignment issues for UC, a bright spot for the football program and the university appeared in the Twitter realm today.

This if from Tom Dienhart, @BTNTomDienhart, of Big Ten Network:


A source close to Butch Jones just told me that the Cincinnati coach is NOT going to . Jones also has an offer from Colorado.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Champs all around

UC Bearcats


UC 34, UConn 17

With the win, Cincinnati (9-3) earns a piece of the four-way split league title, along with Louisville, Rutgers, and Syracuse, all which ended the season with 5-2 Big East records. Because the Bearcats' two conference losses came against the Cardinals and Scarlet Knights, they did not earn a BCS berth and today accepted a bid to play Dec. 27 in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, N.C. They will face an ACC opponent to be named later. The bigger concerns for UC fans, however, should be the conference-realignment situation that has left UC in the dark, and the courting of coach Butch Jones by Purdue.

Archbishop Moeller Crusaders


Moeller 20, Toledo Whitmer 12

Big Moe won its eighth state championship in school history, returning the Division I title to Cincinnati.  The game was played a the National Football Hall of Fame's Fawcett Stadium in Canton, Ohio. Moeller (12-3) lost three games in a five game stretch during the season, but rebounded to end the year with a six-game winning streak. Whitmer (14-1) entered the game averaging 43.9 points per game and had outscored its previous four postseason opponents 178-78, according to Cincinnati.com

Newport Central Catholic


NewCath 30, Caldwell County 26

Across the river, Newport Central Catholic hoisted the Class 2A Kentucky State Championship trophy after a last second touchdown lifted them to victory.  NewCath threw a 54-yard pass to gain the necessary field position, then senior quarterback Josh Cain connected with junior receiver Tyler Lyon for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 26 seconds remaining in the game.


Thursday, November 29, 2012

Bearcats: ACC or bust?

In the tumultuous landscape that is conference realignment, the University of Cincinnati Bearcats are now in the hunt for a new home.

UC, in an effort to beat fellow Big East members Louisville and UConn, lobbied yesterday for a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference.  The ACC, however, announced that Louisville will replace Maryland in 2014, not Cincinnati.

According to Cincinnati.com, UC athletic director Whit Babcock tried to sell the Bearcats' appeal to the ACC over the Cardinals, pitching the larger television market and the nearly $400 million in research the university attracts every year. Louisville won out, however, with newer facilities like Papa John's Cardinal Stadium for football, the KFC Yum Center for basketball, and the national stage set by Rick Patino and the Cardinals' basketball team.

In the immediate future, the Bearcats are the losers and the Cards then winners. Joining the ACC would  more than triple UC's television revenue in the Big East of about $6.7 million per year, according to Cincinnati.com.

The Cardinals fit the traditional ACC mold--good at basketball, bad at football--but members of their new conference are already finding new homes, such as Maryland. Some critics believe Louisville is leaving a dead conference for a dying one, with the future uncertain for many schools.

The ACC will add a total of four schools in 2013, including Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Notre Dame in all sports except football, fencing, and ice hockey.

For UC, the need to get out of the Big East is obvious. The announcement that Tulane will become a Big East member in 2014 seemed to spell the funeral for the conference's relevancy, along with newly admitted Houston, SMU, Memphis, UCF, and Temple. The Big East also adds the football teams of Boise State, San Diego State, East Carolina, and Navy. Teams that have already begun the exodus from the Big East include Notre Dame, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and Syracuse to the ACC, and Rutgers to the Big Ten. UConn, too, is trying to escape the sinking ship of a progressively mid-major conference.

For the UC football team to remain successful, the basketball team to remain relevant, and the university's athletic infrastructure to remain afloat, a move must be made and made quickly before more spots are filled, with the Cardinals' win a prime example. Where UC athletics will find its next home, however, remains a mystery. The ACC would seem the best fit for the school, but an invitation may not come soon or easily. The Big Ten would be a stretch, as Cincinnati does not necessarily fit the mold of many Big Ten powerhouses, such as Indiana, Michigan, or Ohio State--but, then again, neither does Maryland or Rutgers. Wherever the Bearcats move, it is in the best interest of the school not to settle for a mid-major conference like the Atlantic 10, as the revenue levels there are not sufficient enough to allow such a large school to remain competitive nationally.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

The No. 1 college sports state is only 20 minutes from downtown Cincy


Very rarely do I overstep the state line in the Queen City Sport Report, but today calls for an exception. The sometimes forgotten third of our Tri-State, Indiana is currently at the top of the sports world.           
           
On Saturday, surrounded by friends and family clad in blue and gold, I threw my hands in the air after the Notre Dame Fighting Irish defeated USC and secured their place in the BCS National Championship. Ranked first in the nation with a Heisman hopeful in Manti Te’o, the loyal sons marched onward to victory.
            
The following day, as I sat on my couch recovering from post-Thanksgiving turkey coma, I saw senior guard Jordan Hulls honored before a full Assembly Hall, scoring 1,000th career point as a Hoosier. Hulls then recorded 17 points in the game against Ball State University, leading the Hoosiers to a 101-53 rout of the Cardinals. The preseason Player of the Year, Cody Zeller, posted 15 points and eight rebounds in the win for the number one ranked team in the country.
           
 After watching the number one in college football and the number one in college basketball coast to victories, a realization came over me: I may be living the peak of Indiana athletics. Is this the greatest sports era ever in the state? Could it be? The Hoosiers basketball team and Irish football team have never won a championship in the same season, but that is a high possibility this year. (It should be noted that IU won a title in 1976, followed by a Notre Dame football championship in 1977, and the same thing in 1987 and 1988).
            
Before anyone becomes upset by the claim of Indiana greatness just because the Hoosiers and Irish both sit atop the polls, let me expand on the state’s recent achievements. In the first season without Manning in Indianapolis, the Colts are exceeding the expectations of analysts, fans, and quite possibly, even the players. The men in blue, rallying behind the cry of “CHUCKSTRONG,” are in 7-4 and currently sit in top AFC Wild Card position. If the season ended with last week’s games, Luck and the Colts would be travelling to Denver to challenge the city’s lost hero.
            
Less advertised but more successful than the Colts are the Indiana Fever, the WNBA team that won its first title in October. Tamika Catchings received the Finals MVP award, scoring 25 points in the 87-78 win over the Minnesota Lynx to secure the championship.
            
On another Indianapolis court, the Butler Bulldogs are already showing Cinderella signs, knocking off Marquette and number nine ranked North Carolina in the Maui Invitational. Brad Stevens’ squad fell to Illinois in the tournament’s championship game, but plays like Rotnei Clarke’s buzzer-beating three-pointer grabbed the attention of the nation.
            
Even on the pitch, the Hoosier state is showing that Indiana sports are a force to reckon with. The Notre Dame men’s soccer team entered the NCAA tournament as the number one seed. Unfortunately for the Irish faithful, the side fell 2-1 in the third round on Nov. 25…to the Indiana Hoosiers.
            
Obviously there are exceptions to the Indiana dominance (the Pacers aren’t living up to preseason expectations thus far), but glancing at NCAA Division I rankings in all major sports, there is at least one Indiana school in every Top 25.
            
As football season closes and basketball season begins, I will try to drink in these precious moments, a time where the best teams in the country call Indiana home. As a Hoosier, the year 2013 has the opportunity to bring ultimate glory or brutal heartbreak. Such is the life when you’re on top of the sports world.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Thankful for Cincinnati sports

As we gather around with friends and family this Thanksgiving, football isn't the only sport in Cincinnati to be excited about. Plenty of college basketball games tip off in the Tri-State, with enough holiday cheer to go around.

Miami RedHawks -- Basketball

11/21 @ William & Mary, 7:00 p.m.
11/24 vs. James Madison, 12:00 p.m.

Xavier Musketeers -- Basketball

11/22 vs. Pacific, 11:00 a.m. PT, in Anaheim, Cal. (DirectTV Classic)

UC Bearcats -- Basketball

11/23 vs. Iowa State, 6:30 p.m. in Las Vegas, Nev. (Global Sports Invitational)
11/24 vs. Oregon or UNLV, TBA in Las Vegas, Nev. (Global Sports Invitational)

UC Bearcats -- Football

11/23 vs. South Florida, 7:00 p.m.

Miami RedHawks -- Football

11/23 vs. Ball State, 1:00 p.m.

Cincinnati Bengals

11/25 vs. Oakland Raiders, 1:00 p.m.