TicketsUs scribes are a selfish bunch. We don't root for teams, we root for early deadlines. We don't root for dramatic victory, in fact, we hope that Hail Mary gets knocked down so we don't have to rewrite the lead. Actually, a 55-10 blowout sounds even better.
In the same way that most UC fans bemoaned Saturday's bye week, I can only say I truly enjoyed it. Backing away for a weekend, at least, was a delightful breath of fresh air. So, sorry you endured a Saturday without Bearcats football, surely it felt empty. I won't be commiserating with you.
That said, it is nice to be back in a game week again. We'll be back with the Tuesday double-dip morning-afternoon blogs with the media luncheon and, of course, coverage emanating from Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday to go with the daily Breakfast.
Let's eat...
--- Speaking of Saturday's game -- soapbox time.
This can be another showcase week for a program that, by the eye and scoreboard test, appears to be on the rise (probably more of a bungee bounceback than anything, yet I digress). Not only is this Homecoming but another chance to fill Paul Brown Stadium. Granted, Louisville isn't a Top 10 team as Oklahoma was last year. The way their offense has been playing, I don't know if they'd be in the Top 10 in the Big East (I'm sure there's a Georgetown intramural squad throwing it all over the lot).
But this game is important for many reasons. Homecoming, yes. Big East opener, yes. Rival game, yes.
Yet, chiefly, Saturday represents another opportunity to impress. Nobody knows what will happen with realignment. Dissecting or prognosticating will make your head spin. But know this, perception and program strength means more in the knee-jerk, musical chairs season of college football than ever before. That means more than winning. When your biggest blemish as a program is a small stadium and an impression of a 3/4 filled one at that, making a statement at the turnstile as a fan base can make a difference.
My goal is not to convince people to go to games or tell them how to spend their money. Rather, I'd like you to understand the value in attending a game like Saturday at PBS.
This big-time venue, particularly a packed one, can leave a lasting impression about the strength of the school/program. Whether that means in moving conferences or staying or whatever, that's more important than its ever been right now. The fan base standing together to support the team, the program and show this university and its following should be seen as one of the premier entities in college football holds more importance than ever today.
Filling up PBS wouldn't change years of attendance numbers, but it would send a message. A loud one. If there were ever a time to loudly interject into the football conversation, that time is now.
Do with your money however you please. Nobody is telling you what to do. Only, realize that attending Saturday's game could be giving more than a few dollars back to the University of Cincinnati.
And, step down from soapbox. Sip Aquafina. Wait for slow clap.
That never comes.
--- Paul Daugherty took another view on the conference situation. He waved the white flag. Fair points, but a little premature.
--- Boise State?
--- Want to make your head spin like your filming a prequel to The Exorcist? Here you go.
--- ESPN may have had their hand in an dirty, scandalous aspect of conference realignment? Why, I never...
--- Enough of that, Louisville week. The Cards lost 14-7 at North Carolina after -- at the very least -- taking play-calling duties away from their offensive coordinator after four weeks. They scored seven points, on a busted defensive play.
As Rick Bozich explains, life isn't pretty in Louisville right now. A PR nightmare serving as the latest ugly mole.
--- I think this coping mechanism of a headline from Card Chronicle about sums it up: "The Future Is So Bright, You Can't Stand To Watch The Present"
--- Freshman QB Teddy Bridgewater looks like the truth out there, but he's plays like a freshman. Physical abilities that will put some ying in your yang-yang, to quote Kerry Coombs, but still learning how to lead and avoid critical mistakes.
The entire team looks young right now. Hence, why they are in the bottom five in FBS in penalties. They had nine more and almost all at inopportune times. Three stalled drives inside UNC territory.
--- Numbers to ponder: UC ranks first in the Big East in scoring at 45 points a game.
Louisville ranks last at 16.4. That number is a full seven points less than second-worst UConn. Yikes.
Not only do they have but 11 touchdowns through five games (five fewer than UConn), they only made two FGs to go with them.
The problem hasn't necessarily been moving the ball -- the Cards are 5th in the conference in total offense, they just can't seem to convert those yards into points for the life of them. They drove inside the UNC 30 five times on Saturday and didn't come away with a single point. Double Yikes.
--- While we're talking Big East, Pitt continued down my predicted path of demise. This game was closer than 34-10, but still, Rutgers put a second-half beatdown on the Panthers, who pulled Tino Sunseri at halftime for a freshman. In case you are still wondering, the decision backfired.
Anytime a headline includes the phrase, "makeshift line," you know it didn't go well.
--- Syracuse finds a way to beat a bad team late, Part IV.
--- We see you West Virginia. Still not buying into the "their's to lose" narrative spilling out of every media outlet, but we see you.
--- All of you who spend time criticizing Andrea Adelson, please recognize she moved UC up to No. 2 in the ESPN Power Rankings. She also moved her prediction to a UC bowl game vs ACC team in Charlotte.
--- The Dagger with a profile on Yancy Gates and the suspension that turned his season around. Well done piece. Practices officially begin Saturday.
--- Additional game times and TV set for the hoops schedule. Here you go.
--- Some randomness...
--- You can steal a bridge? Won't it be obvious when you show up on Pawn Stars lugging a bridge through the front door?
--- There's no such thing as an uneventful trip to Wal-Mart.
--- Syracuse, Pitt and TCU basically said, "it's not you, it's me." Which contractually obligates me to post this Seinfeld link.
--- I hope everyone found an enjoyable way to spend their bye week Saturday.
--- Man, Armon Binns just tore up Louisville last year. Fun to watch these highlights again.
In the same way that most UC fans bemoaned Saturday's bye week, I can only say I truly enjoyed it. Backing away for a weekend, at least, was a delightful breath of fresh air. So, sorry you endured a Saturday without Bearcats football, surely it felt empty. I won't be commiserating with you.
That said, it is nice to be back in a game week again. We'll be back with the Tuesday double-dip morning-afternoon blogs with the media luncheon and, of course, coverage emanating from Paul Brown Stadium on Saturday to go with the daily Breakfast.
Let's eat...
--- Speaking of Saturday's game -- soapbox time.
This can be another showcase week for a program that, by the eye and scoreboard test, appears to be on the rise (probably more of a bungee bounceback than anything, yet I digress). Not only is this Homecoming but another chance to fill Paul Brown Stadium. Granted, Louisville isn't a Top 10 team as Oklahoma was last year. The way their offense has been playing, I don't know if they'd be in the Top 10 in the Big East (I'm sure there's a Georgetown intramural squad throwing it all over the lot).
But this game is important for many reasons. Homecoming, yes. Big East opener, yes. Rival game, yes.
Yet, chiefly, Saturday represents another opportunity to impress. Nobody knows what will happen with realignment. Dissecting or prognosticating will make your head spin. But know this, perception and program strength means more in the knee-jerk, musical chairs season of college football than ever before. That means more than winning. When your biggest blemish as a program is a small stadium and an impression of a 3/4 filled one at that, making a statement at the turnstile as a fan base can make a difference.
My goal is not to convince people to go to games or tell them how to spend their money. Rather, I'd like you to understand the value in attending a game like Saturday at PBS.
This big-time venue, particularly a packed one, can leave a lasting impression about the strength of the school/program. Whether that means in moving conferences or staying or whatever, that's more important than its ever been right now. The fan base standing together to support the team, the program and show this university and its following should be seen as one of the premier entities in college football holds more importance than ever today.
Filling up PBS wouldn't change years of attendance numbers, but it would send a message. A loud one. If there were ever a time to loudly interject into the football conversation, that time is now.
Do with your money however you please. Nobody is telling you what to do. Only, realize that attending Saturday's game could be giving more than a few dollars back to the University of Cincinnati.
And, step down from soapbox. Sip Aquafina. Wait for slow clap.
That never comes.
--- Paul Daugherty took another view on the conference situation. He waved the white flag. Fair points, but a little premature.
--- Boise State?
--- Want to make your head spin like your filming a prequel to The Exorcist? Here you go.
--- ESPN may have had their hand in an dirty, scandalous aspect of conference realignment? Why, I never...
--- Enough of that, Louisville week. The Cards lost 14-7 at North Carolina after -- at the very least -- taking play-calling duties away from their offensive coordinator after four weeks. They scored seven points, on a busted defensive play.
As Rick Bozich explains, life isn't pretty in Louisville right now. A PR nightmare serving as the latest ugly mole.
--- I think this coping mechanism of a headline from Card Chronicle about sums it up: "The Future Is So Bright, You Can't Stand To Watch The Present"
--- Freshman QB Teddy Bridgewater looks like the truth out there, but he's plays like a freshman. Physical abilities that will put some ying in your yang-yang, to quote Kerry Coombs, but still learning how to lead and avoid critical mistakes.
The entire team looks young right now. Hence, why they are in the bottom five in FBS in penalties. They had nine more and almost all at inopportune times. Three stalled drives inside UNC territory.
--- Numbers to ponder: UC ranks first in the Big East in scoring at 45 points a game.
Louisville ranks last at 16.4. That number is a full seven points less than second-worst UConn. Yikes.
Not only do they have but 11 touchdowns through five games (five fewer than UConn), they only made two FGs to go with them.
The problem hasn't necessarily been moving the ball -- the Cards are 5th in the conference in total offense, they just can't seem to convert those yards into points for the life of them. They drove inside the UNC 30 five times on Saturday and didn't come away with a single point. Double Yikes.
--- While we're talking Big East, Pitt continued down my predicted path of demise. This game was closer than 34-10, but still, Rutgers put a second-half beatdown on the Panthers, who pulled Tino Sunseri at halftime for a freshman. In case you are still wondering, the decision backfired.
Anytime a headline includes the phrase, "makeshift line," you know it didn't go well.
--- Syracuse finds a way to beat a bad team late, Part IV.
--- We see you West Virginia. Still not buying into the "their's to lose" narrative spilling out of every media outlet, but we see you.
--- All of you who spend time criticizing Andrea Adelson, please recognize she moved UC up to No. 2 in the ESPN Power Rankings. She also moved her prediction to a UC bowl game vs ACC team in Charlotte.
--- The Dagger with a profile on Yancy Gates and the suspension that turned his season around. Well done piece. Practices officially begin Saturday.
--- Additional game times and TV set for the hoops schedule. Here you go.
--- Some randomness...
--- You can steal a bridge? Won't it be obvious when you show up on Pawn Stars lugging a bridge through the front door?
--- There's no such thing as an uneventful trip to Wal-Mart.
--- Syracuse, Pitt and TCU basically said, "it's not you, it's me." Which contractually obligates me to post this Seinfeld link.
--- I hope everyone found an enjoyable way to spend their bye week Saturday.
--- Man, Armon Binns just tore up Louisville last year. Fun to watch these highlights again.