11-1-25 Sports Talk with Chick Ludwig

Six nine in the Queen City of Cincinnati, chick Ludwig, seven hundred wl W. This is Sports Talk Shoeless. Joe Waddell is tonight's producer. We're going all the way to nine fifteen and that means three hours and fifteen minutes of fun. But first things first, don't forget to set your alarm clocks back for an extra hour of sleep tonight as we transition from Daylight Savings time to standard time starting at two am on Sunday. And what a day it's been, What a week it's been, What a

Hey?

How you doing?

Man?

Awesome?

Brother?

How are you doing?

Man?

Fantastic?

Hey? The guy who spot on Lance's spot on everything took the family out once a year, we'll go to the Bengals game, go all out. I dropped a pretty good coin on this game. Family of five. My son, my nine year old, was devastated. He was crying at the end of the game. He's like, Daddy, why don't they tackle?

Why are they letting them go? I'm like, I don't know.

So it's hardening, man, it's disheartening as a Bengal fan. Been doing this stuff for forty fifty years now, it's like, you know what's going on here?

You know?

And Dennis, what hurt What hurt me most of all was the fact that it was the Ring of Honor game. Was so many Bengals emagends and alumni back for that game.

Amen.

Amen, It's yeah, it's just devastating.

Man.

My wife, uh, you know, I got her into the Bengals fan thing, and once they scored that two point conversion, once they overturned it was a replay, you know, they went over. She goes there to lose, and I go oh my god, no, please no, And then yeah, my family was actually devastated. It was it was not a good thing by poor son, God bless him. He was his crying nine year old. You know, you're like, why aren't they stopping him? Why aren't they you know, why aren't they tackling I'm like, oh my god.

Oh so anyway, hey, thank you so much. All right, hey you bet, let's go out to Kevin in Columbus, our good friend.

Yeah, yeah, with or without Burrow. You know, it's it's the same basic problem.

You do.

You know that, and we must be setting some kind of record for scoring thirty points or more and still losing. You know, they keep a stat like that, But it is that they could have lost the Pittsburgh game the same way. They're lucky, and we were hoping they'd pull that game Sunday out just left the Pittsburgh game. But you know, living like this is it just how can you win consistently when you can't stop anyone?

Even though.

Yeah, the worst team in the league.

Yeah, even the Jets. I was happy as an Ohio State fan. I was happy for Justin Fields. He got ripped apart by the owner, by the owner and then the center starting center for the Jets. Josh Myers from Miamisburg High School. UH know him personally, uh, Ohio State.

Star.

And then four years with the Green Bay Packers. They chose not to re sign him, so he's on a one year prove it deal and uh, I find myself rooting hard for Josh Myers, and uh but Owen seven. You know how this league is, Kevin, You know how this league is at Owen seven. The league wants that team to win. And in a way, you know, stunned. I was upset, But at the same time, it's the NFL. It's any given Sunday.

Yep, Hey, can I say one more thing? And you're saying this about the Bengals, it's the same with the Reds all.

Season, you know, oh yeah, yo.

They have hope and they all were crushed and it's all back and forth, you know.

And I wonder if they're not cursed, does it go back to the bo Jackson curse?

Yeah, who knows. But again, I'll be listening Sunday, just like when the Reds come around. I'll be you know, oh yeah, oh yeah, Oh. I should just do chores forget baseball. Forget football, right, But I guess we're addicted, right, I'll speak for myself.

Are yeah, absolutely? Are Yeah? Another day? Yeah, thanks so much, Kevin, Yeah, I can Rake leaves another day up to Dayton Austin. Hey, Austin, what's going on?

Man?

Yeah?

That game Sunday was Oh that was a heartbreaker. I mean it's just crazy. You know, when a football team scores thirty eight points, you know, you would think you're winning.

You know, well, in the Bengals record prior to last season scoring thirty eight points, what fifty four and four and now they're like one in three in the last two.

Years, right, And it's just it's breaks my heart, you know, because we have such great generational talent with Jamar Chase, Joe Burrow, and I feel like, you know, to an extent, it's it's almost like they're just being wasted away. And you know, I hope and I you know.

The day that.

You know, they leave the Bengals, it's it's gonna hurt me a lot, you know, I hope they're around forever. But at the same time, like you know, I don't know, it's I guess it's the curse of being a Cincinnati fan.

Right, you're absolutely right. And hey, Joe Burrow, all right, he's twenty eight years old, but he gets ready to turn twenty nine on December tenth, so he's approaching the thirty year old mark.

You know it?

Just you want them to win a Super Bowl so bad during the Joe Burrow era. And I just hope his words were prophetic when he said the windows always open as far as uh, as long as he's the quarterback. Let's just as Bengals fans, let's hope so right, I agree, all right, man Austin, appreciate you. Yep, thank you, thank you. And tomorrow the Chicago Bears Caleb Williams as the quarterback. He's a playmaker, he can extend plays. He's dangerous. The

Hey?

The trade deadline's coming up on Tuesday? Is it time to ship out Trey Hendrickson and Logan Wilson, two leaders on this defense? Bengals don't make too many in season trades, and that will be something to really really watch for if they would pull the trigger and pull off a trade. All I know is tomorrow is a must win. They've got to get to four and five at their bye week and then get ready to play oh on the

Chick let's look get it, let's get it on again. Another another opportunity here. I'm going to be very positive right now. Yes, very positive. I think we got we can really do this this weekend.

Fantastic And Bruce, tell the listeners where you are. I know you're in a fundraiser for a very important important role tonight.

Yeah, I'm run.

A sports FLIC fundraiser for Holy Cross High School in Coverington. I'm sitting just opposite the gymnasium in my classroom where I teach physics and calculus.

And I pulled away for a few minutes to handle the chickster.

That's fantastic. And Bruce, you're teaching the high powered physics uh in math man, it's uh. I go back to what John Kittn has said, being a math major at Eastern Washington helped him as a quarterback with all the angles and everything. Did it help you as an offensive lineman?

Oh?

It was incredible. The logic, the logic of math and science has helped me every everywhere I went, you know, in the NFL playing center, and you you know, our our partner Dave Lapan can tell us, can tell you the same thing. You've got to be smart, and you got to be intuitive. You got to know what's coming. And the only way to do that is to be educated.

Uh. And and that's that's why I made it.

I'm from a small college in Worcester, Massachusett, Holy Cross College in Worstern, Massachusetts. And I made it because I was smart, could handle the playbook and handle all the adjustments and get the word out both right and left. And and I'm very proud of that fact.

When I when I substitute teach in either math or science, and I'm more of a language arts guy, of course, and history. I say science is everywhere, and I say it in math too, Math is everywhere. So and it's so true, it's so true.

Yeah.

And the kids, the kids wonder when they're going to use this stuff, right, They have no idea that everything everything they do in life.

Involves some type of.

Math and science and the common sense of either one.

Well, math teachers want, uh, you know, not just the correct answer, but all the steps that get you there. And I tell them, you're going to run into problems, you know, in life, and you've got to go about them systematically to get the answer. It's that same.

Maybe one of the most maybe one of the most important parts about both of these subjects is is the the order of operations and the logic, the ability to analyze the situation and then create or synthesize the solution.

That will do the job.

You know, it may not be the best solution, but but there might be many good solutions, and all would did do is sympthesize one that works. And that's where we are. Physics is the study of common sense.

That's what I mador in college.

Fantastic stuff. You're Bruce, And I asked fans out there, what did last Sunday's loss due to them? I know it left me numb, It left Lance McAllister Gosha cussing out loud, angry, and what did it do to you? And what was so upsetting for me was the fact that so many Bengals alumni were there to honor Dave Lapham and leaping Lamar Parrish for the Ring of Honor, and uh, gosh that it just killed me to see that.

Yeah, the wins in this league are so hard to come by, and as we found out, even with Joe Burrow at quarterback, when you lose the first three games, it's very difficult to get back into the race. You're trailing the entire league, not only your conference. We got off to a two and oh Star lost four.

Or five in a row.

Flacco came in and and and beat Pittsburgh in fantastic fashion with outstanding got Uh. Uh a great. I had played great last week, a lot of points on the board. Defense couldn't good, couldn't win.

And that's that's.

Almost what's been happening in all seasons, the defense as badly as the offense has played. Uh that you didn't recognize how poor the defense had played.

And and I'm.

Glad they had this defense player all player only meeting this week.

I think they needed. They needed to.

Clear their heads and and uh, you know, figure out who's the front runner and who the real players are, because that's what the Steve needs right now.

They need leadership, and they.

He's someone who's gonna get the job done when it's tough. It's not always easy, and there's a turning point in this league where you're seeing either goes up and you get on a roll, or it goes down and you're you're waiting for for the for the postseason to start with somebody else in it because you you've lost too many games. Last week was a game they should have won. They had it won, they couldn't pull it off, and

And it looks like the running game which has come to life these last two games. That is one huge positive. And isn't the running game the best friend of a quarterback.

It's always been to me the most integral part, you know. And and I love Joe. I think he can take this team to a world championship, but he has to understand that the NFL is a league that has to have passing, it has to have running. You have to be able to run the ball and then it gives you more time in the pocket. You can do all kind of play action stuff. It's amazing the success you

Sometimes he has time to.

Actually throw the ball down the field, like he hits the Higgins last week. And so you've got to be able to run the ball in this league if you want to be a winner.

And Scott Peters, the offensive line coach, I mean, it's taken a while, but it looks like the offensive line is is coming around, and man, they just it's got to be complimented with a solid defense. And it's just been a struggle.

Yeah, that's been that's been. Another part of this is the the uncomplimentary parts of the football team. A couple of weeks they played good offense, defense, special teams, cut kick the ball into the end zone every day. Pun of the ball into the end zone every time. Then then and when you can at least afford the defense to give up the big play, then when you can at least afford it, you know, we turn the ball over and it's it's just not complimentary.

But I'm being positive here.

I checked, yes, I.

Believe this is this is the week where they.

Turn it all around, all three phases, get it together, and they play their guts out.

At this point, their backs the wall.

They cannot lose another game to the Jets and the Bears and expect to compete in this league, even though they have a bye week, because that bye week it's only a week. But if you lose these two going into that bye week, it'll seem like a month.

You're absolutely right about that, Bruce Kazerski. And to get to four and five at the bye and then you come out and hey, you go to you go to Pittsburgh and there's still time, there's there's hope. But three and six, three games under five hundred, man, that's an absolute killer.

Well, the problem with losing games you shouldn't lose is that someone in your league, someone in your conference, is pulling away from you. Now Baltimore is getting getting hot again Jackson's back, and they're gonna they're gonna start to compete, you know. So it could be a could be a three team race if we play well enough to compete. If if we lose games we're not supposed to lose, then we're just gonna fall to the wayside, like we we we know we can. And and Cincinnati deserves it.

Enough to win. Defense should step it up this week. And I think they know that. I trust that they know that.

And protecting your home so faive, yeah, and protecting your home field. Man, you got to win at home. And to lose that home game to the Jets just uh, but yeah, you're right, Bruce. Let's stay positive and bring some fans out to the wings and rings.

Total busted experience, A total busted experience with the Ring of Honor induction. Two great players and and uh they have a big league at the end, you know.

And and to lay.

The egg down the stretch of the fourth quarter. And as well as the offensive player you harped on this at the in the post game last year last week is as well as the offense played when the defense was struggling. At the end, they couldn't get a first down, maybe one first down and the game is over. But you can't put that game on the offense.

And I was traveled, you were traveling by the You know, you leave your seat with a lead and by the time you get to your car, they're, uh, they're trailing.

I left my seat with a fourteen point lead with ten and ten mins thirty seconds remaining of the game. By time I got to my my truck, they were losing by one.

I couldn't believe it.

Unbelievable.

Yeah, yeah, I heard the stadium, heard the stadium grown, and then I heard it roar, and then I heard them grown again.

You know, now, Bruce, are you now? Are you a baseball fan? Also? Are you paying attention to the World Series?

I love baseball, but I'm really a Reds fan, and they've been out of her for a while. This game is irrelevant to me. Although I'd like the US team to win, I like a team for our country to win.

Uh.

But Toronto's playing great baseball and and uh, I certainly hope it's a great game, and I don't want it to be another eighteen ing TASCAR like they had in that one game. But yes, certainly a nice clean, a nice clean maybe a ninth inning walk off or something close to the end would be exciting.

That'd be awesome. Well, the Cincinnati Reds were the last National League team to go back to back in seventy five and seventy six. I don't want the Dodgers to do it last year and this year, so I'm rooting for the Blue Jays.

But man, yeah, and start to finish and start to finish in nineteen.

Ninety Yes, yeh, that's exactly right. Wire to wire, Bruce, thanks so much for taking time out from your fundraiser tonight at holy Cross High School. Man, great stuff. Appreciate you, Nanks shiit.

We'll see you tomorrow.

Take care. That's Bruce Kazerski, Bengals legend offensive lineman center guard on the nineteen eighty eight Super Bowl team, and all those dudes Munhos Lapham, Kazerski and others were in Canton in June to support the offensive line guru, the one and Only Mouse, Jim Mouse McNally. Hey, you're listening to sports talk on seven hundred WLW Moore. After this break three minutes before the top of the hour news. This is Chick Ludwig Sports Talk on seven hundred WLW.

I'm doing great? Check and I hope you are too.

Absolutely, And is there anything more exciting than Game seven?

That's the best thing in sports, you know. I was hoping that the Blue Jays would end it in six because I do not want to see the Dodgers win it. But Game seven is just the ultimate in sports, winner take all, do or die all on the line. And what about last night Game six, Must see TV? Absolutely unbelievable. The Dodgers win three to one to force a Game seven,

Yeah, Tyler Glass now replaces Roki Sizaki, and three pitches later, the game's over. Ernie Klement pops out to Freddie Freeman on the first pitch. Then Andre's jim Andez steps to the plate after taking a ball, he hits that low line drive to left center Keith Gay Hernandez picks it off and then he has the wherewithal gosh the fire to a covering Miguel Rojas at second base. Bam bam Barger with that double in the ball on a fly

Yeah, Key, Key was so alert. I mean he cuts that ball on the fly and in one motion, in an instant, he throws a double bouncer to second base to double the runner off. I've never seen anything like it. But if you cover baseball long enough, they say every week you see something you've never seen before.

That's exactly right, almost on a daily basis, if you go to the ballpark, just incredible, and that brings us how to You know, as I'm watching the World Series, I'm thinking of the Cincinnati Reds and man, this is how good you have to be to be one of the final two teams standing.

Yeah, it was very nice and exciting for the Reds to make it to the playoffs, but you know they were the last wild card team and then happen to play the Dodgers, and you were pretty sure that that was as far as they were going to go, because the Dodgers have it all, I mean, all the MVPs they have on that team, all the money they've spent. They are where they should.

Be and just looking at gosh, potential free agents here or guys that will become free agents once the World Series is over. We're looking at Miguel Andrew Harr and then the pitchers a Zach Lyttel, Nick Martinez and Emilio put Gone along with Wade Miley. And there's just a lot of tough decisions facing the Cincinnati Reds here because they need hitting and they've got some pitching.

Yes, absolutely, it would not be surprising to me if they might dangle Hunter Green out there to or get two or three good prospects. You've gotta love Hunter Green, but he's susceptible to injuries that looks like and you don't know if that's going to continue throughout his career. But he could bring a pretty good haul. But yeah, you're absolutely right. They have a lot of decisions to make, and one of them that I keep harping on is I think they they just got to move Eli Dela

Yeah, oh that is awesome, and yeah, think of the ground he can cover out in center field, of his length, his reach, his speed, and it might take some pressure off of him at the plate exactly.

I said it was going to be the next thing right out of my mouth. We've been together too long, Hick. I was going to say, absolutely, there's less less pressure playing centerfield than this playing shortstop, and that would I think it would help his off mentally and take his mind off a few things.

I agree.

And just looking at players with club options, man Austin Hayes, I mean that's a that's a pretty penny there at twelve million mutual option, one million dollar buyout, Bran Suiters out there at three million or a two hundred and fifty thousand dollars buyout, Scott Barlow six and a half million option or a one million dollar buyout. So and then a ton of guys you know, eligible for arbitration. So yeah, man Nick, Yeah, Crawl and his yea yeah.

It's going to be very interesting to see because, as you mentioned, about about half the roster needs to have some decisions made, so it's going to be interesting to see which way they go. Like I say, they just have a lot of things out there to think about.

And another thing we have in common. We love Chavez Ravine Dodger Stadium. But the Reds were the last Nation League team to go back to back. How we don't want the Dodgers to do it.

No, we don't their last team in the National League to go back to back. Horse the Yankees have done in the American League. But yeah, you and I were part of that when the Rents went out there in nineteen ninety and seventy five and seventy six. They went back to back, last National League team to do it. Just another reason that I'm rooting against the Dodgers tonight.

Now, I know on your Facebook page and the writing is still as crisp and as great as ever, Hal, And you mentioned a guy that reaches base nine times, what five intentional walks? You know, a little bit cowardly, Hey man, up, Yes see, if you can't get this cat owl.

That's right, that's I would like to see him do something about intentional logs because he can't do it, because they'll still find a way to walk a guy if they want to. But you know, the guy is a superstar, but he doesn't He doesn't hit a home run or get a base at every time. Up just really kind of made me think not so nicely of the Blue Jays for walking him four times in one game.

And it's hard to believe Hal McCoy that nineteen ninety five, we were at Chavez Ravine and it was the last series the Reds have the Reds of one and then and then Atlanta happened. Yeah, and then Atlanta happened.

Yes, Atlanta happened. Got the general manager Jim uh what was his name at the.

Time, Jim Jim Bowden Jim Bowden, Yeah, or as Marty calls him, all the leather Pants had the great idea that they should start all left handers against the Braves.

It's the braves were susceptible against left handers. Well it didn't work. They got blown out, but it wasn't nice. You and I were in Chevez Ravine. That's it's my favorite ballpark. I mean, it's the third oldest, but they keep that place so clean you can eat off the floors. It's just unbelievable. But yeah, we were there with the manager Davey Johnson, and uh, they won the game out there, and but disaster in Atlanta and that's the last time that they have won a postseason series.

It really is incredible. And hol just a career. And you recently had a birthday? And is it eighty three or eighty five? Eighty five? Eighty five?

Wow?

Eighty five eighty five and counting?

Yeah, And what keeps you going?

How?

Just life itself? I try to write every day. I love to write. If I couldn't write, I don't know what I would do. I would be flipping burgers or something. But that's been my life. And as long as I can sit down, it's the it's the computer, the laptop and buzz out a few words. I'm happy. I try to do it every day and that keeps me going. Eighty five but I don't feel like you're over eighty four.

That's just wonderful, how and I absolutely mean it. It doesn't take long to call roll for for the baseball writers and Hal McCoy in Cooperstown.

Man, I appreciate that, Chris, Urus appreciate that, Chick, and you know, we've been friends for a long time and we were working buddies. And you are a very talented guy yourself and do a great job on the radio and a multi talented person. That's what I like.

Well, thank you so much, Hal, and hey, appreciate it. All the best in Nadine and yourself.

Stay well, sir, Thanks Chicken, Thanks thanks for having me on, buddy, take care of yourself.

You are so welcome to enjoy Game seven tonight. Wow, it's it's gonna be fun getting me ready?

You bet?

Yes? Yes?

Thanks Hal? All right?

Thanks?

Hey, do you have a thought about Game seven tonight? Who are you rooting for? I've got my coffee, I've got my computer. All I need is you and it's more coffee tonight because there's no water in our building

Well, first of all, Chick, I want to hire you as my PR guy. But even though you didn't go to the great Miami, Ohio, but yeah, you're a great You're great anyway.

Well, thank you so much. And when you hear the ads for Miami University where today's students become tomorrow's leaders, I'll bet you've got a big smile on your face.

Oh, no question about it, you know. And for people out there who don't know, besides the credof coaches, there are more ceo of fortune, five hundred companies with Miami, Ohio undergraduate degrees than any other college. And I can go on and on and on, but I won't.

I won't.

Well, it was awesome having you really back in Ohio, back in Southwest Ohio for a book signing, and just love your work here from Redbrickmagic dot com to the real hankeron dot com and now recently hear my Big Redmachine dot com. Terrence, Can you talk about your Big Red Machine?

Yeah? You know, you know this thing is it's a miracle in so many ways of writing this book, and I always tell people I get chills talking about it, and I get chills just thinking about everything I went through. But essentially it's about my journey from being a diehard Big Red Machine fan to finally meeting my heroes and chick I know you've gone through the same thing being an Ohio guy. Is that you know a lot of times it doesn't measure up to what you expected.

For me, for the most.

Part, it did, and it all began and ended with Pete Rose, a long time favorite player. The one thing I will say this real quick too, is I grew up in South in Indiana as a young guy. You know, Pump and the University of Notre Dame, and my dad was an AT ANDT supervisor who got transferred to Cincinnati in sixty eight. And I bring that up because there's no such thing as coincidence. In my world. Everything is spiritual.

That is fantastic and gosh, one of the highlights of my career. Four months to the day prior to Pete Rose's death, I'm invited back to Western Hills Country Club is the MC of their stag honoring Pete, and I got to introduce him, and then we sat on a stage together and I guided him through a fifty four photolide show of his life. And what an evening. What an evening with Pete?

Well, you know you and I saw a different side of Pete. I have got nothing bad to say about Pete Rose. He was so good to me. As a matter of fact, Just to tell you how these things work as far as spiritually as I look at it. I graduated from Miami University in May of nineteen seventy eight.

Of the book. Oh that is absolutely fantastic and so really your experience here with the Cincinnati Reds. And like the book says, my Big Red Machine and hey, just gosh, that's the website. Check it out, buy the book. It's fantastic, Mybigredmachine dot com. And one thing that I don't think a lot of people know about you, Terrence. And oh, by the way, next year is our thirtieth anniversary at the nineteen ninety six Atlanta Games, the centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.

What a time you and I had doing that, Man, What a.

Month at Emory, Yeah, a month at Emory University. Absolutely loved it and I'll just never forget that unbelievable experience.

Yeah, you said thirty years. That means that we've been around a while.

Yes, Yes, And being a nineteen seventy six graduate of the Ohio State University and I came up through the Gosha a weekly in Lebanon, then a daily in suburban Cleveland, and then thirty years at the Dayton Daily News. I'm approaching fifty years in the media really like next June. So you're right, we've been around a long time.

Terrence, Well, he messed in the Ohio State University. You know, the winning is coach in the history of Ohio State, and some guy named Woody Hayes BI National Championships and you got this big start at Mine of Ohio. Now read I'm telling the story a little bit off my current book. I'm going to go back to my middle book,

Oh it's Terrence More.

Thank you, thank you very much.

That is awesome.

Here's something oh too, I gotta tell you. Okay, this guy named Kim Griffrey Jr. I guess who wrote the first story about him when he was eight years old?

Was it you?

I mean, I could go on. Oh right, you just want that.

Out there, Terrence. One thing that a lot of folks don't know about you. You launched the career of Stephen A. Smith. Tell us that story.

Well, I don't think I launched it, but I was. I was a part of it. I mean he he got to start a lot of people would say Winston Salem, some would say Philadelphia inquire Actually he got to start as an intern at the Cincinnati Inquirer. Not since I inquired I was people it was at the Atlanta General Constitution.

Yes, that's wild. It's just incredible and one of the one of the great afternoons I got to spend in Oxford, Ohio, in the home and the basement of Wilbur Charles U Bank we Weave you Bank. And that was just just awesome because he was getting honored, gosh, in New York City with an award. My boss, Ralph Morrow, sent me there. I spent an afternoon with him. And oh, he's got Peley's jersey encased in glass up on his wall, and you know, he opens up a file cabinet, pulls out uh,

Well, as you know, chick, what another member of the creditle we view Bank the winningest coach of the West. Could consider it the greatest game ever played between the Giants and the coach Beck in the nineteen fifties, and of course the biggest upset in the history of the Super Bowl. Super Bowl three. We viewed Bank from Mount Ohio. But it goes further than that. And like you just said, those old guys, those old cradle guys had a tendency to come back to Oxford, Ohio one way or the other.

Oh, that is fantastic. Now I do some umpiring for girls fast pitch softball and some baseball, and a guy comes up to me a year or so ago at a backstop and said, Hey, are you the guy that coined the phrase the world's largest living room for Mallette Hall? And I said, yeah, that's me. I will be in tears when Mallette Hall comes down. I love the place.

Well it's coming down, and uh, pretty similar for people who may not know. They're building a new arena right down Cookfield and wide open spaces and also a hotel there and check. You know. This doesn't have anything to do with with Malett, but has to do with Miami Sports. When I was in Cincinnati this week, I had a fabulous time with Tug Martin, our great football coach, and Tug Martin this guy. I would contend that he has done the greatest job of any coach in America this year.

You're exactly right, Terrence and Wild I've got you your Terrence more were Gosh, former sports columnist at the Atlanta Journal Constitution, where he spent twenty five years. Incredible, the real Hank Aaron. Yeah, you know, I was born in nineteen fifty four. I got to see Roberto Clemente play at Crosley Field. I fell in love with him number twenty one. But that that National League, man, how tough was it to make to make that a starting lineup?

I I was closer to Hank than any other reporter ever. Was a four year relationship, and it was because he trusted me so much. And I was like to tell this first story when we first met, and I'll give you the sword version of this. I was working at

You know.

We hit it off off the bat. I'm talking to him on the phone. I'm working at the San Franisco Examiner at the time, and so, uh, when I finished the interview, and I'm listening to my tape recording, and Hank, being from the South, sometimes you have sendency to say some things. I mean, just for a phrases that might be a little bit off that if you if you didn't, I didn't quite understand him. I mean, you can misinterpret

And then after we.

Finished with that, he said, you know what he said, In all my years, I have never had a reporter do this. He said, I really appreciate this, and that's how we hit it off and check. I know you can relate to that because a lot of times we have reporters, you know, they'll just run with stuff and they know that, man, it might be a little bit out of context, as opposed to taking that time to go back to the individual and just say that is this what you meant to say? Or I just need a clarification.

Oh man, that such great, really great stuff, great advice, and I know that you're a gosh a mentor to so many young journalists at Miami and elsewhere. Terrence Moore, and just want to relate one quick story with you. At the Dayton Daily News, I was shipped to Central State to interview Don King. Okay, he was getting an honorary degree, and I asked, m Don, what's your message to the marauders today, all the students here? And he said,

Well, I'll give you my piece of advice. I tell my students all the time. And as you say, I was a visiting professor at Miami for seven years, and once I started writing books, I need to be closer to here. So now I've been a visiting professor here at Georgia State now for the last two or three years. One of the things I like to tell my students I give him the sports analogy of Vince Lombardi. And Vince Lombardi used to say run to daylight. And I would say that he didn't tell his running backs to

And it can be very very ugly. This has been an absolute joy, Terrence Moore, and I want to thank you and thank your brother Dennis. Maybe he can be my pr guy.

Oh.

I want to tell you, hey, I was getting in with that chick my brother dinners down in Mount Healthy or up in Mount Healthy, depending on where your listeners are. He's listening right now. He listens to you every Saturday. And when I told him that I was going to be on with the Great Tickster, you got a big smiles, says, oh you gotta be kissed me.

Oh my goodness, I mean.

All I can talk about.

Well, Terrence, I've been one to have you on for a long time. Thank you so much for carving out some time. You're everywhere. I love it, love reading your stuff on Facebook and really appreciate your time tonight, and all the best to you and your family.

Thank you for speaking of love, love and honor to Miami our college, Oden.

Grand Amen to that love and honor where today's students become tomorrow's leaders. All right, indeed, thanks so much, Terrence, Safe travels, brother, Thank you. Sports Talk with Chick Ludwig seven hundred WLW.

ME She just.

Eight o nine in the Queen City of Cincinnati. Chicklog Wig, seven hundred w l W. This is sports talk. We're going all the way to nine fifteen tonight, and then you see football takes over these airwaves. The seventeenth rank Bearcats collide in Salt Fake City, Utah with the Utah

Hi, Scott, Chick, what's up man?

It's gorgeous here ben to BYU and now at Rice Ecles Stadium. And I'm not so sure. I don't know which one is the best. I think this one might be. Looking at the view. They both have outstanding views. And you know, the guys up here have to call the game. But what a night, you know, clear night shoot on

Oh that is fantastic, and I can only imagine what the scene is like there. Just watching some of the college game Day on ESPN this morning, that place was electric. There was a thing called the ute meter, and I guess the decibels were ear splitting out there. But just that crowd has got to be electric out there.

They're a noisy lunch They were up early, so we'll see if they went home and took a nap, because after game day ended, you know, it was ten hours and fifteen minutes until kickoff, so a long, long night here in Salt Lake City. But I'm looking at the muss right now. It's Muss, Muss, mighty Utah student section is what that stands for.

And apparently their deals.

They jump up and down on third down and they try to disrupt the count and get the teams to jump off sides. But the one thing you see has going for now, we'll see. You know, this might be louder than we think, but the first game against Nebraska Arrowhead Stadium was as loud as I've heard. Dan Horde has called Bengals Chiefs games there. He said it's the loudest he's ever heard. And U see, did all right?

Scott Springer's with us to preview UC and Utah tonight. Gosh, I'm looking at standings here after Texas Tech's forty three to twenty victory over k State. The thirteenth ranked Red Raiders win today and banned a little bit of a tighten up, you know, in the Big twelve, but BYU you see at the top of the standings a half game back. Here is is Texas Tech and this is gosh, what an opportunity. I guess that's the key word here for that. You see Bearcats tonight.

Well that's the way you have to look at it. If you're you see fanas, you're here, you know you're here. You're seven and one. It's better better than being you know, two and five or whatever, where this game doesn't matter.

The game matters. Now.

I don't know what the oddsmakers are seeing because it started out with a ten, ten and a half point spread, and I'm looking at ESPN now it's up to and eleven and.

A half point spread. So Utah, they're mighty.

They have scored over forty points in five games this season, but the Bearcats have also scored three games over forty. They have had six games total over thirty points, so on average, they're both right and around, you know, almost thirty nine points per game. Both have very good running attacks.

Yeah, and Brendon sorosby twenty touchdown passes want just one interception. Incredible. The total for tonight on ESPN is fifty eight and a half points. Gosh, I mean the knee jerk reaction is you know, the total is going to go over that,

Well, if you look at their other games, they've had reasonably good first half where they've come out hut and they've played most of their offense in the first half and then kind of dialed it back and chewed up the clock and won the games. So a couple of the games got a little close at one point or another,

Iowa State came back, but they held them off.

Oklahoma State got a little bit close, but you see, made a rally and ran away. The only game they trailed at halftime is Nebraska, and that should have been six to three. There was a I think Caleb Goodie dropped the pass. There was a fumble and that led to a Nebraska touchdown right before halftime. So that was thirteen to three and a half and they've that's the only game that they've trailed at halftime.

And I really like, gosh the one two paunch that UC has, you know at running back, and it has certainly helped Brendan Soresby. Also, best friend of the quarterback is Irons out tonight? Is he okay?

Kevin Pryor is out? Yeah, he is out, and they declared him out earlier in the week. So you're gonna see a lot of tune with Walker. But he's the guy that I mean, he just belted the kid from Ioway stayed a few weeks back I don't know if you saw the video. Yes, he des trucked him and he's that's the way he runs. He's a bulldozers about five eight two hundred and twenty pounds.

And they'll just take you down.

And I think what you're probably going to see in the place of Heaven Pryor would be I'm guessing Manny Covey because he's very fast. Against Texas Tech a year ago, he came in when Corey Kiner went out very early in the first quarter, and he didn't necessarily run as much, but he got six passes for one hundred yards and scored two touchdowns. So very fast, elusive similar to prior. He also had a pun return called back against Kansas in that game.

But if you remember that game, you.

See had four touchdowns called back against against Kansas and still won. So they're playing some other guys that night too. And then the Kenny Covey Yeah.

Great, yeah.

Chance Williams is another guy that out of Grambling State that could factor in here running wise.

And definitely the wide receivers for U see the guys they brought in here, there's some special talent there.

For Brent Well, they stretched the field yes, Caleb Goody averages you know, over nineteen yards per catch, and then you have Jeff Caldwell round seventeen and that Raine Cyrus. Allen's more the possession receiver at eleven something, but he can make some moves and score the ball for you. And Noah Jennings Isaiah Johnson two guys that have come up. So they've done better at receiver with guys that are a little bit faster and making some plays. So but for all that to work, you know, there has to

Simple as that.

And Scott Springer's with us for a couple more minutes. In Scott, you know, a a three four defense, three down lineman. Man, it worries me at times, you know, almost a natural crease in a way for a running back. But they They've shown a four down look too, haven't they.

Yeah.

Well, Sadderfield mentioned earlier this week that they probably will have to crowd the box a little bit more based on the way this runs the ball, So I would look for more of that, and we'll see.

How they do throwing the ball.

But to be an interesting game, It's feel like I've been up all day long, you know, looking at all this stuff, and it's finally nighttime here and the crowd's not yet filed in.

But I'm sure it's going to be a good one.

You know.

It seats about fifty one thousand and change, and the students we'll see, like if they're still awake, if they got an app or if they're backfired up again or I don't know, they were worked up this morning and they did not have very kind things to say about their neighbors and Proglo.

I know that much.

Oh bet, I'll bet it's a two hour time difference out there, So a ten to fifteen start is an eight to fifteen start. Our coverage starts here locally at nine to fifteen. And just really looking forward to this game and the opportunity in front of U s here trying to win its eighth consecutive game and tied atop the standards with BYU. And just looking at the schedule here, you know, with Arizona coming in here and then number ten b YU and then going on the road to TCU.

Yeah, he's a good guy.

I got to talk to him yesterday and he's a former tight end and he was raving about Joe roy Or. He loves Joe Royer and maybe Joe Royer gets the ball more tonight and that would that would help the Bearcats out. But back to what you're saying, you know, the schedule is certainly not easy for the Bearcats. You look at Texas Techa one today and so they're going to play BYU next week. I wouldn't be shocked to find out that the game day goes to Lubbock for that game. But then BYU is in with UC on

These guys are good.

Everybody's good, so you might as well be good right along with him and take your chances.

Seven teams in the Big twelve two losses or one or none, so it's it's shaping up to be a fantastic conference.

Well, and you can't take anyone lightly.

Houston just jumped into the top twenty five this week and they were seven and one, and they lose at home today to West Virginia forty five thirty five, So rich Rod gets one over the Cougars. I guess that might have been the Holgerson ball, since he used to coach at both the places, but he's he's long gone. He's at Nebraska offensive coordinator.

Beautiful, and the view has to be spectacular there. Gosh, do you find yourself having to concentrate on the field.

Well, once it gets dark, he really can't see these mountains as much as he did earlier. So yeah, and the lights are on so you really can focus.

But yeah.

My youngest son and his wife live in near Salt Lake City, so I've been out here a fair amount of times, and I tell them, one of these days I'm going to get tired of taking pictures. But it hasn't happened yet because I went on a walk today and it's just gorgeous. You can't help yourself, you know, but look around and look at everything. It's it's really awesome. But the bearcats can't look at the mountains. They got to keep climbing the hill.

And Scott Springer before I let you go, just a couple of real keys here tonight for the for a bear Cat's victory.

Well the keys.

Tommy Walker has to get the run going and be successful with the run or whoever's running. And if they can't run, you know, like Manny Covey has been good at taking short dump passes it and getting yard ex that way, so that has to work.

You got to keep sores v upright.

It's only been sacked twice, and I think Utah sacked Colorado's quarterback seven times last week. So keeps sores v upright and then defensively pressure their quarterback.

And it's not going to be easy because he's very elusive.

Devin Damfier came from New Mexico and Utah's offensive court also came from New Mexico, and that's the system.

That they run, So you have a very elusive quarterback.

You just you're probably going to give up yards, but you know, maybe if you can just give up the yards between the twenties, you have a chance.

Well, we really appreciate you joining us tonight, Scott, and we look forward to the broadcast here with with Dan Horde, Tony Pike and Moe Ager and hopefully it's a big night here for the Bearcats.

They're all ready to go.

It's a nice snug booth and Tony's got his skittles to the right here. I told him I would stay away from him because that's that's like his go.

To fantastic All the best of the men, looking forward to the broadcast and reading your stuff in the Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com. All righty, sir, thanks a lot, appreciate it, Scott Springer, and I hope Bryce in Cincinnati wants to talk Bearcats. I hope you'll hold on. We've got to take a break and we'll come back with more sports Talk on seven hundred WLW eight fifty six

I'm doing great?

How are you?

Oh fantastic? What is on your mind tonight?

Man?

I'm fired up over the Bearcats.

I'm just so black.

College game Day finally went to a Big twelfth city. Big twelve finally got the national attention.

Amen to that I was able to watch for a little while this morning. The place looked just incredible.

Oh yeah, that crowd was super electric. And I don't know if we're going to shut up at any point during this game tonight, the last time by Big twelve. Teams are right simultaneously in the AP Top twenty five. What September twenty second of last year, and we're about to seat the Big twelve Maniston and at ten to fifteen a kickoff Eastern time, as the UC Bearcats take on the usty youth.

Man, you did your homework. Yeah. Five teams ranked out of the Big Twelve in the top twenty five, Number ten BYU the seventeenth ranked Bearcats, thirteenth ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders, the Cougars of Houston twenty second for the time being, although they got beat today and then yeah and then twenty fourth rank Utah. So it's a it's a great conference, it's a competitive conference. The top of it little the tighten up brother and uh, it's gonna

I mean, I think if there's any team that could put a rain on these Big ten I mean twelve teams perad, I think it's the UC Bearcats. And what Brendan Swersby has done. Scott Sadderfield during Big twe B Day earlier in the season, he was talking up a storm about Brendon Swersby and Brandon Sorosby backed it up. I mean, he's gone dead been straight games with the multiple pass tds and zero interceptions, and he's gonna have to keep that streak tonight to pull out of YUC victory.

Forty three passing yards, twenty touchdowns and only one interception. That's absolutely incredible.

Oh yeah.

I compared the last year with the struggles that they had last year in the Big Twelve Conference. Is just great to see him.

Oh yeah, they got so close to a Bowl eligibility then they went right down the tubes. So it's great to secure a Bowl eligibility so early in the season. And now let's just keep pushing. And I loved what Stanford Steve said on ESPN College Game Day. He likes the Bearcats to win the Big Twelve.

Oh yeah, but the defense is gonna have to clutch up in this game at home. The opponents third out conversion percentage is about thirty percent away, it's almost fifty percent, and Utah is one of the best teams in the country on third down. To that defense is gonna have to really step up today.

Bryce, thank you for holding you get my caller of the night. Appreciate you.

Thank you very much, Jick.

I have a great rest of your weekend.

You'd hope you enjoy this new team football game.

Oh yeah, we sure will, Thank you, Bryce. That is awesome. We've reached the top of the hour. News We go till nine fifteen tonight, getting you ready for UC and Utah. This is your host, Chick Ludwig on the Home of the Reds. The best Bengals coverage and the home of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats seven hundred WLW.

To me.

Ten minutes after nine in the Queen City of Cincinnati, Chick Ludwig, seven hundred WLW. This is sports Talk. We are five minutes away from UC football shoeless. Joe Waddell is tonight's producer. We're going to nine fifteen. Don't forget to set your alarm clocks back for an extra hour of sleep tonight as we transition from Daylight Savings time to standard time starting at two a m. On Sunday.