Six oh seven in the Queens City of Cincinnati, Chick Ludwig seven hundred w l W. This is Sports Talk. Sean McMahon is tonight's producer. We are going all the way to nine o'clock tonight, and we're coming out of the gates strong. Our first guest is a gentleman who wears three hats. He's the director of sports operations right here at iHeartMedia Cincinnati. He's the longtime host pregame and postgame for Reds on radio. And he happens to be our very own spiritual leader. He's the goat. He's the
one and only dave Yady arm Brewster. Yet, how are we doing tonight?
I'm pretty good, Chick, pretty good here in beautiful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
And before we get into some of the topics we're going to talk about. First off, you being mister ubiquitous, could you tell us about your travel itinerary here the last what twenty four to forty eight hours?
Well, we were in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa, yesterday for the Xavier Iowa game, and I pulled in at I don't know two am. Hang back on the plane this say afternoon to Pittsburgh, so there and then home tomorrow sometime about eight o'clock. We'll start all over again.
Yes we will. And things are a little bit somber around here following UCS thirty to twenty four loss to the Arizona Wildcats today. But yeah, brutal, just brutal. The dreams of Dallas are fading quickly. But anyway, yd with all the college football, hey alternative programming, it's always a great time to talk Cincinnati Reds baseball, And looking at this starting rotation, it is deep, it is strong, and it appears that Nick Krawl and the powers that beat
don't want to move anybody. They want to hoard all these great arms.
I understand that. I don't know that they won't end up trading somebody. I mean, I think the last thing you want to do is you know, oh yeah, we're going to get rid of this guy. We're going to get rid of that guy.
I know.
The all of talk was Hunter Green because he's got such a team friendly contract and he could probably bring the most of anybody. I see both sides of that. I would personally try to go get some offense. But boy, with the way people get hurt during the baseball season. You need depth in your starting rotation. And even though he seems to get hurt every year, it's nice they have Hunter Greens starting every fifth day.
That is so true when you look back on this season, didn't it count for something that they made the playoffs and lost to the eventual world champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
For sure, I really did. I do think it's something. I mean, you play to make the postseason, so you go in and they get a little taste of the postseason. A lot of these guys have never been there, and I think that only helps for years to come. And I think during the course of the year, you kind of saw what Terry Francona is all about, how he manipulates guys around field what he wants from his players, and I think that only helps as they go into
spring training next year. I still think they have a bunch of questions Marks Chick, I mean, the bullpen is now, you know, with Pegan leaving, with Nick Martinez leaving, Scott Barlow leaving, they have some holes in that bullpen that they need to fill. I'm not the biggest fan of BELLI David Cruz still playing shortstop, but right now, that's the plan. And maybe that's because they don't have anybody else or they can't go out and find somebody else.
So we'll see. I mean they have, they still have problems. You're going to come into twenty six with maybe even a less than you had in one yenda twenty five because again, Martinez and Pagan were big parts of this team's bullpen.
No doubt. And when you look at the starting rotation with Hunter Green and Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Brady Singer tossing Chase Burns there and possibly a Rep. Louder Man, what would this team have looked like if it wasn't missing Hunter Green for more than two months?
Well, I agree, I agree, he is a difference maker. But you know what, well, they always say the best ability is availability, no doubt, And if you can't count on a guy, I mean, I don't know how you go forward. It's tough. I get it, I get it. He can't help some injuries, but man, I want guys that have gone out there and starting thirty two thirty three games. That's what they need. And you know, with
Hunter Green that just hasn't happened again. You know, he's got the stuff, There's no question about that.
Yeah, they add Brandon Williamson here and Juli and Aggie are they mentioned Chase Patty were still waiting for him to come on. So, like you are, so right, a lot of question marks. One of the pluses here, Wow the emergence here of Connor Phillips, and I've alway he's been a Tony Santion fan. If they can't acquire a closer man, Tony Santion or a grand ass Craft might be able to fill in that role. What do you think about that?
I agree with that. I mean, I'd rather I want I mean and Santion close to handful of games, but I'd like to have somebody with a little more experience than that. But Tony Santion is unshakable as far as I'm concerned, So I wouldn't mind him going out there and close and probably not pitching in as many games as he did last year, because boy, by the end of the season, I'm sure he was wore out. Yes, he pitched a lot, but I do like him closing games. I mean, at the times he did it, he did
a great job. So you know, maybe I want to get a little more experienced. But if you go into the season and that's who you have Tony Santion, I can live with that. You know, that's fine. It's you know, we'll see what happens. And I know, you know, I don't think anybody really likes fullpens by committee, even though they might say it at I think at some point
you just have a guy and he's your guy. And that's what they did with Emilia Pagon last year, and they stuck with him and they did a great job. So you know, maybe they make Tony Santy on that guy in spring. We'll see what happens.
And the emergence of Connor Phillips, you just hope that he can really continue where he let off because he was just awesome at the end of last season.
Oh well, there's no question. And I also think, uh, you know, your good reports of what RHT Ladder has done in the Arizona Fall League. I guess he was in four appearances and pitched pretty well. You know that bodes well for this team too. I just think it's it's depth. It's depth. It's more depth, and they have some good arms and and you know, you get in there and pitch well and you look at the Dodgers. They here, their starting rotation is like twelve people deep.
They just keep bringing guys up and up, and you need that. So I again, I liked. I liked what they have in the arms right now. I think at this point it's can you score.
Some runs, no doubt. And listening to Tito Francone and it was great that he was mentioned. Gosha I'll finished second for the Manager of the Year award. That was that just terrific. He wants more depth on this team, and you know, to help out a guy like a TJ. Friedel in center field where he doesn't have to you know, they can rest him every once in a while. And
possibly Elie de la Cruz. It looks like they're don't want to move him out of shortstop, so get him a little bit more rest hopefully and maybe the errors will subside.
Well yeah, I mean, he can't go play one hundred and sixty two games. He looked tired. So you know, if you be agm a couple of times a week and get him some rest, maybe that will cut down on the years. You know, we'll see how that goes. His offensive numbers really have to pick up I think next year, and I think this team's overall. We've talked about a lot and that's the power numbers. You better start hitting some home runs. You're playing in a bandbox
in great American ballpark. Uh, you know, you just got to score more runs and put the ball out of the ballpark a little more too. And I think a lot of that falls on Ellie. I mean, he's if you're the star of this team, I want to see a little more power from you.
This coming week at Middletown High School, Kyle Schwarber's coming back for a big shin dig at the high school. I think it's Wednesday night.
Man.
I I dream of having the guy in Cincinnati Cincinnati Ridge uniform. What would it mean? I know it's it's probably far fetched, you'd but what would The only thing I could kind of compare it to is, you know, would be the signing of a Ken Griffy junior. The excitement that that would degenerate among the fan base. I agree.
It would be great to have him, no doubt about it, but they're not going to increase the role much. It sounds like from last year. So Kyle Schwarber is you know everything I'm reading he's looking at you know, four years, one hundred and forty million. I'm not sure this team
can do that. Now, if you're if you think you're close enough that you actually have a chance to go to the World Series and you can sign a you know, maybe a two year deal with him and pay him a whole lot of money, I'm okay with that, But they need more than one person. Check. I'd love to have him. I would love to have yeah, but you know, number one, he'd have to be the DH and then we got a team full of dhs. I just don't see him coming here. I hope, I'm shocked. I hope,
I hope come to Winter meetings and all that. All of a sudden, the big signing is Kyle Schwerber comes back to Cincinnati. That would be awesome, you know, especially hitting here and his ballpark. He could he'll repeat what he did this year with the Phillies. But I just think there's going to be a bidding war on that guy, and ultimately I bet he stays in Philadelphia. I really do.
Hey, if we could, could we take a trip around the lineup here. You know, your catcher is pretty well set here with Tyler Stevenson and Jose Travino. And yes they did add Ben Arvett from LA for some depth purposes. But looking at first base, and really it's the elephant in the room, is it South Stewart or Spencer Steer.
Well, Spencer Steer is well runner up in Gold Gloves, Spencer Steer can really play the position. Spencer Steer's power numbers are just okay, so it can South Stewart add more of that because that's really the only place he's going to be able to play unless he phs and Spencer Steer, So you might lose a little bit at first base, Okay, if he can hit more home runs,
I'm good with it. Spencer Steer can play left field and really not miss a beat, I think, and Terry Franccona likes guys that can move around, so I think Spencer Steeter can play multiple positions. I'd love to see him at first base, but I think with the team needing offense, I think you're moving where you have to moving. If that means that South Stewart's going to pop the ball out of the ballpark as he plays first base, and.
We're all hoping that Matt McClain can rebound here at second base, see better.
They need him, they need him to play better or down your offensively. I'll give him, you know, I'll give him partially because of the shoulder, But the guy had over five hundred at bats at some point. You know that's not an excuse anymore. So we you know, come twenty twenty six, let's see what happens. But it'd be nice to have him there hitting like he was before. Then you talk about and McLain defensively is fine, not great. Fine.
Then you talk about Ellie again needs to have more power and his defense has to improve at least marginally. It has to get a little bit better. Yes, And then you go to to Brian Hayes, great great defender, Gold Glove winner, Kenny hit enough out of power position this team. I know why they went out and got him because you know, you play some defense. They weren't going to score a lot of runs. You played defense to back up some good pitching. And it did help
him get into the postseason. But Cabrian Hayes is what he is. He's not going to be the greatest hitter in the world. Book boy, can he play defense and especially with Elie next to him. That does help.
It certainly does. And you know a guy like it. Yeah, there's guys like without positions, kind of like a Gavin Lux who can DH. But man, what an adventure out in left field and even a second base. So but but a solid veteran that you'd love to have around.
Oh yeah, there's no question about him. But you're you're right about defensively. I mean there's some deficiencies there, there's no question about that. But I like him, like having him in the lineup. And again he's a guy who with DH, he's a leader in the clubhouse, it seems. So it's good to have guys like that, you know.
Then you know, let's talk about the outfield a little bit because Marte is going to play right field and I think he proved that he can and hit boy when they moved him off third base to right field. Did his offense come around? So hopefully that continues going into the new year.
TJ.
Friedel's in center. I think the wear and pay on center field might take a toll on him a little bit because he plays a lot again, not a whole lot of power there, A good guy to have I like to have him, and then the question mark is what do you do now in left field? Is it Spencer's year? You know, because you don't have Austin Hayes anymore? Do you go out and try to get another bat?
Can this team afford to hit? You know, we talked about Schwarber, but can this team afford a guy that you know is going to hit thirty home rounds a year? I just don't know. I mean that's something that I'm sure the front office discussing right now. But you know, Spencer Steer doesn't hit a whole lot of home runs. Will Benson is an extra.
Outfielder, that's what he Yeah, I was going to mention his name, you know, left field, right field, he's played, he played some center. Uh, he's been up and down. Uh, just looking for consistency out of Uh. The players love him and uh we wish he was that power guy that could that could help this club.
Yeah, I don't think he is. I think they got to go outside and find somebody else that can be that power guy. Again, it's just it's limited payroll. It's hard man with when you get the you know, these teams offering these guys so much money. And I just don't think the Reds have the resources to do that.
Now.
Again, if they if they think they are close where they can go deep into the playoffs in the World Series, then maybe you take a chance. Maybe you spend the money, but you got to spend it correctly, because we've seen, you know, we've seen him spend money before and it was just not well spent. Jam Or Candelario's of the world, the Mike Mustachus's of the world just didn't work out. So you know, let's see what happens during these winter meetings and up till you know, opening day in late March.
Yid, we're going to take that twenty one million that Martinez Scott has a down payment for Kylish Warber.
Okay, I'm in. I'm more than happy to take that. I would be great to have that dude, you know. And he he's just a good baseball player and a good guy to have on your team.
And yeah, and then pack in the stadium, man, that's got to count for something.
To the stadium for a while. I mean, you know, it's not going to you'll have a shorter effect like you did the Griffy effect, you know, for a while. But you better win there. You know they're not going to show up if if you keep losing games, that's not you know, it's it's it's there's only so many guys like show hey o'tani where you know, if he plays, there's going to pack the joint. Schreber might be one of those, you know, if he gets off to a good start and hit some bombs early in the season,
if the red skinning. So, yeah, there is there is something to that. There's no question. I remember when Griffy came to tam Boy. Yeah, that place was packed those first couple of seasons just to see a guy that's going to the Hall of Fame. So maybe maybe that happens with shorebur as well. If they get him, that's a big giant if.
Well, we saw Dave Roberts make every right move the last two nights of the of the World Series, and I'm hoping that Tito Francona can get touched by an angel this year like Dave Roberts was. I'm still waiting for pot Has crashing into Key k Hernandez for the ball to pop loose and fall on the floor in the Blue Jays win, but just didn't happen.
I'm with you on that, But you know what, two teams aside, that was an incredible world series to watch it really, it was a fun world series.
It certainly was. And the Reds they are at least fun and interesting and already looking forward to next season. You'd appreciate you.
Oh, I am too. I'm pumped. I'm pumped for the first spring training is a game in Goodyear, Arizona on February twenty first against those dreadic Cleveland Guardians.
All right, well, is there a chance you can bring home a victory tomorrow in Pittsburgh on this watershed.
They're gonna win tomorrow. You just watch. They're gonna win. Just the defense has to play a little better, of course. But boy did Aaron Rodgers look like he was about sixty years old last week. Yes, so if they can continue that, you know, if they can put the pressure on him, they're gonna come home with a victory. And then all of a sudden, you still got some hope. You don't win. I mean it's must win tomorrow. Check one, must win? Did you fall the three and seven?
You're cooked? Absolutely? Yid always a pleasure, Thanks so much for taking time out to join us tonight. Appreciate you.
You got it, sir, Talk to you lator, Chick.
Thank you. That is Devit Armbrus, who Director of Sports Operations iHeartMedia Cincinnati and longtime host what four decades pregame and postgame on reds on radio. And this is Chick Ludwig Sports Talk. After the bottom of the hour news Jim Breach is going to join us to talk some Bengals football on seven hundred WLW. Well w, this is sports Talk. We're going all the way to nine o'clock tonight. Jason Williams of The Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com takes
over these airwaves. He'll take you to midnight. My next guest is the career scoring leader for your Cincinnati Bengals one thousand, one hundred and fifty one points. And we will be co hosting Bengals postgame sports Talk tomorrow, Wings and Rings, Greendale, Indiana, five thirty to eight thirty. We're gonna break down the Bengals victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers like a wrecking ball, and it's gonna be on ESPN fifteen thirty because UC basketball will dominate the seven hundred
WLW airwaves. If we welcome in now our good friend, the one and only Bengals legend, jim Breech, Jimmy, how are you.
Good? Check?
How are you doing?
Oh?
Fantastic? And once upon a time I asked a Bengals running back, Hey, is this a water shed game? And he said, yeah, man, it's gonna be hot out there. We're gonna have to drink a lot of water.
But tomorrow maybe maybe he.
Was right, that's exactly right. I think it was even a preseason game. But anyway, it truly is a watershed game tomorrow, Jimmy with the Steelers at five and four or the Bengals that's three and six. A victory draws the Bengals within one game of the division lead. Tomorrow, it is a must win.
Yeah, it actually is. Uh you know, but when you look at when you look at it, you know, if you they really we've got to get the defense together right, just get that defense playing, slowing teams down a little bit. But yes, I mean you look at the division We're right there. Just makes makes something. The positive happened on the defensive side of the ball. Continue with the craziness
the offense is playing. It's Uh, it's pretty amazing how well the offense is playing with Joe Flacco, you know what, really moving the ball easily.
You are absolutely right, and just looking at some of the numbers, Uh, he's been phenomenal. And then even against Pittsburgh in his career, twelve victories, thirty touchdown passes, and five fourth quarter comebacks. So Joe Flacco, what a blessing this guy has been for the Cincinnati Bengals with Joe Burrow being down, and he's done everything he possibly can do to help this team win.
It's so true.
And think about those numbers you just talked about earlier in his career when it was Baltimore Pittsburgh. Those are two of the best defenses in football in those games were so physical, and yet he was putting up great numbers even then.
You're absolutely right. And what a gamer. The guy is forty years old in playing at such a high level and it certainly helps to have Wow his weapons. Now he's down one here with Sama J. P Ryan being out, but when you can have man your two wide receivers in Jamar Chase and t Higgins and others with your tight ends, he's he's gonna beloving this offense.
Yeah, I think what wasn't After the first Pittsburgh game, he was talking to his brothers or something or his family and he was laughing about throwing to those guys and the catches they made and how easy it was. And yeah, I've got to imagine I can't think of a time. Maybe when he threw to Steve Smith, but that was toward the end of Steve Smith's career. I don't know if he's ever played with two guys in
the prime of their career in an offense. You know that's capable of, you know, getting them the ball on the stamore on the field.
You're right, and you know, looking at the injury report, And we had Debuty arm Brewster on at the top of the show and he said, the Bengals are gonna win. He's got me ready to run through a wall here and dare I say with with snot bubbles? He said, you watch the Bengals win tomorrow. Yeah, Burrow, Jermaine Burton, Trey Hendrickson, Shamar Stewart placed on IR he's out for four games, and Sama jp Ryan being down. So you add all that up. Your two starting defensive ends are out. Yeah,
in the Bengals win. Would that be just crazy, but it would be nice.
It would be nice. But what I noticed there weren't any offensive linemen on there, and they're actually playing pretty well, and there's two young guys up front on the two guards are actually playing pretty well right now, So that's really encouraging. On the off the side of the ball. I liked some part of what they did against the
Bears late. They were putting a lot of pressure on and Caleb Williams there at the end of the game and then he escaped and made that run and then the throw you know, down the middle of the field, But they were putting some pressure on him. So it's just put a little bit try and get some pressure. You rather way to get pressure. If you're not getting it normally, you got probably manufacture some ways. And then these guys have to cover their butts off. NODJ Turner's
doing it. Yes, they turned it last time against DK metcalf Man. He just shut him down. If we can get a couple other guys doing similar type things, uh dives has a chance to do pretty well on the depth chart.
It looks like Josh fig Newton has taken over uh one of the corners over Cam Taylor Britt. Who, man, you look at Cam Taylor Britt and I thought Pro Bowl potential and yet the inconsistency is striking. So Geno Stone, Jordan Battle your safeties, DJ Turner, Josh Newton, h Dax Hill as your your nickel corner. These guys have to step forward, and you hope that Joseph Osai and Gosh
Miles Murphy, BJ Hill, TJ. Slayton could get some kind of pressure on on uh On, the Steelers quarterback who is starting to show his age big.
Time at times. He certainly didn't the last time the Bengals played him. So we'll see what happens this time. Hopefully what we saw the last couple of games is more like what we see tomorrow. So you know, it's interesting with Cam Taylor Brett. The potential is still there, but I think he's lost confidence because it's he has
sets up and down plays. I mean it's not even games, it's from play to play and play a great play and then turn around and just completely look like he's completely lost on the play, on the covering of guy. So you know, you wonder you just don't know what's going on, but confidence so often is a huge thing when it comes to, you know, anything in general, but
in sports in particular. If you lose a little bit of confidence and you're playing against world class athletes, as doesn't go well together.
You're right. Jim Breech is with us. We'll be together tomorrow at Wings and Rings in Greendale, Indiana, from five thirty to eight thirty. Come on out, and if you can't make it, I hope you'll listen on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty and you'll call in. But it's not that tough to get there tomorrow, Jim. Just enter Indiana, take exit sixteen toward US fifty and it's the Greendale Lawrenceburg, Aurora exit.
Awesome.
Ay check, Yes, sir.
You know what else they could do tomorrow? They could tackle?
Oh, wouldn't that be nice?
They could tackle. Yes, we're going to be tackling some wings. They need to be tackling some ball carriers.
Oh, no doubt, no doubt. And gosh, everybody's piling on the Bengals, including all kinds of national celebrities, saying that the Bengals played their best defensive game last week. Because it was a bye But all jokes aside, the defense can step forward here and show some together with this offense, maybe they can pull off a victory tomorrow and really give this the franchise, the city, the region some hope going forward to get the four and six and one game away from the Steelers.
Yeah, Ageah, you can only play the game in front of you, right, and there's no way you can't get up for a Pittsburgh Steeler game, So they'll be ready hostile environment. It's got of fun going in those kinds of environments, so it makes you stick together as a team. So I just hope the defense offense really come together and play with their exceptional games.
And Jim, we all know how critical special teams are. And I know you're awfully proud of Evan McPherson's bounce back season this year. Hunter, Ryan Rico, Man, get it inside the twenty, don't keep kicking it into the end zone and bringing that ball out. So in Charlie Jones showing some gosh some chucky sizzle there, which yeas he's
pretty good that, yes he is. And I remember Tremaine Mac talking about following the color and the Bengals helmets when he's running back kicks and uh just strange that way. And uh, Charlie Jones has a knack for for being able to get get through openings. And I don't like it when he runs totally across the field. But man, hit it up in there and uh with your speed and get after it.
So yeah, you know, it's about going up the field, you know, as well as like you go east and west and Nafali not going to get very far. I don't care who, maybe Barry Sanders, But apart from that, it's hard to do. And Charlie does a good job of that. And you know, you keep hitting it up there f I a little crease and pop it and you know, break a tackle or two and you got a chance to although the one he scored on I don't know if he even got touched. Yeah, they did
such a great job of blocking well. And then you gotta do the same on the other side. You got to you gotta cover the kicks, keep them. If you can keep them inside the thirty, you know, close to twenty five, then you can create some you know, additional yardage on your apart make them go farther for touchdowns and field goals.
Yeah, zat Taylor talked about the DBS being one step away or that, you know, the defenders, and man, we all know Jim. One step in the National Football League might as well be a mile. Yeah, that's how good these are. It's yeah, that's how good they are.
I don't know, I don't know if he's I'm sure he's watching. I know he's watching the same game. But there have been so many games where guys are running wide open. You know, i'd be I think most people be fine if there's only a step, but they're making a play on the ball. But too often they're not. There's nobody around receivers, and when they do catch the ball, they have too much room to make a play. It's hard to tackle a guy in the open field. If you get him right when he catches the ball, it's
a lot easier to get him down. But if you're three or four yards away from him. So yeah, I hope we see a lot of that where guys are only a step away or half a step, or you know, are fighting.
For the ball.
That would be great, and keep everything in front of him. They'll be all right.
And Jim is an alum living in town. I know how much this means to you and you're you're compatriots for the Bengals to go into Pittsburgh and defeat the Steelers.
Chick anytime the team can beat any team from the from the division, and I particularly I have a chance to do it twice. That's just icing on the cake. Yes, sir, love beating those teams.
Absolutely, they do that tomorrow and they'll be three and oh in the division. It's crazy.
Yeah, change the pace from the previous few years and just have to have a close over the last several weeks like they have last few years.
You know, you mentioned Caleb Williams and the Bears have never had in their long and story history a four thousand yard passer and Caleb Williams could be that guy this year and who launched his career the Cincinnati Bengals. Yes, we're used to launching careers.
Yeah, those guys, those unknown guys are or young guys do well against the Bengals. Yes, over the years, it's.
Not like just this year, but over many years.
Yes. Well, Jimmy, looking forward to tomorrow and being with you and at the Greendale, Indiana Wings and Rings from five thirty to eight thirty. We'll break down a Bengals victory like a wrecking ball tomorrow. Don Drake Check, thank you so much for joining us tonight. Appreciate you all right.
Yeah, looking forward to im seeing it tomorrow and spend a little of time talking about Bengal when.
Yes, how sweet it will be. Thanks so much, Jimmy, appreciate you, Hi check one and fifty one points the Bengals career all time leading scorer and my co host Tomorrow will be on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty from five thirty to eight thirty. And a big shout out to tonight's producer Sean McMahon. Fellow elder grad I'm a b he's a bear cat. When we come back after the top of the hour, news man, we are going to talk you see football on seven hundred WLW.
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Yeah, a sail on cucumbers.
Listening to a woman poot next to the Granny smithsops is funny. Eddie and Rocky are also funny. So when you think of an apple farterer oops, think of Eddie and Rocky. Eddie and Rocky Monday afternoon at.
Three, seven hundred wldom.
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To me.
Seven nine in the Queen City of Cincinnati, chick Blood winning seven hundred WLW. This is Sports Talk. Sean McMahon is tonight's producer, and like Eric Carmon and the Raspberries, we are going all the way to nine o'clock tonight. And Jason Williams Cincinnati dot Com The Inquirer taken you from nine to midnight tonight. Well, today didn't start off so well. Noon kickoff in front of an incredible crowd at the Wrigley Field of College Football, Knippert Stadium. I
was pumped, the crowd was pumped. You see, had two weeks to prepare for the Arizona Wildcats and on the very first play of this game on offense, Brandon Soorsby throws an interception. Do you see Bearcats lose to the Arizona Wildcats thirty to twenty four. And I want to bring in tonight's producer, University of Cincinnati grad Sean McMahon. All I can think of, Sean, is a missed opportunity. And what might have been for the UC Bearcats.
Yeah, it's a stinger today for sure, But by no means is this a bad loss in the sense that you see lost to a bad team. I mean, Arizona is a very respectable program, very respectable team.
This year.
They've got some pretty good wins. They had the Arizona State win earlier this year. They also went I think they went I'm sorry they were at home against Hawaii, but they they had a I take it back, David lost to Iowa State as well. I thought they won that game, but they had beat Kansas State. They went out dominated Colorado. They went out and beat Kansas yep,
twenty four to twenty. You know that's that was a six and three team coming into Nippert And you know, I hope I don't think anybody was necessarily overlooking Arizona, but it kind of feels like some people maybe looking forward to the BYU game and focusing on the Big twelve championship.
Not that the team was per se, but you know, this is a really this was a really good team.
Brent Brennan's got a good thing going with his program out there for Arizona, and you know, they just they just had the They just had UC's number today, and Brendan Soorsby didn't have his strongest game. He was playing on a bit of a bad angle. He got tackled in the second half, yes, and you could see he wass He was visibly limping throughout most of the second half.
So that kind of limits, you know, the way that you can play the game, because a big part of UC's offense is Brendan Sorosby being able to get outside the pocket and run down field when there's nothing down there.
And you know, when you limit the offense that way, it can hurt a lot.
And it was pretty clear that without Evan pryor without Brendan Soorsby being able to run, that really stifled them in the second in the second half. And it's kind of been a problem with UC all year in the second half is their offense has just kind of gone dormant, especially in the third quarter, especially right the third quarter. Yes, yeah, today it was the second quarter. They had zero points.
They came out the gates, you know, struggling with an interception, but then they came right back on the field, scored a touchdown, tied the game up, and then from there it was off to the races, and unfortunately Arizona just had the better of them today. I got to give credit to Arizona's defense. They're one of the best actually in the country. They got a really good quarterback and Noah Fafida. They got good wide receivers, So you know,
that's that's a good team. And yeah, like you were telling me earlier, chick hopes of Dallas fading for the Cats quickly, it's not totally over, but you know, with two games left in the season, it's not looking great for you see in terms of the Big Twelve championship hopes. But I got to say being seven and three beats the heck out of being three in eight or three and seven.
You know, it's been tough the last couple of seasons for the Bearcats, but you.
Know, to be back in the position that they're in right now, I'm happy to see the programs doing well. I'm happy to see fans enjoying the excitement of this team because I think there is a lot to celebrate about this year's team. But doesn't make smaller and today's loss any easier.
Yeah, the twenty fifth ranked Bearcats will no doubt drop out of the top twenty five. They are bull eligible, which is a huge positive. I think the arrow is pointing up with this program. I'm hoping brendan swersby sticks around next year and doesn't go pro. Although the quarterback class is not that great, he would definitely get drafted. But I would love to see them come back and
just continue to see this program improve. You know, I'm looking at the Big twelve standings right now, and there are six teams really within a game of one another with either one or two losses, and the Bearcats are among them. And they will host BYU next week and then go to TCU. They have to win both. It'll take a miracle to get to Dallas. But hope springs eternal. It's just a missed opportunity today after going up fourteen to seven, and then yeah, having opportunities to score they
weren't able to. And then Arizona scored on their final five possessions starting late second quarter.
Yeah, and another thing too, chick, and this is kind of what killed you see today, was the fact that they just couldn't get a stop. Their defense just couldn't get off the field. I got to have credit to the d line I thought they held up pretty well today. They got to know Fafiita quite a bit, but when it came to those third and long situations, they just kept giving them up.
You know.
Their corners were just getting burned left and right. And a lot of that is credit to Noah Fafida as a quarterback for Arizona, you know, because he was just putting the ball in the right spot. His receivers were making pretty darn good catches. So Chris Hudson was unbelievable.
Yeah.
Yeah, and Noah Fafita twenty three of thirty one, a touchdown and two hundred and ninety four yards, And there was a point in the third quarter I believe where Brendan Sowersby had only thrown for thirty eight yards. They were running the ball awfully well in the first half. And then I gotta say this, Sean McMahon, I'm just not a fan of the three three five defense of the UC Bearcats. Yeah, if you could push a defensive end, okay, push him, crease him, and then a guard getting to
that outside linebacker, man, it's off to the races. And yeah, the Arizona Wildcats were able to rush for one hundred and eighty one yards and passed for two ninety four and gash the bear catch for four hundred and seventy five yards, and you see limited to one hundred and fifty four yards passing. They did run for one hundred and ninety, but most of that was in the first half. And you're right, they couldn't get off the field on
third down. You see three of twelve on third down. Yeah, eight for sixteen for Arizona and they converted like their last five and they nearly burned the last six minutes off the clock.
Yeah.
Yeah, and another thing too, chick, I think the UC special teams had a pretty good day today. Mason Fletcher had had a Max Fletcher rather sorry that's his Mason's his older brother who was here. Max Fletcher had a pretty good game. He had a punt that was down at the one yard line and Arizona just wait ninety
nine yards. Yes, yeah, they just went the length of the field and that's you know, that's important for them because they want to drain the clock and or but also you know, you see had a blocked field goal first time since twenty twenty two they've had one of those. Yeah, that's big and they Arizona also missed a field goal on their prior attempt, So two straight field goals that don't go Arizona's way.
Things are looking good for Uce early.
But you know, it's just a tough football team to go up against an Arizona, And it's just the nature of the Big Twelve. You know, you can never overlook any opponent that you play. Not that anybody was overlooking Arizona, but you know, they're not in the rankings, they're not in any playoff hunt, they're not in the Big twelve championship hunt. You know, they're just a good football team. And I don't think it was a bad loss again
in the sense that it was a bad team. It was just a bad loss in the sense that you could have won the game had a couple of things gone your way, had you played a little bit differently. And going back to the three three five defense chickster, I am not. I'm not a defensive coordinator. I don't pretend to be. I don't know x's and o's of football quite as well as other people may. But you know,
I missed the days of watching four down linemen. Yes with UC under Luke Fickle and having you know, maybe running a four two five, and then you know, I miss the days of having good cornerbacks too.
It just was not their day today.
And when you know, when your corners aren't holding it down, it's hard for your defensive line to do to do their job too, when they're only rushing so many and every time they did blitz. Noah, f Alfida just had an answer. He just had a guy in the open because you know, the corners for UC just kept getting beat.
Yeah.
He looked like a combination Kyle Kyle Murray, Kyler Murray and Michael Vick out there.
Yeah.
Noah Fafda just just fantastic. And gosh, Michael Salgado Medina Medina the Fueld goal kicker, after having a miss then a block, he busts that fifty one yarder. Yeah, with a buck thirty four to go he had he missed that you see, would have been in great field because to either come down and either tie it or even go ahead and win it with a touchdown. So yeah, Salgado Medina busted that fifty one yarder and that that hurt.
Yeah, in that environment, and you know after the day he was having up to that point for him to come out and kick a fifty one yarder, I mean that takes guts and he had it on that kick, So props to him, you know. It just it was a tough football game and then Bearcats did not come out on top, and like you said, they'll fall out of the top twenty five. They're likely out of the Big twelve championship race. But you know, I think there's
a lot of upside to this season. You know, if you think about it, there if they're one play away from beating Nebraska, so they could still be they could have still been seven and two had that game gone their way. Yeah, this is a good team, it's not a great team. You will see how much gas they
have left in the tank with two games left. For me, chickster, I'm just excited if they can make the Pop Tard Bowl the best bowl game outside of the college football Playoff, I'd be thrilled with a Pop Tart bull appearance.
Well, and what what we saw today was the Arizona Wildcats basically copying what the Utah did to him. Uh, pressure and single coverage on the outside and we're coming after you. So yeah, it's uh, it's a copycat football. That's what it's all about.
And you can and you can tell you see his offense missus Evan Pryor in the backfield too. Having Tawie Walker is great. I love Tywie Walker. I think he's a great running back. But I think having Evan Pryor, as you know, kind of your speed running back kind of it does add another limitation to your offense because you know with him you can you can run a lot more speedy based plays, whereas with Tylie Walker he's
more of a power back. So you know, just what else can you say other than it was a tough game. Stings to lose, but you got to gear up and get ready for BYU next week.
We we don't know when that's kicking off.
Still.
I think this is strange that we're a week out and we still don't know what time that game kicks off.
I don't get that. I feel like we used to know weeks in advance. Oh I know, and I hope it's uh. I hope it's a nip at night on Saturday. And one positive here is true. Freshman Zion Johnson seven carries forty two yards. He scored a touchdown. He had a long run of twenty one and he did some nice things out there and showed some incredible burst and along with Tywee Walker. So yes, Ion Johnson, I hope he sticks around, Yes, no doubt.
Yeah.
And it's it stinks to see too that you don't see Joe Royer getting the ball more. But it's just because the defenses know that if they can shut him down again that you can add another limitation to use these offense through the air. But you know, Joe Royer is a great part of the offense. It's just that defense has figured out they got to shut him down at all costs, because if you don't, it's going to be a problem.
One catch for eight yards, I don't care if you've got to throw it tight end screen. Get the ball to this guy, Get it to the Elderman to our fellow Elder, Gred And speaking of Elder, as bad as we are bumming about the UC Bearcats, we are still riding high after a incredible what was it thirty two thirty two thirty last night? Elder overcoming a twenty three to nothing deficit to the awesome Princeton Vikings last night, and how Elder pulled that game out in front of
that crowd at the pit. I mean, people were talking about the Molar game this year being the greatest game they had seen in a long time. This topped it last night. I think it did. I think it did.
I didn't think it was possible. But in a playoff scenario, you know, it's got to have it. It's winner, go home, even though you're at home. You know, to have to be down twenty three to zero after the kickoff of the second half, come back, tie it up. You go down to kick a game winning field goal. It gets blocked. This is Elder, of course, Eldred has the kick blocked. Princeton returns it for a touchdown. You're thinking, okay, that
that might be it. Right there, that's probably it because there's about a minute and a half left when that happened, or so thirty to twenty three at that point, thirty to twenty three, and then Elder storms down the field, you know, seventy plus yard touchdown pass Yep from Estep would shout out to that kid. He's been phenomenal for
Elder a quarterback this year. But to Jackson Ruth, yeah, yeah and huge, And you know I was telling you this earlier, chickster, But you got to give credit to the players for not mentally checking out and for fighting all the way to the end, because you go down, you tie it up, and then you go you somehow recover an on side kick after your special teams has not been good all day. Yeah, you go get the field goal, you take the lead, you recover another on
side kick to seal the deal. I mean, one of the more unbelievable wins I think I've seen in a high school football game.
No doubt about. And after the bottom of the hour news, we're going to welcome in Greg Schoemaker of Tri Statefootball dot Com and he's already got the pairings out for me for our discussion. The Wayne Warriors will face the Middletown Middies and the Saint X Bombers will collide with the Elder Panthers, who are twelve and oh for the first time in their storied football history. How about it?
How about it twelven and you don't lose it the pit this year and you're twelve and oh for the first time in history.
And man, things are looking good for him. Let's just hope they can keep it rolling. No doubt. And it's so cool to go online and see people from all over the country, maybe even over the all over the world watching the Elder Panthers and the Chickster was listening on Sacred Heart Radio last night when I saw that score. Oh my gosh, I'm following it. It just to twenty
three to fifteen. I'm all over it listening. And then they tie it down score a touchdown, can't get the two point conversion, but get the on side kick and then a field goal to win it. Crazy, amazing.
Very credit to the players man like I said, not checking out after being down and just played to the last whistle and they did.
That's right. And to Doug Ramsey and his staff, yeah, for keeping him upbeat, no doubt. Well, this has been an awful lot of fun. Sean McMahon. We really appreciate you as the board op tonight and our producer keeping the Chickster off the ledge and in the fairway. I'm always happy to do it with the Chickster, you know that. Fantastic And hey, we're gonna have some fun in the eight o'clock hour. And just to put you know, a bug in folks ears out there and to see if
this thing has any legs. We all know what a bustman's holiday is when you do something on your free time that you normally do for work. Okay, so a sports writer like the Chickster used to be man. I had a lot of busman's holidays, going to a high school game on a Friday night, a college game on a Saturday, and then the Bengals on Sunday. So couldn't
get enough sports as a sports writer. So just think about your favorite busman's holiday and what you would like to do or what you have done on your free time sports wise. So awesome Sewn appreciates you, and hey, this is sports talk. Great shoemaker is neext tri Statefootball dot Com on seven hundred WLW.
Is it true Tom Brenneman has not only seen the Luckness Monster but beat it in chess? I'm not at liberty to discuss, he said. True, there's a primitive Amazonian tribe that worships the Fennipac tom Brenneman lost during a South American vacation. Sounds possible, but not true. Is it true that listening to Tom Brenneman makes your morning?
You bet?
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Their warehouse sale is going on now as a sports talk We're going all the way to nine o'clock tonight. In our next guest, nobody covers high school football like Greg Shoemaker, the director of operations for tristatefootball dot Com. He joins us now, Greg, we've all experienced some great evenings of high school football. Where does last night rank? It's got to be in your top five.
Man, Chick.
You know you're sitting here.
You guys are elder guys.
And that was a great finish. I was over at Indian Hill and watching that Calf game. That one was just as crazy, which is crazy plays all over the place. One of those fun nights.
I mean, I don't know.
It was funny because there was a play in the Indian Hill game where Taff was getting ready to score early in the game and they fumbled the ball on like the three yard line kid from Indian Hill picks it up, runs it almost a complete length of the floor before the turf Monster getsing and he drops the football. Taff recovers it on the two, turns around, runs ninety
eight yards on the next play for his score. I'm sitting there talking to the referees on the sideline and they're like, I've never seen anything like this, and the other guy just, well, you stick around a long and if you can find something you've.
Never seen before.
It was just one of those nights.
It was crazy.
I mean, wow, what an ending to a lot of great games, for sure.
No doubt. And Saint Savior takes down Mighty Molor seventeen to thirteen to advance, and then to have Elder down Greg twenty three to nothing early third quarter after a kickoff return for touchdown, and then they have Elder battleback tie it. Then a seventy one yard block field goal
return for the Princeton Vikings. Elder answers with a seventy five yard hookup, but they missed the two point conversion, but then get the on sidekick and then eventually a twenty two yard field goal followed by another on sidekick that they recover and Elder wins thirty two to thirty, erasing a twenty three to nothing deficit. Just absolutely unbelievable.
Let's talk about Elder for a minute. When the season started, nobody thought they were going to be at this position. Twelve to zero, first time in school history, fourth ever undefeated regular season in school history, first since nineteen ninety one.
This team, chick has they're twelve to oh. They have seven wins against teams that have nine wins or more on the season, another win against a team that has eight wins, another team against that has seven wins, and two teams that finished the year at six and six. This team has won. And wait and all those wins only two of them they have to two point wins and that everything else is eight points or more. The victories for Elder in this season very very impressive resume.
So they know how to get it done.
And I mean this, This is going to be an unbelievable battle against st X on next Friday night.
For sure.
Do we know where the game is going to be played?
I do not know that yet. The only one I know for sure is the Division four game Valevue and Indian Hill will be at Fairfield. That's the only one I've seen it come across. So OHSAA hasn't announced that yet. I would imagine that.
Game will be I would.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's at Welcome Stadium.
Yeah. Well, and after Elder defeated Saint X and Moler back to back, I'm there, Hey, you're gonna run into one of these guys again, you know, in the playoffs. And so the number three seed Saint Xavier bombers at nine and two against the number one seed Elder Panthers twelve and zero. Wow, what can we expect from this thing? It's crazy?
Yeah, So you know, and it's funny. I didn't get back to something on on Friday night's win. Last night's win for Elder, Elder wore down Princeton.
In that game, they ran.
Eighty five offensive plays and princidentally ran like forty two or forty three. So and in the first matchup this year, Elder won the game I think twenty three thirteen. They won by ten. Kataney stepped the quarterback there. He had his way running and throwing the football. Saint x is going to have to contain him. Sat X sauts star Daniel Ballmer. He's he's he's playing three games now against Elder. He's a Vanderbilt committee's going to play linebacker there. But
and it's three games against the Elder. In his career, he's averaged two hundred and twenty nine all purpose yards per game. He had two hundred and eighty one yards rushing as a sophomore, and then he's had like, you know, sixty to seventy yards in three games against him receiving the football. He's return kicks in these games. So both teams, you know, Stants is going to have to contain Eastep and Elder's going to have to contain Volmer if they're
going to get through. Either one is going to get through the next game. So it would be very very interesting to see how that goes. But right now, I mean, gosh, Moeler gave or sat Next gave up four hundred and nine yards to Molar last last night and still ended up winning that game, only allowing them three opportunities to score, and two of those were field goal attempts by Jack Malabar, the Molar kicker, who was who's been fantastic all season.
He had another couple of great field goals last night for the Crusaders and the loss.
Wow. And Division one Region two. Wayne defeated Troy last night. That game was on Spectrum in my area. And then they faced the Middletown Midies. Wow. What a job Middletown has done rebuilding that program.
Yeah, College Jones. Two years ago he led with Road to the regional championship game and they lost that one. But I mean you know here, two years later, he rebuilds the Middletown program. Middletown's given up just seven point six points per game and four shutouts in their last nine games. They've been fantastic defensively. They got guys all over the field. And we talked about Daniel Ballmer being a versatile player for Saint Xavier. Jordan Vans that same
sort of player for Middletown. He does a lot of different things and a lot of different areas and can win a game for you. Now, Wayne, they were in the regional championship last year and lost to league rival Centerville in that game. They know how to play in this game. Their sophomore quarterback how well her Uh. It'll be interesting to see how he bears in this They've got a fantastic wide receiver in Jamior Avertt Brown. He had I think six touches last night and almost two
hundred dollar purpose yards. He had a rushing touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown. He's a junior, but he's already committed to Ohio State, and he is one of those early nil money guys in high school. He's making some big bucks already. He's the first of what's to come here, and it's sort of it's sort of interesting to follow this tat because he's breaking the ground and watching him.
Gosh, I'm looking at uh gosh, Jeremiah Smith clone in a way, a younger, a younger version he's that. He's that impressive. And Wayne coached by Roosevelt Mukes, a Wayne grad and University of Cincinnati former star. So love Rosie up there at Huber Heights Wayne, And one last time, yeah, one last.
Kylie Jones as a Middletown head coach is also a Wayne graduate as well, so it's a homecoming for him in that ball game.
Incredible. And one last thing here about elder Man, a shout out to the players for not giving up at twenty three to nothing and the staff of Ramsey, Doug Ramsey just a phenomenal job.
Yeah, and those guys have been there forever. It's great to see Doug having a year like this thirty years into his career. It's uh, you know, I mean, it's it's a special time. And man, that defense, we didn't talk about it, but Derrick gran and the player of the year in the Southwest District and Division one on defense of Virginia commit. He's had a fantastic year. But they're linebackers. They got Fort Camps and Dugan on there
too as well. That's a that's a fantastic group. And I think there's a Turner kid over there in that linebacker mix than Those linebackers are about as good MDEP as you can get. That's what makes them so special. They have a room really good defense and they don't let stuff behind him at all.
Yeah.
In Kentucky, we're into the third round of the playoffs. In Indiana, we've got the semi state going on. Man Milin just wanted second regional title in school history last time nineteen ninety six host in South putting them so. A lot of great football around the tri State great Shoemaker.
Yeah, hey, and the Milin story is a great story. You know, we know them from Hoosiers and that basketball story, but they're writing their own little Hoosier chapter over here. They're head coach Ryan Langerman. He's in his eighteenth season there and he was on that team that won in
nineteen ninety six the re or the regional championship. He's got two sons, a junior Grant who's a great defensive player and a freshman Beckett, who has just who went over a thousand yards rushing last night as a freshman. So he's got two kids on the team. Great story right there, and I can't wait to follow that one all week because somebody's going to get out there and catch that one. It's a great story.
To be told.
The lang for Menzon and Myland Indians football for sure.
And Greg Shoemaker with us from tristatefootball dot com. He is the director of operations. Nobody covers high school football like Greg and his crew. And man, I'm looking around Kentucky here and some usual suspects Highlands, Cuvecath, Beachwood Man. Great programs.
Really are?
I mean if Highlands and CUBCAF win. They're going to be facing each other next week for a chance to get to the state championships. I'd be a final four matchup. In Class four A Lloyd twelve and zero for the first time since nineteen ninety five. Fantastic here for them as well, and Beachwood. Beachwoods averaging fifty plus points per game.
And in Class two A it's nothing but Juggernauts left Belfree and Mayfield and Beachwood just the best of the best in Division or Class two A there in Kentucky, and.
Once again for the folks out there Division one Wayne against Middletown sainte X against Elder and in Division two Trotwood Madison, the Rams in their principal, Michael McCrae. God I covered him when he played up at Dunbar back in the day. He's the principal now at TM and they are eight and three going up against the Anderson
Raptors twelve and oh incredible. And the Valley Vue Spartans right there in Germantown, home of one Kyle Schwarber eleven and one going against Indian Hill the Braves at twelve and oh so man still some undefeated's out there, Greg.
Yeah, some good stuff out there, by the way. Mike McCrae, I saw him in that state championship game at senior year at Dayton Dunbar and his son. Mike's, yes, a recruiting coordinator up at UMass Now when he was in there at Trotwood Madison getting recruited before he went to Michigan, Mike two, I was in there telling him. I said, yeah, I saw your dad playing a high school I said, here's one heck of a rebounder. But he couldn't jump over the Yellow Springs bow book.
Absolutely. Yeah, I repped volleyball there. He came up on a break, gave me a big hug man, some great, great memories and gosh, all the guys at Wayne, oh my gosh, with Roosevelt Mukes and and the Red brothers, the cousins and Ronnie Red and yeah, just great great people up there. And what a gosh consistency with with Wayne High School in Hubert Heights.
Yeah.
Absolutely, And they do a great job.
You know, Jay Minton did a great job up there beforehand, and you just look at you know, look at Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame and you look at Collie Jones's doing what he's doing at Middletown and Rose He's doing what he's doing at his alma mater, and uh, just just great players have come through there, you know, Braxton Miller and man just you know the Tingers, Dolls and the Padillas that have come through there. And you've got kids at the highest gate and you see from those
families playing now. So uh, they've done it right up there, they really have, and they you know they could break through. But mean, one heck of a game against Middletown, that's for sure.
Beautiful. And Greg, how about your coverage this this next weekend?
Yeah, so look, I mean.
If you go to Tri Statefootball dot Com right now, Uh, there's all kinds of great stuff from this past weekend. Interviews, recaps, photo galleries, all kinds of great stuff all over that that site.
This weekend. Yeah, we'll be we'll have.
Guys after the big school state championship games. I know we're going to get pictures from the Milan game against South Putnam. That's gonna be good. We'll have a gallery on our site there. We'll have some people over in Kentucky covering, but most of all, we'll be covering the Moeller and Saint X game, or I'm sorry, the Elder and Saint X game, and then you know Trice High School football tonight on Fox Sports thirteen sixty in ESPN fifteen thirty. That'll be before and after the Saint X
Elder game. So we'll be on and we'll have coach interviews in the post game. We had specta on last week or last Friday or last night after the win. Paul Wiggins from Newport joined us last night after they knocked off Holy Cross and ended their regular season, perfect season and just some good stuff, so we'll have more of that all weekend. It'll be a great Friday night for sure on Fox Sports thirteen sixty in ESPN fifteen thirty and tri Statefootball dot Com as well.
Gosh, Greg, we were blessed with great weather last night. All those Elder Panthers under around the shirtless last night at the Pitt Elder Stadium. But we've been pretty well blessed here with great weather this fall, we really have, and I think.
We might end up having another decent game like that as well, So let's take it while we can. It doesn't happen this late in years as well as it does. And you know, at this time usually running the football is a big thing and passing the football gets difficult, but yet it is yet to happen. I saw, I saw a forty seven yard field goal last night and in the second week in November. It's that's pretty rare.
This time of year.
So yeah, it was.
It was good to see that. You know, the kids can play in element they don't have to play in the elements. They can play their games in great weather.
It's awesome, well fantastic. Greg Shoemaker, director of operations for Tri Statefootball dot Com and your entire crew. Is there anybody else you want to mention with your with your team?
Yeah, man, I like to thank all our guys this year to coming out and seeing us are working for Jake Berkameyer does a great job. Him and Daniel Coone. They do their own podcast uh sefwan Alvi. He always joins me on Friday nights on the post game version of High School Football Tonight. James Sprague is always out covering James Forrest, Brandon Lampley as well. I've got a good group over there. They've been there with us for a few years now, and I'm really proud of that group.
And of course Dan Klaskin is my business partner over there. He does this thing, making sure this whole thing keeps taking week to week and we're all happy and getting our assignments completed.
All fantastic. Greg Shoemaker, thank you so much for joining us tonight and talking high school football. Nothing like Friday night lights and Saturday night too. Appreciate you.
Thanks so good man, Chick.
I'll talk to you soon, all.
Right, Greg Shoemaker, always appreciate it. Hey, this is Sports Talk with your host Chick Ludwig on seven hundred WLW. He slams at all.
It's a Sunday showdown when you see meets Mount Saint Mary's on the hardwood. Can the bear Cans bring an avalanche of alley oops? Or will the Mountaineers climb off with a win? Catch the call live tomorrow at five point thirty pm on seven hundred WLW or stream seven hundred WLW on the iHeartRadio.
App Johnny the kids didn't come home last night? Along the Central Texas Plane five thousand, eight O nine in the Queen City of Cincinnati. Chick Ludwig seven hundred w l W. This is Sports Talk. Sean McMann is tonight's producer and we are going all the way to nine o'clock tonight, and that's when Jason Williams of the Cincinnati Inquirer and Cincinnati dot Com takes you from nine to midnight.
Appreciate all our guests so far tonight. Dave Yiddi Armbrewster, the director of sports operations here for iHeartMedia Cincinnati, join me at the top of the show to talk Red's baseball.
Jim Breach, the career scoring leader for the Bengals with one and fifty one points, join me at the bottom of the six o'clock hour to talk Bengals and Steelers, and Jim and I will be co hosting postgame sports Talk tomorrow, Wings and Rings Greendale, Indiana from five point thirty to eight to five thirty to eight thirty tomorrow, strictly on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty because U se basketball. We'll take over the airwaves right here on seven hundred WLW.
I hope you'll come on out. You'll enter Indiana and take Exit sixteen toward US fifty and take the Greendale Lawrenceburg, Aurora exit and we're gonna have some fun tomorrow with Wings and Rings in Greendale, Indiana. And then Greg Shoemaker joined us to talk high school football. Well, we have
all heard the term busman's holiday. It's a vacation or a form of recreation that involves doing basically the same thing that you do at work, Okay, and I had my share of busman's holidays as a sports writer at
the Dayton Daily News. Just to give you a couple of examples, I covered Wright State basketball in the Horizon League for ten years and there were times when Wright State would be playing the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee in the Old Mecca where Marquette used to play, Okay, for like an afternoon game or an evening game, and at the same time that day, or at a different time that day Dayton, the Flyers would be in Milwaukee facing
Marquette at the Bradley Center back then. So with the times being different, I was able to finagle a press pass to go see the Flyers and Marquette play on the same day that Wright State played. So that is
a busman's holiday. When a bus driver rides the bus on his off day, Okay, that's where it all stems from and there were times when Hey, I would cover a high school game on a Friday night, high school football, and then if I would be off on Sunday, hey go to a Bengals game and then even catch a college football game on Saturday ud or the Ohio State University, my alma mater, when I wasn't working. So what would be your ideal busman's holiday? Maybe you've experienced one, or
you would like to experience it. Man, I would love to hear from you. We're opening up the phone lines for the first time at five one, three, seven four nine, seven thousand, one, eight hundred, the big one and first out of the gate here he's been waiting a while. Our good friend in Dayton, Richard Dick. It wouldn't be a show without you, man. How are you?
How are you check?
Great? How are you?
Hey?
Chick?
It's ten to nothing.
The buck guys are rocking, buddy, Well, I've got it on the big screen here in the seven hundred WLW studios, and I hope Julian's saying the quarterback of the Buckeyes, who've got pushed and uh yeah, some bumps and bruises, but they're off to a good start here ten to nothing over Ucla.
Yeah, I just wanted to tell you too about a busman's holiday was uh. I think it was back when you were covering the the uh the Bengals and we got to go uh just saw your Point and play there during tall Stacks and I could see, you know, uh all all the uh steamboats came in and we went down to party a little bit. I think we went to uh that place and uh was its Uh I'm trying to think and uh Westchester.
Uh.
We we stopped at Burbanks and had lunch. But yeah, this people, it was really nice. You know, we were city, you know where saw your Point was. Yes, but we were playing and just the people. It was a beautiful day. But you know it was just really nice, chick.
I enjoyed it.
Oh that's fantastic. Yeah, gosh, I remember going quite often to see University of Cincinnati put on play on the showboat Majestic right there, you know, right there at the foot of the landing. Was just awesome.
Yes, what can we Maybe I'll give you a prediction? Can I go twenty seven four tomorrow?
Oh?
I would love it? Yeah, with Ohio State or with the Bengals on top of the Steelers.
Yeah, I'm hoping the defense has to produce, don't they.
It sure does, it absolutely does. Have a good night, all right, appreciate it, Thank you very much, Dick. All right, what is your favorite busman's holiday, whether you went on one or would like to experience one? And oh man being in Philadelphia when Dayton entered the Atlantic ten and they shipped me the Dayton Daily News ship me to Philadelphia for a weekend. It was just incredible seeing Dayton and LaSalle play then. And that was on a Thursday
night at the Philly Civic Center. The next night I'm at McGonagall Hall on the campus at Temple University watching Temple play Rhode Island. And then that Saturday, Wright stayed against LaSalle at the Palaestra. So what a unbelievable weekend I had in Philadelphia. Just tremendous, great memories. Hey, a story broke this week ESPN's Dan Orlovsky, former quarterback, talking about Ohio State head coach Ryan Day. He would like Ryan Day to become head coach of the New York
Football Giants. And I'm saying, Ryan, don't do it. Don't even think about it. And I did some research here on six former coaches and current coaches that tried to go from college to pro and it just didn't quite work out. And I want to start way back in the year that I graduated from the Ohio State University in nineteen seventy six. Lou Holtz coached the New York Jets in nineteen seventy six. He had come from NC
State and he took over the New York Jets. He resigned that year with one game left in the season. He resigned when the Jets were three and ten, and he said God just didn't mean for him to be an NFL coach. Then he went on to Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame in South Carolina. Lou Holtz. The Jets finished three and eleven that year, but Lou resigned with one game left in that nineteen seventy six season. And then how about Bobby Petrino taking over the Falcons in two
thousand and seven. He was charged with developing Michael Vick as a total quarterback. He was a tremendous runner. The problem that Patrino found in two thousand and seven was Michael Vick was bankrolling that dog fighting scheme and he
wasn't allowed to leave the Great State of Virginia. He wound up being out of football and the problem with the Falcons that year they t the off season, Matt Schaub traded him to the Houston Texans, so the Falcons were strapped at quarterback with Joey Harrington, Byron Lefwich and Chris Redman. And speaking of three and ten, Bobby Petrino resigned after a three and ten start and took the head coaching job at the University of Arkansas. Mike Zimmer
was his defensive coordinator. All of a sudden, he was out of a job, and he led us to believe. Mike Zimmer that if he ever ran into Bobby Patrino he might put him in a book garbage can. He was that upset. But Mike Zimmer eventually became defensive cordator for the Cincinnati Bengals and is one of my favorite coaches. How about Cam Cameron Okay five years at Indiana University from night eighteen ninety seven through two thousand and one.
Then he became the San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator from two through six. He was given he was he was given the Miami Dolphins head coaching job in two thousand and seven. He went one in fifteen before moving on to the Baltimore Ravens as the offensive coordinator. That's a point zero six to three winning percentage one in fifteen. Cam Cameron so from Indiana University, and yes, he was
with the Chargers for five years. Didn't work out for him, being a former college coach going and becoming an NFL head coach. I want to put Nick Saban in this category. He's won seven national titles, one at LSU in two thousand and three and then six more at the University
of Alama, Obama. Now he's an accomplished football analyst on ESPN, but he took over as the Miami Dolphins head coach in two thousand and five and two thousand and six, and he finished fifteen and seventeen with the Dolphins, so it wasn't horrible. He was close to five hundred, but he also realized the NFL was not for him. He moved on to Alabama and won six national championships. So I'm telling Brian Day, don't do it. Don't think about going to the NFL, don't think about coaching the new
York Football Giants. And there's two more on my list here. Chip Kelly great success at Oregon versus the offensive coordinator and then as the head coach from two thousand and nine through twenty twelve. He was named the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles in twan thirteen. He lasted three years for the Eagles. His first two years he went ten and six, then his third year six and nine and got fired. Then he coached the San Francisco forty nine ers in twenty sixteen, went two to fourteen and
then got fired before returning to the college ranks. And then, of course there's Urban Meyer. Two national titles at Florida in two thousand and six in two thousand and eight, another national title as head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes. In twenty fourteen, he was named head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in twenty twenty one. He lasted thirteen games.
The team went two and eleven. Right there with lasting just thirteen games along with Lou Holtz of the Jets and Bobby Petrino with the Atlanta Falcons and Urban Meyers one fifty four winning percentage at Jacksonville was the worst of any non interim head coach since Cam Cameron's two thousand and seven Dolphins that went one and fifteen. So my whole point here is, don't go to the pros. Ryan Day. You're at the Ohio State University, and I hope you're there for a very long time. Let's go
out to the phones. Is it Bryce on the line? Bryce?
Yes, Yes, it is welcome, Hi chick.
I mean, do you see their tough loss to Arizona struggles on the offic that's Brendan Zortesy two interceptions today. Oh that was and he had two interceptions on the season.
Yeah, that was really really tough to watch. Those were like punts. I mean, they were just bad interceptions.
Oh yeah, especially the offense cannot capitalize two missfield goals from Arizona's kicker, and they could just not convert on those opportunities. They're not playing complimentary football to death.
You're absolutely right. You know, I'm looking Bryce at the standings here in the Big Twelve Conference, and there are six teams within one game of each other. The Texas Tech Red Raiders big win today, they're seven and one in the conference. BYU Placed tonight they're five and one, and then the Houston Cougars, Arizona State sun Devils, you see Bearcats in Utah Utes, all with two losses in
the conference. So it's still, uh, it's still kind of wide open, but Texas texture looks like the cream of the crop along with BYU.
Yeah, it's still possible, but UC's most definitely gonna have to win against BYU and TCU. They're gonna have to win out just to even have a chance at our to make it to at and T Stadium. You never know what could happened in a crazy conference.
Like the Big Twelve.
But we'll see what happens along the least.
You're absolutely right, and uh, it was just a day of missed opportunities for uh, for the UC Bearcats. Now I understand you're in Anderson township. Do you follow the Anderson High School football team or U turping?
Oh?
I followed Anderson High School football team a lot, and I'm going to Anderson. I go to a lot of their games, and a great one yesterday against LAUSU.
And Anderson plays the Trotwood Madison Rams for the Division two Region eight championship this coming week. The Anderson Raptors twelve and oh how about that.
Oh yeah, they've had it.
They've strung together a great season. It started against the great team from Kentucky Cooper. They were down at half time just to start the season and they never looked back from that. From that game, they went twelve to oh and I back to back final fours, and I think they it's their year this year.
Anderson, Well, fantastic. Bryce. Hey, great hearing from you for the second week in a row. Awesome you're on your way.
Oh yeah, it's always great calling and you just have a great.
Rest of your rookend.
Chick.
Thanks so much, Bryce, all right, appreciate it, Thanks so much, take care, thank you. All right, half hour is gone quickly. Here, we got another half hour to go all the way to nine o'clock tonight, Sports Talk with your host Chick Ludwig on seven hundred WLW.
Ease Taylor versus Tumblin and the steel Citys look to toss the Steelers into the recycling bin. There's a lot I can say about Pittsburgh, but none of it can be set on the radio. The Bengals slug it out with the Steelers tomorrow. Coverage begins at nine am. Stream for free on the new and improved iHeartRadio app or on seven hundred WLW, home of the best Bengals coverage.
More than a few of our patients have talked to me about their first time, but it's not the first time. You're probably.
Welcome back to seven hundred WLW. This is Chick Ludwig eight thirty nine on this Saturday night, and Jason Williams is in the house. I'll be listening to Jason on my way back to the Miamisburg War Room. Jason's going to be here at not from nine to midnight tonight. Cincinnati dot Com and the Inquirer. Hey, we're talking some
mo busman's holiday. Nothing like going to Hinkelfield House in Indianapolis and check out an afternoon Saturday basketball game, and then to the field House later to watch the Indiana Pacers. Let's go out to the phones. Welcome in our good friend Kevin in Columbus, Hi. Kevin.
Yeah, well yeah, well right now, I'm also half keeping an eye on.
The Buckey's game, but they probably got it in the hand. But don't guaranteed. I appreciate you talking some reds early on in this show, because I still am looking forward to the season and convinced Francona can get this team going. Maybe it takes more than one year. But as far as the Bengals, I mean, even if they win tomorrow, it's Burrow or no Burrow. They have the same problem as last year. You know, great offense and awful defense.
You're better the other way around, great defense and so so offense because you at least have a little more control of the game. This way, you're just hoping they win a shootout every week, and that's not always gonna happen.
You know, you're absolutely right about that, and we see it.
Yeah, it's football, and maybe that's the way the NFL wants it, you know, they they don't want remember the old days where he had the boring, you know, six.
Tough in games.
But yeah, it's remember that, but hey, that that was football into the football is basically blocking and tackling, and we don't seem to have anyone can tackle the offense.
We really didn't worry about that. It was gonna be okay. The offense will be okay.
But you remember the kickers, don't you Kevins.
He was the last one of those.
But uh, yeah, the no sidewinders then, but it was uh, it's uh uh Bengals, they got to somehow get their defense better. You know, Burn will be back there when they want to play him this year. And I don't know, but then we consider and crossing our fingers, Toby don't get hurt again for real, you know, I don't know, but it's they I don't know what's happened to the defense and these guys they just run right by him. They don't tackle many players.
It's it's frustrating blown coverages and uh lack of tackle. Tackle, that's right.
Why didn't they tackle that guy in the Bears cave? They would have just knocked him down. Then the Bears would have been panicking and scrambling to get up. I can't remember when they had a time out or not, but it was down to twenty seconds they would have been, you know, and that's they could do something wrong. Maybe we'd have pulled out a win there, but it wouldn't change the whole scheme of things, you know.
But uh, hey, it's.
Great here and you on the air.
I'll hang up and hear what you got, all right, Kevin, appreciate it? Oh yeah, all right, thank you. Uh yeah, Dave arm Brewster Yddy gave us a big time confidence that the Bengals will win tomorrow, So I'm uh, I'm
fired up about that. And just a reminder that Jim Breach and I will be at the Wings and Rings in Greendale, Indiana tomorrow for Bengals postgame Sports Talk five thirty to eight thirty and will be strictly on Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty because the UC Bearcats are playing hoops tomorrow at six o'clock, So with all the coverage starting at five o'clock right here on the seven hundred WLW SO, and you'll want directions to the Wings and Rings in Greendale,
enter Indiana, Exit sixteen toward US fifty Greendale, Lawrence Burg and the Aurora exit. Come on out and see Jim Breach and the Chickster. We're gonna have a lot of fun breaking the game down like a wrecking ball. Well, we're also talking Busman's Holiday and Sean McMahon, tonight's producer, being an elder grad and a University of Cincinnati grad, is there a holiday that you would like to experience in sport?
You know, I guess, I guess Now that I've been in media a while, I guess going to sporting events it counts as a bustman's holiday for me, doesn't it. Yeah, it would, I guess it does, because you know, for a while I was doing I was doing stuff with the UC football team. Not as a player, but I was a part of the coach's video team. Shout out to my colleagues from those days. But it was it was strange, chick because for four years or two years,
I did that. So I was traveling with the team, I was filming every practice, and you know, I was working all the time for those games. In the next two years, I was doing stuff for bear Cast Media, calling the games for student Radio down at UC, and going to a game as a fan.
It's so weird because I feel like I should be like working.
Yeah, it's it's such a strange feeling going as a fan because it's not something I get to do often. I just love going down to Nippert. I love going down to UC. I love being on campus. UC is really home to me. Uh And I actually got to go to homecoming this year, and I was very appreciative of that. I met up with a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a while, and we spent the day together and we watched the Cats beat Baylor, and actually I bumped into a colleague of ours, Chick.
I got to see Tommy Thrall at halftime. I bumped into him. I have a picture with him on my Instagram page.
And it was just funny seeing him there because one of my colleagues from the UC football video team said, Hey, you know Tommy's here, right.
I was like, how do you know that?
That is awesome?
He said, I saw him over by the by the the building, at near the cheering section or the student section. I said, oh, no, kidding. So I shot him at text and I said I heard you're here, and he goes, how'd you know that? And I said, someone saw you and recognize you that I know, and so I figured I come find you. But yeah, for a busman's holiday, Chick. I just love going to Nippert It just it feels it feels right for me to be there. I just love UC's campus. I've always been passionate about UC since
I kind of picked up being a UC fan. I love my time there, and personally I love going to college football games across the country when I got the chance to do that. When I was a senior, I got to travel to Notre Dame, got to travel to Indiana, watched the Bearcats play those guys and have a historic season. I've been across the country at different football stadium so personally, I'd love to go check out other team stadiums, you know, some of the bigger programs Texas, Florida, Alabama.
I've been to the Shoe.
I've been to the Big House both times watching the Bearcats. So for me, I think I'd just like to travel to a bunch of the college football arena's great college football arenas across the country.
That is fantastic. Yeah, and gosh it was. Now I'm trying to think of the year nineteen ninety six when Ohio State they wound up playing in the ninety seven Rose Bowl. I got to go out and help cover Ohio State and my beat was Arizona State at the Rose Bowl, so they stayed up near Pasadena. So it
was just phenomenal the prime days of Arizona State too. Yes, yes, it was just a tremendous experience a week out there and Ohio State was down in Orange County, and Arizona State was up by near Pasadena, and I was in a residence in I mean really five to ten minutes away from Santa Anita Raceway and just a blast out there for a week.
I'm jealous, man, the Rose Bulls. I've heard it's phenomenal. It's just stunning out there.
Been there twice once as a student and Ohio State one in nineteen seventy four. Wow, it was my sophomore year January one of seventy four. We beat Southern cal forty two to twenty one. And yeah, one of my claims of fame is walking at Saint John Arena Winter Quarter in nineteen seventy six with Archie Griffin. How about that? Yeah? And then as a sports writer covering Clark Kellogg's high school career at Cleveland Saint Joe and then also a
Kirk Herb Street at Centerville High School. You've seen it all, so just tremendous. And Chris Carter at Middletown there you go. So just got to see some great, great athletes. And Ron Harper at Kaiser High School before he went to Miami University and then off to the NBA. So I got to see some tremendous. You know, a lot of you know because I substitute teach, and a lot of kids recognized the voice, and they all ask me about
becoming a sports writer or a broadcaster. And the one thing I tell kids that want to be sports writers, you can't be where oftentimes where you want to be. Yep, okay, And there was the year. I'll never forget it. It's the opening day of the NFL season. So my head is either in Cleveland or in Cincinnati with the Browns and Bengals. Okay, and here I'm at the IndyCar Race in Lexington, Ohio, at mid Ohio, the Indy Cars on the road course, and I just told myself, Hey, you're
getting paid to do this. Michael Andretti won that day, and you're gonna do a hell of a job covering this IndyCar race. It was a cold day, and but you don't always get to be where you want to be. And uh, but that's the way it is. And wow do we have Wow? This is a surprise? Is this Sue on the line? Sue, Yeah, welcome, I'm back.
I'll say I'll wait, No.
You're on, you are on?
Oh, I'm on. Okay, My question is, but I have to talk about Jim Breech. Yeah, I see as old is the Hills because I know I've knew his daughter many years ago.
I wouldn't say, oh, it's the Hills, but you know he's pasted seventy that's for sure. The chickster is seventy one.
Yeah.
I know he did good with the Bengals. And I used to like to hear when you had him one earlier too.
Okay, beautiful, yes, had him on and then we'll be together tomorrow.
Well. I do like your odd games too, like the other announcers do too, or the other co hosts.
Okay, all right, yes, dig it sound good and hang.
In there and do not weep too much if the Bengals lose. I want them to win too, Okay, yes, ma'am, Yes we'll and I can hardly wait until February the twenty six. Yes to the first spring game. Yeah, maybe that'll be my best Men's holiday if I can get out of Cincinnati.
Okay, fantastic too. I appreciate the call, thank you.
Okay, hang in there for your last few.
Minutes, all right, thanks so much.
And in these last few minutes, how about on this date in Red's history one day ago, November fourteenth, Let's go way back to eighteen eighty nine, the Reds are admitted back into the National League. Cincinnati was dropped from the league in eighteen eighty because of violations involving the playing of baseball on Sundays and the sale of beer at the ballpark. Cincinnati had been a member of the American Association since eighteen eighty two, but admitted back in
the National League in eighteen eighty nine. On November fourteenth, Wow, how about that? And we see here where Google and Disney have reached a deal to restore ESPN and ABC to YouTube TV. And I know a lot of folks a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth over that. So welcome back ESPN and ABC to YouTube TV. And sad to hear the news about Kenny Easley passing away, great UCLA player, Seattle Seahawks strong safety Hall of Famer
dead at the age of sixty six. And I think by now a lot of loyal listeners know that one of my hobbies is tracking deceased Bengals players. You had to have played in a game and been on an official roster for me, to research you. And in addition to Bob Trumpy and Rudy Johnson passing away recently, there's two more names that I want to throw out there. Warren McVeigh died at the age of seventy nine here recently. He was the first black player in the history of
the University of Houston Cougars. And what's crazy about Warren. He was with the Bengals in nineteen sixty eight and part of nineteen sixty nine. He got traded to the AFL Kansas City Chiefs during the nineteen sixty nine season for kicker Horst Muleman, and he made a significant impact with the Kansas City Chiefs as a kickoff returner and he rushed for five hundred yards that year, and the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl and it was Super Bowl four with a twenty three to seven victory
over the Minnesota Vikings. So Warren McVeigh deceased at the age of seventy nine. And you might remember this name too, Pat Mattson. He was a messenger guard for the Bengals from nineteen sixty eight through nineteen seventy four, and he made the club as a in the expansion draft. The Bengals had forty players that they selected off other clubs. Each club had to put up like three players, and Pat made the team as an offensive guard University of Oregon.
He had played at Denver and with the Bengals from nineteen sixty eight to nineteen seventy four. He recently died at the age of eighty one. And a couple more players off the original nineteen sixty eight Bengals have passed a lineman by the name two linemen, John Matt Locke and Andy Rice, so that takes the number of deceased
Bengals players past the seventy mark. So hey want to thank all the loyal listeners checking us out tonight and thanking our guest Devut d Armbrewster, Jim Breach, Greg Shoemaker of Tristatefootball dot com and until next time, which happens to be tomorrow at Wings and Rings in Greendale, Indiana. This is the Chickster chick Ludwig saying thanks for listening to the home of the Reds and the best Bengals coverage. Seven hundred do wlw W well more Fiber