5/1/25 - The Mo Egger Radio Show - Mo Egger

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is in ESPN fifteen thirty Miami University. Meet your
New Bengals.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
The Cincinnati Bengals select.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Where today's students become Tomorrow's leaders, presented by Skyline, Chili
centin Natty Drywall and a door in window.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Now here's Moeger. With their sixth and final pick in
the twenty twenty five NFL Draft, the Bengals selected Texas
Tech running back taj Brooks. Brooks played five seasons for
the Red Raiders and he's the program's all time leading rusher.
A strong, physical back, Brooks racked up over forty five
hundred yards as a powerful between the tackles runner, and

(00:40):
he was a two time All Big twelve player in college.
He lacks breakaway speed and with over one thousand touches
in college, there are some questions about how much wear
and tear is on his body, But as UC fans
saw when Brooks ran for one hundred and seventy two
yards against the Bearcats last season, he is productive, reliable,
and he's a tough man to tackle actually in short

(01:00):
yardage situations. Get to know Bengals sixth round draft pick Toads.

Speaker 1 (01:05):
Brooks has more on ESPN fifteen to thirty, the official
home of the Bengal Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
I have more.

Speaker 4 (01:13):
I got a lot more.

Speaker 3 (01:14):
I got a lot more.

Speaker 5 (01:17):
ESPN Sports.

Speaker 3 (01:21):
It's uh four minutes after three. This is ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 6 (01:26):
LM.

Speaker 3 (01:26):
Mo Oeger, thanks for listening today. I hope you have
like the greatest Thursday afternoon ever. So they they just
a few minutes ago on TV they showed them pulling
off the tarp at GABP pulling off the tarp. So
it looks like, uh, they're gonna resume the game, gonna
be playing baseball, which they've They've got to resume the

(01:48):
game because the Reds are winning and they haven't played
five innings yet. Cincinnati, on the strength of a two
run home run from Jose Travino his third, have a
three to one lead over Saint Louis. I'm sorry, I'm sorry,
I'm mistake. It's a two to one lead, a two
one lead. It's I just I didn't even write that
down poorly. I'm literally looking at the box scorts two
to one, two to one Reds lead. When the game resumes,

(02:11):
assuming it will here in just a couple of minutes,
Cincinnati will be coming to the plate in the bottom
of the fourth inning, trying to build upon their lead.
Andrew Abbott was, okay, I'm assuming he is not going
to resume when play restarts. Went four innings and gave
up just to run the defense on the run that
the Cardinals score did not help him a ton. He

(02:32):
walked four guys in four innings, which is not good enough.
Four walks, was three hits, that's not good enough. One
of the hits was not really hit that hard. But
he will exit assuming he does with the good guys
winning two to one. This this is a pretty big game,
I think, man, and I you know, I know it's
it's just May first, and you don't want to make
too much out of any one game, But you know,

(02:55):
you don't want to follow up a series sweep of
the hapless Colorados by coming home and losing three out
of four to a mediocre at best Cardinals team that
came into this series having won just two games on
the road so far this year. They were clobbered last
night in Chase Petty's big league debut. They were clobbered

(03:16):
in the ninth inning of the first game yesterday, Mainly
Alexis Diaz was clobbered in the ninth inning in that
performance has triggered a demotion to Louisville. And fine, no
big deal, you get swept in a doubleheader, but you
don't want to lose three out of four at home
after you just took care of business against Colorado and frankly,
after you lost two out of three last week to

(03:38):
a bad Miami team. And so hopefully they can hang
on to this lead, hopefully they can build upon it.
But this game, again, it's relative. This game feels pretty
big today. I think you'll feel okay, all things considered,
because of what they've had to do with the starting
rotation and the weather and all that stuff.

Speaker 4 (03:55):
Get a series split.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
Nationals are here this weekend and you two over five
hundred going into the weekend. For what it's worth, not
that losing today will torpedo your season. But we talked
a lot, you know, going into the Baltimore series. They
were gonna play twenty three straight games against teams that
at the time were under five hundred. They took care
of business against Baltimore one two out of three. They

(04:17):
did not take care of business against Miami. They lost
two out of three. It was almost mandatory that they
sweep the Colorado rockiesho were awful, which they did.

Speaker 4 (04:26):
Okay, keep the momentum going.

Speaker 3 (04:29):
It's kind of stopped a little bit, but I think
you'd feel okay if they could at least salvage a split.

Speaker 4 (04:34):
Hopefully they do that today.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
We will update you all across the afternoon as to
what's happening at GABP and of course the moment the
game goes final instant reaction Reds in the middle of
a homestand the Washington Nationals here this week. Full show
preview is available on Twitter at Moeger thanks to Emery
Federal Credit Union, your credit union with heart since nineteen

(04:59):
thirty nine, go to Emery f CU dot org. Coming
up in just about ten minutes, we're going to talk
with Kenny Perry. Kenny Perry is currently the associate head
coach and Special Teams coordinator at Texas Tech University. The
last three years he has been in that program's running

(05:19):
backs coach, and we did this yesterday. We had on
Stacey Searles, who is the offensive line coach at Georgia
and coached Dylan Fairchild and obviously also coached Amarus Mims
and one thing we've done over the years is we
like to to the.

Speaker 4 (05:35):
Best that we can. Some school's not so cooperative.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
We like to try to get on each player's position
coach that the Bengals draft, or at least get someone
who could talk about them on kind of a granular level.
And I think the position coaches at various programs are
often the best people to do that. So Kenny Perry
coached Taj Brooks. Taj Brooks, you just heard the little
vignette there running back from Texas Tech my favorite pick.

(06:00):
I think the Bengals have a really good, really interesting,
but I think more important, really good running back room
where there's kind of a little of everything. There's Chase
Brown and the box of tools he brings to the table.
There's the experience and trustworthiness of Samaje ap Rhyn. There's
what I think the Bengals would say is the dependability
of Zach Moss, hopefully he can stay healthy. And then

(06:23):
there's the short yardage ability to run people over that
Taj Brooks is going to bring to the NFL. That
was abundantly clear to anybody watched him. When you see
played Texas Tech. Taj Brooks ran for one hundred and
seventy two yards. He was a workhorse. Now he had
thirty two carries that night, had over a thousand touches
during the course of his Texas Tech career, that program's

(06:45):
all time leading rusher. We can pick apart the debate
or pick apart the draft from every conceivable angle, right.
We can debate the merits of some of these picks.
We could talk about the positions the Bengals didn't address
and do all that they were going to take a
running back at some point late. They took one in
their last round, not the last round, in their last round,

(07:06):
and the guy they took, I think he's going to
fit in. So we'll get more information on Taj Brooks
from his college position coach for the last couple of
years in Lubbock, coming up in just about ten minutes.

Speaker 4 (07:16):
I am looking forward to that.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
By the way, if you missed the Stacey Serells conversation,
which we got a lot of really good feedback on,
you can go find that on the iHeartRadio app. Podcasts
of this show a service of Long Neck's Sports Grill.

Speaker 4 (07:33):
I want you to do this so.

Speaker 3 (07:36):
I am skeptical about the Bengals off season, it's not
just the draft. And I think you could be skeptical
about the draft while acknowledging that maybe they got some
really good players, because being good at the draft is
not just about picking players. It's about getting the most
value from every single pick. It's about using devices at

(07:58):
your disposal to use the draft to dramatically fortify your team,
making trades, you know, taking one pick and maybe swinging
it for an extra one, like all those sort of things.
But if there's skepticism about the draft, and for me
there is, because the Bengals recent track record when it

(08:20):
comes to the draft is not great. If you hear
skepticism about the draft, it's not so much for me,
at least about the draft. I am probably not doing
a very good job of making this make sense. Bengals
have had, I think, a pretty underwhelming offseason. So here's
what I want you to do. I want you to

(08:41):
pretend that Joe Burrow is not the Bengals quarterback. Now
that might be terrifying, but just for a second, pretend
pretty much anybody else pick a replacement level QB. Pick
Jake Browning, if you want, pick Andy Dalton, if you want,
pick some guy from the division. If you want, like
a Kenny Pickett, would we be talking about this team

(09:02):
in championship terms? Would we be talking about the Bengals
having a championship roster? I don't think the answer is yes.
With Joe Burrow, we talked about them having a championship roster.
And look, if the Bengals win a title this year
or if they come close, Joe Burrow is going to
be the main reason why. But last year, Joe Burrow
was awesome. Like you watched last year, he was awesome.

(09:27):
If the Bengals are any good, he might have been MVP.
I thought he was the best quarterback in the NFL
last season. It is remarkable that the Bengals had a
quarterback who was an MVP finalist and didn't play in
the playoffs. That is it's almost, I don't want to
say impossible, but that's really, really, really hard to do.
Why were they on the outside looking in because they

(09:49):
didn't have a championship caliber roster, especially on defense.

Speaker 4 (09:52):
My question for you is do they now?

Speaker 3 (09:57):
I could hear it now, Well, Mo, they've only got
a be like league average on defense. They've only got
to be okay. They just have to have a defense
that doesn't like screw it up. They've gotta be somewhere
in the middle of the pack. And maybe that's true,
But like you watched the Super Bowl last year, right,
Philadelphia Eagles, Jalen Hurts has been paid. Jalen Hurts got

(10:19):
his money. Jalen Hurts is really good. But what everybody
walked away from the Super Bowl talking about was not
Jalen Hurts. It was the Philadelphia Eagles roster, the value
they got from players, the job the GM Howie Roseman
did in constructing that team. And yeah, it was Jalen

(10:39):
Hurts and Saquon Barkley and a couple of really good
wide receivers. But I watched and observed and listened to
everybody's opinions after the Super Bowl when understandably so, people
were really impressed with Philadelphia's roster. The Eagles in the
Super Bowl beat a Kansas City team that last year

(11:00):
got a good but certainly not great season from their
starting quarterback. By the way, you talk about like interesting
twenty twenty five story lines, Can Patrick Mahomes recapture his
own personal magic as one of them? But the Chiefs,
despite some uneven performances from their quarterback, and despite their

(11:20):
being games that you might have thought they should win,
HANDI League kind of being there for the taking. At
the end, they played for a championship. Why championship roster? No,
not one that is perfect because they've had to go
to work fixing their offensive line. Could certainly use some
help on the defensive side of the ball. But Patrick
Mahomes didn't lift the Kansas City Chiefs to a Super

(11:41):
Bowl last year. He helped ride along with that roster,
which was really good to The Bengals have a championship roster,
especially on defense, not so much just after the draft,
but at the end of the bulk of the offseason
that's devoted to roster construction. And I'll be honest with you, man,

(12:04):
I look at last year's team defensively, I look at
this year's team defensively. I'm trying to figure out from
a talent perspective, how this year's unit is going to
be substantially better. Again, you might argue it doesn't have
to be because Joe Burrow is gonna hang forty nine
points on everybody every week. And perhaps that's the case,

(12:24):
but at some point, if you're going to win a Championship.
Your defense has to be more than just along for
the ride. Are they building a defense that can be
more than just along for the ride? Have they spent
this offseason building a defense that can be more than
just along for the ride?

Speaker 4 (12:45):
That's my question for you.

Speaker 3 (12:46):
My found numbers five one, three, seven, four nine, fifteen
thirty eight sixty six seven h two three seven seven six.
It looks like they're about to resume at GABP will
keep you updated all afternoon.

Speaker 4 (12:56):
Kenny Perry, TAJ Brooks running backs coach.

Speaker 3 (13:00):
Texas Tech joins US next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 5 (13:03):
Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 7 (13:08):
Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center u See WELPS
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(13:30):
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This report is sponsoring Man for three o'clock.

Speaker 4 (13:42):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty on Moeger.

Speaker 3 (13:44):
We always enjoy getting on the show in the days
after the draft, the uh the men who coached each
of the draft picks at their respective positions in college.
And we've talked a lot about Taj Brooks this week.
And if you're a UC football fan, you saw what
Taj can do when the Bearcats played Texas Tech in Lubbick.

(14:05):
He ran for one hundred and seventy two yards and
a couple of touchdowns and was just almost impossible to
bring to the ground that night. And so we wanted
to reach out and chat with the guy who was
his position coach at Texas Tech. He's actually currently the
associate head coach and special teams coordinator at Texas Tech,
but spent the last couple of seasons coaching running backs
and obviously working very closely with Taj Brooks. So Kenny

(14:27):
Perry nice enough to join us, coach, It's good to
have you.

Speaker 4 (14:30):
Good afternoon.

Speaker 6 (14:30):
How are you man? Awesome? I appreciate you guys having
me on.

Speaker 3 (14:35):
I appreciate you doing this So you go to Lubbock
in twenty twenty two, Taj Brooks is there. What's the
first thing you remember when you met him for the
first time.

Speaker 6 (14:46):
Well, first of all, you know, he's like a bowl
of ball with butcher blades all around him. I'm like, man,
this dude, I'm not sure how good he is. I
kind of remembered him because I've been a big twelve
and watching him, but you know, he was all right.
And then when I got around him on a day
or day basis in my head, I just knew. I said,
before this kid leaves here, he's going to be one

(15:07):
of the greatest in our conference. And you know I
was right.

Speaker 3 (15:11):
Yeah, And the programs all time leading rusher. He was
a workhorse, man. I mean you gave it to him
on the ground almost nine hundred times, led the conference
and carries in consecutive years. When did it become abundantly
clear that you guys could ask him to do as
much as you did.

Speaker 6 (15:28):
Well. The thing about Todge, that's that's I think is
unique is he takes care of his body. And when
I say about that, he's the first guy in the
building when we lift, He's the first guy you know
when we did medical checkups after games and so, and
he was first time on the field. So guys like
that usually going to take care of their body. Their
body can take that punishment. And you know, Todge just

(15:51):
he's so strong. I mean, I don't really think our
strength guys actually know how strong he is, because they
would they would they wouldn't let him I go up
on some of the stuff is doing, like his watch
and stuff like that, just because he was already strong enough.
So they didn't really max. But the dude, he just
you could tell he could carry the load. And you know,
we kind of went through a rash of quarterbacks, you know,

(16:14):
Tyler Schuck being one of them, Baron Morton and Donovan
you know, we Smith, we had three guys well we
were they're all getting hurt. So I think we kind
of realized, you know, we need to run the football
and Todge was ideal for that situation for us.

Speaker 3 (16:30):
Uh, let's let's talk about what we would watch if
we were watching film. When you're pointing out to me,
why this guy is going to succeed at the next level,
what are we looking at?

Speaker 6 (16:40):
Well, it's the thing that he does that's unbelievable. Like
I kept telling everybody when I talked to the scouts
and I would talk to the media, is he, by
far is the best blocker in college football, meaning whether
he's getting the ball past pass protection for the quarterback
or he lead blocking. He was unbelo the stuff. And

(17:01):
he's so smart. He knew what our offensive lineman we're
supposed to do, and if he saw a guy to
his side miss up, he knew where the protection would
break down and he would fix it. And I've been
coaching thirty three years and it was unbelievable. I would
like to take credit for that, but I'm not gonna
do that.

Speaker 1 (17:19):
Him.

Speaker 6 (17:19):
And he's just he's that surrebrl's a he's a football junkie.
He loves getting in there and watching film with you,
and uh, man, I'm just telling ya, you guys are
fixed to get a guy that you're gonna you're gonna
turn around in ten years, going, man, I can't believe
this guy. He is what he is because he's that
he is that unbelievable of a player.

Speaker 3 (17:40):
Yeah, uh you know what A five year guy the
all time leading Russia in Texas tech history over a
thousand touches across his college career, so he's kind of
done it all. When you've talked with scouts from other
teams and they ask you, like, all right, give us
one thing that he should focus on that you would
like to see him improve upon.

Speaker 4 (18:00):
What's your answer to that.

Speaker 6 (18:03):
Well, I definitely think just you know, his past catching ability.
He can catch the ball out of the backfield. We
just didn't do it much. You know, he had some
big plays. But I think to think he's got unbelievable hands,
and I think that you're gonna see once you know,
with the guys, you guys already got there around in
that place. You know, Cincinnati's kind of surrounded the court
fur with that. You know, Todd Todd is gonna be

(18:24):
one of those guys out of backfield that I think.
The more that he practiced and does stuff catching the
ball at the backfield, it's it's just gonna raise his
game another you.

Speaker 3 (18:33):
Know, watch, uh, what what's describe for me? Your your
role in the course of whether it's him or any
one of your guys in in getting getting a player
like Todge Brooks ready for the draft. Talking with you know,
general managers and scouts and personnel people.

Speaker 4 (18:49):
How inemaly involved have you been during this process?

Speaker 6 (18:52):
Well, the biggest thing was, you know, everybody that the
knock on Todge Brooks was at two hundred and thirty pounds.
What was just no one? No one said it was
gonna well, he's gonna be a four to seven high
four six high four seven guy. That was the knockof him,
because if you go back and watch him run, I
think the last two years he made more people miss
the first tackle. You know, staff they did do. He

(19:14):
made more people missed than anybody in the draft. So
I didn't I wouldn't worry about his running Billy. It
was his top end speed. And he goes to the
combine and he runs what four five four four five five,
which I'll be honest, it kind of shocked me a
little bit. I knew he would be down. I didn't
think he'd be that fast. So that was my thing was, Man,
the hell with what numbers are? This dude is production

(19:36):
And he did not play behind the greatest offensive line.
Our schemes helped him. You know, kudos to coach Zach
Killey for what he did, and you know, our offensive
coaches just the way that his eyes up to get
him the football because we were not really really good
up front. He made a if you watch this film,
he made a lot of guys miss after the line

(19:57):
of scrimmage and turned two and three yard runs and
a kid and fifteen yard runs.

Speaker 3 (20:02):
What sort of conversations did you and Taje have after
the twenty twenty three season, because I'm sure he gave
great consideration a turning pro.

Speaker 6 (20:09):
Then sure, I just told him, I said, you know what,
taj at that time, I honestly thought he was ready
to go to the drift. I really thought he was
going to go. But I also told him, I said,
you know, there's you will obviously wanted to be the
elite and rusher, and the dude was the ultimate team player.
He's like, coach man, I want to get I want
to get a chance to improve his program. And he said,

(20:32):
you know, I know I can break the rushing record
and that was something that he wanted to kind of
do for you know, hisself in Texas Tech. And he's like,
you know, the NFL is going to be there. He goes,
I think I can improve my draft bock, you know,
by by coming back. So whether it did or not,
he had kids, an old team player, and you know,
he had some he had some personal goals that he

(20:53):
wanted to accomplish as well. So my hand was off
to him. I just said, you're matured enough to handle it.
We want you back. And and well I was sure
glad when he decided to come back.

Speaker 3 (21:03):
As as a university a Cincinnati fan. I wish he
would have left early because he killed us. But he
was awesome that night and I took note of it.
And so when he came off the board on Saturday,
I thought, there was that dude who just kept getting it.
And he was as strong in the fourth quarter. You
know how close that game was. He was as strong
in the fourth quarter as he was in the first,

(21:24):
No doubt.

Speaker 6 (21:24):
That's that's the like I said, That's how he was
all the time though. And the crazy thing was practice.
He would do the same thing and I would have
to say, okay, Taus, you're done, because that's how he
practices too. I mean, all the coaching, all the cliches
you guys, you know you hear in this industry, you know,
tubs harders, all that stuff. This guy, I'm just telling you,
that guy has got every bit of any cliche you

(21:47):
want to tag to him. He is so I mean,
I'm just what a stew I cannot I feel after
they picked him, I called him. I was streaming in
the phone because other why I really don't think he
could have gone to a better team that pitch what
you know, what he does and how he can help them.

Speaker 3 (22:04):
How cool is that conversation when you get a chance
to talk to one of your guys after they've had
their name called.

Speaker 6 (22:09):
Unbelievable, just like you know, I just for and like
I said, I've coached a bunch of guys, but TODs
Brooks for what he stands for, you know what he meets,
his family, God, everything, faith and our program. He's just
such a humble dude. And he just kept saying, thanks, coach,
I appreciate everything you did for me. Thanks to the program.
I love takes a stick, you know, just everything is

(22:32):
what the guy was about. He just kept giving thanks
to everybody else. You know, I just think that's so
cool in today's time.

Speaker 3 (22:39):
Yeah, I would agree with that. I can't thank you
enough for doing this. We love learning about these guys.
And again when his name when his name slid to
Cincinnati during the sixth round.

Speaker 4 (22:49):
I was pretty excited. Awesome to get a chance to
talk to you.

Speaker 3 (22:52):
Coach.

Speaker 4 (22:52):
Thanks so much.

Speaker 6 (22:53):
Yeah, hey, thank you guys. Here luk you guys appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (22:55):
Well need it. There you go.

Speaker 3 (22:56):
There's Kenny Perry. He is the associate head coach, now
coaching special teams. The last three years he has been
the running backs coach at Texas Tag Tage Brooks. Look, man,
I'm not one of these, like you know, crunch the
tape type dudes. I don't pretend to be an expert.
I just I'm a dude who watches college football. I
watch Tag Brooks in the Big Twelve and look, man,

(23:19):
there's there's there's some tread on the tires.

Speaker 4 (23:21):
I didn't know what to getting around that.

Speaker 3 (23:22):
You know, two hundred and eighty six carries this year
to ninety last year, which I think might have led
the entire country. I know it led the Big Twelve
over a thousand touches across five years. Like, there's, as
they say, tread on the tires. But I watched him
that night in Lubbock, and he was as good and
as hard to bring down late in the fourth quarter

(23:45):
as he was early in the first quarter.

Speaker 4 (23:49):
I think they have a really good running backs room.

Speaker 3 (23:51):
We pick apart the draft and talk about what they
haven't done, and you know, be skeptical about Duke Tobin
and the defense and all that stuff is on the table.
I think they've got a really good running backs room,
starting with obviously Chase Brown, and you know, continuing through
samaj p Ryan and even Zach Moss and Todge Brooks.
We'll see, you know, I asked Paul Danner Junior. I

(24:13):
think it was on his podcast on Sunday night. We
were talking about like takeaway from the draft, and I said,
you know, my guys that due they took in the
six round Todge Brooks. I think he has a really
good chance to make the team. And Paul corrected me
and said, no, dude, he is making the team. And
if you go find any of his college highlights, which
you know you take some of that stuff with a

(24:33):
grain of salt, I think you'll see why. Brings the
dimension that they've kind of needed. Short yardage, tough, hard
nosed inside runner. You heard Kenny Perry mention his blocking ability.
That is obviously something that has come up at the
running back spot in recent years. Good pick good pick
good stuff from Kenny Perry. By the way, Reds have
scored twice in the fourth inning. They have resumed the

(24:55):
game of GABP Cardinals coming to the plate with the
Reds up four two one, five one three seven four nine.
Fifteen thirty is our phone number. We are actually barring
something unforeseen. Guest free for quite a while. Graham Ashcraft
on the Hill top five reads up four one. Lots
of ground to cover between now and six on ESPN

(25:16):
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports.

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Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

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Speaker 3 (26:03):
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Home of lifetime power train protection and guarantee credit approval
from their family, the yours in their life kelseyshev dot Com.
Reds are playing the Cardinals right now at GABP. They
had a rain delay which lasted what maybe an hour

(26:24):
and fifteen minutes? Does it doesn't matter? I know they
track like rain delay times. There was a rain delay,
but they're playing now. Reds are coming to the plate
in the bottom of the fifth inning. Cincinnati leads for
to one, Andrew Abbott started went forward, then they put
the tarp on the field. Graham Ashcraft came out to
pitch the fifth and so far, so good. A scoreless

(26:46):
fifth with a couple of strikeouts. Cincinnati getting offense from
Jose Travino, who has three RBIs, including two on his
third home run of the season, and Gavin Lux driving
in the other Reds run for to one. Reds they
lead the Cardinals one to the bottom of the fifth
and and couple of roster moves to No. One's surprise,
Alexis Diaz has been sent to Louisville, and righty reliever

(27:10):
Luis may He of his blazing one hundred and three
plus mile an hour fastball, he has been called up.
Also Lyon Richardson, who did a good job in mop
up duty last night at least kept the bullpen bullpen
from being completely taxed. He's back to Louisville, and our
friend yaz vr Zueletta is up from Triple A Louisville.
A couple of other notes college basketball. Xavier is gonna

(27:34):
play in the twenty twenty five Shriner's Children's Charleston Classic.
I don't know that I could say that five times
fast Shriner's Children's Charleston Classic, Shriner's Children's Charleston I can't.
But they're gonna play that that's in Charleston. That's why
they call it the Charleston Classic. Xavier's bracket will include Clemson, Georgia,

(27:55):
and West Virginia. Also, something that has been a staple
on college basketball calendar here for a couple of years
is getting a little bit of a shake up. So
for years now, Kentucky has played in the CBS Sports
Classic and Ohio State has always been in that event
as well. Ucla has also been in that event. Same

(28:15):
for North Carolina. Ucla is out and Kentucky will play
Saint John's. Now Saint John's joining the event. That'll be
in Atlanta. Rick Patina will coach against Kentucky for the
first time since twenty sixteen. That is going to be
in Atlanta on December the twentieth, Mark Pope against his
college coach. There you go in a game that you'll

(28:37):
hear on ESPN fifteen thirty uh five one, three, seven,
four nine, fifteen thirty is our phone number. Ian, You're
on ESPN fifteen thirty. Good afternoon, Ian.

Speaker 4 (28:50):
How are you.

Speaker 10 (28:53):
Hey, brother?

Speaker 11 (28:53):
I've been thinking about this for about a week now, Okay,
and called the other day or last week, and I
thought you were going off the air for the redskiing,
but I was mistaken and I hung up.

Speaker 10 (29:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (29:09):
Anyways, So my simple question is, Tyson Anderson, I could
be off, but when I watched that guy in the
past couple.

Speaker 6 (29:22):
Of seasons when he was on the field for special teams.

Speaker 11 (29:27):
It seemed like he has such amazing closing speed.

Speaker 10 (29:31):
I just can't see how that guy couldn't have a
shot at challenging for a safety role, and I wondered
your opinion. I asked Jack ept and they also quoted
his name as I'm just being funny, But yeah, that

(29:51):
was well.

Speaker 3 (29:53):
Two things. Number One, I agree with you if you
watched Tyson Anderson on special teams, you can't help but think,
all right, is there a role for him on defense?
Number Two, I think the fact that they have left
safety unaddressed this offseason tells you Tyson's gonna have a
chance to contribute on defense.

Speaker 4 (30:09):
They didn't draft one.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
Now, Look, we certainly hope that Gino Stone plays better
this year, and we certainly hope that Jordan Battle moves
into the role that a lot of us talked about
him being able to move into at certain points during
his rookie season. But I think the fact that they
really haven't touched that position would certainly suggest that Tyson
Anderson has a chance to earn a larger role. And
I wouldn't be surprised if he does, because the glimpses

(30:34):
we have seen from him on special teams have been promising.

Speaker 6 (30:40):
Yeah, just to close out that thought, it's just like, man,
it seems.

Speaker 11 (30:45):
Electric at times, like really impressive to me, And then
I think about the dynamic of Al Golden and what
he was able to get out of his players when
he was with the Bengals.

Speaker 3 (30:58):
You know, that was linebacker.

Speaker 11 (31:00):
But still I just think I wonder that the combination
could have just bring out something and somebody that you
just like, it's maybe not completely foreseen, and.

Speaker 10 (31:11):
I think that would be awesome.

Speaker 11 (31:13):
And I don't doubt the same with Battle, you know,
and even Stone, like maybe you know, he can get
something out of those guys and that would be great,
but it definitely needed, you know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (31:27):
And I don't even know.

Speaker 11 (31:29):
I don't even think there's anybody else out there. I mean,
they're just gonna roll.

Speaker 1 (31:33):
With that, right you know.

Speaker 10 (31:34):
It's like what may the best man win for like
keep safety or.

Speaker 11 (31:40):
I just you know, I'm really wondering about that.

Speaker 3 (31:44):
Yeah, I think if if you and I would have
talked when the season came to an end, I think
number one we would have wondered, is Geno Stone going
to be brought back? Obviously the answer has been yes. Uh,
you're kind of leaning on Al Golden the get more
out of Genostone than that Leuenarumo was able to get
last year, okay, and the other question was going to be,

(32:05):
well who else did they add? And they didn't add anybody,
And you know, Tyson Anderson, I don't think Tyson Anderson
has played even though it's his natural position, I don't
think he has played an NFL snap at safety. So
you know it's it's Geno Stone, and it's Jordan Battle,
and it's Dejon Anthony. I mean, Dejon Anthony I think

(32:26):
has played a total of eleven snaps on defense in
the NFL. I'm not talking about special teams again, like
Tyson Anderson on special teams is an ace. But the
other two guys on the depth chart at safety behind
Battle and Geno Stone, I'm looking at it right now.
Last year, and obviously Dejon was a rookie, played a

(32:47):
combined eleven snaps at safety. Like that's a startling lack
of experience at a position where the Bengals were woefully
deficient last year. I am we talked about the maybe
taking a safety in Round one this year, why because
they didn't address it in free agency to go from
that to now wondering if Tyson Anderson can be the

(33:09):
guy or if Dejon Anthony can be the guy. Man,
I don't know, dude, that is that is that is
awfully awfully dicey.

Speaker 11 (33:19):
Right, one last final closing comment and your thoughts just
that I I don't know what it is. But when
I like compare the energy from watching when Miles Murphy
got drafted compared to the first round pick him this
year and some others like on down the list, like

(33:41):
everybody's crying and freaking out on all the social media's
and Bengals talk posts and everybody's and I did not
have that feeling. And I thought the energy of this dude,
there is something about it. I could be dead wrong,
but I just feel like there's something different. Man. He's
like I got a different uh, very confident, you know.

(34:05):
And I mean, I know that sounds stupid, but I
don't know, man, I just feel.

Speaker 6 (34:09):
Like it might work out.

Speaker 3 (34:11):
Yeah, I don't.

Speaker 4 (34:12):
I don't think it sounds stupid at all.

Speaker 3 (34:14):
I think to a degree, if you're Shamar Stewart number one,
you should be fueled by the skepticism that you can't
get to the quarterback because you only got there one
and a half times last year. Number two, you walk
into a situation where you're gonna get a chance to
play with Trey Hendrickson, which means that opposing defense's past

(34:34):
protection schemes are certainly not going to be geared at you.

Speaker 4 (34:37):
Now you know how good is he?

Speaker 3 (34:39):
Is he going to be able to refine his finishing ability,
all that sort of stuff that remains to be seen.
But I would like to think that he embraces the
opportunity that he has here, the fact that he is
being asked to make a pass rush better but not
totally remake it. And I would like to think that,
beyond just the natural motivation to be a quality NFL
player and earn that second contract and help your team win,

(35:02):
that he really wants to prove to people. Yeah, you
know what, I maybe should have gone earlier in the
draft because I can get to the quarterback and those
thirty nine pressures I had this past season are far
more indicative of my raw ability than the one and
a half sacks we'll see.

Speaker 6 (35:18):
One hundred.

Speaker 11 (35:19):
I am gonna make a bet it's to nobody, but
I think all these guys get what a starting role
or or they all get playing time to whatever degree.

Speaker 6 (35:32):
I just feel like.

Speaker 10 (35:34):
I feel like it's going to happen.

Speaker 3 (35:36):
Uh Ian we'll see. Thank you for the phone call.
I just the approach at safety. I think. I think
there's multiple ways of looking at the draft. One way
is to just look at the players. Here are the
six guys they got, independent of when they got them,
independent of who else they could have taken, independent of

(35:56):
other positions they could have addressed. Here are the six players.
And I think if you do that, you know, like
I'm I don't want to say I've talked myself into
Shamar Stewart because you cannot ignore the fact that he
had a hard time finishing plays in college. But I
don't think the ability to pressure the quarterback, combined with

(36:19):
his raw physical measurables, should be ignored. And if if
that translates to the NFL, he's gonna help this defense.
He's either gonna create sacks for his teammates, or create
turnovers for some of his teammates, or first quarterbacks in

(36:39):
the mistakes, or force in completions on third down and
now the other team's got a punt like that, he
can be a benefit.

Speaker 7 (36:47):
You know.

Speaker 3 (36:47):
People have said, and I agree with this to an
agree that the SAX stat is kind of overrated to
a degree. It is man like you could play sixty snaps,
have as a d ND. The guy you're being blocked by,
let's say left tackle, dominate you for fifty eight snaps
and then you get two sacks. Now, those two sacks,

(37:09):
when did they come? You know, when did they occur
in the game? How much yardage was lost? You know,
like you have to contextualize stuff. So I'm here for
emphasizing pressure. If he is a if he is really
good at applying pressure to opposing quarterbacks, the team will
benefit even if his sack total isn't great. I'll buy that.

(37:35):
And I could go pick by pick and understand what
the Bengals saw in each of them. Demetrius Knight, twenty
five year old, guy can run downhill, plug the run,
has shown some capability when he's blitzing fine. Dylan Fairchild,
we've talked about to death. Guy that can instantly step
in and win a competition in camp, be the favorite

(37:55):
going in. The Amarius Mems connection is not one that
you should ignore.

Speaker 4 (37:59):
I get it, I get it.

Speaker 6 (38:02):
You know.

Speaker 3 (38:02):
Heck, even we we just we just talked about my guy,
Taz Brooks, Like it's it's pretty easy to see how
he fits in like I, I think you can look
at the players and feel pretty good about what they've
done and understand why they did what they did. Jalen
Rivers they wanted a swing tackle.

Speaker 7 (38:24):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (38:24):
I worry a little bit about his durability, but they
wanted a swing tackle. Barrett Carter, Hey, look, we wanted
to remake the linebacker room. Worst case we have another
special teammates. There's sideline to sideline ability. We have to
get better at this position. We've kind of ignored it
here for a little while. We drafted to let's see
if we could work Barrett Carter into the mix. So
you could just look at the individual players. But drafting

(38:50):
and managing the draft is about more than just picking players.
It's getting the most amount of value from every pick.
Demetrious Knight, you could argue, and maybe this ends up
being an inaccurate way of looking at things based on

(39:12):
how he plays, But I think you can look at
Demetrius Knight to go all right, could they have gotten
him five picks later, thus giving him a better chance
of maximizing his value and giving them another pick that
they could have used on a safety or that they
could have used on a defensive tackle. You could also
look at the draft from the standpoint of just folding

(39:35):
it into the rest of the offseason, like nothing against
anybody that they've acquired, like Oron Burks. We've said this
a bunch of times on this show with the Philadelphia Eagles,
like the late in the postseason was awesome, and TJ.
Slayton on a Green Bay defense that was really good
against the run. It was a big reason why. But

(39:58):
how many times watching the Bengals last season do we
talk about, God, they've got to get better at safety.
They literally have not touched the position. God, they've got
to get better at defensive tackle, especially finding pass rushing
defensive tackles. I know they've acquired some guys as undrafted

(40:19):
college free agents, and you know, I know Howard Cross
is an now golden guy, and there are a lot
of people who really like him, and it's fair to
wonder how things would have panned out for him had he.

Speaker 4 (40:32):
Not gotten hurt.

Speaker 3 (40:34):
But they essentially didn't touch pass rushing three technique and
they did not touch safety. And for a team that
has bonafide Super Bowl aspirations, look, Gino Stowe may play
great this year. Jordan Battle may play great this year.
Both are within the realm of possibility. You're fail safe
against neither of those things happening. It's gonna be a

(40:57):
couple of guys who are very very short on experience
playing defense. At safety, you leve it away from uh
four o'clock five one three, seven, four nine, fifteen thirty
and eight sixty six, seven oh two three seven seven
six gram Ashcraft doing a good job. He's on the
mound right now. Actually he's not because he's just retired
the side. In the sixth inning, Reds are up four

(41:18):
to one, bottom six a game that had a rain delay.

Speaker 4 (41:21):
We will update you as the afternoon unfolds.

Speaker 3 (41:24):
Breniman and Jones on baseball coming up in one hour
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 12 (41:28):
Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the UC Health
Traffic Center.

Speaker 7 (41:36):
You see Welkes Weight Loss Center offers comprehensive obesity care
and advanced surgical expertise. Called five one three nine three
nine two two six three. That's nine three nine two
two sixty three east bound two seventy five. It's an
accident on the left shoulder before seventy one seventy five
northbound seventy five after Mitchell Avenue. Another accident onto the

(41:57):
right shoulder on Running Road. It's an accident north of
Paddock Road, and another accident on Running at Tennessee Avenue.
On that he sound like with the traffic.

Speaker 4 (42:06):
This report is sponsored by Mark had to say my
last name.

Speaker 3 (42:11):
I've known her for seven years. Spencer Steer just went yard.
Reds are up five to one, bottom six at g
A BP. Spencer Red's looking for a split in this series.

Speaker 4 (42:29):
I guess the St.

Speaker 3 (42:30):
Louis Cardinal.

Speaker 4 (42:35):
We'll get to the We might have Robert Wintrob today.

Speaker 3 (42:37):
I like, you know what this is?

Speaker 4 (42:39):
This is what I like. This is this is what
I like.

Speaker 3 (42:41):
I like it when folks who we have on the
show on a regular basis say, Hey, you know, I
got some stuff I want to talk about. Why don't
you have me on? So I gotta gotta tweet here
from our buddy Robert. He's got a draft piece up
at Cincinnati Magazine. We'll take a look at that. We'll
get him on either today or tomorrow. Speak of tomorrow,
we're doing the show at bel Terra Park tomorrow because

(43:03):
it's Oaks Day and it's Derby weekend, one of my
favorite weekends of the year, so looking forward to that.

Speaker 4 (43:09):
They're not doing live racing.

Speaker 3 (43:13):
Because of some of the recent weather issues they've been having,
So no live racing tomorrow for Oaks Day, which is
a bit of a bummer. But sports book is still
open and the Racino is still open, So there there
you go, Tony. You watching the Reds game right now? Yes,
did that ball almost decapitate that little boy who's holding

(43:36):
it right now?

Speaker 9 (43:38):
No? No, he tried to catch it in that little
little ice cream cup.

Speaker 3 (43:41):
Okay, and he missed it, all right, So Spencer Steer's
home run. The little kid tried to again, I mean
a kid looks like he's about in the sixth grade,
tried to catch it with his ice cream cup.

Speaker 9 (43:50):
Yep, don't do that, missed it, and then he took
it from the girl.

Speaker 4 (43:54):
I figured he took it from a girl.

Speaker 9 (43:57):
Yeah, you know what. He hit the ground and two
people to get it. A girl was trying to get
it in. He took it from her, a grown woman
or a girl. No, a little girl that was in
his class or oh so like it's on.

Speaker 4 (44:07):
A field trip.

Speaker 3 (44:08):
I no, it's a big field trip day today at
the ballpark, so like, what do you think about it?
Like sixth seventh grade, a kid looked like the shirt
they had on says sixth grade, said sixth grade. I
don't know, man, Like I would tell the kid like, hey, buddy,
give it to the girl, like there's you know, chivalry
should not be dead. Give it to the girl who knows.

(44:29):
You never know, man, I don't know if they have
I don't know they have dances in the sixth grade.
But if they do, ye, just just trying to help
you out here, buddy. But briefly, when they showed the replay,
I thought they're showing this because I think something really
bad happened. But fortunately and not the case. And more important,
Spencer Steer adds to the Reds lead. They're going to

(44:49):
the top of the seventh inning at GABP. Reds are
up five to one, five one, three, seven, four nine.
I felt bad last night. We were talking about this
in the office a little bit. I felt bad last
night for Chase Petty, who made his big league debut
and the Cardinals clobbered him. I don't know.

Speaker 4 (45:11):
I don't know what's easier.

Speaker 3 (45:13):
Chase Petty got the call yesterday was Wednesday, got the
call Tuesday night and hey, you're coming to the show,
and within twenty four hours. You know, he's got to
get to Cincinnati. He's got to tell whoever he's got
to tell, He's got to get those folks to the
ballpark if he can. He's got to deal with all

(45:33):
the emotions that come with finding out you have made
the big leagues and you're pitching against the Saint Louis
Cardinals in game two of a doubleheader, and you do
all that within twenty four hours. I don't know if
that's better or worse than you find out you're gonna
be that guy and you have a few days to prepare.

Speaker 6 (45:52):
But I.

Speaker 3 (45:54):
Felt bad for him last night. He certainly everybody who
has watched him pitch believes he has a very very
bright few future. But uh, that was that was a
tough tough ask last night. I do think you have
to give credit and Terry Francona did after the game
to Brent Souter that was a lost cause Brent Suter
and Lion Richardson for at least holding the fort down
and uh not necessitating any more calls to the bullpen.

(46:17):
So and Terry said after the game last night.

Speaker 4 (46:20):
Sorry.

Speaker 3 (46:21):
Tito said after the game last night that if they
win today, the work of those two relievers will be
a major reason why. Five point three seven four nine
fifteen thirty is our phone number. You can send a
tweet at moegar.

Speaker 13 (46:34):
Well.

Speaker 3 (46:34):
By the way, I'm giving away an FC Cincinnati soccer
ball thanks to Skyline Chili. Go there now at moegar.
It is coming up on four o'clock. My name is Moeggar,
and you're listening to ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station.

Speaker 14 (46:47):
Listening to the fourth best radio show in Cincinnati, according
to the readers at City Bead magazine, The Moeger Show
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station.

Speaker 3 (46:57):
That's what's not five after four? This is ESPN fifteen
thirty Aloegger. Thank you for listening today. I'll be having
like the coolest Thursday of all time? Can we have
like one day where it doesn't rain? It has started
to rain again at GABP, although it doesn't look like
it's that heavy. I see umbrellas, I see people wearing

(47:20):
rain slickers. Does anybody under the age of eighty eight
called a rain slicker? Reds are winning the game, it's
five to one. Red's bottom seven at GABP. Spencer Steer
hit a home run. Jose Travino has hit a home run.
He has driven in three grand Ashcraft on the hill
in relief of Andrew Abbott has done a good job today.

(47:41):
I love I love Graham Ashcraft out of the bullpen
and would love it equally as much if the Reds
can close out the Cardinals, win this game and salvage,
if you will, a split of the series.

Speaker 4 (47:56):
Brendanvan and Jones on Baseball coming up later on this hour.

Speaker 3 (47:59):
If you've missed any of our good draft reaction content
this week, go get it all on the iHeartRadio app.
Joe Goodbarry was with us yesterday. Joe is I think
in terms of like people we get on to talk
specifically about draft prospects, I think he's easily our most popular,
and that's no knock on anybody else. Joe has a
great following. I've watched Joe on social media today go

(48:22):
back and forth with some fans who think he's maybe
being a little bit negative, Like, I understand how this works, man,
Like it's the Bengals had a season last year that
wasn't great right goes without saying, and it ended four
months ago. And the beauty of the National Football League
is it just it constantly gives your reasons to turn

(48:44):
the page from what just happened to what's next. The
combines like now two weeks after the Super Bowl, and
that kicks in to gear the draft process, and then
there's free agency and after draft, the draft and free agency,
nobody wants to hear anything beyond hey, your team has
a chance to be really, really good. Part of what
makes part of what makes it worth scrutinizing every single

(49:07):
thing the Bengals do is because of number nine and
because of the weapons that number nine has, they have
a chance to be pretty good. As bad as things
were last year, they still finished with a winning record,
but they weren't close to winning a championship. And that
is the lens through which I think we should be

(49:29):
looking at things now. Win a championship. I always think
it's unfair to call a season super bowl or bust,
because it's hard to.

Speaker 4 (49:39):
Win a super Bowl.

Speaker 3 (49:42):
At the same time, when they drafted Joe Burrow number
one overall in twenty twenty, that was done with the
idea that this is the guy we can win a
title with. That may have seemed far fetched and the
run up to the twenty twenty draft and on Draft
Night in twenty twenty.

Speaker 4 (49:58):
But that was the idea, we win a champion with
this guy.

Speaker 3 (50:04):
Five years have passed, They've obviously come close, but they're
entering this window that number one, I think is going
to determine how we look at the Joe Burrow era.
And when I say window, I mean like three years.
That's that's not to say that they can't win one

(50:24):
in five years. It's not to say, but it is
interesting for as much as people are already worrying about
like Ellie de la Cruz leaving and Hunter Green leaving
and players like that, like well, then the clock is
taking at just the same pace for Joe Burrow. So
you do not know what's going to happen the next decade.
You don't know what's going to happen next year. And
I know I've said this before, there have only been

(50:48):
a handful of quarterbacks who have won their first Super
Bowl after they have played eight seasons in the National
Football League. Where we're getting for ready, we're getting ready
for year number six, and then there's a year number seven,
year three, the next years. So I look at everything
now and I think we should do this, look at
everything through the lens of does this push them toward
winning a championship? Does it feel to you that this

(51:14):
offseason as a whole has pushed the Bengals closer to
winning a championship? Now it is a step in the
right direction. The goal is to win a championship in
the short term. That they brought t Higgins back, I
believe that was the right thing to do. I kind
of believe it was sort of a no brainer. But

(51:38):
the way in which they did it and the amount
of time it took them to do it came at
a cost this offseason, by Katie Blackburn's own admission, the
amount of time and energy on the T Higgins thing
and the amount of money on the T Higgins thing
deflected them away from things they could have done in
free agency. I think it is a plus that Trey

(52:02):
Hendrickson is gonna be a Bengal in twenty twenty five.
And that's a thing now, Like if they didn't trade
him before the draft or during the drafts, they're sure
as hell not gonna trade him now. And good fine
We'll see how goofy it gets with Trey hendricks and
if there's a hold in a hold out, if he
doesn't show for preseason games, this now becomes the question

(52:23):
of the offseason. Does Trey Hendrickson miss regular season games
that count that he gets paid for?

Speaker 4 (52:29):
We will see.

Speaker 3 (52:29):
I'm gonna assume that he doesn't. So you got Trey
Hendrickson back this year, You got t Higgins back this year.
Those are good reason Trey Hendrickson's on the team this
year is because him being a Bengal better is their
chance of winning a title than.

Speaker 4 (52:42):
If he's not here.

Speaker 9 (52:44):
It's good.

Speaker 3 (52:45):
What else have they done to push them toward winning
a championship this season? And I'm watching Joe on social
media here go back and forth with some fans, and
he points out, like on defense, they signed one starter
in free agency, Like, I get a guess, Aaron Burks
as a backup, not a bad backup, that's the role

(53:06):
he was in in Philadelphia, didn't exactly pay him starters money,
and they just drafted two linebackers. Plus they still have
Logan Wilson, and I guess, if I have to be technical,
they still have Jermaine Pratt, although I think we're all
we're all in standby mode to find out when he
gets cut. One starter one TJ. Slayton's gonna start one

(53:29):
starter in free agency and then in the draft, they
used half their picks on offense. Now, the picks they
used on offense may be terrific. They needed a guard.
I would have been okay with them taking a guard
in round one. Dylan Fairchild fine, and nobody has any

(53:52):
issue with that. And Jalen Rivers may turn out to
be exactly what they're looking for swing tackle. We'll see
Taj Brooks, we just had on his college position coach
big Toaj Brooks guy. But they used half their picks
on offense after signing one legitimate starter in free agency.
On defense, does it feel like they have from a

(54:17):
talent perspective, because I know the counter to this is
going to be, well, yeah, but they hired Al Golden, Dude,
They're putting a lot on Al Golden. Now, I mean
Al Golden might be the greatest defensive coordinator of all time.

Speaker 4 (54:30):
They are putting a lot on that, dude.

Speaker 3 (54:34):
Does it feel like from a roster construction perspective building
the defense that they have taken a step toward winning
a championship.

Speaker 4 (54:45):
This coming season. Does it feel like they are building
a championship caliber defense?

Speaker 3 (54:49):
And you know I could see it now, You're going, well,
they only have to be okay on defense. Okay, Week eighteen,
division title is on the line. Joe Burrow has hung
thirty five points on the Ravens. Baltimore's got the ball
down four starting at their own twenty five. You trust

(55:15):
this defense to get off the field, Trust this defense
to get a stop, Trust this defense to end the game.
Trust this defense to finish like it's You could judge
them by where they are, you know, metrically, or where
they are in overall defense rankings, that sort of thing, right, Like,
nobody believes the Bengals are going to have a top

(55:35):
five defense. Few although we had a phone call the
other day from our guy Jarvis who said they'll have
a top ten defense. I think most sort of go okay,
middle of the pack defense at best, and if so,
this team's gonna be okay. But the defense is currently constructed. Heck,
don't even make it about Week eighteen, Week one where
the Bengals have not won their the first game of

(55:57):
the season since twenty twenty one. Trusting this defense, I
don't know who the opponent's going to be. Oh, no, man.
And so from from the perspective of those of us
who watched the Bengals last year and saw what should
have been a playoff season go up and smoke because
of how bad the defense was, it is, I think

(56:21):
pretty at best interesting. I would argue alarming, perhaps even sobering,
that they've done relatively so little to the defense. And man,
if it works, Al Golden's going to be up for
NFL head coaching jobs.

Speaker 4 (56:39):
Because he's gonna get all the credit. I think about
that for a second.

Speaker 3 (56:43):
Like if the Bengals get back to the playoffs next year,
like lou Anarumo got head coaching consideration, I don't think
Al Golden's gonna be talked about if he could take
largely the same defense and and get it to the
point that it an asset rather than a liability, an
asset for a championship caliber team rather than a liability

(57:05):
for a team that's on the outside looking in. So like,
nobody wants to hear negativity on May first, and I
don't like sounding negative. I'm skeptical and the Bengals have
earned that skepticism. Duke Tobin has earned that skepticism. The
bengals recent drafts have earned them that skepticism. But also,
like I watched last year's team, I do not recall

(57:28):
anybody who in December didn't think the Bengals needed a
defensive overhaul. They haven't gotten one, and they've left some
positions in the draft, specifically where we talked a lot
about them needing help and they got none. It is
an interesting strategy, to say the least. It is a

(57:51):
risky strategy. I think that goes without saying it is
a strategy that if it works, Duke Tobin's gonna get
a lot of credit. Zach Taylor's going to get a
lot of credit. Hell no, hell, we all know Al
Golden's going to get a lot of credit if it fails.
Think about the fallout if it fails, and like that's
that's kind of one of the subtexts to the season.

(58:13):
Many have said Zach Taylor's on the hot seat. Who
knows if Duke Tobin is certainly Joe Burrow's going to
be watching. We will see uh reds have broken and
open it at GABP Santiago Espanal with the two run single.
It's now eight one reds. There are two women in
the stands jumping up and down. They're all excited. Eight
one reds bottom seven at wet and rainy GABP seventeen

(58:40):
after four o'clock. Five point three seven four nine fifteen
thirty is our phone number and eight six six seven
two three seven seven six gets you in as well.
It is seventeen after four. This is ESPN fifteen thirty,
Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 12 (58:57):
Station, Cincinnati's esp You're in fifteen thirty traffic.

Speaker 7 (59:03):
From the UC Help Traffic Center. You see WELPS Weight
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called five one three nine three nine two two sixty three.
That's nine three nine two two sixty three. Still got
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(59:25):
That is an eight minute delay in eastbound two seventy
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Speaker 4 (59:33):
This report is sponsored by expresspros dot com. If you're
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what are we doing?

Speaker 3 (59:41):
It's four twenty on ESPN, fifteen thirty. Why are we?

Speaker 15 (59:44):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (59:44):
Why are we slowing it down? Why are we playing
sexy time music? He REEDA, I'm just excited the Reds
are winning.

Speaker 9 (59:52):
I was excited. I played even more happy hyphen You
know rainy days, you know Maison Colls might get this, Enno,
it's nipen is this?

Speaker 4 (01:00:00):
Are you playing slow? James?

Speaker 3 (01:00:02):
Because the Lakers lost, I had to go there, Huh,
what do we do with that man? Because they acquired
Luca Right. I watched four of the five games in
that series. About two and a half quarters into the
first game against Minnesota, I thought, LA is not going
to win this.

Speaker 4 (01:00:23):
We like what we don't know if Lebron's going to
come back.

Speaker 9 (01:00:27):
He's coming back.

Speaker 4 (01:00:28):
He should come back.

Speaker 9 (01:00:29):
We'll give it one He'll give it one more year.
We'll see what we can do. He'll restruct this contract,
try to make the team better. We have no beaks.

Speaker 3 (01:00:35):
There's no doubt about that. That that is they are
too small and uh, there's no question about that. No,
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Speaker 9 (01:00:45):
And I don't think for viewership. I much rather see
Okay s versus Minnesota.

Speaker 4 (01:00:48):
No question about that.

Speaker 3 (01:00:49):
Although Minnesota missed forty threes last night, won an NBA
playoff closeout game on the road.

Speaker 4 (01:00:56):
I was staggering.

Speaker 3 (01:00:58):
I'm not a huge critic of the modern you know
where people say, well, they shoot too many threes last night,
those two teams shot too many threes, forty threes they missed,
and want a close out game on the road.

Speaker 9 (01:01:09):
Hopefully your Nickson closed out tonight, hope.

Speaker 4 (01:01:11):
So I'm skeptical, man, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:01:13):
I don't know. Detroit's been the better team across five games,
and they're shorthanded.

Speaker 4 (01:01:20):
I don't know. I don't want it to get to
a game seven. So hopefully they can close it out tonight.

Speaker 9 (01:01:27):
I made You're probably be in a bad mood on
Sunday on Monday if they were to lose in seven, well.

Speaker 3 (01:01:31):
You get the buffer of Sunday. You won't have to
be around me on If they lose in seven, you
won't have to be around me on Sunday. And pretty
much what you then should do is just think of
my wife and my daughter and what it's going to
be like for them. If I'm walking around the house
on Sunday and they have blown a three to one lead.
Here's the thing, Like they're gonna they win. Let's say
they win tonight, They're gonna get crushed by Boston. I
am I'm not harboring any delusional thoughts that if they

(01:01:55):
win this series they could get to the finals, they
would lose to Boston. And if they could somehow get
past the Celtics, which they won't. Indiana's better than them
and showed as much when they played them in the
regular season, and the Cavaliers just destroyed the next every
time they played. But it'd be fun to win a series.
It's fun to win a playoff series, and I you know,
to do that for a third straight year. From a

(01:02:17):
standpoint of a fan who you know, whose team was
irrelevant for basically twenty years, I think that'd be pretty cool.
And so all I'm asking for is just win this
series and then I'll take a gentleman's sweep lost to
the Celtics where they lose in five games, because that's
the most likely outcome. So I'm not I'm not like
under the not under the illusion that well, if they

(01:02:38):
if they win this game tomorrow, or tonight or win
this series. Then here we go like they're they're not
good enough. They weren't good enough all year long. They're
not better than any of the three remaining teams in
the East. But it would be cool to win a series.

Speaker 4 (01:02:51):
Hopefully they do.

Speaker 3 (01:02:54):
What do we have here? Let's talk to other people.
Brendaman and Jones on Baseball is coming up in about
twenty five minutes. Luke, you're on ESPN fifteen thirty high.

Speaker 13 (01:03:01):
Luke, Hey, Mo, how are you?

Speaker 4 (01:03:04):
I'm awesome. What's going on?

Speaker 15 (01:03:08):
Not too much?

Speaker 13 (01:03:08):
Just wanted to talk about the Bengals. You're you know,
giving him a give him a hard time about you know,
half the picks being on offense, Yeah, and not signing
anybody in free agency.

Speaker 3 (01:03:19):
I don't think.

Speaker 4 (01:03:19):
I don't think.

Speaker 3 (01:03:20):
I don't think I've given him a hard time about
using half the picks on defense.

Speaker 11 (01:03:24):
That's just a thing that happened, right, Yeah, that's okay, Yeah,
you know, But I the way I look at it is,
I don't know.

Speaker 13 (01:03:31):
I don't know what spot you're looking at that needs
a lot of help other than Geno Stone, which when
we signed him last year, everybody thought he was going
to be you know, a great player. He was a
good player for Baltimore and then came here and just
didn't quite I mean, I hated watching him last year.
He didn't look good. But he looked good towards the
third the end of the year, so you know, maybe

(01:03:53):
there's some hope there. But outside of Geno Stone, I'm
not sure who you're thinking we could have or should
have added that would the defense, you know, that would
make you more comfortable with them right now.

Speaker 3 (01:04:04):
Somebody who can help them rush the pass or up
the middle. Now I know the answer to that is
gonna be, well, they're gonna kick some edge guys to
the inside on passing downs and that's great and it
may work. And frankly, I don't think there's been nearly
as much of that as there should have been with Louennarumo.
But it's been hard the last couple of years when
we have talked about their overall lack of pass rush

(01:04:25):
minus Trey Hendrickson up the middle, it's it's it's It
would have been hard to imagine back in December the
Bengals going through the offseason and not adding to the
interior pass rush and then keeping Gino Stone is one thing,
like I certainly can understand. Look, maybe it was just
a bad year, a bad fit with louenn Arumo. We

(01:04:48):
think Al Golden can get a lot out of this
guy like that. That's fine. The backup plan being a
guy who's barely played or a guy who's not played
at all, is interesting, right. I mean again, go back
to December. If I would have said toward the end
of the year, they're gonna ride or die with Gino
Stone and not challenge him, not bringing anybody else, if

(01:05:08):
I would have said that two weeks ago, I think
you probably would have said, that's probably not gonna be
the casing. Yet that's where we are.

Speaker 13 (01:05:15):
Yeah, I'm with you there, I just don't see. I
don't see, you know. I mean, like if we still
had Jesse Bates, that'd be great, but he's not here,
and I don't see who you know. I mean, I
guess there's uh, there might be some options that we
could still sign now, uh for some some of the
guys that are older but are still around. But in
terms of your safety, I mean, but in terms of
into your pass rush, you know, we got Chris Jenkins

(01:05:38):
and McKinley Jackson that are second and fourth round picks
from last year that you know you'd hope, you'd hope
they're going to develop. Both of them showed some good
stuff last year, you know, so I think at the
end of the day, you know, you're you're you're not
just gonna be able to buy good players at every spot.
If you're looking for a Super Bowl, A lot of
that's gonna come on the on the back of your

(01:05:59):
drag fix. And I guess, I guess we're hoping that
those guys pan out from last year and this year.
And you know, to me, I don't know. I guess
I'm just more hopeful. So it's more fun, more fun
for me to be hopeful.

Speaker 3 (01:06:11):
No, but look but by all means no, no, no
question about it. And I appreciate the phone call. They
have four defensive tackles on the roster right now now.
They they did add some as undrafted college free agents.
Four defensive tackles on the roster. McKinley Jackson and Chris

(01:06:32):
Jenkins may turn out to be awesome. Like there's I
think me a little bit more so Chris Jenkins than
McKinley Jackson. In large Part one was taken before the
other of the draft there, it does feel like there's
something there. And again, like TJ. Slayton's been terrific against
the run. The reason the Bengals took a pass rusher
in the twenty twenty three draft was the pass rush

(01:06:53):
has been lacking for a while. I remember after they
lost to Kansas City in the twenty twenty two AFC
Championship game, when we put that game to bed and
put the season to bed, and we started to talk about,
all right, what's next, And it was, you know, replacing
Jesse Bates, right, he was walking and so all right,
and then you know, working some things around on the

(01:07:16):
offensive line. And they went out and got Orlando Brown
and we started to talk about like the running back position,
and you know, they brought back Joe Mixon for one
more year. And then after a couple of weeks, I
remember asking, I think it was during the hour we

(01:07:37):
spent with Paul Danner Junior, like, hey, did anybody else
notice the pass rush last year was kind of lacking?
So what do they did? They drafted Miles Murphy. Now
he's an edge guy and it hasn't worked. Point being this,
we've been talking about the lack of pass rush. Now
for a while, Shamar Stewart was drafted to help, and
sure you can. You can kick some edge guys inside.

(01:07:58):
But for a team that is been looking to make
its pass rush better for a while now, it is
interesting the relative lack of movement at defensive tackle, pass rushing,
defensive tackles. What they're doing may work. Again, they got

(01:08:20):
number nine. We said often last year, like on defense,
who scares you? On defense? What about this group keeps
the other team's offensive coordinator up at night? Obviously you
got to figure out how to block Trey Hendrickson. What
else is there? We asked that often last year. I
fear we're gonna ask it occasionally this season. Now I

(01:08:44):
will certainly grant you this. There's a lot of young
dudes at corner. There's a lot of guys they've drafted
early at corner. And if this defense is dramatically better,
chances are that's the area of the team we're gonna
look at more than anything in the front seven. And
if there was an area of the team I think
where you were comfortable bringing back everybody and not really
adding to it, it was corner. Maybe Al Golden can

(01:09:08):
squeeze more out of these corners we will see. Sports
headlines are next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 12 (01:09:13):
Station, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the UC Health
Traffic Center.

Speaker 7 (01:09:21):
You see what helps weight loss center offers comprehensive obesity
care and advanced surgical expertise called five one three, nine three,
nine two two six three. That's nine three, nine two
two sixty three. A disabled truck blocks the ramp lane
on southbound seventy five after Union Center Boulevard. It's an
accident on Columbia Parkway at Stanley Avenue. Vehicle there into

(01:09:43):
a poll and rutting road. It's still got that crash
at Tennessee Avenue on that ezelic with traffic.

Speaker 3 (01:09:50):
Service of Kelsey Chevrolet, home of lifetime powertrain protection and
guaranteed credit approval from their family to yours for life
kelseyshev dot com. So you know how the Reds have
had some games this year, excuse me, some games this year,
most notably the one where they score twenty four against
the Orioles and then the next day they score like

(01:10:12):
zero runs or one run, and you know, everybody complains,
and then you know, well they should have saved some
runs for the next day. What do we do with
nine runs? Now?

Speaker 4 (01:10:21):
They haven't needed all nine. The Reds have scored nine runs.

Speaker 3 (01:10:24):
They're in the top of the ninth inning right now,
and so the Cardinals would have to score eight times
for the Reds to come to the plate, which means
the Reds are probably done scoring. But they just scored
a run in the eighth when they already had an
eight nothing or an eight to one lead. When you
have hit nine, is that is that they should have

(01:10:45):
saved some runs for tomorrow? Terror When when is the cutoff?
Is it ten runs? Is it when you're two grand
slams up on the opponent? When do we start worrying
that they maybe didn't save enough runs for the next game?
Reds are up nine to one. Luis May just struck
out the first batter he faced in his big league
debut Cincinnati. This game had a rain delay in it.

(01:11:09):
Andrew Abbott went four. They put the tarp on the field,
so they pulled him. Then Graham Ascraft came out and
he was awesome. Three innings of shutout baseball. Did not
give a hit, did not give up a hit, did
not walk anybody and struck out four. Jose Travino has
driven in three, two of them on his third home
run of the season. Spencer Steer his third home run

(01:11:29):
of the season. Noelvee Marte A couple of hits. He
is now slugging five eighty six Santiago Espanol, A couple
of hits he has driven into. Matt McLean had hit
today Yeah in the two hole.

Speaker 4 (01:11:41):
Matt McLain. Red's up nine to one, top nine at
GABP of this score holds, the Reds will have earned
a split homestand continues tomorrow with the first of four
I'm sorry, first of three against the Washington Nationals. Xavier.

Speaker 3 (01:12:00):
Today announced that ESPN has announced that the field for
the Charleston Classic, which the Musketeers will be playing in,
will feature, along with the Musketeers in their bracket, Clemson, Georgia,
and West Virginia. It was also announced today that Kentucky
is going to play Saint John's in Atlanta as part

(01:12:22):
of the CBS Sports Classic. This is an event that
is over a decade old and has included UH Kentucky,
North Carolina, Ohio State, and UCLA. UCLA is being replaced
by Saint John's and Dylan Mitchell. That game is going
to be on December twentieth in Atlanta.

Speaker 4 (01:12:41):
There you go. I thought I had something else, and
as it turns out, I do not.

Speaker 3 (01:12:47):
Five point three seven four nine fifteen thirty and eight
sixty six seven oh two three seven seven six. It's uh,
it's not about being negative or positive as it relates
to the Bengals. I think it's about making like a
fair and objective assessment. And you know, we've we've kind
of run through a lot of the different draft grades

(01:13:07):
and draft analysts and gotten their take on what the
Bengals have done.

Speaker 4 (01:13:12):
And and you know, it's if if you choose to
just watch the game on Sundays and.

Speaker 3 (01:13:21):
Not really not really pay very close attention to the
transactions a team involves itself in during the offseason, that
is totally cool.

Speaker 6 (01:13:33):
Man.

Speaker 3 (01:13:33):
Like I have friends of mine who are, you know,
huge Bengals fans who live and die with them every
Sunday who honestly don't care a ton about the draft
and the structure of contracts and all that stuff. And
that's that's totally fine. I think, though, if you have
paid attention this offseason and you watched last year. It
is striking how how really relatively little movement there has

(01:14:02):
actually been. I think that's I think that's the best
and most fair way to clock it, if you will,
Relative to last year's team, which wasted an MVP caliber
performance by Joe Burrow, there's just been a relatively small

(01:14:26):
amount of activity in fixing the defense. That's all again, Man,
it may work. I mean honest with you, I prefer
skepticism over just being critical. That skepticism is earned. How
many times last year did we wonder who on the

(01:14:48):
Bengals defense? As an opposing offensive coordinator, are you concerned
about screwing up the game plan? About taking you out
of everything you want to do? A defense is still
largely intact. It And that's me saying it. You do

(01:15:08):
this for a living, and I'm a Bengals fan. But
and there's a lot of people who just look at
this league objectively and like some of the individual players
the Bengals have taken. I like some of the individual
players the Bengals have taken for what that's worth, which
is very little. But look at last year's defense versus
the defense they have right now. It looks familiar. It

(01:15:32):
looks similar. Ball game's over at GABP nineteen away from
five o'clock. Brendanman and Jones on baseball is coming up
here in just a bit. We'll have instant reaction from
the ballpark. Is the Reds earn a split in the
series against the Saint Louis Cardinals today was badly needed?
Or at least it felt like it was badly needed.
Red's are backup to two over five hundred. We'll get

(01:15:54):
to that next on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 12 (01:15:56):
Station Cincinnati's ESPN two thirty. Traffic from the UC Help
Traffic Center.

Speaker 7 (01:16:04):
You see we helps Weight Loss center offers comprehensive obesity
care and advanced surgical expertise called five one three nine
three nine two two six three. That's nine three, nine
two two sixty three some found seventy five after Union
Center Boulevard. A disabled truck has got the ramp lane
blocked off on third over at Race Street. It's an accident.

(01:16:25):
Another accident in on the double A Highway, this one
at Pools Creek Road on at Ezelk with traffic.

Speaker 9 (01:16:32):
This report is sponsored by Loads.

Speaker 3 (01:16:35):
And tickets to every Riverbend show this year You can
do that if you go to the contest and promotions
page at ESPN fifteen thirty dot com. It's the Mow
your Long Contest, best contest. We do one winner, two
awesome prizes. You win the mower uh and you win
all the tickets to all the shows at Riverbend this year.

(01:16:55):
And you know what the best part is If you win,
I come over your house and I won't overstay my welcome,
but I'll bring the lawnmower, and I'll bring the tickets
and we'll hang out and then you can tell me
to leave. I always offer to cut the winner's grass.
Nobody ever takes me up on it, which is completely fine.
But anyway, we're going to announce the winner in a

(01:17:16):
couple of weeks, three weeks. See you have some time,
but go ahead and sign up now. I've I've got
links up on my social media at Moeger thanks to
Bax the Tractor and Riverbend Music Center, good Luck. We
announced the winner on May four thirty. The Mow You're
Along contest a mower, all the River Bend tickets. You
cannot beat it Today felt badly needed for the Reds.

(01:17:37):
Not just a victory, but to a degree the way
it unfolded. So lose two games yesterday, Abbott has to
leave after four. They've had to go to their bullpen.
Here a little bit. They got three really good innings
from Graham Ashcraft today and then Taylor Rogers came on
for an inning and Luis May finished up the ninth.

(01:18:00):
After getting called up, they sent Alexis Diaz down, which
we talked about yesterday. This felt, this felt badly needed.
And again there's not a you know, a huge difference.
I guess man, there's no difference. One game is the
mathematical difference between seventeen and fifteen and sixteen and sixteen.
But you know, you swept the Rockies, which you should
have done because they're terrible. You come back home, you

(01:18:21):
win the first one against the Cardinals, you can't lose
the next three. Fortunately they did not. Jose Travino continues
to be terrific. I have not even started to think
about who should make the All Star team. Is there
a National League catcher having a better season than Jose Travino?

(01:18:42):
I mean, like, I'm I'm the Tyler Stevenson guy, the
the guy that said, let's let's find Tyler Stevenson's All
Star odds, and I'm asking this and I have not
looked it up, although I do have internet access so
I could do this on my own. Has there been
a better just in the National League, a better catcher
then Jose? He hasn't been awesome, thrown out runners. The

(01:19:03):
Alexis Dias game did not do him any favors, where
the Marlin stole four bases in one inning against him.
Jose Travino a homer today, his third, He is driven
in three. His numbers. You know, we don't talk about
batting average anymore, and understandably so I think he came

(01:19:27):
into today at three twenty nine. I said I had
internet access. My computer is frozen.

Speaker 4 (01:19:33):
A terrific pickup.

Speaker 3 (01:19:34):
He was great today, so is the Red's bullpen, and
they split the series, which all things considered, not awful. Well,
hear from Jose Travino coming up after the top of
the hour. But first it's time for Brenneman and Jones
on Baseball to.

Speaker 4 (01:19:49):
Win a thousand dollars entered this nationwide Keward on our website.

Speaker 3 (01:19:53):
Green, that's green, enter it now, what's up?

Speaker 4 (01:20:04):
Good ad for now?

Speaker 3 (01:20:05):
I unplucked my headphones This is ESPN fifteen thirty I'm oegar,
it is the mikelob Ultra five o'clock Happy Hour on
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the Reds want a gabp. You'll hear from some of
the particulars as we say in just a couple of minutes,
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interrupted day at the ballpark, but a winning day at
the ballpark for the Reds.

Speaker 4 (01:20:39):
They earn a split in their series against the Cardinals.

Speaker 3 (01:20:42):
After the mini disastrous doubleheader yesterday, nine won the final score. Today,
Cincinnati got on the board early thanks to Jose Travino,
who hit a two run homer in the second. Andrew
Abbott started, he was okay through four. They put the
tarp on the field. Abbot obviously did not come back out.
Graham Ashcraft did. He was terrific. You'll hear from Jose Travino.

(01:21:05):
You'll hear from Graham Ashcraft First, let's hear from Red's
manager Terry Francona after the game.

Speaker 8 (01:21:13):
So, Terry, out of the rain delay, you guys seem
to be really aggressive at the plate in that fourth inning.
What was the difference or was there a difference?

Speaker 7 (01:21:22):
You know?

Speaker 16 (01:21:23):
No, I mean I agree, we came out really well
and we had good energy and good enthusiasm, which was
one of our goals because on a daylight today, after
a day like yesterday, just having that energy is really
really important. It's not going to get you hits, but
it keeps you in the game, and I think our
guys are good enough for they'll get hits.

Speaker 8 (01:21:46):
What did you see from Graham today? Obviously three perfect innings.

Speaker 16 (01:21:50):
We kind of gambled a little bit going with him
out of the Chuote and perfect case was he was
going to be able to go three and that's exactly
what he did. That was I mean, he filled it
up with strikes and two different pitches and and quality pitches.

Speaker 3 (01:22:08):
That's about.

Speaker 16 (01:22:09):
That's a that was really fun to watch.

Speaker 17 (01:22:11):
You mentioned last night with the worker suitor and and
Lion Richardson and then you're throwing all your leader. I
think he got thirty five retir retired in a row.

Speaker 9 (01:22:19):
That's just stepping out from your bowling.

Speaker 3 (01:22:21):
And I didn't know that number.

Speaker 16 (01:22:24):
Actually just texted lyon and I told his suit her
cause what they did last night gave us a chance
today to not hurt somebody and to win the game.

Speaker 3 (01:22:34):
They didn't even seem too rapped up.

Speaker 11 (01:22:36):
He was just doing anything out there.

Speaker 4 (01:22:39):
I bet you he had a heartbeat.

Speaker 13 (01:22:41):
M M.

Speaker 16 (01:22:42):
I bet you had a little heart beat going. He
it was a it was a good situation to get
him in, and he threw the ball very well.

Speaker 17 (01:22:50):
So they're just given how the weather ended up impacting
a serious causing the whole the whole heater yesterday.

Speaker 9 (01:22:57):
Is this about his gritty and kind of a.

Speaker 16 (01:22:59):
Good as four games split as you go for. I mean,
we move on pretty quickly, and you know me well
enough now already. But I cared about today and today.
You know, guys, we're attle tired.

Speaker 11 (01:23:12):
I get it.

Speaker 16 (01:23:12):
Well, you guys are probably tired too. It's long, you know,
But we played with good energy and that's.

Speaker 4 (01:23:17):
What I appreciate. Terry Francona.

Speaker 3 (01:23:21):
After the game, you heard him reference Lion Richardson and
Brent Souter, who ate a bunch of innings last night,
which was certainly helpful in what was an otherwise loss,
caused nine to won the final score. Today, I mentioned
Graham Ashcraft. You heard Terry Francona talk about him. There
a season high three inning performance for him.

Speaker 4 (01:23:39):
Today.

Speaker 3 (01:23:39):
He has been really good out of the bullpen. He
has basically had I think we would say two bad outings,
and one of them against the Seattle Mariners. The team's
defense did him no favors. He was terrific today. He
has embraced the bullpen roll. He continues to keep the
ball in the ballpark, which we knew he can do.
And they they needed three. You take what you can get.

(01:24:01):
They got the full three from Graham today. Here is
the Reds reliever after the game.

Speaker 9 (01:24:06):
Was that, as Chris, But three innings as you've had
it at this level at least.

Speaker 17 (01:24:11):
I mean, I would say outside of maybe two or
three starts in my starting career, I mean I would say, yeah,
I mean that, there hasn't been many times where I've
gone nine up, nine down, And I mean stuff was
really good today. I mean filling the zone up, and
I guess some guys making some place behind me. The
wife of book reliever, especially the non closers can be
not glamorous and a lot of work is needed of

(01:24:32):
you guys in between what you did and the other
guys today and then the guys yesterday.

Speaker 9 (01:24:36):
How important was it just to save this series for
you guys from the bull man?

Speaker 6 (01:24:39):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (01:24:40):
I mean it's it's huge.

Speaker 17 (01:24:41):
You know, when we have multiple guys that can go
out there and give us more two innings and go
and give us shutdown innings.

Speaker 3 (01:24:46):
I mean, it saves the pen.

Speaker 17 (01:24:47):
I mean it allows our guys that are back end
guys to have a day to where instead of them
having to go out and maybe throw somebody that there's
one in and go and throw two, or somebody that
throws one not having to throw at all. I mean,
it helps save them because I mean it's a long season,
and the more that we can have games like that,
it just helps us throughout the year. And if everybody's
staying healthy.

Speaker 16 (01:25:07):
You fully converted to this bullpen thing, and hell, how
bid do you think you can be going forward?

Speaker 7 (01:25:13):
You know?

Speaker 17 (01:25:13):
I mean I feel like I'm right there where I
need to be and know it, whatever the team needs
for me, that's all that's all I can do. I mean,
I'm gonna go out and give it what I can
and whatever the results is that is, you know. I mean,
things are going good right now, and I like for
it to plan that way and stay that way. But
you know, baseball season's roller coaster and you just never
know what's gonna happen. So you just have to continue

(01:25:34):
with what you get.

Speaker 4 (01:25:35):
And you doll your aggressively of en ouch.

Speaker 9 (01:25:41):
I mean I would say yes and no.

Speaker 17 (01:25:44):
I mean, I'm just kind of taking what I got
and going after guys and just trying to shut them down.

Speaker 9 (01:25:49):
I mean, that's it's what I'm here to do.

Speaker 17 (01:25:51):
So I mean, whatever happens that way, you know, just
going out and letting letting big.

Speaker 3 (01:25:56):
Dog eat three outstanding innings for a gram Ashcraft today
a key to today's nine to one Reds victory. Jose
Travino had another big impact on the game today three
driven in had a two run homer in the second inning.
The Reds have one of the most productive catching tandems
in baseball. I don't know if I would have said

(01:26:18):
back in February that the Reds will have one of
the most productive catching tandems in baseball that anybody would
have believed me. But if I would have said that,
I think the natural response would have been to assume
that Tyler Stevenson would be a part of that. He
obviously hasn't played an inning for the Reds this year.
We've talked about how good Austin wins has been. Jose

(01:26:39):
Travino has been terrific. His third home run of the
season today, His ops over nine hundred, He's batting three
twenty four. You could say this about him and a
handful of others. Imagine this team without Jose Travino. Here
is the Reds current starting catcher. After the game, going
back to yesterday, they retired thirty five batters.

Speaker 4 (01:27:01):
How'd you guys get it done?

Speaker 2 (01:27:03):
I mean just going out there throwing strikes? Man, these
guys are good. You know, we have a lot of
faith in these guys in the bullpen, every.

Speaker 3 (01:27:08):
Single one of them. How big was yesterday Suitor and
Richardson and then what Ashcraft gave you today?

Speaker 2 (01:27:15):
Shooter Man, Suitor and Lion I've been have been really good.
But Suitor Man, he came out, you know, he did
his thing yesterday, you know, him to get some of
those innings. I thought that was huge for us today.

Speaker 12 (01:27:25):
It may have been the best three innings that I
personally have seen from Graham ass Craft.

Speaker 4 (01:27:29):
How good was he today? He was really good?

Speaker 2 (01:27:31):
Man, he's been, he's been been a little streak together.
He's doing he's throwing the ball well right now.

Speaker 17 (01:27:35):
After yesterday losing both ends, how far could it win
like today?

Speaker 6 (01:27:39):
Go?

Speaker 2 (01:27:39):
I mean it's huge man. You know it's a big series,
always a big series against indivisions. So we got to
come out. You know, we did what we had to
do today.

Speaker 3 (01:27:46):
Got to talk to you about the play drove in
three today, home run ball take us Yep, it went out.

Speaker 2 (01:27:54):
We'll take him, We'll take them outever we can get wins,
I'll take him.

Speaker 4 (01:27:58):
Appreciate the time.

Speaker 9 (01:27:59):
Congratulations on the debt.

Speaker 3 (01:28:00):
Thank you. I was a Travina with Jim Day. We
thank our friends at the fan Duel Sports Network Travino
after a nine to one Reds win. So, uh, you
heard kind of a common theme there, badly needed after yesterday.
Uh it would have you know, you hate to say,
what have undone? The three games in Colorado, those three
games in Colorado they had to win. The Rockies are

(01:28:21):
historically bad. You can't come off of that then come
home and lose a series to the Cardinals, especially when
you win the first game. They salvage today. Now they
get Hunter Green pitching tomorrow against the Washington Nationals. You
heard Terry Francona was asked about Luis May, who made
his big league debut and pitched a very clean ninth inning,
struck out the first battle that he faced. He is up.

(01:28:42):
Alexis d As is down, to the surprise of no one.
I think most of us, as we watched the ninth
inning of the first game yesterday unfold, thought, Okay, this
is going to be the last we see of Alexis
d As for a while, left in to give up
the third homer, left in to continue to pitch and
finish the ninth in after the third homer. And so
he has rightly been sent to Louisville. If the idea

(01:29:05):
is for him to pitch through his issues, that's fine.
I get that's how that works. If a guy's got options,
then he's got to do that at a place where
the results don't matter.

Speaker 4 (01:29:17):
It makes no sense.

Speaker 3 (01:29:19):
It makes no sense to number one say that a
guy's only going to pitch in low leverage situations and
that's not fair to a manager. And it makes no
sense to have a guy continue to pitch in potentially
high leverage situations, and yesterday's situation, a one nothing game
of the ninth inning, was high leverage. Makes no sense
to have him pitch through things when it comes at
the expense of results that matter, which are major league results.

Speaker 4 (01:29:40):
The results at.

Speaker 3 (01:29:41):
Louisville, frankly don't matter all that much. I don't view
the minor leagues as prison. It's not where you get
banished to. Like Alexis Diaz. I saw some folks in
social media, and you know, you take all the social
media stif for the grain of salt. I saw some

(01:30:02):
folks on social media wondering why didn't they just cut them?
Why didn't they just give him his outright release? Are
you out of your mind, like we're just gonna give
up on a twenty eight year old guy who just
two years ago was an All Star.

Speaker 4 (01:30:17):
No, you send him to Louisville. And you hope with
Alexis Daz.

Speaker 3 (01:30:21):
It's not apples to apples, of course, you hope with
Alexis Daz that we could see something similar to what
we have seasoned with, to what we have seen with
Noelve Marte, who continues to sting the ball, made a
really nice play down the line at third base today
and now like looks the part we've watched Noel A
Marte here and we've talked about like just moving on

(01:30:44):
and eating the salary of jam or Candelario because of
how good Noelve Marte has been. Something happened in Louisville,
whether it be a mechanical adjustment, whether it be things
just clicking, whatever, was something happened when Noelve got sent
down that he looks like a completely different player. So
the hope is something similar happens with Alexis Daz. Like

(01:31:09):
I think sometimes when these guys get sent down, there's
a hope that we never see them again. If we
never see Alexis Daz again, that's a failure, right. I
think what we're hoping for is he figures things out
and when the Reds need a reliever, which they will,
he comes back and he's an asset and he's a
part of this bullpen and he's reliable because he was

(01:31:30):
anything but going in And so I think the writing
was kind of on the wall yesterday that once he
had his outing in the ninth inning. That was It
was abundantly clear, especially because he has options or had options,
that they were going to send him the triple A.
They did, and Luis May's arm is electric. He might
not know where the ball is going to go, but

(01:31:50):
his arm is electric. Reds win nine to one today
over the Saint Louis Cardinals. A series against the Washington
Nationals is starting tomorrow night with an agree in getting
the ball for Cincinnati, and again Graham Ashcraft terrific in
relief today, kind of saving the rest of the bullpen
and making up for what Andrew Abbott couldn't give the

(01:32:12):
Reds because of the rain delay. By the way, it's
it's a Washington team coming to town. We've talked about
this run of bad teams. Washington plays a night game
this evening against the Phillies, trying to avoid a sweep
and trying to avoid losing a fourth consecutive game. As
most predicted, the Nationals are not very good this year

(01:32:35):
thirteen and eighteen, and so you know, we keep harping
on this. The Reds are in the middle of a
stretch where they're playing some some really really bad teams,
and I think they just played one. They only split
with them. They've got to get the series this weekend,
sixteen minutes after five o'clock ESPN fifteen thirty. Phone numbers

(01:32:56):
are five point three seven four nine fifteen thirty and
eight six six seven oh two three seven seven six.
More on the month that was and where the Reds
are now coming into the month of May, plus our
annual chat with our go to Derby guy, Dick Girardi,
the Hall of Fame sports writer, is gonna join us
in twenty minutes to preview not just Derby Day, but

(01:33:18):
the Oaks as well on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 4 (01:33:21):
Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 5 (01:33:25):
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 7 (01:33:29):
Traffic from the UC Help Traffic Center you see WHELPS
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Call five one three nine three nine two two six three.
That's nine three nine two two sixty three northbound seventy
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still got that crash at Stanley Avenue. New accident in
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Speaker 4 (01:34:00):
This report is sponsored advice for.

Speaker 3 (01:34:02):
The send in the first hour of the show a
where the hell were you be? You missed a good
interview Kenny Perry, not the former golfer, but the former
Texas Tech running backs coach. He's actually still on staff
at Texas Tech. He's now the special teams coach and
associate head coach, but has spent the last three years
coaching running backs in Texas Tech. And why did we

(01:34:25):
have him on because we wanted to talk some Red
Raiders football. No, because the Bengals distrafted one of his players,
Taj Brooks, six rounder running back from Texas Tech. If
you missed it, we'll have that podcast for you on
the iHeartRadio app. He was a terrific We also had
with us yesterday if you missed it, Stacey Serels. He
is the offensive line coach at the University of Georgia

(01:34:48):
and he was terrific in talking about Dylan Fairchild. I
know I have and I think many of us have
focused on what the Bengals have and haven't done on defense.
And I'll be completely honest with you, what they haven't
haven't done on defense is largely underwhelming. That said, boy, offensively,
they have a really really good running back room. We

(01:35:12):
know what they have at the top of the dead
chart at wide receiver. If Dylan Fairchild is as good
as many think he can be, it's another building block
toward what is hopefully one day an upper echelon offensive line.
By the way, somebody said to me this morning, Dylan
Fairchild might instantly be the best guard that Joe Burrow

(01:35:32):
has ever played behind.

Speaker 4 (01:35:33):
That might be a bit of a stretch, but we'll see.

Speaker 3 (01:35:39):
I keep coming back to this man, like, well, we've
all made fun of Jermaine Burton and rolled our eyes
at him and certainly agree with what Duke Tobin said
about him. I think it was at the Senior Bowl
or maybe at the Combine when he was asked, like,
what has Jermaine done to earnest spot on this team?
And he said nothing? And you know, we'll see how
the coming weeks and months unfold for him. He has

(01:35:59):
been at the facility, but like, can you imagine what
it looks like if the light bulb does come on?
You imagine what it looks like if he actually, you know,
does figure it out. Imagine like adding to this offense
a dude who has his sheer raw athletic ability. Now, look,

(01:36:21):
you need more than sheer raw athletic ability to contribute
to an NFL offense, even if you're doing all the
stuff you've got to do off the field. It is
sort of an interesting discussion what they do at wide receiver,
kind of beneath the Big three. I consider, as many do,
Mike is sicky to basically be a wide receiver. Does
andre Yoshamash take a major step forward this year? What

(01:36:42):
about Charlie Jones? What about Jermain Burton. We will see
also on yesterday's show if you missed it, Joe Goodberry
his post draft analysis. Tomorrow in the show, we have
with this Robert Wintrob who has written a very good
draft piece.

Speaker 4 (01:36:58):
About the Bengals for Cincinnati Man Magazine. He is going
to join us at five oh five. We are looking
forward to that.

Speaker 3 (01:37:05):
Five p one three, seven, four, nine, fifteen thirty and
eight six six, seven oh two, three, seven, seven six
are the phone numbers I will. I was listening to
Brenneman and Jones on Baseball about a half hour ago,
and and they were talking about the Reds through the
first month of the season, which will we'll fold the
the last couple of days of March into April.

Speaker 4 (01:37:25):
Yesterday was April thirtieth.

Speaker 3 (01:37:27):
With the double header loss, the Reds went into May
one one game over five hundred. So on one hand, uh,
just like last year, they had a winning record through
April thirtieth, which is great, and they win today, So
now they go into the first weekend of May two
over five hundred again also great, terrific. They said they

(01:37:53):
think the Reds had a great April and look relative
to the three and seven start. Maybe that's true, and
relive to some of the injuries they've had to deal with,
maybe that's true. I badly wish that we can get
to a point where one day the objective is to
talk about the Reds leading the pack at the end

(01:38:16):
of April, and having a lead in the division at
the end of April, and being clear above five hundred
at the end of April.

Speaker 4 (01:38:28):
I just you know, Tony asked me today, like, you
have pretty.

Speaker 3 (01:38:31):
Successful April, and it's like kind of like, here's the
thing I think most of us believed coming into the season.
The Reds were going to finish somewhere around five hundred.
I pegged at eighty three. I still think they're an
eighty three win team. Like for me, I just can
speak for myself. Wanted to see the Reds in the
first month of the season play well enough or do

(01:38:54):
things that made me feel like we should recalibrate our
expectations for the season. I don't think they have done
that now. They haven't done anything to make us recalibrate
our expectations in a negative way where you've gone, you
know what, I had this peg wrong. This team's actually
gonna lose ninety games. I don't think anybody feels that way,
nor should anyone. I'm not sure anybody felt that way

(01:39:18):
after the three and seven start, nor should anyone. But
what you're hoping for is for them to play well enough.
And look, they've just finished a stretch where they won
thirteen out out of nineteen, which is really good. But
you just you want things to be from a win
loss perspective to the point that you go, you know what,

(01:39:38):
maybe this team has a chance to be better than I.

Speaker 4 (01:39:40):
Originally thought, and that that hasn't happened.

Speaker 3 (01:39:46):
Although I will say, if you would have said to
me after they lost seven of their first ten games
to start the season. That we will get to the
first weekend of May and they'll be two over five hundred,
I would have said there's no so relative to the
three and seven start, where they are is terrific. I

(01:40:07):
just wish they wouldn't have gotten off to a three
and seven start at Moegger on Twitter follow me there
by the way, I have like a couple of things
happening on Twitter and Instagram right now. We've got the
Mouor Long contest. I'm also giving away some Skyline Chili
FC Cincinnati Soccer balls and some Skyline Chili gift cards.
So follow me on either of those two platforms, Twitter

(01:40:30):
which I still call it Twitter, or Instagram. It's Derby
Weekend tomorrow. I'm doing the show from bell Terra Park,
which I'm really looking forward to, and we'll be there
from a three to six. They're not having live racing
tomorrow on Oaks Day, but we're still going to be
there and they'll have simulcast racing and the Fandel Sportsbook
is going to be open and it's going to be

(01:40:51):
a lot of fun. So we hope to see you
there every year on the day before Oaks Day, we
chat with the legendary Dick Girardi, the Hall of Fame
horse racing rider, is going to join us next on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 5 (01:41:09):
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 7 (01:41:12):
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Speaker 1 (01:41:43):
This report The Bengals like ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati's Sports station.

Speaker 3 (01:41:49):
Twenty eight away from six. This is ESPN fifteen thirty.
Every year on the eve of the Kentucky Derby, and
ideally on the eve of the Kentucky Oaks, we are
joined by the legend horse racing columnist Dick Girardi, who
has joins us every year courtesyf bet online dot ag.
Check out bet online for the most up to date
odds and props on the one hundred and fifty first

(01:42:11):
running of the Kentucky Derby, and this year is no exception.
Here to talk about horse racing's best weekend, the legendary
Dick Girardi. It's good to have you, sir. How are you.

Speaker 15 (01:42:21):
I'm great, mel How about you, Buddy, I'm doing well.

Speaker 4 (01:42:23):
Thank you as always for doing this.

Speaker 3 (01:42:25):
What are the one or two biggest storylines as we
head into Derby weekend?

Speaker 15 (01:42:30):
I think the return of Bob Bafford, I think is
right up at the top, right after the three year suspension.
We on need to go over all of that again,
but he's back. He's the most recognizable person of horse
racing going for official Derby win number seven with Citizen
Bullet Rodriguez. And then the other one to me is
the favorite journalism.

Speaker 13 (01:42:49):
He's just been so good this year.

Speaker 15 (01:42:51):
He's won four in a row. He's been dominant. He's
a son of the great two time Horse of the
Year Curling is trader on. Michael McCarthy's one of the
in the business. He won the Preakness a couple of
years ago, and he's starting to get more and more
of these kind of horses that can win a race
like the Kentucky Derby. So those to me would be
the two main storylines. As always, there's.

Speaker 6 (01:43:11):
A ton of them in the Derby, but those are
my two big ones.

Speaker 3 (01:43:14):
All right.

Speaker 4 (01:43:14):
The race itself handicap it.

Speaker 15 (01:43:16):
For me, Yeah, I'd like journalism. I've liked him since
the San Felipe on March the first. It was just
a dazzling performance. He got one hundred and eight buyer
speed figure, which is easily the best in the field,
and knows that what that number does is basically measure
the time of the actual time versus the speed of

(01:43:37):
the race track. It gives you a real better indicator
than the time itself. It matters how fast or slow
the racetrack is. And I thought his other race this year,
that Santanady Derby, was equally as visually impressive, and every
I think he's going to get what's the typically the
winning Kentucky Derby trip. I think there's maybe five horses
are going to be out there early. I see him

(01:43:59):
sitting like as they hit the backstretch and with like
fifteen fourteen or fifteen horses behind him, and then around
the as they call it the track kitchen, around the
three Ah Paul, he starts to make his move, and
I actually like him to win by a significant margin.
In fact, one of my favorite props at bet online
dot ag is the over under winning margin. It's a
length and a half. I'm taking the over, and I

(01:44:21):
hope it's journalism. The good news is if you take
that bet, any horse wins by more than a length
and a half, you catch all.

Speaker 4 (01:44:27):
Right, it's gonna rain this part of the country.

Speaker 3 (01:44:29):
It's it's NonStop rain Saturday, and Louisville is going to
be no exception.

Speaker 4 (01:44:33):
How is that going to be a factor.

Speaker 15 (01:44:36):
Yeah, it's irritating because you don't know what it means, right,
because all these horses are so lightly raced, Like Journalism's
never run on off track. Citizen Bulls coming from California,
he's never run on an off track. So yeah, it
makes what's already a complicated endeavor even more complicated. My
advice to everybody would be this, just forget about it,

(01:44:56):
because you don't know what it's going to mean till
after the race anyway, So just act like it's a
normal racetrack. Pick your horses, bet your horses, like it
would be a fast tracks again, they're just not enough
data to go on. That's going to tell you who's going.

Speaker 3 (01:45:10):
To like it and who is all right, if I
want value or a long shot, where are you going
to steer me?

Speaker 15 (01:45:15):
Yep, yeah, I'm going to get you to the nine
Burnham Square. He's twelve to one. Brian Hernandez who had
the Oaks Derby double last year with Kenny McPeek. He's
going to ride Burnham Square for Ian Wilkes, both Kentucky
based guys, a terrific trainer and sensational rider. He's twelve
to one on the line. I love his race in

(01:45:35):
the Bluegrass DNA Ceenland. I think he's got a real
chance and I specifically like the eight to nine exact.
That's journalism over Burnham Square.

Speaker 4 (01:45:43):
Very good, all right, handycat the eggs for me?

Speaker 15 (01:45:48):
Yeah, you know that's a harder race for me than
the Derby, even though there's fourteen. I found this very complicated.
I ended up falling on quiet side. I'm not thrilled
with the posts in fourteen, but I think she's one
of the horses that can pass in the race, a
lot of speed horses. Good Good Cheer is the favorite,
and should he six for six? She's been nothing but

(01:46:11):
sensational for Brad Poux and Louis Sias. But yeah, I
like Quiet Side a little bit. Again, I could do
with that the fourteen, but I think she's similar in
talent to Good Cheer, And you're gonna get five times
the price.

Speaker 3 (01:46:21):
All right for the Triple Crown itself at that online
dot ag where there'll be a champion in twenty twenty five. Yes,
is at four to one. Should I should I take
a flyer on it. I don't like.

Speaker 15 (01:46:34):
I don't like the price. I would like that to
build little fire given how hard it is, so I
would probably steer you away from that one. But again,
the over under on a length and a half I
like here. I do think if Journalism does win and
win like I think, I think he's got a real
chance to do it. So it'd be nice if they'd
let your bet halfer through the race right when the's

(01:46:55):
going on and take the four to one at that point,
because if he does win the Derby four to one,
that's going to feel like a pretty good price.

Speaker 3 (01:47:01):
All right, Dick Girardi bet online dot ag. Always love
having you on wi chat in a couple of weeks.

Speaker 6 (01:47:07):
Thanks so much, Son's good.

Speaker 15 (01:47:09):
Thanks you about.

Speaker 3 (01:47:10):
Absolute best, absolute legend, the Hall of Famer. Dick Girardi
bet online dot ag. Go there for the most up
to date odds and props on the one hundred and
fifty first running of the Kentucky Derby. Sports headlines and
service of Kelsey Chevrolet home of lifetime power train protection
and guaranteed credit approval from their family to yours for life,

(01:47:31):
Kelsey chev dot com. Red's winner today over the Cardinals
nine one a GABP. There was a rain to lay
in the middle of the game, which punted Andrew Abbott
after four innings, but Graham Ashcraft came on and was terrific.
Red's bullpen was terrific. Five scoreless, hitless, I think base
runnerless innings, no walks. Cincinnati's offense came from Jose Travigno,

(01:47:53):
who drove in three two on his third home run
of the season. Spencer Steer also went deep. He had
two hits. Santiago Espinal had two hits and drove into Noelve.
Marte continues to hit. He had a couple of hits today.
Matt McClain actually had to hit this afternoon and drove
in a run. We've obviously talked a lot about him.
Cincinnati is now two over five hundred and seventeen and fifteen,

(01:48:14):
getting set to host the Washington Nationals tomorrow night. That
is a six' ten first pitch tomorrow evening With Hunter
green getting the ball For cincinnati against Lefty Mitchell.

Speaker 4 (01:48:25):
Parker what else do we?

Speaker 3 (01:48:27):
Have the field has been revealed for the twenty twenty
Five Charleston, classic Which xavier is in In. Charleston that
is going to Be november twenty first and twenty. Third
there are two different brackets in. This xavier is going
to be in the one With, Clemson georgia And West
virginia And Saint john's is REPLACING ucla and THE Cbs Sports,

(01:48:51):
classic an event THAT uk is in every single, year
and so The wildcats will take On Saint. John's Rick
patino as the head, Coach Dylan mitchell's on that. Team
that game is going to be On december the twentieth In.
Atlanta now you, KNOW i got an email today Requesting
evan Mia kawa beyond the show to talk about the

(01:49:13):
transfer classes at some of the different schools in the,
area and great, suggestion in, fact so. Great we Had
evan me At kawa last. Week so if you're the
gentleman who emailed me AND i haven't had a chance
to write you back, personally go to The iHeartRadio app
and There's evan Mi akawa college basketball and we talked

(01:49:34):
ABOUT Uc xavier And kentucky, specifically and a few other
offseason topics as.

Speaker 4 (01:49:40):
Well it's on The iHeartRadio. App podcast of the.

Speaker 3 (01:49:42):
SHOW a service of Long Neck Sports, square you talk
about a place to watch The derby On. Saturday you Got,
wilder you Got hebre and you got rich with you
got long. Necks and if we ever get a day
where it doesn't rain, again every long next location has
an awesome outdoor.

Speaker 4 (01:49:57):
Patio so there you.

Speaker 3 (01:50:00):
Go twenty minutes away from six, o'clock, five, one, three, seven, four,
nine fifteen thirty is our phone numberts The michelobultra five
O'clock Happy hour ON espn fifteen.

Speaker 4 (01:50:09):
Thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 5 (01:50:10):
Station CINCINNATI'S espn fifteen.

Speaker 7 (01:50:14):
Thirty traffic from THE Uc Health Traffic CENTER u SEE
welps weight Loss center offers comprehensive obesity care and advanced
surgical expertise called five one three nine three nine two
two six. Three that's nine, three nine two two sixty
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(01:50:37):
accident involving a metro bus At Ridgeway avenue And Highland.
Park another accident north Of Madison pike amedizelic with.

Speaker 3 (01:50:45):
Traffic this report is sponsored By Dairy queen get Big summer.

Speaker 4 (01:50:50):
Flavor in every bike.

Speaker 3 (01:50:52):
On one thing we'd like to do on this show
is get on if we, can if they're, accommodating if
they're willing to get. On the position coaches for us
some of the players The bengals, Drafted so we got
A Stacey searles, yesterday the offensive line coach at The
university Of, georgia to talk About Dylan. Fairchild Kenny perry
spent the last three years as the running backs coach

(01:51:13):
At Texas Tech. University he's now the special teams coach
and associate head, coach but worked very closely With Taj,
brooks the six round draft choice of The bengals running
back who played for The Red raiders and as that
program's all time leading. RUSHER i appreciate the. Time take
me back to twenty twenty. Two you arrive on campus
and you Meet Taj brooks for the first. Time what

(01:51:33):
do you, Remember, Well archie of.

Speaker 6 (01:51:37):
Ball you, know he's like a bowl of ball with
butcher bladed all around. Him i'm, like, man, Dude i'm
not sure how good he. IS i kind of remembered
him Because i've been a big twelve and watching, him
but you, know he was all. Right and then WHEN
i got around him on a daily day basis in my,
HEAD i just. KNEW i, said before this kid leaves,
here he's going to be one of the greatest in our.

(01:51:58):
Conference and you KNOW i was.

Speaker 3 (01:52:00):
Right, yeah and the programs all time leading. Rusher he
was a, workhorse. MAN i mean you gave it to
him on the ground almost nine hundred, times led the
conference and carries in consecutive. Years when did it become
abundantly clear that you guys could ask him to do
as much as you.

Speaker 9 (01:52:17):
Did.

Speaker 6 (01:52:19):
Well the thing About todge' THAT'S i think is unique
is he takes care of his body and WHEN i
say about, that he's the first guy in the building
when we, Lived he's the first. Guy you, know we
did medical checkups after games and, so and he was
first time on the. Field so guys like that usually
going to take care of their. Body their body can
take that. Punishment and you, Know todds just he's so.

(01:52:42):
STRONG i, MEAN i don't really think our strength guys
actually know how strong he, is because they would they
would they wouldn't let him go up.

Speaker 15 (01:52:49):
On some of the stuff he was.

Speaker 6 (01:52:50):
DOING i just watch and stuff like, that just because
he was already strong, enough so they didn't really. Max
but the, dude he just he could tell you could
carry the low. Road and you, know we kind of
went through a rash of, quarterbacks you, Know tyler schuckb
being one of, Them Baron morton And donovan you, know We,
smith we had three guys well were they're all getting.

(01:53:11):
Hurt SO i think we kind of, realized you, know
we need to run the, football And todge was ideal
for that situation for.

Speaker 3 (01:53:19):
Us let's let's talk about what we would watch if
we were watching. Film when you're pointing out to me
why this guy is going to succeed at the next.
Level what are we looking?

Speaker 6 (01:53:29):
At, well it's the thing that he does that's. Unbelievable
LIKE i kept telling everybody WHEN i talked to the
scouts AND i would talk to the, media is, he
by far is the best blocker in college, football meaning
whether he's getting the ball past pass protection for the
quarterback or you lead. Blalking he was unbelievable the. Stuff

(01:53:51):
and he's so. Smart he knew what our offensive lineman
we're supposed to, do and if he saw a guy
to his side miss, up he knew where the protection
would break down and he would fix. It And i've
been coaching thirty three years and it was. UNBELIEVABLE i
would like to take credit for, that But i'm not
gonna do that. Him he's just he's that surrebrus. A

(01:54:12):
he's a football. Junkie he loves getting in there and
watching film with, you and, uh, Man i'm just telling,
y'all you guys are fixed to get a guy that
you're gonna you're gonna turn around in ten. Years, going,
MAN i can't believe this. Guy he is what he
is because he's that he is that unbelievable of a.

Speaker 3 (01:54:30):
Player, Yeah, uh you, know what a five year, guy
the all time Leading russia In Texas tech, history over
a thousand touches across his college, Career so he's kind
of done it. All when you've talked with scouts from
other teams and they ask, you, like all, right give
us one thing that he should focus on that you
would like to see him improve.

Speaker 4 (01:54:49):
Upon what's your answer to?

Speaker 6 (01:54:51):
That, WELL i definitely think just you, know his past catching, ability,
kitching catch the ball out of the, backfield we just
didn't do it. Much you, know he had some big,
plays BUT i think the thing he's got unbelievable, hands
AND i think that you're gonna see once you, know
with the, guys you guys already got there around in that.
Place you, know since now he's kind of surrounded the

(01:55:12):
court burnt with.

Speaker 9 (01:55:13):
That you, Know.

Speaker 6 (01:55:14):
Todd todd is gonna be one of those guys out
of the backfield THAT i. Think the more that he
practiced and does stuff catching the ball of the, backfield
it's it's just gonna raise his game another you.

Speaker 4 (01:55:24):
Know botch, uh what what's described for?

Speaker 3 (01:55:27):
Me your your role in the course of whether it's
him or any one of your guys in in getting
getting a player Like Todge brooks ready for the, draft
talking with you, know general managers and scouts and personnel.

Speaker 4 (01:55:38):
People how inemaly involved have you been during this?

Speaker 6 (01:55:41):
Process, well the biggest thing, was you, know everybody that
the knock On Todge brooks was at two hundred and thirty.
Pounds what was just no? One no one said it
was gonna, well he's gonna be a four to seven
high four six high four seven. Guy that was the knockof.
Him because if you go back and watch him, RUN
i think years he made more people miss the first.

(01:56:02):
Tackle you know staff they. Do he made more people
missed than anybody in the. Draft SO i wouldn't worry
about his. Running, boy it was his top end. Speed
and he goes to the combine and he runs what
four five four four five, five Which i'll be, honest
it kind of shocked me a little. BIT i knew
he would be. DOWN i didn't think he'd be that.
Fast so that was my thing, was, man the hell

(01:56:23):
with what numbers? Are this dude is production and he
did not play behind the greatest offensive. Line our schemes helped.
Him you, know kudos to coach Was actilly for what he,
did and our offensive coaches just the way they desis
up to get him to football because we were not
really really good up. Front he made if you watch this,

(01:56:45):
film he made a lot of guys miss after the
line of scrimmage and turned two and three yard runs
into ten and fifteen yard.

Speaker 3 (01:56:51):
Runs what sort of conversations did you And taj have
after the twenty twenty three, season Because i'm sure he
gave great consideration to Turning rod then.

Speaker 6 (01:57:01):
SURE i just told, HIM i, said you know, What
Tas at that, TIME i honestly thought he was ready
to go to the. DRIVER i really thought he was
going to. Go BUT i also told, HIM i, said you,
know there's You will obviously wanted to be the elite and,
rusher and the dude was the ultimate team. Player he's,
like coach, MAN i want to GET i want to
get a chance to improve his. Program and he, said you,

(01:57:23):
KNOW i KNOW i can break the rushing record and
that was something that he wanted to kind of do,
for you, know hisself In Texas tech and he's like
kill THE nfl is going to be. There he, GOES
i THINK i can improve my draft, bock you, know
by by coming back so whether it did or, not
he had, kids an ultimate team, player and you know
he had some he had some personal goals that he

(01:57:43):
wanted to accomplish as. Well so my hand was off to.
HIM i just, said you matured enough to handle. It
we want you. Back AND i was sure glad when
he decided to come.

Speaker 3 (01:57:52):
Back as as A university Of cincinnati, FAN i wish
you would have left early because he killed. Us he
was awesome that night AND i took note of. It
and so when he came off the board On, SATURDAY i,
thought there was that dude who just kept getting. It
and he was as strong in the fourth. Quarter you
know how close that game. Was he was as strong
in the fourth quarter as.

Speaker 4 (01:58:12):
He was in the, First no.

Speaker 6 (01:58:14):
Doubt that's that's the LIKE i, Said that's how he
was all the time. Though and the crazy thing was.
Practice he would do the same thing AND i would
have to, Say, okay, pause you're, done because that's how
he practices. TOO i, mean all the, coaching all the,
cliches you, guys you know you hear in this. Industry you,
Know Tuvis harder's all that. Stuff this, Guy i'm just telling,
you that guy has got every bit of any cliche

(01:58:37):
you want to tag to. Him he is SO i,
Mean i'm just what a STEW i CANNOT i Feel
after they picked, HIM i called. HIM i was streaming
in the phone Because i'm. WHY i really don't think
he could have gone to a better team that pits
what you, know what he does and how he can help.

Speaker 3 (01:58:53):
Them how cool is that conversation when you get a
chance to talk to one of your guys after they've
had their name called?

Speaker 6 (01:59:00):
Unbelievable was just, like you, KNOW i just for and
LIKE i, Said i've coached a bunch of, guys But
TODs brooks for what he stands, for you know what he,
meets his, Family, god, everything faith and our. Program he
is such a humble. Dude and he just kept, saying, thanks,
COACH i appreciate everything you did for, Me thanks for the.
PROGRAM i love tex. Tick you know everything with the

(01:59:22):
guy was about he just kept giving thanks to everybody.
Else you, KNOW i just think that's so cool in today's.

Speaker 3 (01:59:28):
Time, YEAH i would agree with. THAT i can thank
you enough for doing. This we love learning about these.
Guys and again when his, name when his name slid To,
cincinnati there in the sixth. ROUND i was pretty. Excited
awesome to get a chance to talk to, you. Coach
thanks so.

Speaker 6 (01:59:42):
Much, yeah thank you. Guys you luck you, guys appreciate.

Speaker 4 (01:59:45):
It there you. Go That's Kenny.

Speaker 3 (01:59:47):
Perry he is currently the special teams coach At Texas,
tech spent the last three years as the running backs,
coach and he's had the title of associate head coach
ever since his.

Speaker 4 (01:59:56):
Arrival and love it good.

Speaker 3 (01:59:58):
Stuff if you Missed state see serials, yesterday the offensive
line coach At georgia Talking Dylan, fairchild go get it
on The iHeartRadio app or my page AT espn fifteen
thirty dot. Com tomorrow on the, show our Buddy Robert
wintrop is going to join. Us Cincinnati magazine joins us
every week during the football season because he writes a
Weekly bengals. Column has done a sort of post, draft

(02:00:21):
kind of post off Season bengals column for that, publication
and he'll join us at four to five. Tomorrow we
are most definitely looking forward to. That lots of good
draft stuff this. Week anything you might have, missed go
get on The iHeartRadio. App music means the show is
over broadcasting tomorrow From Bell Tarra. Park we look forward to.

(02:00:43):
That maybe we'll see you. There thanks To Tarren bland
for producing and to you for. Listening have an awesome.
Night we'll talk to you tomorrow at three oh five
ON espn fifteen Thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 4 (02:00:54):
Station why DO i go to the.

Speaker 16 (02:01:15):
Doctor

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