CINCINNATI SPORTS LAST WEEK

Sean Miller at Xavier was able to get a commitment from a big man out of Massilon High School. He is 6'8" and supposed to be the best big man in the state.

The Reds have cooled off in their last week of preseason play. Even their best pitchers did not do well this week. Its a long season - starting today.

Has everyone heard of Joe Smith? Common name - uncommon kid. In 2002, he graduated from Amelia High School on the east side of Cincinnati. He received no offers of a college scholarship (he had shoulder surgery in his junior year) so he went to Wright State in Dayton and tried to walk on the baseball team. He didn't make it. Instead, he spent the year as a stat keeper. The next year, 2004, they let him on the team. The next year he started throwing side arm because he never got his speed up to where he wanted it. By his senior year, he was throwing in the low 90's. He was drafted by the Mets and sent to their instructional league team, then to the A league team and then to double A all in one year. He was invited to spring training with the big club and, against all odds, made the team. Unbelievable! No one goes this fast. I hope he has a great year except against the Reds. Last night, in the major league opener, he was called in to pitch in the 8th with a man on and nobody out. He gave up a hit, got a strike out and then walked Albert Pujols. What a story.

Chris Henry of the Bengals had another minor run-in with the 'law'. He's pretty certain to miss some playing time this year. He now has to face the commissioner. Luckily, Pacman Jones is taking some of the heat off of him. Can you believe, these guys were teammates in college at West Virginia?

The last time Ohio State University was in the finals of the NCAA basketball tourney, they were beaten by the University of Cincinnati.

Paul Daugherty, the Cincinnati Enquirer's wonderful sports columnist, is taking over WLW's long running sports talk show. It is one of the most listened to shows of its kind in the country. He follows Bob Trumpy, Chris Collinsworth, and Andy Furman to name the most memorable ones.