CINCINNATI SPORTS LAST WEEK

On Monday, Chris Henry was cleared to play with the Bengals again. On Tuesday, he was the subject of an incident report in possession of the Newport Police Department. Seems our fine young receiver verbally abused and physically threatened a parking valet at Newport on the Levee. Its almost beyond belief.


At the polls on Tuesday, not only did the voters of Hamilton County reject a sales tax for the purpose of building a much needed jail, but the voters of Sarasota rejected a tax increase for the purpose of rebuilding the Reds spring training complex. In 2009, they will be elsewhere - hopefully Vero Beach.


Xavier played an exhibition game against Georgetown (Ky) and won easily 74-51. They look very solid but are searching for a replacement for Johnny Wolf who transferred out in order to get more playing time.

UC point guard Jamual Warren was in an auto accident and broke a bone in his hand. He will be out for about four weeks. He was driving without a valid drivers license so there may be more to come.


Mick Cronin's UC Bearcat basketball team opened their season Friday night with a game against the Belmont Bruins of the Atlantic Sun Conference. This is the conference with a member named Gardner-Webb which defeated the University of Kentucky in their opener. The defending league champions and NCAA tournament participant Bruins outlasted the Bearcats 86-75. These Bearcats are not a good team at this point in the season.


In high school tournament division 1 action at Paul Brown Stadium, Colerain defeated Moeller and St. X defeated Centerville. This sets up the meeting of the two national powers next Friday night at Nippert Stadium.


On Saturday afternoon at Nippert Stadium, UC hosted the #13 University of Connecticut Huskies. From the opening kickoff, the Bearcats throttled the UCONN running attack, contained their passing and put together enough offense to win easily 27-3. It was the third top 20 team the Cats have defeated this year. As strange as it may seem, with a win next week at home over top ten rated West Virginia, the Bearcats could be in a BCS bowl. Oh, Lordy!


Immediately after the football game, the UC Basketball team went back to work with a game against Western Carolina. Mick's mostly freshman squad held together fairly well and came up with the big play in the end to hold on and win over the Catamounts 66-64.


Meanwhile, Xavier was playing Southeast Missouri State at Cintas Center. The Redhawks did not give the Muskies much of a battle as the locals won without much sweat, 90-59. Josh Duncan had 16 points in just 23 minutes.

On Sunday afternoon, the Bengals were in Baltimore to play the Ravens. Brian Billick's offense was so inept it was laughable. They were so bad they were able to make the Bengals laughable defense look good in this 21-7 groaner. That 21 points Cincinnati scored was the result of seven Shane Graham field goals (a club record). The Bengals did not and could not score a touchdown. It was a win but it didn't give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Later on Sunday night, the Bearcat basketball team played their third game in three nights in the Peggy Cronin Classic round-robin tournament. Bowling Green University downed them 69-67 in a hard fought back-and-forth game. Deonta Vaughn had 17 points, all in the second half.