The Man in the Sweater Vest

Jim Tressel as Coach, Teacher and Bearer of Buckeye Tradition

By Josh Katzowitz

His dad was a hall of fame coach at Baldwin-Wallace College. He was born into a family that ingested a side of college football along with its Saturday afternoon oxygen. In fact, he played a little bit of quarterback himself in college and was good enough to earn the starting spot his senior year. Jim Tressel, as you might imagine, was born into college football. Read the rest of this entry…

Is It Time to Believe Brian Kelly?

By Josh Katzowitz

Nobody believes Brian Kelly. Nobody buys what the salesman is pitching, nobody has faith in the politician who makes his plea, nobody thinks what the coach says is true.
They believe in Brian Kelly, no doubt. They believe he can win, change the mind of a city apathetic about the only Bowl Championship Series team in town, accomplish the unprecedented for a program that’s been mediocre – or less than – for most of its 125 years.
But when Kelly says he’s happy at the University of Cincinnati, that he’s not looking to leave for greener pastures and greener bank accounts, that he thinks the Bearcats football program can become a national power, well, nobody believes it. Read the rest of this entry…

Roy Williams Brings Pain to Paul Brown Stadium

By Chick Ludwig

The Cincinnati Bengals have never been accused of attempting to set the pro football world on fire during the NFL’s annual free agency period.
When it comes to the open market, the Bengals generally have a “CLOSED” sign on their door. Forced to sift through the league’s leftovers because of their inability to win consistently, the team always seems to acquire players who are either over the hill, just past their prime or simply mediocre.
Sam Adams, Dexter Jackson, Brian DeMarco, Oliver Gibson, Tom Barndt and Michael Westbrook: ring any bells? Big names at one time, they became nothing more than big busts in Cincinnati as they lined up to collect paychecks at the Paul Brown Stadium Spa & Sauna.
Long-suffering fans, frustrated by one lousy, stinking playoff berth in 18 seasons, wanted to know if the club would ever sign a big-time free agent. Read the rest of this entry…