In 2019, I'm going to blog on this site more regularly. Let's see if I can start building toward that with what's left in 2018....
UC beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff last night, which they could have done by using just two players. Not much stock should ever be put in a win over a team that spends the season's first two months playing road games, and the coming weeks will be a hell of a lot more telling than anyting we watched last night.
Still, though....I liked that with a buy game against a patsy of an opponent sandwiched in between the tournament in Florida and an upcoming roadie against UNLV, the Bearcats didn't simply go through the motions. They looked respectful of the opponent, taking UABP seriously while playing focused on both ends. There was a commitment to deflections and turnovers and a continuation of the good ball movement and improved shot selection that started to appear this past weekend.
They're getting better, and as bad as Cincinnati was in the loss to Ohio State, there's been improvement in nearly every offense area, mainly in the fact that the Bearcats aren't simply settling for threes, instead making extra passes, getting to the rim, and looking like a team that learned a little something in what happened in the season opener.
Here's some stuff...
*Jeff Driskel is not as good as Andy Dalton. He is more interesting. I'm in a hunt for interesting right now, and while I wish Andy wasn't injured, in watching the Bengals this Sunday with the backup getting the start at QB, I may have found it.
*Really good stuff from Paul Dehner yesterday, mainly on what's different from last year to now when talking about Marvin Lewis' future. His point is that the front office has taken notice of how many people have rejected Marvin by not going to Paul Brown Stadium.
He might be but if the people running this team believe that the way to win those people back is selling them on Hue Jackson, they're more delusional than I already thought.
*The Reds might make some trades. They might not. Either way, no team coming off four straight 94+ loss seasons should consider anyone untouchable.
Here's some more stuff...
Get to know Reds manager David Bell.
Here's a good film review of Jeff Driskel.
Coach K uses these two simple strategies and more coaches should do the same.
Yep.
Radio: None today. Off day for this guy. Back at it tomorrow. Noon, then 3:05, both times on ESPN1530.
Follow me on Twitter: @MoEgger1530.
Email me: mo@espn1530.com
(Photo: Getty Images)