JOCKS | Staff Picks

Best Tease: The Bengals started and ended the 2001 season in fine form, giving fans hope that good times were no more than a few decades away. Cincinnati won its first two and last two, beating Baltimore, Tennessee and the teams that played for the AFC Championship, Pittsburgh and New England. In between, though, was that horrible seven-game losing streak in which the Bengals never scored more than 14 points. The result: Another losing record, more disgruntled players and just a glimmer of hope for the future.

 

Photo: Doug Trapp Best Way to Emphasize What You Don't Have: The Reds The team's current billboard campaign consists of the last names of what's left of the team after Pokey Reese and Dmitri Young were essentially given away (and coaches Ron Oester and Ken Griffey Sr. left). For the record, the billboard hypes Sean Casey, Barry Larkin, Ken Griffey Jr., Adam Dunn, Danny Graves and Aaron Boone over a simple black background, with no photos or game action. Maybe this would have worked two years ago, when the Reds picked up Junior and were fresh off an incredible season that ended just short of the playoffs. Like the team itself, the Reds' marketing campaign lacks energy and excitement. (DT)

Best Local Sports Soap Opera: The Reds. At least in actual soap operas there's some sex and a wedding or two, but for the past year, most all of the news coming out of the Reds organization has been ugly. The team's best players were plagued by injuries all season, the team management made it pretty clear that they weren't spending any real money to improve the team and GM Jim Bowden had a pretty contentious relationship with players and coaches. But the topper had to be former players Pokey Reese and Dimitri Young -- not to mention disgruntled coach Ron Oester -- hometown favorites during their tenure, using the media to bash the organization and all but blame the Reds' downturn on Ken Griffey Jr.'s chemistry-killing "special treatment." Ladies, can we just play ball?

Best Reds Distractions (Visual): While the Reds' on-field performances were some of the worst in franchise history, the new-look Cinergy Field did provide something a little different to stare at while the team was sinking. The real grass is a welcome addition, much more visually stimulating than the old rec-room carpet. And, while the outfield cutout is cluttered with construction ugliness, it did open up some impressive views of Northern Kentucky and Mount Adams. These changes are kind of like when you shake your keys to distract a hyperactive puppy -- we need something to make us want to come down to the ol' ballpark.

Best Reds Distractions (Performance): The orbital rise of outfielder/power-hitter Adam Dunn through the Reds' farm system gave fans -- especially young 'uns -- something to root for and remember in the future if (when?) he becomes a superstar. But the older fans, salivating for the good old days, got a welcome surprise when pitcher Jose Rijo, a star of the Reds' championship 1990 season, made an improbable comeback and actually fared well coming out of the bullpen.

 

Photo: Matt Borgerding Best Way To Avoid Worm Food: Disc Golf Who could beat a game of tacos, pancakes and worm burners? Most people, actually, as these are all bad throws native to the game of disc golf. To the right people, these terms roll off the tongue as easy as triple Salchow. Disc Golf might not be ready for the Olympics yet, but it gets its fair share of attention in Cincinnati, with several great courses for this lazy day sport. Free park courses can be found at Winton Woods, Banklick Wood Parks and Mount Airy Forest, to name a few. Just look for the tee pads and watch out for the trees. For Cincinnati courses, check out hamiltoncountyparks.org or 513-521-PARK. There's actually a better listing that includes Kentucky sites too at this Canadian site: pdga.com. (RL)

Best Field Games: The Bengals can't do anything without pissing someone off. Last fall they took on local high school football teams and found tougher opposition than they find most Sundays. When the high school playoff doubleheader on Nov. 10 was moved to Paul Brown Stadium, Bengals officials said the teams' bands couldn't march on the field at halftimes. Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune, a Colerain alum, said he'd order sheriff's deputies to escort bands from Colerain, Elder, Princeton and St. Xavier onto the field if he had to, since the stadium belonged to county residents. The bands marched, and only a few blades of grass were harmed.

Best High School Football in the Whole Damn Country: Near the end of the regular season last fall, Colerain, St. Xavier and Elder all were in USA Today's Top 25 and were 1-2-3 in Ohio's Division I. A regional playoff doubleheader -- Elder-Colerain and St. X-Princeton -- drew 47,000 to Paul Brown Stadium. The next week, St. X beat Elder in front of 35,000 at UC's Nippert Stadium. Even though St. X eventually lost the state championship, Cincinnati's reputation as a football hotbed was secure.

Best Fan Dedication: The Cincinnati Cyclones were "demoted" to the East Coast Hockey League (the AA of minor league hockey), but it didn't stop the die-hards from lovingly following the team's every move. While Reds and Bengals fans come and go with the caliber of playing and even the surging UC Bearcats had trouble attracting people earlier in their 31-win season, the Cyclones have weathered a league change and an average year for their sheer love of the sport and team. The Firstar Center might not be overflowing when the Clones play, but their fans are a beautiful thing.

Best Overachieving Team with a Disappointing Finish: With the Bengals a laughingstock and the Reds in perpetual wait-til-the-new-stadium mode, the one constant over the last decade in the city's sports landscape has been Bob Huggins and his UC Bearcats. This year was no exception, as the Cats garnered their first-ever No. 1 seed, a school record 31 wins, a first team All-American selection in Steve Logan, a sixth consecutive Conference-USA regular season championship and even an elusive conference tournament championship. Not bad for a team that was unranked in most preseason polls. And while UC's second round loss to UCLA in the NCAA Tournament was tough to take, no one can deny it was another great year.

Best Coaching Transition: Despite the loss of Skip Prosser and several talented seniors, the Xavier Musketeers didn't skip a beat this year, as new coach Thad Matta led the Muskies to a fine 26-6 record. Romain Sato and Lionel Chalmers emerged as consistent forces, but it was All-American David West who clearly carried the load. Behind West, the Muskies won the Atlantic-10 Conference regular season and tournament championships before giving an excellent Oklahoma team a battle in the NCAA Tournament. Like Prosser before him, Matta proved that he was more than adequate replacement. Now let's hope West stays -- he'd be much harder to replace.

Best Induction: Cincinnati boxing has been on the upswing recently, with Ricardo Williams and Dante Craig both making waves in their respective divisions, but it was an old standby that made international headlines in 2001: This past October Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor was inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Los Angeles. It's about time. The lightning quick former junior welterweight world champion certainly has the credentials, finishing his career with a 39-1 record, including 35 by knockout, and along with Ezzard Charles is generally considered the best boxing export in our city's history. Yes, "The Hawk" still looms large these many years later.