| |
Jocks staff
Best Break:
Call UC basketball coach Bob Huggins’ DUI stop last summer whatever
you want — a cry for help, the final straw, a crime —
but Athletic Director Bob Goin did the right thing by suspending Huggins
and giving him a chance to regroup and get himself together. Huggins
had been through his own heart attack, the death of his mother and
this episode in the past couple of years, and that’s to say
nothing about the stuff that really drives him crazy, the work of
his basketball teams. So the university could call it a suspension,
but it was truly a vacation — and it sounded like Huggins needed
one badly. The fact that the Bearcats overachieved (once again) this
season proved (once again) that UC and Cincinnati are lucky to have
him.
Best Father’s Day Present:
Ken Griffey Jr. finally hit his 500th career home run on Father’s
Day last summer as his father, Griffey Sr., watched from the stands
in St. Louis. For two weeks, from No. 498 to No. 500, Junior was the
center of the baseball world, yet like everything with him the milestone
came with its “what if” side. He’d been the youngest
player in baseball history to reach 350, 400 and 450 home runs, but
because of his injuries since joining the Reds in 2000 he became only
the sixth youngest man to hit 500. At this point, Reds fans could
care less about Junior’s home runs — they just want to
see him play an entire season without going on the DL.
|
Best
Human Swiss Army Knife: Ryan Freel
Rohs Street Cafe
Photo: Mandy Janes
|
|
|
|
Best
Human Swiss Army Knife:
Ryan Freel
A dictionary
definition of the term “utility man,” the short, feisty
Cincinnati Red has become a fan favorite for doing something people
around here love: hustling. Though lacking the skills of the original
Charlie Hustle, Freel (who’s more like a 21st-Century Chris
Sabo) makes up for it with general moxie, seeming capable of playing
every position on the field and doing whatever the Reds ask of him.
Last year it seemed like Freel was hurt often, but he usually just
played through the pain. And the reasons for the injuries could
start to add up to legend. In May, he dove a few rows into the stands
in pursuit of a foul ball in Dodger Stadium, to his dismay booting
an older woman in the head and causing her to be taken off on a
stretcher. A miraculous catch at Wrigley in April earned Freel national
recognition, as ESPN named the diving grab of a bunt the best fielding
play of the first half of the 2004 season. In these times of steroids
and budget-busting salaries, Ryan Freel is a throwback to baseball
purity, integrity and perseverance. (Mike Breen)
Best Place to Watch the Reds (Inside
the Stadium):
They said when they built it that than fans would love the right field
seats called the Sun/Moon deck. They were right. Best seats in the
house, by far. And if Casey, Dunn and Junior stay healthy, it will
be the place most likely to get a free (airborne) souvenir.
Great American Ball Park, 100 Main St., Downtown,
513-765-7000.
Best Place to Watch the Reds (Outside
the Stadium):
Plenty of reason to be optimistic about the home team this year, so
when you’re not at the ballyard the best place to watch the
winning fireworks during a home series is the rooftop at Chez Nora.
Great bar, great view of the riverfront.
530 Main St., Covington, 859-491-8027.
Best Indoor Home for the Beautiful Game:
If your idea of “kickin’ it” includes a soccer ball
and goal, head to Tri-County Sportsplex, which hosts everything from
serious soccer games to adult social leagues to lessons for the little
ones. Playing on this turf is almost better than playing outdoors,
since the rubber is softer than dirt.
530 North-land Blvd., Forest Park, 513-825-3533.
Best Way to SEE the Beautiful Game:
Professional soccer has long struggled to gain a foothold with the
American viewing public, but like baseball it might be appreciated
best in person on the minor league level. Cincinnati continues to
host a revolving door of soccer franchises, but there’s something
for everyone. The Excite recently completed its first season by losing
the American Indoor Soccer League championship game. The Kings outdoor
team begins its first season April 16 and will play home games at
Xavier University’s Corcoran Field (an exhibition match at XU
against the MSL’s Columbus Crew is April 13). And the Ladyhawks
women’s outdoor team opens its season May 22 with home games
at Lakota West High School. (cincinnatikings.com,
ladyhawks.com)
Best Up Close Action:
Another organization attempts to make a go of indoor football here,
as the Cincinnati Marshals open their first National Indoor Football
League season after the franchise relocated to U.S. Bank Arena from
Waco, Tex. One of 21 NIFL teams, the Marshals play in the Atlantic
East Division with squads based in St. Louis and East Rutherford,
N.J. Fans will be able to judge the action for themselves pretty quickly
— five of the team’s first six games are at home (April
2, 9, 23 and 30, plus one already played).
100 Broadway, Downtown, 513-381-TURF.
Best Golf Swing:
With a team of nine golf professionals on hand, the Meadow Links and
Golf Academy staff can correct even the worst golf swing. So if your
friends have started calling you Slicey McSlicerson, it might be time
to invest in a spring refresher course for $55. There are also group
clinics and a junior golf academy each summer for boys and girls age
9 to 17. Golfers can practice on a 49-station heated driving range
and natural turf areas designed for practicing chipping and putting.
When their swing finally passes muster they can move to the award-winning
nine-hole mid-length golf course, voted one of the top 10 short courses
in America by Golf Range Magazine.
10999 Mill Road, Forest Park, 513-825-3701.
Best Swing Swing:
At Pete DeLois’ Recreations Outlet just east of Mariemont, you’ll
find a place to buy a swing set like no other. Forget that steel A-frame
deal from when you were a kid, the one that rocked back and forth
on its cement-ball footing after a hard rain. This store offers huge
wooden playsets, including Amish-built playhouses. The kids can test
them out in the indoor showroom, and you can even schedule birthday
parties there, which many folks do.
7605 Wooster Pike, Columbia Twp., 513-561-8695
(also at Kids First Sports Center, 7900 E. Kemper Road, Montgomery,
513-469-1333).
Best No Frills Tennis Club:
How do you improve the facility that the Xavier University tennis
team uses for its practices? How about a newly resurfaced floor and
new lighting? Eastern Hills Indoor Tennis Club, located across from
Lunken Field, has eight courts, a small pro shop and a comfortable
mezzanine area where you can enjoy a beverage (even beer!) while waiting
to start your match. No pool, no spa or any extraneous amenities to
inflate costs, just tennis plain and simple. Lessons are available,
and rates for membership are among the most reasonable in the area.
669 Wilmer Ave., East End, 513-871-8717.
Best Bench Mascot:
It’s the end of another UC Bearcats basketball game, the team
is up 25 points and a cheer starts at one end of the arena and builds
to other, escalating to a roar. Yup, it’s Meeker Time. John
Meeker, a senior walk-on, became a crowd favorite, drawing the loudest
cheers of anyone at a home game besides Nick Lachey, according to
Bob Huggins. More than just the token white boy, Meeker was the team’s
best cheerleader and moral support for a squad that needed it at times
this year.
Best Thug Image Dismantling:
ESPN’s behind-the-scenes The Season show followed the UC Bearcats
basketball team around for a few weeks and showed the human side of
a program unfairly tagged as a breeding ground for thugs and criminals.
Big-men Jason Maxiell and Eric Hicks proved to be funny and personable
(Max talking about a nephew his family calls “Drippy”
because of a drooling problem was particularly hysterical). And John
Meeker showed flashes of a second talent when he knocked out a ragged
acoustic guitar version of OutKast’s “Hey Ya.” That
talent being comedy, not musical ability. With the graduation-rate
myth slowly being dismantled as well, what will Kentucky and Xavier
fans have to rag on now? Uh, besides the “second round”
curse.
Best Fake-Out Sports Move:
Call it the greatest reverse lay-up of the year. Thad Matta, then-coach
of the Xavier Muskies, says on June 29 he’s not a candidate
for the Ohio State head job. Then a week later he accepts the job.
Then he says he didn’t actually decide until 6 p.m. the day
of the announcement, when in fact Ohio State put out the media release
at 2 p.m. Here’s hoping, for Matta’s benefit, that his
OSU point guard is as shifty as he is.
Best Hoard:
We love Dan Hoard (with his entertaining and informative play-by-play
skills, he should be the new Reds radio broadcaster), but let’s
give it up for his former Fox 19 sports partner Greg Hoard for bowing
out of his broadcasting career gracefully last year to concentrate
on writing, inspired by the acclaim for his recent book on Joe Nuxhall.
The (not related) Hoards were an excellent and humorous anchoring
duo, but Greg’s eagerness to get back to his roots (he started
as a Post and Enquirer writer) is admirable.
Best Athletic Anomaly:
In an age of money hungry, me-first professional athletes, Bengals
wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh is a refreshing anomaly. After a
breakout season that saw him grab 73 passes for 978 yards, H-man could
have commanded a nice pile of money on the open market. Instead he
decided to come back as Chad Johnson’s sidekick, signing a four-year
deal with the Bengals, who also re-signed Rudi Johnson. They’re
just more examples of headman Marvin Lewis’ transformation of
a once hapless organization.
Best Way to Get Wet:
“World-class kayak instruction by certified instructors in Over-the-Rhine”
— that’s not the sort of sentence you might expect to
read, but true nonetheless. Don Brannen and his team of instructors
offer eight- to 10-week beginner and advanced courses that concentrate
on injury prevention, play boating, river running and kayak touring.
Winter action takes place in a heated pool, while summer classes move
to the outdoor pool and the best available waters. Best of all, the
instruction fees go toward an inner-city teen outdoor leadership program
and are used to take kids skiing, snowboarding, white water rafting
and snorkeling.
1715 Republic St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-681-8247.
Best Frisbee Golf:
Local frisbee golfers talk in hushed tones when discussing Hole 10
of Mount Airy Forest’s disc golf course. A 700-foot-long dogleg
right with a road running along its left-hand side and thick trees
and bushes growing on its right, it can test the skills of even the
most experienced disc golfer. (cincinnatidiscgolf.com)
Best New Place to Work Out:
Free use of clean towels, a newly-renovated co-ed facility, pool,
whirlpool, sauna and indoor track lift the YWCA a definite, if sweaty,
head above the rest. Classes such as self-defense and water therapy
classes go beyond fill-in-the-body-part-of-steel.
898 Walnut St., Downtown, 513-241-7090.
Best Place to Indulge Your Inner Athlete:
Cincinnati Sports Leagues attracts active young professionals like
no other local organization, whether it’s for a flag football
or floor hockey league or for happy hour parties in a variety of cool
clubs. Plus the activities attract almost equal numbers of men and
women, so the events are a good place for a little meeting-and-greeting.
(gocsl.com)
Best Strike:
Some of the better bowlers in Cincinnati, most notably Steve Fehr,
have fared well in recent years on the Professional Bowlers Association
tour. Cincinnati’s latest claim to fame in the professional
bowling world is Brian Himmler, who recently did his hometown proud
by defending his title in November at the PBA Chicago Open and pocketing
a nice $40,000 check. ©
|
|
