A Deeper Love for the Premier League!

My wife Tammy, son Michael and I visited Paris and London in early April.

We had a chance to see 2 Premier League Matches while we were there, and as it turns out, some teams and individuals who have had historic seasons.

We saw Arsenal beat Manchester City, the eventual Premier League Champions, 1-0 at Emirates Stadium. Classic match, with the hated Mario Balotelli getting sent off for Man City

We also saw Fulham draw Chelsea (playing for the UEFA Champions League title this Saturday) 1-1 at Craven Cottage, with American Clint Dempsey (having arguably the best season ever for an American playing in Europe) getting the goal for Fulham to even up the match.

I have been a fan of the Premier League. I enjoy being able to watch matches live on Winter weekend mornings here in Cincinnati. The battle for the league title, Champions League spots and of course the battle not to be relegated is intriguing.

But the experience of going to actual matches in England was the best!

This Sunday was the final day of the season, with all 10 matches kicking off at the same time, so no team had a tactical advantage.  Chris Ryan, writing on Grantland.com captured the essence of the day in this article posted today:

The Reducer, Week 37: Today Is Gonna Be the Day

Manchester City wins the Premier League title in the most dramatic fashion possible

So with the opportunity to experience matches live, and a great ending to the season this past Sunday, I now have a deeper love for the Premier League.

I just need to decide who to throw my support behind-thinking Fulham.

Can't wait for next season to get started!

The Emirates

Michael, Tammy and Me at The Emirates

Craven Cottage

Me, Tammy and Michael, Craven Cottage

The Hill, Written by Brian Sell

The subject of this short piece might be familiar to the 40-50 somethings who grew up in Cincinnati, or went to University of Cincinnati. Written by my son Brian.

The Hill

The hill across the street was most likely manmade. Stone walls cut into the facing side at different levels and depths, their own faces now covered with amateur graffiti. Shaved flat at the top, it now was a mess of stones and dirt. Weeds and a few small tufts of grass battled for their lives in a pointless fight. Three impressively tall piles of bricks were gathered in one corner. The bricks flowed off their piles across most of the area, spilling down the side of the hill.

A few small walls did still stand, doing their best “roman ruin.” One corner of the previous structure looked fairly sturdy. The bricks standing strong and proud for their fallen brothers, sticking together as long as possible. It was a picture into the past. A past that stretched out from the hill, claimed great by stories told through the generations who’ve stayed. “A different place,” they’d say. The one’s who kept with the times used semi-current slang to support their fight. “It was off-the-chain, man. No joke, dude. The place was killer. Every night was raging.”

The picture blurred. The ruins, now an eyesore. The slightly-off slang convinced none of the young. Every year fewer believed the stories they barely bared to listen to. It was wasted space. Former members jumped ship.

“Who needs ‘em!”

A time forgotten by the majority, overrun by years. “Wipe it,” they say, stripping everything for nothing, no trade-backs. Memories sold into a parking lot.

The nest of a past culture, left to waste in a drawn-out death. Obsolete times drawing painful final breaths, waiting to be suffocated under a layer of tar.

For some more of Brian's writing: Sell Your Soul

                                        

Opening Day in Cincinnati-"And This One Belongs to the Reds!"

This year it was my youngest son Michael's turn to go to the Cincinnati Reds' Opening Day with me. Cincinnati's Opening Day traditions are unlike any other in baseball.

Michael and Me at Great American Ballpark Today

It begins with the Findlay Market Opening Day Parade in downtown Cincinnati. Cincinnati Reds' Hall of Famer Joe Morgan (one of my all-time favorites) was this year's Grand Marshall. Over 190 bands, dance groups, floats, politicians and businesses marched in the parade, which followed a route from Findlay Market in the Over The Rhine neighborhood past Fountain Square, a total of 2 miles.

Of course Great American Ballpark was sold out for the game between the Reds and the Brewers. The sun was out, which made the 45 degree temperature quite bearable.

(The Enquirer/Cara Owsley)

The Reds won the game 7-6 in the bottom of the 9th on a walk-off 3-run homer by catcher Ramon Hernandez! It was a great way to end an Opening Day Game. Maybe this will lead to a wire-to wire World Championship like the 1990 Cincinnati Reds. My son Michael posted this on his Facebook Page:

Michael Sell

Best Reds game of my life. Perfect way to end opening day. Walk off by Hernandez. Unbelievable.




He is right!

Ramon Hernandez Greeted at Home Plate in the Bottom of the 9th

You can read all about the game on the Reds website:
Hernandez's Heroics lift Reds on Opening Day

Pete Rose at Opening Day 2011

It wouldn't be Opening Day in Cincinnati without a Pete Rose sighting in the ballpark. The crowd got a glimpse of Pete Rose in the 3rd inning, and he of course drew a big cheer.

I love Pete Rose, but the jacket and hat...someone needs to dress that guy!

The best lines about Pete's outfit were from Scott Van Pelt's (ESPN anchor and radio host) Twitter posts:

notthefakeSVP Scott Van Pelt 

Pete Rose.....transcendent http://twitpic.com/4fer6m

notthefakeSVP Scott Van Pelt 

Worth one more look @ ole Chuck Hustle just murdering fools in his Lid lifter get up (no annoying channel id) http://twitpic.com/4fesbx

notthefakeSVP Scott Van Pelt 

What happens to a dude? You just wake up one day and go- where's my clown hat and my Joseph and the amazing techincolor dreamcoat jacket at?

Chad Ochocinco's Trial With Sporting KC, I Like It!

In typical fashion, Cincinnati Bengal wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has generated a wide range of opinions with regards to his trial this week with Sporting KC of Major League Soccer.

Chad Ochocinco at his Press Conference www.sportingkc.com

One opinion: This is just another Chad Ochocinco publicity stunt, meant to only promote himself. Sporting KC doesn't need this kind of distraction as they begin the 2011 MLS regular season.

Another opinion: Why now? Chad Ochocinco hasn't played since high school. Why would Sporting KC bring Chad Ochocinco into training, risking injury to team members as there is no way that he can keep up with the pace of these professional soccer players. What does Sporting KC gain, as the chances that Chad Ochocinco makes the team are very small.

I'm a Cincinnati Bengals fan, admittedly a tough thing to admit with the poor results the Bengals have had over the last several years. As a resident of the Cincinnati area, I've experienced life with Chad Ochocinco as a player, self-promoter, etc. My take? Chad Ochocinco is giving an honest effort to make the team. He respects the game, respects the players and has been very honest in his self-assessment as a player. Just look at some sample Tweets from his Twitter page, http://twitter.com/#!/ochocinco:

ochocinco Chad Ochocinco 

Headed to bed with a (humble pie) in the oven on low tempature,to be able to grace the pitch with elite futbol athletes is #Epic goodnight

ochocinco Chad Ochocinco 

@3gerardpique I understand the skill it takes it to play at this level,I just love the beautiful game n have much respect for it,see u soon.

ochocinco Chad Ochocinco 

I wish you all can see the skill it takes to play FUTBOL,even with my speed these guys still make me look like shit on the pitch#seriously

ochocinco Chad Ochocinco 

Speed is nothing without control, let the ball do the breathing#TheBeautifulGame

ochocinco Chad Ochocinco 

Taking the entire team to Fogo De Chao tonight,I'm the rookie in a sense so this should be fun,what are y'all doing?

Chad Ochocinco has been respectful and humble during his trail with Sporting KC. Will he make the team? I don't know. But I'm rooting for him.

Just Like All The Others? Jim Tressel's Transgressions

I had a long drive last night after finishing a business trip to St. Louis. Listening to sports talk radio 700 WLW out of Cincinnati, I was able to hear highlights of the Jim Tressel press conference and local Cincinnati reaction to the story.

Jim Tressel was obligated to report information he received in emails about Ohio State football players selling/exchanging memorabilia with a tattoo parlor owner in the Columbus area months before the information became public this past December. The players implicated have received 5 game suspensions to be served at the beginning of the 2011 football season.

Jim Tressel screwed up. He said as much in the press conference last night. Talk radio callers generally gave him credit for standing up and taking his punishment. I'm not so sure. First of all, he didn't come out and self report it. He was caught. He had to face his punishment.

Secondly, I have to wonder about the inconsistencies of the punishments related to this incident. The players received a 5 game suspension for selling the memorabilia. Jim Tressel, the man who is supposed to be their leader, the man who is supposed to set an example for these young men, withholds information he was obligated to provide to his superiors, and signed an NCAA certificate of compliance at the beginning of the 2010 season stating "he has reported any knowledge of possible violations to the institution". What is Coach Tressel's punishment? A 2 game suspension and $250,000 fine. The NCAA will probably add to this punishment. But shouldn't the coach receive a harsher punishment than the player?

My take? No defense for what Jim Tressel did. He didn't get fired because he beats Michigan, wins Big Ten titles, and has won a National Championship. The disappointment for me is Jim Tressel seems to hold himself to a higher standard as does The Ohio State University. Both the coach and the institution are no different than any other College football coach or program.

But in the end, who cares? All will be forgiven when Jim Tressel leads The Ohio State University to another win over Michigan, another Big Ten Championship, and another BCS Bowl game.

As reported in the Columbus Dispatch: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2011/03/09/tressel-i-let-some-people-down.html?sid=101