The Bengals began their voluntary off-season workouts on Monday and once again wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco was absent.

Ocho Cinco has not been in contact with the Bengals recently, according to ESPN.com.

Last year Cincinnati passed up trade offers because the team was unwilling to take an $8 million salary-cap hit. This year that cap number is reduced to $4.87 million to trade Ocho Cinco, making it more of a possibility. Will they trade him now?

It was not all bad news on the Bengals front though as quarterback Carson Palmer annoucned that he "is 100%".

"I've been cleared. My elbow feels great and I just have to keep going and get the small mechanical things that I normally do this time of year," Palmer said during his press conference.

Is Carson healthy? What is going to happen to Chad? We get the answers straight from the source as we welcome Bengals.com's Geoff Hobson to our LIVE Internet radio show today from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m.

CATCH THE DAILY DOSE ON BLOGTALKRADIO.COM

NFL bengals, chad johnson, carson palmer, daily dose, getsportsradio.com

from GetSportsRadio.com:

The Kentucky coaching search may have very well have reached it's final stop. FoxSports.com is reporting that "talks between Kentucky and Memphis coach John Calipari have intensified and the two sides are moving closer to an agreement that could make him the highest-paid coach in the country."

According to sources close to the Tigers coach, Calipari is close to a deal that will pay him in excess of $5 million per season.

The Memphis Commercial is reporting that John Calipari plans to decide whether to accept Kentucky’s offer to become its basketball coach sometime Tuesday afternoon.

Calipari is weighing a multi-million-dollar offer from UK. Meanwhile, Memphis has made a strong counter-proposal that would make him set for his working life and into retirement.

He appears to be a bit indecisive at this time, but he's expected to make a decision sometime on Wednesday.

TrueBlueKentucky.com’s Marc Maggard joined hosts Dan Clasgens and Chad Brendel on GetSportsRadio.com’s Daily Dose LIVE from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Eastern on Monday.

Maggard recaped a crazy weekend in Lexington and provided up-to-date info on where the UK coaching search is heading, including the school’s talks with Memphis head coach John Calipari.

In addition, Dan and Chad recapped all the Elite Eight action,  took a first look at the Final Four, and previewed the AL East. Check out the show’s station page to listen on-demand and for more info about our new show.

**Join GetSportsRadio.com weekdays from 1-2 pm  LIVE forthe Daily Dose or on-demand anytime.

CLICK ON BUTTON BELOW TO LISTEN:


UPCOMING GUESTS - Tue 3/31: Geoff Hobson, Bengals.com; Wed 4/1: Tim Dierkes, MLBTradeRumors.com

College Hoops kentucky, kentucky wildcats, uk, john calipari, marc maggard, daily dose, getsportsradio.com

OK, I have officially burned the my bracket and Oklahoma fell in my pool. I have nothing left except the idea of watching some good basketball. I was hoping for some great games over the past weekend and honestly was left a bit disappointed. Here are some final takes on the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 and some opening thoughts on the Final Four:

*TAR HEELS MY PICK - I tried to convince myself that Gonzaga and Oklahoma could challenge the Tar Heels and most of that was based off of their poor play on defense. However, they held Oklahoma and Gonzaga, two high-scoring teams, to 137 total points. The Tar Heels, who I argued all regular season were the best team, have once again convinced me that they are. I can't see them losing to anyone.

*WHAT SCANDAL? - All the talk of the potential black cloud hanging over Connecticut following the amazingly timed release of recruiting violations proved to be unwarranted. The Huskies are looking strong and really the only thing standing in the way on UNC for a national title. I would not be surprised if Jim Calhoun calls it quits at the end of the year with on-going health problems and a looming probation.

*BIG TEN SURPRISE - I am the first to admit that I've been a Big Ten basher for most of the season. While I am not prepared to revoke those comments, I am ready to eat some crow about Michigan State. I was impressed with the way they handled Missouri in the Sweet 16 and amazed at the way they shutdown Louisville altogether on Sunday. They made the Cards play a Big Ten-style contest and that won them the game. This may be Tom Izzo's best coaching job yet.

*'NOVA A CINDERELLA AGAIN - After knocking out perenial power Duke in the Sweet 16, Villanova exacted their revenge on Pittsburgh and knocked out their Big East Brothers to earn a spot in the Final Four. The two wins over higher seeds give the school 15 wins vs. higher seed all-time, the most of any school. They are the lowest seed of any team left standing, entering the Final Four as a No. 3.

*FINAL FOUR NOT IN THE CARDS - The Cardinals had so much going there way, but I am thinking the 39-point victory over Arizona might have made the boys a little too confident heading into their match-up with Michigan State. They weren't ready for that defensive intensity the Spartans brought to the table. What sealed their fate though was they couldn't set up their pass without making baskets. It's disappointing for Rick Pitino as this team could play with any in the nation, just not MSU on Sunday.

*PITT PLAYS WITH FIRE, GETS BURNED - After a few lackluster performances early in the tournament, the Pitt Panthers were finally exposed on Saturday night. I am still trying to figure out how in world Scottie Reynolds got all the way down the court nearly uncontested. The first thing I learned playing basketball was STOP THE BALL!!! The Panthers peaked a bit too early this year. They would have won it all if it was February Madness.

College Hoops ncaa tournament, sweet 16, elite 8, final four, north carolina, connecticut, michigan state, villanova, louisville, pittsburgh

Fantasy Baseball fantasysportsgirl, fantasy advice, al east

While cheat sheets and rankings are great, I often find it more valuable to come up with my own rankings based off of a research and place players by position in tiers. I am a big believer that balance is what wins, especially in fantasy baseball. I have already taken a look at my 1B TIERS, 2B TIERS, 3B TIERS, SS TIERS , OF TIERS and CATCHER TIERS. Now, it's time to turn our attention to pitching as we start by looking at relievers.

TIER 1 - Jonathan Pabelpon (BOS), Mariano Rivera (NYY), Joe Nathan (MIN), Francisco Rodriguez (NYM)

TIER 2 - Brad Lidge (PHI), Jonathan Broxton (LA), B.J. Ryan (TOR), Joakim Soria (KC)

TIER 3 - Brian Fuentes (ANA), Jose Valverde (HOU), Francisco Cordero (CIN), Matt Capps (PIT), Bobby Jenks (CHW), Kerry Wood (CLE)

TIER 4 - Heath Bell (SD), Brian Wilson (SF), Trevor Hoffman (MIL), Frank Francisco (TEX), Mike Gonzalez (ATL), Matt Lidstrom (FLA), Huston Street (COL)

TIER 5 - Chad Qualls (ARI), Joel Hanrahan (WAS), Brandon Lyon (DET), Manny Corpas (COL), George Sherill (BAL), Troy Percival (TB), Chris Ray (BAL)

TIER 6 - J.J Putz (SEA), Rafael Soriana (ATL), Jason Motte (STL), Joey Devine (OAK), Grant Balfour (TB), Carlos Villanueva (MIL), Grant Balfour (TB), Chris Perez (STL)

Drafting Strategy: Drafting closers is a tricky proposition. The Tier 1 guys are mortal locks barring injury to rack some serious points. Yet, there always seems to be a handful of players to come out of nowhere to post some monster numbers. I usually try to nab one reliever from the Top 2 tiers and then find value to fill out my pen.

Final Take: If you miss out on a player near the top list take some flyers on building depth from deep within. Tier 3 and Tier 4 players have the best shot of being sleepers.

Fantasy Baseball fantasy advice, tier rankings, fantasy rp

Last year it was Lakota West girls team that ended up on the wrong end of some poor officiating during regulation that cost the Firebirds their first basketball championship.  Instead it went to Mount Notre Dame, a very deserving school that may or may not have won in overtime anyway.  The point was that the officials completely blew the call at the end of regulation, allowing a basket that was clearly after the time expired.  I was there as a non biased observer and have to say it was one of the worst calls I have ever seen.

On Saturday another local team, the Princeton Vikings, found themselves victims of poor officiating.  For the record I sincerely hope those offcials are reviewed and not allowed to officiate another DIV I game in the next 10 years if ever.

Not to take anything away from Columbus Northland or to say that Princeton didn't have their chances and failed to convert but for the same officials who appeared to swallow their whistle through most of the game they sure found it at the wrong time to impact the outcome of the game. 

The trailing offcial who didn't have a clear view made the call on the last second desperation shot by Columbus Northland.  There wasn't contact on the foul let alone enough to warrant that call at the end of the game to decide the game.  You let teams go into overtime and fight it out.

princeton, high school basketball

The Jay Cutler-Josh McDaniels drama is getting old in Denver. The two either need to kiss and make up or move on. Cutler is one of the best young quarterbacks in the game to say the least, but this whole thing is a bit childish.

Even worse is the fact that McDaniels is acting just as immature. If I am a Broncos' fan (and I am not), the team's new, young coach is on a very thin leash.

Cutler has not shown up for the team's voluntary workouts and McDaniels wants to meet without his agent.

According to the Denver Post, Cutler has been communicating with the coach via text message. I guess that is better than nothing, but still it's like two freakin' teenagers.

If something is going to shake down, it will before the draft.

Here are my picks for the best landing spots for Cutler should there be a trade...

1. NY Jets - Easily the team in biggest need.

2. Tampa Bay - OK, they could be worse off than the Jets. They could of have had in the 3-way trade for Matt Cassell to begin with.

3. Minnesota - Do you really think Sage Rosenfels is going to be the answer for the Vikings?

4. Detroit - They are sitting on the draft's top pick and desperate to win.

5. Chicago - Three words say it all...Kyle Freakin' Orton

MY TAKE: You don't trade a 25 year old franschise QB coming off a 4,500-yard Pro Bowl season under any circumstances, especially if he actually wants to play for your team as Cutler clearly had. While I think both deserve a fair share of the blame in the matter, I also think that owner Pat Bowlen deserves some criticism for his silence in the matter. He writes the check and at this point I think he needs to sit everyone down and work this out. Otherwise, Cutler is going to go all "T.O." on them.

NFL broncos, jay cutler, josh mcdaniels, pat bowlen, jets, bucs, buccaneers, vikings, lions, bears

She was hottest woman on the show Vegas and that is all you need to know:

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Not necessarily being the most dominant driver at Martinsville didn't stop Jimmie Johnson from winning at the short track for the fifth time in the past six Cup races there. Johnson took the lead from Denny Hamlin, who led a race-high 296 laps, with 15 laps remaining on an aggressive pass on Lap 485 and held on to win the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500.

Johnson and Hamlin battled hard towards the end with the Hendrick driver winning by a .774 second margin. The victory was the 41st win of Johnson's career and his first of the season. He now has totaled six of those wins at Martinsville, quickly becoming one of Johnson's best tracks. Owner Rick Hendrick has 18 wins there, including this latest one on the 25th anniversary of his first win as a car owner.

Tony Stewart finished third followed by Johnson teammate and series points leader Jeff Gordon in fourth, with Clint Bowyer following suit in fifth place. Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., A.J. Allmendinger, and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top 10.

Hamlin had wrested the lead from Johnson with a bold move to the inside on a Lap 456 restart. Johnson trailed Hamlin through two short green-flag runs and two cautions before Johnson saw his opportunity seven laps after a restart on Lap 478. Entering Turn 3 on Lap 485, Johnson nosed beneath Hamlin's No. 11 Toyota. Hamlin squeezed Johnson to the inside and the No. 48 Chevy bounced off the inside curb. Johnson slid up the track, and contact between the two lead cars allowed Johnson to pass for the lead.

Though for many of the race's laps the race was a two-man show that didn't involve Johnson. Gordon led 141 of the first 155 laps before Hamlin slipped into the inside of Gordon at Turn 4 of Lap 156 and held the top spot for 187 laps until Gordon passed him on Lap 343. Six laps later Hamlin would again have the lead before dealing with the points leader again. After holding of Gordon, Hamlin would have to try and hold off the hard-charging Johson, who got the lead on Lap 434 after coming out first from pit row. Hamlin dived to the inside of Johnson on Lap 456, which was helped by Kyle Busch's car which was one lap down and the first lapped car on the inside lane. Busch gave Hamlin enough room to pass Johnson on the inside corner.

Six of the top eight positions belonged to Hendrick cars(Gordon, Johnson, Martin, and Earnhardt.)

The Busch brothers were unable to keep their streak of wins going beyond three races and were non-factors at a short track race, which is rare indeed. Kurt started second but steadily fell and finished 18th, while Kyle had a tire issue which caused him to end up 24th at the finish.

Gordon extended his lead in the points standings to 89 over second-place Bowyer and 132 over Kurt Busch.

Geoffrey Bodine won the 1984 Sovran Bank 500 at Martinsville, which was the first of many Cup victories to come for Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson's win was the 176th of Hendrick's career.

NASCAR martinsville, jimmy johnson, denny hamlin, tony stewart, jeff gordon, clint bowyer, ryan newman, mark martin, dale earnhardt jr, aj allmedinger, jamie mcmurray, kyle busch, kurt busch, geoffrey bodine

from ESPN.com

Billy Gillispie is out as coach of Kentucky in his second season at the helm, the school announced at a 4:30 p.m. ET news conference on Friday.

School officials had been quiet about Gillispie's job status after the Wildcats tumbled through the second half of the season to finish 22-14, tied for the second-most losses in the program's 106-year history.

Gillispie's Kentucky Wildcats missed the NCAA tournament but advanced to the quarterfinals of the NIT.

Florida coach Billy Donovan, who many have speculated as being the top target by the university for the job, will not be a candidate for the Kentucky job or any jobs that come open, according to the Gainesville Sun.

“In response to the rumors circulating about my interest in other jobs, I wanted to address this as quickly as possible," Donovan said in a statement. "I am committed to the University of Florida and look forward to continuing to build our program here."

COMPLETE STORY

College Hoops kentucky, kentucky wildcats, uk, billy gillispie, billy donovan

With Opening Day less than ten days away, I trying to get a true feel for what the Reds chances are this season. After careful deliberation I am going to project an 84-78 record. While that could keep them in the mix for the division title, 2010 is going to be there year they will legitimately contend for the title. Here are five things that must happen for them to snap their streak of eight straight losing seasons.

1. AARON HARANG MUST RETURN TO FORM
If the Reds are going to compete in the division in '09, they can ill afford to have their staff ace go 6-17 again this season. Harang won 16 games in each of the two previous seasons and if he even comes close to that again the Reds will be in good shape.

2. YOUNG PITCHERS MUST CONTINUE TO DEVELOP
There's no doubting the upside of Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto, and Homer Bailey. The young guns have outstanding stuff and seemingly unlimited upside. How much will they progress this season is what is in question. It's hard to imagine Volquez's numbers improving, but if Cueto and Bailey each take a leap and Volquez stays steady the Reds could bolster the division's best starting rotation.

3. WILLY TAVERAS MUST SCORE 100 RUNS
Forget about the stolen bases and even the on-base percentage, the key stat for the Reds' sake when it comes to Willy Taveras is how many runs will he score? There were 25 different major leaguers to score 100 runs last season and none of them played for the Reds. With Taveras setting the table atop the batting order, getting him across the plate is going to be of the upmost importance. He's never sniffed 100 runs in his career, but did crack 80 twice during his stint with the Astros. To score 100+ runs he will need to get on base, make plays on the basebaths and have the players behind him execute. This is far-fetched I know, but this is a stat that if happens will almost certainly mean the Reds will be in the race.

4. JOEY VOTTO MUST ARRIVE
Asking Jay Bruce to be the man is a bit naive. However, this is Votto's chance to shine. Firmly entrenched as the team's No. 3 hitter, Votto will have the built-in advantage of hitting in front of Brandon Phillips. Votto looked good late in the season and has shown some signs of a breakout during the spring. The Reds are banking on 25+ HR's and something close to 100 RBI's. If he falls short so will the Redlegs.

5. SOMEONE MUST EMERGE AT SHORTSTOP
Alex Gonzalez can't get in on the field to save his life and already tweaked his hamsting again this week. The Reds need steady defensive play at shortstop if they are going to stay in games. Jerry Hairston and Jeff Keppinger are capable of some spot play at the positiion, but if they are counted again to carry the position primarily the Reds are going to struggle. This is one area where trading for an upgrade may not be a bad idea.

MLB reds, aaron harang, edinson volquez, johnny cueto, homer bailey, willy taveras, brandon phillips, joey votto, alex gonzalez, jerry hairston, jeff keppinger

The American League Central is one of the toughest divisions in all of baseball to figure out. You can seemingly always count on Minnesota to be in the mix. The Tigers underachieved big time in 2008 and the White Sox overachieved. The Indians have some holes and the Royals, like every other year, will be eliminated on Opening Day. It’s time to make our picks for this year’s divisional race.

ORDER OF FINISH
Twins – Minnesota is not as good as they’ve been in previous years, but they are still the cream of this crop. They have nice, young talent in both the lineup and the rotation. Joe Mauer’s back problems could haunt the team, but assuming he is in his customary three-spot in the batting order for the bulk of the season you can expect the Twins to carry the division. Justin Moreneau is still underrated despite his MVP-caliber numbers. They will get a big boost with a healthy return of ace Francisco Liriano to go along with right-handers Scott Baker and Kevin Slowley at the top of the rotation. Joe Nathan is a top-notch closer and easily the division’s best at nailing down a win.

Indians – The line-up has some serious thump. Grady Sizemore is the best all-around player in the division. Expect Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner to bounce back in 2009. Shortstop Jhonny Peralta is poised for a breakout year. The problem that will haunt the Tribe is their pitching. Closer Kerry Wood was signed to help shore up the bullpen, and he is an improvement. While I expect a nice bounce back from Fausto Carmona, Cliff Lee will be hard pressed to match ‘08’s numbers. The 3-4-5 spots in the rotation though are horrendous and will ultimately doom the Indians.

White Sox – Here is where things really start to drop off. The White Sox have some bright spots, but they aren’t as good as last year’ playoff run suggested. Simply put, the Sox are going to have a tough time scoring runs. Carlos Quentin and Jim Thome are legitimate run-producing threats, but the lineup surrounding them is as weak as it has been in years on the South Side. Mark Buerhle, Gavin Floyd, and John Danks are legitimate big league starting pitchers, but none of them are better than a No. 3 at best. Bobby Jenks is one of the few bright spots in a makeshift bullpen.

Royals – After four straight last-place finishes, the Royals got out of the basement in the standings during 2008. They have a young team and this off-season they finally kept one of their young stars when they inked ace Zach Greinke to a long-term deal. He joins Gil Meche to give the Royals a nice 1-2 punch in the rotation. Closer Joakim Soria is a player on the rise. The line-up still has questions and I’m not sure that Coco Crisp and Mike Jacobs helped the team answer them. They could move up the list if everything goes right or they could wind right back up in the cellar.

Tigers – The auto makers aren’t the only ones that need a bailout in the Motor City. The Tigers sold their soles to the devils and had the whole thing blow up in their faces. Miguel Cabrera is still one of the best players in the game and the lineup still has plenty of potential. However, when you got nearly $40 million tied up into Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson, you staff is in trouble. If Justin Verlander can return to his ace status they might not finish last, but they are going to sniff .500 this year.

AWARDS
MVP – Justin Moreneau (MIN)

Cy Young Candidate – Cliff Lee (CLE)

Biggest Bust – Kerry Wood (CLE)

Biggest Breakout – Jhonny Peralta (CLE)

Comeback Player – Francisco Liriano (MIN)

Rookie of Year – Matt LaPorta (CLE) - though he may start season in minors

MLB 2009 mlb predictions, al central, twins, indians, white sox, royals, tigers

For starters, my bracket is still looking pretty freakin' sweat. Still, there have been some developing trends that is going to cause me to reaccess some picks as I set reset my Sweet 16 bracket:

EAST
#1 Pittsburgh over #4 Xavier
#3 Villanova over #2 Duke (sticking with it)

Final Take: To me this quadrant is the most wide open of any left. Pitt should handle Xavier, but the Panthers haven't been playinig as well and to me are the most likely to fall first amonst the No. 1 seeds. Villanova and Duke is a game that I can't wait too watch. Both teams are so close to each other on paper, but I am going with the Big East over ACC.

Final Four Pick: Pittsburgh (sticking with it - but worried)

Sweet 16 Bets: Xavier +7; Villanova/Duke Over 148; Villanova +3

WEST
#1 Connecticut over #5 Purdue
#2 Memphis over #3 Michigan State

Final Take: I am staying with the chalk here. The UConn scandal does worry me, but not against Purdue. Memphis is the real deal and still my Final Four pick. Still, Missouri is capable and could suprise.

Final Four Pick: Memphis

Sweet 16 Bets: Connecticut -6.5; Memphis -4

MIDWEST
#1 Louisville over #12 Arizona
#3 Kansas over #2 Michigan St (changed my mind here)

Final Take: I am sticking with the Cards baby! They have struggled for stretches during the tournament, but they are still the class of the bunch. Kansas is young, but they have a point guard and big man and I like their chances against Michigan State.

Final Four Pick: Louisville

Sweet 16 Bets: Louisville/Arizona over 138; Kansas +1.5

SOUTH
#2 Oklahoma over #3 Syracuse
#4 Gonzaga over #1 North Carolina (I have to stay with an upset I called 10 days ago)

Final Take: There is no bracket with better overall talent than this bracket. Call it a hunch, but I see the Tar Heels falling before the final four. If the Zags can't do the winner of Syracuse and Oklahoma will. I will continue to ride the Sooners and the nations' best player, Blake Griffin.

Final Four Pick: Oklahoma

Sweet 16 Bets: Oklahoma -1; Gonzaga +9

College Hoops ncaa tournament, sweet 16

I posted this stuff a few weeks, but if you haven't check it out yet you need to check out the FREE BetAgainstMe.com.

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Just For Fun fantasy wagering, handicapping

from CNNSI.com

Kentucky football fans don't expect much. They're fine with the Liberty Bowl, which is the football equivalent of the NIT quarterfinals. Kentucky basketball fans expect Final Fours and national championships. That's why Wednesday night the Cat's Pause, the Rivals.com site that covers Kentucky, said a record 13,500 logged on to its free message board.

Billy Gillispie built winners in his previous stops at UTEP and Texas A&M. He won or shared conference coach of the year honors five times. Despite having two of the nation's best players, Gillispie couldn't find a way to make Kentucky win this season.

If Gillispie gets canned, that's why. Forget all the other stuff. In the final analysis, his job was to win, and he didn't win enough. Wednesday, Gillispie said the only judgment that matters to him is the one he'll get from the big athletic director in the sky. "There's only one judgment I'll ever be concerned about," he said. "I hope I pass that judgment. I'm really proud that's the only judgment that's ever had a real effect on me. I hope I pass that one with flying colors."

COMPLETE ARTICLE

College Hoops kentucky, kentucky wildcats, uk, billy gillispie