An intriguing candidate ...

Atlanta Braves assistant GM Frank Wren's name was added tonight to the list of candidates for the Reds general manager post.

Wren was Baltimore's GM for one year before becoming a casualty of Peter Angelos' overhaul of the Orioles organization. He has spent the past few years working alongside GM-extraordinaire John Schuerholz in Atlanta.

Wren was rumored to be among the candidates for the Reds GM job after Jim Bowden was fired. There was no initial indication of when his interview with new Reds CEO Bob Castellini might take place.

Wrigley renovation

A mild winter of historic proportions has allowed construction crews in Chicago to work at break-neck speed during the renovation and expansion of Wrigley Field.

The $13.5 million project will add 1,800 seats to the Cubs' home ballpark by extending the bleachers outward toward the grandstand. In addition, new restrooms, concession areas and television screens will be added on the ground- level of the bleachers.

Included within the scope of the work will be netting placed underneath the roof of the grandstand to prevent pigeons from roosting in the upper deck.

I guess the Cubs organization figured their fans had been crapped on enough.

Castellini to put his stamp on Reds

The knot in Robert H. Castellini’s tie isn’t always set straight but - in a shrewd business sense - he always seems put-together.

As he addressed fans and the media for the first time after being formally introduced as new Reds CEO, Castellini didn’t appear completely comfortable as a public speaker. He stumbled over his words and, at times, hesitated mid-thought.

But, when reporters asked Castellini about his plans for the Reds, he offered a cold stare and delivered a stern response.

“We didn’t get the ball from the Reds to wallow in mediocrity,” he said. “If that’s all we have to offer, we shouldn’t be hanging around long.”

This is the type of reply Reds fans have been eagerly awaiting from club ownership during the course of five consecutive losing seasons.

Castellini followed that up with a query for the circle of reporters that enveloped him.

“Fellas, don’t you get upset when you have to cover a ballclub that’s not a winner, not even a .500 club?” he asked. “I’m a lifelong Reds fan. I get upset. But … you guys have to swim in it everyday.”

The general objectivity inherent in our jobs prohibits us from fretting over wins and losses.

But, the Reds’ boss does have a point.

Controlling interest in the Reds was offered to Castellini’s group back in November. But, it took more than two months for Major League Baseball to formally approve the sale despite the group’s track record of more than 30 years of baseball ownership.

The complete list of partners will be announced in a few weeks. It may include a group of minority investors led by Ed Rigaud, a former P & G executive and president of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

The transfer of ownership came less than one month before the start of spring training leaving little time for any sweeping changes. But, less than 72 hours after assuming control of the Reds, Castellini swung the bat for the first time and promptly belted GM Dan O’Brien out of the park.

Castellini made it clear that he wanted to hire his “own guy” for the general manager position. A list of potential candidates for the job was beginning to emerge late last week.

By the time he approached the podium at his introductory new conference, Castellini had already begun to reshape the Reds organization.

“The biggest thing we’ve done is to separate the business side from the baseball side,” he said. “This business model is very comparable to the Cardinals. I think the business side of the Reds is very responsible. In the past, we had too many people trying to do too much.”

On the surface, this would appear to be a vote of confidence for Reds COO John Allen whose responsibilities now rest solely on the business side. We’ll see.

Castellini wants to name a new general manager within a few weeks. The new GM may have his own ideas about who should manage the club. The team is in Jerry Narron’s hands for now.

Interim GM Brad Kullman has been given Castellini’s blessing to pursue trade options. Austin Kearns and Wily Mo Pena have drawn interest.

Nothing is certain as pitchers and catchers prepare to report to spring training. Reds fans, who bought Opening Day tickets in a record 12 minutes last season only to watch their team stumble to a fifth-place finish, are facing yet another rebuilding plan.

But, Castellini shares their pain. He handed over his tickets and luxury suite out of frustration. He now says he wants to build a team “worthy of the unwavering loyalty of our fans”.

Major League Baseball made him wait for more than two months before singing off on the deal. Meanwhile, Castellini sat chomping at the bit to put his plan in place.

He does not hold patience as a virtue.

“We’ve got an ownership group that is passionate, energetic and hands-on,” Castellini said. “We’re going to give 110% to put a winning team on the field. We will not rest until the fans are happy.”

The Reds CEO insists that reporters call him “Bob”. Reds fans hope to soon refer to him as “savior”.

For those who are interested ...

The Cincinnati Reds will kick off their Winter Caravan with a stop at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Pinheads in northeast Indianapolis.

All seven Winter Caravan stops are free and open to the public. At each site, the Reds will raffle off 2 tickets to the 2006 Opening Day game against the Chicago Cubs.

The very popular Winter Caravan provides fans with the opportunity to interact with Reds manager Jerry Narron, players, broadcasters and other members of the front office staff. At each stop, the group will field questions from fans, sign autographs and pose for photographs. Sales representatives will be on hand to discuss season tickets and group sales, and the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum also will display a traveling exhibit.

Scheduled to appear at all seven Winter Caravan stops are Narron, Hall of Fame broadcaster Marty Brennaman and Reds Radio partner Steve Stewart, new Reds Hall of Famer Lee May and senior director of business operations Phil Castellini. Senior special assistant Gene Bennett will join the group in Ashland.

Newly-acquired pitcher Dave Williams will be accompanied on the Thursday and Friday stops by the organization’s Minor League Player of the Year, which will be announced at the LaSalle High School Stag tomorrow night. Pitcher Kent Mercker once again will attend the popular stop at Flannagan’s Dublin.

Todd Coffey will join the caravan in Dayton, while Tom Browning, another new Reds Hall of Famer, will entertain in Louisville, Ashland and Lexington. Outfielder Austin Kearns will visit the Lexington event.

Here's the schedule:

Thursday, January 26 Indianapolis, Pinheads 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Friday, January 27 Lima, Lima Mall Noon to 2:00 p.m.
Columbus, Flannagan’s Dublin 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, January 28 Dayton, Fricker’s in West Carrollton Noon to 2:00 p.m.
Louisville, Louisville Slugger Museum 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, January 29 Ashland, KY, Ashland Town Center Noon to 2:00 p.m.
Nicholasville, KY, Champion Sports Lexington 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Hiatus nearing its end

I realize this blog has been dormant for several weeks.

For those of you who've dared to venture into this obscure locale in cyberspace, I assure you the daily updates will return soon.

Did I hear Reds CEO Bob Castellini refer to "Sabermetrics" in his press conference yesterday?

Whoa.

Womack wants shot at 2B

Tony Womack admits he's not good with words. In fact, he was among my least favorite players to interview when he was with the Cardinals.

But, Womack, who was acquired by the Reds from the Yankees last week in exchange for two minor-leaguers, said a lot when he addressed the media for the first time at Great American Ball Park.

"My mindset is to win a job at second base," he said. "Every year I'm out to prove myself. I want to earn it."

He'll compete with Ryan Freel who is a few million dollars richer after avoiding arbitration by signing a two-year deal.

Womack still has a chip on his shoulder after losing his starting job to rookie Robinson Cano mid-season.

After batting a career-high .307 for the 2004 NL Champion Cardinals, Womack saw his average dip to .249 while making only 80 starts for the Yanks.

"I'm going to put a question mark next to last season's numbers on my baseball card," said Womack. "They took the whole season from me."

Very eloquently put, my man.

Perry feeling the pain

Bengals running back Chris Perry wouldn't say much about the injury he suffered during Sunday's victory over the Browns at Paul Brown Stadium. He didn't have to.

Perry's eyes were glassy and his expression glum as he stood on crutches in the Bengals locker room afterwards.

"It's injured, that's all I can say," Perry said. "The foot got caught up under me. That's the way it looked on the replay. It's frustrating."

Perry suffered what Marvin Lewis called a sprained left ankle. He is out for Sunday's game in Detroit. His future status is uncertain.

Perry, who is under tight orders to not discuss injury specifics, referred all questions to Bengals trainer Paul Sparling who is not permitted to talk to the media.

Detroit Lions fans are orange with anger

There will be a ton of fans wearing orange at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, and that's not just because of the multitude of Bengals fans making the trip up I-75.

Detroit fans are disgusted with the team's ownership (sound familiar?) and are staging a protest. Here's an excerpt from a press release issued last week by the folks at lionsfanatics.com:

Detroit, mi, December 9, 2005: The Lions Fanatics have officially announced an “Orange-Out” as a means of protest of the Detroit Lions December 18, 2005 football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. This protest is in direct response to the refusal of Team Owner and Chairman William Clay Ford to fire Team President and CEO Matt Millen.

The Detroit Lions under President and CEO Matt Millen have failed to live up to the standards of a professional football team and have the worst record of any team in the National Football League since his hire on January 9, 2001.

Lions Fanatics are asking fans to wear the color orange to the December 18, 2005 Detroit Lions’ home game. Wearing the color orange serves two purposes. First, the color is highly distinct and will not be confused with the Detroit Lions’ team color in an effort to maximize visibility. Second, the color orange is one of the team colors of the Detroit Lions’ December 18th opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals.

Gall extends his 15 minutes of fame

Greg Gall, who interrupted play during the Bengals/Green Bay game on October 30 at Paul Brown Stadium, will appear on "Inside Edition" at 1 a.m. Saturday.

Gall, you'll remember, is the guy who ran on the field and took the ball from Packers quarterback Brett Favre.

The folks at "Inside Edition" have essentially rewarded Gall for trespassing.

What would he have gotten if he assaulted a player on the field? His own show?

'The Mayor' moves on

Sean Casey is going home. The popular Reds first baseman, and Pittsburgh native, has been traded to the Pirates in exchange for left-handed pitcher Dave Williams.

The trade will be announced officially today pending results of physicals for both players.

The 26-year old Williams, who Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa called "the best left-hander in the league", went 10-11 with a 4.41 ERA in 25 starts for the Bucs last season.

It's a homecoming for Casey and his wife Mandi, who recently gave birth to the couple's fourth child, and first girl, Carli Renee.

Reached by phone Tuesday evening, Casey could only say that his "head was swimming" and he couldn't comment further until the trade is made official.

The deal is a money-saver for the Reds who will pick up only a portion of Casey's $8.5 million contract as part of the trade. Adam Dunn will likely be repositioned to first base.

Williams makes far less than Casey and should move into the No. 4 spot in the Reds starting rotation.

Reds GM Dan O'Brien has indicated the Reds aren't done dealing. Trades involving Austin Kearns and/or Wily Mo Pena have been discussed along with possible interest in Cardinals hurlers Matt Morris and Jason Marquis.

Bengals on verge

As astounding as this scenario might sound to long-time Bengals fans, there could be some champagne corks popping in the home locker room at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday.

A Bengals win against the Browns coupled with a Steelers loss to the first-place Chicago Bears would clinch the AFC North Division championship for Cincinnati.

The Bengals, who beat the Steelers 38-31 on Sunday, are prohibitive favorites to defeat the Browns.

Although it is rather unlikely that Pittsburgh would lose a fourth consecutive game, especially at home in Heinz Field, a victory by the Bengals would reduce the "magic number" to one in pursuit of their first division crown in 18 years.

It was announced yesterday that ticket orders for a potential Bengals home playoff game at PBS are now being placed. Remarkable.

Steelers represent opportunity for Bengals

Marvin Lewis is growing tired of the questions. His frustration appeared to reach its peak following last week’s loss to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts at Paul Brown Stadium.

During the post-game news conference, Lewis became somewhat perturbed when a reporter asked him what a relatively narrow 45-37 defeat to the Super Bowl shuffling Colts said about his team.

“Considering the Colts are probably the best team in the league, what conclusions can you draw about your team from this game?” the reporter asked.

Sigh.

Deep breath.

Ok, here goes …

“Well, we’re not satisfied with losing,” Lewis said. “We’re not going to go down that road again. The Colts are a very good football team and we went toe-to-toe with them. We’re a good football team. But, in order to prove that we need to go out and beat the other good football teams out there.”

The national media – I don’t believe the aforementioned reporter was local – are a little too eager to paint the 8-3 Bengals as a Cinderella story. A one-year wonder.

Truth is, the Bengals are anything but an overnight success.

The Bengals are coming off consecutive 8-8 seasons. They’ve managed to remain in the playoff chase into the month of December both of those years.

It has taken Lewis and his staff more than two seasons to make the personnel changes necessary to build the foundation of a winner.

This year’s Bengals are barely a shadow of their bungling past.

“We’ll keep climbing up that ladder,” Lewis says. “We’ll keep working at it. We’ll keep coming at it and swinging at the plate. We’ll stay together and we’ll be fine.”

Bengals QB Carson Palmer, who was 25-for-38 for 335 yards and two touchdowns against the Colts, was asked the same question.

“We did some good things, but we lost,” Palmer said. “We don’t play to come close. We play to win. This game hurts. We don’t play to lose.”

Still, the Bengals have failed each time they’ve had an opportunity to silence the skeptics:

Jacksonville 23 Bengals 20 - Early penalties shifted the field position in the Jaguars’ favor and a late Palmer fumble helped Jacksonville seal the victory.

Pittsburgh 27 Bengals 13 – A replay-reversal negated a Chad Johnson touchdown and Chris Henry’s dropped pass in the end zone prevented the Bengals from building an early lead and shelving the Steelers running attack.

Indianapolis 45 Bengals 37 – Despite what the final score might indicate, it was an off-side penalty on a third-and-10 play which prevented the Bengals from forcing the Colts to punt on their first possession. Indianapolis kept the ball and took a 7-0 lead moments later. Game. Set. Match.

“We didn’t get off the field on third down,” Lewis said. “It started with that first penalty. We made some plays, but not enough plays.”

The Bengals have yet another chance to legitimize themselves to a doubting public when they travel to Pittsburgh for a rematch with the rival Steelers at 1 p.m. Sunday at Heinz Field.

The Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens, 42-19, at Paul Brown Stadium Sunday.

A victory over Pittsburgh this week would provide more than just vindication for the Bengals. It would put them in the driver’s seat for the AFC North Division title and make them legitimate contenders for the postseason and, quite possibly, a home playoff game.

Few people would disagree with Lewis’ assertion that the Bengals are a good football team.

But, they’d rather not wait until the Pro Bowl rosters are released for confirmation of their talent.

“We can play with the best of them, period,” said Chad Johnson who had six catches for a career-high 189 yards and a touchdown against the Colts. “We tried to show the world this isn’t the same Bengals anymore. We still need to put up a ‘W’.”

The “Cinderella” Bengals are dressed for the ball. They’ve been fitted for their glass slippers.

But, the invitation is, as they say, in the mail.

“We’re getting closer,” Lewis said. “One day we’re going to have that breakthrough victory. That will be great for everybody.”

Bengals fans: don't worry C.J. not T.O.

Chad Johnson and Philadelphia Eagles receiver Terrell Owens do have a few things in common.

They both are considered to be among the best receivers in the NFL, if not the best.

On the playing field, they are intense competitors who succeed in making their respective teams ,and teammates, better.

Oh, and they both are clients of super-agent Drew Rosenhaus.

Please, if there’s any justice in the world, let the comparisons end there.

In truth, anyone who would jump to the conclusion that C.J. and T.O. are of the same ilk has spent little or no time around the Bengals receiver.

To the outside observer, Johnson dances to taunt, jaws at quarterback Carson Palmer about his lack of touches because he’s selfish and creates lists to defy the authority of head coach Marvin Lewis.

That’s T.O.. Not C.J.

But, Bengals fans can’t be blamed if they watch the circus in Philly and worry.

Owens was unceremoniously released last week after he engaged in a series of altercations, physical and otherwise, with quarterback Donovan McNabb and head coach Andy Ried. He’s sparred with the media, made a spectacle out of doing push-ups in his driveway and spent much of the past ten days making apologies which couldn’t be any more lacking in sincerity.

Rosenhaus, who rescued a child who was drowning in a pool at Disney World recently, might need his complete arsenal of CPR skills to revive T.O.’s career.

Johnson’s infamous “List” of cornerbacks who “won’t” cover him during the 2005 season has been a popular topic among fans, media and Bengals opponents.

He says it’s more of a challenge to himself. Lewis called the list “irrelevant” but felt compelled to remove it prior to the Bengals game at Baltimore and replace it with a more “team-oriented” list.

Johnson complied with Lewis’ wish and proceeded to satisfy every request listed thereof.

How would T.O. react if Ried was fiddling with his “paperwork”?

Johnson has caught 53 passes for 808 yards and five touchdowns this season. He ranks third in the NFL in receiving yards. He and Palmer are making significant strides toward becoming one of the NFL’s top one-two combinations a la Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison in Indianapolis.

The Bengals (7-2) play the Colts at 4:15 p.m. Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

In a recent interview with USA Today, Johnson said his antics are all designed to add a little more fun and entertainment on Sundays. No malice exists in his intent.

When Johnson unveiled his sign which read, “Dear NFL, don’t fine me again. Merry
Christmas”, we laughed.

When he unleashed the “Riverdance” earlier this season, we laughed again.

When Johnson talks trash on the field his opponents often laugh.

Ever see anyone “laugh” at Terrell Owens? Nope. That’s cause T.O. is no joke. Just ask Rosenhaus.

Johnson’s operates on a different level.

“The outside world doesn't know me,” he said. “They only see a cocky, arrogant, trash-talking receiver. But I want people to understand the hard work I put in each week. I put in hours of watching film and going over the game plan. I come in on my off-days. I wish people would understand I'm not just talk.”

Johnson has been known to call Lewis in the wee hours of the morning to discuss how to get open on a particular play. He has an insatiable drive to be the best.

The cliché “Don’t judge a book by its cover” aptly describes Chad Johnson.

What also differentiates Johnson from Owens is his support group. Although Ried finally took a stand, one has to believe that Lewis would have acted a lot sooner. See Corey Dillon.

The veteran-stability that exists in the Bengals locker room won’t allow any individual player, especially Johnson, to stray too far from the team’s task at hand. Willie Anderson won’t stand for it.

But, Bengals fans are holding their breath.

Johnson is due a substantial raise this off-season.

Rosenhaus will be crawling out from his proverbial sewer looking to manipulate the media, fans and the Bengals’ brass into believing he, er I mean Johnson, deserves every penny possible.

Here’s hoping the system doesn’t corrupt Johnson. Right now, C.J.’s just having fun.

So are we.

Today's trivia question:

Which is more astounding?

a) That a Bengals fan could scale a 9-foot wall at Paul Brown Stadium, reach the field of play, sprint 80 yards and steal the ball from Packers quarterback Brett Favre during the fourth quarter before security caught wind of what was happening.

-or-

b) That a group of local investors, including a food wholesaler, could wrestle majority control of the Reds away from Carl H. Lindner.

Take your time. This is a tough one.

Bengals enjoying fine first half

The Bengals are halfway home.

With eight games remaining on the schedule their record stood at 6-2 putting them in excellent position to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

Coming off a 21-14 victory over Green Bay, the Bengals led the AFC North division by a slim margin over the Steelers.

Head coach Marvin Lewis finally conceded that his team had “written the script” for a good start. After beginning each of the past two seasons 1-4, the Bengals have reversed their early-season misfortunes.

“We’ve taken care of business when we’ve needed to,” said Lewis. “6-2 is a good record. We’re halfway through. Let’s be better in the second half.”

Four of the final seven games will be played at Paul Brown Stadium beginning with a nationally-televised clash with the Indianapolis Colts (game-time 4:15 p.m.) following this week’s bye.

Here’s the way we see the Bengals’ season thus far:

CARSON PALMER:

Lewis has been pleased with Palmer’s performance this season, but he still gets frustrated at times with the Bengals’ third-year QB who has a tendency to shoulder too much of the burden.

It was Palmer’s fumble which cost the Bengals a chance to tie the score or take the lead late in a loss at Jacksonville. He had his worst outing of the season in the biggest game of the year, a week-seven loss to AFC North Division rival Pittsburgh.

Still, Palmer maintained a 104 .1QB rating through eight games with 16 touchdowns and five interceptions and was quickly establishing himself as one of the NFL’s up-and-coming stars at his position.

BIG WILLIE:

Ten years of agonizing dedication are finally paying off for Willie Anderson. He addresses reporters following each game with a narrow stream of blood running down his nose. We keep waiting for him to bleed orange.

Anderson, who is listed at 6’ 5” 340-pounds, is the locker-room neighbor of 6’ 4” 340-pound Bobbie Williams. The Bengals locker room leans noticeably in their direction.

TIGHT END:

Boy, wouldn’t it be nice to have one?

CHRIS PERRY:

After an injury-riddled rookie season, Perry is finally displaying the ability that convinced the Bengals to make him their top draft choice last year.

Perry’s still learning but isn’t it fun to watch him display the type of turn-the-corner speed that made him a standout at the University of Michigan?

THE SECONDARY:

“We play well together,” said cornerback Tory James. “We’ve got some ball-hawks back there.”

Hawks is right. The loss of Madieu Williams hurts but Ifeanyi Ohalete has filled in admirably.

PENALTIES:

Need further confirmation of Lewis’ astuteness as a NFL head coach?

Remember all those penalties the Bengals were committing early in the season?

That’s good coaching. Identify a problem. Fix it and move on to the next one.

PETER WARRICK:

Remember him?

CHAD JOHNSON:

You’ve got to love him. He’s Jerry Rice with a personality. He’s Terrell Owens without the selfishness. He’s Jim Rome’s favorite NFL player. Ok, two out of three are positive.

Johnson has garnered his share of attention from “The List” and his dance moves. Let’s hope the sideshow doesn’t distract from the main attraction.

RUDI JOHNSON:

Has there been a quieter 681 yards in the NFL this season?

RESILIENCY:

While Bengals fans were pressing the panic button following the loss to the Steelers, the Bengals players were all business.

“Good teams don’t lose back-to-back games,” said James following the Bengals’ victory over the Packers. “We worked real hard to come back and win this one.”

The Bengals have yet to lose two consecutive games this season.

HIGH EXPECTATIONS:

The Bengals knew coming into this season that anything short of a playoff appearance would be considered a disappointment.

The difference between them and Bengals teams of the past is that they “expect” to win.

“We can always look back at the Jacksonville and Pittsburgh games and wish we were 8-0,” said Palmer. “But, we’re happy where we are. We’ve got a chance to take the division. We have to keep working to get better but we like where we are.”

The Bengals have executed Lewis’ training camp mantra “Do your job” to the letter.

WHO DEY?

The Bengals are poised to set the Queen City on its ear. If they haven’t already.

SI reporter out of bounds on Wie's disqualification

The general public has always had difficulty understanding the role of a sports reporter.

Following the events of last week, they’re likely to be as confused as ever.

As you probably have heard, the actions of Sports Illustrated reporter Michael Bamberger resulted in the disqualification of 16-year old golf phenom Michelle Wie from her first professional event.

After Wie landed in the brush adjacent to the seventh green during the Samsung World Championship, she took a drop which was later determined to be illegal.

But, only after Bamberger, the only “impartial” witness to the event, investigated Wie’s actions and brought them to the attention of tournament officials.

The line between journalistic integrity and responsibility was once again blurred.

Even the greenest wet-behind-the-ears cub reporter knows this rule:

No cheering in the press box.

But, it goes much deeper than rooting for a particular team or individual and thus compromising your impartiality as a journalist.

Bamberger’s only responsibility is to his employer; Sports Illustrated. He isn’t, unless I’m mistaken, a paid rules enforcer. He shouldn’t have any personal stake in the success or failure of any team, individual or event.

Report the news. Don’t make it.

Let’s be clear, Bamberger did a wonderful job reporting on Wie’s discretion. He made a keen observation that Wie’s drop was too close to the hole. He asked questions, reviewed video tape and examined the area to determine if a mistake had been made.

Bamberger’s work was well within his rights as a reporter. That is, until he approached tournament officials and fibbed on Wie.

Truth is, Bamberger’s reporting and follow-ups are really the property of only one entity:

Sports Illustrated.

If he believed that Wie made an illegal drop and had the evidence to prove it, then he should have written it.

If there was a foundation in fact that suggested Wie, intentionally or not, cheated, then write it.

Let rules officials read it in SI and decide how to respond.

In reality, Golf is the only sport in which something like this can occur because there exists no statute of limitation on rules violations. Days, weeks, months and conceivably years can pass before an admission is made and it still can result in a disqualification.

Most parties involved in Wie’s DQ agree that she did not maliciously cheat. In her defense, Wie handled the entire situation with dignity and maturity well beyond her teenage years.

But, Wie’s only mistake was being Wie.

Unlike any other player at the Samsung event, her every step on the course was recorded, analyzed and scrutinized. Every time Wie so much as sneezed there was a camera present to capture the action.

Wonder how many other infractions occurred on the course that day by lesser-known golfers who were able to stroll anonymously from hole to hole?

We’ll never know, probably because Bamberger didn’t have time to enforce them all.

Is it Hal McCoy’s job to serve the greater good of Major League Baseball?

No, his job is to report on the Reds for the Dayton Daily News.

Is it Mark Curnutte’s job to act in the best interests of the NFL?

Nope, it’s to report on the Bengals for the Enquirer.

Just the facts, man.

Golf needs to get over itself. This has been apparent for quite some time. But, Bamberger’s actions establish a dangerous precedent for other sports.

Should he make an observation while covering an event and then report his findings in Sports Illustrated?

Absolutely. That’s what he’s paid to do.

Should Bamberger make an observation while covering an event and then report his findings to rules officials in an attempt to alter the results?

Absolutely not. It’s not his job. Nor should he care.

Write a column. Write a feature. Start a BLOG. Use the headline – ‘Teenage Cheat!’.

Whatever.

But, do not under any circumstances cross the line of journalistic responsibility and willfully impact the results of a game or event.

Many have said Bamberger, who is a former caddie on the pro tour, was simply protecting the integrity of the game of golf.

They’re wrong.

Games don’t have integrity. People do.

Paula Faris: Our loss, Chicago's gain

While her move was formally announced weeks ago, a few of us in the local media "officially" bid farewell to WCPO sports anchor/reporter Paula Faris following Marvin Lewis' press conference today at Paul Brown Stadium.

Paula will be taking a similar role with WMAQ-TV in Chicago and we wish her the best of luck. Her last day at WCPO is Sunday, October 16.

I was fortunate to work alongside Paula at various local sporting events. Whether it was standing in the pouring rain on a prep football sideline or in the clubhouse at Great American Ball Park, Paula was always the ultimate professional. In addition to being extremely good at her job, she is equally as great a person.

In this case, Cincinnati's loss is, without a doubt, Chicago's gain.

Griffey grateful for award

Ken Griffey Jr. was both gracious and grateful in expressing his thoughts after earning the NL Comeback Player of the Year Award on Thursday.

“I didn’t think about trying to prove to anybody I can still play the game," he said. "It was more just proving to myself that I can compete at a high level and produce and help a team win. I’m not going to waste somebody’s time and be out there just to collect a check. That’s never been me and it never will be me."

Griffey also expressed his gratitude to the fans who cast more than one hundred thousand votes to earn him the honor.

“Anytime somebody takes time out of their day, that means a lot," he said. "It means they care about you and want you to go out there and play. That includes the All-Star Game and things like that. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me. That’s a great honor in itself.”

Griffey's honor well-deserved

A press release just arrived in my e-mail inbox announcing that Ken Griffey Jr. has been named NL Comeback Player of the Year. He led the voting wire-to-wire and finished with 101,264 votes. Jason Giambi won the AL honor.

Griffey spent the past offseason recovering from a horrific hamstring injury. He played in 128 games and batted .301 with 35 homers, 92 RBI and 30 doubles.

Griffey posted a .528 slugging percentage and finished the year with 536 career homers tying him with Mickey Mantle for 12th all-time.

Not only did he perform well on the field, Griffey was as gracious as ever with the media and fans this season. He was fun to watch on the field and a joy to work with.

It's a crying shame that Griffey's first "full" season since 2000 was such a disaster for the ballclub.

Don't miss Dillon

When Corey Dillon declared himself a changed man before the throngs of media last Super Bowl Sunday, I wasn’t fooled.

When Dillon announced to the Boston media last week, “You won’t hear from me the rest of the year”, I was relieved.

Ah, where had you gone Corey Dillon? A nation turned its lonely eyes to you.

The Patriots were struggling at 2-2. The Bengals were 4-0. Rudi Johnson had rushed for 388 yards. Dillon had 223 yards on 73 carries.

After rushing for more than 1,600 yards last season, Dillon was on pace for fewer than 900 yards. His performance was partly to blame for the Patriots ranking last in the NFL in rushing. Dillon’s solution was to, well, not talk about it.

Big surprise.

If things get any worse, perhaps Dillon will finally make good on his promise to flip burgers rather than play for (insert losing team here).

A headline in a Boston newspaper said Dillon wasn’t going to “run from the slow start”.

Well, from the looks of his stats, Dillon isn’t running anywhere.

“The thing I admire and respect about Corey is that every day, he’s the same guy,” said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.

Is this the same Bill Belichik that has been anointed a genius for leading New England to victories in two of the last three Super Bowls?

Couldn’t be.

“Whenever there was any negative situation down there (I think he means in Cincinnati), it always stemmed from not winning,” Dillon said. “It was never me going off. It wasn’t what people would call an attitude. They tied it into me having a negative attitude.”

Dillon rushed for 8,061 yards with the Bengals from 1997 to 2003 making him the franchise’s all-time leader.

He made it clear following the 2003 season that he wanted no part of Marvin Lewis’ grand plan. Lewis had just led the Bengals to their first non-losing season since 1996. It was no longer about Corey, so Corey left.

“People will view me how they want to,” Dillon said. “People didn’t think Jesus was Jesus, so who am I?”

Well, Corey, you’re not Jesus. Let’s just start there.

Running backs are recycled like old newspapers in the NFL; see Denver Broncos. The Bengals had Johnson who proceeded to rush for more than 1,400 yards after Dillon departed.

You’re either a team player or you’re not. There are fair-weather fans. There is no such thing as a fair-weather teammate.

What Dillon fails to understand is that his teammates need his leadership most when the ship is sinking. Such was the case with the Patriots after their 41-17 loss to the Chargers. But, as soon as the cabin springs a leak, Dillon is the first to snag a life boat.

One of Dillon’s more infamous declarations came during a heated contract negotiation when he said he’d rather flip burgers than play for the Bengals. The statement had little to do with losing. It had more to do with Corey.

Dillon the running back: Hall of Famer.

Dillon the person: Farce.

Lewis spent the past three years compiling this year’s Bengals. Throughout the process, he had to weed out a number of talented football players who simply were not willing to buy into his program.

Dillon was one. Takeo Spikes was another.

Lewis and the Bengals regret nothing.

“The best thing for this team was to do what we did,” Lewis said. “We got a pick. (Dillon) didn’t think he could function here. It worked out best for both sides.”

Dillon’s disposition was, perhaps, his best asset. He was an intense competitor with one of the most punishing stiff-arms of any running back in the NFL. He rushed for a then-NFL record 278 yards on October 22, 2000 vs. Denver at Paul Brown Stadium.

But, when Bengals fans see Johnson pedaling on the exercise bike behind the Bengals bench at Paul Brown Stadium, they should be thankful.

Thankful it’s not Dillon.

The undefeated Bengals were the NFL’s media darlings heading into the fifth week of the season.

Meanwhile, Dillon decided he was going to institute a gag order.

Corey, we don’t miss you in the least “down here”.