OBSERVATIONS: D.J. was fiercest competitor

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, alternating between the air conditioner and the heater, wishing Mother Nature would make up her mind. . .and if that’s sexist, sue me. —SPLITTING WOOD: Danny Jackson turned 61 this week and I wonder if he still has a scowl that would peel paint off the […]

OBSERVATIONS: Rose Still Betting on the Reds

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, completely bowl-ed over and bleary-eyed after a steady diet of football and shrimp cocktail. And I’m not sure which made my cry, Ohio State’s loss or St. Elmo’s cocktail sauce. —LONG TIME COMING: There is no doubt Georgia’s spine-tingling 42-41 victory over Ohio State was, as […]

OBSERVATIONS: From Lawyer to Baseball GM

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, anxiously awaiting New Year’s Eve when Ohio State destroys The Great Georgia Myth, 35-31. —FROM LAW TO BALL: There is a Dayton native who loves baseball more than affidavits, torts, briefs and depositions. He is a lawyer who tossed it all aside and started at the […]

OBSERVATIONS: When the Reds were ‘Schott’ from guns

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, still groaning from stuffing myself all weekend with cookies, shrimp, M&Ms (peanuts, of course), wrapped weenies, chocolate buckeyes, lasagna, whole tenderloin (no, I didn’t eat it all), twice baked potatoes, apple pie, ice cream, coffee cake. . .and it’s a good thing Nadine kept the dog […]

OBSERVATIONS: A tiny Christmas gift for Reds fans

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, hoping your Christmas stockings are filled with tidings of good joy. SOME MOVEMENT: Cincinnati Reds general manager Nick Krall appears to be a man of his word. Before the winter meetings early this month, he said the Reds were interested in signing some stop-gap free agents […]

OBSERVATIONS: Tom Browning’s Memorable Moment

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, still reeling and stunned by the death of former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tom Browning. —OTIS HISTORY: Tom Seaver wasn’t the only Tom Terrific. To me, Tom Browning was Tom Terrific, in every way. People referred to him as Mr. Perfect because he pitched the only perfect […]

OBSERVATIONS: Mets will owe tax man $86.7 million

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, thinking the Cincinnati Bengals are thanking the Cleveland Browns for the early Christmas present, a win over Baltimore. But they should really thank the Ravens for a fumble, a pass interception, a missed field goal a blocked field goal. —A TAXING PROBLEM: This is all one […]

OBSERVATIONS: The day my career nearly ended

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave wondering how in the name of Amos Alonzo Stagg that Las Vegas can make the Cleveland Browns 2 1/2-point favorites over Baltimore Saturday, but hoping it comes true so Cleveland can help the Cincinnati Bengals. They certainly helped them last week. —NEAR CAREER-ENDER: The scariest day […]

OBSERVATIONS: How it all began

By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, still laughing at what one man said at one of my speaking engagements: “Every four years I have to pretend that I like soccer.” —HOW IT STARTED: This is my 60th year as a sports journalist and it will be 50 years covering the Cincinnati Reds […]