UD Can’t Beat UC
By Hal McCoy CINCINNATI — When the front of the opponent’s uniform reads ‘Cincinnati,’ the University of Dayton basketball team shrivels like a wrinkled old man. On a visit to Fifth Third Arena Tuesday night, the first frigid night of late 2025 (37°), the Flyers were colder than Frosty the Snowman. The lost, 74-62, and […]
Padres Hire UD’s Stammen As Manager
By Hal McCoy Craig Stammen, a God-fearing Christian, most likely knows the Bible passage from Isiah 6:8, “Whom shall I send.” San Diego Padres President of Baseball Operations/General Manager A.J. Preller may not be familiar with the Bible passage, but he knew who he wanted to send into the Padres dugout as field manager. Preller […]
Some post-hospital Observations
By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave after a mild scare, a 30-second mini-stroke. After a one-night stay in the hospital, I passed all the tests with the so-called ‘flying colors.’ But they told me it was a warning and I need to change a few things. And I thank all you great […]
A Quick, Bitter Ending
By Hal McCoy The Cincinnati Reds are now a band of not-so-merry men. Their 2025 post-season came to a quick and crashing conclusion Wednesday night in Chavez Ravine, just two games into it. The Los Angeles Dodgers ended Cincinnati’s up-and-down season on a downer, another beatdown, 8-4. After a long, drawn-out scratch and scramble during […]
LA Blasts Reds With 5 Homers
By Hal McCoy Nobody living between Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon was shocked when Shohei Ohtani ripped Hunter Greene’s fourth pitch of the game into the left field seats. It was a portend of things to come, a preview. The Los Angeles Dodgers hit five home runs Tueseay night in Dodger Stadium, tying the franchise […]
Some Pre-Playoffs Observations
By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, chair reclined, cigar in hand, ready for baseball’s post-season. As Willie Stargell once said, “They don’t say, ‘Work ball.’ They say, ‘Play ball.’” —LOOK OUT, LA: The Cincinnati Reds stagger into Los Angeles carrying cement blocks, the barely-made-it third wild card team matched against the defending […]
The Reds Are IN!!!
By Hal McCoy Never has a baseball team celebrated after a loss the way the Cincinnati Reds celebrated Sunday afternoon. They lost, but they won. They lost their last regular season game, 4-2, to the Milwaukee Brewers, but the Miami Marlins shut out the New York Mets, 4-0. And that plopped the Reds into the […]
ONE More To Go…
By Hal McCoy For the Cincinnati Reds, it’s The Final Countdown. After 161 games, the hopes and dreams for a playoff berth rests on game 162, the final game of the regular season. If the Reds win Sunday afternoon’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers, they are in, owners of the third and final wild card […]
Some Late-Week Observations
By Hal McCoy UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave and while it’s only for the last spot in the National League playoffs (the sixth spot), the last-week battle between the Mets, Reds and Diamondbacks is nerve-wracking and invigorating. —ABS (A BAD SYSTEM): Forever and ever I have been adamantly opposed to the Automated Balls & […]