University of Cincinnati Bearcats Reclaim Rightful Spot in AP Top 25

February 4, 2019

The Cincinnati Bearcats have climbed back into the Associated Press Top 25, receiving more votes than Washington, Mississippi State, and Auburn. At 19-3, the Bearcats are still ranked behind a number of six loss Big Ten teams, but that conference’s strength (or lack thereof) will be revealed again during the NCAA Tournament this March.

Heading into the season, many viewed this as rebuilding year with the prominent departures of universally beloved Gary Clark, Jacob Evans, and Kyle Washington. The returning players, it appears, did not buy into that belief, and Head Coach Mick Cronin continues to succeed as his years in charge of the program grow more numerous.

Locally, no other Cincinnati-area program was ranked in the Top 25. Quite the opposite, the Xavier University Musketeers are 12-13, a game below .500, and trending downward. The Musketeers will have to battle just to make it to the NIT this March.

By Brian Fox

Cortez Broughton To Play in the East-West Shrine Game This Saturday

January 18, 2019

On January 19th (tomorrow), DT Cortez Broughton will play in the East-West Shrine Game at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. One of the motors that propelled the Bearcats to a stellar 11-2 finish, Broughton’s senior campaign was inspiring on and off the field.

On the field, he finished the year with 51 tackles (17.5 of those for a loss) and 6.5 sacks. In the season opener, Broughton controlled the line of scrimmage against UCLA, tallying 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in Rose Bowl Stadium.

Off the field, Cortez was universally recognized by UC’s staff and teammates as an exemplary leader. After the Bearcats obliterated Navy (42-0), Broughton made his way to the post-game press conference to address assembled members of the media. During his opportunity to speak, he read a from a list he compiled of scout team players who deserved to be recognized by the press for their efforts during a great week of practice.

I, for one, will be tuning in and cheering mightily for Cortez tomorrow. The game kicks off at 3 PM and will air on the NFL Network. For more, you can visit shrinegame.com.

By Brian Fox

Bearcats Down USF After Losing Coach Cronin

January 15, 2019

Standing at 15-3, the Cats are now 4-1 in the American, having only lost to a red-hot ECU team on the road. Losing to the Pirates is never really “ok” by Cincinnati basketball standards, but to UC’s credit, it was the first AAC road game.

The 2019 Bearcats, a relatively young and inexperienced team by last season’s standard, bounced back from that ECU loss with back-to-back overtime wins over Tulsa and UConn. And tonight, the Cats earned another hard-fought W over a very talented USF team.

Following a grueling few days of practice after escaping Connecticut, the Cats looked comfortable early. With a double-digit halftime lead, UC looked poised to blow out the Bulls. Jarron Cumberland netted 19 points in the first half and Eliel Nsoseme added 4 blocks to provide much-needed energy on the defensive end.

Two minutes into the second half, a frustrated Mick Cronin was ejected for arguing with the refs after a less-than-accurate call was made. Understandably, this took some steam out of the team for much of the beginning minutes of the second-half.

Defense leading the way, the Bearcats managed to outlast USF’s late barrage, winning 82-74. Cumberland had a career night. After notching his 1,000th career point, Jarron finished with 34 points on 9-20 shooting and 14-16 from the free throw line.

UC now travels to warm and sunny Wichita State on Saturday at 2 pm to play the 7-8 (0-3) Shockers.

By Andy Smith

Justin Jenifer — The Country’s Leader in Assist to Turnover Margin

January 10, 2019

#3 Justin Jenifer stands at just 5’ 10” and 175 pounds. A quiet individual, often overlooked coming out of high school and during his early years on campus.

Now a senior and a newfound father, Justin has come to life.  With a tattoo of a lion on his arm, Jenifer has become the lion and leader of this year’s UC basketball team so desperately needs. You can watch him on the bench coaching the freshman, including future star Logan Johnson. He speaks through his defense and willingness to take a charge to electrify the team.

Coach Cronin always praises Jenifer during post-game press conferences and mentions his willingness to work and learn on and off the court. A squad without Gary Clark, Kyle Washington, and Jacob Evans.  A team with four freshman and many others lacking significant playing time and starting experience.  Justin is exactly the glue this team needs to stay together this year at home and on the road.

This year, Justin is averaging 8 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game, while splitting time with Cane Broome and Logan Johnson.  He recently had a career game against Tulane, with 18 points. And, as most of you know by now, Jenifer is leading the country in assist to turnover margin at 10.17.  To put this in perspective, the second-best player is at 6.36.  He has just 6 turnovers all year.  Absolutely ridiculous, especially for a player mainly known for his defense.  It’s safe to say Justin is finding his shot at just the right time.

By Andy Smith

On Gratitude

December 11, 2018

Gratitude is a muscle; the more you flex it, the easier it becomes to be grateful. Negativity and pessimism are no different. The more negative you are, well you get it…

It’s interesting how often people choose pessimism, especially when the benefits of gratitude are so numerous. A steady diet of gratitude:

  • Improves physical health;
  • Improves psychological health;
  • Enhances empathy and reduces aggression;
  • Helps you sleep more deeply and for longer periods of time; and
  • Improves self esteem and increases mental strength.

Don’t believe me? Read this and the linked studies. Now that I’ve hard-sold gratitude, allow me a few more paragraphs of your attention to apply it to our beloved Bearcats.

Coming into this football season, it was unclear whether Coach Luke Fickell had made any progress with the team since taking over. The 2016 Bearcats stumbled through Tommy Tuberville’s last season and finished 4-8. Likewise, the 2017 Bearcats, Fickell’s first season, showed little promise. Though the team finished 4-8, a few of those wins were a play away from being losses (for what could’ve been a catastrophic 1-11 season). Privately, I worried the team regressed his first year.

Everything Fickell said was fine. It sounded like the things a new leader might say, even if it bordered on stereotypical coach-speak (i.e., Toughness, #JUICE, Let It Fly, and Together Everyone Achieves More). Fickell went the extra step of having one of his mottos – T.E.A.M. – stitched across the back of each of his UC vests. But mottos weren’t winning football games in 2017.

In 2018, the mottos were an overtime-road-loss-against-Temple away from winning eleven games. Fickell’s mottos brainwashed the players into outperforming expectations, including mine. In early August at Camp Higher Ground, I would’ve been thrilled with six or more wins. Thrilled. Now, in December I am hammered drunk off a ten win regular season, and I’m considering having “T.E.A.M.” stitched across the back of all my suit coats.

On New Year’s Eve, the 10-2 Bearcats will try to polish off an outstanding 2018 campaign by beating Virginia Tech in the Military Bowl. The game is played in Annapolis, Maryland, which is a mere five hour drive from Tech’s Blacksburg, Virginia campus. While it sets up as a home game for the Hokies, I like UC’s chances to prevail in that game and to carry forward this season’s success into the offseason.

When I traveled to Los Angeles for the season opener against UCLA, I harbored low expectations. To now venture into bowl season in pursuit of an eleventh win, I’m feeling almost greedy. And overwhelmingly grateful.

One of the disciplines I’ve tried to incorporate into my daily rituals is to jot down a few things I’m grateful for just before I go to sleep. I keep a disheveled stack of notepads on my bedside table which basically form something of a gratitude journal. Alongside references to warm thoughts of family, friends, clients, and career you’ll find notations about a Bearcats team that made fall Saturdays fun and a coach who inspires. Thanks for reading.

By Brian Fox

For more, follow B. Fox on Twitter @BearcatsRadio.

Grabbing the Bulls by the Horns: USF Preview

November 10, 2018

The Bearcats are 8-1, looking to get to 9-1 after tonight’s very important game against the University of South Florida Bulls. As the Bulls shiver their way into Nippert Stadium this evening, the central question will be which Charlie Strong-coached team arrives. For South Florida, it appears to be a tale of two seasons, but appearances can be misleading.

Before the Bulls were beaten by the Houston Cougars on October 27th, they were riding an unbeaten record and receiving national attention from the sports media. USF featured wins over Georgia Tech and Illinois, after all, and the mouth-breathing sports media simpletons were dazzled by their victories over P5 teams. They quickly vaulted up the rankings. Then they played Houston…

Whatever belief or momentum the Bulls had vanished after losing to Houston. Last week, the Bulls were destroyed by Tulane in Tampa, 41-15. But was USF ever that good? Georgia Tech is now a middling ACC team, and Illinois is 2-5 in the butter-soft Big 10. It’s equally possible USF was a good team that completely lost heart after the Houston game and now they’re in a free fall after letting Tulane hang 41 on the scoreboard. I guess we’ll find out tonight.

USF has won the last three meetings between the schools, but this one feels different. USF has been giving up over 30 points a game this season, allowing opponents to rush for 248.6 yards a game. With UC’s Mike Warren II just 69 yards away from a 1,000 yard rushing season, I expect the Bearcats to run the ball a lot. With near freezing temps and the game being played at 7 PM (Nippert Stadium at night!), this game sets up nicely for a Bearcats victory.

Prediction: UC – 37 // USF – 17

By Brian Fox

Takeaways from the Bearcats Loss to Ohio State in the Opener

November 7, 2018

Before a capacity crowd (12,012) in the newly-renovated Fifth Third Arena, the Bearcats struggled to score. In the first half, UC shot 14% from the floor and the second half wasn’t much better.

On the game, the Bearcats hoisted 62 shots and made a miserly 17 of those (27%). From three, the Bearcats were 6 of 26 for a less-than-pedestrian 23 percent.

The Buckeyes weren’t exactly prolific on the offensive end and only shot 43% on the game, but they were in the driver’s seat the whole game and hit 55% of their shots in the second half.

UC’s Jarron Cumberland led all scorers, netting 22 points. Cumberland’s point production all arrived in the second half as he picked up a couple of early fouls in the first half.

Statistically, the teams were similar with the exception of taken and made field goals (OSU-20/47; UC-17/62). On the court, though, the teams couldn’t have looked more different. The Bearcats offense sputtered 75% of the game whereas Ohio State knocked down critical shots and flowed better.

His custom in most postgame press conferences, Coach Mick Cronin focused on UC’s defensive deficiencies on the night: “Math quiz – if Ohio State scores 27 points in the second half, too, we win by two…We had one guy who played twenty minutes without a single deflection.”

Taking a realistic look at this team, even if very early in this season, three storylines emerge:

  • Can the young and inexperienced front court mature quickly enough?
  • Can Jarron Cumberland stay out of foul trouble and routinely shoulder the scoring load for this team?
  • Can Coach Cronin find points on this roster from the younger guys because clearly the Bearcats need a second option?

The Bearcats play next on Tuesday, November 13th against North Carolina Central at home. That game will tip at 7:00 PM.

By Brian Fox

An Interview with Cincinnati’s Own, Sophomore LB Jarell White

October 30, 2018

Yesterday, Andy Smith spent some time with former LaSalle standout, LB Jarell White. In the first part of his interview, White discusses bonding with his teammates, wing nights, and his huge defensive stop against Ohio. In the second part, White discusses the classroom, his Skyline order, and other important aspects of life in the Queen City.

Interview with Jarell White: Part One

Interview with Jarell White: Part Two

Go Bearcats!

Coming Home

October 10, 2018

A “home” is more than a house, yard, or structure; it’s a feeling. And your experience of “coming home” is indelibly shaped by the other people who share that common address.

If you had a good childhood, arriving home was probably an experience. The smell of food simmering on the stove. The sound of a yappy dog. The mess of your bedroom. Depending on the number of siblings, your arrival home was either calm or chaotic.

If you had a bad childhood, arriving home was an altogether different experience. Maybe your arrival was marked by the sounds of argument, stomach knots from anxiety and tension, or worse yet – the haunting sounds of silence and isolation. If that was your experience with “home,” I offer my sincerest apologies and wishes for a more functional future.

As you know, Saturday’s matchup against Tulane was this season’s Homecoming game. UC alums from across the nation traveled back to their Clifton roots, recalling what “coming home” meant at 18 years of age. The not-so-hypnotic lava lamp on a card table. Animal House poster above the decaying fireplace. Stale beer and dirty dishes marinating in the kitchen. No doubt folks reminisced about old dorms, old bars, and old friends.

You see, home looks different in Clifton than it did 30, 20, 10, or even one year ago. And the mood on UC’s 199 year old campus feels different than last season. Way different.

To appreciate how different, I offer up a dysfunctional recollection. On October 1, 2016, the Bearcats faced USF under Nippert’s lights as the fan base was tiring of the revolving door of quarterbacks. Ross Trail, a 2015 quarterback recruit who chose UC over Louisville, Memphis, and Ohio State, threw three interceptions that night. After the young QB tossed his third, he was showered in boos, mercilessly. Some defended themselves and said they were merely booing the coaches. Regardless, so much for “home” field advantage…

Candidly I think the fan base is still recovering from 2016 Nippert lows, exercising a measure of restraint even still. Again, home is less about facts and more about feels. Sometimes even after a house has been made over, woes outpace wins…memories overpower merriment. This is especially so in a history-rich city like Cincinnati. “I hope Coach Fickell can get them turned around, but that last coach….”

Well, the turnaround appears self-evidently underway. Compared to the on-field dysfunction of 2016, Fickell’s team of coaches seems squared away. Compared to last year’s 4-8 team, this 2018 team is a revelation. UC is 6-0 headed into the bye week this week, and a cadre of young players lead the way.

RS Freshman QB Desmond Ridder has already thrown for over 1,000 yards (82 of 125 for 1,062 yards), 10 touchdowns, and only 2 interceptions. Ridder has also rushed for 315 yards, adding 4 more touchdowns with his legs.

Speaking of running the ball, Sophomore RB Michael Warren II has 124 carries for 664 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’s the first running back since Isaiah Pead to rush for over a 100 yards in three consecutive games.

More than wins and statistics, though, football is fun again. The positivity and support for the Bearcats on Saturday, inside Nippert Stadium and out, is returning. The momentum (and joy) I observed in 2009 hasn’t returned just yet, but the energy is finally building around a UC team once again ranked in the Top 25 in both the Associated Press and Coaches Poll.

For those of you who made it back to Nippert Stadium for Homecoming on Saturday, I hope it felt like you were “coming home.” I hope you relived past stories and connected with old friends. But way more than that, I hope you caught a glimpse of what might be returning to the University of Cincinnati – a football program inching its way back to national prominence, a football program that desperately needs your positive energy going forward.

So go ahead and mark your calendars for the Navy game (November 3rd), #23 ranked USF (November 10th), and the home finale against ECU (November 23rd). Come home; let’s make Nippert the best place for our guys to play and the worst place for opponents.

By Brian Fox

Dancing in the Rain – Taylor Reflects on This Year’s Battle for the Bell

September 26, 2018

First game of the season, on a professional football field, in the pouring rain…this year’s UC/Miami dance performance is one I won’t soon forget.

September 8th, 2018, I took my first-last steps onto the field of my final season on the University of Cincinnati Dance Team. So many memories of my first game as a freshman in 2015 flooded back to me. It’s crazy to think about how fast these last four years have flown by. Reflecting back, I am proud of the dancer and teammate I have become, and I am grateful for the journey I have taken with my second family.

Not many people can say they were given the chance to dance on the field at Paul Brown Stadium. I was very appreciative for the opportunity to perform, once more, in the Bengals’ very-open-air-stadium, rain or shine.

For the game against Miami, the rain seemed like it was coming from all directions. My shoes were squeaky-soaked, puddles formed inside the sleeves of my warm-up jacket, and my hair looked like I just emerged from the shower. Despite reaching my pruny-fingers saturation point, cheering on the Bearcats with 26 girls by my side almost made me forget about the rain. Almost.

The third quarter finally arrived and it was time for our performance. This routine was by far my favorite and I was excited to show our fans what we’ve spent countless hours perfecting. Waiting for our opportunity, huddled and shivering, one student from the student section yelled down to us “Come on girls, you’re better than that!” which provided some much-needed motivation and comic relief during the rain showers.

Once the routine began, it was time to execute. The crowd cheered wildly the entire time, maybe because all of us bonded in the downpour together! When the routine ended, I heard the students scream — in fact, I don’t think I have ever heard our students scream and cheer for us as loud as they did that night. I actually had tears form in my eyes as I held my final pose because I was so excited and grateful for the moment. Tears mixed with raindrops.

As you know, the Bearcats won and reclaimed the Victory Bell for the thirteenth year in a row, which made dancing in a monsoon totally worth it. My mom, dad, brother, and sister all sat in the front row, supporting me, as well. I couldn’t have been happier.

Looking ahead, I am incredibly hopeful and optimistic about our team’s success this year, my final year on the UC Dance Team. I cannot wait to see what lies ahead for me, the six other seniors, and the rest of this incredible team. Go Bearcats!

By Taylor D’Ambrosia