Bearcat Sports Page

The University of Cincinnati football program has added 22 more able bodies to the family and are really looking to move forward in the upcoming 2010 season. The UC coaching staff was successful in keeping 5 Cincinnati natives here in town (11 Ohioans altogether), thanks to Associate Head Coach/Defense Back Coordinator Kerry Coombs who remained with the program even after the departure of Brian Kelly. He plays a big role in keeping Cincinnati guys here at home. Overall the Bearcats have signed 11 defensive players, 7 offensive players, 1 kicker, 1 punter, and 2 athletes.

We shall see what Coach Butch Jones and his staff has brought to the Bearcat dinner table when it comes time for spring football, training camp, and finally the 2010 football season.

As the school year comes to a close we look back at the year in sports on campus.   The biggest story goes to the football team for bringing the first BCS Bowl appearance to campus, but who gets credit for the biggest win?    Was a trip to the Orange Bowl the biggest accomplishment on campus?   It all depends on where you look.  Along with two Big East trophies UC also collected a national championship, and a world title.   Who…what…where… ?  Kristen Liguori has the interview with the first ever Bearcat World Champions.

We would like to thank UC Dance Team head coach Lisa Spears for allowing us to visit a practice and for being so helpful with our coverage.  These young ladies work as hard and as long as any other sports team on campus.  Congratulations on a fantastic year and good luck.  Bearcat Sports Page looks forward to picking up our coverage of this world champion team next year.

In our continuing search we came up with a couple of interviews from the Baltimore Ravens site on Haruki Nakamura.   The Bearcat safety was part of the 2008 NFL rookie class.

Looking back at drafting Haruki: Click here.

On The Spot with Haruki: Click here.

We Sat down with Haruki when he was in town for the spring game.   Keep an eye out for that interview in the up coming weeks.

On the Cowboys website there is a recording of an internet call in show they have.  Last week one of the topics was called “Players to Watch”.  Not much said about Mike Mickens and DeAngelo Smith but the folks in Dallas like what they see.   Click on the link.  The brief discussion about the UC players is at  just past the 37 minute mark.

Click Here:  Cowboys: Players to Watch

Every sporting event has some sort of tradition. During football season you’ll see tailgaters in parking lots, you’ll see parades for the start up of baseball season, in track you’ll have the winner of an important race do a victory lap, even horse races have their own particular celebratory drinks and flowers. In college lacrosse, you’ll find a tradition that involves friends and families of the players. Supporters of the teams travel from their hometowns to catch the games and organize a post-game tailgate after every game.

The friends and families at the tailgating events travel from all over the east coast to see their daughters play.  Even when they’re on the road, parents try to make every game…. and the never forget to bring the food.

Spring football is over and most college campuses are wrapping up the school year.  So what are college football writers and “experts” supposed to do with their free time?  Here’s an idea, why not predict the bowl match ups for this winter!  Yes, it’s been done, College Football News.com has gone out on a limb and projected each bowl match up.  Their Big East champ is West Virginia and they have them going to the Sugar Bowl.  What about last years champs?  Where are they sending the Bearcats?  Put away the sun tan lotion and pack your parka…..it’s back to Toronto.  During the of season some coaches get worried about the players reading to many press clippings, maybe this one should be posted on every locker.

Click Here: 2009-2010 Bowl Projections

Ninety nine point nine percent of the time when UC head football coach Brian Kelly is brought in as a guest speaker, football is the topic.  With nineteen years of head coaching experience and several championships under his belt, what else would he talk about?   Monday afternoon the City of Cincinnati brought Coach Kelly in to motivate some of their employees, not to tell Orange Bowl stories.  The City employs over 6,000 people and on Monday afternoon 800 supervisors from every department took part on a workshop put on by the human resources department.  A number of topics were discussed but at the end of the session it was up to Coach Kelly to “motivate” them.  Here are a couple of segments from his presentation.

After even a short speech like this,  it’s easy to see why this man has been so successful where ever he has been.  Bearcat Sports Page would like to thank Assistant City manager Scott Stiles for inviting us to video tape Coach Kelly’s presentation.

Rookie mini camps opened all across the NFL this past weekend.  Here is list of links for articles from teams where former Bearcats are participating;

Cowboys: Mike Mickens and DeAngelo Smith

Packers: Brandon Underwood

Bengals: Kevin Huber

Saturday afternoon the Dallas Cowboys practice facility was hit by a high winds.   When the storm hit the drafted rookies and free agents were working out, including DeAngelo Smith and Mike Mickens.   One of the Cowboys coaches suffered a broken back and at least 10 others were transported to the hospital with injuries.   No list of the injured has been found but we do know that DeAngelo Smith was not among the injured.  In the article below he was singled out as an individual that helped free a trapped victim.   We will keep you posted as more information is made available.

For article:  Click Here