James Harris Out for Jags; Bengals GM Postion Open!!

James Harris, who was a key member of the Baltimore Ravens personnel staff before their Super Bowl run, and who helped Jacksonville become one of the strongest teams in the NFL.

The Bengals need a GM. James Harris is the best available man for the job. I want Cincinnati to keep Marvin Lewis as its coach and to sign James Harris as its GM.

Harris was a scout at Tampa Bay from 1987 to '92. He was assistant GM for the Jets from 1993 to '96. He then moved on to the Ravens as director of pro personnel from 1997 till 2003, when he moved to the Jags as the vice president of player personnel.

Let's look at the record. TB never was good while he was there. And several of the draft choices were not that good. But, there were productive, outstanding, and long-lasting choices as well. Vinnie Testaverde, Paul Gruber, Broderick Thomas were the first-round picks in the first few years, and they provided a lot of years. But there were misses as well. Of course, as a scout, no one knows how much Harris was involved in the ultimate choices.

The Jets also weren't any good from 1993 to '96. But the drafts were, as with TB, productive. And they also started to show a trend: Bigger, stronger, tougher, from bigger schools.

In 1997, Baltimore picked up several contributors, Peter Boulware, Jamie Sharper, Kim Herring, Jeff Mitchell, and Cornell Brown. The next year they found Duane Starks at the top of the draft. They were able to find Priest Holmes as well. The next year, Chris McAlister, Brandon Stokley, and Edwin Mulitalo. And they picked up Rod Woodson. In 2000, they drafted Jamal Lewis, Travis Taylor (eh), and, in the sixth round, Adalius Thomas. At tight end, they picked up Shannon Sharpe and Ben Coates, and at defensive tackle, they took Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa. The Ravens won a Super Bowl. After that, there was Todd Heap, Ed Reed, Ed Hartwell, Anthony Weaver, and Chester Taylor.

With Jacksonville, he did a great job. Byron Leftwich, Rashean Mathis, Vince Manuwai, and George Wrighster drafted the first year. Reggie Williams (eh), Daryl Smith, Greg Jones, Ernest Wilford, Josh Scobee, and Bobby McCray the next. OK, Matt Jones the next year (but ... Kahlif Barnes). Marcedes Lewis, Maurice Jones-Drew, and Clint Ingram last year.

I'm ready. Let 'er rip.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Bill of Rights Day is Dec. 15

Bill of Rights Day is Dec. 15 ... today. It's a good time to sit back and reflect that the Bill of Rights is the document that protects our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, our right to bear arms, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and freedom from cruel and unusual punishment -- among other things. The U.S. Constitution was in jeapordy of not being ratified because it didn't protect basic rights adequately. The Bill of Rights was introduced by James Madison and championed by Thomas Jefferson. So please, PLEASE, don't let lesser statesfolks mess with your fundamental rights ... the Bill of Rights ... without you taking a huge part in it. I am a big fan of that First Amendment. I know that there are many folks that are very very concerned with the Second Amendment. Whichever is the Amendment that you are concerned with, make sure that whoever is going to mess with it does so with the utmost care. I happen to think that the Bush Administration fell far short in this regard.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Greg Maddux Column, by Gene Wojciechowski

Greg Maddux retires, and Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN (formerly of the Chicago Tribune, but they let him get away ... huh, wonder why they are in trouble?) writes a great tribute column about the Mad Dog. My favorite Maddux saying has always been, and I paraphrase, "The only thing I worry about is making a good pitch." His entire career summed up in that sentence. He was always only concerned with the next pitch, and all he wanted to do with that pitch is make a good pitch. [[NOTE: Here are some quotes that are close to what I'm talking about that I could find on the Internet Machine. Maddux saying: "I just think about what I have to do to make good pitches. That's it." or “The key tonight?” [Maddux] says. “The key was making more good pitches than bad ones.”]] See ya around, Mad Doggie. The great old picture of Greg Maddux is from spring training 1987 from Woolis.com, a site that all you Cub fans should visit.

Joe Nuxhall Finalist for Ford Frick Award, Announced Dec. 9

Joe Nuxhall is one of the finalists to be named as the Ford Frick Award winner for 2009, which will be announced today. Again, not to say anything to the past several winners of this award, but it would have been nice if Nuxy won the danged thang before he died. Just like it would have been nice if the veterans on the veterans committee would give Ron Santo his due. Nuxy richly deserves the Ford Frick Award according to the criteria. Let's just hope that they give the thing to him.

George Foster, slugger of the Big Red Machine, Turns 60 Dec. 1

George Foster was an amazing slugger, and I was at an early age when I became a big fan of his. It is hard for folks to remember when hitting 50 homers was a landmark event. In 1977, Foster hit 52 homers. It was the first time that someone had broken the 50 mark since Willie Mays in 1965. The runner-up to Foster in 1977, Jeff Burroughs, had 41 homers. Mike Schmidt won the homer crown in 1976 with 38 dingers. In 1974, Schmidt led the league with 36. So when I was young, 52 seemed awesome. He was this skinny guy with a higher than average voice and a huge baseball bat colored jet black named "Black Beauty." He was awesome. Of course, you contrast those numbers with 2001, when Barry Bonds had 73 homers, Sammy Sosa had 64, Luis Gonzalez had 57, and in the A.L. shortstop Alex Rodriguez had 52 homers. Oh well. Foster's 52-homer season is tied for 25th all-time. There are only two guys in baseball history with a 50-homer season who don't really seem to belong ... for one reason or another. I would put Luis Gonzalez in that category, along with Brady Anderson and his 50 homers in 1996. But Foster belonged, and how.

Duck Dunn bass player birthday boy

Duck Dunn has been the bass player for Booker T and the MG's since 1965. Dunn was born in 1941 on Nov. 24. He was not the bass player for the band in 1962 when it recorded "Green Onions," but he made up for that by being THE soul bassist since 1965 on the Sam and Dave catalog, Otis Redding, Staple Singers, Wilson Pickett, and countess others. He is the bass player that defines soul bass players. Like Steve Cropper, Dunn never overplayed, and was a servant to the song.

The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team 10-Game Update

Here is the update on The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team ... not everyone, but the ones that I can find some updates on. The image is from ESPN.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis has started three games for the Patriots, who have been hit by the injury bug at running back. He has really stepped up and looks like a No. 1 or No. 2 back in the NFL. He was a tough running back at Indiana and Mississippi, and he had some quicks to go with his 225 pounds. A very good pickup for the Pats, but that's not surprising.

Dantrell Savage played pretty well in the one extended shot he got with the Chiefs, though he muffed a punt. But he has shown that he can be a situational back in the league.

Darrell Robertson was signed by the New England Pats. He after he was cut by the Cowboys in final cutdowns, he spent a couple of games with the Edmonton Eskimos. Just an aside, I don't understand why more of these guys don't do the CFL option. Maybe I am just not understanding the opportunity or process that Canada has. Also, again, I'm not surprised the Pats picked this guy up.

Simeon Castille played in four games for the Bengals, and he was the nickel back early in the season for the team. He is at least a dime back, and he could be a starter, maybe as a free safety.

Hank Ballard, R&B Legend

Hank Ballard, one of the greatest R&B performers in American music, was born 81 years ago on Nov. 18, 1927. He performed “Work With Me Annie” with the Midnighters, and he wrote (and performed) “The Twist,” that Chubby Checker made his own. He recorded for Cincinnati’s King Records, under the producer Ralph Bass. The lyrics of Annie were risque, and the song was banned from the airwaves, though it was a big hit. This image was found on Microwaves 101.

The War of the Worlds -- Orson Wells Broadcast 70 Years Ago

The War of the Worlds produced by Orson Wells and Mercury Theater on the Air was broadcast on radio 70 years ago, scaring the bejesus outta a nice chuck of the U.S., who thought that Martians were actually invading. There were several recreations around the country, including Ball State. Could something like this happen again? I think absolutely it could ... and will. The above image is from www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk.

Steve Cropper ... Play It, Steve

Steve Cropper has a birthday today. The guitar solos he plays in "Green Onions" with Booker T and the MGs literally brings tears to my eyes. Are there solos that are so in tune with the tune as those. Three notes. Four notes. Perfect. He is the ultimate in economic playing. Never never waste a note. Play it, Steve.

Jim Taylor, Fullback, 73

Jim Taylor, fullback for the Green Bay Packers in the Lombardi era, is 73 today. Jim Taylor was the epitome of the word "power sweep." Tough, strong, tough, compact, tough, quick, and tough, Taylor used to run through defenders. There is tape of him running to daylight, being able to run past a safety downfield down the sideline, but turning toward the center of the field just to run over the safety. Very cool. He was to the Pack offense what Ray Nitschke was to the defense.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Paul Brown, Greatest Football Coach in History, Born 100 Years Ago

Paul Brown was born 100 years ago today. Paul Brown was the greatest coach in football history, I think (as do others), and I think that I can make the case.

Brown might not have been the greatest coach in high school football history. But he did create the myth and legend of the Massillon Tigers High School program, which lays claim as the greatest high school program in football history. It is certainly among the top high school teams in football history. Brown was 80-8-2 in nine years at Massillon, with six state championships. Combined with his 16-1-1 mark at Severn, a Naval Academy prep school, before taking over the Massillon program, Brown was 96-9-3 record in 11 years as a high school coach. Maybe not the greatest … but maybe.

Brown was not the greatest coach in college football history. But he did win a National Championship in his second season as Ohio State's coach, in 1942. He lost most of his team to the war effort the next year, and his Baby Bucks went 3-6 in 1943, his final season as a college coach before going into the Navy. He was 18-8-1 in three years as the Buckeye's head coach. Good … not the greatest.

Brown might not have been the greatest coach in pro football history. But in his first 13 season in the NFL, as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Brown was 111-44-5. If I am calculating that correctly (I'm not sure how to calculate ties … I think you throw them out), he had a better-than 71 percent winning percentage. In those 13 seasons, he won three NFL titles, went to the Championship Game seven times, and went to the postseason eight times. Vince Lombardi was 89-29-4 in his nine years as the Packers head coach (.754 winning percentage), with five NFL titles (two Super Bowl wins) and an additional appearance in the Championship Game. Brown's first nine years in the NFL compare very favorably. Brown was 81-25-2 (.764 winning percentage?), three NFL titles (pre-Super Bowl), and an additional five appearances in the Championship Game. Maybe not the greatest … but maybe.

There are other things, of course, including the four AAFC Championships, the Great Lakes Naval Station teams, and the Cincinnati Bengals. Brown, a member of the Cradle of Coaches at Miami University, was innovative, using classrooms and inventing the facemask, etc. Taken all together, certainly a very good argument can be made that Paul Brown was the greatest football coach of all time.

The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team update

Here is the update on The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team. There were seven players that when given the chance impressed coaches enough to make the active squad. There were six players that were waived but then put on apractice squad (mostly their own teams, but Titus Brown was signed by the Browns after being cut by the Dolphins. One retired from football instead of trying the NFL. There are 13 players out of 39 on the list who will be with their teams when the season starts.

Xavier Lee - QB 6'4" 232 Florida State Baltimore Ravens
Lee was moved to TE from QB and dropped not far into training camp.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis - RB 5'11" 220 Mississippi New England Patriots
Green-Ellis was waived on final cutdown, but was re-signed to the Pats practice squad.

Dionte Johnson - FB 6'0" 238 Ohio State Arizona Cardinals
Johnson was waived on final cutdown.

Kalvin McRae - RB 5'9" 208 Ohio Kansas City Chiefs
McRae was waived during traning camp.

Kregg Lumpkin - RB 6'0" 226 Georgia Green Bay Packers
Lumpkin made the Packers' active roster, beating out Vernand Morency and Noah Herron for a roster spot.

Dantrell Savage - RB 5'8" 187 Oklahoma State Kansas City Chiefs
Dantrell Savage made the Chiefs' active roster.

Tony Temple - RB 5'9" 210 Missouri Cleveland Browns
Temple signed with the Browns and was waived during camp. He then tried out for Bills. Can't see that he was signed.

Dorien Bryant - WR 5'10" 169 Purdue Pittsburgh Steelers
Bryant failed the physical for Steelers ... And he didn't appear to be signed by anyone else.

D.J. Hall - WR 6'2" 190 Alabama New York Giants
Hall was cut by the Giants near final cutdown day.

Maurice Purify - WR 6'3" 224 Nebraska Cincinnati Bengals
Purify was waived by the Bengals near final cutdown day, then was re-signed to the Bengals practice squad.

Todd Blythe - WR 6'6" 209 Iowa State New Orleans Saints

Blythe was waived before final cutdown day.

Taj Smith - WR 6'1" 187 Syracuse Green Bay Packers
Taj Smith was cut by the Packers during training camp, and tried out for the Jaguars.

Digger Bujnoch - OT 6'5" 290 Cincinnati New York Giants
OK ... I have to admit that Digger was going to make OldCleat's All Did Not Get Drafted Team mostly because of his dad, Glenn Bujnoch, former Bengal guard. But Digger was a pretty good player in his own right. Bujnoch was placed on injured reserved instead of being cut by the Giants because of a sprained knee.

Robert Felton - OG 6'4" 313 Arkansas Buffalo Bills
Felton was waived by the Bills on final cutdown day.

Adam Kraus - OG 6'6" 305 Michigan Baltimore Ravens
Kraus was waived by the Ravens during final cutdown day.

Drew Miller - OT 6'5" 302 Florida Jacksonville Jaguars
Miller was waived by the Jaguars on final cutdown day, then was re-signed to the Jags' practice squad.

Martin O'Donnell - OG 6'5" 312 Illinois Retired
O'Donnell battled leg and foot injuries during his college career and decided to not pursue an NFL career.

Tyler Polumbus - OT 6'8" 312 Colorado Denver Broncos
Polumbus made the Broncos active roster.

Drew Radovich - OT 6'5" 305 Southern Cal Minnesota Vikings
Radovich made the Vikings active roster.

Matt Spanos - C 6'5" 305 Southern Cal Miami Dolphins
Spanos was waived during final roster cutdown.

Chris McDuffie - G 6'4" 330 Clemson Kansas City Chiefs

Originally incorrectly listed as a defensive tackle (sorry about that), McDuffie was waived during camp at some point.

Tommy Blake - DE 6'3" 272 TCU - tryout Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tommy Blake was a highly regarded prospect but had issues with clinical depression and social anxiety disorder that made him miss several games his senior year. He had a tryout, at least, with the Buccaneers, but it doesn't appear that he was signed. I can find no additional information on him.

Jeremy Geathers - DE 6'2" 256 UNLV New Orleans Saints
Geathers -- Jumpy Geathers's son -- was waived in final cutdown.

Wallace Gilberry - DE 6'3" 263 Alabama New York Giants
Gilberry was waived in final cutdown, then was re-signed by the Giants for the practice squad.

James McClinton - DT 6'0" 289 Kansas Kanas City Chiefs
Was given a tryout by Chiefs but was not signed, apparently. Can find no further info on him.

Darrell Robertson - DE 6'5" 245 Georgia Tech Dallas Cowboys
Robertson was waived in final roster cutdown.

Titus Brown - OLB 6'3" 239 Mississippi State Miami Dolphins
Brown was cut during final roster cutdown by the Dolphins, but the Browns signed Brown to their practice squad.

Vince Hall - ILB 6'0" 238 Virginia Tech St. Louis Rams
Hall was waived with an injury early in camp by the Rams. He had a hamstring injury.

Ali Highsmith - OLB 6'0" 226 LSU Arizona Cardinals
Highsmith made the Arizona active roster.

Jeremy Leman - LB 6'2" 240 Illinois Minnesota Vikings
Leman was cut on final cutdown.

Ben Moffitt - OLB 6'1" 234 South Florida Houston Texans
Moffitt was waived in final cutdown.

Wesley Woodyard - OLB 6'1" 227 Kentucky Denver Broncos
Woodyard made the Broncos active roster.

Simeon Castille - CB 6'0" 190 Alabama Cincinnati Bengals
Simeon Castille made the Bengals active roster.

D.J. Wolfe - CB 5'11" 207 Oklahoma Atlanta Falcons
Wolfe was cut during training camp by the Falcons.

Jamar Adams - S 6'2" 212 Michigan Seattle Seahawks
Adams was released by the Seahawks on final cutdown day but was re-signed by the Seahawks to the practice squad.

Cornelius Brown - S 5'11" 200 Missouri Kansas City Chiefs
Pig Brown was waived by the Chiefs sometime during training camp, but I can't find when.

Marcus Griffin - FS 5'10" 201 Texas Minnesota Vikings
Marcus Griffin was waived by the Vikings near the beginning of camp.

Tony Joiner - FS 6'0" 215 Florida Tennessee Titans
Tony Joiner was waived during final roster cutdown.

Nehemiah Warrick - SS 6'1" 210 Michigan State New York Giants
Warrick was waived near the beginning of Giant training camp with an injury.

Paul Dietzel, Cradle of Coaches Coach, Turns 84

Paul Dietzel, one of the four I believe Miami University Cradle of Coaches coaches who have won a National Championship, is 84 today.

Born September 5, 1924, Paul Dietzel served in World War II. After serving, he was an All-American center from Miami University. After he was graduated in 1948, Dietzel was an assistant under Red Blaik and Bear Bryant, two of the greatest coaches in history. Blaik was one of the four Miami coaches who went on to win a National Championship. The others were Paul Brown (in my opinion the greatest football coach of all time), Ara Parseghian, and Woody Hayes.

Dietzel became the head coach at LSU in 1955. He was credited with popularizing the platoon system when, in 1958, he won a National Championship with a starting team, the White Team, that was the starting offensive and defensive unit, the Gold Team, which was the second string offense, and the Chinese Bandits, the second string defense. The Chinese Bandits have gained fame for being smaller, quicker, less talented but more ferocious players. Dietzel went on to coach at Army and South Carolina.

There is a great article from Bud Johnson of the Advocate on the magical 1958 LSU Season. That is where the image is from.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Miami Redhawks football ... livin' the dream

Miami Redhawks play at the larger-than-average hizzy in Michigan Saturday. This is my dream upset ... The Redhawks beating the old blue and yellow giant weasels in their place making the fans of the old blue and yellow very very sad. But, there are several problems with this dream. 1) Appalacian State came in a year before and did a masterful job in destroying the weasels. Even if the Redhawks were to beat the weasels, it would be bad but not rank as the big upset. 2) Lloyd Carr either was forced out or just had it, and the new coach doesn't run the circa-1989 pro style offense that old Gary Moeller had devised. Thus, Utah beat the weasels at the larger-than-average hizzy. 3) Daniel Raudabaugh, the Miami QB, may not have the ability to do those things to take an underdog on the road and beat a bigger-school team. He has a pretty good arm, but he isn't that accurate. And he doesn't have great feet, which is problem when you are running the spread option. So he doesn't really move the chains. And, yes, as far as it goes, the blue and yellow giants weasels offense, which doesn't look all that great, will score against the Redhawks D. So keeping the ball and moving the chains will be important to the Redhawks. A dream deferred. (Photo is from Ohio.com ... Paul Tople/Akron Beacon Journal)

OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team ... Maybe not

The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team has some updates. Some are good, some are, well, not so good.

The only quarterback on the team, Xavier Lee, was moved to tight end by the Ravens. He didn't make it to first cuts, much less last cuts. So the team isn't going to have a lot of passing. Be interesting to see if there is another undrafted QB that makes a team. Dorien Bryant from Purdue was a top OldCleat pick to eventually become an NFL starter. Oops. Bryant failed his physical with the Steelers. I can't find that he's hooked on any where else.

More later.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Lou Piniella throws a birthday base

Lou Piniella turns 65 today. He was the World Series-winning manager for the 1990 Cincinnati Reds. One of my favorite teams of all time was the 1990 Cincinnati Reds ... I may have mentioned this before. I am not sure what became of Lou after, I don't know, about 1992. (Actually, I am going to Wrigley Field tonight, as it happens, to see Sweet Lou.) Happy Birthday, Lou ... throw a base for me.

John Hiatt, 56 Years Old today

John Hiatt turns 56 today. I am tempted to say somthing about the cracked rear view of his life, but I will resist that temptation. "Bring the Family" is I think one of the great all-time albums, and it may be the most overlooked great album of the last whatever years. The image is from Amazon.

OldCleat Draft and Undrafted Update: Injury Bug

OldCleat just recommends 'em, but they have to play. And to play, they have to stay healthy. Well, that ain't happening.

In redrafting the Bengal's draft, I would have taken Justin King over Bubba Caldwell for the Bengals in the third round. Barely. Well, King tore his toe ligament in the first preseason game and is out for the year. Caldwell is fighting for the No. 3 wideout position for the Bengals.

In the fifth round, I would have taken Jonathan Goff and Alvin Bowen over Jason Shirley (as well as a few other players). Goff injured a vertabrae (a fractured transverse process) and is out indefinitely. Bowen has a torn ACL and is probably out for the year. The big news about Shirley, all this according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, "is that he faces a Sept. 24 trial date in Fresno, Calif., on three misdemeanors: hit-and-run, driving under the influence and driving with a blood-alcohol content of .08 or higher, the Fresno Bee reports. It will be his second trial. In June, a jury failed to reach a verdict after three days of deliberation. The trial had been scheduled to begin Aug. 27, but a judge at a hearing Thursday said he would give Shirley's lawyer more time to acquire and review transcripts of the first trial."

The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team, with updates, I picked Nehemiah Warrick as one of the top players not to get drafted. The Giants signed him. Warrick hurt his knee in the first preseason game and the Giants cut him. The tough thing is, while many teams keep several safeties because of special teams, there are more strong safeties coming out of colleges than free safeties. So we shall see about Warrick. Vince Hall, another top OldCleat pick, looked impressive in early Rams camp but was waived because of a hamstring injury.

Good news, though, Ali Highsmith is impressing the Cardinals staff. And Wesley Woodyard played very well for the Broncos and is moving up in an injury-depleted staff.

thankyouverymuch,
OldCleat

Danny Graves Born in Vietnam 35 Years Ago Today

Danny Graves, former Cincinnati Reds closer, was born in Saigon 35 years ago today. He is the first and thus far only Vietnamese-American player to have made the bigs. He was part of one of the best trade deadline deals in Reds history, and one of Jim Bowden's best deals as Reds GM.

Graves was part of the deal with Jeff Branson and John Smiley on July 31, 1997 that Bowden got from the Cleveland Indians. Bowden gave up Jim Crowell, Damian Jackson, and Scott Winchester. This was one of the great deals in Bowden's great deal-bad deal dichotomy.

Graves had seasons of 27, 30, 32, 32, and 41 saves for the Reds. They tried to make him a starter during that stretch, and he want 4-15 that season. But he was a helluva closer for several seasons. He is still active, pitching for the Twins Triple-A club. Minnesota was trying to make him a starter, but they recently abandoned that experiment. The image of Danny is from Sports Illustrated and Andy Lyons/Getty Images.

The Reds released Danny in 2005 after he gave the one-gun salute to some drunken moron who made racial slurs toward him at a game. Graves was really struggling, and it appeared that his time as a Red was coming to an end. While I almost always try to side with the fans--who I think are the least-considered stakeholder in pro sports--this time, no. I don't think Danny should have made the gesture. But they should have stuck with him at least for a while instead of letting that moronic damned fan "win."

Happy Birthday, Danny.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Ken Griffey Jr. -- Good Guy Wearin' Black

Ken Griffey Jr. is now a Chicago White Sox. Good Guys wear black. Grab some bench. One Dog. Big Hurt. Little Hurt. Rockin' Robin. Paulie. El Duque. (Hawk Harrelson is sort of like George W. Bush in so many ways, but in this instance it's because he has nicknames for everyone.)

Ken Griffey Jr. cared about what the fans of Cincinnati thought about him. Paul Daugherty of the Enquirer called Junior the most thin-skinned star that he had covered in 20 years. Why was Junior thin-skinned, however? Because he cared what the fans thought. Most pro players could really give a rat's patootie.

I hope that Junior wins a World Series with the ChiSox. Since I'm up in Chicago, I am now going to go to some White Sox games down at the Comiskey and root Junior on. Junior is a great player, and I am a Junior fan. Sue me.

Junior is wearing No. 17. I don't know why.

Maybe I can round the kids up and go see Junior next week when the Sox are at home. Go Junior. Go Nick Masset. Go Rocket Richar.

Joe Nuxhall Born 80 Years Ago Today

Joe Nuxhall would have been 80 years old today. And all of Reds Nation misses him, I would think. The Reds have done a very nice job honoring Nuxy, one in a spate of folks that the Reds are honoring. That, friends, is an entry for another day (Joey Jay had a few monster years for the early-1960s Reds, but are the Cincinnati nine honoring too many former players?). I have nothing at all against Dave Niehaus, but I still am a little saddened that the HOF didn't honor Nuxy when he so richly deserved it (especially after huge support from his fans). According to this story, Nuxy dominated everyone -- "Of the 122,505 fans who participated in the online election, 82,304 (67.2 percent) voted for Nuxhall, who died Nov. 15 from pneumonia at the age of 79. His passing was mourned throughout baseball, especially in Cincinnati. -- In the online balloting, King received 7,659 votes and Morgan got 6,065." The image is from the Cincinnati Enquirer and their great cartoonist, Jim Borgman.

Al Beauchamp, Cincinnati Bengals Linebacker

Al Beauchamp, Cincinnati Bengals linebacker from 1968 to 1975, celebrates a birthday on June 25. He was born June 25, 1944, in Baton Rouge, LA. He was a fine player, and he held down an outside backer job from the Bengals inception for eight years. He also played in St. Louis for the football Cardinals.

Beauchamp played at Southern University, and he was picked in the fifth round of the 1968 draft by Paul Brown. The Bengals had an interesting draft in 1968. They were a first-year expansion team, so a lot of the players had an opportunity to impress right away. Also, Paul Brown didn't have a team to coach in 1967, so he was able to scout full-time. And he was the GM-head coach, so he didn't have to answer to anyone, so it was a little like building the Browns back in 1946.

Besides Beauchamp, Brown found Howard Fest, Bob Trumpy, Jesse Phillips, and Paul Robinson in later rounds in that draft.

The image of Al Beauchamp is the 1969 Tresler Comet Bengals card, and it comes from footballcardgallery.com.

Terry Hoeppner Inducted into Hall of Honor

Terry Hoeppner will be inducted today, June 19, 2008, into the Independence Bowl Hall of Honor, one year to the day after he died from brain cancer. The story about Coach Hep in today's Shreveport Times by Teddy Allen is very well done. Hoeppner was a great coach and a better person, and I am amazed that Miami (and the Big Ten and the college football community in general) lost two such young and amazing men as Hoeppner and Randy Walker in such a short space of time. The amazing reaction the entire Indiana University community had to Hoeppner is an indication of his impact. I'm glad Hoeppner was able to coach for the Hoosiers. The image of Terry Hoeppner is from Jeff Swinger of The Enquirer.

Here is the poem Don't Quit:

Don't Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow --
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out --
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit --
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Penguins To Decide on Next Cup Move on Saturday

The Pittsburgh Penguins, while acknowledging that the Detroit Red Wings have won enough games in the Stanley Cup Finals to take the Cup, have not made a decision on whether to suspend their quest for the championship this year.

Penguins coach Michel Therrien congratulated the Red Wings for their campaign, but he did not concede the Cup. "This has been a long campaign, and the Penguins will be making no decisions tonight," he said. There were reports after the Red Wings won the fourth game that Pittsburgh would concede, but Therrien said Pittsburgh was "absolutely not" prepared to do so.

"I am just enormously grateful," Therrien said, "because, in the millions of quiet moments, in thousands of places, you asked yourself a simple question: Who will be the strongest team. Who will be ready to hoist the Stanley Cup and take charge as champions and lead hockey to better tomorrows?

"You know, I understand that that a lot of people are asking, 'What do the Penguins want? What do they want?

"Well, the Penguins want what the Penguins have always fought for in this whole campaign. The Pengins want to win the Cup.

"Now, the question is: Where do we go from here? And given how far we've come and where we need to go as a sport, it's a question I don't take lightly. This has been a long campaign, and the Penguins will be making no decisions tonight.

"But this has always been the fans campaign. So, to the 800,000 people who came to Penguins games, and to our 18 million other supporters out there of all ages, we want to hear from you. I hope you'll go to the Penguins website at penguins.nhl.com and share your thoughts with the team and help in any way that you can.

"And in the coming days, the Penguins will be consulting with supporters and other teams in hockey to determine how to move forward with the best interests of our team and the NHL guiding our way."

Eric Davis Another Year Older

Eric Davis for about five years in the late 1980s was what I thought Willie Mays was. Sorry. I know that you are not supposed to compare anyone to Willie Mays. But Davis was the best package, the most complete centerfielder, I had ever seen. At age 24, he had 27 homers and 80 stolen bases. At age 25, he had 37 homers and 50 stolen bases. Of course, then Junior came along, and E kept getting hurt, and so on. But, E was the guy. He was the one who led the Reds out of the dark times, all the way to a wire-to-wire World Series with one of my favorite teams of all time. In 2007, Davis received three out of 545 ballots for the Hall of Fame, or 0.6 percent. He tied Dante Bichette. Dante Bichette, for cryin' out loud. Jose Canseco doubled that vote total, getting six votes. Goes to show that Hall of Fame voters can be moronic just like the rest of us. Davis is 46 years old today. The somewhat disturbing image of Eric Davis and Marge Schott is from the Cincinnati Enquirer, Glenn Hartong.

Bill Doran is 50

Bill Doran turned 50 years old yesterday. He grew up in Cincinnati, was a Mt. Healthy Owl, and played for Miami. He is the best major league player that Miami ever produced (sorry Charlie). When Billy was a Houston Astro, Bill James had what I think can best be described as a little crush on him. James used to talk and talk about how Bill was the second best second baseman in the NL, next to Ryne Sandberg, but nobody knew it. Bill was on the Reds in 1990 when they won the World Series, but he was on the DL during the postseason run. Happy Birthday Bill. The image is from Astros Daily.

John Fogerty still rockin' at 63

John Fogerty turns 63 today. He was born May 28, 1945, in Berkeley, CA. I bought the Creedence Clearwater Revival boxed set and have been listening to it, especially the Golliwogs disc. The Golliwogs were the Fogerty brothers with Stu Cook and Doug "Cosmo" Clifford playing together before they became CCR. The Golliwogs had some pretty good tunes. They were closer to a pop-R&B sound than CCR was. Listening to the CCR songs, each one, back to back, you realize what a great damned band that was. I also have been listening quite a bit to Revival, John's most recent album, where he just gives the White House some holy hell. I would love to see John this summer, but I just checked on John Fogerty dot com and it doesn't look like he's coming to Chicago. The image at right is from Rolling Stone.

Larry Wilson, All-Time Great Safety, Turns 70

Larry Wilson was the greatest free safety of his era. He was Ed Reed. Wilson was a ballhawk (some say he was THE ballhawk), a fine run supporter, and a great cover player. And, he is supposedly the first safety to blitz. Wilson turns 70 this weekend. A coordinator named Chuck Drulis has been credited with creating the safety blitz for Wilson to take advantage of his unique abilities. The HOF profile, however, disputes that he invented it or was the first safety to blitz. Usually, these disputes come down to the fact that these schemes are reinovated again and again. The card image is from Football Card Gallery.

Aaron Harang Turns 30, Needs A Beer

Aaron Harang turned 30 years old yesterday. I just wanted to show him some support, since his teammates don't seem to.

Let's see … 15th in the League in ERA. No. 2 in the NL in strikeouts. No. 12 in the League in WHIP. Twenty-fifth in opponents slugging percentage. No. 12 in opponents on-base percentage. What's that get ya? A 1-5 record. The Reds have scored two runs or fewer in four of his losses. His 2.44 runs per nine run support is 180th overall, 94th out of 96 for all pitchers who have tossed 20 innings thus far this year. (Barry Zito is at 95th with 1.87 and Yovani Gallardo is 96th with 0.90)

Happy dang birthday, Aaron. Have a beer. Have five. You deserve it.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Johnny Unitas 75th Birthday -- Greatest QB Ever?

Johnny Unitas was born 75 years ago today, May 7, 1933. In my view, Johnny U. was the greatest quarterback of all time.

When OldCleat was growing up, there was no doubt who the best quarterback in NFL history was. It was Johnny U. When he retired, he held the career marks for most seasons leading the league in TD passes, most touchdown passes, most yards gained passing, most passes attempted and most passes completed. He was top five in the NFL in yards per pass in 11 different seasons. He was first team All-Pro in five seasons. He went to 10 Pro Bowls. The Favres and Marinos and Montanas and Elways and Mannings be damned, I still think Johnny U. is the greatest.

In the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft, the first selection overall, the Baltimore Colts selected George Shaw of Oregon. In the ninth round that year, 102nd overall, the Colts selected Johnny U.

Here are some other facts.

The second QB taken in the first round of the 1955 draft was Notre Dame's Ralph Gugliemi, by the Washington Redskins. Then, in the seventh round, the Cardinals selected Ohio State's Dave Leggett.

The Steelers in 1955 drafted quarterback and punter Vic Eaton out of Missouri. Eaton made the squad. Unitas was cut.

The Green Bay Packers in the 16th round of the draft, 185th overall, selected quarterback Charlie Brackens out of Prairie View. Brackens made the Packers, played in one game, and was the third African-American player to play quarterback in the NFL.

The two quarterbacks on the 1955 Steelers were Jim Finks, who later became a Hall of Famer as a GM, and Ted Marchibroda, who had two different stints as the Colts head coach. Finks was a Pro Bowl quarterback in 1952.

The card image is from MacCauley Sports Cards.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

OldCleat Redrafts Bengals Draft

OldCleat redrafted the Bengals draft - first (2008) edition. The rules are, I would draft a player that the Bengals had drafted, or someone drafted after the selection, until the Bengals selected again. So, my universe of players that I would have chosen were the players in-between the Bengals draft. I, of course, had the benefit of hindsight on this. Here is the OldCleat draft.

First round, ninth pick. Cincinnati picked Keith Rivers, linebacker out of USC (I got the image of him overrunning Darren McFadden from Razorsblog and/or ap). I would have picked Keith Rivers. I disagree with some experts that said that the Bengals should have given up picks to move up for Sedrick Ellis. If Ellis fell to them, fine. But he didn’t. And I think that the Bengals were well served to get the best front seven player on the board. I think Rivers is a 10-year player.

Second round, 15th pick, 46 overall. Cincy picked Jerome Simpson, a wide receiver out of the Carolina School of the Beach. I would have picked ANYONE ELSE. AAAAAAAAHHHHH. As my brother-in-law said, every year the Bengals just have a head-scratcher. This is it. Hope I’m wrong. At this point, I really wanted Quentin Groves, DE/rush linebacker from Auburn. Calais Campbell from the U would have been a pick here as well. If you needed to draft a wideout, Limas Sweed or Malcolm Kelly were on the board.

Third round, 14th pick, 77 overall. Cincy picked Pat Sims, nose tackle out of Auburn. I would have picked … Pat Sims. I like him. He is a run stuffer. He may not be the greatest pass rusher ever, but at this point, I want someone to clog the middle of the porous, tissue thin, let’s face it not very good middle of the Bengals defense.

Third round, 34th pick, 97 overall. Cincy picked Andre “Bubba” Caldwell, wide receiver out of Florida. I would have picked Justin King, cornerback out of Penn State … I guess. Just barely. I think that King may not be that great, but he may be good. He has the physical skills. Caldwell may be awesome. He is UofF’s all-time leading receiver, and he ran a 4.3 something at the combine. But many receivers don’t pan out, and you need all the corners you can get in this league.

Fourth round, 13th pick, 112 overall. Cincy picked Anthony Collins, offensive tackle out of Kansas. I would have picked Jack Ikegwuonu, cornerback out of Wisconsin. I really like the Collins pick. I think he might develop into a right tackle, and perhaps even a left tackle. He also may be able to provide more immediate help at guard. I think Ikegwuonu was a first-round to early second-round talent at cornerback or free safety. He fell to the fourth round because of a knee injury suffered at the combine. I would have gambled on the future at this pick. I like Red Bryant of Texas A&M here as well, but would have gone with Ike.

Fifth round, 10th pick, 145 overall. Cincinnati picked Jason Shirley, defensive tackle out of Fresno State. I would have picked Jonathan Goff, linebacker, Vanderbilt, slightly over Alvin Bowen, linebacker, Iowa State. This was the Bengals worst pick in the draft, not Jerome Simpson, for this reason: Shirley was not worth the gamble. He has been a bad apple on the college level, and … is his upside really worth the pick? Goff is big and a tackler. Bowen is a good player but needs to pick up some size. There were several other selections I would have taken over Shirley. Owen Schmitt, Roy Schuening, Dennis Dixon, Josh Johnson, Dominique Barber, Geno Hayes, Frank Okem, and Barry Richardson, more or less in order.

Sixth round, 11th pick, 177 overall. Bengals picked Corey Lynch, safety out of Appalachian State. I would have taken Andre’ Woodson, quarterback, Kentucky. I really like Corey Lynch. He should be fine on special teams, and maybe he is a safety. I also like Mike Hart of Michigan. The Wolverines (Giant Weasels) were a completely different team when he played. But Woodson is a first round talent. He may have been the most talented quarterback in this draft. To get him in the sixth round is a steal.

Sixth round, 41st pick, 207 overall. Bengals picked Matt Sherry, tight end, Villanova. I would have picked Chauncey Washington, tailback out of USC. I think he is going to be a backup in the NFL, and he may, I repeat, may have a Ryan Grant-type season or two in him. Matt Sherry? I frankly have no idea.

Seventh round, 37th pick, 244 overall. Bengals picked Angelo Craig, pass rush linebacker from the University of Cincinnati. I would have picked … Angelo Craig. With the rules of this little exercise, I have to pick between him and Lionel Dotson, defensive tackle from Arizona, since the Bengals had the 39th pick, 246 overall. Dotson isn’t the stuffer I would look for, though he may become one. Craig should be able to help on special teams and may be able to rush the passer. UC’s defense looked great last year, and he was a reason.

Seventh round, 39th pick, 246 overall. The Bengals signed Mario Urrutia, wide receiver out of Louisville. I would have picked Wesley Woodyard, linebacker out of Kentucky just barely over Ali Highsmith, linebacker out of LSU, neither of whom was drafted. I think that both will have a shot to start in the NFL at some point in their careers. If having to pick a drafted player, I would have picked Kirk Barton, offensive tackle, Ohio State. Barton will be a right tackle in the NFL, and can be guard in the NFL as early as next year.

So here are the drafts. OldCleat’s is more defensive oriented, and, I think, much better.

Cincy
1 Keith Rivers, LB, USC
2 Jerome Simpson, WR, Coastal Carolina
3 Pat Sims, DT, Auburn
3 Andre Caldwell, WR, Florida
4 Anthony Collins, T, Kansas
5 Jason Shirley, DT, Fresno State
6 Corey Lynch, S, Appalachian State
6 Matt Sherry, TE, Villanova
7 Angelo Craig, OLB, Cincinnati
7 Mario Urrutia, WR, Louisville

OldCleat
1 Keith Rivers, LB, USC
2 Quentin Groves, DE/LB, Auburn
3 Pat Sims, DT, Auburn
3 Justin King, CB, Penn State
4 Jack Ikegwuonu, CB/S, Wisconsin
5 Jonathan Goff, LB, Vanderbilt
6 Andre’ Woodson, QB, Kentucky
6 Chauncey Washington, RB, USC
7 Angelo Craig, OLB, Cincinnati
7 Wesley Woodyard, LB, Kentucky

thankyouverymuch,
OldCleat

Undrafted free agent update

Here are The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team and the NFL teams that signed the players:

Lee, Xavier QB 6'4" 232 Florida State Baltimore Ravens
Green-Ellis, BenJarvus RB 5'11" 220 Mississippi New England Patriots
Johnson, Dionte FB 6'0" 238 Ohio State Arizona Cardinals
McRae, Kalvin RB 5'9" 208 Ohio Kansas City Chiefs
Lumpkin, Kregg RB 6'0" 226 Georgia Green Bay Packers
Savage, Dantrell RB 5'8" 187 Oklahoma State Kansas City Chiefs
Temple, Tony RB 5'9" 210 Missouri Cleveland Browns
Bryant, Dorien WR 5'10" 169 Purdue Pittsburgh Steelers
Hall, D.J. WR 6'2" 190 Alabama New York Giants
Purify, Maurice WR 6'3" 224 Nebraska Cincinnati Bengals
Smith, Taj WR 6'1" 187 Syracuse Green Bay Packers
Bujnoch, Digger OT 6'5" 290 Cincinnati New York Giants
Felton, Robert OG 6'4" 313 Arkansas Buffalo Bills
Kraus, Adam OG 6'6" 305 Michigan Baltimore Ravens
Miller, Drew OT 6'5" 302 Florida Jacksonville Jaguars
O'Donnell, Martin OG 6'5" 312 Illinois Retired
Polumbus, Tyler OT 6'8" 312 Colorado Denver Broncos
Radovich, Drew OT 6'5" 305 Southern Cal Minnesota Vikings
Spanos, Matt C 6'5" 305 Southern Cal
Blake, Tommy DE 6'3" 272 TCU Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
Geathers, Jeremy DE 6'2" 256 UNLV New Orleans Saints
Gilberry, Wallace DE 6'3" 263 Alabama New York Giants
McClinton, James DT 6'0" 289 Kansas Kanas City Chiefs
McDuffie, Chris DT 6'4" 330 Clemson Kansas City Chiefs
Robertson, Darrell DE 6'5" 245 Georgia Tech Dallas Cowboys
Brown, Titus OLB 6'3" 239 Mississippi State Miami Dolphins
Hall, Vince ILB 6'0" 238 Virginia Tech St. Louis Rams
Highsmith, Ali OLB 6'0" 226 LSU Arizona Cardinals
Leman, Jeremy LB 6'2" 240 Illinois Minnesota Vikings
Moffitt, Ben OLB 6'1" 234 South Florida Houston Texans
Woodyard, Wesley OLB 6'1" 227 Kentucky Denver Broncos
Castille, Simeon CB 6'0" 190 Alabama Cincinnati Bengals
Wolfe, D.J. CB 5'11" 207 Oklahoma Atlanta Falcons
Adams, Jamar S 6'2" 212 Michigan Seattle Seahawks
Brown, Cornelius S 5'11" 200 Missouri Kansas City Chiefs
Griffin, Marcus FS 5'10" 201 Texas Minnesota Vikings
Joiner, Tony FS 6'0" 215 Florida Tennessee Titans
Warrick, Nehemiah SS 6'1" 210 Michigan State New York Giants

OldCleat's All Did Not Get Drafted Team

Here are the guys that didn't get drafted who should have. It is The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team, The OldCleat All Did Not Get Drafted Team 2008. The biggest surprises to me are Ali Highsmith and Vince Hall. Not all of these guys will make an NFL team (especially Xavier Lee), but most will. I'll bet there are five to ten potential starters.

The players in bold are my best bets to become an NFL starter.

Lee, Xavier QB 6'4" 232 Florida State
Green-Ellis, BenJarvus RB 5'11" 220 Mississippi
Johnson, Dionte FB 6'0" 238 Ohio State
McRae, Kalvin RB 5'9" 208 Ohio
Lumpkin, Kregg RB 6'0" 226 Georgia
Savage, Dantrell RB 5'8" 187 Oklahoma State
Temple, Tony RB 5'9" 210 Missouri
Bryant, Dorien WR 5'10" 169 Purdue
Hall, D.J. WR 6'2" 190 Alabama
Purify, Maurice WR 6'3" 224 Nebraska
Smith, Taj WR 6'1" 187 Syracuse
Bujnoch, Digger OT 6'5" 290 Cincinnati
Felton, Robert OG 6'4" 313 Arkansas
Kraus, Adam OG 6'6" 305 Michigan
Miller, Drew OT 6'5" 302 Florida
O'Donnell, Martin OG 6'5" 312 Illinois
Polumbus, Tyler OT 6'8" 312 Colorado
Radovich, Drew OT 6'5" 305 Southern Cal
Spanos, Matt C 6'5" 305 Southern Cal
Blake, Tommy DE 6'3" 272 TCU
Geathers, Jeremy DE 6'2" 256 UNLV
Gilberry, Wallace DE 6'3" 263 Alabama
McClinton, James DT 6'0" 289 Kansas
McDuffie, Chris DT 6'4" 330 Clemson
Robertson, Darrell DE 6'5" 245 Georgia Tech
Brown, Titus OLB 6'3" 239 Mississippi State
Hall, Vince ILB 6'0" 238 Virginia Tech
Highsmith, Ali OLB 6'0" 226 LSU
Leman, Jeremy LB 6'2" 240 Illinois
Moffitt, Ben OLB 6'1" 234 South Florida
Woodyard, Wesley OLB 6'1" 227 Kentucky
Castille, Simeon CB 6'0" 190 Alabama
Wolfe, D.J. CB 5'11" 207 Oklahoma
Adams, Jamar S 6'2" 212 Michigan
Brown, Cornelius S 5'11" 200 Missouri
Griffin, Marcus FS 5'10" 201 Texas
Joiner, Tony FS 6'0" 215 Florida
Warrick, Nehemiah SS 6'1" 210 Michigan State

Joe Novak, 63 today

Joe Novak, former Northern Illinois head football coach, turned 63 today. He coached the way a Cradle of Coaches coach should coach.

As the Northern press guide says, "Honesty. Integrity. Respect. These are the principles that have guided Joe Novak, not only throughout his 11-year tenure as head coach of the Northern Illinois football team, but throughout his 40 years as a football coach."

He also had Northern running the heck out of the ball. And he came up with great running backs, very good offensive linemen, smart quarterbacks, and tough defenses. He did it the right way.

Joe, have a good day today. We'll miss ya, but we won't miss watching the RedHawks defense get just run over.

Look at the picture at OldCleat got from the mutha. He looks like the second coming of Bo Schembechler. Love it.

thankyouverymuch,

OldCleat

Hot Dog Day, Danger Dog Day, April 18

April 18 is Hot Dog Day, though I am ready to call Danger Dog Day. I went to SuperDawg today (don't tell Doug), and I am having a big old hot dog grill out tamale (hot!).

Hot dog day originated at Alfred State University. So I want to extend the tradition to an every year event.

Gatemouth Brown Born April 18, 1924

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown would have been 84 years old today. He didn't like being called a blues performer or blues guitarist, but he was one of the best in that genre ever. He also was an accomplished fiddler, and he played a variety of instruments. He also played a variety of genres, including swing, country, rock 'n' roll, and R 'n' B.

I saw Gate in New Orleans in 2001.

Here are some facts from his bio on gatemouth.com, which is no longer active.

Louisiana-born, Texas-raised multi-instrumentalist Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown has been dishing up his unique blend of blues, R&B, country, jazz, and Cajun music for more than 50 years. A virtuoso on guitar, violin, harmonica, mandolin, viola, and even drums ...
Brown was born in Vinton, Louisiana, and raised not far from the Gulf Coast in Orange, Texas. He learned guitar and fiddle from his father who played and sang the tunes of the region, including French traditional songs and even German polkas. He reminds us that: "Everybody played music in those days."

He began working professionally as a drummer during World War II. After a stint in the U.S. Army, Gatemouth made his debut as a guitarist in 1947 by simply walking on stage at Don Robey's famed Peacock Club in Houston and picking up an electric Gibson guitar that an ailing T-Bone Walker had put down mid-show. Gate so wowed the audience, playing his own "Gatemouth Boogie," that within a few minutes he had been showered with $600 in tips - a large haul in those cash-strapped days.

Robey soon had Brown fronting a 23-piece orchestra on a tour across the South and Southwest. The manager then formed Peacock Records, the first successful post-war, black-owned record label, to take Gate�s sound to a national audience. Dozens of hits soon followed, including "Okie Dokie Stomp," "Boogie Rambler," and "Dirty Work at the Crossroads."

After splitting with Robey, Brown moved to Nashville, where he hosted a television show and began adding country music to his repertoire, even recording with Roy Clark and appearing on Hee Haw. Heavy touring in the 1970s established new audiences in Europe, East Africa, and the Soviet Union, where Gate toured as a musical ambassador for the U.S. State Department.

Here is a bit from World Music.

... the club's owner, a Houston businessman named Don Robey. Robey hired Gate to play the club and eventually became his manager. He teamed Gate with a swinging 23-piece orchestra and booked him into venues across the South and Southwest.

Gatemouth made his first records for Hollywood's Alladin Records in 1947. When Alladin's promotion and release schedules didn't live up to expectations, Robey founded Peacock Records as an outlet for Gate's music. Dozens of Brown's records, including Okie Dokie Stomp, Boogie Rambler, Just Before Dawn and Dirty Work At The Crossroads, became big hits. Beginning with Gate's hits, in a few years Peacock grew to become a major independent R&B record label, with an artist roster that included stars like Bobby "Blue" Bland, Junior Parker and Joe Hinton.

Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown didn't like being called a blues performer or blues guitarist, but he was one of the best in that genre ever. He also was an accomplished fiddler, and he played a variety of instruments. He also played a variety of genres, including swing, country, rock 'n' roll, and R 'n' B.

Chuck Bresnahan Gone -- Bengals Fire D Coordinator

Chuck Bresnahan is no longer the D coordinator of the Bengals. This is good news to all Bengal fans who have suffered through a third-down easy completion for 15 yards on a third-and-12 by a crapola offense quarterbacked by Brock Berlin or Shaun Hill.

The Bengals need some help on their team. But this was the No. 1 problem on their team if you ask me. Not getting off the field on third down killed the Bengals. This problem has hurt them for years.

And it made everything else on their team seem worse. Their offense looked pretty good. But they always seemed to be pressing (especially Carson Palmer). And usually it was because they weren't on the field very long, and when they were on the field, they were usually having to score.

Marvin Lewis ran one of the greatest defensive teams in the recent history of the NFL when he ran the Baltimore Ravens. He needs to find a D coordinator who believes in his philosophy. I don't think that Bresnahan did.