Two key Bengals defenders are very unhappy with the team
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
While Trey Hendrickson continues to twist in the wind waiting for a contract extension, his potential replacement is also not practicing.
In the case of the team’s 2025 first-round draft pick, money is not the issue though.
Shemar Stewart said he doesn’t understand why the Cincinnati Bengals are trying to set a new precedent with language in his contract, but he doesn’t plan to practice until he’s signed.
In his opinion, Bengals executives are more interested in winning “arguments than winning more games,” but he believes he is “100 percent right” because all he is asking for is what the team’s previous first-round draft picks got. He reportedly left minicamp on Thursday morning.
Meanwhile, Hendrickson skipped the team’s mandatory minicamp as he continues to insist the Bengals should overpay him before he likely goes into a decline based on precedent for players his age.
On top of that, a handful of Bengals players put on a show for folks in Dayton during the Logan Wilson Celebrity Softball Game.
Reds return Ohio Cup to its rightful home
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Wednesday’s blowout loss not withstanding, this has been a very good week for the Cincinnati Reds.
Not only did they climb above .500, they did so at the expense of the Cleveland Guardians in their home park.
Manager Terry Francona wanted all three in Northeast Ohio, of course.
“No, no. I never ever ever think that way,” he replied to a question about whether or not winning the series dulled the sting of Wednesday’s 11-2 loss that followed wins of 7-4 and 1-0. “We still had to play today...and we have a day off tomorrow. That will be good for ‘em because we are going to play a good Detroit team (over the weekend in Detroit).”
Can they keep it going?
Well, Will Benson treating everyone else’s pitchers like he does Cleveland’s would go a long way toward that, as would getting a few guys off the injured list.
Kayla Harrison, UFC champion, ‘embodies everything great about Middletown’
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Kayla Harrison has accomplished an athletic quintuple — two Olympic gold medals, two $1 million Professional Fighters League championships and now an UFC title, bringing her closer to reaching her ultimate goal: being called the greatest female fighter of all time.
On Saturday night, the Middletown native dominated 135-pound champion Julianna Peña and forced her to quit late in the second round to win the championship at the Prudential Center in only her third UFC fight.
Now that she wears the bantamweight belt, the 34-year-old Harrison probably will be challenged by former champion and 2025 UFC Hall of Fame inductee Amanda Nunes.
Prep baseball champions to be crowned this weekend
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
The 97th Ohio High School Athletic Association baseball state tournament began Thursday, and the Cox First Media coverage area could be home to multiple state champions when the weekend concludes.
After an all-Southwest Ohio softball final in Division I, we could get another with Lakota West and Springboro both in the semifinals Saturday against Lewis Center Olentangy and Perrysburg, respectively.
With teams now broken up into seven divisions, 21 games are on tap at two different sites.
Here is what you need to know.
Kenton Ridge grad enjoying another stage of baseball life
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
Dave Burba, 58, returned to Ohio for a recent series against the Dayton Dragons at Day Air Ballpark and once again spoke about a baseball career that has now spanned five decades.
“It’s been awesome,” said Burban, who pitched for both Cincinnati and Cleveland during his major-league career.
“When I first was done, I didn’t think that I would want to get back into baseball, but my kids started getting to the age where they were in little league, and of course, all the parents found out who I was. And it was, ‘Hey, can you coach?’ I’m not doing anything else. I guess I can. So I started coaching, and I enjoyed it.”
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