Bengal's Season a Dissapointment?

OK, picture this: it's August, you just finished watching the latest episode of Hard Knocks, and based on what you've seen and read up to that point, it's time to play prognosticator and lay out the Bengals 09' season.

Looking at the schedule and the talent (or lack thereof) on the field, 10-6 would be pretty good, right? 10-6 is pretty good.

I'll bet that any team outside of the Indianapolis Colts would accept a guaranteed 10-6 season. The problem however, is how it ended.

After dealing with the deaths of Vicki Zimmer and Chris Henry, the Bengals perhaps thought more about life than football. (Wait, there's more to life than football)? Based on those hardships mixed with key injuries on defense with Antwan Odom, Rey Maualuga and Roy Williams, and the offense's inability to score more than 24 points (which happened only twice all season), it's amazing they even won six games.

So don't be so quick to call the whole year a failure; missing two field goals in crunch-time playoff game, however? That's failure.

Reds Rise From Nowhere, Nab Lefty

Today the Reds officially shocked the baseball world as well as their own fan base by signing highly regarded Cuban pitcher Aroldis Chapman.

Ready for the shocking part? They actually outbid clubs like the Yankees and Red Sox.

By signing the left-handed fireballer (he's been reported as throwing 102 mph), Cincinnati has poured gasoline on the smoldering ashes of their off season activities. The deal is worth $30 million over a six-year period. Early reports indicate that Chapman has control problems and needs to develop a better repertoire of pitches, a changeup or slider perhaps.

That's not all he needs to develope.

At 22 years old and coming from a communist nation, Chapman will no-doubt need a period of adjustment to American culture. In his first press conference,he stated through an interpreter that he has never seen a single game of American baseball, nor has he even heard of the city of Cincinnati. Time will tell if this bold move proves beneficial. If anything, this announcement gives the impression that the Reds may be serious about winning after all.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHAPMAN....ESPN'S PROFILE VIDEO


SEE CHAPMAN PRESS CONFERENCE WITH CINCINNATI