Bengals' Redemption Quest, College Chaos and Golf in Cincy
The Key for the week of September 16, 2024
We’re on to Cincinnati
There is no moral victory in sports, or anywhere else, (Just ask the British at Concord) and a loss on the scoreboard is still a loss. The Bengals could not avoid the fate of starting the season 0-2 for the third straight year. Joe Burrow in weeks 1-2 is 1-9—the one lone win came during the Bengals’ Super Bowl run. The Bengals have an extra day to think about their loss to the Chiefs this week, as their next matchup is with the Commanders on Monday night football. If there is any consolation, none of the losses this year are against division opponents, but the Bengals are still dead last in the North with the Ravens.
A strange year in college football just got stranger..
Texas now is number 1 in at least one weekly poll, jumping over national champion favorite Georgia, in a game where their Heisman contending quarterback Quinn Ewers got hurt and their next Heisman contending quarterback, Arch Manning, took over and promptly threw five touchdowns. (Wally Pipp, anyone??) In other news, the fates of the head coaches at Florida (Billy Napier) and Florida State (Mike Norvell) are now in the hands of boosters who are scrambling to raise enough money for their contract buyouts after both teams suffered ugly losses at home. For Napier, that’s a cool $26 million to leave town.
Back here, the Bearcats brought the Victory Bell home from Miami in what is scheduled to be the next-to-last game in this century-plus old rivalry. With UC’s win on Saturday, the series stands at 61-60-7 in favor of the Bearcats, with the final game in this series coming up in two years. And if you had Purdue and 60 in the Boilers’ game with Notre Dame, YOU LOST! The 66-7 beatdown the Irish put on Purdue Saturday was the most points Purdue has given up in its 137-year gridiron history.
Tee ‘em up
Fresh off Team USA’s win in the Solheim Cup this weekend, the best in women’s golf heads to TPC River’s Bend just north of Cincinnati for the LPGA’s Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G. Included in the field are the world’s Number 1 golfer, Nelly Korda, along with fan favorite Lexi Thompson, who is hanging up the golf spikes after this year, and defending champion Minjee Lee. A true championship course, TPC River’s Bend has been the host for many pro and amateur tournaments, including the Champions Tour. Ben says come out for the chance to see the best players on tour, right in our own back yard.
Ben’s Best Bet..
A week from now, the Bengals will still be looking for their first win this season, but there’s a good chance it will come Monday night against Washington. It will be an emotionally-charged night, with the Bengals inducting their latest members of the Ring of Honor, Corey Dillon and Tim Krumrie. BetMGM says the Bengals are more than a touchdown favorite, and with something to prove after Sunday’s lost opportunity, expect the Men in Stripes to win, and win comfortably.