George Foster Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a 2017 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum George Foster bobblehead.

2017 Cincinnati Sports Review

As we say goodbye to the year 2017 and hello to 2018, I thought that this week’s post should look back at Cincinnati’s three biggest sports teams and how 2017 went for them. Without a shadow of a doubt, the Cincinnati Reds, the Cincinnati Bengals, and FC Cincinnati dominated the sports scene in the Queen City. While Reds and Bengals coverage should be no surprise, FC Cincinnati’s meteoric rise caught not only the attention of the Greater Cincinnati area but the entire soccer world. So without any further ado, let’s review 2017 for the Reds, the Bengals, and FCC.

The rebuilding process of the Reds continued in 2017 and the results were often forgettable. Once again the team finished at the bottom of the division and failed to reach the post season. Pitching was a big Achilles heel and it often counteracted the offensive fire power that the Reds displayed during the season. In fact, the offense was very good and proved that the team may be a legitimate threat with the bat once the pitching situation is resolved. Guys like Adam Duvall, Scott Schebler, and Eugenio Suarez continued to evolve into solid batters while other players such as Scooter Gennett and Joey Votto had incredible seasons and were the true bright spots of an otherwise dismal 2017 MLB campaign. There were signs of promise for a few of the Reds pitchers, and with the acquisition of Hunter Greene via the draft, the “rebuilding” Reds might be the “contending” Reds sooner rather than later.

When it comes to the Bengals, 2017 was a year that celebrated the past, criticized the present, and asked questions about the future. When it came to celebrating the past, the Bengals had special half time ceremonies that featured various legends during each home game and had many “50” statues spread across the Greater Cincinnati area in honor of the team’s 50^th anniversary. Unfortunately the present Bengals will not be remembered as fondly as the legends of yesteryear. There was the turmoil with the offensive coordinator position to start the year, the controversy of drafting Joe Mixon, the John Ross injury saga, and the overall disappointing play from the team that lasted the entire season. The future of the organization looks murky at best and has a lot of questions that will be answered in 2018. Will Marvin Lewis still be the head coach? Will the team try to bring back Tyler Eifert? Will AJ McCarron be back next season and could he be the starter over Andy Dalton? What will the Bengals do about the offensive line?  Hopefully next year’s Bengals answer these questions and give the fans a memorable 51^st season.

There is absolutely no doubt that FCC was the biggest sports story of the year in Cincinnati. The team began its final push for MLS expansion off the field and its second season of USL play on the field. There were some head coaching troubles to start the year as John Harkes was relieved of his duties and Alan Koch took the helm right before the season started. Koch guided the team to a 6^th place finish in the Eastern Conference, which was good enough to make the playoffs. Despite the team getting bounced in the first round, the season will still go down in history as on of the most successful of all time due to the amazing Open Cup run that played out over the summer. During the tournament, FCC defeated Columbus Crew SC and the Chicago Fire before falling to the New York Red Bulls in extra time in the semifinals. All three of those teams are in MLS and FCC proved it can compete with the highest professional soccer league in the country. Speaking of MLS, FCC continued to strengthen its case to become an MLS team. The club secured an MLS jersey sponsorship deal and was able to finalize a soccer specific stadium plan. They were selected as a finalist for MLS expansion and presented their bid to the league on the sixth of December. As I write this, the decision of which two teams MLS will grant expansion bids to has not been made.

2017 was no doubt an interesting year in Cincinnati sports. The Reds continued rebuilding and showed some signs of promise, the Bengals celebrated the past while the team of the present created questions that will need to be answered in the future, and FC Cincinnati exploded on the soccer scene and became the soccer capitol of America. Hopefully 2018 is a year in which all three teams achieve wins, championships, and success, and prove that Cincinnati is a great sports city.

Last Minute Reds Christmas Gift

The holidays are upon us! I’m sure you have been bombarded with ad after ad after ad detailing the latest and greatest holiday gift ideas. What if you are a procrastinator though? The Cincinnati Reds have you covered.

The Reds are offering a holiday gift pack for as low as $40. This deal offers four ticket credits and a Reds throw blanket. The price of the gift pack will vary depending on where you choose to sit with better seating options obviously costing more.

I received last year’s holiday ticket pack that came with a free Reds nutcracker. I used the ticket vouchers for bobblehead games, and I currently have the nutcracker on display for the Christmas season. It is a very good deal and if you are in need of a gift for a Reds fan, consider the Reds holiday pack.

Go Redlegs!

Clash of Champions 2017 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Clash of Champions 2017.

Bengal Graphs 2017 Part 3

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the various autographs he has gotten throughout the 2017 season of the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Evaluating FC Cincinnati's MLS Bid

On December 6, FC Cincinnati made their pitch to Major League Soccer as to why they should be chosen to be awarded an MLS expansion bid. Ever since the team was founded in the summer of 2015, it made no secret that its true goal was to join the ranks of the best American soccer teams in MLS. After a successful first season in 2016 that saw FC Cincinnati knocking on the door of MLS, the franchise seemingly kicked the door off its hinges in 2017. Their incredible Open Cup run during the summer of 2017 garnered unprecedented media coverage for a USL team from news outlets all around the world and many people tagged FCC as a favorite to win an MLS expansion bid. They appear to have all the boxes checked for Don Garber and MLS to award Cincinnati an expansion bid, but when compared to other candidates, there are some categories where it seems FCC falls short. In this post, I will discuss some of the factors that could hurt FCC’s expansion bid that as well as some of the factors that could bolster it.

Let’s start with some of the factors against FCC’s MLS bid. Unlike Sacramento and Nashville, FCC’s stadium situation is still murky. A lengthy debate between the franchise, the city, and the county as to who will pay for the stadium was finally settled on November 29. The team announced they will privately pay for the entire stadium and was seeking about $75 million for the infrastructure. The city agreed to pay $37 million with the county agreeing to pay $15 million for a parking garage. That leaves a gap of about $23 million between what is available and FCC’s initial estimate. Also, Oakley is a few minutes north of downtown Cincinnati. I am not sure if that is considered to be close enough to an “urban core” as MLS would have liked. Personally, I thought that Newport was the best option for a stadium as it would have been just across from Great American Ball Park and the revitalized banks area, which sit on the opposite side of the Ohio River. According to FCC general manager Jeff Berding, Oakley may not even be the final location for the stadium and it may move if FCC is awarded the bid. This uncertain stadium plan definitely plays against FC Cincinnati and could really prove to be detrimental should MLS choose another city. Another factor against the bid is the relatively small media market. Cincinnati is one of the smaller media markets in the country and that could influence the decision of MLS as a smaller media market usually means less eyes are watching.

There are also many reasons that as to why FCC should be promoted to MLS. The passion that the city has for this team is second to none in the USL and will only grow if FCC is promoted to MLS. They obliterated attendance records and were on par with attendance numbers of MLS teams. They even outdrew the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball. Fans packed Nippert Stadium for matches in 2016 and attracted national attention for the record setting numbers that were set during the team’s incredible Open Cup run that saw both Don Garber and Sunil Gulati in attendance for the team’s semifinal match against the New York Red Bulls. The fact that those two attended the match is also a huge boost to FCC’s MLS asperations because they are arguably the two most powerful men in American soccer. Garber is the MLS commissioner and Gulati is the president of the United States Soccer Federation. They both witnessed in person the passion that Cincinnati has for FCC and that unquestionably left an impact on them. Other people associated with MLS have even stated that FC Cincinnati would be a great expansion team such as ESPN commentator Taylor Twellman and New York Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch. Aside from the passionate fans and the well earned national attention, FC Cincinnati has a dedicated ownership group that is putting up to $350 million dollars to pay the expansion fee and build a soccer specific stadium. That is one of the greatest stadium deals of all time and a clear indicator that team owner Carl Linder III is fully committed to the franchise. FCC has also secured a 10 year MLS jersey sponsorship deal with Mercy Health that is worth about $5 million a year. Another noteworthy factor is the future of Columbus Crew SC. Should the Crew leave Ohio for Texas, there will be no MLS team in the buckeye state. That void could be filled by FC Cincinnati. If the Crew winds up staying in Ohio, then the already fiery “Hell is Real” rivalry between the Crew and FCC could be taken to a new level if both teams are in MLS and play on a regular basis.

In conclusion, there are many factors that hurt and boost FCC’s chances of obtaining an MLS expansion bid. Clearly there are more beneficial aspects of FCC’s expansion bid, and I feel like they the perfect team to join the highest league of professional soccer in the country. The only things that could hold them back are the small market size and the relatively shaky stadium deal. However, market size should not play that big of a role as fans will most likely continue to show up to matches and watch on television. The stadium plan, while not finalized, can be perfected. There is some public funding in place for the infrastructure should the team decide to break ground in Oakley, and Newport is still available should FCC decide to move the stadium closer to downtown Cincinnati. The good does outweigh the bad though as the passionate fan support, dedication displayed by the owner, and the national attention have helped make FCC the biggest Cincinnati sports story of 2017. FC Cincinnati captured lightening in a bottle and Major League Soccer should capitalize on that by granting the franchise and the city of Cincinnati an expansion bid.

MLS to Cincy!

The Final Four

On November 29, Major League Soccer announced its four candidates for MLS expansion. Cincinnati, Detroit, Nashville, and Sacramento were named as the four candidates that will present their bids to MLS on December 6 in hopes of attaining an expansion team. MLS has stated that two teams will be selected to begin play by the 2020 season as teams 25 and 26.

As a diehard FC Cincinnati fan who has been following this journey to MLS ever since the club was established in the summer of 2015, this is very exciting news. FC Cincinnati could be just a few weeks away from being announced as an MLS expansion team. On the other hand, it is pretty scary as the new capital of American soccer could be on the outside looking in if MLS decides not to award Cincinnati an expansion bid.

There are many reasons why FCC should be awarded the bid, but there are also a few reasons why MLS might pass on giving Cincinnati an expansion team. I will go into detail on those reasons in another post. As for now though, it is very exciting that Cincinnati was named as a finalist. Out of the other three finalists, the only city that I would consider a “lock” is Sacramento. I believe they have a stadium deal in place and are second only to FCC in terms of USL attendance. They are also the only team that is considered to be in the west. That is favorable for them as many people, myself included, think MLS will grant expansion bids to one city in the west and one in the east.

In the east, Cincinnati is contending with Detroit and Nashville. A few weeks ago, Detroit’s bid seemed to be dead as they announced plans to use Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, as their soccer stadium. MLS insists on having a soccer specific stadium so I was surprised to hear that Detroit was still in running. Nashville is perceived to be a real threat to Cincinnati’s MLS bid as they have a soccer stadium deal cemented. While that is a big requirement by MLS, there are other factors that go against Nashville. Unlike FC Cincinnati, Nashville has not yet taken to the pitch as they are slated to start USL play in 2018. There is no proven fan base for soccer in that city and no point of reference for MLS to gauge how well received soccer will be in Nashville.

In conclusion, FCC is up against Detroit, Sacramento, and Nashville for one of two MLS expansion bids. To me, the only team that is guaranteed to be promoted to MLS is Sacramento in the west with the other three teams battling it out for the eastern slot. I am both excited and nervous and I hope to hear good news from Don Garber when he announces which two cities will be awarded MLS expansion teams by the end of the year.

Shingo Kawabata Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Tokyo Yakult Swallows Shingo Kawabata bobblehead.

Tetsuto Yamada Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Tokyo Yakult Swallows Tetsudo Yamada bobblehead.

An Update to My Terrible Bengals Pro Shop Experience

 A few weeks ago, I wrote a post on how the Cincinnati Bengals Pro Shop badly botched an autograph signing that featured legends from Bengals teams of the past. To summarize, I was part of a group of about 30-50 people who were told to wait in one part of the store for autographs. We waited for over an hour only to be told that we were not allowed to get autographs. Needless to say, a lot of angry people left the Bengals Pro Shop that day because of the lack of communication from the employees to the fans and the overall disorganized feel of the event.

The other time I was at a Bengals legends autograph signing, fans were forced to do laps through the stadium and pro shop to get autographs. It was chaotic, made no sense, and was the oddest way of conducting an autograph signing I have ever seen, and it appeared that the Bengals had no idea what they were doing. That is not true though as I had personally experienced an organized Bengals autograph signing at the pro shop in April.

John Ross and Jordan Willis signed autographs at the Bengals Pro Shop after they were drafted. The store limited the signing to the first 100 people with tickets. Once all the tickets were handed out, nobody else could get autographs. It made sense, it was organized, and most importantly, it WORKED. Why the Bengals decided to ditch that formula in favor of a race around the stadium one week to splitting the autograph line in half another week is beyond me.

After the fiasco that saw a near riot of angry Bengals fans leave the pro shop, I sent the team an email voicing my frustrations and displeasure with how the autograph signing was handled. I received a response the next day. The email apologized for how the autograph signing was handled, and said that a different approach was being taken for the next autograph session.

The approach the pro shop took was the same onme they took for the Ross and Willis signing. They gave 100 tickets to the first 100 people and stopped the autographs once all the tickets were given to fans. It made sense, it was organized, and it WORKED. The entire operation was smooth and people were moving through the autograph line at a decent pace. Props to the Bengals Pro Shop for acknowledging the problem and fixing it so that it was a more enjoyable experience for Bengals fans.

Another Successful Season

The 2017 season of FC Cincinnati came to a close as the lads fell in their first round playoff match to the Tampa Bay Rowdies by a score of 3-0. While the early postseason exit was a disappointing way to end the year, there is no denying that FCC’s second season of existence was one that that the city of Cincinnati will never forget.

Numerous attendance records were shattered, thrilling soccer unfolded in front of raucous crowds at Nippert Stadium, and there was the amazing run in the Open Cup that became the summer sports story in Cincinnati. FCC made it all the way to the semifinals before falling to Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls 3-2 in extra time. Before that loss however, FCC took out two storied franchises of MLS in Columbus Crew SC and the Chicago Fire. They defeated their in state rivals in the first ever “Hell is Real Derby” by a score of 1-0. They followed that up with a nationally televised victory over the Fire that came down to penalty kicks. When most fans think of the 2017 FCC season, they will most likely think of the Open Cup run.

Not everything was good about the season. FCC struggled mightily on the road and lost almost every match they played outside of Nippert Stadium. Mitch Hildebrandt regressed and was a step below his 2016 form. There was coaching turmoil that resulted in a change of leadership right before the season started. There is also the argument of how to fund and where to build a soccer specific stadium should FCC attain an expansion bid from MLS.

Despite those negatives, there is no doubt that 2017 will be remembered fondly by soccer fans in Cincinnati. FCC bolstered their MLS bid with record setting crowds, they played three MLS squads and defeated two of them, and they firmly established themselves as a big time player in the Cincinnati sports scene. Hopefully they hear good news from MLS in December and have continued success in 2018.

WWE Survivor Series 2017 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Survivor Series 2017. 

Bengal Graphs 2017 Part 2

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the different autographs he has gotten throughout the 2017 season of the Cincinnati Bengals.

A Really Stupid Requirement

If you have been following FC Cincinnati’s attempt to attain a Major League Soccer expansion bid, then you know all about the argument dealing with where to build FCC’s proposed soccer specific stadium and who should pay for it. It is arguably the biggest sports story of the year as FCC’s fate as a potential MLS expansion team could live and die on whether or not the franchise can cement a stadium plan. In my opinion, the fact that MLS prefers soccer specific stadiums is really stupid.

As far as I know, they are the only American professional sports league that has a stadium requirement. Major League Baseball and the National Football League have shared stadiums and the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League share arenas. I know for a fact that some MLS teams have played in NFL stadiums. For example, Atlanta United FC shares Mercedes-Benz Stadium with the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL and had over 70,000 fans in attendance for a match.

I realize that during the early days of MLS, teams often played in very empty football stadiums which probably prompted MLS to prefer soccer specific stadiums as they are smaller. What I do not think MLS has realized is that the sport of soccer in America has grown. Kids all over the country grow up playing it and both domestic and international matches are shown on television pretty frequently. The world’s game has become a bonafide American sport. So why would MLS want to hamper its rise by containing teams in smaller stadiums?

As a diehard FC Cincinnati fan, I want the team to finalize a soccer specific stadium plan and get an MLS bid. I don’t care how its funded or where it’s built, just as long as a plan is in place and MLS commissioner Don Garber names FC Cincinnati as an MLS expansion club. From a logical standpoint though, I cannot help but think that the requirement of a soccer specific stadium is outdated, does more harm than good, and is really stupid.

Bengal Graphs 2017 Part 1

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shows the autographs he has gotten throughout the 2017 season of Cincinnati Bengals.

Cyclones in a Half Shell, Hockey Power!

 On Friday November 17, 2017, the Cincinnati Cyclones will host the Toledo Walleye on “Nickelodeon Night featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” If you are a turtles fan, a hockey fan, or a bobblehead fan, then this is one game you definitely do not want to miss.

The game will feature an appearance from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and both the Cyclones and the Walleye will wear TMNT themed jerseys. The Cyclones will have jerseys representing the turtles and the Walleye will wear jerseys representing Shredder. Both teams’ jerseys will be auctioned off later.

They Cyclones will also be giving out a TMNT themed bobblehead of their mascot. Based on the picture the Cyclones have promoted on their site, Twister will be wearing a mix of his Cyclones uniform and Michelangelo’s ninja gear. The base is a sewer lid, and Twister will be armed with a hockey stick.

In conclusion, the Cyclones will play host to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the players will wear TMNT themed jerseys, and a TMNT themed bobblehead of Twister will be given away to the first 3,000 fans in attendance. Pizza slices will also be available for $1 all night long. I already have my tickets for the game, and I cannot wait to add the bobblehead to my collection.

Reds Recap 2017

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone recaps the 2017 season of the Cincinnati Reds. 

2017 Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Bobblehead Recap

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum bobblehead season has come to a close. Seven bobbleheads were given out throughout 2017, and I managed to add all of them to my bobblehead collection. Below is a brief recap of the bobbleheads that the Reds Hall of Fame gave away in 2017.

First up is Crosley. This is a retro themed bobblehead that has been given out by the Reds Hall of Fame ever since March. The funds received through the sale of the bobbleheads were used to help pay for the Pete Rose statue that the Cincinnati Reds unveiled during the season. It has a vintage bobblehead look and a luster that really makes it stand out from the other bobbleheads given away this year.

The second bobblehead given out was of Leo Cardenas. Given out during April, Cardenas was the first official bobblehead of the 2017 Reds Hall of Fame series. He is featured in the classic pinstripe uniform that the Redlegs sported during the 1960s and is arguably the best looking bobblehead the Reds Hall of Fame gave to fans in 2017.

The third bobblehead of the year was of Tommy Helms. This was given to fans during the month of May and is a relatively simple bobblehead as it features Helms getting set to field a ball. It is a good-looking bobblehead of a player that helped set the foundation for the Big Red Machine.

The bobblehead for June was of the “Hit King,” and it featured Pete Rose batting as a bobblehead for the first time. It is by far the best bobblehead of Pete Rose as a member of the Reds that has ever been given out and it flew out of the Reds Hall of Fame in record time.

July’s bobblehead was of Ron Oester. The longtime Redleg debuted on the main roster in 1978 before retiring at the end of the 1990 World Series Championship season. The bobblehead features Oester stepping on a base and getting ready to throw a ball.

 

The sixth bobblehead of the year was Dave Parker. Known as, “The Cobra,” Parker was a huge fan favorite among Reds fans, and this was the first bobblehead of Parker that the Reds and the Reds Hall of Fame have ever given out to fans. It was long overdue and was the bobblehead I was most excited for from the Reds Hall of Fame.

 

The seventh and final bobblehead of 2017 was of George Foster. This was the second bobblehead of Foster that the Reds Hall of Fame has given to fans as they gave a mini Foster bobblehead to fans in 2012. The 2017 version is a regular sized bobblehead though and features Foster with his 1977 MVP award.

 

In conclusion, the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum gave out a very good line of bobbleheads in 2017. The quality is top of the line, and the players featured are all very memorable figures in Reds history. Hopefully the 2018 series is just as good.

Go Redlegs

Save the Derby

Early last week, it was reported that Columbus Crew SC might be leaving the state of Ohio for Austin, Texas, at the end of the 2018 season. This stunning announcement not only affects the Crew and their fans, but it may also affect FC Cincinnati and their bid to become a Major League Soccer expansion team. In some ways it can benefit the franchise, but the Crew’s potential exodus may also hurt FC Cincinnati.

The obvious reason that the Crew heading for Austin would hurt FC Cincinnati is that the budding instate rivalry between the two Ohio teams would be no more. The “Hell is Real Derby” had its first installment this past year during the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Fans of both franchises packed Nippert Stadium and created an atmosphere that was nothing short of electric. The action on the field was intense, fans were talking trash in the stands, players were jawing backing and forth on the field, and the first match of the “Hell is Real Derby” became an instant classic. FC Cincinnati fans celebrated the 1-0 victory, and Crew fans dreamt of vengeance on the pitch. With the Crew possibly leaving Ohio, the first chapter in the rivalry might be the only chapter. Due to that lack of an instate rivalry and the amazing atmosphere it created, MLS might pass on accepting FC Cincinnati’s expansion bid.

Just as obvious as the Crew’s possible Ohio exit could hurt FC Cincinnati’s MLS chances, it is also very obvious how it could be beneficial to the Cincinnati soccer squad. Should the Crew leave, MLS would not have a team in the state of Ohio. Many people think that this would clear the way for FC Cincinnati to join the league. Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports soccer expert Grant Wahl thinks the Crew’s exit all but assures that FC Cincinnati and Detroit attain MLS bids.

Personally, I want the Crew to stay in Ohio. The first match of the “Hell is Real Derby” was one of the best sporting events I have ever attended. The atmosphere was electric, and the sports hate between the two opposing Ohio soccer teams was pure and full of vitriol. It was an incredible way to introduce a possible flagship MLS rivalry to the soccer world. If FC Cincinnati does get into MLS, I do not want it to be because Columbus lost their team. It sucks when sports franchises leave a city and essentially desert their fan base. Even though FC Cincinnati and the Crew are rivals, I do not want Crew fans to have to lose their team. Hopefully the Crew can sort out their stadium situation and stay in Ohio allowing the “Hell is Real Derby” to continue should FC Cincinnati attain an MLS expansion slot.

WWE TLC 2017 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE TLC 2017.