No End in Sight

 I knew that waiting for an announcement from Major League Soccer would take some time, but I did not think it would be this excruciatingly long. What was supposed to be announced before Christmas spilled into January. MLS Commissioner Don Garber said an announcement would be made before the start of the 2018 MLS season, and FC Cincinnati general manager Jeff Berding said he expected an announcement by the end of February. The waiting game was seemingly almost finished. The end was in sight. Then FC Cincinnati as well as the other two expansion cities of Detroit and Sacramento were hit with some news in the form of a Sports Illustrated article by Brian Straus.

In the article, MLS president and deputy commissioner Mark Abbott said, “We don’t have, and don’t need to have, a fixed deadline, and we will wait until all of the necessary elements are in place before selecting the next club.” In other words, keep waiting. As a diehard FC Cincinnati fan who wants to see this team compete in MLS, this quote was like a dagger to the heart. After months of waiting and scouring the internet for any piece of MLS expansion news, I was told to sit tight. In my opinion, MLS has botched this entire expansion process. It makes the league look bad, and it is also making my beloved soccer team look bad as well.

FC Cincinnati is currently trying to finalize its stadium situation. The club continually says that Oakley, the West End, and Newport are all still in play. At the time that this post was written, Beridng is preparing to present the results of the Oakley site traffic, the West End is nearing Civil War status as heated arguments that pit anti stadium residents against club and stadium supporters has been a hot topic in the news, and the Newport site remains untouched and seemingly off the radar. The soccer stadium, which will only be built should the franchise get the bid, is a huge topic of debate and has cast the team in a negative light. Despite the stadium fiasco that surrounds FCC, there was a bit of good news to come from that Sports Illustrated article that gives me hope.

Abbott said, “Although we haven’t finalized any deals and all of the finalist markets remain under consideration, we’ve made the most progress in Cincinnati.”  That is obviously very good news if you’re an FCC fan. That statement makes it seem like FCC is the front-runner for MLS expansion. The ownership group is there, the passionate fan base is there, and the stadium is almost there but ultimately remains a work in progress. If the franchise can lock down a stadium site, hopefully their bid will be considered complete and warrant a visit to the Queen City from Don Garber. Until that day, there is seemingly no end in sight for the MLS expansion waiting game.

Adios AJ

The most popular backup quarterback in Cincinnati Bengals history is now an unrestricted free agent. AJ McCarron won his grievance against the Bengals and can now sign with any NFL team the he chooses. It is a big win for McCarron as he now has a shot to prove that he has what it takes to be a legitimate starting quarterback in the National Football League.

As for the Bengals, losing McCarron is a costly loss for the franchise as they will get nothing but a compensatory pick when McCarron signs with another team. Considering that the Bengals were on the verge of completing a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the Browns’ second and third round draft picks, only getting one compensatory pick is a big time downgrade in terms of McCarron’s return value. Had the Browns been able to complete the trade on their end, we would be talking about how the Bengals essentially stole two picks from the Browns. Instead we are left to wonder what could have been if the trade had been finalized.

Speaking of what could have been, Who Dey Nation will be left to wonder what could have been should McCarron have been named the starting quarterback over Andy Dalton. I am not bashing on Dalton. I am a Dalton fan and think he is a good quarterback. I’m not saying he is elite, but when it comes to current day NFL teams, there are a number of franchises that would love to have Dalton throwing the ball. However, McCarron is a proven winner. Just check out film from his days with the Alabama Crimson Tide. When Dalton broke his thumb in 2015, McCarron stepped in and played well enough to not only help the team win a few games to close out the regular season, but he almost guided the Bengals to their first playoff win in 25 years. I would have like to see what McCarron could have done had he been the starter for an entire season.

Unfortunately, the Bengals had other plans. Instead of making the starting quarterback job up for grabs in training camp, Dalton was always going to get the nod over McCarron. I will always root for my Bengals, but I like McCarron and hope he gets a starting job on another team. Maybe he will show the Bengals what they were missing. Or maybe he will prove the Bengals were right in not making him a starting quarterback. Either way, I wish him nothing but the best…except when he plays he Bengals in which case I hope Geno Atkins or Carlos Dunlap take him to the ground with an earth shaking sack.

Who Dey!

Elimination Chamber 2018 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on WWE Elimination Chamber 2018.

WWE Undertaker Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a WWE bobblehead of the Undertaker. 

The Olympics Are Awesome

With the Winter Olympics set to wrap up by the end of the week, I decided to write a short post on my thoughts on the Olympics as a whole. As all of you know, I love sports. Watching, reading, listening to, and following sports consumes most of my free time. I am a self diagnosed sports addict. That is why I love the Olympics.

For two weeks, the best athletes in the world come together to compete in sporting events. Political and religious differences are set aside all in the name of competition as sportsmanship and national pride reign supreme. A perfect example of this is the unified Korean women’s hockey team. Despite the political differences between the two countries, players are setting aside their difference to play hockey. While this feeling of unification may end as soon as the flames of the Olympic torch are extinguished, it is very refreshing to see the countries playing as one on the ice rink.

The biggest draw for me though is the nonstop sports coverage. Seemingly from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed, sports are on television. Whether it be winter Olympic favorites of mine such as hockey, snowboarding, speed skating or slope style skiing, I am always tuned in and cheering on Team U.S.A. I also make sure to watch obscure sports that only air during the two weeks the Olympics are on television. I love watching curling and all the Nordic skiing events as well as figure skating, luge, skeleton and bobsledding. Simply put, if the Olympics are on television, I am watching.

On a personal level, I like the summer Olympics more than I do the winter games. There are a lot more events during the summer Olympics, and I feel that those events are often more dramatic and exciting than the winter events. I still love the winter Olympics though and will be a little sad when they come to a close. Until then, I will continue to watch as much of the winter Olympics as I can while cheering on Team U.S.A.

Cincinnati Reds 1975 Replica World Series Ring Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds 1975 Replica World Series ring. 

This is the Month

FC Cincinnati’s Major League Soccer expansion process has officially been going on for over a year. What started in January of 2017 was supposed to conclude before Christmas. Nashville was the first city to be awarded one of two MLS expansion slots in December. The other three finalists, Cincinnati, Detroit, and Sacramento, would have to wait as Commissioner Don Garber said the next slot will be awarded before the MLS season starts in March.

The 2018 MLS season is less than a month away and for FC Cincinnati, the light at the end of the tunnel might finally be coming into view. As traffic studies and last minute stadium negotiations wrap up, we may have an answer as to whether or not FCC will receive an MLS bid over the next few weeks. If Don Garber does in fact pay a visit to the Queen City, it will cap off a very eventful month for the franchise.

February started with talks of FCC pursuing the West End and meeting with Cincinnati Public Schools to perhaps work out a stadium deal. The new kits (which look incredible) were unveiled on February 5, and the team’s preseason schedule is currently underway. After releasing Tommy Heinemann, the club appears to have made its final signing by bringing aboard Blake Smith. Aside from preseason match results, the big news that FCC fans will be checking for is MLS expansion. Barring more delays, Cincinnati should have its answer in a few weeks.

Bengals Recap 2017

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

Roman vs. Brock…Round 2

At the Royal Rumble, we learned that Shinske Nakamura will challenge WWE World Heavyweight Champion A.J. Styles for the belt at Wrestlemania 34 by virtue of his royal rumble match victory. The Wrestle Kingdom rematch should be one of the best that take place in the Superdome on April 8 and could potentially steal the show. With SmackDown’s main event set, what will Raw counter with at Wrestlemania? I believe that the red brand will showcase Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship.

Much like Nakamura vs. Styles is a rematch, so is Reigns vs. Lesnar. The two previously had a main event battle at Wrestlemania 31 for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. While the match itself was fine, the true moment of excitement occurred when Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase during the bout and pinned Reigns to win the title for himself. It was an incredible ending to one of the best Wrestlemania events of all time. A lot of people feel that the enormous amount of backlash that Reigns was receiving from fans caused WWE to call an audible and have Rollins cash in and win the belt.

Even though WWE gave into the demands of the fans in 2015, they did not in 2016 as Reigns defeated Triple H for the title at Wrestlemania 32 to a deafening chorus of boos. Fan hatred for Reigns only grew after last year’s Wrestlemania main event in which the “Big Dog” pinned the Undertaker to hand the “Phenom” only his second Wrestlemania loss. That was the third consecutive Wrestlemania main event that featured Reigns, and I think he is heading for a fourth. Immediately after Wrestlemania 33 ended, I tweeted that it will be Reigns vs. Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34. I’m sticking with that prediction.

WWE has seemingly been building up to this match ever since Rollins cashed in at Wrestlemania 31. They have been building up Lesnar as an unstoppable beast while at the same time packaging Reigns as the only man who can truly conquer the conqueror. Reigns and Lesnar rarely lose cleanly if at all, and they are the only two wrestlers to have defeated the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. Reigns was supposed to defeat Lesnar three years ago. WWE made a last minute switch. That will not happen this year. I’m predicting Reigns will win the Elimination Chamber match before he turns “Suplex City” into the latest extension of the “Roman Empire” at Wrestlemania 34. I’m not saying I’m a fan of that decision, but I definitely think it will happen.

Believe that.

So Where Exactly is the Stadium Going?

I woke up at 6:45 in the morning last Tuesday and immediately reached for my phone. I turned off its alarm, checked the traffic conditions, and opened the Twitter app. I typed “FC Cincinnati” into the search bar and started browsing for any hint of Major League Soccer expansion news. Instead of seeing the typical speculation and rumors regarding the MLS bid, the big story that everybody was talking about was how FCC may now build the stadium in the West End.

Needless to say, this elicited a big groan from me. I love FC Cincinnati and want to see them get into MLS, but I thought we had finished all the stadium location drama. With the league set to make an expansion announcement before the season starts in March, the clock is ticking for FC Cincinnati to finalize whatever rumored stadium snag is holding up their bid.

I thought the traffic study and the need for additional public funding for the infrastructure were the reasons why Don Garber has not yet visited the Queen City. With news of FCC still pursuing the West End, this makes me wonder if MLS does not like the Oakley site. I know Jeff Bearding has said that the Oakley site is a suitable location, but is it really? If it is, why is Bearding still saying that the other locations are still in play?

I know a lot of people are part of the “Build It Here” movement, which I think is totally stupid, but is building it north of the Ohio River worth FCC not securing the bid?  I have always thought and continue to believe that Newport is the perfect spot for the stadium. It definitely is close to an urban core and would be close to Paul Brown Stadium and Great American Ball Park. It is in walking distance from both the banks and the levee and the land is seemingly shovel ready.

So where is the stadium going? Nobody knows at this point. If you would have asked me before the 23^rd of January, I would have said Oakley. Now I have no idea. I just want FCC to finalize the stadium plan. I don’t care if it is in Oakley, the West End, Newport, or my back yard, just cement the stadium plan and bring MLS to Cincinnati.

Royal Rumble 2018 Thoughts

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone shares his thoughts on the 2018 WWE Royal Rumble event.

Bengal Graphs 2017 Part 4

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

It's Like Deja Vu All Over Again

Who Dey Nation must feel like it’s reliving the same day over and over again when it comes to the Cincinnati Bengals. After a dreadful season, the Bengals franchise announced that they had signed Marvin Lewis to another contract. Again. A majority of the fan base feels disconnected from the organization. Again. Many people want Marvin out of Cincinnati. Again. Mike Brown pissed off the fans. Again.

If this sounds like a familiar tale, that’s because it is. After the end of the 2010 season in which the Bengals finished with a record of 4-12, the franchise offered Marvin another contract that shocked many in Cincinnati. I was a freshman in college at the time, and I remember the press conference being awkward to watch. Fans of the team seemingly wanted to set Paul Brown Stadium ablaze when the news was announced.

Fast-forward seven years to December 31, 2017.  The Bengals defeated the Baltimore Ravens after Tyler Boyd took an Andy Dalton pass to the house on fourth and long to knock the Ravens out of the playoffs. It seemed like a nice way to send Marvin off into the sunset. A few weeks prior to the game, it was reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN that Marvin was going to leave the franchise. Although Marvin neither confirmed nor denied the report, the general consensus was that for the first since 2002 the Bengals would have a new head coach. Optimism was felt by Who Dey Nation. The Bengals won their final two games of 2017, and a new, bright future for the franchise was on the horizon. That optimistic feeling did not last long.

On January 2, 2018, the Bengals announced that Marvin would be returning as head coach for two more years. Excitement turned into anger. Optimism turned into despair. To say that Bengals fans were mad at the team’s decision to bring back Marvin would be an understatement. I cannot remember a time in which Bengals fans have felt more anger toward Mike Brown and the Cincinnati Bengals organization. The disconnect between the team and the fans is the largest it has ever been.

As Who Dey Nation prepares to endure two more years of Marvin, one has to wonder if there will be any real change this time. It’s hard to think there will be. I’m a diehard Bengals fan and love the team. I like Marvin and respect what he did for the franchise. He turned the team around and made them relevant again. Under Marvin, winning football games and making the playoffs changed from a pleasant surprise to an expectation. He raised the bar of professional football in Cincinnati.

However, he could never get over the bar. Seven playoff appearances all ended in defeat. A lack of urgency and the inability to step up in big games has characterized Bengals teams under his leadership. In my opinion, the 2017 version of Marvin seemed uninterested and unmotivated. To me, there was no way the Bengals could justify bringing him back. Leave it to Mike Brown to defy logic and expectations. Maybe he knows something that us fans do not. Maybe Marvin will prove all the naysayers wrong and actually win in the playoffs or better yet, win the Super Bowl. Maybe we will look back at January 2, 2018, as the day that Bengals Super Bowl Championship dynasty was born. That’s a big maybe. As for now, that day is looked at as déjà vu.

Who Dey…

Tucker Barnhart Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Tucker Barnhart bobblehead. 

25 Years of Raw

On January 22, WWE will present what could be its biggest show of the year. No, I’m not talking about Wrestlemania. I’m talking about Monday Night Raw. The flagship show of WWE will be celebrating its 25^th anniversary and will air from two separate venues in New York. According to the WWE website, wrestlers from both the Raw roster and the SmackDown roster will be at the Barclays Center while the Manhattan Center, the site of the very first episode of Monday Night Raw, will feature competing wrestlers as well as WWE legends.

The list of WWE legends scheduled to be at Raw continues to grow and is a very impressive list. Guys like Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker, and Stone Cold Steve Austin are just a few of the legends that will appear on the show. At the time that this post was written, there is still a week and a half until the 25^th anniversary of Raw so I would expect more legends to be added to the list.

This is the most excited I have been for an episode of Raw in quite some time. WWE usually does an excellent job with presenting landmark episodes and the 25^th anniversary of Raw is shaping up to be one of the very best episodes produced. The two venue location is a pretty cool idea for those who will be watching on television although I’m sure those who are in attendance at both the Barclays Center and the Manhattan Center might feel differently about it. The very impressive list of legends scheduled to be there will no doubt give me flashbacks of my childhood during the Attitude Era. Add to that the rosters of both Raw and SmackDown, and you have the makings of a wrestling event that could give Wrestlemania a run for its money. Hopefully the show can live up to the hype and celebrate the legacy of Monday night’s greatest wrestling television program.

Cincinnati Reds Past and Present Triple Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Cincinnati Reds Past and Present triple bobblehead. 

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

For FC Cincinnati fans, Tom Petty’s words ring true. FC Cincinnati presented their bid to Major League Soccer in hopes of becoming an expansion team in December. So was their pitch good enough to earn the Queen City an MLS expansion team? Nobody knows. We are still waiting.

MLS had originally planned to announce both expansion teams before the holidays. After Nashville was selected on December 20, MLS changed their stance and said that the next expansion team will be announced some time before the 2018 season starts in March. While that is not necessarily bad news, it isn’t really good news either. What it means is that FC Cincinnati is not eliminated from consideration, but they have not been selected either.

The reason for the league’s announcement change is because apparently Cincinnati, Sacramento, and Detroit still have work to do on their bids. Detroit is considered a long shot after presenting Ford Field as their home stadium. Sacramento is in need of more money and has issued a public plea for an owner or ownership group to join the franchise. For Cincinnati, the stadium situation is believed to be the only thing holding back their bid. A site and some of the funding have been secured, but more funding is needed from the public for the infrastructure surrounding the stadium and rumors continue to swirl that Oakley may not be the final stadium site.

Another rumor that gained a lot of traction on Twitter and Reddit was that MLS was going to issue a press release on January 9 stating that an expansion announcement would be made on either January 10 or 11. As I type this, it is currently 5:46 PM on January 9, and no press release from the league has been issued. On January 8, MLS spokesman Dan Courtemanche released a statement saying, “We do not have an update at this time.” While an announcement can still be made this week, judging by Courtemanche’s statement it seems highly unlikely that MLS Commissioner Don Garber will be making a trip to Cincinnati before week's end.

I have been checking Twitter for MLS expansion news constantly ever since the 2017 FC Cincinnati season ended and it only got worse in the weeks leading up to the bid presentation. To say I am obsessed is an understatement. I check Twitter for updates when I wake up, during my lunch break at work, when I get home from work, before I got to bed, and everywhere in between.

There have been some updates on the United Soccer League side for FC Cincinnati to hold me over until MLS makes an announcement. The team has been signing players at a rapid pace as a major roster overhaul is currently underway to help the team be more competitive for the 2018 USL season. They also sold more than 15,000 season tickets before the end of 2017 and are currently shooting for 20,000 before the start of the season. As for a potential MLS update, I, like the rest of the  FC Cincinnati fan base, will continue to wait and obsessively check the internet for updates. Hopefully the MLS expansion announcement, whenever it happens, will be worth the wait.

Victor E. Viking Bobblehead Unboxing

Ryan of Cincy Fan Zone unboxes a Northern Kentucky University Norse bobblehead of Victor E. Viking.

The 2018 Reds Hall of Fame Bobbleheads Are...

The Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum announced their series of bobbleheads for the 2018 season. It will feature many Reds legends from different generations that are sure to make excellent bobblehead collection additions. Some players that are featured are repeats while others are long overdue to have a bobblehead made in their likeness. In this post, I will discuss the bobbleheads that the Reds Hall of Fame plans to give out in 2018 as well as share my thoughts on them.

The first bobblehead of the year will be given in April and will feature Chris Sabo. It will commemorate the 30^th anniversary of Sabo’s rookie of the year award. The Reds have given out two bobbleheads of Sabo in the past, and this is the first time the Reds Hall of Fame has featured “Spuds” as a bobblehead. While it is sure to be a cool bobblehead, I already have the Sabo bobble the Reds gave out in 2010 and do not plan on getting this one.

The next bobblehead will be featured in May and will immortalize the great Ernie Lombardi. This bobblehead celebrates the 80^th anniversary of Lombari’s MVP award. Lombardi is a baseball hall of famer and should have had a bobblehead a long time ago, and I am very happy that the Reds Hall of Fame is finally immortalizing him as a bobblehead. This is a bobble I plan on adding to my collection.

June’s bobblehead will feature another player who should have been immortalized as a bobblehead years ago. Johnny Vander Meer will have his back-to-back no hitter showcased as a dual bobblehead in order to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of the amazing accomplishment. I have been begging for a Vander Meer bobblehead for a long time, and I couldn’t be more excited to get my hands on this one during the 2018 season.

The July bobblehead will be of Adam Dunn to honor his induction into the Reds Hall of Fame. Dunn was one of my favorites as a kid, and the bobblehead the team gave out in 2002 of him was one of the very first bobbles I had in my collection. Since I have the 2002 bobblehead, I will not be getting his bobblehead from the Reds Hall of Fame during the 2018 season.

The August bobblehead is really cool and one I am on the fence about getting. It will honor the 25^th anniversary of Tom Browning leaving Wrigley Field to watch the game from a rooftop across the street. While I already have a bobblehead of Browning, this bobblehead just sounds too awesome to pass up on adding to my collection.

September will feature a bobblehead of hall of famer Johnny Bench that will showcase the 50^th anniversary of his rookie of the year award. While there is absolutely no doubt that Bench is the greatest catcher in Reds history and possibly MLB history, this will be the 8^th bobblehead of Bench that either the Reds or the Reds Hall of Fame will give to fans. I already have a Bench bobblehead and do not plan on getting this one.

Once again, the Reds Hall of Fame has a good series of bobbles planned for the upcoming baseball season. While I would have loved to see more new players featured alongside Lombardi and Vander Meer, it is great that two of greatest Reds players form the 1940 World Series Championship team are finally being honored. If you are looking to add some Reds bobbleheads to your collection, head on over to the Reds Hall of Fame during the 2018 season.

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.