Sunday, December 31, 2000
Griffey homecoming tops local year in sports
By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ten years ago, Sports Illustrated proclaimed Cincinnati as the sporting city of the year. Y2K in the Tristate may not be similarly recognized, but there was just as much going on here this year as any other. The big news:
Ken Griffey Jr. being traded home to the Reds, voted the 13th-biggest national sports story this year by the Associated Press.
New buildings: Paul Brown Stadium, Kentucky Speedway, Cintas Center.
New coaches: Dick LeBeau, Bob Boone.
New Hall of Famers: Tony Perez, Sparky Anderson, Marty Brennaman.
This area produced Olympic medalists (boxer Ricardo Williams Jr., and swimmers Erin Phenix and Nate Dusing), national champions (Northern Kentucky University women's basketball) and state champions (most notably St. Xavier boys basketball, Mason girls basketball, Highlands football). And, again, surprise city champions (Xavier in men's basketball, UC in women's).
Kenyon Martin broke his leg and Bearcat fans' hearts. Corey Dillon broke the NFL single-game rushing record.
It was a big year in local sports, too big to cover with just a top 10 list. Ken Griffey Jr. came home, Paul Brown Stadium opened, and UC chased a national championship. The year 2000 deserved a top 20.
1. Ken Griffey Jr. The All-Century Team outfielder became Cincinnati's favorite son with the Reds' blockbuster trade on Feb.10.
So he butted heads with the media. So he argued with Reds coaches (including his dad). So he had only 40 home runs. So what? He still looks great in Red. And he's signed through 2008.
2. Kenyon Martin. Even Xavier fans felt bad for UC's star center when he broke his leg just before the NCAA Tournament. But he still became the consensus national player of the year and the No.1 overall pick in the NBA draft. The best at UC since the Big O.
3. Reds Hall of Famers. Tony Perez was inducted at Cooperstown after a nine-year wait, and Sparky Anderson made us beam by going into the Hall in a Reds cap instead of a Tigers one. Broadcaster Marty Brennaman, winner of the Ford Frick Award, joined them in in the Hall, as did Bid McPhee, an infielder for Cincinnati from 1882-1899.
Quite a 25th anniversary gift for the Big Red Machine.
4. Mike Brown. New stadium, same bad team.
The Bengals owner didn't change coaches, because Bruce Coslet quit. He didn't change general managers, continuing with those duties himself. He also didn't change public perception that his team is light years from its next playoff season.
5. Carl Lindner. The Reds owner ponied up first to land Ken Griffey Jr., again to keep Barry Larkin here, and again to name the new Reds ballpark. But his budget didn't seem to allow for any pitchers.
6. Corey Dillon. His 1,435-yard rushing campaign, which included the single-game record 278 yards against Denver, certainly seemed more worth while than flipping burgers. (Remember that threat?)
Again a free agent, he has the leverage this time. Show him the money!
7. Bob Huggins. Kenyon Martin got hurt, so the UC basketball coach didn't get his long-awaited national title. But he said no to the NBA's L.A. Clippers, showing loyalty — or common sense — still exists.
8. Dick LeBeau. The mild-mannered Bengals coach is a coaching throwback, preferring Woody Hayes football to the West Coast offense. Smashmouth ball isn't pretty, unless it wins. Four wins in the team's last 10 games isn't too bad with this bunch.
9. Tristate Olympians: Swimmer Erin Phenix wins gold on a relay team and Nate Dusing takes silver on a relay. Boxer Ricardo Williams Jr. wins silver in the 139-pound weight class, preparing to turn pro Jan.27. U-S-A!
10. Northern Kentucky University's Cardiac Kids, the national champion women's basketball team. The Norse trailed late in the second half of all five of their NCAA Division II Tournament games.
Since losing its first game in this calendar year, NKU has won its next 33 and ranks No.1 in the nation in Division II.
11. Jerry Carroll. If you build it, they will come ... 66,000 strong. His Kentucky Speedway set a record for largest attendance in Greater Cincinnati sports history (later broken by the Bengals opener at Paul Brown Stadium).
12. Rick Minter. His UC football team didn't win its bowl game. But it played in one, its second in four years. Those are UC's only bowl bids over the last 49 years. Winning football at UC is a reality.
13. Nick Vehr. The Sydney experience only enriched his vision of a Cincinnati Olympics, though year-end backlash about his requests for public funding of the bid soured public sentiment.
14. Jim Bowden and John Allen. Traded Denny Neagle too early, handled Reds managing transition poorly, raised ticket prices. But they still keep the small-market Reds in contention.
15. Akili Smith. The Bengals quarterback plays like David Klingler, talks like Marcel Marceau. Too early to call him a bust?
16. Bob Boone. Surprise! You're the manager. He promises to give the Reds an aggressive look in 2001. Say Barry, can you bat leadoff?
17. St. Xavier's boys and Mason's girls basketball teams, which won the Ohio Division I state titles. Mason's Michelle Munoz was named Ohio's Miss Basketball, and the Comets finished No.2 in USA Today's ratings.
18. The Highlands football team. It won a Kentucky state title, its 15th, and was 13th in the USA Today Super 25, its best finish ever.
19. Jack McKeon and Bruce Coslet. The former Reds manager and former Bengals coach gained respect by going out gracefully.
20. Skip Prosser and Melanie Balcomb, Xavier's men's and women's basketball coaches. Both coaches have their teams undefeated so far this year at the new Cintas Center.
Honorable mention:
Barry Larkin. Lifelong Reds still do exist.
DerMarr Johnson. One season of the former UC basketball player wasn't enough.
Jared Lorenzen. He wasn't perfect, but he broke all kinds of passing records in his first season at Kentucky.
Sports Stories
Toledo 69, UC 66
Logan's trip home a disappointment
Xavier 71, Kent State 60
Tournament atmosphere good for Musketeers
In memory of Morris
Wishes for a Reds Christmas
Griffey homecoming tops local year in sports
