It’s true that time is quickly running out on the unlikely chance we will see the Cincinnati Reds playing in the postseason. Admittedly, I have written about this too often as it pertains to the Redlegs, but as the final week approaches, it isn’t impossible that the Reds will be facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-three-of-five NL Wild Card Series in early October.

It may take something akin to a miracle for this to occur, but if the reeling New York Mets will cooperate and the Reds win at least two more of their last nine games than the Metropolitans, it will be off to LA for one of the most inconsistent and frustrating Cincinnati teams I have witnessed during my rather long time on Earth.

I have buried the 2025 version of the Reds on more than one occasion over the past few months, and I completely understand folks who have given up on their chances of reaching the playoffs. But the door is still open just a tad, and if the Mets continue to stumble and the Arizona Diamondbacks don’t seize the opportunity, the Reds could still get there.

The Mets finish the regular season with three home games against the Nationals, before ending their long campaign with three in Wrigley Field against the Cubbies and three more in Miami against a suddenly red-hot Marlins club. So, if you’re a Reds fan, you’ll be pulling hard for Cincy to dispose of the Cubs in their current series, and root for the Cubs next week.

The Reds got off to a rousing start in the four-game set against Chicago on Thursday behind the arm of Hunter Greene, who earned his first-ever complete game by blanking the North Siders on one hit in a 1-0 Reds victory. I can’t tell what happened in Game Two on Friday since this is being submitted before that game, but if the Reds can win at least three out of four, sweep the Pirates and take two out of three in Milwaukee, there is still a small chance they can make it. Even if they accomplish that, it will still require the Mets to keep sliding and the D-Backs to drop a few games against a formidable schedule. Arizona hosts the Phillies for three games, the Dodgers for three more and will end the season in San Diego in a three-game series.

All hope is not lost quite yet, but the fat lady is warming up her voice when it comes to the Reds’ chances. Cincinnati fans are hoping she isn’t singing that it’s over anytime soon.

Browning faces old team

Tomorrow afternoon begins the second “Jake Browning Era” in Bengals history. In his first extended action as the team’s primary signal caller, he acquitted himself quite well, and he’ll be looking to push the Men in Stripes to 3-0 when he faces the team that let him go on Sunday afternoon, the Minnesota Vikings.

When one looked at this matchup before the season, it appeared to be the first major hurdle on the Cincy schedule, even with Joe Burrow as QB1. But after the Vikings’ lackluster performance last week – a 22-6 home loss to Atlanta – the Bengals appear to have a legitimate shot at upending Minnesota. They will also have a backup quarterback taking over, with Carson Wentz stepping in for the injured J.J. McCarthy, who struggled against the Falcons.

Personally, I believe I’d take Browning over Wentz, but you can also bet the Vikings will be amped up to show that last week’s disappointing setback was an aberration. The loyal Minnesota fans will be making tons of noise inside U.S. Bank Stadium as well, and the Bengals will have to be prepared for that scenario.

Cincinnati will need to effectively run the ball against a defense that appeared susceptible to giving up large chunks of yardage on the ground last week, while the Orange and Black defense will look to continue its bend, but don’t break philosophy for the Bengals to have a chance.

This may be the most unpredictable game on the Week Three NFL schedule, and I could be completely wrong, but just for the heck of it, let’s say: Who Deys-27, Vikes-24.

If it ain’t broke…

The directors of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association voted 13-5 to adopt a 35-second shot clock that will go into effect beginning with the 2027-2028 season.

An immediate reaction came from all corners of the Commonwealth, with many coaches praising the move, despite 150 schools voting against its implementation in a triennial survey conducted by the KHSAA. On closer examination of the survey, schools were voting to keep it as an experiment for showcases and midseason tournaments “until the National Federation of State High School Association adopts a national rule.”

The Board of Control ignored their vote and decided that it’s time for a shot clock, with a few members noting that they would prefer that Kentucky get ahead of the likely eventual edict from the NFHS and adopt it before it was mandated.

My initial thoughts on this?

Number One, it seems like another case of fixing a problem that isn’t really there. I have covered a slew of high school basketball games and attended many more, and only recall one time where a team held the ball for extended periods of time.

I understand the necessity of having a shot clock in college basketball, especially following the 24-11 debacle when Cincinnati held the ball against Kentucky with an extreme stall back in 1983. That game alone showed a shot clock was needed in college hoops, but is it really vital to high school basketball? These days, the preferred style of play clearly demonstrates that a shot clock is far from a necessity; Most teams want to get the best shot they can as soon as they can.

Number Two, the majority of high school teams will turn the ball over before they’re even able to hold it for 35 seconds, deeming the shot clock unnecessary. A few teams are able to execute plays while milking the clock, but they’re few and far between.

Third, the primary argument against having a shot clock in high school hoops is the cost, which has already been estimated to be about $5,500 per school for the clock itself, and another $3,500 per season to man it with a paid official. Numerous schools across Kentucky are already struggling with their athletic budgets, affecting the smaller schools in particular.

Sure, it’s great for the bigger and more talented schools, and you won’t have to worry about watching a team hold the ball, which is excruciatingly boring, to say the least. However, there are more than a few schools that already have a difficult time paying three officials per game, much less four. I’ve argued in the past that most high school games don’t even need three officials calling games, and the ongoing shortage of qualified referees is already a major concern.

When the shot clock does become reality in Kentucky high school basketball, you can bet there will be even more of an outcry against its implementation. Having a fourth official is simply unrealistic for most Kentucky schools, so finding someone willing to man the clock and do the job correctly will become a nightmare for a lot of schools.