I realize that there are those of you out there that love Bob Huggins and hate Nancy Zimpher. In actuality, I guess I am one of you, but there is a huge difference. I have stayed a fan of the University of Cincinnati Men's Basketball team.

When Huggy-Bear was ousted, I was just as mad as the rest of you. When Nancy had that press conference in her fishnet stockings, I was just as disgusted as the rest of you. But when so many of you jumped ship, so many of us have stayed on.

The year Andy Kennedy took over, I was at every home NIT game, cheering and screaming for my team.

Last year, when Mick took over, it was difficult and when they were losing, it would have been easy to say "so long". But no, we tried and true Bearcat fans stuck it out.

And now, after the second upset of a top 20 team in a week, we are basking in the future - and it is bright.

Not only are the guys winning, but they are doing so in fine fashion. It has been a long time since I have seen a Bearcats' team run an offense. They are patient, they let the game come to them, they don't force three-pointers and bad shots. They work the ball low, throw it back out, and work for a good shot. Man, it's pretty - so pretty. Kudos to Mick Cronin and what he has done for this program. Keep it up Mick!!

And to all of you that want to hop on the bandwagon - you better hurry because it's filling up. But don't wear your Kansas State garbage to my team's game. That ugly purple hurts my eyes.

To those of you that would like to whine and cry about Huggins and Zimpher - please continue, but don't talk to me. It's been a long time since that whole thing went down, and we have a new era now. Huggins is gone, long gone, and quite honestly, the program is better off. Get over it.

In the meantime, I'll grab up those tickets that you all don't buy and watch an improving team play better and better every game and think of you every time Kansas State loses and when we beat West Virginia.

Fox Sports is reporting that the Reds have reached an agreement to sign former Rockies reliever Jeremy Affeldt to a 1 year, $3 million contract. 

On paper, this sounds like a great signing.  After all, in 75 games last season, Affeldt went 4-3 with a 3.51 ERA, 33 walks, and 49 strikeouts in 59 innings.  Clearly, this would be a welcome addition to a bullpen that was nothing short of a disaster in 2007.

Problem is, the source that fed Fox the scoop also told them that Affeldt will compete for one of the two open starting rotation spots.  Now, why is this a bad idea?  I can summarize it in four words:

THE GUY CAN'T START!!!

Anyone that's followed baseball knows that this is true.  Heck, if this report is true, Wayne Krivsky could have just gone to baseball-reference.com to figure this out for himself (maybe he couldn't figure out where the career splits page was).  In 42 career starts, Affeldt owns a 5.41 ERA; in 244 career relief appearances, his ERA drops to 4.21.  His BA allowed is over 50 points higher, OPS allowed is over 100 points higher, and he strikes out over two less batters per game as a starter than he does as a reliever.

This isn't brain surgery, folks.  Affeldt has failed on four separate occassions to be even a serviceable major league starter.  Why bring him in to compete for a role that he's clearly ill-suited for?  What's the harm in bringing in an innings-eater type like Josh Fogg, Livan Hernandez, or Steve Trachsel, in addition to signing Affeldt to bolster the bullpen?  Ask yourself this: if the Reds have decided that they can't afford that option, do you really have confidence that they have the commitment to compete for a playoff spot?

If this is the best the Reds can do here, they might as well have taken the $3 million and set it on fire.  Or better yet, give me a call.  I'm a lefty, and I can hit at least 65 on the Juggs gun.  I'll be waiting for your call.