John Clay's Sidelines

I know it’s not John Calipari and it’s not Kentucky basketball, and therefore it’s not going to get a ton of page views, but some impressions from up in Cincinnati for the Reds’ opening day.

• For some reason, Xavier basketball news follows me here and none of it good. I was here at GABP last year when the news came that ex-Xavier coach Skip Prosser had died at Wake Forest of a heart attack after jogging. It was surreal being in the press box at that time, given that so many in the Cincinnati media were still friends with Prosser, or thought so highly of him form his Muskie days. Now, here I am again, and the news came early that Sean Miller, the coach at Xavier, had changed his mind and decided to take the Arizona job. Here’s a press box full of Cincinnati journalists, watching the city’s big even, and the coach of the best basketball team in town, is making news by reversing course and heading out West.

• Who might Xavier chase now that Miller is off to Tucson? Muskie assistant Chris Mack will reportedly be in the mix. But Shannon Russell of the Cincinnati Enquirer mentions Siena coach Fran McCaffrey, and he seems like a worthy choice. A friend told me that Louisville coach Rick Pitino is pushing Steve Masiello for the job, but the U of L assistant has no head coaching experince and the Muskies are loaded for next season. He’d be a longshot, at best.

• You’d be amazed, or maybe you wouldn’t, bring up th same observation to me about Billy Gillispie. I was at a friend’s house in Winchester eating dinner last week, and the people there brought up how rude Billy G. was to Tom Leach on the pre- and post-game shows. Up here in Cincinnati, in the press box, I’m talking with a media member who says to me he, too, was amazed at how Gillispie could take a rather simple Leach question and turn it into something to get angry about. The thing about that is the fans’ form a connection with their play-by-play announcer, especially one as nice as Tom. They see it inexcusable that a coach would treat one badly. And they’re right.

• As for the baseball, the Reds lost a tough one, 2-1. But don’t be discouraged. Johan Santana pitched for the Mets, and he’s tough. Very tough. Cincinnati managed just three hits in the 37-degree weather, but this new configuration, minus Dunn, minus Griffey, doesn’t figure to score a ton, especially against formidable hurlers. The good news was Aaron Harang. After a dreadful 6-17 campaign a year ago, the tall Californian was closer to his game. He allowed seven hits, but several were of the infield or bloop variety. He pitched out of jams. And he did it on a day more conducive to Paul Brown Stadium than GABP. Other good news: Bronson Arroyo threw well in a bullpen sesssion. His carpal tunnel is apparently a mild case. He’s scheduled to start Thursday.