SportsStreet Ohio

Anyone outside of New York and not a Yankees fan rooting for New York to win the AL Wild Card is either certifiably insane or a front-runner. Both should have you committed.

Mired in a September-long slump, Ben Broussard shook off the doldrums and delivered two HRs, single-handedly bringing the Indians to life and keeping the Tribe one game up in the Wild Card standings with a 5-2 win over Oakland.

The low-budget, high-energy Cleveland Indians have come a long way in 2005 and need players like Broussard to come alive down the stretch. The lineup, while potent, has momentary lapses where scoring runs seems to be a chore. If guys like Broussard can pick up the team and carry them through a ballgame or two, the postseason could be a real possibility.

Popularity: 10% [?]

8.0 Cleveland Indians (Up 0.5)
Currently holding a 1.5-game lead in the AL Wild Card race, the Tribe has been riding a hot hand for most of the summer. For some reason, Indians fans are just beginning to warm up to this bunch of hustling, overacheiving ballplayers, but clearly the word is out to the rest of baseball. The Indians will not go down without a fight. Clearly the best team in Ohio.

7.0 Cincinnati Bengals (Down 1.0)
Cincinnati accomplished its first goal — nicely disposing of an overmatched Browns team in Cleveland. Carson Palmer and Rudi Johnson played as advertised, decimating a porous Cleveland defense. Two Browns TDs were called back via penalties and Bengals still gave up the big play, so there is some work to do in cleaning up the breakdowns, hence the lower score.

6.5 Ohio State Buckeyes (N/C)
The Buckeyes inability to put the ball in the endzone eventually cost them a shot at the National Championship. Big 10 title hopes remain, but unless the quarterback controversy gets resolved sometime soon, the offense will struggle to consistently score more than field goals.

6.0 Cleveland Cavaliers (N/C)
Danny Ferry’s offseason moves have to excite Cavaliers fans, but the loss of Anderson Varejao has the front line looking thin. But until the season starts, perceptions about this team will change very little.

5.0 Columbus Blue Jackets (up 0.5)
The Blue Jackets made some nice moves once the lockout ended, but given the state of transition across the NHL, its hard to rank them any higher. A slight increase from the last standings on the merits of signing Adam Foote and knowing you have Rick Nash.

4.5 Cincinnati Reds (up 0.5)
A slight bump goes to the Reds for playing some of the best baseball in the National League since the All-Star Break. Ken Griffey Jr. has returned to form and kudos for not giving up on the season. But, they are still 10 games under .500.

1.5 Cleveland Browns (N/C)
The offense against the Bengals showed moments of competence, mostly inspired by the running of Rueben Droughns. The defense, however, looked completely inept in the 27-13 loss to the Bengals. A few wins could boost this score, but for the time being, the road to the top remains a very, very long journey.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Starting on Monday, September 12, SportsStreet Ohio introduces a new way to look at the success and failures of Ohio’s sports teams — the Confidence Standings. Based on the current prospects of the team, recent performances and upcoming schedule, the Confidence Standings will tabulate the relevant accomplishments and struggles of each team in Ohio on a scale of one to 10.

A score of 10 puts the team at championship level consistent with the Big Red Machine - a perennial power and at the top of their league. A score of one harkens back to the days of 100-loss Indians seasons at Cleveland Stadium. The standings will reflect the current prospects for the team, so teams with losing records could theoretically fall below teams with winning records on some occassions. The goal of the Confidence Standings, however, is to provide a forum for discussion on the top teams in Ohio even while playing different sports.

Additional changes to SportsStreet Ohio will include StreetSWOT previews of games and upcoming series. The previews will attempt to show matchups beyond the traditional positional matchups and examine reasons beyond the record as to why one team should outshine another. Of course, I may try my hand at some predictions as well.

Popularity: 9% [?]

The NFL season — the modern sports landscape’s rite of spring — kicks off this afternoon in the state of Ohio with the Cincinnati Bengals traveling north to the lakefront to face the Cleveland Browns. For both franchises, the new season marks the start of something newer, fresher, changed. These are not the teams you remember.

For the Bengals, the trip up to Cleveland represents the first step in a journey many believe should end in the NFL Playoffs. Bengals fans certainly beleive so, and in the course of the offseason, fans have heaped a pile of expectations on a team that has finished in the middle of the pack for two consecutive seasons. Will 2005 be the season they take a step forward into the NFL’s first class?

The Browns, on the other hand, start over once again. The all-to-familiar sound of rebuilding. The hammer and nails of draft picks, progress, and taking them one game at a time. Romeo Crennel, the third head coach in seven seasons, offers hope for the future and a blueprint for success. But how long will the fans be patient?

This afternoon’s matchup has a number of storylines, perhaps the two bigggest:

1. Are the Bengals ready for primetime?
These are games good football teams win…even if they are on the road. A 10-win season usually means going 6-2 at home and 4-4 on the road. Certainly the Bengals have to believe this is one of the most winnable road games of the season — and against a division rival nonetheless. How will Cincinnati respond now that they are expected to win — not hoping to win.

2. Romeo Crennel makes the Browns competitive.
Last season, Butch Davis made games close by playing close. The Browns were boring, slow, plodding, and at times, unwatchable. Even if the Browns lose some games, here’s hoping they do it with a little panache and flair. A close, exciting game, would be the solution for many of the past frustrations.

Popularity: 9% [?]