Twenty years ago, 10 year old 'tHan suffered one of the biggest heartbreaks of his life. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. Sitting in my grandmother and grandfather's living room feeling as if I was going to die with every made basket by Christian Laettner. Screaming at the television as he stomped the chest of Aminu Timberlake without penalty. Knowing the game was over when Jamal Mashburn fouled out. Jumping the highest I've ever jumped in my life as Sean Woods made an off-balance shot that looked to be the game winner and at the end, crying my eyes out after Grant Hill made that pass and Christian Laettner ripped the hearts out of Kentucky fans everywhere.

You've all seen that play countless times. Over the next 20 years, Laettner's shot would be replayed during almost every UK basketball game. CBS features the shot as an intro to every college game they televise. Books have been written about the game and it was the last that Cawood Ledford would ever call a Kentucky game. It is without a doubt the greatest game ever played.

That night, however, none of that mattered to 10 year old 'tHan. Had I known what was to come in the next 20 years, I don't think the game would have bothered me the way that it did. It is still one of the saddest moments in UK history, but more importantly, it was the launching pad to possibly the best era of UK basketball. It would have been impossible to predict what would happen over these next 20 years, but I would love the ability to go back and tell myself what is to come.

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Twenty Years Ago, 10 year old 'tHan suffered one of the biggest heartbreaks of his life. I can still remember it like it was yesterday. Sitting in my grandmother & grandfather's living room feeling as if I was going to die with every made basket by Christian Laettner. Screaming at the television as he stomped the chest of Aminu Timberlake without penalty. Knowing the game was over when Jamal Mashburn fouled out. Jumping the highest I've ever jumped in my life as Sean Woods made an off balance shot that looked to be the game winner & at the end, crying my eyes out after Grant Hill made that pass & Christian Laettner ripped the hearts out of Kentucky fans everywhere.

You've all seen that play countless times. Over the next 20 years, Laettner's shot would be replayed during almost every UK Basketball game. CBS features the shot as an intro to every college game they televise. Books have been written about the game & it was the last that Cawood Ledford would ever call. It is without a doubt the greatest game ever played.

That night, however, none of that mattered to 10 year old 'tHan. Had I known what was to come in the next 20 years, I don't think the game would have bothered me the way that it did. It is still one of the saddest moments in UK history, but more importantly, it was the launching pad to possibly the best era of UK Basketball. It would have been impossible to predict what would happen over these next 20 years, but I would love the ability to go back & tell myself what is to come.

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1. I got to work Monday morning & had to pee. Every single stall was full of #PublicPoopers. Do people just hold it all weekend so that they can blow up the public bathroom as soon as they get to work? Come on fellas, do your business at home before you go out in public.

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2. Borat is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen & Sasha Baron Cohen was great in Sweeney Todd. Because of that, I was willing to overlook how poor Bruno was. However, The Dictator stunt with Ryan Seacrest might have been his #JumpTheShark moment. I hope the actual movie is good, but Cohen is now been downgraded in the mind of ‘tHan.

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3. It’s going to be impossible for Django Unchained to live up to my expectations. The Greatest director of his generation (Tarantino) teams with the greatest actor of his generation (DiCaprio) & just for fun they’re throwing in an academy award winner that absolutely stole the show in Inglourious Basterds (Waltz). I don’t get to the movies very often these days, but I’ll definitely be there opening weekend for this one.

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4. Tomorrow OBC & I will be watching Jimmy Buffett at the KFC YUM! Center in Louisville, KY. This will be my first time seeing Buffett indoors & it will also be my first time in the new arena. The YUM! Center is supposed to be the nicest arena in the country & I’m really looking forward to seeing it for the first time. Follow @CincyPHClub for a live-tweeting of tailgating & #BuffettAtTheBucket.

5. I’m all for people practicing whatever religion they want. What gets to me is when people are very in your face about how their religion is the only possible correct one & everyone who doesn’t believe exactly as they do is going to Hell or some equivalent. Monday, I was stuck behind a car full of religious & anti-abortion bumper stickers. They were unbelievably attacking to the "non-believers". I tried to get a picture, but sadly it didn’t turn out. I can’t help but think how miserable that person’s life must be.

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6. I have long proclaimed the PS3 to be the best video game system. However, in the last couple of months, I have become an XBOX 360 convert. They have fixed the main problems they had previously (added wi-fi & an HDMI port) and it’s just much easier to pick up & play than the PS3. The constant hour long updates for the PS3 just zapped all enjoyment I was getting from the system. I’m only 3 years late on it, but you guys should all get Batman: Arkham Asylum. It’s incredible & the Game of the Year Edition can be had for $20 new.

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7. It seems odd to me that Speedway has a service where they’ll do your taxes in their gas stations. I don’t trust Speedway to cook a hot dog, why would I ever let them do my taxes?

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8. If you are looking for a car & you want to get your best possible deal, do all the negotiating over the internet. Also, it’s time for people to change their perceptions. Don’t go into a dealership & start puffing your chest about how you’re paying cash & want a discount because of it. No one cares that you are paying cash & it makes it less likely you’ll get a discount. Dealers get paid by banks for arranging financing, so when you come in & brag about your cash it just means the dealership is making less money.

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9. Speaking of cash, why is it people making offers on Craigslist are so proud of the fact they have cash? I’m not very likely to respond if you offer half what I’m asking & say "I’ve got $40 CASH!!!!" What else are you going to pay with? My listing says no trades & I’m not taking your check.

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10. It’s ok if you are a soccer fan. The inability to watch live soccer at a normal time is a bit off putting, but it’s still ok. However, it’s time to admit that Soccer Guy = NASCAR Guy = MMA Guy.

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11. This site should get its own reality show: Real House-Husbands of Red Reporter.

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12. This week we have a special guest appearance thought from OBC: "Ryan Braun is a tremendous ballplayer and executes one helluva on-field televised presentation. But he’s an incredibly selfish Big Fat Liar, the size of which MLB hasn’t seen since Peter Edward. Jerk!"

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13. Last night was senior night for UK player & fellow Reds Fan Darius Miller. Miller hit 5 threes & led the team in scoring. I have really enjoyed watching Miller for the 4 years he’s played at Kentucky & he has had one of the wilder rides of any player in basketball history. His Freshman year, he played for Billy Gillispie and was part of the longest losing streak in Rupp Arena history. His next three years, he played for John Calipari & is now part of the longest winning streak in Rupp Arena history. He has played in the the NIT, Elite 8 and Final Four. If Kentucky is fortunate enough to make the NCAA Championship game, he will have played in more games than any other player in Kentucky Basketball history. It was a truly great moment seeing him come off the Rupp floor for the last time to a thunderous ovation & being greeted by Joe B. Hall. On top of all that, Darius Miller as a kid provides me with one of my favorite UK photos of all time. Him wearing the old UK denim jersey & meeting UK legend Tony Delk.

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14. I love to laugh so of course I love comedians. It pains me to see really funny people cease being funny. To some extent, this has happened with Adam Sandler & Jim Carrey. However, it took a long time for the fall to happen. I don’t think any next-level funny guy has had a quicker fall than Jack Black.

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15. I’m legitimately excited to see this week’s episode of Saturday Night Live. I think overall SNL has a pretty strong cast right now & they were on a roll before Christmas. However, the post break episodes have been hit or miss. The Channing Tatum episode is possibly the worst I’ve ever seen. This week, Lindsay Lohan returns to host & she has a solid track record with the show. As a bonus, this is one of the rare weeks where I’ll actually watch the musical guest. Jack White solo work? I’m in!

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1. I’m much less interested in the academy awards now that Billy Crystal is hosting.

2. Moerlein House looks dark & stuffy. I hope the outdoor area is a little more upbeat.

3. I don’t understand the high waisted pants that seem to be popular with girls right now. They make even the skinniest girl look fat & why do designers think women want to look like Clint Eastwood?

4. Why can’t boxing force Mayweather & Pacquiao to fight each other? It’s kind of ridiculous that a sport can’t determine who fights for its title. I’m glad the Patriots didn’t refuse to play the Giants in the Super Bowl.

5. The Office has gotten a lot better the last few episodes. The absence of Robert California & the focus shift to Dwight has really worked.

6. With Shaq & Charles Barkley constantly spewing nonsense, Inside the NBA might be the most entertaining show on television.

7. The dunk contest has outlived its usefulness. I don’t know any of the contestants & the dunks aren’t nearly as impressive as they were when I was a kid.

8. Doug Gotlieb is a tool. He was campaigning on twitter for Eddie Sutton to be in the Basketball Hall of Fame & then he went out and took the all star celebrity weekend game way too seriously.

9. The best thing Jeremy Lin has done is convince people that Carmelo Anthony isn’t nearly as good as he’s been advertised.

10. Ash, Farney & I played pub trivia with a couple of their friends last weekend. We fell from 1st to 13th on the final question. We had to match up Spanish words to their English Counterparts. How is it possible that all 5 us never took a Spanish Class?

11. $65 for Diamond Seats to the Futures game was a steal. I’m not surprised they sold out as quickly as they did.

12. The Amusement Park Fast Pass may be the worst thing of all time.

13. Why doesn’t Facebook have a support call center? Best I can tell, their only number goes to a recording saying they don’t have a support center.

14. If you insist on a #BLT, leave out the T.

15. Fifteen seems like a good number each week for ‘tHan’s Thoughts.

The title pretty much says it all.  A group of us are getting together tonight to play pub trivia, drink beer & watch game 7 of the world series.  The best news is, all of RR is invited!

The meetup location is going to be the Rookwood Buffalo Wild Wings.  Old time Red Reporters will recognize this as the default location for Opening Day meetups.  The trivia is scheduled to start at 8:00 & the baseball will start sometime after that.  Of course, the beer will start well before.  I will probably get there sometime around 7:00.  Trivia usually fills up quickly, so we need to make sure we can get a spot.

Confirmed so far are BK, FordhamRam, Ash & the Farn Dawg.  Please post in this thread if you would like to join us.

It's finally that time!  It's time for Red Reporter to have an in depth discussion about one of the worst places on earth.  It's a place many of us dread, but also a place many of us take delight in destroying.  It's a place that can turn a great restaurant into a place you'd never return, but it can also turn a mediocre restaurant into a place you look forward to eating at again.  It's the greatest reflection of the people employed by a business & it directly influences opinion of an establishment.  It's the place no one gives the respect it's due...it's the public restroom!

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The reds are hosting their annual REDS SUMMER WIFFLE® CLASSIC, and Red Reporter would like to field a team this year. 

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It's time once again for one of my favorite annual threads on Red Reporter!  That's right, it's time for the NBA Draft!  In the past these threads have produced lots of discussion, lots of good jokes & lots of trolling!  Let's hope tonight is no different!

It seems to be a foregone conclusion that Kyrie Irving is going to go #1 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but after that not much is certain.  Will the Cavs take a big man at #4 or trade away that pick?  The Internet has been going crazy with trade rumors & there is apparently a 3 team trade that's already been completed.  The Spurs for some reason are trying to trade Tony Parker for a Lottery Pick and it should be entertaining to see how many teams make a huge mistake & pass on the best player in the draft, Enes Kanter.

Other notables in the draft include Derrick Williams, Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker, Jimmer Fredette, Marcus Morris, Tobias Harris, Tristan Thompson & a couple of foreign players I've never heard of that apparently can't get out of their oversees contract.

Perhaps less notable are DeAndre Liggins, #Jorts, and former Louisville commit Jeremy Tyler. 

And, of course, it wouldn't be an NBA draft without several sightings of John Calipari!

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And because Cleveland is likely to be the story of the draft, Rally Cavs Girl!

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Looks like a night of television with plenty of options.  A new Big Bang Theory, new Community & The farewell to Michael Scott on The Office.  Also, for sports fans, tonight begins the NFL Draft.  The Bengals draft at 4, so they should be able to get a decent pick.  I'm hoping the Bengals get A.J. Green and the Colts draft Randall Cobb. 

Some of you may not have given up on American Idol when Simon left.  Apparently, it comes on Thursday nights now as well.  Also, if you like terrible television like Chandra does, there is a new Grey's Anatomy & Private Practice tonight.  Sadly, last week was the season finale of Archer, so we don't get to watch that tonight.

One final thought: Last night I finally got around to watching last week's episode of 30 Rock.  I feel safe in saying it was the absolute worst thing I've seen on television this year.

It seems like there is less going on in terms of Fantasy Football on Red Reporter than in previous years.  However, I have always enjoyed the knockout leagues when we've done them.  That's why I have created a new league! 

The first NFL game actually starts tonight, and I'd like to get as many people as possible to join up & make their picks by then.  I'm not sure when Yahoo will stop letting you join, but you don't have to have your 1st pick in until 1:00 Sunday.  (Unless, of course, you want to pick either the Vikings or Saints.)

Click Here to join the 2010 Red Reporter Survival League.  The league ID is 27147 and the password is slydecheated.

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You guys may or may not have heard, but a couple of days ago, I won 4 tickets to tonight's Reds vs. Rockies game.  These tickets are in the "Bud Thirst Row"!  They appear to be 4 isolated tickets in the first row of right field. 

I will be going to the game, and will be joined by Ash and Lucky Pierre.  That leaves one unclaimed ticket!  If any of you are interested in joining us, either post in this thread or send me an email.  We will meet up in Newport before the game.  I intend to be at Brother's somewhere around 4:30.  It should be a great atmosphere with the return of Volquez, a sold out crowd and Chris Sabo Bobbleheads!

In case you haven't heard, the National Basketball Association is going to be hold their draft tonight (Starts at 7:00 Eastern; Coverage on ESPN).  Many players from local schools are hoping to hear their names called, and this promises to be one of the more interesting and unpredictable drafts in recent memory.  I remembered how much fun we had in last year's draft thread, and I wanted to make sure that we had one for this year as well! 

This draft should have interesting trades, first round reaches, and big names falling down the draft board.  However, it is pretty certain that John Wall will go #1 to the Wizards and the Ohio State University's Evan Turner will go #2 to the Philadelphia 76ers. 

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I have been given 4 tickets to the Reds game tomorrow night (Friday May 14th, 2010).  Therefore, I am trying to arrange a mini Red Reporter outing.  So far, 3 of the 4 tickets have been claimed.  Ash, BK, and myself are confirmed.

If you are interested in joining us, just let me know in here, or you can email me at hurricanseason2001@yahoo.com

I assume we will be doing the usual pre-game festivities.  We'll be meeting at Newport on the Levee a little after five.  I would like to meet at Brother's this time instead of Bar Louie.  We'll have a couple of cheap (er than the ballpark) beers and then make our way across the river a little closer to game time. 

IT'S FIREWORKS FRIDAY!!!

It looks like Red Reporter may have an effect on the Reds after all.  As you all know, for several years now, it has been a Red Reporter tradition to get together and go to Game 2.  We have braved all kinds of weather, and for the most part have sat in an empty stadium.

It looks like the Reds have taken notice, and decided to try and draw a crowd this year.  Maybe it was a good idea to buy tickets in advance?  We have long known that "Opening Night" (As they are now calling it) was going to have a kickass giveaway.  Who wouldn't want a Reds Snuggie?  However, it looks like they have a lot more planned.  Not too long ago, it  was announced that there would be fireworks after the game.  That's always a sure be to draw a good crowd.

They have also announces a slew of other game 2 activities.  As a Game 2 Veteran, I can assure you that none of these things have been happening in previous years. This is a rundown of "Opening Night's" events, or you can Click here for the Reds Site.

Here's a rundown of the night's events:

• Hall of Fame breezeway gate opens to all fans
• Reds Fleecie Giveaway (first 20,000 fans), presented by hhgregg
• Fan Zone Fun: "Meet & Greet" with current Reds players and special appearance by Hall of Famer Joe Morgan, Carnival Performers, Games and Reds House DJ "DJ Sab"
• Right field Porch: Swingtime Big Band performing

• Special "Opening Night" Team Introductions
• Ceremonial first pitch by Joe Morgan
• Anthem Performed by "Widow Douglas" (Jenn Scott) from The Children's Theatre's production of "Tom Sawyer"
• Flyover: Four (4) F-16s from the 178th Fighter Wing of Springfield, Ohio

• Cincinnati Reds vs. St. Louis Cardinals
• Right field Porch: Swingtime Big Band performing between innings throughout the game

• 101st Airborne Rangers U.S. Army Parachute Demonstration Team
• Fireworks Spectacular, presented by Hollywood Casino

Looks like there is a lot going on tonight.  Three once a year events have all been scheduled for around the same time.  The Grammys celebrate the "best" in music, The NFL presents the 3rd or 4th best players at every position, and the WWE presents the Royal Rumble. 

Ok, well it looks like there are a lot of mediocre events going on tonight.  Maybe you guys will want to talk about them!

To carry out the theme of the evening, I am eating wings and cheese-sticks from Domino's.  That's about as mediocre as it gets!

Wow!  What a beautiful day in Cincinnati!  It's supposed to creep up into the seventies today, and there is a ton of sun shine!  You can not complain about this weather for a Sunday in Cincinnati.

The baseball season is officially over, and it appears that the Hot Stove League is under way.  There is a fairly important Bengals game that has just started, so I suppose this could serve as a place to discuss that game! 

Also, what is everyone eating and drinking for their sunday afternoon?  I got Buffalo Wild Wings to eat, and I hit the liquor store for a "create your own" six pack.  I just had an Arrogant Bastard Ale, and it was pretty good.  Hopefully, you guys are like me, and in the mood to spend the Sunday with all your favorite Red Reporters!

I'm sure the majority of us will be watching the big football game tonight.  For roughly three hours, Columbus will be the focal point of America, and I would love to have a place to talk about it.

OSU comes into the game as a home underdog.  USC has a reputation for beating up on Big 10 teams, and OSU has developed a reputation for getting beat up by non Big 10 teams.  There has been much speculation around the country (sports talk radio) that Jim Tressel needs this victory to save his legacy at Ohio State.  I don't agree with that talk because it's a regular season game, and the things that Tressel has done at OSU have been pretty damn impressive. 

There have been some really good finishes today, including a big win for Michigan over a ranked Notre Dame team.  In other league games, the Big 10 has not looked great, and it will be interesting to see if OSU can change that.  Also, I need OSU to lose so that I can stay on course, and Ash will still owe me $5!

'tHan's Burger Rankings

1. Gordo's
2. Zola's
3. Terry's Turf Club
4. Five Guys
5. Bard's
   

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Looks like certain Red Reporters got up early to talk College Football!  There has been quite a bit of chatter (trash talking) on Facebook, and I hope that there is enough interest to sustain an open thread today! 

OSU is playing (Poorly) and so is UK (also poorly).  There are some big matchups tonight, including an Alabama vs. Virginia Tech game that I'm really looking forward to.  Also, the quest for the Heisman starts today.  Everyone seems to think the Heisman will be won by either McCoy, Tebow, or Bradford.  It will be interesting to see the monster number these guys put up against lackluster competition today.