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On a recent Cincinnati.com blog post I read that the writer felt that the Reds’ current 22-game stretch was critical to the team making a move in 2008. Immediately, I had to chuckle. The Reds have been mediocre yet again in 2008 giving few Cincinnati fans reason to hope. But upon further research I found that the Reds certainly do have an opportunity to become relevant in the NL Central. Ater winning 2 of 3 over the Padres this past week, the Reds have 16 of their next 19 against sub-.500 teams. Meanwhile, the Cubs and Cardinals continue to tread water in the NL Central as the Brewers seem very beatable when newly-acquired CC Sabathia is NOT on the mound.

So by starting with 2 wins in 3 games the Reds began the 22-game stretch on a high not, but I think a minimum of 15 wins is a must to give anyone real hope this season.

The 2008 AFL Conference Championship previews have been released over at ProFootball-fans.com and the pick for the much-anticipated match-up of the #4 Cleveland Gladiators @ the #1 Philadelphia Soul is in. Expert AFL writer Chad Fukoka is picking the Gladiators to upset Philadelphia and represent Ohio football in the Arena Bowl for the second consecutive year.

Don’t miss the Gladiators @ the Soul at 1 pm ET on ESPN today and don’t miss out on the great Cleveland Gladiators merchandise available through Pro Football Fans.

It’s the time of year where the sports world is about as enjoyable as can be. MLB teams are making deals and the pennant races heat up and college football is just around the corner. As always, there are high expectations for Ohio’s NCAA Division I-A (FBS) teams as Ohio State once aggain looks to head to the BCS National Championship game, UC looks to take the Big East in 2008 and the 6 MAC schools look to burst onto the national scene as well. A couple of the sites that we like have released their 2008 college football preview articles and we have listed them below. Because of the great coverage over at Vandelay Sports, we have duplicate links to show the VanDelay link as well as the “national” media’s preview as well.

Ohio College Football Previews for 2008

• 2008 Ohio State football preview
• 2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football preview
• 2008 Akron Zips football preview
  • 2008 Akron Zips football preview @ VanDelay Sports
• 2008 Bowling Green Falcons football preview
  • 2008 BGSU Falcons football preview @ VanDelay Sports
• 2008 Kent State Golden Flashes football preview
  • 2008 Kent State Golden Flashes football preview @ VanDelay Sports
• 2008 Miami (OH) RedHawks football preview
  • 2008 Miami (OH) RedHawks football preview @ VanDelay Sports
• 2008 Ohio Bobcats football preview
  • 2008 Ohio Bobcats football preview @ VanDelay Sports
• 2008 Toledo Rockets football preview
  • 2008 Toledo Rockets football preview @ VanDelay Sports

A season ago, it was an improbable AFL playoff run by another Ohio Arean Football team, the Columbus Destroyers, that made headlines. The Destroyers shocked the entire AFL by advancing all the way to Arena Bowl XXI before finally falling in the championship game to San Jose. A year later the newest Arena Football team in Ohio, the Cleveland Gladiators, are just one win away from advancing to Arena Bowl XXII in New Orleans. The Gladiators entered the AFL’s National Conference Playoffs as the #4 seed with a 10-6 record on the season. In two playoff games they have knocked off #5 Orlando 69-66 in Cleveland before last week’s upset @ #2 Georgia where the Gladiators again won by a FG, this time 73-70. A match-up with the #1 seed in the National Conference, the Philadelphia Soul, is slated for Saturday @ 1 pm on ESPN as both Gladiators apparel and Philadelphia Soul merchandise have been hot sellers due to the success of both teams. The Soul recently topped Cleveland 62-61 in Week #16 answering Cleveland’s surprising upset of the Soul by a 67-55 score back in Week #10.

Ohio’s two MLB teams received word on Sunday that they will be sending a combined 3 players to the 2008 All-Star game to be held at Yankee Stadium later this month. Cleveland Indians’ CF Grady Sizemore and starter Cliff Lee will represent the Tribe on the AL All-Star team while the Cincinnati Reds’ lone NL All-Star will be starting pitcher Edinson Volquez. Reds’ RF Ken Griffey, Jr. came in 4th in NL All-Star balloting for outfielders after leading Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun throughout all of the voting updates, but the excitement around Brewers’ baseball in Milwaukee appears to have given Braun the boost he needed to make the NL All-Star team as a starter. As a result, Griffey will not be headed to New York, and neither will Reds’ star second baseman Brandon Phillips.

For Sizemore, this will be his 3rd All-Star game as he is the lone player from either league with 20+ homeruns and 20+ stolen bases in MLB currently. After a nightmare season a year ago, Lee has been fantastic for the Indians in 2008 going 11-2 on the season with a 2.43 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and a 5:1 strikout to walk ratio.

> Ohio baseball fans can find Cincinnati Reds hats & merchandise and Cleveland Indians apparel online through DFN Sports and partner sites 24 hours a day!

Well it’s official Cleveland Indians fans, the 2008 season is basically over. As the Indians ventured on their current 8-game road trip against three AL Central rivals ahead of them in the standings, it was said that this stretch would be the Indians’ last chance to make a move in the standings. Cleveland’s response has been a dud as the Indians have lost all 4 games on the road trip thus far. With Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, Fausto Carmona and Jake Westbrook on the DL, Paul Byrd unable to keep the ball in the park and roster moves shaking up the Indians’ bullpen, we can officially kiss the 2008 season goodbye. Pending trades could likely involve C.C. Sabathia, Casey Blake & Byrd (if anybody would want him) as the Indians look to fill holes for 2009 and beyond.

Fans can find Cleveland Indians jerseys & apparel online through DFN Sports and partner sites.

After a disastrous year in Las Vegas, a move to Cleveland was planned for a struggling AFL franchise during the offseason. Led by former Cleveland Browns QB Bernie Kosar, the Cleveland Gladiators were formed and coming off a 2-14 season in 2007, the Gladiators were not expected to make much noise in the Arena Football League’s Eastern Division of the National Conferece. But after a 3-0 start the Gladiators went on to a 10-6 record and the #4 seed in the National Conference playoffs, and they hosted the Orlando Predators on Monday night. Orlando came in making the AFL Playoffs for the 17th straight season, and while they kept things interesting in the end, the home town Cleveland Gladiators pulled out a 69-66 win. With the win Cleveland was the only home team to win in the Wild Card Round the the 2008 AFL Playoffs and will face #2 Georgia on Monday night on ESPN2. Pro Football Fans, a AFL fan site, is providing coverage of the Arena Football League throughout the season and postseason for more.

Attention Cleveland football and AFL fans! Fans can now buy Cleveland Gladiators clothing & hats & Arena Football merchandise online through Pro Football Fans!