In this post-Super Bowl review, Trevor Bauer goes west. Cincinnati Basketball returns from a COVID-19 pause while Xavier Basketball returns to one. Plus, remembering Cincinnati tennis legend Tony Trabert.

Super Bowl LV

Tom Brady and the city of Tampa Bay did it again. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are Super Bowl champions for the second time in franchise history. Pummeling the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9 in Tampa on Sunday night. Denying the Chiefs of their hopes of winning back-to-back Super Bowl titles. Along with preventing the Chiefs from scoring a touchdown.

Sunday’s game is part of a remarkable stretch of time for Tampa Bay sports. Along with the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl victory, the Tampa Bay Lightning are the defending Stanley Cup champions. Plus, the Tampa Bay Rays won the American League pennant last year. The Buccaneers are now the first team ever to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium. That’s far from the only history made during last night’s game.

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady now has more Super Bowl titles than any NFL franchise. Tampa Bay’s head coach Bruce Arians is the oldest head coach to win a Super Bowl. Winning at the age of 68, two years after coming out of retirement. Sarah Thomas became the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl. Locally, Winton Woods High School alumnus Mike Edwards won his first Super Bowl title. Edwards is a safety that was drafted from Kentucky Football by the Buccaneers in 2019. He had two solo and assisted in two tackles in last night’s game.

Trevor Bauer is going back to La La Land

Cy Young winning pitcher Trevor Bauer is leaving the Cincinnati Reds and heading west. Joining the defending world champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Through a three-year deal worth $102 million with opt-outs in the first two years. Bauer is leaving after a two season stint with the Cincinnati Reds. Which culminated with a National League Cy Young award winning season last year. Becoming the first in Reds franchise history to win that award with the team. The Reds will get a compensatory first round draft pick (30th overall) due to Bauer’s departure.

Bauer is effectively heading back to his hometown. The 30 year old was born in and played college baseball in the Los Angeles area. Bauer was considered to be among this winter’s most high-profile major league free agents. Throughout this off-season, Bauer departing Cincinnati for a larger market seemed practically inevitable. With a decent rotation still mostly in tact without Bauer. Plus, the COVID-19 pandemic’s financial strains hitting Major League Baseball. Cincinnati’s front office is visibly wary of going on a spending spree.

Elsewhere in Reds news, the team has a new play-by-play broadcaster. John Sadak will join FOX Sports Ohio’s Reds broadcasting team. Replacing Thom Brennaman, who resigned last year after using a homophobic slur on the air. Sadak previously worked for CBS Sports and has called several MLB, NFL, NBA and college sporting events. MLB-wise, Sadak was previously a play-by-play broadcaster for the New York Mets.

The local College Basketball weekly roundup

Cincinnati Basketball returned last week; after a roughly three week long COVID-19 pause. Returning with back-to-back three-point road wins. Beating Temple Basketball 63-60 last Thursday in Philadelphia. Then beating Tulane Basketball 64-61 on Super Bowl Sunday in New Orleans. In a game that featured Cincinnati’s Keith Williams surpassing 1,000 college career points. In both games, Cincinnati continued a rough stretch free-throw wise. Winning through suspense in the closing moments in both games.

Cincinnati will play Memphis Basketball this Thursday at 7 PM Eastern in Memphis. This Sunday, the Cincinnati Bearcats will face UCF Basketball at Cincinnati’s Fifth Third Arena. In a Valentine’s Day showdown  that is set to tip-off at 1 PM Eastern. Meanwhile, Northern Kentucky Basketball swept Milwaukee Basketball on the road last weekend. Winning 87-73 last Friday and 79-65 last Saturday. Northern Kentucky will have another weekend road series against a team in Wisconsin. Facing Green Bay Basketball this Friday and Saturday at 5 PM Eastern.

Xavier Basketball is in the midst of another COVID-19 pause; playing just one game since January 10th. Having road games against DePaul Basketball and Villanova Basketball postponed. Due to a positive COVID-19 test within Xavier’s program. They were set to play DePaul at home this Thursday. That game was postponed earlier today due to COVID-19 concerns. Both are reportedly trying to schedule non-conference games because of the postponement. Barring a postponement, Xavier will play Connecticut Basketball this Saturday at Noon Eastern time on FOX.

Rest in Peace Tony Trabert

Tennis legend and Cincinnati native Tony Trabert passed away last Wednesday at age 90. Trabert was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1970. After an undefeated high school career at Walnut Hills High School. He was a two sports star at the University of Cincinnati; where he majored in political science. Along with playing tennis, Trabert was a starting guard for the men’s basketball team.

In 1951, he won the NCAA singles title and U.S. Clay Court Championship. That same year, he helped guide UC to the National Invitational Tournament. As a tennis pro, Trabert won multiple grand slam titles. In 1955, he had one of the greatest year’s any tennis players ever had. Winning 38 straight matches, 18 tournaments and three of the four grand slams.

Trabert was also a member of the United States’ Davis Cup team. Holding the record for the most victories by a captain. After his playing career, Trabert was a tennis analyst for CBS from 1971-2003. He was also the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s President from 2001-2011.