In this review, the Cincinnati Bengals offseason begins. Olympians with tri-state connections head home after the 2022 Winter Olympics conclude. While we reach the now this is getting serious stage of the MLB lockout.

Extensions and departures effect Cincinnati’s major football teams

After wrapping up the best season of their respective careers. Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and Cincinnati Football head coach Luke Fickell are being rewarded. With contract extensions that could keep both in Cincinnati for most of this decade. Taylor signed an extension through the 2026 season. The announcement coming hours before a rally in Cincinnati’s Washington Park. To celebrate the Bengals season and AFC Championship.

All happening less than 72 hours after coaching the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI. Taylor had one year left on his original contract. After winning six games in his first two seasons. Taylor wrapped up year three 13-8 including the playoffs. Taylor’s staff going into next season will feature two recently hired defensive coaches. Charles Burks will be the Bengals new cornerback’s coach. Burks had the same role with the Miami Dolphins last season.

A day before Taylor’s extension was announced. Bengals linebacker coach Al Golden was hired by Notre Dame Football. Succeding Notre Dame’s new head coach Marcus Freeman. In his previous role as the Irish’s defensive cooridinator. The Bengals’ search for a new linebackers coach didn’t last long. Hiring San Francisco 49ers defensive assistant James Bettcher over the weekend.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati Football head coach Luke Fickell is getting an extension through 2028. Announced nearly two months after Cincinnati’s first ever College Football Playoff appearance. Along with this, Cincinnati Football’s 2022 schedule was unveiled last week. The full 2022 Cincinnati Bearcats football schedule can be seen here.

2022 Winter Olympics wrap up

The journey home is underway for Team USA. After the 2022 Winter Olympics concluded in Beijing yesterday. Two Olympians with Indiana roots are bringing home medals. Lawrenceburg, Indiana’s Nick Goepper won silver in the men’s freestyle skiing slopestyle event. His teammate Alex Hall won the gold medal. Goepper has now medaled in all three Winter Olympics he has competed in. He also won silver in PyeongChang in 2018.

Fellow Lawrenceburg raised freestyle skier Justin Schoenefeld is also bringing home a medal. He became the first Hoosier ever to win gold at the Winter Olympics. Doing so in the mixed team aerials event on February 10th. Last Wednesday, he wrapped up his Olympic competitions finishing fifth in men’s aerials. Schoenefeld and Goepper weren’t the only Olympians with Southern Indiana connections. Bloomington, IN native Jimmy Reed and his U.S. teammates finished 13th in the four-man bobsled event. The event wrapped up on the final day of the games.

Meanwhile, Team USA’s Women’s Hockey lost 3-2 last Thursday. In the latest gold medal game between the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. fell behind before Hilary Knight’s second period goal. Amanda Kessel scored the second goal with 13 seconds left in the game. While Ohio State alum and U.S. defenseman Jincy Dunne didn’t play Thursday. The silver medalist had a few assists during these Olympics.

Ohioan Red Gerard narrowly missed out medals in Beijing. Gerard finished fifth in last Wednesday’s Men’s Big Air Snowboarding event. While Ohio raised figure skater Madison Hubbell wrapped up her Olympic career with medals. She and her skating partner Zachary Donohue won bronze in Ice Dance. Along with a still unawarded silver medal in the team event.

No medal ceremony was held due to the Kamila Valieva doping controversy. Valieva and the Russian Olympic Committee won gold in the team event. That medal could be revoked due to Valieva testing positive for a banned substance. Overall, Team USA wrapped up these Olympics fifth in the overall medal count. Team USA won eight gold, ten silver and seven bronze medals this year. Winning more medals overall this year compared to the PyeongChang Olympics. Through winning 25 total medals this year compared to 23 four years ago.

Former Cincinnati Cyclones announcer Fitzhugh part of NHL first

Former Cyclones announcer Everett Fitzhugh was part of a historic broadcast last week. He was part of the first all-Black announcing team in National Hockey League history. Fitzhugh is the radio play-by-play announcer for the NHL’s Seattle Kraken. He joined analyst T.J. Brown on the team’s ROOT Sports TV broadcast last Thursday. Due to Kraken TV play-by-play broadcaster John Forslund calling a nationally televised game on TNT.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Cyclones are now in the second half of their regular season. Losing two out of their three games last week. Losing to the Toledo Walleye 3-2 last Wednesday and 3-2 in overtime Sunday. The Cyclones beat the Tulsa Oilers 5-2 last Friday.

The local college basketball weekly roundup

Men’s Basketball

Fresh from getting knocked out of the AP Top 25. Along with snapping a two-game losing streak on February 11th. Xavier Basketball lost at home to St. John’s 86-73 last Wednesday. Xavier sunk themselves through an increasingly familiar problem. A second half collapse aided by poor three-point shooting. Making just one of 12 three-point attempts in the second half.

Xavier’s woes continued last Saturday at No.24 Connecticut. Losing 72-61 in a game where Xavier fell behind early. Only holding the lead in the opening minutes of the game. While Xavier is still in position to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. They are once again struggling to fend off a late season slump. Putting those NCAA Tournament hopes on shakier ground.

Cincinnati Basketball lost two of their three home games last week. Losing to Memphis 81-74 last Tuesday; completing a regular season sweep for Memphis. Two days later, Cincinnati led from start to finish to beat Wichita State 85-76. Last Sunday, the flip opposite happened in their 75-71 loss to Temple. Cincinnati never led but narrowed Temple’s lead in the last minute.

Northern Kentucky Basketball had mixed results in Michigan. Losing to Detroit Mercy 60-52 last Friday. Then winning 71-66 last Sunday at Oakland. Moving Northern Kentucky into third place in the Horizon League standings. Heading into the last week of their regular season.

Women’s Basketball

Cincinnati marked their program’s 50th anniversary over the weekend. Former players, coaches and staff attended a celebration to mark the anniversary. During Cincinnati’s game against East Carolina last Saturday. The 68-57 loss was the lone downer of the day for Cincinnati. During the game, the University of Cincinnati announced a major honor for former head coach Laurie Pirtle. This fall, she will be inducted into the James P. Kelly UC Athletics Hall of Fame. Pirtle won a program-record 310 games as their head coach.

Last Wednesday, Cincinnati lost to South Florida 45-54. After going into the third and fourth quarters tied. Cincinnati was outscored 7-16 in the fourth. Northern Kentucky is now heading into the last week of their regular season. After losing 62-49 at Youngstown State last Friday. Then following that up with their 64-49 win at Robert Morris last Sunday.

After snapping a five-game losing streak on Super Bowl Sunday. Xavier lost at home to No.10 Connecticut 35-89 last Friday. Then returned to winning ways last Sunday. Through beating Butler on the road 73-54.

Games of local interest this week (all times Eastern)

Men’s College Basketball

Xavier at Providence, Wednesday at 7 PM on CBS Sports Network and WKRC-AM (550).

Cincinnati at Central Florida, Wednesday at 9 PM on ESPNU and WLW-AM (700).

Northern Kentucky vs. Robert Morris, Thursday at 7 PM on ESPN+ and WCKY-AM (1530).

Xavier vs. Seton Hall, Saturday at 3:30 PM on FOX and WKRC-AM.

Cincinnati vs. South Florida, Saturday at 7 PM on ESPN+ and WLW-AM.

Northern Kentucky vs. Youngstown State, Saturday at 7 PM on ESPN+ and WKRC-AM.

Women’s College Basketball

Cincinnati vs. Memphis, Wednesday at 7 PM on ESPN+.

Northern Kentucky vs. Oakland, Thursday at 4 PM on ESPN+.

Xavier vs. Georgetown, Friday at 7 PM on FloSports.

Cincinnati at Central Florida, Saturday at 2 PM on ESPN+.

Northern Kentucky vs. Detroit Mercy, Saturday at 2 PM on ESPN+.

Xavier vs. Villanova, Sunday at 2 PM on FloSports.

FC Cincinnati regular season opener

FC Cincinnati at Austin FC, Saturday at 6 PM on WSTR-TV (64) and ESPN+.

Cincinnati Cyclones (all game broadcasts available on cycloneshockey.com)

The Cyclones will host the Allen Americans at the Heritage Bank Center this week. With games against Allen Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 PM. Sunday’s opening face-off is set for 3 PM.

What’s not happening this week?

The Cincinnati Reds’ originally scheduled Spring Training opener. Major League Baseball’s ongoing lockout is pushing into Spring Training. Pitchers and catchers were set to report last week. The Cincinnati Reds’ Spring Training opener was originally scheduled to take place this Saturday. MLB Spring Training exhibitions have been postponed through at least March 4th.