By Mike Ball
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Thumbs up

1. The Bengals. 3-13, 5-11, 3-13, 3-13, 7-9, 8-8, 7-9, 3-13, 4-12, 4-12, 6-10, 2-14. A new coach, taking control, saying all the right things. A season-opening sellout. Mike Brown, genius.

2. The Bengals. In fairness, things seem to be on the right track, and everyone knows there is nothing better than your NFL team being good. If the Bengals win at the same rate as the dreadful Reds - a 43.2 winning percentage - they'll win seven games. Do we have any takers?

3. Pennant races. The awesome five-game Cubs-Cardinals series ... the Red Sox and Yankees going to war (and Springsteen at Fenway) ... Oh, our kingdom for a return to the heated Dodgers-Reds rivalry! Shove it, Garvey.

4. Maurice Clarett. Here's hoping he challenges the NFL, so players won't have to wait until they are three years out of high school. It will be great. Kids will leave college early, maybe even skip it altogether, and be drafted by NFL teams guessing on potential, afraid to miss the next great talent. They'll be cut, won't have a degree to fall back on, and will get a job at the Quickie Mart. Just like the NBA.

5. NASCAR. Has it held on to its popularity? You bet. The Mountain Dew Southern 500 was the most watched sporting event last weekend, with better ratings than Washington-Ohio State, Yankees-Red Sox and the U.S. Open.

Thumbs down

1. The NFL. Was that season-opening celebration with Aretha Franklin and Britney Spears really necessary? Do we need Rush Limbaugh in the booth? Has it not occurred to the powers that be that as long as there are betting lines - not to mention fantasy leagues - the loop will remain king?

2. College basketball. The off-court troubles have gotten so bad that the National Association of Basketball Coaches has called a mandatory meeting of all its Division I coaches to address unethical conduct. In an unrelated matter, Florida gave coach Billy Donovan a new deal worth $1.7 million. And they wonder why coaches cheat.

3. Dennis Rodman. The former bad boy - or current bad boy - had the police called on him for what is believed to be a record 70th time, allegedly driving his boat under the influence. Impressive.

4. Edwin Moses. One of the country's greatest Olympians - he won gold in the 400-meter hurdles in 1976 and '84, and won 122 consecutive races between 1977-87 - says he'll try to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics. By the way, he's 48.

5. The Skins Game. The novelty apparently has worn off for the once-proud Thanksgiving tradition, which has had to invite Annika Sorenstam to replace Tiger Woods in an attempt to rekindle interest.