By Mike Ball
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Thumbs up

1. The NBA playoffs. Granted, the first round was long, bad and mostly boring. But the conference semifinals - Lakers-Spurs, Kings-Timberwolves, Pistons-Nets and Pacers-Heat, have been simply outstanding.

2. NKU sports. The success of nearly every athletic program - nine of the school's 13 varsity sports advanced to the NCAA tournament - makes you ask this question: Why would anyone ever want to move to Division I and be a bottom feeder of 350-plus schools?

3. Manny Ramirez. He missed a game last week to become and American citizen. Props. Now he's an aloof American instead of an aloof Dominican.

4. Orange people. At last, Syracuse has righted an old wrong - the university's sports teams will now be known only as the Orange, not Orangemen or Orangewomen. Wheeeew.

Thumbs down

1. The Reds. God bless 'em for being better than they probably have any right to be. But GM Dan O'Brien's assertion that the club wouldn't be interested Aaron Boone is just silly. Was he being honest? Probably. But what happens in July when the Bengals are at camp and the Reds are floundering? Boone wouldn't help PR? He's 31, not 39.

2. Professional soccer. The demise of the Riverhawks and TC Stars begs this question: Why, in a city with absolute fabulous soccer programs, from youth to select to high school, does it not translate into a spectator sport?

3. Missouri. The men's basketball program is the focus of an NCAA investigation for at least one major rules violation. Doesn't the NCAA know coach Quin Snyder is a Dukie?

4. Floyd Irons. The coach of St. Louis Skyhawks was suspended indefinitely for pulling his team off the court during a game last week with the Cedar Rapids River Raiders. It was the most severe penalty in the United States Basketball League's 19 season. The USBL has been around 19 years?