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NEWS
NEWS NEWS
Damar Hamlin has made progress since the Jan. 2 game.
PHOTO: TWITTER.COM/BUFFALOBILLS Damar Hamlin has made progress since the Jan. 2 game.
PHOTO: TWITTER.COM/BUFFALOBILLS
Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin Recovering in Cincinnati After Cardiac Arrest During Game with Bengals Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin Recovering in Cincinnati After Cardiac Arrest During Game with Bengals Hamlin’s rst question upon waking: “Who won?”
BY ALLISON BABKA
Things are looking much brighter for Damar Hamlin.
After critical care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center since his cardiac arrest during the Jan. 2 game with the Bengals at Paycor Stadium, the Bu alo Bills safety has nally spoken to teammates and coaches, giving them a big dose of relief.
His message? “Love you boys.”
On Jan. 5, doctors removed Hamlin’s breathing tube at UC Med Center, where the 24-year-old player has been under watch since going down during the game. Hamlin had gone into cardiac arrest after a routine play during the rst quarter, colliding with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. e Bills’ safety collapsed to the ground and underwent nine minutes of CPR on the eld. Players from both teams looked on in shock, openly weeping while emergency crews worked to restart Hamlin’s heart. He was transported to UC Medical Center, where he was intubated.
But things changed on Jan. 6, as Hamlin regained both his faculties and his voice.
“He has spent the morning, Damar Hamlin has, FaceTiming various teammates – many, many teammates,” NFL Network personality Ian Rapoport tweeted. “ ere’s a team meeting involving the Bu alo Bills’ Damar Hamlin on FaceTime, addressing them for the very rst time. is has to be emotional. It sounds amazing.”
“[Bills head coach Sean] McDermott said he [Hamlin] gestured to the team, including ‘ exing.’ Big smile and chuckle from the coach as he relays that story,” the NFL Network’s Mike Giardi added.
With Hamlin recovering, UC Medical Center shared a photo of two doctors who led Hamlin’s care.
“We cannot express how proud we are of Dr. Pritts and Dr. Knight’s leadership and thankful for the entire care team supporting Damar Hamlin. As the region’s only Level 1 trauma center, UC Medical Center is uniquely and expertly equipped for moments like this,” UC Health posted to Instagram. T hings are looking much brighter for Damar Hamlin.
After critical care at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center since his cardiac arrest during the Jan. 2 game with the Bengals at Paycor Stadium, the Bu alo Bills safety has nally spoken to teammates and coaches, giving them a big dose of relief.
His message? “Love you boys.”
On Jan. 5, doctors removed Hamlin’s breathing tube at UC Med Center, where the 24-year-old player has been under watch since going down during the game. Hamlin had gone into cardiac arrest after a routine play during the rst quarter, colliding with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. e Bills’ safety collapsed to the ground and underwent nine minutes of CPR on the eld. Players from both teams looked on in shock, openly weeping while emergency crews worked to restart Hamlin’s heart. He was transported to UC Medical Center, where he was intubated.
But things changed on Jan. 6, as Hamlin regained both his faculties and his voice.
“He has spent the morning, Damar Hamlin has, FaceTiming various teammates – many, many teammates,” NFL Network personality Ian Rapoport tweeted. “ ere’s a team meeting involving the Bu alo Bills’ Damar Hamlin on FaceTime, addressing them for the very rst time. is has to be emotional. It sounds amazing.”
“[Bills head coach Sean] McDermott said he [Hamlin] gestured to the team, including ‘ exing.’ Big smile and chuckle from the coach as he relays that story,” the NFL Network’s Mike Giardi added.
With Hamlin recovering, UC Medical Center shared a photo of two doctors who led Hamlin’s care.
“We cannot express how proud we are of Dr. Pritts and Dr. Knight’s leadership and thankful for the entire care team supporting Damar Hamlin. As the region’s only Level 1 trauma center, UC Medical Center is uniquely and expertly equipped for moments like this,” UC Health posted to Instagram.
Fans leave items supporting Damar Hamlin's recovery at University of Cincinnati Fans leave items supporting Damar Hamlin's recovery at University of Cincinnati Medical Center. PHOTO: MADELINE FENING Medical Center.
PHOTO: MADELINE FENING
A message from Dad A message from Dad
Damar Hamlin’s father had one message for the Bu alo Bills as his son continued recovering: play the game.
McDermott shared Mario Hamlin’s words of encouragement on Jan. 5 in his rst brie ng with the media since Damar Hamlin collapsed. e Bills and UC doctors shared an update earlier that day that Hamlin had awakened and had even asked about the outcome of the game by writing a note, since he still could not speak at the time. e NFL had rst suspended and then postponed the game after a meeting among o cials and both teams’ coaches. At the time of the pause, Cincinnati led 7-3.
McDermott told media that Hamlin’s improvement and his father’s words provided the team with the fortitude they needed.
“When Damar’s father spoke to us, really his message was, ‘ e team needs to get back to focusing on the goals they had set for themselves. Damar would have wanted it that way.’” Bills quarterback Josh Allen joined McDermott for the brie ng. “I’d say from a player’s view, hearing Mario talk to us, the words of encouragement that he had for us ... I had the chance to talk to him Monday night, and the only thing he said was, ‘My son’s going to be alright,’” Allen said. Mario Hamlin and other family members also said that the Bengals’ Higgins bears no responsibility for Hamlin’s injury. Higgins, who was on the receiving end of the tackle that preceded Hamlin’s collapse, received criticism from some industry mouthpieces who claimed that the wide receiver was partially responsible for Hamlin’s condition. Most experts agree that the on- eld clash between Higgins and Hamlin was routine, but ESPN analyst and former Damar Hamlin’s father had one message for the Bu alo Bills as his son continued recovering: play the game. McDermott shared Mario Hamlin’s words of encouragement on Jan. 5 in his rst brie ng with the media since Damar Hamlin collapsed. e Bills and UC doctors shared an update earlier that day that Hamlin had awakened and had even asked about the outcome of the game by writing a note, since he still could not speak at the time. e NFL had rst suspended and then postponed the game after a meeting among o cials and both teams’ coaches. At the time of the pause, Cincinnati led 7-3. NFL linebacker Bart Scott claimed that Higgins had lowered his helmet to butt Hamlin with its crown, which is against regulations. Other analysts immediately defended Higgins and slammed Scott for his comments. Sports marketing rep and Hamlin family friend Jordan Rooney said that the family wanted the backlash against Higgins to stop. “Tee has reached out, Tee has been supportive. It was a freak accident. It was nothing that Tee could control,” Rooney said. “You can’t support Damar and critique Tee in this situation because Damar’s family is not looking at it that way at all.”
McDermott told media that Hamlin’s improvement and his father’s words provided the team with the fortitude they needed. “When Damar’s father spoke to us, really his message was, ‘ e team needs to get back to focusing on the goals they had set for themselves. Damar would have wanted it that way.’” Bills quarterback Josh Allen joined McDermott for the brie ng. “I’d say from a player’s view, hearing Mario talk to us, the words of encouragement that he had for us ... I had the chance to talk to him Monday night, and the only thing he said was, ‘My son’s going to be alright,’” Allen said. Mario Hamlin and other family members also said that the Bengals’ Higgins bears no responsibility for Hamlin’s injury. Higgins, who was on the receiving end of the tackle that preceded Hamlin’s collapse, received criticism from some industry mouthpieces who claimed that the wide receiver was partially responsible for Hamlin’s condition. Most experts agree that the on- eld clash between Higgins and Hamlin was routine, but ESPN analyst and former NFL linebacker Bart Scott claimed that Higgins had lowered his helmet to butt Hamlin with its crown, which is against regulations. Other analysts immediately defended Higgins and slammed Scott for his comments. Sports marketing rep and Hamlin family friend Jordan Rooney said that the family wanted the backlash against Higgins to stop. “Tee has reached out, Tee has been supportive. It was a freak accident. It was nothing that Tee could control,” Rooney said. “You can’t support Damar and critique Tee in this situation because Damar’s family is not looking at it that way at all.”
Love for Cincinnati
Love for Cincinnati During the brie ng, McDermott During the brie ng, McDermott thanked a number of people who have thanked a number of people who have been involved with Hamlin’s recovery, been involved with Hamlin’s recovery,
including both the Bills’ and Bengals’ medical teams, other rst responders and the sta at UC Medical Center.
McDermott also commended the full Bills organization, eld o cials, NFL o cials and fans from the league’s many franchises who have donated to Hamlin’s charity for kids in his hometown of Pittsburgh, which has collected nearly $8 million as of press time. Bengals fans, in particular, have shown relentless support at the hospital.
“ e amount of faith, hope and love that we saw on display over these last three days has been nothing short of amazing,” McDermott said. e coach shared special appreciation for Bengals head coach Zac Taylor and Cincinnati’s home team for “going above and beyond in handling the situation in the way that they did.”
“As competitive as this league is, Zac quickly recognized the situation. Zac and I were on the same page so quickly,” McDermott said. “It was amazing how compassionate Zac was, and his players. His captains came down to our locker room and met with our team and captains. Just an amazing show of compassion, empathy, love. It’s just so amazing because minutes before that, we were going at each other.”
McDermott said he addressed the Bills before meeting with Taylor, the o ciating crew and representatives from the NFL to determine the next move. at’s when the game was paused o cially.
“Mental health is real,” McDermott said, noting that players needed time to process things. “ e job description of a coach is not just coaching Xs and Os. It’s much more than that. To me, the health and wellbeing of your sta and your players is the No. 1 job of a coach in this situation, so that includes mental health.” He added that when the bulk of the team returned to Bu alo on Jan. 10 (some trainers remained in Cincinnati to work with UC doctors and provide the team with updates), they met as a group and individually with counselors.
Allen, who was visibly shaken, paused frequently to collect his thoughts while answering reporters’ questions.
“I don’t typically like using emotion to answer questions, but the scene just replays over and over in your head,” Allen said, looking down and clearly remembering the incident. “It’s something we’ll never forget, but to know that Damar is doing ok... We’re extremely happy for him and his family. We just want to love up on him, you know, so the next chance we get – I don’t know when it’s going to be, [but] if we get to see him anytime soon, it’s going to be awesome.”
Madeline Fening contributed to this story.
President Joe Biden on Brent Spence Bridge Funding: ‘It’s About Damn Time’
BY ALLISON BABKA
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Covington on Jan. 4 about recent funding for Brent Spence Bridge improvements.
PHOTO: TWITTER.COM/WHITEHOUSE
U.S. President Joe Biden was in Covington on Jan. 4 to celebrate the $1.635 billion award that the federal government is providing for the Brent Spence Bridge project. e funds, which were announced in late December and are part of the landmark $40 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will be used to repair the bridge and erect a toll-free, double-decker companion bridge nearby to help alleviate tra c between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky on I-75. e BSB carries more than 160,000 vehicles per day and is notorious for being the nation’s No. 2 bottleneck for freight trucks.
“A bridge built over half a century ago, having doubled the volume it was built for,” Biden said. “Folks, it’s about damn time we’re doing it.”
In May, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear jointly asked for nearly $2 billion from the Multimodal Projects Discretionary Grant, a program through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
DeWine, Beshear, Cincinnati mayor Aftab Pureval, Ohio senator Sherrod Brown, Kentucky senator Mitch McConnell and other local and state o cials joined Biden for the address in Covington. e Brent Spence Bridge project’s overall plans and nal cost estimates have changed several times. A revised plan now will slim down the project’s footprint and free up more usable space to develop or improve nearby green spaces plus add bike and pedestrian amenities.
“ e heavy tra c delays and safety issues are real, everyday concerns,” Beshear said. “ is crucial project will address those issues. But the full impact goes to the very health and security of our nation’s economy.” e project is expected to break ground this year, with “substantial completion” happening by 2029, a release from Beshear said. e Federal Highway Administration estimates that the project will total about $3.6 billion.
A sweet nish
Biden showed o his sweet tooth shortly after delivering the Brent Spence Bridge address in Covington. Accompanied by Pureval, Brown and an entourage of secret service agents, Biden visited Just Q’in BBQ in Walnut Hills.
According to White House reports, the president picked up a brisket plate, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, jalapeño cornbread and peach cobbler in to-go bags. at cobbler is what Biden was craving, it seemed, as he immediately opened the bag to sample the dessert.
“ is is really good, seriously,” the press pool reported Biden as saying.
Just Q’in, located at 975 E. McMillan St., is owned by Matt Cu , who hires workers who have barriers to employment or who need second chances. CityBeat readers frequently have listed it among their favorite barbecue restaurants in Cincinnati.
In November, Biden had another Cincinnati delicacy when Naomi Biden, his granddaughter, served chocolate chip Graeter’s ice cream during her wedding at the White House.
Liam Niemeyer of the Ohio Capital Journal contributed to this story.
Alicia Reece Becomes Hamilton County Commission President for 2023
BY MADELINE FENING
Alicia Reece (left) is installed as the president of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 5 as former president Stephanie Summerow Dumas applauds.
PHOTO: PROVIDED BY HAMILTON COUNTY
Alicia Reece has been named the new president of the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. 2022 Hamilton County Commission president Stephanie Summerow Dumas passed the gavel to Reece on Jan. 5 after a unanimous board vote. Reece will serve as president for one year, according to the Ohio Revised Code.
“ is gavel has taken on a life of its own. at’s why we’re doing what we’re doing today. Leadership changes,” Dumas said during the ceremony.
Reece, a Democrat, is the rst woman and rst African American to win city, state and county races in Hamilton County. She previously served as Cincinnati’s vice mayor, state representative and Cincinnati city council member. She was elected to the Hamilton County Commission in November 2020 to ll the seat previously held by the late Todd Portune.
“My journey to get here, I had to come through a pandemic we had never seen before. e primary was shut down. We had to vote by mail, and many people didn’t know how to do that. We had to nd a dropbox that many people didn’t know existed,” Reece told a packed room of supporters.
Reece said she wants to change the perception of Southwest Ohio on the state level.
“Our goal is to be the number one county in America,” Reece said. “When you go to the Statehouse it’s very di cult when you’re from Southwest Ohio, I’ve been there, they kind of want to put us last.”
Reece said that going forward, she wants to improve communications coming from the county.
“My background is in marketing – you’re going to know what Hamilton County is doing,” Reece said. “We’re going to come with a new rebrand. We’re going to get our stu out more. We’re going to make sure you’re connected and know about things.”
Dumas was re-elected to the commission in November, and Denise Driehaus will ascend as the commission’s vice president. Driehaus said the board has undergone a transformation since she was elected in 2016.
“I joined the board in 2017, [and] it was a very di erent look,” Driehaus said. “ e transformation of this commission to what you see here today is historic, it’s signi cant, it is responsive to what people in this community want.”
Reece will give the State of the County address at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 31 at Memorial Hall in Over-the-Rhine.
The Cincinnati Chili Bowl Could Become a Real Thing
BY ALLISON BABKA
It seems Cincinnati will celebrate its peculiar chili any way it can. e Cincinnati USA Sports Commission is looking to add a new game to the extensive college bowl season. e Cincinnati Chili Bowl – named, of course, for the local cheese-topped delicacy – would welcome two Division I college football teams to TQL Stadium in the West End for a December postseason matchup. Jackie Reau, CEO of Game Day Communications, and local businessmen Steven Young and John Schenk have launched a feasibility study for the e ort, which organizers say could attract even more major sports events to the region.
According to a press release from Reau, the CW Network would air the game nationally if the event is approved.
“O cials from the Cincinnati USA Sports Commission have studied best practices from college football games over the last year to ensure the following ideals: A professionally managed football game aired on national TV to promote the Cincinnati region, a scally responsible opportunity for the participating colleges, unique fan engagement events and an opportunity for the student athletes to network with area executives for future employment opportunities,” the release said.
Dozens of local corporate leaders would network with student-athletes the day after the new bowl game, and fan activities could include local tours, college band and dance team challenges and an e-sports tournament, the release added. e Cincinnati Chili Bowl has not yet received NCAA approval, but Reau said that organizers have begun talking with Division I conference o cials about options. e game could be played as early as the 2023 postseason. ere were 42 college bowl games during the 2022 postseason.
Joe Burrow Sets New Records as Cincinnati Bengals Head to the Postseason Again after Defeating Baltimore Ravens
BY ALLISON BABKA
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow lights up
PHOTO: BENGALS MEDIA ASSETS The Cincinnati Bengals celebrate another trip to the postseason
PHOTO: BENGALS MEDIA ASSETS
One week after a frightening injury, things are looking up for both the Cincinnati Bengals and the Bu alo Bills.
After the Bengals’ Jan. 8 win over the Baltimore Ravens, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow passed out cigars to celebrate Cincinnati’s rst back-to-back AFC North title. e Bengals are now the No. 3 seed in the AFC playo s.
Meanwhile, week 17’s foes, the Buffalo Bills, nabbed the No. 2 seed with an awe-inspiring, emotional win over the New England Patriots, no doubt rallying for safety Damar Hamlin who continues recovering from a cardiac arrest at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center since the Bengals/Bills’ Jan. 2 game.
Burrow didn’t have his A-game in the 27-16 victory, but he added to his long list of major milestones. In downing the Ravens, the quarterback became the NFL’s all-time leader in career completion percentage, taking the spot from the New Orleans Saints’ Drew Brees. To earn the mark, Burrow needed to reach a minimum of 1,500 career pass attempts. He entered the game with 68.5% completion – already higher than Brees’ 67.7% – and needed just 12 more passes to o cially qualify for the record.
During the Bengals’ nal regularseason game in week 18, Burrow also set the team’s record for touchdown passes in a season, standing at 35 for 20222023. He broke last year’s record of 34 with a long pass to go-to wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase.
It all helped the Bengals win its rst back-to-back division title. e Bengals won the last eight straight games to nish the regular season with a 12-4 record as the team heads into the postseason.
“I love where we’re at,” Burrow told reporters after the game. “We’ve won eight games in a row, going into the playo s with a lot of momentum. Happy with where we’re at, still a lot of room to improve.” e Bengals technically won the AFC North last week when the NFL canceled the Bengals/Bills game, which initially was paused once the Bills’ Hamlin went down at Paycor Stadium on Jan. 2. Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after a routine play during the rst quarter after colliding with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. e Bills’ safety collapsed to the ground and underwent nine minutes of CPR on the eld in front of teammates and tens of thousands of hushed fans. Players from both teams looked on in shock, openly weeping and praying while emergency crews worked to restart Hamlin’s heart. He was transported to UC Medical Center, where he was intubated and listed in critical condition.
Hamlin since has begun rebounding, continuing to recuperate at UC Med Center while chatting with teammates. Fans and teams around the NFL have shared messages of support and sent donations to Hamlin’s charity soaring.
Fully awake now, Hamlin watched the Bills’ game against the Patriots, posting reactions on social media. Hamlin has begun selling “Did we win?” shirts to raise money for rst responders and UC Med Center. Doctors said that “Did we win?” was the rst question Hamlin had asked upon waking, referring to the Bengals/Bills game.
Before the game against the Ravens, the Bengals celebrated Hamlin as well as the UC medical sta who have provided his care. Higgins also sported a Hamlin shirt. e Bengals needed to win week 18 against the Ravens to avoid a coin toss to determine the site of the rst playo game. e NFL had made the decision in the middle of last week to cancel the Bengals/Bills game, which the Bengals were leading when it was paused in the rst quarter.
“[I’m] so proud of the way these guys just found a way to get it done by two scores,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said. “I thought our defense was excellent taking the ball away and nishing o some drives. e o ense tacked on the points when we needed to.”
“Certainly, there are some things that we can clean up that we can be better o particularly in o ense, but [I’m] just proud of the way that these guys found a way to win in January,” Taylor continued. “ at’s all that matters. [We] nished the second half of season 8-0 the right way, and so these guys got a lot of con dence right now heading into the playo s.” e Bengals will play the No. 6 seed Ravens again in the Wild Card game at Paycor Stadium on Jan. 15. Taylor says the team will be ready.
“I think these guys channeled everything the right way, and we knew again how tough it is to win this division,” Taylor said. “Whether we’re at home or on the road, I’m just proud of the way these guys focused, found a way to get it done and secure the No. 3 seed, and now have a chance to play these guys again [and] host a playo game. at’s a huge deal to be able to do that.”
Kicko on Jan. 15 is scheduled for 8:15 p.m. e game will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.
BY CITYBEAT STAFF
Get ready to cast your ballot to determine the best of the best that Cincinnati has to o er. CityBeat’s 27th annual Best of Cincinnati® Readers Poll is o cially live.
Reader votes will determine the winners for the area’s best eats, shops & services, music & nightlife, arts & culture, sports & recreation and city life.
Readers don’t have to vote in every individual category but must vote in at least 20 for a ballot to count. To vote, head to vote.citybeat.com and begin a ballot by selecting “Start voting now” from the main landing page or from any section or category. Voters then will be prompted to register with a valid email address to start the process. e ballot is pre-populated with top vote-getters from 2022, but the form accepts write-in votes in every category. New categories or categories that change each year (such as Best Museum Exhibit) will not be prepopulated. Write-ins won’t be immediately added to the pre-populated options, but CityBeat will add any that garner a signi cant number of votes. All write-in votes are recorded and will count toward determining the category winners.
Readers can vote in each category, but it is not required. Click on the “skip” button to skip a category or the up/ down arrows in the bottom right corner to move to a di erent category. To exit back to the main eats, shops & services, music & nightlife, arts & culture, sports & recreation or city life sections, click the name in the top left corner.
Voting will run through midnight Feb. 12, and readers can vote once per day.
BY ALLISON BABKA
Cincinnati Reds Pitcher Tom Browning throws from the mound at Riverfront Stadium on Sept. 12, 1991.
PHOTO: RICK DIKEMAN, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Baseball fans honored “Mr. Perfect” at the ballpark one more time. e Cincinnati Reds hosted a remembrance for former Reds pitcher Tom Browning on Jan. 6. Browning died at his home on Dec. 19 at age 62.
“A ectionately referred to as ‘Mr. Perfect,’ Tom was a true Red who after his playing days made the Cincinnati area his home and remained heavily involved with the organization,” a statement from the Reds said upon his passing. “A fan favorite, the Reds Hall of Famer touched fans’ hearts at team events, Reds Hall of Fame festivities and Reds Community Fund activities.” e Reds drafted Browning in 1982, and he rose through the minor leagues as a strikeout machine with a nasty screwball. When he moved up to the majors in 1984, he pitched 8 2/3 innings and gave up only one run in his rst game. He went 20-9 in his rst full MLB season in 1985, the rst rookie to do so since 1954.
Browning spent most of 12 seasons with the Reds in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, notching double-digit win records for most of them with a 3.94 career ERA, 1,000 strikeouts and a 1990 World Series championship.
But one of the lefty’s most memorable moments came on Sept. 16, 1988, when Browning pitched a perfect game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Riverfront Stadium – the rst lefty to do so since Sandy Koufax in 1965 [a perfect game is a complete game in which nine or more innings are thrown with no opposing batter getting a hit or reaching base]. Browning threw 102 pitches – 70 of them strikes – during the game, which started around 10 p.m. thanks to a rain delay. It was just the 12th perfect game in MLB history, and the milestone gave Browning his enduring nickname.
Browning sustained injuries during his later seasons with the Reds, with his arm and shoulder separating while delivering a pitch in 1994. He moved to the Kansas City Royals in 1995 before retiring.
Browning was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2006 and served as a pitching coach for several minor-league teams, including the Dayton Dragons.
