CINCINNATI — Being a Cincinnati sports fan isn't for the faint of heart, but thankfully 2022 brought plenty of joy to even out the pain that was the Reds' seasons. Here are our top nine sports moments of the year (in chronological order).
The Bengals win their first playoff game in more than three decades
Did you know the Bengals had the NFL's worst playoff drought before last postseason? Were you aware of the mysterious "Bo Jackson curse" haunting Cincinnati? Of course you were, because that's all Bengals fans heard about heading into the team's Wild Card matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.
31 years of pain, stress and tension washed away as Germaine Pratt intercepted Derek Carr in the final seconds of the game, securing a Bengals win and erasing the narrative Cincinnati had dealt with for decades. The Bengals weren't bad. They weren't cursed. They were a legitimately good great team that fans could believe in.
"The city can finally enjoy ... this team and take the pressure off of the last 31 years," head coach Zac Taylor said after the win. "Today was significant for a lot of people.”
The wins don't stop coming: Cincinnati makes the Super Bowl
It's been said by players and coaches for decades: There are no moral victories. And it's true. When your favorite team loses the Super Bowl, it sucks. But thankfully Bengals fans can celebrate the amazing wins that brought them to SoFi Stadium.
Fans won't soon forget Evan McPherson's four field goals in Cincinnati's 19-16 win over the top-seeded Tennessee Titans. When Joe Burrow told the media McPherson casually called the game-winning kick before running onto the field, a legend was born.
That wouldn't be McPherson's last game-winning kick.
The AFC championship appeared to be a lopsided contest in favor of the Kansas City Chiefs until a red zone stop at the end of the first half brought life to the Bengals. What came next was an amazing comeback bookended by a Vonn Bell interception in overtime leading to another game-winning field goal.
Cincinnati's wins not only brought joy to the city, but connected fans to an organization that hasn't always been easy to love. Zac Taylor brought game balls to local bars (and received an apology from fans for "not believing" in him). Joe Burrow's fashion became the talk of the town. CJ Uzomah surprised a fan with game tickets. It was an amazing time to be both a Bengals fan and a Tri-State resident.
Less than one week after firing Travis Steele following another disappointing season, Xavier brought back former head coach Sean Miller.
Miller led the Musketeers to four NCAA tournament appearances and one conference tournament championship before heading to Arizona in 2009, where the Wildcats made it to the Sweet 16 fives times and Elite Eight three times.
The decision didn't come without concerns as Miller had been fired from Arizona amid NCAA and federal investigations into possible program violations. Aspiring agent Christian Dawkins said on an FBI wiretap Miller was allegedly behind a series of five-figure payments to top recruit DeAndre Ayton. His former assistant coach at both Xavier and Arizona, Emanuel "Book" Richardson, pleaded guilty to accepting money to steer players to what the FBI called "corrupt financial advisers."
Miller denied any wrongdoing and in December, the Independent Accountability Resolution Process announced he would not face any sanctions as a result of its investigation.
Phil Castellini asks fans "where are you going to go?"
After a 2021 season where they finished seven games back from a Wild Card spot, the Cincinnati Reds began what GM Nick Krall referred to as "(aligning) our payroll."
They traded Tucker Barnhart to Detroit, placed Wade Miley on waivers and shipped off Sonny Gray, Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez for prospects. Team president Phil Castellini told fans to "have a little bit of faith" in the front office and said the 2022 squad would be a "good, entertaining team," but fans weren't having it.
When people started refunding their tickets and calling for the owner Bob Castellini to sell the team, his son did maybe the worst possible thing he could do: he asked fans, "Where are you going to go?"
"Well, where are you gonna go? Let's start there. Sell the team to who?" Phil Castellini said. "If you want to have this debate — if you want to look at what would you do with this team to have it be more profitable, make more money, compete more in the current economic system that this game exists, it would be to pick it up and move it somewhere else."
He later apologized, saying in part, "We love this city. We love this team and we love our fans," but that didn't bring more fans into the stands for what turned out to be the Reds' second 100-loss season in franchise history.
Cincinnati football's historic showing at the 2022 NFL Draft
While UC's historic season may not have ended the way the team hoped, nine Bearcats were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft — the most in school history.
Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner became Cincinnati's highest-ever draft pick when he was selected fourth overall by the New York Jets. One of the most decorated and memorable players in program history, Gardner is currently the betting favorite to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year after a stellar season where he was named to the 2022 Pro Bowl.
Alec Pierce, Bryan Cook, Desmond Ridder, Myjai Sanders, Coby Bryant, Jerome Ford, Darrian Beavers and Curtis Brooks rounded out UC's draft picks.
Reds face Cubs in the MLB Field of Dreams Game
This year's contest definitely isn't winning any awards for "most exciting baseball game," but watching two Reds legends — father and son duo Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. — "have a catch" will make any fan tear up.
Just like Ray Kinsella and his father, the Griffeys tossed the ball alongside other families as Joey Votto, Johnathan India and company walked onto the field at the start of the broadcast. The moment played on baseball fans' nostalgia and was a bright spot in an otherwise abysmal season.
Also unforgettable: the Harry Caray hologram singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch.
FC Cincinnati makes it to the playoffs
The transition from USL to MLS hasn't been easy for FC Cincinnati. After finishing in last place during its first three seasons in the MLS, FCC broke through in 2022. Pat Noonan led the Orange and Blue to its first postseason in club history — and they won their first match.
Cincinnati beat the New York Red Bulls before falling to the top-seeded Philadelphia Union in the conference semifinals. The Union went on to lose the MLS Cup in a penalty shoot-out with LAFC.
Luciano Acosta was named a 2022 MLS All-Star, and was honored as one of the 11 best players in the league this season alongside Brandon Vazquez. The future is bright for FC Cincinnati.
Luke Fickell leaves Cincinnati
The winningest coach in program history left Cincinnati this November. Luke Fickell announced he was leaving the Bearcats to become Wisconsin's head coach following UC's regular-season finale against Tulane.
Fickell led Cincinnati to two AAC championship wins and five bowl games in six seasons. The Bearcats went undefeated in the 2021 regular season, becoming the first Group of 5 program to go to the College Football Playoff.
While his departure was something fans knew would happen eventually, many were disappointed by the news. Scott Satterfield, the head coach of UC's Fenway Bowl opponent, was later introduced as Cincinnati's new head coach.
"Everybody expects you to come in and kind of pick up where they left off, but I am not Luke Fickell," Satterfield said while addressing media. "I am going to be Scott Satterfield. I am going to do the things that I think we need to be successful."
The champs are here! Tri-State teams become state champions
Some of the best wins of the year didn't come from the collegiate or professional teams in Cincinnati. Instead, they came from local high school teams putting everything on the line for a state championship.
Most recently, the Beechwood Tigers won their third straight KHSAA 2A state championship. The team won after rival Mayfield missed a game-tying PAT with 1:13 left.
Seton High School and Cincinnati Country Day took home the Division I and II girls soccer state championship. The win was Seton's first soccer state championship in school history, while CCD nabbed its third.
Ursuline Academy's volleyball team won the Division I state championship, the eighth state title in program history, in November. On the other side of the river, Notre Dame Academy took down Paul Laurence Dunbar to win their second state championship in three seasons.
Moeller High School became back-to-back champs after winning the Division I volleyball state championship earlier this year, taking down top-ranked Elder.
The Lakota West softball team's 9-2 win over Holland Springfield this June brought the Firebirds their first state softball title. The won 16 consecutive games in 2022, becoming the first Southwest District softball team to win a large-school division state title since Hamilton in 1985.
Purcell Marian's girls basketball team and Taft's boys basketball team won their respective Division III state championships in 2022. The Cavaliers' win was the first state title in program history, while the Senators celebrated their second-ever title.
All in all, it was a great year to be a sports fan in Cincinnati.
