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A dramatic, cinematic digital illustration in a moody, noir-inspired style about ethics in sports journalism. In the foreground, a female sports reporter and a male NFL head coach are sitting close together in a luxurious outdoor hot tub at a desert resort at night, illuminated by warm glowing lights and steam rising from the water. They are holding hands and looking at each other intimately, with subtle tension. In the background, faded paparazzi camera flashes are going off, and faint outlines of newspaper headlines and ethics law books are visible floating in the dark sky. Overlay semi-transparent elements: cracked glass effect over the scene, red 'CONFLICT OF INTEREST' stamps, and shadowy question marks. The color palette is dark blues, deep reds, and warm amber tones from the hot tub lights, evoking scandal and moral ambiguity. Cinematic lighting, high contrast, atmospheric, thought-provoking editorial artwork style.

Vrabel, Russini, and the Story That Matters

Ethics in journalism is front and center in the sports world right now, and it reminds me of a very important lesson I learned while in college.

Ian Altenau

6 hours ago4 min read

Why Sonny Styles is the Bengals’ Ideal Draft Target at No. 10

Are Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles mirror images? The Bengals are looking for a very specific player in this year's draft. And don't take my word for it – take Al Golden's: “We've gotta get better. We've gotta get deeper. Obviously having somebody with a combo presence. I would prefer not to ask Demetrius to play on the line of scrimmage as much as we did…” defensive coordinator Golden said to reporters in late February at the NFL Combine, “… I would prefer to add another pie

Ian Altenau

4 days ago4 min read

Why Isn’t Elly De La Cruz Swinging Hard?

Elly’s super-power and super-speed have been sapped. But why, or by who? Elly De La Cruz is an amazing baseball player, but something doesn’t feel right. Elly burst onto the scene as a rookie in the MLB by demonstrating some ridiculous traits: He was absurdly fast – He had a better arm than most pitchers – He had world-class power – He was the kind of player you would design in a video game – But here’s the problem: all those highlights? They happened in 2023, Elly’s ro

Ian Altenau

Apr 34 min read

The Bengals Can’t Afford to Draft a Corner at #10

Delane may be great, but he isn't solving the Bengals defensive issues. Mansoor Delane is a terrific player. He isn't a tremendous athlete, but he’s technically and fundamentally sound – to an extreme extent. He was penalized exactly zero times, and didn't allow a touchdown in all of 2025. He projects as the kind of corner you can leave on an island. He can do it all: man or zone, press or off coverage. But for the Bengals, drafting a corner at #10 is a major long-term inv

Ian Altenau

Apr 13 min read

Platoon Failure and Power Drought: Opening Day Exposed the Reds’ Lingering Offensive Flaws

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the Cincinnati Reds looked baffled by a lefty, and they couldn't get a timely hit.

Ian Altenau

Mar 274 min read

The Reds Aren’t Being Overlooked — They’re Being Misread

Not only do the Reds, apparently, have no chance of making a playoff appearance, the majority of baseball’s intelligentsia would tell you a winning record is a long-shot.

Ian Altenau

Mar 254 min read

Matt McLain Is Raking in Spring Training – But Should the Reds Be Buying It?

A season removed from looking like one of the worst hitters in baseball, Matt McLain is tearing up spring training. And it’s earned him the No. 2 spot in the Reds lineup.

Ian Altenau

Mar 194 min read