This and that

• In previewing the upcoming Bengals-Colts showdown, IndyStar.com's Phillip B. Wilson writes about how the Bengals' receiver duo may be short-lived, with some quotes from T.J. about how there's no way he and Chad will both return for next year. Best quote might be from former Bengal Keiwan Ratliff, who apparently remains close friends with T.J., about how he's certain the Bengals will tag T.J. Which seems to me like a bad idea, I don't know. Why stick the franchise tag on him? If you want to keep him, give him a deal that will keep him.

• Also from IndyStar, Phil Richards points out that the Colts are at their best when time is short. I just can't see how the Bengals are keep it close against the team.

• Former Cincinnati Mighty Duck (ha, see what I did there) Sean Avery has been suspended 6 games by the NHL for his "sloppy seconds" comment about Elisha Cuthbert that you are familiar with if you're a sports fan even if you don't follow the NHL that closely. The more players and officials talk about Avery, the more it seems like this was really the straw that broke the camel's back, but it still seems bizarre to me that the league would suspend him for this comment. I could see the team suspending him for conduct detrimental, especially if they've had problems with him previously. But you didn't see the NFL suspending Shannon Sharpe and Ray Buchanan when they were going back and forth calling each other names. Baseball players don't get suspended by MLB when they vow revenge for a beanball. I just don't get why commissioner Bettman necessarily needed to get involved. Let the team handle it.

• Lead item in a column by Yahoo!'s Charles Robinson about plenty of bad blood circulating through NFL is about Hines Ward and how much Baltimore's Bart Scott dislikes him. Keith Rivers is mentioned several times.

• Very interesting story on MLB.com about how the Reds, according to Cubs scouting director Tim Wilken, made a bid on Josh Hamilton on a whim.

• And an interesting development as the division rival Cardinals acquire Khalil Greene from San Diego.

No non-local link today.