This and that

• In a first, Game 5 of the World Series was suspended and will resume tonight, a 2-2 tie in the sixth inning. Here are some of the more interesting takes (in no particular order) I've read about it (BTW, World Series gets an exemption from the self-imposed "This and That" everything-has-to-be-somehow-Cincinnati-area-related rule) ...

• CBS' Scott Miller: Selig dodges firestorm thanks to Pena's game-tying single
• CBS' Danny Knobler: Philly ace Hamels takes washout in stride
• Yahoo!'s Jeff Passan: Baseball’s crown event is beyond repair
• SI.com's Cliff Corcoran: Previewing World Series Game 5.5
• ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski: Selig made correct call in suspending Game 5
• MLB.com's Bryan Hoch: MLB monitoring weather forecast

Oh, and Joe Maddon still isn't sure about the stain on Joe Blanton's cap.

Hopefully those will hold you over until they are ready to resume Game 5.

• SportsLine's MLB Trade Rumors blog mentions the Reds' Jeremy Affeldt as a possible free agent bargain. Newsday.com seems to think the Mets might be considering Affeldt (among "slim pickings").

• Very interesting: The latest Jake Peavy rumor (according to chicagotribune.com, at least) has him going to the Cubs, maybe even for Fukudome. Is this Cincinnati-related, you ask, aside from having to do with an NL Central rival of the Reds? Yes, as it also examines the possibility of the Cubs acquiring Adam Dunn, who no longer plays for the Reds but used to.

• No surprise: In a poll of head coaches and media, Xavier is picked to win the A-10. Muskies received 44 of the 61 first-place votes. UD was picked third, BTW.

Derrick Brown makes preseason first team, C.J. Anderson makes third team and Terrell Holloway, Mark Lyons and Kenny Frease named to the preseason All-Rookie team. Here's a link to the complete A-10 preseaon honors and predictions. And here's a link to a new feature on Xavier's official site about Brown.

• Stewart Mandel (Sycamore HS) sent me a link to his acting debut in SI Tour Guy: Ohio State, which I'd argue Buckeye fans and non-Buckeye fans alike will enjoy.

• New York Times has an interesting piece about how Penn State played it safe with quarterback Daryll Clark in the win in Columbus Saturday night.

• I found it surprising that Gary Pinkel might actually be considering leaving Mizzou for Washington. Related to Cincinnati how? Pinkel played at Kent State and coached at Toledo, both MAC rivals of Miami. OK, so that's a stretch.

• NFL.com's Thomas George offers the latest of several recent features about former Bengal great Reggie Williams and the infection in his surgically repaired knee that could lead to amputation. Great piece by George, and thanks to Dan for sending me the link.

• Non-local link of the day (thanks for the free pass on the Gary Pinkel link): If it's any consolation for the Bengals, there is another team going through the same thing right now. Lions head coach Rod Marinelli is doing the "losing is a disease" talk (from "The Natural," right?) and center Dominic Raiola is saying it's hard to even go anywhere.