Hello. I come to you from the third floor of my apartment building on the outskirts of the University of Cincinnati. I'm on the border of where homes with aging Democrats recycle more than beer cans and where fraternity brothers recycle nothing but. It's a strange dynamic in Clifton Heights, and it's been a decent winter overall. 

The success of the University of Cincinnati's football program this season energized students and annoyed the locals. The townies loved it, don't get me wrong, but the locals did not. I define 'townie' as someone who lives in a college town because they have no other choice and a 'local' as someone who declares the neighborhood rightfully theirs and therefore refuses to move. Townies live at the bottom of the area's creepiest streets and only come out when the students are gone for the holidays or, as I just learned, when there is a local cause for celebration. As a recent graduate, I enjoyed this energy surrounding the school because the bars were more fun and it made baseball season come just a little bit faster.

Now the Bengals made a pretty good run this winter, too. I've never been a big fan because I grew up in the 90s, but I guess they made a valiant effort this year.

And then right after the Jets kicked the Bengals out of the playoffs, the city was shocked with news. Something controversial about Brian Kelly? Is Carson Palmer injured? More snow? No. The Cincinnati Reds signed Aroldis Chapman. The Cincinnati Reds signed Aroldis Chapman?

So now February approaches and it's the shortest month, so baseball has to be here soon, right?  Sort of. I gave up on football after coming in last place in my fantasy league and there is still plenty of cold weather to contend with and NBA news to ignore, but at least there's that light at the end of the tunnel. The local radio network started advertising their coverage of Spring Training and Chapman is already working with the Reds' pitching coach Bryan Price. I was double-gifted Joe Posnanski's The Machine this Christmas, so I'll fast-forward February by reading it and hoping the 2010 Reds have a season like the 1975 team did.