The Reds’ 2022 season admittedly wasn’t the greatest, but sometimes heroes appear right when you need them. During a home game on April 26, Jacob Kingsley caught a pop-up foul ball while holding his infant son Shepherd, who was strapped to Kingsley's chest in a baby sling. The ball blooped backwards on the third-base side, where Kingsley nonchalantly reached up with one hand and plucked it from the air as he fed little Shepherd a bottle. It was the play of the game — and probably even the season at that point. Not to be outdone, another fan at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park caught a ball in his beer cup about a month later. Both men made the national highlight reels and helped dour Reds fans through a major team drought.

When you’re looking for your hike to get some elevation gains, the Bender Mountain trail system in Delhi is one of the best in the Cincinnati area. The trail starts at the bottom of a ravine and climbs a quick yet steep 469 feet in elevation, according to AllTrails. The entire trail loop is around 2.3 miles and includes some strenuous stretches, including steep slopes and rocky, uneven terrain. But it’s all worth it — at the top, you’re rewarded with a gorgeous view of the Ohio River and Kentucky. Throughout the spring and summer, the hillsides are blanketed in wildflowers, and if you wander far enough, you’ll also come upon a spooky little cemetery, where members of the Darby-Lee family rest in peace. westernwildlifecorridor.org.

Forget rain sounds: Kings Island has an anxiety-busting ASMR video that's sure to set you off to sleep (or at least make you want a funnel cake). The hour-long video features a large cranking gear pulling the cars on the Beast up its famous wooden hill. "The video that absolutely no one asked for, yet here it is," the park wrote on YouTube. The steady click of the greasy wheel, the ocean-like waves of screams from thrilled coaster nuts: This is what the Calm app is missing. visitkingsisland.com. 

Routine is good, but most people could use a little change every now and then — especially when it comes to style. The Bengals had a taste of that during the 2021 season with the “new stripes” uniforms, but the gear was missing an updated helmet. That finally arrived for the 2022 season, and the white helmet was exactly what fans had been clamoring for. Beginning this season, the NFL lifted its long-held rule that prohibited secondary or alternate helmets, and the team took full advantage. The Bengals paired the white tiger-striped helmet with a new alternate white "Color Rush" jersey and white pants, all with black stripes and lettering. The look debuted during the Sept. 29 home game against the Miami Dolphins before a record-setting attendance, and Bengals fans already were sporting replicas of the new unis. bengals.com.

The Cincinnati Vintage Baseball Club plays baseball in the style of the pastoral game as it was when the Reds became the first professional baseball team in 1869 — before gloves even were used — with faithfully recreated uniforms and equipment. The club features two teams named after the local rivals of the era, the 1869 Red Stockings and the Cincinnati Buckeyes. They both play spring through fall against other regional teams as well as a few games against each other at parks in the Tristate area with a home base (no pun intended) at Heritage Village in Sharon Woods. It’s a nice relaxing day out amongst the preserved historic buildings in Heritage Village with America’s pastime as it was. cincyvbb.com.

Reds fans weren’t happy. Reds players weren’t happy. And many of the 2022 season's woes ultimately could be traced back to team ownership and the front office. The Reds' 2022 payroll was about $114 million, a downgrade (from $135 million in 2021 and $140 million in 2020) that clearly affected the season's record and championship potential. Last season, the Reds racked up 100 losses for just the second time in franchise history. The losing also kept more people away from the ballpark, with the team experiencing its lowest season attendance since 1984. None of this was news to Cincinnati fans, who have long bashed owner Bob Castellini, even banding together before opening day to raise more than $4,000 for a billboard urging Castellini to sell the team to someone who would invest in winning, or at least in a legitimate playoff push. One fan even said he wanted to, um, defecate in a truck the team was giving away as a prize. The I-75 billboard and fans' growing lack of trust elicited a sharp response from Phil Castellini, the Reds' chief operating officer and Bob Castellini's son, who told 700 WLW-AM that Cincinnatians essentially just had to deal with it when the team repeatedly refuses to pay for productive veteran players. “Where are you going to go?” Phil Castellini asked on air. He later walked back his comments, but the damage was done and Reds fans refused to be silent. 

There's a new spot where Cincinnati boxing fans can go to reminisce about one of the city's greats. In October, officials unveiled a bronze statue of World Heavyweight Champion boxer Ezzard Charles in Ezzard Charles Park — renamed from Laurel Park — in the West End near TQL Stadium. Charles, who grew up in Cincinnati, was known in the boxing world as the Cincinnati Cobra and was considered one of the world's greatest fighters. He finished his career with 95 wins, 25 losses and one draw and was inaugurated into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Charles died in 1975, but thanks to the statue, he remains ready to strike. cincinnatiparksfoundation.org.

Queen City native Sam Hubbard is an absolute beast. The Bengals defensive end has been fantastically reliable since being drafted in 2018, but his moves in the AFC Wild Card win over the Baltimore Ravens was one for the history books. Bengals linebackers Germaine Pratt and Logan Wilson knocked the ball loose from Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley, with Hubbard scooping it up and making a beeline for the Bengals' end zone. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews sped forward, nearly catching up to the speedy Hubbard, but Cincinnati linebacker Markus Bailey knocked him to the left, allowing Hubbard to continue powering up the field. Hubbard scored a 98-yard touchdown, and the 66,399 fans in Paycor Stadium went into a disbelieving frenzy. bengals.com.

Sometimes being at an FC Cincinnati game is like watching a buddy movie in the best way. Attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta and forward Brandon Vazquez were included in Major League Soccer’s 2022 Best XI selections, marking the first time that FC Cincy players were celebrated among the top 11 players in the MLS. Acosta tallied 10 goals and an MLS-leading 19 assists for the 2022 regular season. Cincinnati's captain tied for third in the league for goal contributions — 29, a career high — and also led the club in game-winning assists with five. Meanwhile, Vazquez notched 18 goals on the season, a personal career high. He led the league in open-play goals (16), tied for the most header goals (six) and set FC Cincinnati records for goals across all competitions, shots and shots on goal while becoming the first Cincinnati player to score multiple goals in consecutive games. Together, Acosta and Vazquez became the first pair of teammates with at least 25 goal contributions in a single season since 2018. Both were selected for the MLS All-Star Game during the summer. Name a better power duo, we dare you. fccincinnati.com.

Bengals fans have always been loyal — hell, they stuck with the team through years of horribly depressing seasons before coming soooooo close to a Super Bowl win in 2022. That loyalty is growing even more now, it turns out. On Sept. 29, the Bengals clobbered the Miami Dolphins 27-15 in front of 67,260 fans at Paycor Stadium — the team's largest home attendance in history, as of press time. Even better: The full Jungle was rockin’ as part of a national “Thursday Night Football” broadcast, so the entire nation had a front-row seat to the black-and-orange display. “Best fans. Where else would you rather be than Cincinnati, Ohio?” head coach Zac Taylor said after the game. Amen. bengals.com.

A player who has been around for a long time — who consistently produces (even during off years), who coaches and uplifts rookies, who keeps learning and who just generally sets a good example — is a pillar. Drafted by the team in 2002, Joey Votto is that player for the Reds. The man has spent his entire career in a Cincinnati uniform while reaching big-time club and league milestones, stepping up when other players would dip. Hell, he's a future Hall of Famer, according to multiple baseball experts. But Votto’s aging body finally screamed for help in August, culminating in season-ending rotator-cuff surgery. That hasn’t stopped him from living his best life, though. As the Reds stumbled to the finish line, Votto frequently was making wisecracks about nipples in the broadcast booth and high-fiving fans in the cheap seats at the ballpark. And during his rehab assignments, the first baseman improved his chess game, honed his social media stories and even predicted that aliens would finally help the team win its first World Series since 1990. We’re as anxious as anybody for Votto to get back onto the field in 2023, but even if he never played again, we’d still be grateful for the chaotic good he’s brought into fans’ lives. reds.com.

The Licking River Greenway in Covington is two miles of riverside strolling, part of the Licking River Greenway and Trails that aims to connect Covington, Taylor Mill, Wilder and Newport. The terrain is flat with sections of pavement, gravel and grass, and 17 murals decorate the path along the tranquil river, mostly painted on gate wells (water-flow regulators). Despite its central location, the journey feels secluded; there aren’t any major roads nearby, so the sound pollution is minimal and the mildly dense woods create a beautiful canopy. covingtonky.gov.

Long before he donned Bengal stripes, wide receiver Trenton Irwin was a child actor. He quit show business during his freshman year of high school after shooting a commercial landed him on the bench the following Friday. He played for Stanford University and then for the Dolphins as a walk-on free agent before eventually finding his way to Cincinnati, where his football skills and contagious grin won Who Dey Nation over. twitter.com/trenton_4.

What a year for “Charlie Hustle.” In August, former Cincinnati Reds manager and utility player extraordinaire Pete Rose was honored in Philadelphia for helping the Phillies win the 1980 World Series. But during media briefings at the game, Rose completely dismissed a female reporter’s questions about statutory rape allegations that have dogged him for decades, saying, “It was 50 years ago, babe.” A few months later, he begged yet again for MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to lift his placement on baseball’s permanent ineligible list so that he could be considered for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum; Manfred declined quickly, decisively saying that Rose’s gambling on baseball while serving as a manager still merited a lifetime ban. But perhaps old Pete has brighter days ahead, now that sports betting became legal in Ohio on Jan. 1. In a natural, obvious move, Rose was tapped to be the local face of throwing money at wishes, placing the first legal bet at Cincinnati’s new Hard Rock Sportsbook. CityBeat wagers that Cincinnati will hear more about Rose’s tickets as the year goes on. hardrockcasinocincinnati.com/sportsbook.

Whitewater Canoe Rental in Cedar Grove, Indiana, is the ultimate kayaking, canoeing or rafting spot, with all the elements to make the trip feel vacation-y. Compared to closer options, Whitewater is in the country, so stops along the route are scenic and secluded. When the water is high and fast, it’s a challenging but approachable trek; when it's slow and steady, the river autopilots you through a tree-lined, canyon-like path with nothing but open skies above. A shuttle takes you upstream, and you paddle back to home base where you can rent a riverside campsite. They’re well managed but wild enough to make you feel like you’re back-country camping. Some weekends, the campsite hosts local bands, and on holiday weekends it’s always a party. whitewatercanoerental.com.

Great actors don’t always receive gold statuettes. On Dec. 4, the Bengals beat eventual Super Bowl champs the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 at Paycor Stadium. Quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase both were outstanding, but safety Jessie Bates may have had the most memorable, suspiciously timed play of the game. As Kansas City closed in on the line in the second quarter, Cincinnati’s defensive subs hit the field late, which could have resulted in a penalty. Ever alert, Bates — previously standing casually — suddenly collapsed while clutching his leg, seemingly in pain, to pull a few extra seconds for the team. During the broadcast, CBS color analyst and former Dallas Cowboys star Tony Romo narrated sarcastically, “That wasn't fake at all." [Bates signed with the Atlanta Falcons on March 13.] bengals.com.

There’s plenty of good baseball to be had throughout Greater Cincinnati at every level (including that famous big-league team). But sometimes fans want a little bit of quirk with their batting lineups. Quirk abounds at Thomas More Stadium, where the Florence Y’alls play fiery baseball with a hunger that many MLB folks haven’t seen since being drafted. The Y’alls have plenty of game, but as with their Frontier League opponents, Florence’s independent team also cranks up the entertainment value for the fans sitting in the stadium’s 4,500 seats (all of them are close to the action, by the way). There are wacky theme nights, bouncy inflatables and appearances by Y’all Star, the mascot who is, of all things, a water tower. Moreover, ticket prices are more affordable than what you might find elsewhere, so it’s easy to take in a game (or several) with a group. florenceyalls.com.

The Bengals changed their minds about letting go of Cincinnati’s hometown hero, and the Queen City’s heart was all the better for it. In December, Bengals signed veteran punter Kevin Huber to its practice squad just two days after waiving him after his slow 2022 season start. Huber spent 14 seasons with the Bengals and is a Cincinnati lifer in every sense of the word. Even before earning multiple franchise records, Huber was known for his dogged support of Cincinnati, both the region and the football team. Raised in Anderson and a University of Cincinnati grad, Huber was drafted in 2009, and he’d been key to rallying the team to a Super Bowl and teaching newbies how to conduct themselves professionally. [As of press time, Huber has not re-signed for 2023.] bengals.com.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cincinnati missed out on hard-hitting roller derby action for two and a half years, but the Cincinnati Rollergirls skated right back into our hearts last fall. Derby matches typically are scheduled in the spring, but the team’s members said they wanted to return as soon as possible with pre-season bouts. CRG, which was founded in 2005, shares a motto of “Be annoying! Be loud! Be a menace!” during bootcamps. That will be put to the test during the regular season, which spans the spring and summer. Get ready to throw some ’bows, Cincinnati. cincinnatirollergirls.com.

For Bengals fans, this year’s AFC championship loss still stings. There were plenty of big moments in the game — including KC's five sacks on Joe Burrow, the Bengals' multiple penalties and some questionable officiating — but it was a post-game interview that sent all social media platforms aflame and pushed people to Google "What's a 'jabroni’?" Holding up KC’s trophy during an on-field interview, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce shared some thoughts about Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval's repeated jabs at Kelce's team and city. "Hey, I've got some wise words for that Cincinnati mayor: Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni," Kelce shouted on the NFL's national CBS broadcast. Though “jabroni” has been around since the start of the 20th century, the term — which means "stupid, foolish or contemptible person" or "loser" — found a renaissance in the 1980s and 2000s thanks to insults from professional wrestlers Iron Sheik (born Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri) and The Rock (Dwayne Johnson), respectively.