It’s Occupy The Yard weekend, a productive way to spend our time in the absence of the Buckeyes and Bengals. The yard work will be followed by Occupy The Church, and Monday the kids will Occupy The Classroom. Hopefully they’ll advance their math and science skills so they don’t have to make fools of themselves by camping out in the city square.

Mike Brown is one lucky guy. Or really smart, I’m not sure. Trading disgruntled quarterback Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for one (and possibly two) first-round draft choices was a stroke of genius. Or dumb luck, I’m not sure. However it went down, the Bengals suddenly look like an up-and-coming franchise.

If the Bengals had shopped Palmer a month ago, they probably would’ve been offered a third-round pick and a coupon for Skyline Chili. Certainly, Andy Dalton’s progress fit into this equation. And now Brown should go buy lottery tickets, because he’s hot. Oh, that’s right. He won the lottery when he was born.

I haven’t been able to see much of ESPN’s “College GameDay” this fall. The alternative — watching the kids play every sport on the planet, except lacrosse — makes that dilemma easy to stomach. I have noticed, though, that former Bengal David Pollack is being groomed to take Lee Corso’s seat. Or as my wife says, draw more teenage girls to the show.

UD’s Justine Raterman is one of only three college women’s basketball players not from a BCS conference on the Wooden Award Watch List of 30. With the addition of some talented recruits, and most of their key players returning, this could be the season that the Dayton women’s program gets noticed — nationally and locally.

The International Olympic Committee announced recently that the opening ceremonies at the 2012 Summer Olympics must finish before midnight so athletes can tuck themselves in at a reasonable hour. Or so they can make last call at the London pub of their choice.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2163 or bkollars@DaytonDailyNews.com.