Just when the Atlantic 10 was on the rise, another conference realignment domino falls and threatens to stagger the spunky league. The Catholic 7, as they’ve come to be known, are looking for dance partners. Xavier and Butler, with impressive national profiles, look like slam dunks to join Georgetown, Villanova and pals. Is Dayton? You’d think so, but there are no guarantees.

The Bengals did what they had to do Thursday, beating the Eagles to keep the pressure on the Steelers, their main competition for a wildcard spot. I dozed off during the fourth quarter, escaping the sloppy display. But from what I witnessed, the Bengals aren’t serious playoff material. Too many penalties. Too many pass blocking breakdowns.

Right tackle Andre Smith, who should pay back half his salary for all the drama he’s caused the past few years, got knocked on his rear end during a goal-line touchdown run and provided comic relief when his facemask got stuck in an opponent’s facemask. Cincinnati has a solid foundation, but I can’t see the Bengals winning in Pittsburgh next week.

Walt Jocketty’s Christmas gift to Reds fans was much appreciated. The trade for Shin-Soo Choo gives Cincy a legitimate leadoff hitter and spares us the sight of Drew Stubbs striking out as often as I did at high school dances. Choo has whiffed on 21 percent of his career at-bats; Stubbs’ strikeout rate is 29 percent.

The only downside: Choo will be a free agent in 2014 and his agent is the greedy Scott Boras. In other words, speedster Billy Hamilton had better be ready to play center field in two years.

I was surprised when Cincinnati lured Tommy Tuberville to town. He has a solid track record, so I wondered how UC was able to secure the services of a big-name football coach. A couple days later I read that the school wants to put $70 million toward a renovation of antiquated Nippert Stadium. Oh, that’s how.

Chicago Simeon basketball star Jabari Parker plans to announce his college choice Thursday. Shockingly, Kentucky is not on Parker’s list. The final five for the country’s consensus No. 2 prospect: BYU, Duke, Florida, Michigan State and Stanford. Parker’s dad says MSU is high on the list.

Saint Joseph’s Halil Kanacevic was suspended two games for showing his longest finger to the Villanova crowd last week. Hey, those types of things spice up a rivalry. Phil Martelli should’ve given Kanacevic the front seat on the bus back to campus and suspended himself for the Hawks’ pathetic offense in the last minute of a 65-61 defeat.

I don’t know Miami’s new athletic director, David Sayler. I do know something about him because I grew up 25 miles from his last stop: the University of South Dakota. I can guarantee that Sayler owns a good winter coat and has scraped plenty of ice off his windshield.