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October 2008
Bengals Chinedum a big hit with kids
Cincinnati Bengals strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe is often recognized for his big hits and playmaking ability on the football field, but is now being recognized for his work off the field and his gift for giving.
On Tuesday, October 28, 2008, Columbus City Council President Michael C. Mentel will join Ndukwe to celebrate the NFL player’s gift of $5,000 to the Christian Youth Athletic Association (CYAA) Saints League’s football division. The money allowed the organization to buy helmets and uniforms for 185 under-privileged children throughout Columbus who participated in the league.
The NFL Youth Football Fund matched Ndukwe’s donation, which also allowed the CYAA to purchase a van to drive players to and from practice.
Ndukwe, a Columbus area native, was honored Tuesday night for his generosity and giving back to the community.
After all, The Children Are Our Future!
TweetEagles’ Westbrook may be the best in the biz
Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook is making a strong case for best back the game has to offer. Westbrook, who missed two of the team’s last three games with broken ribs, got loose on the Atlanta Falcons defense on Sunday.
Head Coach Andy Reid marveled over the talented runner during his post-game press conference.
“He’s a great football player,” Reid said. “Great football players step up when their team needs them, and Brian did that today.”
No diggity!
Westbrook went off rushing for 167 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. He had an additional 42 yards receiving in a 27-14 Eagles’ victory over Atlanta.
Westbrook showed no ill effect of the rib injury in his return to the lineup and wanted the ball in his hands during crunch time. The coaching staff obliged.
“I think he felt pretty good,” Coach Reid said. “I thought he got a little bit tired towards the end. We spotted him with [Correll] Buckhalter, but there was a point there on the last series where he didn’t want to come out. He wanted to stay in, he wanted the football, and we gave it to him.”
Although Westbrook showed no signs of the rib or bum ankle injury which caused him to miss two games this season he felt them.
“From time to time throughout the game, but those are the type of things you got to try to play through,” Westbrook said.”
“I felt good. I had the opportunity, coach gave me some opportunities. We saw some things on tape that we felt we could take advantage of and we did a good job executing those things.”
Bottom line, the Eagles offense will only go as far as Westbrook takes them as acknowledged by rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
“Like I told him on the field, ‘you’re cold’,” Jackson said. “He’s a good running back. I really admire that dude. He’s an awesome running back. Any time you have a RB like that in your back field it just makes it easier for [the receivers]. With him and [RB Correll] Buckhalter, it just made us feel comfortable. If it wasn’t for him breaking that long run, we might not be in this position. Whatever we need to do to get it done that is what we are doing. I am glad he’s back.”
I think teammate cornerback Asante Samuel summed up the play of Westbrook best.
“That guy is incredible,” Samuel said. “I just love to watch him play, the way he makes people miss and shake them. I am happy he’s on my team. I am happy I don’t have to tackle him.”
So I ask you… Is Westbrook tops in the league at his position? I vote with an emphatic YES!
TweetSuck it up Bengal fans, you could have Al Davis
Okay, a lot of fuss has been made over recent decisions by Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown, but let me ask Bengal fans this. Would you prefer a guy like Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis running the show in Cincy?
The way I hear it is that Mike Brown is a saint compared to Davis who is stuck back in the day with no DeLorean time machine to bring him back to the present. Hello? Hello? Anybody home? Huh? Think, McFly. Think!
I was told by a former Raiders employee that the mere sight of Davis in the hallways at Raiders headquarters strikes fear in the hearts of his staff. And we all know that Davis could care less about what the fans have to say. He would tell them exactly where to go and how often. If all else fails he would have no problem relocating the team to Los Angeles. Something that Brown should consider if it would benefit the Bengals organization.
The former employee said that the only thing scarier than Davis in Oakland is the Raider Nation.
When it comes to being a control freak, Brown doesn’t come close to Davis. It’s the little things that make you go hmmm. Check this out for instance.
Breakdown and analyze these two links and get back to me with your thoughts:
Bengals: http://www.bengals.com/team/FrontOffice.asp
Raiders: http://www.raiders.com/Team/Default.aspx?id=106
Who wants to work for a dude like that? The employee’s titles are vague where as Davis’ title stands out like a seal at a polar bear convention.
Bengal fans have been calling for Mike Brown to resign and some have even suggested that he auction the team off on eBay. Ouch!
Fans should really be thankful that they have a team in Cincinnati. If it weren’t for the Brown family there probably wouldn’t be an NFL franchise in the city. I couldn’t see any other owner chomping at the bit to set up shop in Cincinnati. Let’s face it Cincinnati will never be a true football town as long as the Reds exist.
Besides, what owner could withstand the constant public criticism and humiliation that the Bengals organization has endured over the years?
Some of these fans who are complaining about ownership think that putting a winning product on the field is as easy as drafting a Fantasy Football team. I don’t think so. There’s more to it than just what you see on Sunday.
What is Mike Brown really guilty of… Being a strong believer in humanity?
I leave you with this final question. Say Mike Brown decided that he is fed up with all the negative crap and put the Bengals up for sale.
Do you think the City of Cincinnati could adopt the same systems they have in place in Green Bay where the team is owned by the community and be successful?
TweetWho would a better fit for the Bengals, Wells or Ringer?
Like it or not Bengal fans, it’s time to start thinking about the 2009 NFL Draft. The 0-7 Cincinnati Bengals would have the No. 1 pick if the draft were held today. So which direction would the team go with the first overall pick?
There’s a popular consensus among fans and some draft experts who believe that running back would be the way to go for the Bengals. Either Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells (Ohio State) or Javon Ringer (Michigan State).
Drafting either one of these cats would mean instant offense for the Bengals.
In a nutshell…
Wells (6-1, 237lbs): Big, strong, fast, powerful, quick-feet, excellent peripheral vision. He has outstanding quickness, acceleration and speed to break the long ones. Wells shows good body control when shifting out of cuts and moves laterally within the hole. He is also a tremendous outside runner. Wells has the ability to make people miss in the open-field and possesses a mean stiff-arm to keep would-be tacklers at bay.
Wells is a pure runner and must demonstrate better pass-catching and blocking skills at the next level. Durability could also be a concern.
The one thing with Wells is he must first declare himself eligible for the draft.
Ringer (5-9, 208lbs): Workhorse, tough inside runner, quick, instinctive, solid receiver out of the backfield. Ringer shows outstanding lower body strength with powerful leg drive. He’s a great short yardage runner but has the speed to break out in the open-field for huge gains. Ringer is a patient runner with good initial burst to accelerate through the hole. He demonstrates good vision and balance to make nice cutback runs. Ringer can also be a contributor on special-teams in the return game.
Although Ringer may lack top-end speed to run away from defenders in the open-field, he does have a second gear and is a complete back. I compare him to Maurice Jones-Drew minus the 4.3/40 speed and blocking skills picking up the blitz.
Ringer is averaging 33 carries a game so mileage could be a concern. He may be more of a 15 to 20 carry guy in the pros.
If recent reports that Chris Perry’s 5-year stint in Cincinnati is indeed over and with the remaining running backs on borrowed time, the Bengals will certainly look to address the running back position at some point in the ‘09 draft.
P.S. Some could even make the argument for Knowshon Moreno.
Holla!
TweetBrowns need impact play from Cribbs
If the Cleveland Browns are to have any chance of defeating the New York Giants in Monday night’s matchup, kick-return specialist Josh Cribbs will have to play a significant role.
The usually electrifying Cribbs hasn’t been himself since injuring his ankle returning a kickoff in Week 2 of the preseason game against the Giants. Now healthy, the Browns are hoping that Cribbs can set it off Monday night.
Browns Special Teams Coordinator Ted Daisher spoke of the impact Cribbs could have in the game during his press conference on Saturday.
“I think he’s ready to go,” Daisher said. “We have looked good the last two weeks of practice, it’s good to see him running around healthy and helping out the offense. He is a huge factor for us and we need him to be 100% because he is a big part of what we do.”
With tight end Kellen Winslow listed as a 50-50 chance of seeing action tonight, Cribbs will have to be a major contributor on offense as well as special-teams.
Knowing the big-play ability that Cribbs possesses in the return game, teams have made a conscious effort to kick the ball away from the Pro Bowl return-man.
Daisher shared his thoughts on the matter.
“I have a lot of respect for the coach of Baltimore, Jon Harbaugh,” he said. “I used to work for him at Philadelphia and their special teams coach, Jerry Rosburg, you guys all know him, he worked here and did a good job. He is a good coach and a friend and I respect him. In the game they came with bursts, they ganged everybody together and ran them all out in different directions to try to confuse us and then they’d move the ball around. They obviously made a plan to try to not let Josh affect the game and they did a good job with it. We are just going to have to adjust and adapt when teams do that. They have never done that in the past so that was totally different. It just goes to show you when you have a player of that caliber, people are going to game plan for it. We will get to play them again.”
Daisher said special-teams is doing a good job covering and having Cribbs healthy is a huge factor. He plays a major role as a gunner and having him back at 100% is going to help the coverage unit get better.
The coach added that when Cribbs is healthy that makes it go.
Can the Browns pull off the upset against Goliath?
Stay tuned!
More on Browns: http://www.daytondailynews.com/s/content/oh/story/sports/pro/browns/2008/10/12/ddn101308spbigconweb.html
TweetHere’s why trading T.J. isn’t a crazy idea
To say that Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis dumped a bucket of ice water on the possible trade of wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh was an understatement. He sunk the rumor like the Titanic.
I found it very interesting what the coach had to say Wednesday regarding the trade rumor, and the blog I posted Tuesday. I respect the stands he took in support of the organization. I agreed mostly with his comments. However, I did see some things rather differently.
I think we both agree that teams don’t typically part with talented players during the middle of the season, but there have been some exceptions throughout history of the league.
Here is where our views differ.
Lewis asked the question…
“What club in its right mind would trade for a player that’s going to be an unrestricted free agent?”
Although trades of this nature are rare, they have taken place.
Yes, it would be risky for a club to trade for a player who is set to hit the free agent market. But if two clubs are working behind the scenes on a trade deal, as they often do, where is the tampering in that?
Here’s why the trade rumor makes sense.
The Bengals have little or no chance to make the playoffs this season and need to start looking toward the future. The team drafted a number of young receivers and brought back Chris Henry. The organization has stated that Chad Ocho Cinco isn’t going anywhere. Therefore the team must have a plan in place.
The Bengals trading Houshmandzadeh may not be as far-fetched as it seems. The team could easily trade the receiver before the deadline and get something for him in return rather than letting him bounce when free agency hit.
It is believed that San Francisco and Tennessee are looking to upgrade their wide receiver positions. Both teams will need to address this area if they are to make a run at the playoffs. Houshmandzadeh would fit in nicely in both offenses. So there you have two potential suitors to negotiate.
Also, it could be in Houshmandzadeh’s best interest to seek a trade because his age, 31, could be a detriment to his trade value in free agency.
As for the franchise tag, forget about it! Protect your franchise quarterback, who has taken a Rodney King beat-down this season. Stacy Andrews gets tagged again. Some could even make the argument for Shayne Graham. Yes, the kicker!
The Bengals cannot afford to make the same mistake they did when they tagged Justin Smith and let Eric Steinbach walk exposing the quarterback.
Remember this about rumors: They sometimes turn into reality. Welcome back, Chris Henry!
Interesting read: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-tradebait100808&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
TweetHoushmandzadeh subject of trade rumors
The NFL trading deadline is 4 p.m. Oct. 14 and trade rumors are starting to run rampant throughout the league and the Cincinnati Bengals appear to be headliners.
Rumor has it that the San Francisco 49ers could have interest in acquiring Bengals WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
According to a source, Houshmandzadeh’s name has come up quite frequently during conversation at Niners headquarters in recent weeks. Apparently, 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz is enamored with Houshmandzadeh and may have learned some positive things about the receiver from a member of the Zampese family who Martz remains close to.
The 49ers are looking to upgrade the receiver position opposite veteran Isaac Bruce and are expected to do so by the trading deadline. The acquisition of Houshmandzadeh would provide the team with more firepower in the passing game.
According to the source, the Niners organization is also expected to make contact with the Detroit Lions regarding the availability of receiver Roy Williams, who has been the subject of trade talk for months.
Houshmandzadeh’s agent Kennard McGuire did not return a phone call seeking comment.
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