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Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > July
July 2008
What’s cookin’ Thursday afternoon
HERE’S WHAT’S COOKIN’:
CHAD SHADOW DANCIN’
—-Studs not practicing (but, hey, they’re on the field in shorts & T-shirts): Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Kenny Watson on offense; and Deltha O’Neal and Herana-Daze Jones on defense.
—-NFL head linesman and Cincinnatian Paul Weidner — I’ll go ahead and call him P-Dub — is part of an officiating crew that’s working today’s practice, Friday morning’s practice, Friday night’s Intrasquad Scrimmage and Saturday’s Black-Orange Mock Game.
Weidner was inducted into the Sorrento’s Hamilton County Sports Hall of Fame along with Harold “Hep” Cronin, Chuck Harmon and Bob Trumpy on May 10.
Weidner was The Chickster’s freshman typing teacher at Elder High School in Cincinnati (1968-69). This marks his 23rd season as an NFL ref.
I bumped into Paul in the lobby of the hotel when he checked in on Thursday afternoon. Yes, we hugged at the front desk.
—-Chad Johnson spent several minutes shadowing cornerback David Jones in pre-practice workouts. Chad’s getting closer to being ready to practice.
—-It’s overcast, but sunny, and I see a blue sky amidst the clouds.
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Don’t make me laugh — uncontrollably
===LUDWIG AT LARGE congratulates Bob Thiem for his correct answer to the Bengals’ trivia question. WHO AM I? I’m Bengals’ first-year linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald. Says Fitz: “I feel calm and comfortable traveling at a high rate of speed.”===
Every year on draft day, I hear the Bengals’ first-round pick say they want to be in training camp on time. And I immediately stick my right hand over my mouth to muffle the laughter.
What I should be doing is sticking my index finger in my open mouth in a mock-gagging gesture.
This year, it was USC linebacker Keith Rivers’ turn to utter those words.
I wanted to tell Keith: DON’T MAKE ME LAUGH … UNCONTROLLABLY.
Since I started covering the club in 1997, the only two first-round picks who were here from Day 1 were WR Peter Warrick (2000) and QB Carson Palmer (2003).
I warned Bengals fans that negotiations were not going to be easy with 2010 possibly being an uncapped year.
If there’s a strike in 2011, I’d love to cover Piqua-Troy, Central State-Lincoln U. or Dayton-Butler. Even better, the MAC with Marion Local, St. Henry and Coldwater.
Love going to Butler. Love Hinkle Fieldhouse. Love the Butler Bowl.
Only thing better is a Friday night in Mercer County.
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Spanking Carson & The Chickster
THIS SIPPIN’ ‘HATE-ORADE’
SIMPLY NEEDS TO STOP
===As the nuns at St. William School in Price Hill used to say, “SOME PEOPLE’S CHILDREN!!!…”
THIS JUST IN …
From Kris Garrison in Greenville, OH-IO: “Chick. I know you’re the Dayton Daily News’ leading cheerleader for the Bengals, and so, you have to try to defend Carson Palmer’s anti-Ohio State comments as “all in good fun.” BULL CRAP ! Palmer meant exactly what he said, ala John Rocker, Don Imus, Jesse Jackson, Jimmy The Greek … It was only after public outrage did any of these guys try to “apologize” for their remarks. Palmer is a mediocre quarterback on a team with a ton of internal problems, coached by a weak leader and destined to finish .500 or worse again. Palmer shot off his West Coast mouth to cover up his lack of talent on the field. Too bad you were obligated to try to defend this moron!”
—-Chick Ludwig’s take: Kris, have you ever listened to a Marvin Lewis news conference on WCKY-AM (1530 Homer, The Sports Animal)? I try to ask the tough questions fans want the answers to. You’re a typical fanatical Ohio State fan. That’s fine. I graduated with Archie Griffin in 1976 and I was present for the last two OSU Rose Bowl victories (1974 and 1997). I learned a long time ago that you can’t reason with a fanatic, so I’m not gonna try. Just sit back, relax, take a chill pill and keep root-root-rootin’ for Runner-Up U. Go Bucks!
From Donald Moeller in Miamisburg, OH-IO: “Chick Ludwig concluded his column on July 28 on the Bengals, Palmer and Chad Johnson, quoting Palmer, with this: ‘We’re teammates and we’ve been a great tandem, and hopefully we’ll continue to be a great tandem for years to come. There’s nothing to stand between he and I.’ Call out the grammar police or the grammar editing overseer. If that is actually a quote from Palmer and he is that lacking in knowledge of proper grammar, couldn’t you at least add a ‘sic’ after the quote to show the editors aren’t equally lacking in knowledge of good grammar? I hope you do understand that ‘between he and I’ correctly should be ‘between him and me.’ P.S. I was unable to locate Ludwig’s email address.”
—-Chick Ludwig’s take: It’s a wonderful and beautifully sad feeling to know you have absolutely nothing better to do with your time than write a letter to the editor, pointing out such a life-and-death matter as a very minor grammatical error. Don, IT WAS A DIRECT QUOTE! Feel free to transcribe all my taped interviews, clean up the quotes and write my stories for me. Sound good? Man, it would save me a lot of work. If I had your kind of time, I’d put it to good use by pointing my Web browser to www.worldwildlife.org/adopt … and I would adopt a polar bear. I’m very serious. Have a good day. P.S. My email address is cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Bengals Trivia: WHO M I?
WHO AM I?
—-I am a coach in the National Football League.
—-I am a part-time offseason instructor for the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
—-I spent Memorial Day Weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, doing ride-alongs.
—-Race fans spend $100 to ride with me for a two-and-a-half-lap “qualifying run” at 160-165 mph.
—-My street car is a 2004 BMW M3 (333 horsepower), pewter with a black interior.
WHO AM I?
Answer will be posted at noon today, July 31, on LUDWIG AT LARGE
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Jason’s Revenge … sort of
SHIRLEY STOUT AT GOAL LINE;
HAS ‘MILLION MILES TO GO’
When I watched the play from the stadium’s plaza level at Georgetown (Ky.) College, the first thing I thought of was a horror flick:
Friday the 13th … Jason’s Revenge.
The Bengals were practicing goal-line offense and defense on Wednesday night, and there was rookie fifth-round defensive tackle Jason Shirley penetrating and blowing up rookie tailback James Johnson for what looked to be about a 3-yard loss.
Shirley was the guy who was driven backward 12 yards a day earlier by right offensive tackle Stacy Andrews. So this was Jason’s revenge.
“I was just using the technique my coaches showed me and it came through for me,” Shirley said.
And then I approached defensive line coach Jay Hayes for his take. Hayes gave Shirley zero sugar, zero praise, zero love.
“He didn’t get blocked,” Hayes dead-panned. “They (the offensive line) didn’t block him. so let’s not get too excited. He’s a young guy. He’s got a million miles to go. He’s not anywhere close to being an NFL player. One day, he will be.”
SHIRLEY’S TAKE ON THE OKLAHOMA DRILL:
“I take everything in stride. Stacy’s a vet. He’s been here for a while. and I’m trying to make a name for myself. It happens sometimes. You lose some, you win some. I don’t take any shame losing to a veteran like Stacy. I just watch the film, take it and get better from it. Next time we line up, it might be a different story.”
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Who is that number 39?
JAMES JOHNSON ON PATH
TO WINNING ROSTER SPOT
LUDWIG AT LARGE hears the whispers from the crowd…
They go something like this…
WHO IS THAT NUMBER 39?
Well, folks, he’s tailback James Johnson, a non-drafted rookie free agent from Kansas State.
You heard it here first:
JAMES JOHNSON IS GOING TO MAKE THIS TEAM (barring injury, of course).
Here’s a quick Q & A with the 5-11, 202-pound tailback from Kansas State by way of his hometown — Port Arthur, Texas.
Q. What are you trying to show your coaches and teammates?
A. I’m just trying to do everything I can to make the team. I’m just trying to do anything I can for the team, the special teams and the offense.
Q. What qualities do you feel you bring to the table?
A. I’ve got great vision and great hands out of the backfield. Another one of my assets is my speed.
Q. You seem to have a good opportunity here despite not being drafted.
A. It was very disappointing, not getting drafted, but it just makes you more hungry.
Q. How critical is the weekend scrimmage and mock game for you?
A. It’s very critical to show the coaches what I’ve got, and that’s my vision, my hands and my speed.
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Camp insider: Up-close & personal
RAIN, SMOOTHIES & COLD TUBS;
A ROOKIE COPES WITH PRESSURE;
CHICKSTER’S LITTLE BIT OF SOUL
===”Yours is the only blog I’ve got bookmarked. When I go to DaytonDailyNews.com and read ‘The Chickster’s’ prose, I dim the lights, pour myself some chardonnay and cuddle up by the fire.” — Tim Carley, public relations liaison, PlayersRep Sports Management===
I’m standing underneath the stadium grandstands at Georgetown (Ky.) College on Wednesday morning — wet but not soaked — and this is what I’m doing after the first of two Bengals’ workouts:
I’m interviewing outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks; I’m watching one of the national writers give some man-love to quarterbacks coach Ken Zampese; and I’m seeing players get handed “Smoothies” by the training staff on their way to the locker room.
There were two kinds of “all natural, no preservatives” Smoothies available — strawberry-banana and strawberry-mango. The strawberry-banana went “like hotcakes,” one of the trainers told me, leaving only the strawberry-mango.
Bengals VP Troy Blackburn sprint-walks by and I ask him if we can expect “white smoke” today with a Keith Rivers signing, and he shakes his head (NO!).
Moving on underneath the grandstands, as I’m dodging the drip-drip-drip of the raindrops, I snag linebacker Jim Maxwell and quarterback Jordan Palmer for quick interviews, and then I stumble on four players in cold tubs.
Rookie offensive tackle Anthony Collins (Kansas), rookie guard Justin Britt (Alabama), defensive end Eric Henderson (Georgia Tech) and linebacker Rashad Jeanty (Central Florida).
Cold tubs cool the body down after a hot, sweaty practice, and helps players recover quicker from the aches & pains, and the bumps and bruises, caused by football.
I’ve never interviewed a cat in a cold tub before. But I leaned over the edge and stuck my tape recorder near Britt, who said he’s coping well with the mental and physical strain of his first training camp.
“It’s hard,” Britt said. “That’s why I’m blessed with having a brother in the NFL (Wesley Britt is a four-year offensive tackle for the New England Patriots; a fifth-round pick (No. 167 overall) in 2005).
“I call him just about every other night. He gives me the right tips. He helps me out a lot.”
As I prepare to exit from underneath the grandstands, a double-row gauntlet of media studs line the pavement, safely out of the rain.
“You know what this reminds me of?” I ask ‘em.
No, what?” they say.
“SOUL TRAIN.”
I do an extremely weak dance featuring arm & hand movement, body gyration and hip rotation — I pinch my nose like I’m doing “The Swim” — and somebody calls me a name.
“CHICK CORNELIUS,” a reference to Don Cornelius, the host of “Soul Train” from 1971-96.
I take it as a compliment.
As Mr. Cornelius always said in parting, “We wish you love, peace and soul!”
Same thing I wish to all loyal LUDWIG AT LARGE readers.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MORNING WORKOUT
—-T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Chris Perry and Willie Anderson chilled. Just call it “preventative maintenance.”
—-During a blitz period, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer hurled his visor to the floor, angry that his secondary was pillow-soft in coverage.
—-Veteran tailback Rudi Johnson got stripped by safety Chinedum Ndukwe, causing running backs coach Jim Anderson’s temper to erupt.
—-Non-drafted tailback James Johnson (Kansas State) continued to show why HE WILL MAKE THIS TEAM. He’s fast, quick, tough, has good hands as a receiver out of the backfield, and is blessed with good vision.
—-SIRIUS NFL radio studs Jim Miller and Solomon Wilcots were on the sidelines, watching before they took to the airwaves. For a quarterback who has endured 14 surgeries, Miller gets around pretty good.
Here’s wishing you love, peace and soul, my brothers & sisters.
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Rivers’ ridiculous holdout must end
SOMEBODY TELL RIVERS
OKLAHOMA DRILL’S OVER
Now that DT Sedrick Ellis has signed a five-year deal with the New Orleans Saints — FOX Sports’ Alex Marvez reports the deal includes $19.5 million guaranteed — it shouldn’t take long for Jaguars DE Derrick Harvey and Bengals LB Keith Rivers to get their deals finalized.
It’ll be a CRIME if Rivers isn’t on the field for the Bengals’ evening practice (7-9 p.m.) today.
LUDWIG AT LARGE’S message to Rivers: Now that you’ve missed the Oklahoma Drill, and you won’t embarrass yourself against a veteran in front of the team, it’s safe to come into camp and start earning your millions.
But what do I know? It’s only practice.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/saints/2008-07-30-ellis-signs_N.htm?csp=34
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Much ado about ‘Big Willie’
‘MOTHER GIBRALTAR’
MUCH TOO VALUABLE
TO BE SECOND STRING
===LUDWIG AT LARGE calls Willie Anderson “Mother Gibraltar” because he’s a combination leader and humanitarian (Mother Teresa), plus a mammoth fortress-monument-mountain (Rock of Gibraltar).===
You’ve got a 13-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowler who happens to be the best leader in the locker room who happens to be one of the greatest players at his position in the NFL and who happens to be one of the most revered players in the Cincinnati Bengals’ 41-year history.
And he’s here at training camp running with the second team … for two reasons.
Stacy Andrews is the franchise-tagged player, making $7.455 million a year.
And Andrews, AKA “Big Country,” just happens to be an outstanding player.
If you’re head coach Marvin Lewis, wha-cha-gonna-do?
You simply let this starting-right-offensive-tackle thing sort itself out … as time goes by.
“As I said in the springtime with Willie, we really didn’t know where Willie Anderson was (health-wise),” Lewis said. “Willie came in and proved that he was in a pretty good spot. So we have a good issue to deal with as we go forward.
“We have a good young player in Stacy, and we have a guy who’s been as good a player as there has been in the NFL at right tackle in Willie Anderson. So we’re blessed.”
The Bengals better not even THINK about cutting Big Willie. He’s too great a player, too great a leader, too great a person, too great a mentor, too great a presence and influence to be let go.
In fact, I look for him to start … at right tackle … with “Big Country” at right guard … Bobbie Williams at center … Andrew Whitworth at left guard … and Levi Jones at left tackle.
Ta-dah!
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Andrews ‘wins’ Oklahoma Drill
TRUE TEST OF MANHOOD
IS THE OKLAHOMA DRILL
The Oklahoma Drill was made famous by Sooners coach Charles Burnham “Bud” Wilkinson.
Remember him?
He was the architect of Oklahoma’s dynasty, guiding the Sooners on a 47-game winning streak from 1953-57.
The Oklahoma Drill, ALSO KNOWN AS THE NUTCRACKER, is a one-on-one test of manhood — a blocker and defender smashing into one another while a running back takes a handoff and barrels between two dummies that set the boundaries eight-to-nine feet apart.
The highlight at Bengals’ practice on Tuesday came when right offensive tackle Stacy “Big Country” Andrews manhandled rookie defensive tackle Jason Shirley.
Andrews (6-7, 342) blew up Shirley (6-5, 338) with technique. “Big Country” kept his pad level low, burst into Shirley and drove him 12 yards behind the line of scrimmage with the entire team circled around the grassy stage.
The offensive raced over to congratulate Andrews with a rompin’, stompin’ exhibit of hugs and shoulder-pad slapping.
It was a victory for the offense.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
—-Tight end Ben Utecht sent linebacker Ahmad Brooks’ helmet flying, but Brooks held his ground with no hat.
—-Rookie wide receiver Andre Caldwell pushed cornerback Johnathan Joseph backward.
—-Fullback Daniel Coats hammered middle linebacker Dhani Jones.
—-Tight end Reggie Kelly lit up outside linebacker Rashad Jeanty.
—-Linebacker Jim Maxwell got the best of running back Bradley Glatthaar.
—-Safety Herana-Daze Jones’ skirmish against feisty rookie wideout Maurice Purify sent fists up … but both were corralled before any punches got thrown.
BEST PART OF THE DRILL?
Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was right in the thick of it, encouraging, slapping and yelling at his defenders.
Ahh, the Oklahoma Drill.
There’s absolutely nothing like it.
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‘Shep’ and his ‘Limelites’
DIAPER DANDIES ABOUND
IN GEORGETOWN, KAY-WHY
===LUDWIG AT LARGE’S TAKE: First things first, studs & studettes. Diaper dandies Pat Sims and Jason Shirley look good — in jerseys and shorts, playing “underwear football.” We’ll certainly know more come 3-5 p.m. today when THE HITTING starts and the bruises, coupled with the bleeding, begins. Know this: The “SS” tandem of Sims and Shirley is hungry to make an impact. Sims sees himself as the reincarnation of Warren Sapp, and Shirley is a good guy to stand next to when you need a lil bit o’ shade.===
Now … about the No. 3 wideout:
Folks, it’s wide open. How wide? Spread your arms as far apart as possible. Yes, THAT WIDE.
Somebody has to replace Chris “Slim” Henry. Whom shall it be?
Marcus Maxwell, Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell and Glenn Holt are all in the mix.
“It’ll be a big deal because Slim brought a lot to our offense,” T.J. Houshmandzadeh said.
And don’t forget tight end Ben Utecht.
His catches are going to eat into Chad & T.J.’s touches & numbers.
“I don’t care about having fewer catches,” T.J. said. “Of course, I want to get as many as I can. And of course, I would love to lead the league. But if you win games and I can get to the playoffs, I’m cool with that because in the playoffs, I’ll make a bigger name for myself.
“I don’t mean to say, “Make a name for myself.’ But when you get into the playoffs, the better you do as a team, obviously, the individual players play a part in that. The offensive line probably does the most work, but they don’t get the most glory. That’s’s just how it is.”
Yes, folks, Bengals players are still talking about how much they miss THE GUY who’s not here.
CHRIS HENRY!
He may be out of sight, but not out of mind.
MORE FROM BENGALS WIDE RECEIVERS COACH MIKE SHEPPARD ON SIMPSON & CALDWELL:
“Both those kids work hard,” Sheppard said. “They both have nice attitudes. They’re good kids to coach. They want to play well. It’s important to ‘em and that’s a great starting point. If we didn’t think they had the ability, we wouldn’t have taken ‘em that high (second & third round).”
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Gentlemen, start your (hitting) engines
LET’S GET READY
TO, AHH, RUMBLE
===LUDWIG AT LARGE’S TAKE: One of the coolest things about practice at training camp is watching the interaction between players and coaches. For every great play the offense or defense turns in, the coaches of the opposite unit GO BERSERK with anger. Hey, it’s all part of helping both units improve, and it’s awfully fun to witness.===
This afternoon’s workout from 3-5 p.m. at Georgetown (Ky.) College marks the Cincinnati Bengals’ first practice in full pads at Training Camp 2008.
I’m eager to see if head coach Marvin Lewis unleashes the “Oklahoma drill” — a brutal one-on-one, man-to-man combat that separates the wolves from the lambs.
It’s the defense’s chance to assert itself as a more physical unit.
So far in camp, even wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh notices the physicality of the defense engineered by coordinator Mike Zimmer.
“I heard him tell somebody (a defensive back), ‘I can get somebody out of the crowd to cover like that,’ ” Houshmandzadeh said with a smile.
“Just the way he talks … I like it. Talking to the guys on defense all off-season, they like it, too. Just seeing it out there, it’s different. I look forward to seeing what it does all year.”
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Lovin’ spoonful of Simpson’s ‘tude
ALL SIMPSON WANTS
IS TO SILENCE CRITICS
I don’t like wide receiver Jerome Simpson’s attitude.
I love it.
That’s not a chip on his shoulder. It’s a boulder. He wants to knock it off.
“A lot is expected of me,” the rookie from Coastal Carolina said. “I want to prove everybody wrong that they drafted me too early. I’m here to show them that they drafted me where I’m supposed to be at, the second round (No. 46 overall).”
That stigma of playing in Conway, S.C., for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers of the Big South Conference just won’t go away, eh?
“No, no it won’t,” Simpson said. “I’m still angry that people think they drafted me too early. I’m going out here to prove them wrong. I still have that chip on my shoulder.”
Judging by the diving catch he made of a low-and-outside fastball on a comeback route near the right sideline on Monday night — with outstretched arms, he hauled that baby in with his huge hands — Simpson is on his way to proving the doubters wrong.
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A severe case of ‘Fat-osis’
Cincinnati Bengals fullback Jeremi Johnson is in deep doo-doo.
He’s sinking like an anchor that just got tossed off a boat.
Maybe that’s a little too strong.
Let’s just say he’s in quicksand up to his waist.
He’s listed on the Bengals roster at 270 pounds, but seriously, folks, he’s at least THREE BILLS, and even that’s conservative.
Jeremi didn’t practice on Monday because he’s on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list — a fancy expression for HUMONGOUS.
“He’s not in the condition he needs to be to practice football at this time,” head coach Marvin Lewis said. “He’s battling a lot of things.”
Johnson’s not fighting for a STARTING job. He’s battling for a ROSTER spot.
“Yes, he’s battling for his job,” Lewis said, “There’s no question about it. He’s battling for a spot on this football team. Guys are asked to report at a certain level and be there. We’ve got to move forward, so we’re going to move on.
“Hopefully he can catch up and earn a spot. Unfortunately, I’ve been talking about this for too long. So I don’t like spending a lot of time talking about guys that aren’t practicing. So I kind of stated my case there.”
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Triple scoop of bad news
ODOM HURT, CHAD CAN’T RUN
& RIVERS STILL HOLDING OUT
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis called it “a good start. A good first practice.”
Oh, yeah? Please, PUH-leeeze, come again.
Let’s just say it certainly could’ve been better (DON’T-YOU-THINK?) considering …
—-Starting right defensive Antwan Odom is out indefinitely with a left foot and ankle injury. Dude’s on crutches with a protective boot on his left ankle.
—-Wide receiver Chad Johnson (right ankle), fullback Jeremi Johnson (obesity) and backup tailback DeDe Dorsey (hamstring) can’t run. Johnson and Dorsey on the Physically Unable to Perform /Active list. It means as soon as they can pass a physical, they’ll practice.
—-First-round draft pick Keith Rivers, the projected starter at weakside linebacker, is unsigned and not on the Georgetown College premises. But he’s close by.
Here are Lewis’ comments from his news conference:
Q. Can you give us an update on Odom?
A. “I cannot, but Antwan, they took in and they’ll do some scans and so forth on his (left) foot and see what it is. I have an idea what it is, but we’ll wait until we get some things confirmed.”
Q. What’s the status of Rivers’ contract negotiations?
A. “They keep going back and forth a little bit. It’s a shame, because I think Keith would benefit (being here) and we’re well above where we need to be (offer-wise) and I think in a good spot. It’s something that ought to be very quickly finished and easily finished. We just need to get the other side to engage and say, ‘Let’s get this done.’ I do know where he is and he would be able to get here very quickly.”
Q. What’s the deal with Chad Johnson?
A. “He’s got to go ahead and go through and pass a physical progression of things that we ask all the players to do. When he’s able to do that, he’ll have the opportunity to practice. Right now while he’s on that Physically Unable to Perform list he cannot practice with us. He’ll continue to work with our trainers and our conditioning coaches until we get him to the point where he can work through functional ability to play and demonstrate that to them and then obviously, later on to me.
“This is no distraction for our team. He’s like anybody else that isn’t up to it physically. There is no timetable, it’s when he can prove he’s ready to practice and play football, then he’ll have an opportunity to. I wish he was 100 percent healthy, but he’s not.”
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Odom hurt at morning workout
Defensive end Antwan Odom ended up on crutches with his left foot encased in a mobilizing boot after he suffered a foot and ankle injury at the Cincinnati Bengals opening practice of training camp at Georgetown College.
The media will get an update on Odom and Keith Rivers during head coach Marvin Lewis’ 11:40 a.m. news conference.
The contract status of Rivers, the unsigned rookie top draft-pick, will be discussed.
Odom was carted off the field about 10:30 a.m. and practice was cut short at 10:50 — 20 minutes early — because of rain.
Morning highlights:
—-Placekicker Shayne Graham converted 15 of 16 field goal attempts, topping out at 52 yards. His only miss was a 41-yarder from the left hash.
—-Holder Kyle Larson pulled off an impressive fake field goal, rolling to his right and competing a pass to fullback Daniel Coats.
—-Quarterback Carson Palmer completed two impressive passes — a deep ball down the right sideline to rookie wideout Andre Caldwell and an intermediate, down-the-middle route to tight end Nate Lawrie, who was open in the seam.
—-Backup right cornerback had a nice pass deflection on a perfectly-thrown Palmer pass to an unidentified receiver.
—-Tailback Chris Perry looked quick, fast and strong the entire workout. “I graduated from hungry and made it to greed,” he said.
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Pollack out; Chad not cleared to practice
EARLY INJURY REPORT:
CHAD & JEREMI SIDELINED
ALONG WITH DORSEY
===INJURY UPDATE: Wide receiver Chad Johnson (ankle), tailback DeDe Dorsey (hamstring) and fullback Jeremi Johnson (weight) were not cleared to practice by the Bengals medical staff on Monday morning. All three attended the opening practice, but weren’t allowed to participate.===
David Pollack still hasn’t retired. Maybe now he’ll inch closer to that final decision.
The outside linebacker, whose rehab from a devastating neck injury is ongoing, was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list on Monday morning, a half hour before the Cincinnati Bengals took the field at Georgetown (Ky.) College on opening day of training camp.
The move allowed the Bengals to sign rookie cornerback Jonathan Zenon to a one year deal.
Zenon, a non-drafted college free agent from LSU, originally signed with the New York Jets, who waived him. He becomes the 80th man on the roster.
Placing Pollack on a reserve list is believed to be strictly procedural since head coach Marvin Lewis told the media in the offseason that Pollack’s intention is to retire, and that the team was moving on without Pollack in their plans.
The only player not here is first-round draft pick Keith Rivers, who is slated to be the Bengals’ starting weakside linebacker.
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Tossing a lit match on gasoline
CARSON JUST CAN’T HELP HIMSELF
WHEN IT COMES TO BASHING OSU
It’s the story that won’t go away. And I have to admit: I’m gonna ride this pony till she drops.
It’s great stuff. Carson Palmer & his love for the University of Southern California Trojans vs. The Ohio State University Buckeyes.
More intrigue came on check-in day at Bengals training camp when Carson turned a cold shoulder on the Buckeyes and tossed another log on the fire in the brewing rivalry that’s building toward the Sept. 13 climax when the Buckeyes and Trojans collide at the L.A. Coliseum.
Carson started it all when he told an L.A. radio station, “I cannot stand the Buckeyes.”
He took a step back and dealt the respect card a couple days later. On Sunday, he stepped forward — again.
“It was an interesting week,” Palmer said. “I got home (to Cincinnati) and there was Jim Tressel’s book (‘The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life’) . One of my neighbors left a copy of his book on my doorstep. I didn’t have a chance to read it. I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to it. It was a funny gesture.”
At the pre-training camp luncheon last week, Bengals president Mike Brown — speaking to Palmer through the media — reminded Carson that his father, Paul Brown, was head coach at Ohio State from 1941-43, guiding the Buckeyes to the 1942 national title and two straight victories over the Trojans.
Has Palmer heard from Mike yet?
“I haven’t talked to him about it,” Carson said. “But Sept. 13, Mike and I have a lot of business to take care of before that game. I’m sure we’ll have a little bit of dialogue and he’ll try to explain why his team will come out with a victory, and I’ll try to explain why my team will come out with a victory. We’ll see what happens on the the 13th.
Is Palmer surprised that Buckeye fans went berserk over his comments?
“Yeah. I was surprised, but the Buckeye fans are just as passionate as the SC fans,” he added. “They have a lot of pride in their school, a lot of pride in their university and their team, and vice-versa. Same thing in L.A. We have a lot of pride in our university and I can’t wait until the 13th. It’ll be exciting.”
Any worry you’ll get booed at Paul Brown Stadium … or, worse, get hurt?
“I don’t care. If people are going to take it that serious, that’s up to them. It was all in good fun,” Palmer said. “I live in Ohio and it doesn’t mean I have to be a Buckeye fan. I went to the University of Southern California and I’m going to cheer for them and have pride in my school, just as they have pride in their school.
“People take a lot of things too seriously, and it’s just another thing that got blown out of proportion. I’m going to keep having fun with it. If people are still going to be upset about it, that’s their decision. I’m going to keep having fun with it and hopefully celebrate on the 13th.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Anti-Bucks law firm of C.P & C.P.
USC & MICHIGAN:
A COMBINED EFFORT
After Carson Palmer’s message to Ohio State fans — “Fight on!” (the title of USC’s fight song) — he was reminded that his Bengals teammate, Michigan man Chris Perry, doesn’t like Ohio State, either.
“I don’t blame him,” Palmer said.
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Beat writers’ ‘Battle of the Bands’
A LITTLE BIT O’ FUN
SPELLS R-E-L-I-E-F
Kevin Goheen, formerly of The Post in Cincinnati, holds degrees from Bowling Green State University and Northern Kentucky University.
Joe Kay of The Associated Press is an Ohio University Bobcat.
C. Trent Rosecrans of Clear Channel (Cincinnati) Communications, Inc., is a University of Georgia Bulldog.
Mark Curnutte of The Enquirer is a Miami University RedHawk.
Chick Ludwig of the Dayton Daily News is an Ohio State University Buckeye.
And so in honor of the Ohio State-Southern Cal feud fueled by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer, We, The Writers, who cover this club, amused ourselves in the press box on Sunday by cranking out Fight Songs in a “Battle of the Bands” competition in the late afternoon hours of check-in day at Georgetown (Ky.) College.
Covering the Bengals is “Armageddon Every Day,” but we try to have a Lil Fun along the way.
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A creature of habit —- DENIED!
THE CHICKSTER SHUT OUT;
TWENTY MINUTES TOO LATE
I’m a creature of habit. My first stop — EVERY YEAR AT TRAINING CAMP, after checking into my hotel room — is the Subway sandwich shop, attached to the Shell gas station, in Georgetown, Ky.
I’m dying for my annual steak ‘n’ cheese sub with pickles, lettuce, banana peppers, a dash of pepper and a splash of hot mustard.
Umm, I could almost taste it on the drive down from “Lil D” — Dayton, Ohio.
Departure from Dayton on Saturday: 8 p.m.
Arrival in G-town on Saturday: 10 p.m.
Wheel into Shell station, 10:20 p.m.
Then the fatal announcement: “Sorry, Subway’s closed.”
WHAT? YOU’VE GOTTA BE KIDDIN’ ME?
How can Subway be OPEN ALL NIGHT during the week and be closed at 10 p.m. on a Saturday?
Folks, that’s what we’re fightin’ down here!
Had to settle for a double cheeseburger and large chili — take-out, of course — at the Waffle House.
It wasn’t all bad.
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Check-in day: Chad quiet, Rivers holds out, Whitworth deal ‘done’
PALMER STILL ‘HAVING FUN’
AT OHIO STATE’S EXPENSE
As expected, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson didn’t speak to the media on check-in day at training camp at Georgetown College on Sunday.
First-round draft pick Keith Rivers officially became a holdout; quarterback Carson Palmer got a couple more digs in on Ohio State; and left guard Andrew Whitworth confirmed he’s agreed to a contract extension.
Whitworth’s deal tops out at $30 million and keeps him with the club through 2013.
“It’s done. I just haven’t signed it yet,” Whitworth told the Dayton Daily News.
Extending Whitworth and DT Domata Peko ($30.3 million through 2014) are positive signs that the club is focused on keeping its nucleus of young, talented, good-character players intact.
“It’s great,” Whitworth said. “It’s a commitment on their part, and a commitment by me. It’s just a real exciting opportunity to be here even longer.
“Some of the young guys we’ve gotten here the last couple of years are really good guys on and off the field … exciting young talent. It’s really promising for what we have in our future.”
AND NOW … before I delve into the Alan Cutler Memorial Ice Box in the press box at Georgetown College for a refreshing bottle of Gatorade, here are some highlights from check-in day:
—-The only player who isn’t here is Rivers. Bengals negotiators put the finishing touches on a four-year deal with third-round pick Andre Caldwell, but couldn’t come to terms with Rivers by the 1 p.m. check-in time.
—-Wide receiver Chad Johnson breezed into his dorm room, carrying a pillow, Xbox 360 and a couple of plastic bags from K-mart … and didn’t utter a word to anybody.
—-Palmer had this message for Ohio State Buckeyes football fans: “Fight on!” That’s the USC Trojans’ rallying cry and the title of the school’s fight song. When Palmer arrived from California, a present was waiting for him: “The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life,” authored by Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.
“One of my neighbors left the book on my doorstep,” Palmer said. “I didn’t have a chance to read it. I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to it. but it was kind of a funny gesture.”
Palmer, who said he “cannot stand the Buckeyes” in a recent interview on an L.A. radio station, said he’s not worried about a few boos from Buckeyes fans at Paul Brown Stadium.
“I don’t care,” he said. “If people are going to take it that serious, that’s up to them. It was all in good fun. Like i said, I live in Ohio. It doesn’t mean I have to be a Buckeye fan. I went to the University of Southern California and I’m going to cheer for them. I have a lot of pride in that school just as they have pride in their school.
“People take a lot of things too seriously and it’s just another thing that kind of got blown out of proportion. I’m going to keep having fun with it. if people are going to be upset about it, that’s their decision. But I’m going to keep having fun with it and hopefully celebrate on the 13th (of September when the Buckeyes and Trojans collide).”
—-Does Carson have any pranks set up for his younger brother, Jordan, who is trying to make the squad as the third-string quarterback? Jordan was drafted last year by the Washington Redskins, but got released before the season opener.
“He doesn’t think he’s a rookie,” Carson said. “I’ve tried to stress to him that he is a rookie because he doesn’t have an accredited year yet. It’ll be interesting to see how it all unfolds. I’m going to figure out something to do. I’m not going to let you guys know because you guys will spoil the surprise. But they’ll be some good stuff going on in the quarterback room.”
—-A reporter told Palmer that Chris Perry — Bengals running back from Michigan — doesn’t like Ohio State either.
“I don’t blame him,” Palmer said.
—-T.J. Houshmandzadeh brought only the necessities. “A comforter, another pillow, toiletries and a change of clothes,” he said.
Any special shampoo for his long, black hair? Nope.
“Water comb and a brush is all I need,” he said.
—-Why is FOX Sports Net (FSN) following Bengals strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe around camp?
Well, FSN is televising four training camp shows, plus a season preview show.
“It’s called Bengals Camp ‘08 and one of our segments is with Chinedum as our host,” FSN producer Brian Hunterman said. “That’s what we’re doing today.”
—-Wide receiver Andre Caldwell was relieved to get his four-year contract done.
“I want to get here on time and get me a position,” Caldwell said.
How much did he sign for?
“Enough,” he said.
—-Defensive end Antwan Odom climbed out of his BMW and lugged a flat-screen TV into his dorm.
“I’ve got to have a TV to watch,” he said.
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The ‘Toilet Bowl Killers’
THE CHICKSTER’S FIRED UP
ON CHECK-IN DAY AT CAMP
I’m sitting at the desk of my second floor hotel room in Georgetown, Ky., cranking out this memo to loyal LUDWIG AT LARGE readers on Sunday morning, July 27.
I’m scheduled to go on WLW radio with Ken Broo at 10:15 a.m., then I’ll head over to Georgetown College’s East Campus Athletic Complex for the Cincinnati Bengals’ check-in day at training camp.
I love check-in day for three reasons.
One … it’s a loose and relaxed atmosphere as the players prepare for the blood, sweat & cheers that begin Monday with practices from 9-11 a.m. and 7-9 p.m.
Two … it’s the only day of training camp where the media gets to hang out by the players’ dormitories. We have great access to players and coaches here. But after today, interviews with players outside their dorms are a No-No.
Three … we get to re-live the “TBK MYSTERY” — again. Offensive linemen Levi Jones, Willie Anderson, Bobbie Williams and Stacy Andrews are the “Toilet Bowl Killers.” They share a quad in the G-town dorms. At least once each training camp, the toilet gets clogged. The sneaky culprit never gets caught.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Packin’ up the Chevy, but first…
A FEW CHOICE WORDS
ABOUT FOUR STUDS
CHRIS HENRY
Let’s not kid ourselves here.
Bengals president Mike Brown wanted him back.
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis didn’t want him back.
Lewis won the battle.
“The world is divided up between redeemers and non-redeemers,” Brown told the media at the Bengals’ pre-training camp luncheon at Paul Brown Stadium. “I happen to be a redeemer. I believe people can be made better and right. If that’s a fault, so be it.”
According to Carlos “Big C” Holmes, proprietor of the BigCProFootball.com Web site, Brown stayed in constant touch with Henry’s agent, Marvin Frazier, throughout Henry’s recent legal battle.
When Henry’s assault charge was dropped in Hamilton County court, the Bengals nearly took him back.
“That’s the skinny,” Big C says.
Big C should know. He works the underground like Dies Drear.
Look for Henry to surface in Baltimore because his former wide receivers coach in Cincinnati — Hue Jackson — is the quarterbacks coach for the Ravens.
Baltimore has strong veteran leadership in the locker room.
What do the Bengals have?
Guys gone Hollywood.
CARSON PALMER
Don’t look for the “I cannot stand the Buckeyes” controversy to blow over anytime soon.
LUDWIG AT LARGE appreciates this blog post by Dayton Daily News colleague Dave Larsen.
Larsen penned the gem — Ohio State’s Gee tackles Carson Palmer issue — on Wednesday, July 23.
Earlier that day, Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee visited with the Dayton Daily News editorial board and was asked about Palmer’s biting comments:
“It shows how powerful we are, when you love to hate us,” Gee said. “Now, of course, I will be interested to see how he survives in Ohio over the next season. The biggest complement you can have is when people get outraged about how much support you have and how good your teams are.”
Larsen wrote that Gee said there are 11 million Ohioans “and every one of them is a Buckeye on Saturday afternoon.”
“Everybody,” wrote Larsen, “but Palmer, that is.”
Check out:
KEITH RIVERS
As of this writing, Rivers — the Bengals’ first-round draft pick who is penciled in as the starting weakside linebacker — joins third-round wide receiver Andre Caldwell as the only two rookie draft picks who haven’t reached agreement on contracts.
Second-round wide receiver Jerome Simpson, third-round defensive tackle Pat Sims, fourth-round offensive tackle Anthony Collins and sixth-round free safety Corey Lynch are expected to sign when they arrive at Georgetown College on Sunday, July 27.
Bengals negotiators Katie and Troy Blackburn, and Paul H. Brown, are trying to hammer out deals with Rivers and Caldwell in an attempt to get them on the field by 9 a.m. Monday.
If Rivers holds out, it’ll mean more snaps for backup WLBs Brandon Johnson and Jim Maxwell.
Susan Pearson — Maxwell’s aunt in Charlotte, N.C. — has to love hearing that news.
CHICK LUDWIG
As soon as I hit I-75 south near the Dayton Mall, I will crank UP the volume on the CD player in my Chevy.
Batting lead-off: Eric Carmen and The Raspberries’ “Go All The Way.”
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2393
Why? Because that song instantly transforms me to 1972, my freshman year at The Ohio State University,
I had a great four years as an Evans Scholar. Four straight Rose Bowls, but only one win — 42-21 over the USC Trojans on Jan. 1, 1974.
I WAS THERE!!! … with my roomie, Steve “Tizzy” Hewitt.
GET ‘EM, SCHOLARS!
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3 guys I feel sorry for
DUNGY’S CUT-THROAT
JUST LIKE ALL THE REST
SNEAKY COLTS STRIKE AGAIN
ONE — KENNY IRONS
The second I met him at rookie minicamp in 2007, I instantly liked him.
Personality-plus, Kenny was never, ever, ever without a smile on his face. Even through his difficult rehab from a torn left ACL suffered last August in Detroit.
When he went down at Ford Field, I was instantly reminded of Aug. 17, 1995, when first-round draft pick Ki-Jana Carter suffered a torn left ACL. Remember that?
Here’s hoping Irons clears waivers, gets re-signed by the Bengals, goes placed on season-ending Injured Reserve and rehabs his way back onto the 53-man roster and reaches his full potential as an NFL running back.
TWO — JOSH BETTS
Those daggum, dadburn Indianapolis Colts — THE SNEAKIEST TEAM IN THE NFL, BY F-A-R — struck again.
Just like you knew they would.
They knifed Greg Zolman (Vanderbilt University, Miamisburg High School) a few years ago, then repeated the act against Josh Betts.
Colts president Bill Polian and head coach Tony Dungy slit Betts’ throat, then went out and had themselves a spaghetti dinner.
Peyton Manning’s surgery was supposed to be good news for Betts, the Miami of Ohio quarterback from Vandalia Butler High School near Dayton. He was supposed to get more reps and more snaps in competition with Jim Sorgi as Manning’s top backup.
Betts is a gamer, a tough kid with a strong arm. Sorgi couldn’t dent a wet napkin with his strongest throw.
So what happens? Naturally, the Colts sign QBs Quinn Gray (Jacksonville) and Jared “the Hefty Lefty” Lorenzen (Giants), and release Betts.
Now that Betts is gone, someone else will have to make Manning’s sandwiches. Someone else will have to puree Manning’s Smoothies. Betts did both.
Dungy, like so many folks in the NFL, wears CHRISTIANITY on his sleeve and uses RELIGION for his soap box. Both are deeply, intensely private matters, yet he continues to force BOTH down our throats in public settings. He’s a great guy and outstanding coach, but he needs to keep his religious filibuster tangents to himself.
In the end, Dungy’s just like every coach in the NFL. Win at all costs, yet he does it cloaked in a religious veil.
Does that make him a football fraud? That’s for you to decide. My mind’s already made up.
THREE — AARON RODGERS
“A-Rod” was the Green Bay Packers’ first-round pick (No. 24 overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft.
He spent three years being groomed under the wing of that interception machine known as Brett Favre.
The 2008 NFL season is Rodgers’ time to shine.
The Packers need to cut ties with Favre in a trade, and place all their love and confidence in Rodgers.
UNTIL NEXT TIME…
This is “The Chickster” saying, “Make Love, Not War; Give Peace a Chance; and Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at (937) 225-2253 or email cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Shocker: Bengals waive TB Kenny Irons
AFTER A TORN ACL IN ‘07,
IRONS KICKED TO CURB
AFTER FAILING PHYSICAL
In a shocking move announced Friday morning, July 25, 2008, the Cincinnati Bengals released tailback Kenny Irons after he failed the team’s physical exam earlier this week.
According to a new release from the club, Irons’ abrupt exit falls under the category of “Waived/Failed Physical.”
Irons, the Bengals’ second-round draft pick (No. 49 overall) out of Auburn University in the 2007 NFL Draft, has been unable to play or practice since suffering a torn ACL in his left knee in the 2007 preseason opener on Aug. 9, 2007, at Detroit.
Irons, one of the stars of last summer’s training camp, spent his ’07 rookie season on Cincinnati’s Injured Reserve list, and has been rehabilitating the left-knee injury ever since.
His release thins out the glut of running backs on the roster heading into training camp.
Rudi Johnson enters camp as the starter followed by Kenny Watson, Chris Perry, James Johnson and DeDe Dorsey.
Dorsey, who has lingering soreness from a pulled hamstring suffered during June’s mandatory, full-squad minicamp, is expected to be the only player not ready to practice on Monday, July 28 — the club’s first day of training camp at Georgetown (Ky.) College.
Monday’s double practice session is scheduled for 9-11 a.m. and 7-9 p.m.
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Chick’s Fabulous Football Glossary
A FANS’ GUIDE TO THE
‘LANGUAGE OF FOOTBALL’
===Football has a language all its own and many don’t understand the gridiron mumbo-jumbo. It is a foreign language. It is Sanskrit. Well, LUDWIG AT LARGE is here to help with the interpretation of it all. So sit back, relax and enjoy CHICK LUDWIG’S FABULOUS FOOTBALL GLOSSARY===
Audible — A quarterback changing the play at the line of scrimmage as dictated by the defense. It’s built into the QB’s voice tone or cadence. He can use a color system or a number system. QBs also use a “check-with-me” where they call two plays in the huddle and check to the one they want at the line of scrimmage.
Bracketing — A double-team designed to take a receiver out of a play. One defender is in front of the receiver and another defender is behind the receiver. The double-team can also take place from side-to-side. Defenses will bracket a top receiver in an attempt to shut him down.
Chip — It’s not a full-body block. It’s a help-block — usually by a running back on a defensive end to give the QB more protection. A chip helps the offensive tackle secure the corner. It dictates that the back takes a piece of the defensive lineman and then continues his other assignment, which is normally a pass route.
Downhill — It’s attacking the line of scrimmage. Term mainly refers to linebackers and running backs. Linebackers must be ready to take on a block, get separation and move toward the line of scrimmage with force.
Eight in a box — Defenses have a “front seven” — three or four linemen and three or four linebackers. When the strong safety moves up toward the line of scrimmage to help stop a tailback, he becomes the “eighth man in the box.” It’s a perfect time for the QB to audible to a pass play.
Fire Zone — It’s a combination blitz and zone by the defense. A defender who is normally a pass rusher — such as an end — drops off the line of scrimmage into zone coverage, while a linebacker blitzes. It’s designed to confuse the QB because one defender is blitzing while another is dropping into zone coverage.
Go — A deep pass pattern, also known as a streak, fly or “home run” where the wide receiver attempts to outrun the cornerback in a lane straight down the field.
Hot reads — When a QB reads too many blitzers for the pass protection to pick up. It’s the QB’s responsibility to get rid of the ball quickly prior to the free man getting to him. It’s something both the QB and receiver must see. Upon seeing it, the wideout breaks off the pattern into a “hot” or quick route.
Intentional grounding — QBs in the area between the left and right tackle — known as the “tackle box” — get this penalty when they throw the ball away to avoid a sack. However, they are allowed to take the snap and quickly spike the ball, without penalty, to kill the clock. They are also allowed to throw the ball away, without penalty, as long as they are flushed outside the tackle box.
Jam — A cornerback uses his hands and arms to re-route a wide receiver and disrupt the timing of his pattern. It must be done within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage or it’s a penalty. Wide receivers are always trying to escape the jam.
Keys — Anything an offense does with regularity that gives a defensive player a head start on what play might be coming. It could be an alignment (the way the offensive line lines up) or a certain package (3 or 4 wide receivers).
Leverage — It’s important for a lineman on either side of the ball to burst off the line of scrimmage and get below the opposing player’s shoulder pads. The guy who plays lower has better “leverage” and normally wins the battle.
Mike — The middle linebacker. His “brothers” are Sam (strong-side linebacker) and Will (weak-side linebacker).
Nickel — A fifth defensive back in a passing situation. He’s normally a cornerback who replaces the strong-side linebacker.
Out — It’s a pass pattern in which the receiver goes upfield and breaks toward the sideline against man-to-man coverage. It consists of three levels. A quick out is 3-to-5 yards off the line of scrimmage. A speed out is a 10-yard pattern. A “comeback” is a 15- to 20-yard out where the receiver comes back to catch the ball.
Progressions — A quarterback, in quick succession, reads his primary, secondary and outlet receiver. After going through his progressions, he delivers the ball — usually within 3 seconds.
Quarterback sack — The QB is tackled behind the line of scrimmage. If the QB runs out of bounds for a loss, the nearest chasing defender gets credit for a sack.
Reps — Short for “repetitions.” Reps are your number of turns in practice; the amount of snaps you’re receiving.
Spill — A defensive term in which a defender absorbs a block, forcing the play to bounce or “spill” to the outside.
Trips — Three receivers clustered on one side of a formation. Thus, “trips left” or “trips right.”
UFA — An unrestricted free agent. Players with at least four accrued seasons of NFL experience whose contracts expire are UFAs.
Vertical — The downfield passing game. There are four vertical lanes down the field. By going vertical, an offense attacks those lanes. It’s also a route designed to hit a receiver in full stride down the field. There’s no curl or hook to a vertical.
Wash — An unflattering term for a defender who can’t hold his position and gets “washed” out of a play. Either he can’t recover from a block or he runs too far past a play.
X receiver — The split end.
Y receiver — The slot end or tight end.
Z receiver — The flanker. He’s the wide receiver on the tight end side in the standard set.
(Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals for the Dayton Daily News. Contact him at cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com)
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‘He Hate Me,’ and much, much more
RESPECT IS BETTER
THAN BEING LIKED
LUDWIG AT LARGE is beginning to feel like Rod Smart.
You remember Torrold D. “Rod” Smart. He used “He Hate Me” as his jersey name when he played for the XFL Las Vegas Outlaws.
I’m using it now, too, to explain Cleveland Browns fans’ feelings for me.
They dislike me, VERY INTENSELY, for the 273-word “Audible” column I wrote in the July 21, 2008, editions of the Dayton Daily News in which I predicted the Browns would be the first AFC North Division team to implode in 2008.
To view the original column — it’s interesting reading, in my opinion, and serves the purpose of providing excellent bulletin-board material for the Browns and their famously strong fan base — please point your Web browser to:
For Smart’s explanation of “He Hate Me,” go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Smart
ONE TOUGH RAVEN
One of my favorite sports columnists is Mike Preston, my friend and colleague at The (Baltimore) Sun.
He named five members of the Ravens he’d want to go to war with.
One of ‘em is Marshal Yanda, a Ravens offensive tackle from Iowa.
In Preston’s words:
Marshal Yanda is No. 4, but could easily be No. 1. Word has it — and there is truth to it — that teammates bet Yanda last season that he couldn’t handle getting hit by a taser gun. Not only did Yanda handle it once for three seconds, but two more times afterwards before finally collecting $1,500 from some of his teammates.
“You got to have those kind of crazy people on your team,” said (cornerback Samari) Rolle. “Yanda is nuts.”
To view Preston’s “Fab Five,” go to:
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/blog/2008/07/top5tough_ravens.html
MY FAVORITE BEN-GAL CHEERLEADER …
SARAH!!!
It was a pleasure meeting her at Willie’s Sports Cafe in Independence, Ky., in 2007 during my guest appearance for WCKY-AM (1530 Homer The Sports Animal) on the Lance McAlister show.
Check out photos of the Ben-Gals and let me know your favorite(s).
http://www.bengals.com/cheerleaders/Ben-Gals.asp
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A fall Saturday in The Great Smokies
THE CHICKSTER PAUSES
TO BLEED A LITTLE ORANGE;
(VOLS’ ORANGE, NOT BROWNS)
LUDWIG AT LARGE is an Ohio State Buckeye (Class of ‘76) and devout follower of The Big Ten Conference, but today I salute Tennessee Volunteers fan “JT” for commenting on my blog about Dewey Warren and the Vols’ tradition.
I visited Knoxville, Tenn., in the mid-1990s when I had the opportunity to cover Wright State University’s baseball team in the NCAA Division I tournament.
The Raiders beat North Carolina State, lost a close, tough, hard-fought night game to the Arizona State Sun Devils, then got eliminated in a rematch against N.C. State’s Wolfpack.
I had an absolute blast, touring the UT campus, combing through the bowels of Neyland Stadium and dining at Calhoun’s restaurant at 400 Neyland Drive. Punished some barbecue spare ribs and picked up a Calhoun’s “Taste of Tennessee” pilsner glass for my ever-growing collection.
I can only imagine what it’s like to experience a Vols’ game on a Saturday in the fall in the Great Smoky Mountains. I know this: I’d die happy in orange-and-white checkerboard heaven.
Someday, I hope to get there.
As of right now, I’ve got this little problem.
It’s a great problem to have.
Covering the Cincinnati Bengals.
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Blue Adams ‘knifed,’ as in cut
NUMBERS GAME WASN’T
HIS ONLY PROBLEM
Too often injured and too many penalties spelled doom for Blue Adams.
The Bengals on Thursday, July 24, terminated the contract of the fifth-year veteran cornerback from the University of Cincinnati, releasing him to free agency.
Adams also got trapped in a numbers game. With Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall penciled in as starters, and Deltha O’Neal and David Jones the top backups, and college free agent Simeon Castille coming on strong, Adams was too far down the depth chart to be considered a factor.
Adams played in 13 games last season in his first year with the Bengals. He recorded seven tackles on defense, 11 special teams tackles and a special teams forced fumble.
He also got hammered with five penalties for 65 yards. He brought out the yellow hankie for roughing the passer, an illegal block above the waist, unnecessary roughness, defensive holding and a low block.
Blue was a good guy to have with you in a back-alley brawl, but his penchant for penalties was a sign that he too often played undisciplined.
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What Browns fans must realize
LEAGUE WILL CATCH UP
WITH QB DEREK ANDERSON
Rabid Cleveland Browns fan Jason Smith just E-mailed me with this subject line:
“Here we go Brownies…”
Jason said that if he had a rubber hose, he would beat me into a … (he never finished the thought) … and that I should quit my job and take a position on the “second-shift, clean-up crew” at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Although I’d appreciate that opportunity at a promotion, I like what I’ve been doing for 29 years and 2 months — writing sports for the Dayton Daily News.
And I’m pleased to impart this warning to Browns fans:
Quarterback Derek Anderson rocked the NFL in 2007 with an outstanding Pro Bowl season. He’s tough and aggressive, shows excellent poise in the pocket, and has terrific arm strength.
But know this: AS WE SPEAK, Cleveland’s opponents — defensive players and defensive coaches — are studying the swashbucklin’ dude who wears uniform No. 3 in burnt orange and seal brown. His footwork, throwing motion and tendencies.
My prediction is the league will catch up to him and he’ll have a sub-par year.
It happened to Carson Palmer in 2006. It’ll happen to Derek Anderson in 2008.
And I’ll stick to my guns that 9-7 wins the AFC North Division.
Steelers 9-7
Bengals 9-7
Browns 8-8
Ravens 6-10
Browns fans deserve to have high hopes after a 10-6 record in 2007. But, simply put, they need to prepare themselves for a huge letdown.
PLEASE NOTE — In exchange for this sound advice, I’d appreciate some tasty Cotton Club Ginger Ale from NE Ohio. It’s nectar from the gods.
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Nicknames: Legend of ‘The Swamp Rat’
ICKEY, SPEEDY & SUKI;
BOOBIE, BOOMER & THE TOOL;
LEAPIN’, RATTLER & FO-ROCK
===LUDWIG AT LARGE ALERT: Coming Friday, Chick Ludwig’s Fabled Football Glossary revealed on his 54th birthday.===
There was Bill “The Spoiler” Staley, Phil Leon “Chip” Myers, Charles “Boobie” Clark and Norman Julius “Boomer” Esiason.
There was Vern “Suki” Holland, Alfred “The Condor” Williams, “Flyin’ Brian” Pillman and Louis Timothy “Speedy” Thomas III.
There was Elbert “Ickey” Woods, Cris “Cadillac” Collinsworth, Paul “Straight Runner” Robinson and Dave “The Tool” Lapham.
There was “Leapin’ Lemar” Parrish, Ken “The Rattler” Riley, David “Fo-Rock” Fulcher and Jack “The Throwin’ Samoan” Thompson.
But my favorite Bengals nickname belongs to former University of Tennessee quarterback Dewey Warren…
“THE SWAMP RAT.”
Warren was an original Bengal, playing one season as a sixth-round selection (No. 155 overall) in the 1968 AFL Expansion Draft.
He went on to become the architect of Brigham Young University’s high-powered offense as an assistant to head coach LaVell Edwards.
After coaching at BYU, Kansas State, Tennessee and the University of the South, 63-year-old Dewey is a sports radio talk-show host in Knoxville, Tenn., waxing eloquently about his beloved Volunteers in Big Orange Country.
Legend has it that Warren made love to a stewardess under a blanket on a Bengals’ team flight in 1968. Although Warren denies it — he admits to flirting, but claims there was no intimacy involved — the story still has legs among his former Cincinnati teammates after all these years.
IN DEWEY WARREN’S WORDS:
“I’m from Savannah, Ga., and I lived on the water. When I was a sophomore in high school (Jenkins High School in Savannah), I was about three or four minutes late for practice one day, and the coach happened to say, ‘You’re like an old swamp rat out there on the swamps. From now on, don’t be late again.’
“That was the last time I was ever late for practice. I’m never late, but I happened to be late that day. The players caught up with it and heard it. He kind of did it to embarrass me, I suppose. So the players picked it up in 1961 and I’ve had it ever since.”
For more on the immortal Dewey Warren and the legend of “The Swamp Rat,” point your Web browser to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dewey_Warren
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Rookie holdouts are playing with fire
W-A-R-N-I-N-G!
GET TO CAMP ON TIME
OR RUIN YOUR CAREERS
===LUDWIG AT LARGE ALERT: Coming Friday, July 25, 2008, I will celebrate my 54th birthday by delivering “CHICK LUDWIG’S FABLED FOOTBALL GLOSSARY.” It’s my blog party, and I’ll cry if I want to.===
This is neither a plea nor a request …
This is neither an appeal nor a demand …
It is simply a pure, unadulterated statement of fact:
Rookie draft picks who hold out for any length of time struggle their freshman NFL seasons.
So here’s my overture to the Cincinnati Bengals’ remaining six unsigned rookies…WLB Keith Rivers, WR Jerome Simpson, DT Pat Sims, WR Andre Caldwell, OT Anthony Collins and FS Corey Lynch.
If you want to make the 53-man roster and not just play in 2008 — but have a positive impact — you had better get your Bengal butts signed in time for the first training camp practice — 9 a.m. Monday, July 28, at Georgetown (Ky.) College.
This year’s camp lasts 19 days (July 28-Aug. 15). It’s the shortest in memory. It’s “The Big Squeeze.” The learning curve will be swift. You miss a day; you miss a lot.
Know this, studs: You’re all slotted. You’re all budgeted for by the club’s cap-ologists Katie & Troy Blackburn. Your agents are all angling to get you an extra penny here, an extra nickel there. an extra dime everywhere. My advice is get your signing bonus NOW, bank it, and get to work.
Think of the money you could’ve ALREADY MADE IN INTEREST ALONE!
If you hold out, you’re dead. Don’t think so? Try it and you’ll see. Just ask …
David Pollack — Missed all of camp in 2005 and never caught up. His career is over because of a serious neck injury.
Chris Perry — Suffered a hamstring injury shortly after ending his holdout. He’s played in 22 games in 4 years.
Akili Smith — Held out for nearly three weeks, then became biggest bust in franchise history. Career ended after 4 ugly years.
Justin Smith — Ended 50-day holdout on the eve of the 2001 opener. He never matched his rookie total of 8.5 sacks.
LUDWIG AT LARGE will climb down off his high horse now, shut up and let loyal readers get on with their busy day’s work.
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Browns fans smell blood — mine!
LOTS OF ‘DEADICATED’
BROWNS FANS; OOPS!
SORRY FOR MISSPELLING
===LUDWIG AT LARGE ALERT: Coming Friday, July 25, 2008, I will celebrate my 54th birthday by delivering “CHICK LUDWIG’S FABLED FOOTBALL GLOSSARY.” It’s my blog party, and I can cry if I want to.===
From D.R.: “Chick, your article blew me away. You got raw talent, kid. I was wondering if you can predict how many Bengal players will be in jail this year, and how many people think you’re a dummy. You must have been in a hurry to write this half-ass prediction. Someone actually pays you to post this crap. Unbelievable!
—-Chick’s response: I’m very lucky to earn a living writing sports. You’re even luckier to have the opportunity to read it.
From Pat M: “No depth on the offensive line? Are you nuts? Bodden contained Chad Johnson ONE time, and got burned every other time. Look at the stats you hack.”
—-Chick’s response: Leigh Bodden is a big, physical corner skilled at press coverage, and the Browns let him get away. “Here a hack, there a hack, everywhere a hack-hack.”
From Touchdown Tommy H.: “Last year, I E-mailed Paul Daugherty and we made a bet. If the Browns had a better season, he would write on his blog that he was wrong and the Browns were the better team. If the Bengals had a better season, I would concede. Let’s make this fun, Chick! I say the Browns win 11 or 12 games. I also say the Bengals win 6 or 7 games and Marvin Lewis is packing his bags by mid-season. Let me know if you have the acorns to back your words or if you are simply writing nonsense just to have an article.”
—-Chick’s response: Tom, the BET IS ON! You ready to rumble?
From Charlotte R.: “Football hasn’t even started and you are already bad mouthing the Browns. I hope you live to gag on your prediction. Simple questions are the only kind of questions you can comprehend. Believe me, I hope you’re very wrong. I see the Brownies winning 10-12 games. And by the way, tell your quarterback to keep his mouth shut about the Buckeyes.”
—-Chick’s response: “Hush, hush, sweet Charlotte. Charlotte don’t you cry.”
From Robbie S.: “Joe Thomas, Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, Ryan Tucker, Kevin Shaffer, Rex Hadnot, Lennie Friedman, and Seth McKinney. All have the ability to start in the NFL. That’s 8 linemen. Only 5 start. That means the Browns have depth. Oh, and you forgot Robaire Smith. The Browns best D-Linemen last year. And what QB controversy? Derek Anderson is the starter. Brady Quinn is the backup. Your article is not good.”
—-Chick’s response: Glad to see my blog posting struck a nerve. Hey, Robbie, that’s the whole point. Gotcha fired up for football, eh? A job well done.
From Jeffrey A.: “How could you even think you where close in the prediction of the Browns not making the playoffs? The Browns are the only team in the division to make a big jump in talent in the offseason. Even the Steelers have to start realizing they’re not going to win the division this year.”
—-Chick’s response: Sweep the Steelers and I’ll be inflicted with “Believer Fever.”
From Fred R.: “Stick with something you know, like the Bengals. You just sound like a jealous Bengals fan. The Bengals will always be losers with tight-fisted Mike Brown as the owner. The Bengals and Reds are the ‘Cincinnati Bookends.’ The Browns may implode during the season, but the Bengals have already imploded.”
—-Chick’s response: Fifty-one years as a Browns fan? Freddie, I applaud and salute your valor. You deserve a medal of honor and lots of combat pay. I’ll have Chad send you a bottle of Pepto-Bismol.
From Larry K.: “Hopefully, you’re dead wrong about your prediction. If we do start at 1-3 or even 0-4 and finish at 8-8, our fans will still be there in full support of our team unlike those “other” so called fans who start off every season pounding their chests, ‘Rah, rah, Who-Dey!’ “
—-Chick’s response: Top Dawg, I like your style. Who Dey think gonna beat dem Browns? Cincy and Pitt, of course.
From Ted A.: “Chick, what are you smokin’? The Browns will be 4-0 going into their WEEK 5 bye! Guess who’ll be in last? Yep…the Cincinnati Bungles! Who Dey? Who Else? Put that in your pipe and smoke it. GO BROWNS GO! WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!”
—-Chick’s response: Teddy Dawg, your bark is bigger than your bite. Your woofin’ is like coffee. Keeps me awake & alert. Oh, and to answer your question: A vanilla-flavored Hav-A-Tampa. Thanks for asking. Cheers.
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Palmer: ‘I really do respect the Buckeyes’
PALMER BACKPEDALS,
IF ONLY SLIGHTLY
Carson Palmer set the record straight on Tuesday, July 22.
He didn’t apologize for ripping Ohio State during a recent interview on a Los Angeles radio station. But he sure came close.
Palmer said he respects the Buckeyes, and looks forward to a monster game at the “Coli” (L.A. Coliseum) on Saturday, Sept. 13.
“I’m a Trojan all the way, and I was talking to a Trojan audience in California,” Palmer said through Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan. “I guess I got a little fired up, as all good fans will do.
“But I really do respect the Buckeyes, and I know their fans are passionate, too. I hope they all understand I’m just looking forward to a big game for my school against a very tough opponent, and that it’s all in the good fun of a rivalry. You don’t have a real rivalry unless both sides are great teams.”
Mike Brown — whose father, Paul, was head coach at Ohio State from 1941-43, leading the Buckeyes to an 18-8-1 record and the 1942 national championship — was asked if had spoken to Palmer.
“I was going to talk to him through you (the media),” Brown said at the Bengals’ Pre-Training Camp Luncheon. “Tell him that … he might not know that my dad coached at Ohio State and beat USC two years in a row, 33-0 and 28-12. If he wants to make something over that, he knows where he can find me.
“He (Palmer) thought he was in friendly waters, and I think he was. He just didn’t understand the outreach, and it got back here. I don’t think anyone takes that seriously. If they do, they shouldn’t. It’s just having fun.”
NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY? Obviously, Mike doesn’t read “LUDWIG AT LARGE.”
For more information on the 1942 Ohio State national champions, go to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7OqPFa1Pw8&feature=related
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Surf ‘n’ turf, and no Chris Henry
MARVIN WARMS UP TO CHAD;
HENRY NOT COMING BACK
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis embraced Chad Johnson on Tuesday, but distanced himself from suspended wide receiver Chris Henry, who was released by the team on April 3.
Henry said he was interested in returning to the Bengals, but Lewis shot down any notion of Henry’s return to the club.
“I’m not interested in bringing him back,” Lewis said at the Bengals’ Pre-Training Camp Luncheon in the East Club Lounge at Paul Brown Stadium. “I don’t think (it would be) productive for our football team. You have to be a productive part to be an NFL player, and there’s responsibilities to being an NFL player. It’s a privilege. It’s not a right. There’s a lot that comes with being an NFL football player.”
Lewis has been receiving text messages on his cell phone from Johnson, a sign the two have grown closer after a turbulent offseason. Johnson has backed off his trade demands and claims he’ll report to training camp on Sunday, July 27,
“It’s time to play football and get ready to play football,” Lewis said. “That’s what he does. He’s a very, very good player. I’m excited for him to cleanse his mind and get back to having fun, and playing football the way he knows how to play it.”
LUNCHEON HIGHLIGHTS
Bengals president Mike Brown broke the tension when he stepped to the podium, unraveled a sheet of paper and said he had a message to deliver to the gathered media:
“It’s says, ‘Go Bucks!” Brown said. “It’s signed by Carson Palmer.”
Palmer recently criticized Ohio State during an interview on a Los Angeles radio station.
Among the Bengals’ goals for 2008, besides winning the AFC North, according to Lewis:
Eliminate explosive plays and tackle better on defense.
Take care of the football and establish the line of scrimmage on offense.
Translation: Become a faster, smarter and more physical defense, and a ball-control offense — with the ability to throw deep — that doesn’t turn the ball over.
Special teams coach Darrin Simmons is looking for a more explosive kick-return game. Glenn Holt (kickoff returner) and Antonio Chatman (punt returner) are the incumbents, but Andre Caldwell and Deltha O’Neal will get a shot at returning kickoffs and punts, respectively.
First-year defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will operate a base 4-3, but he’s looking at creative ways to get more pressure on the quarterback after the unit recorded a league-low 22 sacks in 2007.
Lewis said, “We enter this season as healthy as we’ve ever been — that I can remember.”
Tailbacks Kenny Irons and DeDe Dorsey are the only players who won’t be ready to practice on Monday, July 28.
NOTE — The media dined on mock turtle soup, spinach salad, an entree of surf ‘n’ turf (steak and salmon) and orange sherbet for dessert.
It was the first time in eight years that mock turtle soup was served, dating to 2000 — the final year of the Pre-Training Camp Luncheon at the Queen City Club.
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Triple scoop of ‘Bengal Bashing’
EASY AS ONE, TWO, THREE:
PALMER RIPS OHIO STATE;
MIKE BROWN’S ETIQUETTE;
KING’S TAKE ON ‘SLIM 15’
ONE
I can’t stop laughing at Carson Palmer’s rip-job on Ohio State during his recent guest appearance on a radio show in Los Angeles.
Even funnier is Buckeyes fans’ negative reaction to it. Of course, Buckeye Nation is up in arms. OSU fans are almost as insufferable as Browns fans.
The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback loves his Southern California Trojans as much as Chris Perry loves his Michigan Wolverines and Tyler “Tank” Whaley loves his Ohio State Buckeyes.
All Palmer was doing was talking a little smack. When it comes to the Trojans, he’s biased, protective and extremely intense.
Ohio State faces Southern Cal in the Los Angeles Coliseum on Saturday, Sept. 13, in a nationally-televised game (8 p.m. Eastern) on ABC.
As LUDWIG AT LARGE likes to say, the game isn’t a matter of life or death. It’s more important than that!
“As far as I’m concerned,” one E-mailer wrote me, “Carson’s name is mud. Go Kimo!” (Kimo von Oelhoffen was the ex-Steeler who wrecked Palmer’s left knee in a January 2006 playoff game).
PALMER’S COMMENTS:
“I cannot stand the Buckeyes. It’s amazing to hear what those guys think about that university and what they think about that football program and (OSU coach Jim) Tressel and all the crap I gotta put up with being back there.
“I just can’t wait for two years from now when SC comes to the ‘Shoe and hopefully (the Bengals will) have a home game that weekend and I can go up there and watch us pound on them in their own turf. I’m really getting sick of it and I just can’t wait for this game to get here so they can come out to the Coliseum and experience LA and get an old-fashioned Pac-10 butt-whoopin’ and go back to the Big Ten.”
Check out Carson at:
http://withleather.uproxx.com/post.phtml?pk=6410
TWO
Cincinnati’s WXIX-TV (FOX19) interviewed former Bengals linebacker Reggie Williams before his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Williams was stunned that Bengals president Mike Brown hadn’t congratulated him or reached out to him in the wake of Williams’ health problems.
Williams, Brown and Brown’s daughter — Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn — are all graduates of Dartmouth College.
“Mike, Katie and I attended the same etiquette classes at Dartmouth,” Williams said. “And they don’t get an ‘A’ in etiquette here!”
THREE
Sports Illustrated’s Peter King used former Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry’s comments as one of his “Quotes of the Week.”
“Going back to the Bengals is possible. I wouldn’t mind it happening because I loved playing in Cincinnati. I got real close with all the guys out there and I planned on being out there for a long time. I really had a good time playing ball out there in Ohio.” — Suspended former Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, on the prospect of returning to the team.
“If the Bengals do that,” King writes, “I will personally demand the entire front office be drug-tested.”
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/peter_king/07/20/mmqb/1.html
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Fire-starter ‘Coco’ a bust in Reds’ clothing
40 PITCHES IN NINTH INNING
MEANS ANOTHER BLOWN SAVE
My vote for “Most Disappointing Red” of 2008? Hands down — pitcher Francisco Cordero. Without question. Dude’s a bust. A very expensive bust.
Cordero closes Major League baseball games like golfer Greg Norman closes Major championships.
Cordero blew his sixth save in 26 save opportunities on Monday night in the San Diego Padres’ 6-4 victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Asked to protect a 4-3 lead in the ninth, “Coco” threw a whopping 40 pitches — FORTY! — and retired only two of the seven batters he faced.
Cordero NEVER goes 1-2-3. Every pitch, every batter, every inning is a Ferris Bueller escapade. He’s reminding us of Danny Graves.
The Padres were 0-53 when trailing after eight innings … until Monday night.
Starter Homer Bailey, still looking for his first win of 2008, gets screwed again.
And DON’T GET ME STARTED on Dusty Doubleday.
In my mind, he’ll always be a Dodger, a Giant and a Cub … not a Red.
Wait’ll next year!
NOTE: No wonder Cordero is in the tank. He’s on WONE’s Mark Schlemmer’s fantasy baseball team along with Jay Bruce. Everything “The Skipper” touches turns to dust … ‘cept the microphone, which is his magic wand.
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Brad St. Louis’ father, Mike, dead at age 64
HAD A PASSION FOR LIVING;
DIED DOING WHAT HE LOVED
LUDWIG AT LARGE would like to extend sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of Cincinnati Bengals long-snapper Brad St. Louis, whose father died on July 15, 2008, in a bicycling accident. Mike St. Louis was 64. His funeral was today, July 21, in Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. St. Louis, an All-America offensive tackle at the University of Central Missouri (formerly Central Missouri State University), was a 13th-round pick of the Washington Redskins in the 1968 NFL Draft (No. 338 overall). He played two seasons for the CFL British Columbia Lions before launching a highly-successful career as a high school coach and administrator. Mr. St. Louis had retired to Sun Lakes, Ariz., in 2003.
Bengals fans may sign a guest book at:
http://www.legacy.com/KansasCity/DeathNotices.asp?Page=SearchResults
For more information about Brad St. Louis and the wonderful work his foundation is doing, go to:
http://www.bradstlouis.com/about.html
MIKE ST. LOUIS OBITUARY
COURTESY: KANSAS CITY STAR
Mike St. Louis, 64, of Sun Lakes, Ariz., passed away July 15, 2008, in a cycling accident. Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 20, from 5-7 p.m. at the McGilley Antioch Chapel, 3325 Vivion Road, Kansas City. Funeral will be held on Monday, July 21, at 10 a.m. at McGilley Antioch Chapel. Burial will be at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Lance Armstrong Livestrong Foundation. Mike was born in Kansas City, Mo., on July 31, 1943, the third of six children born to Margaret and John St. Louis. Mike was named football All-American at Central Missouri State and was drafted by the Washington Redskins. He played for the British Columbia Lions for two seasons. He began his coaching career at Lebanon High School in 1970. With stops along the way, Mike moved into high school administration, arriving at Belton High School in 1982. Mike took a school ranked last academically in the greater metropolitan area to the highest scoring school in the area. Belton High School was awarded the Gold Star, Missouri’s highest honor for high schools. Mike also started the Belton little league wrestling program in 1986. During Mike’s time, it became one of the largest, most respected programs in the state. Mike spent five years as principal of Federal Way, Wash., High School, again taking the lowest ranked high school in the district to the highest academically achieving school in the district. Mike retired to Sun Lakes, Ariz., in 2003. He had a passion for living, and competed nationally in bicycling, tennis, and table tennis. Mike was known as a true competitor (okay, so that’s a bit of an understatement!) Simply put, Mike was a winner. If he put his mind to something, it was going to be accomplished. Some of his favorite words to live by were: work ethic, perseverance, dedication, discipline, never give in and always do your best. Mike was the rock of the St. Louis family. His family was always the most important thing in his life. Mike died doing what he loved and was working on one of his next goals. He is survived by his wife Patty, his four children, David, Steve, Kristie and Brad, two stepchildren, Amy and Kathy, 14 grandchildren, his three brothers, Pat, John, and Jim, and his two sisters, Joanne and Judy. (Arr’s made by McGilley Antioch Chapel, at 816 453- 7700.) Published in the Kansas City Star from 7/19/2008 - 7/20/2008.
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Mailbag: Browns fans — unleashed!
BROWNS WON’T IMPLODE;
FANS HAVE TEAM’S BACK
===LUDWIG AT LARGE appreciates the intensity of Cleveland Browns fans, and applauds their international fan base. There are 140 “Browns Backers” clubs in Ohio alone. At the same time, Browns followers — frustrated by the club’s zero Super Bowl appearances — feel a sense of entitlement that makes them among the league’s most insufferable fans.===
REACTION TO “AUDIBLE” COMMENTARY:
From Brian M.: “Well Chuckie, you are either having a dream or exercising some very wishful thinking! Or you are just pandering to the ever dwindling Bungle fan base….which is it? Do me a favor and post a copy of this article on your bulletin board and when the Browns are 3-1 (not 1-3) you can eat *@#$! GO BROWNS!!!”
From Steve E.: “Sir; I thought the reason to play football games was to see who wins. According to you, everyone should stay home because the Browns don’t have a chance. Seems like a very poor thought at this point of the season.”
From Brian S.: “That was pathetic. The Bengals won’t even be in the conversation at the half-way point this season except maybe to talk about Chad Johnson’s antics. The Bengals have no shot this year. The Browns may not live up to all the hype, but it won’t be the way you described in your terrible article, which was about 3rd grade level reading. Leigh Bodden couldn’t cover his shadow last year. The question who will implode is very easy. Just look at #85 and about 8 more arrests this year for the Bungles, and the only question will be who is going to replace Marvin and Chad on the 09’ Bengals. Get a clue Ludwig.”
From Hal J.: “I loved your ‘Audible’ commentary. The reason? I’m a die-hard Bengal fan. Who Dey!”
From John R.: “You should be more professional and keep your personal feelings out of it. Your commentary wasn’t opinion. It was backyard bravado. You stepped over the line. For the first time in ages, a season of hope ahead. All you were doing was poking them in the eye. No team folds like the Bengals.”
From Adam W.: “Hey, Chick, why all the negative press? I grew up in NE Ohio and now call Dayton my home. For once Cleveland fans have something to look forward to and all you do is rain on our parade. It’s sad really. Here’s some advice: If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say anything at all. Let’s be honest here. The Bengals aren’t going to be making a run at the playoffs either.”
From Craig S.: “Chick (that’s a sissy’s name). Read the book, ‘See you at the Top.’ You have a losers limp.”
From Jason S.: In years past, I would respond to the article with an anger-laced tirade, This year, there’s no need. The mere fact that you found it necessary to write an article like that confirms that you feel most threatened by the ‘08 Browns over any other team in the division. I can say with utmost confidence that Phil Savage is one of the top five GMs in the NFL today. Just wait until week 16 rolls around. I’ll send an email to remind you about this prediction, and hopefully you’ll be enough of a good sport to share a laugh with me. I live in San Francisco, but born in Ohio.”
From Chris D.: “Dude, how the hell are you a beat writer for an NFL team? You are so biased toward the Bengals, it’s unbelievable. The Browns will MAKE the playoffs and the Bengals will be sitting their butts at home again. Don’t tell me it’s the schedule either because it is the same except for 2 games. So be prepared for another mediocre 8-8 or less season.”
From Steve S: “The Bengals have too many needs to fix at one time. They could however field a full squad starring in ‘The Longest Yard.’ The Browns need a secondary. Maybe a great pass rush will help them look better than they are. I think Quinn is the man to put in there. Mediocre QBs look All-Pro with receivers and a great line. If Brownies don’t go at least 3-2 in prime time, I owe you a steak dinner. Bengals will be 4-12 this year. You heard it here first. I do enjoy reading your stuff. You’re a man of class and have my respect.”
Permalink | Comments (50) | Post your comment | Categories: NFL
Kinnebrew: The original ‘Hamburglar’
PILLMAN COUGHS UP
BAG OF HAMBURGERS
===LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes Sports Illustrated’s Peter King, who sent me this E-mail with his favorite training camp story. It involves fullback Larry Kinnebrew and linebacker Brian Pillman, a rookie free agent from Miami of Ohio. King covered the Bengals for The Cincinnati Enquirer in 1984.===
IN PETER KING’S WORDS:
“Pillman’s trying to put weight on so he can make the team. He has no money whatsoever, and every night before he goes to bed, he goes to McDonald’s near the Wilmington campus and gets a bunch of cheeseburgers, then goes back to the dorm and scarfs them down. I’m talking four, five cheeseburgers a night. He’s desperate to put some pounds on that skinny frame.
“So one night he pulls into the dorm parking lot and goes to his room, and Kinnebrew, that fat hog, intercepts him. Kinnebrew is on strict orders from (head coach) Sam Wyche to lose weight. Every day, he’s watched in the cafeteria and he has to go heavy on the salad, light on the sweets and fats.
“Gimme that bag,” Kinnebrew says.
“I can’t. I gotta eat,” Pillman says.
“Gimme that bag, $%^&#$!” Kinnebrew says.
“Pillman gives him the bag.
“The next day, I write the story in the Brian Pillman Diary for the Enquirer.
“Sam sees the item. He fines Kinnebrew $500 for violating team rules and for violating his training-table.
“Kinnebrew approaches me at practice the following day and says, ‘That wasn’t no nice thing you wrote in the damn paper.’
“Larry did not go to Harvard.”
(He went to Tennessee State.)
===NOTE: Pillman died of heart disease on Oct. 5, 1997, at the age of 35, in Bloomington, Minn. LUDWIG AT LARGE research shows there are 26 deceased Bengals in the 41-year history of the franchise. Keep checking my blog for information on deceased players.===
For more information on Pillman, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Pillman
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As expected, Norman pulls ‘a Norman’
FROM 1ST TO T-3RD
WITH A BIG, FAT 77
Greg Norman came through on cue — with a clunker — just like we knew he would.
Starting bogey-bogey-bogey, Norman shot a closing round 7-over par 77 to finish tied for third in the 2008 British Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, on Sunday, July 20.
Padraig Harrington, who entered the final round two shots off the lead held by Norman, fired a 1-under 69 for a 3-over total (283) to win his second straight Claret Jug by a whopping four strokes over Ian Poulter.
Of the top 38 finishers, only K.J. Choi (79) and Simon Wakefield (79) had worse final rounds than Norman, who at age 53 was attempting to become the oldest winner of a Major championship.
LUDWIG AT LARGE is vindicated because Norman, as predicted, pulled “a Norman.”
He may be nicknamed “The Shark,” but his inability to close the deal, with a lead (see the Masters, 1996), makes him golf’s immortal lemon.
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Chad Johnson joins ‘The Migration’
‘OCHO CINCO’ PLAYS
A NOT-SO-SCARY
HITCH-HIKING NFLer
LUDWIG AT LARGE just got a “sneak peek” at the latest Reebok/NFL commercial featuring Bengals WR Chad Johnson.
Paul Dalessio of Fleishman-Hillard in New York alerts me that the full spot will launch on Monday, July 21.
“Good news,” Paulie says. “It looks like Chad will be on time for training camp!”
Reebok’s advertising campaign to kick off the NFL season features at least 20 players from eight teams, including Peyton Manning and Greg Ellis.
The ad campaign is billed as “The Migration.”
Check out Chadly at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIU4yUoYiz8
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Can ‘The Shark’ h(old) on?
OR WILL HE OPEN CAN
OF ARTI-CHOKE SOUP?
Can Greg Norman hang on to his two-stroke lead and capture the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, on Sunday?
Or will he … you, know … pull a …. well, what’s called “a Norman?”
Norman, 53, is a two-time winner of the Claret Jug — his only Major championships. He has 87 professional victories, including 20 on the PGA Tour, 14 on the European Tour and 33 triumphs in Australia. He’s enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame in St Augustine, Fla.
But he’s most famous for his choke-job in the 1996 Masters at Augusta, Ga., where he blew a six-shot lead with a final-round 78 and lost to Nick Faldo.
Now “The Shark” is hunting history with an opportunity to become the older player to win a Major championship.
With rounds of 70-70-72 (212), Chrissy Evert’s husband stands alone atop the leaderboard at plus-2, having survived Birkdale’s brutal, gusting winds.
Padraig Harrington and K.J. Choi are tied for second at plus-4 with Simon Wakefield alone in fourth place at plus-5.
The last time Gregory John Norman led a Major was that fateful spring day in ‘96 when the tall Georgia pines, his wicked swing, his massive ego and his bazillionaire bank account — plus Faldo — trampled him.
Gotta feeling Chrissy Evert-Lloyd-Mill-Norman won’t be smiling on Sunday evening in the shadow of The Queen’s crib.
I look for Columbus-born Ben Curtis — who grew up in Ostrander, Ohio — to come roaring back from fifth place and add the 2008 Claret Jug to the one he captured in 2003.
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Camp memories: Smoke & fire in 1971
BILL WALSH’S CRY:
‘SPEAK TO ME VIRGIL!’
===LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes ex-Bengals quarterback Virgil Carter, who paid a surprise visit to training camp in 2007. Now 62, Carter owns an insurance company in LaVerne, Calif., 25 miles east of Los Angeles. His firm writes malpractice insurance for 1,500 chiropractors in California.===
Alone in his third-floor dormitory room at Wilmington College in 1971, Bengals quarterback Virgil Carter was awakened by smoke and fire at midnight.
Teammates had sprinkled gunpowder onto aluminum foil, lit it and slid it under Carter’s door. Worse, they had wedged pennies in the doorjamb so Carter couldn’t get out. It’s called getting “pennyed in.”
“When that gunpowder flashes and you’re in a deep sleep and then you see this smoke, the first thing you think is the place has blown up,” Carter told LUDWIG AT LARGE. “And then you start realizing, no, that’s not the problem. The problem is I can’t get out and I have to go to the bathroom.
“There I am, three floors up, it’s the middle of the night, you don’t have your clothes on and you’re hanging out the window gasping for air and needing to go to the latrine. More so than the smoke, it was the need to use the rest room that was prevented.”
Eventually, after what Carter called “a good 30 to 40 minutes,” assistant coach Bill Walsh came to his rescue.
“Bill came running up,” center Bob Johnson said. “He didn’t realize Virgil was pennyed in, and he starts pounding on the door because there was all this smoke. He was saying, ‘Virgil, Virgil, are you in there? Speak to me Virgil!’
“Finally, they got him un-pennyed and Virgil crawled back in the window. I’m sure it was semi-dangerous. Of course, we all thought it was hysterical watching Bill pound on that door thinking that his starting quarterback was passed out from smoke inhalation.”
Carter, who had joined the team in 1970 via trade from Buffalo, wasn’t upset.
“Oh, no,” he said. “It was just part of training camp distractions. The fact that they would pick me, and I wasn’t a rookie, boded well that they accepted me.”
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Training camp’s anonymous weight lifter
CRAZY, BUT TRUE
===Bob Trumpy, a Cincinnati Bengals tight end and wide receiver from 1968-77, tells this beauty … but won’t reveal his teammate’s name for obvious reasons.===
“We’re at practice. We’re between plays. I noticed this player doing curls, then military presses, more curls, butterflies and then more curls over the next several plays.
“When the offensive period was over, I asked him what he was doing. His response was, ‘That Nautilus stuff is sure making me strong.’
“I asked, ‘How do you know?’
“He said, ‘These footballs feel a lot lighter than 13 pounds.’
“He showed me the little notation by the air hole on the ball.
“It read: INFLATE TO 13 LBS.”
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On the phone … with Chris Henry
DON’T EXPECT BENGALS
TO RE-SIGN CHRIS HENRY
===LUDWIG AT LARGE’S gut feeling is the Bengals will not re-sign Chris Henry. He’s a fine receiver, but the club chose to release him on April 3, and it should stick to it. Henry is a good guy — when he’s in the locker room. But when he’s outside that sanctuary, history shows that trouble seems to follow him. He needs a fresh start. Unfortunately for Bengals fans, Henry’s fresh start could be in Baltimore, Cleveland or Pittsburgh.===
So I dial up Chris Henry’s agent, Marvin Frazier, from the comfort of the Miamisburg War Room on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., and he tells me that Chris is “doing great,” That several teams have contacted him, and the Bengals are one of the teams interested in signing him.
“He’s fine with it,” Frazier said, “as long as everybody accepts him. He’s gotten past everything. He’s paid his dues. He’s done everything he’s supposed to do. This last situation was something that happened. He’s gotten past it. He’s grown up. All he wants to do right now is get on with his life.”
Then Frazier said, “Chris is right next to me,” and he handed his cell phone to Henry for a little chat with The Chickster.
In Henry’s words:
“Oh, man, I was very relieved (about the court case). Just getting that over with was big for me. It just feels good to be done with that stuff and be able to move on with my life. Now we’re just waiting for the league to get back with us with a date to go see the commissioner.
“Just going through this taught me a lot. I want to get back to doing what I love and that’s playing football. That’s basically what I’m trying to do. I’m just going to tell him everything, just be myself and hopefully he’ll give me that chance to prove that to him.
“I wouldn’t mind (returning to Cincinnati). I would like that. There’s no hard feeling on my part with the Bengals. There’s nothing like that. I want to come back and play with Chad, T.J. and Carson, and everybody else.
“Hopefully, I can get reinstated and then get signed by a team and be able to get back out there on the field and be able to get into a training camp. I’ve been working out in Charlotte, N.C.
“You already know what I can do on the field. I’m just trying to get out there and make plays and help any team out that I have a chance to play for.”
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Full ‘Monty’: Henry on Sporting News Radio
HENRY BELIEVES HE’LL
BE REINSTATED BY NFL
===Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry — whose assault charge was dropped in Hamilton County court — hit the airwaves as a guest on “The Monty Show” on Sporting News Radio on Thursday afternoon. The show’s producer, Josh Vexler, said Henry spoke about “his legal troubles, playing football and whether or not the league will reinstate him.” Here are some quotes from the interview:===
On trying to get reinstated: “We’re just trying to set up a meeting with the commissioner and go and take care of that, and move forward from there.”
On the possibility of being reinstated: “I see no reason for him (Commissioner Roger Goodell) not to allow me to play. This last situation was completely out of my hands. I was pretty much attacked, and I had to defend myself. That’s what happened.”
On staying out of trouble: “I don’t plan on going to any (night) clubs or anything like that because that’s not for me right now. That’s something I’ll have to deal with, and it will be no problem because I would hate to not be able to play football because that is what I love to do.”
On playing for Cincinnati again: “Cincinnati is one of the teams that reached out and called just trying to see what was going on with my situation. If that was to happen (returning to Cincinnati) I would love to go back there.”
On if he should be trusted to stay out of trouble: “Yes…because I’m really a good guy. We (Monty & Chris) haven’t had a chance to meet each other. You would get that vibe from me, too. That’s why I’ve got to sit down and talk to any owner or head coach of a team and get them to understand that from me, so that’s what I plan on doing.”
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Report: Henry draws interest from Bengals
“SEVERAL TEAMS,’ INCLUDING BENGALS
INTERESTED IF HE GETS REINSTATED
ESPN.com is reporting that suspended wide receiver Chris Henry is interested in returning to the Cincinnati Bengals, who released him on April 3, 2008.
Henry’s agent claims a return to the Bengals is a possibility if Henry is reinstated by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
“We have interest in several teams, including Cincinnati,” Marvin Frazier said in ESPN.com’s report.
According to ESPN.com’s story, Frazier said the Bengals have shown preliminary interest in Henry, whose assault charge was dropped in Hamilton County court earlier this week.
The Bengals terminated Henry’s contract after the player’s fifth arrest in three seasons. With Henry’s legal issues apparently resolved, the door to reinstatement could open.
Bengals public relations director Jack Brennan issued this statement from the club:
“Chris is presently under NFL suspension, and until such time as he may be reinstated, we are not in position to comment. Even in the event he is reinstated, he is no longer our player, and rarely if ever do we comment on any player who is not under contract with us.”
Henry, a third-round draft pick from West Virginia in 2005, has 88 receptions for 1,370 yards and 17 touchdowns as Cincinnati’s No. 3 wide receiver behind Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh.
After the assault charge against Henry was dropped, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said, “All we could say is this would be reviewed at the appropriate time, and all factors would be considered,”
In a July 2 interview with WONE-AM radio’s Sportstalk 980, Henry said he’s learned a lot from his string of arrests and would welcome the opportunity play for the Bengals again.
“I hope so,” Henry said at the time. “I love playing for Cincinnati. I got really tight with a bunch of my teammates in Cincinnati. I would love for that to happen, but you never know.
“I learned a lot about everything that happened, and everything taught me a lesson. Just about being in the wrong places and hanging out with the wrong people. I just need to handle myself like a professional at all times. That’s pretty much what I need to do to stay in the league and get another shot at this. That’s what I plan on doing.”
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Browns first to implode in AFC North
QB CONTROVERSY, POOR SECONDARY
PLUS TOUGH SCHEDULE SPELLS DOOM
LUDWIG AT LARGE dedicates this blog entry to Cleveland Browns fan Steve Skelton, who wrote me a short but scathing E-mail regarding my recent “Audible” column in which I detailed the unfairness of training camp start dates.
An NFL rule prohibits teams from reporting to training camp more than 15 days prior to their first preseason game.
The Browns open the preseason at home against the New York Jets on Aug. 7. So the Browns get to open camp on Wednesday, July 23.
The Bengals travel to Green Bay for their nationally-televised preseason opener on Monday, Aug. 11. That means the Bengals and Packers aren’t allowed to open their camps until Monday, July 28.
From the comfort of their headquarters in Berea, a lovely suburb that houses Baldwin-Wallace College, the Browns get to conduct SEVEN practices in five days before the Bengals step on the field at Georgetown (Ky.) College.
That’s not opinion. That’s fact.
“Quit whining, Chuck,” writes Skelton. “Life is tough sometimes. The Bengals suck right now and 6 weeks of camp wouldn’t help those bunch of jailbird losers down there. Talent wins games and the cupboards are bare right now. Go Browns—our turn. Steve.”
PREDICTION:
The Cleveland Browns will be the first AFC North team to implode in 2008.
With home games against Dallas (Sept. 7) and Pittsburgh (Sept. 14), Cleveland will start 0-2. They’ll beat Baltimore on the road (Sept. 21), then lose at Cincinnati (Sept. 28) and be 1-3.
During their Oct. 5 bye, quarterback Derek Anderson will be replaced by Brady Quinn for the Monday Nighter at the New York Giants (Oct. 13), and Cleveland will struggle the remainder of the season to get back to .500.
I love the Browns offensive line, but it lacks depth. They have a tremendous defensive line, but the secondary is, uhh, lacking. They spent way too much (a third-round pick PLUS cornerback Leigh Bodden) to acquire DL Shaun Rogers from the Lions — a move they’ll regret because Bodden is the league’s only corner who can shut down Bengals WR Chad Johnson.
Here’s hoping the Browns don’t embarrass themselves on five national TV games.
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Tales from training camp: Pete Johnson as ‘Dr. Dunk’
PETE JOHNSON DUNKS,
COLLECTS COOL 2-GRAND
===This Cincinnati Bengals training camp story is brought to you by “Touchdown Tony” Davis, a Bengals running back and kick-returner from 1976-78 out of Nebraska. LUDWIG AT LARGE encourages loyal readers to chime in with their favorite camp memories from Wilmington and Georgetown colleges.===
In Tony Davis’ words:
“Pete Johnson is a rookie in 1977. Pete talked a lot of smack — more than most, but in a cool way.
“Now PJ did not exactly have what you would call the most athletic body. He was 5-10 and weighed 250 to 260. Lifting weights was not one of PJ’s strong suits.
“One day, at lunch, about two weeks into his rookie camp, he tells several of the brothers that he can dunk a basketball. The brothers go crazy with laughter.
“PJ, never one to pass up a good wager, challenges them to a high-dollar bet. I don’t remember how much money was involved, but I believe it was around $2,000 — PJ covering it all.
“We walk into the gym at Wilmington College, PJ is thrown a basketball. He dribbles it as he is walking toward the basket. He stops and announces that he would not need a run at it, He would do it flat-footed.
“PJ stops, collects himself and launches 260 pounds upward and easily slams the basketball. He collects his dough and walks away. It was amazing.”
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The best training camp story
===LUDWIG AT LARGE is gearing up for Cincinnati Bengals training camp with blasts from the past===
SURVIVING THE HEAT
AND PAUL BROWN’S IRE
The best story in Cincinnati Bengals training camp history deals with roommates Bob Trumpy and Bob Johnson, and their ability to get the first air conditioner installed in the players’ dorms at Wilmington College.
The Bengals trained at Wilmington College from 1968 through 1996, then moved to Georgetown (Ky.) College in 1997.
After nearly sweating to death in 1968, The Bobs decided to do something about it in 1969.
They took ‘ol “Betsy” — a noisy, heavy, wooden-framed air conditioner — from the attic of Melna Burchenal’s Glendale home.
Then they placed it in the window of their Wilmington College dormitory room and clandestinely proclaimed it an “Air Cooler.”
Trouble was, there was barely enough electricity to handle the power surge. So when the compressor kicked on, the lights in all the dorm rooms dimmed.
“The maintenance guy runs down to coach Paul Brown and says, ‘Somebody’s got an air conditioner. You better get rid of it,’ ” Johnson recalled.
“Coach Brown walks up and Trumpy goes into this diatribe: ‘Coach Brown, we got this out of Melna Burchenal’s attic. This is an air cooler, not an air conditioner.’
About that time, the compressor hits and dims the lights. Coach Brown has this little mousy smile on his face and says, ‘OK,’ and leaves. The next year, everybody had air conditioners.”
Luckily for Trumpy and Johnson, PB knew Mrs. Burchenal because she hosted parties that included the Bengals coaches.
PB let the “air cooler” slide.
And the rest is history.
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Seen & overheard: Barry Larkin…in the flesh
===LUDWIG AT LARGE would like to thank Maj. Laura Powers, the chief of public affairs for the 178th Fighter Wing, Maj. Tony “NASA” Massa and Lt. Col. Joe “Woodstock” Schulz for their hospitality before, during and after Shayne Graham’s flight in an F-16 “Fighting Falcon” at the Springfield Air National Guard Base on Tuesday, July 15. It was an experience I won’t forget.===
SEEN & OVERHEARD:
LARKIN UP CLOSE
I took in bits & pieces of the U-15 AAU National Basketball Tournament at Sports Plus on Reading Road in Cincinnati the past five days, and it was cool seeing ex-Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin coaching his son’s basketball team — “Team Champions” from Orlando, Fla.
As president/CEO of Champions Group of Orlando, LLC, Larkin is in charge of the Champions Sports Complex of Orlando, which bills itself as “a state-of-the-art training facility that will cater to every need of the athlete & coach by providing quality instruction and coaching in baseball, softball, volleyball, basketball, football, boxing, soccer, lacrosse, and more.”
Of course, Larkin has gained a little weight, and can’t run from first to third base with blinding speed anymore. But he’s found his post-career niche, and that’s helping kids. Check out his Web site at:
http://www.championsbaseball.com/sports.aspx?id=16&branchID=6&branch=orlando
UD’S HOOP SCHEDULE
Everybody keeps asking me how I feel about the Dayton Flyers’ 2008-09 men’s basketball schedule.
Since it’s void of Wright State — robbing the community of the Gem City Jam for the umpteenth season — I don’t really care.
“BULLDOG BLACK”
One of my Air Force friends ripped me for drinking my coffee with French Vanilla creamer.
“Around the AF coffee jug, real men take it black and the others sneak off to slip some milk in. The powdered creamer is OK — that’s ‘gut check’ stuff (we don’t really know what it’s made of), but milk is a sign of weakness.”
In honor of the studs & studettes in the USAF and my friends at the Springfield Air National Guard Base, I’m now drinking my Java “bulldog black.”
“MOONLIGHT” GRAHAM
Every flier has a handle. There’s Joe “Woodstock” Schulz. There’s Tony “NASA” Massa. I propose Shayne “Moonlight” Graham.
Graham was a guest on WONE’s Sportstalk 980 for 20 minutes on Tuesday.
Host Mark “The Skipper” Schlemmer called it “the best interview, by far” since Sportstalk 980 unveiled its new format on June 9.
DOGGIN’ EDINSON
Leave it to a Cincinnati Red — pitcher Edinson Volquez — to be the goat of Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game.
He yielded MVP J.D. Drew’s game-tying two-run homer in the seventh inning in the AL’s 4-3 victory in 15 innings at Yankee Stadium.
TOUGH NOOGIES
I’m bummin’ today.
I just sipped the last of my three 2-liter bottles of Cotton Club Ginger Ale, which I nursed for two months. The nectar came courtesy of a great woman — Donna Marie Bryner. She’s Willowick, Ohio’s finest … the Cleveland area’s most eligible bachelorette.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Analysis of UFAs (not UFOs)
12 GUYS FIGHTING FOR JOBS
HERE OR ELSEWHERE IN ‘09
===THIS JUST IN: Carl-Johan Bjork, a linebacker from Stockholm, Sweden, has joined the Cincinnati Bengals as their International Practice Squad player for the 2008 season. Bjork (pronounced “bee-YORK”) played three seasons (2005-07) in NFL Europe with Amsterdam, and was an International Practice Squad player for the Dallas Cowboys in 2006 and the Green Bay Packers in 2007.===
The following is a list of Bengals veterans who are due to become unrestricted free agents next spring. All are fighting for new contracts — either with the Bengals or a different club.
Contract years have a way of bringing out the best in players. We’ll see about that. Who will stay in 2009 and who will go? Stay tuned.
OT Stacy Andrews — Today’s the deadline. If Andrews doesn’t sign a long-term deal (July 15), he’ll play on the one-year tender he signed as the Bengals’ franchise player ($7.455 million). The club wants him back because he’s the heir apparent to Willie Anderson (right tackle).
DT John Thornton — Enters the final season of a six-year deal he signed when Marvin Lewis came on board as the head coach. He’s likely gone after the season. That’s why the Bengals drafted DTs Pat Sims and Jason Shirley.
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh — The club will make an attempt to re-sign the 2007 Pro Bowler, but my gut feeling is the Bengals will let him walk in ‘09. T.J. is an outstanding player. But the team won’t be willing to sink big bucks in a player who turns 31 in September 2008.
CB Deltha O’Neal — Enters his final season in Cincy as the No. 3 corner behind Johnathan Joseph and Leon Hall. Pretty nice luxury to have a former Pro Bowler as your nickel back, eh? Rest assured he won’t return. He’ll look good wearing the burnt orange and seal brown of the Cleveland Browns in 2009.
PK Shayne Graham — Graham ranks No. 2 all time in NFL field-goal accuracy (85.4 percent) behind only Mike Vanderjagt (86.5). So re-signing him is a major priority. Graham signed a five-year, $6.5 million offer sheet with Jacksonville in 2004 as a restricted free agent, but the Bengals matched it.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick — Signed the club’s one-year tender offer of $927,000 as a restricted free agent in April. The club would love to have him back. The only way he’ll bolt is if he gets a chance to compete as a starter elsewhere.
DT Michael Myers — Will be hard-pressed to make the club THIS season, let alone next year. He’s fighting like crazy to be a backup behind Domata Peko and John Thornton. With Sims and Shirley waiting in the wings, it doesn’t look good for Myers.
LB Jim Maxwell — A career backup who has played in 36 career games with the Giants, 49ers, Dolphins and Bengals, Maxwell is working at strong-side and middle LB. He has a chance to win a spot if he can excel in coverage on special teams.
TE Nate Lawrie — Joined the team in ‘07 when injuries depleted the unit, and emerged as a pleasant surprise. He’s battling Matt Sherry for the No. 3 spot behind Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht.
C Eric Ghiaciuc — Ghiaciuc enters training camp as the No. 1 center, and is working hard to maintain his status as a starter. If he has a solid season, he’ll be invited back. If he doesn’t, he won’t. Ghiaciuc is getting pushed by Dan Santucci and Kyle Cook. If all three struggle, look for RG Bobbie Williams to make the switch to center with Stacy Andrews landing at RG provided RT Willie Anderson stays healthy.
CB Blue Adams — Adams is an outstanding tackler in kick coverage on special teams, but his on-field aggressiveness and temper led to a handful of unwanted penalties in ‘07. His progress this offseason was impeded by an undisclosed injury. He needs to get healthy and step forward or the thin ice he’s standing on will break.
LB Darryl Blackstock — The ex-Arizona Cardinal is here on a one-year deal, bringing depth and experience to a LB corps riddled by injury in 2007. He needs to have a solid season to be invited back.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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3 Bengals rookies agree to deals
SHIRLEY, SHERRY, URRUTIA
REPORTEDLY IN THE FOLD
The Bengals have reportedly agreed to terms on four-year contracts with three rookie draft picks — fifth-round defensive tackle Jason Shirley (Fresno State), sixth-round tight end Matt Sherry (Villanova) and seventh-round wide receiver Mario Urrutia (Louisville).
But the club won’t confirm the deals until the contracts are signed.
The 6-foot-5, 338-pound Shirley is a dominant physical specimen, but a high-risk player because of off-the-field problems.
Shirley went on trial for DUI in June, but the judge declared a mistrial in the case. Shirley is due to be tried again next month.
“I know I’m under a microscope,” Shirley said. “But I know what happened to me at Fresno will soon be behind me. I learned a great deal from it. I feel I became a better man from that situation.”
Sherry (6-4, 255) is a fast-developing receiver with soft hands, and is working hard to improve his blocking.
“My goal is to just keep coming along and get better every day,” Sherry said. “I’m in a good position. I’m behind two veteran guys (Reggie Kelly and Ben Utecht) who are helping me along the way. Every day is another step.”
Urrutia (6-5, 232) is a big target with good speed and hands. He’ll have an opportunity to be a factor in the red zone because he has the size to overpower smaller defensive backs.
“That’s my game,” Urrutia said. “Throw it up, I’m going to go get it. I use my height, my ability and all my strength.”
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Graham tackles ‘wild blue yonder’
LUDWIG AT LARGE dedicates this song to Shayne Graham:
“Off We Go Into the Wild Blue Yonder”
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/lyrics/offwego.htm
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO HARNESS
SHAYNE “MOONLIGHT” GRAHAM
I have to tip my ball cap to Cincinnati Bengals placekicker Shayne Graham.
The dude is absolutely fearless.
Personally, I think he’s gone crazy, nuts and cuckoo.
No way would I ever dream of attempting what he’s going to do on Tuesday, July 15, 2008.
He’s going to fly in an F-16 jet at the Springfield (Ohio) Air National Guard Base.
Graham will get a physical exam. He’ll be fitted with flight gear. He’ll learn emergency exit procedures.
And then he’ll take off in the two-seater jet at Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport on a journey into the “wild blue yonder.”
Love this quote from the eighth-year NFL veteran and 2005 Pro Bowler:
“I’ve done some research on it, and from what I’ve read, it’s a very maneuverable, high G-force-type fighter plane. It’s very nimble. There’s going to be a lot of chances for me to get sick in that thing.”
Know this: Graham won’t be alone in the jet. He’ll be accompanied by a pilot from the 178th Fighter Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard.
The son of a Vietnam War veteran, Graham’s love of the U.S. military — and flying — is deep-rooted.
He created commemorative Matt Maupin dog tags to honor the Cincinnati-area soldier who was recently pronounced killed in action in Iraq after being missing in action for four years.
Graham also makes numerous visits to Veterans hospitals in Cincinnati and his native Virginia.
He’s flown Cessna aircraft before. But nothing quite like this.
My only message is this: “Godspeed, Shayne.”
FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO OBTAIN MATT MAUPIN DOG TAGS, GO TO:
Contact CHICK LUDWIG at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@DaytonDailyNews.com
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Brett Favre’s best fit: Seattle
LET FAVRE & HOLMGREN
BE JOINED AT THE HIP
The Cincinnati Bengals were in Atlanta for a preseason game against the Falcons on Aug. 27, 2007 — the day of Michael Vick’s guilty plea on federal dog-fighting charges in Virginia.
So it’s only fitting that the Bengals waltz into Green Bay on Aug. 11, 2008, for the preseason opener at Lambeau Field, where they’ll be right smack dab in the middle of the Brett Favre fiasco.
Green Bay holds Favre’s rights in retirement — just like the Bengals held Boomer Esiason’s rights and the Lions held Barry Sanders’ rights when those two players walked away from Cincinnati and Detroit.
The difference, of course, is that Favre wants his unconditional release so that he can play for another team, while Esiason and Sanders showed no interest in a comeback.
The only way I’d release Favre from his obligations to Green Bay is to get a signed agreement from Favre and his agent, James “Bus” Cook, that the quarterback WILL NOT sign with a team in the NFC North Division … Minnesota, Chicago or Detroit.
Favre would love to play for Minnesota because his former QB coach in Green Bay, Darrell Bevell, is now the Vikings offensive coordinator.
And everybody in the football universe knows the only thing separating the Bears from another Super Bowl berth is a competent QB.
Trading Favre would be the best-case scenario. But it takes two to tango. And so far no team has stepped forward.
To me, the ideal fit for Favre is Seattle. This is Mike Holmgren’s final season as Seahawks head coach, It can also be Favre’s final season as an NFL quarterback.
I can easily see the quarterback, and his mentor, scheming side by side as they prepare to ride off into the sunset — together.
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Dusty Doubleday strikes out again
BAKER CHOKES IN THE CLUTCH
AS REDS GIVE ANOTHER ONE AWAY
The job of a baseball manager, like a football or basketball head coach, is to put the team in the best position to win.
Dusty Doubleday Baker put his Cincinnati Reds in the best position to lose on Sunday, July 13, and they came through on cue, falling to the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-2, at Miller Park.
By sending David “Stormy” Weathers back to the mound in the ninth inning of a tie game — Stormy’s third straight day of work — Dusty Doubleday made sure the Reds snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, preventing them from earning a series sweep and keeping them a Heisman-Trophy-like-stiff-arm away from gaining ground on .500 and in the National League Wild Card race.
Weathers loaded the bases with no outs. Only then did Dusty Doubleday yank him in favor of closer Francisco Cordero, who gave up the sac-fly game-winner. Cordero, who was fresh, should’ve been on the mound to start the ninth — not the weak-armed Weathers, whose fastball couldn’t dent a wet Bounty paper towel.
Brewers manager Ned Yost needs to send Dusty Doubleday a thank-you note — for helping save his job at the All-Star break.
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Beer jingles & Reds games at Crosley
===Anybody out there remember the ol’ beer jingles during Cincinnati Reds’ broadcasts in the 1960s? Anybody who, as a kid, cried when the Reds lost? Remember the Moon Deck and the terrace at Crosley Field, and the truckers honkin’ their horns as they drove by the stadium? Remember Hudepohl, Burger, Schoenling & Weidemann’s, and collecting pop bottles for 2 cents? LUDWIG AT LARGE wants to hear YOUR stories.===
As a kid growing up in the Price Hill section of Cincinnati, I followed the Cincinnati Reds to the extreme.
I kept a transistor radio by my pillow listening to week night games (with school the NEXT DAY), and I often threw that radio across the bedroom — which I shared with three brothers — when the Reds lost … as tears streamed down my face.
Frank Robinson and Vada Pinson were my Reds heroes, and I was also a huge fan of guys named Don Blasingame, Gene “Augie” Freese, Gordy Coleman, Art Shamsky, Joey Jay, Jim O’Toole, Bob Purkey, Jim Maloney, Leo Cardenas, Elio Chacon, Johnny Edwards, Jim Brosnan, Ted Abernathy …
… and somewhere in the basement of my mom’s home rests the Don Pavletich bat I received on “Bat Day” at Crosley Field.
I also remember the beer commercials:
“When a beer would taste good …
“Have a Hudepohl …
“14-K say …
“Have a Hudepohl …
“Made with the brew master’s golden touch …
“For that pure grain flavor …
That you like so much! … “
And in the deep recesses of my twisted sports-writer mind, I can still hear the beer vendor at ol’ Crosley:
“Plenty of zip in every sip …
“Plenty of bounce in every ounce …
“DON’T GET SHUTOUT!”
p.s. “Hey Mabel, Black Label.”
CHICK LUDWIG TRIVIA
The Chickster’s favorite beverages, besides water, of course …
One: Coffee (French Vanilla flavored, of course)
Two: Cotton Club Ginger Ale (Cleveland rocks!)
Three: Dr. Pepper soda (Ahhh!)
Four: Rolling Rock beer (from the glass-lined tanks of Latrobe, Pa., hometown of golf immortal Arnold Palmer)
Five: Labatt Blue (with Peppermint Patty Budenz at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo)
Six: Old Style (from a bar stool at the Billy Goat Tavern in Chi-town)
http://www.billygoattavern.com/home.html
Seven: White Zinfandel (forget what Cincinnati Reds announcer Jeff Brantley says. White Zin is for guys, too.)
UNTIL NEXT TIME…
This is “The Chickster” saying, “Make Love, Not War; Give Peace a Chance; and Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Contact Chick Ludwig at (937) 225-2253 or email cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Stacy Andrews’ final season as a Bengal?
HE CLAIMS HE WANTS TO STAY;
BUT LONG-TERM DEAL NOT DONE
If you’re the Cincinnati Bengals, what do you do with offensive lineman Stacy Andrews?
All we know is that Andrews — “Big Country” — has signed the one-year tender worth $7.455 million as the Bengals franchise player for the 2008 season.
What we don’t know is what position Andrews will play this fall and if he’ll return to the Bengals in 2009.
The Bengals and Andrews’ agent, Rich Moran, have until Tuesday, July 15, to agree on a long-term contract or Andrews will play this season for the franchise tender he signed.
If the club and Andrews can’t hammer out a long-term deal by Tuesday’s deadline, Andrews will become an unrestricted free agent — AGAIN — after the 2008 season.
What Bengals fans need to know is this:
The club has been attempting to sign Andrews for the long haul for two years now.
Yet Andrews and Moran have stubbornly refused to sign long term.
Here’s what Stacy told me during an open-locker-room period in December prior to season-ending victories over Cleveland and Miami:
“I’m just going to focus on these next two games and ride it out, and let everything fall into place. I love everybody here. The guys are great and so are the coaches. I know the system. I like the town. I live in Kentucky. I love Kentucky. It’s perfect.
“(The Bengals) drafted me. They brought me up. They molded me. Coach Al (Paul Alexander), Bob Surace, Brat (Bob Bratkowski) and coach (Marvin) Lewis. I was pretty much a diamond in the rough. They brought me from this (a project) to a diamond. They raised me here. I’d love to stay.”
So …. what’s the problem?
Clearly, Stacy is taking marching orders from his agent, who envisions a massive pot of gold at the end of the 2009 free-agency rainbow.
If Stacy really, truly wants to stay with the Bengals, he’s going to have to tell Mr. Moran, “Get the deal done.”
So far, that hasn’t happened.
My gut feeling is that if Stacy reaches free agency again in February 2009, he’ll be going, going, GONE to a different club.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Bengals’ July birthdays
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STUDS
Marcus Maxwell (WR) turned 25 on July 8. (Born 7-8-83. Hometown: Hercules, Calif.)
Willie Anderson (RT) turned 33 on July 11 (Born 7-11-75. Hometown: Mobile, Ala.)
Kyle Cook (C) turns 25 on July 25 (Born 7-25-83. Hometown: Macomb, Mich.)
Travis Brown (WR) turns 22 on July 26 (Born 7-26-86. Hometown: West Covina, Calif.)
Dexter Jackson (SS) turns 31 on July 28. (Born 7-28-77. Hometown: Quincy, Fla.)
Glenn Holt (WR) turns 24 on July 31 (Born 7-31-84. Hometown: Miami, Fla.)
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Bengals’ Surace deserves promotion
AN OUTSTANDING TEACHER,
AND GREAT COMMUNICATOR
Memo to NFL teams:
Need an offensive line coach?
Here’s my vote of confidence for Cincinnati Bengals assistant offensive line coach Bob Surace.
Surace is a great teacher of technique, pays attention to detail and is an outstanding person. He has the experience. Now he needs the opportunity.
Here’s an interview with Surace:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S29AlKJeswY
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10 questions with Shayne Graham
AIRPLANES & GO-KARTS
AMONG SHAYNE’S FAVS
===LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes Cincinnati Bengals kicker Shayne Graham, who is hosting the Shayne Graham Celebrity Go-Kart Race-Off today (noon to 4 p.m.) at the Motorsport Country Club of Cincinnati (2848 Ohio 50), a .65-mile track in Batavia, Ohio. All proceeds benefit the Shayne Graham Foundation. Shayne is also flying an F-16 fighter jet at the National Guard Base in Springfield, OH, on Tuesday, July 15.===
SHAYNE GRAHAM’S FAVORITES
Favorite NFL team/player growing up: “Chicago Bears and Walter Payton. I remember watching a show and reading a book on him when I was really young about his work ethic and things he used to do in the offseason to get ready to play, and just the things he did as a player. I was really impressed by it. It’s meant a lot to me throughout my life. I always remember back to the things he talked about doing. I’ve always had a respect for him. The ‘85 Bears were one of the greatest teams ever to play. It’s kind of hard not to like ‘em.”
Favorite NFL stadium other than Paul Brown Stadium: “Bank of America Stadium (Carolina Panthers), Charlotte, N.C. It has a really nice grass playing surface. I’ve never missed on that field. I played a whole season there back in ‘02. It’s just a very nice-looking stadium. It’s not too overdone as far as cutting-edge architecture. But yet it’s not really old school. It just has a nice look to it.”
Favorite restaurant: “Jeff Ruby’s. I also like The Farmhouse in Christiansburg, Va. It’s an old farmhouse that’s been converted into a really nice steak house.”
Favorite meal: “A Kobe filet mignon, medium plus with a slight char, garlic mashed potatoes, green beans or asparagus, and a bottle of Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon. I usually don’t order dessert, but if I did one of Jeff Ruby’s restaurants has a great Mac Pie.”
Favorite actor & actress: “Will Ferrell and Brittany Daniel.”
Favorite book: “Mind Gym: An Athlete’s Guide to Inner Excellence. By Gary Mack.”
Favorite movie: tie, “The Goonies” (1985) and “Tombstone” (1993).
Favorite music & artist: “Country and Jason Aldean.”
Favorite late-night snack: “A can of Pringles potato chips (sour cream and onion) or a bag of peanut M&Ms.”
Favorite Hobby: “I love flying airplanes and I love Go-Kart racing.”
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‘Snakes’ alive! Stabler, Serbin & Vinson
MY THREE FAVORITE ‘SNAKES’
===LUDWIG AT LARGE is dedicated to finding Cincinnati Bengals alumni, who are scattered from sea to shining sea. Loyal reader “Mr. Nipsy” writes: “Who else could track down the infamous Lance Gunn! Now if you could corner the legendary Fernandus “Snake” Vinson, then I’d really be impressed.” Here you go, fine sir.===
There are three guys nicknamed “Snake” that I know about.
One: Former NFL quarterback Ken “Snake” Stabler, who — as every NFL fan knows — studied his playbook by the light of the jukebox.
http://www.kenstabler.com/ks_main.html
Two: Ken “Snake” Serbin, professor of Latin American history at the University of San Diego, award-winning author and one of The Chickster’s BFFs (Best Friends Forever).
http://home.earthlink.net/~kserbin/id1.html
Three: Fernandus “Snake” Vinson.
The former Cincinnati Bengals safety (1993-94) from N.C. State is anchored in Fayetteville, N.C., but makes frequent trips to The ‘Nati, where he has family and numerous friends.
“Snake” Vinson manages residential treatment facilities — a fancy name for “group homes” — for at-risk kids in the Fayetteville area. He’s a positive role model who is dedicated to turning kids’ lives around by changing their mindsets.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Hey Mr. Nipsy, meet Lance Gunn
Loyal LUDWIG AT LARGE reader “Mr. Nipsy” asks: “Where’s Lance Gunn when you need him?”
Well, Mr. Nipsy, funny you should ask because that’s right up my alley.
Lance Gunn, the former Bengals safety (1993) from the University of Texas, lives in Austin and is an executive with Pulte Homes. His title: Vice President of Sales.
Lance checked in recently with The Chickster and delivered this memo:
“I am still with Pulte Homes here in Austin. I started out in Customer Relations but have recently accepted a position as Director of Sales.
“Prior to that, I worked at Frito-Lay for almost 9 years. Since I stopped playing in 1996 (NFL Europe-Frankfurt Galaxy), we have bounced back and forth between Houston and Austin. I have been married for 10 years. We have a 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son. Thanks again for reaching out to me. I look forward to talking to you in the near future.”
For pictures & stories on Sir-Lance-A-Lot, go to:
http://www.bigbuilderonline.com/industry-news-print.asp?sectionID=0&articleID=268640
http://diversity.pulte.com/GreatPeopletoWorkWithHighlightingOurLeadersLanceGunn.aspx
For Bengals alumni questions & answers, contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com or 937-225-2253
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My 2011 ‘Strike Replacement Team’
===LUDWIG AT LARGE unveils his Cincinnati Bengals “Strike Replacement Team” for the 2011 NFL season. I’m confident the names will conjure up memories — fond & not so fond — of days gone by. There’s lots of oldies but goodies, has-beens and wanna-bees. And all of ‘em are dying for one more chance to take the Paul Brown Stadium FieldTurf. Loyal readers are encouraged to chime in on the selections. Feel free to pink slip any player, but remember: You have to replace ‘em!===
Anybody up for a lockout and strike in 2011?
I sure am.
I’ve had a long list of names in the lap drawer of my desk in the Miamisburg War Room for a while now, and it’s time to dusk it off.
Why am I doing this?
Hey, I’m just getting prepared in case there’s a work stoppage in 2011.
Some facts, before we get going:
—-NFL owners voted unanimously on May 20, 2008, to opt out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement they extended in 2006 because they’re upset that players receive 59 percent of total NFL revenues.
—-The league will play uninterrupted through 2010. The 2008 and 2009 seasons will be played with a salary cap. However, if there is no new agreement before the 2010 season, that season will be played without a salary cap and free agency rights of players will be limited.
—-The CBA will expire at the end of the 2010 league year if an extension isn’t agreed upon by owners and the players union. If that happens, look for the owners to lock out the players, and for the players to go on strike.
DRUM ROLL, PLEASE …
HERE’S MY 2011 BENGALS
STRIKE REPLACEMENT
TWO-DEEP DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
WR: Peter Warrick, Jesse Holley
LT: Pete Lougheed, Elliot Seifert
LG: Victor Leyva, Tony Coats
C: Rod Payne, Roger Roesler
RG: Thatcher Szalay, Clay Martin
RT: Mike Doughty, Reese Hicks
TE: Sean Brewer, Kori Dickerson
WR: Maurice Mann, Kwazeon Leverette
QB: Casey Bramlet, Tommy Jones (Emergency No. 3—Jeff Smith)
TB: Sirr Parker, Quincy Wilson
FB: Chris Edmonds, Rich Demers
DEFENSE
LE: Elton Patterson, Xzavie Jackson
LDT: Kenderick Allen, Mario Monds
RDT: Langston Moore, Titus Adams
RE: Donald Broomfield, Joey Evans
SLB: Cameron Siskowic, LaDairis Jackson
MLB: Matt Muncy, A.J. Nicholson
WLB: Riall Johnson, Khalid Abdullah
LCB: Dennis Weathersby, Jerrid Gaines
RCB: Greg Brooks, LaVar Glover
SS: Gary Thompkins, Pig Prather
FS: Tony Bua, Patrick Body
SPECIALISTS
K: Josh Huston, Aaron Elling
P: Will Brice, Travis Dorsch
KR: Reggie McNeal, Bennie Brazell
PR: Jamall Broussard, Freddie Milons
LS: Ben Peterson, Randy Chevrier
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Bengals unveil 2008 Training Camp schedule
OPENING DAY: MONDAY, JULY 28
===LUDWIG AT LARGE encourages all Cincinnati Bengals fans to bookmark this page. Maybe even get a printout. This is what you’ve been waiting for … the 2008 Training Camp Schedule.===
The Cincinnati Bengals on Tuesday, July 8, unveiled their schedule for 2008 Training Camp.
This marks the club’s 12th summer at Georgetown (Ky.) College, and the team and school recently agreed to a one-year contract extension through 2009.
Georgetown is located in central Kentucky, 109 miles from Dayton. For a list of Georgetown area hotels, click on:
Note: Practice times are approximate; Admission is free. On-campus parking is $15 per car, $25 for school buses and passenger vans, and $50 for large buses.
MONDAY, JULY 28
Practice: 9-11 a.m. and 7-9 p.m.
TUESDAY, JULY 29
Practice: 3-5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 30
Practice: 9-11 a.m. and 7-9 p.m.
THURSDAY, JULY 31
Practice: 3-5 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 1
Practice: 9-11 a.m.
Intrasquad Scrimmage: 6:30-8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 2
Black-Orange Mock Game: 1-2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUG. 3
Complex closed.
MONDAY, AUG. 4
Practice: 9-11 a.m. and 7-9 p.m.
TUESDAY, AUG. 5
Practice: 3-5 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 6
Practice: 9-10 a.m. and 7-9 p.m.
THURSDAY, AUG. 7
Practice: 4-5:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 8
Practice: 3-5 p.m.
SATURDAY, AUG. 9
Practice: 3-5 p.m.
SUNDAY, AUG. 10
Complex closed.
Team travels to Green Bay.
MONDAY, AUG. 11
Complex closed
Preseason Game 1 at Green Bay (ESPN), 8 p.m.
TUESDAY, AUG. 12
Complex closed.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 13
Practice: 7-9 p.m.
THURSDAY, AUG. 14
Practice: 3-4:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, AUG. 15
Complex closed.
Team breaks camp.
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Fulcher’s All-Pro Camp is money well spent
‘FO-ROCK’ A MAN
ON A MISSION
===LUDWIG AT LARGE salutes former Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl safety David Fulcher for making a positive impact in the community. He works for Kelly Youth Services, an organization with five group homes for youth who are wards of the state of Ohio. He also speaks regularly to youth groups, sports teams, and at many schools.===
I’m not just saying this because David Fulcher is a friend of mine.
I’m saying it — and writing it — because I believe it.
The best $90 a kid and his parents can spend is at Fulcher’s All-Pro Camp scheduled for Friday-through-Sunday, July 11-13, at Wall2Wall Sports in Mason for children 6 to 14 years old.
“Our camp helps kids improve their love for football under the watchful eye of outstanding coaches and athletes,” Fulcher said. “The coaches work very hard to provide a setting where the sport is enjoyed and skills are improved.”
The camp cover all aspects of offense, defense and special teams, and each camper is exposed to experienced college and high school coaches, plus former NFL players.
“We want every athlete to improve,” Fulcher added, “All campers have the opportunity to train each day, work hard, make new friends and have fun.”
The cost is $90 per camper and all proceeds go to the David Fulcher Foundation, which is dedicated to implementing programs for those with multiple sclerosis.
For more information and to register your child, visit:
Questions? Call 513-755-7771 or 513-293-0664
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10 Questions with DT Pat Sims
PAT SIMS’ FAVORITES
Favorite NFL team/player growing up: “Tampa Bay and Warren Sapp because my game is just like his. I turn speed to power.”
Favorite college stadium other than Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium: “LSU. It’s crazy down there.”
Favorite restaurant: “Gladys Knight and Ron Winans’ Chicken and Waffles” located at 529 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Ga.., 30308
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickenandwaffles
Favorite meal: “Steak, medium to well-done, no pink, with garlic mashed potatoes and seasoned broccoli. I’ll pass on dessert.”
Favorite actor: “Denzel Washington.”
Favorite movie: “Belly.” (1998)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihT_Lor12oI
Favorite music: “Rap.”
Favorite artist: “Lil Boosie.”
http://www.lilboosie.info/biography.html
Favorite tunes in your I-Pod: “Lil Wayne and Bun B.”
Favorite hobby: “I just like chillin’ with my boys, man. Just having a good time with my friends.”
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Bengals cut Gaines, 2 others
ROSTER TRIM: GAINES
AMONG 3 PLAYERS CUT
Former Springfield South High School and Miami University cornerback Jerrid Gaines was among three players waived by the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday, July 7.
The others were defensive tackle Titus Adams of Nebraska and defensive tackle Michael Marquardt of Arizona State.
The moves trimmed the roster to 82. Only 80 players with signed contracts are allowed into training camp, which opens later this month.
Gaines, a non-drafted rookie, signed with the Bengals on May 29 after the Cleveland Browns waived him on May 4. Marquardt was also a college free agent who signed with the Bengals in the spring.
Adams, a first-year NFL player, was on the Bengals practice squad for the last two games of the 2007 season.
Players report to Georgetown (Ky.) College for training camp on Sunday, July 27, with the first practices scheduled for Monday, July 28.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Marvin Lewis is not on the hot seat
WHEN IN DOUBT,
BLAME THE MEDIA
Please allow me to repeat myself.
Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis is NOT on the hot seat.
Oh, he’s on my hot seat. He’s on Mike Florio’s hot seat (Florio writes and edits ProFootballTalk.com and is a regular contributor to Sporting News). And he should be on your hot seat.
But he’s not on Bengals owner Mike Brown’s hot seat, and that’s the only one that matters.
When it comes to his head coaches, Brown is a very patient man. Extremely patient. Too patient.
Why else would he put up with the overmatched Dave Shula (19-52-0, .268) for nearly four-and-a-half seasons from 1992-96?
Brown remembers how shabbily his father — Pro Football Hall of Fame coaching immortal Paul Brown — was treated by Art Modell in Cleveland. And Brown promised he’d never abuse his loyal subjects in a similar manner.
The problem is the perception that that philosophy fosters. Even if it’s not true, Bengals fans believe that Mike Brown is content with mediocrity.
Let’s go back to 1999. After the season ended, Green Bay fired first-year head coach Ray Rhodes, who went 8-8 as the Packers failed to make the NFL playoffs for the first time in seven years.
Marvin Lewis went 8-8 his first season in Cincinnati (2003) and Bengals fans were celebrating on Fountain Square.
Lewis told his players in a team meeting this spring there’s enough talent here to win the Super Bowl this season.
So who’s to blame if that doesn’t happen … if the Bengals don’t reach the playoffs let alone the Super Bowl?
Brown? Lewis? The players?
Perhaps all three.
But here’s a brainstorm solution that gets ‘em all off the hook.
Blame the media.
Yup, it’s our fault the club has reached the postseason just once in 17 seasons.
We’re simply too negative.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
Who’s on the hot seat? Go to:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=429295
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Starvin’ Marvin White ready for breakout year
BELONGS ON BREAKOUT LIST
WITH STACY & DOMATA
I like Pete Prisco’s writing for CBSSports.com. I also like the way he thinks.
Pistol Pete picked 30 potential breakout players in the NFL for 2008 and two of them are Cincinnati Bengals.
At the very top of his list — that’s right, No. 1 — is Bengals right offensive tackle Stacy Andrews.
Known as “Big Country,” Andrews is a 6-foot-7, 342-pound tower of power who will compete with four-time Pro Bowler and 13-year veteran Willie Anderson for the starting job.
Anchoring the list at No. 30 is Bengals left defensive tackle Domata Peko, who was recently awarded a contract extension through 2014 worth $30.3 million.
Both players are worthy of “breakout” status, but there’s one guy missing from Pete’s list who definitely deserves consideration.
He’s my Bengals’ breakout player for 2008 — free safety Marvin White.
White has good speed, range and ball skills. Best of all, he’s a punishing hitter.
And he’s ready to replace Madieu Williams, who signed as a free agent with the Minnesota Vikings, in the starting lineup.
White’s more than hungry.
He’s starving.
Check out Prisco’s “breakout players” at:
http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/10882613
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Alumni Updates: Where they are now
CINCINNATI BENGALS ALUMNI UPDATES
===LUDWIG AT LARGE is passionate about Cincinnati Bengals alumni. Here’s another five-man update:===
ONE
Defensive end Ross Browner (1978-86) is Vice President of Corporate and Community Development for “Backfield in Motion” in Nashville, Tenn.
Backfield in Motion is a non-profit organization that combines academics and athletics to inspire inner city boys to reach their maximum potential in order to become significant contributors to society.
“I have had so many people who inspired and helped me throughout my life, that giving back is the only thing I know how to do,” Browner said.
For more information on Ross, visit:
http://www.backfieldinmotion.org
TWO
Wide receiver Mike Levenseller (1979-80) is the wide receivers coach at his alma mater Washington State University.
“Coach Levy” spent seven seasons (2001-07) as the Cougars offensive coordinator. He was retained as receivers coach in 2008 by first-year Head Coach Paul Wulff, who came from Eastern Washington.
Levenseller’s son, J.T. — a WSU freshman quarterback from Pullman (Wash.) High School — is named after Levenseller’s best friend: Former Washington State and Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jack Thompson.
For more on coach Levy, go to:
http://wsucougars.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/levenseller_mike00.html
THREE
Running back and kick returner Cleotha Montgomery (1980) — the pride of Abilene Christian — is known as Wilbert Montgomery’s brother.
But “Cle” has done a great job of carving his own niche in the business world as an entrepreneur. He owns a series of home-health agencies in and around Irving, Texas, that specialize in adult care.
FOUR
Defensive end Mike St. Clair, who played for the Cleveland Browns (1976-79) and Bengals (1980-82), has lived in Cincinnati for 28 years.
He’s a retired single parent with a daughter at Wright State University and a son at the University of Cincinnati. He turns 55 on Sept. 2, 2008.
“I’ve still got a game or two left in me if the Bengals want me to come out and play,” he said.
FIVE
Offensive tackle/guard Brian Blados (1984-91) works as a sales representative for U.S. Food Service and lives in the Cincinnati suburb of Liberty Township.
LUDWIG AT LARGE requests all information concerning Bengals alumni be sent to Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com or 937-225-2253.
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Fourth of July at Tom & Agnes’ Delhi home
THE ‘FOURTH’ IS
ALL ABOUT FAMILY
When my uncle, Touchdown Tommy Ludwig (AKA “Teach”), married Agnes Lipps way back in the early 1960s, the wedding Mass at St. Dominic Catholic Church at the corner of Delhi Pike and Pedretti Avenue marked the union of two of the largest families in the Delhi Hills section of Cincinnati.
The families came together every year on the Fourth of July at Tom & Agnes’ farmhouse estate in Delhi, and the memories of those good ol’ days are one big blur …
… of burgers, brats & dogs on the grill … a swimming pool full of corn on the cob … baked beans and baked spaghetti … kegs of beer being tapped … and, of course, watermelon splattered across everybody’s faces.
Grandparents and parents, aunts and uncles, cousins and friends all in one location — kids running wild, adults directing traffic and everybody telling stories from “Sun Up Till Sun Down.”
A pipe protruded from the ground at one end of the property, and uncles Teach, Deacon and Kenny kept me and my cousins busy by tossing a firecracker down the pipe, then stuffing a rubber ball in that pipe. Seconds later, that rubber ball would be launched a country mile into the air.
Naturally, all the kids had gathered in a huge, open field … and we’d run, and run, and run, then circle under that dang rubber ball in a vain attempt to catch it.
The highlight, of course, was the evening fireworks show, courtesy of the nearly Delhi Swim Club.
For as long as I live, I’ll remember those times at Tom & Aggie’s house as some of the best times in my life.
It’s exactly what the Fourth of July is all about — FAMILY.
Wouldn’t it be fun to do it all over again? Just one more time?
Here’s hoping everyone has a happy, healthy and safe Fourth!
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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My Bengals-Browns ‘Mount Rushmore’
Taking a page from WONE’s hot topic this week, LUDWIG AT LARGE checks in with his Cincinnati Bengals’ and Cleveland Browns’ “Mount Rushmore.”
NOTE — PAUL BROWN’S BUST IS CARVED ON BOTH.
BENGALS
Offensive tackle Anthony Munoz — An 11-time Pro Bowler and member of Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Quarterback Ken Anderson — A four-time Pro Bowler, he holds club record for longevity (16 seasons).
Wide receiver Isaac Curtis — Changed the game. He’s responsible for league’s “5-yard” bump rule.
Cornerback Ken Riley — Ranks fifth in NFL history in career interceptions (65). Played 15 seasons.
Barely missing the cut: Lemar Parrish, Boomer Esiason, Willie Anderson, Chad Johnson, Carson Palmer, James Brooks, Bob Trumpy, Max Montoya, David Fulcher, Corey Dillon, Jim Breech, Tim Krumrie and Reggie Williams.
BROWNS
Running back Jim Brown — Without question, the greatest running back of all time.
Quarterback Otto Graham — Greatest leader, and winner, in Browns history.
Offensive tackle/kicker Lou “The Toe” Groza — His career spanned three decades (1946-1959, 1961-1967).
Two-way tackle Bill Willis — Helped break color barrier in modern pro football in 1946.
Barely missing the cut: Paul Warfield, Ozzie Newsome, Len Ford, Frank Gatski, Leroy Kelly, Dante Lavelli, Mike McCormack, Bobby Mitchell, Marion Motley, Gene Hickerson, Frank Ryan, Gary Collins and Greg Pruitt.
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Chris Henry hits Dayton’s WONE airwaves
HENRY CLAIMS HE’LL NEVER
GET IN TROUBLE AGAIN
Former Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry hit Dayton’s airwaves on Wednesday, July 2, 2008, as the star guest on WONE-AM radio’s Sportstalk 980.
The Bengals released Henry on April 3, 2008 — after he was charged with misdemeanor assault and property damage — and he was suspended indefinitely by the NFL in June. He has been serving a house arrest sentence.
Henry’s court case for assault in Hamilton County that alleged he punched an 18-year old in the face on March 31 resulted in a hung jury on Tuesday, July 1. The judge dismissed the second charge of criminal damaging.
Sportstalk 980 host Mark “The Skipper” Schlemmer and in-studio guest Carlos “Big C” Holmes of the Dayton Daily News interviewed Henry.
Here’s a transcript of the Schlemmer-Holmes interview with Henry:
Q. How are you?
A. I’m doing pretty good.
Q. What are you doing these days?
A. Actually, I’m just now starting to get back into (playing shape).
Q. What are you looking to do once all these legal issues are behind you?
A. Just getting back to playing ball, you know, what I love to do. Right now, I’m just planning on going and training for a few weeks until things come together for me.
Q. How can a team trust you when you come back into the league?
A. I’m pretty sure they will look at that. I’m just going to have to prove it to whoever gives me an opportunity and a chance to play with their team. So it’ll be up to me.
Q. What did you learn from this situation?
A. I learned a lot, man. It’s been like that for a while, you know? This little incident that happened a couple months ago, it really was out of my hands. I’m just going to keep doing the same things I’ve been doing since I came back from my suspension last season.
Q. Are you still living in Cincinnati? Will you train there?
A. I’m still in Cincinnati right now. I’m planning on training down in North Carolina.
Q. Talk about some of the regrets you have.
A. It’s been tough, man. It’s been a long three months, not being on a ball club and just being in the house for three months. I’ve just got to try to put it all behind me and hopefully it’ll all come together here soon and I’ll be able to move on with my life.
Q. Is it possible we could see Chris Henry in a Bengals uniform again?
A. I hope so, man. I love playing for Cincinnati. I got really tight with a bunch of my teammates in Cincinnati. I would love for that to happen, but you never know.
Q. How tough of an adjustment was it coming from college to the NFL?
A. It’s different for a lot of people, that changeover from college to the NFL. With me, it was pretty easy for me, actually. I got used to it real quick. I felt real comfortable after my first training camp.
Q. What are the toughest things that Bengals rookie receiver Jerome Simpson will face this season?
A. Just knowing that all the defensive backs in the league are top-notch and everybody’s going to give them a challenge every time you step up to the line. You’ve got to be prepared for that mentally and physically. If he gets past that, he’ll be fine.
Q. What have you learned from this whole situation and what will you do differently?
A. I learned a lot, man. I learned a lot about everything that happened, and everything taught me a lesson. Just about being in the wrong places and hanging out with the wrong people. I just need to handle myself like a professional at all times. That’s pretty much what I need to do to stay in the league and get another shot at this. That’s what I plan on doing.
Q. Have any of the Bengals reached out to you since you were cut by the club?
A. I’ve lost contact with a lot of guys, but there’s a few guys on the team I’ve talked to. I actually talked to Chad (Johnson) this morning. And (team president) Mike Brown reached out to me.
Q. What did Chad have to say?
A. Chad’s good. He’s down in Miami right now just focusing on getting his ankle 100 percent, and he’s just getting ready for the season. Chad is a good guy. He’s always going to be a friend no matter what with me.
Q. Is Chad a positive influence for you?
A. It’s always positive when I talk to Chad. As soon as I came to Cincinnati, he was the first person I talked to on the team. We’ve been tight ever since then. He’s just one of those guys that young guys come into the NFL and look up to. I learned a lot from Chad. He’s a real good guy.
Q. What’s one thing you want fans to know about Chris Henry?
A. That I’m truly and really a good guy, a good person, fun to be around, and just love to play football. It ain’t all what it seems like when they hear all the negative stuff about me and all the stuff I’ve been through. There’s more to me than that.
Q. What are you going to do to keep yourself out of these situations?
A. Like I say, carry myself and handle myself as a professional at all times. By me doing that, it’s pretty much going to take care of everything. That’s all I really need to do.
Q. Will teams have to worry about Chris Henry ever being in trouble again?
A. Definitely not, man. I’m just going to stay away from the wrong people and never put myself in a bad situation, just try to stay positive about everything and just continue to work and think football at all times.
Q. What’s your former coach at West Virginia, Rich Rodriguez, going to do for Michigan?
A. Oh, man, I can definitely say Rodriguez is a great coach and he can really turn a program around once the players start believing in him and just going with the flow. I can just say that it’s going to be a good game (against Ohio State) this year.
Q. Some of his Michigan players have already transferred. One guy even transferred to Ohio State. Does that surprise you?
A. He’s a tough coach to get cool with, but he’s really a good coach and it’s going to be a good game to watch this year. Should be one of the best.
For more on Henry, go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ChrisHenry(wide_receiver)
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Playing by Chris Henry’s rules
HOW WILL BENGALS FARE
WITH HENRY OUT OF THE MIX?
At night, when I try to sleep, I count the Cincinnati Bengals’ wide receivers instead of sheep.
Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Glenn Holt and Antonio Chatman. Marcus Maxwell and Travis Brown. Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell. Clyde Logan, Maurice Purify and Mario Urrutia.
And just like Wilbur “Shooter” Flatch — the town drunk in the movie “Hoosiers” — I wake up screaming from a bad vision.
Former Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry, complete with his license plate “SLIM 15,” plays a starring role in my nightmare.
I’m bringing up Henry because he was WONE-AM radio’s guest on Wednesday’s Sportstalk 980 Show, hosted by Mark “The Skipper” Schlemmer and special guest Carlos “Big C” Holmes.
To secure the former Bengals wide receiver — who was released by the Bengals on April 3 and is under indefinite suspension by the NFL because of a string of arrests — WONE had to submit a list of prospective questions to Henry’s handlers for approval.
Henry agreed to answer only those questions his “people” thought necessary.
To me, Henry’s attempt at “managing” the interview was totally weak.
Ever since Henry joined the NFL in 2005, he’s only wanted to play by HIS rules. Not by the NFL’s rules and certainly not by society’s rules.
And he’s still that same stubborn way, even as he makes the local and national radio rounds, seeking sympathy, from sea to shining sea.
There was a time when I felt sorry for Chris Henry.
But that’s no longer the case.
Years from now, we’ll look back at his career and think about what might have been.
He’ll be remembered as a talented but troubled athlete, who had it all only to throw it away.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Tailback trauma: Adding Jones would ease the pain
KEVIN JONES IN THE MIX
COULD RIGHT A WRONG
Rudi Johnson, who was limited to 11 games and 9 starts in 2007 because of a pulled hamstring, looks better than ever.
He’s added 11 pounds to his frame from last season and is now a solid 225. He’s stronger, faster and quicker than at any point last season, and is determined to win back his status as one of the league’s most durable, productive backs.
But Chris Perry hasn’t played in a game since November 2006; DeDe Dorsey likely won’t be ready for training camp because of a hamstring strain; and Kenny Irons is bound for the PUP list as he rehabs a torn left ACL from last season.
As good as rookie free agent James Johnson looks heading into camp, I remain very concerned about the Bengals’ running back situation.
Just wondering if Bengals fans are satisfied with the state of the club’s tailbacks or should the club go get a veteran?
Kevin Jones is available. So is Shaun Alexander, Ron Dayne and Cedric Benson.
Do loyal LUDWIG AT LARGE readers dig any of these “cats?”
Jones — with 750 career carries for 3,067 yards and 24 TDs, and 141 catches for 1,006 yards and three scores — gets my vote.
There are five Johnsons on the Bengals roster (Brandon, Chad, James, Jeremi and Rudi).
Another Jones would make five (David, Dhani, Herana-Daze and Levi).
Kevin Jones, a 5-foot-11, 228-pounder who missed the start and the end of the 2007 season with foot and knee injuries, was released by Detroit in March.
But the Lions sent director of pro personnel Sheldon White — the ex-Bengal cornerback (1993) from Dayton Meadowdale High School — to Jones’ recent workout for NFL scouts in Saline, Mich.
Jones reportedly did a shuttle run on wet grass in 4.3 seconds, ran around cones and caught passes. Scouts from Green Bay, Pittsburgh and Miami were also present.
Back in 2004, the Lions were elated when Cincinnati drafted Chris Perry No. 26 in the first round. The move allowed them to grab Jones at No. 30.
Sure, he was banged up last season. But it’s clear that Detroit gave up on him way too soon. (Another brilliant move by meathead Matt Millen). Photos: Kevin Jones rehabbing
Here’s the Bengals’ opportunity to right a wrong from ‘04 and get Jones, the guy they should’ve drafted after Steven Jackson got taken off the board by the St. Louis Rams at No. 24.
You can never have enough good running backs.
Or guys named Johnson.
Or guys named Jones.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com or 937-225-2253.
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O-line has ‘the look’ of success
A MIGHTY FORTRESS
IF IT STAYS HEALTHY
I’m giving the Cincinnati Bengals’ offensive line an offseason grade of B+ because I like what I’ve seen so far from the unit.
It’s big, powerful and experienced with the ability to blow defenders off the ball when everything is clicking.
But I look for plenty of zone blocking because pulling and trapping is not the O-line’s forte.
After all, it’s tough for mountains to move.
Unlike a year ago when neither left tackle Levi Jones nor right tackle Willie Anderson participated in training camp because of injuries, the bookend tackles are healthy and raring to go.
It’s a positive sign that quarterback Carson Palmer will be well-protected and running lanes will open for the club’s tailback by committee.
The massive duo of left guard Andrew Whitworth and right guard Bobbie Williams provides strength and power. The biggest question mark is center Eric Ghiaciuc.
If he struggles, Williams could move to the middle, making room for franchise-tagged Stacy Andrews to settle in at right guard.
The Bengals want to find a starting spot for Andrews because he carries a $7.455 million price tag.
But it’s tough to keep a four-time Pro Bowler in Anderson down when he’s healthy.
The Andrews-Anderson duel at RT will be one of the most intriguing battles of training camp.
Pro Bowl-caliber players are littered across the line.
However, as we’ve seen in the past, individual accolades for the men in the trenches don’t usually translate into a trip to Hawaii unless the team enjoys some success, like reaching the playoffs.
THE CHICKSTER’S O-LINE DEPTH CHART
LT — Levi Jones, Anthony Collins, Andrew Whitworth.
LG — Andrew Whitworth, Stacy Andrews, Nate Livings.
C — Eric Ghiaciuc, Bobbie Williams, Dan Santucci.
RG — Bobbie Williams, Scott Kooistra, Nate Livings.
RT — Willie Anderson, Stacy Andrews, Scott Kooistra.
POLL
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