DaytonDailyNews.com

Number switch! Rivers drives “55”

By Chick Ludwig | Friday, September 5, 2008, 02:44 PM

PAYS OFF REEBOK

FOR FABLED “55”

Where Keith Rivers comes from — the University of Southern California — uniform No. 55 is sacred.

Linebackers Junior Seau. Willie McGinest, Chris Claiborne and Rivers all wore the number as Trojans.

Now Rivers — who had been saddled with number “58” — will wear the fabled “55” for the Cincinnati Bengals.

It wasn’t easy getting the new number.

First, he tried to coax “55” away from Ahmad Brooks. No deal.

Brooks got whacked last Saturday and was quickly claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ers.

Still, Rivers found another dam as he flowed toward “55.”

Reebok had been manufacturing No. 58 Rivers’ jerseys. The company wanted Rivers to cough up over $11,000 before he could make the switch to No. 55.

Rivers signed a five-year, $23 million contract this summer as the Bengals’ first-round draft pick, so “Eleven Large” is basically chump change.

He’ll be in “55” on Sunday … right where he should’ve been all along.

It’s the same number worn by the immortal Bengal, Jim LeClair.

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Your chance to meet ‘The Chickster’

By Chick Ludwig | Friday, September 5, 2008, 07:56 AM

Let’s make it happen TODAY — Friday, Sept. 5.

I’ll be Lance McAlister’s guest on the “Bengals Breakdown” show from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Buffalo Wings and Rings Tri-County. If you can’t make it in person, tune in to WCKY-AM (!530 Homer, The Sports Animal).

Former Bengals Pro Bowl safety David Fulcher joins Lance from 3-4:30 p.m., then “The Chickster” is in the house. Lance will interview Haruki Nakamura, the Ravens’ rookie safety from the University of Cincinnati, at 5:30 p.m.

Address: 11305 Princeton Pike, Springdale, Ohio 45246

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Fantasy football: Good or bad?

By Chick Ludwig | Friday, September 5, 2008, 07:45 AM

LOST PRODUCTIVITY IS

OFFSET BY MORALE BOOST

A story by Ty West in the Birmingham Business Journal claims fantasy football costs employers approximately $9.2 billion in productivity during the 17-week NFL season.

Despite the staggering loss in revenue from the 13.6 million Americans expected to play the virtual game this season, the report quotes human resource managers saying fantasy football boosts morale and worker relationships. See the story at:

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/stories/2008/08/25/focus2.html?b=1219636800%5E1688714

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Bengals-Ravens: 3 keys to success

By Chick Ludwig | Friday, September 5, 2008, 07:17 AM

PASS PROTECTION — The Bengals yielded double-digit sacks in the preseason after giving up 17 all of 2007. The visual of QB Carson Palmer with a broken nose, cut lip and bloody face won’t soon be forgotten. If the line, tight ends and backs don’t tighten up the protection, Palmer will end up in a hospital.

ESTABLISH THE RUN — Palmer’s best friend is a solid running game. The Bengals need to control the line of scrimmage and give Chris Perry and Kenny Watson room to run. It’ll set up play-action, allowing Palmer to take some shots down the field.

RUN DEFENSE — The one-two punch of Willis McGahee and Ray Rice presents a formidable challenge. DTs Domata Peko and John Thornton, and DEs Antwan Odom and Robert Geathers, must be gap sound, allowing the LBs to run with freedom to the ball. The defense had better gang tackle. McGahee and Rice are slippery and explosive.

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Hey, Willie: You’re so ‘Raven’

By Chick Ludwig | Thursday, September 4, 2008, 09:25 PM

WILLIE VS. BENGALS?

SAY IT AIN’T SO

It’s almost like it was meant to be — like Willie Anderson was listening to T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

On “Cutdown Day” — Saturday, Aug. 30 — after Anderson was released by the Bengals, Houshmandzadeh said: “He’s going to go to another team and be very successful. I just hope he doesn’t come back and play against us.”

As fate would have it, the “other team” is the Baltimore Ravens, the Bengals’ opening day opponent on Sunday, Sept. 7.

Big Willie will be wearing the Ravens’ purple and white after agreeing to a three-year, $11 million contract that includes a $1.67 million signing bonus on Thursday. It marks the fourth big contract Anderson has signed in his 13-year NFL career.

I’d bet my last dollar that Big Willie will play on Sunday. The Ravens aren’t stuffing his pockets full o’ cash so he can be a sideline statue.

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Thursday (Sept. 4) Injury Report

By Chick Ludwig | Thursday, September 4, 2008, 04:39 PM

OUT

SS Chinedum Ndukwe (Knee)

DT Pat Sims (Toe)

DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE

DE Jonathan Fanene (Illness)

LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE

WR Andre Caldwell (Toe)

LB Brandon Johnson (Hamstring)

DT John Thornton (Knee)

HB Kenny Watson (Hamstring)

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NFL approves ‘Chad Ocho Cinco’

By Chick Ludwig | Thursday, September 4, 2008, 03:44 PM

CHAD WILL WEAR

‘OCHO CINCO’

The NFL’s judge and jury — in this case, Commissioner Roger Goodell and his trusty lieutenants — have ruled:

Chad Johnson is now Chad Ocho Cinco.

Here’s the Bengals’ news release:

“PLAYER NAME CHANGE”

Effective today (Thursday, Sept. 4), the Bengals begin the process of listing the former Chad Johnson as Chad Ocho Cinco for all club business, per the legal change of his surname effected in Florida.

The list of appropriate changes will include Ocho Cinco wearing his new surname on the back of his jersey for Sunday’s season opener.

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