DaytonDailyNews.com

From Oct. 23, 2007, through Aug. 4, 2008, the only noise from Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco to the local media was the sound of silence.

The five-time Pro Bowler's forum was the national stage, where he spent the offseason requesting, then demanding, a trade.

Nowadays, it's difficult to keep him quiet.

Over dinner the other night at J. Alexander's Restaurant at Rookwood Commons — Chad ordered cranberry juice, an appetizer of cinnamon croissants dripping in honey butter and the surf-and-turf "Ocho Entree" that included a petite filet mignon, grilled salmon, broccoli and garlic mashed potatoes — Ocho Cinco touched on numerous subjects.

"This is my time to vent," he said.

In Chad's words

I'm going to bring life. I'm going to bring energy. I'm going to make it fun again to watch the Bengals, and make it fun to be able to wear your jersey to any city and be like, "You know what? I represent Cincinnati." And it's like all those dreams and aspirations I had ... yeah, I've been successful. But I haven't gotten to the big dance. I've done everything else. At this point, it's about one thing.

On the present: It's gotten to the point where I'm at home in tears. I mean literally boo-hoo crying. I'm thinking, "I'm stuck. Not stuck in a way of being in Cincinnati and I can't get out." It's just so frustrating right now.

You've got the most passionate, energetic, entertaining, say-what's-on-his-mind player at the top of his game, and all my spirit, my energy, my joy, it's like it's being drained week after week after week.

How does it get to this point to where you're losing every week? As coaches and players, I don't even see how they can involve themselves in putting their time, effort and energy into it and the outcome is always the same. Do you know how bad, after we lost the first three, I wanted to go off, like just rip? And I just had to bite my tongue.

One of the most feared offenses in the NFL three years ago and I don't think other teams even respect us offensively. Nobody. We as a team are back in that time when we would be on people's schedule and they would check us off — this is a win. After every game, we say, "Are you serious? You've got to be kidding." Everybody we play says the same thing: "You all have too much talent to be losing."

On his numbers: My numbers are so ridiculous this year they don't make any sense. You've got one of the best in the league and I go from 1,440 (yards) last year to (428) this year, and you're going to tell me it's because of injuries? I had ankle surgery. I have a torn labrum. But I'm not buying that excuse.

Call it cocky. Call it arrogant, I am no different than your insurance carrier when I touch that field. If my number's called, I'm going to be there. My will to never lose — just will alone — will not allow me to be covered. My 50 percent is better than half the receivers in the league. You give me one leg, I'm going to get open.

You know who I feel sorry for? The fans. Not the bandwagon jumpers, but the ones who are die-hard, sitting in the cold. I'm at a point where I ask, "How can I help us win and make it fun for the people coming to watch?"

On the gun culture: It was an unfortunate incident (Plaxico Burress accidentally shooting himself). But I understand why he's carrying a weapon. (Deceased Washington Redskin) Sean Taylor was a very good friend of all of us who are from or reside in the Miami area, and I think there are some events that happened in New York with some Giants' players being robbed. I think Plax was carrying it for his safety.

Especially after the Sean Taylor incident and the (Richard) Collier incident in Jacksonville, I also protect myself. I have a handgun. I have a license to carry it. But I don't carry it. I don't put myself in situations to where it results in something of that nature.

You have to protect yourself, especially with what's going on now. You've got to remember we're all human and we're all targets. We should be allowed to be able to protect ourselves just like any normal person.

They say, "Don't put yourself in positions to get harmed." But if you're a target, something's going to happen, period. There are some places you can go to minimize something happening. But if it's going to happen, it's going to happen regardless.