I seem to be a little behind with a full NFL off season pretty much over, a few weeks of public training camp under our belts already, and a preseason win behind us, so I will try to catch up a little in this post. Let me start by saying Who Dey and offering a plea to ESPN: Please, please, please on all that is holy, now that the Bengals have finally made Jesus Christ's son (is that wrong, destination Hell?) look like the second stringer he is, can you please, and I am sure I speak for most of America, stop following the Jets training camp so closely. I don't care about Tebow running around shirtless in the rain, talking about how much fun he is having, or praising his Lord and Savior anymore! He is not a quarterback and until he comes to terms with it, let's just let him skip around in a field of daisies in New York on his own. Why must the rest of us in America be subjected to the circus that is Rex Ryan and the Jets?? Can I get an Amen!
Anyway, back on subject: Training Camp. Has anyone had a chance to get to one of these yet? This is your last week, so if you are looking to go, you better get moving! I have never been to Georgetown to a training camp or any training camp ever, so I have absolutely nothing to compare this to. I will say that I enjoy that they are here in Cincinnati this year. I personally think that it is creating a lot of excitement within the city for the new season. It couldn't have come at a better time for the organization, with the young, exciting team, great new pick ups in the draft and free agency, and coming off of a play off appearance. Talking to various fans from all walks of life at just the 3 camps I have been to, everyone seems to be rallying around our guys! This makes me happy, however, now we have to get these same excited people in the seats at the game. Now, that is the catch 22. Training camps are free, autographs make people super happy, but games are expensive, and fans are right to be leary of this team. We have to fill these seats though. These guys need this. They need to see we back them, when autographs aren't guaranteed, and we actually have our hard earned money vested in their future and their wins. The excitement of camp will only carry them so far. I say this because at the preseason game, it appeared that more people cheered for Tebow entering the game than any positive Bengal play! There were plenty of Orange and Black jerseys in the stands, but nothing noteworthy in the cheering department. Sure it is preseason, but if this is any kind of preview to the regular season, we need REAL Bengals fans in the seats.
Of course everyone will just blame Mike Brown. Oh, he's a crook, the ticket prices are too high, the food is too expensive, blah, blah, blah. Being a new fan, I admit, I haven't had the chance to really be beaten down by him. In that same breath, though, have you? I mean, sure sometimes his team management decisions are questionable, but he seems to be on the right track now. Time will tell. What I don't understand is all of the whining about ticket prices and food prices. I dare any of you to look at another stadium and find drastically cheaper tickets, food, and beer. Most places are more expensive. I know, I know, our taxes pay for the stadium, Cincinnati is hard hit by the recession. Let me just let you all in on a secret, Cincinnati is not the only city paying taxes to fund a stadium and I dare you, again, to look around the nation and find another large city not in a horrible recession. I get it if you can't afford tickets, they are pricey, times are tough, but Mike Brown is doing exactly what everyone else is doing. Blame America for the idolization of sports! And, if you can, please get in the seats this season! Don't let Pittsburgh beat you anymore as fans Cincinnati!!
Speaking of training camp...This receiving core has looked really good. I, honestly, came in to this camp, thinking "yeah right, Armon Binns" and damn, if Mr. Binns hasn't proved me wrong all over the place. He isn't afraid to go after the ball, get hit, block, or put himself out there for a catch. He is the real deal. I really thought Sanu would be the shoe-in for the coveted number 2 spot, but I definitely think that Binns, Tate, and rookie Marvin Jones have really given him a run for his money. Even deeper than those four, the guys looks solid; Hazelton, Hilton, and of course Shipley back from injury are all ready and hungry. I will say, though, Shipley has seemed rather rusty, which is to be expected. I am glad to see him back and recovering, though, now if we can just get him back up to speed. With all of this great, young, talent, I just wonder if it will be too late. Running back seems to be all wrapped up with the Law Firm, courtesy of my old friends New England, and Scott. However, now that Scott is out for a few weeks, I think it will give Peerman a good shot to really get noticed. That is exactly what he did in that Preseason game against the Jets. He showed his toughness and endurance, scoring twice. Once recovering a blocked punt in the end zone and the second time rushing one in late in the game. Of course, we all acknowledge that Leonard is still a beast. Even the line seems be holding up well. Andy didn't seem too rushed and Bruce seemed fairly comfortable from the pocket most of the time. I think that Zeitler is going to have a big impact this year and this line is going to be better than years past. Just my prediction. Now, just a fact...our defensive line seems larger and faster this year for some reason. They seem hungry for that football and they are going for it. As a side note, Roland might actually be the largest man I have ever seen in person! The defense all together has seemed to be performing well. Our trouble spot, is definitely going to be the backfield. We are deep, but hurt, and weathered. That is an obvious issue. I think we will really have to see how the rest of the summer pans out for any predictions to even be made back here. I mean even two of our draft picks are hurt at this positions. I certainly hope that someone really steps up and a light bulb goes off for all of us. Speaking of rookies...THANK YOU BURFICT!! Because of you and your hard work, and of course your interception of The Chosen One, Timmy Boy, I can tune in to ESPN, if only for a short period time without hearing about Gang Green! You, my friend, deserve the toast of the week!
And now, sad news this week. Love him or hate him, Chad Johnson is/was/will always be one of us and a part of our history. We will talk about him with the our grandchildren: His skill, his dedication, his antics, his name change, his failure at normalcy. Well, by now, we all have heard the news. He was arrested for domestic violence after head butting his new wife, the crazy Basketball Wives lady. This is sad, no matter your feelings for him or his guilt. Was it how he said it was (an accidental head bunting) or an actual head butt. We may never know the truth. She apparently has lacerations on her head, which would suggest to me that it was not an accident. Domestic violence is not okay, no matter the situation or who is performing it. If this was just an oops during a fight, then it is really too bad that the police got involved. Either way, this is detrimental to his career. If his year with New England wasn't painful enough to watch, now his life has become painful too. The Dolphins (possibly his last chance) have already dumped him. Who else is going to want him? Teams are already getting set, just a month out of the regular season kick off. Not to mention his last season was more than awful, his antics are often times too much, and now he is an alleged woman beater. I guess everyone gets another chance sometimes, look at T.O., but was Chad already on his?
I will leave you with a couple training camp pictures from the past camps I have went to. Another camp tomorrow, so stay tuned.
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