Friday afternoon links and notes -- Rivers is now officially #55

First things, first. I plan on being around for the Ohio State game and the University of Cincinnati game. If there's enough interest from you guys, then we can do an all-day open thread to chat about our two best Ohio teams -- if not all-day college football. That's up to you.

Keith Rivers will officially be #55.

Jerome Simpson really, really wants to be that number three wide receiver. "There are still a lot of people who don't believe in me, who don't believe I was worth a second-round pick. I've just got to keep showing 'em that I'm worth it." (Or stop worrying about what others think, remember your routes and show on the field that you're worth it) "It's a confidence thing, getting in there and showing the coaches I can make plays to help put this team in a position to win games. I just want to get better every week."

James Walker writes that Johnathan Joseph and Stacy Andrews will have breakout seasons this year. In fact, of the five selections for breakout players, the Bengals have two spots -- making this the first Walker piece in three months with more than one Bengals reference. And who says that I'm a tacky?

Then he writes spells Cincinnati as "Cincinnatti". Where the hell does the second "T" from?

NFL.com previews Bengals and Ravens. So does this site, and this site and this site. I tend to find matchup previews, or even game previews -- unlike primers -- utterly useless for me to write about. Not only do I have a failing understanding of the other team, but I figure I spend all week talking about the Bengals with a sneak-peak to the opposing team that we can all understand the battles our teams face. It's not that I have a problem with others doing them, but I'm not going to BS you into thinking that I actually know the entire opposing team -- I don't, because I'm here bitching too much about the Bengals.

I'm really not sure the point Sean McClelland is trying to make.