Grab Bag: The Boss is Nuts, Shipley Hearts Fans, Bengals Headed South

No real theme today, just some random thoughts. To wit:

After reading Josh's calm, reasoned post on why he and the National Football Post's Matt Bowen believe the Cincinnati Bengals should not extend RB Cedric Benson, I would like to defer comment to Bill Cosby.

Moving on, current fan heartthrob Jordan Shipley loves him back some Bengals fans.

There’s a lot of media coverage here. I think it’s a testament to how much people love football here in Cincinnati. That’s what I had heard from day one, that we have great fans. That makes it even more exciting to be here and play. They definitely love their football here.

Yes. Yes we do.

Unfortunately, one wideout didn't get much love today was Chris Davis, who was axed today in a move that takes the team down to (only!) 10 wide receives. The big question now is this:

How long until Davis gets picked up by Cincinnati South, a.ka. the Florida Tuskers?

If you're anything like me and have no life whatsoever, you might have noticed that the Tuskers have laid claim to Eric Ghiacuic. For those Tuskers fans who might be excited at the news their team has acquired a former "starting center," let me explain that during his time in Cincinnati, Ghiacuic was affectionately known as "Screen Door," "Swinging Gate" and "El Matador." Seriously, a tackling dummy would be cheaper and more effective.

Still, once a Bengal, always a Bengal, and the old softie in me hopes he can make a go of it in the minors. And really, as a Bengals fan, I have to root for the Tuskers, who were undefeated last season before losing the championship game on an overtime field goal, given the many familiar names on their provisional 2010 roster. Who's in the house?

Why look there: it's track star Bennie Brazell, a seventh round pick back in 2006 who spent the year on IR then got cut. Yes, sadly, Bennie's much-hyped "blazing speed" ended up best describing his swift passage out of the NFL.

And hey! Its Simeon Castille! I actually liked Castille, and he did manage to hang around with the Chargers last season, but it looks like he's headed to Tier II as well.

Scrolling on down the list...scrolling...scrolling...holy hand grenades, Batman, it's Langston Moore! Our sixth-round pick from back in Marvin Lewis' first draft, Moore spent two years in Cincinnati, then bounced around the league for a few years with the Cardinals and Lions. Not a guy I shed any tears over losing, but I remember wondering a bit at letting him go in '05.

Hard Knocks star J.D. Runnels can also be found in Florida these days. And OMG! it's the boar hunter himself, Anthony Schlegel! And, of course, that guy. Odell Thurman. The Tuskers' leading tackler last season, and Cincinnati's ill-fated second-round pick back in 2005. The what-ifs still echo.

But wait! There's more! Take a look at the coaching staff! AAAAHHH!!! Yikes! Yeah, they still have jobs. So as a friend of mine says, Go Mighty Tuskers! Crush Kill Destroy! And no mention of of a word including "tusk" would be complete without the obligatory Fleetwood Mac reference...

(Why is the camera ever not not pointed at the cheerleaders?)