The Daily Banter: Struttin With New Struts At Funk University

We're a tad bit late this fine Tuesday with our Daily Banter -- and it's a bit short too. Earlier this morning I was taken out of my customary action, forced to do that money costing thing that we hate doing because we hate watching digits on our digital bank accounts quickly countdown to zero with the 24 clock sound effects. A few weeks ago, I had struts replaced on the front of my car. Since I'm more broke than a bad romance story just before the guy runs down the airport to say what I want to say, I had to replace all four struts in segments. Today was the day to have the final replacements done in the back.

And man, having new struts rocks. I've had the same car for ten years and this car had the same manufactured struts since I got her -- whom I call Cherry. Three of the four struts had broken springs and the ride was less smooth than the Beast during a gusty day. Now I'm driving the life of luxury my friends. No more rattling in the car means that my rear-view mirror will no longer fall off and that pot holes aren't the prerequisites of dental surgery.

Anyway, enough about that. Let's move on to the super-late and short Banter.

+ Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph talks about the team's playoff lost to New York and the Bengals roster heading into the 2010 season.

+ Huge Bengals fan Bootsy Collins talks about his new school -- Funk University. What, you expected a different name? Personally, I think it's brilliant. Yes, I'm going to Funk University this autumn, yo. Well, you won't learn much unless you want to learn how to play bass.

+ Baltimore Ravens safety Ed Reed could miss the first six games of the season. The Baltimore Sun's Jamison Hensley writes:

The Pro Bowl safety is almost a certainty to start training camp on PUP. In fact, it would be surprising to see Reed play in the preseason. He recently said he is 35 percent recovered from offseason hip surgery. The most likely scenario is placing Reed on the Reserve PUP at the start of the regular season, which would mean he misses at least the first six weeks.

+ Speaking of good safeties in the NFL, there's concern that Colts safety Bob Sanders may not play football again. A report by Michael Lombardi writes "There is some concern Colts safety Bob Sanders might never be able to play football again, with his shoulder and bicep issues. He reduced his contract, but his rehab has been slow." Sanders' agent Tom Condon responded, through the Indy Star's Phil Richards:

Condon said the contract has not been addressed and that he knows of no new injury issues.

This didn't settle much for Colts fans, especially that of Stampede Blue:

Condon's answer is actually more alarming to me that Lombardi's initial article. Lombardi wasn't talking about "new injuries," Tom. He was talking about the same injuries that have prevented Sanders from playing a full season since 2007. If you wanted to squash Lombardi's report, a statement along the lines of "Bob is perfectly healthy" would have done that.