When it comes to current events, or politics, I'm very vocal in my beliefs. It's nothing short of amazing that I've kept my opinion on non-sports matter totally mute on this site. Most likely, I always will. You come here for Bengals news and discussion and that's it. I'm well aware of that. But there is one issue out there that's somewhat related to the Bengals that might peeve you off. Meet Dustin Reader.

Dustin Reader, an eighth-grader at Garfield Middle School, received an in-school suspension Monday because of a haircut he received over the weekend in honor of the Cincinnati Bengals.

His barber, Chris Campbell of the B Street barbershop Razor Sharp, cut Bengal stripes on the sides of Reader’s head and a large capital B on the back to resemble the team’s helmet, and on Sunday, he colored his head and scalp to match for the game. The colors were washed out for school on Monday, according to his parents, but he barely got off his bicycle at Garfield when he was sent to his principal’s office.

The rule he reportedly violated:

Because it’s a discipline issue, school officials would not talk about it, but confirmed the suspension was for violating the school’s code of conduct, which prohibits “unnaturally colored hair, extreme/distracting makeup, haircuts and hairstyles.”

What's the lesson being taught here for young hardcore Bengals fan, Dustin Reader? I'm sure songs of certain new political leaders is just as distracting, if not indoctrinating than a haircut that supports a local team. It's the freaking Bengals, man. What about prep rallies where many students show their support with face paint and "unnaturally colored hair"? Does that apply? And who exactly is getting distracted by this? How many students would have sat mesmerized, like one of Tom Savini's zombies, of Reader's haircut?

I realize that school is a place for learning. And I suppose we learned that some schools would rather preach on the importance of fashion rather than teaching students on how to learn through distractions. We wouldn't want young minds to go through life having to face and work through distractions, like the babe on the first floor who winks at you every time you pass her in the hallway. Yummy. What's that? What was I saying?

When the Bengals released Levi Jones in early May, it was one of those things that just didn't surprise you. Jones' injury severely hurt his performances. No longer would he be the team's left tackle that, for the most part, had performed as well as any left tackle in the league.

Jones has expressed interest in returning to the state of Arizona where he played college ball. The Green Bay Packers are taking a flier on the left tackle, after the offense gave up 12 sacks through the first three games. He worked out with the team on Monday.

So the Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton didn't throw five interceptions like he did against the Cincinnati Bengals when he was with the Chicago Bears in 2005 (aren't you impressed I mentioned three NFL teams in a complete sentence. It's arguable that it's a good complete sentence, but nonetheless). However, that doesn't stop our pointless interest story of 2009, re-playing teams and/or quarterbacks that completed five interceptions in 2005. Next up?

The Green Bay Packers.

On October 20, 2005, future hall of fame quarterback Brett Favre threw five interceptions against the Bengals. Two picks came from Deltha O'Neal and Odell Thurman respectively and Tory James. Neither of those players remain in the NFL and Favre has been in and out of the NFL since, so to speak. Even though the Bengals picked Favre five times, Cincinnati only scored seven points after the turnovers. What was really scary is that the Bengals barely beat the Packers 21-14. The Packers were moving the ball when Favre didn't throw picks, recording only three punts on the day and at least one first down on four of the five drives that ended in picks.

Now, it doesn't mean much this year. I'm really only talking to the nostalgic folk, who needs a pick me up after what we're now calling the BS at PBS.

Of course, the only thing that many fans remember the last time we played the Packers is this.

There was a point in time when many of us believed the duo of Odell Thurman and David Pollack would be the start of a fantastic defensive foundation. Thurman finished the season ranked high among finalists for defensive player of the year that eventually went to Shawne Merriman. Thurman was that guy Marvin Lewis had sought all along to man the middle linebacker spot; a defensive leader for many seasons. Pollack's transition from defensive end to outside linebacker was slow, but he was coming along nicely towards the end of the season.

Then, it all unraveled. Pollack suffered a neck injury against the Browns in the second week of the 2006 season. He never played again. Thurman's problems began when he violated the substance abuse policy during the 2006 offseason. Eventually he was suspended for an entire season, in an effort by Roger Goodell to set an example to the league that he meant business with the new Personal Conduct Policy. He wasn't reinstated in 2007. After that, he fell off the NFL radar.

However, he's appeared on the UFL radar, writes Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel.

The Florida Tuskers have signed former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman, for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Koren Robinson, and former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman, according to Tuskers' coach Jim Haslett.

Football in the state of Ohio has such a rich history and influence on the game itself, that fathers, innovators, creators, progressionists, words that define creativity and originality, were either born, played or coached in the Buckeye State. We're proud that men like Paul Brown and Sid Gillman -- among so much more -- influenced the sport coming through the state. The first professional football league was founded in Canton, along with teams in Canton, Cleveland, Dayton, Akron and Cincinnati -- who took on the name the Cincinnati Celts.

The Cincinnati Celts played one season, recording a 1-3 record under head coach Mel Doherty -- also the team's center.

The 1921 Cincinnati Celts team roster.

When the American Professional Football Association formed in 1920, the Traveling Team wasn't originally invited, joining a year later in 1921. Before the league was renamed as the National Football League, the Celts withdraw from the league, remaining an amateur team until 1923.

On Tuesday, the New England Patriots released former Bengals wide receiver Kelley Washington. In four seasons with the Bengals from 2003-2006, Washington caught 72 passes for 893 yards receiving and nine touchdowns; most of which was during his first two seasons, with 53 receptions and seven touchdowns, playing in all 32 games. After that, he played in 12 in two seasons, lost his number three spot to Chris Henry (when he was allowed to play). Then his contract expired, and the Patriots signed him in 2007. In two seasons that spanned 19 games, Washington caught exactly one pass, for what we assume was a three-yard pass.

OK, all that aside, let's get to the real reason for this post:

[UPDATE: Kelley Washington is visiting with the Jets Wednesday Night]

We still think that it's terrible that the Cincinnati Bengals franchise doesn't do a better job honoring their best players with a Ring of Honor, so to speak. Why isn't Anthony Munoz's portrait pained into the South Endzone, I'll never know. Why isn't Willie Anderson's big awesome face at the 50-yard line? No one listens to me. Instead, Bengals.com has announced a Virtual Hall of Fame.

Starting February 2, ending February 28, "fans can vote for 10 of 32 names that are multiple Pro Bowl players, career record-holders or Super Bowl head coaches, or five at-large selections." In April, voting resumes eliminating the ten finalists to three joining Anthony Munoz and Paul Brown in the first class of the Bengals.com Virtual Hall of Fame. It might not be the Ring of Honor, or anything like the Reds Hall of Fame, but it's something. Past Bengals players, the great ones, are unfairly given a bad stigma having played with an organization that many deem unworthy in historical discussions considering their run since the early 90s. Having no Super Bowl wins isn't helpful, but we hardly think that a great career is simply defined by one game -- or else

The one compliment I'll always give Bengals.com is that there's a plethora of information released at such a rate that a river rages while other NFL teams have websites that publish information like a trickle from creaks deep inside dark forests -- sorry, been watching Lord of the Rings again. Leading up to the 2007 season, Bengals.com ran a series that cumulated the Top 40 moments in Bengals history. I know the pulse of others, but I've said this before, it's about the information; not the inability for some to digest it.

Reggie McNeal was the Bengals six-round pick in the 2006 NFL draft. The team envisioned the former Texas A&M quarterback becoming a wide receiver, along with a speed-demon Bennie Brazell (a finalist in the 2004 Olympic Games in the 400-meter hurdles) -- both of whom are not playing football in the NFL (Brazell tried out with the Jacksonville Jaguars this off-season, but not offered a contract).

McNeal spent one full season, never registering a catch (but playing seven games), with the Bengals in 2006, subsequently cut in 2007 to get the roster down to 53 men. This may have had a lot to do with an early morning incident on December 3rd, 2006. McNeal was arrested and charged with resisting arrest; McNeal tried to get into a club in Houston, Texas, while going into an obscenity-filled rant. McNeal elbowed an off-duty officer working as a bouncer, who threw McNeal down and arrested him. Later, Houston police added a charge of "possession of a dangerous drug" -- a cigarette laced with antihistamine.

Fast-forward to 2008. Last week against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, McNeal started as the Toronto Argonauts' starting wide receiver for the first time, catching six passes for 101 yards -- team highs. Toronto lost Friday Night, 32-14 to the Montreal Alouettes. McNeal was shutout.