If you see or hear something enough, you'll eventually become desensitized by it. How many times do you gasp in shock when politicians fail to pass a budget or are criminalized in front of the ethics committee? I'll bet, for a huge majority of you, that most of Washington's happenings go unnoticed. If you hear it on the news enough, you'll just think: "same ol' story" and not think twice about it.
Does the same apply to the Cincinnati Bengals' off the field issues now?
Obviously, like political blogs react to organized corruption and incompetence, this blog and other Bengals related sites, take note of each Cincinnati Bengal that gets arrested. I mean, how can you not? The running 2006 NFL joke is the Cincinnati Bengals. The organized crime national media syndicate loves the Bengals because of their troubles. It allows some to express a little humor ripping the Bengals and it gives others the avenue to preach morality and character like the evangelist at the Solid Rock Church.
(sorry, I've been dying to put that picture up)
And if Reggie McNeal's troubles weren't documented enough, Houston police added "a charge of possession of a dangerous drug" on Friday. Then Saturday morning, Deltha O'Neal was arrested and released for blowing .02 over the Ohio limit. Admittedly, I thought to myself, O.K., it's not like he was sloppy drunk throwing up outside his car window. O'Neal has been a class citizen and hasn't embarrassed this organization since joining in 2004. Let me say this so I'm not viewed as the anti-Christ. I have no problem if someone wants a glass of wine on a date or a couple of beers after work. And to think it doesn't happen daily is like saying the Sun orbits the Earth or that Akili Smith was bound for the Hall of Fame.
If I learned anything this season regarding professional athletes getting into trouble, is that you have to judge per occurrence. You can not group each individual run-in with off-the-field drama in general discussion. See, you have two class of players arrested on this team. You have Odell Thurman, Reggie McNeal and Chris Henry on one side and Deltha O'Neal and Eric Steinbach on the other. My point is you have one group of guys that just don't get it and continue to make poor decisions embarrassing the team (that's the main point, isn't it?). The other group are guys that have gotten into trouble one time, like many of us, and dropped off the police scanners.
Yes, I know. It's insane that I'm grouping two sets of arrested players. But for the sake of PR, it makes the most sense hoping that the Bengals won't be called the Cincinnati Trailblazers again. I know, I'm grasping at straws.
So, the Reds.
I always feel compelled to disapprove with the constantly disappointing Reds. While the Cubs free agent acquisitions have reached the GDP of many third world nations, the Reds will likely fall below the coveted 80-win season. Even Reds GM Wayne Krivsky is being thrown under the bus by a scout that left the organization, after 30 years, because of Krivsky. The RedReporter documents it.
So, the University of Cincinnati.
The Cincinnati Bearcats basketball program is off to a 5-2 start -- they've lost to Wolford and UAB by a combined three points. When Bob Huggins was forced to leave the university, there was a major uprising with about 90% of the fanbase. After a season with "interim" head coach Andy Kennedy, Bearcats nation went into an uproar against the university after the beloved Kennedy moved on to Ol' Miss. Enter Mick Cronin. Exit angry Bearcat fans. It was a match that people accepted. The Nancy Zimpher riot crowd put down their torches and lead pipes because the Cronin hire bore a new form of optimism with the thinking that this could be a new era of winning basketball. That's still to be seen, but the optimism is there.
Now UC Football has brought back the angry UC fan reaction -- but against the departed head coach. After completing a 7-5 season, head coach Mark Dantonio decided to ditch the players he recruited in Cincinnati and "return home" accepting the head coaching position at Michigan State. That wasn't enough. He took eight assistant coaches with him.
I get that this was a dream job for Dantonio returning home. I get Michigan State pays more -- three times more. I also get that Dantonio turned his back to players he recruited. What I don't get is the NCAA rules that allow head coaches to ditch their commitments at existing universities BEFORE A BOWL GAME so Dantonio can begin recruiting for his new school.
I keep hearing the defense of Dantonio leaving. Fine, whatever. Go home. Make more money because the University doesn't pay much in a conference that's rapidly paying more for head coaches. All I know is that the University of Cincinnati football program went from a nice high after beating Rutgers and picking up their seventh win this season, to panic-there-is-no-coaches-left mode. Thanks Mark. Thanks NCAA.
In other Bengals related weekly news.
Injuries again have muddled the offensive line. Eric Ghiaciuc hurt his knee against Baltimore last week forcing the third-string center, Ben Wilkerson, into action. The good news is that Rich Braham suited up Friday and Ghiaciuc actually practiced.
Get more injury updates here.
We wondered, of the current roster of Bengals players, who were the most likely to make the Hall of Fame.
Carson Palmer won his second FedEx Air award this season.
We found the true story why Warren Sapp never signed with Cincinnati. It was because the Bengals figured his price was a little much with the limited offers from other teams.
Primer against Oakland.
Week 14 Playoff Scenarios. I think the Bengals are the wild card favorites
No more Jungle Juice.
Cable rates went up in Southwest Ohio. Was that a Time Warner power-move against the NFL Network?
We wondered about the remainder of the season.