I had a thought while watching last week's episode of "24" (Who else saw Jack Bauer giving it to Jeanne Garofalo? Freaking classic!) Actually, it was a pointless debate of the best agents in story-telling fiction of the television book world. If they were forced to face each other, who would win? James Bond, Jason Bourne, or Jack Bauer. Granted, they come from different worlds and fight to resolve, or save, different things. For instance, Bond specifically goes after a criminal mastermind to save the world. Jason Bourne doesn't fight to save people he doesn't know as so much as he's about discovering why someone is trying to kill him. He saved China from being taken over once from radical nationalists, but that was an unintended consequence while he was searching for his wife, Marie (the book, not the movies). Jack Bauer falls into saving America, except the first season where he's just saving his family, and has a deep conviction towards protecting America and saving innocent people. He doesn't leave the country, save for a short plane ride to Mexico, while a majority of Bourne's accomplishments are outside of his home country. They're both use their minds more than braun to set up traps for their pray.
I can't make a choice. I eliminated Bond simply because I have an enthusiastic pride about the United States of America. Furthermore, Bond wouldn't specifically work to save America; rather he'd take on one criminal mastermind. So who would first stop an attack on America. Jack Bauer or Jason Bourne?
How is this relevant to the Bengals? It's not. The debate came into my mind and my hour commute to and from work tends to invite inquiries of pointless dribble that sometimes finds itself here.
What we need to talk about is what's going on with the rookie minicamp this weekend.
First, what's being said about Andre Smith?
Not only is he honoring the tradition of wearing number #71 for sexy-big men at right tackle, he's instead being asked to line up at left tackle. Joe Reedy said he "looked solid during position workouts" Friday morning. On Friday afternoon, defensive end rookie Michael Johnson lined up at outside linebacker and matched one-on-one with Smith. Joe Reedy writes, "Winner for Day 1 -- Smith, who held Johnson in place on most plays." Smith and Johnson reportedly worked out together in Atlanta and have been forming a bond since before the NFL draft. Furthermore, if given the choice, Smith would like to play on the left side. "That's home, that's the side I want to be on."
Rey Maualuga is also putting on a performance that has the team's beat writers praising him. On Friday morning, Reedy wrote, "Nice intensity from Rey Maualuga during the workout". However, on Thursday night, a bond between USC linebackers is clearly starting to reignite from their glorious college days.
Maualuga got to town on Thursday and had dinner with Keith Rivers. Both have known each other since they were at USC. After going over some of the playbook, it was time to get to work on Friday.
Bonds. Bonds. Bonds. Locker room chemistry. Friendship. United warriors in battle.
Then there's former UC Punter Kevin Huber smoking the hell out of the football.
According to the I-Watch of The Cincinnati Enquirer's Joe Reedy, Huber averaged a hang time of about 4.0 seconds in a series of 11-on-11 punts that featured two of 5.0.
"He put on a show out there today," Lewis said of his fifth-round pick. "When he hits a bad ball, he hits a bad ball. He comes back and hits the next one. That's what impressed me as well as the guy's strength and ability. He can shake off what is not a great punt and (have) a great punt. He's not going to get unnerved."
Quan Crosby was late. But he had an excuse.
Quan Cosby signed his rookie free agent contract on Friday and was on the field for the afternoon session. The former University of Texas wide receiver was late because he gave a speech in Houston on Thursday night.
The speech for the UT School of Social Work was attended by University president William Powers.
It also appears that rookie wide receivers Freddy Brown and Greg Orton are already catching on. Get it? A pun.
Seventh-round pick Freddy Brown and free agent Greg Orton made two of the nicest catches of the day. In the morning, Brown hauled in a 50-yard pass from Billy Farris over a defender. In the afternoon, Orton made a diving catch down the left sideline.
The Bengals have three more sessions. After Saturday morning, they'll go again this afternoon and once on Sunday.