Bengals Look to the League's Elite for Franchise Consistency

The NFL offseason calls for teams to rebuild and reload. Every team goes back to the drawing board, regardless of the record from the year before.

The Cincinnati Bengals have had interesting and attention grabbing off-season’s in years past. The team always seemed to make a splash. Some of the offseason fireworks included the signing of Terrell Owens and Antonio Bryant.

Also, the trade demands of former Bengal players Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco come to mind. The attention wasn't always a positive and maybe the Bengals have learned that headline grabbing deals in free agency do not necessarily translate into wins.

In recent weeks, the Bengals have stayed pat and signed average players in free agency. They haven't gone out and signed a big name back up wide receiver to complement rookie sensation A.J. Green. They didn't go get the best offensive lineman or cornerback available.

Instead, they stayed pat and signed some mid-level players on defense and a slightly above average running back named Benjarvus Green Ellis. Green-Ellis nicknamed, "The Law Firm" is a high character guy, who played his first four seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots.

A lot of people in Cincinnati have criticized the Bengals for not becoming major players in free agency.

The common thought is that the Bengals have a lot of cap room and should use it. Well, who was the last team that had big free agent signings and won a Super Bowl? The Packers, Steelers and Patriots are legitimate Super Bowl contenders year in and year out, yet they don’t feel the need to make big moves in free agency. Those teams draft well and develop from within. Then, after the guys they draft are established; they reward their own players with good contracts.

The Bengals seem to be modeling themselves after some of the best franchises in all of sports. Although, I am not sure if I completely believe they will continue the trend of drafting well, like they have in recent years; I’m surely not going to criticize them for it.

Regardless of their history, the Bengals have made some great moves in the past year. In fact, many Cincinnati fans called last offseason the worst one in history, until they saw the product on the field. The team replaced Chad Ochocinco with the younger, more talented A.J. Green.

They replaced Carson Palmer, with Andy Dalton who proved in his first season that he was NFL worthy. Bengals owner Mike Brown traded the "retiring" Carson Palmer to the Oakland Raiders for a 1st round draft pick and a 2nd round draft pick.

Palmer wasn't even playing at the time! Mike Brown practically stole draft picks away from the Oakland Raiders.

The team went on to have a very successful season, winning 9 games and making the playoffs for just the third time in 22 seasons. This is no time to criticize Mr. Brown or Head Coach Marvin Lewis. The organization might be finally making the moves or not making the wrong moves that have doomed them in the past.

I am not saying the addition of free agents would hurt the team, but the path to a championship is having an organization that builds through the draft and develops its’ own players. Winning the headlines in March, does not help you win games in January.

There is a reason that the Bengals were able to sign Benjarvus Green-Ellis and take a weapon away from Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Cincinnati didn’t overpay for “The Law Firm,” who accepted a three-year, $9 million contract from the Bengals.

Green-Ellis doesn’t just have a cool nickname. He has plenty of talent left and he is only 26 years-old. He had to see something within this organization to accept a contract with the Bengals. Cincinnati is a team on the rise and this is the perfect time to model itself with the top-tier teams in the NFL.


Who knows, it may not work out. But, the Cincinnati Bengals have to become a perennial contender at some point. Maybe that time is closer than many think.

Could A.J. Green and the Bengals franchise be on their
way to becoming a perennial contender?

NCAA Tournament Predictions



 Made it smaller so it wouldn't look AS bad. .
But, my Final Four was Missouri, Baylor, Syracuse, UNC... OUCH 
Probably the worst picks of my life.... (so far)



Why Not UC?

The past few weeks have been great to Bearcat fans. The Cats have won five out of their last six games and have all but clinched an NCAA Tournament berth. Their recent hot streak has helped put them in prime position to contend for a Big East Tournament Championship.

In previous posts I've talked about how the Bearcats are on their way to becoming nationally relevant again. Besides making a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, nothing could help a program like UC more then to win the Big East Tournament Crown.

It may seem farfetched, but I think UC can compete and potentially beat any team in the Big East. They can beat Syracuse and that's who the Bearcats will likely play if they defeat Georgetown on Thursday. UC has defeated Georgetown three straight times and won five out of the last six matchups against the Hoyas.

If that trend continues it would boost the Bearcats tournament resume and put them in the Big East Semi Finals for the first time in the program's history. I can't help but think that the Cats have a shot, not only win tomorrow, but also upset Syracuse and earn the opportunity to punch their ticket to the big dance. It’s March Madness time and for the first time in years I find myself wondering why not UC?

This team has as good of a chance as any. Maybe they can put it together and win a Big East Championship or maybe they lose tomorrow and get the dreaded " number 9 seed" in the tournament. Either way, this team is on the verge of getting over the hump. So before you call me "crazy" ask yourself, "why not UC?"

Feb 29, 2012; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats head coach Mick Cronin has every reason to believe his team will leave Madison Square Garden as Big East Tournament Champions . Mandatory Credit: Frank Victores-US PRESSWIRE

Mike Greenberg Book Review

Why My Wife Thinks I’m An Idiot:

The Life and Times of a Sportscaster Dad

By Mike Greenberg

                                                                                James Rapien 

          

                                                  Book Review

 In life, everyone has goals. People have things they want to accomplish regardless of the people around them. It can have high impact like owning a home, or something as simple as getting to work on time after waking up late. In the book entitled: Why My Wife Thinks I’m an Idiot: The Life and Times of a Sportscaster Dad, Mike Greenberg talks about having, “the best job in the whole wide world” (page 211) and all of the mayhem, both positive and negative, that comes with it. Greenberg is a national radio host on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike in the Morning. He talks with famous athletes and coaches’ daily. In my opinion, “Greeny” (nickname) is right. I cannot think of another job that is better than his. He is one of the most popular sports radio hosts in the country and hopefully I know what that is like one day. I cannot think of a better job then to get paid to talk about sports. Greenberg is not lucky, by any means. To get in the position he’s in one has to work very hard and have a few fortunate moments on the way. Every successful person goes through some kind of struggle on the road to success. Greenberg is no different and he doesn’t shy away from it in his book. Furthermore, there is some humor in the book, but also plenty of journalistic views and ideas.

            In the book “Greeny” mentions a call he took on his radio show in late 1999. The man told him that he wasn’t a journalist. The funny thing about it is Greenberg agreed with the man. The caller got angry and hung up, but Mike was not done talking about the subject. He said he believed the American people have stopped trusting the media. He does not blame the public; he blames the “bad journalism out there.” He said, “That is the tragedy of journalism today: Everyone thinks the object is to get the story first when in reality the object will always be to get the story right” (page 43). Considering he said this on his radio show twelve years ago and journalism has gotten more bogged down with bloggers, writers and other internet media outlets, I think Greenberg has a good point. The Internet has impacted journalism heavily. It has hurt journalism because news is being reported inaccurate just because “bad journalists” believe it is better to get the news out then to be 100% accurate. This has just reinforced in my mind how important it is to be accurate as a journalist.

            Mike Greenberg did not just get handed a radio host job. He had to earn it and like every journalist there were times he needed to think on the fly to get the interview he needed. Greenberg worked in Chicago early in his career and went to cover a Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He tried to get an interview with Jack McDowell who was a pitcher for the White Sox. McDowell kept blowing off the interview. Greenberg was just hired on and if he didn’t get the interview he was likely to be fired. McDowell went on to become the winning pitcher of the All-Star game and Greenberg knew it was now or never. McDowell didn’t interview after the game. Instead, he blew it off and tried to sneak out of the ballpark with some of his friends. Kids waited outside for the ballplayers to come out and sign autographs, but McDowell kept his head down and attempted to walk past. Then, “Greeny” did what any good journalist would do and told kids who it was. They rushed McDowell and he was left with no choice but to sign autographs. Greenberg was able to get a five-minute interview during the autograph session and avoid getting fired. I mentioned earlier how everyone has certain goals that they want to reach. Well, if Greenberg didn’t get the interview, he may have never reached them. He slipped through the cracks and did what had to be done. That’s what journalists must do. Greenberg was persistent and he got the interview he desperately needed. If Greenberg went back to the radio station (who flew him to Baltimore to report and interview the lone Chicago player in the All-Star game) and told them he didn’t come through, there is no doubt that he would have been let go. That is something the book taught me: journalists must think on the fly, be innovative and do their job right; whether it is during an interview, on the radio, or in an email with an angry listener/reader.

            Later in the book Greenberg talks about the birth of his daughter and how she impacted his life. One thing that stood out to me is when he was leaving to go on his first business trip since his daughters’ birth. He didn’t cry when his wife was pregnant and he didn’t cry when his daughter was born either. He went on to say, “I never cry. It isn’t a macho thing; I just don’t do it” (page 82). Well, maybe that was true until he was packed and ready to go on his first business trip one week after his daughter was born. “Greeny” admits that he started to cry as he pulled out of the driveway and he said it was “the first time my daughter had made me cry. I remember I also thought it was certain not to be the last. But you never forget the first time” (page 85). This is another thing that the book has taught me about being a journalist. The world doesn’t stop because of a newborn, a death, or any other significant event. Journalists must have an on and off switch that’s ready to be flipped one way or the other at any given moment. Then again, as I am typing this, I think journalists might not have an off switch. In fact, it seems more likely that you are either on or in neutral ready to be called on at a moment’s notice. Either way, you must remain on your toes.

            In this book, Mike Greenberg lets you in the mind of a sports journalist; not only professionally, but also personally. He shows you how both worlds coexist with each other and the challenges that stem from each. I am very happy I picked this book to read because it has taught me various things about being a journalist. It taught me things that I wouldn’t learn in a class or in a seminar because it put me in the shoes of a sportscaster. The book showed me what my future profession will entail. There are many adjectives than can describe a journalist. They need to be persistent, motivated, prompt and they must work at their best under pressure. “Greeny” showed how well he worked under pressure when he got the interview at the All-Star game. His job was on the line and he came through in the clutch. We all have moments that shape our future. If one tiny detail was changed our life would be completely different. If Mike Greenberg hadn’t told kids who the baseball player was, he may not have even written a book. I might have been writing about a different journalist. But, that is not the case because he was persistent and motivated enough to think outside of the box to get the job done.

            The book really took me by surprise when I finished it. I thought that it would be more about sports and I was worried I wouldn’t get any journalistic knowledge from it. However, I was completely wrong. Mike Greenberg showed me that he is a journalist who happens to do radio. He gave me many different ideas; some of them are listed above. I don’t think the book had many weaknesses. The only weakness I noticed was that the book isn’t that versatile. It is a great read for someone interested in sports journalism, but someone interested in another type of journalism may not get the same knowledge from it. Maybe it is because I am so interested in the life of a sportscaster, but I think the book was a great read. I would recommend it to anyone interested in sports journalism. Overall, this book reassured me that if I work hard enough and get a break or two along the way, I can accomplish my goal, which is to have “the best job in the whole wide world” (page 211).

Tom Brady a Choke Artist?

There have been plenty of story lines’ following the New York Giants victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI. Some of them are accurate (“Eli Manning is an elite quarterback”) and some simply aren’t. The sports world is a: ‘what have you done for me lately’ industry. So when Tom Brady has lost back-to-back Super Bowl’s there has to be something wrong. Well, that simply isn’t true. Did Brady play perfect on Sunday? No, but he was a minute away from carrying his team to the Super Bowl.

            The Patriots that played on Sunday were not the same Patriots team that won three Super Bowl’s. No, in fact this team is nowhere near as talented on defense as it has been in previous seasons. Brady practically played without his favorite target, tight-end Rob Gronkowski who was clearly bothered by an ankle injury. This made it less likely that Brady would complete many passes of 20 yards or more. Gronk’s injury limited the Patriots’ offense and yet Tom Brady played well. He completed 16 straight passes, (a Super Bowl single game record), he had two touchdown passes and he completed 65.8% of his pass attempts. However, Brady wasn’t perfect. He made a bad decision that led to a safety, threw one interception and a few passes of his were just a tad off-target. In other words, they weren’t perfect throws. With that being said quarterbacks shouldn’t have to play a perfect game to win. Tom Brady had a very good game, but with drops by Aaron Hernandez, Deion Branch and most notably Wes Welker it made it near impossible to put the Giants away or have a successful attempt at a last second comeback.

             Dropped passes are apart of the game, but in the Super Bowl they are inexcusable. They are momentum killers and a big reason the Patriots didn’t hold onto the lead. If those passes are caught, we could be talking about how Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Instead, we are asking if he has become a choke artist. In the fourth quarter Tom Brady didn’t play his best ball, but did he choke? He put the ball in a position for his receivers to make a play and they didn’t make the plays. The Giants wide receivers did make plays. The Giants made just enough plays to win and that’s what great teams do. New York is a great team with a roster full of talent. The Patriots are a solid team with a great quarterback. They have a great tight end, but he was hurt. Championship teams overcome injuries and make the plays to win. New England didn’t do that and that is why they are second best. Tom Brady played well enough to win, but the Giants had more talent and that’s what it came down to. There’s nothing wrong with the future Hall of Famer, the only thing wrong in Brady-land is the talent around him.   

Five Reasons Why the Miami Heat Should Win an NBA Title this Season

1.            Lebron James- No matter what people say about this guy, no one can deny he is one of the best players in the game. All he does is fill the stat sheet. When a team gets 29 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists a night out of one player they are bound to be a playoff team. James has also developed a post game, which will help him at the end of games.

2.            Dwayne Wade- The injury bug has struck the former Finals MVP so far this season, but if last year taught us anything it is that the regular season isn’t that important. Any NBA analyst will tell you that he is a top five player in the league today. He also has the confidence to close out games, which is something this team will have to turn to when the playoffs arrive.

3.            Chris Bosh and Co.- The supporting cast on the Miami Heat is quite underrated. Chris Bosh is the best third option in the league. He proved he isn’t afraid of the big shot and came up big in the playoffs last season. Mike Miller is finally healthy and Shane Battier was a great offseason acquisition who can guard some of the best players in the league successfully. 

4.            Point Guard- Last season the Miami Heat lacked a solid point guard behind starter Mario Chalmers. Mike Bibby was joined the team to take on that role, but he wasn’t the answer. This season the Heat traded for Rookie Point Guard Norris Cole who can penetrate, dish the ball effectively and set up the offense. They don’t need him to be great, and as long as he’s consistent, they no longer have a glaring need at point guard.

5.            Coaching- I think that Eric Spolestra is a very good coach. He has the ability to lead this team to an NBA Championship. If he can get the most out of his guys in crucial moments, then he will deserve a lot of credit for coaching this team to a championship. He has been in the Finals and there isn’t a better teacher than experience.

The Miami Heat look poised to win a Championship after finishing two games short in 2011.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and His Quest to be the Best

In the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft the Cincinnati Bengals selected a Wide Receiver by the name of Chad Johnson out of Oregon State. Just a few short years later Chad put the Bengals back on the map and helped lead a team to the playoffs in 2005 after a 15-year drought. He took the NFL by storm became the face of Cincinnati. Whether it was wearing a Hall of Fame jacket or proposing to a cheerleader his style was new and refreshing to a city that needed something to be proud of. Fans loved his guarantees and trash-talking antics. He played a major role in bringing back the chant “Who Dey!!” He went to six Pro Bowls as a Bengal and led the AFC in receiving yards for four straight seasons. Johnson represented the “C” as best he could and he did it the only way he could: very loudly. Cincinnati had its golden child and “Who Dey” mania took control of the city.


Then, the team faltered, Chad Johnson was ripped and morphed into Ochocinco. The face of the 2005 team was on his way out. In fact, he demanded to be traded after the 2007 season because he was tired of the losing. Bengals Owner Mike Brown didn’t trade him. He didn’t show up to play in 2008, underperformed, and was criticized by local and national media. Ochocinco went from being the fan favorite to the punching bag of the city. Chad followed 2008 with a solid 2009 season, but the team’s offense sputtered and lost in the first round of the playoffs. The 2010 season was supposed to be the year of the tiger, but the Bengals were one of the leagues worst teams and Chad failed to have 1,000 yards receiving for the second time in the past three years. In the off-season Ochocinco was traded and he joined forces with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. It sounded like the perfect plan, a hall of fame quarterback who lacked a downfield threat with a six time Pro Bowl Wide Receiver. But, they never got on the right page and Chad didn't get the playing time he was accustomed to getting during his ten-year career. Ochocinco has always said he just wanted to win. This season proves that because Chad was once the best wide receiver in the NFL and even though he barely reached the field this season, he called this season "fun" when talking to the media. His logic? Well, the Patriots are in the Super Bowl and that is all Chad needs on his resume to cap off what has been a great career. Everyone I have spoke to in Cincinnati has mentioned Ocho, and they have said that he “doesn’t deserve a ring” and they tend to blame him for the losing that had taken place during Chad’s tenure in Cincinnati. The majority of the people in Cincinnati are rooting against Ochocinco and the Patriots. I am rooting for him and them. He is the greatest wide receiver in Cincinnati Bengal history. He woke up the city and inspired its’ revival. Without him, the Bengals wouldn’t have made the playoffs when they did or had the lofty expectations that were bestowed upon them. Seeing a hall of fame caliber wide receiver win a ring late in his career is just what the doctor ordered. It doesn’t matter if you call him “Esteban,” “Ocho” or Mr. Johnson, it is time Cincinnati roots for Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson to win a ring on the tail end of an amazing career spent help rebuilding a franchise and overcoming over a decade of losing. Whether or not the Patriots won the Super Bowl or not, Chad Ochocinco isn't someone who should be hated in Cincinnati because he helped change the culture of a football team and more importantly, the culture of our city.