Bengals Gab

A Letter To Steeler Nation:

Steeler Nation,

First off, congratulations on winning your sixth Super Bowl Championship. I trust it still rests comfortably atop your collective mind. Secondly, I must say, I admire your obsession with your team. A Steeler fan seems always willing to display his or her loyalty anywhere in the world, at times creating awkward, even socially-damaging effects, yet one carries on undeterred.

And, thirdly, it is impossible to call you a group made up largely of bandwagoneers because you’re rarely absent from the playoffs and it’s hard to lose fan support when the team always wins. So there you have it.

Now, with all pleasantries aside, it’s time to speak of your team’s identity. What the universe should agree upon is that the Steelers are made up of defense and a running game—any dumbbell knows that. However, let’s not pretend that a central characteristic to your team’s success is not deception. Within the past six years, the Steelers have been the experts at the ol’ trickeration, often times at the Bengals’ expense–most notably in the dreaded playoff game of 2005; a play that sealed the fate of the Bengals’ season and still causes the venom to rise in the mouths of bitter Who-Deyers today.

And your defense is run by a man who predicates his whole philosophy on the slight-of-hand. One could produce an entire college thesis on the deceptive strategies of Dick LeBeau’s defenses. He’s always one step ahead of the league because he continues to trick everyone.

My beef, Steeler Nation, is that you assume that what you see unfold every year is due to sheer strength and determination, when there is something more cunning there, more conniving. I’m not at all saying that you’re dirty, I’m saying you’re sneaky. You want a sheer muscle team who socks you in your mouth? Try Baltimore. Pittsburgh will outsmart the Ravens, yes, but that doesn’t mean you’re tougher.

A feeble Bengals’ fan like myself has no defense to your many, many championships and your apparent sheer awesomeness. You need not even look in our direction when we simpletons from Southern Ohio & Northern Kentucky exercise our underdeveloped vocal chords about how maybe you’re the evil genius who wins in the end rather than the muscle-bounded hero everyone else was rooting for. That’s why we don’t like you, Steeler Nation; you’re Iago, you’re Gargamel, you’re Skeletor. I’d rather not face it either; I don’t blame you, but you suck. You must at least acknowledge, someday, and hopefully soon, that you suck.

Best of luck this season. Go jump off a cliff, just as soon as you can. I truly despise you. Hugs & Kisses.

Sincerely,

B. Clifton Burke

There’s been a lot of chatter about how long it’s going to take the Bengals, who are known for first-round holdouts, to get O-lineman Andre Smith in the house for training camp. The player picked in front of Smith, Jets QB Mark Sanchez, has a deal, so you would think it would be easy for the Bengals to have something to go by - right?

But as usual, the Bengals never do anything easy, and while Smith is saying all the right things about being on time, who knows how long it’ll be for the Bengals to get a deal done with Andre. Today on NFL.com, Smith had some comments about it being important to getting in camp and setting an example for the line.

“That’s No. 1,” said Smith, who’s represented by agent Alvin Keels. “I want to be there on time because I want to give myself the opportunity to come in and play in the first game.”

The deal in the five spot for Sanchez saw him get maximum value of $60 million, including $28 million in guaranteed money. You can bet that Smith wont’ come close to that, but the Bengals are going to have to be fair if they want to see him in camp on time.

Last years 6th overall pick was Jets outside linebacker Vernon Gholston, and he got a five-year, $40 million contract that included $21 million in guaranteed money. You can bet that Keels is going to use that as a scale and make it slightly larger to get a deal done for his client.

For now, it still seems like based on past history, a holdout in one way shape or form is coming.

Pete Prisco of CBSSportsline.com has come out with his annual list of the Top 50 NFL players, and the Bengals have 1 player on the list. Here’s the lone Bengal on the list:

26. Carson Palmer, QB, Bengals: Coming off arm problems, he’s back throwing again, which is why he’s this high. When he’s healthy, he might be even higher. Bashers take note: Brady stays in the second spot coming off his injury, so Palmer stays this high.

By the end of each and every training camp there is always at least one player who is cut that causes something of a stir. Typically this isn’t one of the team’s marquee players, but does sometimes come in the form of a starter or key backup. There are a few prime candidates on the Bengals this season who could become the next victim of the proverbial chopping block.

One such man whose hopes of having a great season may be dashed before it even begins, is the world’s traveler, Dhani Jones. There are many solid reasons as to why Jones should remain with the team—a veteran presence among a youthful linebacker corps, a cerebral and analytical player who reads before he reacts, and the simple fact that he adds depth to a near-suicidally dangerous job—to name a few.

Yet if a cold, indifferent computer program were to analyze the roster, it would zero in on Dhani and without hesitation—only an old, crappy computer like mine ever hesitates— label him as expendable. He’s old for a position that has the life span of a goldfish (my fish tank is positioned so that my goldfish can read this and they’re now glaring at me with contempt).

With the new wave of Keith Rivers, Rey Maualuga and Brandon Johnson settled in as the future of Bengal linebacking, Dhani is simply keeping a seat warm, and how much does one pay for a person to do that? If players like Darryl Blackstock or Rashad Jeanty impress the coaching staff enough during training camp, team management may feel more comfortable letting Jones go, especially if an intriguing free agent were to be let go elsewhere and the team needed to free up some cap-space to procure him.

I like the guy. I enjoy his eccentricities, like riding his bike to the stadium with his hipster jeans rolled to his calf, brandishing his army-green wool socks, listening to his ipod and carrying a smallish backpack with probably philosophical reading material inside.

And, of course, his television show where he travels the world and competes in zany sports that Americans think they’ve only recalled seeing in a movie somewhere before has done wonders for his public image and fan base. Another certain eccentric character on the Bengals roster could do well to notice how one can intrigue the public in a refined and dignified manner such as Dhani’s.

Nonetheless, football is serious business where friendships are cast off to the side with the sweaty towels, and even teammates must compete against each other—particularly in the summer months. Jones could be seen as something like the grizzle on the edges of a succulent steak; good for seasoning and flavor during its preparation and broiling, but not something you necessarily want to eat.

His main priority in the short-term is to season the youngsters who are thought to be the main course of the future. Once training camp has resolved itself and Dhani is not counted among the surviving 53 players, we as fans can take solace in knowing that he has passed on sage wisdom to his successors. Such a scenario sounds very similar to the fate of Willie Anderson.

I sincerely hope I’m wrong.

Today’s Dayton Daily News reports that former practice squad player Kyle Cook will anchor the Bengals O-line in 2009:

What the Bengals want and need, Kyle Cook has. The second-year center from Michigan State has taken advantage of his opportunity and seized the starting job, replacing Eric Ghiaciuc, who signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an unrestricted free agent on April 30. “Kyle’s got the ‘it’ factor,” offensive line coach Paul Alexander said.

“The guys follow his direction and that’s what we’re looking for. You have to take charge. That’s one of the requirements of the job. “You have to make the right calls. You have to synthesize complex things in a hurry and be right. He’s got the brains. He just understands it. He may be one of the smartest guys we’ve had.” Cook signed as an undrafted college free agent with the Minnesota Vikings, who released him on Sept. 1, 2007. Four days later, the Bengals signed him to their practice squad.

Ticket Packs for 2009 Bengals games at Paul Brown Stadium are on sale now!

Ticket Packs include four regular season games paired together and allow buyers to hold the same seats for all four games within the package. Prices range from $256 to $328 per Pack. Ticket Pack buyers will receive priority ahead of the general public to purchase tickets for any Bengals home playoff games following the ’09 season.

THE TICKET PACKS FOR THE 2009 HOME SEASON WILL BE:

ORANGE PACK: Sept. 13 vs. Denver (regular season home opener), Oct. 25 vs. Chicago, Nov. 29 vs. Cleveland and Dec. 6 vs. Detroit.

BLACK PACK: Sept. 27 vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 18 vs. Houston, Nov. 8 vs. Baltimore and Dec. 27 vs. Kansas City.

Full season tickets for 2009 are currently on sale and will continue to be offered through the summer. Information on two-game Ticket Packs and/or single-game tickets, if they become available, will be announced at a later date.

For fastest service regarding ticket purchases and/or questions, fans are encouraged to call the Bengals Ticket Hotline at 513-621-TDTD (8383).

The arm strength of Carson Palmer is a big question, and today’s Dayton Daily News reports that after not playing much in 2008, Palmer is working hard to get that strength back to form:

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer looked good at minicamp last week, but admits that his arm strength needs some work. The quarterback’s plan to strength the arm is no ancient Chinese secret. In fact, the solution to the problem is a fairly easy fix. “Throw,” Palmer said. “It’s just like when a track guy needs to get faster. You don’t do 5,000 squats, you run and run some more. To get your arm in shape you throw and continue to throw. So I will be throwing all summer long as well as in training camp.”

A question during a chat with NFL.com’s Gil Brandt on Tuesday was posted about the Bengals and what type of success they can/will have along with Chad Ochocinco, and Brandt thinks that the club will have a good year, and even finish ahead of the Ravens in the AFC North:

I think the Bengals are going to be a much-improved team. They had more starters lost to injury last year than any other team in the league. With that said, I do think they’ve got a shot to make it to the playoffs.

We had another question in the chat asking who would finish second to Pittsburgh in the AFC North. Just a hunch, but I do think Cincinnati finishes ahead of Baltimore.

The Bengals didn’t score a big free agent running back outside of one that they had last season - Cedric Benson. The team brought Benson back after he wrapped up the season on a high note with a couple of big games at the end of the season vs the Redskins, Browns and Chiefs.

Now Benson thinks after a tough start to his career that had as many off the field issues as success on it that he can carry the load for the Bengals in the 2009 season. Seems that the club is also banking on that, as the team is ready to give him the bulk of the carries in 09. He talked about that in today’s Dayton Daily News:

Now that unwanted pressure has been lifted off Cedric Benson mentally and he is preparing himself for the physical grind. Bottom line he’s looking to make his mark with the Bengals. “No doubt, I’m ready to carry this team on my back,” Benson said. “I’m due, hungry for it, miss it, and excited. It’s good to be on a team that wants you. It’s a great opportunity for me and I am definitely going to seize every moment. “I plan to take full advantage of those opportunities and see where it takes us. I’m about whatever it takes to get the job done. I think I am in the best situation that I can be in and it has to happen for me here.”

The Bengals announced today that defensive tackle Clinton McDonald has agreed to terms. He becomes the 4th draft pick with the club to sign, and right now, seven remain unsigned, including Andre Smith, the teams first round pick that seems destined for a holdout as we reported on Sunday.