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By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
| Thursday, November 13, 2008, 11:05 AM
Before the NFL trade deadline hit Oct. 14, there was talk of the Philadelphia Eagles being in the market to trade for a big-name receiver and Cincinnati Bengals Chad Johnson was believed to be on the list of potential prospects.
There was much speculation that Johnson might be on the trade block after repeated demands to be traded earlier in the year. The trade deadline came and went and Johnson remains with the 1-8 Bengals.
As the story goes, Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was the voice of reason for Johnson during the turbulent times.
“I blew his (McNabb) phone up,” Johnson said Wednesday during a conference call with Philadelphia media. “Donovan was a big influence. (He) really is one of the reasons why I really turned myself around and looked at my situation as more of a positive outlook and just thinking about all the people that would love to play this game, you know?
“He took me in that direction, instead of thinking about, ‘Oh, I’m tired of losing and I don’t want to be here anymore,’ but just thinking about, ‘Man, a lot of people wish they were in your shoes just to have the ability to play in the NFL.’ That kind of turned me around, and that’s why I’ve been as positive as I have been this year, and even though we’re losing, man, I’ve just been plugging away.”
So did the Eagles have any interest in trading for the flamboyant receiver?
During head coach Andy Reid’s press conference Wednesday he put the kibosh on whether the Eagles ever entertained the idea of acquiring Johnson this season.
“He wasn’t free,” Reid said. “I mean, that’s the thing, and I respect (Bengals head coach) Marvin (Lewis) and the league way too much to ever get into something like that. He was always a Cincinnati Bengal.
“Now, I will say this, he is a heck of a football player, as is (WR T.J.) Houshmandzadeh and a couple of their other wide receivers.”
Johnson is under contract with the Bengals through 2011, but has openly expressed interest to playing in the Illadel.
“I’ve always been a fan of (McNabb), and especially Philly,” Johnson said.
“The fans in Philly are the real deal, and that would be a real joy to give them a treat.”
When asked if he was back to saying he wanted to get traded, Chad couldn’t help himself.
“Oh, yeah,” Johnson said. “OK. Next question.”
Could Chad one day Fly Like a Eagle?
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By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
| Tuesday, November 11, 2008, 05:17 PM
Cincinnati Bengals starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is among 34 players participating in “NFL Take a Player to School” presented by JCPenney Afterschool, and on Tuesday, November 11, I witnessed as he helped make one child’s dream come true.
Fitzpatrick took time out of his busy schedule to visit Elda Elementary in Hamilton, Ohio and 1st grade student Charlie Purdy, who was the contest winner, and his classmates.
Fitzpatrick picked up Purdy from his home Tuesday morning and brought him to school in a shiny black stretch limo. The look on the 6-year old Purdy’s face was priceless as he stepped out of the limo and entered the front doors of Elda Elementary school to the roaring cheers and applause of classmates for him and his new best friend Fitzpatrick.
During the visit, Fitzpatrick spoke to the students about the importance of good health and led them in fitness activities, as part of NFL’s PLAY 60 campaign, helping youngsters get 60 minutes of exercise a day.
This will be a day that Purdy and his classmates will never forget as the NFL quarterback exercised and played with them like he was a kid himself. With a young child of his own and one on the way, it was blatantly clear that Fitzpatrick was enjoying himself just as much as the kids enjoyed having him at their school.
Fitzpatrick did a terrific job making all the kids feel like they were winners.
As for Charlie, he will be forever left with the memory of playing catch in the front yard of his home with an NFL quarterback.
Watch video of Charlie’s big day…
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By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
| Thursday, November 6, 2008, 12:12 PM
The Cleveland Browns announced today that the team has signed OL Dustin Fry to the practice squad. The 6-foot-3, 326-pound Fry was originally a fifth-round draft choice by St. Louis in the 2007 NFL Draft. Fry played in four games last season for the Rams and spent the remainder of the season on their practice squad. Fry also spent the first eight weeks of the 2008 campaign on the Rams practice squad before being waived on Oct. 28, 2008.
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By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
| Tuesday, October 28, 2008, 06:08 PM
Cincinnati Bengals strong safety Chinedum Ndukwe is often recognized for his big hits and playmaking ability on the football field, but is now being recognized for his work off the field and his gift for giving.
On Tuesday, October 28, 2008, Columbus City Council President Michael C. Mentel will join Ndukwe to celebrate the NFL player’s gift of $5,000 to the Christian Youth Athletic Association (CYAA) Saints League’s football division. The money allowed the organization to buy helmets and uniforms for 185 under-privileged children throughout Columbus who participated in the league.
The NFL Youth Football Fund matched Ndukwe’s donation, which also allowed the CYAA to purchase a van to drive players to and from practice.
Ndukwe, a Columbus area native, was honored Tuesday night for his generosity and giving back to the community.
After all, The Children Are Our Future!
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By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
| Monday, October 27, 2008, 01:20 PM
Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook is making a strong case for best back the game has to offer. Westbrook, who missed two of the team’s last three games with broken ribs, got loose on the Atlanta Falcons defense on Sunday.
Head Coach Andy Reid marveled over the talented runner during his post-game press conference.
“He’s a great football player,” Reid said. “Great football players step up when their team needs them, and Brian did that today.”
No diggity!
Westbrook went off rushing for 167 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. He had an additional 42 yards receiving in a 27-14 Eagles’ victory over Atlanta.
Westbrook showed no ill effect of the rib injury in his return to the lineup and wanted the ball in his hands during crunch time. The coaching staff obliged.
“I think he felt pretty good,” Coach Reid said. “I thought he got a little bit tired towards the end. We spotted him with [Correll] Buckhalter, but there was a point there on the last series where he didn’t want to come out. He wanted to stay in, he wanted the football, and we gave it to him.”
Although Westbrook showed no signs of the rib or bum ankle injury which caused him to miss two games this season he felt them.
“From time to time throughout the game, but those are the type of things you got to try to play through,” Westbrook said.”
“I felt good. I had the opportunity, coach gave me some opportunities. We saw some things on tape that we felt we could take advantage of and we did a good job executing those things.”
Bottom line, the Eagles offense will only go as far as Westbrook takes them as acknowledged by rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
“Like I told him on the field, ‘you’re cold’,” Jackson said. “He’s a good running back. I really admire that dude. He’s an awesome running back. Any time you have a RB like that in your back field it just makes it easier for [the receivers]. With him and [RB Correll] Buckhalter, it just made us feel comfortable. If it wasn’t for him breaking that long run, we might not be in this position. Whatever we need to do to get it done that is what we are doing. I am glad he’s back.”
I think teammate cornerback Asante Samuel summed up the play of Westbrook best.
“That guy is incredible,” Samuel said. “I just love to watch him play, the way he makes people miss and shake them. I am happy he’s on my team. I am happy I don’t have to tackle him.”
So I ask you… Is Westbrook tops in the league at his position? I vote with an emphatic YES!
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By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
| Thursday, October 23, 2008, 12:14 AM
Okay, a lot of fuss has been made over recent decisions by Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown, but let me ask Bengal fans this. Would you prefer a guy like Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis running the show in Cincy?
The way I hear it is that Mike Brown is a saint compared to Davis who is stuck back in the day with no DeLorean time machine to bring him back to the present. Hello? Hello? Anybody home? Huh? Think, McFly. Think!
I was told by a former Raiders employee that the mere sight of Davis in the hallways at Raiders headquarters strikes fear in the hearts of his staff. And we all know that Davis could care less about what the fans have to say. He would tell them exactly where to go and how often. If all else fails he would have no problem relocating the team to Los Angeles. Something that Brown should consider if it would benefit the Bengals organization.
The former employee said that the only thing scarier than Davis in Oakland is the Raider Nation.
When it comes to being a control freak, Brown doesn’t come close to Davis. It’s the little things that make you go hmmm. Check this out for instance.
Breakdown and analyze these two links and get back to me with your thoughts:
Bengals: http://www.bengals.com/team/FrontOffice.asp
Raiders: http://www.raiders.com/Team/Default.aspx?id=106
Who wants to work for a dude like that? The employee’s titles are vague where as Davis’ title stands out like a seal at a polar bear convention.
Bengal fans have been calling for Mike Brown to resign and some have even suggested that he auction the team off on eBay. Ouch!
Fans should really be thankful that they have a team in Cincinnati. If it weren’t for the Brown family there probably wouldn’t be an NFL franchise in the city. I couldn’t see any other owner chomping at the bit to set up shop in Cincinnati. Let’s face it Cincinnati will never be a true football town as long as the Reds exist.
Besides, what owner could withstand the constant public criticism and humiliation that the Bengals organization has endured over the years?
Some of these fans who are complaining about ownership think that putting a winning product on the field is as easy as drafting a Fantasy Football team. I don’t think so. There’s more to it than just what you see on Sunday.
What is Mike Brown really guilty of… Being a strong believer in humanity?
I leave you with this final question. Say Mike Brown decided that he is fed up with all the negative crap and put the Bengals up for sale.
Do you think the City of Cincinnati could adopt the same systems they have in place in Green Bay where the team is owned by the community and be successful?
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By Carlos "Big C" Holmes
| Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 12:00 AM
Like it or not Bengal fans, it’s time to start thinking about the 2009 NFL Draft. The 0-7 Cincinnati Bengals would have the No. 1 pick if the draft were held today. So which direction would the team go with the first overall pick?
There’s a popular consensus among fans and some draft experts who believe that running back would be the way to go for the Bengals. Either Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells (Ohio State) or Javon Ringer (Michigan State).
Drafting either one of these cats would mean instant offense for the Bengals.
In a nutshell…
Wells (6-1, 237lbs): Big, strong, fast, powerful, quick-feet, excellent peripheral vision. He has outstanding quickness, acceleration and speed to break the long ones. Wells shows good body control when shifting out of cuts and moves laterally within the hole. He is also a tremendous outside runner. Wells has the ability to make people miss in the open-field and possesses a mean stiff-arm to keep would-be tacklers at bay.
Wells is a pure runner and must demonstrate better pass-catching and blocking skills at the next level. Durability could also be a concern.
The one thing with Wells is he must first declare himself eligible for the draft.
Ringer (5-9, 208lbs): Workhorse, tough inside runner, quick, instinctive, solid receiver out of the backfield. Ringer shows outstanding lower body strength with powerful leg drive. He’s a great short yardage runner but has the speed to break out in the open-field for huge gains. Ringer is a patient runner with good initial burst to accelerate through the hole. He demonstrates good vision and balance to make nice cutback runs. Ringer can also be a contributor on special-teams in the return game.
Although Ringer may lack top-end speed to run away from defenders in the open-field, he does have a second gear and is a complete back. I compare him to Maurice Jones-Drew minus the 4.3/40 speed and blocking skills picking up the blitz.
Ringer is averaging 33 carries a game so mileage could be a concern. He may be more of a 15 to 20 carry guy in the pros.
If recent reports that Chris Perry’s 5-year stint in Cincinnati is indeed over and with the remaining running backs on borrowed time, the Bengals will certainly look to address the running back position at some point in the ‘09 draft.
P.S. Some could even make the argument for Knowshon Moreno.
Holla!
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no no no blah blah blah please send him to detroit(chad johnson)it would be like the saint is marching