What Does it Take?

NFL Football
Today, somewhere in Cincinnati, two men, Bengals owner Mike Brown and Head Coach Marvin Lewis stepped to microphones for a press conference. If you've followed the Bengals enough to have listened to one of these press conferences before then you know that you shouldn't feel positive that one is about to take place. Today's conference was no different.

A.J. Green was Cincinnati's first
round draft pick

Just when the common Bengals fan was feeling optimistic. Feeling like the drafting of A.J. Green out of Georgia and Andy Dalton from TCU signaled the beginning of a new era and a solid season ahead. Out comes the owner and head coach to make sure all of those positive feelings were squashed under a display of idiocy that Bengals fans should be used to by now. Have listened to the highlights of the conference, since I was unable to hear the entire thing, I'm left asking the same question I always end up asking, "What does it take to run a NFL franchise?" 


Seriously.

The drafting of Andy Dalton in the
second round was cause for excitement
among Bengals fans

Because if Mike Brown is the example we're going with of what it means to be an NFL owner, it doesn't take a lot. In fact, I'm convinced I could name 100 jobs off the top of my head that are harder, again, if we're saying Mike Brown is what it means to be an NFL owner. At least all 100 of those jobs require some sort of logic, an ability to know right procedures from wrong ones and, hopefully, call for some pride in a person's work. But judging from Mike Brown's example, none of those things, especially pride in the quality of your work are necessary to being an NFL owner. Let's start on the topic I've already been harming since the end of the lockout began approaching: Carson Palmer. 


Today Mike Brown repeatedly referred to Palmer in the past tense, said he was "retired" and that the Bengals "wished him well". That's it. He's gone. 

As of 7/26/11, Carson Palmer
is "retired"

I could go over this again and again and again and again and again and again and again. Mike Brown and the Bengals gain absolutely NOTHING by allowing Palmer to just walk away. Particularly when it's become clear that Palmer's intentions, as explained by ESPN's John Clayton, is to simply bide his time and then, "...he'll come back next year when they're going to be close to the cap after the season, plant his $11.5 million salary on their salary cap and at that point he'll be able to move on..." Brown says that Palmer is walking away from his commitments and he thinks that granting Palmer's wishes would start a chain-reaction of players coming and demanding to be out of Cincinnati. 


Lots of issues there, first, as Ryen Russillo and Lance McAlister pointed out today, it's wrong for Brown to talk about commitments and delivering on promises when he's failed to deliver time and again on his primary promise, to at least attempt to field a winning team. Moreover, Brown thinks he is maintaining the position of authority in this situation, dictating  Palmer's actions, but is apparently to blind by his own stubbornness to see he isn't. As John Clayton outlined above, Palmer is dictating the situation, no matter how much Brown thinks he is. And let's get right down to it, what is the worst thing that will happen if you let Palmer leave? Someone else (like Ochocinco) marches into your office and tells you he wants to leave? Ouch, so terrible. This entire situation is a problem of pride for Brown that is harming the Bengals, I've been in charge of organizations, you know what I've always said from the start? 


Give me people that want to be here. 


Those people I can work with. I'd rather have a roster full of non-superstars who want to work hard and actually be a part of a franchise than who don't. Shouldn't you start looking for that as an NFL franchise? Is Mike Brown afraid that no one wants to be in Cincinnati? Hmmm...interesting concept. Why could that be?


In case you read what I just wrote and thought, "oh, Joshua is right. There's no way Mike Brown can see miss the logic that this Palmer situation exposes. He'll realize he's a bad owner and the mandate to spend 99% of this year's cap will fix him!" 


You're wrong. And I can prove it. 

Bengals owner Mike Brown thought
being called the worst professional sports
franchise was something to laugh about

Because during the press conference, Brown was asked about the ESPN the Magazine article wherein the Bengals were ranked as the worst sports franchise and the Cincinnati Enquirer article, "122 ways to fix the Bengals". What was Brown's response to that? That there must be something wrong with the people at ESPN the Magazine because he could think of more than 122 things that are wrong with the Bengals. And he laughed about it.


AND HE LAUGHED ABOUT IT! 


I GET MAD WHEN I LOSE GAME ON MY XBOX WHICH ISN'T REAL AND THIS MAN IS LAUGHING ABOUT HIS REAL-LIFE MILLIONS OF DOLLAR FRANCHISE BEING RANKED WORST IN SPORTS WHEN THERE'S A BANKRUPT BASEBALL TEAM THAT'S BOUNCING CHECKS OUT THERE! - yes, I'm shouting.


Apparently, you don't even need to care about your NFL team to own one and at this point! I cannot figure out how somebody could care this little about a team's performance. I still hold out this vain hope that maybe Mike Brown will finally get it, especially now, as I said, he has to spend money. But I doubt it.


At the beginning of this whole thing I was really against Carson Palmer and upset that he wanted to leave, but after today's conference, I totally get it. I wouldn't want to play for that either. Should he walk away? No. Should the Bengals trade him? Yes. But still, I get it. So I wish Palmer lots of luck in whatever he does now and lots of luck to all you Bengals fans who are ready to go out on a new team search of your own. 


I wouldn't blame you.


More to come,
XoXo
-Joshua


Links:
122 Ways to Fix the Bengals
John Clayton on the Scott Van Pelt Show

Let's talk football

NFL Football (yes that's still a thing)

Bengals
After the first few days of the blog has seen topics about "old" football, meaning soccer, let's talk some new football with the NFL lockout approaching an end! 

On the podcast I briefly mentioned the Bengals free-agent needs, but digging a little deeper, here's a list of the Bengals key 2011 free agents, according to walterfootball.com.

Position-Name, Age:

QB-Jordan Palmer, 26

RB-Cedric Benson, 28

RB-Brian Leonard, 26

WR-Terrell Owens, 36

WR-Matt Jones, 28

TE-Reggie Kelly, 33

OT-Dennis Roland, 27

OG-Nate Livings, 28

OG-Evan Mathis, 28

C-Kyle Cook, 27

DT-Jonathan Fanene,28

OLB-Brandon Johnson, 27

MLB-Dhani Jones, 32

CB-Jonathan Joseph, 26

S-Roy Williams, 30

S-Chinedum Ndukwe, 25

Before moving on let us first consider this list, recalling that it's not exhaustive, and reflect on what the NFL lockout has done. When the lockout comes to an end, hopefully tomorrow (7/21), the Bengals will have a 72 hour window to evaluate, negotiate with and resign or release all of those people before they hit the free agent market. Hopefully they've already evaluated all of them, but this is Mike Brown and the staff he's put together...but still, a three day period to workout or cut loose all 18 of those players. This is a process that would usually take months and wouldn't see significant development/negotiation for months at a time in some cases, now in three days.

This is going to be the greatest free agency ever.

Anyway, who jumps off of this list at you? I think it's still Jonathan Joseph that you can at 12:01am the day the lockout ends but after that everyone sort of mashes together. Here's that list again in what I think is order of importance.

CB-Jonathan Joseph

RB-Cedric Benson

MLB-Dhani Jones

S-Chinedum Ndukwe

DT-Jonathan Fanene

C-Kyle Cook

OG-Nate Livings

OLB-Brandon Johnson

TE-Reggie Kelly

S-Roy Williams

RB-Brian Leonard

OG-Evan Mathis

OT-Dennis Roland

WR-Matt Jones

QB-Jordan Palmer

WR-Terrell Owens

Naturally, Jones, Palmer and Owens aren't really important at all. I mean, Owens is already gone and recovering from surgery and Jordan Palmer has done a whole lot of nothing in his NFL career. With Dan LeFeavour already a capable back-up and Andy Dalton QB of the future, letting little Palmer go wouldn't be a tragedy.

I put in Dhani Jones at third partly because I think he's very productive, partly because I think he's a strong leader and partly because I just like him. He's a player who is intelligent, well spoken and actively involved in the community (not the kind of player the Bengals need to be getting rid of), that plus a team leading 125 tackles last season makes him worth at least a new 2-3 year deal. 

Jonathan Joseph is the Bengals
top free-agent concern

As I said in the podcast, I think it's not necessary to resign Cedric Benson, but I put him second because one of the Bengals greatest needs is at the running back position. I think with Benson's latest malfeasance he seems less desirable as signing but I feel the arrest can be turned into a bargaining chip. I'm not saying make Benson swallow a crap contract, he's been too helpful for that, but the overall value of the contract should be able to be slightly reduced when you speak to his criminal record and how it will effect other potential team's image of him (side note, did anyone realize Benson was only 28? Seems like he's been around and fatigued far more years than that.). However, running back is place where the Bengals could upgrade, with the likes of DeAngelo Williams, Ahmad Bradshaw and Michael Bush being available. Bush would probably be the best target, but multiple sources are already making it clear he is going to be tendered by Oakland and probably won't be leaving. Of the two, I'd select Bradshaw. He's a strong runner and I think fits the Bengals system.

How about two RB options from outside the box? Arian Foster and Reggie Bush. 

Arian Foster is a free-agent
pipe-dream:The Texans won't
let him leave

Okay, Arian Foster isn't going anywhere. The Texans would rather burn down Reliant Stadium and dance on the ashes than let last year's break out, fantasy stud get away. But, if he hits the market and the Bengals don't make him an offer, especially with so much cap space to make up, it will once and for all prove how worthless this ownership group is. For those of you wondering, John Clayton writes this afternoon the Bengals will have 46.8 million to spend with C. Palmer and Ochocinco off the books. (And yes, I'm sickly pleased that this new CBA means Mike Brown will have to spend money). 

Reggie Bush is a little more realistic, especially if the Saints opt to cut him which actually seems possible, considering the Saints have 11 running backs on their roster and used a second round pick for one of them, Mark Ingram. (the Bengals have 5 RBs and two are free agents). Dumping Bush and his 16 million dollar cap number would be helpful to the Saints who are low on cap room and have 26 free agents (per Clayton's article). 

If the Saints want a trade for Bush and Mike Brown were a smart man, he'd ship C. Palmer off to San Francisco or whoever will take him for a second and third round pick and then offer the third round pick to the Saints for Bush. Seems like even money considering what he's given them.

The Saints and Reggie Bush
say he wants to stay but
money may say different

The greater point of all this is I really think Busch could do well in Cincinnati. Cincinnati seems to have become a haven for second chances (see Benson) and Cincinnati could build an interesting wrinkle into an offense with a rookie QB if they were able to field a reduced-price Benson and Bush. For the first time ever, that I can remember, the Bengals would have an actual "thunder and lightning" type running game - Bush as the speed back and Benson the heavy-hitter. I have high hopes for Andy Dalton, but anything that makes a rookie QB's job easier is a good thing and a Bush-Benson backfield would make his job easier. Plus, all Bush would really have to do to be a success in Cincinnati is be more productive than Brian Leonard, the guy you'd let go in his place, and I'd like to think a former (and I stress former) Heisman trophy winner can do that. The only real hitch in the trade scenario is that 16 million contract that Busch could bring along with him, that amounts to a whopping 34.1% of the Bengals impressive cap space, not sure that's worth it for a half-time back prospect. 

Eagles 

Speaking of free-agents, trades, and the like, I'm naturally hearing more and more chatter about the Eagles' Kevin Kolb and how big of a trade he is going to be once the free-agent frenzy begins. I just want to throw this out there and I believe Ryen Russillo hovered around this idea on today's Scott Van Pelt Show-is Kolb really worth all the hype he's getting? By the sound of it some team needing a QB is going to sell the farm to get Kolb and you know what that means? That you're going to get a 5th year QB who has started 7 games, played in 19 thrown for 2,082 yrds,11 TDs and 14 INTs with a 60.8% completion rate. Not saying Kolb isn't going to be a franchise QB and an Pro-Bowler, but don't you think you need to make sure you're trading for what you're getting not the hype around him? 

Kevin Kolb has thrown
11TDs and 14INTs in
19 games for the Eagles

While we're on the topic of the Eagles I'm just going to say that I think Vince Young could be a good free agent pick-up for the Eagles. The Eagles would get him at a very reduced price and he would be a capable back up for Michael Vick. I think the strength it gives the Eagles is something I think the Falcons with Vick and the Titans with Young in the past is that they can now structure their offense around running QBs giving them the freedom to work with what makes them comfortable instead of having to conform to an offense that is still based around the pocket passers that are their backups. I still hold to the fact that what has harmed VInce Young's career is that the Titans drafted him and immediately told him he had to be someone different. The Eagles wouldn't have to make that choice. 

Moreover, I think Vince Young would be a good thing for Michael Vick. I think it would be a positive for him to have a protege and a measure of responsibility in the development of a younger QB. Casting Vick in the mentor light could really help him in staying focused on what matters at this point in his career.

Looking forward to the end of the lockout and free-agent frenzy™ ;)

More to come,
XoXo
-Joshua


Links:

John Clayton's "Cap Casualties"

Reggie Bush on Twitter

Walterfootball.com

ESPN AFC Noth Blog




E-mail The Pritchard Report