closing the book on Henry, Thurman etc.

I got close to 150 e-mails off the Tuesday column regarding Odell Thurman's OVI arrest. Probably 75 percent agreed w/what I wrote, namely that Lewis should sit Henry Sunday, if the coach is serious when he says bad off-field behavior "is not what we (the Bengals) stand for.'' Of the other 25 percent, most argued that Lewis is here to win games, not hand out merit badges. Here are a few points about that, that have been overlooked:

When you have a history of poor decisions off the field, you aren't reliable on it.

When you start bringing in guys of questionable character, they tend to hang out together, reinforcing the problem. Anyone think it was coincidence that Henry was with Thurman? If you allow it to continue, you have lots of guys behaving this way. That's not conducive to winning.

What if Henry had been there Saturday night before the game, and not Sunday night? Is there any reason to believe he's just a Sunday night partier? All those who today say give him a break would be calling him selfish and wanting him cut. Remember Stanley Wilson?

Is it coincidence that the best, most important players on this team -- Carson Palmer, Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson, T.J., Simmons, Willie A. and on and on, have never had a problem of any kind? Character and performance are linked. Lewis knows this, because every vet he has brought in here, all the way back to Kevin Hardy, has been a good person and a good player. A winner, in other words. Is Chris Henry a winner?

I'm not big on moralizing in the paper, because in most respects I'm no better or worse than those I write about. But I do think ill of those who disrespect their talent and their teammates, who consider the law something to be danced around or ignored, who think playing a game makes them immune to behaving properly. Who believe second chances don't come with a shelf life.

It was Lewis who said this sort of behavior isn't what the Bengals stand for. It was an easy statement to make as it pertained to Thurman; the coach knew Odell was gone. It's tougher with Henry. Sitting Henry a game won't cure his immunity to responsibility. But it would make a statement about what flies in Bengaldom, and what doesnt. And that would help create a winning attitude that would last.

And oh, by the way: Receiver is probably the easiest position to fill on an NFL roster. The Bengals by themselves have enough good ones to stock another team.

Bengals 24, Patriots 21. Live big.