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Paul Daugherty
Enquirer columnist files news and observations

Paul Daugherty
Paul Daugherty has been an Enquirer sports columnist since 1994 and has been chronicling Cincinnati sports since 1988. He has covered almost every major sporting event in America, as well as five Summer Olympics. Along the way, he has been named one of the country's top-5 sports columnists four times, and Ohio columnist of the year on seven different occasions. Last year, he was voted 2nd-best sports columnist in the country, by the Associated Press Sports Editors.

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Thursday, May 22, 2008

NOW... what?

I was doing my job with one heartbeat when I said to myself, "Self, now is the time to recap what the Bengals have done in the offseason.'' Here goes:

Refused to trade C. Johnson, forcing Ocho either to (1) sit out the season or (2) come in ticked off and immediately begin sharing his displeasure with the world. You think he ran bad routes last year...

Kicked off the team their leading tackler from '05, let go their leading tackler from '08.

Kicked off the team their best deep threat.

Let go Madieu Williams and Justin Smith.

Target a couple free agent D-linemen, miss on both.

Get outmaneuvered for Sedrick Ellis in Round 1 of the draft.

Slap a franchise tag on a semi-starter at tackle. Meantime, the guy who arguably should have had that tag earned Pro Bowl alternate status in Cleveland. And the current starter at left tackle wants to be traded.

Have lots of important veteran leaders show everyone the Bengal Way, by blowing off team-building activities like offseason practices.

Now, I can't wait for training camp.


18 Comments:

at 8:13 AM Blogger Anonymous said...

Yeah but football is a business and the are making money NOW. They can build a winning team again when the ticket sales start to slow down. As of right NOW, money in the bank.

NOW... They dont trade Chad because the potential of having two first round picks and a 8 million dollar cap hit (no matter how it is spread) is to expensive.
NOW... The Bengals don,t have to pay a #7 draft pick (ellis), probowl nose tackle (rogers), or a potential solid start (robertson).
NOW... The team builds through the draft (and then release them after there rookie contract is up because good players are hard to pay)
NOW... Marvin decides to give up on a person that he wouldnt have for the past two years
NOW... We feel the other linebackers are better for our football team (cheaper)
NOW... Mike Brown saves a bunch of money on his car insurance by switching to gieco! (i had to do it)

You know, the way i see it... the salary cap is most likely gone in another two years. After that, we have no chances. So seriously, why not act now.

Carson Palmer will be MVP (NOW)

Mike from when i get around to it

 
at 8:47 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Considering the team has yet another player in court shouldn't this years' slogan be: Got Bail?

Robert Young
Milford

 
at 9:08 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Agreed it hasn't been a good training camp but let's not play both sides of the fence here Paul. "Kicking people off the team" sure has a negative connotation and Henry and Odell had this coming. You've been less than impressed with them so don't write it like it's some horrible action on the part of the Bengals.

Even if it's long overdue, let those freaking guys go.

 
at 9:46 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doc
If you think you feel frustrated, imagine how Carson Palmer must feel. You can write a column when you are 50. You only have some many years to play football, and he is wasting away his prime in this football purgatory.

 
at 10:39 AM Blogger Larry Lester said...

Well ever since I declared professional football dead a year ago after I realized it was pointless rooting for a team who does not even care about winning as long as the cash keeps rolling in, it has been a giant load off my mind. Now I just laugh when I read things like this instead of getting frustrated. Come on people, there's another team in town (UC) that is actually trying to improve and deserves your support.

 
at 11:04 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

You also forgot:
-Sign a pass catching Tight End for the first time in years
-Replace Justin Smith with someone who quadrupaled his sack total last year.
-Drafted two promising receivers to potentially replace an enormous cry baby
-Drafted a linebacker that will start right away
-Drafted two defensive tackles (one possible by not trading up) that potentially could start on our D-line

Shouldn't you be objective?

 
at 11:55 AM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I agree with Larry lester: who freakin cares? The apathy is setting in early. I hope they prove me wrong, I really do - but I doubt they will.

 
at 12:00 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why now do they decide to 'shake things up'? I mean, they wait and wait and wait to make a decision to release the thugs they never should have drafted in the first place. Only to what? Draft yet another guy with baggage? This team is getting to be the most confounding and confusing to follow. And that's saying alot based on what we've seen in the past.

Management is asleep at the wheel...NOW

 
at 1:17 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Bengals gave Odell Thurman several chances. Whatever caused his dismissal this past week...had the team kept him and the "problem/violation/failure to meet the agreement" come to light, OR, had he gotten into trouble again, local sports writers/radio sports types would be blasting the Bengals for keeping him. I am sure the Bengals wanted Odell to return physically/mentally/legally to his former stature. They invested alot of time and money and effort into him. They must have had good reason for letting him go.

 
at 2:10 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'll be curious to see what happens with Chad. If he plays, at his age, I'd be surprised if he poisons the locker room, specifically, because he'll still want endorsements and a chance to be traded. His prospects will dwindle the more he is thought of as a team chemistry killer (which, by the way. I don't think he has been in the past. Losing has.).

 
at 5:02 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Classic Karma:
1) Mike Brown votes against extending union contract but gets over-ruled by other owners.
2) After a year, owners rethink and vote Mike Brown's way.
3) Now, Union is saying >> after this contract, they'll never agree to a salary cap again.
4) Without a salary cap, Bengals are even LESS competitive (yes, it is possible).

So... Mike voted to screw himself .... and all of us, too.
That's my definition of Karma - you get what you deserve!

 
at 9:21 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

As my seventeen year old son recently pointed out to me, the Bungles have only had ONE winning season in his lifetime so far. That speaks loud and clear to the lack of commitment to winning. Of course, I imagine ownership privately smiles about winning on the field, as long as this sorry excuse of a football team is supported by the Who Dey koolaid sippers, MB is winning BIG financially. Just stop supporting this farce and things will improve. How could they get any worse?

 
at 8:08 AM Blogger Unknown said...

The best way to fix the Bengals lies with the NFL and not with the team. After the 2nd consecutive losing season, a team should start getting progressively less league money put in their coffers. Otherwise, they are just a welfare program.

I'd recomend: Year

3 receive only minus 3x2% 94%
4 receive only 4x3% 88%
5 receive only 5x4% 80%
6x5%
7x6%

Only by penalizing with cash do you punish those who are in it only for cash.

 
at 11:15 AM Blogger BShooner said...

I'm sure that Lester and the rest of you Advocates for Apathy will be the ones selling out merchandise at the Pro Shop and weighing that bandwaggon down the minute that they show some proficiency. Of course, you will all claim to be 'lifelong fans' at that point too.

It is just a game-and our lives as fans are not physically affected by what the team does on the field...so why not just support your team?

 
at 2:34 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

They didn't get out maneuvered for Ellis, they didn't try to get him. I think it's best to wait to see if they made the right move. There were questions about Ellis and he isn't suited for the 3-4 if the Bengals switch. Meanwhile, they got a top notch LB who won't be a character issue.

When did Levi Jones demand a trade?

 
at 6:24 PM Blogger Unknown said...

Free Chad Now!

 
at 10:11 PM Anonymous Anonymous said...

Paul,

I think your comment is unduly pessimistic. Time will surely tell.

Chip Lapp
Kenwood OH

 
at 10:14 PM Blogger Paul Daugherty said...

time already has

 
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