I'm Done With It

So today's news is that the Bengals will now entertain offers for Carson Palmer (after a new collective bargaining agreement is reached between the NFL owners and the players union. That should be the spring of 2013, right?).

Yawn

Palmer is done with us. I'm done with him.

I’ve thought a lot about this lately: Palmer wants exactly what we’ve been doing lately.

He wants a public debate of his trade request, his alleged threat of retirement. He wants it, without being directly involved in it. In short, Palmer wants the publicity, but doesn’t want to work for it. And for the last six weeks or so, we’ve been playing into his hands. You, me and everyone else who’s been debating this issue.

If he’s dumb enough to turn his back on 50-million dollars, if he’s that non competitive that he doesn’t want to play anymore, that’s his life, let him live it. If Mike Brown doesn’t get that he should he solicitous of the most identifiable player on his team, rather than engaging him in some sort of wild west, dirt street stare down, then have at it.

Me, I’m done with it. Bored. They were 4-12 with Carson Palmer last season. They can easily be 4-12 this season without him. Call me when you’ve got your act together.

I’m moving onto the Reds.

Speaking of the Reds, how is it that Edinson Volquez can get into this country with a visa that’s only good for sight seeing, rather than one that helps his team win another division title. Have you heard about this? He was supposed to be the starting pitcher in Sunday’s exhibition opener against the Cleveland Indians. But late last week, the Reds discovered because he’s in the country with a visa that’s good only for a tourist, rather than a wage earner, he can’t pitch. Not in front of a paying crowd. And worse, he now has to go back to the Dominican Republic to apply for a visa that will let him work for the Cincinnati Reds.

Now how did that happen?

Two words: substance abuse. Volquez was suspended for 50 games last season when it was discovered that he was using a substance banned by major league baseball. It was a fertility drug. He says he was taking it, so he and his wife could produce a little Edinson. But Major League Baseball says that drug is really used as a mask, to avoid detection for steroid use.

Because of that, Volquez could only get a visa for sight seeing in our country, not working. Now, it could be a while before he gets the visa he needs to strike opposing batters out, or walk them, depending on how things go.

Do you mean to tell me one of the smart guys in that Reds front office, Walt Jocketty, one of his minions or even Big Bob couldn’t figure this out before now? You actually go ahead and announce Volquez as, not only your exhibition season opening pitcher but your pitching on Opening Day and you don’t know you have this problem? Really?

Here’s a bat signal out to Jean Schmidt, Steve Chabot and Rob Portman: while you’re busy solving the debt crisis that’s consuming all of us, can you pick up the phone and grease the skids so the Reds can get their ‘ace’ back in the country for Opening Day? Somebody in some government office surely could use a couple of diamond club seats for the opener on March 31^st.

It’s called taking one for the team.

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My latest Broo View Podcast is all about Carson Palmer's trade value. Mike Florio, from profootballtalk.com joins me. You can find it on the front page of kenbroo.com or here's a link to the show.

IN BENGAL-DOM, IT ONLY GETS WORSE

You reap what you sow in life. And now we see more of what Mike Brown has planted. It's so bad in Bengal-dom, Carson Palmer is apparently willing to leave $50 million dollars on the table rather than continue to be the Bengals starting quarterback.

He's a modern day Elvis Grbac.

In case you missed it, ESPN's football smart guy, Chris Mortenson reported Sunday that Palmer has requested that the Bengals trade him. And if they don't, Palmer is reportedly willing to call it a career. The last Bengal to try this was Ochocinco, a couple of years back. That worked out so well, he all but crawled back to the Bengals, kissing Brown's ring upon arrival.

Palmer is a different story. He's the franchise quarterback, under achieving certainly in recent years. But he is the epitome of a good soldier. He always says the right things in public, stoic on the field and never in headlines outside of the sportscasts.

There's a temptation to say, if (and if is a very big operative word in this case) this is true, Palmer is quitting on his team mates. He's quitting on Bobbie Williams and Andrew Whitworth and the rest of the offense charged with protecting his butt and helping score touchdowns. But can you blame him?

None of this was in the brochure, when the Bengals drafted him with the number one overall pick in 2003. There was nothing in the brochure about dealing with diva wide receivers, idiot team mates who got arrested with regularity in 2006-2007. There was nothing in the brochure about an owner who stubbornly refuses to operate his team like a 20th century business. You couldn't expect in your wildest dreams it would operate as a 21st century business, now could you?

Years ago, when the Bengals were desperate for a quarterback (as they've been far too often in the last 20 years), they chased Elvis Grbac, a free agent who'd spent some notable time with the Chiefs and Ravens. Grbac was a free agent, looking for a new team. The only team that showed an interest were the Bengals. They dropped a very big offer on him, something not befitting his resume. Grbac, instead, opted to retire rather than play in Cincinnati. Now, reportedly, Palmer is at that same destination.

What he wants to remain here isn't clear. Maybe it's a new offensive coordinator, and few would blame him for wanting that. Maybe is a return to the normalcy that contending football teams operate under. You don't hear about the nonsense that goes on in Bengal-dom in any other franchise that consistently contends. Maybe he wants the Bengals to staff a front office with personnel people who can find the kind of talent that teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore can find. Maybe it's all of that or maybe he's just tired of it all.

But I do know this: if Palmer is traded, or allowed to simply quit, good luck to Mike Brown trying to resurrect this mess anytime soon. Good luck attracting quality free agent talent with your franchise quarterback walking on you. Good luck selling club seats and suites with Palmer wanting out on the heels of yet another atrocious season.

You reap what you sow. Barren is a word that's coming to mind today.

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THE CASE AGAINST DRAFTING A QUARTERBACK IN ROUND #1

The temptation is there, isn't it? The Bengals sit with the 4th pick in this year's draft and they know, or at least have to know, that Carson Palmer's days as their quarterback are numbered. Maybe not after this next season, or the one after that. But soon, they'll have to replace him. He's 31 now, has a major knee surgery on his resume and probably should have had a major elbow surgery as well.

The temptation is there to use that 4th overall pick on a quarterback of the future. Andrew Luck will sit this draft out. But Arkansas' Ryan Mallett will be there. So will Auburn's Cam Newton.

The Bengals would be fools to draft either one of them.

Since 1995, 22 quarterbacks have been among the top 10 picks in their respective drafts. The investments made by the teams that selected them has had mixed results. For every Peyton Manning, there's an Alex Smith, or worse.

The Tennessee Titans (then the Houston Oilers) drafted Steve McNair with the number three overall pick in 1995. Two picks later, the Carolina Panthers took Kerry Collins. While Collins was in the league as late as this past season, McNair had significantly more success.

Three of those 16 draft classes produced no quarterbacks taken among the top ten picks. You want the Bengals to take a quarterback with their 4th overall pick this year? You must've forgotten the 1999 draft. Tim Couch, number one overall to Cleveland. Donovan McNabb, number two overall to Philly. Akili Smith, you need a refresher course in that?

The year the Bengals took Carson Palmer with the number one overall, 2003, the Jaguars took Byron Leftwich with the seventh overall pick. How'd that work out? They're still gagging in Houston over the Texans taking David Carr number one overall in 2002. Same year, the Lions took Joey Harrington with the third pick. Joey Lawrence would have been a better selection.

And we won't even get into the Raiders and Jemarcus Russell in 2007.

Of the eight teams who played this past weekend in the NFL playoffs only two, Manning and Michael Vick, were number one, overall, picks.

When you watch the Patriots play the Jets this Sunday, remember that Tom Brady was drafted 199th overall, a 6th round pick. Remember that Bart Starr was selected 199th, in the 17th round of the 1956 draft. Remember that Starr is in the Pro Football Hall Of Fame and Brady will be there shortly. So will Jemarcus Russell, if he buys a ticket for the tour.

The liste of quarterbacks who weren't first round picks who won Super Bowls includes six Hall Of Famers, and a lot more who are destined to get there. Johnny Unitas wasn't drafted until the 9th round and was cut by the Steelers before winding up in Baltimore. Cincinnati's own, Roger Staubach was a 10th round pick.

The point of all of this is that the Bengals are in trouble. They have talent at a lot of positions, sure. But at critical positions, right tackle, left guard, safety, defensive end, they have critical needs. Taking a quarterback with a #4 overall pick addresses none of that. And addressing none of that will continue the abyss they find themselves in now.

For better or worse, Carson Palmer should be the quarterback here next season and for the next few beyond. His replacement has to be found. But not this year. And now with the 4th overall pick.

For the latest Broo View Podcast, visit my web site www.kenbroo.com. And, you can always follow me on twitter: @kenbroo

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Just posted to the front page of my web site www.kenbroo.com is the latest Broo View Daily Podcast. Today, we're talking about whether or not the Bengals should bring Carson Palmer back in 2011. He's due $11.5 million next season. Pete Prisco from cbssports.com offers a comment.

Nothing wrong with Bengals quarterback, Carson Palmer. That's the diagnosis from head coach Marvin Lewis on the day after Palmer struggled again. Lewis got testy in his weekly news conference when the questions about his quarterback and his struggling offense continued. Lewis as much as said if the line of questioning continued, he would say little more this season and would instruct his player to say less.

If you watched any of the three games so far this season, you could make a strong case for this being wrong: Palmer's protection from his offensive line isn't so hot. It's no secret, this is a line that run blocks a lot better than it pass protects. Maybe it's given Palmer reason to have 'happy feet'. Maybe it's just a case of the Bengals passing attack, so dependant on timing routes, not having having enough time to allow pass routes to develop. But there is something wrong with the way it's going about it's air attack. That Carolina defense isn't bad. But it's hardly one of the elite 'D's' in the NFL.

Like a lot of us in the Tri-State, we're tracking the Cardinals against the Pirates tonight in St. Louis. Part of me wants this thing to be over with, sooner the better. But on the other hand, better the Reds simply win Tuesday at GABP and let their fans share in the celebration. The last thing anyone wants is for the race to drag on deep into the week. Clinching sooner, rather than later, will allow Dusty Baker to set his playoff pitching rotation and let some of the ailing starters heal. Brandon Phillips, Orlando Cabrera, Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen all have nagging ailments that could use a day or two of rest. It can't be much more than that. The Reds need to keep winning and secure that second seed, guaranteeing them home field advantage in round one.

I never believe in "moral victories". You either win or you lose and deal with the aftermath. But UC playing Oklahoma close at Paul Brown Stadium Saturday night should set the Bearcats up for a decent run in the Big East conference. UC should handle Miami easily, when the MAC school comes to Nippert Stadium two Saturdays from now. The Big East looks like it's down this year. West Virginia appears to be the only team in that conference playing well. This certaily won't the kind of season that UC football has given us the past two years. There probably won't be a BCS bowl bid. But a strong run through the conference will set things up nicely for Butch Jones next season. Make no mistake about it, Jones didn't inherit a championship team. Mark Dantonio did the heavy lifting for the last two seasons, under Brian Kelly's leadership. But the recruiting for this current year of 2010 left a lot to be desired and a lot of holes on the UC offense. Jones is a good coach, if not the pied piper that his predecessor was.

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Good Monday Morning!

Andre Smith signed with the Bengals Sunday, finally, agreeing to a deal he could have signed over a month ago. There are no winners in this negotiation.

Smith did himself no favors by holding out. The money is roughly what the Bengals made in their initial offer. And while Smith's agent tried to spin it by saying it was a four year deal, while most rookie contracts are six year offerings (thus, supposedly freeing the player to jump into the free agent pool two years earlier) the reality is the Bengals hold an option after the first four years are complete that would effectively make this a six year contract and then it would be for substantially less money than what the player picked immediately after Smith received, even less than what the player picked in Smith's spot in 2008 got.

The agent did himself no favors. Alvin Keels came off as a bit of a clown in his "Hard Knocks" appearances. And if he thinks any other agent or prospective 2010 client won't be able to see through what he got from the Bengals, he's kidding himself. Mr. Keels, you just got Bengal-ized.

The Bengals were losers here too. On two levels, they lost this battle. On the field, the wasted a training camp by not having a key member of Carson Palmer's protection unit. There is no way Smith will be able to make up the ground he lost. It's a crash course now to get him in some sort of game ready state by the season opener, now less than two weeks away. In the court of public opinion, the Bengals lost as well. They solidified their reputation of 'winning at the bank means more than winning on the field'.

This was nobody's finest hour.

In my business, we search for answers and information. It drives us. Some of the time the people you need answers and information from do little to help you. It’s not in their best interest. Some of the time, you find the information you’re looking for by simply asking the right questions. And sometimes, you ask and seek and you still can’t find what you’re looking for, even answers to some basic questions.

There are some basic questions about our two professional teams that need answering. And today, we don’t have them. That’s bad for the Bengals, who’ve got two weeks to come up with answers. Two weeks from right now, we’ll be hours from a game that actually matters. It’s not so bad for the Reds. They’ve got more than seven months to figure things out.

Some here are some questions about both.

Is the Bengals offensive line as bad as its looked?
Is the Reds 5 game winning streak a sign that this team can compete next season?
Is the Bengals running attack, 4.3 yards per carry in three games for real?
Has the light bulb finally gone ‘on’ for Chris Henry?

Four questions that no one has an answer for. So unlike fans in Boston, New York or even Dallas, you and I are left to guess.

The offensive line? What have you see through three of these exhibition games that would lead you to believe that Carson Palmer would be in one piece by Halloween? The party line from the locker room is “the line is coming together’/ But then, what we see are six sacks allowed to a Rams team that’s only going to the playoffs if it buys tickets. Did the starting front five allow all six sacks? No. But who didn’t see this coming? Isn’t this the reason why the Bengals drafted the ever expanding Andre Smith? And let me ask you this: did you see Hard Knocks this week? Did you see the little skit some of his eventual team mates put on, mocking Smith? Do you think maybe there might be some deep seeded animosity there? Smith was holding out for one payday that might be larger than what a lot of those guys may make in their NFL lifetimes. And while they sweat through a training camp, he was at home eating ribs and God knows what else. Did anyone in that Bengals front office ‘not’ see this coming? Did they not know that when they drafted him, he’d had a quarterback taken immediately before him and the mercurial Oakland Raiders selecting immediately after?

Eleven sacks allowed in three games. The Patriots defense should be pretty good this season. But the Rams and Saints?

Has the light bulb finally gone off for Chris Henry? I’m watching this guy. He’s got speed. And I don’t want to diminish anything he’s done so far in these exhibition games. 13-catches 217 yards and three touchdowns. But let’s be careful here. All three of his TD receptions have come against the other guys’ second stringers. Two of the three TD receptions appear to have been on the same kind of play. Henry runs a fade route well. But one trick ponies rarely make it big in the NFL. Can he make a catch over the middle? Is he willing to do that? Why is Marvin Lewis saying that Henry isn’t doing the other things a receiver needs to do?

We know how Henry handles failure. Not well. Will he handle success any differently? So is the light bulb on? It appears to be. I hope. But this is a guy who’s one good nocturnal mishap away from adios.

Is the Bengals running attack, 4.3 yards per carry for real? Bernard Scott averaged five yards a carry against the Saints. But he didn’t get into the game until after the Saints starting front seven was pulled from the game.
Against the Saints starters, they Bengals rushed nine times for 30 yards.

Against the Patriots, the Bengals rolled up 173 yards of rushing offense. Very impressive. They averaged just under 3.3 yards per carry.

Against the Rams, it was 144 yards on the ground, averaging 4.4 per carry.
Again, very impressive. Five fumbles lost? Not so impresive

But on balance so far, the Bengals running attack has been good.

Next up: is the Reds recent five game wining streak a sign that the team can compete next season? No. It’s a sign from God that you have to wake up and look at history.

How many years have we been in this exact spot? Here’s the script. We should know it by heart. Reds go to spring training with a collection of players that other teams have given up on or ‘projects’ coming back from one malady or another. Hype rolls out of spring training about how this pitcher has found his stuff again, or how this outfielder was just caught up in a numbers crunch on his last time, or how he’s completely back from whatever surgery pieced his body back together. Or Zeus zapped the guy with a lightning bolt or some other nonsense. Team breaks camp, starts out hot and looks like a contender…finally. And by Memorial Day, everybody is talking about the Bengals.

Then, along about mid August, when you can’t tell who’s playing for the Reds even with a scorecard, the team rips off a string of wins. It all sounds and looks great. Until you realize, it’s all happening with absolutely no pressure on the team, because it’s not a contender.

Look, good baseball is good baseball. But there’s a stark difference between playing well when you’re in the middle of a pennant race, as opposed to playing out a season. This year, like just about every year since 1995, the Reds are just playing out a season. When the heats not on, how do you really know how well a team can perform.

Remember a couple of years ago, you got so giddy over a pitcher named Tom Shearn. Nice guy, great story, lived in a trailer behind the centerfield fence at the ballpark in Louisville. Got hot in the second half of another lost season and everyone was talking him up. Where’s Shearn today?

Repeat after me: a team not in a pennant race does not have the same pressures and scrutiny that a team fighting for a pennant has. So no, I’m not encouraged about next season, given this recent winning streak. Nice, but the Reds have a multitude of sins to address before next opening day.

Here’s what they need to do in no particular order: they need to unload payroll to they can add better players. Arroyo, Harang or Cordero have to go. They need to take the cash they save there and go buy a left fielder, or second baseman or catcher that can protect Joey Votto, Brandon Phillps and Jay Bruce.

If they could bring the old scoreboard back and get a refund on the $10 million they spent on the new scoreboard….and spend the money on players, that would be good.

They need to continue developing talent in the minors. They need to stop changing general managers. They need to take a serious look at the quality of coaching that’s going on at the major league level. Too many base running gaffes this season, too many errors, too many times the team has failed in the game of fundamentals.

Random thoughts for a random Friday....

Adam Dunn is back in town, on pace to hit his usual 40 HR's and drive in 100 runs. He's also hitting about 30 points higher right now than his career average. Dunn took a look at the $10 million scoreboard in left field and said, not completely sarcastically, "Nice addition". I added, "now all they need is something to put on it."....

Before anyone gets too giddy about Jonny Gomes hitting three home runs Thursday night, remember, it was against Nationals pitching....

Bronson Arroyo says he still takes supplements on the MLB banned list but hasng't flunked a drug test so "I must be OK". Wrong. The league office wants to talk with him. Let's hope it's just a little guidance..

Arroyo's complete game Thursday night is further indication that he'll be back next season. He has elevens on a bad ballclub and his $11 million price tag next season will scare off most teams. The ones that won't be scared off (Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox) won't need him....

If Aaron Harang gets traded BEFORE next season, his 2011 option goes to $14.5 million? What team is going to trade for him?.....

Here's all I want to see from the Bengals Friday night: Carson Palmer out of the game in one piece. If anything happens to Palmer, this team goes from an 8-8 club to another 4 win season.

8-8 is about it, I'm afraid. Don't get caught up in the hype until you see how the Bengals look playing against somebody other than themselves....

First episode of "Hard Knocks" gets a C+ from the Broo View. The photography was beyond excellent. The story lines were hardly compelling. Perhaps it gets better as the series progresses. But the first episode was hardly an attention grabber....

Jim Lippincott looked a little buffoonish as he went to cut fullback JD Runnells. Lippincott, who is a very nice man, looked like he had the people skills of a drone. I'm hoping it was editing that made him look that way. I'm hoping he tells the editor he didn't appreciate it....

Ditto for trainer Paul Sparling. His treatment of Reggie Kelly, the so called inspirational leader of the Bengals, when he snapped his Achilles tendon was callous. Kelly deserved better treatment. Talk about no bedside manner....

Come on people!!!!!!

Did you see the footage from that coaches meeting that Mike Brown was presiding over? No doubt now who's in charge. And you mean to tell me, the debate over moving a defensive end to tight end was the best NFL Films could come up with? Really?

Well, since BJ Raji has now signed (the #9 overall pick) should it not be easier for the Bengals to come to a deal with Andre Smith? By the way, Smith should have politely declined the opportunity to appear, in abstentia, on Hard Knocks. He had quick feet and a gut that could consume Rhode Island...

If Smith doesn't sign in time to play in the third pre-season game, and we're about a week away from that deadline, he'll be of little help to the Bengals this season....

Saddest story I've read on WLWT News 5 in a long time: Odell Thurman signs to play in the UFL. This will be his fourth year out of the NFL. He's only had one season. He could have been a multi-millionaire by now.....

Michael Vick signs with the Eagles? Brilliant move on their part. Donovan McNabb isn't mobile anymore, Vick will bring an entirely new dimension, if only for a handful of plays. The Eagles just got a leg up on the Giants in the NFC East.....

Brian Kelly worked the UC football team for three hours Thursday. This is a man whose prior workouts were quicker than some primetime network TV shows. Wonder what that's all about?

I'm talking sports, as always, this Sunday morning at 9am on 700 WLW. Among my guests, Sports Illustrated's Ross Tucker, Darren Rovell from CNBC and a man who can tell you how to snag a Major League Baseball player's autograph. Adam Dunn will also join me. Hope you will too..

Sunday night on Cincinnati's channel 5, Sports Rock! welcomes former Bengal Artrell Hawkins and Wildman Walker. We'll also welcome one of the newest members of the NFL Hall Of Fame, former Steeler and Raven, Rod Woodson.

Have a great weekend!

It’s a bye week. The best thing about this bye week is that the Bengals neutered bye week jokes by winning last Sunday. You knew what was coming if they didn’t beat the Jaguars last weekend, right? Bengals bye week, it’s the bye week minus three.

So with no game to preview this week, here are a couple of things I’ve been wondering about. Because there’s nothing worse than me with free time.

Who exactly was it who thought it would be a good idea to begin this season with three third down running backs on the roster, and nobody who could carry the ball effectively on first or second down? Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, DeDe Dorsey (incidentally, do you remember some of the callers we had on my WLW radio show last season salivating over DeDe Dorsey being the every down back?). The three of them are great, if you begin with third down. I don’t know if Rudi Johnson would’ve have done any better than this group. But I do know this: the Bengals had to scramble to find someone, anyone when Perry proved that he isn’t the same running back he was before getting hurt. And I also know this: the Bengals caught a major break when Cedric Benson was on the street, even if it was because of a couple of DUI arrests.

Here’s something else. At what point did it dawn on the Bengals smart guys that they didn’t have a fullback? It certainly wasn’t when Jeremi Johnson showed up in Georgetown like he did his off season training at Hooters. Watching the Bengals line up tight ends in the backfield, hoping they can pick up the blitz has been comical. When Marvin Lewis arrived, Lorenzo Neal was checking out. Neal didn’t want to be around here anymore. But he was on his couch eating Doritos and out of work in September. The Ravens found him. Did the Bengals even look?

I’m sure there’s an answer to this, but not one I’d like or maybe believe, but why do you use two of your top three draft picks to take wide receivers in April and neither has done anything to help you win a game? OK, Andre Caldwell has been hurt. Jerome Simpson was supposed to be some sort of Spiderman leaper with hands as big as Buicks. Where has this guy been. It’s not like this team has a luxury of drafting players for positions of depth.

You knew you had the artist formerly known as Chad Johnson under contract for the next three seasons. And if you want to keep TJ, all you have to do is slap a franchise tag on him this winter. Presto, you wide receiver problems are over. Now you draft two guys at that same position, who you know full well won’t play. Add the ongoing redemption of Chris Henry to the mix and you’ve done something that seven months down the road looks completely illogical. Hello, your offensive line can stop good defenses and your defense has a grand total of nine sacks and five interceptions in nine games.

So I pick up a copy of USA Today this week and there are the salary totals for every team in the NFL. I see the Bengals checking in at number 20, 20th out of 32 teams. That’s better than it’s been. But look at the teams who’ve spent less and gotten more this season: Baltimore, Denver, Indy, New England and Tampa Bay. What do they all have in common? They all have a shot at going to the playoffs. Better shot than our Cincinnati Bengals do. Yeah, of course, there are teams that spent less and stink. Detroit and Kansas City would come to mind. And there are some that’ve spent more and stink. Oakland and the 49ers would come to mind. But how do teams spend less and do better than the Bengals? Less, better?

Now the battle cry from inside the Bengals locker room is run the table and finish 8-8. They would have to win eight in a row to accomplish that. And the last time the Cincinnati Bengals won eight in a row was exactly when? Four in a row, 2005. Seven in a row in 1970. Six wins to start the 1975 and 1988 seasons. Five in a row in the middle of the 1981 season. Eight in a row? That would have been, never…

And that would get them to 8-8. And how many teams have actually qualified for the playoffs with an 8-8 record? Well, the Rams made it in at 8-8 after the 2004 season. It’s happened. Not often. But let’s get real. You watch football. Philly is due in here next Sunday. Then four days later, they have to go to Pittsburgh. And the Ravens and Browns have both beaten this team. Don’t forget that little trip to Indianapolis.

And that leads to this question. Why is Carson Palmer flying around the lower 48 seeing every orthopedic surgeon not named Tim Kremchek? Is it Palmer who’s looking for someone, anyone in a white coat who’ll tell him it’s OK to play? Or is it the Bengals telling him to take these trips? And if you’re in dutch to Palmer for 100-million over the next six seasons after this one why would you even think twice about letting play another down this season?

You know, maybe I’m too cynical for my own good. But along with frustrating the stripes out of me, your Cincinnati Bengals do something else that’s really tedious. They make me think. Fans shouldn’t have to think. They should only have to root. Thinking is a Monday through Friday thing. Even God rested on the seventh day. With the Bengals, no rest for the downtrodden and mentally weary.

Good Morning!

Some things I’ve been wondering about. Good things to discuss as we begin a new week here in the tri-state. You know, when you discuss things, often times they get better and you feel better. At least that what my wife tells me, every time I’m wrong.

How close are we to total apathy about our professional football team? I realize that’s a question we seem to ask every year along about this time. Butt really, have we ever been closer to apathy with your Cincinnati Bengals? The opposite of love isn’t hate, it’s apathy. At 0-8, with Palmer probably cooked for this season, I’m smelling apathy a lot lately.

Here’s something else. It’s pretty clear one of two things are going to happen at the end of this season. Marvin Lewis is going to leave. Or Marvin Lewis is going to stay and have to make drastic changes to his offense. And remember, this offense didn’t get bad when Palmer got hurt. We had flashes of just how bad this offense was going to be in the summer. Remember the exhibition game against the Saints? Eleven possessions, ten punts. After eight years on the job, Bob Bratkowski’s job is on life support. So if he goes, how about this? Hire Brian Billick as offensive coordinator. OK, I know, around here he’s viewed by a lot of us as the anti-Christ. But remember, when he ran the offense in Minnesota, those Vikings teams were good. The only thing he couldn’t get in Baltimore was a quarterback. And how much of that was his fault? Or Ozzie Newsome’s fault? I don’t know how he left it with Marvin, when Lewis had to leave Baltimore. Remember, Lewis quit because he thought he had the gig in Tampa, then didn’t get it and Billick wouldn’t take him back. But still…if we’re looking for solutions in 2009, why not consider this one?

And I was thinking about this. If you’ve got Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson, do you really need TJ Houshmandzadeh and Chad Johnson? He’ll probably catch three touchdown passes today, after I say this. But I gotta believe even Mike Brown will come to the realization that Chris “I can’t do anything but go long” Henry isn’t money well spent. So let ‘em all go…or keep one, probably TJ. Slap him with the franchise tag and go young at wide out. Trade Ocho Cinco. You’re not going to get a sucker like Dan Snyder to pony up two number one picks now. But if you get a couple of mid rounders for him, do it. Use it to rebuild your offensive and defensive lines.

And that’s another thing. There are only two kinds of playing the Bengals should pursue for the next two years: players who protect Palmer and players who attack the opposing quarterback. In other words, offensive and defensive linemen.

The Bengals have dropped some serious dinero on both lines. They signed Levi Jones long term, Bobbie Williams long term, Andre Whitworth long term. They tagged Stacy Andrew and they’re paying him $7.5 million this season. How’s that working out? Don’t tell me the only problem on that line is Eric Ghiacuc. He’s become the whipping boy for this under performing bunch.

And on the other side, here’s some money well spent: 34-million two years ago for Robert Geathers and 30-mil plus on Antwan Odom this past winter. What does that Bengals defense have through seven games? Right, five sacks total. You can always ask each of them to give some money back. But here’s a better thought. Hire some more scouts who can actually go out and watch other NFL teams on Sundays, scouts who actually know what they’re doing and what to look for. The Bengals don’t have enough scouts and they ones they have apparently aren’t very good. Remember, this is the bunch that gave you Kendrick Allen, Michael Myers and Ed Hartwell in 2007. They couldn’t find Adalius Thomas with a map and a compass.

This came to me Thursday night after a bad piece of fish I had for dinner. Go find a guy who can score unconventional touchdowns. That’s the buzz phrase in pro football these days ‘unconventional touchdowns’. It means any touchdowns not scored by the offense. We don’t seem to have a lot of conventional touchdowns around here any more. So go get a guy the other team has to actually game plan for. An example: go get somebody like Devin Hester. OK, maybe he’s a once in a generation kind of guy. But Josh Cribbs isn’t. Antwan Randel-El wasn’t. Ed Reed isn’t. When was the last time you remember the Bengals actually drafting or trading or signing a player who can score an unconventional touchdown. Radical thinking, for the group at Paul Brown Stadium, I know. But maybe someone down there can eat the same bad fish I had Thursday and wake up with a revelation.

I watched Hines Ward deliver that hit to Keith Rivers last week. And incidentally, it was a good clean hard football hit. Plain, simple, end of story. Sorry that it ended Rivers season. He’s got a long career ahead of him. But my immediate thought after watching that transpire: when was the last time you remember a Bengals player delivering a hit like Rivers took. When was the last time you saw a Bengal hit an opposing player that had the entire league buzzing? Hello, never? Maybe once in the late 80’s?

If you believe the national commentators, the experts, some of whom live here in Cincinnati, the Bengals have the reputation of being a soft team. Worst thing you can call a defense is a ‘finesse defense’. It’s a code phrase for soft. I heard that description of the Bengals defense a couple of weeks ago on a national radio show. And I laughed this week when I heard Marvin chastise a reporter for asking if the Bengals should have retaliated for the hit on Rivers. The word retaliate was the wrong word to use. But the spirit of the question was dead on. Lewis chose to pounce on the word ‘retaliate’ but never addressed the real question. When you get hit in the mouth, figuratively…or in the case of professional football literally, you hit back, just as hard, just as clean, just as legal. If you don’t, the hits will just keep on coming. After Ward laid out the prized rookie last Sunday, Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe, said rather disingenuously that the Bengals would get Ward next time. Right. People who talk about next time soon discover ‘next time’ rarely comes. The time to lay a direct hit on Ward was the next play. The Bengals had a chance to do it. And the pulled up on an incomplete pass to Ward. The ‘finesse’ label stuck a little bit better to the Bengals after that.

I've looked at the video at least a half dozen times. No, repeat no, it was not a 'dirty hit' that the Steelers Hines Ward laid on Bengals rookie linebacker, Keith Rivers. You can make a case for whether or not Ward's block on Rivers was necessary. But it was well within the parameters of a good football hit.

Let me ask you this: with as much 'beat' as the officiating crew (led my Mr. Buff, game referee Ed Hoculi) has been under in the last month, don't you think it would have erred on the side of caution and someone on that crew would've thrown a flag, if for no other reason than to keep the wrath of the NFL office off its back. There was NO flag thrown. And while the crew may have debated later about not tossing a penalty flag, the bottom line is NONE was thrown. Again, I've just looked at the video for a seventh time: Ward hits Rivers with his shouldar and seems to throw a forearm into Rivers' helmet. There is no 'crown of the helmet' lead on the part of Ward.

Now, was it a necessary hit? Absolutely not. But even some Bengals players were admitting in the locker room at the game, they'd have done the same thing, if they were Hines Ward.

And by the way, where exactly was the Bengals retaliation for the hit on Rivers. There was ample opportunity to deck Ward as the game progressed. But like they did in January, 2006, when the Steelers knocked Carson Palmer out of that playoff game, and the quarterback suffered a knee blow out, the Bengals proceeded to play with only a wimper.

You know what that is? A complete lack of team leadership. I'm not talking about Mike Brown or Marvin Lewis. I'm speaking of a zero amount of leadership from the Bengals PLAYERS. Maybe it's because Brown has weeded out all of the potential leaders on this team. But could you imagine the Baltimore Ravens suffering something like what happened to Rivers? With Ray Lewis on the field? Somebody's head would roll. SHAME on this soul-less Bengals team.

We saw some more disturbing trends on Sunday.

The Bengals defense, better this year than last, hasn’t been able to generate enough heat to keep a closet warm this season: seven games, five sacks. But it doesn't change the fact that football talk in Cincinnati can't progess past "our team stinks" and "Mike Brown needs to hire a GM".

In other towns, except in St. Louis and Detroit, you turn on a radio station like ‘The Big One’ and ‘Homer’ and what you’ll hear all week, but particularly on game day, is how does the home team match up with the opponent. Fans race to web sites like espn.com, or si.com and look at what the experts predict what’ll happen. We don’t need to do that in Cincinnati. We’re still wondering when this team will win a game.

It’s a bummer, isn’t it? I mean, don’t you ever wonder how it is for fans in Nashville, Philly, even Pittsburgh, don’t you ever wonder what it’s like to really get into the nuts and bolts of your team? Here, losing has blocked any discussion. I know the Steelers are mentioned in the same breath as the Soviet Union is around here. But admit it, just once, you want your Cincinnati Bengals to be just like them. The 5 Super Bowl rings are one thing. The attitude and swagger, and the winning, are another.

When was the last time you remember the Steelers allowing their quarterback to get so hard his nose broke and then did nothing about it?

It’s be nice to sit here today and talk about how the Bengals, with the fourth ranked defense against the pass, should've beeen able to deal well with the Steelers, who have a pass offense ranked just 23rd in the entire league.

But then you remember, your team is 0-6 and the back up quarterback has been the team’s leading rusher in the two previous games he’s started.

Welcome to Cincinnati, the NFL's version of Siberia.

Just posted the latest Bengals Report Podcast! Mark Hardin and I review the Bengals loss last Sunday to the Jets. And you'll hear comments from Marvin Lewis, Carson Palmer, Dhani Jones and Chinedum Ndukwe, who had that sweet fumble recovery for a touchdown. You can find the Bengals Report Podcast on my web site: www.kenbroo.com. If you're in a hurry, you can download it here.

It's posted and ready for your dowload. Bengals Report Podcast. In this episode, Bengals Report executive editor, Mark Hardin and I preview Sunday's Bengals vs Browns match-up. You'll get the inside scouting report and hear comments from Marvin Lewis, Carson Palmer and Chris Perry.

It's on the front page of my web site: www.kenbroo.com. But, if you're on the fly, you can download the podcast here.

For openers, the Bengals were putrid Sunday. They couldn't block and they couldn't tackle. Maybe they looked good getting off the team bus. This, I'm afraid, is going to be a long season.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way. The Bengals didn’t look so hot during the exhibition season. In fact, they looked bad. The line couldn’t keep the other guys off Carson Palmer’s nose. The defense still hasn’t figured out how to tackle. And a lot of Bengals were hurt. Indisputable facts, part of the fabric the Bengals brought with them to their opener against the Ravens.

For the record, the Ravens are hurt, didn’t score a whole lot of points in their exhibition games and they started a rookie quarterback today. Amazingly, well maybe not so, the Ravens managed over 350 yards of total offense, 229 of those yards were on the ground.

All of that is the obvious. Let’s get into this season a little deeper, put a little more thought into it. I like lists. You like lists? Check things off as you go? I do. It’s a fascinating study of the Irish: make a list, then worry about it the rest of your life. But that’s another story for another day.

Here are 10 things I need to see happen, this season. We’ll do it in David Letterman descending order…

10: Press coverage from the Bengals cornerbacks. If I see Leon Hall or Jonathan Joseph backing off the line of scrimmage like they did last year, I’m throwing a shoe through my television set. Remember, this Mike Zimmer guy, the new defensive coordinator, is supposed to be more aggressive than Chuck Bresnahan. And if you don’t press coverage the Ravens pedestrian wide receivers, who are you going to cover that way?

9: Tackle. End plays with the other guy on the ground. And I’ll call out the guy I want to see this from: Marvin White, the safety. Big hits are great. Shoulders into receivers are electrifying. Now try wrapping up the guy and not let him run by you. Remember the exhibition game against the Packers?

Me too.

8: I want to see Chris Perry carry the ball at least 20 times a game. If he’s carrying the ball that many times, the Bengals are winning. But more to the point: Perry appears to be the kind of back who has to carry the ball a lot to get into a rhythm. And don’t give me: he’s too fragile to carry it 20. If he is, why did you let Rudi walk?

7: I want to see Ocho Cinco get hit hard and get up. I want to see if his torn labrum can stand a hit. Because if it can’t, why didn’t you go out and sign a street free agent on cutdown day…like Ashley Leslie? I need to know Ocho’s shoulder will stand up from the abuse you know the Ravens are going to bring today.

6: I want to see Carson Palmer standing after every play. The offensive line was abysmal this exhibition season. It couldn’t stop tackle stunts, it couldn’t stop edge rushers and it allowed Palmer to be sacked, hit or pushed around on virtually every play this summer. This is a group that’s on the spot all year. And so are the smart guys in that Bengals front office. You know who you are. You let Eric Steinbach take a hike to Cleveland and you just cut Willie. OK smart guys, this group you got better start behaving like an NFL offensive line.

5: I want to see if TJ Houshmandzadeh’s leg problems are over. Because, I’ve got to tell you, without him, this team is out of business. If you’ve got them projected for six wins, it’ll be four without him. He’s the best receiver on the field and the double teams he draws opens up everything else. No TJ, no Ocho Cinco, no running attack, no good.

4: I want to see Jerome Simpson do something. It’s not his fault the Bengals spent a second round pick on him. But it’s his problem now. He got second round money and he’s had a largely unheralded summer. This is the guy who the Bengals think will be their #1 or #2 wide receiver in a couple of years. He’s a #3, at best now. He needs to get open and get up and catch the ball.

3: I want to see Ben Utecht catch the ball, five times, minimum per game. This has been a chronic problem with the Bengals offense since, oh Tony McGee ran out of gas? Utecht needs to show that he wasn’t a product of great players around him in Indianapolis. And Bengals offensive coordinator, Bob Bratkowski needs to show us that he knows what to do with a tight end, now that he’s got a legitimate one.

2: I want to see the interior of that Bengals defensive line shut down anybody’s running attack this season. John Thornton is still on the roster and Domata Peko got a hefty contract this winter. Great, now stop somebody. If the interior defensive line doesn’t play better against the run this season, we’ll all be talking about the Reds on November first.

1: I want to see this team begin behaving like it belongs in the NFL. I want to see discipline on the field, and off. I’ve had enough of false starts, off sides and delay of games. It’s the troika of bad football and we’ve had enough of that since 1990. Off the field? Build homes, go to schools and read to kids, take your kids to Skyline, call you parents, help your wife paint the house. Do anything but go trolling for the night life on your day off, or worse, the night before a game. We’ve had that, too.

I don’t think this is a particularly good football team right now. But it has a chance to be, as the season progresses. I’m willing to watch and give it a chance. I’ll bet you are too. Now let’s see if it’s worthy of our time and patience.

Here's what I think is going on. Chad Johnson is following the same blueprint as Terrell Owens did when Owens wanted 'out' of Philly. Remember, they both have the same agent, Drew Rosenhaus. In 2005, Owens did the following: insult management, throw his quarterback 'under the bus', dissed the coach and got his release. What has Johnson done this winter and spring? The exact same things. You think this is a coincidence? Negative. This is a game the agent is running.

When Johnson refuted an innocent comment Carson Palmer made this week (Palmer said in a TV interview with WLWT that he talked with Chad and Johnson assured him he'd be in Cincinnati when 'he had to'. Johnson immediately called his quarterback a liar) it was the same path that Owens followed in 2005, when he trashed his quarterback, Donovan McNabb. In early 2006, the Eagles released him and Owens wound up signing with Dallas.

I don't sense Mike Brown is going to be bullied like his Eagles counterpart was three years ago. Brown does nothing unless it benefits his team. Letting Johnson go now, taking a $8 million salary cap hit and losing a wide receiver who consistently delivers over 1300 yards per season is something that will hurt the Bengals in 2008, not help. TJ Housmandzadeh will draw double teams. And the rest of the wide receivers on the roster, at least at this point, are nothing more than pedestrian. You must remember, it took Corey Dillon four years of moaning to get out of Cincinnati. Only then, did Brown let him walk, when Dillon was just about at the end of his career.

You don't push Mike Brown into a corner and win. Ask any player who's sat across the table from him on a contract negotiation. Ask the IRS. Brown has twice beaten the IRS in tax court. That has to be some sort of record.

Now we have TJ weighing on on this thing in a story posted on espn.com.

And if Palmer thinks he's got a problem with Johnson, wait until they read this story, from the Dayton Daily News, in Cleveland.

As always, I'm talking sports this Sunday morning on 700 WLW in Cincinnati. I'm on from 9am until Noon, EDT. You can listen on line at www.700wlw.com and on XM Radio channel 173.
Many guests, many topics and a lot on Chad Johnson and the plight of our Cincinnati Bengals!

First, let me wish you and yours nothing but the best in 2008. Happy New Year! Whatever it is that you want in this new year, I hope you find it.

I apologize for being a little laxed in postings. I was off last week, and tending to a variety of things. But I'm back now. And what a story I walked into today. I was in the Bengals locker room at Paul Brown Stadium this morning, watching the players pack up after another disappointing season. Not many of the star players were there. But Carson Palmer was and he agreed to an impromptu give and take session with several members of the Cincinnati media. I was the only television reporter present, but helping out our 'brothers in arms' at the other stations in town by holding their microphones.

The conversation with Palmer turned to 2008, and what needs to happen to make the Bengals better, realize their true level of talent. After what appeared to be a standard answer of getting more serious, playing harder and focusing, the follow up question went something like this: "Marvin has said he's looking for a new start, fresh beginning in 2008. Do you (Palmer) think this coaching staff is capable of that? Palmers answer: I don't think so. The follow up question: so do you see changes in the coaching staff coming. Palmer's answer: Yes, I do.

Whoa! In the 'put on a happy face and I'll let you know what I'm going to do when I do it" world of Marvin Lewis, this was a major tremor. Here you had the franchise player, the focal point of your team telling the media he doesn't think the current coaching staff has what it takes to get done what the head coach says must get done before next season.

Lewis raised the whole mission for 2008 in a question and answer session with the Columbus Dispatch. The headline in the article was "It's Time To Blow The Whole Thing Up", which was a direct quote taken from Lewis interview with the Dispatch. Lewis tried to spin that as changing the atmosphere at PBS, invigorating the staff and changing the playbook. Sorry Marvin. When somebody talks about blowing things up, it's not cosmetic changes.

Be that as it may, it's very clear from what I witnessed today that there is a rift inside the merry land of Bengal-dom. The star player, one of the top five quarterbacks in the game, isn't happy. Palmer says 2007 was the worst season in any sport in any time of his life. Losing is one thing. But the way the Bengals lost, with their internal bickering and in game meltdowns is another.

I agree with Lewis, it's time to blow the whole thing up. Some players need to go (and how about some 'name' players to get everyone's attention) and the coaching staff needs to be gutted.

I don't know if his boss will let him do it, but for his own career Lewis should push for it. The Bengals don't need a fresh coat of paint. They need serious work on the structure of their organization. Don't take my word for it. Ask the quarterback.

OK, you're the new (first ever) Bengals general manager. Which players are you keeping on the roster in 2008? You can let anyone go and can keep anyone you'd like. But, your total number of keepers is limited to eleven.

My list: Levi Jones, Bobbie Williams, Chad Johnson, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Rudi Johnson, Kenny Irons and Carson Palmer on offense.

Leon Hall, Jonathan Joseph, Madieu Williams and Robert Geathers on defense. That's my list.

Not keeping Chris Henry (can you trust him?) or DeDe Dorsey or Kenny Watson (flavors of the month) or Ahmad Brooks (can he stay healthy?) or Chris Perry (see Brooks) or Justin Smith (too much money).

What's your list? Let me know, leave a comment.

Maybe we should go after Brock Berlin this winter. Look at what foxsports.com is saying.

The latest Broo View Podcast is posted. You can find it in the "Podcasts & More" section of my web site http://www.kenbroo.com/.

Here's what I figured out this weekend...the Bengals have no running attack. And that's why they can't throw deep. The opposition plays their safeties deep, challenging the Bengals to run. It leaves the middle of the field open for short routes, but that's about it. Until and if the Bengals figure out how to run (and rushing for only 72 yards against a very pedestrian Arizona defense isn't exactly a running attack) the Bengals will struggle...as for Carson Palmer....not good Sunday. But he's, on the average, very good. We'll give him a pass this time, even though he gave the Cardinals secondary four passes to pick off....Antrel Rolle? ....I learned the Steelers can look very ordinary when they match up against a smaller, quicker front seven...that's what the Jets used to spring the upset....I learned it ain't over until it's over, particularly in Baltimore, although it's over for the Ravens. Can you believe the field goal that Cleveland kicked to tie the game, ruled no good initially, is NOT a reviewable play? Me neither....I learned the Patriots are showing no mercy on any team this season. But they better be careful, or some player on some team they're abusing will take a shot at Tom Brady's knee....you wait and see....

I learned the University of Cincinnati isn't all that far behind the elite teams in the Big East....but they're not close enough to be talked about in the same breath as West Virginia....I learned we finally live in a college town here in Cincinnati. It only took 56 years to get there....

I learned no matter what the Bengals do this season, it all comes back to Mike Brown. On my call in shows Sunday on 700 WLW radio, Brown was blamed for everything from being cheap, to not wanting to win, to causing all of the penalties the Bengals committed in their loss to the Cardinals....some of it was fairly comical.

We'll talk more, later today.....

This is pretty funny. Apparently, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune, there was a stare down before last Sunday's Bengals vs Steelers game involving Carson Palmer. You think it had anything to do with the outcome? Nahhh. But you gotta love the drama.

The lastest "Broo View Podcast" is now up, running and ready for your listening or downloading. You can find it in the 'Podcasts & More' section on my web site: www.kenbroo.com.

Here's what I want to see when the Bengals take the field Friday night to finish up the pre-season. I want to see Carson Palmer and that first team offense play one series. In that series, I want to see Palmer toss the ball to each of his wide receivers and let Rudi rip off a long run. I want to see Tab Perry step up and catch a touchdown pass. I want a long drive where the Bengals can show all the doubters that their offense is one of the top three in the NFL.

On defense, I want to see the first teamers hold the Colts to three and out, in Indy's first drive. I want to see the first teamers take the ball away, the second time the Colts get the ball.

Then, I want to see every one of the 22 first teamers on the bench. That would be the perfect way to end the pre season.

What do you think the chances are of that happening?

The Bengals are banged up. Willie Anderson is back practicing. But we'll be lucky to see him on the field by opening night. Anderson's foot injury isn't getting better. He'll need corrective surgery when his career is done. Now, it's just a matter of dealing with pain.

Just posted, the latest Bengals Report Podcast. It's on my web site, www.kenbroo.com. I've made it easy for you. It's sitting on the front page, ready for downloading.

The Reds are back to seven games out. I want to believe. But here's what's keeping me from doing that. No pitcher on the roster you can count on who's not named Aaron Harang. Even the Reds #2 starter, Bronson Arroyo is now an iffy proposition. He left after throwing only 80 pitches in Pittsburgh Monday night, claiming fatigue. Arroyo was wheezing after the second inning, by his own admission. Mark Belisle, Tom Shearn (who?) and whomever else the Reds can round up to fill out the rotation aren't good enough for this team to be seriously taken as a contender.

I may be wrong. I hope I am.