Bengals tidbits

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DDN

5/19/06

bengals
Ghent pushing for tight end opening

By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer

CINCINNATI — When Marvin Lewis took over as Bengals head coach in 2003, all he heard from offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski was how the tight ends couldn't block the point of attack. That's no longer the case.

Reggie Kelly and Tony Stewart aren't impact receivers, but their blocking is welcome in an offense that features wide receiver Chad Johnson and tailback Rudi Johnson.

Now Ronnie Ghent wants a piece of the action at tight end. His practice-squad eligibility is up, so he either makes the 53-man roster or gets released. Ghent's versatility as a fullback and H-back is a plus. So is his willingness to play special teams.

"It's all on me," he said. "They didn't draft a tight end, which is good. I'm getting the opportunity, so there's nobody to blame but myself. I just want to find a role on this team. The main thing is, I just want to be here."

Quick hitters

• Keep an eye on outside linebacker Rashad Jeanty. Signed in February after three seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League, Jeanty was the defensive star of rookie minicamp because of his pass-rushing skills.

"He's a big, strong, fast guy," Lewis said. "He's been one of the most explosive guys through all of our offseason stuff."

• Tailback Chris Perry makes defenders miss with his silky moves. His only problem is durability. He fought a sports hernia in 2004 and is questionable for June minicamp because of an arthroscopic knee surgery in April. Kenny Watson and Quincy Wilson are getting plenty of work in Perry's absence.

• Wideout Kelley Washington has a chance to blossom in the wake of Chris Henry's off-the-field issues. Washington is difficult to contain in single coverage because his size creates mismatches against smaller cornerbacks.

Washington's biggest drawback is his skills aren't suited to playing special teams.

• The most intriguing position battle on defense is at right cornerback, where incumbent Tory James is attempting to hold off Keiwan Ratliff and first-round draft pick Johnathan Joseph.

• Wideout Mike Warfield, who signed Jan. 9 and was allocated to the Frankfurt Galaxy of the NFL Europe League, was waived Thursday.


Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2253 or cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Cincy

5/22/06

Coach with his hands full
WRs keep Jackson's mind reeling

We might call it a position group; they call it a room, because that's where they meet and banter and boast. See the room from where Hue Jackson stands at the head.

It's spinning with Cincinnati receivers, and holding court, as always, is Chad Johnson, arguing, as always, that he is indeed faster than T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and of course has better hands. Houshmandzadeh, as always, will have none of it, a give-and-take that surely must amuse Bennie Brazell, the seventh-round draft choice whose best year at LSU produced only 13 catches, although he might have been distracted by running for five national championships in track and also on the 2004 Olympic team; and Reggie McNeal, the sixth-round draft choice who was a quarterback at Texas A&M and generally considered the most athletic player in the country at that position. Chris Henry, whose last catch last year was the 66-yard beauty on which he and Carson Palmer were both hurt, adds little to the repartee, preoccupied, perhaps, with the legal issues stemming from a spate of stupid things he has done since arriving last year as a gifted but closely watched third-rounder.

It's a combustible blend of stardom, speed, swagger, inexperience and immaturity, from which Jackson can fashion either the world's most dynamic corps of pass-catchers or a fetching 4x100 relay team that can't handle the pads or pressure. With this group, the sky's the sky.

"Stir all those things up," the Bengals assistant observed the other day, having glimpsed the rookies in their introductory minicamp and run through the season's first on-field coaching session with the rest, "and you never know what's going to come out. But I'll tell you this - they're good. I'll take the diversity. I don't want the off-the-field issues, but as far as performance, I'll take what I have any day.

"You've got to find the right buttons to push. Everybody can't come in here and coach this room. You have to wear different hats, because the players are all so different. When you close that door, it's a war zone. What Marvin Lewis has told me is that he just wants them to perform."

It would be swell if Jackson could simply devote the spring and summer to schooling McNeal and Brazell in the finer points of their new profession. But when the initial on-field gathering broke up this week, it was Johnson, the mega-maintenance mouthpiece and leading light, whom Jackson found himself collaring.

"I called Chad right after that first practice and told him I want him to get back to fundamentals and grunt work. I have to spend more of my time with the veteran players, because those are the guys I know are going to win for us.

"Chad's a worker," Jackson assured. "He's driven to be the best at what he does and works hard at this craft, but you have to make sure you stay on him. Do I have to get him to focus? Oh, yeah. That's Chad Johnson, though. He's Chad because we give him the freedom to express himself. If I tried to squeeze him every time, he wouldn't be Chad Johnson. But when he goes beyond, I'm right there to pinch him."

That, of course, would make a nice segue into whatever incident did or didn't occur at halftime of the playoff loss to the Steelers, reportedly involving at least one and possibly two of the above. But the Bengals aren't talking about that, and just as well. It comes with the territory that is Jackson's remarkable room.

Within its highly entertained walls, the standard of citizenship is perhaps set by Houshmandzadeh, the pony-tailed production artist who, two years out of high school back in the Mojave Desert, was pretty much standard-less in that area, up to a lot of nothing until his old high school coach called and invited him to junior college. It turned out that the wayward Californian was a guy who would not disrespect his talent. "He's someone I trust and lean on," Jackson said.

When Cincinnati drafted Houshmandzadeh five years ago, in the seventh round, the taints on him were nearly as damning as those attending Henry last year. It's part of the coaching staff's responsibility to assess those issues and determine whether they will ultimately compromise a player and team.

Jackson was the one who vouched for Henry. He interviewed the West Virginia star and took into account that his collegiate complications were entirely on-field matters that could be addressed by a vigilant coach. The sullied resume didn't indicate to Jackson that Henry would be arrested in Florida on a charge of carrying a concealed firearm (for which he is scheduled to stand trial May 30), or plead guilty to marijuana charges from a Kentucky arrest during his rookie season, or be investigated by Covington police for yet another possible offense.

"That wasn't in the background," Jackson said. "The kid knows that we really took a chance on him, and for him to have some of those things happen, that has been very disappointing. He needs to grow up and mature and become a contributing member of society and the team. I hope that rash is over with, because it needs to be over with. We've got to get Chris Henry in line.

"As a coach, I failed miserably in my opinion, because those are the things you look for, the things you dig deep for. ... The bottom line is, I should have had an idea about that. I have to take responsibility. I hope those things never rear their ugly head again, but that is still a work in progress."
For the receivers coach, it's a massive amount of work in progress. All of it is, with a far-flung group as needy as it is speedy.

The contingent also includes Kelley Washington of squirrel-dance fame. ("I like the squirrel dance," Jackson allowed, "because when he's doing it, we're scoring touchdowns.") Then there's Antonio Chatman, formerly of the University of Cincinnati and Green Bay Packers (second on the club last year in catches and yards), and Tab Perry, the versatile kick-return ace now looking for a niche in the passing game. And Jamall Broussard, the little guy who was a training-camp sensation two years ago, and P.K. Sam, who has pleasantly impressed his new coaches since the Bengals signed him off of New England's practice squad.

The upside, though, is heavily concentrated in McNeal and Brazell, whose double-edged fastness did not arrive by accident. Lewis and his lieutenants took grim note of what happened in the second half of last season's final game, when, with Jon Kitna quarterbacking, the Pittsburgh defense condensed the field and boxed-up the Bengals' offense.

When Palmer returns to the huddle, the passing game's horizon will again be effectively stretched. The need to do that - even in Palmer's possible absence - is probably why Cincinnati signed Anthony Wright, who has both the arm and the legs to make honest men of safeties and linebackers.

McNeal and Brazell are here to serve the same sort of purpose.

And so, by the authority vested in him, is Jackson, who appreciates the task at hand. "I have one of the best jobs in the NFL," he said.

"But it's also one of the hardest jobs in the NFL, and that's what makes it fun."

Contact Lonnie Wheeler at lwheeler@cincypost.com.

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Cincy

5/24/06

Palmer can dish it out

Recovering QB admits to hatred of Steelers in SI cover story

BY BILL KOCH | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

<!--ARTICLE BODY TEXT-->Carson Palmer would have preferred his first Sports Illustrated cover as a Bengal to be a picture of him holding a Super Bowl trophy.

And maybe it would have been if the Bengals quarterback hadn't blown out his left knee in a Jan. 8 playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Instead, the Palmer cover that hits newsstands today shows him running in a hydrotherapy pool with the words "The Rehab of Carson Palmer" superimposed over the picture.

"It's definitely flattering to be on the cover of any magazine," Palmer said Tuesday, "especially a magazine like that, but it's not like I'm on it for winning a big game. I'm on it for being dinged up. When you're on it because you're injured and not able to practice, it's not as good. But it's still a huge honor."

The SI cover is the second for Palmer, who was also on the cover of the magazine's NFL draft issue on April 28, 2003.

The cover story, written by Michael Silver, delves into the emotions Palmer felt immediately after Steelers defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen rolled into his knee as he released a 66-yard pass to Chris Henry, tearing the anterior cruciate ligament, shredding the medial collateral ligament and dislocating his kneecap.

It also touches on the hatred he feels for the Steelers.

Silver describes Palmer lying in the middle section of his Chevy Tahoe as his wife, Shaelyn, pulled away from Paul Brown Stadium shortly after halftime.

"Just an eerie, awkward feeling," Palmer says in the story. "It seemed like only five minutes had passed since I'd been on that field and my teammates were still out there battling. I could hear the crowd as I was driving away, and I was listening to them talk about me on the radio. We had it all laid out in front of us; the Super Bowl could've been ours. I felt like I deserted them or something."

According to the story, Palmer cried as he lay on a table in the locker room, minutes after being carted off the field.

Palmer said Tuesday he was surprised he reacted so emotionally.

"But because of the significance of it, it doesn't surprise me," he said. "It's the first time something like that happened in my career."

And he said he no longer feels as if he deserted his teammates.

"Not so much anymore," Palmer said, "but right around the game, watching it on TV and listening on the radio, not being out there gave me that feeling."

As for the Steelers, Palmer, who said he rooted against them throughout the playoffs and was upset when they won the Super Bowl, pulls no punches in the story.

"I keep thinking about how much, back in college, I hated UCLA," he says in the article. "I hate the Steelers more than I hate UCLA. Yeah, it's because I'm jealous and want what they have."

The Bengals quarterback said he didn't hesitate to speak so openly in the magazine about his hatred for the Steelers because "it's how I felt. It's how everybody in our locker room feels. It's a heated rivalry between local teams. It's great. I don't hate playing them. I love playing them. ... I hope they lose every game and I'm sure they hope we lose every game.

"It's nothing personal against the individual players. It's the game."

Palmer takes a shot in the story at Dr. Lonnie Paulos, the surgeon who repaired his knee and originally called the injury "devastating and potentially career-ending" before later altering that prognosis in a statement released by the team.

"That's a doctor who likes to hear himself talk and see his name in the newspaper," Palmer is quoted as saying.

He also objected to a statement by network analyst Jim Mora, who said during a telecast of the NFL scouting combine that Palmer "would miss part of the 2006 season and wouldn't be the same quarterback he had been."

"Well, he doesn't know me," Palmer says in the article, "and he doesn't know how hard I'm going to work. ... I'm going to prove them all wrong."

Again, Palmer said, the criticism in the story was not personal.

"That's just something I used for motivation," Palmer said. "They're just doing their job. You've got to find ways to motivate yourself."

Many of the quotes show a side of the Bengals quarterback that has rarely been seen before in the media, but Palmer said he didn't set out to unburden himself in the story as a form of therapy.

"That's the first time I've really been asked some of those questions," he said. "I didn't feel like I was getting anything off my chest. I was being honest and answering what I was asked."

He was honest about one more thing Tuesday when asked about how much he's motivated by the hopes that Bengals fans have for his speedy recovery.

"It puts a lot of pressure on me," Palmer said. "I feel that pressure, but it's exciting to come here when the city was fired up about baseball and see the transformation of it, that it is a football town, that people love the Bengals, that they've stuck by the Bengals for so long, that they're so excited about the coming year and the chances that we have. It's really fun."

E-mail bkoch@enquirer.com

<!-- BEGIN: Article Tools -->

On the cover of SI<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=storytext bgColor=#eeeeee>Six Sports Illustrated covers have featured Bengals players or coaches:

Paul Brown - Aug.12, 1968

Cris Collinsworth - Dec. 14, 1981

Super Bowl cover - Feb. 1, 1982

Ickey Woods - Jan. 16, 1989

Boomer Esiason - Aug. 7, 1989

Carson Palmer - May 29, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[tibor75]

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DDN

5/25/06

BENGALS NOTES
Ragone signing puts fifth QB in mix

By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer

CINCINNATI — The Bengals turned up the dial on their quarterback competition, acquiring Dave Ragone off waivers from the Houston Texans on Wednesday.

He joins Anthony Wright, Doug Johnson and rookie Erik Meyer in the battle to back up starter Carson Palmer, who continues to excel in his rehabilitation from left knee surgery.

Ragone (6-foot-3, 221 pounds), a left-hander from the University of Louisville and Cleveland St. Ignatius High School, was Houston's third-round draft pick (No. 88 overall) in 2003, the same year the Bengals drafted Palmer No. 1.

Ragone started two games as a rookie, completing 20-of-40 passes for 135 yards, no TDs and one interception. He also rushed six times for 51 yards.

He was the Texans' No. 3 quarterback for all 16 games in 2004 and 2005.

"We're throwing a lot of things at them," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said about Wright and Johnson. "When they start to get something down, we're onto something else. It's challenging for them, but they're doing well."

'SI' cover boy

Palmer is splashed on the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated magazine. He just wishes the circumstances were different.

"You never want to be on the cover for being injured," he said. "You want to (be on the cover) after you win the Super Bowl or after you have a big game and your team plays well — instances like that. It's kind of in a negative context just because there's talk about all the things that are wrong with my leg and the strength of my knee. But it's still an honor."

New-look hairdo

Wide receiver Chad Johnson is sporting a Mohawk haircut — shaved on the sides with a patch of hair down the middle.

Teammates joked that Johnson resembles Mr. T, Wesley Snipes and Sean "Diddy" Combs.

"No," Johnson said, nixing all the references.

"It's a haircut, and it's Chad wearing it. I will still be Chad regardless of how my hair looks. I can give you a quick 'Ain't nobody gonna stop 85.' "

Foot injury?

Outside linebacker David Pollack wouldn't address the nature or extent of a left foot injury that kept him out of practice.

The good news: He's no longer wearing a protective boot. Pollack spoke only about the team.

"We've got to keep hustling," he said. "Defensively, we've got to play better. That's no secret."

Quote of the day
"You can't talk to him until he finishes cleaning his pig sty." — Bengals linebackers coach Ricky Hunley, who was supervising as Pollack cleaned his locker.

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DDN

5/25/06

Bengals due to exit Georgetown training camp early

Due to team playing two early preseason games in August, return to Kentucky training site unrealistic.

By Chick Ludwig
Staff Writer

CINCINNATI — Pretty soon you'll see 'em. And then, suddenly, you won't.

Training camp 2006 for the Cincinnati Bengals will be the shortest stint away from home in the club's 39-year history.

Georgetown (Ky.) College Athletic Director Eric Ward confirmed Wednesday the Bengals will train on campus for 13 days from July 29 until Aug. 12.

The abbreviated stay is a by-product of the preseason schedule. The Bengals open at home against Washington on Sunday, Aug. 13, then play at Buffalo five nights later. With Aug. 14 an off day and Aug. 17 a travel day, "It doesn't make a lot of sense for them to come back here during the short work week," Ward said.

The 2006 season marks Georgetown's 10th year as the summer home of the Bengals. The contract expires this year, but preliminary talks about an extension are under way.

Like the Bengals, Tennessee will have a split training camp and New Orleans could follow suit.

The Titans and Saints trained exclusively at their respective headquarters in 2005. This year, Tennessee will spend half of training camp at Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Tenn., before returning to Nashville, while the Saints are considering training at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., before moving to their facility in Metairie, La.

"The trend is more teams are staying at home than they did a decade ago," NFL spokesman Steve Alic said. "But things go in cycles. It's like going from the 4-3 (defense) to the 3-4. Now we have Tennessee and maybe New Orleans spending more time on the road. So it varies a little bit."