Paul Daugherty: Chad

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Chad

This isn't the Chad Johnson I knew. The Chad I knew was a good teammate, whose biggest problem was that his passion for football and winning sometimes clouded his judgment. That Chad was immature, but committed. The Chad I knew could be open, to a fault. That Chad treated total strangers to dinner at local restaurants and was the guest speaker at the Hamilton County Special Olympics Awards Dinner.

This Chad Johnson I've never met.

This Chad is determined to confirm every T.O. comparison ever made about him. He is selfish, egotistical and deluded. He has bashed an organization that made him rich and a teammate who has stood up for him, over and over.

Chad wants to win. Really? Who doesn't? I'm sure the Bengals locker room is loaded with players who come to work every day saying, "Man, I love playing for a losing organization like the Cincinnati Bengals.''

The Chad I knew said the day he was drafted he wanted to be part of the solution here.

The Chad I knew was perpetually positive, even when it sounded nuts.

This new Chad, whoever he is, has been Bengal-ized. He's gone, way over the top, far over the hill. The Chad I knew won't be coming back.

The Bengals have said they won't deal him. He has made that an impossibility. Chad can torpedo a whole season, and he knows it. Marvin Lewis' legacy here will be defined at least partly by how he handles Chad. So far, it's been disastrous.

The Bengals need to trade New Chad. It kills me to say that, because a spoon-banger should never get his way. But it would be in the best interest of the entire team. New Chad couldnt care less about the entire team.

That's not the Chad I knew.

72 Comments:

at 7:25 AM

Anonymous said...

This type of spoon-banging can't be rewarded. Chad needs to sit, plain and simple. To reward this type of behavior is to ask for more of the same.

at 7:33 AM

Anonymous said...

If I am Mike Brown, there is no way I trade Chad Johnson. Give him what he wants and take an $8M hit?? Nope, sorry. Bent over backwards for you, Bro, and gave you a great new contract when we didn't have to, and this is how you repay us?

I would rather see him sit out a year - heck, two years, three years. Let's renew that option for an extra year, just for grins, shall we?

While he is at home instead of at work, if I am Mike B, I would send him a care package from the Pro Shop with Bengals gear every week of every year. I might even throw in a McD's gift card so he can get his junk food fill while watching Sports Center.

at 7:34 AM

House of Cards said...

New Chad hasn't been Bengalized, he has been Rosenhaus-ized. I hope Mike and Marvin stick to their guns and let him sit out. Our team will win or lose because of what our defense does or doesn't do, just like last year. Letting the spoon banger sit not only hurts the spoon banger, but this time it also hurts Rosenwhore. He is the REAL target in this pissing match. The day an owner finally calls his bluff will be the day a lot of this crap of not honoring a contract goes by the wayside. The league and the union need to both sanction Rosenwhore. He doesn't help anyone but himself.

at 7:47 AM

carson fan said...

leave chad on the bench all year...carson deserves better...and don't let chad poison the locker room like corey dillon,,,,chad will go nuts without a stage to show off on

at 7:50 AM

wiseking said...

Trade him to Detroit for Roy Williams and move on. Let's see him take Detroit to the Superbowl! Ha!

at 7:54 AM

Xxter said...

Dead on accurate observation Doc. Who is this new guy? I think I'd handle it exactly like Mike Brown is handling it: I'd hold on to him and make him miserable. If I had my way, I'd let him pout his way through the next three seasons. I'd help him make such a fool of himself even "new Chad" would get tired of banging his spoons. It is exactly what he deserves. "New Chad" has become ingracious, impossible, and oozing of a reason to make an example of!

at 7:57 AM

Anonymous said...

House of Cards,
Rosenwhore? That is Priceless! I think I love you!

Anyways, Paul, is there anything we can do with him after June 1st? I keep seeing that date in Chad talks. Also, would we take a hit if another team would honor his contract in a trade. We might be able to get a 2nd and 4th rounder for him and I would take that.

Carson Palmer will be MVP (just sayin)

Mike from above the salad cap

at 8:34 AM

Anonymous said...

I have read a lot of estimates regarding the cap hit if the Bengals were to trade Chad Johnson. I've read as low as $3M and as high as $13M. Is there a reliable source for calculating this number?

If the cap impact is reasonable, my trade proposal includes:

Trade Chad to Dallas for late 1st rounder or Philly for their 2nd & 3rd round picks. We should be able to drive up a bidding war between these two NFC East clubs both with WR needs and are just an impact player away from a potential Super Bowl run.

Negate the cap hit by cutting John Thorton, a great guy but underperformer, and Rudi Johnson. Now I think Rudi can come back but we have a stable of RBs that are capable, some great every down draft prospects, and Rudi is on the downslope (over 30) at this point. You could even say the same for Chad (around 30) given his performance last year...he was great, but it will only go down from here.

Fill the DT hole, add to RB and WR depth with our additional picks. Ellist/Balmer at DT, Mendenhall, Stewart or Ray Rice at RB, Early Doucet or Malcolm Kelly at WR.

With this opportunity, we can infuse young talent that actually respects the organization and its leaderrs, remove a problem (a bigger deal than the Bengals make of it...we simply cannot ignore it all year) and move on from a couple underperforming players (ala great teams like the Patriots, Eagles) when it is time.

We should make the best of this situation and not hold onto Chad against his will because of our stubborness and ego thinking we can fix it and make it right. Let him go Mike & Marvin, please for the team and the fans. We all love Chad but its over...end the relationship.

at 8:56 AM

Unknown said...

Paul, you have said for months now that there is zero hope that the Bengals will field a winning team. You have said that this Mike Brown franchise is a cheap, unprofessional, selfish group that doesn't have a clue about how to win a championship. (Nor even the desire...)

You say that the Chad you knew wanted to win. That he wanted to be part of the solution.

Obviously, the Brown organization and the Chad you knew were destined to come into conflict. They have.

This is the Chad you knew, I'd say. It's a guy who can read the handwriting on the wall. He knows he has only so many years of top performance. He knows that Cincy will never be a winner.

He's taking the only sane route. He's trying to get out.

I don't blame him.

I wish I could see Palmer play with a franchise that values winning, but he'll have to wait for free agency to do it. Then, he'll leave, too.

You are so right. It's best to trade Chad Johnson. Not because he's an ingrate, though -- but because he's cut through the bulls_it and seen this franchise for what it is.

No one can tolerate having a truthteller around this place. They better dump him quick.

at 8:56 AM

Anonymous said...

First of all - you don't help the cap hit by cutting two players....then you just have 8 mil to spend on 2 different players and still don't have the 3-13 for Johnson because he's traded.

I was on Chad's side for a while, but I'm with Doc here, he's gone overboard. I'm wondering if Chad retires and then tries to resign with another team what the implications are? Seau did that with SD and then moved on to NE. Is there still a cap hit? I see that as the only way CJ and the Bengals are happy, and I hope his new team pays him league minimum.

at 9:08 AM

Anonymous said...

from this article about B. Sanders retiring:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/nfl/daily/july99/29/sanders29.htm

Sanders has four seasons remaining on a six-year, $36 million contract that included an $11 million signing bonus. Under normal circumstances, one-sixth of the signing bonus – about $1.8 million – would count against Detroit's salary cap each season. If the Lions trade Sanders, the remaining $7.3 million of the signing bonus would count against Detroit's salary cap this season.

By placing Sanders on the "reserve-did not report" list, the signing bonus would continue to count $1.8 million per season against Detroit's salary cap, according to NFL executives. If the Lions were to place him on the "reserve-retired" list, their salary-cap hit this season would be $7.3 million.

Wonder if this means the Bengals take less of a cap hit if Johnson doesn't play, if they put him on the "reserve-did not report list", ironically they prob could go get Robertson then and go to the Playoffs..hehe

Paul - any word on if this is how it works cap wise?

at 9:11 AM

Anonymous said...

He can sit and wallow in his self-imposed non-importance.

It won't be long before TV realizes that he's old news and they will stop taking his phone calls.

He is a classic narcissist, just like his agent. The damage that will be done to him by letting him sit and not get the pub will far exceed the damage he has/will cause by being somewhat "around".

And it will be fun watching him suffer to boot....

at 9:35 AM

Anonymous said...

A poster from Philly had this bang-on yesterday. This is straight from the Rosenhaus textbook, turn on the QB, and now all of a sudden the temperature goes up dramatically.
Apparently three teams in the NFC East are interested, if you can play them off each other and parlay that into a pick and player, say Dallas' second first-rounder and Terry Glenn, then you should move him.
If not let him sit, a 30-year-old receiver who doesn't play for a year, and is fined for not showing up so he isn't paid, will soon realize his own stupidity.

at 9:42 AM

oldtimer said...

Guys guys guys....

Mike Brown is a classic enabler. Classic. For those of you who are uncertain of the term, look it up. Basically it's someone who helps a dysfunctional person stay dysfunctional by catering to their bad behavior. Why does all this crap keep happening here in Cincinnati, the "most livable city in America"? Because Mike Brown is a dysfunctional GM, and the teams and staff he assembles end up dysfunctional, too. No other way around it.

I don't blame Chad Johnson for trying to force his way out. Worked for Dillon. Worked for Pickens. How else does he escape the 'losingness' that defines Bengals football? He sees the handwriting on the wall, no rings to be had in Cincinnati, lucky to even sniff the playoffs, and his career is getting shorter. And he makes a good point when he sez he's not the one getting arrested or in trouble. We may not like his methods of getting out, but who can blame him?

Personally except for the riverdance, I found his celcbrations tedious and boring. I get a much bigger hit out of seeing a receiver run back to the quarterback and celebrate together with smiles and laughter. Mutual congratulations instead of Look at ME, Look at ME. Johnson is a needy personality type, for whatever reason, and he needs lots of attention to be happy. Mildly enteraining at times, but ultimately distracting and silly.

So these latest antics comes as no surprise since they mirror his behavior as a player here the last few years. Needy, silly, and selfish. I'd rather wait til he screws up and try to suspend him a season, keep the 8 million and then trade him. Let Mr. Needs Attention Always sit in a corner and stew, away from the spotlight. Draft a decent replacement and cut him loose. If he wants an ugly divorce, give it to him. Make him hurt too.

But Mike Brown sits like a doofus and doesn't even plead his side to the press, surrounded by sycophants and genetic clones. But then ineptitude has long marked his reign of failure. As for trading Johnson, that would require the Bengals to do something smart. The Bengals don't do smart. Remember when Ditka wanted Ricky Williams so bad he was willing to give up 8 picks? Coslet wanted the picks and Brown said NO. This whole sad thing is just so typical Bengals, and Emperor Mike continues to wear no clothes.

at 9:58 AM

ewad said...

Let him rot on the bench.
But do not under any circumstances reward him for acting like this.

at 10:03 AM

Anonymous said...

8:34,

I like that idea. The only problem would be... Philly has already HAD T.O. and doesnt want another one. Dallas already HAS T.O. and although they may not mind having another one, they are already making a run at "Pacman" and may not be able to afford another high profile player with issues in one way or another. Though, i would not rule out Dallas! I personally think that teams know that Chad has us by the B@lls and are waiting for us to break for practically nothing on a trade for him (assuming it is possible) - ex. Randy Moss and the Patriots. I think our best interest would be to find a way to release him and not take such a hit.

Also, to all who say that we should just let him sit out the rest of his contract and stay in cincinnati. I would rather take the 8million dollar cap hit in one year than pay up to a significant amount more of the course of 3 more years. If he isnt going to play for us then i would rather pay less. Although i totally wish we could just sit him for being such a pansie for the past 4 months!

Does anyone remeber what the last thing the media has said about him that he didnt provoke? I can understand why he was upset at first but I havent seen any cheap shots since "who the hell ever" called him a "cancer"!

I use to be a huge, HUGE Chad supporter up until about a month ago. I understand his frustration but c'mon. I think people would still probably be willing to forget about it... he just keeps bringing it back up. Lets just let him go!

Carson Palmer will be MVP (just sayin)

Mike from... I quit my last job and got a new one!

at 10:15 AM

Chris said...

If the Bengals do what they are planning to do, Chad won't be able to afford to sit out for the next two years.

Think about it: Chad will not be traded. If he's not playing, he's sitting on the bench. IF the Bengals aren't going to trade him, he will be sitting on the bench for the next two or three years. There has been evidence that says Chad Johnson's talents are beginning to slip already, as well as his route running ability. In two years' time, no one is going to want to spend big money on someone (crybaby or not) who has been sitting and hasn't seen any game action in the past few years who is probably on the downward projection of his career. Even if he does return to form, he'll never be able to get another contract like he has today. If Chad Johnson is sitting out this year, he will effectively commit career suicide. He is depending on Mike Brown to flinch, and he may be a bad GM, but he picked the wrong lawyer to mess with because Brown has every intention of holding him to his contract.

Once Chad realizes all this, he'll probably come crawling back and make a T.O. excuse like he didn't take his meds. At that point, he'll have to put a good deal of effort in if he ever wants a good contract ever again. Until then, there is no respect for someone who sells out his organization to John Clayton of ESPN, an organization which is so desperate for news that it collaborates with TMZ to find out what kind of shoes Tom Brady is wearing at the moment. This team will be a better and a fundamentally more sound team with Johnson on the bench and a better team when Johnson comes back with an attitude adjustment.

at 10:15 AM

Paul Daugherty said...

UCFan... chad signed a deal he loved... it's not about wanting to win as much as it is wanting a new deal...why doesnt everyone cut though the rest of this junk and see this for what it is?

at 10:16 AM

Anonymous said...

I usually do not condone this kind of behavior, but let's face the facts. Yes, the Bengals made him rich, however, with his talent any NFL team would have made him just as rich. How many steaks can you eat and how many sports cars can you drive? THIS GUY IS A WINNER WHO IS SURROUNDED BY LOSERS. He is running out of football life. The clock is ticking. Mike Brown is the one who has let the organization down by not surrounding Chad with other world class football players. The spotlight should be on Brown and the lack of scouting and player development.

at 10:45 AM

Unknown said...

OK. I think many are missing the point. I understand wanting Chad to suffer by sitting out. However, if a team is willing to give a first round pick for an aging receiver you got to take it. The Cap hit may be 8M this year but realistically were they going to max the payroll to $116M? If so, they could cut some the under producing players on the D line. Replace those guys with large DTs in this year draft and you could get a few in the 2nd, 3rd rounds - 6'4" and large 315lb and above. Also, if these players are complaining about losing all they need to do is look in the mirror.

at 10:53 AM

Anonymous said...

Doc- Didn't you want "the Old Chad" traded too? If I remember correctly it was during mid-season, he was leading the AFC in receiving yards and had not spoken a bad word publicly about anyone. Old Chad...New Chad, not sure it really matters right?

Also how has Chad been "Bengalized." This was the first losing season we've had in the last five. No fan should be satisfied with that but this constant berating the Bengals as an inept organization is a little ridiculous. They aren't elite yet, but they are not terrible either. Its not like the 90s where the players report to training camp knowing that 3 to 5 wins is a best case scenario. Thats what is so strange about Chad's situation. Is Philly or Miami really a better situation? I don't care if Miami does have Parcells- it isn't going to help them. I do agree with you that Marvin has failed in his handling of this situation.

at 11:25 AM

Unknown said...

Paul,

Chad Johnson is a case study begging for a therapist to analyze. But, I see a method and a saneness to what he's trying to do.

In short, he wants to be a household name, he wants to be rich, and he wants to be spokesperson for Wheaties, Bud, Right Guard, Chevy, and All-State. In short, he wants it all, and he thinks he's good enough to get there.

He now knows that "here" will never get him "there."

So, yes, you're right; it's about the money. But, it's about the winning, because winning is the yellow brick road leading to the pot of gold.

BTW, you were spot on the other night about Red's hitting. Also, it's not something Josh Hamilton's .275 batting average would have cured.

at 11:45 AM

Anonymous said...

1) Chad will report, regardless of what he says. Just sitting in the crib and not getting paid would totally blow his mind (or what's left of it).
2) If he reports in his current frame of mind, it'll be disaster.

Ergo, Paul is correct >>> Mike should trade him for whatever he can get (I like the post that suggested Detroit, but wherever)..

at 11:59 AM

Anonymous said...

Ocho Cinco es muy loco. . . if he thinks he's playing anywhere but Cincinnati. He either takes off the bib and plays for the Bengals or he doesn't get paid. If my memory is correct, Mike Brown held on to Pickens and Dillon despite their harping until it was decided they'd past their primes.

For UCfan79 and Oldtimer, you guys are "loco" too. How can you possibly support this whacko? He just signed a contract extension TWO YEARS AGO for crying out loud - well before his existing contract was set to expire mind you. What's changed in that short amount of time? Ah, the upfront money is gone. That's what's changed. Anybody that can't see that is deluded.

Just like when he blew up inside the half-time locker room during the '05 playoff game because he was more concerned with how he was going to get his catches than he was about Carson's career being on the line or WINNING THE PLAYOFF GAME, he's only concerned with himself and how he's going to get more coin.

at 12:12 PM

Anonymous said...

Paul, you had a relationship with CJ in the past. Has he ever responded to one of your postings, or to a column, such as the "Trade Chad" article today? It seems to me that the forcefulness of your opinions as they relate to his evolution must stir some kind of response beyond the childish emotions that his agent is provoking. We all know that this whole thing is orchestrated – each step programmed perfectly. So Chad is just playing along, knowing full well that it may work. I have to believe that the “New Chad” is a character conjured up by an agent - and once the next step is taken –either he gets his trade, or he comes to his senses, the “Old Chad” will return.

at 12:46 PM

Anonymous said...

I imagine Drew Rosenhaus as the preacher in There Will Be Blood and Chad as the oil baron.
Rosenhaus: Say "I want more money if we aren't going to win."
Chad: I want more money if we aren't going to win.
Rosenhaus: No! I want to hear it! "I want more money if we aren't going to win!"
Chad: I want more money if we aren't going to win!
Rosenhaus: No! I really want to hear it!
Chad: I WANT MORE MONEY IF WE AREN"T GOING TO WIN!!
Rosenhaus: Good. Okay, I've got ESPN on line one.

at 1:31 PM

Anonymous said...

Maybe I am just an uninformed fan, Paul, but I could not disagree with you more.

I never thought the "Old Chad" was any different than the new Chad.

Exhibit A. On an Andy Furman Show on WLW (before Furball was fired for upsetting the Bengals), he had Chad as a guest, and the Old Chad was absolutely called out by a father, who told a story of how Chad asked for $50 for an autograph for his son.

Exhibit B: Referring to yourself in the Third Person. The Old Chad was all about the Third Person Chad ... who is now fully revealed as the New Chad.

Exhibit C: The locker room fight/attack on a coach, that has never been fully explained or justified.

Exhibit D. The "Look at Me" celebrations, over and over again ... Football is a team sport, and only a team scores a touchdown, Chad. Your final act of catching the ball is only made possible by standing on the shoulders of the ten on the field and the 40+ on the sideline.

There is absolutely, positively NO chance that I would trade Chad Johnson under these circumstances. Three years of unemployment will have New Chad waiting tables for a living, not a laugh.

at 2:59 PM

Anonymous said...

Doc...

You knew it.

You ignored it just like the rest of us.

at 4:24 PM

Anonymous said...

IF Chad DOES report to training camp, I hope the defensive backs "welcome him" during the first full-pads workout!

at 4:28 PM

Anonymous said...

Show me the money. That's all it's about. Chad has received $8mil per year the last two years. The bonus money is gone and now Chad will make a little over $3mil per year. He wants more money. That's it.

Chad was on Carson Daly last night. First topic of conversation was the amount of money Deangelo Hall signed for in Oakland.

Show me the money.

If it wasn't for the cap hit, I would trade him. Heck I would have traded him immediately after the locker room tirade in the playoff game in 05-06.

Show me the money.

at 5:05 PM

Anonymous said...

Get lost Chad;
To criss and cross the double-cross,to make like you know it all but not so because they see what you see in the looking glass!No body believes your smarty crass act.SO PACK IT UP AND GO YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE ANY MO!

The Red Baron.

at 5:34 PM

Dave in Omaha said...

Add me to the "duped by Chad" contingent...Tough to explain this situation to my 9 year old hard core Bengals fan (Is it child abuse that I'm raising him to be a Bengals fan?). We drove to Cincy from Omaha 2 years ago for the Bengals/Browns game and went to Oktoberfest to see Chad lead the "Chicken Dance"...Dude had the city by the short ones then. My son fell in love with him and the Bengals that weekend (sadly for me, I've been in love with them since 1968). It's easier to explain to him that Henry is a drunken thug than to explain what the hell is going on with Chad...It's a damned shame too...

well done, Chad...

at 6:46 PM

Anonymous said...

Mike Brown must take a stand and show Chad he can't just crap on the team like this. Let him sit!
But wait -- Mike's ONLY concern is bottom line. If he can unload the contract and get draft choices, it's a Mike Brown no-brainer.
It's gonna happen.
Goodell must be soooo sick of hearing about the Brown/Bengals.

at 7:00 PM

Anonymous said...

You were able to see a side of Chad that wasn't available to anyone else when writing your book about him. Just because we watch football and read the paper doesn't make us an expert on someone. What I admire about you, and your writing, is that you are able to see both sides and you aren't afraid to challenge your thinking.

at 7:03 PM

Anonymous said...

Chad has always been a me-first, egotistical, selfish, arrogant thug who only cared about money and attention. He just used to hide it better.

at 8:28 PM

Anonymous said...

At the end of the day, the Bengals must do what is best for their organization. Chad has serious psychological issues.Period.That's not going to get better. Maybe someone can get an All Pro year or two out of him again but this will ultimately end badly and sadly. Forget some premeditated agent-driven money ploy. At the end of the day, Chad is an unsophisticated, uneducated mentally disturbed "child". Because he is an incredibly talented wide receiver doesnt qualify him for anything else....espcecially professionalism. All those self destructive tendencies of his former years didnt magically go away....they simply reappear, a different time ...a different way. Right now, the Bengals organization and its fans are merely collateral damage. Unfortunately, regrettably, this will end bad for him. He needs to be traded and then prayed for....really.

at 9:50 PM

Anonymous said...

Trade Chad if there is value in the pick. Anything short of a first round or maybe a second this and next year. Of course we all know the market will not bear that type of fruit. If your not getting the value make that whinny little punk sit. Throw down the gauntlet and tell Chad to be here for mandatory workouts or your suspended from all team activities for the year. Where is bigmouth going to be a year from now. One year older and still three years left on the contract, The contract that has his signiture on the bottom of it. Make it clear that you are not going to be held hostage by an agent and his smart mouthed client.
This team has given the ungrateful punk three contracts in five years. They gave him contracts when they didn't have to. They front loaded contracts for him. The team promoted him endlessly and he benefitted greatly. Now he bad mouths the very people who took care of him. He said two people have my back and now we know that Chad has turned his back on at least one of them.
What Chad has failed to realize in all of this is that he has already lost. He bit hook, line, and sinker on the shark bait and now he is on the line. On the line like a puppet with the shark pulling the strings. "Do this Chad, go here and say this Chad." What we all know and what Chad will realize later is that we all know the his next move. We have all seen the script that the shark wrote, and for all of Chad's acting over the last few years he plays that part no better than the last guy.
The Bengals can change the script. Let him sit. You pay the money one way or the other. Let Chad sit and call all of his friends.... "Lets see there is T.J. but he's at practice.... Carson? No I sold him out.... There is the chick that I gave that car... Maybe Marvin? Maybe not!... Chris Henry won't return my calls.... I know i'll call the shark....Drew it's Chad,...Ocho.....Chad!...man we gotta talk........Drew?....Drew!....BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ."

at 9:53 PM

Anonymous said...

Tried to explain to a nine year old tonight why his favorite player does not want to play for his favorite team.

at 9:56 PM

Anonymous said...

Worked for Dillon and Pickens? Sorry...what happened to Pickens after he left? He failed and never got another contract. Dillon, yes it was beneficial for 2 seasons...he won a superbowl. But he had to retire b/c he asked the Patriots to get out of his contract and then realized no one wanted him at his age. By the way, Mike Brown is earning a lot of support back from the fans if he continues his stance and sits CJ.

at 10:13 PM

Anonymous said...

"UCFan... chad signed a deal he loved... it's not about wanting to win as much as it is wanting a new deal...why doesnt everyone cut though the rest of this junk and see this for what it is?"

Maybe if he didn't waste $150k a year on wearing orange shoes and signs that say NFL, please don't fine me he would be less concerned about his financial future.
Put that money in an average fund and you got an additional $1.5M. For wearing orange shoes!

Seriously, do not trade this guy. More importantly, quit paying attention to him. Who cares? Paul you made some money off him so probably you more than most but still.

at 11:33 PM

Anonymous said...

Just wondering doc', where'd my post go? Didn't remember anything inflammatory towards you, language, etc.. Let me know please, enjoy your articles/writing.

at 12:05 AM

JerBear said...

This situation is sad because I also feel like this isn't the real Chad Johnson.

I keep telling people that I think he is a good guy, who has gotten carried away, and maybe doesn't have anyone around him giving him good advice.

You'd think some friends, his agent, someone, would be honest with him and tell him how much he's hurting his image and character. But maybe he doesn't care.

The sad part is I think all of this started affecting Chad's performance, and last year he had several key dropped passes. They probably would have beat the Bills if he made what looked like an easy catch.

He feels slighted by all the negativty, and doesn't want to admit that he has actually been part of the problem with the Bengals losing.

But, it all stems back to the Bengals and the media celebrating all of Chad's antics when the Bengals were 11-5 and things were good. Marvin Lewis and the Bengals let him "be himself" and the national media spurred him on.

Chad needs to be himself to an extent. But his need for attention and his selfishness which were once thought to be cute and funny were always problems which came more evident once adversity came.

I'm not sure what the Bengals will do and what they should do with Chad Johnson...but I am fairly certain the Bengals will make the wrong decision whatever it may be.

In the end...I hate to say it, but I think it comes back to the Bengals organization being the ultimate culprit.

The national media doesn't quite get it, but those of us who've followed the Bengals for years know where the real problem lies. It doesn't like with one of of control player, but with an entire organization.

at 6:56 AM

Anonymous said...

Doc,

Last night you mentioned that you knew Chad as the guy who bought dinner for an entire table amongst other things.

Chad did it for the pub. He knew that guys like you and McAlister would talk/write about it. He considered it an "advertising expense".

The predicament that he is in with the business at the Funny Bone is a result of this as well. It was purely publicity for "Chad". The results were not planned as such, however.

Ask around, guys are starting to talk. He'll be telling more and more people to "stay out of his business" real soon.

at 7:12 AM

Unknown said...

I can't believe the pro-Mike Brown comments I'm seeing on this thread. Any other time, everyone has the rope and they're ready to string the guy up.

What has Mike Brown done? He's played this town and this team for every dime he can scrooge out of them. He doesn't care about them. He doesn't care about the town. He cares about the bottom line. Period.

All of a sudden that's A-OK, because CJ is going after the cash. CJ wants to be part of a winner at some place and some time in his career.

Chad has read the signs, and his reading is correct. Winning ain't gonna happen in Mike Brown's BengalLand. Are we going into the draft with new scouts on the payroll. Nope...same old thing. Are we celebrating a GM? Nope...same old thing. Big trades made? Nope...same old thing.

Everything these posters has ever said about Mike Brown and his organization has been forgotten because CJ is finally playing the same game as Brown.

And all of a sudden we've coronated Saint Mike the Brown.

Puh....leeeeese!

at 7:23 AM

Anonymous said...

The Bengals should let Bad Johnson go. If the Bengals allow this clown to come back to the team after all the trashing he has done they deserve all the hell he is going to dredge up for them in the future. I never enjoyed his post touchdown antics and certainly don't care for his self indulgent behavior. Football is more important than Bad Johnson. Trade Bad Johnson to a team like Arizona or Miami and see if he can turn them around. And as for Marvin, get some cahoonies and send this clown packing or make him sit out a year. Why do you put up with this nonsense?

at 8:23 AM

Anonymous said...

UCfan79, I do not actually see any "pro Mike Brown" comments. I see comments about Mikey Boy being an idiot, a scrooge and many telling him to sit Chad on the Bench. I can't find one on here that says Mike Brown is a Saint or even that he knows what he is doing.

If Mike Brown were a Saint, what would he be the Saint of?

Rich guys who do not kow what they are doing but keep getting richer?

How about St Mike, patron saint of $8 dollar a beer football fans?

I am just as pissed at Chad as everyone else, but Mike didn't create this situation. He can however let Chad go.

If you keep the trash around too long, the place will start to stink.

Let Chad be someone else's trash from now on. My kids will see him for what he is and that will teach them a lesson about people too.

Some folks are genuine (see Cal Ripken and Willie Anderson in the dictionary) and some folks aren't.

John in Hebron.

at 8:52 AM

Anonymous said...

If the Bengals dont trade him and he decides to sit out the season, can the team reclaim part of his signing bonus?

at 8:58 AM

Anonymous said...

What I would love to see the Bengals do is keep him on the active roster so he has to show or get fined. If he does start showing up, you have him practice, show up on game day to the stadium, then deactivate him right before each game since each team has to deactivate 6 or 7 players for the game day roster anyway. That way he still has to show up and has none of his precious stats to show for it.

at 9:14 AM

Anonymous said...

If I understand correctly, all it would take to let him goe is to free the Bengals of the $8M salary cap hit. If that is the case, I would think the solution to be relatively simple. If Chad wants to leave Cincinnati, have him sit down with the Browns to renegotiate his contract to alleviate the cap hit on the team. Then he'll be free to go. We don't need another Carl Pickens on this team. Let him go. He'll crash and burn elsewhere, just as soon as that overblown ego doesn't get fed it's majority share of attention. It must really hurt him to know that TJ is the better receiver, and has finally gotten his due.

at 9:21 AM

Anonymous said...

Too many people look at this as a Chad versus the Bengals scenario. That is no longer the case. Chad's not mad at the Bengals as much as he is us, the fans. He's mad because we criticized his self-centered behavior when the team was not winning. You know what, we have that right. I don't want to pay out my money year after year for season tickets to see a loser who doesn't care for me or the city on the field in a Bengals uniform. My suggestion is to find a way, no matter how, to get rid of him.

at 9:49 AM

Anonymous said...

I too tried to explain to my nine year old what this was all about.
Had never really thought about that element in other contract holdouts.
The jerseys, the posters, the T shirts, now all worthless.
For all his whining and noisemaking, he's still never really explained at the heart of it why he wants out so badly.

at 10:17 AM

Anonymous said...

I'd love to see Chad play for Bill Parcell's rebuilding project. Get's Chad out of our hair, out of our division, and with a team far enough from the playoffs that Chad will be looking at retirement around the same time.
Read the comments in Miami's discussion:
http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sports_football_dolphins/2008/04/smoke-screen-or.html

at 10:17 AM

Mr. Gann said...

Personally, I think the best thing for all parties is to part ways. That said, as a lifelong Bengals fan I know that Mike Brown does not pay people to stay home from work. Chad is under contract and that's it.

The only people that can't see it's time for the Bengals to use 2008 to turn over the roster and rebuild are management and fans. Under the best circumstances, if Chad comes back and "acts right" what does that make this team? Fourth or Fifth best team in the AFC? If that? Time for management to find football players WITH character. It is possible!

Since these are the Bengals we are discussing, that means it will never happen. Too bad for us fans.

at 11:24 AM

BShooner said...

9:21-No doubt he has definitely given us fans the shaft, but I disagree that he got too much criticism from us. Everyone knew that the defense (or lack thereof) is why we stunk so bad last year. We as a city never turned on him-it was his own decision to play the martyr.

He's a great player and fun to watch-but he'll have a helluva time finding a QB that can hit him in stride on a skinny post the way Carson does. But it's really the old 'drive for show-putt for dough' addage. We need a D that can get 3 and outs consistently, and an offense that dominates TOP...we don't need Chad for that. As a fan-a home win over Pittsburgh would be far more satisfying than three years worth of skinny posts.

at 11:30 AM

Unknown said...

It's time for Bad Johnson to hit the road.

at 11:39 AM

Unknown said...

John from Hebron,

Every pro-Bengals comment on this entire thread about "evil" Chad is a pro-Brown comment. It is Brown who OWNS the team we're extolling.

Every single "Chad is hurting the team" comment is a pro-Brown comment. (Hurting the team is Brown's pasttime.)

I can make a case for Chad being the only sane one out there.

at 8:27 PM

Anonymous said...

I like the concept of trading him to team with no QB - Miami, Detroit, Oakland, Atlanta, etc.

But I'd rather just "give" him to Belichick. After listening to Chaddy for a week, Crazy Bill'd have him neutered.
End of problem!

at 6:55 AM

Anonymous said...

My dad is 78 years old. He is still sharp, and his hands are still calloused from working the mills in Youngstown, Ohio, before they all shut down. I asked him what he thought of Chad's sheChadigans. He said, "Aw, Chad's probably not a bad guy. He just needs two things...a meal at a homeless shelter and good a*% kicking, and he'd get straight."

Yeah, he's my dad and all, but there's something about old men that enables them to capture things dead on. IMO.

at 7:07 AM

Anonymous said...

I wish I knew who this "Groucho Sinko" kid is too. Being a grouch and wanting to sink the team is not cool.

Chad, my 5 year old son thinks you are one of the hippest cats around and sports everything 85.

I guess it is a good thing that I am the bigger influance in his life and he will be "retiring" his CJ gear.

This is not the Chad Johnson I want my son to be following either.

Good bye and farewell "Ocho Cinco." It was great.

at 11:24 AM

NCC said...

Mark Curnutte and the NFL have maintained for some time that the Bengals cannot trade or release Chad without taking an $8 million salary cap hit.

Anyone advocating trading or releasing Chad without solving the cap issue is just blowing smoke.

I don't think the "retirement" scenario will work. The NFL isn't stupid. The Lions got a break because Sanders really retired.

I'm not sure that the NFL will permit renegotiation. Does anyone know? And even if the NFL would, does anyone think Chad will pay back $8 million?

I would be happy if the Curnutte/NFL position is wrong. But no one -- including Paul -- has claimed that it is.

So what is to be done? We go into this season assuming Chad will be disruptive, and have to be suspended. If he isn't disruptive, great. If he is, it's just as though he popped a tendon, and we have to deal with another injury.

But I think the Bengals should start calling out Chad's hotshot agent. He didn't sign the deal, but he has a professional interest in seeing that his players don't befoul the teams he nengotiates for them with. If anyone can control Chad, it's the agent.

at 3:58 PM

Unknown said...

There is no "new" Chad. This is the same Chad you have always have. Unfortunately, bengals fans have a way of turning a positive into a negative. Chad is high maintenance, but he is also a high caliber receiver. Bengal fans have quickly pinned a lot of the the Bengal's woes on Chad, so instead of seeing him as a a way to improve th team, he has become a problem. This is not much different than the way TO was regarded before going to the Cowboys (Philly fans are losers too) and the way Randy Moss was treated in Oakland (the owner there is a special case)before going to a winning organization.

Personally, I feel for Chad. He has a boatload of talent and he wants to be part of a winning organization ... the Bengals team and their fans seem to be intent destroying that.

at 4:10 PM

akbseb said...

I say all fans with a Chad jersey meet on fountain square for a jersey burning and alert the media so we make sure Chad is kept informed, and send his ungrateful butt packing to the Raiders.

at 4:31 PM

Bomber2Musky said...

Allow me, for a second, to play Devil's Advocate.

Like most people here, I was born and raised in this city. Unfortunately, I was too young to remember Kenny Anderson or the AFC Championship Bengals, so a losing NFL team is the only thing I know.

Chad is one of the most important parts of our team. If the Bengals were a car, Chad's the alternator. It was Kitna and Chad that helped the Bengals first get to 8-8, which was almost as good as a Super Bowl.

WAKE UP PEOPLE. Thats all fine and dandy that it's the offseason, no one is concerned with current W of Ls, and he's making everyone mad. But if you are Marvin who had better get comfortable on that hot seat having finished 7-9, YOU CANNOT DEAL THIS GUY.

You can't. Period. He's too good. Ridiculous to fathom trading him. For what? A WR or LB with potential? Is anyone else sick of potential in this city? Wake up, Cincinnati. Love or hate Chad, this team needs him to get back. Carson cannot make Doug Gabriel pro-bowl bound. Doesn't work. You win play-off games with play-off caliber guys.

You all can talk about how mad you are and how you want him out, but the first time you look at an 0-4 record, you'll be wanting that star-power back. End of discussion.

Not defending Chad; just being realistic.

No one here is willing to trade a play-off game for their principles and what's right.

He's just too good.

at 5:02 PM

Anonymous said...

I don't see how Chad Johnson is a "winner". This is after all the man who during a playoff game, which the Bengals were winning, had a tantrum. Face it, Chad Johnson is immature and will never have what true champions possess to win. Chad Johnson has not matured one bit since he's been with the Bengals. A guy who's a "winner" would have taken responsibility for his inconsistent play and his team's lack of success, woked hard, and tried to improve for the next year. Chad instead chooses to whine,cry, and throw his quarterback under the bus.

at 7:09 PM

Anonymous said...

Paul - You're right on target with your article. Chad's gone headcase. He's probably having tea with Mike Tyson and Starbury right now. Its so frustrating to watch NFL contracts turn as meaningless as college coaching contracts. I agree with you and say they stick it to Chad and Drew and watch Ocho Cinco play in dolphin blue next year, and the year after, and the year after. Now THAT would be much more satisfying than Chad's occasional cincinnati TD surrounded by endless whining and moaning.

at 1:31 PM

Anonymous said...

So if he wanted out so badly, why did he sign a new contract. Heck with Chad Pickens, I've had enough. I've defended that guy to the ends of the earth to fans of other teams and people that don't live here. He no longer makes the big catch, he's become an a$$hole, and he's trying to tear apart the team, and could care less about the fans who have put him on a pedestal. He can leave an have an all pro year, or rot away on the end of the bench for the rest of his career, and I don't really care which.

at 4:19 PM

Anonymous said...

Why do I have a feeling Chad will flourish somewhere else? That he'll win a SuperBowl, keep up his massive numbers, and start smiling again as soon as he is out of here?

This town is a hot mess.

at 6:40 PM

Anonymous said...

PDaug, Hope you had a good vacation - we miss you, Man.

at 1:49 PM

Anonymous said...

In response to CJ's comments about always winning wherever he's been, I looked up the records. Once again his ego is skewing the facts. His year at Oregon State (2000), they went 11-1. However, his years at Santa Monica College (1997 and 1999), they went 4-6 and 5-5. In contrast, the year he sat out at SMC (1998), the team went 7-4. Overall, it seems that teams he's been on (college and pros) are average at best.

at 2:12 PM

Anonymous said...

Keep Johnson on the roster, make him practice every day, put him on the scout team and then make him inactive on game day for 16 straight weeks.

See if that causes any attitude adjustment; no cameras, no end zone idiocy, no mugging on the sidelines.

at 12:48 PM

Anonymous said...

Paul
It's not a question of rewarding or punishing CJ. It really comes down to the numbers. The Bengals have to re-sign TJ this year. If they trade Chad and take the cap hit, where will the money be to sign TJ? The Bengals could then be without both guys after this year. Same logic applies to trading Chad for draft choices. If they take the cap hit, how will that impact their ability to sign these choices?

If Chad pulls this off this will be the new contract strategy all agents will try to use. Urlacher is supposedly trying this play as well. I think it's wise the Bengals hang tough. This impacts the ability ot teams long term to build and retain rosters.

at 12:19 PM

hOOpStAr33 said...

Chad is nothing and has been nothing but a distraction for the past 2 years. Since the bengals made the playoffs, Johnson has just gone downhill. Don't get me wrong he is very exciting to watch, but it seems that even his talent is falling. TJ is the best receiver the bengals have, so you know what i think? Trade Chad and get help for our weak defense.

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Thursday, April 17, 2008

Chad

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