Category Archives: cincinnati bengals

Guest Post: Sizing Up the Competition

I love being able to having different voices on this blog. It enhances what we are trying to do, to give interesting takes on sports and entertainment. Rebecca Wilcox is the latest person to guest blog on our site.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a soon-to-be-elite aerial attack combo of quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green. She thinks the current “pass happy” NFL is the perfect utopia for the duo to make history very soon.

Will Dalton & Green be this generation’s Aikman & Irvin? Rebecca Wilcox breaks it down and shares her opinion. Continue reading →

2012 NFL Team Preview: Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals hit a home run in last year’s draft when WR A.J. Green and QB Andy Dalton were available at the right time. Dalton threw for over 3,300 yards with 20 touchdowns and Green had over 1,000 receiving yards. I cannot remember another pair of rookies who made that big of an impact immediately.

Thanks to Green and Dalton, Cincinnati made the playoffs with a 9-7 record. The casual fan would assume that their offense carried them, but it was their defense that made them a winner. They ranked in the top-10 in passing and rushing defense.

The dreaded sophomore slump is always a possibility when a player looks good as a rookie. Teams will focus their defense on shutting that player down. Dalton and Green will both have to adjust and evolve with the defenses.

Are the Bengals looking at another playoff berth in 2012? Here’s our 2012 NFL team preview for the Cincinnati Bengals. (Ben-Gals cheerleader photo courtesy of my Ben-Gal friend, Britney.)

2011 Win/Loss Record: 9-7

Key Additions: RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, CB Terrence Newman, DE Jamaal Anderson, CB Jason Allen, CB Dre Kirkpatrick, OG Kevin Zeitler, DT Devon Still, WR Mohamed Sanu, DT Brandon Thompson, TE Orson Charles and RB Daniel ‘Boom’ Herron.

Key Losses: RB Cedric Benson, LB Keith Rivers, OG Bobbie Williams, WR Jerome Simpson, WR Andre Caldwell, DE Jonathan Fanene, LB Brandon Johnson, OG Nate Livings, DE Frostee Rucker, TE Bo Scaife and C Mike McGlynn.

Non-Division Schedule: AFC West and NFC East

Fantasy Sleeper: WR Muhamed Sanu – Cincinnati drafted receivers A.J. Green, Mohamed Sanu, and Marvin Jones in the last two drafts. All three are tall and fit on the outside. Sanu is more athletic than most realize. Green will be getting double teams and Sanu will be getting man-to-man coverage. Sanu could be worth a late-round pick.

Team Analysis: Dalton and Green are both expected to keep improving. I don’t see either of them taking a step back. I am looking forward to watching BenJarvus Green-Ellis get his shot at being the feature back. I like how Cincinnati improved their secondary by adding Kirkpatrick and Newman to Reggie Nelson, Leon Hall and Nate Clements. Watch out for Carlos Dunlap this season, he’s due for a breakout year. I’m afraid the AFC North is too top-heavy for the Bengals to win it this year. Cincinnati was one of the biggest surprises in 2011, but when you look at their schedule last season, it makes sense. They beat up on weak AFC South teams and were only 2-4 inside their own division. Their non-divisional schedule in 2012 is filled with probable playoff teams. They will have a difficult time improving on their 9-7 record last year. I don’t see them making the playoffs, but look out for them going forward.

2012 Wins Over/Under Line: 8 (Prediction: PUSH)

2012 Projected Win/Loss Record: 8-8

CLICK HERE to read the rest of our 2012 NFL Team Previews

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

2012 NFL Draft – 1st Round Mock Draft

The 2012 NFL Draft is one the deepest drafts in recent memory. Most of the guys who will be drafted are proven commodities. You won’t have a lot of guys who rose into the first-round based just on their NFL Combine performance. It is quite reassuring for a team to draft a player based on their actual on-field production than to cross their fingers and take a risk on a guy who can bench more and/or looks better shirtless.

I do my impersonation of Mel Kiper and Todd McShay with my own Mock Draft.

Warning: Alabama and LSU will be represented well in this year’s 1st round of the NFL Draft.

1. Indianapolis Colts – QB Andrew Luck (Stanford)
This is a pretty easy pick, you might as well write him in.

2. Washington Redskins – QB Robert Griffin III (Baylor)
Washington didn’t trade up to draft anyone other than Griffin III.

3. Minnesota Vikings – OT Matt Kalil (USC)
Minnesota recently said that this pick was on the market. Don’t take any of Jim Irsay’s tweets seriously…ever. If they trade this pick or not, Kalil will go at #3.

4. Cleveland Browns – WR Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State)
Unless the Browns can trade down to pick a QB, Blackmon is too good to pass up.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – CB Morris Claiborne (LSU)
Who cares about Wonderlic scores! I love Claiborne and he’ll be a good one.

6. St. Louis Rams – WR Michael Floyd (Notre Dame)
The Rams still need to bolster their receving corps and Floyd would help. He’s a bit of a reach at #6, but he fills a team need.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars – DE Melvin Ingram (South Carolina)
This will give the Jaguars another pass rusher and will help Jeremy Mincey on the other end.

8. Miami Dolphins – QB Ryan Tannehill (Texas A&M)
If no one trades up to get Tannehill earlier, he’ll be picked by the Dolphins. They need a QB of the future and he’s worth the risk.

9. Carolina Panthers – DT Dontari Poe (Memphis)
Poe is the ‘Mr. Upside’ of the 2012 NFL Draft. Scouts see something special in him and he has all the tools to be a good defensive tackle.

10. Buffalo Bills – G David DeCastro (Stanford)
He’s the best guard in the draft and will help get some holes for Fred Jackson to run through.

11. Kansas City Chiefs – LB Luke Kuechly (Boston College)
He’s been compared to Keith Brooking…Kansas City needs a Keith Brooking-type linebacker.

12. Seattle Seahawks – DE Quinton Coples (North Carolina)
Seattle’s defensive front was really bad in 2011, Coples will fill their need.

13. Arizona Cardinals – OT Riley Reiff (Iowa)
Reiff may not be available at #13, since teams like to trade up to get left tackles. If he’s there at #13, Arizona would gladly pick him.

14. Dallas Cowboys – S Mark Barron (Alabama)
Dallas has needed a strong safety since Darren Woodson retired. He would be an upgrade over Abram Elam.

15. Philadelphia Eagles – DT Fletcher Cox (Mississippi State)
Andy Reid loves him some defensive tackles. They also need help at cornerback, but this will add depth.

16. New York Jets – RB Trent Richarson (Alabama)
I think I’m the only person who think that Richardson will fall in this draft. The NFL is a different league than it was a decade ago. If someone doesn’t trade up to draft Richardson, the Jets will get a steal. He would be a nice complement to Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow.

17. Cincinnati Bengals – DT Michael Brockers (LSU)
Cincinnati has bolstered its defense with physical guys. Brockers would be a nice fit in that defense and it would be the best pick for the Bengals.

18. San Diego Chargers – CB Dre Kirkpatrick (Alabama)
The Chargers have yet to replace Antonio Cromartie and Kirkpatrick is their guy.

19. Chicago Bears – OT Jonathan Martin (Stanford)
Jay Cutler has found that it is hard to throw the ball while on your back. The Bears have whiffed on a few other offensive tackles recently, but Martin will help him stay on his feet.

20. Tennessee Titans – CB Stephon Gilmore (South Carolina)
A ballhawk cornerback with 4.40 speed? The Titans will jump on him if he’s there at #20.

21. Cincinnati Bengals – G Cordy Glenn (Georgia)
He was a beast at the NFL Combine and replaces Bobbie Williams, who left via free agency.

22. Cleveland Browns – OT Mike Adams (Ohio State)
Mike Holmgren likes a talented offensive line. Adams might be a reach at #22, but there isn’t a quarterback worth the reach. They could pick Brandon Weeden, Kirk Cousins, or Brock Osweiler later in the draft.

23. Detroit Lions – CB Janoris Jenkins (North Alabama)
The Lions have spent the last two drafts building their defensive line. It is time for them to spend some picks on their secondary.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers – ILB Dont’a Hightower (Alabama)
He’s the perfect pick for the Steelers. His name sounds like he should have played for the team in the 1970s.

25. Denver Broncos – DT Jerel Worthy (Michigan State)
Denver needs help against the run and Worthy would be the best defensive tackle on the board.

26. Houston Texans – WR Kendall Wright (Baylor)
If the Texans pick Wright at #26, it would free up Jacoby Jones to focus on just being a receiver. Wright will help in the receiving corps, but he’s a threat as a kickoff & punt returner.

27. New England Patriots – OLB Courtney Upshaw (Alabama)
This draft is becoming very Crimson Tide heavy. He’s undersized and doesn’t have a true position at either defensive end or outside linebackers. Even though many mock drafts have him going much higher, he’s a project.

28. Green Bay Packers – DE Chandler Jones (Syracuse)
The younger brother of UFC champion, Jon “Bones” Jones, would look good in a Green Bay jersey.

29. Baltimore Ravens – C Peter Konz (Wisonsin)
Konz would be the “Center in waiting” and would take over when Matt Birk retires.

30. San Francisco 49ers – WR Stephen Hill (Georgia Tech)
Alex Smith needs more targets and I wouldn’t be surprised if Coby Fleener is picked here instead of Hill. Jim Harbuagh coached him at Stanford and having another big target would benefit Smith. I think they go with Hill because I don’t know how Vernon Davis would react to having another tight-end as competition.

31. New England Patriots – S Harrison Smith (Notre Dame)
Even though New England needs to improve their front seven, their secondary was the worst group to have every made it to the Super Bowl.

32. New York Giants – TE Coby Fleener (Stanford)
Kevin Boss is a good tight-end, but Fleener could be the next Rob Gronkowski. He’s a big target for Eli Manning and he’ll get open in their offense.

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

An Attempt To Embrace My New Hometown

I moved to Columbus, Ohio from Fort Wayne, Indiana nearly four years, so I guess this isn’t a “new” place for me anymore. I’m considering changes to the site, small ones actually, you may not even notice. I just wanted to explain why this change may happen and what you may see on the site in the near future. For my friends back in Indiana, don’t worry, I still love Larry Bird and can’t watch the end of “Hoosiers” or “Rudy” without crying.

I started this site over 2 1/2 years ago as a platform to keep my writing skills fresh and dive into a new genre. I have always been a huge sports fan and combine that with my snarky and cynical attitude, I guess starting a sports blog was right up my alley. My past writing experience was just in college in Journalism and English classes and I spent nearly seven years as a music journalist. “America’s White Boy” didn’t turn into a site that focused strictly on sports content, I add a lot of music posts on here. I know both worlds of sports and music, so why not give them both to my readers. 2 1/2 years ago, I didn’t know where I would be from year to year, I was still trying to settle down in a city where I felt comfortable. I believe that I have found that place here in Columbus…at least for the foreseeable future.

The change to the site will be that I am going to be adding much more local Ohio content and national music acts to the site. The change won’t be extreme and it isn’t a transition that will eventually make this into a site like Waiting For Next Year or Cleveland Frowns. I am a fan of the Columbus Blue Jackets and I follow Ohio State sports, so expect a lot of that to be added. Don’t worry about me, I still love the Chicago Cubs, Indiana Pacers, and Indianapolis Colts, you can’t take those loves away from me. Since I know a lot about the teams I am a fan of, and clearly have passionate things to say about them, that content will still be here.

I have researched my traffic numbers and my site does have better numbers in the Midwest and East Coast than any other part of the country. I should take this time and say something mean about the West Coast, like the Lakers are soft or that USC cheats, but I’ll let your imagination do that.

Well, today is the start of the NFL season, so expect a possible Cleveland Browns or Cincinnati Bengals post at some point today. If I post anything positive about Jake Delhomme, please call my mother, because there is no way I would ever do that unless these Ohio savages kidnap and torture me.

I heart my new hometown.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

The Season Is Not Lost In Pittsburgh

The Steelers are sitting at 1-2 after three weeks of football and the Steeler Nation is on edge. Troy Polamalu has been out and may not play for another couple weeks, but all is not lost in Pittsburgh. They have some tough games ahead, but if they tighten things up and get the running game established, Pittsburgh will be okay. What does Pittsburgh need to do to resurrect the season? I’ll explain.

The Steelers may have a little Super Bowl hangover right now and they were a coin flip away from possibly being 0-3. They miss Polamalu, but this team reminds me of the Colts Super Bowl season when Bob Sanders went down early that year. They were below .500 after five games, but once Sanders came back, they got their swagger back. Here are some things that the Steelers need to do.

The Steelers need to stay with the running game and work the swing passes to Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall. The first two games of the year, their running back corps was shutdown and the Steelers didn’t stick with them. The Titans and Bears both have great run defense, but they didn’t rely on the swing pass to make their outside linebackers cheat to the outside and establish the run in-between the tackles. They did use Parker well against the Bengals, but they still couldn’t win the game. I think Cincinnati has a better defense, thanks to the last two draft classes and focusing their picks on linebacker.

They must protect Roethlisberger better. The Steelers offensive line is in a state of flux, trying to get young players to mix their veterans. You will not change Big Ben’s tendency to hold the ball too long and I’m not sure that you will want. He has made some big plays when he has held the ball too long, but he needs time to get the ball to his receivers. Hines Ward isn’t what he used to be and Santonio Holmes isn’t as good as Ward in his prime. Nate Washington was nice to have when he was on the team, but the team still haven’t found a consistent #3 receiver.

San Diego comes to town this week and Norv Turner is easy to out-coach. I believe Coach Tomlin is a better coach, but Steelers have playmakers on both sides of the ball. It is still unknown if Polamalu will be ready to play, I’m guess that he will not, so that will hurt. LaDanian Tomlinson is banged up and Darren Sproles is not LT, but Phillip Rivers could be able to throw against the Steelers secondary. It will be a tough game, but Steelers fans needs to relax. If they lose against San Diego, the season is still not over. They have games against Detroit and Cleveland, they will end up 3-3 when they face Minnesota before their bye week. I say that Pittsburgh will be in great position to win a wild-card spot or you never know, Baltimore could implode.

This post means a lot because I really don’t like the Steelers, but I like when they are good. The Colts have lost some big playoffs games against Pittsburgh in the past and I do hold grudges. I live in Columbus, OH now and it’s bad enough that I get every Browns and Bengals games on television on Sundays. If the Steelers were bad, I couldn’t stomach one more bad AFC North game. I still have to watch two Browns/Bengals games a year, I need to move out of this state.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

God, Help Me!

After a rough day of college football and non-competitive college basketball games, I am stuck with the Browns/Bengals game on my television. These teams are two of the worst teams to watch since 50% of each of their teams are on injured reserve. Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson (Ocho Cinco), Kellen Winslow, and about thirty other players are not going to play in this game. This leaves me with watching a Ken Dorsey vs. Ryan Fitzpatrick match-up.

I want to have fun while watching this game, so these are the things that are going to keep me interested.

– Drink every time Braylon Edwards drops a ball.

– Over/Under 2 minutes into the game that they start talking about next season for both of these teams.

– Over/Under 4 times, that the announcers talk about Ken Dorsey’s college career.

– Count the amount of people with bags over their heads vs. the idiots without any shirts on

– The Bengals should have less points than people in the team with felony charges

– Realize that Romeo Crennel outweighs most of his offensive linemen

– Laugh repeatedly when the announcers describe the history of this rivalry and try to make it sound watchable.

I’m not sure if I will be able to make it through this game, this might be my last post. If I don’t make it, I hereby bequeath this blog to my roommate.

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Chad Ocho Cinco?!

There are reports coming out of Miami that Chad Johnson of the Cincinnati Bengals has legally changed his name to “Chad Ocho Cinco.” It is his way to bypass the NFL’s rule against putting nicknames on the back of the jersey. I’m not sure about the spelling yet, could he go metro and throwdown a hyphenate, Ocho-Cinco?

I don’t blame Chad Johnson for doing this, there are like five other players on the Bengals with the last name of Johnson. He is suffering from “bland name disease.” I think everyone knew someone named Chad Johnson growing up. He was probably a pretty lame kid too. I also suffer from this disease, with a name like Bobby Roberts it is bland, but unique enough to let the disease takeover. I am not a Robert Roberts, which most die from “bland name disease.”

I am all for this, maybe Chad Johnson needs to pool his money with a few other guys who have fun nicknames and restart the XFL. I think Rod Smart needs a job, so we could have the resurrection of “He Hate Me.”

Best Jersey Nickname Ever

A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.

Chad Johnson Has A Torn Labia?!

I enjoy sports talk radio a lot. I listen to it in the car on the way to work and on long road trips. I even listen to sports talk podcasts on my computer at home. In Columbus, Ohio, 1460AM The Fan, is the ESPN Radio station that I listen to. They only play the first two hours of “The Herd” and they substitute the last hour of that program with their own local show called “The Mid-Day Show.” I hate this because I love Colin Cowherd, I believe he is current and very smart, something either of the hosts on “The Mid-Day Show” doesn’t have. The show used to be called “Spielman On Sports,” which starred former Ohio State and NFL football player, Chris Spielman. They changed the show’s format some time ago and it hasn’t been the same ever since.

Mike Ricordati and Scott Torgerson are the hosts of “The Mid-Day Show” and I have the extreme discomfort enough to have my lunch hour the same time they are on WBNS 1460AM The Fan. They have done everything from calling out 19-year old kids on Ohio State football team who get DUIs by calling them “pieces of crap” to possibly the best error I’ve ever heard on sports talk radio.

Chad Johnson of the Cincinnati Bengals was injured during a pre-season game. He was diagnosed with having a “torn labrum,” which is in the shoulder. Mike Ricordati started talking about the injury and confuses “labrum” with “labia,” which is the external part of the female genitalia. I want to believe that it was a slip of the tongue, but he is a White Sox fan, so he may not know what a labia is at all. I’m sure Chad Johnson would love to learn that a two-bit sports talk host on AM radio in Columbus thinks he has female genitalia.

Ochocinco would point a different finger at Ricordati

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A Sports & Entertainment blog that focuses on absurdity in sports, snarky banter, updates on Tim Tebow’s virginity, and decent sports gambling advice.