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Marvin Lewis Talks Contract Extension

Charles Scott — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 07:18:57 +0000

The upcoming lame duck season for Marvin Lewis has continued to be one of this year’s more under reported stories at a time when media hacks love to make mountains from mole hills.

Since Scouting Combine there haven’t been any updates to the situation. However on Tuesday Lewis did confirm that there are ongoing talks.

According to Cincinnati Enquirer’s Joe Reedy Lewis said hopefully at some point I and Mike Brown will be able to reach an agreement that both sides feel good about. Since then we have talked about a contract a couple times, however it isn’t something we talk about every day. I don’t worry about that or bring that up. That’s not how I go about things.

Lewis, fresh from the playoffs last year, has lots of leverage. He may be hoping as part of his new deal that he can push organizational changes through. If Lewis doesn’t get a contract before the regular season starts coaching free agency may be very tempting.

Lewis said, I would love continuing to coach here. Every year I think brings new challenges, new beginnings. Hell we have Ocho here.

Is that really a reason for him to stay?

Bengals 2010 Single Game Tickets Go On Sale Saturday

Charles Scott — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 07:16:45 +0000

This year it appears the Bengal may struggle in selling out their home games, similar to last year’s struggle where we witnessed several extensions at the last minute and local companies turning into saviors by buying tickets in bulk. Last month the team attempted to hold an open house so that prospective buyers could check the stadium and the open seats out. Next they started to sell ticket packs of four games. A couple weeks ago they went to selling game packs of two games. The degradation could be caused by a number of things. The team has now announced that single game tickets can be purchased starting on Saturday.

Each series of events could be interpreted as a sign that this year the team will be struggling to sell out once again. What this means is the Bengals need to fire out right at the start in a full blaze of glory in order to keep their fans from turning away during the latter part of the season should the team fall below expectations. The fact that teams like the Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills are some of the teams visiting Paul Brown Stadium doesn’t help, as these teams don’t have much of a fan presence in Cincinnati or the surrounding area.

I don’t personally feel the need to demand that you buy tickets in order to support the Bengals and keep their sell out streak going. Family, time and money, as well as watching Bengals games from home and not having to worry about parking are all issues that make buying tickets debatable. If you want to go and can afford to, you will buy tickets. If not, you aren’t any less a true fan.

Cedric Benson Runs into Trouble with Assault Charges

Charles Scott — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:44:43 +0000

Running back Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengals was arrested and charged with assault stemming from an incident occurring on May 30 in a bar in Austin, Texas.

The arrest was reported by Austin American Statesman on the basis of an affidavit detailing the alleged assault in which Benson has been accused of punching one of the bar’s employees after he was asked to leave after an altercation.

Benson along with another bar patron were separated by employees. According to the affidavit Benson pushed one of the employees as he attempted to continue with the fight. He also spit blood that was on his lip on an employee.

Benson was asked by the bar staff several times to leave. The affidavit said after Benson refused to leave, he was escorted from the bar.

After Benson left the bar, he hit the employee on the left side of his face using his right fist.

Bail was posted by Benson and he was released. The Statesman connected with Benson by phone, however he offered no comment.

Following two 2008 arrest, the Bears cut Benson. Later that year, he was signed by the Bengals. In 2009 Benson rushed for 1,251 yards, his best season ever.

Analysis Shows Chris Henry Had Brain Damage from NFL Career

Charles Scott — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 06:57:16 +0000

According to scientists from West Virginia University’s Brain Injury Research Institute, Chris Henry, former wide receiver of the Cincinnati Bengal who died last year during a traffic accident, at the time that he died was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (or CTE). The degenerative brain damage was the result of multiple hits to his head.

Julian Bailes, BIRI director and West Virginia University chairman of neurosurgery said, if there had been negative results it would have made us happy, however multiple areas in the brain of Chris Henry showed CTE. On Monday afternoon during a news conference the results from the forensic examination were presented by Bailes and colleagues.

CTE has been discovered by researchers in brains of over 50 deceased ex athletes. They include over a dozen college and NFL players, Chris Benoit, pro wrestler, and Reggie Fleming NHL player.

According to researchers, the only thing that is known to cause CTE is multiple blows to someone’s head. Concussive hits can cause toxic tau protein buildup inside the brain. This can then create damaging threads and tangles in the brain’s neural fibers which connect the brain tissue. This can cause victims to suffer memory loss, depression, lose control of impulses and develop dementia ultimately.

During the Monday news conference, Bailes said that Henry’s WVU and NFL records did not show that he had ever been diagnosed with suffering from a concussion while playing college or pro football.

However colliding with another player isn’t necessary in order for a brain trauma to take place.

BIRI co-director and neuropathologist Bennet Omalu said, inside your skill your brain floats freely. The brain bounces if you are moving quickly and then stop suddenly.

Although the links between behavior and CTE are being studied still, many former athletes who have been diagnosed with this type of brain damage did die under unusual circumstances. For example Justin Strzelczyk, ex-Steeler, was killed during accident in 2004 after he experienced hallucinations which led to his high speed chase with police for 40 miles that ended with him colliding with a tanker truck. Benoit in 2007 strangled his son and wife then placed Bibles next to them before hanging himself. In 2008 Tom McHale, NFL guard who played for three different teams, was remembered as dependable and smart by teammates. He sank into depression before dying from a multiple drug overdose.

On December 17, 2009, 26 year old Chris Henry died the day after he fell or jumped from the back end of a pickup truck that Loleini Tonga, his fiancee, was driving. The pair had been engaged in a dispute. Tonga then went to the truck with Henry jumping in. Reporters were told by a witness that Henry had threatened that if she took off he would jump from the truck to kill himself.

Whether Henry fell or jumped still isn’t clear. Tonga was driving around 19 mph when Henry fell to the ground. He suffered massive head injuries and a fractured skull. The incident was ruled by police as an accident. The toxicology report showed no alcohol traces. No other drug tests were done. Tonga was not charged in the incident.

After Henry died Carolyn Henry Glaspy, his mother, gave permission for BIRI to thoroughly examine Henry’s brain.

Only an autopsy can pinpoint CTE. A regular postmortem analysis will not show the effects. However cell-stained techniques that were developed and discovered by Omalu allows scientists to see telltale tangles and dangerous tau proteins that are characteristics of CTE. After brain cells are stained, normal ones are uncluttered and blue under the microscope. The brain cells of Henry’s, according to researchers, were clumpy, filled with threads and discolored.

Bailes, as well as Henry’s fans, friends and family will likely wonder if the neural damage he suffered caused some of his emotional volatility he had shown, as well as the problems he suffered the day of his death.

Bailes said, I think they did. Superimposed over the severe brain injuries suffered by Chris at the time he died, throughout his brain there was extensive damage that is completely consistent with CTE. The syndrome is expressed by brain changes but also behavior changes as well. Beginning with Mike Webster, common threads have been seen in these cases: depression, emotional disturbances, failed businesses and personal relationships, suicidal thoughts, and drug or alcohol use.

On Sunday Glaspy said, I am trying to just find out what happened and learn about the situation of Chris’ brain. I am willing to do whatever I can to help anybody else going through this.

Glaspy said during the news conference that the results had been a big shock to her. She didn’t know anything about the disease or underlying condition that her 26 year old son was suffering from.

She said I was kind of scared. It is new to me. I am trying still to educate myself to understand what this means. Some of it does make sense in terms of some of Chris’ behavioral patterns, like his headaches and mood swings.

I hopefully will be able to share with other parents what they tell me and also help the NFL with dealing with concussions and hits to the head and educate ourselves as fathers and mothers when our kids go out to the field to play.

The NFL for years, along with their affiliated researchers, challenged scientific evidence that linked concussions with long term brain damage. Earlier this month, however, Richard Ellenbogen, co-chair of the NFL’s Head Neck and Spine Committee said in regards to reports of former players suffering from CTE, they are facts, not hype or assertions.

The league announced in April that they were giving a gift of $1 million to Boston University’s Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy.

Henry, a Belle Chasse, LA native, played his college football at West Virginia. In 2005 the Bengals selected him in the third round. He played in the NFL for five very tumultuous seasons. During his professional career, he had five arrests. He was suspended by Roger Goodell, NFL commissioner, in 2007 for part of the season due to Henry’s violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The Bengals brought Henry back in 2008. He vowed he would put his anger management issues and substance abuse behind him. According to Bengals officials and teammates he was succeeding.

Bailes, a former team doctor of the Pittsburgh Steelers and current West Virginia team doctor, said his goal is for helping to make football a safer sport.

Bailes said I think that football is a really great sport. I want to help make it safer. We need to continue moving forward with changes as well as eliminate head impacts from football as much as we possibly can.

Reviewing the 2010 Bengals’ Draft

Charles Scott — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 06:59:43 +0000

The final draft picks are complete and teams are now putting together their lists of free agents. Let’s look at the nine draft picks selected by the Cincinnati Bengals over the past three days to see how they might help the team succeed in 2010.

First Round: TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma

This is no surprise. Gresham is the number one consensus tight end from this year’s draft. The Bengals desperately needed one. Gresham as a pass catcher is dynamic and in college was extremely productive. He is also solid as an in-line blocker, which is something that the Bob Bratkowski offense needs. The right choice was Gresham, although some people might have preferred to have Dez Bryant in this position.