2008 homecomings
Area H.S. football: Week 8
Division I district tennis
Chick Ludwig covers the Cincinnati Bengals. He also writes about his other passions: college football, basketball and golf.Home > Blogs > Chick Ludwig At Large > Archives > 2008 > May > 01
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Arrested development in the ‘Nati
PARADISE LOST
Slow news day? Are you kidding me?
On the Cincinnati Bengals beat, there is never a dull moment.
I say “It’s Armageddon every day” for a reason.
Because it is.
First, I blogged about rookie minicamp, which unfolds Friday through Sunday, May 2-4.
Then, I blogged about the Bengals pink-slipping linebacker Anthony Schlegel, leaving the roster with ZERO Buckeyes. (Psst! The Bengals haven’t drafted a Buckeye since 1994 when Big Daddy Wilkinson and Jeff Cothran were taken in rounds 1 and 3.)
AGONY VS. ELATION
Then I find out about former Ohio State coach Cooper getting elected to the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2008 along with Lou Holtz.
I dial up Cooper at his home in Columbus, and I find him in pieces. Equal parts elation and agony. Elation for reaching the pinnacle of his career. Agony because one of his Ohio State players, Dayton’s Derrick Foster, was charged with shooting two Columbus police officers during a drug raid.
Then I discover that former Seattle Seahawks star Shaun Alexander has a visit scheduled for Monday in Cincinnati with the Bengals.
BROOKS DUE IN COURT
Finally, I learn that Bengals linebacker Ahmad Brooks stands accused of punching a woman in the face last month. Brooks has been ordered to appear June 6 in Boone District Court in Northern Kentucky. Based on a complaint, prosecutors have charged Brooks with fourth-degree assault, a misdemeanor that carries up to a year in prison.
If you’re the Bengals, what do you do?
Do you sign Alexander, the Seahawks’ career rushing leader, who turns 31 on Aug. 30? I say no, no, a thousand times no. Alexander is a prince in gym shoes, but he’s reached the magic age (30) when NFL running backs reach full-throttle free-fall. It’s time Shaun moves on and finds his life’s work.
Do you release Brooks, who was arrested May 17, 2003, for marijuana possession, who played three seasons at Virginia before being kicked off the team, who has accomplished very little in two seasons since being taken in the third round of the July 2006 NFL Supplemental Draft? Or do you give him another chance.
‘BLOODSHEDDER’
All I can do is utter the immortal words of WONE’s Mark Schlemmer.
“It’s another day in paradise,” Schlem tells me.
When I spell-check “blogosphere,” three words pop up as alternatives:
Bookshelves, bloodsucker and bloodshedder.
I like “bloodshedder” the best.
It describes this Bengals beat writer to a T.
SMELL OF 6-10 LINGERS
I smell a trend with the Bengals.
From 11-5 in ‘05 to 8-8 in ‘06 to 7-9 in ‘07 … to 6-10 in ‘08.
I promise loyal LUDWIG AT LARGE readers this:
I’ll keep my helmet on and chin strap fastened.
24/7.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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Schlegel cut; Bengals roster has ZERO Buckeyes
WHERE HAVE ALL THE BUCKEYES GONE?
The Cincinnati Bengals waived linebackers Anthony Schlegel (Ohio State) and Roy Manning (Michigan) today, May 1, 2008.
Now that Schlegel is gone, the Bengals roster is void of Ohio State Buckeyes.
BUCKEYES-BENGALS TRIVIA
Here’s some trivia for loyal “LUDWIG AT LARGE” readers:
Q. Who was the last Buckeye drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals?
A. Fullback Jeff Cothran, a third-round draft choice in 1994 — the same year the Bengals made Ohio State defensive tackle Dan “Big Daddy” Wilkinson the No. 1 overall pick of the draft.
More trivia:
Q. In 10 seasons (1999-2008), four Buckeyes have played for the Bengals. Can you name them?
A. Cornerback Ty Howard (‘99), quarterback Craig Krenzel (2005), center Alex Stepanovich (2007) and linebacker Anthony Schlegel (2007).
Schlegel, a third-year NFL player, was acquired off waivers from the New York Jets on Sept. 2, 2007. He played in 13 games for the Bengals last season with five starts, and had 34 tackles on defense with four special teams stops.
Manning is a fourth-year NFL player from Michigan. He played in five games for Cincinnati last season and had seven special teams tackles.
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Method to Marvin Lewis’ madness
PATIENTLY WAITING FOR FRUITS OF THE 2008 DRAFT
I’m looking forward to seeing seven players at the Cincinnati Bengals minicamp, which unfolds Friday through Sunday, May 2-4, at Paul Brown Stadium.
They are linebacker Keith Rivers, defensive tackles Pat Sims and Jason Shirley, and free safety Corey Lynch, plus the wide receiver triumvirate of Jerome Simpson, Andre Caldwell and Mario Urrutia,
The Bengals did a good job of addressing the perimeter of their defense the past two years with first-round cornerbacks Johnathan Joseph (2006) and Leon Hall (2007), and the 2008 free-agent acquisition of defensive end Antwan Odom.
But they needed to improve their defense up the middle, front to back, and they did just that in draft. What good is a middle linebacker if he’s not protected by a couple of monster DTs? Rivers gets the protection he needs in Sims and Shirley, and he gets support behind him in the ball-hawking Lynch.
Head coach Marvin Lewis won a Super Bowl ring as defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens with DTs Sam Adams (in his prime) and Tony Siragusa, plus a middle linebacker named Ray Lewis.
Finally, in his sixth season as Bengals head coach, there is more strength up the middle. Whether or not it translates into another Super Bowl ring for Lewis before his contract runs out after the 2010 season remains to be seen.
But I am encouraged that the Bengals’ D can become a top-15 unit, not a bottom feeder.
What does it mean to have three more competent receivers in the offensive arsenal?
Of course, the trio will help the passing game. More importantly, the trio will ignite THE RUNNING GAME!!!
How?
By spreading the field. That’s how.
Opposing defenses won’t be able to crowd the line of scrimmage with “eight in the box” and tackle tailback Rudi Johnson 4 yards deep in the backfield.
Spreading the field with three and four wideouts will create running lanes for Rudi, Kenny Watson, Chris Perry and DeDe Dorsey.
By running the ball better from a spread formation, the Bengals will be able to throw the ball better, too.
One hand washes the other.
Contact Chick Ludwig at cludwig@daytondailynews.com
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