Thing To Take Away From Week 1 Preseason Win

 I think I speak for about 75% of America when I say, FOOTBALL IS BACK!!! It always a happy time of year when the boys of fall is back in between the lines. From things such as fantasy, tailgating, cheering for your team and hating others team, this time of year gives us such of high that make time fly. As they say times flies when your having fun. For many fans, even though their happy football is back, the preseason can be a really big tease. I used to be the same way, until I got in the coaching business, then I learned there is a certain way you have to watch preseason. You can't watch preseason as a fan, you have to watch it as an observer and evaluate the players play, to give credit and critique guys and you will know the move of your team as if you was sitting in coaches meetings.

This past Thursday the Bengals gave us a lot to observe, as they blew out the Atlanta Falcons. Mostly good not a lot of bad, but in preseason teams don't really worry about winning or losing, the preseason is used to fill out the roster, see your rookies in game action, and put players in situations where you think they can be used. This not, by any means, me saying as Bengals fans you shouldn't be happy, ecstatic, satisfied, and excited for your football team, cause you should. I'm just saying when you watch Hard Knocks tonight don't expect it all to be praise and good words. As I watched and did my observing I can tell you what you might here in meetings;

I think the brightest spot had to be that Bengals defense. Coach Zimmer has to be a happy guy, even though I can promise he won't show it, he has to be very pleased with how his Defense played and not just the starters, even the 2's and 3's. All around the D was, what he expected very dominant stingy, and aggressive.  

I think the brightest spots on the D this past week had to be George IIoka at Safety. I think he was a guy the Defensive coaching staff had a close eye on, as he was playing with the first time, and let me say he had a great showing. He was all over the field, watch the game he was on every tackle it seem, always around the ball, and had no fear of coming up in putting his nose in the run offense. I think if the season started next week he has to be the Starting strong safety, he's everything Coach Lewis want in a strong safety, big, strong, aggressive guy, the same type of guy coach Lewis have been waiting for Taylor Mays to become. Mays, had the typical Mays type game Thursday and with Williams being the rookie, and Miles having a good game (2nd on team in tackles) and also being the better special teams guy, if Mays don't step it up I think this could be the year that Mays is released, he has been nothing but disappointment since he got here, and I think he is definitely running out of time and opportunity. Another guy that I think stood out on Defense was J.K. Schaffer. He also played extremely well in Atlanta Leading the team in tackles with 6, he also seem to always be able to be around the ball when he was on the field. In my opinion this linebacker core is the weakness of the D, and a guy like J.K. Schaffer could make this team and be a quality back up, playing the same role that Dan Skuta played. It just week one though so keep your eyes on these two guys, let's see if they can keep it up.  

On the other side of the ball, the back up guys wow'd me with their performance, putting up 34 points was definitely not expected. 

I think the undisputed bright spot of the offense had to be, no not Dane Sanzenbacher, but Josh Johnson the back up Quarterback. Yes, I'm calling it, after just one preseason game, Josh Johnson is your #2 quarterback. What more must he do? He made Thursday look like a game of pick up football, he picked the Falcons D apart not just in the air but also on the ground, leading the team in both categories. I think the only thing that will stop him from winning the back up job, is injury. The guy in the backfield with him for most the time Giovanni Benard on the other hand, can back up BJGE, but I think he can only be used on a third down basis. It's just week 1, which is good cause we get more time to see the Rookie, but one thing he clearly showed this past week is that he can't run between the tackles. If he ever expect to be the featured back  he must learn how to be productive running in between the tackles, it still early and he's just a rookie, so he has the time to learn and get better at, however anybody who expected him to be the starting back this year, I doubt that's gone be happening this year. He'll get his share of plays, but if he can't show in the next 3 weeks a better ability to run between the tackles, his plays will strictly be on a third down basis. 

Dane Sanzenbacher played out of his mind, if the coaching staff eyes wasn't open before, they definitely are now. I though when they signed Dane, they bring him in to strictly be a body for camp and eventually practice squad player. The best chance I though he had making this team was as a special teams guy, and no not a returner. Like the staff, he opened my eyes, and I'm sure he opened yours as well.

With Hawkins going down, everybody was wonder who would step up, nobody expected it to be this guy. However, he was the one and he has made himself a true contender to make this roster and gain a role on this team where he can be productive. With his performance Thursday, he has put a lot of pressure on this whole receiving staff except Green, Jones, and Sanu. I think his performance does the most damage to Hawkins. Receiver is the deepest position in Bengals camp as far as #'s go, I think there will be at least 3 cut come Sept, they may even cut 4 and Hawkins can possibly one them guys. I know nothing you may want to believe it, but if Dane keep this up, and Hawk stay out for an extended period of time he can and will be cut. Also with Dane being a threat as a returner, Ben Tate should be concerned too.

Preseason week 1 is in the books, and it is what it is, just week 1. As it may not be of an importance for you, for all the guys named above, every week counts, and every day is part of a job interview, especially gamedays. Keep an eye on these guys, as you watch Hard Knocks tonight, see how these coaches evaluate these guys, one thing for sure, competition has heated up in Bengals camp, and competition is never a bad thing, as a coach it makes the job a lot more difficult, but that a problem any coach would love to have. Bengals are 1-0 and only get a lot more interesting and complex when it come to evaluating these guys in these positions.

John G.Dunn II

jgdunn.blogspot.com

Garza sends message to Cueto and the Reds.

The final day of the Cubs' road trip provided some postgame fireworks as Matt Garza sent a warning to Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto after an alleged purpose pitch.

Garza, who lasted only four innings in the second start of his comeback, said the league should investigate an incident in which Cueto threw a pitch over the head of David DeJesus in the sixth inning.

"It's kind of b.s. on his part, just totally immature," Garza said. "If he has something to say about it, he knows where to find my locker and definitely I'll find his. I took total disrespect out of that one."

The Cubs came back from a four-run deficit to beat the Reds 5-4 in 10 innings, ending a six-game losing streak in surprising fashion.

After the pitch over DeJesus' head, plate umpire Bob Davidson issued a warning to both teams before Garza issued one of his own.

"Cueto should learn, you don't go after guys' heads," Garza said. "Don't wake a sleeping dog. I think that's kind of immature on his part and totally uncalled for. He's lucky retaliation isn't in our vocabulary here."

Garza said DeJesus "plays the game the right way" and didn't deserve the purpose pitch.

"If Cueto has any problem, he can throw at me and I'll definitely return the favor," he said. "I didn't like that one bit. We don't retaliate. We just take it game by game and try to better ourselves. Hopefully he learns to grow the hell up. ... You're up 4-0. Grow up. I hope he hears this because I really don't care."

Manager Dale Sveum said DeJesus apparently annoyed Cueto by stepping out of the box before a pitch in the first inning. He said Davidson told him Cueto was "goofing around trying to throw over his head."

Sveum asked Davidson why he didn't thrown Cueto out of the game.

"He said, 'Because I know he wasn't trying to hit him,'" Sveum said.

Sveum said the incident "woke the dugout up." After Cueto left with a 4-1 lead, Alfonso Soriano tied it with a two-run homer in the eighth, and Welington Castillo's RBI double won it in the 10th.

Garza said it took "a lot of effort" for a pitcher with Cueto's style to throw a pitch over a left-handed hitters' head.

"I don't know what the deal is between him and (DeJesus), but he needs to cut it out because I'll stop it," he said. "And that's just the way it goes. If he wants to do it like that, then so be it. … This could be a warning. This could be just nonsense. However he takes it. But I don't like (it when) the game was played that way.

"You don't throw with intent and try to hit someone. Hopefully the league looks at that. I don't want him to get suspended or anything. I just want him to learn a lesson. Hopefully his (teammates) will warn him and say 'Hey, take a look at this.'

"But it is what it is. They run their own show. We run our show, and we'll see them again in a month."

In response to that.....................................

Dusty came out of his shell. Baker, following a tiff between the Chicago Cubs and one of his pitchers, suggested that Major League Baseball use hockey's time-honored tactics when it comes to settling disputes on the field: Let the players fight.

In this case, Matt Garza of the Cubs and Johnny Cueto of the Reds. From C. Trent Rosecrans of Cincinnati.com:

Baker went one further: “Just put them in a room, let them box and let it be over with,” he added. “I always said this, let it be like hockey, let them fight, someone hits the ground and it’s over with. I’m serious about that.

Baker to Garza: Say it to Cueto's face

Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker responded to Matt Garza's warning to Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto, saying Garza should've settled the matter himself instead of talking about it.

John G. Dunn II

Coach Gruden says Gresham Job Is Not In Jeopardy

If your like me, the moment the Bengals draft Tyler Eifert with their first round draft pick in the draft, the first thing came to mind was the inconsistent play of Jermaine Gresham and how this was the star to the End for the once top pick of the Cincinnati Bengals. Not so fast Coach Gruden says. "We didn't bring Eifert in here to replace Gresham. He is here to be a part of a 2 TE attack we want to add to our offense." When asked was it a tatic to push Gresham to work harder and push his self to exceed he true potential, Gruden said "Guys should be working hard, to be their very best regardless."

While stating that he is not trying to be like the Patriots, he (Gruden) has admit he has studied the Pats and how they implimented their 2 tight end set. At this point as fans and observers, you don't know what to expect out of Gresham, there has been moments where he showed the type of weapon we all expected him to be, but I think far to often we've more seen the Jermaine Gresham who showed up in Houston first round of the playoffs, and the Gresham who can't take control of the middle of the field and take pressure off Green and the guys on the outside. All these thing being concerned for me, and maybe you but not Coach Gruden;  "Jermaine has already proven he is a good, solid all-around tight end, solid blocker," Gruden said. "He's a big target for Andy. Tyler is a different dimension, little bit more fluid." So how different will the offense looked, When Gruden was asked, he said pretty much the same. "It's just that our base package will probably feature more two tight ends, two receivers rather than one tight end two backs," Gruden said via National Football Post. "We can get everything in our running game in that personnel group. It's taking out a fullback and putting in a heck of a pass catcher and hopefully a good blocker. We like to mix up our personnel groupings and keep defenses off balance hopefully and be diverse in what we do. Our goal is to get our best players on the field." That statement answered another question for me, based off my post yesterday, take the Full back off the needs list. I have a good feeling we won't see a lot of fullback feature in this offense. One thing is pretty clear when it comes to Gruden, he is very excited with his new toys, “It will be great to get [Eifert] in there and work with Jermaine. Those two guys together will be something to deal with,” Gruden said.

John G. Dunn II

Missing Piece, Still Needs to be Filled

Fortunately for the Cincinnati Bengals, there are not many holes to fill on the current roster. In fact, after the draft, the Bengals should have their starters almost set in stone for 2013. However, there are some missing pieces that could be added to improve depth or provide positional battles in camp.

While looking at the Bengals' roster, there are some noticeable voids at certain positions behind the incumbent starter. There are plenty of positions that have very young, inexperienced players as the initial backup.

This could provide some nasty problems if the Bengals are hit by the injury bug in 2013.

Rationally speaking, these positions should be filled by low-cost veterans that could provide more stability if needed to step into the lineup. There are not many of these instances on the Bengals' roster, but some should still be addressed.

Let's take a look a five missing pieces that Cincinnati could still add to address needs at a reasonable price. After all, the Bengals are still in very good shape at $21.9 million under the salary cap (via Spotrac.com).

Chris Pressley is a serviceable fullback, but that is really where you draw the line with him. He is not terrible in any aspect of his game, but he does not shine in one particular category either.

In 2012, Pressley was ranked 19th out of 25 eligible fullbacks in the league (via Pro Football Focus, subscription required). He received negative grades in every statistical category.

Pressley is not the kind of fullback that fits in a West Coast offense. He is not a reliable receiver, and with the addition of a faster running back in Giovani Bernard, he may not be able to keep pace as a lead blocker.

To make matters worse for Pressley, he is coming off of a season-ending knee injury suffered late in the 2012 season. There will be no telling if he is full-go until the team puts the pads back on.

At the very least, the Bengals should bring in another fullback to compete in camp alongside Pressley. Yes, John Conner is still around, but he was brought in as more of a band-aid during Pressley's absence.

Bringing in a veteran such as former Buffalo Bills fullback Corey McIntyre could be very beneficial for the Bengals at this juncture.

McIntyre has more speed, athleticism and agility than Pressley and can be a receiver out of the backfield when asked. He only played 103 snaps in 2012 but was given positive grades across the board by Pro Football Focus in that span (subscription required).

The Bengals have some great starting cornerbacks returning for the 2013 season. Incumbent starter Leon Hall will top the position, followed by Terence Newman and Adam Jones.

In the mix will also be last year's first-round draft pick Dre Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick has said earlier this offseason that he wants to start in 2013. He wants to make his way up the depth chart and become the complementary corner to Hall.

However, that will be tough sledding for him, as he is not game-tested yet and still has lots of learning to do at the NFL level.

After Kirkpatrick are very inexperienced corners Brandon Ghee and Shaun Prater. Neither of these players have seen active playing time in the NFL's regular season.

This means that the position could severely suffer if one of the top three starters would be unable to perform. The Bengals should be enticed to bring in a veteran cornerback that would be able to step in and contribute in a pinch.

By signing a veteran corner at a low cost, the Bengals are afforded a low-risk, high-reward payoff. If the younger guys show up at camp and impress coaches, the free-agent veteran would be cut with minimal loss to the team.

Bringing in former Cleveland Browns cornerback Sheldon Brown could be a great fit here. He is coming off of a solid season where he ranked 21st out of 113 eligible cornerbacks (Hall ranked 25th) on Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Brown is entering his 12th season in the NFL and clearly has plenty left in the tank. Signing him to a one-year contract could be very beneficial for both parties.

The strong safety position has been one of the Bengals' most glaring weaknesses for the past several seasons. The team has attempted to place many different types of players there with little or no success.

Currently, the roster battle for this position would be between Taylor Mays, Jeromy Miles and rookie Shawn Williams.

Mays and Miles have tried—and failed—to fill this position and may never be NFL ready. Williams is a rookie, and although he has great upside, he still needs to develop.

Bringing in a solid veteran safety to compete for the starting job would be a great move by the Bengals here.

The veteran would not only help Williams to develop into a starting-caliber NFL safety but would also be able to push Mays and Miles to get better.

This move seems like an absolute no brainer.

One nice veteran free-agent fit for the Bengals is former Arizona Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes.

Rhodes excels in coverage and does not hesitate to help in run support. He is a very versatile safety and could allow free safety Reggie Nelson more freedom at his position.

Pro Football Focus ranked Rhodes the fourth-best safety in the NFL last year (subscription required). His only negative grade came from rushing the passer—something that he is not regularly asked to do.

He would demand a higher contract, but given the opportunity to start could allow Williams to develop his coverage skills while he learns the position.

This seems like a perfect match for what Rhodes and the Bengals should be looking for.

The center position is, without a doubt, the weakest link on the Bengals offensive line.

Last season, three centers started for the Bengals. The highest graded center by Pro Football Focus was rookie Trevor Robinson, who ranked 26th out of 36 eligible centers (subscription required).

That is not a good stat if you are Andy Dalton.

After being sacked 46 times in 2012, Dalton needs better protection for blitzes up the middle. Dalton's NFL quarterback rating without pressure averages to a 93.4. While he is pressured, it drops to a meager 47.3 according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

These numbers should be convincing enough to upgrade any offensive line position possible before training camp gets underway.

With Robinson and Kyle Cook on board, as well as developmental rookie T.J. Johnson, Cincinnati does not have much in its arsenal at the center position.

A player such as former Kansas City Chiefs center Ryan Lilja would fit in nicely here.

Lilja brings a great amount of experience to the roster as well as a stronger force while run blocking. Lilja is not a great improvement in pass protection but is a better option than any center currently on the roster.

Allowing Lilja to come in and compete for the center position could do wonders for the rest of the positional group. Each player would continue to improve during a fierce competition in training camp.

Regardless of who comes out as the Week 1 starter, each player will significantly improve.

There were not too many frowns on the faces of Bengals fans when it was announced that Rey Maualuga had been re-signed to the team. Those frowns grew even longer after head coach Marvin Lewis said that he would like Maualuga to continue to start as the middle linebacker.

Maualuga ranks 53rd overall—that's dead last—in the Pro Football Focus middle linebacker rankings (subscription required).

To make matters worse for Cincinnati, backup Dan Skuta was lost in free agency to the San Francisco 49ers. Also, the signing of James Harrison on the strong side keeps Vontaze Burfict on the weak side. This means that Maualuga's current backup is J.K. Schaffer.

No, that's not good.

The Bengals need to address the issue of bringing in another linebacker with experience in the middle. This player should also be a veteran with the ability to lead. The player should still be able to contribute consistently—he may need to due to Maualuga's injury history.

So, who do the Bengals bring in here?

This makes for a tough decision because certain players such as Karlos Dansby will be too expensive to sign at this point. The Bengals need a perfect balance of affordability and consistency.

A great fit here would be former Houston Texans middle linebacker Bradie James.

James is entering his 11th NFL season after coming off of a one-year deal with the Texans. He made $825,000 in base salary during that span. This is a perfect scenario for Cincinnati.

The Bengals can bring in James on a one-year deal with similar terms and have a very valuable piece in place as a backup middle linebacker.

James is still able to contribute as well. He ranked 29th overall last season out of all middle linebackers and received positive grades in coverage and run defense by Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

If the Bengals can find a way to make this happen, they will add some much-needed experience to their linebacker corps this year and allow fans to breathe a little easier.

The Cincinnati Bengals have made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, but the team is still searching for their first playoff win since 1990.

In an effort to take that next step, the Bengals spent their first two draft picks on offensive skill positions in 2013, first selecting Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert before making North Carolina's Giovani Bernard the first running back selected in the second round.

At first glance, the Bernard pick may have struck some as odd. After all, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who joined the Bengals in free agency a year ago, topped 1,000 yards on the ground in 2012, and at only 27, the "Law Firm" is in the prime of his career.

However, there's plenty of reasons to like the Bernard pick if you're a Bengals fan, as the youngster could add an entirely new dimension to the Cincinnati offense.

With all due respect to Green-Ellis, he's the very definition of a plodder. Green-Ellis is a bruising, between-the-tackles, "three yards and a cloud of dust" type, and while he did top 1,000 yards in 2012, Green-Ellis also averaged less than four yards a carry doing it.

The 5'8", 202-pound Bernard, on the other hand, is a much different animal in the backfield. Bernard is a smaller, quicker back who relies on his agility and quickness to generate yardage. Bernard is also a very dangerous receiver, as evidenced by his 92 receptions over the past two years at North Carolina.

It's a classic "thunder and lightning" backfield scenario.

This isn't to say that Bernard is guaranteed a prominent role in the Cincinnati offense; offensive coordinator Jay Gruden told Geoff Hobson of the team's website that Bernard will compete with fellow rookie Rex Burkhead for the third-down role with the Bengals, although he also lauded the skill set that Bernard brings to the Queen City. However, in my opinion it's in Gruden's (and the team's) best interests to look at Giovani Bernard as more than "just" a third-down back.

For a blueprint on how Gruden could look to best utilize the two ball-carriers, he need look no further than the New York Giants teams of a few years back.

In both 2007 and 2008, the Giants had a very similar situation in the backfield, with Brandon Jacobs in the Green-Ellis role and Derrick Ward playing the part of Giovani Bernard.

Jacobs was the lead back, the hammer who picked up tough yards and wore down defenses. Ward served as the change-of-pace back and a receiver out of the backfield.

It was a carry-share that worked well for the Giants. In 2007, the Giants ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing and won the Super Bowl. In 2008, the team gained over 157 yards a game on the ground—tops in the NFL—and won 12 games en route to a division title.

Ward was much more than just a third-down back for those teams; he topped 150 total touches in 2007, and that number grew to over 220 in 2008, when Ward also chipped in over 40 catches.

By the 2009 season, the roles began to reverse, as Jacobs' production declined and Ahmad Bradshaw began to assert himself as the lead back in the Big Apple.

Gruden and the Bengals should adopt a similar course of action with Bernard and Green-Eillis.

In the early-going as Bernard acclimates to the NFL, it's Green-Ellis who should receive the majority of the carries. Then, assuming that Bernard begins to perform as advertised, increase his workload until the Bengals are running almost an even split in the backfield.

Thunder and lightning. The bull and the ballerina (not the best metaphor, but I'm trying to alliterate here!).

Giovani Bernard might not have the frame to withstand 300-plus carries a season, but 225 or so is well within reason. That's going to both cut down on the punishment that Green-Ellis takes and also open up a Cincinnati offense that has grown a tad too predictable.

The Bengals need to do a better job of keeping opposing defenses honest instead of allowing them to load the box against Green-Ellis and then blanket A.J. Green in coverage on third down.

Bernard's ability to hurt defenses as a pass-catcher could do just that, whereas a fresh Green-Ellis would be a very nice option as a "closer" blasting away at tired defenses.

Never mind that using two viable backs properly could allow the Bengals to dominate time of possession. It may be an antiquated notion, but the fact remains that your opponent can't score if they don't have the ball.

This isn't meant as a knock on Green-Ellis, but to be frank, he is what he is: a very good (but not great) bulldozer of a running back. He can move the sticks, but he does it in one manner and one manner only.

Bernard is a much more versatile weapon. I'll freely admit that I felt headed into the draft he was the top player at his position available in this year's class, and I like the pick for the Bengals.

Now, it's just a matter of using him properly.

Cincinnati Bengals 2013 Post Draft Evaluation.

So now that the three day marathon. known as the draft, have come to end, it time for people like me to take the picks that Immediately impacts our football team examine them, and disect them and figure out how they will be used with this Cincinnati Bengals football team. What I will provide you with is the many guys that we drafted that I feel bring improvement and that I feel you'll see a lot of in the upcoming season barring injury.

Tyler Eifert Rd.1 Pick: 21 Tight End

This 6'6 Tall, Athletic Tight end was a surprise to just about everybody that at 21 he was still on the board. Tyler was a guy who was a projected top 10 on a lot of board, and a top 15 pick on everybody''s board. You can't find a mock draft the even gave the Bengals the opportunity to even draft him, because he was suppose to already be off the board. For the Bengals the tight end position wasn't an immediate need. but if you watch and follow the Bengals you know tight end was one of our weakest spot on this football team, in my opinion the second weakest spot after the strong safety spot. Jermaine Gresham has been a disappointment as a first round pick, yes he has potential but he is not the guy that dominates the middle of the, and when you got a guy like Green occupying not only a corner but also a safety, you got to have that tight end to dominate between the seams and behind them linebackers, Gresham can't do that, Eifert will get his opportunity. The drafting of Tyler will not only challenge Gresham, but also push him to be the best he can be, how good could that be is the real question??? Eifert has amazing skills as a receiving tight end, he of course have size, great leaping ability, great hands and his route running is his best skill, filming show's, as you can see Norte Dame use him a lot lined up on the outside. Where he struggles is his blocking ability, many question his low body strength, he has been known to hold when run blocking and lean and catch defenders when in pass pro.  The Bengals couldn't pass up on Eifert once they seen that he was on the board at #21, yes it was a  surprise to everyone that they took him, but it was a great pick.

Giovanni Bernard  Rd 2. Pick 5. Running Back

Out of all the backs that was on the board came time for the Bengals to pick they made the best pick for what the Bengals are transitioning too in my opinion. I think it pretty clear to see that we are becoming a pass heavy team, BJGE is not the guy for that style of offense, even though he played in NE who is pass happy. BJGE is more of a between the tackles type of guy, and he will continue to be that type of guy for us. Giovanni will, in my opinion, slowly take the over the job here in Cincy if he comes along the way the Bengals like. He is the perfect back for our style of play. Giovanni is a explosive player, who has big playmaking ability, is quick elusive and very difficult to contain in the open field, Very good receiver out of the back field which is what separate him from the other backs like Lacy and Ball who are guys that are more in between the tackle type backs. He is also very reliable in pass pro. Now the bad..... He is not a big guy, many wonder if his size will hold up in the NFL, also he has a bad knee, already had a torn ACL, also missed 2 games this year from knee discomfort defiantly a BIG red flag. If he can stay healthy, he's a guy to watch out for, he definitely have the talent and skill set to be a feature back in a spread type of offense, he is in my opinion was the most complete back in this draft.

Margus Hunt Rd. 2. Pick 21. Defensive End

When the Bengals took this guy, it really surprised me, because the front line on D is by far the strength of this football and contains the most Depth. while this pick surprise me, as a fan it made me even more excited for this football team. I tell you as a guy like Michael Johnson your ears has to come up a little bit when you see this. Michael Johnson as we know was tag, but I clearly feel he is overpaid but with the rules of the tag, the Bengals are force to pay him a certain amount  He is not an 8 figure a year type of guy and being that it a 1 year deal for Mike this Margus guy could be his replacement if Mike decide he won't to try to break the bank come next year. Margus Hunt is a one of a kind athlete, he  first appeared on the international athletic scene after he won gold medals in both the shot put and discus events at the 2006 World Junior Track and Field Championships in Beijing. e went to SMU to do track and field, but eventually turn his attention to the football field. Hunt is a tall thick dude standing a 6'8 hitting the scale at 277, don't get it twisted though he amazingly athletic for that size and have what some calls the most upside and potential in this draft because of this combination. He is very versatile in his ability to play both the 3 and 5 Tech really really well. Expert calls this the steal of the Draft, as Hunt was projected to be a late first rounder by most. Playing at SMU you didn't hear much about him, but he was a top performer at the combine for his position and will make an immediate impact for the Cincinnati Bengals, might not be on defensive, but he holds the NCAA record for blocked field goals. I'm extremely excited to watch this guy develop in the next couple years, with the cast we already have here, this can get scary!!!

Shawn Williams Rd 3. Pick 22. Strong Safety

Shawn Williams is a big tough Safety from Georgia. He is what I think is every Defensive minded coaches dream. Big, Strong, Tough, punch you in the mouth type of safety. I think because the HUGE need for a Strong Safety if he play his card right he can impact this D immediately. He a guy who can play in the box and have no fear. He's a down hill type of guy who will lay out Receivers who decide to come across the middle or tight ends who think they own the seam. He won UGA's tough man award twice in the last 2 years, also he is a above average cover guy, who reads quarterbacks well, and with speed can guard any tight end and keep up with faster slot receivers  For the weaknesses, he is not a guy that going to intercept a lot of balls, he don't have a lot of ball skills, no interceptions his senior year. His hard hitting can be his downfall at time as he been known to go for the hard hit and miss, but these weakness are thing that can be worked on, he is a big dude, which coach Lewis loves (i.e Taylor Mays), and he is full of toughness and attitude definitely a Zimmerman type of guy and could definitely be a starter in this league.


The Cincinnati Bengals in my opinion was definitely without question a winner in this past weekends draft. I feel they had a top 10 type of draft class, and I'm not saying that just cause I'm a fan. Eifert will add a two tight end attack that will take heat off Green, Bernard (not Scott) can very well be the starting back by seasons end, for he is exactly what we need in the style offense Coach Gruden want to run, Hunt was said by many to be the steal of the draft, and even though he plays at a position we are deepest at he will contribute on special team as he develop into another versatile and effect rotating lineman for us. I think I already mention he is a genius when it come to blocking kicks, and honestly the person I'm most excited to follow. Williams is a guy he give us improvement in the position we are weakest at strong safety, and I feel he can compete with Mays and Myles for that job, being an SEC guy he plays the closest thing to NFL talented in that conference, do not sleep on that. The Bengals seem to be starting a new trend for this organization and that drafting well and building, developing guys as they have done just that the last 4 to 5 years. This year they kept it going, they not only filled every need they need, but also got better while doing it. I seen a lot of B and a few B+ for the draft grade, I have to go more with B+ closer to A- just cause without these guys Bengals was AFC contenders, with this class they got a lot better and will have the most guys to contribute to what's already is a good team. Cincinnati be EXCITED for your football team, they have constantly improved, they will own the North this year, and could very well go undefeated in this league like 2005, and will be a team who can not only get to playoffs this year but also win in the playoffs!

Integrity: A Charateristic That Most Lack and Scared Of.

Like many words, The word integrity comes with multiple meanings, but when you sum it up, in my opinion it comes to the same baseline meaning. Dictionay.com meaning of the word integrity is, adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honest. To break this term down, and how it always been simplified to me, integrity is having the ability to do the right thing when no one is looking. How easy is it to do what's right when you know somebody is watching? You wouldn't break a rule right in front your boss, you wouldn't stare at an attractive person, while your with your significant other, you wouldn't traffic drugs right in front of the police. How many of us will act the same regardless rather the police, or boss or significant other was there or not? Integrity is one of them words that carries so much power, but is so challenging to us, that most people don't even know the word exist. My reason for being here is to speak upon this and hopefully spark some minds, and install a little will in people to live their everyday life with a little more integrity. It a challenge for everybody, cause that what the word integrity does to us, it challenges us to do the right thing, even though the right thing may not always be beneficial to us at the very moment. There are many times, even daily, dilemmas come by and test our character and are integrirty. How often do you do the right thing or how do you even know when them moments come about? See integrity run neck and neck with words like trust, honesty, loyalty, and all the other strong, powerful words we hear or see daily, oftenly misused. When your manager misguided you, or lie to you about the amount of workload you have to get done, not because it of an important to the company, but of importants for him/her to meet quota. Or how about when I cop pulls you over because you was 5 over the speed limit, or cause your 'tint was too dark' not because he usually do that or specialize in that area of the department, but because the end of the moment is quickly approaching and he not on pace to meet the required amount of tickets. You’ve been really struggling in a class you need to pass to graduate. You studied hard for the final, but still aren’t feeling confident about it. Your friend took the test earlier in the day and offers to tell you exactly what was on it. Should you let him?  Something more realitive to the general public, when a cashier gives you too much change back, do you keep the extra or take it back? When your sandwhich has mayo on it, and you clearly didn't ask for mayo, after realizing it do you eat 2/3 of it then take it back and get another or send it back immediately? When meeting a new man/women do tell them upfront your not availiable or do you wait to see what you can get out of the them rather it be money, dinners, or sex before dropping the info on them? All these thing are moments when our integrity is put to the test and sadly most of the time people fail awfully when challenged.  If it one thing I try to live by, or one moral Characteristics that of the utmost importants to me, it's Integrity. I've got so good at it, that I can spot out moments when my integrity is tested, sense it, and remember what I stand for, then make my decision in seconds. Don't get me wrong their was a time in my life where I didn't do the right thing, hell I'm not perfect I still to this day don't make the right decision, but I never knowingly go against my integrity. Sometimes doing the things that I mention above, the wrong way, may not cause pain or hurt anybody, it may, crazy enough, even finds you success. How often do we see or hear of people brown nosing, a.k.a kissing ass, to get that promotion, or get that edge over a co worker at work. What about relationship where one person is clearly mistreated, taking advantage of, and unappreciated but continue to accept it just for the fear of being alone. Some people will go against their beliefs to hold on to things and gain success. The most common test of integrity of all to me is when people go into interviews and say what they know employers want to hear, not because they want or like the job but because the bills are getting behind? I know what you thinking..... Sometimes you have to work any job to get the bills paid.... and your right about that, but it still a test and a fail to the integrity of a person. You can use dishonesty to gain gratification in the moment, but it just that, for a moment, it not something that will or can ever last, because it's not genuine. There are many example of people out there that are succesful without integritiy that just never seem to get caught, I'm sure we all could name a few. All that do is create a false perception and blueprint for others to follow to get to success. The thing that people never realize as their climbing that letter to success and finding their way up, their also losing their ability to be trusted as a person of integrity, which is the most valuable quality anyone can have in their life. Success, money power, etc all that stuff is temporary, but the profit in a network of people who trust you as a person of integrity is forever, which is more important to you? That becomes the real question. That's one of the sweetest things about that word integrity, it challenges you, yourself. It makes you face questions of character of yourself, self-respect and self moral. You can always come up with justifications that seemingly make good sense and let you sleep better at night. But at the end of the day, there’s nothing more valuable than your good name and the ability to look at yourself in the mirror each day with a clear conscience, integrity challenges you to do that each day. Integrity is a lot like trust, in the sense it hard to gain but can be lost in seconds. To be a person of integrity is to be a person of trust, I think part the reason our world is so fucked up and jacked up in every which way you name is because we lack people of integrity.  Warren Buffet, Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway said it best:, “In looking for people to hire, look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first one, the other two will kill you.” A person’s dishonesty will eventually catch up to them. It may not be today, and it may not be for many years, but you can rest assured that at some point there will always be a reckoning. To be a person of integrity you have to surround your self with people of integrity, though them type of people is hard to come about now days, which is why I probably don't have any friends ha ha. You are the company you keep, and if your not, you certainly will be judge based on the company you keep. There's a saying that  goes “Do what is right, let the consequence follow.” It serves as a daily reminder that success will indeed come and go, but integrity is forever. What does integrity mean to you? I challenge you, if you reading this to practice gaining and building your integrity. It as simple as knowing right from wrong and choosing to do what's right.

John G. Dunn II

Rutgers' Rice Berates Players at Practice

I'm sure for the sports fan all around the world, you have heard of the story that broke on ESPN's Outside The Lines tonight of Mike Rice, College Basketball Coach at the university of Rutgers beating and abusing his player. Some say there is a "Zero" Tolerances for this kind of behavior, some say it just the way coaches now days, especially on the competitive level, coach and it something athletes either adjust to or go elsewhere to play their sports. Being a life long athlete and Coach on a high school level I can understand both point of views in this argument. Just like I'm sure any sports fan and athlete knows that he's not the only person or coach behaving this way, he just got caught. I haven't had time to read or follow this story yet, so I can't really speak or elaborate on it. I can easily sit here and be politically correct and be like everybody else in the media and express how much of a no-no this is, and claim how much I frown upon this, but that's not me. I try to be real and genuine about everything I post and say. Watching this video didn't come off to me as a surprise, or was nothing I never seen before in person. So I'm leave this up for us to discuss, what's your view point on this thing? What do you think? How do you feel?


John G. Dunn II