Add Tally Number 8.....Deltha O'Neal arrested.

[Matt700wlw]

At least none of the Bengals have been charged with Murder or Drug Trafficking.

There's still time

[Yachtzee]

My understanding is Deltha was on his 2nd strike with th NFL, and strike 3 was a lifetime ban.

I haven't seen this anywhere. Where did you hear this? That would stink if true.

[traderumor]

Good job putting things in perspective, Yachtzee. Most of what has happened has been no more than occurs in your local factory workforce over the course of a year, and probably less. Of course, there is that "greater responsibility" malarky that gets tossed around that is supposed to serve as some moral plumbline, but it obviously hasn't gotten through, nor do I expect it will.

[joshnky]

I hate to see this happen again because it is fueling a negative perception in the national media. Like was previously mentioned these are mostly minor offenses that don't warrant national publicity. I think the most frustrating thing about all of this is that there is absolutely nothing the Bengals can do about it. Thurman, McNeal, and Henry (as much as I hate to say it) should have probably been cut lose but the CBA doesn't allow teams to discipline players for legal infractions. How can we expect them to behave when their employer is powerless to punish them?

[Chip R]

A foretelling passage in a column by ESPN Page 2's Bill Simmons on Friday.

Now that we have that settled -- what about seven Bengals players getting arrested out of 53? That's 13 percent of the team! Imagine if 13 percent of your office or classroom had been arrested in the past few months? Can they get to 10 before the end of the season? You figure with holiday parties coming, that's good for one DUI. And the holidays bring visitors and family members, which usually brings trouble, so that's good for some sort of incident at a party or a club. So we only need one more wild-card arrest -- something harmless like speeding and attempting to evade an officer, or shoplifting a Christmas present of something -- and then we'll be at 10. Now that would be something. Ten Bengals arrested in one year? We'll be telling our grandkids about that one. Keep your fingers crossed.

[savafan]

A foretelling passage in a column by ESPN Page 2's Bill Simmons on Friday.

Well, O'Neal makes 15% of the team now, right?

[TeamBoone]

Is this a trend only with the Bengals, or are other teams also afflicted but we just don't hear about it?

[SunDeck]

When are the Bengals going to wise up and contract with a limousine company?

[VR]

O'Neal is probably charged with a BAC violation (prohibited blood alcohol content) and/or OVI (Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated). It's a first degree misdemeanor in Ohio. I would hardly call that "thug" behavior. I deal with people charged with OVI/BAC on a weekly basis. I'd say 99.9% of them are your normal everyday average folks who made a stupid mistake and got caught. If they are "low blows" (under 0.17), they're likely to be social drinkers who just had one too many, thought they were okay, and decided to try to drive home. O'Neal only blew a 0.10, which leads me to believe he falls in that category. Usually what happens is that the person realizes they made a mistake, pleads guilty, gets 3 days in a driver intervention program and a fine and a license suspension with privileges for driving to work. Most people are so embarrassed that they get "scared straight" and it doesn't happen again. Getting arrested for OVI is hardly "thug" behavior. Is Ryan Freel a thug? He was busted for doing a lot more than blowing a 0.10.

Of the 8 Bengal arrests, 3 were for OVI (or Boating under the Influence for Steinbach). 1 was a resisting arrest arising from an argument over illegal parking, the charges were dropped and now Askew is suing for false arrest and excessive force. As for the other four, well, we'll have to see how the court cases play out before we deem them "thugs." In any case, I suspect you have at least that many players with similar legal troubles on every NFL team. The Bengals just have the luck of the troubles coming all in one season. Besides, these aren't the Boy Scouts we're talking about.

At least none of the Bengals have been charged with Murder or Drug Trafficking.

It all depends on the quality of organization you want to portray to your fans, the ones who buy jerseys and tickets. There's a few marketing dollars to be made as well, and teams suffer because of the actions of individuals.

I have been a Vikings fan since I was a wee lad in the early seventies. The innocent actions of the love boat posse was and is a black eye for the organization, costing them millions upon millions of dollars, both current and future.

Having an organization that operates with class means ownership/ management hold players (and administrators) to a very high standard as it relates to their off the field behavior. I don't know if the Bengals problem is 'dismissed' by Lewis as it was by Tice and Green in Minny....but I can tell you it's not as cool as it used to be with the Raiders of the 60's and 70's.

There is never a reason or excuse for pro players to get DWI's, ever. They have been counseled about it by the NFL and ad nauseum by their teams. You are able to make millions of dollars because you are in the spotlight of the fans. If the millions are OK, so too should a little more responsibility for your actions than the typical office worker.

[Chip R]

When are the Bengals going to wise up and contract with a limousine company?

That would be the perfect solution. But the fact is that these are grown men and not children who need to be chauffered around whenever they decide to go to the grocery store. While I'm sure some would enjoy riding in a limo all the time, I would think others would chafe at the prospect. You think these guys pimp their rides so they can keep their wheels in the garage? Plus, there is a bit of a cost to have players chauffered around in limos all the time. You're talking about 53 players here plus the guys on the practice squad. You want them to do this during the offseason as well? Then you have the conflict of interest angle. Who does the limo company work for, the player or the Bengals organization? If the player does something he doesn't want the organization to know about, is it incumbent upon the limo driver to tell the Bengals what the player is up to? Basically these guys are adults who make poor choices. It happens but it seems to happen a lot more with the Bengals. Now is that because the organization is drafting and acquiring individuals who are prone to this type of behavior or do these guys gradiate to this kind of behavior because they have a lot of money and are in a profession where they experience a certain lifestyle and they feel they must experience that lifestyle. Maybe it's some of both.

[Willy]

That would be the perfect solution. But the fact is that these are grown men and not children who need to be chauffered around whenever they decide to go to the grocery store. While I'm sure some would enjoy riding in a limo all the time, I would think others would chafe at the prospect. You think these guys pimp their rides so they can keep their wheels in the garage? Plus, there is a bit of a cost to have players chauffered around in limos all the time. You're talking about 53 players here plus the guys on the practice squad. You want them to do this during the offseason as well? Then you have the conflict of interest angle. Who does the limo company work for, the player or the Bengals organization? If the player does something he doesn't want the organization to know about, is it incumbent upon the limo driver to tell the Bengals what the player is up to? Basically these guys are adults who make poor choices. It happens but it seems to happen a lot more with the Bengals. Now is that because the organization is drafting and acquiring individuals who are prone to this type of behavior or do these guys gradiate to this kind of behavior because they have a lot of money and are in a profession where they experience a certain lifestyle and they feel they must experience that lifestyle. Maybe it's some of both.

I understand where you are comingfrom, but I think a lot of this falls back on the organization, mostly Eric Ball. I not saying they need to be chauffered everywhere, but Eric needs to have a plan in place and pressure the into using it.

Why not tell all of these guys that there is going to be a checkpoint(Email, textmessage, calling them). Offer them to have someone drive them around if they are going out, or give them a number of someone to come pick them up(I would take that job). Eric needs to constantly reminding these guys to use the services, if you find out someone isn't useing the services you better be having a chat with them.

Some of these guys aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, and they need their hand held.

[Yachtzee]

It all depends on the quality of organization you want to portray to your fans, the ones who buy jerseys and tickets. There's a few marketing dollars to be made as well, and teams suffer because of the actions of individuals.

I have been a Vikings fan since I was a wee lad in the early seventies. The innocent actions of the love boat posse was and is a black eye for the organization, costing them millions upon millions of dollars, both current and future.

Having an organization that operates with class means ownership/ management hold players (and administrators) to a very high standard as it relates to their off the field behavior. I don't know if the Bengals problem is 'dismissed' by Lewis as it was by Tice and Green in Minny....but I can tell you it's not as cool as it used to be with the Raiders of the 60's and 70's.

There is never a reason or excuse for pro players to get DWI's, ever. They have been counseled about it by the NFL and ad nauseum by their teams. You are able to make millions of dollars because you are in the spotlight of the fans. If the millions are OK, so too should a little more responsibility for your actions than the typical office worker.

I'm not making an excuse for O'Neal getting his OVI. I'm just saying that a lot of people just plain have no idea how to equate how much they've had to drink with a blood alcohol level. Sure there are charts and calculators on the internet, but both BAC and the effect that one feels from alcohol are both based on the physiology of the individual. If you drink, you can be legally over the limit even if you feel "sober." In any case, it's a mistake that many people make and is hardly indicative of "thug" behavior. It's more "stupid" that "thug."

Is it against the law? Yes. Should he be punished? Yes. But should we look at O'Neal and the other Bengals arrested for OVI in the same way we look at a thug who is arrested for assaulting someone else? No.

[Yachtzee]

I understand where you are comingfrom, but I think a lot of this falls back on the organization, mostly Eric Ball. I not saying they need to be chauffered everywhere, but Eric needs to have a plan in place and pressure the into using it.

Why not tell all of these guys that there is going to be a checkpoint(Email, textmessage, calling them). Offer them to have someone drive them around if they are going out, or give them a number of someone to come pick them up(I would take that job). Eric needs to constantly reminding these guys to use the services, if you find out someone isn't useing the services you better be having a chat with them.

Some of these guys aren't the sharpest tools in the shed, and they need their hand held.

Maybe they should see if there are any teetotallers on the team willing be a designated driver?

[WMR]

Maybe they should see if there are any teetotallers on the team willing be a designated driver?

Carson's driving the shaggin' wagon! Everybody pile in!

[vaticanplum]

When are the Bengals going to wise up and contract with a limousine company?

I think it would be hilarious if they signed an ADVERTISING contract with a limousine company or car service. Bengals appear in the ads for no payment and the Bengals organization, in turn, does not have to pay for the limousine services. And then the fliptards in Cincinnati who drive drunk all the time are reminded, maybe, that there is an option for getting home besides driving themselves.

Perhaps not the most politically correct thing in the world, but I'm all for anything that can get even a few drunk drivers off the road.