Why can't Chad Johnson just shut his mouth?

[GAC]

I take it you weren't a big fan of Muhammed Ali either. I don't think Chad's talk is anything worse than Ali. Honestly, what Chad does with his mouth, as long as he isn't "throwing his teammates under the bus," shouldn't have any effect on the other guys on the team.

There's a big difference though between Ali, whose mouth didn't affect (or reflect) on anyone but himself, in comparison to a guy who is one player on a team of many, and whose actions (antics) affect not just the one.

And I don't think saying "he only cares about winning" is a smack in anyone's face. He does care about winning. He also cares about doing the best at his job.

And that's fine. I'm sure he does care about winning. But what I am saying is that in his expression of that "care" - which seems to involve alot of emotionalism - he's been seen coming down on, and getting in confrontations with, his head coach, QB, and who knows how many other players in that lockerroom.

Is it, or is it not, a disruption to this team?

There are plenty of guys on the Bengals that I wish would put the time and effort into their jobs that Chad does.

And how do you know they are not? Just because they are not as vocal about it as Chad?

Maybe if guys like Thurman and Henry did that, they'd be on the field playing instead of being suspended.

Won't argue with you there; but there are alot of other talented players on the Bengals. And to assume or insinnuate that they aren't putting in the time or effort in like Chad, simply because Chad has a big mouth about it is misguided IMO.

The fact of the matter is that there are a number of players on the Bengals that just aren't pulling their weight.

If that is true, and one guy who does come to mind is Levi Jones, it's still not Chad Johnson's job to be out there publically saying anything about it. Maybe we don't see it the same way; but a player who publically dresses down or makes comments on the play of his teammates - even if there may be some truth to those statements - has to realize he really isn't helping matters at all, and could be worsening/compounding the situation.

Those are his teammates.

You got a problem with my play? Then come see me, and not some media type. When the cameras are rolling and everyone is watching, you coming over to dress me down and cause a confrontation, not only feeds that media frenzy, but it makes you look like you're grand standing and the only one who cares. There's a time and a place.

There are a number of guys on defense who aren't pulling their weight and no one says jack about them. Are they team guys because they don't talk to the media? No. From what I can tell quite a few of these guys are usually out of position trying to freelance, doing their own thing. That doesn't sound like being a team guy to me.

You can't pull your weight if you don't possess the talent to begin with. And that may simply be all there is to it when it comes to this defense. The effort is there, but the talent is not. Rosters around the NFL are full of players who are making the effort, but just don't possess the talent (pull their weight).

At least Chad talks to Carson after a screw up, even if it gets heated. I'd say he has a better chance of working things out and getting on the right page than some of those bums on defense.

From what everyone has witnessed, Chad is not simply talking to Palmer, but causing confrontations where he was yelling at him, as if Carson screwed up and he needs to point it out to him. And from what I've witnessed and read - in some of those situations, which were passing situations, it was Johnson who broke route. Yet witnessing Chad's action on the sidelines on a few of those, he wouldn't be yelling at Carson if he was at fault or accepting the blame.

But regardless of who is at fault - you don't go running over at your QB, getting in his face and screaming in his ear. And when Carson has tried to walk away and let it go, Chad won't. He's following right behind him still giving him an ear full.

I was watching the game when it happened (right before the bye week I think), and it was a play where Johnson broke his route and Carson threw an incompletion. The cameras showed Carson starting to run down the field to confront Chad and one of the Bengal linemen grabbed Carson. You could tell Carson was upset; but he instead just walked over to the sidelines.

Again - do it in the lockerroom. Not on the sideline with cameras rolling.

And what about when your head coach tries to come up and talk to you, and you jerk away from him and act like you don't want to hear anything he has got to say? Justified?

I think teams (opposition) are almost beginning to realize that if they can rattle Chad during the game (double coverage) and get him out of his rhythm (game) they know he could very well be their biggest asset because he then is going to get all worked up emotionally and possibly cause disruptions over on that sideline. And the last thing a QB, head coach, or the team as a whole needs, is a player pulling antics on that sideline, getting their head out of the game, and compounding the situation.

The way to defeat Chad Johnson is to rattle him.

I just believe it is uncalled for Yachtzee. If you want to plead your case then do it in the clubhouse. But don't make comments or exhibit behavior publically that questions the efforts of some of your teammates or head coach, and makes them look bad. It does make one look like a selfish, egotistical idiot who is only concerned about himself. And you are not helping matters in the long run IMHO.

[traderumor]

It's Lewis' prerogative to talk to whom he chooses. But he also insults his team's customers when he fails to communicate honestly with them -- hiding behind an often-bogus cloak of protecting competitive advantage -- through the local media, the primary source of information for Bengals' fans.

Lot of good stuff in the article. This, however, is a biased view of a reporter. I just don't see a whole lot of inside scoop that coaches can relay to fans through the media, and most of it they do not need to know anyhow. Simply because people want to know sensitive inside information doesn't mean they can or should know such information.

Put yourself in the shoes of all of the Bengals opponents, which is the entire NFL, and think of the information that you think the coach, players and/or front office are not being forthright about, and think whether or not another team having such information about your team gives them an advantage over your favorite team. Because you know they are not missing a word of what the media is reporting. I can think of very few things a coach can tell the "local media" that is not already observable which can be shared with the world without negative repurcussions for the franchise.