2011 Bengals Discussion

[Hoosier Red]

To give it all he's got every time he steps on the field. It's like saying a Broadway actor has no obligation to theater goers who paid hundreds, maybe thousands for a ticket, only to the other actors.

I really, really don't get this line of reasoning about employees not having an obligation to patrons of a business. Has American ethics, poisoned by the rugged individualism philosophy, slipped that far that some folks actually believe that nonsense?

The buzzword is "stakeholders," and in the business of professional sports, fans certainly are stakeholders as they invest their time, buy tickets and merchandise, and/or are employed by the team. Or maybe they have a complimentary business that benefits from the success of the professional sports franchise.

But then, those who don't see employees having an obligation to fans must be in customer service, because that seems to be the mindset of businesses toward their customers in this culture. The new American way.

I think we all agree on the same premise, it's just the term "ethical responsibility" that clouds the issue.

It's in the broadway performer's best interest to give his best effort(for he'll want people to keep paying to come see him sing) and it's in Mike Brown's best interest to put the best product on the field that he can.

But is it an ethical lapse if he doesn't? I don't know if I'd go that far. So long as there's no false advertising involved. (ie A broadway theatre tells you that Hugh Jackman is going to do his one man show, but really it's the Hugh Jackman from Brooklyn who just wipes his nose for 3 hours) than I don't think there's any lack of ethics.

FWIW, I think Mike Brown puts his best effort into putting the best team on the field. However, I think his best effort is constantly constrained by his inability to objectively see what is best for the team.

[fearofpopvol1]

No, I think there's a large difference. What happens off the field is no one's business but Carson and the team. Once he decides he's going to play, then he needs to give it his all in practice, in games, etc...

But if for whatever reason he decides he can't do that, then he's under no obligation(ethical or otherwise) to come in and work where he is unhappy.

Was Carson physically unable to play? Because last I checked, he didn't have any physical ailments and was under contract.

[Sea Ray]

None of us can prove whether he quit or not, but there's a big problem somewhere if his coach thinks he did

[medford]

Anybody else catch Marvin on Mike & Mike this morning? Is it just me, or did Marvin admit to cheating this offseason during the lockout.

Paraphasing, after Greenie said "when all the 'geniuses' said this offseason (lockout) was the worst time possible to break in a rookie QB due to the lack of OTAs extended training camps, time with players, etc.. how were you able to get Andy Dalton so well versed in the offense?" Marvin responded by saying that even though the offense was completely new to everyone in the organization, they spent more time with Andy during the offseason on the offense and when camp broke he was farther ahead in the offense than any of his teammates.

The only way to spend extra time with Andy would have been to do it off the record during the lockout. Now I'm not naive enough to think this wasn't happening around the league, but I doubt the empty suit in New York wants any of his teams admitting to it. Of course, now that the lockout is behind, its all small potatoes, just interesting to hear a coach basically admit to working outside the parameters this offseason

[Sea Ray]

Anybody else catch Marvin on Mike & Mike this morning? Is it just me, or did Marvin admit to cheating this offseason during the lockout.

That's interesting you say that because it hit me the same way and I was wondering if anyone else would bring it up. It was my understanding that the coaches could have no contact with the players during the lockout. Further, if I remember correctly, the lockout ended for a day when AJ Green was drafted but was back in place when Dalton was drafted so technically Dalton should not have received a playbook until the lockout ended during the summer whereas Green could have been given one on his draftday

As a Bengal fan, I hope that story doesn't grow legs and become a distraction

[Danny Serafini]

Further, if I remember correctly, the lockout ended for a day when AJ Green was drafted but was back in place when Dalton was drafted so technically Dalton should not have received a playbook until the lockout ended during the summer whereas Green could have been given one on his draftday

All Dalton needed was for one of his teammates to photocopy their playbook and send it to him, not a big deal. That happened quite a bit.

[bucksfan2]

All Dalton needed was for one of his teammates to photocopy their playbook and send it to him, not a big deal. That happened quite a bit.

I wonder if the Bengals wouldn't have given AJ 7 playbooks (or however many draft picks they had) and said get them to your new teammates drafted in the next few days.

[texasdave]

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has been named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Month, according to a tweet from the team’s official account.
Dalton, a second round pick by the Bengals in the 2011 NFL draft, helped lead the team to a 4-0 record in the month of October. The former TCU standout threw for six touchdowns and five interceptions in the month, and totaled 909 passing yards.

[reds1869]

The following stood out form texasdave's post: the Bengals were 4-0 in the month of October. Think about how bad most of us thought this team would be then let that sink in for a minute.

[Redsfaithful]

October used to be a brutal month every year. Even in the 90's when the Bengals were mediocre instead of out and out awful they'd always start out slow and have terrible Octobers.

[CTA513]

I saw this posted by Old on go-bengals.com:

28 minutes ago - by Paul Dehner Jr. - DE Dunlap shining despite single sack
Anyone looking at the one sack of DE Carlos Dunlap and questioning his effectiveness during his sophomore season needs only to view the team’s QB pressures chart. Dunlap leads all players with 19. The next closest is DE Michael Johnson with six.


3 minutes ago - by Paul Dehner Jr. - Site ranks Dunlap top 4-3 DE in NFL this year
DE Carlos Dunlap rates as the top 4-3 defensive end this season, according to the scouts at ProFootballFocus.com. His rating of 27.3 is 5.6 points higher than Minnesota’s Jared Allen (21.7), ranked second. Dunlap averages one QB pressure every five snaps. In the prime years of Indianapolis' Dwight Freeney, he averaged one every six, according to the site

He doesn't have the sacks to show it, but Dunlap is getting pressure which is what the defense has lacked for years.

[Redhook]

I saw this posted by Old on go-bengals.com:




He doesn't have the sacks to show it, but Dunlap is getting pressure which is what the defense has lacked for years.

Very cool. Thanks for posting that.

[Hoosier Red]

I saw this posted by Old on go-bengals.com:


He doesn't have the sacks to show it, but Dunlap is getting pressure which is what the defense has lacked for years.

I agree with Redhook, thanks for posting that. What I think has been especially effective about the pass rush is that guys like Dunlap and Johnson, just by getting pressure really disrupt a passing game because they are so tall. In the same way that an effective shot blocker can "bother" a guy in the lane, it's clear that the Bengals front four bothers a lot of quarterbacks.

The only small negative in this is that QB's like Rothelisberger and Flacco are both very tall and less likely to be bothered. You still have to get them to the ground, which the Bengals have done an okay job with.

[Slyder]

I'm disappointed Mike Brown cut Laverneous Coles before his contract was up.

Should New England have honored its contract with Robert Edwards even though he blew his knee out and might never play again? I mean it was agreed to at one point by representatives of both parties just like Carson's was. Don't give me this "honor your contract you bum" the owners cut ties and make people renegotiate contracts all the time. Its why they are called non-guaranteed.

[Redhook]

Should New England have honored its contract with Robert Edwards even though he blew his knee out and might never play again? I mean it was agreed to at one point by representatives of both parties just like Carson's was. Don't give me this "honor your contract you bum" the owners cut ties and make people renegotiate contracts all the time. Its why they are called non-guaranteed.

I thought Gack's comment was hilarious when I first read it. I took it as sarcasm and I'm sure it was meant that way.