Kaspers Korner

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is the second person in a year to tear a ligament in their elbow.  The injury brings up a new concern that has not been faced by the National Football League.

The injury to Palmer brings one question to mind.  Has quarterbacks got to big, and strong for their own good?

NFL players have all gotten bigger, and stronger, over the years.  That is in part to the advancement of exercise and dieting.

However, it seems that getting too strong is not good for quarterbacks.  The reason is the amount of velocity that quarterbacks are putting on the ball through the use of their muscles.

It has seems that the NFL has gotten away from the philosiphies of the West Coast offense.  That being not about speed, and arm strength, but about technique.

So, why has quarterbacks gotten away from it? That being the simple glorification of Brett Farve’s arm, and the kid in us trying to emulate that when we are adults.

If quarterbacks continue to throw fastballs all the time at 100 miles per an hour, then more quarterbacks will blow out the ligaments in their elbow.

It has been confirmed that Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson has changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco.  However, the real story is when the hell is going to stop.

You have to admit that a lot of the touchdown dances that he has pulled off have been funny.  However, this is just plain bizzare.

Being a parent, this reminds me of one of my kids, who are three and four years old, doing something crazy to get attention.  Which, this just plainly is.

The question is now when the hell is the rest of the team going to take him out to the wood shed and teach him a lesson once and for all.

The Cincinnati Bengals have a bigger problem on their hands than the whole Chad Johnson saga.  That is to get TJ Houshmanzadeh signed to a contract extension before he becomes a free agent after this season.

There have been on serious contract talks between the team and TJ’s agent, Kennard McGuire.  That is really puzzling considering his worth to the Bengals.

TJ caught 112 passes for 1,143 total yards with 12 touchdowns.

However, we are talking about the Bengals, and cheap is owner Mike Brown’s middle name.  So, it would not be surprising in the end they let TJ walk.

So, what happens from here.  Even with numbers that are expected to be down, thanks to an emphasis on the run this year, TJ will get hit with the franchise tag.

After that it is anyone’s guess, but by that time it is either pay him what he wants, or let him walk. 

The thing is the Bengals will be giving a hefty contract to rookie linebacker Keith Rivers, who was taken with the ninth pick in this years past draft.  That means a big pay day for him, and less for TJ.

How much can Rivers expect to get?  More than the tenth pick, which was linebacker Jerod Mayo, by the New England Patriots. 

Mayo received a contract worth $18.9 million, with $13.8 of it in guarantees and bonuses.  That means that Rivers can expect $15 to $20 million dollars.

Another example of why there needs to be a rookie cap in the National Football League.  Simply, so that teams can give the money to players that really deserve it.

The Cincinatti Bengals are forcing wide receiver Chad Johnson to play with the team this year.  Jusy when they thought that Johnson was on board they will have to think again.

Johnson is one of the most creative persons in the game of football.  He comes up with so many different touchdown dances, for when he scores a touchdown.  So, when Johnson complained after the first day of mandatory camp of back problem I was not surprised at all.

The fact of the matter is that keeping Johnson on the team is a dangerous move.  Johnson is a moody person, and ultimately keeping him may prove to be not the right thing to have done.

The question is now how much of a distraction will he be to the team when the seaon starts?

Many Cincinnat Bengal fans have been shaking their head over the situation that is going on with their starting wide receivers.  Well now they have another reason to be shaking their heads as linebacker Odell Thurman was cut today by the team.

Thurman was cut by the team for missing voluntary offseason team activities, according to the team.   That is where the problem is, becuase these minicamps have become pretty much mandatory when they are not suppose to be.

The fact of the matter is that the minicamps are a laughing stock.  Not only in addition have they become mandatory they also have become contact involved when they are not suppose to.

Thurman should be outraged by the whole matter.  Thurman’s grandmother passed away two weeks ago.  What they should be more concerned about is about Thurman’s general well being.  That is due in part to Thurman announcing that he is an alcoholic.

Every person grieves differently when it comes to the loss of a loved one.  Some people take longer than others.  For the Bengals to put a time frame on how long of an absence that he can have from the team is outrageous.  He should have been given all the time he needed.

For the most part the NFLPA has been pretty much quiet when it comes to this.  If it remains quiet then it shows how inept of a leader NFLPA president Gene Upshaw is. 

However, if the NFLPA were to take action then it is a clear sign that a war is brewing. 

As much as i hate to admitt this Upshaw is in every right to take the Bengals to the cleaners on this.  What they did they should pay for.

As the offseason started the stream of negative news flooded in.  Finally, the Bengals have something good to talk about as the league reinstated linebacker Odell Thurman.

Thurman suspension was two years long, which is unusual for a violation of the substance abuse policy.  Third time offenders get usually a one year suspension, but with the new Personal Conduct Policy being installed last year it took longer.

The big thing is that Thurman is a recovering alcoholic, and with the reinstatment it is a sign that he is doing well with his recovery.  Hopefully Thurman will realize that it is not a matter of when he falls of the wagon it is matter of getting right back on, and staying on as long as possible again.

Turman is talented, and it is always gut wrenching to see someone this talented to fall a victim to that.  However, we are all different, and react differently to everything.

Hopefully Thurman can keep his act together for himself, and his families sake.

The Cincinnati Bengals have just been given the perverbial kick to the groin, since former wide receiver Chris Henry was arrested.  Along with the displeasure of wide receiver Chad Johnson with the , also add in the hold out of their other starting wide receiver TJ Houshmenzada, and you have a team that could mess up all the experts mock drafts.

Experts for months now have been predicting that defensive tackle Sederick Ellis will be their draft pick with the ninth pick overall in this months draft.  Now, with all the problems they have at wide receiver, and their new hole to fill, wide receiver has become a top priority that could be addressed with their first round pick.

Wide receiver will definately need to be addressed, because at some point in time Johnson will snap, and get himself suspended.  On NFL.com there is a video clip of Rich Eisen with Lance Briggs, Charles Woodson, with Housmenzada in studio, with them talking about Chris Henry.  Later on in the clip Johson joins them by phone. 

Houshmenzada takes a shot at Johson by saying, “What you think is going to happen?  Will I have to do more by myself, or you going to be there to help out?”

Johnson replied with, “Why would you ask me that? We go way back. What you talking about?”  TJ “I am just giving you a hard time.  Johnson, “You dont give me a hard time man, cause I could jump on you.  I cant jump on them.”

The fact of the matter is that another brawl with Johnson and a teammate will happen.  When the two get together Johnson will mention something to Houshmenzada.  Jokingly, or not, you just do not do that to a teammate, especially when yourself is holding out for a contract extension. 

You cannot blame the Bengals if they just cover their eyes, and hope things go away.  Just when Bengal fans hoped Houshmenzada could settle things down he goes out and does the opposite.

The Bengals are now in a horrible spot with their pick.  It looked clearly that defensive tackle would be their biggest need, but not anymore.

In the end none of the experts mock drafs are accurate anymore, because nobody knows what the Bengals will do.

The Cincinnati Bengals already had a big problem on their hands in Chad Johnson, and now, according to Adam Schefter of the NFL Network, Bengals Wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh wants a new deal.  With that news the Bengals need to plan for their long term future.

The two Bengal receivers made up one of the best wide receiver tandems in the NFL.  Now, with both disgruntled, the Bengals will have to get rid of one of them, and that is due to the market for wide recievers being out of control. 

If the Bengals are going to get back to the playoffs they will have to improve their defense.  You have to look no further than the Indianapolis Colts for a reason to trade a wide reciever, and build up the defense.

The Colts worked out big deals for both Marvin Harrison, and Reggie Wayne.  When they did that they sacraficed how good the defense could be, because they tied up most of their salary cap room on the offense.  With that in mind look at how many Super Bowls the Colts have won with that philosophy, and that being one.

With Bill Polian being the general manager for the Colts you can throw in the Buffalo Bills of the early 1990s.  Polian was the general manager that put together the Bills team that went on to four straight Super Bowl appearances, and not win one of them.

The Bills were built the same way as the Colts, and that is the offense leading the way.  While, the offense lead the way the defense struggled, and cost their team Super Bowl appearances, and possibly of a championship.

The fact of the matter is that the Bengals are going into a different direction with their team if they want to, or not  If they do not sit down right now, and plan out the future, then disaster is on the horizon for the Bengals.

First, the Cincinatti Bengals messed up the Shuan Rogers trade, then a trade for Dwayne Robertson.  Now the mess up on linebacker Landon Johnson.

The Bengals were pre occupied with trying to get a defensive tackle so badly that they neglected some of their own players.  The latest is linebacker Landon Johnson when he signed a contract with the Carolina Panthers.

The real kicker here is, according to the Cincinatti Enquirer, the the Bengals offered the same amount of money as the Panthers did.  So, what it came down to is which team made him feel the best, and that was the Panthers.

So, what does this all mean?  It means that owner Mike Brown needs to open  his wallet, and help out his front office by hiring more people to help run it.

Brown is very well known for his cheapness.  It is for the same reason that a lot of Bengals players are criminals.  The front office does not have enough manpower to check into these things.

Well if they do not have enough man power to do some background checking then that means there is not enough staf to get players signed.

That means just as they were seemingly heading to being consistently a winner, apparently that was a fluke.

The Cincinatti Bengals have a huge problem on their hands in Chad Johnson wanting to be traded.  The bigger problem is that trading Johnson before June 1st would give the Bengals a salary cap hit of $8.03 million, according to the Cincinatti Enquire.

Johnson has made it known that he wants out of Cincinatti, but the Bengals want just compensation for him.  With that kind of a cap hit the Bengals will make Johnson wait.

The only other way that Johnson will get out of Cincinatti is if the Bengals cut him, and designate him as a June 1st transaction.  However, with the Johnson going to the Pro Bowl again this year that is not going to happen.

So, how does Johnson break out?  Well he has to be more of a pain than what Terrell Owens was with the Philadelphia Eagles.  That is a feat that is going to be hard to accomplish, but if there anyone who can it is Johnson.

The matter of the fact is that the Bengals brought this on to themselves.  All Johnson wanted was a little of support from the team in regards that he is a problem in the locker room, which he was far from it.

All Johnson does is entertain people after touchdowns.  It is not like he celebrates firsts downs, or even a catch.

Yes, he did have an incident in the playoffs in which he fought with a coach.  However, it was ion the playoffs, and nobody likes losing in it.  Even former Buffalo Bill wide receiver Andre Reed slammed his helmet on the ground in the middle of the field during Super Bowl 26.

Big games bring out the emotions in all players, and when things are going bad the bad ones come out.  The fact of the matter is that the team that can help Johnson control his emotions will be the team that rakes in the rewards.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson is ot a happy camper anymore with the Bengals.  On an interview with MIke and Mike Johnson pretty much has said tha he wants out.

Johnson has been labeled a problem in the locker room with his antics.  With the Bengals never making any comment on the situation to the meida Johnson feels that he has been labeled the problem.

Yes, Johnson talks a lot, but he backs it up every sunday.  He is loud and brash, but that what makes great players great.  They never back down, are constantly intense, and will kick your rear if you question their man hood.

The problem was with Johnson was the lack of touchdowns on hi, and fellow wide receiver TJ Housmenzada.  However, that point of view is completely wrong.

What affected them was injury.  Their defense was already weakend before the season even started thanks to Odell Thurman’s alcohol problem.  Then add in the time missed by starting running back Rudi Johnson, and you have a receipe for disaster.

Johnson missed five games due to injury, and had less than ten attempts in three other games. 

The fact is that a good running game will open up the passing game with play action.  However, if you do ot have a good running game, thanks to your starter being injured, then defenses will not respect the play action.

With the way wide receivers Terrell Owens and Randy Moss lifted thier teams other teams will jump right on Johnson when he becomes oficially available.

If the Bengals were smart they would bend appologize to ocho cinco, and do whatever it takes to keep him happy, and in Cincinnatti.  For if they do not then they could find themselves in trouble, especilly if thier defense still stinks.