Notes: No major changes? (Imagine That)

[Ox]

Notes: No major changes?

By GEOFF HOBSON

December 26, 2007

Updated: 3:50 p.m.

Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said Wednesday he doesn't expect any "earth-shaking news" after the season and that speculation has "jumped the gun" when it comes to his coaching staff.

"Don't get your hopes all up Monday," Lewis said, referring to the day after the season. "For the most part we've done our coaches' contracts each and every year so you can relax for the most part. We're not going to have any earth-shaking news that you can run home about."

What and who that means is anyone's guess, but there are indications that there are coaches on the staff that have contracts extending beyond 2007. Lewis has three years left on his deal, but when asked if he expects to be back he said, "I don't know that. You'll have to see."

But before that sentence, Lewis offered a fairly passionate agenda for next season that revolves around making the running game healthier and stopping the big plays on defense, which, really, were the cornerstones he put down when he arrived in 2003.

"We're going to evaluate our players and our coaching and build a better team," Lewis said. "We've got to build a team that can go win games in this division week in and week out. That means being able to run the football more effectively and take care of the football, defend the run and eliminate the explosive plays and make plays on special teams.

"That's what we're going (to) go back and look very, very hard at. How we got started and where we went sideways. Make sure we get back on track. You're always going to have injuries play a part, but that's no excuse for it. When you have injuries, you have to have your good players step up and go win games for you, and we didn't do a good enough job as coaches to get our guys in position to do that, and that's why we're sitting here looking at not moving on."

Wilson

PLAYER MOVES: With running back DeDe Dorsey (ankle) out for Sunday's finale, the Bengals worked out Quincy Wilson and signed him. That was part of a bevy of moves Wednesday that saw Dorsey go to season-ending injured reserve, along with center Eric Ghiaciuc and free safety Madieu Williams. The Bengals also called up guard Nate Livings from the practice squad, leaving them an empty roster spot.

Dorsey flashed in 12 games this season with 21 rushes for an 8.7 average and four receptions for 19 yards before he suffered a high ankle sprain on the first snap of last Sunday's game. He also blocked a punt for a 19-yard return for a touchdown, the first in 18 years for the Bengals.

Ghiaciuc (foot) played 12 games, with 12 starts. Williams, a free agent after this season, played and started 13 games before he re-injured his quad last week in practice. Heading into the last game he ranks sixth on the team in tackles (73), with two sacks, two interceptions, four passes defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. He is one of three players this season to log an entry in every category on the defensive stat sheet.

Livings, out of LSU, is a first-year NFL player who played in all four preseason games. Wilson is a second-year player who had 22 rushes for 75 yards for one touchdown, and five catches for 50 yards in the four preseason games before the Bengals released him Cutdown Day.

Wilson surfaced at Wednesday's practice in sweats but didn't have a jersey. He had two carries with the Bengals during the three previous seasons on either the practice squad or roster, and hasn't been on a team since the Bengals released him before this season. He says he's been working out mornings and working in the afternoon with his father's foundation for children based in Chicago called "55 Alive." Otis Wilson is a former Bear from that 1985 Super Bowl team.

INJURY NEWS: With Rudi Johnson (hamstring) not on the field Wednesday, only two backs were available in running back Kenny Watson and fullback Jeremi Johnson. Also not on the field were strong safety Dexter Jackson (calf) and wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh (ankle), but Houshmandzadeh says he'll play in his bid to get the NFL receiving title. He currently leads New England's Wes Welker (103-101) and figures he needs eight catches to win it.

Right tackle Willie Anderson was on the field after playing in his first game in nine weeks last Sunday and was limited with a hamsting injury. Linebacker Dhani Jones, with the shoulder he crunched in the last series against Cleveland' s Braylon Edwards, and wide receiver Glenn Holt (back) were also limited.

Jones

JONES VS. PORTER: Left tackle Levi Jones, who got jumped by Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter and a gang of his friends in a Las Vegas casino back in March, isn't saying much about Sunday's date in Miami. He said he's focused on one of the best pass rushers in history, Jason Taylor, but does expect Porter to be among five or so Dolphins he'll face in a multiple scheme.

Porter got cited for the incident and was fined three game checks by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, but Jones has always been a bit bemused how the media portrayed the incident.

"It was, 'David vs. Goliath,' ''Jones said. "Not 'David and his army vs. Goliath.' ''

Taylor (foot) didn't practice Wednesday and neither did the Dolphins' huge defensive tackle, Keith Traylor (ankle). Cornerback Travis Daniels (ankle), also didn't work.

CAMERON CALL: Dolphins first-year coach Cam Cameron is preparing for the Bengals in the capital of Purgatory waiting for his first conversation with Miami's new head honcho of all things football in Bill Parcells.

"To my knowledge he'll be here tomorrow," Cameron said Wednesday in a conference call with Cincinnati reporters. "He and I have not talked at this point. These things will be addressed at another point in time. Right now our focus is going to be for our guys to play this Sunday against Cincinnati."

Cameron, the former head coach at his alma mater of Indiana, has plenty of ties to the Bengals. He quarterbacked for Sam Wyche at IU the year before Wyche became the Bengals head coach and the two still keep in touch. He recalled Wednesday the several trips to Bengals raining camp at Wilmington College to learn a technique he took into the pros as an assistant in Washington and San Diego.

"Had I not had that experience, my chances of sitting here at this level would be diminished," Cameron said. "He had a huge impact and gave me my first introduction to what NFL football is all about."

Cameron also played basketball at IU under Bobby Knight before a knee injury in his senior year ended all that. He got a good chuckle when asked of the three (Wyche, Knight and Wyche's predecessor Lee Corso) who had the better halftime tirade.

"All three in their own way are very caring guys and also guys that weren't afraid to challenge you; tremendous motivators," Cameron said. "It would probably surprise all of you, Sam Wyche, he was an intense guy and in some way I might give the edge to Sam."

One of Cameron's best friends in the business is long-time Bengals offensive line coach Paul Alexander, a fellow graduate assistant at Michigan in the mid-80s, where they shared a desk.

"I'd have to give the edge to Paul," he said of the neatness factor. "He's an expert. He knows how to teach fundamentals and how to teach technique. That's true at every position, but more so in the offensive line where a four-inch or six-inch step is the difference between a touchdown and probably a sack. He's very detail-oriented and that's why he's been so successful for so long."

PFWA AWARD: The Cincinnati chapter of the Pro Football Writers of America named Houshmandzadeh as the club's MVP and defensive lineman Bryan Robinson as "Good Guy."

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6557

[jjakq27]

Don't be surprised if something does happen though. He said basically the same thing after the 2004 season and fired Leslie Frazier a couple of days later.

[cmac]

WOW.

Who in their right mind believes that anything would change in Bengaldom?

I have found that in most cases if I ask myself "what would Bill Belichick NOT do", I seem to find the answer to what the Bengals management will do.

Mike Brown will never hire a General Manager. The day he does that is the day he admits he doesn't know his ass from a whole in the ground when it comes to football. And he is a stubborn punk that has never lived up to daddy's expectations and now that Paul is dead he gets to show the world that he can do something. He's like a kid with a strong father that could never measure up.

Unfortunately he has found a head coach that's as cluless as he is. After Marvin's past 5 seasons do you think he will be willing to rock the boat and jeapordize the only job (outside college coaching) that he can get. Who else would hire this clown.

If they had any sense at all they would make major changes.

We the fans of the Bengals are soft hearted fools that will give the benefit of every possible doubt. If they were to fire both the OC and DC they could buy a year or two more some what acceptable excuses (learning a new system).

Bob Bratkowski and Mike Shepard have completely de-balled the offense. Brat and Alexander both thought that Ghiaciuc was a starter long before the season started (damn are they stupid). They also knew long before the season started that they would be without Henry (man has he made an impact since coming back in week 8, NOT!).

I continue to say, bring back Hue Jackson, he was here before and since he's been gone we have been terrible. GIVE HIM THE OC Job you idiots.

I plan on making some money with my season tickets next year if both coaches aren't fired. Get ready for the ROAR of the opposing team fans at Paul Prown next year. It's a comin!

[Jet23]

WOW.

Who in their right mind believes that anything would change in Bengaldom?

I have found that in most cases if I ask myself "what would Bill Belichick NOT do", I seem to find the answer to what the Bengals management will do.

Mike Brown will never hire a General Manager. The day he does that is the day he admits he doesn't know his ass from a whole in the ground when it comes to football. And he is a stubborn punk that has never lived up to daddy's expectations and now that Paul is dead he gets to show the world that he can do something. He's like a kid with a strong father that could never measure up.

Unfortunately he has found a head coach that's as cluless as he is. After Marvin's past 5 seasons do you think he will be willing to rock the boat and jeapordize the only job (outside college coaching) that he can get. Who else would hire this clown.

If they had any sense at all they would make major changes.

We the fans of the Bengals are soft hearted fools that will give the benefit of every possible doubt. If they were to fire both the OC and DC they could buy a year or two more some what acceptable excuses (learning a new system).

Bob Bratkowski and Mike Shepard have completely de-balled the offense. Brat and Alexander both thought that Ghiaciuc was a starter long before the season started (damn are they stupid). They also knew long before the season started that they would be without Henry (man has he made an impact since coming back in week 8, NOT!).

I continue to say, bring back Hue Jackson, he was here before and since he's been gone we have been terrible. GIVE HIM THE OC Job you idiots.

I plan on making some money with my season tickets next year if both coaches aren't fired. Get ready for the ROAR of the opposing team fans at Paul Prown next year. It's a comin!

To judge the competence of Mike Brown, you have to first understand his motivation:

NFL Team Valuations

#20 Cincinnati Bengals

09.13.07, 6:00 PM ET

www.bengals.com

Team Value 1 $912 mil

Michael Brown

Cincinnati Bengals

are owned by Michael Brown,

who bought them in 1967

for $8 mil.

Player-costs-to-win ratio 8 87

2006 Coach Marvin Lewis

Sport: Portion of franchise's value attributable to revenue shared among all teams. Market: Portion of franchise's value attributable to its city and market size. Stadium: Portion of franchise's value attributable to its stadium. Brand Management: Portion of franchise's value attributable to the management of its brand.

The skinny

In March, NFL owners approved a revenue-sharing plan that will result in $100 million passing from high-revenue to low-revenue teams in 2006 and a $110 million transfer in each of the next three years. Bengals owner Mike Brown was one of only two NFL owners to vote against the plan (Jaguars owner Mike Weaver was the other) because he felt he would not get enough money from teams like the New England Patriots. The irony is that the Bengals only contributed $50 million to their stadium and have one of the best deals in all of sports (the team receives virtually all stadium-related revenues and is not responsible for any of the stadium's operating costs), the Patriots financed their stadium without taxpayer financing.

Major corporate sponsors are Anheuser-Busch (nyse: BUD), General Motors' Chevrolet (nyse: GM), National City (nyse: NCC), Duke Energy (nyse: DUK), McDonald's (nyse: MCD).

Major corporate sponsors are Anheuser-Busch (nyse: BUD), General Motors' Chevrolet (nyse: GM), National City (nyse: NCC), Duke Energy (nyse: DUK), McDonald's (nyse: MCD).

Historical Snapshot

Dates are when valuations were published; figures for most recently completed season.

1-Yr Value Chg. 11%

Ann. Value Chg. 2 13%

Debt/Value 3 11%

Revenue 4 $194 mil

Operating Income 5 $11.7 mil

Player Expenses 6 $133 mil

Gate Receipts 7 $44 mil

Facility Information

Paul Brown Stadium

Owner: County of Hamilton

Year Opened: 2000

Capacity: 65,500

Cost To Build: $334 mil

Concessionaire: Aramark

Average Ticket Price: $61

Revenue and operating income are for 2006 season and net of revenue and stadium debt service.

1Value of team based on current stadium deal (unless new stadium is pending) without deduction for debt (other than stadium debt).

2Current team value compared with latest transaction price.

3Includes stadium debt.

4Net of stadium revenues used for debt payments.

5Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.

6Includes benefits and bonuses.

7Includes club seats.

8Compares the number of wins per player payroll relative to the rest of the NFL. Postseason wins count twice as much as regular season wins. A score of 120 means that the team achieved 20% more victories per dollar of payroll compared with the league average.

NA: Not applicable.

Team Logos Courtesy NFL.

Rank

Team

Current Value ($mil)

1-Yr Value Change (%)

Debt/Value (%)

Revenue ($mil)

Operating Income ($mil)

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/30/biz_07...als_306869.html

Since the systematic fleecing of the slack jawed, mouth breathing, tractor pull watching Hamilton County futgards, the value of SOP's franchise has increased by 231.4%. I would say he is more than competent when it comes to his primary goal, which is to become filthy rich.

[HairOnFire]

Since the systematic fleecing of the slack jawed, mouth breathing, tractor pull watching Hamilton County futgards, the value of SOP's franchise has increased by 231.4%.

Just for giggles, let's leave the local fugtards out of the debate and ask how much the average value of all NFL teams has increased over the same period. Pretty comparable figure for most teams, I'd guess.

I would say he is more than competent when it comes to his primary goal, which is to become filthy rich.

The new stadium allowed the Bengals to temporarily jump from a ranking of 30th in team revenues into the top 5....where they remained for only two seasons before beginning their steady fall to their current ranking of 20th. And because half of the teams ranked below the Bengals are currently building new stadiums, or just moved into a new stadium this season, the Bengals will slip even further back in team revenue rankings. In fact, in just two years the Bengals are predicted to rank between 26th and 28th in revenue...maybe lower....despite having one of the most favorable stadium leases in all of sports.

[HairOnFire]

I have found that in most cases if I ask myself "what would Bill Belichick NOT do", I seem to find the answer to what the Bengals management will do.

New England's general manager, Scott Piolli, has claimed the secret to his success is rooted in his belief that no player, with the exception of a franchise quality QB, should be paid so much money that his loss would have any substantial impact on the teams salary cap space. As a result Piolli approaches every draft and free agent signing period with the goal of replacing his teams best players, not his worst, before stardom and years of service dictates those players be paid more than he's willing.

[Bengals44]

I have found that in most cases if I ask myself "what would Bill Belichick NOT do", I seem to find the answer to what the Bengals management will do.

New England's general manager, Scott Piolli, has claimed the secret to his success is rooted in his belief that no player, with the exception of a franchise quality QB, should be paid so much money that his loss would have any substantial impact on the teams salary cap space. As a result Piolli approaches every draft and free agent signing period with the goal of replacing his teams best players, not his worst, before stardom and years of service dictates those players be paid more than he's willing.

And a great approach it is IF you have quality talent evaluators on your staff....however, we all know where we stand both scout and GM(less)-wise! Further the Pats have the advantage (earned advantage) of being a team everyone wants to be a part of, therefore, they get players on free-agency much cheaper than we can...

[HairOnFire]

Further the Pats have the advantage (earned advantage) of being a team everyone wants to be a part of, therefore, they get players on free-agency much cheaper than we can...

Exactly. Piolli acknowledged that and admitted that his strategy probably doesn't work for teams that can't exploit the type of past success the Patriots have achieved. As a result I wonder how much of the so-called "Patriot Model" is even feasible for teams like the Bengals.

[cincy9275]

i picked the bengals record to be 7-9 this season, if marvin stays pat with these same coaches look for this team to be worse. mark my words if marvin does not overhaul the defense and his coaching staff this team will be in trouble. then i can not believe marvin being a football coach cannot see this team is in dire need of some upgrades. is marvin in over his head, i am starting to think that maybe he is. marvin is he nothing more the lebeau a good coordinator ?

[ShulaSteakhouse]

The new stadium allowed the Bengals to temporarily jump from a ranking of 30th in team revenues into the top 5....where they remained for only two seasons before beginning their steady fall to their current ranking of 20th. And because half of the teams ranked below the Bengals are currently building new stadiums, or just moved into a new stadium this season, the Bengals will slip even further back in team revenue rankings. In fact, in just two years the Bengals are predicted to rank between 26th and 28th in revenue...maybe lower....despite having one of the most favorable stadium leases in all of sports.

And why do you think that is? Because "revenues" are tied to popularity and winning ultimately. Brown still profits immensely, last I checked one of the top 15 most profitable pro franchises for many years since he took over.

Why don't Indy and Pitt have this excuse? Are you saying the Bengals' games are attended poorly? What's the problem then if not? Not buying enough sodas with no lids or straws and a ton of ice for $5?

[HairOnFire]

And why do you think that is? Because "revenues" are tied to popularity and winning ultimately.

Yes and no. Revenue for most NFL teams is still largely derived from stadium related activities, including ticket sales, parking and food concessions, and luxury box sales. But addressing your flawed point, regardless of whether a team is winning or losing every team that builds a new stadium experiences a temporary spike in revenue that allows it to leapfrog other franchises. For example, in the next Forbes review you should see perennial sadsack franchise Arizona take a major leap in revenue rankings due to moving into a new stadium. However, like Cincinnati, that franchise won't be able to remain highly ranked, regardless of whether it wins or loses, due to the size of it's market. And there's the rub because Cincinnati continues to be one of the smallest markets in the NFL.

Brown still profits immensely, last I checked one of the top 15 most profitable pro franchises for many years since he took over.

It is what it is. The Bengal franchise is profitable because of the way they do business. Fans who demand they do business differently are guilty of ignoring the franchises fiscal reality. Furthermore, fans who wish Mike Brown were a pauper are not only short-sighted, but childlike. Because while Mike Brown may be a millionaire he's one of the poorest owners sitting at the the NFL table.

Why don't Indy and Pitt have this excuse?

The Steelers demanded a new stadium for the same reasons as the Bengals, and moved into a new stadium shortly after PBS was constructed, and as a result received the same kind of temporary jump in revenue as the Bengals. And just like the Bengals the Steelers ignored their temporary circumstances and refused to change the way they do business...letting as many free agents leave as they sign. As for Indy, their ownership has tried to get a new stadium built for over a decade, and even threatened to move if it wasn't built. (It's being built even as we speak.)

Are you saying the Bengals' games are attended poorly?

Not at all. Fans like you only threaten to boycott the team. In reality...it's the only game in town.

What's the problem then if not?

Small market. Podunk City. In addition, Mike Brown's only source of income is the football franchise. Most other owners have that revenue at their disposal as well as vest fortunes made elsewhere. Places like Home Depot, Worldcom, Microsoft, etc.

Not buying enough sodas with no lids or straws and a ton of ice for $5?

I doubt it. In fact, judging from the impressive number of drunks that surrounded me everywhere I looked I'd say beer sales have been very impressive at very Bengal game I've attended.