ArmyBengal

Ok, I can't help myself with this one. I think most people who dabble into various music genres have probably heard this and if you are rock fan there is no way you haven't heard "Last Resort" by Papa Roach. This song is a rock classic whether you care for the band or not. Despite the song being a rock banger, the lyrics are dark and suicide based. Most people say they never really paid much attention to the lyrics because of the riffs and tempo of the song. They were never lost on me and a huge part of why I love the song as much as I do. Here's the original if you needed to be reminded. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm7vnOC4hoY Fast forward to 2023 and Falling In Reverse has remade the song. However, it's a complete departure from the original version. It's dark, sad, and matches the music to the lyrics. To me, it's an absolutely beautiful and painfully brutal version. I listened to it at least 3 times in a row, shaking my head trying to get how it made me feel. It may not be for everyone, but I had to share it. The video is crazy as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESOjt2_yJrU

I'm sure at some point I will put those memories into words, but like I said, I don't share much about that time. It was difficult just to write that, but like I said, for some reason it seemed to hit me so I did. Over 50 active combat patrols during that time. Fighting from the Hindu Kush mountains east of Kabul to the Registan Desert in Helmand and Kandahar provinces and beyond. Temps above 140 with full combat load. That's quite the challenge in an armored vehicle with no AC and you can't open windows. Not that you would want to. Back when I was prepared to put my thoughts of being 10 ft tall and bulletproof to the test. Now I'm older, pudgy and work at a desk in my basement !!! The thoughts I put to the test now are, "Does the grass need cut", "Do I really need another bottle of Bourbon", "Should I get out and walk today", "I might call in sick just because", "Should I road trip to see the Bengals this year", "Why can't the water and weather in Cincinnati resemble the Bahamas" and things of that nature... Somehow I still miss the Army. Odd...

That's really sad to hear. 35 is so young. I hope his family is ok.

Agreed, the less drama the better. It would be nice at this point to have something additional, like extensions, to discuss. I suppose those will come in time however.

Man, I took a week out for a family vacation and come back to about 4 posts. That's how you know what time of the football year it is !!

Cool to see Votto wearing the Viking cape and helmet. Good for the Reds. I would love to know what the stupid owner thinks of all this…

Every last one of the call ups have made an immediate impact. Not sure anyone saw that coming. Fun though !!

Yeah there are so many different ways and ideas for getting engaged with the fans, while simultaneously doing charity work. I’d like to see them do more of that type of stuff.

Love the reports !! There are some really interesting additions to the roster this year !!

Thanks Stripes !! I wasn't aware he was doing that tour. Good stuff.

Thanks again Mem !!

I love seeing all of this. Jonah, Chido, Collins and all the rest of the them getting after it. Cannot wait for this season to get here.

Trade request rebuffed and now Jonah is 100% all on board ?? Never saw that coming.

I have a group of friends from grade school that have kept up with each other through the years and we met up last night. Turns out an old high school friend in our class is the father of Notre Dame TE, Michael Mayer. Really cool and was happy for him. Super proud dad !!

I want nothing to do with him. That shoulder has been more than chronic at this point and those things don’t get better. Procedures for arthritis debridement, which is god awful painful, and multiple labral tears, along with a shoulder that has separated multiple times in a season is a huge red flag. I’m guessing that’s why no team wanted a piece of him in having to both give up picks and take on his contract.

Miami has been the talk even before his release, but I don’t really care. That dude’s shoulder is a ticking time bomb. It’s a shame really because I think he’s still very capable.

I know there will be a learning curve and some bumps, but I'm excited about the new guys at the same time.

So by "New look D" is LouA meaning new scheme or the fact he has new players? Maybe the new players allow him to scheme differently? Just interesting as I think the world of LouA.

Regarding the above snippet of the column, which was great, and thanks to Mem, there were a couple of things. 1. I am left curious as to what Munoz's feedback to the question was and what he may have shared with Brown. 2. Typically I really hate when sports people make comparisons between playing a game and being in war, however, the "Sometimes you're only as strong as the man next to you" comment hit home for me. I was the "Doc" on our team in Afghanistan and there was another dude from the team that whenever I went out to treat a casualty in a gun fight, he went with me. When I was treating, he was shooting. Sometimes we both were shooting and the treating had to wait. Either way, that dude had my back all day, every day, with our lives in his hands. I had 100% faith he wouldn't let me take a hit when I was patching up a dude during a fight and he did not let me down. I left country in 2008 and all of us went our separate ways. Of the 15 guys, I had never seen or spoken to any of them. Then, two months ago, while on a trip to DC for work, the two of us just happened to be staying in the same hotel. We saw each other and just hugged each other like we were brothers that hadn't seen each other in 15 years. I didn't need to say thank you, he didn't need to say you're welcome. We knew it, felt it, and continue to live it. We linked up that evening and drank until the sun came up. We again both went our separate ways and if I see my brother ever again, it will be a joyous day. I LOVE those relationships more than any other in my life. My brothers... I don't usually share much about that time, but for some reason it seemed to hit. I'm literally in tears thinking about it now. Hope you all have a great day. Thanks again for sharing Mem, that took me to a good spot today !!

I could totally see a referee placing a huge bet on a game they are calling and then purposely blowing calls or throwing flags. That would not even begin to shock me if it ever happened. Maybe it already has. Place a bet on the over/under of the game score and toss ticky tack flags to impede or help the teams.

To address this part specifically, I'm the guy going ALL IN on using whatever information I am able to gather in making bets. That being said, I'm not really much of a gambler, but in this given instance I would be. It's my last year? What penalty are they going to impose? Tyrod Taylor, Nick Foles, Case Keenum, Colt McCoy, Chase Daniel, Brian Hoyer and I am sure there are more. These guys have made millions upon millions of dollars and maybe that's why they wouldn't, but there's nothing to stop them. It's not like the NFL is going to keep them out of the Back Up Hall of Fame or some shit. While I personally think the NFL made a mistake getting into the betting business, as I think it has great potential to influence outcomes, I don't really care if players make simple bets. So what if Burrow places a prop bet that the Commanders kicker goes over 6 points in this coming Sunday's game, for example. No issue with something like that. Now if Burrow places a bet that the Bengals lose this coming Sunday's game, there's great issue there. Since the NFL is obviously not able to monitor individual betting habits, they should go zero tolerance in my opinion. Where the betting takes place, at home vs. on team property is stupid to me. What difference does location when placing a bet make? Want a bigger issue than the players making bets? What about referees? Pandora's box. Then again, I could be wrong about all of that. I think it was a mistake for the NFL though.

There’s someone I’m really looking forward to watching play this year.

Love Boyd and hope he makes a ton. That being said, it’s hard to say what he looks like without teams having to cover both Chase and Higgins on the outside. Hard to say what he looks like on a team that doesn’t have two elite talents that will get doubled or RB’s capable of catching passes out of the backfield. Or even a QB that is at least average. As much as I love TB, I’m not giving up Higgins on his 2nd deal to keep TB on his 3rd. Not a chance in hell.

I don't think "Causing rule changes" is a deciding factor in every players consideration and addition to the ROH. I just think it should have been and was a deciding factor when Curtis was considered and added.

Fulcher was just that guy that no offensive players wanted to see on defense. He instilled fear in the opposing players. If he was on the field and you got the ball, he was coming for you.