My Man Marvin

[lando griffin]

I hate to start topics based on Bengals.com articles because I'm sure we've all seen them, but the stories today really made me more optimistic. Marvin's extension is always great, and then his interview with Hobs definitely calmed me down a bit. What did you guys think?

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5087

[AMC]

I hate to start topics based on Bengals.com articles because I'm sure we've all seen them, but the stories today really made me more optimistic. Marvin's extension is always great, and then his interview with Hobs definitely calmed me down a bit. What did you guys think?

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5087

I liked the content of the answers Marvin gave. Especially the optimism on Carson. And the willingness to let Kitna walk.

But it sounds like the draft is still "best player available" in his mind....not a bad deal though

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Wow. Ok, this interview has changed my mind on a few things.

First of all, can I get out of my bet of buying a jersey if a tight end is picked on day 1? Lewis convinced me he plans to pull the trigger on one on day 1 with this interview. Pope might be his pick and he's trying to hide it.

Secondly, he didn't seem to be ready to give up on Henry's talent just because he has the emotional maturity of a two year old who wants a cookie RIGHT FREAKING NOW.

I have to wonder if we will see a 3-4 defense or something totally new out there.

In other words, DAMN YOU MARVIN! Why can't you be straightforward, ever?

[AMC]

Wow. Ok, this interview has changed my mind on a few things.

First of all, can I get out of my bet of buying a jersey if a tight end is picked on day 1? Lewis convinced me he plans to pull the trigger on one on day 1 with this interview. Pope might be his pick and he's trying to hide it.

Secondly, he didn't seem to be ready to give up on Henry's talent just because he has the emotional maturity of a two year old who wants a cookie RIGHT FREAKING NOW.

I have to wonder if we will see a 3-4 defense or something totally new out there.

In other words, DAMN YOU MARVIN! Why can't you be straightforward, ever?

TNBT, all of those points are right on...and I think Pope would be an awesome pick....Lord knows he killed my Vols in the SEC every dang year (not too hard!).

I think the idea of more 3-4 sets is in the works....I thought that as soon as they drafted Pollack...

Yeah and Marvin is bound up by the NFLPA on Henry. He can't do anything with him now....

And on your last remark...I bet you Marvin kicks a$$ in poker....

[Stripes]

Agreed on all counts TNBT. I am pretty much indifferent what we do with TE on day one, but in regards to Henry... I can only hope he stays put. He doesn't deserve it, but he's too friggin good to lose.

[BengalChamps]

I loved this part of what Marvin had to say:

He talked about it over lunch with Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson (apparently the chief imploder) during Super Bowl week in Detroit and thinks his team is ready to mature.

“Greed is sometimes good. But that success has to be based on the team success,” Lewis said. “We’ve had guys now with individual success. It’s time to move forward into a team concept and understand. That’s the first step. Achieve certain levels of play. You do it by being more successful and getting more attention. Then you have to let it go, and look around to a guy and say, ‘It’s more to him to be a world champion than go to the Pro Bowl, or achieve this, or beat his chest for that,' and we’ll make those steps.”

I'm starting to have doubts about this team's mental health and teamwork with CJ always worrying about himself. Is he more concerned with winning the SB or about his ProBowls and his NFL Live interviews.

He better figure out that he is NOT more important than the team. Winning is more important than "entertaining". Winning is more important than TD celebrations.

I see CJ's attitude as one of Marvin's biggest challeges.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I loved this part of what Marvin had to say:

He talked about it over lunch with Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Johnson (apparently the chief imploder) during Super Bowl week in Detroit and thinks his team is ready to mature.

“Greed is sometimes good. But that success has to be based on the team success,” Lewis said. “We’ve had guys now with individual success. It’s time to move forward into a team concept and understand. That’s the first step. Achieve certain levels of play. You do it by being more successful and getting more attention. Then you have to let it go, and look around to a guy and say, ‘It’s more to him to be a world champion than go to the Pro Bowl, or achieve this, or beat his chest for that,' and we’ll make those steps.”

I'm starting to have doubts about this team's mental health and teamwork with CJ always worrying about himself. Is he more concerned with winning the SB or about his ProBowls and his NFL Live interviews.

He better figure out that he is NOT more important than the team. Winning is more important than "entertaining". Winning is more important than TD celebrations.

I see CJ's attitude as one of Marvin's biggest challeges.

Hey, asshat! CJ's attitude is all about winning. We win when he gets the ball and does dances. What part of that don't you get? If Rudi said he needed more carries, would it be about him? Or about the fact that when he has more runs we win more games?

CJ is all about putting the Cincinnati Bengals on the map. Until he got here, the ONLY thing to talk about the Bengals was how bad they were. Now they talk about his great attitude, how much fun he has playing the game, his latest comments that amuse the opponent while talking a little smack, and his celebrations and skill. He has been a big part of the success of this team. Marvin is the other side of the coin. While CJ is the flash, Marvin is the substance of winning. Marvin is quiet and calm, CJ is bright and shiny. Together, along with Carson's calm California cool, they are great for advertising this team.

[kingwilly]

First of all, can I get out of my bet of buying a jersey if a tight end is picked on day 1? Lewis convinced me he plans to pull the trigger on one on day 1 with this interview. Pope might be his pick and he's trying to hide it.

In a word...No.

[kingwilly]

A deep crop of pass-catching tight ends has caught Lewis’s eye. But even with pass catcher Matt Schobel heading into free agency, Lewis insists it’s not a major need for this offense.

“Not as important as it is with most people because I don’t think we can split the ball any more ways,” Lewis said. “I don’t think there’s a team that has a tight end that catches 50, 60 balls that has two receivers go for 1,000 plus yards and a running back that runs for more than 1,500 yards. I’m still waiting for someone to point that out to me.

This was interesting to me, in that when I looked at Indy's stats, it is just about exactly what he/BRAT needs to see...

Edge - 1506 yrd rushing

Harrison - 82 -1055

Wayne - 83 1146

TE's (Clark/Fletcher) - 55 (37/18) - 690 (488/202) for 7 TD's (4/3)

Granted, we use have Perry and had Henry kick in....

I think we do ourselves a disservice by not tkaing one of the top TE's in this draft...It's not that I want a mirror of the Indy offense, but that a more skilled TE than the ones who are leaving will give this team ANOTHER viable weapon and make this O undefendable.

[HairOnFire]

As he heads to the combine, Lewis didn’t say that improving the league’s No. 28 defense is a priority but he did say there are some players on that side of the ball that fit. He also wouldn’t say how much room the Bengals have to move in free agency, but did admit they are tight enough under the salary cap that a big ticket item such as Jets defensive John Abraham would come at a high cost.

“Unless you released some of our starting players (could we) sign a guy of that caliber,” Lewis said.

I liked the fact that Lewis didn't completely shoot down the idea of signing John Abraham. In addition, we haven't yet had a thread discussing what to do with Tory James where I wasn't in favor of cutting him based solely on my feelings about his declining play. Last, I can't help thinking that cutting James gives the Bengals an additional 2.8 million in cap space.

I say, do it.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

As he heads to the combine, Lewis didn’t say that improving the league’s No. 28 defense is a priority but he did say there are some players on that side of the ball that fit. He also wouldn’t say how much room the Bengals have to move in free agency, but did admit they are tight enough under the salary cap that a big ticket item such as Jets defensive John Abraham would come at a high cost.

“Unless you released some of our starting players (could we) sign a guy of that caliber,” Lewis said.

I liked the fact that Lewis didn't completely shoot down the idea of signing John Abraham. In addition, we haven't yet had a thread discussing what to do with Tory James where I wasn't in favor of cutting him based solely on my feelings about his declining play. Last, I can't help thinking that cutting James gives the Bengals an additional 2.8 million in cap space.

I say, do it.

I say, get a life. Tory James is worth his pay. He just can't be as effective when people are throwing to the other side more and when he has a complete scrub like OhellIletyoubyme providing help from the safety position.

[HairOnFire]

I say, get a life. Tory James is worth his pay. He just can't be as effective when people are throwing to the other side more and when he has a complete scrub like OhellIletyoubyme providing help from the safety position.

I say, get a clue. Tory James doesn't deserve half of what he's scheduled to make in the last year of his contract, and that fact won't change regardless of how many empty excuses you make for his declining play.

BTW, Just so we're clear on this one, I'd cut him even if the Bengals have no interest in John Abraham.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I say, get a life. Tory James is worth his pay. He just can't be as effective when people are throwing to the other side more and when he has a complete scrub like OhellIletyoubyme providing help from the safety position.

I say, get a clue. Tory James doesn't deserve half of what he's scheduled to make in the last year of his contract, and that fact won't change regardless of how many empty excuses you make for his declining play.

BTW, Just so we're clear on this one, I'd cut him even if the Bengals have no interest in John Abraham.

Well, if being one year out of a pro-bowl doesn't mean anything, you'd probably cut your husband for a cheap mexican whore in Thailand.

[TJJackson]

The part that hit me like a freight train was the following

Lewis says the Bengals will have another veteran quarterback whether it’s Jon Kitna or not in less than a month with free agency set to start March 3. He indicated the club would like to re-sign Kitna but that it won’t wait for him.

“He thinks he’ll test free agency and that’s all fine,” Lewis said. “By the end of the first week, it seems like we’ll have a quarterback signed, whether it’s Jon or somebody else.”

BY THE END OF THE FIRST WEEK ! ! !

The fact that Marvin is certain enough of this to make this statement tells me there may have been some "under the table" contacts made. Since the club would not want to be hit with a tampering fine, I'd then guess there's a QB who contacted **us** informally and informed us he wants to play here, and would do so for a reasonable salary plus incentives (ergo fitting our needs as well)

The player who best fits this profile? Josh McCown of Arizona, who would love to play for a winner behind a solid OL with good receivers and have a chance to start (in this case, likely only for the early part of the season). If he were able to play with our offense, no doubt he'd earn a big bonus 1-2 years down the line the next time he came up for FA, and also earn some respect as a decent QB at the same time.

[HairOnFire]

Well, if being one year out of a pro-bowl doesn't mean anything, you'd probably cut your husband for a cheap mexican whore in Thailand.

So I guess that means you'll keep sleeping with your husband, right? Well whatever you two crazy kids do behind closed doors is no business of mine.

What really matters is that you're talking about a player who rather obviously can no longer play at a Pro Bowl level, or perhaps at a level that justifies his current rate of pay. Also of interest is the salary cap space that could be created by cutting James, but I guess you just can't bring yourself to discuss such things when it's so easy to talk about your husband, how a mexican whore now finds herself in Thailand, what it might be like to play in traffic, or whatever completely stupid response you can think of that avoids the topic being discussed.

Then again, if you did bother discussing the issue itself you'd probably just make an excuse for James's play, and his paycheck, by mentioning how he wasn't adequately propped up by the 3rd string SS.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Cornerbacks get burnt when they are playing zone coverage and the safeties don't do their job. It's that freaking simple. There's no excuse here, just facts. Too bad you're too busy being ignorant to see that.

[HairOnFire]

Cornerbacks get burnt when they are playing zone coverage and the safeties don't do their job. It's that freaking simple. There's no excuse here, just facts. Too bad you're too busy being ignorant to see that.

I think you've got nothing but empty excuses and stupid insults. And just for the record the insults don't bother me a bit, but the excuse making does. So do me a favor and try making the case that Tory James is still capable of playing at a Pro Bowl level or stop mentioning it. Try to get your simple mind around his current level of play and the idea that the Bengals gave up more than 30 points a game the 2nd half of the season, mostly through the air. Remind yourself that James was victimized just as much as the safties you have no further use for. And when you're tempted to trot out another excuse about poor safety play, slow down for a minute and try to explain why the Bengals should pay nearly 4 million bucks for a CB that can no longer compete in man-to-man coverage, and has to be constantly propped up in a soft zone.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

“I don’t think there’s a team that has a tight end that catches 50, 60 balls that has two receivers go for 1,000 plus yards and a running back that runs for more than 1,500 yards. I’m still waiting for someone to point that out to me.

This was interesting to me, in that when I looked at Indy's stats, it is just about exactly what he/BRAT needs to see...

Edge - 1506 yrd rushing

Harrison - 82 -1055

Wayne - 83 1146

TE's (Clark/Fletcher) - 55 (37/18) - 690 (488/202) for 7 TD's (4/3)

Marvin = Powned!

I think Marv's statement was a back-handed/safe way of saying they simply don't use the TE often enough to warrant skimping in other areas or spending a high pick etc.., on one. Maybe not and he really believes what he's saying literally. I don't know.

I simply don't like a two dimensional offense, where a QB is not given, literally without Perry in there, a safe outlet more often over the middle, in the flat or out of the backfield.

That said, not worried about the offense long term other than the 0-line, too much to fix on defense.

[kingwilly]

...agreed about the defense. We did not lose games because we could not score...we lost them becasue we could not prevent scores.

[ArmyBengal]

I'm not worried about what anyone, Marvin included, may have to say about what they may or may not do. They are not going to tip their hand as to the direction of the draft. Team needs speak for themselves, but there is no need to remove all questions about it.

WHODEY !!!

[bengalboomer7]

I feel dirty just for saying this. I agree with Hair on Fire.

Tory James is done as a starter at cornerback. I really don't see why Marvin doesn't get a couple of extra years out of him making him our FS and moving Madieu to SS.

Oh, and since I have to insult someone to be included in the argument, you're both asshats

[BengalChamps]

Hey, asshat! CJ's attitude is all about winning. We win when he gets the ball and does dances. What part of that don't you get? If Rudi said he needed more carries, would it be about him? Or about the fact that when he has more runs we win more games?

CJ is all about putting the Cincinnati Bengals on the map. Until he got here, the ONLY thing to talk about the Bengals was how bad they were. Now they talk about his great attitude, how much fun he has playing the game, his latest comments that amuse the opponent while talking a little smack, and his celebrations and skill. He has been a big part of the success of this team. Marvin is the other side of the coin. While CJ is the flash, Marvin is the substance of winning. Marvin is quiet and calm, CJ is bright and shiny. Together, along with Carson's calm California cool, they are great for advertising this team.

Nice putdown. Anyway, when CJ explodes during halftime of a playoff game that we are winning, because he's not getting the ball enough, something is wrong. We lost that game because we threw too much, not too little.

Maybe we threw the ball so much because the coaches were trying to keep CJ happy. If thats the case, then ML DOES have a problem that has to be dealt with.