Mikey Speaks

[Stripes]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2519895

CINCINNATI -- Bengals owner Mike Brown defended the team's decision to take another player with a troubled background in the NFL's supplemental draft, a move that has raised questions about the team's standards.

The Bengals chose linebacker Ahmad Brooks in the supplemental draft Thursday. Brooks played at Virginia for three seasons, but was later kicked off the team. The university didn't give specifics about the decision.

Second-year receiver Chris Henry and 2006 draft picks Frostee Rucker and A.J. Nicholson have been charged with criminal offenses in recent months. When they drafted them, the Bengals were aware that all three got into trouble during their college careers.

In an unusual move, Brown issued a statement Friday reassuring fans that the team has standards for its players.

"We want our fans to know that we share their concerns regarding the recent off-field conduct of several Bengals players," Brown said. "We expect our players to be good citizens, as most are, and we hold them accountable for their conduct under team and league rules."

Brown defended the decision to take Brooks, noting that there are no pending allegations against him.

"The club's judgment is that any past transgressions were insufficient to deny him an opportunity to prove himself as a responsible NFL player," Brown said.

The Bengals drafted Henry in the third round last year despite his history of run-ins with coaches at West Virginia, where he was ejected, benched and suspended. Henry has been arrested four times since joining the Bengals.

Last month, Henry pleaded not guilty to charges that he provided alcohol to three underage females. He also faces a drunken driving charge in suburban Cincinnati, and is scheduled for trial Aug. 21 in Florida on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon.

Nicholson, a fifth-round pick in April, was charged last month with burglarizing the apartment of a former Florida State teammate. He also faces grand theft and vandalism charges in Florida.

Also last month, Rucker was charged with two counts of spousal battery and vandalism in Los Angeles. The third-round pick has denied the allegations.

Coach Marvin Lewis said before the April draft that he would "red flag" any players who had trouble with their coaches or teammates in college. He has defended the team's subsequent draft picks.

[Vulture]

I really like that picture of the beautiful Brazil fan!!!

[kingwilly]

Per MikeyB:

"The club's judgment is that any past transgressions were insufficient to deny him an opportunity to prove himself as a responsible NFL player," Brown said.

Who is he referring to? Brooks? or all the accused?

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, three times, four, five...call me Mikey.

[ArmyBengal]

Per MikeyB:

"The club's judgment is that any past transgressions were insufficient to deny him an opportunity to prove himself as a responsible NFL player," Brown said.

Who is he referring to? Brooks? or all the accused?

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, three times, four, five...call me Mikey.

I'll give you that one KW, that was pretty funny !!!

WHODEY !!!

[TJJackson]

He is a moron, always has been a moron, and always will be a moron.

He remains deluded that because his daddy is a NFL legend, that somehow that it all passed to him in some kind of genetic inheritance.

He's made exactly one good move: hiring Marvin and letting handle (sans title) many GM-type responsibilities, including being the media-facing head of the team. I say one move rather than two because those "two" things occurred simultaneously. The hiring was specfically into this expanded role - no other coach hired by Mikey Dumb-as-a-rock Brown had been given such power or visibility role.

[Dadraftnick]

When you look at the horrible moves that we have made recently like taking a Pot Head to replace a Pot Head, drafting 3 WR's when you dont even need one, and drafting Americas Most Wanted . I HOPE that Mike Brown is making the calls.

The recent moves have Mike Brown written all over them.

I just dont know which is worse.

Is Brown making all of these calls and ruining Marvins chances of winning?

Is Brown making all the bad draft moves?

If so, how much of this will Marvin take?

If Marvin is making all these bad calls, has he lost it ?

Has he got a problem with Mary Jane? Just Kidding

Is Mike being a prince of a guy and taking the heat off of Marvin by taking some the heat?

I know one thing bad draft moves is how we got into the 15 yr playoff drought with picks like Akili Smith ect

If these guys cant get their stuff straight they need to get a GM

[derekshank]

Over-reactions are funny. There seems to be a lot of melodrama. Are these problems worth talking about? A few of them are... but not to the extent that we have talked about them. Most of these are problems that exist on every single team in the NFL... not just the Bengals.

The Bengals are getting a lot of bad publicity right now... but I'd rather have our problems than have my franchise riding on Vince Young, Pacman Jones and LenDale White. That has disaster written all over it.

The point is... we're not alone. Every team has character issues. Not every team has Chris Henry to draw the microscope to the entire locker-room.