Marvin Lewis' ego could be getting in the way of a terrific coachi

[ShulaSteakhouse]

10. Marvin Lewis' ego could be getting in the way of a terrific coaching career.

I've seen what's happening in Cincinnati happen before. A fantastic, grounded football coach is allowing his ego to run wild, and he's convinced himself that he can coach anybody, as long as the players are talented and sober on game day.

Lewis reminds me of Marty Schottenheimer during Marty's final two years in Kansas City. Desperate to win a Super Bowl and smothered by the belief he was the best coach in football, Schottenheimer turned the Chiefs' locker room into a halfway house for ex-cons, and the team absolutely imploded in 1998, earning the nickname "Bone, Thugs and Marty."

Lewis keeps preaching that "character counts," but the Cincinnati Trail Blazers are turning into a team filled with bad characters. Lewis is rationalizing everything, including Chad Johnson's playoff meltdown, the acquisition of three low-character rookies, Frostee Rucker, A.J. Nicholson and Ahmad Brooks, and troubled veterans Chris Henry and Odell Thurman.

Talk about a horrible offseason. Lewis has gone from being the toast of the NFL to being toasted on every talk show across the country. I like Lewis. And I used to really like Schottenheimer.

But Lewis' coddling of Johnson is the key indicator that the Cincinnati situation is going to get out of control this season. I see the Bengals headed back to the toilet this year and Lewis learning a very tough lesson. Bad characters count against you.

The Bengals win six games this year.

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While I think that's a little overboard, I'm glad he mentioned his coddling of Chad and the Marvin ego - two things that really bug me.

[Stripes]

Whitlock doesn't believe that garbage himself. He is very predictable with his exaggerated "I have an opinion and any others are wrong" approach to writing his articles. Lame journalism.

[ArmyBengal]

And they have spent how much time around Lewis and the Bengals organization ?? Coddling of Chad ?? Fine, I'll take that hit and move on. This is yet another person laying full responsibility on Marvin Lewis and not realizing the organization as a whole, shoulders this "character" burden. If that is what a person would like to call it... Someone needs to forward a copy of Hobson's article from yesterday to him. 6 games ?? Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion...

WHODEY !!!

[JPW316]

Whitlock has made about three good predictions in the last ten years...and he has never had anything good to say about the Bengals, with the exception of usually backing Marvin Lewis and Carson Palmer. But now you can add these remarks to what Whitlock has said in the past about Chad, Mike Brown, and the team he claimed last year couldn't beat anyone of consequence...before they of course won the division.

[HairOnFire]

While I think that's a little overboard....

It doesn't matter if it's a little or alot, whenever you go overboard you do so knowing that you're going to make a splash. In this case it's deliberately sensationalized garbage.

Bones Thugs and Marty...Cincy Trailblazers...and 6-10. Meanwhile, Ben Roethlisberger drives his meaty mug into a Mopar and the media spins it into a character building exercise.

Papers!!!! Get your papers!!!! Man bites dog. Incredible baby cries rocks instead of tears. Elvis spotted selling shoes in Jersey. Imaginary crime wave strikes the River City. Local football team held captive. Get your papers, right here.

[BengalByTheBay]

Hey, 6 and 10, I'll give him credit for making a prediction. In light of the apparently difficult schedule, perhaps the prediction isn't really based on "character" but on the fact that we play more difficult teams this year. Nonetheless, 6 & 10....okay. I am reminded of the many articles last season about how Cincy was living on borrowed time because the turnovers on d couldn't continue, they couldn't make the playoffs, yada, yada, yada. Whitlock's track record speaks for itself. I wouldn't bet any money based on his predictions if I were you.

[bengalboomer7]

Homers

I don't agree with the record and he is obviously imbelishing, but his argument has plenty of merit.

First off, Chad, Carson, whoever, you don't treat the players that differently. How can you really be a team when the rules are different for different players. That, to me, breeds dissention, bitterness, and retaliation (kinda like a player finking on a guy for a locker room incident)

I, for one, am a tad worried

[ArmyBengal]

I, for one, am a tad worried

People would not be looked at funny for being a little worried, as I think everyone is (to one extent or another), but it's when they go completely haywire and start thinking we will finish last in the Division that it becomes a problem. There are good shrinks that can help people that think everything is going wrong all the time...

WHODEY !!!

[Stripes]

Whitlock is worried Marvin's ego could be his undoing?

Well count me as one that counts that as stupid. Marvin has gotten where he is because he is an arrogant prick, and I hope he keeps on truckin'. He's done everything his own way so far, and that has gotten our Bengals a division championship and a legitimate chance to play in a Superbowl in the near future.

No amount of crappy journalism from Whitlock or Florio or even Chicken Little (Just borrowing it once, Hair) posts on Bengals message boards or anything else similar is going to change his approach, EVER. If he listened to any of this B/S, he would be impressionable and WEAK.

Calm down, TDB. Take a deep breath... Ahhhhhhh.........

[ArmyBengal]

I'm sick of these kinds of write ups and talk, so I'll share some words of wisdom to lighten the mood...

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer."

WHODEY !!!

[HairOnFire]

I don't agree with the record and he is obviously imbelishing, but his argument has plenty of merit.

There's no need to embelish if your argument is strong enough. His isn't. And quite frankly, most of these overly critical character rants aren't strong enough. It's because of the weakness of the argument, and the need to embelish, that you get the guy from PFT endlessly mentioning a 4th string FB that none of us can name, the CBS guy arguing the Bengals are deliberately and knowingly doing something that they're also too cheap to find out, and John Clayton comparing the Bengals habit of burning 3rd and 5th round draft choices to the Portland Trailblazers habit of using lottery picks on thugs.

Oh, and let's not forget the final nail in the coffin. Peko peed.

[Kirkendall]

OK lets see. Whitlock routinely drops the racism card, no matter the deal, and he comments on "character"? Muhahahahahahahaha....

[HairOnFire]

Kirk, I'm loving the new avatar. (Your old one made me want to yell at my computer.)

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I don't agree with the record and he is obviously imbelishing, but his argument has plenty of merit.

There's no need to embelish if your argument is strong enough. His isn't. And quite frankly, most of these overly critical character rants aren't strong enough. It's because of the weakness of the argument, and the need to embelish, that you get the guy from PFT endlessly mentioning a 4th string FB that none of us can name, the CBS guy arguing the Bengals are deliberately and knowingly doing something that they're also too cheap to find out, and John Clayton comparing the Bengals habit of burning 3rd and 5th round draft choices to the Portland Trailblazers habit of using lottery picks on thugs.

Oh, and let's not forget the final nail in the coffin. Peko peed.

What's not strong enough about not having your 2nd and 3rd round pick for at least half of this upcoming season due to character problems? (possibly for good)

Um, that's a real problem ostriches. And I don't think we should let Marvin get away with anything he wants to at this point - ecspecially with his arrogant, holier than thou attitude he has towards the fans and media.

Maybe there was a reason no one would bring him in as a HC for all those years?

Without Carson Marvin ain't squat - just watch.

[rhaines]

Here is my email to Whitlock:

Whitlesslock-

Your consistant bashing of the Cincinnati (both the city and our football team) is quite amusing. I am sure you realize, that basically, everything you said about Cincy last year turned out to be dead wrong. You need to give up the prediction business. Your banal sports commentary has proven to be utterly worthless. You have neither the mental acumen nor the writing skills necessary to ever be considered a respected journalist. When Cincinnati wins 10 games this year, will you just come out and admit that you have simply been faking your way through your job? You are nothing more than a glorified message board blogger. You must have a hefty set of knee pads to have retained your position for as long as you have. Did your daddy get you your job? Because I can't figure out how you did it? I guess it pays to "know people." I wish people would stop posting your worthles articles on my news message board because that is the only time I am forced to read them. Just give up the Cincy bashing because your "grudge" is both obvious and pathetic.

[BengalByTheBay]

What's not strong enough about not having your 2nd and 3rd round pick for at least half of this upcoming season due to character problems? (possibly for good)

Um, that's a real problem ostriches. And I don't think we should let Marvin get away with anything he wants to at this point - ecspecially with his arrogant, holier than thou attitude he has towards the fans and media.

Maybe there was a reason no one would bring him in as a HC for all those years?

Without Carson Marvin ain't squat - just watch.

Odell's suspension has been extended to at least half of the season? Where have I been -- I didn't hear that.

Henry (although I can't believe it won't happen) hasn't been suspended at all yet -- are you assuming it'll be at least half a year because I think that's ridiculous.

You clearly have an issue with Lewis in terms of him being close-mouthed and misleading to the media. I don't -- I couldn't care less if a coach or player is a nice guy to the media. I care whether they are good at their job...which leads us to....

You think Marvin is a bad coach? Why? If your rationale is "that is why nobody hired him as a HC" I think that's totally bogus. Somebody hired Denny Green as a HC -- does that mean the Cardinals are brilliant or that they don't really know what the hell they're doing. Brian Billick has been a HC since before Marvin left Baltimore -- is that because he's a good coach? Yeah, NFL teams really have themselves together and always hire the right coaches right? Tell that to SF, Det., Minn., NO. I mean come on.....pretty much everybody in the universe thought Lewis should've been hired as a HC long before he was. Either you are completely hysterically overreacting to what has happened in the last 6 months or you always hated Marvin Lewis as a coach. Since I don't remember seeing anything to support the latter, I'll have to assume it's just more of the former.

[HairOnFire]

Wow, Shula is melting down. Somebody better open a window in the Steakhouse kitchen.

Marvin is nothing without Palmer? Didn't he manage an 8-8 record with freakin' Kitna?

And just watch exactly what? Is Marvin going to be exposed as unqualified to be a NFL head coach?

Sheesh, and to think that some of you wonder why I tossed out the Chicken Little tag.

[BengalChamps]

But Lewis' coddling of Johnson is the key indicator that the Cincinnati situation is going to get out of control this season.

This is the part that worries me the most. Will CJ be a team player or will he have a me first mentality? He is the player most capable of blowing up the locker room.

[HairOnFire]

How timely is this?

Jason Whitlock was one of the guest hosts of PTI today. Here's how he came out swinging.

First feature? Sucking up to Tiger Woods.

Second feature? Defending Barry Bonds? Whitlock referred to prosecuters as persecutors, and labeled the investigation a witch hunt partially driven by race and the media's need to create villains and storylines that will sell newspapers. Whitlock ended by stating that the media should get off of Bonds back, and the investigation dropped, simply because Bonds wasn't the only bad guy in sports.

Third feature? Defended Bill Belichick's privacy in the face of rumors that he engaged in an adulterous affair with a co-worker and mother of two that ended her marriage. Whitlock repeated the charge that the story was driven by the medias need to sell papers, and went so far as to claim that whatever a sporting figure does away from the game should be off limits unless it impacts the team. He also derided the habit of papers writing about accusations as if they were true...especially when they were aware of how often the acusations were later proven to be false.

Fourth feature? Dismissed, but didn't support, Reggie Bush's threat to hold out for more money despite previously promising the Saints that he wouldn't.

Fifth feature? Expressed shock and sadness upon hearing the news that Detroit Lion WR Mike Williams had been fined more than 400k last year due to being out of shape and late for so many team meetings and practices. Said Whitlock..."I can't believe this about Mike Williams. He had such a great reputation."

Just for the record, Williams had a well known reputation for being a bit of a "turd" while at USC, and Whitlock should have known as much. After all, character is important to him, right?

[Kirkendall]

Marvin is nothing without Palmer? Didn't he manage an 8-8 record with freakin' Kitna?

You're half correct Hair.

He also went 2-1 in 2004 when Carson went down against NE.

So in games that Kitna started as a Bengal, he compiled a 10-9 record. Not only is that above "nothing", but it's a winning record starting.

[Dan2330]

I just love it when these so called 'experts' put their necks out on the line and make predictions even before training camp has started. One of my favorities is that ass clown Hammerin Hank on ESPN that is suppose to be the next 'Jimmy The Greek' and Mr. Vegas. Hammerin Hank's predictions on football games last year was awful. I think a monkey throwing darts could pick winners better than half these so called 'experts'

[ArmyBengal]

Please go back and reread Hobson's article from yesterday, as some have already forgotten the message it contained. Just out of curiosity, how many of you know Marvin Lewis personally and gain this information about him being holier than thou outside of the ramblings of some idiot journalist trying to sell papers ??

WHODEY !!!

[Stripes]

I don't get my opinion of Marvin Lewis from anyone.

I see it in a pretty black and white manner.

Coslet/Shula/LeBeau = 12 years of diarrhea.

Lewis = Division champs, and looking to move up.

Do I think he's capable of error? Certainly. Do I think fans of his team should quit running around like chickens with their heads cut off because of recent garbage? More certainly.

Not directed at you, Army. You're the middle man!

[kingwilly]

6 wins... 6 wins....

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[Kazkal]

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