Henry officially suspended 2 games

[ArmyBengal]

I still love Henry as a WR...

WHODEY !!!

[Kazkal]

I still love Henry as a WR...

WHODEY !!!

who doesn't? I know carson does!

[Kazkal]

For those who saying once a thug always a thug and don't think character risks are worth the chance,

I think chad proved that sometimes you gonna take a chance.

Though chad hasen't had any problems sense hes been in the nfl,Henry and thurman just need a grandma like chads.

[membengal]

Or...smart because the NFL may have taken into account that ML already suspended him for two games (one last year and then last week) and only made it two more...

...good to finally have this shoe drop.

I agree 100% with the last line. As for the rest of the post I tend to lean towards agreen's...

"Jesus, H. Now this just makes it even worse that Marv decided to sit him out last week. So stupid."

Marvin's decision to sit Henry played right into the Patriots strategy of taking away the Bengals deep passing attack and forcing them to play patient & mistake-free small ball. The Bengals may have been able to do this if Chatman was up up to speed or if the O-line was operating at normal levels, but with none of those things being true the end result was a neutered Bengal passing attack unable to exploit a fairly weak Patriot secondary in the same manner that the Patriots exploited a suspect Bengal run defense that was already undermanned due to injury.

For those who would counter by claiming that a message had to be sent to Henry, well....we all knew that message was coming soon enough, and one week later here it is. In retrospect, Marvin's gesture wasn't empty, but it also wasn't needed...and the decision to play a very good Patriot team without one of it's best offensive weapons wasn't fair to every other player on the roster.

Making matters worse, the timing of the NFL's suspension would have been seen as absolutely perfect due to the action coming during the bye week. Everyone involved would have had the time to react to the news and by the time the Bengals played Tampa Bay emotions would have cooled, focus would have been regained, and adjustments for Henry's absence could have been better planned for. By comparison, Marvin's decision to deactivate Henry for a critical game smacks of being a gesture being made more to counter fan and media criticism than as a much needed message for Henry.

Rare disagreement, not as to Marvin's gesture, but as to the affect it had on how long Henry's actual suspension was. This was NOT a case (talking to you agreen) where there was a formula that Goodall could consult the CBA and assign a suspension. Henry was suspended for the combo of substance arrests and conduct arrests. Given that, it means that the length of his suspension was pretty much up to Goodall. And, I am guessing, the fact that he had already missed two games internally, may have shortened his next vacation.

And, I do think that at some point ML had to deliver some sort of message to the team in general about the off-field stuff, and if he drew the line now, so be it. I do agree that Henry's absence hurt the team desperately last week, but I pin that on Henry. Well, Henry and the team which has allowed themselves to need to rely on an addictive personality.

Sounds like Henry is on his last chance with ML, regardless, so the other receivers better step the f**k up and get ready to play. This next two weeks is a good dry run. If Henry miraculously keeps his nose clean and rejoins them for Atlanta, and works his way back into the line-up, all the better. But now they can get ready for the real possibility that Henry will be off this team before Halloween...

[bengalboomer7]

Every decision you make or action you take has a consequence. Go to jail for DUI, tell your work, and see if they reward you with two days off. Point a gun at a group of people IN FRONT OF A COP and see what kind of plea deal you get.

I love football, and as a WR Chris Henry, but I'm not about to compromise my values and what I think is right to win a football game

[cincy9275]

i think henrey is a very talented wideout , but he is too immature and ignorant to realize his potential . maybe just maybe the 20 grand he is losing will finally make him realize hay i need to stop this crap and get my act together , but then again maybe not .

[Kazkal]

More then 20 grand since its also 3 games checks no?

[Tasher]

TJ said on nfl network that marvin said durring practice any more mess ups your done,he doesn't care who you are inless your name is carson that you get in trouble and your done,.

Video clip of TJ is up on NFL.com on the right hand side if anyone wants to check it out...

[cincy9275]

More then 20 grand since its also 3 games checks no?

true i had forgotten about that .

[BengalszoneBilly]

We just got beat. Move on.

I wish I could Sky, but it's the stinkin' bye week! I hate the bye week.

Hmmm...Nascar at Taladega. All is not lost for tomarrow!

[ChadJohnson-85]

We just got beat. Move on.

I wish I could Sky, but it's the stinkin' bye week! I hate the bye week.

Hmmm...Nascar at Taladega. All is not lost for tomarrow!

The bye week aint that bad.... You still get to watch stealers lose to the Chargers.

[Kazkal]

Ya still reminds me of preseason though

[derekshank]

Marvin's decision to deactivate Henry for a critical game smacks of being a gesture being made more to counter fan and media criticism than as a much needed message for Henry.

Perhaps... I'm fine with it either way. If it was to send Henry and the rest of the team a message... good. Odell cleaned out his locker, Henry sat on the sidelines. That's a pretty strong message, and I like it.

If it was a PR move, at least it's proof that Marvin gives a damn what we think. I don't want Marvin to coach in such a way as to avoid boos from the crowd, or to always be concerned with his approval rating... but I do think it is good in this case to show us that he's not an enabler here. And hey... even if it was primarily a PR move, it still sends a message. Marvin is willing to sit you on the bench if you make a fool of him and this team.

[HoosierCat]

Marvin's decision to deactivate Henry for a critical game smacks of being a gesture being made more to counter fan and media criticism than as a much needed message for Henry.

Perhaps... I'm fine with it either way.

Once upon a time, I seem to remember the phrase "rock stupid" being used in conjunction with a post of mine . Well, in honor of the poetry of that phrase, I would like to humbly suggest that the idea that Marvin benched Henry to ward off that (insert SCTV Joe Flahtery "oohhhh scary" sound here) fan and media criticism is...well...rock stupid.

As for the whole benching-Henry-cost-us-the-game scenario, all I can say is that I wasn't aware that Henry played defense...

[derekshank]

Marvin's decision to deactivate Henry for a critical game smacks of being a gesture being made more to counter fan and media criticism than as a much needed message for Henry.

Perhaps... I'm fine with it either way.

Once upon a time, I seem to remember the phrase "rock stupid" being used in conjunction with a post of mine . Well, in honor of the poetry of that phrase, I would like to humbly suggest that the idea that Marvin benched Henry to ward off that (insert SCTV Joe Flahtery "oohhhh scary" sound here) fan and media criticism is...well...rock stupid.

As for the whole benching-Henry-cost-us-the-game scenario, all I can say is that I wasn't aware that Henry played defense...

I agree with both points... especially the latter. Henry's a freak for sure, but if Chad and Housh couldn't get the job done, I'm doubting WR was really the problem.

[HairOnFire]

Marvin's decision to deactivate Henry for a critical game smacks of being a gesture being made more to counter fan and media criticism than as a much needed message for Henry.

Perhaps... I'm fine with it either way.

Once upon a time, I seem to remember the phrase "rock stupid" being used in conjunction with a post of mine . Well, in honor of the poetry of that phrase, I would like to humbly suggest that the idea that Marvin benched Henry to ward off that (insert SCTV Joe Flahtery "oohhhh scary" sound here) fan and media criticism is...well...rock stupid.

Yeah, I'm sure that Marvin deactivated Henry because of the reasons he claimed. What was that again about Marvin freetting over the possibility that Henry would take his helmet off while on the field or talk too much Housh-styled smack to defenders? (Insert SCTV Bob and Doug "Hey, good one...ya' freaking hoser.")

Here's my take. If the NFL says you can't play a guy you sit him down. Barring that, you don't deactivate one of your most important players who in reality did nothing more than celebrate a team victory with a little too much gusto.

Granted, the law said that the drunken Henry couldn't drink at all, but that's an outside matter best left to outsiders....or to the powers that be who sit in the NFL offices. As for Marvin, he could and should have made the exact same choice he made when he previously ignored the chance to send Chris Henry a timely message when Lewis played Henry against the Chiefs, Browns, and Steelers.

Let's face it, Marvin sent his message to Henry because most of you demanded he do something, and many of you demanded he do so to lessen the hit the Bengals would surely take in the media if Henry wasn't punished in some fashion, meaningful or not.