Big Willie

[combatbengal]

I'm happy for big Willie. We made a horrible mistake and cut him, but he got a starting job on a playoff team. Now he's playing his second playoff game for the season. Go W. Anderson, you deserve it!

[BengalByTheBay]

I'm happy for big Willie. We made a horrible mistake and cut him, but he got a starting job on a playoff team. Now he's playing his second playoff game for the season. Go W. Anderson, you deserve it!

In hindsight, with what happened on our offensive line, I agree it ended up being a mistake. From the perspective at that time and his problems with nagging injuries, it was far from clear that he would be able to finish the season though. In terms of mistakes made by this team, this one is pretty mild.

I've always been a fan of #71 though and hope he gets a ring -- even as a rat.

[rwjcgc]

The Anderson release was very confusing the way it was presented in the media.

It was reported that Anderson was mostly unable to practice and played very sparingly in the preseason when Marvin wanted to see

if he had recovered physically enough to play. The Bengals offered to keep him at a lowered salary, hopefully at some point in the season

he could recover and play. In the meantime he could help train up the other guys and work on rehabbing. Anderson refused the cut in pay

and contemplated retirement. What else should the Bengals have done at that point, pay top dollar for a guy who couldn't play and was apparently washed up due to

injuries? Isn't this where the "I see better than I hear" Marvin quote come from?

Move the clock forward, Anderson signs with the Ravens. Suddenly he is rejuvenated and able to run around the field as the days of old.

He resembles a wild Cape Buffalo, wantonly charging about the line making short work of D-Linemen.

Was Anderson laying low trying to avoid working hard during preseason or did the thought of the loss of $ spur him to get off his butt?

If the media presentation is accurate, Anderson did everything in his power to leave the team by overstating his injuries.

[BengalByTheBay]

Possibly, but he always did jake it in camp and pre-season. He was a wiley old vet after all. Also, he was hurt the season before for substantial periods of time -- coming off microfracture surgery -- which is always a warning sign. He may have played-up the injuries, or the Bengals may have been marginalizing him in practice ala Jeremy Johnson as leverage for a renegotiation of his contract (that they only just worked out what, 2 years ago). Reality is probably a little bit of both. I don't really see willie trying to angle for another team unless he knew for sure that there was interest out there.

[Kazkal]

Even though willie is at end of his career he will still > Stacey the bear andrews...

PS,What 10 year+ vet Olinemen didn't take off minicamp or atleast dog it @ times.

[combatbengal]

Kaqzkal, I'm with you on this one!

[ArmyBengal]

Another thing that had been stated many times was that Willie TOLD the coaches he was ready to go and THEY had him take it easy. They wanted him to take a cut in pay and when he wouldn't, they got rid of him. I honestly think the injury thing was way overstated by the Bengals organization and to say he had ongoing medical problems is a JOKE. He had one year where he had a knee injury. Before that, he had a streak of continued games that was just stupid long. After all the time he gave to this pathetic excuse for a football organization and playing at a pro bowl level, they saw it in their best interest to get rid of him. JOKE...

I'm glad he got out of here for himself. I wish he would have gone somewhere else than Baltimore, but I like the fact that he's getting something he NEVER had here and that's a playoff win and a real shot at a ring. Good for Willie and boo for the Bengals...

[GregCook]

Another thing that had been stated many times was that Willie TOLD the coaches he was ready to go and THEY had him take it easy. They wanted him to take a cut in pay and when he wouldn't, they got rid of him. I honestly think the injury thing was way overstated by the Bengals organization and to say he had ongoing medical problems is a JOKE. He had one year where he had a knee injury. Before that, he had a streak of continued games that was just stupid long. After all the time he gave to this pathetic excuse for a football organization and playing at a pro bowl level, they saw it in their best interest to get rid of him. JOKE...

I'm glad he got out of here for himself. I wish he would have gone somewhere else than Baltimore, but I like the fact that he's getting something he NEVER had here and that's a playoff win and a real shot at a ring. Good for Willie and boo for the Bengals...

Best thing to have happened to Willie. His long career will be capped with the AFC Championship game at worst and a SB if he's lucky. The Bengal Brian Trust lost confidence in him in 2007 so they tagged Stacy. After that, no way they keep them both after training camp, just too much money in one position where only one will start. Although the Ravens didn't have a problem rotating Willie and some other guy at RT. Of course Willie's contract with them was probably much cheaper than the Bengals contract. Anyway Willie is in a much finer place than any Bengal is likely to be for years to come.

[COB]

Another thing that had been stated many times was that Willie TOLD the coaches he was ready to go and THEY had him take it easy. They wanted him to take a cut in pay and when he wouldn't, they got rid of him. I honestly think the injury thing was way overstated by the Bengals organization and to say he had ongoing medical problems is a JOKE. He had one year where he had a knee injury. Before that, he had a streak of continued games that was just stupid long. After all the time he gave to this pathetic excuse for a football organization and playing at a pro bowl level, they saw it in their best interest to get rid of him. JOKE...

I'm glad he got out of here for himself. I wish he would have gone somewhere else than Baltimore, but I like the fact that he's getting something he NEVER had here and that's a playoff win and a real shot at a ring. Good for Willie and boo for the Bengals...

I remember it differently. He missed a ton of playing time last year. Then in camp and preseason this year, couldn't go again. Finally, down to the last preseason game. Management waits to see if Willie can play. Willie says no, I don't have the right shoes, I left them at home in Atlanta or someplace. Based on everything they'd seen, to me it was completely rational to conclude Willie was either done or permanently damaged.

Also, it wasn't a knee injury last year, it was a foot injury.

[UF_Gators_15]

Another thing that had been stated many times was that Willie TOLD the coaches he was ready to go and THEY had him take it easy. They wanted him to take a cut in pay and when he wouldn't, they got rid of him. I honestly think the injury thing was way overstated by the Bengals organization and to say he had ongoing medical problems is a JOKE. He had one year where he had a knee injury. Before that, he had a streak of continued games that was just stupid long. After all the time he gave to this pathetic excuse for a football organization and playing at a pro bowl level, they saw it in their best interest to get rid of him. JOKE...

I'm glad he got out of here for himself. I wish he would have gone somewhere else than Baltimore, but I like the fact that he's getting something he NEVER had here and that's a playoff win and a real shot at a ring. Good for Willie and boo for the Bengals...

I remember it differently. He missed a ton of playing time last year. Then in camp and preseason this year, couldn't go again. Finally, down to the last preseason game. Management waits to see if Willie can play. Willie says no, I don't have the right shoes, I left them at home in Atlanta or someplace. Based on everything they'd seen, to me it was completely rational to conclude Willie was either done or permanently damaged.

Also, it wasn't a knee injury last year, it was a foot injury.

Thanx for all you did for us, but u ain't a Bengal anymore, so f**k u, and f**k u even more for going to the Gayvens, a division rival, and f**k his ring and f**k the Gayvens!

[cincy9275]

good for willie, i hope he gets to play in a superbowl.

[HoosierCat]

I remember it differently. He missed a ton of playing time last year. Then in camp and preseason this year, couldn't go again. Finally, down to the last preseason game. Management waits to see if Willie can play. Willie says no, I don't have the right shoes, I left them at home in Atlanta or someplace. Based on everything they'd seen, to me it was completely rational to conclude Willie was either done or permanently damaged.

Your remembery's a bit off. Yes, Willie missed 9 games in '07, but was working his way back in at the end of the year. He was just about the only "name" vet to show up for OTAs (albeit only the last week or so) in the offseason. He was limited in camp but did indeed play in two of the four preseason games (Jurassic line, anyone?). And he spent plenty of time telling everyone that he wasn't no backup, that he could start, and that he expected to win back his spot from Stacy. I have to side with end on this one: cutting Willie was a purely financial decision by a penny-pinching FO.

[combatbengal]

All these excuses are hear say. Bottom line, we cut him and he's still performing for another organization who just got into the championship game. What ever reason the Bengals cut him; he's played all season and two games in the playoffs. So much for injuries or a lack of motivation. If he gets a ring, I hope he comes back to the Bengal's organization for a quick visit to say hello and to show off his ring.

[ArmyBengal]

Cool foot injury, knee, broken vocal cord, who gives a sh*t. The guy was ready to play and did when put in the game and the Bengals got rid of him when they had no idea what they were going to get out of the line. The decision to get rid of him after making the claim they had to rededicate themselves to running the ball made absolutely no sense whatsoever. If you want to take it a step further, how do you let a guy like Steinbach go, sign Willie to a long term deal, and then just let him go ?? Just another stupid decision from the Bengals front office and YES I'm glad he's getting the chance to do something for himself.

If you want to say f*ck you to someone here, say f*ck you to the Bengals front office !!!

[derekshank]

The decision to get rid of him after making the claim they had to rededicate themselves to running the ball made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

In fairness, the decision to cut Willie was not an attempt to improve the running game. It was an attempt to plan for the future. Whatever you think about Willie, you know he's not going to be around much longer. And with Andrews being something of a hot commodity, they wanted to find out if he was worth keeping around as the RT of the future before someone else made him a big offer. With Willie on the roster, we still wouldn't know anything about Andrews. Now at least we know he can't be counted on as a top tier T (even before the injury) and can move ahead with future planning.

The move wasn't about improving the team for the '08 season. It was about rebuilding the team for the future... and I'll come right out and say it - I don't have a problem with it. It's not as if the Bengals would be where the Ravens are right now if they had kept Willie.

[gregstephens]

The decision to get rid of him after making the claim they had to rededicate themselves to running the ball made absolutely no sense whatsoever.

It's not as if the Bengals would be where the Ravens are right now if they had kept Willie.

Since 'ifistory' is so fun to play, lemme ask you...how do you know?

Let's look at the whatifs. Willie stays. The team chemistry, particularly on the oline, is improved as is probably the QB protection on Willie's side of the ball. That means that Carson doesn't get stuffing beat out of him early in the season, or at least probably not as badly. Also, may have prevented that hit by the Giants on Palmer's arm that effectively ended his season. Willie's presence in the locker room may have settled down Fredo.

All that said, can you say definitively, with the way the Defense played the last half of the season, this Bengals' team would not have squeaked into a wild card slot?

[HoTbOy]

Even if WAnderson would have stayed, I think that maybe we get a couple sacks less and maybe a few more rushing yards, we all know this is a business, as with any employer, sometimes in order to stay with the company during a layoff they may ask you to take a pay cut in order to stay on the job, if you refuse you know you are going to be in the un-employment line...The Bengals were not sure if WAnderson could work and asked him to take a pay cut he refused and we know the rest, with that said, I can't blame the Bengals for what they did if WAnderson could have played during the preseason after coming of an injury in 07' then he should've played in a couple of games at least, so the team would know he was healthy and give him his $...I have no problem either way he was going to be gone sooner or later anyway, we need to build the Oline for the future anyway, I do hope he gets a ring or at least a chance to play in the SB, because after all he went through with this team, he deserves at least a shot...And letting ESteinbach go was just plain stupid how do you let a guy go who can play C,G,LT...

[COB]

I remember it differently. He missed a ton of playing time last year. Then in camp and preseason this year, couldn't go again. Finally, down to the last preseason game. Management waits to see if Willie can play. Willie says no, I don't have the right shoes, I left them at home in Atlanta or someplace. Based on everything they'd seen, to me it was completely rational to conclude Willie was either done or permanently damaged.

Your remembery's a bit off. Yes, Willie missed 9 games in '07, but was working his way back in at the end of the year. He was just about the only "name" vet to show up for OTAs (albeit only the last week or so) in the offseason. He was limited in camp but did indeed play in two of the four preseason games (Jurassic line, anyone?). And he spent plenty of time telling everyone that he wasn't no backup, that he could start, and that he expected to win back his spot from Stacy. I have to side with end on this one: cutting Willie was a purely financial decision by a penny-pinching FO.

How's my memory broken? It seems we're recalling the events in a pretty similar manner. I think 9 games is a ton to miss. and as you recalled, I remember Willie saying I can start, I can start. But he couldn't go in camp. He was never well enough to play a whole preseason game, and I remember his involvement in the first 3 preseason games as very limited, in fact pretty much limited to the Jurassic experiment. Then the organization tells him it's time to back up the talk, and he not only can't start in the last preseason game, he can't play at all. What evidence, from the start of the '07 season, until the day that they cut him, were the Bengals supposed to rely on to demonstrate Willie would suddenly be able to play again?

I loved Willie, and I hated to see him go. But since he appeared to be unable to get on the field, I had no problem with letting him go. I also didn't mind seeing Rudy and that cornerback go. They had to blow it up, and they did.

Anyone who thinks the Bengals were just being cheap with Willie should remember they paid him a couple million dollar bonus in the offseason. They were hoping he could come back and play, but he just couldn't.

[ArmyBengal]

I really don't want to argue about something that is besides the point right about now. I will simply say, I think the Bengals handled the whole thing incorrectly starting with giving Willie the big contract while letting Steinbach walk, and then letting him walk while franchising Andrews who they should have known more about before handing him the amount of money they did. As it all turns out, we may not have Andrews at the start of next year either. Funny how the whole thing worked out.

Once again, I hope good things for Willie and the postseason. If you don't, ok, no issue...

[COB]

Once again, I hope good things for Willie and the postseason.

I'm with everyone here who is hoping Willie goes far. He persevered for years here with dignity.

And seeing two teams from the AFC North in the conference championship game gives me a thrill. It also helps explain why we struggled in our own division, but didn't seem to have much trouble with the ESPN inflated NFC East.

Someone has to win the Superbowl, so let it be the Ravens. Someone also has to be involved in a fiery bus accident on the way to the conference championship game, so let that be the Steelers. What? No one actually has to be in a fiery bus accident? Well f**k you Roger Goodell and your No Fun League! All I'm asking for is a simple bus holocaust on the freeway to incinerate the team I hate, but that's too much for you, isn't it, Goodell? Well then screw you buddy! I'll just go watch the pro football teams in that other league that inevitably has arisen as a result of the combination of football's runaway popularity and your league's fair trade practices and strict compliance with anti-trust regulations. What?? There is no other league because your NFL is owned and run by greedy f**kheads who buy off politicians to be exempt from anti-trust laws, and who buy and sell their labor like a bunch of plantation owners in 1830 South Carolina? f**k!! In that case, Roger Goodell, you can go eat s**t while I go buy season tickets for my third favorite football team, the Columbus Destroyers of the Arena Football League. Wait a minute, what the f**k is going on here??

Uh... back to Willie. Good luck in the conference championship game, Willie.

[Bearcat1975]

Willie walked the company line here, through year after year of ineptitude.

I hope he gets a ring. Most who are banished to Bengal-land never do.

[Thurmanation]

Willie walked the company line here, through year after year of ineptitude.

I hope he gets a ring. Most who are banished to Bengal-land never do.

Not that i'm not happy for him, but he's not even that good on the Ravens. He constantly gets pulled during games, and gives up the rush to quick pass rushers. I hope he gets a ring but i don't really care that we let him go that much. It's not like hes playing like the 04 and 05 seasons.

[HoosierCat]

Anyone who thinks the Bengals were just being cheap with Willie should remember they paid him a couple million dollar bonus in the offseason. They were hoping he could come back and play, but he just couldn't.

No, that's just a phantom we've been seeing on the Baltimore line all year...

[Bearcat1975]

Willie walked the company line here, through year after year of ineptitude.

I hope he gets a ring. Most who are banished to Bengal-land never do.

Not that i'm not happy for him, but he's not even that good on the Ravens. He constantly gets pulled during games, and gives up the rush to quick pass rushers. I hope he gets a ring but i don't really care that we let him go that much. It's not like hes playing like the 04 and 05 seasons.

He's playing better than Andrews did this year.

Plus, Mike Brown did nothing with the cap money saved by cutting Willie.

So it is more to the point to say that Willie is certainly better than whoever was the Bengals backup RT this season.

I mean, if the Bengals were going to do something with the cap money saved by cutting Willie... then I could justify cutting him. But cutting him just to pocket the cap money totally reeks of all too familiar Bengal ineptitude.

[Pidge]

Were Mega Penis playing for the Eagles or Cards then yeah - all the way. I'm hoping for another NFC Superbowl champ though. No AFCN love from me I'm afraid.