We have a choice here

[richmond_mat]

I'll root for the bengals and will forever think chad is a douchey malcontent who has no concept of team.

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I'm guessing he's relatively happy with the offseason moves/aggressiveness and while not happy with his over-all situation, may be in better spirits if they have a chance of being good this year.

We'll see....means nothing to this team if they don't get Andre Smith signed and in camp relatively early though...because without him, as unproven as he is, that o-line won't be much different from last year most likely, but obviously should be noticeably better if Andre is the real deal.

[Ickey44]

Even during that whole interview it was still "I" and "me". This guy obviously doesn't get it, but just for the sake of the team I hope he does well.

[ArmyBengal]

Here are the parts of the thread that still give me that "me first" feel to things. Are you listening Chad ??

"I need the fans to embrace me."

Embrace you Chad ?? Don't you mean embrace the team, which would include you ??

"When they're mad at me, I don't know if I can be myself."

Really ?? You do realize they are mad at you because of what YOU did right ?? Here's an idea Chad, prove it on the field instead of running your mouth and the fans won't be mad.

"In our conversation I just wanted to let Marv know what he's getting."

Once again, stop talking about it and get on the field. Marvin has been your coach for some time now, I think he's aware.

"I'm going to hang boxing gloves in Carson's locker," The Ocho said. "Actually, everybody's locker, and challenge them to the ring."

Is that really necessary ?? Is that like sending pepto to opposing defenders ?? Funny the first time. The second ?? Not so much..

I am more than willing to give credit for his other comments that at least appeared positive towards the team, like acknowledging the great picks in the draft and bringing in players through free agency in Williams, Johnson, and Coles. The thing is, even when he compliments the city in saying:

"The city's been good to me."

He follows it with:

"And I've been good for the city."

While I will agree Cincinnati has been good to him (hell we made him out to be another savior) he all but took a big sh*t on the chest of all the fans with last years antics. I really hope he turns it all around, but I'm just not his personal fan singing his praises anymore and NO, I don't remember the 85 apologies he's referring to...

[kentjett]

Chad has arrived. He showed up at Paul Brown and took a physical this morning. He might take part in some of the non-mandatory workouts. He really pissed me off last year but it seems like he is trying to do the right things lately. He started by saying the right things and know he is starting to back it up by showing up to the workouts.

[BengalByTheBay]

Whatever....trying to make sense of what Chad says is like trying to get real information from a Marvin Lewis press conference. Like most, I'll be happy if he contributes. Also like most, I'll be surprised if, at the first hint of adversity, he doesn't start pointing fingers.

[HairOnFire]

On the core point, f**k Chad. f**k him in the mouth, f**k him up the ass, f**k him in his eye.

Furthermore, f**k him in his empty skull.

Note: The above was written only because Mister Bojangles says he reads message boards like this one, and I couldn't risk letting an opportunity to speak directly to Chad pass me by.

[TJJackson]

f**k him up the ass

For a second there, I thought agreen wrote that post

[HairOnFire]

f**k him up the ass

For a second there, I thought agreen wrote that post

In my experience a man is limited only by his own imagination and a strict accounting of the number of orifices available for consideration.

I rule nothing out.

[Bearcat1975]

If he does things to help the team, I like him.

If he does things to hurt the team, I don't like him.

...Which is pretty much why Chad has been in the "don't like him" category for a few years now.

We'll see how and what he does.

[Dadraftnick]

The thing that gets me the most about Chad is, I saw an interview last week that said, Chad had STILL had NOT talked to Marvin.

Why is Chad saying that he is now going to try? We are susposed to write off the last two years of sabotage and just be happy because, wants us to?

Could there be more to this than meets the eye?

Reebok slammed the brakes on the move. Even though “Ochocinco” officially had become Johnson’s new surname, the company that makes all of the jerseys had concerns about an unsold inventory of shirts with “Johnson” above the eight and the five.

After Ochocinco opted not to cut a check to buy the balance of the unsold Johnson jerseys, an agreement was reached to allow Ochocinco to use his new legal name for the 2009 season.

And so the change has been made and the “Ochocinco” jerseys are available for sale.

And they’re moving like parkas in Panama.

According to Darren Rovell of CNBC, the jersey hasn’t cracked the top 100 in sales tracked through NFLShop.com.

As we heard it last year, the move was intended to be a one-year publicity stunt, with Ochocinco later changing his name back to Johnson. Comments from agent Drew Rosenhaus that appear in Rovell’s article seem to confirm that it’s a short-term deal.

“I don’t think he did it purely for marketing reasons and I don’t think he views this as something permanent, either,” Rosenhaus said.

Of course, with the Ochocinco jerseys not selling, Johnson might have to wait a year or longer after changing his name back to Johnson before the “Ochocinco” will be removed from the jersey.

Maybe that’s his end game — to bear the official name “Chad Johnson” but to wear “Ochocinco” on his jersey. And if no one is going to buy his Ochocinco jerseys, he might be able to have his nickname and wear it, too, for the balance of his career.

"I need the fans to embrace me. I know people are mad at me. I read the message boards, but I've apologized 85 times,"

85 Times? I havent seen one, I have seen every thing but an apology.

This should read I want fans - to buy my jersey.

Maybe now when I vent, I should just do it to the fans on the message boards."

I doubt he has the guts to, and to VENT? WTF? VENT? I know that it breaks all of our hearts that there are a handfull of players in the NFL that make more than Chad. BOOO HOOO!!!

He said he had a brief discussion with head coach Marvin Lewis last week because he just doesn't think there is much to say.

See how much Chad has changed ?

"Denzel told me, 'Go back to being to Chad. People want

Before the season last year it was Ray Lewis that was getting Chad's head right.

"... without 85 there is no 9, without 9 there is no 85"

Well thats half right, Carson is one of the Best QB's in the NFL, he makes any team better , Chad is a cancer he makes any team worse.

[gregstephens]

The thing that gets me the most about Chad is, I saw an interview last week that said, Chad had STILL had NOT talked to Marvin.

Why is Chad saying that he is now going to try? We are susposed to write off the last two years of sabotage and just be happy because, wants us to?

Could there be more to this than meets the eye?

Reebok slammed the brakes on the move. Even though “Ochocinco” officially had become Johnson’s new surname, the company that makes all of the jerseys had concerns about an unsold inventory of shirts with “Johnson” above the eight and the five.

After Ochocinco opted not to cut a check to buy the balance of the unsold Johnson jerseys, an agreement was reached to allow Ochocinco to use his new legal name for the 2009 season.

And so the change has been made and the “Ochocinco” jerseys are available for sale.

And they’re moving like parkas in Panama.

According to Darren Rovell of CNBC, the jersey hasn’t cracked the top 100 in sales tracked through NFLShop.com.

As we heard it last year, the move was intended to be a one-year publicity stunt, with Ochocinco later changing his name back to Johnson. Comments from agent Drew Rosenhaus that appear in Rovell’s article seem to confirm that it’s a short-term deal.

“I don’t think he did it purely for marketing reasons and I don’t think he views this as something permanent, either,” Rosenhaus said.

Of course, with the Ochocinco jerseys not selling, Johnson might have to wait a year or longer after changing his name back to Johnson before the “Ochocinco” will be removed from the jersey.

Maybe that’s his end game — to bear the official name “Chad Johnson” but to wear “Ochocinco” on his jersey. And if no one is going to buy his Ochocinco jerseys, he might be able to have his nickname and wear it, too, for the balance of his career.

"I need the fans to embrace me. I know people are mad at me. I read the message boards, but I've apologized 85 times,"

85 Times? I havent seen one, I have seen every thing but an apology.

This should read I want fans - to buy my jersey.

Maybe now when I vent, I should just do it to the fans on the message boards."

I doubt he has the guts to, and to VENT? WTF? VENT? I know that it breaks all of our hearts that there are a handfull of players in the NFL that make more than Chad. BOOO HOOO!!!

He said he had a brief discussion with head coach Marvin Lewis last week because he just doesn't think there is much to say.

See how much Chad has changed ?

"Denzel told me, 'Go back to being to Chad. People want

Before the season last year it was Ray Lewis that was getting Chad's head right.

"... without 85 there is no 9, without 9 there is no 85"

Well thats half right, Carson is one of the Best QB's in the NFL, he makes any team better , Chad is a cancer he makes any team worse.

Hey, Chad, buddy. In all seriousness. You have an open invitation to come onto BZForums and vent anytime. You say your peace, we'll say ours. All candid. I don't think it gets many of us back on the chad-wagon, but who knows. Come on, friend. Lean on me...when you're not strong...and I'll be your friend...I'll help you carry on.

[HAPPYJAQ]

I was thinking that maybe Chad finally gets that he is "stuck" being a Cincinnati Bengal, which means no new contract this year or next (unless he's released after the season, in which case his value will be even lower than it is right now). Regardless of what they say, most NFL players value money over winning championships or even playing on winning teams. Consider T.J. and Justin (amongst other former Bengals), who left the Bengals for teams that are no closer to winning a Super Bowl than Cincinnati, for slightly more coin.

This might be a little farfetched, but does anyone else think Chad is apologizing and asking for the fans' support to possibly increase the number of Chad Ochocinco jersey sales this year, thus netting him a salary increase from the NFL from royalties. According to ESPN, Big Ben made over a million dollars in royalties for merchandise sales in '07.

Getting back to the topic of this thread, I will always be a Chad fan because he has been the greatest Bengal receiver of all time, minus the off the field stuff. Only Isaac Curtis is even close. If Marvin and Mike think the team's better with him around, I'm all for it.

[icehole3]

[walzav29]

Funny

http://www.intentionalfoul.com/images/carsonandocho.jpg