Chad Johnson: Weighing His Options

The on field antics and wild style off the field certainly bring him attention. But, sometimes, all the focus on those things causes us to forget just how productive and talented Chad Johnson is.

Johnson's discontent with the lackluster management of the Bengals is no new story. Rumors abound that he will hold out or engage in crazy 'look at me' antics to try to gain his freedom from ownership.

But, certainly, reality is different than speculation.

"Am I coming back?" he asked rhetorically. "Of course I am. I told my coaches I'm going to California to act, but the truth is I may come back to the Bengals as early as June. I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid."

And, what if Johnson's desires were entertained? What if the Bengals did the right thing and allowed Johnson to pursue his dream of playing for an organization that appreciated him and cared about his future?

"If I can get out of Cincinnati, the sky's the limit," Johnson told ESPN the Magazine. "What could I do in a place like Philadelphia or Dallas? It would be ridiculous. It's gonna be like a whole new me, like Ocho Cinco 2.0."

While we are big fans and believe that he is being fair and honest in his desire to pursue employment in an environment that would be conducive to his being able to further his personal growth and expand his ability to contribute to a team that understood what team means; we do question his judgment.

Certainly, the desire to play for Dallas is self evident. Dallas brought in a similarly, intentionally misunderstood and explosively talented WR. And Dallas treated him with the dignity and respect his past performance and personal character warranted. They demonstrated their respect and passion for said receiver by giving him a big contract this off season. So, obviously, the prospect of playing in Dallas would be something a team oriented guy like Ocho Cinco would be desperately interested in pursuing. Particularly after seeing how Dallas compensated TO for his team first, locker room presence.

But Philly?

Clearly, the only attraction would be the chance to be the main target of one of the most successful Negro QB's of all time. The opportunity to play a role in the career of a future Hall of Famer who has been instrumental in the ongoing evolution of the NFL QB would be the type of thing one could hold on to long after one's playing days were over.

However, we warn Johnson: Learn from the past.

Philly showed that it has no respect for a sensitive, relationship oriented player. Rather than understand that certain players, because of their commitment to excellence, fair play and team, require closer relationships and better communication with management than others; the Eagles closed the door and cut off their last great player that fit this description.

If Johnson didn't learn from TO's experience in Philly that his desire to win a championship, be a team leader and further the character of the organization won't be met in Philly; well, we can only suppose that that means his desire to be part of the historic career of the groundbreaking Negro QB has somewhat skewered his judgment.

While we understand that the chance to be part of history is compelling, we would hope that Johnson would at least seek counsel from other great players who were in a similar situation to his own. Players locked into mediocre contracts with teams that weren't interested in building the character and requisite relationships to win championships. Players like Randy Moss. Like the aforementioned TO. Guys, who when nurtured with respect and care, showed the world that they were team players first.

And they did it despite carrying the albatross of a new, monster contract around their necks.

We only hope that Johnson can find the relationship he so desperately needs to fulfill his self worth.

Andy Reid: Were We Hasty In Judgment?

As you know, NOIS is always willing and forthright in admitting when we may have been overzealous in a post. Or when we may have allowed our personal righteousness to supersede and be imposed on the acts of others.

Recently, we demanded that Eagles' coach Andy Reid be relieved of duty for a period of time. We felt that the crimes filed against his immature, reckless and civilly bankrupt sons warranted a scolding from the league. Our reasoning: That as young adults who reside under and rely on Reid's care for existance, he was responsible for ensuring that they don't offend society and sully the good name of the NFL and the Eagles.

Seems more than logical. More than reasonable. And certainly righteous.

We believe, that in principle, few would disagree.

Never did we suppose that Reid was in violation of the law. But, we did believe that Reid might be in violation of the NFL conduct policy.

Well, a recent pronouncement by the NFL on another individual's off field circumstances shed light on the matter of Reid and his children's crime spree.

Broncos running back Travis Henry's child support judgments might expose him to catcalls across the league this season, but they don't put him in line for disciplinary action by the NFL.

Certainly, few would argue this.

Is it fair to hold Henry's poor decisions in having so many children against him? Do we suspend Henry because near a dozen women have set him up and used his innate male genetic qualities against him for financial gain?

Certainly not.

The league has clamped down on off-field misbehavior under Commissioner Roger Goodell. But the new personal conduct policy "generally covers criminal violations, not civil matters" such as Henry's, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.

And there it is.

We are more than willing to interpret Reid's circumstances the same way.

While we still advocate for his children, and believe that the righteous course would be to step away and give them the support they need so they don't become the typical privileged white child stereotype; we also believe that the NFL is under no commitment to force him to do so.

So, while his children face their cases and possible jail time, we hope the Eagles are well prepared for their season opener.

And, we hope Travis Henry gets a raise so he can provide for all those children he was bamboozled into spawning.

More Andy Reid: Our Message Accepted By Mainstream Media

This was brought to our attention:

Another view on Andy Reid.

In fact, the highly respected sports blog The Nation of Islam has suggested that Roger Goodell suspend Andy Reid before anything worse happens:

“The time has come for Mr. Reid to either voluntarily, or through the invocation of the conduct policy, step away from the game and get his household in order. It’s time for Andy Reid to follow the example set by Michael Vick.”

The crux of the NOIS blog is that Reid’s children — even though they’re technically young men — are causing enough of a disturbance that Goodell needs to hold Reid accountable to the same personal responsibility policies he demands of NFL players. As a policy argument, it’s a total reach, but the message is still the same: Andy Reid needs to take some real time away from professional football and the Philadelphia Eagles for 2007. We’ll know soon enough.


Total reach?

The length of righteousness knows no limits.


ed.- WOW. It was brought to our attention that the excerpt we cut and pasted, which included "highly respected sports blog The Nation of Islam"...has been changed. Now the piece says "one sports blog The NOIS".....if you look at the comments there, you will see references to how the piece originally appeared. Apparently, Dave the Wave has some real pull.

NFL: Suspend Andy Reid

Responsibility.

The NFL is on a quest to hold its players accountable and responsible for their off field behavior. Part of an effort to rehabilitate the league's image. To send a message to the public that those associated with the NFL are good, responsible people.

All that seems fair and advisable.

Players who have failed to meet the expectations of the league's behavioral demands are being routinely suspended and fined. Again, seems fair. The league must punish those that don't conform to their expectations.

The mantra has been responsibility. Accountability.

And respect for the opportunity to represent the NFL.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has been nothing if not proactive in implementing, enforcing and publicising the responsibility program. At least as it applies to players.

We wonder, when will it apply to coaches?

Eagles coach Andy Reid has stood by and watched his two old boys (their behavior precludes us from calling them young 'men') terrorize suburban Philadelphia. Allegations ranging from reckless traffic offenses to drugs to guns to threatening private citizens.

Where is the outrage? Where is the demand that Reid take responsibility for the boys he is raising? Where is Roger Goodell's conduct policy? Why aren't NFL executives and owners decrying Reid's allowance of family members (that he is responsible for raising) dragging the Eagles name and the NFL through the mud with each and every one of their selfish acts of lawlessness?

Thus far, all have been absent. Not so much as an indication from the league office that Reid has even been so much as warned to get his household in order.

We assume (based on nothing factual, as is our want) that Reid's children rely on their father for their economic subsistence. If that is the case, Reid is responsible for them. Regardless of them being minors or not.

Some will falsely argue that Reid's hoodlums are over 21 and that absolves him of responsibility.

We would argue that if he had taught them proper behavior and held them accountable at an earlier age, the rest of us would not be in jeopardy due to their actions now.

Mr. Reid owes it to the NFL. Mr. Reid owes it to his players. Mr. Reid owes it to the honor that is being a head coach in professional football.

And most of all, Mr. Reid owes it to his children.

The time has come for Mr. Reid to either voluntarily, or through the invocation of the conduct policy, step away from the game and get his household in order.

It's time for Andy Reid to follow the example set by Michael Vick.

It's time for Andy Reid to assume responsibility for a crime spree in suburbia.

It's time to suspend Andy Reid.