Bleacher Report - Articles by Dan Clasgens

Fantasy Bust Alert: Thomas Jones

Dan Clasgens — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:01:00 -0400

Thomas Jones proved to be a steal last year, coming up with big numbers after a disappointing 2007 campaign. He finished with 1,312 rushing yards and a career-high 13 touchdowns.

That will likely cause some owners to make a stab for Jones as early as round two come draft day 2009, but don't be that person!

Here are a variety of factors that tell me you are better off letting someone else take the veteran at that point:

AGE—He will be 31 years old this season, and that is the age where running backs typically begin to see a significant dip in their production.

QB SITUATION—Say what you want to about Brett Favre, but his presence in the pocket forced opponents to respect the pass. That helped open up running lanes for Jones to go through. With Kellen Clemens and rookie Mark Sanchez likely to battle for snaps, look for defenses to stack the box.

COMPETITION FOR CARRIES—Leon Washington was already a factor last year as a change-of-pace back, and will get an increased look this season. Also, the team invested a draft pick in Shonn Greene, who appears to be the running back of the future. Many expect Greene to get a crack at some goalline carries, which would obviously hurt Jones’ chances of approaching last year’s touchdown total.

CONTRACT ISSUES—Jones is in the final year of his contract and had threatened to hold out. The Jets could still trade him and even if the don’t, if the season were to slip away the team would definitely less likely to keep atop the depth chart as it is unlikely they will re-sign him.

NEW REGIME—Rex Ryan takes over for Eric Mangini as the team’s head coach. Though they both are defensive-minded, run-first coaches, expect some changes to take place.

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TELLING STAT—When Brett Favre’s arm injury popped up down the stretch of the season and the team’s passing game went south, so too did Jones’ numbers. Over the team’s last four contests in ‘08, Jones mustered just 224 yards on 57 carries (3.9 YPC) and two scores. With the quarterback situation a big question for the Jets, it’s not too tough to imagine similar struggles to start this season for Jones.

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FINAL TAKE—After totally ripping Jones in this post, it’s hard for me to recommend him. However, I’m not saying he doesn’t have value. If he slides into round four and you already have a solid RB1, QB, and WR1 locked up, Jones may not be a bad option for a RB2 in deeper formats.

Even in Round Four as a RB2, I can still find a handful of other players with more upside that I would prefer. It doesn’t matter too much though as I don’t see him lasting that long in most drafts.

Fantasy Baseball All-Stars: Hitters

Dan Clasgens — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:39:00 -0400

It's time to announce my fantasy all-stars and we start with a look at the hitters.

C—Joe Mauer, Minnesota Twins
.381 BA, 15 HR, 49 RBI

Mauer has been one of the most valued commodities in all of baseball. His production gets a hike when you consider he is doing it as a catcher, one of fantasy’s scarcest positions.

Biggest Surprise: Kurt Suzuki (OAK); Biggest Bust: Geovany Soto – CHC;

1B—Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals
.338 BA, 32 HR, 85 RBI, 72 R, 10 SB

Nobody is even close to Pujols this year as he is hands down fantasy baseball’s top producer. He has a legitimate shot to become baseball’s first Triple Crown winner since 1967.

Biggest Surprise: Todd Helton (COL); Biggest Bust: David Ortiz (BOS)

2B—Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
.310 BA, 20 HR, 61 RBI, 61 R, 9 SB

Utley is healthy and producing as normal for the Phillies and fantasy owners alike. He gets the slight nod over Ian Kinsler, who also has been lights out.

Biggest Surprise: Ben Zobrist (TB); Biggest Bust: Placido Polanco (DET)

3B—Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
.286 BA, 17 HR, 66 RBI, 48 R

The hot corner offers up plenty of options, but Longoria has been as productive as any and still the most dangerous threat at the position.

Biggest Surprise: Russell Branyan (SEA); Biggest Bust: Garrett Atkins (COL)

SS—Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins
.345 BA, 14 HR, 60 RBI, 51 R, 12 SB

Ramirez is one of the game’s top performers and a five-category producer for owners at a position that offers few options.

Biggest Surprise: Marco Scutaro (TOR); Biggest Bust: Jhonny Peralta (CLE)

OF—Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers
.315 BA, 16 HR, 58 RBI, 61 R, 7 SB

OF—Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay Rays
.310 BA, 8 HR, 39 RBI, 58 R, 44 SB

OF—Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners
.361 BA, 6 HR, 23 RBI, 44 R, 19 SB

Picking three outfielders is a challenge, but I would put these three up against any other three that could be offered up. Braun offers the most balance of power and average. Crawford is producing in all categories, but has separated himself from the pack with his production on the base paths and Suzuki is as consistent as they come.

Biggest Surprise: Adam Lind (TOR); Biggest Bust: Manny Ramirez (LA)

Cincinnati Reds Interested In Scott Rolen

Dan Clasgens — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:17:27 -0400

The Cincinnati Reds have hovered around the .500 mark for most of the season and currently sit at 41-43.

In most years, it would seem that would be enough for the Reds to be sellers at the trade deadline. However, in this year’s extra-weak NL Central, they are still in the race.

One name that the Reds are surfacing as being interested in is Blue Jays’ third baseman Scott Rolen.

The Toronto Sun reports that the Reds have talked internally about obtaining Rolen from the Blue Jays.

Despite having a better record than Cincinnati, the Blue Jays are nine games back in the AL East and reportedly are ready to shop some of their high-priced stars, including former Cy Young winner Roy Halladay.

The Reds had a scout in St. Petersburg to watch Rolen this week as the Jays played the Tampa Bay Rays, according to the paper.

Rolen, who is currently riding a 25-game hitting and third in the AL batting title race, is due $11 million this year and next.

The 34-year old is still playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at the hot corner and is tearing it up at the plate despite seeing a dip in his power numbers.

After batting just .262 during his first season as a Blue Jay last year, Rolen’s average is up to .330 this season.

He was considered a threat to hit the long ball, hitting 21 or more home runs in nine out of ten seasons from 1997 through 2006.

Injuries have limited though over the past four seasons, averaging 379 at bats per season in that span.

For the Reds, Rolen would be a perfect fit.

The team needs a third baseman. They also desperately need a right-handed bat in the middle of the order. Rolen fits the bill.

Only four teams in all of baseball have a worse team average than the Reds’ .248 clip. The team also ranks near the bottom of the league in on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and batting average with runners in scoring position.

While the Blue Jays would like to dump salary, they are going to demand something of value in return from the Reds.

In addition to prospects, the Reds’ current third baseman Edwin Encarnacion, 26, would figure to be included in the mix.

He started 143 games at third for Cincinnati a year ago, hitting .251 with 26 home runs and 68 RBI.

In 2008, Encarnacion has played in just 25 games after breaking his wrist in April, and is hitting just .150 with one homer.

He earns $2 million this season and next season will earn $4.75 million.

Rolen is from the Midwest and would likely welcome a move to Cincinnati. The Reds were interested in acquiring him back in 2002 when Philadelphia, his original team, shopped him.

Instead of landing in Cincinnati though, Rolen landed in St. Louis, the Reds’ divisional foe. Ironically, the Cardinals’ GM that made that deal was Walt Jocketty, who now holds the same position in Cincinnati.

Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News is reporting that a Rolen deal by the Reds is unlikely though. He writes that the $22 million still owed to the veteran is “way over the Reds’ head,” but did add that Rolen “loves Cincinnati and may eventually play for the Reds. But not now, and not next year.”

Randy Moss: Fantasy Spotlight

Dan Clasgens — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:49:26 -0400

It was just two years ago that Randy Moss helped re-write the record books, catching 24 touchdowns as the Patriots rolled through a perfect season.

Moss, who was hands down fantasy’s top wideout at this time last year, suffered a bit of a setback in 2008 after Tom Brady went down in Week One to a season-ending knee injury.

There’s no doubt Moss still has the potential to be fantasy’s top wideout. At 32, there is still enough gas in the tank and he's always had the speed, size, and athleticism to cause havoc for opposing defenses.

However, with the emergence of Larry Fitzgerald, Andre Johnson, and Calvin Johnson, it’s hard to justify putting Moss atop the wide receiver rankings to start the season.

Even without Brady last year, Moss still caught 69 balls for 1,008 yards (14.6 avg) and 11 touchdowns.

It took some time for adjustment, but Moss eventually developed some chemistry with backup Matt Cassel.

Consistency was the biggest problem as Moss only scored in seven of his 16 contests and only produced four 100-yard games. When he did produce it came in bunches, though.

His value in points-per-reception leagues took the biggest hit a year ago as he finished with 29 fewer catches than the previous season.

With Brady looking to be near 100 percent, the question remains: Will Moss come closer to last year’s numbers or approach the 2007 totals?

Assuming both he and Brady stay healthy in ’09, fantasy owners should anticipate the production to be somewhere in between.

One factor that is likely to go overlooked is that the team no longer has as much depth at receiver, meaning Moss and Wes Welker are going to get plenty of targets to be productive.

Expect 90 receptions for about 1,300 yards and 15 touchdowns. If those numbers hold true, Moss will be a steal as early as Round Two on draft day.

Fixing Interleague Play

Dan Clasgens — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:45:25 -0400

Interleague play finally winds down in Major League Baseball this weekend, ending the most bizarre setup in all of sports.

After 13 years of the stuff, MLB still is missing the boat.

I am not anti-interleague, nor do I love it. I just think it is time to get it right.

As a Reds’ fan, I hate only seeing the Dodgers and Braves, one-time rivals, once a season in most cases.

I don’t think it is fair that the Reds have had to play their in-state foes, the Cleveland Indians, twice per season while their NL Central counterparts, the St. Louis Cardinals, get to square off against Kansas City six times per year.

Once again, though, Bud Selig and the powers that be make decisions based on dollars and cents and not necessarily what is right for the game.

There are fans that sit on both side of the fence. I have come up with a plan that not only satisfies all sides of this issue, but will bring much-needed balance to the MLB schedule.

Here it goes.

For starters, let’s get the leagues balanced out. Instead of having 16 teams in the National League and 14 in the American League, let’s move the Milwaukee Brewers back to the AL where they belong.

Why does the NL Central have six teams fighting for a playoff spot, but only four clubs have to battle it out in the AL West to get to the postseason?

Furthermore, 16 teams contend for four overall playoff spots in the NL, while in the AL, only 14 teams have to compete for the same number of playoff positions.

My plan starts with some realignment:

The NL stays pretty much the same, with only the Brewers leaving.

NL East: Braves, Marlins, Mets, Nationals, and Phillies
NL Central: Astros, Cardinals, Cubs, Pirates, and Reds
NL West: Diamonbacks, Dodgers, Giants, Padres, and Rockies

The AL gets a bit more interesting. The Brewers slide into the AL Central while the Royals move to AL West.

AL East: Blue Jays, Orioles, Rays, Red Sox and Yankees
AL Central: Brewers, Indians, Tigers, Twins and White Sox
AL West: A’s, Angels, Mariners, Rangers and Royals

Now that we have the leagues balanced, the next part of plan is a must. There will no longer be a stretch of interleague play, rather interleague games all season long. In order to have 15 teams in each league, there would have to be at least one interleague matchup at all times.

Does it really matter when these match-ups happen anyway?

Natural rivals like the Mets-Yankees, Cubs-White Sox, and the aforementioned Reds-Indians and Cardinals-Royals series would still go down annually, just not guaranteed twice per year every season.

Instead, MLB would go the route the NFL goes and rotate matchups annually.

For example, in 2010 the NL Central could start by being matched up against the AL West, with every team inside each division playing each other in one three-game series for a total of 15 games.

The next season, the NL Central could play the AL East, and then in 2012, square off against the AL Central.

In addition to playing the 15 set interleague games, natural rivals would meet in a three-game series, rotating homefield advantage. In years where they already played each other in the regular rotation, the teams would meet twice, once at each team’s location.

Teams that lack a natural rival would be placed into a pool of teams and have a random matchup selected based off how long it has been since teams have met. It’s not perfect, but it a compromise.

This could also give MLB a chance to play some games internationally by taking teams without a natural rival in other league and create a series out of it.

So, with 18 games of the 162-game schedule figured out and interleague play resolved, let’s examine how the rest of the schedule will work.

Each team will play 12 games against the other four teams in their division (six at home; six on the road). That translates into 48 division games, or roughly 30 percent of the team’s schedule.

The key here is that every team plays every other team in the division the same amount of times at home and away.

That leaves 96 games to play against the teams within the league from the other divisions. There are 10 total teams outside of the division in each league. By rotating the home field advantage annually, these teams would square off a total of nine times. Six games at home and three on the road this year means three games at home and six on the road next year.

The other six games would be based off of order of finish the previous season. For example, the team that finished last in the NL Central (usually the Pirates), would get three extra games against the last place finishers from the NL West and NL East respectively.

My system is not perfect, but it is far better than anything Bud Selig has come up with, and I don’t make $18 million per year.

Fantasy Football: Where Do They Fall?

Dan Clasgens — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:15:15 -0400

The 2009 Fantasy Football season promises to be one of the tougher seasons to prognosticate in some time.

Several factors, ranging from players coming back injuries to guys on new teams and even those that had their teammates leave, will make it challenging for owners to accurately determine their rankings.

Here are just a few examples of players that I am still trying to figure out where they fall when I release my first Cheat Sheet in early July.

Quarterbacks

Tom Brady (NE)—After a record-setting 50-touchdown 2008 campaign, Brady went down in Week One last year and was lost for the season.

It’s hard to put him ahead of Drew Brees or Peyton Manning, but he’s still an elite quarterback when healthy and will likely fall between Rounds 2-4 in most leagues.

Carson Palmer (CIN)—Like Brady, Palmer’s 2008 season was cut short by injuries. The shoulder appears to be 100 percent, but the offensive line still has question marks.

He did lose his top wideout, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, in free agency. He’s no longer a sure-fire top five fantasy quarterback, but the potential is still there and that makes him a nice mid-round sleeper pick.

Matt Cassel (KC)—He played like a starting fantasy quarterback last season throwing for 3,693 yards and 21 touchdowns.

However, a move from New England to Kansas City leaves a ton of question marks. Cassel is a borderline starting option with a decent amount of upside, likely to be left out in my top 10 though.

Running Backs

Maurice Jones-Drew (JCK)—Fred Taylor is finally out of the picture and it is MJD’s show to run in Jacksonville. He’s never been asked to carry the load, but his nine scores in the team’s final nine games last year gave owners a glimpse of what he’s capable of.

Jones-Drew is a top five pick and there could be a strong argument for him being No. 2 overall behind Adrian Peterson, particularly in PPR formats.

DeAngelo Williams (CAR)—He had a breakout season rushing for 1,515 yards on 273 carries (a 5.5 avg.) and catching 22 passes for 121 yards (a 5.5 avg.) while scoring 20 total touchdowns—18 rushing.

The presence of Jonathan Stewart should be concerning, but not enough to knock him out of the first round. He could fall anywhere after the third pick overall and should deliver with a contract year on the horizon.

Derrick Ward (TB)—After rushing for 1,025 yards on just 182 carries (5.6 ypc) last year with Giants the promise of an increased role in Tampa Bay’s offense is appealing.

The biggest question mark will come with the role of the Bucs’ incumbent running backs—Earnest Graham and Cadillac Williams. Ward could emerge as a decent RB2 if he can increase his scoring output and shoulder the bulk of the load.

Look for him to go between Rounds 6-8 in your draft.

Wide Receivers

Terrell Owens (BUF)—Once considered fantasy football’s top wideout, Owens slid down the rankings last season after scoring just five times in the Cowboys’ last 11 games.

Now he finds himself in a new home in Buffalo. While the upside is there for him to be a legitimate WR1 once again, you should treat him more like a WR2 on draft day.

Aside from playing with a new QB and in a new system, there is also the weather factor of cold weather home games in Buffalo that need to be considered.

Brandon Marshall (DEN)—The disgruntled receiver is facing a suspension and will now be without Jay Cutler. There is no questioning Marshall’s talent, but the threat of a holdout doesn’t help his cause.

Throw in questions of a hip injury and there is just too much baggage for Marshall to crack the top 10 in my rankings.

TJ Houshmandzadeh (SEA)—Only Wes Welker has had more receptions than Houshmandzadeh over the past few years, but a new team raises some questions. The early indication is that he has developed good rapport with quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.

Expect him to finish as a top 15 wideout once again and draft accordingly.

Tight Ends

Tony Gonzalez (ATL)—Gonzalez was productive once again last season and now finds a new home in Atlanta.

He should fall in the draft after guys like Antonio Gates, Jason Witten and Dallas Clark go off the board. However, the Falcons’ system suits him well and Gonzo clearly has the potential to be the top player at the position once again.

Kellen Winslow Jr. (TB)—The Browns got tired of Winslow’s attitude and consistent trip to the infirmary, so the traded him to Tampa Bay.

The Bucs covet the talented playmaker and a change of scenery could be just what the doctor ordered. The quarterback situation is bleak and coupled with his durability questions Winslow should fall.

Don’t hesitate to take him anytime in Round 8 or later, the upside is there.

Greg Olsen (CHI)—Olsen is going to be one of my top sleeper picks heading into the ’09 season.

The arrival of Jay Cutler to the Windy City takes the Bears’ passing attack to another level and Olsen could prove to be his most reliable target.

Fantasy: Zobrist Pick Up of the Year?

Dan Clasgens — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:08:00 -0400

We are through 10 weeks of the fantasy baseball season and while there are still a ton of games to go, it's getting to the point where you can start to figure out which picks were steals and which ones were busts.

One guy that has helped carry my team and many more for owners that plucked him off waivers is the Tampa Ray's Ben Zobrist.

The 28-year old journeyman has finally gotten an opportunity to show what he could on the big league level and has not disappointed.

He came up a double short of hitting for the cycle on Tuesday night, but did connect for his 14th home run of the season and is now hitting .317 with 39 RBI and eight stolen bases to boot.

He is hitting .356 in June with six homers and 13 RBI this month.

Zobrist's value was limited early on in the season as he struggled to find at-bats in a stacked Rays' line-up.

However, injuries to 2B Akinori Iwamura (out for season) and SS Jason Bartlett opened the door for him to get in the lineup, and despite the fact Bartlett is nearing a return, there is no way that Tampa can keep Zobrist out of the line-up.

His versatility not only gives manager Joe Maddon some options, it also means good things for fantasy owners. Zobrist is eligible in most leagues at second base, shortstop, and in the outfield. That makes him even more valuable.

A dip in production would not be surprising, but right now he's on pace to 34 HR's and 95 RBI as a middle infielder. That type of production is rare at those positions.

There is a reason for concern when you consider his lack of production in brief stints with the Rays over the past few years, but a deeper look reveals the power numbers aren't that unexpected given the extra at-bats. He hit 12 HR's in 198 at bats in 2008 for Tampa (1 homer every 16.5 at-bats) and has gone yard 14 times already this season in just 170 at-bats (1 homer every 12 at-bats).

Fantasy owners should ride the Zobrist's wave until it crashes and I'm not sure it will. Considering he was undrafted in nearly every fantasy league at the start of the season, that makes him my pick for the waiver wire pick-up of the year at this point! It doesn't hurt that he is on my team.

Bengals Beat: Chad Ochocinco Shows Up

Dan Clasgens — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:35:35 -0400

In a bit of surprise move, Chad Ochocinco showed up to the Bengals’ OTAs on Tuesday, a week earlier than expected.

He took a physical, then participated in his first voluntary workout with the team since 2007.

After being quiet for most of the offseason, the disgruntled wideout has been talking quite a bit over the past week.

Bengals.com reported that Ochocinco spoke briefly with head coach Marvin Lewis last week and Monday was the first time he spoke with starting quarterback Carson Palmer since the end of last season.

"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," Ochocinco said. "If they can embrace me, I can spread my wings and be myself. When they're mad at me, I don't know if I can be myself. I'm an emotional guy."

He admitted that he came into last season without doing much conditioning and that lead to him getting hurt and being unproductive.

This year he’s been working out much harder, including taking up boxing. He feels he’s in the best shape of his life, but knows that he needs to get his timing down on the field.

“I’ve been training hard, but today I was rusty. Because this is a whole different dynamic,” he told reporters. “I’m rusty in football skills, not my shape. A day or two, maybe Thursday, I’ll be a lot better than I was today.”

Ochocinco is attempting to bounce back from his most unproductive year since his rookie season. He mustered just 540 yards and four touchdowns.

HALL FACING SUSPENSION: Despite having his DUI charge reduced to a misdemeanor charge of reckless operating of vehicle last week, cornerback Leon Hall could still face a suspension in the upcoming season.

"Yes, he is still under review for potential discipline," NFL spokesperson Greg Aiello said last week. "Pleading to a lower charge doesn't prevent you from discipline."

The league is expected to review the case more thoroughly in advance to season.

BOOMER OPTIMISTIC: Former Bengals’ quarterback Boomer Esiason was in town last week for Boomer's Big Bang, a two-day sporting clays pro-am event at the Elk Creek Hunt Club in Owenton, Ky. to benefit the Boomer Esiason Foundation for cystic fibrosis research.

He took time out to talk about the Bengals with reporters and appears to be optimistic for the 2009 season.

"With the three wide receivers they have, and the quarterback they have, they can be as exciting as the Cardinals offensively if they get things rolling right," Esiason said.

QUICK HITS: It doesn’t appear that the Bengals have much interest in free agent Greg Ellis, who was released by the Cowboys last month. The 34-year old linebacker’s asking price is too high and the team appears set to let rookie Michael Johnston develop.

Wide receivers coach Mike Shepppard spoke highly about Chris Henry and his commitment this offseason. “His whole approach and work ethic is unlike any time since I've been here,” receivers coach Mike Sheppard said.

Linebacker Keith Rivers is just one of many heads that rookie running back Barnard Scott is turning. Rivers recently compared Scott to the Titans’ Chris Johnson, who broke out last year as a rookie and helped lead to Tennessee to a NFL-best 13-3 record.

Cincinnati Bengals' Worst Seasons Ever

Dan Clasgens — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:45:14 -0400

The 2008 Bengals started the season by dropping their first eight games, on pace to becoming the worst team in franchise history. They would rally to go 4-3-1 over the second half of the year though and avoided the dubious honor of having the worst season in the team’s lowly history. Let’s take a look at the five teams that did worst than last year’s edition of the Bengals. Of note, four of the five have come with Mike Brown owning the team.

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MLB Draft on TV Will Not Work

Dan Clasgens — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:23:00 -0400

I consider myself to be a pretty big fan of Major League Baseball and I must say I love the MLB Network.

Catching the "nation's pastime, all the time" has been a huge success. Granted, they were the last of the four major professional sports to launch their own network, but it still has been mostly a success.

Now, the network is attempting its first big initative—getting the MLB Amateur Draft mainstream.

MLB Network, now in approximately 52 million households after the biggest launch in cable TV history, will televise the entire first round live for the first time.

The 32 first-round selections will also be simulcast live on MLB.com. Beginning with the 33rd pick, up-to-the-minute on-air coverage from the remaining rounds will shift exclusively to MLB.com/Live.

Will anyone care?

Even as diehard of a baseball guy as I consider myself to be, I don't see it working like they want to. It will never approach the hype that the NFL Draft demands after being televised for nearly three decades.

Here are some of the reasons it will fail:

1. Players Unknown

Unlike its football counterpart, few fans know much about the prospects. College football is showcased to the point where most fans know the big names leading up the draft and the media does a great job filling in the blanks with their analysts and endless footage.

With so many variables (colleges, junior colleges, independent leagues, and high schools) there simply isn't anywhere near the coverage to make these names mainstream.

2. Too Confusing

Have you ever looked at the rules of eligibility for the draft? What about the draft order? Like everything else it does, baseball's draft structure is complicated and not easily explained or understood by the common fan.

3. Short-Term Impact Minimal

If your favorite NFL team can fill those one or two holes on draft days with a promising rookie, that could be the difference between your team making the playoffs or not this upcoming season.

In baseball, you may never see any of these guys ever sniff the 40-man roster. Even if they do, it's more than often a few years down the road.

4. Timing

The best part of the NFL Draft is that it comes dead in the middle of the offseason. It takes place at just the right time to get your football juices boiling when they need it the most.

The baseball draft is going on right in the thick of the season.

If given the chance to tune in to MLB Network's draft coverage tonight or watch my beloved Reds, which do you think I am going to do? Watch the Reds, even though they are playing the Nationals.

5. Too Many Rounds

Fifty rounds is simply too much. Even on the second-day of the draft, NFL teams are still adding some valuable pieces. How many players from Round 26 are ever going to make it to the bigs? Not many.

Without any long-term interest the MLB Draft loses its luster quickly after the top 10 picks or so.

Fantasy Outlook: 2009 Bengals

Dan Clasgens — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:44:40 -0400

Prior to last season the Bengals were a hotbed for fantasy owners to pluck for talent on draft day. Carson Palmer, Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh, and Rudi Johnson were all elite performers that could be counted on for big-time production. Palmer went down with a season-ending injury and the tank went empty on Johnson out of the backfield, leaving the Bengals with a mediocre unit. Palmer is healthy. New players have entered the mix. Let’s take a look at what players can and can not be counted for fantasy owners in 2009.

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The Cincinnati Bengals: A Lost Generation

Dan Clasgens — Wed, 27 May 2009 10:18:02 -0400

When your favorite team has only mustered one winning season in 18 years, it's sometimes hard to remember why they're your favorite team to begin with.

Often in sports, fans are not made, they are born. My love for the Cincinnati Bengals is no different.

Born in 1975, my earliest memories of Bengals’ football were positive.

During my first five years, my sports passion was dominated by the Cincinnati Reds and baseball. It’s hard to find a picture of me from that time when I wasn't wearing something with Reds on it.

As a new decade began, though, the Big Red Machine would stall and Cincinnati’s other professional sports team would steal the spotlight. The Bengals were no longer the city’s sleeping lions.

The 1981 season captivated me like never before. It started when the team broke out its new orange helmets with black tiger stripes, scrapping the boring Bengals’ text script format they had worn for years.

Coming off a 6-10 campaign a year earlier, the Bengals raced out to a 6-0 start that season on their way to winning the AFC Central with a 12-4 record.

There were so many things I can remember from then, even though I was only 6 years old.

By time November hit, the Bengals owned the city. A new chant started down at Riverfront Stadium and quickly spread to the playgrounds and across network television, “Who Dey think is gonna beat Dem Bengals? Nobody.”

I will never forget chopping firewood with my dad and listening to Phil Samp on 55WKRC as Louis Breeden returned a Dan Fouts’ interception 102 yards for a touchdown, a then-NFL record.

The Hu-Dey Beer distributed by Hudepohl, a local brewery, after the team made the playoffs that season became an instant classic and a staple of every basement sports bar in the city.

The highlight of that season was undoubtedly the franchise’s first-ever appearance in the Super Bowl. My 7th birthday party the day before had a Bengals theme. It would be my best birthday party ever and still gets talked about amongst my buddies today.

They lost to the 49ers in Super Bowl XVI, 26-21. Yet they were the champions in my mind.

At this point, I was hooked. I didn’t realize or appreciate the accomplishment. I thought it would be like that all the time.

The team didn’t do much to dispel that impression at first. They went 7-2 the next year before a players' strike shortened the season.

Once the dust settled, the Bengals would make the playoffs, only to lose to the Jets as Freeman McNeil ran for what seemed like 500 yards at the time (22 carries for 211 yards), breaking my heart.

The team wasn’t great the next few seasons, but it offered enough hope to keep me interested.

I lived for Bengals’ football. I couldn’t wait until training camp started each year. We would often make the journey to Wilmington College and watch the team prepare for the season.

In 1988, the Bengals would turn out another 12-4 record on their way to Super Bowl XXIII, their second trip to the big game in seven years.

Of course, Joe Montana would make me cry for the second time in my childhood as he led the 49ers to a last-minute comeback. It wouldn’t kill my enthusiasm, though.

Boomer Esiason was a blonde Jesus in my eyes. The Ickey Shuffle was the coolest thing I had ever seen.

That season was fuel to my fire. It reignited the passion that had been instilled in me as a young child. Now a teenager, my knowledge and appreciation of the game had reached new heights.

The following year, the Bengals would miss out on the playoffs altogether. The Vikings ruined my Christmas when they beat the Bengals in the regular-season finale on a holiday edition of Monday Night Football.

The team would return to the playoffs again in 1990, losing to the Raiders. It would mark the last time they would play in the postseason for 15 years.

Over the next decade, the Bengals became known as the "Bungles." They were awful.

Team founder Paul Brown died and his son, Mike, would take over the reigns of the team. His long history of poor personnel decisions would haunt the organization for years to come.

During the first 14 years of the Mike Brown era, the Bengals stumbled to a dismal 71-153 record (.317 winning percentage).

Being a Bengals’ fan went from being fun and enjoyable to being a curse. The team would come up with ways to lose you could never imagine.

They left Mel Kiper scratching his head on draft day. Every player’s highlight reel would seemingly always come against the Bengals. My team had gone from a Super Bowl contender to a late-night show punchline.

Having moved away from home for college and shortly thereafter, I would always become the punching bag for all my new friends in the new cities. They were always baffled by how I supported such a pathetic team.

The answer was simple. I grew up enjoying them. My childhood was shaped by those orange and black stripes and having my blood boil every time I heard Guns-N-Rose’s “Welcome to the Jungle” on the radio.

The real question is how do the Bengals have any fans younger than me?

I have nephews and nieces who were born in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The only Bengals football they know has been bad. Twenty years of mediocrity is a long time.

They remember Big Daddy Dan Wilkinson and Ki-Jana Carter. They were there when the team turned down all of the Saints’ draft picks so they could take their next franchise quarterback, Akili Smith.

They watched as Carl Pickens left the field flipping off the fans and listened as Corey Dillon said he “would rather flip burgers than play for the Bengals”. They will never forget the 2-14 season of 2002.

The Bengals missed out on many fans from that generation. They root for the Cowboys, or whatever other bandwagon team that gets hot.

They’ve jumped to the Colts because they are only two hours way. Some have even rebelled altogether and become Browns or Steelers fans. Regardless, they are not Bengals fans.

Some of those fans have been saved by Marvin Lewis’ arrival to the team. The division championship team in 2005 brought many that fled back to Bengaldom, but if their roots aren’t deep, they won’t stay long.

Everybody loves a winner and when you only have two winning seasons in your last 18 tries, it’s hard to keep fans’ interest. Consistent success will be required to keep creating the new fans who will one day become season-ticket holders.

If the Bengals are going to thrive in their market for years to come, they have to engage their youth and reward their faithful by putting winning teams on the field.

Hopefully Carson Palmer will do for some other young boy what Ken Anderson and Esiason did for me and lead the Bengals back to the Super Bowl. It will spark enough passion to last a lifetime.

Bengals Have 10-Win Potential

Dan Clasgens — Tue, 26 May 2009 12:23:53 -0400

They say football is a game of inches. In the salary-cap era of the NFL, the difference between 6-10 teams and 10-6 teams is minimal.

Coming off a 4-11-1 season in 2008, it sounds a bit far fetched to look at the Cincinnati Bengals as a playoff contender. Still, there is plenty of reason for optimism.

The Bengals share the AFC North with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, two teams that met in the AFC Championship game a year ago. Getting out of the division will be a great challenge, but will also serve as a solid measuring stick.

The Steelers, the defending Super Bowl champs, are a clear favorite to repeat in the division. Yet if they slip up, the Bengals could be in a position to take advantage.

Why The Bengals Can Win Now

Carson Palmer’s healthy—After being limited to four games a year ago, Palmer is looking good during offseason workouts. Prior to his injury-shortened ‘08 campaign, Palmer passed for 4000 yards in back-to-back seasons with 54 touchdowns in that span.

If the team can keep him upright, Palmer should return to Pro Bowl form.

Cedric Benson breakout—The former first-round pick of the Bears has never lived up to his hype. However, he did show signs of beginning to turn around his life on and off the field after signing with Cincinnati last year.

With little competition for carries and a full season under his belt, Benson is poised for a career year ahead.

Chris Henry goes deep—Henry’s talent has never been questioned. His effort at times on the field and in his inability to stay out of trouble off of it has limited his growth.

For the first time since joining the team in 2005, Henry managed to stay out of trouble this offseason and spent time working out with Palmer in California. If he keeps his head screwed on right, Henry could prove to be a huge contributor in the Bengals’ new play-action approach.

A new defensive attitude—One of the few bright spots last year for Cincinnati was the progress the defense made under first-year defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.

With the additions of rookie Rey Malaluga and the signing of free agent safety Roy Williams, Zimmer’s defense just picked up some hard hitters. Look for the unit to close the gap on both the Steelers and Ravens in the season ahead as being the division’s stingiest defense.

The schedule—A year after playing one of the league’s more challenging schedules, the Bengals have the 22nd toughest schedule (opponents combined for a .465 winning percentage in ‘08) heading into the 2009 season.

Only two games (vs. PIT, vs. BAL) before their Week 10 bye come against playoff teams and teams that finished higher than 20th in total defense. The NFC North should prove easier than the gauntlet the team had last year versus NFC East opponents.

What Could Keep Them From Winning

Early struggles—Getting off to a fast start is extremely important for the Bengals. Over the past two seasons, the team has gone a combined 1-6 in September, effectively ending their season within the first month of the schedule.

Add to the equation their final division game comes on November 29 against Cleveland and another slow start would be crippling to the team’s playoff hopes.

Holes in offensive line—The Bengals have done a complete makeover on the offensive line, with only right guard Bobbie Williams returning as a starter at his position from a year ago.

Much of the team’s success will hinge on first-round pick Andre Smith’s impact in his first season. If the unit can not open up holes in the running game and improve on the 51 sacks allowed last season, it will be a long year in the Queen City.

Chad’s multiple personalities—The most unstable component of the team is wide receiver Chad Ochocinco. Over the past two years, the wideout has gone from a Pro Bowl performer to a big disappointment.

Despite their denial that he is not a distraction, head coach Marvin Lewis cannot regain control of his locker room until Ochocinco either changes his ways or his uniform. Another lackluster effort from him could prove to be too much baggage for this young team to carry.

Stopping the run—It sounds pretty straight forward, yet the Bengals have struggled for years to stop the run. They did hold runners under four yards per carry last season, but they still gave up 120.1 yards per game.

The team is hoping that the tweaks they made this offseason will go a long way toward reversing their fortunes, but they have to prove it on the field first. Another mediocre output here will likely keep them from a winning season yet again.

Team owner Mike Brown—Since taking over the franchise following the death of his legendary father, Paul Brown, Mike’s Bengals have produced a record of 101-187-1 (.351 winning percentage), making them one of the worst franchises in all of professional sports in that span.

Brown has refused to hire a general manager and add the key front office components it takes to remain competitive in the league. The Bengals have six of the 22 0-6 starts and four of the 13 0-8 starts in the NFL during Brown's 18 years as team president.

Heading into the 2009 season, the Bengals are one of the biggest mysteries in the league. They have the talent to be competitive.

If they can keep their key players healthy and get some of their new additions to perform as expected, the team is poised to make a big turnaround in the year ahead.

Anything short of 8-8 will be a big disappointment, but double-digit wins is not out of the range of possibility.

Votto, Phillips Out of Cincinnati Reds Lineup

Dan Clasgens — Sun, 24 May 2009 12:29:00 -0400

The Cincinnati Reds got a big boost on Saturday when first baseman Joey Votto returned to the line-up for the first time in eight days. Votto homered in his first two at bats, but the Reds lost to the Cleveland Indians 7-6.

Votto is batting .371 with seven home runs and 31 RBI in 116 at-bats this season. However, he is not in the Reds' starting lineup on Sunday due to the lingering effects of his inner-ear infection. Clearly he is far from out of the woods with the spells of dizziness and the problem continues to linger.

Second baseman Brandon Phillips is also out of Sunday's lineup for the Reds. He suffered a hairline fracture in the tip of his right thumb after taking a groundball of off his hands on Saturday night. Reportedly it is a small chip in his right hand (his throwing hand). It is unclear whether or not Phillips will head to the disabled list at this point.

After a slow start to the 2009 season, Phillips has been red hot of late. He is hitting.350 (28-for-80) with five homers and 27 RBIs in the month of May.

Jerry Hairston, Jr. will start at second base on Sunday for the Reds.

Without their No. 3 and 4 hitters, the Reds offense will struggle. A look at Sunday's starting lineup tells us all that we need to know:

CF Wily Taveras
2B Jerry Hairston
RF Jay Bruce
LF Jonny Gomes
1B Ramon Hernandez
3B Adam Rosales
SS Alex Gonzalez
C Ryan Hannigan
SP Johnny Cueto

It's not that the lineup is all that bad, but it is much weaker without Votto and in Phillips in the middle. The real hurdle though could come with Dusty Baker when he goes to the bench. At this point the team has not placed either player on the DL, and may not do so at all. That leaves the Reds' manager with few options late in the game.

Changes Ahead in Cincinnati Bengals' Offense

Dan Clasgens — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:13:18 -0400

It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that when your team finishes 4-11-1 that changes need to me made.

The Cincinnati Bengals wiped the slate clean this off-season after a disappointing 2008 campaign and had as much player movement as any year during the Marvin Lewis’ era.

Offensively, the team needs to find answers after finishing dead last in the league in total yards and total points, 29th in rushing yards, and 30th in passing yards.

Prior to 2008, the Bengals finished in the top seven in passing for three straight seasons and in the top 10 of total offense in each of those years.

Obviously getting quarterback Carson Palmer back and healthy is paramount to the team’s success. Palmer, who was limited by injuries to just four games a year ago, has looked impressive thus far in the team’s mini-camps and appears to be near 100 percent.

"We've got some issues to deal with but any time you've got a guy like Palmer at quarterback you can turn it around very quickly," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said earlier this offseason.

If Palmer is going to produce the team will need to keep him upright. They allowed 51 sacks in ‘08, the third most in the NFL.

Retooling the offensive line was a big priority for the Bengals heading into the 2009 season. Right guard, Bobbie Williams, is the only starter remaining for 2005’s division championship team.

They spent their first-round pick, the sixth overall, on Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith. The team is hopeful that the 6-foot-4, 340-pounder can slide into right tackle and anchor the position for years to come.

Anthony Collins and Andrew Whitworth are expected to share time at left tackle, with Whitworth having the ability to move to left guard.

The play at center is going to be an important factor. Second-year man Kyle Cook, who has not played a single NFL-snap, currently sits atop the depth chart.

Keeping pressure off of Palmer is important, but so is establishing a running game. Success inside the AFC North always comes down to two things—moving the football on the ground and stopping the run on defense.

"We're going to try to stretch the backers and mess with them a little bit,” Cook said of the changes ahead for his year in the team’s run-blocking schemes. “Give them the flow and give them different looks in the backfield with the tight ends. Kind of add another notch to our game."

Bratkowski, who is entering his ninth season in Cincinnati, also knows that the time to mix up the running game has arrived.

After being known as a pass-first offense during the past few years, head coach Marvin Lewis has instructed Bratkowski to focus more on running the football.

"He wants us to be a more physical team that runs the ball better and uses more play-action," Bratkowski told the team’s website. “Run it so we can play-action it and throw the ball downfield. That's the direction he wants to go."

Another key component is establishing a power-running game is getting good play at fullback.

The team re-signed veteran Jeremi Johnson, who they cut last season after he came to camp out of shape. It is unclear if he’ll be able to make it back. That would leave the Bengals with a pair of unproven players at the position, rookies Chris Pressley and Fui Vakapuna.

Cedric Benson, who signed with the Bengals four games into last season, is firmly entrenched as the team’s top running back after Cincinnati parted ways with former first-round selection Chris Perry last month.

Benson signed a two-year, $7 million deal this off-season. He led the Bengals with 747 rushing yards in 2008, including back-to-back 100-plus yard efforts in the season's last two weeks.

The team also made a rare player-for-player trade when they sent defensive lineman Orien Harris to St. Louis in exchange for Brian Leonard. Although he played some fullback last year for the Rams, the Bengals envision Leonard more as a running back.

He possesses the versatility that the team covets as a change-of-pace runner and will allow the team to open up the playbook a bit. Leonard has shown some flashes of brilliance when given the opportunity for the Rams over the past two years and is the front-runner to win the backup job.

Veteran Kenny Watson, second-year back James Johnson and sixth-round pick Bernard Scott will battle it out for their spots on the roster.

During Palmer's first four seasons, the team had 40 passes of at least 40 yards. Yet last season they managed just two and none until the last day of November. Establishing a running game should open up the passing game.

"We have to adapt. We don't have the same personnel we did. We have to look at ways to use what we have," Bratkowski said.

The biggest transition for the offense this season is likely to be in the passing game.

Gone is Pro Bowl wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who signed with Seattle as a free agent.

The Bengals brought in veteran Laveranues Coles to replace him in the offense, opposite of Chad Ochocinco.

Coles has lined up early on as the Z receiver, the wideout that is usually on the tight end side. There are fewer sight adjustments and fewer blitz breakoffs at that spot. In addition, there is a larger blocking role in the strong-side running game.

Bratkowski doesn’t see too much difference between the Z and the X spots, the receiver on the other side. He feels Coles can play anywhere in the system.

"Things become more difficult or complex when you go inside; it's a different game," Bratkowski stated.

The Bengals are also hopeful that Chris Henry can make some positive contributions this season. He has stayed out of trouble for nearly 14 months and appears to finally be dedicated to being a football player.

Henry would be the biggest beneficiary of the team’s increased emphasis on setting up the play-action pass. Of his 107 career receptions twenty have gone for 20 plus yards and eight more for 40 yards or longer.

Second-year players Andre Caldwell and Jerome Simpson, along with veteran Antonio Chatman, will compete to round out the receiving corps.

The newest wrinkle that could help resurrect the Bengals’ passing attack is how they use a tight end.

The team brought in pass-catching tight end Ben Utecht as a free agent after the 2007 season. However, an early chest injury sidelined him early and without Palmer under center the team did not have a chance to incorporate him into the system as expected.

In addition, the team landed tight end Chase Coffman out of Missouri late in the third round of April’s draft. He slid in the draft due to a foot injury that caused him to miss the combines, but he’s expected to be ready for training camp.

Coffman, who was recognized as the nation’s top tight end winning the Mackey Award, caught 83 passes for 920 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior. He has a knack for making amazing catches and could help fill the void of an over-the-middle option left by Houshmandzadeh’s departure.

“He brings us that big-time receiving threat as a tight end, and we are excited about that,” Lewis said.

The Bengals’ offense can only get better this season. The talent is definitely there and the unit has undeniable upside. There are plenty of question marks too, but they have a real chance of returning to a top-ten offense. Only this time the route to get there could be a bit different.

Homer Bailey Returns to the Reds' Rotation

Dan Clasgens — Fri, 22 May 2009 10:42:00 -0400

The Reds placed pitcher Edinson Volquez on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday due to back spasms, paving the way for Homer Bailey to return to the majors.

Bailey will pitch in Volquez's spot Saturday night against the Indians. The 23-year old was 3-5 with 4.57 ERA, 43 strikeouts and 17 walks in 45 1/3 innings of action.

Once a top pitching prospect in baseball, Bailey has been on a roller coaster journey over the past two years. He pitched well in spring training (2.61 ERA in six starts), but ultimately lost out in the battle for the team's No. 5 spot in the rotation to Micah Owings.

Volquez was experiencing persistent back spasms after being forced from his start last Saturday night in San Diego. He underwent and MRI Thursday and it revealed that his problems involve a muscular issue, which means Volquez will likely only miss a start or two if all goes well.

Coming of a 17-6 campaign in 2008, Volquez heads to the shelf with a 4-2 mark so far this year. The hard-throwing righty has had a pair of dominant starts and a couple of duds too. His 45 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings is impressive but off his mark last season, and a bit overshadowed by his 31 walks.

The team did get some good news on Thursday when doctors determined the cause of first baseman Joey Votto's dizziness as being a left inner-ear infection. Votto could return to action as soon as this weekend.

Votto was on fire before catching the flu nearly two weeks ago, hitting .366 with 5 HR's and 27 RBI's.

The Reds could use him back in the lineup too, as the team has dropped five of six games since sweeping Arizona.

Chris Henry: The Next Chapter

Dan Clasgens — Thu, 21 May 2009 21:46:30 -0400

Later this summer the Cincinnati Bengals will welcome the crew of HBO’s Hard Knocks for 50 days to their practices, inside their locker room, and everywhere in between for an all-access look at the team.

It’s a safe bet that Chad Ochocinco will throw himself in the spotlight with a variety of carefully planned shenanigans, assuming he shows up.

Carson Palmer is an obvious storyline as the leader of the team and coming off a major injury. Everybody wants to know how he’s throwing the ball.

Still, the best story could be from Chris Henry.

Henry, the poster boy for the Bengals’ league-wide bad boy image, has been arrested five times and suspended by the league for his off-the-field conduct for 14 games during his four-year career as a Bengal.

Tired of his antics, the Bengals released the troubled wideout last April after another run-in with the law. However, after a change of heart, team owner Mike Brown gave Henry another chance when nobody else in the league would. The team re-signed the then 25-year old to a two-year deal just prior to the start of the 2008 season.

Let’s look at some potential questions that the Hard Knocks’ crew could ask Henry that would shed some new light on the gifted receiver.

Question: What was your childhood like?

Background: Henry was born to Carolyn Lee and David Henry in 1983 just outside of New Orleans in Belle Chase, Louisiana. His father was seldom around. Surrounded by a large extended family, Henry was often lost in the shadows.

One place where Henry shined was on the football field. He was one of the top high school players in the New Orleans area. He broke out as a senior, catching 61 balls for 1,083 yards and an unprecedented 24 touchdowns. The effort earned him a scholarship to West Virginia University.

Question: You made a mark at West Virginia on the college gridiron, but also ran into some trouble off of it. How did that experience impact you?

Background: By the time he finished his career at West Virginia, Henry would go down as one of the most prolific playmakers in Mountaineers’ history. In two years at the school Henry amassed 1,878 yards and 22 touchdowns on 93 receptions, starting 13 of 25 contests. However, his behavior would raise red flags.

In addition to several off-the-field incidents and academic struggles, Henry often had moments of lapses on the field. In 2004 he was ejected in a game versus Rutgers following multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and was suspended for a game against Pittsburgh later that season for violating team rules.

Despite his undeniable talent, Henry’s consistent lack of good judgment and inability to maintain his poise at times on the field caused him to fall to the third round of the NFL draft.

Question: How did getting drafted and making it into the NFL impact your life?

Background: After wearing out his welcome in Morgantown, Henry now found himself in Cincinnati and making a huge salary. At 22, Henry signed a five-year, $2.79 million contract that included a signing bonus of $865,000.

Before Henry played his first NFL snap Hurricane Katrina would ravage his hometown of New Orleans, leaving several of his relatives and friends homeless. Within one year over 20 cousins and extended family members would migrate to Cincinnati and move in with Henry. Like so many stars before him, the newly-found entourage would have a negative impact on the suddenly wealthy athlete.

Question: Where did your career hit a bump in the road?

Background: Henry made an instant splash as a rookie and quickly became a household name in the Queen City. He finished his first season with 31 catches for 422 yards and 6 touchdowns, helping the Bengals to their first playoff appearance in 15 years.

Soon the plays he was making on the field would once again be overshadowed by the headlines he was making off of it.

Henry was arrested four times between December 2005 and June 2006, for possession of marijuana in Northern Kentucky, carrying a concealed weapon in Florida, drunken driving in Ohio and providing alcohol to minors in Northern Kentucky.

Question: After all the times in jail and court, when did it finally hit you that you need to make changes?

Background: Henry had clearly worn out his welcome with Marvin Lewis after three straight suspended-shortened seasons. A fifth arrest prompted the team to finally cut him in April of 2008.

"The Bengals tried for an extended period of time to support Chris and his potentially bright career," team owner Mike Brown said in a press release.

"We had hoped to guide him toward an appropriate standard of personal responsibility that this community would support and that would allow him to play in the NFL. ... But those efforts end today, as we move on with what is best for our team."

The NFL suspended him indefinitely, but after the charges were dropped because of a mistrial, the league office reduced his suspension to four games.

Henry would go four months as a free agent without hearing from a single team. His money dried up. His family and friends made their way back to New Orleans and Henry was left with nothing.

With questions surrounding the Bengals’ depth at receiver with both Ochocinco (shoulder) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hamstring) injured, Brown had a sudden change of heart and re-signed Henry just weeks before the season.

Question: Mike Brown is the only owner in this league that was willing to give you one more opportunity. What does he mean to you?

Background: Brown took a tremendous amount of heat and the organization suffered further damage to their already poor image by bringing Henry back.

"I was scared at one point that I wouldn't have the opportunity to be back on the field," Henry said in a press conference shortly after rejoining the team.

With his career in the balance, Henry has managed to stay out of trouble. It is now 13 months and counting without incident.

New agent David Lee is trying to hold Henry to a higher standard. For the first time ever Henry worked out with Palmer this off-season in California and appears to have turned the corner.

Question: What element of your game makes you special?

Background: Henry possesses the perfect mix of speed, athleticism and size. His big-play ability is unmatched. Of his 107 career receptions twenty have gone for 20+ yards and eight more for 40+. If he were to ever play up to his potential over a 16-game schedule there is no telling what type of numbers he would put up.

Question: What are your expectations for the upcoming season?

Background: With Ochocinco skipping the Bengals’ voluntary Organized Team Activities, Henry has gotten a chance to work in his spot in the starting lineup. He has received some rave reviews.

“He's a guy that's...really turned his life around. I'm excited to watch him play,” Palmer told the media after a workout earlier this week. “He's a guy that seems like he catches a touchdown every other ball that's thrown to him. He's that explosive.”

There is talk that the team would like to get Henry on the field for 60-70 snaps a game, mixing with projected starters Lavernaues Coles and Ochocinco. If he can stay healthy and out of trouble, Henry could approach 1000 yards and double-digit touchdowns.

The story is far from over for Henry, but Hard Knocks has the chance to help him start shaping a new message. For a team that desperately needs some good press, nobody can stand to gain more from the show than him.

Bengals: The Zimmer Touch

Dan Clasgens — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:38:46 -0400

Before becoming the Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach Marvin Lewis made a name for himself as one of the best defensive minds in the NFL.

Yet during his first five years in Cincinnati the team’s defense has struggled, finishing in the bottom half of the league in both points and yards allowed each season. In need of some help before starting his sixth season at the helm in 2008, Lewis turned to an old friend that he helped once before, Mike Zimmer.

Zimmer became the third defensive coordinator to serve under Lewis after the team fired predecessor Chuck Bresenhan following the 2007 campaign. Zimmer, who had spent the previous season in the same capacity with the Atlanta Falcons, made his mark serving as the defensive coordinator in Dallas for seven years.

Lewis and Zimmer have deep roots together. The two first met in Los Angeles during the 1980s. Zimmer was recruiting for Weber State and Lewis for Idaho State. Zimmer turned to Lewis after a tumultuous first season as Dallas’ defensive coordinator for help. After Zimmer spent a weekend with the then-Ravens’ defensive coordinator in Baltimore, the Cowboys’ defense turned the corner.

The unit ranked second-to-last in team defense in 2000 and couldn’t stop the run to save their lives, ceding 4.9 yards per carry. Following the meeting with Lewis that offseason, Zimmer gained confidence in his approach.

The results were evident. The Cowboys improved to fourth in the NFL in defense in 2001 and 13th in rushing defense. Within two seasons they would have the league’s top-ranked unit and be third against the run while qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade.

“You play defense with 11 guys, not two or three," Lewis said shortly after the Bengals hired Zimmer. "Mike is getting that across. He's very confident in the approach and scheme he developed in Dallas."

Zimmer has worked quite a bit with the secondary during his coaching career. He started his career as a part-time defensive assistant at Missouri in 1979. His next stop was at Weber State before moving on to Washington State as the school’s defensive coordinator.

After his Cougars’ defense was ranked eighth in the nation overall and third against the run in the 1993 season, Zimmer jumped at the opportunity to join Barry Switzer’s staff in Dallas in 1994.

His initial role with the Cowboys was as the assistant coach of the nickel defense. The following year he was promoted to the defensive backs coach before becoming the team’s defensive coordinator in 2000. The fact that Zimmer stayed with the team through four coaches further displayed his value to the organization.

Zimmer primarily implemented a 4-3 defense during his tenure with the Cowboys. However, after giving up the fewest yards in the league with a speedy and aggressive 4-3 scheme in 2004, new head coach Bill Parcells would still ask him to switch to the 3-4 defense upon is arrival to the Cowboys in 2005.

When Cincinnati pegged Zimmer as their defensive leader there was speculation that Zimmer would transition the Bengals from a 4-3 to a 3-4, but the team’s personnel didn’t allow for it to happen.

The 3-4 requires a big and strong nose tackle up front, to draw double teams and open up rushing lanes for linebackers. In addition, you need to have a nice stable of pass-rushing outside linebackers to make it efficient. After missing out on acquiring both Shaun Rogers and Dewayne Robertson last off-season, the Bengals opted to stay with the 4-3. The decision appears to have been the right move.

Lost in the Bengals 4-11-1 season in 2008 was some of the success that the defense had and the impact that Zimmer made in his first season. For the first time in the Lewis’ era, the team finished in the top half in yards allowed (12th) and were in the top 10 in rushing defense, allowing just 3.9 yards per carry.

Zimmer’s mark was also felt in the secondary where the Bengals saw vast improvements in their young cornerbacks, former first-round picks Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall.

The players love playing for Zimmer. His approach connects and inspires them to perform at a higher level. This was evident this off-season as two former players, veterans Tank Johnson and Roy Williams, rejoined their former coach in Cincinnati despite opportunities elsewhere.

Both Johnson and Williams excelled in a 4-3 defense, but suffered in the Cowboys’ 3-4 system. They are looking forward to getting back to the basics with Zimmer.

“There were a couple of teams offering considerable more money, but Roy liked the fit in Cincinnati,” Williams' agent Jordan Woy told Bengals.com shortly after the safety signed with the team. “It's a good fit for both sides really. Roy obviously has a great relationship with Mike Zimmer and he's excelled in that defense and the Bengals are happy to get a guy like that for their defense.”

Under Zimmer from 2002-06, Williams posted 487 tackles, including 6.5 sacks, with 17 interceptions.

Johnson was force for the Bears during their Super Bowl run and he’s hoping that getting back into a 4-3 scheme under Zimmer in Cincinnati will be just what the doctor ordered.

Zimmer plans to use Johnson in a three technique, which is more of a pressure type of defender with pass rushing ability.

“In the 3-4 nose tackle wasn’t really his thing,” Zimmer said. “When he was in Chicago he did well when he played there. Playing in a three technique gives him greater flexibility to play both sides. We needed a pressure type of player who can create havoc and push the pocket.”

The Bengals have turned the corner defensively in the first year under Zimmer’s tutelage and have the potential to be a top 10 unit this upcoming season after filling many holes via free agency and the draft. Expect even bigger improvement in the year ahead and further development for the team’s young players.

Volquez Pulled with Back Spasms

Dan Clasgens — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:52:00 -0400

The Reds dropped their second straight game to the Padres on Saturday as they lost to the Padres 6-5 in 16 innings. The loss could turn out to be more costly than just the standings would indicate. Starter Edinson Volquez was forced from the game after five-and-two-thirds innings due to back spasms.

Volquez showed obvious discomfort while delivering a pitch to Nick Hundley. Manager Dusty Baker and assistant trainer Nick Bauman went to the mound and check on the team's ace. After a brief discussion, Volquez was pulled from the game.

After getting roughed up last Sunday against the Cardinals, Volquez was looking solid as he pitched 93 before leaving the game with a 5-2 lead.

The back spasms are being called "mild" and Volquez is expected to be accessed again on Sunday. Hopefully, the issue will be minor, but back trouble in pitchers is never an injury that should be taken lightly.

Volquez is next scheduled to pitch on Friday night as the Reds kick off a three-game series with their in-state rivals, the Cleveland Indians. However, it remains to be seen if the right-hander will be ready to go.

Through 48 2/3 innings of work, Volquez has struck out 45 batters, but walked 31. He currently sits at 4-2 with a 4.25 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP.

Around The NFL

Dan Clasgens — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:24:00 -0400

Let's check out some of the latest headlines from around pro football...

BENGALS PICKED BY HBO
HBO Sports, NFL Films and the Bengals announced the Bengals will be the subject of HBO's Hard Knocks reality series featuring the Bengals at training camp this season. “This is a fascinating team,” NFL Films president Steve Sabol said during his press conference on Thursday at Paul Brown Stadium. “They’ve got a lot to prove to themselves and to the fans. As Coach Lewis has said, ‘This is a team with a chip on their shoulder.’ Training camp is a laboratory of human emotions and the Bengals have a compelling mix of personalities that should make for dramatic television.”

WILLIE CALLS IT QUITS
The Ravens placed OT Willie Anderson on the reserve/retired list. The former Bengals' right tackle is now 34 and reportedly couldn't shake his injury troubles. Baltimore drafted Michael Oher to take his place and that led to the decision. A four-time Pro Bowler for the Bengals, Anderson retires after 14 seasons. He did not miss a start between 2000 and 2006. Anderson lost his pass-protection skills late in his career, but helped Baltimore rank fourth in the NFL in rushing as an 11-game starter last year. His veteran presence was a big boost for the team in their run to the AFC Championship game last year.

LYNCH TO APPEAL SUSPENSION
NFL Network reports that Marshawn Lynch formally appealed the NFL's three-game suspension Thursday for violating the personal conduct policy. As a repeat offender it remains to be seen if the suspension will be reduced or not. Clearly Lynch thought there is a chance or he wouldn't have wasted his time or money. However, it will be some time before an official decision is made.

BOLDIN WILLING TO TAKE LESS
Receiver Anquan Boldin's agent has made a contract proposal to the Cardinals, but it's questionable how interested the team is in entering negotiations at this time. Agent Drew Rosenhaus said, contrary to speculation, Boldin is not seeking a deal worth $10 million a year, which is what teammate Larry Fitzgerald is receiving. The recent offer is for less, Rosenhaus said. It is believed to be in the ballpark of $10 million per season, according to the Arizona Republic.

FAVRE CONSULTS DR. ANDREWS
Quarterback Brett Favre consulted renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews regarding options for healing the partially torn biceps tendon in his throwing shoulder this week, according to ESPN.com. We're headed toward a long spring and summer of following Brett Favre's ultimate decision and whether his shoulder injury allows him to get back on the field. The development further indicates Favre's willingness to consider coming out of retirement to sign with the Minnesota Vikings, particularly if there is a non-surgical solution to his damaged shoulder.

THOMAS WANTS TO BE THE GUY
Despite much talk to the contrary, the Saints did not add a running back in the draft or free agency. There was speculation that the franchise was not sold on Pierre Thomas shouldering a bulk of the workload with Reggie Bush. Thomas addressed the issues on Sirrius radio earlier this week. "I really want to show them I can be that big back they want," Thomas said. "I'm not preparing myself enough until [critics] say the Saints have their running back. I have to keep trying. ... I have to make [coach Sean Payton] say 'Pierre's the guy.'"

Triple Crown: Filly Favored in Preakness

Dan Clasgens — Thu, 14 May 2009 08:39:00 -0400

There hasn't been a Triple Crown winner in horse racing since 1978, and it appears unlikely that we will see one this year either.

Derby winner, Mine That Bird, who won the Run for the Roses on an off track, as a 50-1 favorite, is the third choice in the 13-horse field for the Preakness at 6-1.

It is filly Rachel Alexander, who won the Kentucky Oaks by 20 lengths, that is listed as the top choice at 8-5. The talented daughter of Medaglia d'Oro is trying to become the first filly to win the Preakness since Nellie Morse in 1924. She drew post No. 13. Dating back to the 1909 Preakness, the first edition for which post position information is still available, no winner has ever come from post 13, although the race has only had 13 or more starters 11 times in that span and only three times in the last ten years.

“We were extremely pleased,” new co-owner Jess Jackson said. “That gives her a fair chance to stay out of trouble.”

Jackson, along with Harold T. McCormick, purchased the filly one day after her blow-away performance in the Oaks.

Jockey Calvin Borel rode both Rachel Alexander and Mine That Bird at Churchill Downs and has opted to go with the lady in this one. It is not often that you seen the jockey jump off a Derby winner, and that has led to Mike Smith to have one of the choicest pick-up mounts in Triple Crown history.

Derby runner-up Pioneer of the Nile drew post nine and is the 5-1 second choice on the morning line.

The Derby featured a sloppy track at Churchill Downs, and if the weather forecast for Saturday in Baltimore holds true, it could be a similar scenario at Pimilco. Rain is in the picture for the next few days and scattered thunderstorms are forecast, with highs in the low 80s for the Preakness card.

Post	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Morning-line odds
1.	Big Drama	David Fawkes	John Velazquez	10-1
2.	Mine That Bird	Chip Woolley	Mike Smith	6-1
3.	Musket Man	Derek Ryan	Eibar Coa	8-1
4.	Luv Gov	D. Wayne Lukas	Jamie Theriot	50-1
5.	Friesan Fire	Larry Jones	Gabriel Saez	6-1
6.	Terrain	Al Stall Jr.	Jeremy Rose	30-1
7.	Papa Clem	Gary Stute	Rafael Bejarano	12-1
8.	General Quarters	Tom McCarthy	Julien Leparoux	20-1
9.	Pioneer of the Nile	Bob Baffert	Garrett Gomez	5-1
10.	Flying Private	D. Wayne Lukas	Alan Garcia	50-1
11.	Take the Points	Todd Pletcher	Edgar Prado	30-1
12.	Tone It Down	William Komlo	Kent Desormeaux	50-1
13.	Rachel Alexandra	Steve Asmussen	Calvin Borel	8-5