Chad Ochocinco Gets Engaged: Is Football Still First on His Mind?

Everybody's favorite (or possibly least favorite) Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has recently announced that he is engaged to "Basketball Wives" "star" Evelyn Lozada.

It is something that has been floating around, but it has just initially been acknowledged by Ochocinco himself.

The announcement, made to Ryan Seacrest of all people (I don't know what to think of the fact that I am writing about something involving Ryan Seacrest) came earlier today and is stirring up questions of his commitment to football.

Ochocinco has been involved more in his Twitter account than he has been in the Bengals offense this season.

On Evelyn Lozada, Ochocinco said that she is "everything he has been looking for in a person", and when asked if the rumors were true that he was engaged to Antoine Walker's ex-fiancee, he said of the decision, "Yea man, why not? It's time for me to sit down."

Way to sound excited Ochocinco, way to be man.

So, lets take a look at this announcement from a purely football standpoint because I think if I get any deeper into the "celebrity" of this I may vomit.

First, Let's Look at Evelyn

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MIAMI BEACH, FL - MARCH 23: Evelyn Lozada attends The Sony Ericsson Open Kick-Off Party at LIV nightclub at Fontainebleau Miami on March 23, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images for Sony Ericsson)

Lozada is one of the new types of "celebrities" who have become famous for who they are seen with and being on a reality show.

She was once engaged to Antoine Walker up until his financial and legal issues that have forced him into the Puerto Rican basketball league, attempting to make an NBA comeback.

After they broke up, she became famous on the reality show "Basketball Wives," since she has been labeled as a gold digger and she isn't helping herself with the recent engagement.

She has said the only reason she joined the show was to gain publicity for her shoe store in Coral Gables, Fla.

It seems that she is just the type of person that Ochocinco would align with, but not exactly the type of person that Bengals fans would like to see him with.

Ochocincos Off-Field Activities

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CINCINNATI - NOVEMBER 21: Chad Ochocinco #85 and Terrell Owens #81 of the Cincinnati Bengals watch from the sideline during the final minutes of the Bengals 49-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Paul Brown Stadium on November 21, 2010 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Much was made in March when Ochocinco joined "Dancing With The Stars," but he did that during the football offseason, before any mandatory camps started in Cincinnati.

He then, however, starred in his own reality show to "find love" called "Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch" in which he found one girl out of 85 to be his love.

Needless to say, that didn't work out.

Also of note, on the first show of his reality show, Ochocinco eliminated 69 women. Stay classy Ocho, stay classy.

He then went on record of saying that he would love to play with outspoken receiver Terrell Owens, something that obviously happened and hasn't worked out too well so far.

The combo then went on to create the "T. Ocho Show," which has aired on Versus during this football season since Oct. 12.

Along with all of these exploits, he has been fined this season for Tweeting too close to the start of a football game, a rule which some say is ridiculous, but is a rule nonetheless.

2010 Football Season

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INDIANAPOLIS - NOVEMBER 14: Chad Ochocinco #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals reaches for a pass during the Bengals 23-17 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in the NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium on November 14, 2010 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/

Finally, three, four slides in we get to something that actually has to do with football. Who would have thunk right?

Ochocinco has only 628 yards this season, putting him 26th in the league, which looks good at first, but when he has been in the top 20 in receiving yards since 2002, it is a definite downfall.

He looks to miss the 1000-yard mark for the first time in a full season in his career.

The most telling stat is his top ten ranking in passes dropped this season, along with countless more that have sailed over his head or a bit wide that he didn't even bother to go after.

In the past he was one of the best at catching uncatchable balls and gathering up yards after the catch by the barrel full, now he is 97th in the league in YAC.

Does He Care Anymore?

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 26: Chad Ochocinco #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals waves to the Carolina Panthers before the start of their game as teammate Terrell Owens #81 watches on at Bank of America Stadium on September 26, 2010 in Charlotte, North Carolin

Some will argue that Terrell Owens is just as much to blame as Ochocinco for the Bengals downfall, after all, he has dropped more passes and is also not doing terribly well in yards after the catch.

The difference is that Owens has showed signs of life, signs that he actually cares.

After last week's loss, T.O came out and shared his disappointment with the press, doing what he has always done, speaking his mind.

Ochocinco, however, had shown no signs of caring what happens in the game, he hasn't voiced his opinion and his only sign of life has been arguing with Carson Palmer a few weeks ago on the field, something that is more destructive than anything.

His lack of effort is alarming and is a telling sign that he may no longer care about his on field action, but more about his time away from the field.

So What's Up With Chad?

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CINCINNATI - DECEMBER 27: Chad Ochocinco #85 of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates his touchdown catch by holding up the number 15 in memory of Chris Henry against the Kansas City Chiefs in their NFL game at Paul Brown Stadium December 27, 2009 in Cincinn

It seems that Ochocinco in fact does not care anymore. He has his mind elsewhere and it shows through his behavior and his statistics.

Maybe it is possible that the Bengals should consider trading the oft-maligned star this offseason, as it may be good to get rid of the disruption in the clubhouse.

Now that he isn't producing as much as he has in the past, it will be much easier for the fans to deal with parting from the once beloved receiver and it would benefit the team more than hurt it.

It's time for the Bengals to go to the childish receiver and tell him, "It's not us, it's you."