Cincinnati Bengals Create More Drama: Marvin Lewis Calls Out Chad Ochocinco

Not much has gone right for the Bengals this season.  Yes, they somehow beat the playoff-bound Baltimore Ravens in Week 2.  Besides that, the Bengals have two other wins all season (against Carolina and Cleveland). A season that began with so much promise is close to an end as the Bengals limp their way to the finish line.  

Terrell Owens, who's been the best (okay, only) offensive weapon for the Bungles so far this season, tore his meniscus and is out for the year.  And his partner-in-crime, Chad Ochocinco, is also banged up.  Not that Marvin Lewis seems to care.  As Lewis was quoted in an article appearing in the San Diego Union Tribune, a la reporter Chris Jenkins:

"

I [Jenkins] asked Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis this morning about how Ochocinco was doing, wondering more about the status of his foot injury, and this was Lewis' response:

"

"

"Well, he's being his mopey self. Hopefully, he can pull himself out of it and move forward ... When things don't go Chad's way, that's kinda how it happens."

"

Come on Marvin—tell us how you really feel about Chad.  As Jenkins' article continues:

"

Jenkins: "How does Lewis deal with that?"

"

"

"I don't deal with it," he [Lewis] said. "We just move on. We'll put a new guy in there. If he's not ready to go Sunday, we'll have somebody in there ready to go and go from there."

"

Ochocinco was understandably upset, as he tweeted in response:

"

"This is how they treat you when you hurt, the things you don't get to see as fans--->http://sdut.us/dZrY3C #sdut"

"Since when the fuck am I ever mopey? I'm injured for the 1st time in 9 years and it's called being mopey, unless I'm dead then I get respect"

"

Is it fair for Lewis to be fed up with Ochocinco's antics, especially at the end of a long season that's likely to cost Lewis his job?  Yes.  But if you're a player, you don't want your coach to call you out when it comes to injuries, especially when you are known as one of the hardest workers in the league.  

If Lewis had a problem with Ocho, he should have approached him in the locker room, behind closed doors.  But going off to the media on a mini-rant to a reporter who was simply asking about the health of a player makes Lewis look really bad.

For the record, Ocho has missed only seven games in his career, and only three since 2002.  He's played all 16 games in all but two seasons, and is one of the toughest guys in the league.

But I've got to give the Bengals credit—for as bad as they are on the field, at least they're interesting off it!

This article originally appeared on TheJockosphere (but was written by the same writer).  Michael Perchick is the writer/editor of TheJockosphere, a sports/Twitter site, reporting the top tweets and news directly from athletes. Follow him on Twitter @TheREALPerchick and at http://thejockosphere.com/.