Tees presence will not have anything to do with cap space and everything to do with what 9 wants to do…contractually speaking. If 9 insists on keeping Tee, the proverbial haircut will be required. If not, someone currently unknown will play 2nd fiddle to Uno next year and JB will make him look like a 1. It’s what generational QBs do.
Good column today but I still disagree with Tee, only because I know that the front office will squander any savings on worthless players. That's their MO. If we had a capable front office I'd be on board, but at this point I say hold on to proven talent and hope to catch lightning in a bottle during the draft.
There was a lot of ugliness Sunday, with penalties, turnovers and poor tackling, but to me the worst was Tennessee’s final drive of the game. I mean, a third and seven checkdown pass with 40 seconds left that goes for 40+ yards as half a dozen Bengals halfheartedly pursue? And a touchdown pass as time expires? That was brutal to watch.
The Marshall debacle is heart rending. There has to be some serious change or college sports will be totally irrelevant, if it's not already. Tune helped the sting of it all though Doc
Following us on Brian's portal comments. So Doc, where do think Underwood's Michigan signing leaves local kid Chase Herbstreit? Perhaps a change of direction before he enters Michigan. OSU? :)
While watching The Men and others at a loud sports bar yesterday, I had to chuckle every time I saw playoff possibilities with the Bengals listed as “In the Hunt” at 5-8. If I hadn’t been a fan for half a century, my sense of optimism might have been able to leap forward with that thought but those old scars never go away as we all know. The waste of offensive talent this year will fit just fine with all those old regrets…
As for the new in(sanity), I would like to add another name to that esteemed company. The Ville just hired a $$$QB from USC (Miller Moss) who lit them up in last year’s Holiday Bowl for 6 TD’s and almost 400 yards to replace this past year’s one season star, Tyler Shough. I understand why you do this for immediate results but the effect on the backup QBs on the team must be brutal. Yes, winning is everything and always will be but how you maintain team chemistry with this kind of outside hired gun year after year is a mystery to me.
Great point about a back-up waiting their turn only to see their U pay someone more money to take his position. While it’s doubtful that would happen to Arch Manning at UT, it certainly could happen to the kid from a family with an historic QB pedigree.
OSU's Devin Brown lost out to Kyle McCord last season and patiently waited, and finally got his chance after McCord decamped to Syracuse. He lasted one quarter in the bowl game against Missouri before being injured. During the off-season, OSU brings in Will Howard, who wins the job. Brown recently entered the portal, but has committed to staying with the team throughout the playoffs. If ever there was the possibility of a Cinderella ending .... :-)
I didn’t know any of that but I do hope he gets a shot in the CFP games. It’s one thing for a player to lose his position to a more talented incoming freshman and an entirely different story when his own team hires his replacement. I recognize why that happens in the new college football business model but a lot of loyal kids are going to have the same thing happen to them. Like lots of professional sports, sometimes the big contract new guy gets an advantage over the tried and true “veteran” because no one wants to admit they wrongly spent money on a dud.
What's insane about the Browns is only that they're sticking with Stefanski and Berry. Deshaun Watson is a financial (and PR) albatross, but one that they have no way of ridding themselves of without burning up a ridiculous pile of cash. They have to continue to run him out there.
Trade Tee and get a higher draft choice to improve the defense at any position or the offensive line. I'd never have had the Bryce Underwood story catch my attention without reading TML. I mention this because last week Michigan announced the signing of Chase Herbstreit, the senior QB from our local St. Xavier High School. What are the odds either Chase H. or Bryce U. enter the portal after their freshman or sophomore season?
Fun fact: Chip Taylor, the guy in The Troggs is credited with writing "Wild Thing" as well as "Angel In The Morning"
If Burrow is going to restructure his contract for anyone, I’d like to see a stud Left Tackle or Guard instead of Tee. It’s been a turnstile up there. Keep him upright for 3-4 seconds a play and we could have Doc back there catching balls.
We’re not making the playoffs. Let’s just make sure 9 stays healthy the rest of the way.
How long until NCAA tries to suggest a salary cap on NIL money? This is already out of hand. Can’t wait for the Ivy’s to start fielding top 20 teams after their big money alum start sending checks. Absurd.
This is a QB-centric league. Spend the money on keeping a great one protected and he can do damage with almost anyone. See Brady, Tom as example A. He had a handful of greats, but most of his guys were not studs.
Interesting: Ckout the top 20 receivers, TEs not included. If you find 12 household names, you're doing well, Point being, productive #2 wideouts aren't impossible to find. I mean Brian Thomas Jr., Garrett Wilson, Malik Nabors?
I was firmly in the “trade Tee” camp heading into the season. But after seeing the decline of 9 of our defensive starters I don’t see anyone else on this roster that you invest a big contract in. I also don’t see the magic bullets that are coming in free agency that are going to save our defense. We are certainly not going to turn this defense into the Chiefs defense during the offseason. There aren’t any great options here but I don’t see any better than keeping the offense in tact at this point. Maybe someone could name a few FA names for me and I would see the light. Doc?
Also, if you let Tee go I think you have to assume that he signs with the Steelers, and unfortunately he would be the perfect fit for them.
I meant the FA acquisitions that are going to turn around the defense. I don’t think it’s happening in one year so you need some guys that can be around for several years.
As Randy Moss once said to a college QB who became a fledgling receiver on the Patriots, “You ain’t a bad lil’ receiver Edel-Nut (Julian Edelman).Now go get my Gatorade and put my hot tub to ‘bout 102.” Point being, Edelman ended up being a fine possession receiver who won 3 Super Bowls, was the leading receiver in two of them, and was named MVP for one of them. Talent is out there if someone is smart enough to find it. Maybe Iosivas is that talent with one more off-season receiver instruction camp. He’s flashed moments of brilliance this year.
I really enjoyed the game yesterday, except the several penalty flags that flew our way, or actually, took away several yards. BTW, was our Center taking a nap during one of those times? Too many over anxious rookies who get easily fooled by the Titans. Guess those guys in stripes weren't watching the face masks again, that weren't called against TN...or the fake "block in the back". The guy wasn't even touched and he fell forward like a kid trying to dive off the end of a pier on his face. Please....
I loved Joe's arms in the air after Higgins made that incredible touchdown on a long pass, after Joe was flattened by a Defender, and the defender's eyes looked incredulous into Joe's eyes in complete surprise. That was the shot of the day for me captured by the camera crew.
The #1 thing I'd like to see in the off season is to lose Lou Anarumo. While I'll admit the Manningcast with Belichek was not action packed, it reinforced an opinion of mine when Peyton asked what the Bengals need to do to turn around the defense. Eli immediately said "simplify what they are doing" and the other two immediately agreed. My POV is being a mad scientist is fine when you have experienced safeties and cornerbacks who are also not ancient. We had that 2-3 years ago. Now, we are playing with too many guys who are 1 and 2 years in the league to execute the concoction Lou mixes up. Everyone has to be on the same page, and odds are with young guys there are plays they won't be. It's better on defense to play simpler and have everyone know exactly where they need to be. Lou isn't changing at this point, I think new blood with a different approach will help some (not all) of our defensive deficiencies go away.
The complication with the Tee Higgins situation is that everyone likes him personally. He is a low key humble talent and seems to have the respect of the fans and locker room. It is tough to get rid of good culture guys even if you can't make sense of the financial investment merits. Any reasonable quantitative brain would tell you that keeping Tee isn't worth the ROI. It is like buying a golf simulator when you need a new roof.
Not well but it could be worse. At the end of the day, we have had both Tee and Chase for a lot of games and it hasn't yielded a successful season. Need to move on.
The Marshall story caught my eye yesterday. That situation's more than sad. It's badly broken. You have an entire fan base that just got shafted. Rather cruelly, in fact. Marshall is in a blue collar town, supported by many of the locals who work hard for their money. You think they'll ignore the mean joke that college football has played on them and forget about it? I doubt it. Either the dummies that make rules for college football get this thing under control, and right away, or college football deteriorates into something people in Huntington, WVa, and lots of other towns no longer support, in fact start to hate. What it has already turned into is just the tip of the iceberg.
Carpetbagging head coaches are bad enough. Carpetbagging players in their teens? No thanks. There's no way UC can compete with billionaire donors. Even if they could, it's just not right on so many levels. The sad thing is that the 12 million paid a teen age high school QB to come to a school is 12 million not donated for academic growth at said school. The 12 team playoffs are masking the depth of this disaster for now. After the playoffs, if the mess is not fixed and rules put in place to guarantee some fairness and balance, and a return to sanity, it's seems clear that some colleges will have to consider shutting down their programs in the near future. The return will never equal the investment.
Legislation making its way through the courts to essentially establish a salary cap of $22M per school with 75% of that going to football. The rest gets distributed how the university sees fit. Eliminates the NIL sham of actually using your name, image and likeness to earn money. You can still do commercials and marketing, but the team payouts will be capped.
What's strange is take a Big East school like Butler or Xavier who does not have a D1 football program. Presumably, they could have a $20M team. Also, what schools without big time football can actually carve out $22M per year to spend on student athletes? Butler cannot...
Ross Tucker brought up the Penn State situation this morning. Their backup QB plays about 20 snaps a game, but when their starter declared he was coming back, this guy went into the portal meaning he can't play their playoff game. Absurd !
If Bengals management doesn't make major changes this off season, they will become the next Browns. The team doesn't play sound football and Taylor and his coaches are major contributing factors. Burrow's recent obvious depression about the team and outburst with Taylor are clear signs. I agree with Carson that Burrow is getting frustrated and isn't used to losing. I really like T, but keeping him won't help unless Taylor goes,
Tune was a great pick. I have a music challenge for mobsters. What old bands still with key original members have made excellent new albums recently. My choice is Blue Oyster Cult 'The Symbol Remains' album. Here is one of my favorites. I really like Richie Castellano, who is also 'Band Geek', but has been playing with BOC for several years.
Another day of Taylor sending in all the plays. No rhythm...so obvious. Let the genius in the trenches make the decisions so we can keep him happy and get a few more touchdowns. That decision in Denver years ago took John Elway's team to the Super Bowl two back to back seasons.
Thanks for the tip on BOC. I was a huge fan back in the day, but I lost track of them over the past couple of decades. Great track - Eric Bloom still the perfect lead for this band, and that's a great Buck guitar solo.
Tees presence will not have anything to do with cap space and everything to do with what 9 wants to do…contractually speaking. If 9 insists on keeping Tee, the proverbial haircut will be required. If not, someone currently unknown will play 2nd fiddle to Uno next year and JB will make him look like a 1. It’s what generational QBs do.
Good column today but I still disagree with Tee, only because I know that the front office will squander any savings on worthless players. That's their MO. If we had a capable front office I'd be on board, but at this point I say hold on to proven talent and hope to catch lightning in a bottle during the draft.
There was a lot of ugliness Sunday, with penalties, turnovers and poor tackling, but to me the worst was Tennessee’s final drive of the game. I mean, a third and seven checkdown pass with 40 seconds left that goes for 40+ yards as half a dozen Bengals halfheartedly pursue? And a touchdown pass as time expires? That was brutal to watch.
The Marshall debacle is heart rending. There has to be some serious change or college sports will be totally irrelevant, if it's not already. Tune helped the sting of it all though Doc
Following us on Brian's portal comments. So Doc, where do think Underwood's Michigan signing leaves local kid Chase Herbstreit? Perhaps a change of direction before he enters Michigan. OSU? :)
What are chances that Joe and Chase walk if the front office doesn’t make appropriate upgrades to the team?
Zero
While watching The Men and others at a loud sports bar yesterday, I had to chuckle every time I saw playoff possibilities with the Bengals listed as “In the Hunt” at 5-8. If I hadn’t been a fan for half a century, my sense of optimism might have been able to leap forward with that thought but those old scars never go away as we all know. The waste of offensive talent this year will fit just fine with all those old regrets…
As for the new in(sanity), I would like to add another name to that esteemed company. The Ville just hired a $$$QB from USC (Miller Moss) who lit them up in last year’s Holiday Bowl for 6 TD’s and almost 400 yards to replace this past year’s one season star, Tyler Shough. I understand why you do this for immediate results but the effect on the backup QBs on the team must be brutal. Yes, winning is everything and always will be but how you maintain team chemistry with this kind of outside hired gun year after year is a mystery to me.
Great point about a back-up waiting their turn only to see their U pay someone more money to take his position. While it’s doubtful that would happen to Arch Manning at UT, it certainly could happen to the kid from a family with an historic QB pedigree.
OSU's Devin Brown lost out to Kyle McCord last season and patiently waited, and finally got his chance after McCord decamped to Syracuse. He lasted one quarter in the bowl game against Missouri before being injured. During the off-season, OSU brings in Will Howard, who wins the job. Brown recently entered the portal, but has committed to staying with the team throughout the playoffs. If ever there was the possibility of a Cinderella ending .... :-)
I didn’t know any of that but I do hope he gets a shot in the CFP games. It’s one thing for a player to lose his position to a more talented incoming freshman and an entirely different story when his own team hires his replacement. I recognize why that happens in the new college football business model but a lot of loyal kids are going to have the same thing happen to them. Like lots of professional sports, sometimes the big contract new guy gets an advantage over the tried and true “veteran” because no one wants to admit they wrongly spent money on a dud.
What's insane about the Browns is only that they're sticking with Stefanski and Berry. Deshaun Watson is a financial (and PR) albatross, but one that they have no way of ridding themselves of without burning up a ridiculous pile of cash. They have to continue to run him out there.
Trade Tee and get a higher draft choice to improve the defense at any position or the offensive line. I'd never have had the Bryce Underwood story catch my attention without reading TML. I mention this because last week Michigan announced the signing of Chase Herbstreit, the senior QB from our local St. Xavier High School. What are the odds either Chase H. or Bryce U. enter the portal after their freshman or sophomore season?
Fun fact: Chip Taylor, the guy in The Troggs is credited with writing "Wild Thing" as well as "Angel In The Morning"
Chip was not in The Troggs, he wrote it for them. He is also the brother of Jon Voight
If Burrow is going to restructure his contract for anyone, I’d like to see a stud Left Tackle or Guard instead of Tee. It’s been a turnstile up there. Keep him upright for 3-4 seconds a play and we could have Doc back there catching balls.
We’re not making the playoffs. Let’s just make sure 9 stays healthy the rest of the way.
How long until NCAA tries to suggest a salary cap on NIL money? This is already out of hand. Can’t wait for the Ivy’s to start fielding top 20 teams after their big money alum start sending checks. Absurd.
This is a QB-centric league. Spend the money on keeping a great one protected and he can do damage with almost anyone. See Brady, Tom as example A. He had a handful of greats, but most of his guys were not studs.
Interesting: Ckout the top 20 receivers, TEs not included. If you find 12 household names, you're doing well, Point being, productive #2 wideouts aren't impossible to find. I mean Brian Thomas Jr., Garrett Wilson, Malik Nabors?
I was firmly in the “trade Tee” camp heading into the season. But after seeing the decline of 9 of our defensive starters I don’t see anyone else on this roster that you invest a big contract in. I also don’t see the magic bullets that are coming in free agency that are going to save our defense. We are certainly not going to turn this defense into the Chiefs defense during the offseason. There aren’t any great options here but I don’t see any better than keeping the offense in tact at this point. Maybe someone could name a few FA names for me and I would see the light. Doc?
Also, if you let Tee go I think you have to assume that he signs with the Steelers, and unfortunately he would be the perfect fit for them.
Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, DeAndre Hopkins, Keenan Allen. None as good as Tee, but suitable for a team that already has the best WR on the planet.
I meant the FA acquisitions that are going to turn around the defense. I don’t think it’s happening in one year so you need some guys that can be around for several years.
Regardless, Ed, paying Tee would amount to standing pat and hoping for better luck next year. The Bengals have done that since I got here, in '88.
As Randy Moss once said to a college QB who became a fledgling receiver on the Patriots, “You ain’t a bad lil’ receiver Edel-Nut (Julian Edelman).Now go get my Gatorade and put my hot tub to ‘bout 102.” Point being, Edelman ended up being a fine possession receiver who won 3 Super Bowls, was the leading receiver in two of them, and was named MVP for one of them. Talent is out there if someone is smart enough to find it. Maybe Iosivas is that talent with one more off-season receiver instruction camp. He’s flashed moments of brilliance this year.
I really enjoyed the game yesterday, except the several penalty flags that flew our way, or actually, took away several yards. BTW, was our Center taking a nap during one of those times? Too many over anxious rookies who get easily fooled by the Titans. Guess those guys in stripes weren't watching the face masks again, that weren't called against TN...or the fake "block in the back". The guy wasn't even touched and he fell forward like a kid trying to dive off the end of a pier on his face. Please....
I loved Joe's arms in the air after Higgins made that incredible touchdown on a long pass, after Joe was flattened by a Defender, and the defender's eyes looked incredulous into Joe's eyes in complete surprise. That was the shot of the day for me captured by the camera crew.
[
The #1 thing I'd like to see in the off season is to lose Lou Anarumo. While I'll admit the Manningcast with Belichek was not action packed, it reinforced an opinion of mine when Peyton asked what the Bengals need to do to turn around the defense. Eli immediately said "simplify what they are doing" and the other two immediately agreed. My POV is being a mad scientist is fine when you have experienced safeties and cornerbacks who are also not ancient. We had that 2-3 years ago. Now, we are playing with too many guys who are 1 and 2 years in the league to execute the concoction Lou mixes up. Everyone has to be on the same page, and odds are with young guys there are plays they won't be. It's better on defense to play simpler and have everyone know exactly where they need to be. Lou isn't changing at this point, I think new blood with a different approach will help some (not all) of our defensive deficiencies go away.
The complication with the Tee Higgins situation is that everyone likes him personally. He is a low key humble talent and seems to have the respect of the fans and locker room. It is tough to get rid of good culture guys even if you can't make sense of the financial investment merits. Any reasonable quantitative brain would tell you that keeping Tee isn't worth the ROI. It is like buying a golf simulator when you need a new roof.
How's the culture working out this year?
Not well but it could be worse. At the end of the day, we have had both Tee and Chase for a lot of games and it hasn't yielded a successful season. Need to move on.
I agree with you. I'm sure Higgins is uncomfortable being in this position. Good luck to him !
Lol'd your analogy
The Marshall story caught my eye yesterday. That situation's more than sad. It's badly broken. You have an entire fan base that just got shafted. Rather cruelly, in fact. Marshall is in a blue collar town, supported by many of the locals who work hard for their money. You think they'll ignore the mean joke that college football has played on them and forget about it? I doubt it. Either the dummies that make rules for college football get this thing under control, and right away, or college football deteriorates into something people in Huntington, WVa, and lots of other towns no longer support, in fact start to hate. What it has already turned into is just the tip of the iceberg.
Carpetbagging head coaches are bad enough. Carpetbagging players in their teens? No thanks. There's no way UC can compete with billionaire donors. Even if they could, it's just not right on so many levels. The sad thing is that the 12 million paid a teen age high school QB to come to a school is 12 million not donated for academic growth at said school. The 12 team playoffs are masking the depth of this disaster for now. After the playoffs, if the mess is not fixed and rules put in place to guarantee some fairness and balance, and a return to sanity, it's seems clear that some colleges will have to consider shutting down their programs in the near future. The return will never equal the investment.
Legislation making its way through the courts to essentially establish a salary cap of $22M per school with 75% of that going to football. The rest gets distributed how the university sees fit. Eliminates the NIL sham of actually using your name, image and likeness to earn money. You can still do commercials and marketing, but the team payouts will be capped.
What's strange is take a Big East school like Butler or Xavier who does not have a D1 football program. Presumably, they could have a $20M team. Also, what schools without big time football can actually carve out $22M per year to spend on student athletes? Butler cannot...
Good point. You should consider being a first-time Hemingway
Ross Tucker brought up the Penn State situation this morning. Their backup QB plays about 20 snaps a game, but when their starter declared he was coming back, this guy went into the portal meaning he can't play their playoff game. Absurd !
If Bengals management doesn't make major changes this off season, they will become the next Browns. The team doesn't play sound football and Taylor and his coaches are major contributing factors. Burrow's recent obvious depression about the team and outburst with Taylor are clear signs. I agree with Carson that Burrow is getting frustrated and isn't used to losing. I really like T, but keeping him won't help unless Taylor goes,
Tune was a great pick. I have a music challenge for mobsters. What old bands still with key original members have made excellent new albums recently. My choice is Blue Oyster Cult 'The Symbol Remains' album. Here is one of my favorites. I really like Richie Castellano, who is also 'Band Geek', but has been playing with BOC for several years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4TFfTSUbto
Another day of Taylor sending in all the plays. No rhythm...so obvious. Let the genius in the trenches make the decisions so we can keep him happy and get a few more touchdowns. That decision in Denver years ago took John Elway's team to the Super Bowl two back to back seasons.
Thanks for the tip on BOC. I was a huge fan back in the day, but I lost track of them over the past couple of decades. Great track - Eric Bloom still the perfect lead for this band, and that's a great Buck guitar solo.
MORE COWBELL!!!