A.J. Green Will Stay in Stripes

Lets talk...contract extension:

By far A.J. Green is the Bengals biggest offensive weapon, and now he's going to be paid like it. Sources are saying that Green and the Bengals have reached a deal that will span four years for $60 million. Despite the injuries that plagued him last season, Green has shown that he is the go-to guy for Dalton. The Pro Bowl receiver and the organization were anxious to get this deal done before the season opener at Oakland.

Finally this guy gets the money he deserves. Just to give you some perspective; according to ESPN, only Randy Moss, Torry Holt, and Jerry Rice have had more receiving yards in their first four seasons. The elite receivers in this league, (Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, etc.), have all signed monster deals close to $70 million in the recent past. I believe A.J. is right there in the conversation with these guys.  Another thing I admire about Green is that he keeps his head down and does his job. He's not the type of player that is making negative headlines in the media and killing you with ignorant substance abuse suspensions. I respect a player that can fly below the radar in this day and age. And with the Bengals making history being the only team with four straight playoff appearances with zero wins, maybe Green will have the peace of mind to get the rest of the team ready for a playoff victory.

Lets talk...season opener:

Speaking of Jerry Rice, a rookie receiver in Oakland is being named by some "the next Rice". His name...Amari Cooper. The Bengals secondary is really going to have to step up their game against this kid. He is quick and he is smart. I know college doesn't always translate to the NFL, but I watched Cooper extensively during his days at Alabama and he's got something special. I also have him starting on my Fantasy team so I hope I'm not wrong about him. Don't get it twisted! I will be rooting on my beloved Bengals full force on Sunday, as I also have Mr. Jeremy Hill on my Fantasy roster. But, if Cooper could go off and Cincy still gets the victory, I'm all for that too. Kickoff starts
at 4:25 on Sunday, WHO-DEY!!!

The Wild, Wild West

Lets talk...west coast probs:

I'd venture to guess that the Reds are happy to be heading home after an abysmal road trip out west. They only took one game from each series against the Diamondbacks, Padres and Dodgers; yikes. For as long as I can remember, the Reds have struggled on the West coast. It's nothing new to fans that when they hit that long road trip out to the other side of the country, it's probably going to end in disappointment. This whole season has been quite the disappointment really. After the past couple years of being in contention, sitting at the bottom of the Central is not something we've grown accustomed to. It feels like the world has turned upside down, with the exception of the Cardinals who always seem to find their way to the top. But the Pirates and Cubs battling for playoff spots?! If you told me that at the beginning of the season I would've laughed in your face.

Lets talk...the Central division:

Never in my life would I have thought I would envy the Chicago Cubs, but I found myself watching the SportsCenter Featured on Joe Maddon this morning oozing with it. The Cubs, so young and so dominant and Maddon having just the right mix of passion and quirkiness to make an awesome manager. They showed his press conference from when he was officially hired as Cubs' manager and he said that next year they would be in the playoff race. Again, I laughed. I swallow my laughter painfully now as the Cubs stand atop the Reds in the Central.

Watching Maddon's life story on SC made me like him even more, and it got me thinking, what qualities do I enjoy about Bryan Price? The answer is, not many. We don't have a leader at the helm of our ship. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Price is the reason for our less-than-stellar season, but I don't think he is going to lead us back to the winner's circle. We need a guy like Maddon with experience and pizazz, but most of all we need a guy with a winning attitude!

Lets talk...football: 

Football is back! The Bengals with the W this past Friday against the Giants. Yes, I know it's only pre-season, but that doesn't make me any less excited. I saw exactly what I wanted to see from this football team. The starters, including Dalton, came out on that first drive and took care of business. They put points on the board which is what you expect from your first team.
The starters weren't the only stars of the show, a lot of defensive guys looking to earn a spot showed they have what it takes.

In other news, the next time you find yourself at Paul Brown Stadium, there will be a few upgrades you'll notice. They have finally upgraded those outdated video scoreboards. The food in the concession stands has been revamped along with the décor. For you upper-class ticket holders, there will be all new furniture in the club seat lounges. And if you were accustomed to visiting the Pigskin Pub during a game, it will now be the Queen City Tap Room. Who Dey!