2013 Bengals

I recently saw a story about an NFL rookie video taping himself running 25 mph on a treadmill.  Not to be outdone, Chad Johnson/Ochocinco, never one to shy away from the spot light - indeed I'm amazed he's been able to live without it (and you could argue that he isn't able to live without it - thus this stunt), running 25 mph on a treadmill at a 2.5 degree incline.

This is just a desperation attempt on Johnson's part to get back in the public eye - especially since the last time we heard from him, he was being found in contempt of court for slapping his lawyer's butt as the judge was about to give Johnson a relative slap on the wrist for headbutting his former wife (and subsequently being released by the Miami Dolphins).

Oh how nice it is since the Bengals (for the most part - except for the stupidity of one Adam Jones) decided to dump their divas and move on (circa 2011).

Just check out this story just posted to ESPN this morning about their best player (who is the best player at his position in the entire NFL) and how anonymous he is.  If this were Johnson, he'd be parlaying this into SI covers and commercials.  Not Geno Atkins though.  And that's refreshing for this organization.

This year the Bengals will reappear on HBO's Hardknocks.  This is their second stint.  The last time was in 2009 when HBO spent a significant amount of time catering to Johnson's hijinx (thus the phrases "Child, please" and "Kiss the baby" entered the lexicon).

But compared to the 2009 Bengals (namely Johnson and quarterback Carson Palmer), this version of the Bengals is quite boring.

And if you're a Bengals fan, that's very nice to hear after putting up with far too many prima donnas over the years.

The two biggest stars on this year's team, and they are not only in the top three at their respective positions in Bengals history but also in the NFL this year, namely DT Geno Atkins and WR AJ Green, are as quiet as church mice.

They are the anti-Chad Johnsons of the world.

And that's awesome.

The lowpoint for the Bengals - and the last time they were the Bungals - was 2010.  In 2009, aided by a very strong draft (OT Andre Smith, LB Rey Maualuga, DE Michael Johnson, P Kyle Hubner, and RB Bernard Scott) they won the division (after going 6-0 in the division for the first time in franchise history).  But they faltered badly late in the season and lost to the Jets in the opening round.

They still had a strong defense but needed a few playmakers on offense.  The Bengals had another great draft (Pro Bowlers TE Jermaine Gresham and DT Geno Atkins, in addition to excellent DE Carlos Dunlap).  But they chose to add WR Terrel Own to compliment Chad Ochocinco.

And what should have been an explosive offense imploded and there was no team chemistry.  The Bengals stumbled to a 4-12 record and were laughingstocks.

Worse yet, the NFL was undergoing a lockout and veterans couldn't meet during the offseason.  Things looked horrible for the Bengals.  Yet, they had another very strong draft (adding Pro Bowlers WR AJ Green and QB Andy Dalton in addition to starting OG Cling Boling).  Prior to the draft, they traded their only bonafide weapon, Ochocinco to the Patriots.  Palmer was so disheartened that he was willing to retire rather than play for the Bungals ever again.

Things looked bleak for 2011: an inexperienced offense led by a - gulp - rookie quarterback and a defense that lost its best defender (Jonathan Joseph) in free agency and had no time to gel or master their schemes from their phenomenal defensive coordinator, Mike Zimmer.

Yet, the young Bungals started 6-2 - thanks to a very easy schedule.  And they eventually ended up going 9-7 and earning a wild card playoff spot.  This shocked everyone.

And it was all done without any of Chad Johnson's grandstanding where he bragged about beating cornerbacks or performed foolish touchdown celebrations.  It was all done without Carson Palmer, whom they traded to Oakland early in the season for first and second round draft picks.

Then in 2012 they had another strong draft (starting guard Kevin Zeitler, promising DL Devon Still and Brandon Thompson and WRs Mohammud Sanu and Marvin Jones).  With a year of experience under their belts the Bengals shed their Bungal label and for the first time in 30 years had back-to-back playoff appearances after a 10-6 season.

Now 2013 is here - and four the fifth year in a row they had a very strong draft (TE Tyler Eifert and RB Giovanni Bernard and DE Marcus Hunt and SS Shawn Williams all hold promise and none will be expected to start) and are set to appear on Hard Knocks.

But this season's Hard Knocks will all be about the Bengals as a team, not one or two celebrities and their pandering for screen time like back in 2009.

What a welcome relief that will be.  And maybe it will help usher in the first Bengals playoff win since I was a junior in high school.

That would be a very welcomed relief indeed.