CEO-cho Cinco?

Rich Eisen's favorite receiver Chad Johnson hit the airwaves again the past few days, beginning with a bizarre interview on Wednesday's Sportscenter and culminating with a phone call into NFL Network to discuss Chris Henry (and of course himself) with Eisen, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Lance Briggs, and Rod Woodson.  I found the interviews to be abnormally strange (even for Chad), but they did provide the most insight to date on what are Chad's motivations behind his rants.

When Chad started reading columns in the local media questioning his overall value, he took it personally.  And when no one in the organization came out publicly to defend Chad, he took that VERY personally.  It's hard to say exactly what Chad wants sometimes...heck this is a guy that said the Bengals were crazy for benching Jon Kitna in 2003 for Carson Palmer.  After listening to every one of his interviews...here's my analysis on what the hell is going on inside Chad's head. 

1.  Chad is starting to realize that management is going to prevent this team from ever going to the Super Bowl.  I believe that Chad wants to win, but I also believe that he wants to win while it satisfies his agenda.  An interesting case study would be if the Bengals won a game or two in the playoffs in 2008, but Chad's season was average.  He keeps saying that it was embarrassing that the Bengals didn't do anything during free agency to improve the team...however he doesn't elaborate (then later he said that the team is just fine - he was all over the place on this topic).  While he wouldn't call out the defense specifically, he clearly was not happy the Bengals couldn't land Rogers or Robertson via trade.  A difference maker who was not a rookie, could contribute immediately, and help take his show to the playoffs (and possibly beyond).  It frustrates Chad beyond belief that management is not doing whatever it takes to get the Bengals (and him) to a Super Bowl.  Chad sees the complacency that has dogged this franchise for years.

2. If Chad is going to hang around for all this garbage, he wants a new deal.  When Chad signed his contract extension a few years ago, Drew Rosenhaus called it one of the best deals he had ever constructed, and praised the Bengals up and down for being more than fair.  While Chad's base salary this year is a joke compared to the money thrown around to far less talented receivers...he signed the contract.  It's hard for me to feel bad for a guy who signed this front-loaded, 'landmark' deal just a few years ago, but Chad and his puppet master are convinced that a new deal is the only way he is willing to even consider an extended stay in Cincinnati.

3. No respect.  On a number of occasions, Chad has stated that 31 other teams know the value of Chad, but not his current team.  To be honest, at this point, I think whatever the management or Marvin Lewis or TJ or Carson Palmer says in support of Chad just isn't good enough.  For whatever reason, he felt betrayed by his team, and that won't change in 2008.  Look, it's clear Chad is more about himself than the team.  He wants to win.  HE, Chad Johnson, wants to win.  And I think that is why you never saw this outpouring of emotion from his teammates.  Anyone that hops on a TV camera in a close game with a team that needs to run the table...knowing full well they will get a penalty that will hurt his special teams and defensive units just to 'get him going' is not a team player.  It's ridiculous that we as fans put up with that kind of behavior.  It was cute in 2003.  But now it is 2008.  There are penalties against it, right or wrong.  And it's not funny anymore.

4.  Chad feels trapped.  The guy is an emotional powder keg.  He lost it during the 2005 playoff game, he lost it during the Patriots MNF game in 2007.  He knows that the Bengals hold all the cards in this game.  In his mind, Chad is on a team that is firmly on the down escalator in the NFL, he's in the 24th biggest market in the country, and he's making minimum wage compared to other receivers with 1/10 of his talent.  The only way he feels he can get out of town is to rant and rave constantly until the Bengals just cut the cord (even if it means decreasing his overall value).  Mike Brown beat the IRS in tax court and gave Chris Henry a half-dozen chances to turn around his life...so Chad can complain all he wants and it won't make one damn difference.

Look, no one understands how important Chad was to this franchise back in 2003 more than me.  The Bengals were on the upswing, sitting at 4-5 in a weak AFC North and about to host the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs.  Chad brought some swagger to this team that was absolutely necessary at the time...they needed to get rid of the inferiority complex that had saddled the team (and arguably the city) for 15 years.  But somewhere between the end of 2003 and the roller coaster of 2006, the Bengals as a team became an arrogant caricature of themselves, and Chad has to acknowledge he was a part of that.  Bottom line, we don't need Chad to run around and do five interviews a day anymore. 

Some might argue that life is a lot better as a Bengals fan compared with the end of 2002.  I would argue not much has changed.  Players still mock management, the defense still can't rush the passer or stop the run, and the team still hasn't won a playoff game.  Period.

From daily Chad Johnson updates to Chris Henry being cut...the Bengals are still the talk of the NFL...for everything except being a winning football team.