A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a gentleman in the know who shed some light on how terrible the situation in our scouting department actually is. Apparently this is all common knowledge within the fraternity of NFL scouts, but I thought that it is necessary to bring it to YOU, the people of the of Revolution.
From looking on the Bengals staff chart and about 2/3 the way down our "Bengals Futility - By the numbers" on the left hand side of the screen you will read "6 - Total number of non-clerical employees employed in the Bengals scouting department, lowest in the league..." The fact of the matter is there are really only 3 scouts that are full time employees of the Bengals.
Let me break it down...
So our scouting department consists of 3 full-time employees, and 3 "scouting consultants." Last time I checked, a consultant is not considered an employee of a company, but is only paid on a part time basis (to do part time work.) Not only that, but these "consultants" dont even do real work for the Bengals (see below):
Earl Biederman - First of all, this guy is a full-time industrial salesman up in Northern Ohio. I heard that he has some really good connections with the head coach at Oberlin and Wooster. I mean, c'mon... Who the hell is he going to find in a Northern Ohio college that could play in the NFL? That's right, he isn't going to find anybody. The only explanation for this guy being on Bengals payroll is the fact that he is good friends with Mike Brown.
John Cooper - This guy, who I am sure you're all aware of, is another one of the Bengals scouting "consultants." He scouts two colleges, Ohio State and Arizona State. These colleges are coincidentally ones that he was head coach for. Gee John, thanks for going out of your way to scope out some diamonds in the rough, buddy!
Bill Tobin - Good old Billiam is the last person listed as a scouting consultant for the Bengals. The scoop on this dude is that he flies into Cincinnati 5 days before Draft Day, and discusses some of the names on the draft board. I could do this job! I think it would go something like this:
Step 1 - Get on plane
Step 2 - Read Jerry Jones' Drugstore List
Step 3 - Get off plane
Step 4 - Tell Mike Brown what I just read in the Drugstore List
On top of our scouting consultants being rubbish, our head of football operations (Jim Lippincott) doesn't leave the office on scouting trips. So basically he is making big bucks for essentially doing nothing. I hope you douchebags are glad that the purchase of your Odell Thurman jersey helped Jim buy a brand new Pontiac (with leather seats.)
The point is, our scouting department is much smaller than even I thought it was. If Mike Brown claims that the Bengals like to "build through the draft", and refuses to bring in proven NFL talent, then wouldn't you prefer that we beef up our scouting department? Wouldn't you prefer that we evaluate a player's talent AND their personality? Are you sick and tired of our sorry excuse for an NFL team signing players with a history of mental flaws and trouble with the law? Well I am. Douchebags unite, and take a stand for what is right!
We're shitty
Posted by: Plastickite | October 03, 2008 at 08:46 AM
We're still shitty.
Posted by: Sleeping With Bieniemy | October 03, 2008 at 02:46 PM
i'm one of the douche bags that bought an Odell jersey...
Posted by: T.D. Rosecrans | October 03, 2008 at 05:11 PM
Mike Brown doesn't need scouts. He has Mel Kiper and Todd McShay and Dick Vitale.
Posted by: Chase F | October 03, 2008 at 08:10 PM
Mr Rosecrans, dont worry, I bought an Odell jersey as well. Fortunately I was able to sell it for $40 right after he got suspended for the first time.
Posted by: Chairman Meow | October 04, 2008 at 08:41 AM