Mike Brown Interview: Part Two

Note: Here is part two of Mike Brown's interview. Part one can be found here.

The public figured prominently in Brown's decision to allow HBO and NFL Films to film Hard Knocks in the weeks leading up to the Sept. 13 regular-season opener at Paul Brown Stadium against the Broncos. He acknowledged it was "a risk but it also has a lot of opportunity for us."

"We did it because we think it will reach our fans and it will give them a chance to see us not only on the playing field but also on the practice field," Brown said. "They'll see our coaches work. We think they'll like what they see and it will serve to bind them further with the team. We did it to reach out to fans across the country who know us only by reports. Now they'll see us close up. We think that will give us a chance to set the record straight with them."

Set the record straight about what? The arrests, which are factual? Or the lack of success, also purely factual. I really don't care if the coaches are working hard, even though I doubt some (Brat) do. I, and pretty much every other fan, only cares if they're effective by, you know, winning games. I guess Mike thinks that as long as we see how hard the players and coaches are working he can "win us back".  Sorry Mike, we want to win football games, not just put see effort put forth. 

Brown indicated he was talking about the perception of some of the Bengals and mentioned wide receiver Chris Henry's efforts to get his life back on track after three NFL suspensions for off-field problems.

"Chris Henry is a good example. If you knew him only by hearsay you would think he is some kind of ogre," Brown said. "It's not true. He's a good person. When you see him up close, you'll find that you'll like him. He'll be soft spoken and a pleasant person.  People who understand him to be differently (will) now know better. The same is true of other people. We have a lot of good guys. They're interesting as personalities as well as players and if that comes through in this program I think that helps the Cincinnati Bengals."

Yeah, I'm going to be convinced that a man who has been arrested countless times for numerous crimes is a saint because of ten minutes worth of film boasting Slim quietly listening to his incompetent coaches. I can picture it now:

Bob Bratkowski: Now Chris, we'll be utilizing your speed and height combo by putting you in the slot to block on second-and-long. They'll never see it coming!

Henry: Yes, sir

Entire Bengals' fanbase with HBO: Holy s***, you were right Mike! I understand now! Here's my money.

Mike's counting on this.

And once more, I really don't care about the team's personality and interesting features; I, along with everyone else, just want to win football games. But supposedly, the latter won't be seen by watching the Bengals practice, while the former, less important aspect, will.

Brown won't be hiding from the cameras, either, at Georgetown if they ask Mike to be miked. He says he has "scarcely noticed," them when they've been around now and again since May.

"I'm not going to be a movie star. I'm handsome enough to be one," Brown joked, looking at his 74th birthday next month during filming of a double sessions day.

I'm not a guy who cares about a man's looks. But honestly, a man that looks like this shouldn't be even making jokes about his appearance.   

"I don't know if they're thinking I'm the one (to mike). If it's required, that I play my part, I'll play my part. I'm not going to pretend if I do it. I'm just going to be who I am."

"As someone familiar with how NFL Films works said when the series was announced back in May, "At the end of it all, Steve is going to sit down with Mike and whatever Mike doesn't want in there, you've got to figure Steve won't put it in there."

What an idiot Mikey boy thinks we all are.

Brown is certainly thinking what the fans are thinking after the Bengals finished the season with 12 training camp starters that couldn't finish the year because of injury.

Certainly is a strong word. It means beyond doubt, and Baghdad Hob certainly didn't use it correctly here. You see how it can be used, Hobs?

I am certain of one thing.  I am not thinking what Mike Brown is thinking.  I am thinking that injuries are one big excuse, and as my high school football coach told me, "Excuses are like assholes.  Everyone has one, and they all stink."

"I'd like us to stay healthy," he said when asked if there is one area he'd like to see improve. "If we stay healthy. If Carson Palmer stays healthy. If our offensive line stays healthy. I could go on and on. We had an awful lot of injury that affected us adversely. You can't lose your critical people and be the same team that you thought you were going to be. Having said that, we have to go out and prove it."

That is pathetic. Wow, just wow. But what else should we expect?

I'll give Mike Brown that the Bengals had a large amount of injuries, because they did. This doesn't mean that injuries should be the only thing held accountable for the four-win season in 2008, because there were many other contributing factors, such as having an offensive coordinator needing a Diet Pepsi Max from Jerry Jones (damnit, why didn't Pepsi cast Mike and Bob for that commercial, it would have solved all of our problems!), an offensive line that invented the "inverse pancake", a star wide receiver who wanted to be in Washington and....................just countless other terrible parts. 

Why did Mike pick injuries as the key area of improvement? Oh yeah, because it's beyond the control of the coaches and players, who he all kept. This is why he thinks the 2009 team will be an improvement, and if the team does lose, he can point to injuries, not himself or anyone else as the reason why. 

So all in all, what a great interview. Mike Brown reinforces the negative ideas we have about him while providing no evidence as to why the team will improve, other than less injuries and that he really, really, really wants to do well, although not necessarily win. And he made a hilarious joke about his ugliness. 

As I said, I'm convinced that he still cares about all the wrong things.

Comments

[RK]

I'm just going to go cut my eyes out, and stick them in my ears. So I dont have to see or hear the train wreck of a season that is about to happen. 4-12 Here we come!!!

[Brian]

way to show a total lack of respect for your fan's IQ. i mean, does he really expect anyone to buy any of that? he sticks his head out in public for 10 minutes every year, and this is the best he can come up with?

barf.

[Jim Heenan]

What do you think the odds are that Mike subscribes to HBO? I don't see him paying extra for a premium channel. I doubt he even has cable or satellite.

[rk]

Of course he wanted VHS copys of the show. That was part of the deal other wise they were not allowed in.

[Peter Roser]

Has anyone else read the latest BH article about training camp?

"» When the Bengals appear on the practice Field Friday at 3 p.m., they will do so with the SpongeTech logo on their jerseys. SpongeTech Delivery Systems is a company which designs, produces and markets reusable cleaning products for household use."

Is this common for NFL teams, to have sponsors on their training camp uniforms, or is this the latest strange, new way for Mike Brown to make a dime?

[Competitiveness]

The NFL just passed something allowing it, so it will be common for upcoming camps

[MikeBrownGivesFreeBlumpies]

Yes, Mikey, the coaches work hard.

And in the immortal words of E.G. Marshall from National Lampoon's Family Christmas Vacation:

"So do washing machines."