The NFL offseason has been going slowly for the Bengals. With the exception of the minor verbal war Chad and Carson got in to, there's been nothing to deter fans from actually having optimistic outlooks on the 2010-11 season.
Now, there may be something, as Pro Football Talk informs us that Cedric Benson was recently
arrested for misdemeanor assault. He's charged because of an incident one month ago in which he punched someone at a Texas bar.
Of course, there are many questions yet to be answered. Will Roger Goodell slap the same passive fate onto Benson as he (supposedly) will on Vince Young, who committed roughly the same crime? Why did no one hear about this until now, given that the incident happened at the end of May?
As PFT points out, Benson and his agent -- currently negotiating a new contract -- may have simply prayed that news of the alleged assault would never come out. This violation of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy, along with the prior legal trouble Benson has been in, may force the commish to suspend him for at least the first two or four games of the season. We'll all just have to wait and see, but right now, it appears that Benson messed up in more ways than just punching a guy.
Regardless, we all know what this means to Mike Brown: Discount bitches!
And oh ya--perhaps Benson isn't as changed, or "redeemed" if you will, as originally thought.
Update: as pointed out in the comments, this does not seem the type of incident that usually requires police involvement and issuing warrants for arrest based on a cursory reading of the facts. In fact, it seems more like celeb/athlete targeting for publicity than anything else. While we are very publicly on the record against Mikey's strategy of serial accumulation of players with character flags for a discount, we certainly hope Ced's side of the story ultimately proves to be the accurate and true version. Sadly, the damage is likely already done to his somewhat rehabbed rep - but hopefully on the field things work out.
How many arrests is that now this year? Three? I'm honestly trying to remember. I know Rey and Purify, but I thought there might be one more in there.
Posted by: Danno | June 29, 2010 at 01:48 PM
ESPN is reporting this:
AUSTIN, Texas -- Cedric Benson is in trouble with the law again.
Benson
An Austin police spokeswoman says the Cincinnati Bengals running back was arrested on Tuesday and booked into the Travis County jail where he posted bail and was released. An arrest affidavit says he punched an employee of an Austin, Texas, bar on May 30 after being kicked out for getting into an altercation with another patron.
In 2008, Benson was arrested twice in a month on alcohol charges. While in college at the University of Texas, he pleaded no contest to a charge of criminal trespassing for forcing his way into an apartment to find a television he said was stolen from him.
According to the affidavit, details of which were published by the Austin American-Statesman, Benson was fighting with an unknown person in the bar when he was separated by club personnel. Benson allegedly shoved the bar's manager in order to continue the fight and spit blood, which was coming from his injured lip, at another employee.
Benson refused to leave when asked by employees and was escorted out of the bar, the affidavit said, according to the newspaper. When the bar's staff tried to prevent Benson from re-entering the establishment, the running back punched an employee's face "with his right fist to the left side", the affidavit said, according to the newspaper.
According to the newspaper, Benson faces up to a year in jail if convicted of the offense, which is misdemeanor.
The 27-year-old Benson enjoyed the best season of his career in 2009, rushing for 1,251 yards with six touchdowns, helping the Bengals win the AFC North.
Benson was the Chicago Bears' first-round pick and the fourth overall in the 2005 draft, but didn't pan out and was released in 2008 following two arrests in Texas involving alcohol. The cases were dropped when grand juries decided not to indict Benson, who was out of football.
He has been with the Bengals since 2008.
Posted by: Michael | June 29, 2010 at 02:28 PM
Ced is neither some redeemed soul or a bad guy. Truth is obviously in between. In this case, he allegedly punched a bouncer at a bar, likely while drunk. Even if true, how on earth that becomes arrest-able and prosecutable I have no idea. Oh yes, I do, he's a pro athlete so he is a target. He should know this.
Posted by: Sleeping With Bieniemy | June 29, 2010 at 02:31 PM
"how on earth that becomes arrest-able and prosecutable I have no idea."
In most states that is considered assault no matter who it is. In Texas, I thought that would just be considered a fun night out on the town.
Posted by: Comrade Ken | June 29, 2010 at 02:47 PM
Love the yinzers and 'moreons, not to mention the milakes, riding high horse all the sudden on PFT. This is significant, even if the charges get dropped, Goodell will suspend him beyond a shadow of a doubt unless this turns into what Tahoe was for Fat Ben, but that's unlikely in my eyes. 4-6 and we'll need BScott to stay healthy, and, if they're smart, they'll go get an insurance policy in the form of one DeDe Dorsey, or Larry Johnson. I do NOT think, however, that this HAS to mean fewer wins, as long as Brat can make adjustments if he has to... Wait, that doesn't make sense does it, fuck.
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | June 29, 2010 at 02:59 PM
I have never seen a minor fight with a bouncer end in jail time. A really severe fight maybe. Then again, I've never seen a lot of fights with a bouncer. I mean, you're a bouncer, aren't you just supposed to deal with this stuff without the police?
Posted by: Sleeping With Bieniemy | June 29, 2010 at 03:34 PM
God damn it, Ced. Just when I was starting not to hate you.
Posted by: HappyNat | June 29, 2010 at 03:41 PM
Well, for once the off-season critics were right! The general theme of the Bleacher Report, ESPN, SI, NFL Network, etc has been that giving Benson a contract extention would be premature. Looks like "Discount" is going to be the name of the game... if the game even gets played.
My gut tells me that this will get settled (why wouldn't it, right?... right?) but if this does turn to jail time, we have a different house of cards for this season.
On a more personal note, if your a bouncer and you get punched in the face by a drunk, that's just part of the gig. Sure its assualt, Ken, but what bouncer really gives a shit when it comes in the job discription. I agree with SWB: this is a clear-cut case of celeb targeting. Was Ced wrong here, yup - no question of that. But would this be ending up in the courts if it was some normal out-of-town muscle-head looking for some post-college tail? Hells no.
In the wake of this and that article on Gen. McChrystal, I would like to state that there is a special circle of Hell reserved for bitch-ass civilians who look to profit off of other's fame and status by destroying it... that and for Red Sox players who become Yankees.
Posted by: comrade guttersnake | June 29, 2010 at 03:48 PM
Break out the Patron and marijuana, Cincinnati--here comes Lendale White!
Posted by: TheCarlPickensClause | June 29, 2010 at 04:01 PM
Ced will get the same punishment as Vince Young as stated above. He seems to have a drinking problem. He needs to get with Rey and do some A/A. Do the right thing CED GET HELP!!!!
Posted by: Michael | June 29, 2010 at 06:12 PM
fucking sportscenter - teasing and leading with,
"and ANOTHER bengal busted!"...
ced benson has,
"ANOTHER run-in with the law"...
lazy, biased reporting per usual. whatever.
oh yeah, and f'u willie colon
Posted by: and this one belongs to the REDS! | June 29, 2010 at 06:17 PM
In an effort to keep things real...
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/The_Trenches/entry/view/70158/lawyer-says-cedric-benson-is-the-victim-in-assault-case
Like I said, clear-cut celeb explotation. Makes me sick. Like American Idol sick.
Posted by: comrade guttersnake | June 30, 2010 at 09:23 AM
Ced is such a liar.
Posted by: orangeandblack | June 30, 2010 at 02:33 PM
This is such a stupid new story, but I hope it helps the Bengals save some money for JJ and Leon.
Posted by: blesterov | July 01, 2010 at 09:40 AM
Mike Vick - Mike Brown's favorite player.
CedBen shows piss-poor judgment and gets arrested, but it's quickly outstripped in the news because Vick may or may not had involvement in the shooting of his former dog fighting partner.
For those of you who were advocating JaCarcass, aren't you glad the Brownburns didn't sign him up? Now, instead of Fat Vick, we can have the real thing as soon as the Eagles release him.
Posted by: Wyatt | July 01, 2010 at 10:34 AM
Benson was never indicted for previous crimes, which I believe include boating under the influence or something else fairly trivial. This is really not a big deal... he got punched and ended up punching a bouncer who was probably running his mouth at him... who the hell cares... if you're a bouncer don't run your mouth at a 230 pound NFL running back. How any of these claims, though none have turned into any sort of conviction for a crime, mark Ced as having baggage, i'm not sure. He's not a bad guy, even if any of these charges were true. Non-story. I'm furious if he get's any suspension.
Posted by: Artrell | July 01, 2010 at 02:53 PM
Artrell, yea, exactly, at least if what I'm reading is absolute or even close to the truth. I will be furious as well, but I think we should both get prepared to be pretty fucking mad, Goodell will find a way to come down hard here, I'm sure of it.
Posted by: CurseofBoJackson | July 02, 2010 at 09:58 AM
@Artrell and Bo:
Goodell hates the Bengals and loves the Rooneys - Ced will miss the entire season.
Posted by: Wyatt | July 02, 2010 at 10:24 AM
Thanks to Comrade Guttersnake. When I first read the Who Dey article I was angry. Then after reading Benson's account from the Trenches, and re-reading the Who Dey article, a lot doesn't make sense and maybe it is all about nothing.
Posted by: Sambo | July 02, 2010 at 11:25 AM
Wyatt & Bo - I fear you are right on Goodell. Let's keep our fingers crossed. This would really suck. Especially when you look at who we play in the first 4+ games.
Posted by: Artrell | July 02, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Don't have money to buy a car? Worry not, because this is possible to receive the loan to resolve all the problems. Thus get a car loan to buy all you require.
Posted by: VERONICA34White | May 28, 2011 at 01:21 AM