Ex-Bengal Smith: Chad punched Lewis
During an appearance earlier this week at the Central Maryland Browns Backers meeting, Cleveland defensive lineman Shaun Smith -- a former Bengals backup and member of the 2005 AFC North Division champion Bengals -- said that wide receiver Chad Johnson punched head coach Marvin Lewis at halftime of the Bengals' 31-17 wildcard playoff loss Jan. 8, 2006 to the Steelers.
The video of Smith's talk on YouTube is no longer available. Reportedly, Smith called the event organizer and told him to remove it. A transcript that has circulated on the Internet:
"He swung on Marvin. (Johnson) shattered the training room glass. He swung on Marvin (and) hit Marvin in the eye. Then he tried to swing on wide receivers coach Hue Jackson, who’s now in Baltimore."
Bengals public relations director Jack Brennan said the club had no comment on the video.
posted by Mark at 2:31 PM
25 Comments:
at 3/07/2008 3:13 PM 
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Post a Comment*Does Marvin have a glass jaw?
Wow I guess I am not that surprised by this. But one must also consider the source in Shaun Smith. I would have thought there would be some kind of punishment for this if it is true. But why punish him? This IS the Bengals, right?
ok...So when did this happen? Was this the half time locker room melt-down during the wold-card game a few years ago?
Does Jack Brennan ever have a comment on anything? Why do the Bengals even have a PR director?
When does Marvin Lewis and Mike Brown let Jack Brennan have a comment about anything, ever?
Absolute joke we can't sign Landon to a three year, $10 million contract. This team cannot evaluate talent. Landon played hurt and with a weak defensive line, PERIOD. Bet anyone on this board if Dhani Jones had tested the market, he wouldn't have gotten ANYWHERE close to Landon's deal, and that's saying something because it's not a mega-deal by any means.
Yet the Benagls were so hot to sign Dhani because they apparently view him, who was ready to start broadcasting or join green peace, at 30, more of a starter than three years younger Landon. What a joke!
Geoff Hobson said the Bengals probably won't sign anyone else, or at least any "big" names, but does that mean Utecht and Ethan Kelly? Because they are "big" names compared to Kendrick Allen. Oh...they probably will sign Utecht, then cut him before the season ala Hartwell, in favor of some AFL TE.
Hobson says not to worry, it's part of the Bengals strategy of netting extra draft picks, like the 3-4 picks they'll have THIS draft because of Steinbach, Kaesviharn, Stewart, Wilkins, etc., leaving last year.
So I see. We use picks from guys who left last year, to replace the guys who left THIS year, even though those draft picks, if they pan out (always a risk, not just w/ Bengals but any team) will still need a year or two of seasoning to get NFL experience, but with their body and knowledge. Then, when they get good (we hope), other holes will have to be plugged and it'll take two years to get them up to speed. So you never have a whole, good team.
However, you're only replacing the positions that have left because you don't use FA and the draft. So the spots that have NEVER been addressed during this regime, tight end and defensive tackle, will continue to languish.
How many damn RBs and LBs have we gone through??? We had a durable one in Landon and let him go. And if we didn't get lucky and the Colts cut DeDe Dorsey, we wouldn't have him adding RB/special teams depth because we were dumb enough to cut him in 2006, and by the way, if anyone thinks that was Mike Brown making that call and not Lewis, get real. Lewis makes those types of calls, and he's terrible at putting together a 53 man roster.
Get rid fo this guy. What a cancer and a joke he has become. He used to be my favorite Bengal. Now hes a disgrace to me
Got to see it last night before it was removed. In the video, Shaun also talked about team efforts to dismantle division rivals... Hue going to Baltimore, Shaun and Eric going to Cleveland, etc. I'm sure Cleveland would love to see CJ traded out of the AFC North. There are 8 million reasons that won't happen, but I can see why Shaun answered that question in such detail.
Chad "The Golden Grill" Johnson is turning into the Ron Artest of the NFL.
Seriously, why do people even like the Bengals? What can you possibly like about this franchise? Snap out of it! They suck!
Embarrassing...pitiful...shameful...the head of this situation and those with responsibility are blind to reality...they ignore the past because it's too painful and so they repeat it ad nausea.
Word after 2006 was that the players wanted Marvin to take greater control of the team...Word after 2007 was that changes should be made in the coaching staff to win...even the majority of players get it and are largely ignored. It's obvious based on Carson's love of the Naval book on leadership that when he was calling for a change he meant Marvin.
I know of a team where a player spit on the head coach who responded my taking it without consequences. Ultimately, the team was never motivated by that coach again. The loss to the Steelers was supposed to motivate the Bengals into 2007...reality: Marvin doesn't inspire or lead. Mike Brown is ... what's the use...
If this is true(and im sure it is), get chad out of here. What an absolute idiot. I hope someone got up and popped Chad after he did that to the coaches!!!!!
Here is the thing...do any of you actually believe the reporters haven't known about this for some time? Something like this doesn't stay a secret.
chad johnson is the only reason our offense is as strong as it is. i know some think tj is a #1 WR, but if chad wasn't there taking double cover tj would be lost. hes to slow. im sorry but a guy thats been a top 3 reciever since '03 you dont trade, you make him happy, in this case he wants to win.
our offense is fine. rudy was to small last year form that damn new workout regimen to attempt to make him faster. that worked out. plus he was injured all year. i say get a deffense and cincy is feared by all.
I believe we all remember how intense that week was. How tightly wound those boys were. And to have CP taken out of the game??? With the weight of an entire city, entrenched with football failure, on their backs. There was bound to be a rush of emotions. The bottom line is, regardless of what happened in that locker room that day, Marv, Hue, CJ and the rest of the team handled it amongst themselves like men. And they moved on. It may be a true story, but if Marv is good, Hue is good, and CJ is good then it ends there. Shaun Smith you are as bad as high school girls. "Oh, guess what guess what... I saw johnny kiss tammy." Pathetic Shaun, really pathetic.
hmmmm no response from the bungles, they trying to shove it under a rug i guess.
Here goes.............Playoffs!Halftime of the biggest game in 17 years for the team. Starting QB gets knocked out of the game, and what many beleive is the best O in the league is struggling under a less talented, but capable veteran back up. The receiver corps is missing one of it's deep threats, but the team is deep and talented at the position. The game is close and the sometimes suspect D is playing reasonably well.
The team needs leadership and direction now more than ever.................
The teams biggest star, the guy who says he wants the ball gets upset because while he is in the training room getting an I V of fluids, the receiver coach is having a meeting with the other receivers. He begins to yell, punches and breaks glass, and then tries to strike his position coach. The head coach, who has come over to straighten things out, gets punched in the left eye. This same receiver then continues to go after the position coach and has to be restrained. The coaches spend the remainder of the halftime calming their star receiver and not making offensive adjustments.........
The young but talented team looks on in amazement. The altercation is not addressed before the team heads back to the field and already players are taking sides. The coach shows no leadership and niether does his star player, whom by the way remains in the starting lineup. The backup QB tries to keep the fire lighted but nary a flicker shows as the offense struggles and the team looses.
The story leaks to the press but the coach and the organization quickly shut down the roumors. The head coach even goes so far as to say that, "if I find out who said it, he's out of here."
In the offseason the offending player is given a contract extension with $16,000,000.00 front loaded in the first two years. The only two players known to have spoken publicly to date about the incident, the backup QB and a D-Lineman are 'allowed to leave' via free agency.
The next season the starting QB misses nearly all of camp but makes a valliant recovery but he does not lead the team, as he is often and sometimes publicly, challenged by this same receiver. The head coach does not interveen, as he seems to have no control over the receiver. The offense continues to struggle and is terribly inconsistant.
What should have happened?
Chad should have come out of the training room and gotten up to speed on anything that he missed. Most adjustments likely would have had little effect on him, but more on the two and three receiver as Hush would have likely moved out to the two from the slot and been replaced by Washington and Perry on most plays. Chad would have remained in his usual position as the teams top receiver. As a coach, I often have meetings with my position at the half. If someone misses for whatever reason,(training room, restroom, mmeting w/ special teams coach) he and I get up to speed on everything one on one before going back out or on the sideline.......
Since Chad chose another route, Marvin should have taken control of the situation. He should have left Chad in the locker room and not allowed him to play the remainder of the game. He would have been forever second guessed as to the outcome of the game if they had still lost. However, the remaining team members, as well as Chad, would have had no doubt who was in charge of that team. His word would forever have been gold with those players and it would remain so today.
Chad says now that he is a scapegoat for all of the loosing. He is actually not a scapegoat, but directly responsible for the loosing. Marvin is to blame as well. He is the head coach, and as such is required to lead and make tough decisions. His failure to act cost him his team, and if the window has shut on this offense likely his job is gone as well.
Can it be fixed? Maybe. Here is the only way. Chad must address the team and own up to his indiscretions, to include this incident and ALL others. He must let the team know that he is submitting himself to the team. That he will be coachable and a good teammate. He will recognize the goals of the team over his own personal objectives. He must then live up to those words. Marvin must address the team and tell them that he failed them. He did not keep his word and hold everybody accountable for their actions, and that in failing to do so, he did not 'do his job.' He must then clarify what is to be expected from every member of the team and hold them accountable from that day forward. A new start. Not a dropping of the hammer. Simple rules. DO YOUR JOB. & DO RIGHT.
I would have to say that the source is somewhat unreliable...Isnt Shaun Smith the guy who trashtalked Shayne Graham during one of the Browns game this year because he 'hates' him because he missed the field goal against the Steelers that caused us to go into OT keeping us from the playoffs. Seriously, this guy likes nothing more than to piss Bengals off so don't put any weight in it.
remember, the only reason shaun smith was a bengal was because he took leverage of the new orleans saints owners buffet. consider the source. and, why do you think he was never tendered? the clowns will become the 06 bengals in terms of off field issues and lost promise. by the way, the only person to beat romeo to the buffet may be shaun.
Dead on 11:40. This is just like what went down in New York. When that punk Shockley got hurt and started hanging out in the luxury box drinking beer, Eli was free to lead. He was free of a loud mouth in his huddle telling him that he was open. He was free of the distraction of trying to keep a teammate happy and could just concentrate on the next play and getting the ball to an open man. Eli florished and so did the Giants. The quarterback elevated his status to just below his brother and Brady while the coach who was half way out the door in late November, just got a 21 million dollar deal.
This is true. All you Bengalized people who say, "Consider the source" are wrong.
Chad should have been kicked out right after that happened.
Did marvin punch back? If he did , it wasn't hard enough. By the way, weren't the bengals winning at halftime?
Who would make up a story like this? I have found in life that people are rarely this clever. Plus, there have been multiple sources now.
I will harp again regarding the business economics in these types of decisions. The bottom line is that Chad is the most visible face of the franchise. That 2005 season, he was adored by ESPN and the likes, who viewed his off-beat celebrations and antics as harmless and fun, in contrast to, for example, TO. He is a revenue generator. And as you will often see in life, revenue generators tend to get preferential treatment. This is true in football and any other business.
It is of course true that, assuming Shaun is telling the truth, the best decision for this football team would have been to sit and/or discipline Chad. But the Bengals make decisions based on business, not football. And so the Bengals were hoping the "water under the bridge" approach would work. Unfortunately it has not, and this guy is more of a distraction now than ever.
Now, the best football decision would be to trade or release Chad and move on. But, again, your Bengals make decisions based on Economics and with the cap hit and the lack of anyone to visibly attract so much attention, his trade and/or release is highly unlikely for this organization.
For the record, I will not blame the Bengals for making decisions based on business. This is Mike Brown and the rest of the crew's livelihood; if you disagree, you have the option to not give them anymore money and focus your attention elsewhere.
If the Bengals and Mravin have any nuts, Shaun Smith gets carted of next yr! Chop block him till he wants to leavce the state PERIOD! Bring back Buddy Ryan hitlist!
I am in the process of re-thinking my support of the Cincinnati Bengals during this off season. If this story is true I am a Indy Colts fan and will gladly make the drive up I-74. Childish Chad smacking the head coach in the face? That is too much.
9:59 >> I agree with your cut & dried finish to your post >> "This is Mike Brown and the rest of the crew's livelihood; if you disagree, you have the option to not give them anymore money and focus your attention elsewhere."
Except for one thing: As a Ham Co Tax payer, I don't have an option to with-hold money from the Bengals. If we did, the Bengals would be gone or out-of-business in a year.
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