Cincinnati Bengals

Cincinnati Enquirer Bengals Blog

1. New location: cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals -  For those who have it bookmarked or have RSS Feeds
2. Moving day -  Reset your bookmarks folks, we are switching places again.
    Sometime over the next day or two the blog will be moving to a new location and one that should allow us a little more ease in posting audio, video and photos along with it being a little bit sleeker. 
    The new address is: http://cincinnati.com/blogs/bengals/.
3. Chad practices, then talks -

    Short of Marvin Lewis, Carson Palmer, Bob Bratkowski and Chad Ochocinco singing “Cumbaya” around a campfire, Thursday’s first look at the Bengals’ receiver provided its share of nice plays and plenty of sound bites.

    After taking only a couple of reps during Tuesday’s organized team activity (OTA) session, Ochocinco got more reps in on Thursday as he tries to get up to speed with the offense. He made a nifty double move on cornerback Leon Hall on a 25-yard pattern, hauling Palmer’s pass in just inside the front pylon of the end zone, and then got the better of Geoffrey Pope on a route in the middle of the field.

    He even made a nice block on David Jones on a quick receiver screen to Antonio Chatman.

    “It’s really only my second day. There are a lot of new wrinkles that I’m not familiar with,” Ochocinco said. “I’m really not comfortable going with the ones (first team) at the moment. The plan was to go in and get ready for minicamp and get up to practice speed.

    “I knew I had a lot of catching up to do. This was my plan all along to come back when I thought I was in the shape I really needed to be in.”

    The first media session of the season with Ochocinco was also a lot different than last year. While there were a lot of national cameras at the minicamp and hardly anything said, Ochocinco talked with local reporters for 25 minutes. There were no national cameras or reporters at the practice.

    About the only thing Ochocinco wouldn’t answer is whether the tattoos he had on his face were real or not. He later revealed on his Twitter page that they were fake.

    During the practice, Ochocinco was talking plenty with Bratkowski and Palmer. With Bratkowski, it was about getting more plays while Palmer was trying to give the ninth-year receiver pointers about what he was looking for on routes.

    “He looks stronger and quicker,” Bratkowski said. “He’s been one of the best receivers for a number of years. He looks to be in the physical shape to get back up to that level. We’re bringing him along slow because half of the stuff he doesn’t know what we’re doing.”

    Said Palmer: “He’s coming in with the right attitude and mindset which is to work. He’s a big part in the process of getting this team back in the playoffs. I’m glad he’s here and in shape and it will pay off down the road.”

    As far as getting up to speed with the playbook, which has had its greatest overhaul in Bratkowski’s nine seasons as offensive coordinator, Ochocinco thinks it should take three days of intense work with the first team before he is up to speed.

    “I can train as hard as I want in the offseason but there’s no substitute for the speed and the NFL game play,” he said. “It’s the second day, I’m on point. I’m not where I need to be at this point which is why I came in early.”

    While there has been plenty of talk about his appearances on NFL Network last week, Ochocinco reminded everyone that to him there is only one person who matters to him as far as his perception.

    “People are going to talk and have their perceptions but really there’s only one person that matters, his last name is Brown and his first name is Mike,” Ochocinco said. “So when he comes from upstairs and tells me, Chad you’re a distraction, then I’ll stop.

    “I really don’t think I’ve been a distraction anyway. The word cancer has come up a lot. I haven’t been a cancer. … No one in here (the locker room) has a problem with me, you guys know that. I’m a likeable person, I’m a loveable person. I might go across the edge every now and then, you know that’s it, but I always come back. Last year was very humbling and embarrassing for myself and I’m able to say that.”

4. Ochocinco gets three (fake) face tattoos - UPDATE: Apparently Chad's tattoos are not real. This from his Twitter account moments ago:
   
   The entire twitt world and media outlets got punked, that was my twitt joke from yesterday, they follow I'll have fun with it.
   
   My grandma would kill me if I had damn facial tatts!!! Fun while it lasted, back to normal, I felt different to. 
   
   
   
   
    Chad Ochocinco continues to surprise the Bengals and his fans.

    On Tuesday, it was his arrival a week earlier than expected and his participation in organized team activities (OTAs) for the first time since 2007.

    Wednesday night, he shared with his fans on his Twitter page that he put three tattoos on his face and posted photos.

    “Yall might not believe me but my tatoo (sic) guy is here and I getting my face done. … Dont (sic) be mad just accept the Ocho please,” he posted. 
    On the right side of his face, on the cheekbone, are two crosses while a tiny map of the state of Florida is on the left side. On the bridge of his nose are the letters OC. 
    The ninth-year wide receiver should have some more surprises in store when he meets the media today. The 11 a.m.-1 p.m. practice has all along been scheduled as this week’s media access opportunity. 
    The Bengals will have their final OTA session on Wednesday before their three-day mandatory minicamp begins on June 18.
5. First steps for Ochocinco -  Like the guy or hate the guy, and there is no bigger polarizing figure to Bengals fans than Chad Ochocinco, you had to be at least encouraged that the wide receiver showed up nine days earlier than planned, and in a much more low-key fashion.
    Last year it was national TV cameras and a scene that can only be described as a circus. This year he arrived without cameras and without fanfare. Come in, take the physical, hit the practice field and go to work.
    And as much as all of us would've liked to seen Chad's first workout on the field, perhaps it is better that he gets a session without cameras and reporters and gets the one-on-one time with teammates and coaches before talking to us. Including Tuesday, Ochocinco will have three OTA sessions and nine days in town before minicamp begins. Last week coach Marvin Lewis said that Chad is a quick learner. so it will be interesting to see the progress between now and training camp. 
    During his appearance on NFL Network last week, Ochocinco said there would be no usual swagger until he proved himself. With Tuesday's arrival, it was a good first step on the way back.