I would love to say this post was all mine, but I copied it from SI.com, I had to.  I could not pass an article with the verbage Chad and High Chair in the same article.  I mean really how often do you do use the  term high chair when it relates to a professional athlete?  I wonder what Marvin means when he uses the term high chair? I know as a father I used the term quite often when dealing with my young children.  Curious, I wonder if Chad took it the same way, I hope so!

It sounds like the Bengals didn't draft three wide receivers last week just because of the Chad Johnson holdout and the Chris Henry firing. Bengals coach Marvin Lewis tells me there's a T.J. Houshmandzadeh element to it, too.

"T.J.'s at the end of his contract this year,'' Lewis said, "and I don't know if it's possible to re-sign him. Chad says he won't play without a trade. We just have to be prepared for anything this year, and for the future.''

Hmmm. Hadn't heard the Houshmandzadeh reference before, but it makes some sense. This is the last year of a four-year contract for Houshmandzadeh, who has been in Johnson's shadow for most of his seven years in Cincinnati. He's due to make $2.65 million, plus a $100,000 workout bonus if he accrues enough time in the Bengals' offseason program.

Few receivers can match his production over the past two years -- 202 catches, 2,224 yards, 21 touchdowns -- and he'll be 31 at the end of this season. He's missed only four games over the last four years, so injury shouldn't be a concern. Will someone be willing to pay him $10 million a year if he becomes a free agent? Probably, if he exits this year injury-free. Don't laugh. Shoot, if Javon Walker can get $27 million in the first three years of a deal with Oakland and he can't stay on the field for a season, and if the market for wideouts is weak, I could see Houshmandzadeh hitting the jackpot.

Two other things from my talk with Lewis: The Bengals wouldn't have taken the relatively unknown Jerome Simpson from Coastal Carolina in the second round if Lewis didn't think he could play a significant role as an NFL rookie. The Bengals think he's smart and ready to adapt quickly to their offensive system -- even though he had only 41 catches last season at a relatively low level of play.

And they're digging in with Chad Johnson, who says he wants out of Cincinnati after playing two seasons in a 2006 renegotiated contract with four years left (at $3 million, $4.5 million, $5 million, $6 million.

"We've made it clear what the stance is,'' Lewis said. "It's not going to change, today or in August, whenever. You cannot allow a player to get up on his high chair with four years left on his contract and demand to get out. If you do that, you set a terrible example for the rest of your team, and we won't do that.''

We'll see. Sounds like a long, hot summer in Cincinnati.

Now onto your email.

This past weekend my family and I were participating in the March for Babies walk and as we came around the corner in Paul Brown we ran into the honorary chairperson, Herana-Daze Jones and his wife.  They were two of the nicest people I believe I have ever met.  I wanted to share that and a couple of pictures of the two people I met there.  Not only were they friendly, they were kind enough to allow a pciture with my son.

"I believe that the Bengal's are a much better team going into next season. Keep in mind that I am not typically the optimist! Let's not forget that last year the Bengal's did not have a healthy true starting running back, they fielded a linebacker crew that left a lot to be desired, rather than feared, they had no or very little  run-stopping, no beast of a  DT, they fielded an inexperienced defensive backfield and an saw an unsettled and injured offensive front line. There is more depth, the linebacker situation looks better now, the offensive line hopefully  is healthy but maybe we can trade Jones to Clevelandand get Steinbach back (mistake in the first place), Perry hopefully is ready to go, and we have a rushing defensive end and can boast a true receiving TE. The safeties are still a bit untested and there is still a question mark at center, but the talent on this team is healthy, backed up and deeper than ever. Those improvements ... should get our Bengal's to the playoffs. In addition, Marvin and the Bengal's have something to prove. Winning will stifle the grumbling and demands for trades. They want to win."

Bottom line I want to see them win, I would love for them to get over the individual status and actually perform as a team, if that happens the team will do alright. 

I am a little bias since I workat UC, but I thought that I would like to give a shout out not only to the players who were drafted on Saturday and Sunday and to those who signed with NFL teams in the last couple of days.  I think this speaks volumes as to how far the program has come, the quality players the program and of course the new head coach. 

It was very nice to see Haruki Nakamura get drafted, unfortunatley it was to the enemy, nice all the same, Angelo Smith to the Bengals, Digger Bujnoch to the Giants, and then other players who signed with teams after the draft; Anthony Hoke, Brad Glatthaar, and Doug Jones, congratulations to all of you.

I have met Haruki, what a nice genuine young man, I wish him and all the players the best of luck, just not against the Bengal's.