04-27-2021, 12:29 PM
(04-27-2021, 01:36 AM)jason Wrote: How good did AJ Green look to you at any point past October of 2018? Lapham was either lying, or doesn't know what he's talking about.
I'd also like to point out that Jermaine Gresham pancaked a prime Geno Atkins during the Oklahoma drill on the last Hard Knocks the Bengals appeared on. He may not have been a thinking man's player, or even very good, but I don't think he was soft.
I believe Lapham talking about AJ was 2019. This was the year he hurt himself at UD, which happened right in front of me. Dre K did it. Got tangled up with him trying to be a bad ass on a ball neither of them were going to get. Dre K then tried to also act hurt in order to not get ripped for what he did, like when kids do after they know they hurt the person they were playing with. AJ leaves the field and then, after everything blows over, Dre K is up walking around.
I think Gresham could have been awesome, but didn't have that dog in him to cross the finish line with that. I think he got soft as he made money and the team reset. I didn't love the locker room he was drafted into and Marvin ran a lose ship with "his guys".
Ok, so, when you read the below from me... remember who your inside guy is
I've met Dave plenty of times. He is brutally honest with people, is happy to talk Bengals with anyone, and genuinely a super nice, good guy. I was at a closed Bengals practice with only a handful of fans/media in attendance a few years back - Gresham, Shipley, Dunlap, Atkins rookie year. 2010, if I recall.
I asked him, one on one, about Jerome Simpson once and why he couldn't find his way onto the field. Dave's answer, and I'll never forget how candid he was: "He's a dumbass. Most athletically gifted wide receiver the Bengals have maybe ever had, but he cannot understand even basic NFL level offense concepts, route trees, or work with Carson to make changes at the line. He's lost and not smart enough to do anything but run the one route given in the huddle. He only knows Chad's spot and he's not playing over Chad. So, basically, he's a dumbass who doesn't put the work in mentally to be on the field over anyone else. Too busy goofing off to be bothered by it."
And you know what... he was right.
After the practice was done Marvin spoke to us all there on the field... BTW, it was AMAZING to see this all up close and at full speed. It was as if Carson could teleport a ball into a receiver's hands, like the football was Night Crawler from the X-Men... "BAMF!" and it was there... Marvin was asked questions about passing more due to NFL trends and his answer was so disheartening given how the league was changing. Marvin sort of quoted the old Woody Hayes saying "Only 3 things happen when you throw the football, and 2 of them are bad. We want to be big up front and run the ball, control the clock, and play great defense". I was floored because it was obvious the NFL rule changes were giving way a different style of football and that approach wasn't going to work... ESPECIALLY with the talent the Bengals had on offense.
Anyway, at the end, the team was offered a chance to go through with us all and sign autographs. Literally EVERY member of the defense came through and were super polite. Asked us questions about ourselves, said thank you for coming out, spoke to kids, etc. They were all very very nice. Jordan Shipley came through. Super nice... But the rest of the prima donna offense guys? Nope. They just walked off the field. Not going to bother with the fans. Gresham was the only rookie to not sign. He walked in with Carson and the other guys. I'm not sure he ever really wanted to be in Cincy.
