Hey all.  I graduated from HS in 1989 as an under-sized LB.  Played 2 years of semi-pro ball as corner and safety (once in 1993 as a spritely youth and in 2002 as "the old dude at 33".  Just curious who else?

Questions:
1.  Who else played advanced ball?
2.  What position did you play?
3.  Given your experience how does that factor into your view of Bengals?

1.  Yes, semi-pro (They did not pay me)
2.  Defensive back
3.  I don't get the hype about the QB being the being face for Bengals.  Or for Dalton being at fault for the overall team.  In my semi-pro teams QB was just a member of team.  Did not view him as overall fault or credit.  We were ranked #2 at one point nationally in my Dayton Steelers semipro team in 1993 (hated the team name :)

Others?

I played High School football for Franklin (OH) and college football at Carson-Newman College, a D-II school in east Tennessee. I never really played much in college and was only there a couple of years, but they had some great coaches. Their head coach was Ken Sparks. He is the winningest coach in D-II history. He won 5 National Championships when they were NAIA and has played in the D-II Championship game 3 times. He has made the playoffs 24 times in his 34 years as a head coach.

I was successful at football in high school because I loved the game so much and worked so hard at it. But in college I just didn't have the skills to play. What they did at Carson Newman was take undersized guys from high school and plan on them getting bigger for a couple of years before they played. It would have been a long hard grind for me, and I had to also make good enough grads to get in grad school. So I abandoned my football career, changed schools, and started partying all the time.

Also want to add that I have played with a few guys that went on to the NFL. In High school I played with Alan Wenglikowski. He was a safety/FB on the football team, wrestled at 195, and ran the 300M hurdles in track. He was a really good all around athlete, but he was no big football star at Franklin. He went to Pitt, gained 25 lbs and started at DE opposite Chris Doleman. They went to some big bowl games with Marino at QB. Alan only hung on a few years in the NFL as a special teams player for the Bills. At college I played with RB Boyce Green, the Browns leading rusher in 1984, and Van Williams who also hung in the league a few years as a KR and special teams player for the Bills.

The closest I came to playing organized football was organizing 11 on 11 pickup games in the mud with players from high school and around the neighborhood. In the Army we played some serious organized tackle football with a lot of guys who played in high school and college.

Unfortunately, I never had the grades to play football, but I wish I did. I had the speed and coordination to play, at least at high school level.

I was an avid Tecmo Bowl player, leading the Chicago Bears (in the original) and the Cinicinnati Bengals (in Tecmo Super Bowl) to many a victory. My cousin and I helmed Esiason and Warren Moon in legendary 8-bit gridiron battles as recently as last month.

(06-01-2015, 04:15 PM)Shake n Blake Wrote: The closest I came to playing organized football was organizing 11 on 11 pickup games in the mud with players from high school and around the neighborhood. In the Army we played some serious organized tackle football with a lot of guys who played in high school and college.

Unfortunately, I never had the grades to play football, but I wish I did. I had the speed and coordination to play, at least at high school level.

When I was in college they sent a group of us down to scrimmage against the base team at Ft Benning.  You can imagine how many good athletes they had among 20K soldiers.  A few of their guys, including their starting QB had played at the Academy.  And many of them were grown men in their mid twenties when we were mostly  underclassmen at 18-20.  They beat our ass.

I played from 7 years old through high school, and coached a little at the Little League level.

I played OG (did a lot of pulling on bootlegs and trap plays) and some C and longsnapping......and a little bit of DT and DE.
Like the OP, I realize the QB is really overvalued in the media and by the casual fan.


EDIT: also, when I was an athletic training major at EKU, I took PHE 420 "Coaching Football" under two time national champ Roy Kidd.

Played in high school. I played OT/OG/DT/DE(3-4). I had some fin, but certain coaches made it difficult to enjoy the whole process. Our freshmen year was miserable. We went 2-7 with morons running our team. It was the third game of the year and our coach called a QB sneak on a 4th and 17 from our own 30.

I was actually relieved when it was over in high school.

Highest organized level?  Adult Semi-Pro.  And, like the OP stated, we did NOT get paid. That picture in the avatar is me, I believe it as in '98?

I played G, and DE mainly.  Played DT one season, after our two big DTs both suffered season ending knee injuries.  Also played some OLB.

I tried out for TE, one season, but it didn't work out well.  I was too interested in chasing down and plowing over the S, to remember to turn around and look for the ball..


Almost forgot, as to how my football experience shapes the way I view the Bengals?

That is easy, OL, DL wins games.

However, I will choose to differ in opinion with the OP. QB is more important. He just didn't notice it in Semi-Pro, as there aren't as many really good QBs willing to risk their health or reputation playing Semi-Pro ball.

(06-01-2015, 03:32 PM)UDWhoDey Wrote: Hey all.  I graduated from HS in 1989 as an under-sized LB.  Played 2 years of semi-pro ball as corner and safety (once in 1993 as a spritely youth and in 2002 as "the old dude at 33".  Just curious who else?

Questions:
1.  Who else played advanced ball?
2.  What position did you play?
3.  Given your experience how does that factor into your view of Bengals?

1.  Yes, semi-pro (They did not pay me)
2.  Defensive back
3.  I don't get the hype about the QB being the being face for Bengals.  Or for Dalton being at fault for the overall team.  In my semi-pro teams QB was just a member of team.  Did not view him as overall fault or credit.  We were ranked #2 at one point nationally in my Dayton Steelers semipro team in 1993 (hated the team name :)

Others?

Questions:

1.  Who else played advanced ball? Started my college career at a D1 school and was not mature enough to be on my own a 1000 miles from home. Screwed that up and lost my scholarship...best thing that ever happened to me. I went to a small private DIII school and played for four years, got a great education and met my wife. While playing football there I learned how to be a winner, and recognize what servant leadership looks likes.
2.  What position did you play? I played the position that requires the most athleticism and brains on the field...Corner. If you don't believe me ask any CB...lol. I also returned punts...so maybe I'm not that smart?
3.  Given your experience how does that factor into your view of Bengals? I am a lifelong Bengals fan...have never had another team and never will! I am not sure that I could feel any different about my home town team whether or not I played advance ball. I only know one thing and that's "Who-dey baby!"

 Started my college career at a D1 school and was not mature enough to be on my own a 1000 miles from home. Screwed that up and lost my scholarship...best thing that ever happened to me. I went to a small private DIII school and played for four years, got a great education and met my wife. While playing football there I learned how to be a winner, and recognize what servant leadership looks likes.
2.  What position did you play? I played the position that requires the most athleticism and brains on the field...Corner. If you don't believe me ask any CB...lol. I also returned punts...so maybe I'm not that smart?
3.  Given your experience how does that factor into your view of Bengals? I am a lifelong Bengals fan...have never had another team and never will! I am not sure that I could feel any different about my home town team whether or not I played advance ball. I only know one thing and that's "Who-dey baby!"


That is great that you were able to recover, and then finish your education, as well as your college athletic career.  Many folks don't have that sort of "keep going" mentality about them.

You are not the only example of D1 talent that didn't work out at a D1 institution.  In the Semi-Pro leagues that I played in, there were some seriously talented dudes, that for grades or immaturity, or authority complex, just could not cut it.  A shame, too.  As an athlete, you can tell when you meet someone that has that "genetic advantage" that makes them head and shoulders above the average workaholic, just by falling out of bed that day.  My point is, I respect you for not being too proud to humble yourself and go to the small school, and get your act together.  Many others in your shoes, at that time, could not have.

1. I played in Junior and Senior High School. All of the schools I went to in Springfield have been torn down now, so I've heard. Yes, I'm probably older than you. I live in the great state of no income tax Florida now and fly my OSU flag out front during college football season.

2. Played RB, LB and some CB. I was a better defensive player, liked tackling. Had some injuries. Also played on the school volley ball teams.

3. Actually quite a bit. While the game has matured and you see more complex offenses and defenses, the concepts are all based on the same fundamentals. I played a long time ago really. OSU was running the option with Woody Hayes at the helm. We ran the option as well and we really didn't throw that much.

One thing you learn when you play for an organized team is that you have to produce or you're going to do some sitting and someone else is going to be playing in your spot. It's not about personal feelings or anything else. I missed a tackle in one game and had to sit the rest of the game. I was a sure tackler and one of the best on our team and I rarely missed one. The other guy wasn't better than me at all, but clearly the coach didn't think I was giving it my best. So the message was received. I miss that sort of clarity in the game today.

(06-01-2015, 06:32 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: That is great that you were able to recover, and then finish your education, as well as your college athletic career.  Many folks don't have that sort of "keep going" mentality about them.

You are not the only example of D1 talent that didn't work out at a D1 institution.  In the Semi-Pro leagues that I played in, there were some seriously talented dudes, that for grades or immaturity, or authority complex, just could not cut it.  A shame, too.  As an athlete, you can tell when you meet someone that has that "genetic advantage" that makes them head and shoulders above the average workaholic, just by falling out of bed that day.  My point is, I respect you for not being too proud to humble yourself and go to the small school, and get your act together.  Many others in your shoes, at that time, could not have.

Thanks for the kind words...I will tell you this. I have had the privilege of knowing quite a few guys who are or were in the show...aka the NFL. They are all athletic freaks with great work ethics and each had gotten some important breaks along the way. However as far as pure athletic specimens and outstanding football players go...I know of several that did not get the breaks and Semi-pro is where they landed. 
These guys, for various reasons were ushered out of, or never let in to the establishment of college football. There is a ton of politics to even get the shot to make a D1 squad let alone see the field. So you can only imagine how many are out there. The problem is the Semi-pro game is hard to last very long. Often times poor fields, poor equipment, no pay, no medical staff and the crazy nut who is a dirty player make it a quick exit out of football for good. That is why the NFL does not use it as a farm system. It is cost prohibitive to do so and the NCAA works just fine. But there is talent there, don't ever let anyone say there isn't!

Kudos for the great thread.

Started playing football at about ten. Grew up in a small town where every Sunday morning in the fall, the men in town played tackle football at an elementary school. Believe me, they played for blood.

The kids in town would go watch and have a little game of their own on the sidelines. One Sunday, when I was 14, the older guys needed a guy. Before I knew what happened, I was out there with grown men.

I'm out there on the opening kickoff, knees knocking with fear, and damned if it doesn't come to me. One thing I had as an athlete was very quick feet.

I don't know if it was all the fear or what, but I ran it back for a td. After that, I played every week. I was pretty good at not taking bit hits when I ran the ball but there were times when there was no avoiding it. The phrase clock cleaned comes to mind.

But what playing against these way bigger guys without pads did was make me pretty tough. By the time I got to organized football and put pads on, I was utterly fearless. Played one year of JV and three years of varsity--RB and CB, blew out a knee the third game of the year and that was that.

It's something you never forget, being on a team. It's where humans do their best work. There's nothing like a shared endeavor to bond people together and it often lasts for life.

Football, sports in general, is where you learn about what you get out has everything to do with what you put in.

(06-01-2015, 03:32 PM)UDWhoDey Wrote: Hey all.  I graduated from HS in 1989 as an under-sized LB.  Played 2 years of semi-pro ball as corner and safety (once in 1993 as a spritely youth and in 2002 as "the old dude at 33".  Just curious who else?

Questions:
1.  Who else played advanced ball?
2.  What position did you play?
3.  Given your experience how does that factor into your view of Bengals?

1.  Yes, semi-pro (They did not pay me)
2.  Defensive back
3.  I don't get the hype about the QB being the being face for Bengals.  Or for Dalton being at fault for the overall team.  In my semi-pro teams QB was just a member of team.  Did not view him as overall fault or credit.  We were ranked #2 at one point nationally in my Dayton Steelers semipro team in 1993 (hated the team name :)

Others?

1.  Played all through grade school and then started varsity as a freshman on the defending state championship sean in the second biggest class in the state (meaning the class with the second largest schools).  Word is that a few D1 schools (Penn State was the largest I heard) took notice of me my sophomore year and asked about me.

2.  First part of freshman year, I played JV QB and varsity special teams.  Then, they moved me to varsity safety (when we went double -safety) for the last few games and the playoffs.  Sophomore year, we went with our base set as two safeties, so I was in on every play on defense and I also played special teams (returned kicks).  One game, we played a 5-3 because the team we were playing was run heavy (Shawn Alexander's high school), so they played me at corner (had an interception).  The day of the wreck, they decided to play me at receiver on offense, too, but then the wreck was that night.

3.  Just factors into my view of the Bengals because, before the wreck, I watched the NFL, but college football was where my heart was because it was more pure football and I always wanted to play at Ohio State, but, after the wreck, I needed something closer to make me feel like I was a part of football still.  Bengals keep my love alive and being at the games makes me feel like I'm still a part of football.  Also didn't watch the Bengals much after 91 because, when they were on TV (which wasn't much), they were pretty much awful.  Now they're the only team for me.

H.S. only here

Played mostly CB on defense and a bit of S. Was a WR/Split end on offense but played basically only defense the last couple years. And I was on both PR/KR teams. I was one of the shallow deep 3 on our kick return team and shallow deep man on punt returns.

I can't stand to see a returner go sideways and I damn near kick over the TV when they run backwards.

High school. FB/LB

I played hockey from 6-16 competitively though in both travel Roller and Ice.

Played football, hockey and lacrosse in high school.
Played college lacrosse.
Am still playing men's league hockey most Sunday's.

In football, played FS. Wanted to play LB, but at 130 lbs, that wasn't happening.

I lived in Fresno California. Went to high school at Santa Margarita Catholic High School as a QB. I went on to play for USC in 1999-2002 and was pretty successful. I was actually good enough to play for the NFL and things were going well until some fans decided to throw shit all over my front yard. From that point on I thought it would be best to post on the boards my feelings on how the team is performing under an assumed name rather then play for them. I am proud to say I have since had a very clean front lawn!

I lost interest in his because of a dumbass coach so ran track and was once clocked at 4/10th of a second off the then world record for the 100 yards.. They didn't use meters yet.. Had the 440 won by a mile in the invitationals till the coaches son dropped the baton, picked it up and dropped it again. The following week at Moeller we were disqualified because the coach lined everyone up in the wrong lanes so F*****it, started smoking pot, cigarettes, drinking beer and getting laid and well. ..that was that. .

I played highschool football in Alaska until my junior year. Tore my ACL and MCL in my right knee in the 2nd game of the season and never played again afterwards. Played LT, DT, and DE. My coach told me that a couple of scouts liked what they saw in me while they were there scouting our RB.

Having formerly played LT (my favorite position to play) helps me see how under appreciated Whit is around the league.