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Bengals Paid Chris Henry $2.5 Million, Now 'He's Broke ... He Has No Funds Whatsoever'

Posted: Jul 9th 2008 8:17 AM ET by Michael David Smith (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, Cincinnati

Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry made an estimated $2.5 million in his three seasons with the team. But he's now unemployed, and his lawyer says he's gone through every last penny of that $2.5 million -- to the point where he needs the taxpayers to aid in his legal defense in the assault charges he's currently facing:

"He's broke," said Perry Ancona, the former player's attorney. "He doesn't have any money to pay to pay for a transcript. ...

"He has no funds whatsoever and can't even meet his current obligations."

Henry's home has been foreclosed on and his car has been repossessed, and he's unlikely to find work again in the NFL. I would like to think that most people who threw away $2.5 million by their 25th birthdays would learn a lesson about living responsibly, but most people are not Chris Henry.

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 03: NFL player Randy Moss of the New England Patriots poses by the #81 Moss Motorsports truck prior to the start of practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 3, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 03: NFL player Randy Moss of the New England Patriots and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team owner David Dollar speak to the media during a press conference prior to the start of practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 3, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL - JULY 03: NFL player Randy Moss of the New England Patriots speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the start of practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 3, 2008 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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NFL Football player Chad Johnson makes an appearance on MTV's "Total Request Live" at MTV Studios on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 in New York. The program will air on Thursday, July 3. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

Actress-singer Vanessa Hudgens poses with NFL Football player Chad Johnson during an appearance on MTV's Total Request Live at MTV Studios on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

NFL Football player Chad Johnson talks with VJ Damien Fahey during an appearance on MTV's "Total Request Live" at MTV Studios on Tuesday, July 1, 2008 in New York. The program will air on Thursday, July 3. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

Iowa Cubs pitcher Jeff Samardzija speaks to a reporter before his team's game against the Omaha Royals, Tuesday, July 1, 2008, in Des Moines, Iowa. Samardzija, who played wide receiver for Notre Dame, signed with the Chicago Cubs despite speculation that he could have been a first-round pick in the NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

While Chris Henry Was Inside a Courtroom ... His Car Was Being Repo'd Outside

Posted: Jun 27th 2008 12:53 PM ET by Sportz Assassin (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, AFC North, NFL Police Blotter, Cincinnati

4 COMMENTS

This is both funny and tragic at the same time. Former Bengals' WR Chris Henry was in court during jury selection for his assault trial, his car was being repossessed right outside (you can see a picture of it being towed here).

The SUV was hooked to the tow truck, but didn't get towed because the lot's owners ordered the tow truck off the lot. The lot owners said that, since they didn't call the truck, it couldn't take the SUV.

Now, Henry is saying that it is all some sort of misunderstanding ... but this is just plain stupid. If you haven't been paying your car note for a while, why drive that car to the one place where everyone knows you will be.

"Let's see, I need to find Chris Henry's car to repo it. Hmmm. He's due to be in court today. I'll take the tow truck by the courthouse to see if he is dumb enough to drive it there."

In all seriousness, this cannot end well for Henry. He had his house, essentially, repo'd last month after just paying $800 in over two years on it. He doesn't seem to be that smart when it comes to managing money, he has no job, he has a lot of legal fees and it wasn't like he was a highly paid player when he was with the Bengals.

Key to Bengals' 2008 Season Will Be Their Ability to Stop the Run: Pt II

Posted: Jun 27th 2008 12:16 PM ET by Sportz Assassin (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, AFC North, Cincinnati

0 COMMENTS

Yesterday, I wrote that the key to the Bengals 2008 season will be their ability to stop the run. They will face an 1,000 yard rusher in 13 of their 16 games next season ... with the other three games against some damn good backs, too.

In that post, I focused on who Cincinnati would face. The names and stats of those backs that will be licking their chops at the Bengals maligned defense. Today, I'm looking at what the Bengals did against such backs last season.

Let me preface this by saying that Cincinnati's defense should be a bit improved this year. They added some free agents, a new defensive coordinator and the young guys are a year older. Still, I'm going to look back at what the Bengals defense ... with a lot of the same personnel ... did last year.

Over at The Cincy Jungle, they point out that the Bengals were pretty good against the 1,000 yd rushers they faced last year. Of the 12 games they faced 1,000 yd rushers ... only four topped the 100 yd mark against the Bengals. That's pretty good.

Except for one thing: why is 100 yards the bar set for these guys? I know that a 100-yd day is usually looked at as success for a running back, but how is holding a back to a little less that 100-yds looked at as a great game?

Key to Bengals' 2008 Season Will Be Their Ability to Stop the Run: Pt I

Posted: Jun 26th 2008 9:44 AM ET by Sportz Assassin (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, AFC North, Cincinnati

0 COMMENTS

There are a lot of reasons NFL teams win and lose football games. But failing to stop the opponent from running the ball equals a slow, painful demise.

The Cincinnati Bengals will have this theory tested quite a bit during the 2008 season. Cincy was just 21st against the run and had the 27th ranked overall defense last year. They have one hellacious schedule (8 games against playoff teams; 3 games against teams that just missed the playoffs; 4 games against teams with losing records).

As Chick Ludwig at the Ludwig at Large blog reminds us, the Bengals will also have 13 games against a guy that ran for over 1,000 yards last year.

They will face Willie Parker (Steelers-1,312), Willis McGahee (Ravens-1,207) and Jamal Lewis (Browns-1,304) twice this season. They will also see Brian Westbrook (Eagles-1,333), Clinton Portis (Redskins-1,262), Fred Taylor (Jaguars-1,202), Thomas Jones (Jets-1,119), LenDale White (Titans-1,110), Joseph Addai (Colts-1,072) and Brandon Jacobs (Giants-1,009).

And that didn't even mention Maurice Jones-Drew. Or Steelers rookie Rashard Mendenhall, Ravens rookie Ray Rice, Titans rookie Chris Johnson or Giants' playoff marvel Ahmad Bradshaw. There are also nice complementary backs like Ladell Betts, Correll Buckhalter, Leon Washington or Indy's stable of backs.

Chad Johnson Settles in 'Bogus Raffle' Suit

Posted: Jun 25th 2008 12:37 PM ET by Sportz Assassin (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, AFC North, Cincinnati

1 COMMENT

Bengals WR Chad Johnson has settled in the class action suit against him regarding a bogus raffle.

To get you up to speed, Ocho Cinco and the Funny Bone Comedy Club were sued because there was a raffle held at the club in which Chad Johnson was giving away a Lexus. Well, the Lexus was instead given to Chad's girlfriend as the raffle ticket buyers stood by and watched.

Come to find out that there were other prizes that Chad agreed to raffle off (trips, tickets) that winners were stiffed on, too. Hence the class action suit.

Well, Chad and the club have agreed to pay $100,000 to the 30 people involved in the suit. The case was set to go to trial next Monday.

So, what does this mean? Well, that payment equals out to $3,333 per person ... and that is before legal fees and all that kind of stuff comes out. At best, the patrons will receive much more than their money back, justice was served (I guess) and we can freeze frame out into the credits.

Chris Henry's Former Kentucky Home Trashed

Posted: Jun 24th 2008 10:47 PM ET by Sportz Assassin (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, AFC North, NFL Police Blotter, Cincinnati

1 COMMENT

The (former) house that (former) Bengals WR Chris Henry lived in was trashed over the weekend. Cincinnati's ABC affiliate WCPO is reporting that vandals broke in during the night hours of Sunday night/Monday morning and tore up the place.

Glass was broken, a staircase was smashed and paint was thrown everywhere.

Above is a picture of Henry's home that I took just days before it was foreclosed on and auctioned off. The neighborhood he lives in ... in Union, KY ... is a pretty nice area. It isn't über-wealthy, but the people who live in that area are well-to-do. Homes in the $200,000 and up range with many condos surround the neighboring area.

Also, there really isn't much land between the houses. It looks like any other subdivision.

What I'm saying is that it is shocking that (a) anyone did this and (b) no one heard anything. His home is on the corner (just as you turn onto his street) so it is would be easy to break into his house undetected. The day I took the picture, he had many of his neighbors outside doing things, so I know those houses are occupied. With all the windows being smashed, you'd think someone who have heard something.

Henry's house was appraised for $365,000. It sold to the company that held the mortage at the auction for $240,000.

Chad Johnson Had 'Wonderful' Conversation With Carson Palmer, Now Loves Bengals

Posted: Jun 20th 2008 12:11 PM ET by Michael David Smith (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, Cincinnati

2 COMMENTS

In case you're having a hard time keeping track of the many moods of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson, the team's official web site has a story in which he's quoted extensively, saying nothing but good things about the team and especially quarterback Carson Palmer.

Johnson said he had a "wonderful" conversation with Palmer at this week's minicamp, and then added:

"He looked at film and looked at the things we missed on from Week 1 to Week 16 and he said 1,800 (yards) was reachable if we're perfect," Johnson said. "Of course, Carson and I were off on plays we usually clicked. We left a lot of plays on the field. We talked about what he and I need to do starting in July. We have a lot of work to do."

What, you have a lot of work to do starting in July? What happened to being adamant that you wouldn't report to camp? I guess that went out the window when you realized you had no leverage at all in seeking a new contract, eh Ocho?

Chad Johnson to Have Ankle Surgery Tomorrow; Will Be Back By Training Camp

Posted: Jun 17th 2008 5:58 PM ET by Sportz Assassin (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, AFC North, NFL Injuries, Cincinnati

0 COMMENTS

NFL.com's Adam Schefter is reporting that Bengals WR Chad Johnson will have surgery tomorrow on his ankle to remove bone chips.

Johnson is expected to be ready for training camp. Last week, Johnson and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, pointed out that the receiver had bone chips in his ankle that required surgery. Now Johnson is scheduled to have it.

Johnson fully participated in drills for the first time Saturday as the Bengals wrapped up their minicamp. He limited himself to a few drills during workouts on Thursday and Friday, complaining through Rosenhaus that he had a bad ankle.

The article goes on to say that Chad had this injury last season and the team asked him to have the surgery then (he declined). Upon reporting to minicamp last week, Ocho Cinco claimed he was injured and was the reason he didn't participate in drills. And now ... in mid-June ... he is deciding to finally get it looked at.

As FanHouse-r Ryan Wilson laid out in his Four Easy Steps to Get Traded, I'm sure this is in there somewhere. I think it is in the Shaquille O'Neal chapter of "I got hurt on company time so I'm having surgery on company time".

Chad Johnson Gives Strange Walk-and-Talk Interview to TV Reporter

Posted: Jun 15th 2008 8:49 PM ET by Michael David Smith (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, Cincinnati

3 COMMENTS

Just about everything that has happened surrounding Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson has been strange, and this interview, via The Big Lead, is no exception:

"Who said I was upset?" Johnson demanded to know, after he was asked about an off-season in which he repeatedly stated that he wants to be traded.

Johnson then turned the tables on his interviewer, demanding to know what the reporter did during the off-season. Maybe Johnson doesn't realize this, but the reporters who cover him don't stop working when the Bengals' season ends.

Chad Johnson Practices With Bengals, Endorses Barack Obama

Posted: Jun 14th 2008 6:34 PM ET by Michael David Smith (RSS feed)
Filed Under: Bengals, Cincinnati

10 COMMENTS

Disgruntled Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson participated, for the first time this off-season, in a full team practice.

Maybe that means Johnson is starting to accept the fact that he signed a contract with the Bengals and he's going to have to abide by it. Or maybe it means nothing at all. After all, the only thing Johnson would say to reporters afterward is "Vote for Obama."

Ordinarily I'd say picking up the endorsement of a high-profile athlete in what might be the most important swing state would have to be a major coup for Barack Obama. But considering how many Cincinnati fans Johnson has alienated recently, John McCain might be pleased to hear this news.

So how did Johnson look on the field? "He's rusty," offensive coordinator Bob Bratkowski said of Johnson. "I told him he looked rusty. Nobody likes to hear that. He's going against guys who have been out here for 14, 16 practices, you know. You're going to look that way."