While the New York Jets may be the most boisterous team this off-season and are the subject of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” 
series this summer, the most fascinating locker room in 2010 may be the Cincinnati Bengals.
The outspoken roster led by wide receiver/reality TV dancerChad Ochocinco has been augmented this season by controversial defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones and equally-loquacious wide receiver Terrell Owens. This motley crew debuted for the first time last night and kicked off the NFL preseason losing 16-7 to T.O.’s former team, the Dallas Cowboys.
The pairing of Ochocinco and Owens might be the most fascinating and unpredictable one this season. Ochocinco has already come up with a name for the “dynamic duo” announcing on Twitter that T.O. will be Batman, while he will play Robin. (This photo-shop pic is worth a look.)
What can we expect from these self-titled “superheroes” in 2010?
For starters there should be plenty of creative end zone acts. After all, this is the same tandum that has given us some of the league’s most notorious end zone celebrations – from Ochocinco’s “bribing” of a referee and donning a sombrero to Owens’ autographing a football with a Sharpie and stomping on the Cowboy’s logo at midfield during a game.
Don’t be surprised if the Dynamic Duo pay more in fines to Commissioner Roger Goodell this season than some Wall Street firms paid to the SEC.
This pairing is worth watching but not because of their thespian talents, because they are likely to go up in flames. Ochocinco has long griped about not getting the ball enough (as he did last year), and that may only get worse with T.O. on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Likewise, Owens has been known to voice similar gripes, as he did with former teammates Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo. Add to the mix another free agent, former Bucs wideout Antonio Bryant, and you have to expect at least one disgruntled receiver in Cincy.
The real winner in all this could be Bengals QB Carson Palmer. While he will have an improved crew of wideouts, at the very least he should be entertained all year. Here’s hoping that T.O. tearfully defends his “teammate/quarterback” – and doesn’t instead question his sexuality.
While last night’s sneak preview of Batman & Robin was tame with Owens snagging two passes for 18 yards and Ocho-5 being held off the stats sheet, it’s still only the trailer for this train wreck. Will the final NFL adaption of the show be worse than the big-screen version?
Used with permission of the author.
Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’. Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.
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