Four Downs with Stock & Doc
by Ben Stockwell and Paul Hopkins
21/2/2008
 
This week Stock and Doc debate why 'spygate' still won't go away, where do Chad Johnson and the Bengals go from here, what to do with PacMan Jones, and why 40 metre dash is the most important drill at the NFL Combine.
 
1st Down – Senator Arlen Specter's involvement in 'spygate' is justified.
 
Doc – FACT ! – Absolutely it is. Whether he is the man to do it, I don't know, but he is gaining political support and this is important because I don't think Goodell has handled this whole process well. The Government is the only people that can bring people like Goodell to task about this, and what could potentially be, defrauding the public by a billion dollar company, or at least by one multi-million dollar company that has won the competition. This is huge! Have these politicians got better things to do? Sure they have. But that's not a valid argument to not look at possible sustained, deliberate, cheating – which may be even more widespread. Clearly, Mark Walsh's evidence or testimony is going to be critical so why the Pats, if they have nothing to hide, don't indemnify him, I'll never know. Either way, this is going to go away anytime soon.
 
Stock – FICTION ! – Does the US Senate or US Congress have nothing better to do? On top of this I'd question the qualifications of a former songwriter/record producer to lead such an investigation. Fair enough Congress and the Senate got involved with the steroid problem in baseball where again a major American sports league couldn't take care of the issue itself and they had to step in and be a higher power. This is comparable in that Commissioner Goodell was weak and didn't take care of business properly, he whimped out on it. But the difference is that the possession, distribution of steroids contravenes federal law, so the government does have some business stepping in and making its presence felt. However, last I knew videotaping didn't break any US state or federal laws, if I was an American tax payer I'd be mighty annoyed that my tax money was being wasted on this rather than time and money being put to better use.
 
2nd Down – It would be best for both Chad Johnson and the Cincinnati Bengals, for Johnson to leave.
 
Doc – FACT ! – Ok, I'm going to gamble on a fact for this one. And here's why. This franchise frankly is teetering on the edge. The coach seems to have run out of ideas, their franchise QB seems to be disgruntled and now Johnson is openly pondering his future. Whether it's to get some love from his team or to angle a move away I don't know but it's certainly not a good sign. Chad has tremendous ability and I don't doubt that they would miss him, but his value is probably round about at its highest right now. Nothing in the draft at wide receiver this year particularly excites me, and teams are always looking out for a superstar receiver and with the influx of young QB's into the league in the past year or two, someone like Johnson would be a wise investment. The Bengals have gone backwards of late, and it might be a case of getting what they can for Chad. They can rebuild and he can move on to somewhere that gives him a better chance of winning in the here and now.
 
Stock – FICTION ! – It might benefit Chad Johnson because the Bengals are an ill-disciplined mess and won't be going over the top any time soon until they get a new coach that can crack the whip and get that roster acting like adults (even Carson Palmer took some shots at his coaching staff this off-season), but the Bengals aren't going to benefit from losing him. Sure Houshmandzadeh had a nice season this year and Chris Henry is as good a #3 receiver as you'll find, but neither of those is proven as the #1 receiver. Johnson is a proven #1 receiver, I firmly believe that you don't just trade that type of player away, just look at the 49ers since they traded a certain Mr Owens away for how hard it is to find or develop a true #1. Houshmandzadeh doesn't have the gamebreaking ability and Chris Henry can't stay out of jail. It wouldn't tremendously short sighted and reactionary for the Bengals to trade him away, though Johnson would probably move on to more success.
 
3rd Down – Now his legal issues are over, Adam Jones deserves to re-start his NFL career.
 
Doc – FICTION ! – He's a toerag, and it's only a matter of time before he gets into more bother. He seems to just not be able to help himself. Whether it's him, or his associates, or whatever we are calling these hangers-on these days, there's always trouble abound wherever there is 'PacMan'. The worst part about it all is that he is a talented player, but in this case, that really shouldn't matter. I think Goodell hands out punishments too arbitrarily and without any real hint of consistency, and whilst Jones probably was harshly done by to get a year whilst others got less for actual convictions, he just doesn't seem to be able to keep his nose clean. If he manages it this off-season, then you could argue he deserves a chance, but you can't simply re-instate him, as we all know it will end with more trouble. Because of his past you simply must wait and see before acting.
 
Stock – FACT ! – What exactly has he been found good guilty of? What is he being banned for? If he's not going to be found guilty of anything then he is essentially being banned for being an odious little runt, and I wouldn't dispute that he is that. However if you're going to ban “PacMan” for being an odious runt and a generally dislikeable human being then how many other players would need to be banned under such a directive? Ray Lewis was tried for double murder but his coach and his team stood up for him, since then his public image has come through 180 degrees. Jones may not be able to resurrect his image to that extent (though who would've thought Ray Lewis would ever be a marketable individual when he was in an orange jumpsuit on trial in Atlanta?) but there is absolutely no reason to ban him unless you're going to ban probably around 10% of the league for the same reason?
 
4th Down – The 40 metre dash is the most important drill at the NFL Combine.
 
Doc – FACT ! – Speed is everything in the modern NFL. That's not to say other drills are not important because obviously they are. But this one determines draft stock and is often the one banded around when prospects are being discussed. Those entering the combine know this is where they need to impress the most, as lack of speed is often the biggest knock on the majority of players. It can lead to players dropping down the draft, thus costing them money. That makes it the most important and marquee drill this weekend.
 
Stock – FICTION ! – The most important part of the combine does not happen during the day, it doesn't happen during drills, it is not televised, it is not heard of, and you hear no specifics from it. The most important part of the combine is the individual interviews. When a team (be that general manager, head coach, scout, director of pro personnel, director of college scouting) sits down and interviews a player at the combine he can rarely make a bigger impact in the drills. If you interview well, come across as a bright individual, someone who understands schemes, can talk about your strengths and weaknesses as a player and an individual in a team then you massively increase your chances of playing. Sure teams will look at all the measurable but there is no other occasion through the scouting process where it is your chance to make your individual impact, there won't be eyes on anyone else. The interviews in the evenings after the drills are your best opportunity to impress and bring everything else together.