Sickening.

The Cincinnati Bengals have made their last rent payment for Paul Brown Stadium, and in 10 more years taxpayers will start paying part of the salaries of tomorrow's Ocho Cincos and Carson Palmers.

Also;

The Bucs have a new coach.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- A day after abruptly firing Super Bowl winner Jon Gruden, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have introduced Raheem Morris as their new coach.

And lastly, this from WhoDeyRevolution;

9 Out Of 10 Teams Make Changes (Guess Who Is #10?)

Side-show-bob Well according to the Bengals..."Our crappy season was better than your crappy season!"

It's now official, every team selecting in the top 10 of the 2009 NFL Draft has made some sort of coaching or front office move to address their disappointing season in 2008. Every team except the Cincinnati Bengals.

Marvin Lewis, the coach who doesn't want to coach the Bengals anymore? Still here.

'Sideshow' Bob Bratkowski...who led one of the most futile efforts in Bengals offensive history this season? Still here.

A scouting department that couldn't occupy the Great American Ball Park infield? Status quo.

Check out how the rest of the top 10 has reshuffled their organization in order to change their fortunes in 2009.

1) Detroit Lions

- Fired Matt Millen and entire coaching staff

2) St. Louis Rams

- Fired coach and currently looking for permanent head coach

3) Kansas City Chiefs

- Squeezed out Carl Peterson as GM and hired the best personnel guy in the business, Scott Pioli, away from the Patriots. Pioli's presence likely means the end of the line for Herm Edwards and his staff.

4) Seattle Seahawks

- Mike Holmgren stepped down, allowing Jim Mora, Jr. to take the reins. This has completely turned over the coaching staff.

5) Cleveland Browns

- Romeo Crennel was canned, and Phil Savage was also let go. Enter Eric Mangini...but the search for a new GM continues.

6) Cincinnati Bengals

- No changes

7) Oakland Raiders

- Lane Kiffin was fired during the season, and the Raiders are still interviewing for a permanent head coach (interim coach Tom Cable is still in the running). Even James Lofton (wide receivers coach) was given the gate this month.

8) Jacksonville Jaguars

- VP of Player Personnel James Harris resigned (likely would have been fired) just before the end of the season. Coach Jack Del Rio has less authority over roster moves in 2009.

9) Green Bay Packers

- Fired six assistant coaches: defensive coordinator, defensive ends, defensive tackles, secondary, strength and conditioning, and cornerbacks.

10) San Francisco 49ers

- Fired Mike Martz as offensive coordinator

UPDATE: The Bengals front office did make some changes...they hired three new guys in ticket sales. You know, to help them sell all those empty seats abandoned by fed up season ticket holders. Good luck fellas...quite possibly the most difficult job in Cincinnati this year.

Chucky 7: Chucky doesn't return.

Gruden out in Tampa. What? A Super Bowl win, several playoff appearances and he's canned? A team with standards? Can you imagine what it would be like?

On a side note I'd like to express my deep depression now that the Bengals GM rumors have died and nobody has come to town to interview. Don't think there will be a GM for us. sigh.

Link to Gruden story.

Pittsburgh's mayor changes his name from Ravenstahl to Steelerstahl. Wow.

Right.

cont. (yes, I still own thejungler.com, by the way)

This is what I did on my day off. failblog.org





A convincing Helen Keller:

I love Fail Blog. Please, have a watch.

WTF is this?

If this is true I will freak out. From Yahoo Sports:

According to ProFootballTalk.com the thrifty Cincinnati Bengals are actually giving consideration to hiring a full-time, football-knowledgeable, general manager.

The fine folks at WhoDeyRevolution.com have been trying their damnedest to persuade Bengals president Mike Brown to hire a General Manager. Regardless of whether the billboards and the urinal cakes have had any impact on Brown, there's talk that the franchise is considering exactly such a move, the site reported.

The first name tied to the Bengals, is apparently Randy Mueller. The former Saints and Dolphins G.M. currently works in the Chargers' front office, and Mueller's star is ascending again because of the resurgence of the Dolphins. Though most of the credit for Miami's performance will go to Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano, a lot of the players were brought to town with the involvement of Mueller.

Link.

Can you imagine it? A GM? Tell me, how much better would that make you feel about this football team? Me? It's a saving grace. It's the difference between success and what we've become accustomed to; failure. I'm trying not to get my hopes up, but man...

Speaking of hopes, how do you feel about the Bengals defense after yesterday? Yes it's the Browns, yes it's week 16, but it's a shutout of a professional football team. I'm sitting here watching Monday Night Football with a buddy of mine and we just had this conversation. I think the Bengals are one player from a really good defense, a middle linebacker.

To do list:

1. Hire a GM.
2. Draft Rey Maualuga
3. ????
4. Profit.

If we get a GM, the JUNGLER IS BACK!

13th ranked Big East Chamption UC Bearcats.

I went to two football games this weekend. On Saturday I had the pleasure of watching the now 13th ranked Big East Champion UC Bearcats establish their dominance upon Syracuse. If you were at the game I'm sure you saw this video on the jumbotron. If not, well, there it is.

I also saw what is rumored to be a football game on Sunday as well. I'm not sure that I've seen a more poor performance in my life, ever. This team gets worse, somehow. I haven't seen a stadium that empty since I went to the 42-0 blowout by Tampa Bay back at Riverfront Stadium. Nobody there, nobody cares. Fine with me.


I don't know how most of our guys are even in the NFL. Especially Ryan Fitzpatrick. They finally pull the guy and Jordan Palmer's first NFL toss goes for a pick-six. Sweet poetry.

Serious question: Would you be upset if the Bengals were moved from Cincinnati?

I'm torn. Think about it.