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December 2009
Audio: Chris Henry’s final interview
Say a prayer for Chris Henry
»Update: Police: Bengals’ Henry dies day after dispute
If someone would have told me that Chris Henry would be fighting for his life less than 24 hours after a phone conversation I had with him on Tuesday night, I would not have believed it.
Henry was hospitalized on Wednesday after falling out of the back of a pickup truck during an apparent domestic dispute with his fiancee, according to reports. He was found in the road in south Charlotte, N.C., suffering from life-threatening injuries.
When I received the news of Henry’s tragic accident I was stunned. You see, I exchanged text messages with him during the day on Tuesday in an attempt to narrow down a time to chat later that evening. One of his last texts read: “Whenever you’re ready hit me up C.”
Chris called me shortly after 8 p.m. and we rapped for about 15 minutes or so. We caught up on some personal things before conducting a brief interview. Chris was upbeat about his wedding plans and couldn’t wait to return to Cincinnati to be with the team. More than anything, he missed being out there on the field.
Chris sounded enthusiastic about the future and was the happiest I’ve ever heard him. He was a much different person than 2 years ago when we met. Chris was in a very dark place back then and dealing with some legal troubles. I watched this man transform his life filled with negatives into something positive. All he ever talked about was wanting to prove to the people of Cincinnati that he’s a good person. He wanted their acceptance and now he’s fighting for his life.
It’s tough for me to see someone end up this way after trying so hard to overcome adversity.
I’m really at a loss for words. Please say a prayer for Chris and his family. I know I will.
I will be joining 1410 WING ESPN Radio Host Mark Neal on the highest rated sports talk show in Dayton and Dayton Sports Scene, Thursday, December 17, at 5:00 p.m. to discuss the latest on the Chris Henry situation.
When you think sports talk radio think 1410 ESPN.
Bengals miss Henry; Henry misses Bengals
»Update: Police: Bengals’ Henry dies day after dispute
Editor’s Note: The following story was written hours after Chris Henry’s last interview. Henry talked to the DDN’s Carlos Holmes on Tuesday night. Henry died Thursday morning.
If you ask any Monday morning quarterback what the problem is with Cincinnati ’s struggling passing game you likely would hear the name Chris Henry. Critics believe that the Bengals’ problems on offense began when the team lost its deep-threat receiver. Henry suffered a season-ending forearm injury in the game against Baltimore in Week 9.
The Bengals are ranked 23rd overall in passing yards and seem to take a dip in the rankings each week. The offense had its lowest output of the season passing against Minnesota . Quarterback Carson Palmer completed 15 out of 25 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. Needless to say, Minnesota beat up on the Bengals, 30-10.
Head coach Marvin Lewis gave his assessment of the team’s passing game at his Monday news conference.
“We’ve got to do a better job of executing,” Lewis said. “We have to protect. We have to be in the right spots at the right depths and give the opportunity to the quarterback. And I think we’ve got to go back and do a better job of manufacturing some balls down the field.”
There’s another reason for the sputtering passing game. No Henry!
Bengal opponents had to respect, if not fear, Henry. Teams would game plan for him because he’s a receiving threat. Now it seems oh so easy for opposing defenses to put the kibosh on the passing game.
With Henry out of the lineup, it leaves Chad Ochocinco as the only consistent downfield threat, which means he’ll draw a lot of double- and triple-teams in coverage. Henry gave the team a viable option before going down with the injury. He averaged 19.7 yards per catch and was a go-to-guy for Palmer in clutch situations. The Bengals have had 63 possessions and scored only five touchdowns during Henry’s absence.
So what has Oh Henry been up to these days?
“Man, I’ve been trying to get a bunch of my wedding stuff taken care of since my injury,” Henry said during a phone conversation on Tuesday, Dec. 15. “I’ve been back and fourth between Cincinnati and North Carolina getting ready for the big day.”
Henry is set to marry his Polynesian Beyonce and mother of his three children in March 2010.
What does he think of the offense and will he be back next season?
“I hate sitting back watching my team struggle,” Henry said. “It won’t be easy, but I know they’ll figure out a way to turn things around. The team is pretty much in the playoffs and I know they’re going to do their thing once they get there. I only wish that I could be out there with them helping them as much as I can, but I won’t be back out there until next year.”
Maybe, maybe not?
Henry is in the final year of this contact with the Bengals and at the end of the season will become either a restricted free agent (RFA) if uncapped or an unrestricted free agent (UFA) if the Collective Bargaining Agreement is extended.
“I wish for something to happen so I can remain in Cincinnati and play for the Bengals,” Henry said. “I don’t want to go anywhere else, to tell you the truth. I love being a Bengal and love (Carson) Palmer. What he can do for me and what I could do for him is unlimited.
“I like the system that I’m playing in and will continue to work hard to be that No. 2 guy. I really want to show Cincinnati what I’m all about as a receiver. Hopefully, I’ll get that opportunity.”
As far as the injury, Henry’s broken left forearm is in a full cast right now and will be in a smaller version next week. The diagnosis for recovery is 10 weeks and rehab will begin immediately thereafter.
TweetArt Schlichter and Gary Burbank come clean
I came across something very funny from my favorite book publishing company, Orange Frazer Press, and wanted to share it with our readers. As you may know, Gary Burbank and former Ohio State quarterback Art Schlichter will be appearing at Books& Co at the Greene on Tuesday, Dec 15th and Thursday Dec 17th.
Orange Frazer Press took time to sit down with their two celebrity authors and interview them about their last book signings and their plans for the holidays. Here is what Burbank and Schlichter had to say.
Where will you be spending the holidays this year?
Gary Burbank: With Earl Pitts and Gilbert Gnarley in Florida.
Art Schlichter: Not in prison, hopefully.
What do the two of you like best about the holidays?
GB: Sugarplums. Does anyone know what those are anyway?
AS: They sound questionable to me. I’m suspicious.
Can you sing the 12 days of Christmas?
GB: I like the version where the brothers from Canada sing about beer and turtlenecks.
AS: “Eight comic books, seven packs of smokes…”
GB: And bacon.
Do you believe in Santa?
GB: Of course.
AS: What’s not to believe in?
GB: I still leave him milk and cookies and a shot of Jack Daniels. I hope his suit is warm.
AS: Can he really make it around the world in one night? I am a fast driver and it still takes me over three hours to get to Cleveland from Cincinnati.
GB: It’s those eight reindeer. They have atomic horsepower. Your hemi is a turtle against eight reindeer, even if they are tiny.
AS: I hope Ford or GM reads this.
Any thoughts on Jesus’s birthday?
GB: Jesus said he was going to teach me how to walk on water. But I told him I’d rather learn how to fish.
AS: I think I’ll send him an autographed football. You know, I bet Jesus would have been a great wide receiver.
GB: Jesus would have been a quarterback. And his disciples would have been his offensive linemen.
AS: Agreed. But wasn’t there one disciple who was a dud or betrayer or something?
GB: Judas.
AS: Judas. Right, right.
GB: And I think Judas failed to block Jesus at a crucial moment and the Romans blitzed him.
AS: He must’ve been a late draft pick.
GB: He never made All-Apostle.
AS: And he was traded.
GB: To the Romans.
Any New Year’s Resolutions?
GB: I resolve to not resolve anything. Oh, and eat more lima beans; even if they do taste like dirt.
AS: I am addicted to Diet Coke. I probably need to see someone about that.
Thanks guys. Happy Holidays; see you at your book signings.
GB: Yep. I’ll be at Books& Co at the Greene on Thursday, Dec 17th at 7pm
AS: And I’ll be at Books& Co at the Greene on Tuesday, Dec 15th at 7pm
GB & AS: Have a safe, peaceful, and happy holiday!
Funny stuff!
“Busted, the Rise and Fall of Art Schlichter” and “Voices in my Head, the Gary Burbank Story” are available wherever books are sold.
TweetSports Editor talks smack about Bengals-Vikings matchup
Let the smack talk begin!
Attention: Dayton Daily News readers and especially Bengal fans. Here’s a possible opportunity that you may not want to miss out on.
Dayton Daily News Sports Editor Brian Kollars has agreed to take pies in the face for charity if the Cincinnati Bengals can pull off an upset win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, Dec. 13.
Kollars, a native South Dakotan, is a lifelong Vikings fan and is confident that the Bengals have no chance of winning the game. That being said, I challenged our Sports Editor to back up the smack talk with a friendly wager.
If Cincinnati defeats Minnesota, anyone willing to make a $5 donation to the Dayton Daily News United Way campaign can come to the newspaper from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14, and put a pie in the Sports Editor’s pie hole.
After his smug interview with me this morning, pies could start flying before the game.
“There’s no way Cincinnati can go up to Minnesota, where it’s going to be about 10 degrees outside. The Bengals will freeze getting off the bus,” Kollars said. “They’ll never recover. It’s a different environment for them and the Metrodome will be rockin’. Nobody will be able to hear what Chad Johnson, oh, Ochocinco has to say. It’s going to be too loud in there and the Vikings are just too good.”
I wonder if he watched the Vikings get dismantled by Arizona this week?
Kollars’ heart towards the Bengals is as cold as the frigid winters of South Dakota, where during Kollars’ junior year of high school the thermometer never got above zero the entire month of January.
“Jared Allen is going to toss Carson Palmer around like a ragdoll,” Kollars said. “He’s going to treat him like Ndamukong Suh treated Colt McCoy. It’s not going to be pretty. Adrian Peterson is going to run through the Bengals defense. The Bengals don’t have a chance.”
When asked if the Bengals were overrated, Kollars had the testicular fortitude to say that Minnesota could trot out former Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton and running back Chuck Foreman and win the ballgame. Ouch!
He’s playing the Bengals like they’re the Rodney Dangerfield (R.I.P.) of the NFL.
I believe Kollars has convinced himself that the Bengals are overmatched and will take an ‘L’ Sunday. His prediction is 34-13, Vikes. I think maybe the boss just needs a hug.
Needless to say, I will be rooting for the Bengals. If they win, this will be my way of sticking it to the man. ;)
Say your prayers, Kollars. Your Vikings are going down: 24-17, Bengals.
In case you’re wondering, should the Bengals lose, I get to stand outside in front of the building wearing a humiliating costume while selling newspaper subscriptions.
Let’s go Bengals!
Team news: The Bengals today released S Brannon Condren from the practice squad. Condren, from Troy University, is a third-year NFL player and had been signed to the practice squad on Nov. 17.
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