Ohio-no

Well, it's official. I am finally going to buy a Madden video game this season. Madden 2011 should feature, after a certain downloadable update, a team with enough WRs to make even the most jaded of fans (me), run to Wal-Mart on the opening night of sales: The Cincinnati Bengals.

Terrell Owens. Chad Ochocinco. Jordan Shipley. Awesomeness. Possibly my three favorite receivers of all time. One for the fact that he does pushups during interviews. One because he hunts and fishes and sings songs about Colt McCoy. One because he changed his name to Ochocinco.

Seriously, though, this move has the potential to take the defending AFC North Champion Bengals to the next level, if TO can keep his head on straight. History indicates the oft troubled future Hall of Famer will do just that. His first year on new teams have been nothing but raging successes, at least from a statistical perspective. His off field shenanigans seem to manifest after that first season be it in Philadelphia or Dallas, when his massive ego takes a hit from media and teammates for a legitimate failure to help deliver a title (or in some cases a playoff win.)

But for now, we can focus on what a wide receiver lineup featuring #81 and #85 may mean to the rest of the league. OchoCinco has averaged 76 catches, 7 TDs, and 1105 yards per season since joining Cinci 9 years ago. TO has pulled down 72 catches, 10 TDs, and 1067 yards per season over his 14 years in the league. If they simply put up their averages, and only account for those two players and no others, Bengals QB Carson Palmer is looking at 17TDs and over 2000 yards from his top two targets.

Of course, these aren't the same players as they were 4 years ago, when they clearly were the best receivers in the league. TO is on the downside of a career that will send him to Canton, while OchoCinco has spent most of his time in the league making highlight touchdown dances that rival....well, his new partner in crime, TO's.

There is a possibility that the combination could be one of the more feared in the NFL's history. Or we could be looking at nothing more than an expansion of VH1 reality TV, an attempt to create the league's first TD dance-off, or more ridiculouness out of the Cincinnati organization.

It appears Jordan Shipley, the Texas grad with an affinity for an acoustic guitar and some rather hokey country lyrics, is going to get a first hand introduction into the world of the professional prima dona WR. Excellent. The good news for Texas and Shipley fans: if he can line up in 3 WR sets as the slot receiver, a spot he excelled at in Texas, then a successful rookie campaign could be in the works. At least on my version of Madden 2011.

Either way, the folks in Ohio will have lots to talk about this season. While Ohioans may have lost Lebron and entire industries to the weak economy, at least they'll get some significant entertainment come this fall.

Either way, folks, get your popcorn ready.