Chris Crocker on Chad,

 

"Chad has been known to do his antics, but inside those four walls he was just one of the guys, a laid-back guy that lined up every day. Those types of things didn't bother us. It wasn't a distraction. I don't know if it bothered the guys upstairs."

 

I have often argued over the years that Chad's antics had no impact on the team. So why did it bother the fans so much? I have never understood that.

 

Chad's antics probably didn't have an impact when it came to stuff he said. However something that did have an impact was his focus on football going away. He stopped being that guy who stayed the night at the football stadium all the time, because he wanted to do all he can to be the best. Instead he focused on other things, instead of trying to get better even though he was getting older. Him and Palmer during 2004-2006 and even 2007 seemed to be really on, and Chad was leading the league in yards. We rarely saw miscommunication between the two guys. Then Chad decided he wanted to be traded, and stopped focusing on being the best he could be, and we have seen many times of just confusion and frustration between the two on throws and where he was suppose to be. I don't think it is a coincidence that when he started focusing on other things, was the same time he and Palmer started to lose their connection.

Chad's antics probably didn't have an impact when it came to stuff he said. However something that did have an impact was his focus on football going away. He stopped being that guy who stayed the night at the football stadium all the time, because he wanted to do all he can to be the best. Instead he focused on other things, instead of trying to get better even though he was getting older. Him and Palmer during 2004-2006 and even 2007 seemed to be really on, and Chad was leading the league in yards. We rarely saw miscommunication between the two guys. Then Chad decided he wanted to be traded, and stopped focusing on being the best he could be, and we have seen many times of just confusion and frustration between the two on throws and where he was suppose to be. I don't think it is a coincidence that when he started focusing on other things, was the same time he and Palmer started to lose their connection.

 

That is a different issue. I am talking about the antics, especially prior to the last couple of years. Some fans got ballistic over the sideshow when Chad was still a Pro Bowl receiver and one of the hardest workers on the team. And I don't think the team cared one bit about the sideshow. Most of them probably got a laugh out of it. But fans lost it. That is what I don't get.

That is a different issue. I am talking about the antics, especially prior to the last couple of years. Some fans got ballistic over the sideshow when Chad was still a Pro Bowl receiver and one of the hardest workers on the team. And I don't think the team cared one bit about the sideshow. Most of them probably got a laugh out of it. But fans lost it. That is what I don't get.

 

That is why I was a Chad fan back then, I didn't care what he said and stuff as long as he worked as hard as he could to be the best football player. Which is what he had did up until a few years ago. Once his focus slipped from football, that is why I stopped being supportive of him.

I heard a hilarious line today on sports talk radio related to Chad that bears repeating. Aparently, Chad made the comment this week that he worked harder in practice in his first two days with New England than he had any time the past 4 yards in Cincinnati. That may be an indictment of Chad, Marvin, the Bengals or all three. Regardless, the one commentator slammed Chad. To which Andy Furman replied that Chad is the greatest receiver in Bengals history. That brought on this line which is absolutely hilarious ...

 

Chad being the greatest receiver in Bengals history is like me being valedictorian in my summer school class. :lol:

 

I don't necessarily agree with that but I laughed for five minutes as I kept thinking about it.