Analysis: LJ addition in Cinci sends wrong signal to fans
After he was unceremoniously dumped by the 2-7 Chiefs several weeks ago, RB Larry Johnson may have found a new home in Cincinnati. As a lifelong fan of KC, all I can say to Bengals fans is good luck.
All season long, the Bengals have done their best to show the rest of the league that they’ve put their criminal ways behind them and moved forward into a new era of unselfish and bad attitude free football. They’ve beaten all comers in their division, thanks in part to their ability to play as a team, which makes this move to get LJ into the fold a perplexing one.
I understand the motivation from the depth standpoint, especially after watching RB Cedric Benson go down with a hip injury that could cost him his agility and speed down the stretch. But in terms of the direction Cincinnati has taken this season, a deal with Johnson makes no sense whatsoever. The Bengals need a team player, not a me first prima donna, which is exactly what got LJ into trouble in the first place.
LJ’s inability to carry the rock effectively certainly played a part in his dismissal from the Chiefs, but the underlying reason behind the departure was his attitude and off the field behavior. From multiple assault charges to gay slurs directed at fans and more, Johnson had become a player that every fan hated. He repeatedly displayed a complete unwillingness to do his part to help the team to victory, and while I can’t say he’ll be the same player in Cincinnati, odds are that he won’t be a model citizen once he’s surrounded by a crew that set the standard for miscreant behavior over the past few years.
That said, he may be able to suppress those issues for the remainder of the season, especially now that he’s on a team bound for playoff glory. But the addition of LJ to the fold will not come without its risks, not the least of which is his recent gay bashing diatribe on his Twitter account. That alone could cause enough ill will from Cinci’s fan base to cost the team financially, but the real trouble will likely come from the league itself, as commisioner Roger Goodell could very well suspend Johnson indefinitely once he signs, given his track record of law breaking and poor behavior.
All in all, the move could pay off handsomely, if LJ can somehow return to the form he displayed early in his career, but it could also become a flop of epic proportions pretty quick, especially if Johnson finds himself in a hole and lashes out. The Bengals likely would have been better served in signing a stop gap player or sticking with their backups for the time being, as the addition LJ could prove to be fatal in more than one way at this point in the season.
For the fan’s sake, I hope LJ is a success in Cinci. But after suffering through multiple distraction filled seasons with Johnson at the helm, I can’t help but wonder if this is the right move for a team on their way up. In the end, only time will tell.
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