What's your number?

     There has been a big issue brought up about numbers lately. Andy Dalton is wearing number 14, Kenny Anderson's old number. A number that should probably be retired. Not only that, Bruce Gradkowsi is wearin number 7 and LeFevour is wearing number 8.

     In need of a topic, and the fact that lists always get people riled up, I'm making a list of the best numbers in Bengal history. Basically, what number makes me instantly think of a player and how weird it would be to see someone else wear it.

     Let's get it started, from worst to first.

• #11 - Akili Smith. How could a guy so bad, be worth so many draft picks?
• #32 - Ki-Jana Carter. was an overrated bust. What I mean is, yea his career didn't pan out. But he got hurt, it wasn't because he wasn't good. He still played in the NFL for several years, he just wasn't a stud.
• #81 - Carl Pickens. A very good reciever that became the first in a long line to really complain about the Bengals. Remember when he seemed like a cry baby? The guy was a forerunner.
• #14 - Kenny Anderson. I didn't see Kenny play, but if you ask older Bengals fans, the fact that Dalton wears his number makes 'em mad.
• #8 - Jeff Blake. The king of the deep ball.
• #30 - Ickey Woods. The most overrated Bengal of all time. In fact, I'm going to start calling him the Los Del Rios of Bengals players.
• #71 - Willie Anderson. Maybe the only good player of the Mike Brown era to stick around and not talk bad. Willie was the kind of guy that did his job and expected his teammates to do the same. Great guy.
• #78 - Anthony Munoz. The Hall of Famer. Most offensive linemen don't get pub. But when Anthony will always have a place in our hearts.
• #85 - Chad Johnson. You're not going to believe this, but Chad is the most underrated Bengal of All-Time (more on that on a later date)
• #7 - Boomer Esaison. He was the QB during the good times. Even his run in 1997 was pretty awesome.
• #28 - Corey Dillon. Corey is my favorite Bengal of all time. A great player on bad teams. Unlike most Bengals, I have more positive memories of him than neative. Which says a lot. The Thursday night game as a rookie. The Denver game. The game were he threw his equipment in my section as the crowd chanted his name. I was so happy he got a ring. Congrats Corey, you're number one in my book.

Meet Jimmy Clausen 2.0

     It's only been a year, so I'll shorten the history lesson. Jimmy Clausen fell the Carolina Panthers in round 2 of last years draft. Seemed like they were going to make him their starter. Of course, they had the worst record in his first season so now the Panthers drafted a new QB, franchiser Cam Newton. Maybe Jimmy wasn't the guy they thought he was (and they let 'em off the hook). But one year is all he gets? It's not like the rest of the team was so good he brought him down, and for a project like Cam Newton? That just seems silly.

     The reason I bring it up is because of Bengals rookie QB Andy "The Orange Outlaw" Dalton. In my first ever blog post, I said that the Bengals need to ride him out this year. After all, if you really think he's going to be your guy, why not? The problem lies with what happens next year.

     Presumably, Andrew Luck, QB out of Stanford will go in the draft and be the number one pick. And the Bengals could own that pick. Do they take Luck? Of course they do, but then they basically wasted a second round pick on a guy that will never see the field again for that team. A team like the Bengals can't just throw away high draft picks.

     The worst part? The 2012 Bengals looks A LOT like the 2011 Bengals. A rookie QB has to learn the ropes, again. The problem is that the only other good players we have are going to be a year older, which could mean they are running on fumes or left on free agency. And the fans get another season of 5-11 football. It's not about the money, Dalton's cap number is small. It's about time. Time Dalton needs to develop, time before certain players clocks run out, and buffer time between Mike Brown hitting the reset button.

Somewhere Over Yonder

     It's been a long time, too long, since I've written a blog post. I've had marginal ideas about what to write, but I knew it would take something big for me to get back into it. Today, I found my cause. I found my reason to write, Joey Votto.

     Joey Votto is the best player the Cincinnati Reds have had since Barry Larkin, but if you ask certain people around town, he needs to go. See, the Reds have a rookie named Yonder Alonso that can hit the ball really well, too. He's a rookie, so we don't know how well. Like Joey, he's made to play first base. The Reds have tried him out in left and may try him at third base, but the fact is, he's a first bagger like Joey.

     So what to do? You can't play them both at first, and I don't think the Reds will most to the American League anytime soon, so there are a few options being thrown around. Let's take a look at them.

• Move Yonder Alonso to another position - So far, this has been the option the Reds have been using. Yonder has been playing out in LF for the Louisville Bats and had a handful of tries in the majors. Apparently, the Reds found out what the Bats didn't know, Yonder sucks in left. They also might try him at third, but we'll see.
• Trade Joey Votto - Joey is a big time player. And the Reds aren't a big time money team. It looks like down the road, Joey Votto will likely be moved somewhere else. I guess if you know you're going to lose him, why not move him to another team and get some prospects along with giving Alonso first base?
• Move Votto to Another Position - This has to be the silliest idea I've ever heard. Joey isn't a great defensive first baseman. What makes you think he can play somewhere else? People say that if he wants to help the team he'll move. HOW DOES THAT MAKE SENSE????

     People say that if he is a true leader, he'll do it to help the team. Votto in left or third doesn't help the team anymore than Yonder at those positions. And as far as the leadership thing, did Jeter switch because they signed A Rod? Of course not, that's HIS position! You really think Joey Votto, a guy on the fringe of leaving anyway, is going to be happy moving? If you want any chance of keeping the best guy on your team, maybe you should keep him happy.

     I think there is a conspiracy going on. Call me crazy, but there has been a lot of negative Votto talk this season. Is it because certain people know that he's going to be moved and if the general fan has a negative taste in their mouth anyway, it'll make the move easier? All I can say is remember Josh Hamilton? This could be that times 10.

     Why mess with a good thing? You KNOW Joey Votto is great. You THINK Yonder Alonso is great. There is a difference.