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.

Jerome-mania

     I want to start off by saying that I have nothing against Jerome Simpson as a person. In fact, you have to pull for a guy that goes to a school like Coastal Carolina and instead of getting money for his jersey, he got money by delivering pizzas. To make it to the NFL, drafted in the 2nd round no less, takes talent and hard work.

     Having said that, he's been in the league for 3 years, and up until this season, he had one catch for two yards. In 2010, he "exploded" for 20 catches, 277 yards and 3 TDs. Not bad, though in 2009, Brandon Marshall had 21 catches for 200 yards and 2 scores... in one game. In his defense, Jerome basically did all of his magic in the last few games of the season, but the question needs asked, WHAT TOOK SO #$%& LONG?

     We've been keeping this guy on the roster, while letting other WRs go and bringing in tons of new faces. drafting seven wideouts, two tight ends, and bringing in TO and Antonio Bryant since drafting Jerome Simpson. The Bengals have desperatly been looking for more weapons and a future successor to Chad Ochocinco as the number one wideout.

     Side Note: Not that it matters, but if the Bengals had drafted small size DeSean Jackson over small school Jerome Simpson, we would have our big play guy. And if we would have made a better offer to Mike Vick, we wouldn't be discussing Carson at all. Of course, two years ago I would have thought bringing in Vick would have been dumb. And maybe Chad's antics paired with DeSean's unpredictability would have been volitile. Hindsight 20/20 I guess.

      Ok, so why all the Jersome Simpson talk? Well, certain retailers are now carrying Jerome Simpson jerseys and having him do autograph signings. Really? Twenty-one catches in three seasons makes you marketable? After the team you play for drafted a guy at the same position in the top 5 of the draft? All I'm saying is maybe we should cool off Jerome-mania.

     And I'll say it right here, if Jerome Simpson has any of the following, 10 TDs in a season, 1,000 yards in a season, or 100 catches in a season, I will wear a Jerome Simpson jersey for an entire week. And if he makes a Pro Bowl, I will hand write an apology for this article and deliver it in person. And if Jerome Simpson makes the Hall of Fame, I will legally rename myself "Jersome Simpson's Number One Fan".