Bears don't mind trash talk
By TOM MUSICK -- Shaw Suburban Media
LAKE FOREST – Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has a few messages for the Bears.
Ochocinco, 31, is the game’s pre-eminent trash talker. He started yapping at Bears players on his Twitter page Monday, and has promised to back up his words when the teams meet Sunday.
Bears players don’t mind the taunts. In fact, they love it.
“I find it very funny,” said Bears cornerback Charles Tillman, who bore the brunt of Ochocinco’s jokes this week. “He is just the ultimate entertainer. … I heard one time, he sent the [defensive backs] from Cleveland a box of Pepto Bismol, the whole secondary.”
Ochocinco did not send any heartburn relief to Bears players this week, but he sent plenty of notes:
• To Jay Cutler: “After I embarrass the secondary, I want your jersey after the game.”
• To Jason McKie: “Dude, don’t bother getting dressed Sunday, okay!!!”
• To Alex Brown: “Go get your study film and watch me work on film, I’ll sign it for you after you watch it.”
• To Tommie Harris: “Tommie why are your [defensive backs] scared of me, it’s just a game.”
• To ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter: “I see you on TV, call the National Guard now Adam, please, Peanut Tillman is gonna need all the help he can get!!! Hurry.”
Tillman vowed to take heed of Ochocinco’s advice.
“I have a couple of friends in the National Guard, so they’re going to be ready,” Tillman said. “I’m calling them all out.”
If this week was any indication, Ochocinco’s mouth might not stop moving Sunday. That would make him the first legitimate trash-talking wide receiver to oppose the Bears all season, cornerback Zackary Bowman said.
“T.J. [Houshmandzadeh], he was quiet,” Bowman said. “He really wasn’t like, ‘Oh, you can’t stop me,’ or this or that. Calvin Johnson wasn’t a trash talker. Neither was [Santonio] Holmes or Hines Ward. Neither was Roddy White or Mike Jenkins.”
Then again, none of those players have almost 300,000 followers on Twitter. Ochocinco has become a “social media sensation,” as Cutler dubbed him this week, to secure his popularity after his football career has ended.
Bengals coach Marvin Lewis marveled at Ochocinco’s nonstop energy on and off of the field. He leads the Bengals this season with 455 receiving yards and three touchdowns, and has 9,360 receiving yards in his career.
“Unfortunately, Chad gets lumped in with some of the other things that go on with other players around the league,” Lewis said. “Chad has never been really malicious. He went sideways, admittedly, but he’s back.”
Bears cornerback Corey Graham said Ochocinco had a reputation among defenders as the NFL’s most loquacious receiver. That was fine, Graham said, because Ochocinco has backed up his chatter with Pro Bowl-caliber performances during the past decade.
“Don’t let it fool you,” Graham said. “Receivers aren’t the only ones who talk. ‘DB’s’ will be out there talking junk, too, especially if they make a good play."
Ochocinco vowed to dance the samba after he scored against the Bears on Sunday.
Finally, a Bears player stepped in with a message of his own.
“He can dance when we’re in the end zone,” Bears linebacker Lance Briggs said. “He can dance all he wants. [But] I don't want to see him dancing for a celebration for his team.”
Now we’re talking.
Bears bits: Tommie Harris (knee) did not practice Friday and is doubtful to play Sunday, Bears coach Lovie Smith said. Marcus Harrison likely will start for Harris at defensive tackle. … Running back Adrian Peterson (knee) also did not practice and is doubtful to play Sunday.
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