We said it when the Bengals were giving up a draft pick for Ahmad Brooks in the supplemental draft a few years ago, and we said it again after the draft last weekend when the Bengals were busy filling up their police blotter roster with more shady actors:

This is just beyond ridiculous.

Despite constant legals issues, despite having suffered suspensions of its players from the NFL and stern warnings from Roger Goodell and even having cut players that have run afoul of the law, the Bengals somehow managed to put themselves more at risk with the drafting of Jerome Simpson, Pat Sims, Jason Shirley and Mario Urrutia.

And then Thursday came this: the report that Ahmad Brooks allegedly hit a woman in the eye during an altercation. If he's convicted, he'll be suspended for sure.

The excuse has been that the penny-pinching Bengals, for years without a proper scouting staff to run background checks on players, are wowed by athleticism and don't find as much wrong, character-wise, with these guys. Throw it out. It's old and tired. Too much has happened for Mike Brown to claim ignorance on the issue. He should know better, but he doesn't.

Let's hope the Brooks thing proves to be false. Let's hope that of the four kids we mentioned that were drafted by the Bengals, all go on to be good players and better citizens. But holy mother, this disheartening trend is a joke.

It's time Goodell sat Brown down and explained the severity of the deal. The Bengals are becoming the joke of the NFL, and somehow Chad Johnson has played only a minor part in that theatre of the absurd. It's not Brown's job to police the players, and clearly it's out of Warden Marvin Lewis' hands at this point.

But it's on Brown for the OK'ing of drafting guys like Chris Henry and Brooks and this weekend's class. So shame on him. The league has to know how bad this all looks.

Many of our more diehard NFL draft-fan readers certainly will know the name of Tommy Blake, a talented but troubled young man who at one point looked like he might have a first-round grade on him. That was before the start of the college season, when Blake left the TCU team, starting a downward trend that left him undrafted last weekend.

I hadn't noticed that Blake hadn't even received a free-agent contract until an agent made me aware of it yesterday, but Blake is in Buccaneers minicamp trying to earn a trip to training camp and perhaps a shot. Here's hoping the kid gets himself in line.

Here's what Bucs head coach Jon Gruden had to say about Blake earlier today:

"We want to just look at him. He's had some well-documented ups and some well-documented downs. But he's a young guy and we want to look at him for ourselves and try to get all the evaluations done in our minds that we can, and give the kid an opportunity to present himself as a pro football player. We'll judge our conclusions when we get them." 

Get your tickets now ... well, OK, soon:

 

The University of Notre Dame and Arizona State University have completed an agreement for a college football game to be played on Oct. 5, 2013, at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The new stadium, currently under construction, is set to open in the summer of 2009. With a capacity of 80,000 fans, expandable to 100,000 for major events, it is set to host Super Bowl XLV following the 2011 NFL season, the annual AT&T Cotton Bowl, the 2009 and 2010 Big 12 Championship Football Games and the annual Texas A&M University vs. University of Arkansas football game.

“Bringing the storied tradition of Notre Dame football to the new stadium in Arlington to take on a national power like Arizona State makes this an exciting day for all of North Texas,” said Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones. “Our region lives and breathes football, and I can’t think of a better place to showcase two of the nation’s top programs than right here at our new home.”

“We’re thrilled to have a chance to return to North Texas where Notre Dame football has had such a rich tradition, particularly through our appearances in the Cotton Bowl over the years,” said Notre Dame Director of Athletics Kevin White. “We’re also excited that both our players and our fans will have a chance to experience a football game in what will be a state-of-the-art facility as designed by the Cowboys.”

"We are excited to participate in this unique college football event in the new, state-of-the-art stadium the Dallas Cowboys are building in Arlington, Texas," said Arizona State Director of Athletics Lisa Love. "We believe this will be a magnificent game for our fans and alumni. Our coaching staff recruits the state of Texas, and this will only serve to assist in that area."

Notre Dame will be the home team for the game and NBC Sports will have the live television rights to the game, as with other Notre Dame home games.

Notre Dame expects to make tickets available to its contributing alumni and fans through the alumni lottery as it does with all other football games. Arizona State will receive an allotment of tickets as the visiting team, and a public sale will be conducted through the Cowboys stadium. The Cowboys stadium and the AT&T Cotton Bowl will combine to manage and market the game.

The Irish and Sun Devils will be meeting for the first time since 1999. Notre Dame defeated Arizona State in Sun Devil Stadium in 1998 (28-9) and again in Notre Dame Stadium in 1999 (a 48-17 Irish victory).

 

So Matty Walsh has his big sit-down with the Grand Poobah tomorrow, where the Spygate case will go in one of two directions: it either ends or goes onward, assuming what Roger Goodell thinks about these offensive tapes that were turned in. And though there are reasons to think that more needs to be gleaned from this case, such as how much did Bill Belichick try to hide the fact he was hiding, and what did he tell Walsh (directly or indirectly) what he wanted to get on film, there also is a prevailing thought that not much else will come from this case.

I guess what I wonder is if Goodell knew the taping was happening going back to 2000, when Belichick was first head coach there, would he have upped the penalty? Makes you wonder if the Patriots would have Jerod Mayo, you know?

But right now, it's all speculation. Maybe more answers will come out of tomorrow's sessin. But I suspect after those answers come out, when we refer to Spygate it will be in the past tense from now on. If we can't call the case closed, its final chapter might be very close.

And with the words "I don't know where else I would turn," commissioner Roger Goodell appeared to put a large punctuation mark on the Spygate case. If it's not over, it's certainly fairly much dead in my mind.

This was expected. After no smoking gun was said to be found in Matty Walsh's VHS collection, it was clear that little if any more would be added to this whole deal. And it makes sense, now that everything has been disclosed it appears, that Goodell would want to shut this thing down.

Not only has it been a black eye for the league, but it has become a major connection to Goodell himself. He's only 19 months into his tenure as commissioner, and he's best known for two things -- player conduct and Spygate -- among the average fan. And though cleaning up the game is a good thing in most people's minds, all these problems that Goodell has faced, including the strange Spygate case, has cast a bit of a pall over his reign.

For now, and perhaps forever, Spygate is dead. And what a strange case it has turned out to be.

One interesting postscript: Our friends over at Cold, Hard Football Facts dug up this interesting nugget ... about the Rams possibly spying on the Patriots before Super Bowl XXXVI. Interesting. 

Nice touch with the Super Bowl attendance line:

"We want to address the allegation that the Patriots taped the Rams’ walkthrough prior to Super Bowl XXXVI. For the past three-and-a-half months, we have been defending ourselves against assumptions made based on an unsubstantiated report rather than on facts or evidence. Despite our adamant denials, the report ran on February 2, 2008, the day before Super Bowl XLII. That game was the second-most watched program in television history and it is unfortunate that today’s news will not also reach an audience of that size. We hope that with Matt Walsh's disclosures, everyone will finally believe what we have been saying all along and emphatically stated on the day of the initial report: 'The suggestion that the New England Patriots recorded the St. Louis Rams' walkthrough on the day before Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 is absolutely false. Any suggestion to the contrary is untrue.'” 

As we did last year, Mike Wilkening and I will be on high-draft-pick duty, talking to 30 first-, second- and third-round picks (and one fifth-rounder, John David Booty) this weekend for a strange, unique event -- the NFL's Rookie Premier weekend.

What is it? Hard to say exactly, but we are attending two events. The first is a Madden 08 tournament that's going on in Santa Monica, where the players are staying. Last year it was eight guys playing head to head in tournament style, sponsored by EA Sports (the Titans' Paul Williams won last year, unofficially making it the last time he has been heard or seen from). And then on Saturday, the players will be photographed in their new teams' uniforms for their Topps football cards. It's high comedy, really; last year, the clear and obvious highligh was watching Browns OT Joe Thomas flop onto mats at the L.A. Coliseum as overexcited photogs took his picture. How often do linemen get to bellyflop like that? Thomas said it had been since high school, when he played a little fullback.

So here is the list of players attending (in bold are the guys I'll for sure be talking to): 

Rams WR Donnie Avery
Bears WR Earl Bennett
Vikings QB John David Booty
Packers QB Brian Brohm
Bengals WR Andre Caldwell
Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles
Chiefs DT Glenn Dorsey
Cardinals WR Early Doucet
Falcons WR Harry Douglas
Ravens QB Joe Flacco
Bears RB Matt Forté
Bills WR James Hardy
Dolphins QB Chad Henne
Eagles WR DeSean Jackson
Buccaneers WR Dexter Jackson
Titans RB Chris Johnson
Cowboys RB Felix Jones
Jets TE Dustin Keller
Redskins WR Malcolm Kelly
Rams DE Chris Long
Dolphins OT Jake Long
Giants WR Mario Manningham
Raiders RB Darren McFadden
Steelers RB Rashard Mendenhall
Packers WR Jordy Nelson
Patriots QB Kevin O'Connell
Ravens RB Ray Rice
Falcons QB Matt Ryan
Bengals WR Jerome Simpson
Texans RB Steve Slaton
Lions RB Kevin Smith
Panthers RB Jonathan Stewart
Steelers WR Limas Sweed
Redskins WR Devin Thomas

If you're wondering why I plan, say, on talking to Booty or Keller and not McFadden, Wilky and I kinda of carved up the list and decided who would go after who, interview-wise, so don't worry -- we'll try to give you blanket coverage as much as we can. Specifically, though, I will be working on Matt Ryan and Jake Long features, so I'll have a lot from those guys.

It'll be interesting to see if Mr. Hardy shows up following his handgun incident this week. Sounds like he's mostly out of the woods, though who knows? 

We'll blog live from L.A. this weekend to paint the picture and give you any pertinent info to pass along.

SANTA MONICA -- So last night, Mike Wilkening and I headed over to the Loews Hotel and checked out the 2008 Rookie Madden Bowl sponsored by EA Sports. The tournament matched up eight rookies in a Madden 08 tournament:

Matt Ryan vs. Brian Brohm
Kevin O'Connell vs. Matt Forte
Devin Thomas vs. Rashard Mendenhall
Mario Manningham vs. DeSean Jackson

Ryan beat Brohm, Forte killed O'Connell, and Thomas and Jackson won. And then Thomas -- playing with the Cowboys, I might add -- beat Forte in the finals, setting off a flurry of excitement among the gaming media community (actually, I am serious). It's a fun event and the rookies generally are very approachable. In fact, there wasn't a guy I talked tolast night who didn't have something interesting to offer.

Jake Long is a very down-to-earth guy. He talked at ease about the pressure he faces as the highest-paid offensive lineman in the game despite not taking a snap yet, and he looks ready to go.

Thomas is a character. He called the Madden win "the greatest moment of his NFL career to date" to which one gaming reporter mouthed, "Wow" and scribbled notes on a pad. Funny stuff. But Thomas has a big personality and all the confidence in the world. He just might fit in well in D.C.

Jackson is a confident kid, too. He said he's working primarily in the slot but thinks he'll make a big impact as a returner. The Eagles hope so too.

Ryan is a classy kid. I think he's born to be a star. He has Tom Brady's poise and maturity - and we'll find out if he's close to the player Brady is, but I can't help but root for the kid.

Dustin Keller carries himself well. He said he's excited to find out how he'll be used, and he's sick of hearing he's a deficient blocker. He told me he will be an effective blocker in the NFL. Period.

Jordy Nelson admitted to me he didn't expect to be a Packer. But he is excited to work up there and will be heading out Sunday night straight from L.A. He did admit, though, that it would have been nice to play with Brett Favre. I told him to hang tight, his chance might just come.

I have plenty more on the event, as does Mr. Wilkening, who will file later. In a few hours, we're going to the L.A. Coliseum to watch these guys run around in their new unis, and we'll talk to a few more of them and report back. 

Posted by PFW's Mike Wilkening

LOS ANGELES — A rundown of some of the sights and sounds from last night’s EA Sports 2008 Rookie Madden Bowl:

• Giants WR Mario Manningham, playing as the Tennessee Titans vs. Buccaneers WR Dexter Jackson’s Indianapolis Colts, jumping up to celebrate a touchdown and bumping his head against a flat-screen television. The touchdown cut Jackson’s lead to 21 points…
• Falcons QB Matt Ryan, playing as his new team — and using Joey Harrington at quarterback — yell “Noooo!” as Harrington led a wide-open receiver in the left corner of the endzone right out of the endzone. On the next play, Ryan — err, Harrington — made a beautiful throw on the run only to have his receiver fumble the ball near the goal line.
• Bengals WR Andre Caldwell, playing on one of several flat-screen TVs set up throughout the hotel ballroom at which the tournament was held, scoring a touchdown with the Cardinals — but only because Jaguars S Gerald Sensabaugh had fumbled an interception.

Count me impressed by the approachability of many of the rookies present here in Los Angeles. I didn’t speak with Dolphins OT Jake Long, but the No. 1 overall pick appeared very affable. Raiders RB Darren McFadden was generous with his time. Same goes for Ravens QB Joe Flacco. You’ll see pieces on each of these players in upcoming issues of PFW.  

So what else stood out about Friday? The vast majority of the rookies I spoke to had learning their offenses.

“How big is the playbook?” I asked Titans RB Chris Johnson.

“Big — real big,” said Johnson, smiling and motioning with his hands.

Back this evening with news and notes from the Rookie Premiere football card photo shoot over at the LA Coliseum.

LOS ANGELES — For the second straight year, Eric Edholm and I attended the Rookie Premiere football-card photo shoot at the L.A. Coliseum. More than 30 rookies donned their jerseys and posed for the cameras.

Eric and I doned sunscreen and white polo shirts and tried to stay out of the shots.

Some news, notes and observations from the Coliseum:

• Chatted with the Bengals’ rookie wideouts for a piece I’m working on for PFW’s next issue. Jerome Simpson, the second-rounder from Coastal Carolina, said he’s going to work at the ‘X’ receiver spot (split end) in Cincinnati’s offense. Andre Caldwell, the swift third-round pick from Florida, is working at the ‘Z’ (flanker) and also at slot receiver. Both will get a chance to contribute immediately, considering the Bengals’ lack of depth at the position. And, quite obviously, their learning curves would be accelerated were Chad Johnson to be traded. But I would be stunned if that happened. I’ll only be surprised, frankly, if he isn’t in the Bengals’ starting lineup in Week One. The Bengals don’t want to deal him, and were he to sit out, he would be walking away from a lot of money. And that is not going to happen.
• Buccaneers WR Dexter Jackson’s favorite football card: the 1986 Topps Jerry Rice rookie. Love that one, too. Jackson will get every chance to solve a long-standing problem for Tampa: a lack of punch in the return game.
• Rams WR Torry Holt wants rookie Donnie Avery to show less “emotion,” as Avery put it, in his route-running. Holt became one of the best receivers of his generation in part because of his superb routes. Avery has rare speed, the best of any pass-catcher in his draft class, but whether he succeeds or fails may come down to whether he takes a page from Holt when it comes to never letting DBs know what is coming. Avery’s hands — drops caught the attention of scouts, and not in a good way — also need to become more consistent.