Taken from our friends at ESPN:
CINCINNATI -- Chad Johnson tucked the "Terrible Towel" into the neckline of his shirt, letting it hang like a yellow bib.
"I was eating lunch and I just didn't want to get my shirt dirty," he said mischievously.
No, the least-bashful Bengal wasn't getting ready to bash the next opponent; he's grown beyond that. But the receiver did have a little tease Wednesday for those thousands of fans who will show up Sunday waving their towels in Pittsburgh.
He's planning to entertain them with his best touchdown celebration yet.
"That is the Steel City, isn't it?" Johnson said. "The first time we played them, we all know we lost. We had some mistakes that we made early in the game. As far as I'm concerned, we have some things to iron out."
In a tone that amounted to a wink, he continued: "The key word is: iron out. Everybody remember the key word: iron."
Heading into what amounts to a showdown for the AFC North title, Johnson isn't deviating from his routine of having a little fun with the next opponent. The higher the stakes, the bigger the stage, after all.
Johnson added the "Terrible Towel" to his locker following a 42-29 victory Sunday over Baltimore, and made sure to pull it out and tuck it in when the cameras approached Wednesday.
Nothing against Pittsburgh.
"The fans actually love me on the road, which is a good thing," said Johnson, who has celebrated touchdowns with season with a Riverdance, CPR on the football, a sideline proposal to a cheerleader and an end zone putt with a pylon. "So, I'm doing something right.
"Pittsburgh, I'm coming to your town this week and I love you. I've got some things to iron out in the Steel City."
Johnson had four catches for 94 yards without a touchdown -- no chance to celebrate -- during the Steelers' 27-13 win at Paul Brown Stadium on Oct. 23. Still, he decided that the Steelers had failed to cover him, and checked the "no" box on his who-covered-me checklist for the season.
He praised the Steelers' players and coaches on Wednesday, and conceded that the Bengals need to beat them for their self-confidence as well as their playoff chances. They've lost to Jacksonville, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, the three best teams on their schedule so far.
"As far as the rest of the schedule, I don't see any teams that would put us in that mold of 'We are the real deal,' " Johnson said. "Until we beat somebody who has been consistently winning like they have."
Until then, all he can do is have some fun.
"I don't like everybody to think about it being a big game," he said, grinning. "It's just another team in the way of what we're trying to accomplish, and that's getting to the playoffs.
"And, therefore, I'm going to guarantee ... that I won't be stopped this Sunday, either."

- - - -

Now that ESPN doesn’t have TO to put on the TV anymore have they found a new boy?

Actually it’s not only ESPN (King, the beloved Mr Outsports, etc) who have just eaten this guy up. It’s very funny how these stories are “reported” by the talking heads. In the case of TO, Pom Pom’s, Sharpies, the star, Lewis dance are written as “showing people up”

In Johnson’s case, the terrible towel, iron dances, and whatever else he does is just plain “fun”

These same people who praise Johnson now will be throwing him under the bus when his contract extension comes up and he “wants to be paid”

His antics are not fun, but rather serve as motivation, in this case for the Steelers. I’m not an apologist for their idiot fans, but they do show up to support their team (unlike Bengal fans). How much motivation do you think this provides to the Steeler secondary? How much “fun” does he think the Steeler fans will be having when he “Irons”? Answer is Zero, he’s nothing but a showboat and the next hype machine for the “writers”.

I have some better advice for the Johnson, the Bengals, their fans, and their coaches. Beat someone. This current group is yet to beat a good team when they have to. They are yet to have a winning record with Johnson. They get pushed around by the better teams, they have no heart to win these games.

It might be time for Johnson to make a new list, one for sub 500 teams beaten and one for above 500 teams in games you have to win. He wont be checking too many “fun loving” boxes in the win column.

all good points....yet there are differences between TO and CJ.

CJ has yet to rip on Carson like TO has with Donovan, and Garcia before that. Hence right now, CJ hasn't given the media much of an excuse to come after him.

Also CJ hasn't whined for a new contract, nor has he whined to be traded to a specific club, nor has he been a factor in tearing apart a locker room/franchise after going extraordinary lengths to get to said club.

So right now, CJ's just an athlete on the rise that has caught the attention of the media, and since he hasn't done any of the negative things that TO has or has been accused of the media can't write up any negative stories on him.


Give him time, if he has the same mentality that a TO has. It's only a matter of time before they come after him.

Till then, I can't wait to see what kind of stunt he pulls this weekend.

[ December 01, 2005, 01:57 PM: Message edited by: blueraider ]

Johnson is a young receiver who has been in the league not nearly as long as a TO or a Moss.

You notice the difference in how these events are portrayed to the reader, for instance our own Mr Outsports tempers his antics with saying “what a pretty smile” or in the case of this article it’s “fun loving.” How much differently will the hacks write up a story if Moss decides to wear a terrible towel the next time they play the Steelers?

What they do is make excuses for someone like Mee-shawn JR here and then lump on the typical non-thinking form letter for someone like Moss.

What I find humorous is the fact that someone would even print “they love me on the road”. Are you shitting me? When was the last time a home crowd celebrated someone on the other team getting a TD? Do you REALLY think the Steeler fans are going to find his antics amusing if the scores to take the lead?

That article is from an AP writer. I just read it at Yahoo.

Anyway, antics like this are stupid. They clearly motivate the other team. The Bengals have done nothing to justify the amount of arrogance it takes for someone to do stuff like this before the game.

Chad Johnson isn't on the T.O. level yet. But clearly he's headed in that direction unless someone gets him to grow up.

Hey Blue Raider:
Great posts in highlighting the difference. Johnson plays the game with a smile on his face and I don't get any sense he's heading down the T.O. path.

To compare TO and Johnson is not easy because you can no longer even compare TO to the likes of Moss.

Let's be VERY clear. The writers stand in line to put down anything Moss or TO do ON THE FIELD. Yet fall all over themselves waiting in line to praise the same ACTIVITIES of Johnson.

Smile or no smile. Showing up the other team is just that. The only difference is that he is new and fresh. In another 3 years he will be treated the same way.

IMHO he's a better athlete than T.O.

Have you ever seen T.O. risk his body like this?

Landing like this takes skill that's hard to teach

Okay, so I just like the fact that his legs are open here

And he's a hell of a lot better looking

BTW: Saw the Chargers QB Drew Brees miss a wide open pass from LaDainian Tomlinson this past weekend, that any good receiver could catch 9 times out of ten.

Good reminder of just how difficult what they do is, and why someone who can do it consistently is so valuable.

I don't recall Chad running over a meter maid or insulting his QB and basically disrupting an entire team.

Moss and TO are great receivers but Chad is that plus a great team player.

maybe and just MAYBE you have this mistaken for the "I want to lick someone's jock thread, boy i wish i could get with him"

[ December 01, 2005, 09:31 PM: Message edited by: PhillyFan ]

Do you pay attention? I just got done watching the 5 minute piece on what a f**k up this guy was in college. Or did you just gloss that over?

Rose colored glasses anyone?

There are personality difference in Johnson and TO and Moss, but I think TO and Moss are much greater receivers than Johnson. Johnson doesn't make opposing defensive backs nervous and he doesn't change the way a defense schemes.

Moss completely changes a game and makes defensive coordinators figure out how they are going to stop him. You pretty much never see single coverage on Moss, unlike Johnson. Watch any of Johnson's highlights and there is only one opposing player around him.

Although I don't understand how people can cry and complain about Moss doing his mock moon last year in Green Bay and then give Johnson props for being lighthearted and entertaining.

If you watch Moss after he scores he rarely does a TD celebration. He usually just leapt into the arms of the fans...giving back some of the love that his fans bestow upon him. I'll take that over a good WR who can burn single coverage from average DBs any day.

Projecting again are we? Who was preoccupied with him enough to start this thread?

Here, suck on this:

Well I'd rather discusss how the media writes about him vs finding a picture with his legs in the air.

I'd rather discuss what type of coverage he gets vs saying he's sexier than moss or TO.

I'd rather discuss how much actual football fans of other teams in his division feel about him vs looking at his person pic profile.

But hey, that's just me.