Q: So you finally got some rain there.
CJ: Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. We're having a ball out here. We had a great practice in the rain today. I think this might be our only day of rain. It's going to be hot tomorrow.
Q: What is the frustration-level right now after those last two losses?
CJ: I really don't think – I'm not sure how you put it. We don't really have time to be frustrated. We've lost those two games. There's really nothing we can do about it now at this point except to fix the mistakes that got us in those situations. We have a bigger challenge this week in New [England], so it's really been a main focus this week.
Q: What are your impressions of what Randy Moss has done so far?
CJ: Randy Moss is Randy Moss, regardless of what team he's on, regardless of where he is. It's not surprising to me. Nothing has changed, he just wasn't in the right situation in Oakland. What he's doing now is the Randy Moss of old and he's always been the same Randy Moss, so no surprises.
Q: How much do other receivers in the league, and you in particular, look up to Randy or look at him as someone to try to emulate?
CJ: We're completely different types of receivers all together, so I look up to him as one of the best in the game [but] I have my own style of play and he has his own style of play. We're two completely different types of receivers. But I love his game. I love his game.
Q: Have you played much against him?
CJ: You know what? Never have I played against him, actually. … You know what? No. I don't think so. Wait a minute, Oakland last year, but he got hurt. He got hurt very early, so this is my first time really having a time to play against him.
Q: When you're on the same field as another great receiver, even though you're not going up against him, obviously, does that give you a little extra boost?
CJ: Extra boost to do what? I boost myself already as it is.
Q: To get more catches, more yards, more touchdowns than he gets?
CJ: No. It's not a competition between two receivers. It's a competition between the Patriots and the Bengals. We're trying to win a game.
Q: Last year you asked us to pass along some messages and we're ready to be of service this year, if you're up for us passing something along.
CJ: Rodney [Harrison] is not playing?
Q: Rodney is not playing.
CJ: OK, well I don't have any messages then.
Q: Asante Samuel is playing.
CJ: I love Asante. He's a good friend of mine. It's not going to have the same effect.
Q: This seems like a very subdued Chad Johnson here today.
CJ: Subdued? You think so?
Q: Yeah, a little bit.
CJ: No, not really.
Q: Any messages for Coach Belichick?
CJ: Tell Coach I said I love him. I'm just looking forward to a great challenge. This is more than a football game. This is going to be like a chess match, and I don't think it's really between the players. This is a chess match for the coaches – who's going to make the right moves at the right time? I think that's how this game is going to go.
Q: Coach Belichick doesn't share a lot of things with us that make him happy, but one of the few times he smiles is when he talks about you. Why would that be?
CJ: I don't know. I don't know. Maybe it's my personality. Maybe it's the fun I bring to the game. Maybe it's the fun I'm going to bring to the game Monday night. I'm not sure what it is. He speaks highly of me, he's given me a lot of credit for what I've done since I've been in the NFL. I had a chance to talk to him and pick his brain a little bit down at the Pro Bowl in Hawaii this past season, and he's a great coach – a great person to be around. I see why they're so successful down in New England. To have someone like that around at all times is good.
Q: He seems to have enjoyed getting together with you and talking with you at the Pro Bowl as well. Obviously it was beneficial for both of you.
CJ: Most definitely.
Q: When all of the video taping controversy came to light, I read some comments from you sort of defending the Patriots. Could you talk about that a little?
CJ: That video tape thing…It doesn't matter. OK, you know the signals. You still have to go out there and execute [against] the defense. Forget that. Take the cameras away, you're talking about a great football team that has great coaches. That camera [garbage] went out the window. They'd be 3-0 right now regardless of that [darn] camera.
Q: It seems like you might be in the minority in terms of public comments from other players around the league. It seems like everybody is pointing to that incident and saying, 'Well, that's why we lost to the Patriots.'
CJ: Be for real. They are a great team, offensively and defensively. They're a great team and there's a reason they are where they are, and it's not because of any [darn] camera.
Q: You've already had the Hall of Fame jacket this year. Do you have anything else planned for Monday night?
CJ: You know, I was thinking on doing something Monday night, but right now the way the season is going, now that we've lost two in a row I don't really think it's time to celebrate if I do score. I think it's time for us as a team to get back in a rhythm and do some things right. It just wouldn't add up. If we were winning – if we were 2-1 or 3-0 – then I think it would be appropriate to celebrate Monday night, but with it being such a game of this magnitude I'd rather, if I do get into the end zone, just hand the ball to the ref and get back to the sideline and get ready for the next series. This is not your ordinary team we're playing against. It's not.
Q: Is that partly because of the stress on the maturity-factor that Carson Palmer brought up in the off-season? He said that guys have to be more mature…
CJ: That wasn't me.
Q: No, Carson Palmer was talking about that in the off-season.
CJ: I remember, but he wasn't talking about me.
Q: No, I'm not insinuating that he was. What I'm saying is that there seems to be more of a business approach and taking these games a little more seriously and getting back on track and winning games. Do you think that has a little bit more of an impact this year?
CJ: A little bit, but I don't know. A little bit. I'm thinking you're referring it to me because I just answered a question and then you're telling me about what Carson said about maturity and the way we play the game, but I approach the game in that mature way, but also having fun with it doing it the way I always do it, at the same time producing and helping my team win.
Q: Are the Patriots intimidating?
CJ: No.
Q: The way you sounded before, you were saying you weren't going to do anything because this is a tough team you're going to play and it sounds like…
CJ: Yeah, but we're 1-2. What am I celebrating for? There's nothing to celebrate right now. We've lost the last two games. I only celebrate when we're doing well. We're not doing well right now. It wouldn't make sense.
Q: Do you think all of the off-field problems with the Bengals are in the past? I know Chris Henry is still on suspension, but I know you guys must get tired of being asked about that. Do you think that has receded?
CJ: It's long gone.
Q: Do you notice a big change this year in attitude?
CJ: We'll be fine. We'll be fine. We haven't even thought about that. It hasn't affected this year. We're just going and doing what we can to try to win games.
Q: If Adalius Thomas steps out and covers you Monday night, what's going to happen?
CJ: I don't know. The same thing that happens when everybody else steps out and tires to cover me.
Q: Bad things for them?
CJ: You're trying to get me to say something. You all think you're slick.
Q: You've always been one of those guys who's had fun on the field, trash-talking and all of that stuff. Does that go back to the days when you were playing on the streets in Florida?
CJ: Yup, definitely. That's the way football was taught to me. That's the way I watched it on TV. A lot of people look at me and see some of the things that I do on Sundays and Monday when I score – that's just the way football is played in Miami. I want all of you to think back to the 80's and the 90's and think about the Miami Hurricanes and think about what they did and how they played down that way. That's what we grew up watching and that's the way I played football from the time I was four years old. I did a lot of talking, as some of the Hurricanes still do now. They still have that mentality to intimidate. But mine is done in more of a fun-natured, entertaining way and that's just the way I've always been.
Q: Were you the best at it then, too?
CJ: No. I was a late bloomer. I was good, but I was nowhere near where I am now.
Q: I heard you had a run-in with an Impala, running a crossing route and you ran right into a Chevy?
CJ: Who told you about that?
Q: I read that. You said it in a magazine.
CJ: That was a long time ago. You have to watch out for the cars in the street.
Q: How important is it for you guys to get your swagger back? I'm not talking about celebrating…
CJ: I know, you mean as a team, and we need it early. We need it now – badly. Very badly. We've got to do the things we need to do to win. We've got to. We've got to.
Q: You talked about the chess matches and you talked about Bill Belichick, but now that you've played a few years for Marvin Lewis, what does he bring to that? What has impressed you about his coaching?
CJ: He's great. He's a great coach. He's helped me with him being a defensive-minded coach. I can only see for myself offensively. He's helped me a big deal in playing receiver, just giving me the ins and outs of some of the things that I see in front of me, knowing what's coming and just understanding the game as a whole more than just out there just playing. He made my middle game a lot better than what it [was].
Q: Recently Terrell Owens celebrated by taking a football and making it look like a camera. Did you see that and what do you think of that?
CJ: That's T.O. That was his celebration.
Q: Can you top that?
CJ: I want to talk football right now. I told you, there's no celebrating.
Q: What about the fact that without Chris Henry, you and T.J. [Houshmandzadeh] have both stepped up and are having great years without a true number three receiver?
CJ: We're capable of doing it, you know? I don't like the words “stepping up”, either, like we've stepped down. We're just now stepping up? You just hurt my feelings.
Q: I sincerely apologize.
CJ: It's what we're capable of doing. There are a lot of teams in the league that run two-receiver sets and only have two receivers, and we're one of those teams that can do that – run an offense like run Carolina or Indy where there's just two receivers. We have a great – an above-average number three here and we can't wait to get him back.
Q: How much did Keyshawn Johnson help you develop into who you are today?
CJ: Who said he helped me?
Q: I guess I was just asking. I guess he didn't.
CJ: No.
Q: Did he play a role into who you are as a receiver?
CJ: No.
Q: You picked that up on your own?
CJ: Yeah.
Q: Is it going to be different playing the Patriots this year with all of their weapons on offense and in the passing game, as opposed to last year where – They hung 38 on you, so they obviously had a good offense, but they didn't have maybe the marquee names at wide receiver that they have this year?
CJ: They're still doing the same things. That's what I said – it's not about the players that they've had. Obviously if they're doing the things that they're doing with – I don't want to say no-name players, because they've always had good players – but if they've done those things with just your average players and they're still doing the same things with super talent, what do you think that stems from? It stems from the coaching. That's where it doesn't matter who or what players you have. It's those that do the coaching that makes the difference.
Q: Do you know Randy Moss at all?
CJ: Of course!
Q: Are you friends?
CJ: Of course!
Q: What kind of a guy is he? As cool as you?
CJ: Yeah, he's cool. You have to know him. The perception on us is ridiculous. People have to take time out to get to know us personally. Sometimes it will be things that I do on TV or the trash that they're talking. You take what you see on TV and then you run with it when that's really not me. What you see all the time from Randy is really not Randy. You have to get to know 81 personally and then you see a whole different guy. You see the guy we as players know, not the fans or the media.
Q: Who's better?
CJ: Better what?
Q: Receiver.
CJ: You tell me.
Q: Well, historically based on numbers, that would go to Randy.
CJ: Well, then, there you go.
Q: I want your opinion.
CJ: You just said he's better. You're the media – I'm going with you.
Q: You're the player. I want your opinion.
CJ: He's the best in the world.
Q: I know you're friend with Asante Samuel. If you happen to line up with him, will there be any good-natured ribbing going on Monday night?
CJ: Yeah, a little bit. I have a couple of words to say to him. I haven't talked to him in a long time, since the off-season, so I'm looking forward to seeing him. I don't know, I'm excited. I'm just ready to go.
Q: This seems like a Made-for-Chad event – Monday Night Football, the Patriots, Randy Moss…
CJ: Oh, yeah, most definitely. It's one thing for me to already just love to play the game, but then to give me the spotlight on Monday night to play? I mean, you just don't do those things.
Q: I take it you'll want to bask in that spotlight more than any other player?
CJ: I like to have fun. I like to have fun. When that whistle blows, it's just…lights, camera, action. That's how I am. |
