Friday, August 20, 1999BENGALS NOTEBOOK
Mack decision expected today
BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati EnquirerPONTIAC, Mich. — The Bengals brace for a decision today from NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue regarding strong safety Tremain Mack, who is expected to be suspended for at least the first four games of the regular season.
Bengals President Mike Brown had no comment Thursday night as the club prepared for tonight's exhibition game against the Lions. The thinking is that Mack will be suspended for eight games, but Tagliabue will count the last four games of last season. That's when Mack went to jail in Clermont and Hamilton counties for violating probation stemming from DUIs in 1997 and '98.
Those offenses made Mack a two-time violator of the NFL's alcohol policy and prompted a July 23 hearing in front of Tagliabue in New York. Tagliabue also was concerned about several of Mack's other alcohol-related problems with the law.
Mack set franchise records last season for kickoff return yards and kickoff return average and had two big returns called back because of holds in Saturday's exhibition opener. He apparently will be allowed to continue practicing and may play in the final three exhibition games.
AKILI (CONTINUED): Apparently the Akili Smith negotiations are getting ugly in private, too. Brown said Thursday it's time to stop getting personal as the Bengals try to sign the draft's third overall pick.
“These things have a way of working out, and I'm sure this won't be the exception,” Brown said.
Still, there was no movement Thursday. Smith's side wants the Bengals to lower the statistics that trigger his escalated salaries. The Bengals not only look at the deal for No.1 pick Tim Couch (he makes $6.8 million a year if in one season he plays 35 percent of the plays and passes for 1,600 yards), but at what the No.3 pick signed for last year. Andre Wadsworth signed a six-year, $42 million deal triggered by minimum stats for just one season.
The Bengals will give Smith $3.25 million a year for six years if he does 35-1,600 once and $4.7 million a year for six years if he plays 55 percent and throws for 2,500 yards in two of three prior years.
“That was the third pick last year. This is this year. Look at Ryan Leaf,” Brown said of last year's No.2 pick who is talking about leaving the Chargers after his third season despite an eight-figure signing bonus.
“Is that a sensible deal for a team to make an arrangement like that?” Brown asked. “No, it isn't.”
HAWKINS WAITING: Bengals cornerback Artrell Hawkins looks forward to tonight's matchup with Detroit wide receivers Herman Moore, Johnnie Morton and Germane Crowell. Hawkins said they aren't as high-profile as the guys in San Francisco, but they're probably just as good. It will be interesting to watch Hawkins work on Crowell, a burner who is almost as big as Moore at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds. Crowell proably will be in the slot, and Hawkins will be on him when the Lions go with three receivers. Hawkins played his first game in the slot Saturday.
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