Thursday, October 14, 1999

BENGALS NOTEBOOK

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Blackmon real-life 'Waterboy'

BY GEOFF HOBSON
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Roosevelt Blackmon makes INT against Browns. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        Roosevelt Blackmon didn't want to see Adam Sandler's The Waterboy, but he finally rented it.

        “I feel like they stole my movie,” Blackmon said. “He played defense, I played defense. I wore No.19, he wore 9.”

        They have to make a sequel. Blackmon, who was a college waterboy at Morris Brown while working at a cemetery, makes his first NFL start Sunday against the Steelers as the Bengals' left cornerback.

        Blackmon gets his shot after intercepting Cleveland quarterback Tim Couch on the Cincinnati 8-yard line early in the second quarter last Sunday, stemming the Browns' onslaught of 14 points and 155 yards on the previous 14 plays and leading to an 18-17 victory.

        It was the first game in which Blackmon, a Packers fourth-round draft pick before the Bengals picked him up early last season on waivers, played in the base defense.

        Nothing comes easy for Blackmon. He had been inactive for the previous three games, but the Bengals went with him Sunday after right cornerback Artrell Hawkins left with a concussion.

        Hawkins is ready for the Steelers at right corner, but the Bengals plan to rotate at left with Blackmon, Ty Howard and Rodney Heath, who started the last three games.

        “(In the opener) against Tennessee, (Blackmon) didn't quite understand the game plan,” secondary coach Ray Horton said. “I benched him and told him, "Until you understand what's going on, I can't play you.' ... He's got everything you need. Size, strength, speed, athletic ability. He just needs to study a little bit more.”

        Blackmon spent Wednesday's media period in the weight room, studying his playbook. Then he put on his practice shoes, which feature a message taped across his spikes: “Stay low.”

        “Ray stays on me about that because I'm so tall,” Blackmon said. “So I put it (on the spikes) to remind me, and the first day I did it, I had two interceptions in practice.”

        Blackmon's interception was just the Bengals' second of the season, and Horton hopes he is sending another clear message.

        “We're looking for guys to make plays,” Horton said. “Maybe if they see they'll challenge for some playing time because I play the guy that plays best ... If that's what these guys need to do something, i'll do it.”

        GIBSON GREETING: Bengals nose tackle Oliver Gibson was a Steeler last year when Bengals quarterback Neil O'Donnell faked a spike to stop the clock and ended up throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass to Carl Pickens with 20 seconds left for a 25-20 victory.

        But Gibson wasn't on the field.

        “If I was on the field, I wouldn't have quit. Like Nolan Harrison just stopped rushing,” Gibson said. “I usually don't stop until I touch the quarterback ... They caught us sleeping and it was the last thing we expected.”

        STEPHENS BACK: Bengals reserve tackle Jamain Stephens, a former first-round pick cut by the Steelers on the first day of training camp, hopes he gets a chance to play his old mates Sunday.

        Stephens said he has a new life after returning from a four-week suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. He said it was a struggle watching or listening to the games, but he kept in shape at the gym of Northern Kentucky strength guru Dave Gudugli.

        “I felt like I was slighted (in Pittsburgh), but there are some things I didn't do on my part,” Stephens said. “I came in out of shape and there were a few things off the field I could have handled better. Once I got released, I looked back on things and I didn't give the Steelers much of a choice. I'm not mad at them. Coach (Bill) Cowher told me he didn't think I was committed to the team and it may have looked like that, but it wasn't true.”

        INJURY REPORT: With long snapper Steve Bush shelved for two to four weeks with a sprained knee, guard Jay Leeuwenburg takes over the duties. The Bengals will probably promote rookie linebacker Ben Peterson from the practice squad so they can have a backup snapper. That's if they can't find anyone on the roster who can do it.

        Defensive John Copeland said he won't be 100 percent, but he plans to play with a brace for his strained elbow ... Rookie fullback Nick Williams is recovered from his ankle sprain and will get his first extensive playing time Sunday ... Backup guard Mike Goff (sprained knee) is questionable, as are backup cornerback Rico Clark (ankle) and safety Lawrence Wright (ankle, foot).

       

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