“Awesome, stud!” You know it’s him when you hear those words. He doesn’t do that much writing anymore. These days you can hear Chick Ludwig on WLW…or see him officiating a volleyball match at a school near you. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
It was the craziest and most interesting 12 years of his journalistic career. Chick Ludwig’s time with the Bengals offered enough stories and material to last a lifetime. Here’s a few of his favorites, a throwback to his early days as a Press Pros original contributor.
Editor’s note: Chick Ludwig spent 30 years at the Dayton Daily News (1979-2009), his final 12 on the Bengals beat. In 2010 he became one of the four original Press Pros writers, along with Hal McCoy, Dale Meggas, and Sonny Fulks. He’s currently a weekend sports talk show host for iHeartMedia-Cincinnati (700 WLW radio). For a smile at the holidays, here’s an encore of an early Ludwig post on Press Pros.
The telephone rang in the Miamisburg War Room at some ungodly hour on a Tuesday morning. Early, much too early, for this night owl sportswriter.
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The year was 2005 when landlines were still in vogue. And without that first cup of coffee, I was groggy and incoherent, trying to shake the cobwebs between my ears. Clutching the handset, I told myself: This cannot be good. And it wasn’t.
The secretary for Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was on the line: “Chick, it’s Jaime, I’m passing you through to Marvin.”
It wasn’t pretty. But it sure was loud.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WRITING THAT STORY!” Marvin screamed in my ear. “My office! Tomorrow! After my press conference!”
To supplement my pre-NFL Draft story, I had written a short sidebar claiming, by all accounts, there was no way the Bengals were going to draft Ohio State tailback Maurice Clarett. And they didn’t. Clarett was picked in the third round (No. 101 overall) by the Denver Broncos.
The following day, in Marvin’s office, I stood my ground. I calmly explained my role as the Bengals beat writer for the Dayton Daily News. That I was the liaison between the team and its patrons. That I was “The Voice of the Fan.” A fact he was forced to accept … grudgingly. We shook hands and I escaped unscathed.
Phase 1: I got a pro beat, something I always wanted. Phase 2: I’d feel overwhelmed quickly and doubt myself. I’d ask, “What in the world did I get myself into?” Phase 3: I think I can finally handle this gig. Somehow, someway, I lasted 12 years (1997-2009) on this wild NFL rollercoaster ride.
Chick with Bengal owner Mike Brown…ever the fountain of optimism, but on a budget, you understand.
I had survived Bruce Coslet, who resigned Sept. 25, 2000, the day after a 37-0 shutout loss at Baltimore. Owner Mike Brown witnessed the game from the press box, calling it “the most thorough beating” in his memory bank.
Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, the mastermind of the “zone blitz” defense, took over. A month later, on October 22, 2000, Corey Dillon set the NFL record for most rushing yards in a game (278 yards) against the Denver Broncos, breaking Walter Payton’s mark of 275 yards set in 1977.
After LeBeau’s unsightly 12-33 stint (.267) from 2000-02, the Bengals needed a fresh face and total reset in 2003. So they turned to Marvin, the NFL’s No. 1 defensive coordinator. Coming off a year with the Washington Redskins, Marvin had guided the Ray Lewis-led 2000 Baltimore Ravens to a resounding 34-7 victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV.
Of the 10 head coaches in Bengals history, Marvin generated the most victories with a record of 131-129-3 for a .504 winning percentage. But his success was marred by an 0-7 playoff record, losing Wild Card games in 2005-09-11-12-13-14-15.
Along the way, I learned Marvin’s favorite meal: Fish Tacos. His favorite recording artist: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. His favorite song: Smokey’s “Cruisin’.” And I learned his least favorite beat writer was Chick Ludwig.
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Washington, D.C. reporters covering Marvin told me: He automatically thinks he’s the smartest guy in the room. You have to call him out and challenge him. So I did.
Turns out, the one thing I was halfway decent at was getting under Marvin’s skin.
Exhibit A:
“Marvin’s stare, and glare, nearly burned a hole in me.” Lewis (above), circa 2010 during a game with the Cleveland Browns
David Pollack, an All-America linebacker at Georgia, was the Bengals’ first-round draft pick (No. 17 overall) in 2005. He missed all of training camp in a holdout. During his introductory news conference in Cincinnati, after all the social niceties from the adoring gathering, I asked Pollack: “David, what were you doing while your teammates were sweating their asses off at Georgetown College?”
If looks could kill, I’d be dead. Marvin’s stare ‘n’ glare nearly burned a hole in me.
Exhibit B:
“I miss our press conference battes…the banter…the controversy…and players bummin’ quarters from beat writers for the soda machine.”
During a game at Buffalo in 2007, safety Dexter Jackson stood near the Bills’ sideline, woofin’ at his opponents as the play clock ticked down, dangerously close to the next play. I argued with Marvin for several minutes that Jackson didn’t get back into the proper position in the secondary at the snap of the ball.
Oh, my, how I miss our press conference battles. The banter. The controversy. The often contentious tug-of-war. And I miss the players. Heck, I even miss Carl Pickens bummin’ quarters from beat writers for the soda machine.
Here are a handful of my favorite memories:
CLIF GROCE: The bruising fullback, wearing a World War II Army helmet he purchased at an Air Force show in San Antonio, Texas, offered his unique perspective on football:
“The running backs versus the linebackers … that’s the classic case of lions versus hyenas. The epic battle of good and evil. The linebackers are hyenas. They’ve got the big, powerful jaws. They run around in packs and they hunt and destroy everything.
“When you get to the secondary, you run into rats. DBs are rats. They’re always talkin’ and runnin’ their mouths. They’re sneaky and there’s just so many of them. They always hit you when you’re not looking. They carry diseases and my job is to exterminate. Punish ’em.”
Kicker Shayne Graham was known for eating 18 tacos in one sitting…and 14 chili dogs at a cookout, and was still hungry.
SHAYNE GRAHAM: The Bengals kicker from 2003-09 was known for two things off the field — his need for speed as he gunned his Bentley GT Sedan swiftly through the players’ parking lot, and his turbocharged appetite.
He would call ahead to Jeff Ruby’s Carlo & Johnny restaurant so the chef could get a head start cooking his 16-ounce filet mignon — which isn’t on the menu. Upon arrival, he’d devour the steak, two side dishes and dessert, then top it off with another 9-ounce filet.
“Metabolisms are just different speeds for different people,” the 6-foot, 205-pounder said. “Just because someone is big doesn’t mean their stomach is. I just have a very healthy appetite. I work out a lot. I’d probably look like a fitness model if I didn’t eat so much. But I love food and I can’t stop eating. I’ll just continue to keep a healthy build.”
DICK LeBEAU: Every night at 7, like clockwork, he’d mosey across the Toyota Stadium field at Georgetown (Ky.) College during training camp holding the mesh bag containing laundry that needed cleaning. “Long, slow, cool,” is how defensive tackle Oliver Gibson described LeBeau, who was never in a hurry.
St. Henry native, and former Buckeye Bobby Hoying once threw 4 touchdowns to beat the Bengals 44-42 in Philadelphia. “Do you guys deserve your paychecks?” I asked linebacker Steve Tovar. He came at me with both hands aimed at my neck.
DARNAY SCOTT: During a brutal 2001 camp in which the team had a bye-week in the preseason, the wide receiver climbed behind the wheel of a white Jaguar with Utah license plates. Utah? Nobody on the club was from Utah. “Hey, baby,” Scott said, “you’ve gotta mix ’em and match ’em so that nobody finds you.”
STEVE TOVAR: On Nov. 30, 1997, the Bengals lost at The Vet in Philly, 44-42, on Chris Boniol’s last-second, 31-yard field goal. The Eagles’ Bobby Hoying, a St. Henry native, and the Bengals’ Boomer Esiason each threw 4 TD passes.
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