What's the deal with Chad Ocho Cinco?

The media does not like Chad Ocho Cinco, when actually they should.

There are very good players that keep their mouths shut. They keep their nose to the grindstone. They let their play speak for itself.

That's great but that doesn't put people in the seats if the team isn't winning. What media types, ex high school athletes who comment on sports from their recliner and bitter people don't realize is that professional sports is theater. It's a production. It's a show. Sure it's a game with an outcome that isn't decided beforehand but we basically associate roles with players and follow storylines as if it's a bad soap opera.

QB controversy? Coach getting fired? Team trying to break a curse? Sports lives off of characters and stories. There isn't a bigger cartoon character than Chad Ocho Cinco, who constantly pulling off stunts during games that make people grumble, yet they still watch.

When Cinco tried to "pay off the refs" during last week's game, I bursted out in laughter. Great stuff. He was obviously having fun with a game. Heaven forbid a NFL player have fun.

If you've ever head Chad in an interview, you can tell he's doing this for show. But if you were to look into the mind of a professional athlete you would see that this sort of "arrogant confidence" is needed when you play at the highest level of the sport. He's not a headcase like Terrel Owens who has some serious issues he needs to deal with, Cinco is an athlete that does all this to keep an edge. And with all his antics, there's never been something that truly disrupts the team like the stuff TO does.

You watch Chad Ocho Cinco right? He's one of the best athletes in the NFL right? The Bengals are awesome right now right? I don't see the problem. Nothing wrong with a little bit of theater.